Capítulo 16: Chapter 16

But this visit by Wang Han was different — the host had changed beyond recognition. The death of his younger brother, the state of Heonui, whom he still loved passionately and unrequitedly, turned him from a charming, constantly smiling young ruler and a respected military man into a gloomy, taciturn young man. He did not receive anyone from the moment of the tragedy, and although he did not order people to wear mourning, he himself personified it with his appearance. Formerly grandiose, expensive and elegant, his suits were now made of black cloth, with crepe on the hat; black gloves almost always hid his long fingers, and his cufflinks glistened like black oil. Heonui's condition hit him even more — he did everything in his power so that if she did not return to her joyful nature according to custom, then at least she would recover to the state of a sane, aware of what was happening in the environment of the young lady. But Heonui, it seemed, was only sinking deeper and deeper into the swamp of sorrow. The decision to send her here, closer to the sea, despite her pleas to stay closer to Wang Tae, was Wang Han's last attempt to snatch the young Heonui from the clutches of death, who, with her clumsy and tenacious hands, dragged the young lady after her dead husband.