Time flowed swiftly like water rushing through a winding valley.

The wind had eased considerably in just a few days.

Fresh green buds began to form on the once bare branches.

Spring was rapidly approaching here in Paju as well.

Scholar Jeong stood on the raised floor of the outer quarters, looking down at the village.

He stretched his lips into a smile, thinking of the vast plains that would one day be his and the foolish villagers.

“Master.”

Goo the steward approached behind him as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Park the hunter has brought a wild boar.”

The house was filled with the strong scent of oil.

He was stunned when he heard that the undercover royal inspectors visiting the village had demanded a feast.

Then he thought that perhaps this was some kind of test.

Otherwise, how could they make such a unilateral demand so boldly?

Yes, they must surely be testing Scholar Jeong.

To see how generous he truly was.

To confirm if he was indeed the unparalleled hero who had saved the village from poverty.

Scholar Jeong resolved to willingly comply with their test.

And so, he threw open the doors to the storehouses.

Of course, this time it was the storehouses near the servants’ quarters.

After all, this was food he himself might eat. So naturally he excluded the northern storehouse.

“Has enough food been prepared?”

“Yes, as you instructed, but…”

Goo the steward, who knew his master’s true nature well, found today’s generous attitude utterly unfamiliar.

“I think catching a wild boar might be going too far.”

Knowing Goo’s concern, Scholar Jeong let out a chuckle.

“Don’t they say these fellows are testing my capacity? So I must show them. Just how great a man I am. So you just do as I say without complaint.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

“By the way, have the guests not arrived yet?”

No sooner had Scholar Jeong asked than the sound of panting breaths approached.

“Master, the guests have arrived.”

A male servant announced the arrival of the guests.

“I see.”

Scholar Jeong walked with slow steps towards the inner courtyard.

After today, word of his good deeds would reach the palace.

If all went well, the king might even bestow a reward in recognition.

If that happened, his wealth and fame would spread throughout Joseon.

It was a profitable venture for the price of one feast.

“Wow!”

Yoo Chi Sung exclaimed as he entered Scholar Jeong’s mansion.

In the center of the inner courtyard, gisaeng were showing off their dance moves to music on a stage.

Yoo Chi Sung, who had been mesmerized by the beautiful dance, suddenly began sniffing the air.

“Let’s see, let’s see, what is this smell?”

He clapped his hands together.

“Pan-fried meat, fried pollock, and skewered meat, goat meat, oh my, I even smell roasted wild boar.”

Yoo Chi Sung kept licking his lips as he listed the identities of the smells.

“You can tell what foods they are just by smelling them.”

At the praise from those around him, Yoo Chi Sung waved his hand dismissively.

“This much is nothing. I just know because these are dishes I eat every day.”

“As expected!”

“But where should we sit?”

At Yoo Chi Sung’s words, those around him and Hong Woo Geon and Lee Gyo Young looked around.

Just then, Scholar Jeong, who had entered the inner quarters, greeted them.

“Please come up to the main hall over there.”

As the guests were heading up to the main hall following Scholar Jeong’s guidance…

“Hey, isn’t there one more empty seat?”

A youthful voice cut through the crowd.

Everyone’s gaze turned towards the main gate of the mansion. Standing there was someone who should not have been there.

‘Your Majesty?’

Recognizing the king in his disguise, Hong Woo Geon’s mouth fell open in shock.

The attendants were equally surprised.

Though his clothes were different, how could they forget the king’s distinct beauty?

Hong Woo Geon’s expression was mirrored on the faces of the attendants.

Observing the two, Scholar Jeong asked with genuine curiosity.

“What’s the matter? Who on earth is this person?”

There were countless ways to describe beauty.

But no words seemed to come to mind to describe the beauty of the man who had just entered Scholar Jeong’s house.

The man possessed a beauty that was difficult to express in human language.

Perfect harmony and wondrous beauty.

No matter what adjectives were placed before it, they fell short of describing the man’s beauty.

Those who saw the man lost their senses for a moment.

By the time they came back to their senses, the man was already seated at the table of food laid out on Scholar Jeong’s main hall.

“Who… are you?”

Scholar Jeong asked the man, unable to speak casually.

The man’s attire was extraordinary.

But even more imposing was the dignity emanating from him.

The man possessed an unapproachable nobility.

It was not something deliberately created, but something that arose from an innate noble nature.

Scholar Jeong instinctively lowered his body.

“I am…”

Just as the king was about to answer Scholar Jeong’s question…

“He is a guest I invited.”

Hong Woo Geon cut off the king’s reply.

“A guest?”

“You’ve prepared such a grand feast, wouldn’t it be good to have many guests?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

At Hong Woo Geon’s quip, Scholar Jeong’s expression became sour for a moment.

But soon a broad smile spread across his face.

Though there was an uninvited guest, there were now four potential royal inspectors.

If even half of them became inspectors, he would gain several powerful backers.

They were truly a windfall of good fortune.

Scholar Jeong welcomed the man gladly.

However, Lee Gyo Young and Yoo Chi Sung still wore puzzled expressions.

The two had participated in the selection on the recommendation of the Left State Councilor. For that reason, they had never met the king face to face.

“Who is this sudden guest?”

“Wasn’t there mention of a guest coming?”

Hong Woo Geon put an end to their successive doubts with one statement.

“He’s a guest who will make what we’re doing legal. So don’t glare too much.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Lee Gyo Young’s gaze towards Hong Woo Geon sharpened.

Watching Scholar Jeong’s reaction, Hong Woo Geon gestured for them to lower their voices.

“Let’s talk later.”

“We’ll need a sufficient excuse.”

They couldn’t ruin the festive atmosphere. Lee Gyo Young hid his displeased expression and took a step back.

Hong Woo Geon let out a sigh of relief and forced a smile. Then he pulled the king to a corner of the courtyard.

“What? You knew I was coming?”

The king asked, fanning himself gently with a folding fan.

“Of course.”

“That’s no fun.”

He had come without notice, intending to surprise them, but they already knew he was coming. His excitement was half deflated.

On the other hand, he was curious.

“How did you know?”

The king asked again.

Hong Woo Geon tapped his temple with his finger as he spoke.

“It’s not hard to figure out if you think about it. The undercover royal inspector candidates asked for a feast to be prepared. Someone with strong principles must have submitted a petition.”

“That’s right. Some scholar named Hwang something submitted a petition.”

If it was Scholar Hwang…

It must have been Hwang Sung Gwang, the son of the magistrate of Yaseong County.

“Ah, that inflexible genius would certainly do that.”

Hong Woo Geon nodded.

He had looked so displeased when they asked for the feast to be prepared. So he even submitted a petition.

Hwang Sung Gwang’s integrity couldn’t be faulted.

After all, Hong Woo Geon himself had intended for that integrity to lead to the petition being submitted.

The king’s questions didn’t end there.

“But how did you know I would come here?”

“I threw a feast, and you’re not the type to wait quietly in the palace, are you?”

“Sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself.”

“We were born on the same day, so of course I know you well.”

“Shh! What if someone hears?”

“Why? Are you worried? A person like that coming on a secret outing to a place like this?”

At Hong Woo Geon’s teasing, the king suddenly pretended to look at distant mountains.

Then, as if he had just remembered, he bombarded Hong Woo Geon with questions again.

“More importantly, what’s your ulterior motive? I told you to find out the cause of the stomach pains, but instead you throw a feast?”

“It wasn’t just simple stomach pains.”

“I knew it, there was something more.”

The king’s expression became serious.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“If you watch quietly, a natural opportunity to step in will arise.”

“So you’re telling me not to ask anything and just wait?”

“If you don’t like it, you can go back to the palace now.”

“You’re telling me to just leave after seeing food piled high enough to break the table legs?”

The king shook his head as if that was absolutely impossible. Then, as if he had suddenly remembered something, he said:

“Ah, I brought some alcohol.”

“Alcohol?”

“The petition said the inspector candidates would prepare the alcohol, so I told Court Eunuch Jang to prepare a few bottles of good liquor. What do you think? Should I have it brought right away?”

“No, that’s fine. Keep that alcohol.”

“You mean we’re going to eat this feast without any alcohol?”

The king asked Hong Woo Geon again.

Just then…

“We’ve brought alcohol here!”

The soldiers from Yaseong County office began unloading barrels of alcohol they had brought on a cart.

“You really prepared alcohol?”

The king gazed at Hong Woo Geon with fresh eyes.

“This is just the beginning, so just watch.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but alright for now.”

Having obtained agreement, Hong Woo Geon went back up to the main hall with the king.

He showed the bottles of alcohol brought by the county office soldiers to Scholar Jeong and announced in a loud voice:

“This is alcohol brewed personally using a family secret recipe.”

“Ho ho ho, when you said you would prepare alcohol, I thought you were just saying that…”

“A man’s word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. How could I carelessly speak of something I couldn’t do?”

“Even so, how can guests bring alcohol themselves?”

“I brewed it out of gratitude for your kindness in preparing this feast. Won’t you have a cup?”

Scholar Jeong wore a surprised expression.

“An inspector candidate brewing alcohol himself, I’m truly curious about the taste.”

Hong Woo Geon’s eyes gleamed at Scholar Jeong as he licked his lips.

“It will probably be a taste you’ve never experienced before.”

“Is it that extraordinary?”

“Not only is it a family secret recipe, but it’s made with truly precious ingredients. Once you drink it, you’ll never forget the taste.”

“I’m truly curious what kind of taste it could be.”

Expectation and curiosity were mixed equally on Scholar Jeong’s face as he raised his cup.

As he filled Scholar Jeong’s empty cup with alcohol, Hong Woo Geon boasted:

“I guarantee, you’ll experience a taste so thrilling it’s like seeing the next world.”