Surviving as the Sacheon Dang Clan’s Servant - Chapter 18

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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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Chapter 18
“You! What on earth happened?”
The voice that greeted me upon my return to the Servants’ Quarters was Song Ji’s shout.
Fury radiated from her so intensely that cold sweat trickled down my back. I forced a calm smile and waved at Song Ji.
“Good evening, Song Ji.”
“Good evening? How can you say that? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been, with you not coming back yesterday?”
This isn’t working.
Song Ji rushed toward me in a single stride, huffing like an angry bull. She seized my shoulders and shook me roughly.
“Not a word about being late, no one’s seen you anywhere, and I’ve been imagining everything—did the Elder punish you for some mistake, did those scheming concubines try something? My mind’s been running wild all night. You really…”
Song Ji’s voice wavered into silence, her eyes hollow from a sleepless night spent fretting.
“I’m sorry, Song Ji.”
I apologized and pulled her into a tight embrace.
I’d been so distracted that I’d forgotten about her entirely. I never expected her to worry this much.
As I gently patted her back, she sniffled.
“Thank goodness nothing happened.”
“Yes.”
“Did you get any sleep?”
“Of course.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Not at all. Oh, would you like some tea?”
“Tea? What kind of tea? Not leaf dust—real tea?”
“Yes. Dang Jung gave it to me.”
I released Song Ji and shook the tea canister I’d brought back. Her face brightened.
“This is Mongjeong Tea? Goodness, I’ve only ever smelled it.”
“I thought so.”
“I’ve never heard of the Elder giving tea as a reward before. Listen, you must be doing well.”
“It wasn’t like that—he said he had extra.”
In truth, he’d given it to me to study by while drinking it. The message was clear: go home and study instead of sleeping.
Even in the martial world, apparently one must borrow caffeine’s power to study. Life is indeed cruel.
I pulled another bundle from my pocket.
“I brought some snacks too.”
Song Ji’s eyes lit up as she took the bundle wrapped in muslin and eagerly untied it. At the sight of the white rice cakes, she cried out.
“These are Seol Byeong! How could he give you something so precious?”
“Yes. Anyway, let’s go inside and eat them instead of talking about it.”
“Right, let’s hurry.”
Song Ji’s mouth stretched nearly to her ears. She seemed far more delighted by the precious rice cakes than by fine tea.
That’s the spirit—food is a gain worth keeping. Good priorities. I nudged Song Ji ahead into our quarters.
But then I noticed my pillow and bedding had been replaced with new ones.
Tilting my head in confusion, Song Ji spoke matter-of-factly.
“Lady Jin came by yesterday. She said there wasn’t a suitable room to move you to, so she had the bedding changed instead. I’ve been waiting all night to tell you about it too…!”
“I’m sorry, Song Ji. I really am.”
As her voice rose, I quickly popped a Seol Byeong into her mouth to silence her.
Now that I thought about it, Lady Jin had mentioned moving me to another room. I should visit her at first light and tell her I’d stay here for now.
To keep a low profile, it was best to avoid giving people anything to gossip about.
“You really…!”
“Can’t talk? Wait. Let me brew the tea for you.”
Song Ji glared at me, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, her mouth working soundlessly. I heard the delicate crunch of crumbling cake as saliva pooled in her mouth.
Is it good?
As I stirred the brazier, I too popped one of the Seol Byeong into my mouth. It was fragrant yet slightly salty—perfect for cleansing the palate.
Sitting across from each other eating the cakes, we burst into laughter. It was nothing special, and yet we laughed anyway.
After swallowing her cake, Song Ji spoke.
“So Hye, what are you planning to do going forward?”
“Do about what?”
“About Dang Jung. From the way he keeps giving you things, it seems he’s taken a liking to you. But I’m uneasy. It was long ago, but whenever the Elder called for a new maid, she’d always disappear afterward. Of course, you’ve lived here all along, but… I’m still worried. Could you ask to transfer to a different post?”
Song Ji’s words brought back the image of Dang Jung, who had questioned my identity.
He’d asked how long I’d been working there. It seemed he’d searched for spies before.
“It will be fine.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t a spy—I was Dang blood. Dang Jung, who had accepted me as his descendant and disciple, would never harm me.
The real problem was the grandmothers and half-brothers I’d never met…
“Song Ji, I’m curious about something. What kind of person is the Designated Successor?”
“Designated Successor? Of course the Designated Successor is a complete fool…. Hah. You can’t go around telling people I said that, understand?”
A complete fool, then.
Just watching Dang Mu Hyuk’s attitude told me everything. There was no way a son raised under such a father could have turned out right.
It was Dang Un who was the strange one—so gentle, so measured in his speech.
“Of course. Naturally.”
“You promise?”
I nodded, and Song Ji promptly unleashed a torrent of complaints as though she’d been waiting for permission.
“Honestly, he’s not fit to be Designated Successor at all. He’s not clever, he’s no beauty to speak of, he’s always bullying the servants, and he’s got a vile temper to boot. Who’d want to serve a master like that? He’d need to be exceptional at martial arts, at least. But the Heukyun Brigade’s commanding officer trained him for five years, and he still can’t match a boy three years his junior. No talent for it whatsoever. If he becomes Clan Patriarch, the Dang Clan will collapse utterly. So where would I go? Could I even find work at an inn?”
Song Ji. Breathe. Just breathe.
Her face was as red as a ripe tomato. Clearly, years of grievances had built up against the Designated Successor.
The pot above the brazier had begun to boil, steam rising from it. I poured the hot water from the pot into a cup and asked her a question.
“But why did he become Designated Successor in the first place?”
“Because he’s the eldest son. The other young masters are all younger.”
Song Ji answered matter-of-factly as she opened the tea container, and when she saw the well-dried leaves inside, she let out an admiring sigh.
“This is really fine tea!”
“Do you like it? Please, help yourself freely. I can always get more.”
“Really? I can drink as much as I want? Anyway, I’ve heard that the Clan Patriarch didn’t intend from the start to make Young Master Young Ho his Designated Successor. The First Lady’s son is Dang Un, after all. But because Dang Un suffers from Julmaekcheung…. Well, that’s how it turned out.”
“I see.”
“Lady Jegal’s health is weak, so I suspect Dang Un inherited that weakness. They were married for over three years without bearing an heir, which is why Lady Im was brought in—that’s common knowledge anyway. And Lady Im bore a son first, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
“Lady Jo came later and has two sons and a daughter, but Lady Jegal only has Dang Un. She must have suffered greatly.”
It was quite a pitiful story.
This household certainly has its complications. So how many siblings do I have? Four sons and one daughter?
Before I could ask, Song Ji started grumbling again.
“Still, Young Master Dang Hwa Yeop and Young Master Dang Ju Yeop would be worth serving, wouldn’t they? Young Master Dang Se Ho is utterly useless. He goes around saying he’s the Designated Successor’s brother, what can you do about it, and he’s always overturning tables. Lady Im is quick with figures and gets called shrewd. I have no idea how she ended up with such a son. And then there’s Miss Ju Hee….”
There’s more? Just how many children are there?
I began counting on my fingers, trying to sort out my half-siblings.
To sum it up: Lady Jegal, the First Lady, had only Dang Un. The rest were children of Lady Im and Lady Jo.
The eldest son Dang Young Ho and the youngest Dang Se Ho appeared to be Lady Im’s children, while the third and fourth sons, Dang Hwa Yeop and Dang Ju Yeop, were Lady Jo’s children.
The “third son” that Dang Bu Gyeong had been teaching at the Training Grounds must have been Dang Hwa Yeop. So Dang Bu Gyeong was the Heukyun Brigade’s commanding officer?
There were too many people to keep track of. My temples ached.
It seemed there was a daughter under Lady Im and one under Lady Jo as well. I suspected they might be Ju Hee and Cho Hee, whom Dang Un had mentioned once.
“Hong I was cast out not long ago. That was actually…. Hey, So Hye. Are you listening to me?”
“Of course. That young mistress was harsh.”
“Wasn’t she? It’s unreasonable no matter how you look at it. She was a servant who waited on her faithfully her whole life….”
Once Song Ji got going, there was no stopping her. I listened with half an ear while biting into the Seol Byeong.
The teacup that had been steaming hot had long since gone cold.
Five sons and two daughters.
Even excluding Dang Un, who is kind to me, that makes six. How could I survive a vicious succession struggle among six siblings?
I tapped the rim of my teacup. What I could do right now was….
“….That’s what happened. This tea really is delicious. But aren’t you going to study the classics today?”
“I need to.”
Work through the Thousand Character Classic.
I drank down the remaining tea in one go, then retrieved my ink stone with clumsy hands. As I ground the ink with vacant eyes, Song Ji smiled and unrolled paper in front of me.
“If you hate it so much, why do you study? Just do half a Double Hour and then get some sleep. I’m going to bed first.”
“Our lord commanded it. You should rest.”
“All right. I’ll clean up the utensils.”
“Thank you. Sister.”
Song Ji cleared away the tea things and fell asleep almost the moment she lay down. I grasped my brush, listening to her gentle, steady breathing.
No matter what happens, I’m finishing the Thousand Character Classic this month!
Fired with determination, I began copying the text. Under the flickering lamplight, my crooked characters took shape on the page.
* * *
The next day, and the day after, Dang Jung remained absent.
I’d thought that being a Grand Elder meant doing whatever you pleased, but watching Dang Jung suggested otherwise.
‘The Peng Clan’s Grand Elder is coming? That old fool is still alive? How many more times will I be worked to death?’
Even as he grumbled, he dutifully went out to greet his guests. Clearly, he took his role seriously.
In a way, an adult deserves an adult’s respect only when they act as an adult should. By that measure, Dang Jung was an exemplary one.
I stretched leisurely and entered Dang Jung’s Private Chamber slowly. Since he wouldn’t be back, I’d decided to skip the cleaning today and focus on my studies instead.
But there was an uninvited visitor sitting in the Reception Hall.
“So Hye is here?”
It was Dang Un who greeted me with a gentle voice.

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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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