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The sound of raindrops fell steadily beyond the eaves, and the last bundle of firewood was neatly delivered to Gomo Lee's home.

Gomo Lee beamed with delight, holding onto her relative's arm as she expressed her gratitude. "You've gone through so much trouble. Jungguk, come in and have a drink of water first..."

The young man she called Jungguk appeared to be no older than eighteen, yet he was very tall, his voice carrying a deep timbre. Nearby, a young girl caught the sound of his voice and, unprepared for the sight of his striking features, found her cheeks instantly reddening.

But the young man didn't linger. He rose and left with a crisp decisiveness.

After he had gone some distance, the girl chirped: "Third Imo, who was that? I don't think I've seen him before."

Gomo Lee noticed the girl's curiosity and fully understood what was on her mind. Feeling quite pleased herself, she sat down, ready to share the story. "That young man is named Yeon Jungguk. He's not originally from our village, you know. About five years ago, an old scholar who lived here found him. We don't know where he came from—he had lost his memory, apparently from falling off a cliff. The old scholar's surname was Yeon, and since he had no children of his own, he took Jungguk in as his adopted son. Unfortunately, the old man passed away less than two years later due to illness, leaving all his meager savings to the boy."

"Jungguk, that child, ah. Although he lost his memory from hitting his head, it didn't affect his intelligence or anything else. Apart from not remembering his past, he excels in everything. And his looks are top-notch. l'm not familiar with academic matters, but I talked to the old man a few times, and he was very satisfied with him. Old Yeon's own son was once cruelly framed in the officialdom, so he didn't dare let Jungguk pursue the imperial exams. But, he's young, strong, and capable. That Jungguk is not only obedient but also handsome, hardworking, and diligent. lf he starts a business in the future, he's sure to succeed. If you fancy him, I could act as a matchmaker for you. After all, Jungguk is no longer young either."

Gomo Lee spoke in one breath, then gulped down several sips of water. Girls from the countryside didn't have much experience with the outside world, so the young girl, though inwardly pleased, didn't dare respond. Just the sight of him earlier had her heart racing like a startled deer. Her silence was tacit agreement.

Jungguk had no idea that his brief outing had saddled him with potential "debts"

Carrying water on his own, he returned to the small courtyard. He hastily cooked a bowl of noodles before sitting by the window with a book in hand. Though his Abeoji had discouraged him from pursuing the exams, he hadn't given up the spirit of learning.

His Abeoji had once said, "Learn well for a lifetime, live well for yourself, and don't burden yourself with unnecessary worries."

It was now noon, but instead of taking a nap, he grabbed a bamboo basket, intending to catch some fish by the river. The courtyard where the Teacher had once saved him was situated halfway up a mountain. There were no neighbors nearby and one would have to travel some distance to see signs of habitation.

Thus, the river at the foot of the mountains became a private resource for his household. On days with lighter rain, he would head down to try his luck. Catching two or three fish would ensure their meals were taken care of for the next few days. With this in mind, Jungguk's gaze lowered slightly, the faint glimmers of light after the rain reflecting off his eyelashes, accentuating his features like finely carved jade.

Picking up the bamboo basket, Jungguk also grabbed a fishing spear, tucking an oiled paper umbrella into the basket in case the rain started up again.

He followed the muddy mountain path downward, his green robe becoming damp from the slick ground. However, something seemed unusual about the riverbank today. From a distance, it looked like something or someone was lying there, surrounded by scattered clothing.

Noticing something amiss, Jungguk quickened his pace. To his shock, it was a person lying there!

He immediately set down his basket and fishing spear, striding over in just a few steps. He anxiously checked the person's breathing. There was still some warmth, but the breaths were faint. If left in this state, the person wouldn't survive another two hours.

The figure was slimmer than his own, their white clothing nearly soaked in bl00d. Even their eyes seemed to bear injuries.

The mountain near Wang-ga Village rarely saw travelers, but not far from here was a bandit hideout notorious for ambußhing merchants passing through. The frightened ones would pay a ransom, while the defiant often met a cruel fate. This was Jungguk's first thought upon seeing the scene.

Without hesitation, he lifted the frail young man into his arms and hurried back to his home.

The bamboo basket and fishing spear were left behind, abandoned where they lay.

After all, this mountain was his territory, and he doubted anyone would bother stealing such mundane items.

Yeon Saeng had left behind a considerable stock of dried medicinal herbs before his passing, and for treating superficial wounds, they were more than adequate. However, Jungguk wasn't certain if the injured man had internal injuries. He could only rely on his limited knowledge to conduct a thorough examination, cleaning away all traces of bl00d and applying medicine to every w0und.

The young man before him appeared to be a year or two younger than him. His face was fair and clean, but, unfortunately... his eyes might be beyond saving. Jungguk wasn't exceptionally skilled, and ensuring the man's survival was already the best he could manage.

As night began to fall, Jungguk found himself without fish or any other food. Left with no choice, he boiled some rice water and made do with the leftovers from lunch.

After the rain, the mountain air turned chilly.

Knowing that the gravely ill should avoid drafts, Jungguk closed all the doors and windows. He covered the injured man with a quilt before returning to his spot by the window, where he resumed reading with quiet focus. Reserved and taciturn by nature, he rarely spoke. While the villagers were warm and welcoming, his interactions with them were limited to polite nods in passing.

Unbeknownst to him, families with daughters/gers in the village all viewed him as an ideal match—a coveted prize only.

After reading for about two hours, the night deepened. Jungguk, after much thought, laid a mat on the floor for himself. The household only had two quilts to begin with. Yeon Saeng had lived alone for many years, keeping just two for rotation. It was only after his arrival that a third quilt had been added to the home.

Now that the quilt was used to cover the injured man, Jungguk had nothing left for himself. Relying on his robust constitution, Jungguk decided he could manage without one and lay down directly on the floor.

The wind howled outside nearly the entire night.

Jungguk felt the cold but endured it in silence, making it through the night without complaint. His sleep was restless, and by early morning, he was already up. Breakfast wasn't something he considered worth much effort, so he simply made a pot of vegetable soup.

Just as he was about to serve himself, Jungguk heard a faint, mosquito-like whisper.

Extinguishing the firewood, he bent down to open the door to the room and saw that the young man on the bed had woken up. However, his eyes remained tightly shut. Judging by his refined features, it was easy to infer that he had likely been a pampered young master before. His complexion was pale, but undeniably handsome.

Jungguk immediately asked: "Are you feeling better? Would you like something to eat?"

The young man hesitated, his closed eyes twitching slightly. His voice, weak but clear, sounded: "You are..? Why aren't there any lights in this room?"

His low and pleasant tone of voice didn't give off any threatening vibe, easing the young man's initial fear. However, a trace of wariness lingered as he instinctively tried to sit up, only to be met with excruciating pain.

Before he could do much, Jungguk quickly stepped forward to support him, explaining in a calm tone: "I found you by the riverbank at the foot of the mountain. You were gravely injured."

"Injured.." A hint of confusion flashed across the young man's face. "I can't remember anything."

The moment those words fell, Jungguk couldn't help but feel a strange sense of connection. This young man's plight mirrored his own-he, too, had no recollection of who he was before many years ago. Accepting his fate, he had chosen to settle here and live a quiet life.

The confusion and vulnerability in the young man's expression tugged at Jungguk's heart.

Worried about frightening him, Jungguk softened his tone. "Let it go for now. You're seriously injured. If you can't remember, don't force it. Rest here and try again once youve recovered."

He stood to leave, but the young man suddenly grabbed his hand, his voice trembling with fear.

"Where are you going? Why... why can't I see you?"

Jungguk knelt back down, studying the young man's tightly shut eyes. A strange feeling rose within him. The young man, no older than seventeen or eighteen, had injuries around his eyes that seemed deliberate, as if someone had intentionally blinded him. The bl00d was still fresh.

The pain and adhesion made it impossible for him to open his eyes, but Jungguk hesitated, unsure how to explain this cruel reality. After a pause, he said: "Your eyes are badly injured, likely from someone deliberately harming you. But my foster Abeoji left behind many medicinal herbs. There's a chance they might help.."

"How did you get hurt?" Jungguk's first thought was the bandits nearby, but there could be other causes.

Could it be that he had made enemies and was now facing revenge?

But this person was merely just past his coming-of-age; how could he have attracted such overwhelming hatred? Yet the young man truly couldn't remember. He didn't even know his own name. Perhaps realizing that the person before him genuinely wasn't a bad person, he finally spoke: "I can't remember, not even the slightest bit..."

"Hiss..." As if the effort to recall strained him, he winced, drawing in a sharp breath.

The rain had stopped by now, and the morning air was crisp. Jungguk stood, intending to fetch some food for him, but was surprised to see someone already waiting in the courtyard.

It was Gomo Lee. Without preamble, she called out cheerfully: "Jungguk, my son, I caught a whole lot of fish yesterday. I brought some over for you to eat!"

"Thank you, Gomo. I'll return the favor next time." Jungguk was not adept at socializing and could only offer a simple, polite thanks.

However, Gomo Lee clearly had more on her mind. Following Jungguk to the kitchen, she leaned against the doorframe and immediately brought up: "You know, you're not getting any younger. Before you head off to take the exams, you might want to think about settling your marriage. The girl in my house yesterday was very attracted to you? If you like her, why not make it happen and complete a joyous occasion?"

Jungguk had heard such talk several times over the years. The first time, he'd been flustered and at a loss for words to refuse. By now, he was used to it. From the start, he had no intention of marrying so soon- his Abeoji had passed away less than three years ago. Without hesitation, he declined: "Thank you for your kind intentions, Gomo Lee, but it's too early for me to consider marriage now. I'd also worry about delaying someone else's happiness."

Seeing that Gomo Lee was about to press the issue, Jungguk quickly changed the subject. "Gomo, yesterday I rescued someone-a young man. His eyes were destroyed, his injuries were severe, and he's lost his memory. I don't know how to care for someone in his condition. Do you have any suggestions for what medicine I should use?"

"A person? Oh heavens, how pitiful! Let me take a look and see if there's anything I can do to help.."

Gomo Lee, ever the warm-hearted type, immediately followed him inside.

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[A/n: The story starts as a slice-of-life rural novel and transitions into palace intrigue. The character dynamics between the ML and MC will change after the characters regain their memories, especially the ML. Initially, he is a calm and honest small farmer, but after knowing who he truly is, he becomes a cunning, fierce, and dominant ML in full form. Hope you're eager to read this with me...]

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