Yeong Chunhwa

Chapter 1

Prologue

The dragon god, born with compassion for the human world, occasionally descended to earth in human form. One day, while wandering through the crowds as usual, he discovered a woman trying to help an elderly woman in distress.

The dragon god’s temperament was like the wind—sometimes rising violently enough to uproot ancient trees, and sometimes so calm it couldn’t even tickle a person’s hair. Those with good fortune might receive salvation from a single gesture of his hand, while the unfortunate occasionally became entangled in his indifference and suffered greatly.

Instead of passing by, the dragon god helped the woman rescue the elderly woman, and the woman expressed deep gratitude to him. When their eyes met, the dragon god and the woman became instantly captivated by each other.

They made a lifelong commitment at first sight and shared marital bliss.

However, although a mere human could win a dragon’s heart, she could neither attain immortality nor conceive a child with him. The anguished dragon god, seeking to overcome this, traveled upstream against the Samdo River that runs between the worlds of the living and the dead, heading toward a small island rooted in the middle of the river.

This island, known as Flower Island, grew strange and wondrous flowers under the care and supervision of Old Lady Hwabeom. Celestial gods occasionally descended there for pleasure—it was a paradise permitted only to them. On this island grew a flower that, when consumed, could enable one to bear a divine seed. The dragon god, evading Old Lady Hwabeom’s watchful eyes, plucked this flower and brought it down to the human world for the woman to eat.

The woman immediately conceived the dragon’s child, gave birth, and ascended to heaven with the dragon god.

The dragon’s descendant, born with divine powers from the dragon’s blood, grew into an extraordinary figure who established and ruled a nation called Yeong. The country under the dragon descendant’s rule received the dragon god’s blessing and achieved a golden age—truly a time of perfect prosperity.

However, no matter how much we wish for everything to go as planned, even noble gods find it difficult to know what lies ahead. The flowers of Flower Island were never meant to travel to either the human world or the netherworld. The moment the flower the dragon god had plucked crossed beyond the Samdo River and entered the human realm, it scattered seeds and left a path.

This forbidden path, which should never have existed, disturbed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead. Evil beings, coveting the sacred energy, rushed toward it—for a path becomes a door, and a door will eventually open.

In Geum Province, about fifty li from the capital of Great Yeong, stood Mount Yongrim where the dragon god used to descend to the human world. Long after the dragon god’s ascension, when the sacred dragon blood had begun to thin in his descendants, in a spring when buds sprouted and flowers bloomed, the base of Mount Yongrim collapsed with a world-shaking roar, and a gate opened.

When the gate opened, evil beings literally poured out, turning the entire Geum Province into a scene from hell in an instant. People of all ages were trampled by monsters, suffering deaths more cruel than dismemberment or quartering, and homes built over lifetimes were torn to shreds more completely than mere paper.

Even the elite army urgently dispatched from the imperial palace couldn’t hold back the oncoming monsters. With the capital also in peril like a candle in the wind before the flood of monsters, the entire nation fell into despair, and all they could do was pray.

As humans sacrificed themselves and prayed fervently day and night for several days, the dragon god answered their prayers by awakening a sleeping dragon.

The Seventh Prince, who was wise and perceptive but overlooked by everyone in the imperial palace due to his mother’s humble status, gained power through the dragon god’s blessing. He subdued with his bare hands monsters that could not be captured even with swords—beasts that tore through the sky and overturned the earth.

After a fierce struggle, he temporarily succeeded in closing the hell gate, and the entire country danced with joy. However, the Seventh Prince, having excessively used his power, lost his strength and approached death’s threshold—turning celebration into bitter fortune.

With the possibility of the hell gate reopening at any time and the only hero capable of saving them gasping his last breaths, everyone’s concern grew until a young girl arrived in the capital searching for the Seventh Prince.

The girl was a kind and virtuous person who lived with her widowed mother in a small village near the capital. She became known not only for her character but also because one day, she suddenly began to emit a subtle fragrance. The girl’s scent was similar to that of a rare flower said to grow only in dragon places favored by the dragon god. Believing this to be a sign from the dragon god, she headed to the imperial palace as soon as she heard rumors of the hell gate opening.

The imperial household, grasping at straws, permitted the humble girl an audience. As soon as she approached the Seventh Prince and reached out her hand, his pale complexion returned and his breathing eased. Everyone was amazed by this wondrous miracle, another blessing from the dragon god, and knelt before the girl.

The Seventh Prince, who had returned from the brink of death, was deeply moved by the girl’s touch and formed a bond with her, making her his consort.

Afterward, though the hell gate opened again, there was nothing to fear with the dragon’s descendant and his protector present. Thanks to the dragon god’s blessing of scales from heaven, individuals with the power to aid the dragon’s descendant and save the world appeared in various places. These people were valued and employed as Dragon Scales.

Furthermore, those who would protect the Dragon Scales also appeared one after another following them. They were called Yeong Chunhwa (Eternal Spring Flowers) for bringing eternal spring to the dragon’s descendant, the Dragon Scales, and the country, and were assigned to guard the Dragon Scales.

Thus, peace settled deeply over Great Yeong.

* * *

“So the dragon god was a thief?”

“What? Young master, that’s a dangerous thing to say! You shouldn’t speak like that.”

Yeondeok jumped up in protest, asking how one could compare a noble deity to a mere thief. So Yun-seo closed the book and tilted his head.

“But if the dragon god hadn’t stolen the Yeong Chunhwa, none of this would have happened, right?”

“Stolen? What would heavenly gods not be allowed to use? Thanks to the dragon god’s care, aren’t you able to enjoy delicious sweets, read books like this, and sleep well?”

“Does the dragon god really watch over us?”

“Of course. And they say a god’s will is something humans cannot dare to comprehend. Even when the deity seems harsh, I’ve heard there’s a path laid out for our benefit.”

Yun-seo put down the book and fell into deep thought. Though well aware of the dragon god’s nobility and sacredness, he questioned whether the god’s will always flowed in a direction beneficial to humans. In truth, the dragon god felt too distant for these stories to resonate much with Yun-seo.

“Young master, that’s not what’s important right now. The sun will set soon, so you should get ready to go out.”

“Ah, right!”

Yun-seo’s face brightened as he checked outside through the open window. However, when Yeondeok brought a comb, Yun-seo frowned. He was displeased at the prospect of styling his hair again when it had been tied properly since morning.

“Yeondeok, you seem to have forgotten that I am a man.”

“Oh my, do you think becoming a proper man just because it’s your birthday today?”

Though visibly teasing him, Yun-seo remained calmly silent. As Yeondeok said, today was his eighth birthday. Therefore, it was fitting to be magnanimous and composed about such trivial matters.

“It’s my good fortune to serve someone as pretty as you, young master. Thanks to you, I get to enjoy styling hair all the time. Besides, I can only touch it while you’re still young—would you give me the chance once you’re older?”

He had grown accustomed to hearing that he was too pretty for a boy. Yun-seo admired his older brother and wanted to be like him, so such comments weren’t entirely pleasant to hear. He wondered why, born from the same mother, his brother appeared solid and manly while he seemed delicate.

However, Yun-seo believed that he too would become like his brother when he grew older. Since the compliments about his beauty ultimately came from goodwill, he didn’t scold Yeondeok. He simply swung his legs, which didn’t reach the floor, urging Yeondeok to finish quickly.

Today was a special birthday unlike previous ones. The capital’s night market opened once every fifteen days, but until now, he hadn’t been allowed to go because it was considered dangerous and crowded. However, in honor of his eighth birthday, his father had permitted him to visit the night market accompanied by Yeondeok and a guard.

“All done.”

“Let’s go quickly! We shouldn’t be too late.”

Yeondeok securely fastened the money pouch given by their master to his waist and called for the guard who had been waiting. As Yun-seo crossed the courtyard with them, he spotted someone approaching and broke into a broad smile.

“Brother!”

“Where are you heading?”

“To the night market. Father gave permission.”

“I see. This is your first time at the night market, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m very excited.”

“Don’t run around like a wild fish just because you’re excited. And never move around alone. Understood?”

“Yes! I’ll remember.”

Wongyeong patted Yun-seo’s head and looked behind him. He instructed Yeondeok and the guard to take special care of Yun-seo before leaving.

Moved by his brother’s kindness despite being busy with his studies, Yun-seo couldn’t contain his joy and ran ahead. Yeondeok anxiously called out from behind.

“Young master! You’ll fall that way!”

By the time they reached the entrance to the night market, darkness had settled in the sky. From the lantern-lit streets came bustling noise, and people of all kinds stood before shops examining goods or haggling. The faint sounds of drums and flutes could be heard from somewhere, perhaps from a performance.

Following Yeondeok’s instruction not to get separated, Yun-seo firmly held onto his sleeve with his mouth agape.

The day market and night market had distinctly different atmospheres. In the distance, wine houses with bright red lanterns resembled fully bloomed red plum blossoms, vendors selling delicious snacks not seen during the day called out to customers from all around, and performers showcased their skills between crowds to earn money.

Though active and energetic, he had always been within the embrace of his father and mother. His only companions were either young masters raised as delicately as himself or Yeondeok. Having mastered reading and devoured numerous books, he thought there wasn’t much he didn’t know, but Yun-seo realized how narrow his world had been until now.

“Yeondeok.”

“Yes, young master.”

“This is just the first step.”

“Pardon?”

If possible, he wanted to pick up a brush right there and capture the scene unfolding before his eyes. And someday, when writing his own travel journal, he would place this very moment at the beginning.

“Didn’t I tell you? I want to travel throughout the country and write a travel journal. To do that, I must first understand what happens here in the capital.”

“Yes, very wise of you.”

“You’ll come with me, right?”

“Of course. Where the needle goes, doesn’t the thread follow? You know a man’s word is worth a thousand gold, don’t you? You mustn’t change your mind when you’re older.”

Yun-seo smiled contentedly, causing his chubby cheeks to rise.