Three Thousand Court Ladies - Chapter 75

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 75
Yong-yong’s purpose was to protect Sam-cheon, the Celestial Maiden, so she readily accepted the suggestion to become Gye-san’s escort.
Thus began life at Mokseo-gung.
As she gave the earnest young ones pointers here and there, they began calling her “Master” without her quite realizing when it had happened—and before she knew it, she’d become the training commander of the Gyeon-hwon Army.
And now she stood face to face with a recruit candidate.
The candidate stepped before Yong-yong inside the Military Barracks and announced his aspirations in a ringing voice.
“I am Gae-ddong, and I pledge to dedicate myself entirely to the Gyeon-hwon Army!”
Yong-yong reviewed the records and issued her verdict.
“Rejected.”
Gae-ddong’s face crumpled as though the world itself had collapsed.
“My child needs medicine money. I truly can work hard. You can even use me as an arrow-catcher.”
His desperation came through, but she never recruited those driven purely by need.
“We seek those who will live through trials and return. Your test results show shortfalls across all measures—strength, reaction speed, and endurance.”
At her cold assessment, Gae-ddong’s shoulders sagged.
“Send in the next candidate.”
As Yong-yong waited for the next turn, a soldier quietly poked his head through the door.
“By order of the Princess, we’ve suspended the examinations. You’re to report to the So-yeon Training Grounds.”
“The Princess?”
Yong-yong rose at once from her seat.
For her to halt the examinations and summon her, something serious must have occurred. She hurried out of the barracks and made for the So-yeon Training Grounds.
Just then, a candidate standing alone in the middle of the So-yeon Training Grounds lifted a burlap sack filled with gravel with a determined expression.
“Huuuugh!”
The candidate carefully lowered the sack without tearing it and exhaled heavily.
“Pass.”
At Makdol’s declaration, the candidate beamed with joy. Contrary to her concerns, the examination at the So-yeon Training Grounds was proceeding smoothly.
Yong-yong, looking perplexed, peered between the gathered people until she spotted a familiar back of a head. When she drew closer, Gye-san brightened.
“Yong-yong, follow me.”
As she followed, a girl came hurrying from the opposite direction. Standing before Gye-san, she caught her breath and asked.
“They’re the ones you mentioned?”
“I’m not certain. Look and tell me what you think.”
Yong-yong, though she didn’t understand their exchange, simply answered “Yes” and went along.
Following Gye-san, she found the area near the Dae-yeon Training Grounds unusually chaotic. Soldiers and candidates had gathered and were shouting in unison.
When the three appeared, the soldiers stepped aside.
Only then could Yong-yong understand the source of the cheering. A man of ethereal beauty, as if drawn from a painting, ran across the Dae-yeon Training Grounds.
‘Wol-ya!?’
And the sturdy man running beside him was—
‘Dam-no!?’
Why were they running the training grounds?
Yong-yong’s mind froze as she stared blankly at them both. Running with such intensity meant they’d decided to join the Gyeon-hwon Army.
It seemed this was because Yong-yong had brought word to Wol-lang Village of the joyous news that Sam-cheon had begun to glimpse the distant future.
Even as Yong-yong stood slightly dazed, cheers erupted around her. From the people chanting “fifteen” in unison, it appeared they’d circled the grounds that many times.
‘If you were coming anyway, you could’ve given me a heads-up.’
As she looked on blankly, Gye-san turned to her with gleaming eyes and asked.
“It’s them, isn’t it? Wol-ya and the others. The one running ahead is Wol-ya, and the one chasing close behind in the dark blue robe—he looks like the person who’s always stood at the right side. Doesn’t the build match up?”
The girl, having observed carefully, answered.
“It does match. I can’t be entirely certain since they always wore a face veil, but their age doesn’t seem quite right for Wol-ya.”
“They could have a youthful appearance like Yong-yong does.”
At Gye-san’s words, the girl glanced back at Yong-yong.
The Yong-yong from eleven years ago and the Yong-yong of now showed little change. Despite training under the blazing sun every day, her fair skin with its light freckles remained unaltered.
Her estimate age putting her well into her twenties, yet she retained an air of youth.
The girl, studying Yong-yong, nodded slowly.
“You’re right. They could indeed have a youthful appearance. In any case, the eyes and build match.”
“Yes, they do…”
Yong-yong added her agreement adequately.
“What? You don’t think it’s them?”
Yong-yong, startled by her own lukewarm response, realized she should have encouraged them. If Wol-ya and Dam-no had resolved to join the Gyeon-hwon Army, she should support them wholeheartedly.
“No, that’s not it. From what I can see, it does seem to be them. Look at the decorative bell hanging from their waist.”
Only then did Gye-san confirm the bell.
“That’s it—the bell! At last we can finally speak with our benefactor. Let’s wait at Yong-yong’s barracks, all of us together. I think it would be better to greet them that way.”
Gye-san appeared somewhat excited.
“Yes. We can finally offer our gratitude.”
The girl spoke with emotion, but Yong-yong felt strangely forlorn. It seemed the time to confess her secret was drawing near.
What would they do when they learned she had joined with a purpose of her own?
‘What else—they’ll be disappointed.’
They would feel betrayed.
They might even become angry, saying they never wanted to see her again.
‘I really don’t want that.’
Only as the waves of unease crashed over her did she realize how deeply she’d come to care for them.
Not equal to Wol-ya and the other members, with whom she’d spent over five hundred years as family—but still.
They too had become precious to her.
‘I want to ride a horse too.’
Sam-cheon gazed blankly out from the carriage. Beyond the fluttering silk, she could see Buyeo Hui riding and the soldiers alongside him.
‘I want to ride a horse…’
Sam-cheon and Ju-hong had been placed in the carriage as the wounded.
The medical transport carriage brought along as a precaution was spacious indeed. Designed to prioritize width over comfort for the reclining wounded, they’d been pleased at first, thinking they could travel lying down.
But the joy was short-lived.
The moment Baek, the secondary lady and Buyeo Hui’s mother, dismounted from her horse with a sigh of relief to steady herself, her legs gave out.
Sam-cheon and Ju-hong, who’d been resting, hurriedly sat up on their knees. As Baek climbed unsteadily into the carriage, a suffocating atmosphere descended.
The eldest son had kidnapped the youngest. What must a mother’s heart, that of the secondary lady Baek, be like?
‘I don’t think I should even breathe deeply.’
Even if the wounds on her hand tore, riding a horse would have been preferable. Ju-hong seemed to think the same, her eyes pathetic as she gazed out from the carriage.
Meanwhile, the secondary lady Baek worked to regain her composure. She pushed down her feelings, over and over, striving to suppress the roiling turmoil within. But her heart refused to settle.
The fact that the retainers who’d served the Baek Clan for so long had kidnapped Buyeo Hui was devastating. Learning that Tae had orchestrated it was simply abhorrent.
By heaven’s grace, he’d returned unharmed, but the real problem lay ahead. The secondary lady Baek, swallowing her emotions in silence, turned her attention to Sam-cheon.
“Are you badly injured?”
“I’m fine. Just some scratches.”
The secondary lady Baek’s gaze fell on Sam-cheon’s hand.
For scratches, there was a disturbing amount of dark blood matted into the hair ribbon with which they’d bound Buyeo Hui. Its pale blue color made the stain all the more stark.
The secondary lady Baek pulled her eyes from Buyeo Hui’s hair ribbon and turned her attention to Ju-hong.
“Ju-hong, thank you for protecting Buyeo Hui.”
Ju-hong placed her hands neatly on her lap and bowed her head.
“In truth, I was merely a burden. It was the two of you who found me hanging upside down in a temple and freed me. After that, I simply followed at their heels.”
“Did you see Tae?”
“…No, I did not.”
Ju-hong’s gaze naturally turned toward Sam-cheon. Since Sam-cheon had mentioned Tae by name, it seemed she understood something of the circumstances.
Sam-cheon, suddenly the focus of attention, grew uncomfortable. This time everything had aligned so perfectly that she’d never actually encountered Tae.
And thus her life had been spared—but…
‘What should I say?’

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