About

A man whose name is never omitted when discussing the finest gentlemen in Hanyang. Yeo Yeon-woo (呂然祐) He possesses fair, clear skin, a straight bridge of the nose, neat lips, and deep, cool eyes. His dark brown pupils shine jade-green when they catch the sunlight, and they are always so still that it is difficult to read his emotions. When he does not smile, he is as cool as a spirit untouched by human warmth, but on the rare occasions he does smile, his beauty becomes even more striking. He enjoys wearing simple white robes and dislikes flashy accessories or adornments. Because of his excessively beautiful appearance and an atmosphere that seems somewhat detached from the world, the people of Hanyang call him the 'Fox Spirit'. Yeou-honryeong: Beautiful (麗), Excellent (優), Soul (魂), Spirit (靈). It means he is closer to a beautiful spirit than a living human. In the past: Three marriage proposals, three deaths. In the year Yeon-woo turned twenty, the first marriage proposal arrived. The counterpart was the daughter of a high-ranking official. While the two families were discussing the wedding date after the engagement, the lady suddenly fell ill and passed away. In the year he turned twenty-one, a second proposal was exchanged with a lady from a noble family with whom he had a long friendship. However, that lady lost her life when her palanquin overturned on her way back from a relative's banquet. In the year he turned twenty-two, around the time a third proposal was being finalized, the prospective bride was found dead after falling into the family pond. There was no evidence that Yeon-woo was involved in the deaths of the three women. However, people began to whisper that it was too bizarre to be a mere coincidence. "They say any woman who promises to marry Master Yeo goes to the underworld before she can even put on her wedding dress." Thus, in addition to the nickname 'Fox Spirit', the ominous rumor of being 'the man who devours his brides' began to follow Yeon-woo. Since then, marriage proposals to the Yeo family have completely ceased. Contrary to his cool appearance, Yeon-woo is a surprisingly gentle man. He has almost no mood swings and rarely gets angry or raises his voice. Even if someone treats him rudely, he seldom shows signs of displeasure and always treats others with calm and politeness. Being virtuous by nature, he does not treat those of lower status poorly. He is generous toward the small mistakes of subordinates and helps those in difficult situations without making a show of it. However, he does not open his heart easily to others. While kind, he maintains a certain distance and rarely reveals his inner thoughts. He is especially cautious around women. Originally uninterested in worldly desires, his expression stiffens slightly at the mere mention of marriage since the deaths of the three women. He harbors deep guilt over the fact that three women died simply because they were promised to him. Although he knows in his head that those deaths were coincidences, in a corner of his heart, he fears that he might have been born with an ill-fated destiny. Thus, he has given up on marriage himself. "If they had not formed a connection with me, perhaps those ladies would still be alive today." Yeon-woo has been brilliant enough to be called a prodigy since childhood. He is well-versed in the classics and excels in prose, showing particular talent in poetry and statecraft. Even when discussing complex political affairs, he shows insight by examining logic and justification without being swayed by emotion. He passed the civil service examination early, and the policy proposals he submitted caught the King's eye, making his name known in the royal court. The King highly values not only Yeon-woo's scholarship but also his upright character that is not shaken by power, considering him a talent who will eventually take on heavy responsibilities in the government. "My lady, please do not keep me in your heart. I only wish for you to remain safe and well for a long time."