The Beloved Baby Deer of the Hwangryong Family - Chapter 79
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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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“What kind of news is it?”
“They say the Young Family Head of the Qilin Family has entered into an engagement.”
Hyeon-rang’s brow furrowed slightly.
“That’s something to celebrate. But what’s so urgent about that news that you had to rush to tell me? I thought it was news of your marriage, Hwan-wol.”
Tae-eon, the Young Family Head of the Qilin Family, was fourteen years old, the same age as Li-han.
In beast-person society, anyone past seventeen was considered a proper adult. Therefore, fourteen was exactly the right age for an engagement.
“If it were news of my marriage, I would have announced it much more grandly. The problem is who his partner is.”
Hwan-wol protested as if wronged, then added in a heavy voice.
“She’s a daughter of the Great Antlered Deer Family.”
“What?”
Hyeon-rang’s expression hardened.
The Great Antlered Deer Family was where Seo-yu had been as an adopted daughter.
Even if she wasn’t their biological daughter, they were a deranged family that never made a single effort to find the missing child.
“I can see the Qilin Family Head’s level now. To readily offer up his heir to someone who rose to Four Spirits Territory without any background investigation.”
Hyeon-ya openly sneered. As a fellow family head, Hyeon-rang should have told him to watch his words, but he said nothing.
It was because he understood Hyeon-ya’s feelings well, and because he found the Qilin Family Head’s choice difficult to understand.
‘Why did he choose the Great Antlered Deer Family?’
The Four Spirits basically married within their own species. This was because the level of special abilities was usually determined by bloodline.
Of course, it would be different if there was mixed blood in previous generations, but as far as Hyeon-rang knew, the Great Antlered Deer Family had only begun making a name for themselves in this generation.
Hyeon-rang suddenly felt something strange.
A family that no one knew where they belonged until just ten years ago produced someone for the Four Spirits Territory, and now they’re even forming marriage ties with a Four Spirit Family?
It was something that would only happen in popular novels circulating in the marketplace.
‘Why did His Majesty entrust the Four Spirits Territory to Family Head Nok in the first place?’
Since the Four Spirits Territory was a position to assist the Emperor closely, it was common to select someone from the Emperor’s place of origin.
However, the Emperor with Phoenix blood made Nok Sa-pyeong from the Western Lands, not the Southern Lands, his Four Spirits Territory leader.
At the time, it was praised as a choice for harmony, but looking back, something seemed suspicious.
“Moreover, that daughter enrolled in the Medical Academy this year. Could it be a coincidence?”
“There are no coincidences in this world, Hwan-wol.”
Hyeon-ya snorted. His gaze looking beyond the wall toward that distant place, the Western Lands, was extremely cold.
“Though it might be ill fate.”
* * *
“Hmm, hmm hmm.”
Su-jeong hummed as she opened the wardrobe. The wardrobe filled with fine silk clothes and precious jewelry was satisfying just to look at.
They were all betrothal gifts sent by the Qilin Family Head as proof that the engagement had been finalized.
Su-jeong looked into the mirror and tried on each piece of jewelry, then suddenly pouted.
‘It’s nice, but… why is the taste so old-fashioned?’
A magnolia hairpin made of white jade, a jade ornamental pendant with long hanging five-colored silk threads, and so on.
At first, she was happy enough that her jaw dropped, but as she kept looking, perhaps having gotten used to it, she suddenly noticed disappointing aspects.
Su-jeong let out a deep sigh.
‘This is why a household needs a madam.’
The Qilin Family had been without a matriarch for ten years now, and it certainly showed in situations like this.
‘I need to become the madam quickly so things like this don’t happen.’
She was clicking her tongue when Cho-ok’s voice came from outside.
“Miss, the Qilin Family Head has sent a letter.”
“Oh my. I’m busy sorting through jade and stones, really. Bring it here.”
Cho-ok entered through the door and handed over the letter. Su-jeong skimmed through the contents with an annoyed expression and frowned.
To summarize, it was a letter of concern asking ‘whether her uncomfortable condition had recovered and when she planned to come to the Medical Academy.’
“Why is the Family Head so impatient? I’ll go out when I’m ready.”
Su-jeong irritably crumpled up the letter.
In fact, normally she should have been at the Medical Academy rather than at home.
However, Su-jeong had asked for permission and delayed her enrollment on her own. It hadn’t been particularly difficult.
【I seem to have strained my body from wandering the mountains day and night searching for Snow Scale Flowers.】
—She had sent a letter with this message and permission was immediately granted.
Thanks to that, she had been spending delightful carefree days, but being constantly interrupted like this was annoying.
‘Father and brother will come again later.’
She also disliked how the two would rush over like lightning to nag her whenever communication came from the Qilin Family Head.
‘I won’t even be able to have fun once I go to the Medical Academy anyway, aren’t they both being too much?’
As she rummaged through silk clothes here and there, Su-jeong’s mood grew increasingly gloomy.
Cho-ok, who had been reading the situation, spoke up as if to smooth things over.
“The Qilin Family Head must want to show off Miss quickly.”
“…Is that so?”
Su-jeong’s ears were as thin as paper.
“Of course. The Medical Academy must be in an uproar by now. About the daughter of the Four Spirits Territory marrying the Qilin Young Family Head.”
“True. Everyone would be surprised to hear that Tae-eon has found a match.”
Su-jeong became pleased with herself.
The Crown Prince, and the Qilin Young Family Head.
It had been worthwhile choosing Tae-eon after intense deliberation between the two options.
Of course, there was no guarantee that choice would be permanent.
‘First form ties with the Qilin Family, but if an opportunity arises to build friendship with the Crown Prince, don’t miss it. You understand what your father means, don’t you?’
‘Of course. Just trust me.’
As her father Nok Sa-pyeong had said, Su-jeong planned to observe both men while attending the Medical Academy.
‘If the Crown Prince seems better during this time, I can just go that way. It’s an engagement, not an actual marriage.’
Broken engagements were common occurrences.
Above all, Su-jeong was confident she could even captivate the Crown Prince.
Since birth, she had never met a single person who disliked her, so the Crown Prince would be no exception.
‘What if those two fight because of me? That would be quite troublesome.’
Su-jeong’s mood improved even more with these happy imaginings.
Ever since she had made the Snow Scale Flower hers, everything had been going smoothly. As if someone had laid out a path of flowers for her.
‘This is all thanks to me bringing the Snow Scale Flower. Those two should be grateful to me.’
After feeling proud for a moment, thoughts of the Medical Academy brought new worries.
“Father must have handled the exam well, right? The Qilin Family Head hasn’t said anything either.”
“Of course. How thorough is the Family Head? That’s how he rose to the high position of the Four Spirits Territory.”
“That’s true too.”
Su-jeong put down the mirror and stood up from her seat. She threw away the letter and went back to the wardrobe.
‘Being a little late to that Medical Academy won’t cause any problems.’
Whenever she went, as long as she achieved her goal once there, that would be enough.
Father always said so. What mattered in the end was results, so as long as others didn’t find out, it didn’t matter what she did.
“Just don’t make it too obvious by placing first. Being too excessive can also cause trouble.”
“I heard about that too, and it seems he took care of that as well. A young master from the Golden Dragon Family entered as first place.”
“Golden Dragon Family? That’s unexpected. I thought they were only famous for being ignorantly strong. Who is it? What’s the name?”
“What was it, ah! Hwang Seo-yu…”
Having said it, Cho-ok was startled because it was a familiar name.
“Seo-yu?”
Su-jeong frowned. Her good mood instantly crashed to the ground.
“Were all things with that name born just to ruin my mood?”
“I’m, I’m sorry, Miss. I spoke without thinking…”
Just as Cho-ok, who had turned pale, was about to apologize, another maid came to report.
“Miss Su-jeong, the Feather Trading Company has brought new silk. Shall I let them in?”
“Feather Trading Company? Tell them to come in right now!”
Fortunately, this time it was news she had been waiting for. Seeing Su-jeong’s delight, Cho-ok secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
A girl with blue and green mixed ponytails entered and greeted politely. Then she smiled brightly and praised Su-jeong.
“Hello, Miss! You’re truly as beautiful as I heard!”
“You heard about me?”
“Of course. The story of the lovely young lady marrying the Qilin Young Family Head has the Southern Lands all abuzz.”
“Oh my, that’s quite an exaggeration.”
Even so, Su-jeong burst into giggles.
Thanks to this, her mood had improved considerably as she was about to look at the new silk, but the girl suddenly hid the silk box behind her back.
“But I’m so sorry, what should I do? I think I should return today.”
“What? Why?!”
Su-jeong’s voice became sharp.
The girl answered without being intimidated at all.
“I heard you have discerning taste, so I carefully selected only the finest silk that goes to the Imperial Palace, but compared to you, Miss, it seems far inadequate.”
“Huh?”
Su-jeong, who was dumbfounded, raised her eyebrows. But soon she let out a small laugh.
‘What an interesting girl.’
She had a talent for actually making people feel good, not just with empty flattery.
“I like you. From now on, I’ll only buy things from you. What’s your name?”
At those words, the girl secretly tugged at the corners of her mouth and answered respectfully.
“My name is Cho-a, miss.”
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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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