Shadows of Reputation
Commissioner Jo Unhyeon muttered, "...Jeez, if you're gonna hide something, at least do it right. Got chewed out pretending to buy that act."
That hulking figure was darting glances everywhere, hunting for an opening. Then, at one point, the colt started lugging around a massive load that looked suspicious as hell to anyone with eyes. He'd gritted his teeth, trying to play dumb and look the other way, but the sight was so damn hilarious he nearly burst out laughing. With moves like that, can the guy even beg for scraps and survive out there? Talk about zero street smarts...
As she sent the colt off, Hyejin found herself lost in thought on multiple fronts.
...Not about his eyebrows, mind you. Sure, as a woman in her prime, she wasn't entirely immune to caring about that sort of thing, but what she was pondering now ran deeper—long-term vision stuff.
The night before, she'd discussed Yujin's future posting and direction after dispatching him to Jiangsu Province with Inspector General Wi Eokgi.
What she'd heard from the inspector general was the utter wreckage of Yujin's reputation in the martial world—not just infamous, but downright infamous in the worst way.
Stories of him poisoning his own talented younger sister, who outshone his sorry ass in talent and potential.
Handing over a massive chunk of family wealth—not even his own—to some shady crew, lock, stock, and barrel.
Unable to stand up to fellow martial artists, so terrorizing and forcing ordinary folk to their knees instead.
Even trying to lure his childhood friend to a remote spot for a forced lay, only to get cockblocked. And so on.
Spending time with him had shown Hyejin he wasn't the type. Especially that last one—she'd heard the full story straight from him, so she figured all those rumors were misunderstandings.
...Sure, he'd pulled some wild, unforeseen stunts now and then, but she didn't buy that they'd spawn this level of infamy.
Maybe someone's been deliberately, maliciously screwing with him? The thought soured her mood. She knew that situation all too well herself.
She'd been through the exact same hell. Even now, recalling the ordeals at the Princess Palace tucked in one corner of the Imperial Capital could keep her up at night.
That's why she felt nothing but gratitude toward this man who'd grown up straight and true despite it all—as an imperial princess of this land.
On a side note, she started mulling how to rehab his reputation going forward.
To keep him by her side and make full use of him long-term, she'd need to manage his image.
If those vicious rumors stuck around, they could splash back on her eventually.
Have him use an alias and build a fresh rep? Or start spreading good buzz now to bury the bad stuff? She had plenty to chew on.
Meanwhile, one worry nagged at her.
If there was anything she could give him, she'd bleed resources dry to hand it over. If it meant locking him down as hers completely.
But as a princess with scant influence, her options were limited. Recalling his blasé face whenever she offered something, she still puzzled over the best play.
But what if that powerhouse crown prince faction, loaded with cash, succeeded in wooing Yujin?
Failing to snag other talents? She could chalk it up to lacking charm or skill, reflect, and move on.
But with him? It'd sting.
The imperial court had always been crawling with folks approaching her for ulterior motives. Excluding her mother and that child, he was the first she'd met with such easy comfort.
Maybe her complicated environment made her overthink it, but his straightforward, one-track simplicity appealed to her. It made her wonder if, deep down, she was wired the same way originally.
Suddenly, one of his frequent lines popped into her head.
"A healthy body means an easy mind."
A sharp mind brings bodily ease, sure—but he'd flipped it and backed it up with results, so now she had to buy it.
She snorted. A line that once sounded absurd now struck her as hilariously spot-on.
It was meant to be a passing gripe, but the worry wouldn't fade, so she casually polled the inspector general.
"The colt won't end up siding with them, right?"
"No chance of that, milady."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Well..."
Wi Eokgi trailed off, looking a touch flustered. He'd assumed she knew Yujin inside out.
"Wanna bet on it?"
"A bet? Didn't peg you for the gambling type."
"If victory's guaranteed, that's different."
"...If you're that confident, I'll pass."
Against that Jo Unhyeon? The guy who'd flip out in his sleep over betrayal and adultery. For her to worry about this? Plus, they'd scored a solid pretext this time, so Wi Eokgi was dead certain they wouldn't lose him to the enemy.
"Worst case, we could pin him on imperial injury charges, no?"
That eyebrow-scorching incident with the princess before. In hindsight, it had made Wi Eokgi's heart drop. How long had it been since anything shook him like that?
Without her intervention, Yujin would've had a rough time from him. So he hoped she'd milk this properly, not let it slide.
"Hm, I'd prefer he stays on my side willingly, not by force."
Yeah, like her current reaction. Normally she'd brush it off with "Eh, maybe not," but lately she was weighing it as a tactic. Her mindset had shifted.
Every relationship tangled with interests, sure—but Yujin was such an odd duck. Meant she genuinely wanted him as pure talent, right?
Fine, it'll take time, but I'll make it happen as ordered. As Wi Eokgi pondered methods, he fired off a letter to an old friend he'd lost touch with.
*
Jiangsu Province's capital, Nanjing.
Amid it all, the grandest, flashiest mansion belonged to none other than Governor Jo Unhyeon of the Pacification Office.
"Kehack! So what if the punk's got skills? Useless when he's this green where it counts."
Jo Unhyeon, buzzed on tales of smooth dealings, was slamming back drinks sans snacks, savoring every gulp.
What was that fool's grand cause? The naive princess bought the sob stories about civilian damages, got emotional, and pledged support gratis. I'd never bite. Sure, some scheme might lurk beneath her moves, but it didn't faze him. He had Jiangsu locked down from A to Z.
"Anyway, pamper that envoy they sent. If he's got ambition worth poaching, dazzle him with our overwhelming wealth—he'll flip on his own."
Lay on the flattery, shake him good. After instructing his subordinate, he locked eyes with the man before him.
"Keh, fine booze, eh? Right, Commander?"
Suzou's commander, Yugu Su, had listened quietly from the side. He nodded faintly, sipping his cup.
This bastard's reactions are still painfully dull. That's why he avoided boozing with him, but this matter was too big to dodge.
"Handle that business on your end. Count on it."
Military affair anyway—dump the hassle on him, watch from afar. What mattered was the aftermath. "We've been bled dry, nothing left to give!" Solve the pirate mess right, and their whiny logic for self-defense crumbles. Jo Unhyeon was already grinning at the thought.
Empire's subjects owed taxes. Daring to whine about hardship and dodge? Where do I start beating manners into them? Folks get what they give. Enjoy imperial rule without repaying the grace? Pay up. Jo Unhyeon saw himself as plenty flexible. So the "payment" didn't have to be coin or rice. Trade was swapping equal value, after all.
Suzhou suburb bride's got killer looks, they say. With pretext in hand, his mind spun lascivious fantasies. Greed clouded his eyes; drool pooled in his mouth.
Where to start...
Pirates unsolved, yet his brain treated it as done deal, neatly filed away.
Edging with anticipation, he began scoring and tallying the local women on his wishlist, region by region, in the order they surfaced.