“Why is it interesting?”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother muttered while cupping his head with a slumped posture.
It’s fun. The protagonist is cool, and the courtesans are charming. The plot is thrilling, and the love story with the courtesan is beautiful.
“Get a grip. I’m part of the Yichang Literary Association. This kind of popular novel is boring.”
The Yichang Literary Association is a reading and critique group boasting history and tradition in Yichang.
It’s a gathering that enjoys the sayings of ancient sages and classical novels and poetry, being the most authoritative group concerning literature in Yichang.
Hwang Seong’s younger brother shook his head, trying to deny “The Rise of the Tang Family,” but there are undeniable facts to confront.
He started reading the book around sunset, but now the morning birds are chirping outside.
Despite his agony, his hair was unkempt, his waist somewhat loosened, and his face a bit haggard compared to last night, with suspicious bundles tossed into the trash can.
Anyone could tell just how engrossed he was in “The Rise of the Tang Family.”
“I need to calm my mind. I must soothe it with classics!”
He fell into temptation. It was just his literary association eyes momentarily clouded. Let’s purify this dizzying heart with classics. He hurriedly pulled out his favorite classics from the bookshelf.
Stiff writing. Densely packed sentences. Metaphors within each letter. One must grasp the context and meaning even when looking at a single word, reflecting on the wisdom of ancient sages.
The more one chews, the more flavor it releases – very interesting…
“Not interesting! Oh! …Gasp! I can’t believe I just threw the book.”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother, startled, picked up the classical novel he had just tossed. He was excited. It couldn’t be boring; it was just that the deeply condensed meanings made it hard to concentrate with his confused mind.
It wasn’t that book. Another book must be more fun. Out of all the books on the shelf, surely one was more entertaining than “The Rise of the Tang Family.”
Hwang Seong examined the bookshelf diligently but ultimately gazed at “The Rise of the Tang Family” placed on the table.
What’s so amazing about a straight-laced protagonist who bravely defeats villains and shares romantic moments with the beautiful courtesan?
What’s so great about a protagonist who seems frustrating at times but shows remarkable clarity and resolution when acting for the weak?
What’s so charming about the women in love with him? Get a grip. Must calm down.
No. Even when I focus, the beauty of Sichuan’s first beauty lingers.
The scene where the first beauty of Sichuan expresses her affectionate thoughts is really… really… He felt a sudden rush of blood to his lower half.
“Brother, are you awake?”
“Ye, brother!”
The younger brother, startled by the voice from outside, answered like a student caught watching adult movies.
“Let’s have breakfast together.”
“Of course! Ah! This, this!”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother couldn’t fully straighten his waist, as the blood rush to his lower half from thinking of Sichuan’s first beauty hadn’t subsided yet.
“What’s the matter?”
“Uh, nothing. I’ll tidy up the bedding and come over, so please go ahead.”
“You usually don’t care about such things. Got it.”
Hwang Seong replied with a puzzled voice and left the door. As soon as his brother felt the presence leave, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at his unruly lower half.
‘Why? Why isn’t it calming down! Brother is waiting! Ah! Right! I’ll read some classics for a moment.’
His younger brother pulled out a novel about “Anbin Nakdo” from the shelf and began to read, savoring its meanings.
Though a novel he held with great admiration, today it was merely a tool to subdue the rush in his lower half.
——————
“So, how was ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’?”
Hwang Seong asked, sitting at the table, eagerly looking at his younger brother, who borrowed volume two of “The Rise of the Tang Family” the night before.
“It was better than I expected.”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother said with a blank expression.
“Better than expected?”
“It’s at a level that people like me who don’t read much can find entertaining.”
He spoke like someone evaluating a mildly entertaining movie.
“Wow, I see. You’re part of the Literary Association, so of course you have a different view. I was hoping to hear about the charm of the first beauty of Hubei, Du Eung-hyang, this morning. What a disappointment.”
“Ha! The first beauty of Hubei, huh. While it’s true Du Eung-hyang is a charming woman, isn’t there Joseon blood running through her veins? How about Sichuan’s first beauty? That floral beauty. The gentle heart that envelops hearts of men. Really…”
“Brother?”
“Ah! Nothing!”
“Haha. Now that I see, you look haggard. Yes, everyone looks like that when they first get hooked on a book.”
Hwang Seong glanced at his younger brother as if he was fully aware of what he did all night.
“I wasn’t hooked on ‘The Rise of the Tang Family.’ Of course, it’s an entertaining book, but it’s excessively sensational.”
He replied with a frustrated expression at his brother, who wore a knowing look.
“True, it has its sensational parts. But that’s not all there is; it’s a novel with charm. And you got drawn in too, didn’t you?”
“Cough. That’s true.”
“Haha. So, you admit it. Come join the Tea and Book Club.”
“I still can’t accept it.”
“Can’t accept it? You found it entertaining, didn’t you?”
“It might just be because it’s a new type of novel. Or it could be due to my youthful passion. So I want to hold off on making a judgment until I consult my teacher.”
“Teacher? You’re talking about the teacher from the same Literary Association as you?”
“Yes. I heard he just returned late yesterday from Wuhan. I want to take ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’ and get his cold evaluation.”
“If it’s fun, just say it’s fun! You’re making it quite complicated, little brother. If you have any thoughts of writing bad reviews, your brother won’t be pleased.”
“That’s a matter for the Literary Association. I want to get an objective evaluation from my teacher first.”
“Okay. I hope you don’t write a bad review.”
After finishing his meal, Hwang Seong’s younger brother left home.
——————–
Before visiting his teacher, Hwang Seong’s younger brother decided to stop by a bookstore for a moment.
“The protagonist should at least be at the level of Tang Jung.”
“When is writer Ho Pil releasing volume three?”
Although his brother didn’t enter the Tea Bookstore, the surrounding conversations were filled with discussions about “The Rise of the Tang Family.”
“The main consort must be Du Eung-hyang, right?”
“Of course! How could a woman from Sichuan challenge the position of the main consort of Tang Jung?”
The main consort was, of course, the first beauty of Sichuan, Gu Suk-Jung.
He wanted to say something in that moment, but he thought it wasn’t an adult’s or a gentleman’s behavior to refute someone who disagreed with him.
Suppressing his opinions, he picked a few classical novels off the shelf.
“The scene where Tang Jung unfolds the memorization space is truly magnificent. You must read it.”
“I should read it too.”
Not memorization space, but assassination space.
Can they really recommend “The Rise of the Tang Family” at the bookstore while not even knowing the protagonist’s martial arts name? No, I must bear it. I need to endure. I shouldn’t interrupt. His younger brother desperately tried to calm his mind.
“In volume two, at the end, the poison powder is sprinkled, and the experience with the poison-laden memorization is multiplied with the three poisons – it’s simply amazing!”
“They only used two, so why three poisons?”
“Uh? Uh, it was two poisons on the memorization, right?”
“Ah-ha.”
“Because the first beauty of Hubei, Du Eung-hyang, had already mixed one poison into the drink beforehand.”
He couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Right! That’s it!”
The man talking about it clapped his hands and acted as if he just remembered because Hwang Seong’s younger brother interrupted.
“And it’s not the memorization space; it’s the assassination space.”
“Hahaha. Is that so? I must’ve read the book at a speed too quick to remember such terms.”
The man scratched his head, looking embarrassed at Hwang Seong’s remark.
“Fast reading should not apply to Masterpieces…”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother wanted to retort but desperately held back.
“Are you reacting so strongly because you are part of the Tea and Book Club?”
“No, I’m not part of the Tea and Book Club.”
“Haha. Then you’re a future member of the Tea and Book Club.”
“I have no intention of joining.”
“People like you always say that and end up as members of the Tea and Book Club.”
“No, I don’t intend to join. How could a proud member of the Literary Association join the Tea and Book Club?”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother raised his voice in annoyance.
“Why are you getting so angry over that?”
“I’m sorry. I got a bit excited there. I must go now; I have something to attend to.”
As Hwang Seong’s younger brother retreated hurriedly, noticing everyone’s attention on him, he rushed out of the bookstore.
“Tsk tsk. How much does he like ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’?”
“Doesn’t he know that strong denial means a hidden desire? Nowadays, many students are like that. I should also try reading it out of curiosity.”
They watched Hwang Seong’s younger brother leave with a pitying look.
——————————-
“Teacher, are you going out?”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother, upon reaching his destination, spotted his teacher stepping outside.
“It’s been a while. I went out to buy something.”
“Why not send a servant?”
“Haha. Moving a little must help shake off fatigue. By the way, what’s the matter?”
“Actually… I have a book I want to ask for your thoughts on.”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother couldn’t boldly ask his teacher to give his thoughts on an adult novel and averted his gaze.
“A book?”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother fiddled with “The Rise of the Tang Family” hidden in his robe.
If it’s the teacher, he would provide a proper evaluation. He wouldn’t get blinded by youthful desires and passions like young people, providing a clear and incisive critique.
But was that the right thing to do?
His mind constantly rejected this novel, yet his heart was already filled with it. Does he need validation from others to know this novel is interesting?
If his teacher criticized the characters of this novel, the noble Tang Jung from Sichuan, the first beauty of Sichuan, and the first beauty of Hubei, would this novel suddenly become uninteresting?
He was enveloped in confusion.
“Why do you look so troubled?”
His teacher’s voice called him back from his reverie. He lifted his head.
Right. He is a proud member of the Yichang Literary Association. Reading a mediocre novel as a member of the association is not something to boast about.
Let’s evaluate.
“This is the book.”
He handed the first two volumes of “The Rise of the Tang Family” to his teacher.
“Haha. It’s ‘The Rise of the Tang Family,’ isn’t it?”
His teacher seemed to already have an idea of what the novel was about.
“Do you know this novel?”
“Of course, I do. The reason I’m going out is to buy volume two of this book.”
“Pardon?”
“Recently, I heard the stock at the Tea Bookstore is low, making it difficult to get. I didn’t expect you to be able to get it. Indeed, my student!”
His teacher looked at him with pride.
“Have you already read this book, volume one?”
“As a member of the Yichang Literary Association, wouldn’t that be expected?”
“I thought you wouldn’t read a popular novel like this.”
“Haha. As a teacher, one must not be fixated on the old and turn a blind eye to the new. As you’ve been too rigid, I just didn’t read it in front of you for now.”
“Ah, so that was it.”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother gazed at his teacher with his mouth agape.
“I decided not to hastily evaluate based on only volume one. But since the evaluations for volume two are good, I must read this today and quickly write my feedback.”
“Ha, haha.”
His teacher, acknowledging the novel, created a strange feeling of being validated for Hwang Seong’s younger brother.
“Right. Was volume two interesting?”
Hwang Seong’s younger brother picked up volume two and looked at his teacher, who was inquiring about his thoughts.
“‘The Rise of the Tang Family.’
It was a novel that even his teacher, who could be considered the representative of the Literary Association, recognized. His eyes were accurate. His feelings were right. There was no need for him to deny it.
If so, there was only one thing to say.
“It’s the best novel I’ve seen recently.”
Finally, he decided to acknowledge his own feelings.
*
Life is bustling.
Opening the doors of the Tea Bookstore in the morning and selling tea and coffee all day. In the rainy hours tidying up the bookstore, and in the evening, helping Hwarin with printing tasks.
At night, sacrificing sleep to plan for volume three. This life was further escalated by something.
“Yoon Ho! An evaluation of ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’ was published in the Yichang newspaper!”
“Bring it here. Let’s see what they wrote.”
An article about “The Rise of the Tang Family” was published in the Yichang region newspaper under the name of the Literary Association.
