Blooming even in the mud - Chapter 7

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 7: Blooming Even in the Mud
 
 
 
“Your blade has grown sharper than before. It feels as though your yearning to return to the Capital City quickly is embedded in it, is it not?”
Gyeong Won-ui replied with a faint smile to Gyeong Baek-jong’s teasing question. His father’s gaze was precise.
Yoo Seo-hwa’s letter, which had arrived all the way to the distant northern battlefield, had warmed the times he longed for her.
 
[If you return injured, I shall be furious.]
 
Thanks to that, he had not sustained any major injuries.
‘What a relief. There is nothing to make Her Highness upset.’
With the battle finished, a reply containing his intention to return home soon was headed toward the Capital City first, while Gyeong Won-ui remained at King Ning’s banquet. King Ning, who had provided unstinting support throughout the expedition, wished to comfort the soldiers with a grand feast.
“Haha! Gyeong Won-ui’s martial arts were truly astonishing. I cannot count how many times I marveled at them. If you had not already promised to wed Princess Sukjeong, I would have sent my daughter to you.”
King Ning highly praised Gyeong Won-ui’s military merits and repeatedly offered him drinks. He was not one to enjoy drinking, but since he could not refuse, he emptied his cup. Chu Sim-yang, who had accompanied the army to handle the administrative work of the expeditionary force, laughed and waved his hand.
“Oh dear, Your Highness says that because you do not know just how much love is pouring between this friend and Her Highness Princess Sukjeong. It is so affectionate that even my own sides feel ticklish.”
“Is that so? Then His Majesty must marry this pair off quickly. If so, I shall raise this cup myself to wish that you and Princess Sukjeong grow old together in marital bliss.”
Laughing good-naturedly, King Ning downed the alcohol poured to the brim of his cup in one draft.
King Ning was the youngest brother of Emperor Xuanwen and was one of the very few Qinwang who had safely survived the harsh purges.
‘However, the process of his survival was by no means smooth.’
Gyeong Won-ui recalled the process through which King Ning had managed to survive.
The first reason was that because he was the youngest imperial prince, he was quite young during the time of the blood-drenched purges, and the second reason was that King Qi, King Ning’s only uterine brother, had taken his own life in exchange for letting King Ning live.
Having barely survived, King Ning had been living as quiet as death in Qiheng Province.
‘If it were not for an issue like the rebellion of the White Head Sect, he is someone who would never have caused a stir in the central government.’
During this campaign, Gyeong Won-ui built an acquaintance with King Ning, whom he had only heard about in stories. He did not dislike the unreserved King Ning, and King Ning also seemed to take a liking to Gyeong Won-ui.
After always keeping his nerves taut to avoid drawing Emperor Xuanwen’s suspicion, dealing with the candid King Ning allowed him a breathing room.
However, there was one suspicious doubt.
When the grand banquet that lasted late into the night came to an end, Gyeong Won-ui followed Gyeong Baek-jong to his quarters.
“Do you have something to say?”
Gyeong Won-ui asked quietly so that his voice would not leak outside the room.
“What do you think of the Ning King Army?”
It was an ordinary question. However, whether he felt the same doubt as Gyeong Won-ui who asked the question, Gyeong Baek-jong did not answer right away.
The Ning King Army, which had been unable to suppress the Rebel Army for an entire year, was a total mess just as expected. The soldiers, who looked as if they had just been conscripted, could not even align their ranks, and their armaments, left untended for a long time, were rusted.
In fact, the Ning King Army had almost no role during the suppression process.
‘And yet, I feel something suspicious.’
Compared to the discipline of the soldiers, the military commanders leading them were highly capable. They always merely assisted the Central Army to avoid revealing their presence, but they could not escape Gyeong Won-ui’s sharp gaze.
King Ning’s commanders safely led the Ning King Army, which was a mess no different from a militia, and prevented unnecessary casualties. Even though the discipline was extremely lax, the command system was solid.
‘It is a contradictory situation.’
Since there can be no weak soldiers under a strong general, the sense of disparity between the commanders and the soldiers was strange.
“What do you think?”
Only after a long while did Gyeong Baek-jong ask back. Gyeong Won-ui quietly knitted his brows.
The answer would be one of two things. Either he had misseen, or King Ning was deliberately hiding his forces.
And the answer was in all likelihood the latter.
Since it was impossible for the eyes of both his father and himself to be dimmed.
“…….”
Gyeong Baek-jong fell silent, as if waiting for his son’s judgment. Given his loyal father’s temperament, it was highly probable that he would organize and report the true state of the Ning King Army to Emperor Xuanwen.
‘But what would I do.’
Gyeong Won-ui rubbed his knitted brows with his palm. He was a man who could not be free from Emperor Xuanwen’s suspicion even though he had committed no crime. Even though the one who chose him as the Buma was Emperor Xuanwen himself.
Perhaps until Emperor Xuanwen passed away, he would have to live like that, unable to even breathe properly under the suffocating suspicion.
Whatever King Ning’s true intentions might be, he also deeply empathized with the conduct of lowering oneself to avoid drawing Emperor Xuanwen’s vigilance.
After his deliberation ended, Gyeong Won-ui made his choice.
“Is it not that he, too, is merely trying to survive?”
“……If that is your thought, then I understand.”
Gyeong Baek-jong nodded his head. It meant he would not report about the Ning King Army to Emperor Xuanwen.
“Are you alright?”
It was a question filled with worry, asking if he was alright under Emperor Xuanwen’s suspicion that was rarely lifted. Gyeong Won-ui replied with a faint smile.
Since he was to take Yoo Seo-hwa as his wife, he could willingly endure something like living like a dead person under Emperor Xuanwen’s gaze.
 
* * *
 
While writing a letter to Hong Ok-geum expressing her hope that she would find time to visit the Princess’s Palace in a few days, she ended up putting down her brush after all. Yoo Seo-hwa, who handed the letter to the waiting maidservant to tear up and discard, shrugged her shoulders.
‘It wasn’t rare for Gyeong Won-ui to leave the Capital City for reasons like campaigns or training. However, it has never been for over three months like this expedition…….’
It was a truly tedious time to wait alone.
Hong Ok-geum, who had married Chu Sim-yang through a political arrangement between their families, was also in the same position of waiting for her husband, so she had thought to invite her to the Princess’s Palace to share their anxieties, but gave up.
‘Hong Ok-geum finally became pregnant after receiving cold glares from her in-laws for failing to give birth to a son for several years after her marriage.’
Since she was in a position where she had to be careful with every single step, she could not ask her to enter the palace.
Out of worry that Gyeong Won-ui might return with injuries, she had even flipped through medical books and learned medical arts from a physician, but the void in her heart could not be filled.
The people who comforted her empty loneliness were Lady Zhang, who was Gyeong Baek-jong’s wife and had received the rank of Soguk Lady from the Outer Court Ladies, and his sister Gyeong Won-yeong.

Before heading out for the expedition, Gyeong Won-ui had requested his mother.
Having become betrothed, Lady Zhang and Gyeong Won-yeong had also exchanged greetings with Yoo Seo-hwa and had been exchanging letters occasionally. Since they had heard Gyeong Won-ui’s request on top of that, the two willingly complied.
Of course, it was also a good thing for Yoo Seo-hwa, who had lost her mother early and longed for the affection of a family.
‘It is truly a relief to have the two of them.’
Her mother, who had been unable to conceive for twenty years, even heard whispers that she was a Barren Woman. She barely gave birth to Yoo Seo-hwa near the age of forty, but her health was ruined, and she passed away leaving her young daughter behind.
Court Lady Lee had played the role of a mother for her, but it was insufficient. She also had little interaction with her half-siblings born to the concubines. It was for that reason that she acted spoiled toward her imperial father, the only one who gave her affection as family.
“I heard that your strength has waned greatly of late.”
Lady Zhang handed over a food box she brought with a worried face. Upon opening the lid, a sweet aroma drifted out subtly.
“Oh my, is this Ginseng Jeonggwa?”
“It was made with my lacking skill, but it will be good for nourishing your body. Please recover your health.”
“I shall accept it with gratitude.”
Yoo Seo-hwa picked up a neatly cut piece of the confectionery and brought it to her mouth.
The unique fragrance of ginseng, which chewed softly, blended with the sweetness of honey. Her heart had been so heavy with worry for Gyeong Won-ui on his campaign trail that even her meals did not go down well, but the Ginseng Jeonggwa was very delicious. It must be due to Lady Zhang’s sincerity and heart.
“It is truly delicious.”
When she smiled brightly, Gyeong Won-yeong, who had entered the palace along with Lady Zhang, quietly grasped her hand.
“Looking at father’s letter, elder brother worries a lot about Your Highness even on the battlefield. He will surely return safely without any trouble, so do not grieve too much.”
Perhaps because of the thought that Gyeong Baek-jong was her imperial father’s subject, he was a bit difficult to deal with, but whenever she met Lady Zhang and Gyeong Won-yeong, a cozy warmth dyed her chest. It was a different feeling from Gyeong Won-ui.
‘They are like a real mother and a real sister.’
She was happy that she would marry Gyeong Won-ui and become one family with them.
“Even though I have only been waiting for a mere three months, my heart is burning, so how did you, Soguk Lady, wait for General Gyeong your whole life?”
Lady Zhang smiled gently.
“It is because I believe in the general.”
“Because you believe in him……?”
“When I was newly wedded, I could not sleep at night and could not eat my meals whenever the general went to the battlefield. No matter how much time passed, I never got used to it.”
Gyeong Baek-jong was also a battle-hardened veteran who had spent his entire life on the battlefield.
Yoo Seo-hwa would also follow the life of Lady Zhang, who had waited her whole life wishing for her husband’s safety.
“However, now as it was back then, my belief that the general will surely return to me remains unchanged. And also the fact that just as much as I worry for the general, the general is worrying for me.”
“…….”
“Therefore, when the general returns, should I not also welcome my husband with a smile?”
In the gentle smile remaining at the corner of Lady Zhang’s lips, there was a firmness solidified by trust and affection toward her husband.
“And since I gave birth to Gyeong Won-ui and Gyeong Won-yeong though it was late, these children supported me.”
At Lady Zhang’s gaze filled with affection, Gyeong Won-yeong smiled shyly.
Yoo Seo-hwa quietly chewed over the image of the mother and daughter who were accustomed to waiting. She thought it would be nice if she could also wait for him with a firm belief just like them.
 
Around the same time the final victory report stating that they had wiped out the stronghold of the White Head Sect arrived, she received Gyeong Won-ui’s letter.
Yoo Seo-hwa held the letter, which had become worn from being read over and over again, to her chest.
‘Now Gyeong 공자 is returning to my side.’
It would take about five more days to return to the Capital City. Yoo Seo-hwa, who was anxiously picturing where he might be passing by right now, suddenly caressed her face.
‘Has my face been ruined? If I have become much more emaciated than three months ago, Gyeong 공자 will worry, so what should I do.’
She opened the dressing table and looked to see if her complexion was alright.
It was almost three months since she had properly looked into the mirror, but somehow she felt she had become haggard. Whether it was just her imagination, she felt she had lost weight and her cheekbones seemed slightly prominent.
‘I have to do something about it during the remaining five days.’
Would she look full of life if she applied powder thickly? It was just when she was having such worries.
“Ah! If you come in so hastily……!”
Suddenly, the outside became tumultuous.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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