Chapter 228: Chapter 228

The place Jang Sam-tae sought was the largest brothel in Taiyuan.

This place, where a large plaque reading Hongyeon was hung, had the largest number of courtesans in Taiyuan and was famous for being filled with beautiful women.

It was expensive, to be sure…

‘Since I have the things I brought from there…’

Jang Sam-tae grinned.

Although taking something without Dan Woo-hyun knowing was a difficult task, taking advantage of the situation when he was distracted by a strange book, he had acquired a considerable amount of money notes.

‘Heh heh, the hand is quicker than the eye.’

With this much, he would be able to play with the most expensive courtesan in Hongyeon.

‘It’s been a while since I played, so I must have some fun.’

He stretched his stiff body and walked inside Hongyeon.

He saw people drinking on the first floor.

There were barely any courtesans visible, only men drinking and women carrying food and liquor.

The scent of powder from those women fragrantly stimulated his nose.

Flaring his nostrils, he turned his head.

“Welcome.”

A woman rushed over and stopped in front of Jang Sam-tae.

The moment she bowed, her flowing hair brushed the tip of his nose. In a situation that stimulated a man’s heart, Jang Sam-tae felt as if his heart was about to burst.

Having been involuntarily celibate for over a year, it was only natural for it to feel like bursting.

“Lead me to the best room here.”

“Hoho, you are as open-handed as your appearance suggests. Excellent! This girl will escort you.”

With sparkling eyes, the woman linked her arm with Jang Sam-tae’s and guided him upstairs.

The room she led him to was larger than he had expected.

At the same time he sat in the most honorable seat, Jang Sam-tae flicked a money note.

“Oh my?”

The woman, catching the flying money note, was startled.

It was a larger amount than she had expected. Seeing him take out a note worth fifty taels of silver without any hesitation, the woman realized that the man in front of her was a perfect pushover.

“Hoho… then this girl will bring the liquor table.”

“Not you.”

“Pardon?”

“Call someone else, not you.”

The expression of the woman, who was stealthily rising to prepare the liquor table, stiffened.

As she stared at Jang Sam-tae with a somewhat dazed expression,

he put on an arrogant expression and gaze.

“Call the most popular courtesan here. And bring the most expensive liquor table.”

“…Not me?”

The woman in front of him was also quite beautiful.

But Jang Sam-tae unconditionally wanted the most beautiful woman in this brothel.

He had taken the money at great risk, and even snuck out secretly to avoid Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes, so it had to be at least that much.

The woman frowned.

“It will be very expensive.”

“Whatever. Just bring her if I tell you to.”

The woman left grumbling, and Jang Sam-tae, left alone in the large room, twitched his lips and began to laugh out loud.

“Kahahahaha! Today, this world belongs to Jang Sam-tae!”

Even when heading to Tianshan, there were many opportunities.

Yes, there were only many opportunities.

He had to watch out for Ma Jang-gang, and because there were also various incidents, even if he wanted to relieve his pent-up feelings, he could not do so.

Since even the travel expenses were tight, he had not been in a position to do anything else.

But now it was different.

He had money and leisure.

Even Dan Woo-hyun, whom he had to be wary of, was not here, so how wonderful was this? Today, he just had to enjoy himself to his heart’s content and finish the remaining journey well.

“Is it fun? Enjoying yourself like that alone.”

“Huh?!”

At the sound heard in that moment, Jang Sam-tae jumped up in fright.

He looked around the room, but the owner of that familiar voice was nowhere to be seen.

“Whew… whew…”

He let out a sigh of relief and wiped away his cold sweat.

How much had he been pestered by Dan Woo-hyun for that voice to still linger in his ears even in a place like this?

As he sat down again with such thoughts and sighed while looking at the ceiling,

“Argh!”

he locked eyes with Dan Woo-hyun, who was hanging upside down from the ceiling and staring intently at him.

Because his appearance, standing upside down with a bottle of liquor in one hand, was so bizarre, it was like looking at a ghost.

Jang Sam-tae lost his words and faltered backward.

Meanwhile, Dan Woo-hyun came down to the floor.

“It is a good place. The scent of women’s powder assails the nose. It has been a very long time since I have been to a place like this.”

“Lo… Lord… Sis…”

“Address me properly. Do I look like an older sister to your eyes?”

“Hic… hic… how are you here?”

“I was drinking alone, and since it felt lonely, I came to visit.”

Which meant Dan Woo-hyun had known from the very beginning that Jang Sam-tae had gone out.

Jang Sam-tae stared at Dan Woo-hyun with a dazed expression for a while, then soon composed himself and wore a sly smile.

“A-actually, I was planning to bring you along, Manor Lord. Would I really come to a place like this and leave you out, Manor Lord?”

“Is that so… I was planning to return after exchanging just a word, but since you say so, I must have a drink.”

“Huh?”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words as he smiled broadly, Jang Sam-tae hit his own head. This mouth of his always caused trouble.

If he had just begged and said he would play for only today, it would have been better.

Watching Dan Woo-hyun approach, Jang Sam-tae stealthily moved out of the way.

Dan Woo-hyun naturally took the honorable seat.

Jang Sam-tae, who had been sitting in the honorable seat, moved to the side.

He was on the verge of tears.

“But do you also frequent places like this, Manor Lord?”

“Occasionally, very occasionally.”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s emphasis, Jang Sam-tae let out a chuckle. Since he was such a monstrous person, it seemed as if sexual desire did not even exist in him, but seeing this, he realized this man was also a man.

“It is not because of that.”

“Eh?”

“I said it is not because of what you are thinking.”

‘Then what is it?’

Jang Sam-tae pouted his lips, expressing his dissatisfaction.

Why else would one come to a brothel if not to embrace a woman? To spend money?

“Do you see that over there?”

Dan Woo-hyun looked out the window.

Following his gaze, he saw a few young children running errands for the courtesans.

“Who are those children?”

“They are the children of the courtesans here.”

“Eh?!”

“Does it sound like a lie?”

“No, most children born to courtesans are…”

“Abandoned. But there are times when they are not. Those children are such a case.”

What did that have to do with the reason Dan Woo-hyun visited brothels? Jang Sam-tae looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a slightly confused gaze.

He chuckled and brought the liquor bottle to his mouth.

‘Give me some too!’

Unable to say what he wanted to say, he had to wait for the words that would follow.

“I was also one of those children. Of course, it was when I was much younger than those children.”

“Eh?!”

Even though it was a situation where the past of none other than the great Dan Woo-hyun was revealed, Jang Sam-tae instead gasped and widened his eyes.

“A-are you serious?”

“Yes, it was a time I can barely remember. Even before I joined the beggar pack.”

As if recalling the memories of that time, Dan Woo-hyun smiled softly.

Looking at that face, it did not seem like he was lying.

“So, I occasionally visited places like this. Hoping to remember a bit more of the past.”

“Mmm…”

Although he listened to the story lightly, if he thought about it, it was Dan Woo-hyun’s painful past.

In particular, saying it was before he joined the beggar pack meant that his mother, who was a courtesan, had died for some reason.

Jang Sam-tae was also someone with a difficult past, but the emotion felt from Dan Woo-hyun’s words made him choke up.

Rattle!

At that moment, the room door opened.

Soon, a brightly adorned woman stepped carefully inside.

Even her light steps were cautious, and her makeup was bright, yet she gave off a somehow delicate feeling that was impressive.

The moment that woman entered his sight, Jang Sam-tae made a dazed sound.

The woman sat gracefully and offered a greeting.

“I am called Mae-hyang.”

She did not raise her head for a while.

Until now, she had not looked at Jang Sam-tae directly even once.

He did not know if she had been trained in etiquette this way from the beginning, but every single one of her actions had something that tugged at a man’s heart.

Soon, Jang Sam-tae, who was wearing a bewildered expression, barely opened his mouth.

“What is this?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked what you are.”

Mae-hyang raised her head with a puzzled expression.

Then she was startled.

She was told there was only one person, yet were there not two sitting here?

The moment she locked eyes with the one sitting in the honorable seat, Mae-hyang unconsciously blushed and lowered her head.

That weak and delicate appearance stimulated the protective instinct of any man.

However.

“What on earth is this?!”

Jang Sam-tae went wild and jumped up from his seat.

She was certainly a beautiful woman.

Keenly, the grace residing in her every action was also outstanding.

It was certainly a feeling that would not be strange compared to any other woman, but.

“Arghhhhh!”

“Gu… Guest?!”

Thud thud thud!

Jang Sam-tae slammed his head violently against the wall.

It was as if he was trying to bring himself to his senses.

Dan Woo-hyun just watched that scene with an amused expression.

“That damn Namgung So-hye!”

It was unmistakable that she was a beautiful woman.

She was probably also the most popular woman in this brothel. Because such grace could be felt.

However, no matter how much grace and elegance the woman in front of him possessed, even if she adorned herself fully and tempted men with her alluring atmosphere and scent,

she could not even match the toes of Namgung So-hye, whom he met every day at the manor.

Jang Sam-tae cursed the woman who had raised his standards so high for no reason.

“It is not for nothing that she is called one of the most beautiful women in the world. Haha.”

Dan Woo-hyun laughed as if it was extremely amusing.

Enjoyed the chapter?

If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!

Support on Ko-fi