Three Thousand Court Ladies - Chapter 20

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

Chapter 20
“The tail that grows too long gets stepped on. You should’ve known when to stop. When the elders brought up the subject, you should have objected then. Instead, you let your head get turned.”
To think one could simply stop at the right moment was naive. Jumping from a galloping horse meant death, nothing less.
The three men who truly led the family—her great-grandfather, grandfather, and uncle—were not the type to allow such things.
They were the kind who would kill their own granddaughter to cover it up if Ha Bin ever tried to back away.
“Once people call you a Cheon Gwan Nyeo and revere you as one, that’s what you become. There’s nothing extraordinary about it.”
“You must finish where it was always meant to end. If you reach for more, calamity will follow.”
Ha Sik tried to dissuade her with concern, but Ha Bin had no intention of wavering from her purpose.
“No. I’m going to become Queen.”
“If you’re discovered, it’s execution.”
“There’s no way I’ll be found out.”
Not a single letter had been exchanged. She’d cleaned up every hand and every trace that could lead back to her. There was no problem.
The adults who had planned this affair were far more meticulous than Ha Bin herself.
When Ha Bin’s expression hardened into stubbornness, Ha Sik shifted his approach.
“The date’s already been set. There’s no way to refuse now. You know that much.”
“I’ll manage the marriage talks myself. Please convey my intentions to Grandfather and the others.”
Ha Bin watched Ha Sik’s face go rigid and let out a shallow sigh. Her father was both incompetent and without ambition.
“I’ll speak to them myself.”
They’d rage about a girl overstepping her place, but it was better to endure their anger for a moment than to voice her will. Otherwise she’d end up like her mother—a puppet, dragged along and eventually discarded.
The Geum Dong Merchant House, called the finest trading company in Baekje.
Sam Cheon’s destination was the Jeong Hyeon branch of the Geum Dong Merchant House. The moment her eyes opened, she’d ridden in a carriage into Jeong Hyeon City, then walked along the busiest thoroughfare.
Finding the Geum Dong Merchant House was not difficult. A magnificent plaque hanging above the main gate caught the eye from far away.
‘Impressive.’
While the palace was solemn and still, the merchant house blazed with color and vitality. Sam Cheon lingered in the entrance before stepping inside.
Despite the early hour, the broad courtyard of the establishment teemed with customers. In the lively atmosphere, people showed goods, haggled, and laughed.
As she moved past them toward the inner rooms, a clear sound brushed against her ear.
Ding—
‘A bell?’
Sam Cheon spun around, startled.
The crowd was too thick to make out who had made the sound. As she looked about, she realized the dream was affecting her mind.
‘Don’t think about the dream.’
She needed to move as a precaution, nothing more. Steeling herself, she was about to take another step when someone rushed from behind and blocked her path.
“Is there something you need?”
The person was breathing heavily from hurrying over.
“I want to buy a sword.”
The other’s freckled nose scrunched slightly.
“A sword? Who will be using it?”
“It’s a gift. About my height. Around this tall?”
As she gestured to approximate Gye San’s height, the employee broke into a wide smile.
“Right this way.”
The space they entered was orderly. Not a speck of dust seemed to exist anywhere, and every object lay precisely in place.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.”
The employee invited her to sit at a table draped with jade-colored silk.
When Sam Cheon took her seat, another employee brought tea and refreshments. The tea cup, carved with lotus designs, brimmed with white tea, and on a plate lay delicate rice cakes and candied jujubes.
‘Is this what they give everyone at merchant houses?’
It was her first time at a trading company, so she couldn’t be sure. She’d worn her finest clothes to avoid being dismissed as a child, though that might have been why they were treating her so well.
‘I need to keep my wits sharp so I don’t get cheated.’
Sam Cheon opened her eyes wide and alert.
The employee who had brought the tea whispered something to the attendant, who then turned to Sam Cheon with a warm smile.
“Welcome to the Geum Dong Merchant House, where we have everything except what doesn’t exist. My name is Yong Young. It’s hard to pronounce, so everyone calls me Yong Yong. Please call me Yong Yong too.”
The merchant house employee introduced herself brightly, then continued with questions that flowed like water.
“Is the sword you’re looking for a decorative one? Or a wooden training sword?”
“A real combat sword for actual use.”
At Sam Cheon’s answer, Yong Yong’s expression stiffened briefly before smoothing over again.
“I’ll find you something with the right weight and length. We do have real swords for children, though the selection isn’t large. Please give me a moment.”
While Yong Yong left her side, Sam Cheon eyed the tea and refreshments before her.
‘I won’t fall asleep and wake up locked somewhere, will I?’
It might be paranoia, but there was no harm in being careful.
Sam Cheon tore her gaze from the food and slowly surveyed the interior. Then she leaned her head out through an open window.
Outside, people still bustled about. Sam Cheon rested her hands on the windowsill and watched merchants haggling in the courtyard. As her eyes followed the crowd, they landed on a man standing beneath a weeping willow.
The moment their eyes met, Sam Cheon’s mouth fell open.
‘What a beautiful man.’
Dressed in a black martial robe, he possessed such striking features that merely looking at him felt presumptuous. The willow branches rippled in the breeze—enough to steal anyone’s attention—yet only he came into clear focus.
‘How can a person look like that?’
Hwi and Geum both boasted exceptional beauty with promising futures. Yet this man was flawless—every part perfected as though carved by a master’s hand.
And it seemed Sam Cheon wasn’t alone in noticing; everyone selecting goods around the courtyard gazed at him as if entranced.
‘I should look away.’
Since the man hadn’t turned his head, they’d somehow locked eyes without either intending it.
Sam Cheon smiled awkwardly and turned from the window. It was strange—his gaze seemed to follow her still.
Should she look back?
Just as she was about to turn, Yong Yong returned carrying a wooden box.
“Thank you for waiting!”
Inside the box lay three swords.
“Please look them over at your leisure.”
Sam Cheon picked up each sword in turn. Their lengths matched Gye San’s wooden training sword, and the weight put no strain on her wrist.
She’d considered herself fortunate to find swords of the right length. Gye San wasn’t in a position to be choosy anyway—as long as the blade was sharp, that was enough.
Yet all three swords were excellent.
No wonder people spoke of the Geum Dong Merchant House with such reverence.
But which sword should she choose?
It would have been better if Gye San could have selected it herself.
But if Gye San moved, palace attendants and soldiers would follow in a crowd. Sam Cheon had no desire to broadcast the purchase of a real sword across town, so she’d come alone.
As she studied the three swords, Yong Yong’s eyes brightened.
“Would you like a recommendation?”
A seller’s opinion was worth considering.
“Please.”
“Well then, observe.”
Yong Yong took the first sword and moved slowly through the air.
It was merely a simple sequence—moving the blade up and down, left and right, diagonally—yet it flowed with elegance and precision.
“This was forged in the smithy of the Jin Family, who hold the exclusive mining rights to the mines near Jeong Hyeon. Made from high-quality iron, it has exceptional strength. Of the three, it’s the heaviest.”
Having finished speaking, Yong Yong spun slowly in a circle, the sword still in hand. Wind followed the blade’s arc as it traced a perfect ring.
For an instant, Yong Yong seemed to become one with the sword, and Sam Cheon’s lips parted slightly in surprise.

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