Chapter 54: Great Matriarch Un Ga-ryeo-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: Great Matriarch Un Ga-ryeo-1
There is a saying that marriage is the greatest of all human affairs.
This sentiment serves as a testament to the immense influence a union can wield. Since ancient times, those in power have used marriage as a political tool to maintain their authority. Whether it was to consolidate forces, forge alliances between factions, or secure necessary hostages, there was no method more efficient or certain than marriage.
The same held true for the clans of the Murim.
From the perspective of a martial clan, the marriage of a bloodline member was an event of paramount importance. In a society built around the family unit, recruiting new blood and producing descendants from that blood was considered vital.
However, they could not simply allow lowborn, common blood into the clan. These families held a blind, almost religious devotion to the purity of their lineage. Thus, when choosing a spouse, bloodline was prioritized above all else.
While these standards were occasionally relaxed for members of branch families, they were exceptionally strict and demanding for those of the direct line. They judged a myriad of factors: not just lineage, but also the level of martial arts attainment, the family’s influence, and their political standing. Only after weighing everything would they find the optimal match.
Once a political judgment was made that the relationship would be mutually beneficial, a matchmaker would finally be sent to begin the formal marriage proceedings.
The Tang Clan was no exception. Until now, countless primary wives of the Tang Clan had been chosen in this exact manner.
With only one exception.
That exception was the current Great Matriarch, Un Ga-ryeo.
Born as the eldest daughter of the Un Clan, she was once a renowned female martial artist who had made a name for herself in the Murim with her exceptional skills. Then, one day, she was poisoned with an aphrodisiac by a lecherous criminal known as the Ghost Soul Lust Demon and found herself on the verge of being violated.
By chance, Tang Jin-cheol happened to be passing by. Witnessing the scene, he slit the Ghost Soul Lust Demon’s throat in a single stroke and rescued her.
Though Un Ga-ryeo was saved from the threat of rape thanks to Tang Jin-cheol, the aphrodisiac had not been neutralized. She writhed in the throes of an overwhelming lust. Tang Jin-cheol attempted to detoxify her, but the drug had already seeped into the very marrow of her bones; there was no conventional cure.
Ultimately, to save her, Tang Jin-cheol performed the Union of Yin and Yang.
When she regained consciousness and wept over the pain of her deflowering, Tang Jin-cheol—who had secretly harbored feelings for her—held her quietly and promised to take responsibility. Moved by his sincerity, she leaned into his embrace and accepted his proposal.
The Tang Clan urged Tang Jin-cheol to take her as a concubine, but he insisted on making her his primary wife. His decision met with fierce opposition. He was scolded for his foolishness and for failing to consider the political weight that the position of primary wife carried.
However, the Tang Clan could not break Tang Jin-cheol’s stubbornness, and Un Ga-ryeo eventually took her place as the Great Matriarch. She became the first woman in the history of the Tang Clan to become the primary wife through a marriage of love rather than a political arrangement.
Even after their marriage, Tang Jin-cheol’s affection for her remained deep, and he showered her with countless gifts. He gave her Snow Ice Flowers that only grew in the North Sea, jewelry of various designs from many different lands, and even a talking bird that lived far across the ocean.
Tang Jin-cheol did anything he could to make her happy, sparing no expense. As a result, Un Ga-ryeo’s quarters were filled with rare treasures that were difficult to find anywhere else in the Central Plains.
Among these many gifts, she possessed one particularly precious item: a beautiful blossom known as the Hundred-Year Flower.
As the saying goes, "no flower stays red for ten days." No matter how beautiful a flower is, it usually withers within a week and a half. However, the Hundred-Year Flower, which blooms only once a century, never withers unless it is plucked. It became a symbol of eternal beauty.
Because of this, it was a dream treasure for noblewomen, and whenever one appeared, there were plenty of people willing to pay a fortune for it.
But they say the power of love is great. Tang Jin-cheol had fought through numerous competitors to obtain the Hundred-Year Flower and presented it to his beloved Un Ga-ryeo. Thus, she came to possess the symbol of eternal beauty that so many women coveted.
*
"You want me to bring the Hundred-Year Flower from the Great Matriarch’s quarters?"
Sun-woo asked Tang Seo-yoon back, looking dumbfounded.
"Yes."
"What am I supposed to do with something like that? You can't even eat it," Sun-woo replied curtly.
What he needed were poisonous substances. Why was she suddenly telling him to fetch the Hundred-Year Flower? Sun-woo knew a bit about it; the flower was famous enough that even the bumbling Jang Sam knew of it.
"Do you know about the Hundred-Year Flower?" Tang Seo-yoon asked, unbothered by his bluntness.
"It’s the flower that blooms once every hundred years. It doesn't wither as long as you don't pluck it."
"Right. Then do you also know that the Hundred-Year Flower is actually a poisonous herb that has matured for over a century?"
"What?!"
This was news to him. Wasn't the Hundred-Year Flower a symbol of eternal beauty because of its unique aesthetic and the fact that it never withered? To think that such a flower was actually a poisonous herb... it sounded absurd.
"It’s true. In fact, the reason the Great Matriarch has it is because the Clan Head originally bought it to use as a poison."
The truth was this: Tang Jin-cheol hadn't bought the Hundred-Year Flower to give to Un Ga-ryeo. Well aware of the flower's immense toxicity, he had spent a fortune on it to use in his training. He had left it in his office, but Un Ga-ryeo, mistaking it for a gift, had simply taken it away.
"Wait, he didn't ask for it back?"
"They were in the honeymoon phase; he probably couldn't bring himself to do it. Eventually, the Clan Head gave up on the flower, and it ended up in the Great Matriarch’s hands."
"But if it’s over a hundred years old, wouldn't it contain a significant amount of poisonous qi?"
"It does."
"Then how is the Great Matriarch perfectly fine?"
Even if she was a martial artist, Sun-woo didn't think she could withstand a century's worth of toxic energy.
"As long as you don't pull the flower out, the poison doesn't leak out, so it’s fine," Tang Seo-yoon continued nonchalantly. "The Great Matriarch keeps the flower in her room and manages it herself. To get it, you’ll have to go directly into her chambers."
Sun-woo fell into deep thought. Honestly, entering the Great Matriarch’s quarters wasn't difficult. Her martial arts were significantly weaker than his, so she certainly wouldn't be able to detect his Formless Shadow Stealth Technique.
The problem, however, was Tang Jin-cheol. If he happened to enter her room while Sun-woo was there, Sun-woo’s head would be on the chopping block.
"Why are you worrying so much? Just sneak in and take it."
"The Great Matriarch isn't the problem. Tang Jin-cheol is."
"You don't have to worry about that."
Sun-woo perked up at Tang Seo-yoon’s confident tone. Did she have some clever trick to keep Tang Jin-cheol away from his wife’s quarters?
"The Clan Head hasn't visited the Great Matriarch’s quarters in a long time."
"Why?" Sun-woo asked, puzzled.
They were a couple with such a good relationship that he’d given her the Hundred-Year Flower and they’d had a late-born child like Tang Se-gi. Why wouldn't he visit her?
"Their relationship soured because of Tang Se-gi’s delinquent behavior."
She went on to explain the rift between the couple caused by Tang Se-gi in detail. To put it simply, the friction seemed to stem from disagreements over how to discipline their son.
Of course, for Sun-woo, this was cause for celebration.
"That’s great. Then I can sneak into her quarters without any worries."
Sun-woo began to grin at Tang Seo-yoon. She felt like a lucky charm. If not for her, where would he have gotten such high-level information? Bringing her to his side was undoubtedly an excellent choice.
"What are you looking at?" she snapped, feeling his gaze.
"I was looking because you're pretty."
"You'll wear my face out. Stop staring."
Sun-woo chuckled at her reaction, which was so matter-of-fact. It seemed she was well aware of her own beauty.
"Be careful. Even if it’s been a long time since the Clan Head visited her, you never know when he might have a change of heart."
"I can handle that much risk."
It was true. He had been at a total dead end, but now a path had opened up. He was more than willing to take that kind of risk. Sun-woo’s eyes sparkled.
*
Late at night.
Using the Formless Shadow Stealth Technique, Sun-woo moved toward the Great Matriarch’s quarters. As the saying goes, "strike while the iron is hot." As soon as he heard about the Hundred-Year Flower from Tang Seo-yoon, he went into action. He had already learned the location and layout of the quarters in detail from her.
After moving for a while, a large pavilion came into view. It was the Great Matriarch’s residence.
As expected of the mistress of the Tang Clan, her quarters were incredibly large and luxurious. Arriving near the entrance, Sun-woo began to scan the surroundings. Two martial artists stood guard at the entrance, holding torches.
They were likely the guards assigned to protect her. Tang Seo-yoon had mentioned that Peak Realm experts guarded the Great Matriarch’s residence. In other words, Sun-woo had to bypass the eyes of these experts to infiltrate the building.
Sun-woo hesitated for a moment. He wondered if his current Formless Shadow Stealth Technique could truly hide him from the senses of Peak Realm experts. He had used it so often that he had reached a high level of mastery, but if a Peak expert focused their eyesight with intent, the story might be different. Since he hadn't had a proper chance to test it, he didn't know the limits of the technique.
'I have to do it!'
Sun-woo soon hardened his resolve. He didn't have any other options anyway. To get inside the pavilion, he had to deceive their eyes somehow. Besides, wasn't he currently in the guise of Tang Se-gi? Even if he were caught, there was a way out. They would surely just take it as another one of the delinquent's antics.
Sun-woo began to approach them, silencing even his footsteps.
One step, two steps, three steps.
Sun-woo drew closer and closer to them.
And then, with one final step, he was right in front of them.
"Hmm."
Suddenly, the man in front of him frowned as if uncomfortable.
'Did he catch me?!'
Sun-woo panicked for a moment, even considering knocking them unconscious.
"Achoo!"
The man suddenly sneezed, and spray flew toward Sun-woo.
'You son of a...!'
Sun-woo cursed inwardly. The man’s spray had landed all over his face. However, Sun-woo remained still, fearing he might be discovered.
"Do you have a cold?"
"No, I think something got in my nose."
Despite Sun-woo being right in front of them, the men continued their conversation casually. The Formless Shadow Stealth Technique had worked.
Sun-woo cheered inwardly. If the technique worked, nothing could stop him. He slipped right through the entrance.
Once inside, a large pavilion met his eyes. Sun-woo entered with a lighter heart. As long as he broke through the outer security, the interior wouldn't be a problem. The only people inside would be maids. There was no way a maid who knew nothing of martial arts could discover him.
Inside the pavilion, Sun-woo first began searching for the Great Matriarch’s room. Knowing the layout beforehand made it an easy task. Soon, he found the door.
'Phew.'
Sun-woo took a deep breath and entered the room. As the door opened, the pungent smell of strong liquor wafted out.
'Ugh.'
It was so strong it stung his nose. The room was filled with the sharp scent. Looking around, he saw several liquor bottles rolling on the floor.
Zzz... zzz...
And on the bed, the Great Matriarch was fast asleep.
'How much did she drink?'
Sun-woo shook his head. However, her being dead drunk was a stroke of luck. To put the toxic Hundred-Year Flower into his pouch, he had to deactivate his stealth and circulate his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi. He had been worried about being caught by her during that gap, but if she was passed out, the job became easy.
Sun-woo scanned the room again. He spotted a flowerpot near the window.
'Found it!'
Sun-woo approached the pot. Inside, a red flower was in beautiful bloom. Its green stems stretched out elegantly, adding to its beauty. It was exactly as Tang Seo-yoon had described. It was definitely the Hundred-Year Flower.
Sun-woo deactivated his Formless Shadow Stealth Technique.
Revealing himself, Sun-woo slowly began to circulate his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi. It was the preparation needed to dig up the flower. As the energy began to flow through his body, Sun-woo slowly reached out his hand.
'Alright!'
It was then.
"Husband?"
The Great Matriarch’s drunken voice drifted from behind him.
Cold sweat began to pour down Sun-woo’s back.
'Shit. I'm screwed.'
The Great Matriarch had woken up.