Chapter 799: Are You Planning to Settle This with Just Words?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 799: Are You Planning to Settle This with Just Words?
"There is no forgiveness, Commissioner."
Sun-woo stared at Lee Geom-han with cold eyes as he spoke.
He had completely abandoned any thought of mercy. Not after the man’s persistent refusal to admit his faults, nor after an apology that lacked even a shred of sincerity.
"I-Imperial Son-in-Law... I will... apologize again... Please... show me leniency..."
Lee Geom-han’s voice trembled violently.
"I refuse."
Sun-woo spoke firmly, his expression resolute.
"Are you not only apologizing because I am the Imperial Son-in-Law? If I were merely Jang Sun-woo, the martial artist, you would have framed me as a traitor rather than offering an apology. I have no desire to forgive a man like you."
Sun-woo’s tone remained frigid.
His attempt to evade responsibility was one thing, but the biggest issue was that Lee Geom-han was only apologizing because of Sun-woo’s status as the Imperial Son-in-Law. It wasn't a true apology; it was a mere surrender to power.
How could he forgive such a man?
He had to pay the price. He had to answer for the countless atrocities he had committed by wielding his authority as the Regional Military Commissioner.
Grab.
"I-Imperial Son-in-Law!"
Lee Geom-han cast his sword aside and immediately lunged forward to grab the hem of Sun-woo’s robes.
"I do not ask for forgiveness... I have committed sins worthy of a hundred deaths, so it is only right that I be punished... But... my children... my wife... the servants of my house know nothing... Please, let everything end with my life alone... They know... nothing... Please... I beg of you..."
He began to plead desperately. He was trying to avoid the charge of treason, which would lead to the extermination of his three clans.
".................."
Sun-woo looked down at Lee Geom-han in silence. He watched the pathetic sight of the man begging, his face smeared with tears and snot.
"I think you are mistaken."
Sun-woo finally spoke, his voice slow and deliberate.
"The life of a Regional Military Commissioner isn't particularly valuable. So why are you throwing a tantrum, demanding that all your sins be absolved in exchange for a single life?"
Sun-woo continued, his expression calm.
Lee Geom-han’s life was worthless now. He was no longer the Regional Military Commissioner. He was nothing more than a criminal who had been stripped of his office and whose assets were to be seized. What value did such a life hold?
"Assistant Commissioner, Vice Commissioner."
Sun-woo looked away from Lee Geom-han and toward the wall where the two officials were slumped.
"I know you are awake."
His voice was heavy with gravity.
Rustle.
At his words, the two officials who had been slumped against the wall began to slowly push themselves up. Just as he said, they had regained consciousness some time ago.
Thud.
"Vice Commissioner Jang Geol greets the Princess Gyeonghwa and the Imperial Son-in-Law."
Thud.
"Assistant Commissioner Ju-tae greets the Princess Gyeonghwa and the Imperial Son-in-Law."
The two men immediately pressed their foreheads against the floor, prostrating themselves in a deep bow. It was a posture of extreme submission, but they didn't care. They were well aware that if they offended him even slightly, not only would their heads roll, but their entire families would be obliterated.
"You were perfectly fine, yet you were pretending to be unconscious?"
Sun-woo spoke with a playful smirk.
Shiver, shiver.
The two officials began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Please kill me! Out of fear, I made a foolish choice!"
"Please kill me! I, too, was so terrified by the sudden situation that I made the wrong decision!"
The two men began to apologize while keeping their heads pressed to the floor. They begged for death, yet their bodies shook with terror. The fear of what would happen if he actually took them at their word had seized their entire beings.
They’re cowards.
Seeing this, Sun-woo let out a scoffing laugh. Watching them tremble after asking to be killed was so absurd it was almost funny.
"Well, fine. It happens."
Sun-woo forgave them easily. What great sin was there in a couple of cowards pretending to be fainted?
""We thank you for your immense magnanimity!""
The two men spoke, their voices thick with emotion.
"Raise your heads. I have something to ask."
Sun-woo’s tone was steady. The two men immediately looked up.
"Are you the Commissioner’s men? Or are you the Emperor’s men?"
Sun-woo stared at them as he asked.
"We are the Emperor’s men! I have absolutely no connection to a traitor like him!"
"Of course we belong to His Imperial Majesty! My relationship with that hideous Commissioner was strictly professional—nothing more, nothing less!"
At Sun-woo’s question, they were quick to draw a line. They knew there was nothing to be gained from being associated with a man branded as a traitor.
Tremble.
Hearing their words, the Regional Military Commissioner began to shake with a mix of insult, shame, and betrayal. Seeing the subordinates he had trusted so much betray him without a moment's hesitation filled him with an overwhelming sense of disgrace.
"That’s good to hear. I was worried the number of traitors might grow."
Sun-woo spoke with a soft smile playing on his lips.
Shudder.
Faced with that smile, the two officials began to tremble even harder. The thought that his words might not be an empty threat filled them with dread.
"Calling us traitors is unthinkable! Our hearts hold nothing but loyalty to the Imperial Family!"
"Indeed! How could we, who have received the Emperor’s grace, ever plot treason? It is utterly preposterous!"
The two men began to profess their loyalty to the Imperial Family with desperate intensity. The singular thought of wanting to live dominated their minds.
"Then prove your loyalty to the Imperial Family."
Sun-woo looked at them with a calm gaze.
"Compile every single corruption and malpractice the Commissioner has committed and submit it as a formal memorial. Then, throw the Commissioner into the dungeon yourselves and escort him to the Imperial Court."
Sun-woo issued his command.
"It shall be done immediately!"
"We will carry it out at once!"
The two officials scrambled to their feet. They began to bind the kneeling Commissioner with the very ropes they had brought to tie up Sun-woo.
"................"
Shocked by the betrayal, the Commissioner allowed himself to be bound without any resistance. He looked like a man who had completely abandoned the will to live.
"We shall now escort the prisoner to the dungeon!"
Soon, the Commissioner was fully bound and was dragged away by the two officials. Lee Geom-han’s face was filled with a sense of futility. He seemed to be feeling the emptiness of power.
Drag, drag, drag.
Thud.
The door closed, leaving only Sun-woo and Princess Gyeonghwa alone in the outer guest room.
*
"Thank you for coming, So-hwa."
Once they were alone, Sun-woo smiled softly and expressed his gratitude. He felt truly thankful to her for rushing such a long distance without hesitation just because of a single letter.
"How could I, as a wife, not come when my husband is being insulted? Do not give it a second thought. It was only natural."
Princess Gyeonghwa spoke as if it were of no consequence. To her, it truly was. An insult to her husband was an insult to her, and an insult to her was an insult to the Imperial Family. How could she possibly sit idly by? It was unthinkable.
Sun-woo’s smile deepened at her words. He could feel the profound affection she held for him through her speech.
"How can you say such beautiful things, Princess?"
"I am beautiful, so is it not only natural that my words are beautiful as well? This, too, is a matter of course."
Princess Gyeonghwa spoke with a dignified air.
"Ha."
Sun-woo let out a short laugh. Seeing her, usually so serious and traditional, act with such bold confidence made him chuckle. It seemed her time spent with the other wives at the Tang Clan had made her a bit more shameless and playful.
"And call me So-hwa... I... prefer the name So-hwa when spoken by you over the title of Princess Gyeonghwa."
Neung So-hwa looked at Sun-woo with eyes full of love.
"I understand, So-hwa. Thank you for your help."
"Are you planning to settle this with just words?"
Neung So-hwa narrowed her eyes and asked him.
"Hmm?"
"I went through considerable trouble to arrive on time. I gave up the comfort of a carriage, the leisure of a journey, and even my dignity, running here like a puppy with its tail on fire. So how can you expect to settle this with just words?"
Neung So-hwa spoke with a mock-displeased expression.
"What do you want?"
Sun-woo asked with a small smile. He found her grumbling and detailed explanation of her hardships incredibly cute.
"First, hold me."
Neung So-hwa reached out both arms toward Sun-woo. It was a clear signal.
Whap.
Seeing this, Sun-woo didn't hesitate for a second and pulled her into his embrace. Her warm body heat began to seep into him.
"Is this enough?"
Sun-woo asked, looking down at her in his arms.
"It is insufficient."
Neung So-hwa shook her head.
"What else should I do?"
"Now, press your lips to my forehead."
Mwah.
Sun-woo immediately kissed her smooth forehead.
"Now, the tip of my nose."
Mwah.
He kissed the bridge of her elegant nose.
"Next, both cheeks. Once on each side."
Mwah. Mwah.
He kissed her translucent cheeks. The soft texture of her skin lingered on his lips.
"......Now, my lips."
Neung So-hwa slowly puckered her small, luscious lips. Her face was flushed, perhaps out of shyness.
Sun-woo smiled gently at the sight. Seeing her so lovely filled him with a wave of infinite affection.
Slide.
Sun-woo reached around and cradled the back of her head.
Slurp.
He then pressed his lips against her inviting ones. He could feel the sensation of her lips—soft, plump, and tender.
The two shared a long, deep kiss, as if trying to make up for the time they had spent apart.
After a while...
Lick.
Sun-woo felt a licking sensation on his lips. Neung So-hwa had poked her tongue out and licked his lips.
She’s being bold.
Sun-woo’s eyes crinkled into crescents. He quite liked her proactive approach.
Lick, lick.
Sun-woo extended his tongue and began to sweep across her lips. Neung So-hwa met his movements, her tongue intertwining with his as they shared a feverish, breathless exchange.
Slurp, squelch.
Slurp, squelch.
After indulging in each other for a long time, Sun-woo slowly began to pull away.
Stretch.
A thin, translucent thread of saliva connected them as they parted.
Sun-woo gazed at So-hwa through the heated haze of his vision. The intense kiss had left him thoroughly aroused. Neung So-hwa looked back at him, her eyes clouded with ecstasy. She was just as excited as he was.
"So-hwa, you’re so beautiful..."
Sun-woo spoke, his gaze heavy with desire.
".......I... I am embarrassed."
Neung So-hwa squirmed at his words. It was a compliment from the one she loved most; how could she not be shy?
"I mean it... I don't think I can hold back..."
Sun-woo pressed his lips to her slender neck.
Slurp.
He began to suck on her neck, his movements unabashedly carnal.
"Haaah... Ah... Sun-woo... that spot is... too sensitive... ah..."
Neung So-hwa began to moan. As he targeted her most sensitive areas, pleasure surged through her.
Slurp.
Sun-woo enjoyed her moans and began to suck on her neck even more fervently.
"Haaah... ah..."
Stimulated through her neck, Neung So-hwa began to writhe. The pleasure seemed to be intensifying.
Sun-woo, enjoying her reaction, slowly began to move his hand down. Past her perfectly rounded breasts, past her firm abdomen, until his hand reached her supple thigh.
Knead, knead.
Sun-woo began to massage her thigh incessantly. The sensation of her firm, elastic flesh filled his palm.
"Haaah... hnnn..."
Neung So-hwa let out a soft cry. The tickling sensation on her thigh was stimulating her lower body.
Sun-woo slowly began to move his hand toward her heat. Feeling his touch, Neung So-hwa’s entire body trembled slightly. Her mood soared at the thought of the promised pleasure to come.
Finally! Finally!
Her eyes began to fill with anticipation.
Twitch.
Twitch.
Suddenly, both of them flinched and stopped their movements. They immediately straightened their postures and stood at attention, as if nothing had happened.
"Lord Sun-woo!"
Bang!
A moment later, the door swung open and a woman appeared. She was a noblewoman who radiated dignity, elegance, and grace.
It was the Heavenly Sword Empress, Joo So-yang.
"Is everything settled..."
She started to speak as she entered, looking at Sun-woo. But then, seeing the two of them standing there awkwardly, she immediately fell silent.
"..........Did I... interrupt something?"
A look of profound apology began to spread across her face.