Chapter 516: Hwangbo Yu-yeon's Crisis
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 516: Hwangbo Yu-yeon's Crisis
Slurp.
Paeng Ga-ryeon began to sip her tea with an air of leisure.
Normally, tea was meant to be appreciated for its fragrance first, then sipped and savored. Only then could one truly claim to be practicing the proper way of tea.
However, Paeng Ga-ryeon completely ignored such procedures and simply gulped the tea down. She was drinking high-grade Longjing tea as if it were plain water. It was a sight that would have made any true tea connoisseur groan in envy.
Gulp, gulp.
She was in the middle of draining her cup when it happened.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, the sound of someone rapping on the door drifted in from outside.
"Who is it?" she asked, her expression curious.
"It is I, Madam Paeng."
A very familiar voice answered from the other side.
"Come in."
Paeng Ga-ryeon’s expression smoothed into a calm mask as she spoke.
Creeeeeak.
As soon as permission was granted, the door swung open. Through the opening, a beautiful noblewoman revealed herself.
She had eyes that drooped slightly, filled with deep sorrow, a sharp bridge to her nose, and a firm, resolute set to her lips. Despite being middle-aged, she possessed a voluptuous body that showed she took great care of herself.
The noblewoman was none other than Hwangbo Yu-yeon, the mistress of the Cheonmu Alliance.
"Welcome, Madam Hwangbo."
Paeng Ga-ryeon greeted her in a composed tone.
"I heard you called for me, Madam Paeng."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon offered a greeting, her expression somewhat hesitant.
"Yes, that’s right. I have something to tell you."
Paeng Ga-ryeon allowed a faint, cold smile to touch her lips.
"Yes... please, go ahead."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon spoke with an expression that looked as though she had committed a crime.
"First, please take a seat."
Paeng Ga-ryeon gestured toward the table directly in front of her.
"......Understood."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon nodded and took her seat.
"Moisten your throat first."
As soon as she sat down, Paeng Ga-ryeon gently lifted the teapot.
"I accept your kindness."
Seeing the teapot being raised, Hwangbo Yu-yeon quickly lifted her teacup.
Trickle.
The tea began to fill Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s cup. Once it was full, she quickly brought the cup to her nose.
"Hmm."
She took a moment to savor the aroma.
Flash.
Immediately, a look of delight spread across her face. She realized this was top-quality Longjing tea.
Slurp.
She drank it down. The characteristic sharp yet fragrant notes of Longjing tea began to linger on her palate.
Ah... this is bliss.
Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s face relaxed completely. It had been so long since she’d had proper tea that a wave of happiness washed over her.
"Shall I pack some for you to take when you leave?"
Watching her, Paeng Ga-ryeon let out a small chuckle.
"Oh... no, that’s quite alright."
Startled by the remark, Hwangbo Yu-yeon snapped out of her daze, her eyes sharpening as she shook her head.
"There is no need to be modest."
Paeng Ga-ryeon pressed her again.
"It’s really fine... I... I have quite a bit stocked up myself."
Despite the offer, Hwangbo Yu-yeon refused once more. As much as she loved tea, she didn’t want to swallow her pride before Paeng Ga-ryeon. Though she was poor, she was still a descendant of a prestigious family and the mistress of the Cheonmu Alliance. She would not accept what felt like charity.
Smirk.
Paeng Ga-ryeon smiled at those words. She knew exactly how destitute Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s life had become. She also knew exactly how much the woman loved Longjing tea. Seeing her put on such a pathetic show of bravado made her seem almost cute.
"I bought a much larger quantity than I expected. If you don’t take it, Madam Hwangbo, it will only go to waste and be thrown away."
Paeng Ga-ryeon phrased her offer as indirectly as possible to avoid wounding the woman's pride. If she put it this way, surely it wouldn't hurt her feelings.
"Thrown away!?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked, looking shocked.
"Yes, it will all go stale."
Paeng Ga-ryeon continued with a gentle smile.
"W-well, if that’s the case, I suppose it can’t be helped... We can’t let perfectly good tea leaves go to waste... Yes, indeed... Then I shall do you the favor of taking them off your hands!"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon blurted out the excuse and finally accepted the offer. The corners of her mouth were twitching upward.
"I would be grateful if you did."
Paeng Ga-ryeon replied, her smile suggesting she found the situation amusing.
"...It’s nothing."
Noticing the smile, Hwangbo Yu-yeon flushed with embarrassment. She worried she had made her excitement too obvious.
"More importantly... what is the reason you called for me?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked quickly, trying to change the subject.
"Ah, that."
Paeng Ga-ryeon’s expression shifted as if she had just remembered.
"A certain piece of intelligence came in."
Her face became deathly serious.
"In... intelligence?"
"Yes. Intelligence."
"What kind of... intelligence is it?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked, her expression growing anxious.
"I received word that one of the wives has been taking bribes from the Cheonil Merchant Group."
"The... the Cheonil Merchant Group!?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s eyes went wide with shock. The Cheonil Merchant Group was one of the guilds that had competed for the food supply contract in the past. Furthermore, it was a guild from which Hwangbo Yu-yeon had a history of accepting substantial bribes.
Why is this coming up now?
She looked bewildered. The competition for the food supply contract had ended six months ago. And the Cheonil Merchant Group, which had failed to win the contract, had kept their mouths shut about the bribery. If the fact that they had offered bribes became known, they would never be considered for a contract again.
So why was this exploding now? She couldn't understand it.
"Yes, the Cheonil Merchant Group," Paeng Ga-ryeon said, her eyes gleaming.
"Th-that’s strange. Wasn't the Cheonil Merchant Group the one that failed the bid for the food supply six months ago? Why would anyone take a bribe from a place like that?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon began to fan her flushed face with her hand. The unexpected situation seemed to have thrown her into a panic.
"That is what he claims. The former guild leader who was ousted from the Cheonil Merchant Group a few days ago."
"..........Has the... investigation been completed?"
"Yes."
"........Then... do you know who the culprit is..."
"Why else would I have called you, Madam Hwangbo?"
Paeng Ga-ryeon’s cold eyes glittered.
"............"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon fell into a heavy silence. She realized that everything had been exposed.
"W-what... what is to become of me now..."
She looked at Paeng Ga-ryeon, her eyes trembling uncontrollably.
"What do you think will happen?"
".......Will I... be punished?"
"Customarily, that would be the case, wouldn't it?"
Paeng Ga-ryeon spoke with a nonchalant expression.
Thud.
At that moment, Hwangbo Yu-yeon dropped to her knees on the floor.
"Madam Paeng!"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon cried out, her head bowed low.
"I beg of you... please, just look the other way until the succession competition is over."
"What are you doing? Please, stand up."
Paeng Ga-ryeon looked down at her with a calm face.
"I will accept any punishment! I don't care if I spend the rest of my life in prison. Please, just defer the punishment for now."
She begged and pleaded. The Alliance was currently in a state of great unrest. Furthermore, the Alliance Leader, Lee Jae-won, was in an extremely sensitive mood. If her corruption were revealed in such a climate, the situation might spiral out of control. In the worst-case scenario, her daughter, Lee So-ran, could be stripped of her eligibility for succession.
No!
She couldn't let that happen. This was the succession competition she had waited twenty years for. She couldn't let it be ruined like this—especially not because of her own mistake.
"The law must be equal for everyone, Madam."
Paeng Ga-ryeon’s voice was dry and emotionless, as if to say that pleading was useless.
"If you feared the punishment, you should not have committed the crime."
"I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry."
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Hwangbo Yu-yeon began to knock her forehead against the floor in apology. It was a groveling, miserable display, but she felt this was the only way to earn the other woman's pity.
"If everything could be resolved with an apology, there would be no need for laws, guards, or the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Madam.... For decades, I have lived only for this succession competition. Surely you, of all people, understand that feeling?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon continued to plead, her head still pressed against the floor.
"Of course I understand. I am also one of those who has been waiting for this competition. But I see no reason why I should show you mercy. Why would I let you off when I can so easily eliminate a rival?"
Paeng Ga-ryeon spoke as if she truly couldn't understand the logic. Her words were correct. From Paeng Ga-ryeon’s perspective, Lee So-ran was merely a competitor—an obstacle for her own daughter. Why would she give up a chance to easily crush her?
"It pains me to say this myself, but Ran-i is currently the one with the weakest faction among the successors. Her martial arts are weaker than the others, and the talents she has recruited are based on personal friendship rather than martial prowess. Furthermore, she lacks the capital to provide proper support. Why bother checking such a weak child?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon began to list the painful facts one by one. Ever since the Hwangbo Clan went into Sect Seclusion, she hadn't been able to provide Lee So-ran with any real support. It was impossible for the girl to have any real competitive edge.
"That’s strange. Then why are you, Madam Hwangbo, trying so hard to push such a weak child into the succession competition?"
Paeng Ga-ryeon asked, looking genuinely puzzled. She couldn't fathom it. Why was this woman so obsessed with the competition when she knew better than anyone that her daughter had the weakest faction?
"I believe there is a difference between trying and failing, and being crushed before you even get the chance to try. If she tries, even if she fails, she will have no regrets because she did her best. But if her opportunity is snatched away before she can even start, my daughter will live the rest of her life in regret and resentment toward me."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s expression turned profoundly sad.
"As a mother, how could I just let that happen?"
"........."
"You can increase my punishment later... I’ll spend the rest of my life in a cell. So please, I beg of you, just defer the punishment for now........ Please."
Drip. Drip.
Hwangbo Yu-yeon wept, begging over and over again. She looked utterly pathetic and sorrowful.
"............."
Paeng Ga-ryeon simply watched her with a calm expression, seemingly lost in deep thought. After some time had passed...
"You were in the wrong. No matter how desperate you were for money, you accepted illicit funds. This is a grave crime for which you would have no excuse even if you received a severe sentence."
"............"
"Normally, it would be right to punish you through formal trial procedures, but as a mother with a daughter of my own, how could I not understand your heart?"
Paeng Ga-ryeon finally spoke.
"Therefore, I shall make you a proposal."
".....A proposal?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon snapped her head up. Her face was a mess of tears and snot, making for a rather comical sight.
"Yes. I, too, have no wish to see a mother and daughter resent each other."
She continued in a steady tone.
"Anything... anything... just say the word.... I will accept any proposal."
Hwangbo Yu-yeon’s eyes sparkled with hope.
"The proposal is simple. You just have to spit back what you took."
"Spit... back?"
"Return the 500,000 Nyang bribe you received back then. If you do, I will overlook this matter."
Paeng Ga-ryeon spoke with a calm face. In truth, this was an enormous favor. She was saying that if the money was returned, the crime would be ignored and punishment avoided. It was an offer anyone would welcome. She wasn't even asking for a fine; she just wanted the original bribe returned.
".............."
However, Hwangbo Yu-yeon could not give an answer. To her, who was constantly struggling for money, being told to cough up the massive sum of 500,000 Nyang was no different from being told to die. Where would a woman who couldn't even afford decent tea and had to buy the cheapest leaves find 500,000 Nyang?
"Why is there no answer?"
When she remained silent, Paeng Ga-ryeon asked with a curious expression.
".......Madam Paeng...... Is there no other way?"
Hwangbo Yu-yeon asked back, her expression utterly servile. Her face was flushed deep red with shame and humiliation.