I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 56

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 56

 

“From today forward, you two must share and uphold half of the sect’s doctrine as husband and wife.”

 

His voice was low and sharp.

 

“We will keep this in mind.”

 

Wicheonso knelt and answered. I also bowed my head.

 

“Chung-rin. The energy of Seolsan Chungga is cold, but to touch the flames of our sect, you must melt that coldness. Can you help him by his side?”

 

“I will do my utmost to fulfill my role.”

 

When I answered resolutely, a faint smile crossed Gwon Museong’s lips.

 

“Welcome to the sect.”

 

Having married the Third Prince, I was naturally registered as a disciple of the Heavenly Sect.

 

If this were during my Sangteon-dang days, I would have felt resistance, but now this was what I wanted.

 

“Our sect was built with blood. Therefore, only with blood can we maintain its order. However, we do not permit the blood of the innocent.”

 

The doctrine of the Heavenly Sect was simple.

 

A world built upon the sacrifice of the strong and maintained by the tears of the weak.

 

For them, ‘justice’ did not exist, and ‘good’ was considered a luxury.

 

Only those with the power to restore broken balance became law, and only those qualified to shed blood with that power could have authority.

 

However, this did not mean permitting indiscriminate slaughter.

 

Since spilling blood required paying a price, they forbade death without reason.

 

The Heavenly Sect’s blade must always be cold, moving not by hatred or greed but only by calculations to maintain order.

 

That’s why the Central Plains called the Heavenly Sect Mageyo and feared them.

 

They were cruel but also fair. They killed precisely those who needed to die, and never carelessly harmed those who shouldn’t be touched.

 

The strict doctrine of blood that the Heavenly Sect established was thus supporting this broken world.

 

“I will learn and follow the doctrine and teachings. I will seek help from the Third Prince.”

 

When I answered respectfully, the Leader nodded as if satisfied.

 

His gaze focused on my wrist. Was it my imagination that the Leader seemed conscious of Sugungsa?

 

Was he concerned that Wicheonso and I hadn’t performed the harmony ritual?

 

Or was it the opposite?

 

Since the Leader said nothing about it, I simply waited silently for his next words.

 

“At the Cheonmu Festival in five days, you must stand at the altar representing the women of our main sect.”

 

“I will obey Cheonjon’s command.”

 

The Cheonmu Festival was both a memorial service for Cheonmu, the founding leader, and also a service honoring the 13 previous leaders and their wives.

 

Originally, the Leader’s wife should attend that position to represent the women of the Heavenly Sect, but the current Leader’s wife had not appeared for a long time due to health reasons.

 

He meant for me to fill that position instead.

 

“Good.”

 

The Leader smiled as if satisfied.

 

“Withdraw for today and we’ll meet again at the Cheonmu Festival.”

 

When Wicheonso and I bowed respectfully, the Leader gestured for us to leave.

 

‘If the rumors about losing part of his internal energy in the decisive battle with the former Heavenly Tiger Alliance leader are true, the Leader might enter closed-door training again right after the Cheonmu Festival.’

 

Since the life-and-death battle with the former Heavenly Tiger Alliance leader was fierce, I heard that Gwon Museong had not yet regained his former strength.

 

For him to fully recover his power, he needed help from his wife Mahu, but she had been absent for over 30 years.

 

So the Elders would be petitioning the Leader to establish a young sect leader for the future of the Heavenly Sect.

 

What picture did the Leader draw when he permitted Wicheonso’s and my marriage?

 

Did he really intend to make Wicheonso, who had been a means to check the First and Second Princes, into the young sect leader?

 

It didn’t matter if he didn’t.

 

Because I would definitely make him the master of this Cheonmugung.

 

Carrying various thoughts, right after coming out of Cheonmugung, I asked Wicheonso.

 

“Where is Mahu’s residence?”

 

Mahu was the nickname of Seoyeonwol, Sect Leader Gwon Museong’s only legitimate wife.

 

Mahu Seoyeonwol was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Seo Family, a prestigious family of the Central Plains.

 

The marriage between Gwon Museong and Seoyeonwol was close to a political union, but Seoyeonwol was someone who held sincere feelings for Gwon Museong.

 

When Gwon Museong was the young sect leader, she joined the Heavenly Sect and learned the Silver Moon Technique to help the sect leader. Thanks to this, she received respect and love from many disciples.

 

The title Mahu was obtained after that.

 

I only asked because it was the Heavenly Sect’s courtesy to pay respects to the Leader and the Leader’s wife, but Wicheonso’s expression darkened further.

 

“Mahu is ill and does not come outside. She wouldn’t want courtesy visits either.”

 

“But isn’t Mahu’s role important at the Cheonmu Festival?”

 

“She has been in seclusion for 33 years, and it’s been almost 15 years since she stopped conducting ceremonies. Until now, the wives of the First and Second Princes have substituted for Mahu’s role, and this time you will stand in that position.”

 

“…I see. Then I should postpone the greeting for a while.”

 

“That would be best.”

 

Wicheonso closed his mouth after those words.

 

He and I paid respects to several Elders, then returned to the Guest Hall of Cheonyanggung.

 

After going through the procedures, it was already past noon.

 

Sawol and Okxiang carefully approached and whispered to Wicheonso and me.

 

“We have prepared breakfast. Please sit for a moment.”

 

Since it was our first outing as a married couple, they seemed clearly nervous, and Okxiang came to my side and held my hand.

 

I hadn’t eaten breakfast properly and had only shared tea with the Elders, so my stomach felt empty.

 

Okxiang guided me to the table where food was prepared.

 

“Please sit as well, husband.”

 

When I invited him, Wicheonso hesitated a little before taking a seat.

 

He seemed busy with tasks the Leader had given him, but staying at Cheonyanggung was probably because he was conscious of outside gazes.

 

What was placed on the table was easily digestible and soft rice porridge, fish dishes, and stir-fried vegetables.

 

Though the food looked simple, it was neat, and despite the light taste, it was cooking that kept drawing my hand back.

 

When I tried to pick up tofu, Wicheonso picked up a piece of tofu and placed it on my plate.

 

“Eat plenty. You are too thin.”

 

“…Thank you.”

 

Wicheonso also picked up a piece of tofu and put it in his mouth.

 

His placing tofu before me was closer to a naturally habitual motion rather than kindness for my sake.

 

It was probably just repeating to me the habit of sharing meals with comrades during his Geukryeondang days.

 

After that too, as if to show my guess was correct, Wicheonso naturally deboned fish and placed it on my bowl.

 

Because he kept taking care of me during the meal, he felt like a different person from the one who had clearly drawn lines this morning.

 

“Is there perhaps no way to meet Mahu?”

 

When I asked carefully, he put down his chopsticks.

 

“How much do you know about Mahu?”

 

“About how she secluded herself in Eunyangung after her only son, who was the young sect leader, passed away.”

 

Wicheonso nodded as if correct and opened his mouth.

 

“After that, she indeed hasn’t been involved in Heavenly Sect affairs for 15 years. She probably won’t in the future either.”

 

Since she hadn’t even participated in the Cheonmu Festival for 15 years due to illness, her actual power might no longer remain.

 

If she hadn’t been someone who stood at the forefront with the Leader when the Heavenly Sect was expanding its influence, there would have been many who wanted to remove her from the position of the Leader’s wife.

 

But her symbolic value was still effective.

 

“Have you ever met Mahu?”

 

“When I was adopted as the Third Prince and conducted ceremonies, I met her once. At that time, she was watching me from the pavilion of Eunyangung.”

 

Wicheonso gazed into the distance as if recalling the past.

 

“If Mahu came out of Eunyangung, couldn’t the sect’s power structure change?”

 

When I carefully added my opinion, Wicheonso’s head tilted slightly. He seemed to have already realized what intention I was asking with.

 

“The First Prince, Second Prince, and their wives also made constant efforts to turn Mahu’s heart, but no one has succeeded yet.”

 

“…I see.”

 

Since the cause of her closing her heart was because of her dead son, there would have been no particular solution.

 

Sometimes some people’s time stops at one point. Mahu must have become that way after losing her son too.

 

The son between the Leader and Mahu had mastered part of the Heavenly Martial Arts at a young age, and his abilities as young sect leader were also outstanding.

 

When they lost such a son, the couple must have been as good as dead once.

 

Eventually, the Leader took the life of the former Heavenly Tiger Alliance leader for his son’s revenge, but couldn’t melt even Mahu’s frozen heart.

 

“I’ll go meet Mahu myself.”

 

Wicheonso stared at me for a while, then wore his characteristic leisurely smile at the corner of his lips.

 

“I look forward to my lady’s strategy.”

 

It was an unreadable smile—I couldn’t tell if he truly believed in me, or if he was smiling because he thought it was impossible.

 

Wicheonso, who had finished his meal at some point, stood up from his seat first.

 

“It seems we have a guest.”

 

I was puzzled by Wicheonso’s words.

 

Just as he said, there was a figure entering under Okxiang’s guidance.

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