TSCSI 02

Chapter 02

I pushed through the courtyard of blooming peach blossoms, hoping the drifting petals would hide me from his gaze.

I quickly left the Mu family estate, boarded a carriage, and headed toward my natal home—the An family residence.

Before long, we arrived.

The moment I stepped inside, my jaw dropped.

It felt like I had entered a miniature Gyeongbokgung Palace. Compared to this, the Mu estate was nothing. The sheer size and extravagance unfolded before my eyes like a full-blown concert hall of wealth.

I walked through the meticulously decorated courtyard and into the inner quarters.

“An-yong! Why haven’t you come home all this time? I was worried something had happened! Oh my, you’ve lost weight in just a few days!”

A woman in her forties hurried toward me.

No doubt about it—my mother in this body, Lady Oh.

So what was her “rank”?

Unrankable.

Not surprising anymore. Everyone I’d met lately had been unrankable. Well… except they were all servants.

“Nothing happened. I just need something today,” I said.

Lady Oh immediately pulled me into her arms and patted my head. The comforting scent made my nose twitch.

“What do you need? Last time I asked, you said you didn’t need anything anymore.”

Her eyes looked almost proud—like I was a child who had finally learned to speak up.

Now I understood why the original An-yong scratched her husband. She had been raised way too loosely.

“Do you have something like the Thousand Character Classic…? I think I need to study.”

The moment I said it, Lady Oh trembled.

“W-what? You want to study?”

She grabbed my cheeks with both hands, shaking with emotion.

“Oh heavens! So it’s true! They really looked down on you for being ignorant, didn’t they? My poor child! You must have suffered so much that you’re resorting to studying! I knew it! I never should have married you into that house! I told your father we should send you to Han Gongja instead!”

Han Gongja?

Who is that now?

And I’m not suffering that much in my marriage, actually.

Before I could explain, she dragged me inside.

Servants quickly arranged tea and snacks and left the room.

Once we sat down, her lamentations began pouring out.

“Why would a girl need to study like a man? You’re not taking the imperial exam or attending official gatherings! This must be because that Mu fellow mistreats you! How could he treat my precious daughter like this!”

“…That’s not it.”

But she completely ignored me and kept going.

“If you’re lacking anything, I can give more dowry! I should tell Mu Seobang to treat you better! My poor girl, you’re so pretty and kind—why would you need letters at all? Look at your mother-in-law! She’s learned some letters and now acts all superior, but she’s practically starving herself thin—what good is literacy if you can’t even dress properly?”

Ah.

So this is why this family’s kids can’t study.

As a former academy director, I had seen this type before: parents who aggressively splurged on luxury bags and cosmetic surgery, but tried to negotiate down a child’s tuition by a few dollars.

The kind who later say, “My kid is just naturally dumb like me, teacher. He’s actually improved a lot.”

Impossible to hate… but also impossible to reason with.

Still, I was the “student” here, so I didn’t need to persuade her.

“Then… do you have the Thousand Character Classic? If not, I’ll buy it from a bookstore.”

“Go check the study. There are so many books stacked to the ceiling—you’ll find it somewhere.”

“…May I take one? Don’t my younger siblings need it?”

The An family had five sons in addition to An-yong.

“Take it? Hah. The first and second are already hopeless. The third is postponed. The fourth just started. The youngest can’t even sit in front of a desk yet—he’s only three.”

…What?

That was unexpectedly shocking.

I stood up awkwardly. Lady Oh grabbed my hand again, her tone suddenly soft and sticky.

“An-yong, should I call Mu Seobang and tell him not to treat you so harshly? If your dowry isn’t enough, I can send more. You’re so lovely and obedient… why would not knowing letters be a problem? I truly don’t understand that Mu fellow.”

Haha.

Madam An, she is pretty—but “obedient” might be questionable. I still think there are claw marks of your daughter’s personality on that man somewhere.

“No, it’s not because of him. I just… feel uncomfortable not knowing how to read.”

But she clearly didn’t understand and followed me to the gate, still worried.

Soon, I reached the study.

Books were stacked everywhere, tied neatly with string. As expected—most looked completely untouched.

I quickly found the Thousand Character Classic using my test-prep selection instincts and gathered a few copies.

“Five volumes. One should be enough.”

As I left the study, Lady Oh handed me a herbal medicine pouch.

“Take this. I called you here for this.”

“What is it?”

“A fertility tonic. So powerful it deserves its name. Women who drank it have all had sons. This one cost twenty silver taels per dose. Not a single drop must be wasted. Drink it properly every time, understand?”

“…I, uh, I don’t think I need this.”

Probably useless anyway. According to Jeong-oh, the marital relationship here was basically “every person for themselves.”

As we reached the gate, I asked, “By the way, where are my younger siblings?”

“What are you talking about? Your father and the children are still at your uncle’s house. Did you think they had returned?”

Ah, so they weren’t back yet.

“They’ll stay another two days. Your cousin is holding a celebration even though his son failed the civil exam again. I don’t understand it.”

“Right…”

“Fourth time failing, too. If you can’t pass even at thirty, you should give up. Your cousin is a good man, but impractical.”

Impractical wasn’t the word. This was a disaster in academic planning.

After leaving my natal home, I returned by carriage. It was already past lunchtime.

Back in my room, I washed up and ate a few bites of food before calling Jeong-oh.

“Jeong-oh.”

“Yes, miss.”

“Who is Han Gongja?”

“…Why are you asking me? You already know, don’t you?”

“I’m just checking if you know properly.”

She nodded seriously, deeply moved by my “teaching.”

Han Gongja was my childhood friend. A mock engagement had been made when we were five.

He later came to enforce that promise—but was driven out after being scolded by the elders.

“Why?”

“Because Han Gongja’s family went bankrupt.”

“Bankrupt?”

“They lost everything when a shipment of silk sank at sea. They invested all their wealth into ships and cargo, so now they’re in debt.”

Bad business strategy. Even middle schoolers know diversification.

As I finished lunch, Maid Mal-soon came in with the herbal medicine.

“Miss, you need to drink this. The madam had me prepare it quickly.”

I grimaced and drank the bitter liquid anyway.

Afterward, I lay under the warm spring sunlight and opened the Thousand Character Classic.

…Only to realize I couldn’t read the explanations either.

How am I supposed to self-study when even the explanations are in another language I don’t understand?

“I definitely need a teacher.”

“What about the young master?” Jeong-oh suggested. “He’s famous as a prodigy scholar.”

The father-in-law was a respected official. The elder brother worked in the Ministry of Rites.

And my husband, Mu Seon-hu, had once been a child genius who stopped taking exams after an ominous prophecy said he would die young if he entered politics.

Since then, he had been living a leisurely life.

Just then, Mal-soon returned—face flushed, breathing hard.

“Miss… miss! Something terrible has happened!”