I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 86

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

Chapter 86

Chapter 15. The Heart Leans

Purple lanterns swayed like waves along Geumryeongno Street.

When I arrived at the tea house that had been set as our meeting place, the thick fragrance of flowers wafted toward me like breath.

I had instructed Hyeonjyo to wait outside.

As I pushed aside the curtain and entered, the gentle sound of a musician’s zither echoed from the central courtyard.

A clerk recognized me despite my veil and greeted me respectfully.

“Hwaumgungju is waiting for you.”

In the private quarters reserved only for distinguished guests sat a woman with a graceful, radiant atmosphere.

“Thank you for coming, Cheongwolgungju.”

It was Hwaumgungju Nosoggun.

I observed proper etiquette and sat beside her.

The clerk set down tea bowls filled with flower tea and withdrew from the room.

Now only Nosoggun and I remained in this place.

“I apologize for my delayed response.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“I heard you weren’t feeling well. Are you alright now?”

“Yes, I overexerted myself during the Cheonmu Festival and needed to recuperate. I’m much better now.”

At this point, I naturally added a cough. I judged it would be advantageous to appear weak in front of Nosoggun.

“Still, as soon as I recovered, I sent a letter to you first, Gungju.”

It was a subtle suggestion that there had been other letters as well.

Nosoggun’s expression didn’t change, but her brow trembled very slightly.

“I don’t know many people in Cheonsan, so I’ve always been lonely. That’s why I’m so happy to see you again.”

I tried putting to use the acting skills I’d learned at Sangteon-dang.

I even changed my tone to appear like a woman with great potential but steeped in loneliness from long confinement and an unwanted marriage.

Nosoggun nodded her head.

“Meeting Cheongwolgungju like this makes me happy too.”

I thought she might give me a gift right away, but she acted more cautiously than expected. She seemed to know that I wouldn’t readily accept gifts.

“Has the Third Prince not returned yet?”

Nosoggun must have known that Wicheonso had left Cheongwolgung after receiving a mission from the Leader.

Her mentioning it anyway was probably because she was curious whether I had the ability to draw Wicheonso to the Second Prince’s side.

“Yes. I haven’t heard any news since that day.”

I smiled awkwardly again and added more.

“Still, he entrusted me with full authority over Cheongwolgung.”

It meant that while we weren’t close enough to exchange letters, the Third Prince trusted me enough to give me full authority over Cheongwolgung.

Nosoggun’s eyes flashed slightly.

“I’ll speak directly. I want Cheongwolgungju and the Third Prince to support the Second Prince, my husband.”

I quickly raised my head as if hearing an unexpected proposal.

“That is…”

I gripped my skirt tightly as if not knowing what to say, appearing flustered.

“If the Second Prince becomes the Leader…”

Nosoggun paused mid-sentence and opened the lid of her tea bowl. White steam rose, spreading a subtle floral fragrance.

“I can ensure the Main School doesn’t interfere with Seolsan Jeokga.”

It was quite a decent proposal.

She knew what I valued most.

“I can give you many other things as well. What do you think?”

“To think of me in such a way… I should at least offer proper greetings.”

As I rose from my seat to bow respectfully, Nosoggun stopped me.

“If you’re thinking of declining, I won’t accept such greetings.”

I smiled awkwardly and sat beside her again.

“I still need more time to think.”

“You must have received another proposal from Hyeoncheonggungju?”

Nosoggun was already conscious of Hyeoncheonggungju Yuhwa.

I deliberately hesitated at her words before speaking at the appropriate moment.

“Yes… She helped me a lot when I was at Cheonyanggung, so I feel I should meet with her.”

I spoke as if I was interested in Nosoggun’s proposal but needed to think more about it.

“Hyeoncheonggungju. She’s a good person. But the First Prince is not.”

She spoke to me in a whisper.

“He’s a thorough principlist. As the First Prince, he naturally believes he should become the next Leader.”

“Ah…”

“Moreover, he hates the Second Prince. So he’ll probably try to prevent you from choosing the Second Prince. Be careful not to be used by the First Prince.”

Nosoggun hinted that Yuhwa’s approach to me was for such reasons.

“I understand. I’ll be careful.”

“Remember this. The Second Prince is the only one who can give Cheongwolgungju what she wants.”

I bit my lip while nodding slightly.

“I hope Cheongwolgungju receives compensation for her unwanted marriage.”

Nosoggun reached out and took my hand.

It seemed like a calculated action, thinking I would feel much loneliness.

I had to act as naturally as possible to make it seem her thoughts had hit the mark.

I looked at her with moist eyes and answered.

“When the Third Prince returns, I’ll discuss it with him.”

I fidgeted with my fingers as if nervous and lowered my eyelids.

Nosoggun would interpret my appearance as ‘a woman who finds the Third Prince intimidating.’

“Send me a letter anytime. This Nosoggun wants to become friends with Cheongwolgungju.”

She smiled gently at my confused state.

I also relaxed my brow and nodded.

Then I bowed respectfully and rose from my seat.

As I turned and left, I could feel Nosoggun’s gaze following behind me like a long echo.

When I came out of the tea room, Hyeonjyo naturally fell in step beside me.

– Gungju, did you achieve what you desired?

Hyeonjyo asked cautiously through telepathy.

Instead of answering, I smiled slightly.

❖ ❖ ❖

The next day, I headed to the Hall of Theatrical Performances on Bukhangnyo.

This was a high-class entertainment venue that only those in high positions in Cheonsan could enjoy.

As I entered the Hall of Theatrical Performances, a shadow play was just beginning.

A clerk guided me to the top floor, to a seat where I could watch the shadow play from the very center.

There, Hyeoncheonggungju wearing a black veil was already seated.

“You came.”

She smiled warmly, her eyes curving with apparent joy, and offered me the seat beside her.

“I was waiting. Let’s watch together.”

On stage, a story began about a man and woman who fled, refusing an arranged marriage because of love.

‘Hyeoncheonggungju frequently watches popular dramas.’

This was also information I’d received from Yeo Gyeong-o.

He said she paid no attention to her husband’s gaze and had dined several times with the narrator who provided voices for shadow plays, giving him gifts.

‘It means the First Prince and Hyeoncheonggungju are merely good allies.’

The two had joined hands only to maintain power, but their hearts were distant from each other.

Though she must have seen it several times already, she watched the entire play with sparkling eyes.

“Isn’t it ridiculous? A man and woman abandoning their responsibilities and duties to elope, all for the sake of mere love.”

“I wonder.”

“People like us who married for our families can’t understand such a choice. After all, feelings don’t matter in marriage.”

Half of her face was hidden behind a black veil, making it hard to see clearly, but her curved eyes alone seemed self-deprecating.

“Well, I married believing the First Prince would become the master of the Heavenly Sect, but Cheongwolgungju had no choice in the matter.”

She was subtly implying that in my case, I had been forced into marriage because my family was essentially held hostage.

“I heard you met Nosoggun. Did she tell you to support the Second Prince?”

“Hwaeum Gungju wanted me to come to Hwaumgung with the Third Prince.”

When I answered with a troubled smile, Yoounhwa also curved the corners of her eyes.

“Nosoggun can’t give you what you want.”

“Do you know… what I want?”

Yoounhwa quietly raised her hand and brushed past my cheek.

Though it was a light touch, her fingertips were so soft that I even felt a tickling sensation.

“You want freedom.”

I looked at her, unable to continue speaking.

“A life where you don’t belong to anyone and aren’t controlled by anyone.”

Yoounhwa whispered softly.

“I’m the only one who can give you that.”

To me, who had an unwanted marriage, Yoounhwa made a plausible proposal.

I maintained my silence before asking as if barely managing to open my mouth.

“What do you want from me?”

“Help me bring down the Second Prince.”

Yoounhwa replied calmly.

“The First Prince thinks it’s natural for him to become the Soggyoju. But I want the succession to be certain.”

I understood what her true intentions were.

She wanted me to outwardly join hands with Nosoggun, but actually become her own spy.

“Just go into Hwaumgung and tell me what you see and hear. That shouldn’t be too burdensome, right?”

Her whispering voice carried a compelling power.

“The Second Prince has bad habits with his hands, so you should be careful.”

I slowly nodded at her words.

“I’ll think about it.”

Only then did Yoounhwa curve her eyes like a crescent moon in satisfaction.

As if she was certain I would have no choice but to take her hand.

It was behavior befitting someone from Yeonhyeonseoga, reading people’s desires and using the power of words to penetrate those gaps.

An ordinary person would have felt strongly drawn to her proposal.

But she had the wrong opponent.

I was the one who had set up this game from the beginning, and Nosoggun and Yoounhwa had acted exactly as I expected.

Still, it was quite a decent flow.

Now it was my turn to directly penetrate into their cracks.

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