CHAPTER 3

The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars

The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars

TRANSLATED BY JESSMIE 15

The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars

CHAPTER 3 (Yoon Hee originally plan only to substitute her brother by means of small branch preliminary exam. But later she helps other people to substitute to take their exam and receives a great payment. Before, her manager doesn’t give her work to do, but he offers her that she can earn money by means of just sitting in the exam even if that’s not a high rank officials but maybe she can have an opportunity to enter Sungkyunkwan University to study. Although Yoon Hee don’t have any desire like, but she can’t do anything about this, but just sits on the exam.) It’s now winter and Yoon Hee’s already 20. How long did she not see Sun Joon? Maybe he had already forgotten her and he may become more mature and get married. She buried those thoughts in the bottom of her heart and focus on going to University. Although she wavered sometimes because of his brother's illness and her mother work. Yoon Hee takes the Jinsa and the Saeng-won tests and hope to see Sun Joon, it’s now sun set and she doesn’t see even his shadow. Maybe she won’t come today she said to herself. Yoon Hee was assigned at Yehjo and probably Sun Joon was assigned at Sungkyunkwan. There’s a guard in front of the door and he strictly examines the examinees before they can go in. Yoon Hee’s very nervous, she’s worried what might happen if they found out that she’s a woman. The guard simply pat her sleeve and waist, then he let her pass. After she finished the exam she keep thinking whether she must go to Sungkyunkwan to just take a look. Just thinking of it, she has given up the idea of going to Sungkyunkwan and immediately go home. The next day of the examination, she still don’t see him. “The top rank in the examination is the son of Lee Jung Moo, Sun Joon!” She’s still not yet enter Yehjo but even she’s in a distance she could hear a continuous shout and the loud sound of a gong. Compared to the sound of the gongs, the shot of his name is loud and clear that it strikes through her heart. He begins his exam. Furthermore, he’s the top scorer, he’s really an amazing man, but when he saw it, he can’t help it but to sigh although he had already expected it. Yoon Hee haven’t seen the names list yet rather she busy looking for him. No, when the names list in the preliminary exam has released he

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The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars

waits for her quite a while. But now, after several months he seem that he forget that person’s existence. She went and see the list name she saw that Sun Joon’s name is first for both the Jinsa and Saeng-won, while she is second for the Jinsa and sixth for the Saeng-won. She can’t believe in what she saw. She gains to be second and sixth in the exam, it’s really a miracle! Six days after the list of names was released, the exam passers have gathered. A countless people escort him that even Yoon Hee can’t approach him, just simply watching him from the distant. Quite a few months they didn’t see each other he become more and more mature and maybe that’s because of his clothes. Yoon Hee afraid some people might recognize she’s a woman, so before the Sa-Eun and the Yugyo Parade ceremony, she has to leave, but if she don’t come they’ll cancel her being a passer. So she goes against her will and come to the ceremony, saying it’s her last time to dress up as a man. At first her objective was a small branch, after the big branch approach her, she never again substitutes for an exam or work as a scriber. Yoon Hee’s eyes locked at Sun Joon. The next time they meet again, she doesn’t want to use the male Yoon Shik but the female Yoon Hee identity to approach him. Today is the last time she will use Yoon Shik Identity to appear in front of him. Maybe after she uses her real identity, she won’t be able to see him again. Thinking of it, her eyes can’t take off to his face. “All of you, please fall in line” This time the people around Sun Joon slowly scatters. His eyes hover to Yoon Hee in a distant. He didn’t know is it because she dressed so different today that he didn’t recognize her. A Supervisor walks over to call him from the corner. “Lee Sun Joon, please fall in front of Jinsa!” Sun Joon goes in front in the assigned place. “Bak Seong Tae, please fall in front of Saengwon!” Afterwards, following the instructions she goes stand beside Sun Joon, she barely suppresses her beating heart. He merely stands quietly and don’t take the initiative to talk to her. She feels so strange, she didn’t know if this is good. She lower her head and looks at his feet, at last, he talks. “That…” ( Yoon, he barely meets his eyes. The messenger notifies them that they will switch place to conduct the ceremony. All follows after the officials assigned the place where they’ll move. Some people talk about the King will personally interview them. Therefore, many people get so nervous.) 17

The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars

Same as them, Yoon He is so worried, but Soon Joon beside her is so calm. “Is your health gets better?, I’m still worried about you. Perhaps it’s not a good thing that we’ve met.” He suddenly said that make Yoon Hee both happy and doubt in his words. She looks toward him. He looks at her with an intimate expression and sighed.. “I’m so curious.” “I’m so curious too, I’m just thinking whether you’re married…” Yoon Hee shocked with what she just said. Sun Joon smile and said. “Not yet, I’m still not suitable to get married for the time being, how about you…?” “Same” Sung Joon looks at her side by side, she lowered her head. This time he has been thinking the time when he wants to see her. He thinks Yoon Hee is like an admirable woman, a man like him keep missing. He doesn’t understand it, he feels so strange. “I’m relieved to see you look so well.” Yoon Hee’s heart beats at his delicate smile. She wishes she could stand in front of him as a woman. She wants to tell him, that the man “Yoon Shik” who is walking with him right now is “Yoon Hee”, a woman. Even if it means that he would leave, angry that she’s committed such a crime. She should tell him, since they won’t meet again. Anyway, and she won’t be able to stand in front of him as a woman. She should just tell him before they say their goodbyes today. She works up her courage, she stop from walking and looks at him. “Th- that…” He also stops from walking and look at her. “Please, speak…” “After this, do you have any other appointments…?” Ignoring all the things he has to do later that day, he answers immediately… “Nothing.” “Then…I have something to tell you. So…” “I understand, after this I’ll wait for you. I also want something to talk with you.” The two look at each other and laugh. A guard yells at the two to keep walking. 18

The Lives Of Sungkyunkwan Confucius Scholars “Could you two, please walk faster!”

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