I Became the Eldest Daughter of a Fallen Family - Chapter 71

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 71. Have You Ever Heard of a Patent? (2)
They say there’s nothing quite like physical labor to quiet a restless mind.
Spreading mortar and laying bricks—this simple work had indeed given him a respite from his tangled thoughts, yet it could not solve the deeper problem itself.
‘There’s nothing to be done about it. What shame would I bear asking such a thing of them?’
The fundamental reason he had sought out the So Household was to ask for their counsel on water management.
After unexpectedly inheriting the position of magistrate, he had received an Imperial Decree to resolve the frequent disasters plaguing Cheongyang County—but it proved far harder than anticipated.
The infighting among local clans seeking to check the Wi Family of Cheongpyeong had reached a fever pitch over the water management system.
“You wish to fell bamboo? I’m afraid that would be difficult to permit. As you know, bamboo is an exceptionally useful material.”
“Drawing spring water with bamboo instead of repairing the well? How on earth did you arrive at such a childish notion?”
Scorn poured down from all sides.
In name alone a magistrate, without troops or influence, such treatment was perhaps inevitable.
And the prince’s warning, relayed through the Royal Attendant, had driven home the stakes of his dilemma.
“The Consort’s Faction has set its sights on you as well. You must achieve something here, must establish yourself, and you must never return to the Capital, Ha-yun.”
That was why he needed the So Household’s counsel. That was why he needed So Yeon-hui’s cooperation.
But when he thought of the secret the prince had conveyed through letter, he could not bring himself to speak.
‘I have allowed private feeling to make me abandon righteousness. I turned away a loyal minister who has guarded this realm for decades with such cruelty that I cannot bear to raise my head.
Yet I have wagered everything I possess to hide him in these mountains. Ha-yun, you must obtain his knowledge and make that place prosper.
Master the water channels, master the people’s hearts, build walls. Prepare a refuge that will shelter you against the turbulent times to come.
Make the So Family’s fall your weapon.’
When the So Family fell, he could easily have dispelled any suspicion of Ju Ha-jin’s treachery.
A single testimony from Ju Ha-yun—one who had studied calligraphy alongside him—that the handwriting left by the 8th Prince, who died after denouncing So Jin, differed from his own would have sufficed.
Instead, the prince had sent him to this distant Cheongyang County, rather than call him as a witness.
To protect a half-blood relative from Ju Ha-jin’s faction, he had abandoned an entire family of loyal subjects.
And now he demanded that Ju Ha-yun win over the So Family. That he seduce So Yeon-hui into a situation where So Jin would have no choice but to step forward.
“Your Highness, how could you issue such a command?”
The bitter voice scattered into the empty air.
No matter that he had prevented So Jin’s execution, no matter that he had manipulated So Jin’s place of exile to be here in Cheongyang County—this was an order he could hardly bear to follow.
In the treacherous Imperial Palace, only one person had ever been kind to him. In all that murk and scheming, he alone remained virtuous and gentle. That was why he trusted and followed him more like a father than his own father—his brother.
How could such a man resort to such vicious tactics, and how could he expect him to carry them out?
Ju Ha-yun loathed the Imperial Palace for driving his brother to such desperation, and he was sorry for the So Family, who had lost everything to such base conspiracy.
“Ha-yun, when exactly do you plan to broach the subject? I think we should at least begin to hint at it soon.”
“Be quiet. Can’t you see I’m concentrating?”
“Ugh! Is laying bricks really more important than convincing General So? We need to find some way to win him over.”
Wi Jung pleaded with a sigh, but Ju Ha-yun would not budge. Grabbing his arm and pressing harder did no good.
“Enough. We’ll talk later.”
Ju Ha-yun pulled his arm away coldly, as though he had no wish to hear another word from Wi Jung.
But in that very instant—
“Whoa, whoa—?!”
Wi Jung lost his balance and tumbled forward onto a pile of bricks.
Crash-rumble-crack!
With a tremendous sound, hundreds of bricks came cascading down in a cloud of dust.
Fallen bricks scattered across the mortar, and ash-gray clumps splattered in all directions.
‘……We’re done for.’
Both men froze simultaneously.
The sudden commotion drew every eye toward them.
So Jin, who had been working steadily at his task, was no exception. He slowly turned his head.
“…….”
So Jin said nothing, only looked down at his own clothes, now covered in splattered mortar.
Yet would you believe that very silence was colder and sharper than any scolding could have been?
“I’m—I’m so sorry! I slipped and—”
Wi Jung hurriedly crouched down and began gathering up bricks. Ju Ha-yun, panic-stricken, joined in wordlessly to help with the cleanup.
‘At this rate, I won’t even get the chance to make my request before we’re thrown out.’
Cold sweat trickled down Ju Ha-yun’s spine under So Jin’s piercing gaze.
So Jin already seemed reluctant to have them here.
Just as the thought deepened that it might be better to try again another time—
“Everyone!! Come eat lunch!”
So Yeon-hui’s bright voice rang out from the courtyard like a rescue bell.
“Phew.”
So Jin released a short breath.
These two certainly seemed to have designs they were hiding, but he couldn’t very well starve people who had taken the trouble to visit.
He withdrew his gaze from the two young men, set down the trowel in his hand, and slowly straightened up.
“Let’s eat first.”
Only then could Wi Jung finally breathe freely, released from the weight of anxiety.
* * *
The So Household’s circumstances could hardly be called good by any measure.
A small thatched cottage barely three rooms across, with only a fence expanded—the empty courtyard felt all the more barren for it.
At least the construction of new building pillars and kitchen expansion was underway, lending a sense of bustle.
The problem was that the kitchen expansion work was still in progress, making the space for cooking and eating rather awkward.
But the So Household people had solved it with a remarkably clever method.
They had simply moved part of the kitchen work outside the building.
Starting with a simple stove built of bricks, they brought out a table from the main room to create a preparation counter. The Bamboo Drying Rack that had once been used for smoking preserved vegetables became a makeshift storage space for food supplies, draped with cloth.
But the most innovative of all was the distribution counter.
On a finished preparation table sat Bamboo Tubes with chopsticks set in them and metal food trays, followed by rice, soup, and side dishes in large pots.
People lined up and moved through in order, receiving food onto their trays.
The tray itself was quite remarkable—thin metal with several curved grooves, each groove perfectly designed to hold rice, soup, or side dishes.
A square, broad groove held rice. A round, broad groove held miso soup.
The remaining small grooves held side dishes like seasoned vegetable medley and steamed egg.
An entire three-course meal fit into this single metal plate.
The efficiency of it was enough to raise goosebumps.
“W-what exactly is that?”
“What? It’s just an ordinary food tray.”
“An ordinary……tray?”
Did this household not understand the meaning of the word ‘ordinary’?
Wi Jung gave So Yeon-hui, who answered so casually, a look before leaning quickly toward Ju Ha-yun with a whisper.
“Did you see that?”
“I did.”
“The dishes are all on one plate, so it’s easy to set down and eat anywhere, and it seems simple enough to carry.”
“Even with the grooves, it’s flat enough that when you stack them, they take up far less space.”
Wi Jung and Ju Ha-yun watched the workers take trays and line up to receive their food, exchanging a look.
At last, their turn came.
It was not that they had never used metal tableware, but such an innovative design was altogether new, and both men’s hands trembled slightly as they held the tray.
Wi Jung stepped forward first, tray in hand.
Jang silently scooped generous rice into the largest groove.
So Yeon-hui placed a piece of steamed egg in a small groove and filled the next section with seasoned vegetable medley.
Hong filled the broad groove with miso soup last, and the tray was full.
Wi Jung watched the process in a daze, his feet moving automatically to the side.
What on earth was this?
The rice, soup, and side dishes truly fit all on one tray. No separate bowls, no serving tray, no table was needed. Wi Jung looked down at the tray, his lips quivered, then closed again.
Ju Ha-yun went next. The moment he received the tray, his eyes fixed on it. Jang scooped rice, So Yeon-hui placed steamed egg, Hong poured soup—the movements flowed like water, without pause. It was the speed of a military mess serving.
If this were used for army provisions—
The thought had barely reached him when Ju Ha-yun’s fingers tightened around the tray’s edge. Wi Jung muttered low beside him.
“What have they made? This is……not even comparable to the water management system.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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