Jaejoong PoV

«Make sure to get that slave away from Yunho. And you will be rewarded properly, Jaejoong.»

I kept thinking of the Lady's word, watching the passage of the road on the carriage.

Yunho had really come close enough to protect that slave. An insipid toy, but perhaps for him it was not just a pastime, no, it was not.
Otherwise his mother would not ask me to arrange to remove him from the young merchant.

I had to find a way to get it away, maybe to bring it back to me.

Changmin had a beautiful face and a single body and I could certainly have sold it to another rich man and earn some money.

«I absolutely must find a plan.»

I knew that Yunho had left for a business trip in a village not far away and I had only a few days available to act.

«Go to the country.»

«Yes my Lord.»

Time flowed and it was worthwhile to get to work now and look for that way. The first step was to go where it was said to have worked for a long time and who could know it, if not that rough man with whom he worked? Those people were, rough and without culture, but often nature gave them a unique beauty that I could manipulate with my hands.

The carriage entered in the small village animated by the people and children who had not gone to school, running along the road looking at the carriage and the horse.

There was not much lack for that little shop and only when the carriage stopped and the small door was opened to let me down, I found myself in front of that small room with the door ajar.

I advanced, arranging my dress and knocking to announce myself, finally crossing the threshold.

The smell of shoes hit my nostrils, so that I found it disgusting.

There were shoes arranged in order and some left abandoned in a corner of work, very worn out. They were probably for the people of the village, while those arranged were for the rich lords.

«Good morning Sir. Would can I help you?»

That voice made me turn suddenly towards a point of the door from which appeared a tall and robust boy with amber skin for work and a dazzling smile. It had to be that Siwon.

«I was looking for Siwon. Is it you by chance?»

«Nae, it's me.»

He still held that smile that also had something strange, very strange to me.

«I have to talk to you. About  Changmin.»

Just saying his name, he let that sucker stop smiling. I loved how people's smiles went out with one word or one gesture.

«Changmin ... Did you find him?»

«We found him, but we need your help to, say, bring it back to where it belongs.»

«What happened to him? Where is it? » That boy had come closer to me, his eyes with a strange light of hope and curiosity. He knew where he was, but he only pretended.

«I'd like your word first and I'll reveal it to you. All right, shoemaker?»

____________________

«Who is it?»

It was really easy to find that little house the same as the others and it was also easy to bribe the young, unroused shoemaker.

«So he really has news for his family? And where?»

«I have to talk to them first. It is not easy to take it back from where it is now. Just tell me where I can find them and tomorrow you'll have your workmate again.»

Rethinking that dialogue only made me smile in front of the wooden door of the house.

«Who is it?»

«An old wayfarer. Can I ask an information?»

Behind that door I heard the voices of two women talking, until a lady came to open me a little to make her face appear in the light of the torches lit in the street. She was a woman older, but beautiful and similar to that Changmin, especially the eyes.

«Good evening ... What can I do for you?»

«I'm lost. I just wanted to ask for information where I could spend the night.»

I saw how the woman looked at me and I knew what she was thinking. I was dressed too much as a gentleman to be a common traveler, so I had to hurry up to add.

«I'm here for some business, but I should find the place where my partner works. Please tell me where I could spend the night ...»

«Not far from here is a small hostel. You can ask if they have a free room, sir.»

«Thank you. Oh ... One moment ...» I laid my hand on the door to keep it open and to get closer to look at it better. The woman looked surprised and stepped back a little, still holding the door steady, half-open.

«Are you by chance Shim Changmin's mother?»

The woman looked surprised when she heard her son's name and nodded, still looking at me with almost inquisitive eyes.

«How do you know my son? Are you one of his client?»

«Oh, no. I'm a friend. I really put my sincerest condolences on you ...»

«What happened?»

My plan was really working and she opened the door completely, looking at me with frightened eyes, who had just seen a ghost.

«Please tell me, what happened to my son?»

«Mom, what's wrong?»

Behind her appeared a little girl with crutches, a braid that fell down her shoulders and a very worried eyes. As  Siwon the shoemaker had said, no male figure lived in that house and the houses next door were all closed, no one in sight in the streets. The perfect moment to act.

«I think, I can rest later. I will take you to him. He had an accident with the horse. His master scared the soul so that it looked like an accident. He's under care, after banging his head, but he's not recovering. I thought you knew, madam ...»

I kept my face sorry and even worried, someone who really cared about the fate of that slave, but for me it was completely purely staged.

Not only would I be able to get Changmin back, but I would also sell those two women to make the biggest gain and avenge the insult suffered by Yunho.
She, on the other hand, had taken the bait and begged me to take her to see her son, making her child ready and taking the few things that could be useful, following me in my carriage.

«Please go up and pay attention.»

I also helped the little girl, while the girl looked at me well, as if studying me, climbing up after them and giving the order to leave for the place where they would remain for the other part of the floor.

A victorious smile appeared on my lips, while the two women held each other and prayed that the slave was doing well.

This time I would have really won against Yunho.