When the Black Moon Rises

Chapter 120

Chapter 4

Early March. The first spring rain finally fell, long after the beginning of spring and the rain water.

People rejoiced, seeing it as a sign of the new spring of the new year.

April. Even during Grain Rain, only a few drizzles passed. They fell so briefly and sparsely that it was questionable whether they could even be called rain.

May. People grew anxious as the rain continued to hold off. Even though it was Grain Full, there wasn't enough water, but worried about missing the season, people’s hands busily began cultivating the land.

June. The days were long. As the weather grew hotter, the wells began to dry up quickly. People were increasingly worried about the drought, which had lasted for over two months.

July. Under the scorching sun, the stream flowing around the capital city revealed its white, rocky bottom.

The soil in the fields was dry and parched.

The well buckets had to be lowered deep to draw water, and the price of old grains skyrocketed.

August. Despite the passing of the beginning of autumn and the end of heat, the sweltering weather continued, making it difficult to breathe even while standing still.

There was still no rain, and rice and medicinal herbs were as precious as gold.

The situation outside the capital was especially dire.

The communal wells in the villages had already dried up, and some people, desperate for drinking water, were resorting to slaughtering animals and drinking their blood.

The Hyeryu River, flowing past the capital, had also revealed its riverbed. Even after swallowing so much river water, the sky remained mercilessly clear.

September. People's situations worsened.

Even catching an animal was now a stroke of luck, and those without food stripped the mountains bare.

The eyes of the starving people were filled with desperation.

To appease the restless populace, the King ordered Minister Jung Seung-taek, the Minister of Rites, to conduct three rain rituals, but they had no effect.

The cloudless sky continued to blaze with scorching heat every day.

Jung Heung-saeng was painting inside her room.

With each stroke of her brush, lines of varying thickness and smooth curves appeared on the thin paper.

Two lovers, embracing each other tenderly, emerged on the white paper.

Her hand moved effortlessly, as if tracing pre-drawn lines.

However, her fingertips holding the brush and her gaze were unsteady.

As if painting itself wasn't the purpose.

As if she were painting to forget something or to quell an unsettling anxiety.

Just then, someone rushed into the room.

“Miss!”

“What happened?!”

“He… He won’t be able to avoid punishment!”

“What?!”

Jung Chihwa, dressed as a man and using the alias Jung Heung-saeng, hurriedly threw down her brush.

“How is that possible?! Why is my father responsible for the drought?! How can he control the heavens drying up the earth with mere human power?!”

“W-What should we do? If he takes responsibility for the three failed rain rituals, it won’t end with just exile… Miss, what if something happens to Master? Will the whole family be implicated?”

“What about the Left State Councillor? Did he not say anything? Did he not defend Father?”

Chunyeong, her servant, answered with a mournful expression, “What can the Left State Councillor do about the King’s decision? He’s also worried about being implicated, so he’s shut his gates and is lying low.”

Half a year had passed since the drought began.

At a time when they should have been anticipating the harvest of the spring and summer crops, the earth was dry and cracked.

This year’s harvest, meager as it was, had been completely consumed, foreshadowing a disastrous winter.

Within the capital, the nobles, concerned about the situation, were sharing their surplus food with the people.

But there was still no sign of rain.

Even the Hyeryu River had dried up, and the unbearably hot and dry weather continued.

Even the capital wasn't much different from the outside, devoid of hope.

Especially now, after three failed rain rituals.

Moreover, it seemed like the King had decided to shift the blame and avoid responsibility by punishing the official who had prepared the rain rituals.

Therefore, her father's punishment wouldn't be light.

Jung Chihwa, momentarily at a loss, swallowed nervously and gathered her thoughts.

What could she do? What could she do to change the situation?

But was there anything she could do?

All she could think of was that she needed to meet someone who could speak up for her father.

“I have to see the Left State Councillor. Bring me my clothes.”

“Oh no, Miss, absolutely not! Do you know how dangerous it is outside right now? Master locked you up here for a reason.”

Chunyeong hurriedly shook her head.

“People’s eyes are filled with malice, even strong men are afraid to go out. The streets are full of starving people, they’re on the verge of cannibalism.”

“That’s outside the capital. Inside the capital, they can still afford to blame my father, so it’s fine. Hurry up and bring me my clothes!”

“Miss, please reconsider. If they find out you’re the Minister of Rites’ daughter, you might be in great danger.”

The people in the capital, suffering through these terrible times, needed a scapegoat.

Instead of blaming the King, whom they couldn't directly criticize, they directed their anger at the Minister of Rites, who had failed to bring rain.

Chunyeong wasn't wrong, but…

“Then what am I supposed to do? Just watch our family fall apart?”

At her words, the maid also looked distressed, wringing her hands.

“I know you don't want to reveal it, Miss, but since things have come to this, how about revealing that you were the one providing grain and water to the people?”

“What?! What are you talking about?! Do you really want something terrible to happen?!”

“…If His Majesty finds out that you were helping the suffering people, wouldn’t he lighten your father’s punishment?”

“What if they ask how I managed to stockpile so much grain and medicinal herbs? What should I say then?”

“Huh?”

“Never say such a thing. You might end up being held responsible for the drought.”

“…I really don’t understand why that would be a problem…”

“They’re already blaming my father for the failed rain rituals. If they find out I’ve been preparing for the drought by digging wells and stockpiling grain, rumors will spread that we caused this drought!”

“It won’t rain for another six months. It might even be longer than that.”

“You have to dig the wells as deep as possible. So they won’t dry up, no matter what. The same goes for medicinal herbs.”

The friend who had told Jung Chihwa this was the most unique person she knew.

Not just because of her striking beauty… not just because of the strange abilities she had glimpsed a few times…

Not just because of the strange thoughts she sometimes revealed, which sounded as if she didn't belong in this world…

The unsettling aura that surrounded her friend was beyond words.

That was why Jung Chihwa had listened carefully to her warning about the drought and meticulously followed her advice.

After hearing those words, Jung Chihwa had bought a large amount of grain and medicinal herbs.

She had also dug several wells in discreet locations, finding hidden water sources.

But she had left home, and the money she had earned from painting, while substantial, wasn't unlimited.

After preparing the wells, she hadn't been able to stockpile as much grain and medicinal herbs as she had wanted.

She couldn’t tell others to prepare for the drought by spreading such an outlandish story either.

‘I should have borrowed money and prepared more…’

Having never experienced a drought before, she hadn't grasped the severity of the situation, how dire it could become.

Sehwa had warned her after the light, misty spring rain in April, when the drought had already begun.

But even then, the situation within the capital had been so peaceful that she hadn’t felt a sense of urgency.

So she had rashly distributed grain and water to the people soon after the drought began.

Unaware of the even more difficult and hellish days that lay ahead, unaware that she should have conserved her supplies and acted more cautiously.

‘Sehwa said six months, so it should rain soon…’

But…

“After the drought, there will be torrential rain. And then a plague will break out.”

The price of grain had skyrocketed, and even with money, it was impossible to obtain medicinal herbs.

Since there would be no harvest this year, how would they endure the plague after the torrential rain, the long winter, and the time until the next harvest, as Sehwa had predicted?

Jung Chihwa’s face darkened as she changed out of her Heungsaeng attire and into a dress.

However, she had to deal with the immediate problem before worrying about the distant future.

Unable to delay any longer, she headed towards the Left State Councillor’s residence, bringing along the household servants, despite Chunyeong’s protests.

“Please go back, Miss. No matter how many times you ask, our Master is not seeing anyone right now.”

“Just deliver a message then. You know how close my father and the Left State Councillor were.”

“But that was before he failed the rain rituals consecutively.”

“…What?”

“That’s right. People are saying that the Minister of Rites must have greatly offended the heavens.”

The servant blocking the entrance looked around and added, “And His Majesty has already decided to punish him severely, so who would dare associate with him and share the blame?”

Jung Chihwa was speechless.

A frustrated cry escaped her lips.

“How can such a calamity be blamed on a single person?! If anyone is to blame, it’s the King’s lack of virtue! How can my father be held responsible?!”

The servant’s face paled.

“How dare you speak like that?! Blaming His Majesty?! Please don’t say such things! Do you want me to report you to the authorities for treason?!”

The servant lowered his voice and warned, “I’m only being this lenient because of the past friendship between your father and our Master. So please don’t cause any more trouble and go back.”

“Hey!”

“And let me give you a piece of advice: hide some of your valuables before the authorities come to confiscate them. You’ll need them to survive these times.”

It was a frustrating response, but there was nothing she could do now that the King had decided to make her father the scapegoat to avoid blame.

Afraid of being accused of treason, those who couldn’t directly criticize the King had agreed to attack her father as a means of pressuring him.

So this was a hopeless situation.

Jung Chihwa, refusing to give up, walked through the streets, where the atmosphere was growing increasingly hostile, to meet those who had been close to her father.

But she couldn't meet anyone.

No one, not even those who had once called themselves her father’s lifelong companions, would see her.

On the contrary, as if they wanted to demonstrate how decisively they were cutting ties with him, they treated Jung Chihwa harshly.

They pushed her roughly, threw her to the ground, and shouted insults at her, warning her never to return.

Perhaps because hostile eyes were watching them from all directions…

Even Chunyeong didn't approach to help her up from the dirt.

“......”

Jung Chihwa's jaw trembled as she clutched the dry dirt.

It wasn’t because of the immediate humiliation.

She was truly terrified at the thought that her entire family might die because of this, wrongly accused.

She had known the drought was coming. She had known what would happen afterwards.

Yet she didn’t know what to do with this information, especially now.

Tears streamed down her dirty face.

She was so scared.

Like Chunyeong had suggested, perhaps the only option left was to offer the remaining grain and medicinal herbs to the kingdom and beg for leniency.

She was still young after all.

“Sob…”

Just as Jung Chihwa was lying on the ground, crying…

Someone grabbed her arm and pulled her up. They brushed off her dirt-stained skirt and supported her unsteady body.

Thinking it was Chunyeong, Jung Chihwa tried to push their hand away, telling them to leave her alone, when a clear voice spoke.

“Let’s go back.”

Jung Chihwa’s eyes flew open at the unexpected voice. Blinking her tear-filled eyes, she looked at the person before her.

“…S-Sehwa…?”

Her friend, who had disappeared after saying they would meet later, was supporting her.

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