Chapter 689: She is My New Wife.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 689: She is My New Wife.
The distinct, pungent scent of herbal medicine began to tickle the tip of her nose.
Tang Jin-seol’s brow furrowed deeply.
An incredibly foul odor seeped into her nostrils, sending a surge of displeasure through her. After enduring the discomfort for a few moments...
Slowly.
Tang Jin-seol gradually pried her heavy eyelids open. An unfamiliar ceiling greeted her.
‘Where... am I?’
A look of confusion crossed her face.
"Oh! My Lady, you’re awake."
At that moment, a man’s voice from beside her reached her ears. Tang Jin-seol quickly turned her head. There, she saw a very familiar face.
"......Head of the Medical Pavilion?" she asked, her voice laced with bewilderment.
"I am glad to see you have regained consciousness," the Head of the Medical Pavilion replied with a gentle smile.
"What... happened?" Tang Jin-seol asked, still struggling to grasp the situation.
"You were brought to the Medical Pavilion in a state of unconsciousness," he explained calmly.
"Un...conscious?"
"Yes. It appears the cause was a significant impact to your head."
"Ah!"
At his words, Tang Jin-seol let out a sharp gasp of realization. The memories came flooding back—everything that had happened before she lost consciousness.
Going to the Jaegyeong Pavilion to track the flow of funds.
Picking a fight over a trivial matter to pressure the pavilion members into cooperating.
And then, the sudden appearance of the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion, who had knocked her out cold.
She remembered it all.
Grind.
Tang Jin-seol began to grit her teeth. As the reality of the situation set in, an unbearable sense of humiliation welled up from deep within her chest. That humiliation soon transformed into an uncontrollable rage.
"Head of the Medical Pavilion," Tang Jin-seol said, her voice cold.
"Please, speak, My Lady."
"Bring me a bronze mirror."
"Understood."
The Head of the Medical Pavilion bowed politely and immediately brought her a mirror.
"Here it is."
Snatch.
Tang Jin-seol grabbed the mirror and looked at her reflection. The mirror revealed a woman whose cheeks were red and swollen. Her fine eyebrows twitched violently.
‘How dare she!’
The realization that she had been struck hard enough to cause such swelling made her blood boil. Who did she think she was? She was a core figure of the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Cheonmu Alliance, the greatest power in the Murim.
And yet, she had been struck. By a mere pavilion head belonging to the Tang Clan.
How could she not be livid? Whether the woman was a member of a branch family or not, one thing was certain: she had committed an act of blatant insubordination. In the Tang Clan, no blood was more noble than hers. To assault her, let alone knock her unconscious—it was the height of defiance.
‘......Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion!’
A terrifying murderous aura began to radiate from Tang Jin-seol’s body.
Thud.
She abruptly stood up. She couldn't just sit there.
"My Lady, you must rest further," the Head of the Medical Pavilion urged, trying to stop her. She had only just woken up; she needed time to stabilize.
"I know my own body best, Head of the Medical Pavilion," Tang Jin-seol replied curtly.
"......But still..."
"I dislike repeating myself."
Her tone was ice-cold.
"...........Understood."
Seeing that further persuasion was useless, the Head of the Medical Pavilion stepped back.
Click, clack.
Tang Jin-seol marched past him and out the door. She had no time to waste. The Head of the Medical Pavilion could only watch her retreating back in silence.
*
Knock, knock, knock.
"Who is it?"
Sun-woo spoke as he looked toward the door.
"It is I, Brother."
A voice as cold as ice pierced his ears.
‘She’s here.’
Sun-woo’s expression hardened. He knew this moment was inevitable. He composed his features into a mask of cold indifference, doing his best to look like Tang Jin-cheol. He tensed his throat to lower his voice to a deep, authoritative tone.
"Enter."
Creeeeeak.
The moment Sun-woo gave his permission, the door slowly swung open. A woman stepped inside.
She had eyes as fierce as a wildcat’s, a nose as sharp as a blade, and prim lips that suggested a stubborn nature. Though she was beautiful, she exuded an aura of sheer toxicity. She was a direct-line descendant of the Tang Clan and the mistress of the Cheonmu Alliance.
Tang Jin-seol.
"I greet you, Brother," she said, offering a polite bow as she entered the office.
"Welcome," Sun-woo replied, his expression unreadable. "What brings you here so suddenly?"
"Do you not already know why I am here?"
Tang Jin-seol’s sharp eyes flashed. Everything that happened within the Tang Clan was reported to the Clan Head. Tang Jin-cheol would surely know everything—the humiliation she suffered at the Jaegyeong Pavilion and how she was carried off to the Medical Pavilion after being knocked out.
"I won't mince words, Brother."
She got straight to the point.
"I want the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion’s head."
Her eyes glittered with murderous intent. She had suffered an indelible disgrace at the hands of that woman. To wash away this shame, she needed a head. The head of the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion. Her resolve to see the woman dead was palpable.
"Request denied."
Sun-woo rejected her demand immediately, his face set in a firm, uncompromising expression. It wasn't even a proposal worth considering.
"Brother!"
Tang Jin-seol’s voice rose. Indignation flared within her at his flat refusal.
"She committed an act of insubordination! If we do not correct this now, a much greater disaster will surely follow."
She stared at Sun-woo with icy eyes. Kindness, if continued, was often mistaken for a right, and without an example being made, discipline would inevitably crumble. She had to be corrected to uphold the laws of the Tang Clan.
"I fail to see what act of insubordination was committed," Sun-woo said calmly.
"A direct-line descendant was assaulted! And by someone who eats the Tang Clan’s bread, no less. If that isn't insubordination, then what is?" Tang Jin-seol countered, her gaze sharp. "The Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion must be executed. If not, the very structure of the Tang Clan, which operates around the bloodline, could collapse."
"Request denied."
Sun-woo rejected her again, without a moment's hesitation.
"Why? Why are you denying it?"
Tang Jin-seol asked, her face twisted in disbelief. She truly couldn't understand. If the branch families lacked respect for the direct line, a clan centered on bloodlines could not function. The hierarchy itself would vanish. Why would he leave someone who had disrupted that order untouched?
"It was not insubordination," Sun-woo stated firmly. "Though she does not carry the Tang bloodline, she is a woman who holds a position equal to it."
"What position could possibly be equal to a direct-line descendant!?"
"She is my newly wedded wife."
"Wh-what!?"
"She is the Sixth Lady I told you I would introduce. It can hardly be called insubordination if she had a spat with you, can it?"
Sun-woo’s tone remained level. Officially, Yorang’s identity was that of the Tang Clan Head’s sixth wife. Even if Yorang, holding such a status, had thrashed Tang Jin-seol, it didn't qualify as insubordination.
"That... that woman... is your... Sixth Lady!?"
Tang Jin-seol was visibly shaken. The shock of the unexpected revelation left her reeling. That incredibly boorish woman was her brother’s sixth wife? How could such a thing be possible?
"Indeed. She is a woman I love. How could I possibly take her head?" Sun-woo added, feigning a look of displeasure.
"............"
Tang Jin-seol fell silent, her mouth clamped shut. She needed to organize her chaotic thoughts. The sudden, shocking fact was difficult to process. After a long silence...
"...........I have made a mistake."
Tang Jin-seol immediately apologized. She realized her own rudeness. If the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion had been a mere branch member, her demand would have been a legitimate request. But if the woman was the Clan Head’s wife, the situation changed entirely. She had just asked for the head of her own sister-in-law. It was an act of disrespect that could almost be called a violation of family ethics.
"I know you didn't say it maliciously. Do not dwell on it," Sun-woo said, his tone suggesting understanding, though a trace of displeasure remained on his face.
Tang Jin-seol bit her lip. She had unintentionally become a woman who made a monstrous, unethical demand.
"........Why is your new wife... in charge of the Jaegyeong Pavilion?" she asked, still confused.
Usually, the wives of prestigious families managed the internal household affairs and supported their husbands. They did not involve themselves directly in the clan’s business. This was a standard procedure to prevent in-law factions from gaining too much power, as people naturally tend to favor their own kin. Yet, here was the Clan Head’s wife serving as the head of the treasury, the very heart of the clan’s finances.
"She is quick with numbers and exceptionally brilliant. I saw no reason not to put her in charge."
Yorang possessed calculation skills several times superior to an average person. She was a top-tier talent whose abilities even those called geniuses couldn't hope to match. If someone like Yorang didn't lead the Jaegyeong Pavilion, who could?
"She is... the mistress of the house. How can you entrust such a vital position to her?" Tang Jin-seol pressed.
"As you know, the Tang Clan suffered numerous casualties during the Demonic Cult’s invasion. In the aftermath, we have been plagued by a severe shortage of talent. Most of the direct-line descendants who held key positions are dead," Sun-woo explained calmly. "As a desperate measure, I decided to distribute positions based on ability. Anyone with the talent can hold a key post and support a pillar of the clan."
"........Allowing the mistress of the house to participate in clan management could lead to the in-law factions growing too powerful..."
"Fortunately, she is a woman without an external family. Since she has no in-laws, there is no risk of their power growing, is there?"
Yorang was a spiritual being. It was impossible for her to have an in-law family.
"............"
Tang Jin-seol fell silent again. Every point she raised was countered by a perfectly logical argument.
"........I understand. I see why the Sixth Lady is concurrently serving as the Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion."
She spoke in a subdued tone. It made sense. In a situation where they were desperate for talent, clinging to bloodline-centered thinking would only lead to their downfall.
"However, I cannot accept the fact that she used violence against me. The Head of the Jaegyeong Pavilion surely knew my name and my status. Yet, she did not hesitate to assault me. I believe this is an insult not only to me but to the entire bloodline of the Tang Clan."
Tang Jin-seol’s eyes sharpened again.
"I demand she be punished."
She held her head high and met Sun-woo’s gaze, making her demand boldly. She wanted the woman who struck her to face consequences.
"Request denied."
Sun-woo rejected her again instantly, as if it wasn't even worth a thought. Tang Jin-seol’s face contorted. She was deeply displeased by his dismissive attitude.
"Why!?"
She glared at him with the ferocity of a wildcat. His refusal to even consider punishment made her blood boil.
"She did nothing wrong. Why would I punish someone who has committed no fault?"
Sun-woo replied with a look of genuine confusion.
You’re the one who messed up, so who exactly are you asking me to punish?