I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 75

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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 75

 

On the eastern side of Cheonsan, atop the highest cliff.

 

The master had returned to Hyeoncheon Palace, said to be closest to the heavens in all of Cheonsan.

 

“First Prince, welcome back.”

 

The servants and maids of Hyeoncheon Palace stood in formation. It was to welcome the giant man clad in black robes.

 

First Prince, Leehyeonrip.

 

He was Leader Gwon Museong’s disciple and one who had risen to the position of First Prince at a young age through outstanding martial prowess.

 

Though the Leader had many disciples, the first to distinguish himself was First Prince Leehyeonrip.

 

Though he wasn’t from a prestigious family like the Seven Great Families, he was a man from a household that had produced skilled warriors for generations in Cheonsan.

 

Shortly after ascending to the position of First Prince, he took the eldest daughter of the prestigious Yohyeonse family as his wife, allowing him to establish a solid power base.

 

“Where is Hyeoncheonggungju?”

 

“She stayed at Gyojeon and returned two days ago. She is waiting for the First Prince now.”

 

The Old Supervisor with graying hair approached his side and spoke carefully.

 

Leehyeonrip’s brow furrowed.

 

Though Leehyeonrip and Yuhwa had been married for ten years, they rarely conversed except when absolutely necessary.

 

Therefore, her waiting for him meant she had something important to tell him.

 

The First Prince headed to Yuhwa’s residence without even unpacking from his journey.

 

“Did you hear about the Third Prince’s wedding?”

 

As soon as the First Prince entered, Yuhwa lifted her chin and asked bluntly.

 

“I heard the news. I didn’t know the Chungga woman would marry Wicheonso instead of Sobaek from Yeomhwa Family.”

 

Though the two didn’t approach each other closely, they gazed at each other in the same space as if the topic of conversation was important.

 

“I was worried that Cheonjon might be trying to empower Wicheonso. Yuhwa, what did you think when you saw it?”

 

Though Yuhwa wasn’t short, she looked like a child next to the bear-like giant Leehyeonrip.

 

“Chung-rin seemed to long for human company, perhaps from being confined for so long. She didn’t seem particularly close to the Third Prince.”

 

Yuhwa then told him about the Cheonmu Festival as she had witnessed it.

 

Upon hearing that the priest remained, Leehyeonrip’s eyes grew dim.

 

Twenty years ago, a sorcerer of Cheonmugyo made a prophecy while reading the stars.

 

[The next Heavenly Demon will be born borrowing the womb of Seolsan Chungga.]

 

Because of that prophecy, the Seven Great Families searched for traces of Seolsan Chungga.

 

Ten years ago, it was Yeonjo of Yeomhwa Family who found Chungga.

 

Yeonjo subdued Chungga by force and obtained Chung-rin under the pretext of a marriage alliance.

 

If Chung-rin had married Yeonhopyeong as planned and bore a child, Leehyeonrip intended to persuade Yeonjo to adopt that child as his own.

 

However, the change in the wedding partner shook the foundation.

 

Wicheonso, who had shown no interest in the position of Young Leader, had married Chung-rin.

 

At least it was fortunate that the priest was being maintained.

 

If the Leader had intended to empower Wicheonso, he would have permitted the harmony ritual.

 

The existence of the priest was tantamount to showing that the Leader’s will was not yet with Wicheonso.

 

“Nosoggun broke his alliance with me and devised a plan to kill Chung-rin. If he had succeeded, he would have planned to shift the blame to me.”

 

It was Yuhwa herself who had manipulated the proposal Nosoggun made to Chung-rin.

 

Since the princes were competing for the Young Leader position, it was natural for relations to be bad.

 

But through this incident, she realized that no matter what happened in the future, Nosoggun could not be trusted.

 

“What happened to the priest who attacked Chung-rin?”

 

Yuhwa’s eyes turned venomous as she looked at her fingernails.

 

“He was dragged to Cheopyeongdang. Even if he confesses, he won’t mention my name.”

 

They said he bit a poison pill when handed over to Cheopyeongdang. It was a poison that would burn his esophagus and lead to death, so even if alive, he wouldn’t be able to speak.

 

“What level was Chung-rin’s martial prowess?”

 

“Her internal energy was limited, and it wasn’t remarkable. Seeing how the sacred flame burned throughout the Cheonmu Festival, her potential seems outstanding.”

 

When Chung-rin first took Yuhwa’s hand, this was the conclusion Yuhwa reached after examining Chung-rin’s condition in her own way.

 

“What happened with Mahu?”

 

“I heard Chung-rin visited Eunyangung for several days but was turned away at the door. I can’t know exactly what changes occurred with Mahu afterward. But it seems true that Chung-rin eventually moved Mahu.”

 

Outstanding potential. Plus a woman with the wit to move Mahu.

 

Though she was now the Third Prince’s wife, Chung-rin probably hadn’t wanted this marriage.

 

“Yuhwa, approach Chung-rin again.”

 

“Why? To gain Wicheonso’s support through Chung-rin?”

 

“Wicheonso isn’t someone who would support me. But there are things we can give Chung-rin. Things like freedom.”

 

She had been confined there ever since being captured by Yeomhwa Family.

 

Her marriage to the Third Prince was also likely some kind of transaction.

 

Right now, she had no freedom.

 

“Freedom… If Chung-rin leaves Wicheonso, who would be next? You, perhaps?”

 

A sneer appeared at the corner of Yuhwa’s mouth.

 

“Stop being sarcastic and do what you need to do.”

 

Leehyeonrip’s response was like a heavy stone.

 

It meant he was entrusting this task to Yuhwa, who possessed the mind-reading martial art.

 

“I’ll do what I need to do. Now get out.”

 

Yuhwa turned her head and gestured to Leehyeonrip.

 

It was an order to leave.

 

Leehyeonrip also silently turned his back on her.

 

Now it was time for him to embrace the women the servants had prepared.

 

Having dealt with heretical cult groups that had been eyeing Cheonmugyo’s position throughout the martial world, he was lacking in yin energy.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

On the western side of Cheonsan, inside a canyon below the cliff.

 

There existed Hwaumgung, the residence of Cheonmugyo’s Second Prince.

 

Two days after the Cheonmu Festival ended, Nosoggun returned to Hwaumgung.

 

It was because she had heard that Second Prince Hwa Yumyeong had returned.

 

The place where Hwaumgung was located was land imbued with damp and dark yin energy.

 

Perhaps because of this, it was also a place where many spiritual herbs grew.

 

Thousands of bronze lanterns hung from the pavilion’s ceiling, their light reflecting off the water surface and rippling like living shadows.

 

Nosoggun walked through those shadows.

 

“Where is my husband?”

 

“He is at Cheonghyangru in Bukhangnyo.”

 

One shadow followed and answered her question.

 

Cheonghyangru was the most famous pleasure house in Bukhangnyo.

 

Hwaumgung had not only the main wife Nosoggun but also three concubines.

 

Yet he had gone to a pleasure house to seek other women.

 

For Nosoggun, who came from Nohwase family, this was shameful.

 

At least the concubines Hwa Yumyeong brought were all of humble status, and he treated the pleasure house women like one-night dreams, so she could endure it.

 

“He said to deliver this to Hwaumgungju.”

 

The shadow handed her a letter.

 

When she opened it, elegant handwriting appeared.

 

Nosoggun. You know well what you must do.

 

Use Chung-rin to create another meeting with Wicheonso and arrange for me to have a private audience with him.

 

Though his body was at the pleasure house, it was a clear instruction as if his mind remained here.

 

Nosoggun closed the letter and let out a shallow sigh.

 

Hwa Yumyeong had once been a Young Leader candidate that Nosoggun herself had chosen.

 

A man who met her ideals except for his inability to focus on one woman.

 

Two years ago, Nosoggun had planned to attach a woman to Wicheonso to make him support the Second Prince.

 

If only Hwa Yumyeong hadn’t secretly ordered that woman to poison Wicheonso, that plan might have borne fruit by now.

 

“Since Wicheonso wouldn’t follow me through marriage ties, I thought to bind him with poison. Unfortunately, it failed.”

 

Hwa Yumyeong’s argument had some merit. In any case, both of them had ended up distanced from Wicheonso.

 

But now the variable called Chung-rin had appeared.

 

Perhaps a way to approach Wicheonso might present itself.

 

Judging by Chung-rin’s behavior toward Sugungsa during the Cheonmu Festival, it was clear that the two were not yet in an intimate relationship.

 

“I should prepare for a banquet. I need to go to Geumryeongno, so prepare a carriage.”

 

When hosting a banquet, one must carefully select gifts to give to the guests.

 

Nosoggun headed directly to Geumryeongno to find items that Chung-rin might like.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

After the first night at Cheongwolgung passed, Wicheonso set a new daily routine for me starting from dawn.

 

It was going to the training hall.

 

This was the third day of going out to the training hall every dawn.

 

At first, I wondered if perhaps Wicheonso was going to teach me swordsmanship.

 

But on the first day, he did something I hadn’t expected.

 

“Madam, how can you manage with such weak stamina? Let’s run.”

 

He made me run in the training hall just a few days after our wedding ceremony.

 

According to him, what needed to be trained before the sword were the legs.

 

Naturally, using internal energy while running was forbidden.

 

Thanks to that, by now on the third day, I could run in comfortable martial clothes until I was out of breath.

 

“Your stamina is better than I thought.”

 

When Wicheonso said this with a smiling face, I momentarily wanted to hit him.

 

I was gasping for breath up to my chin, while he sat in a chair drinking tea and observing me.

 

“Basics are important, Madam. So this time, try holding a horse stance for one gak.”

 

Saying that, he took a sip of tea. That sight looked as if he was teasing me.

 

This was unfortunately a command, not a suggestion.

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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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