Send Me Back - 4

After Ak Wang's one-sided declaration, I lay endlessly in bed. And during that time, my mind was filled with all sorts of worries, needless to say.

The moment I got out of bed, it was straight to Kaepyeong. With Qinghai right in front of me, heading to Kaepyeong... 'Horrible.' Just imagining it made my head spin, tears nearly welling up.

How did I even make it this far to Jiayu Pass? To go from Kaepyeong to Qinghai, I'd have to cross deserts and mountains again. 'But I can't not go.'

With a heavy heart, I squeezed my eyes shut. Qinghai was Dasong's frontier, a barren wasteland with scant population. Few people meant few incidents, and aside from Kunlun Sect, no notable murim forces existed. Even that Kunlun Sect was a founding merit sect and extremely reclusive, so no need to bother them.

But precisely because of that, I had to go. If we showed any sign of neglecting the frontier, or skipped a founding merit sect, how would the central government's face hold up? A peaceful region could be engulfed in anger and resentment. Moreover, the frontier bordered foreign lands. Considering ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tibet, which had supported the Mongols during the founding wars, stubbornly holding south of Qinghai, we absolutely couldn't ignore it.

"Why the sudden change? Feeling pain again?"

"No, sire. My eyes are just a bit dry."

Ak Wang's voice snapped me out of my endless thoughts. Bitter. The culprit cluttering my mind was right beside me, but the overwhelming gap in status, age, and martial prowess left me unable to utter a word. Truly heartbreaking.

If only I had the courage to protest such unfair treatment.

"Then speak with your eyes closed. Your mouth alone will suffice anyway."

"Ah, yes."

With a small cough, I cleared my throat and carefully formed my first sentence after much deliberation.

"Han Un of Giwangga, to his beloved fiancée Ak I-yeon."

"Again."

"Pardon?"

Shock flooded me at the miraculous rejection from the very first line. No, this was just a standard greeting to begin with. What was there to like or dislike?

"Your Highness. What about it bothers you—"

"How dare you call Yeon-i Ak I-yeon? Between those promised in marriage, attaching the family name so stiffly? If Yeon-i isn't familiar, at least call her I-yeon!"

But in this granddaughter-obsessed old man's eyes, even a casual greeting offered plenty of nitpicks.

"W-Well, when speaking face-to-face, I call her I-yeon."

"Then it's all the more outrageous. If you've already called her I-yeon, she'd expect Yeon-i too. Imagine how hurt she'd be to see Ak I-yeon scrawled on a letter she's eagerly awaited! Don't you pity Yeon-i, who holds back her complaints out of worry for you laboring afar?"

His subtly logical critique left me speechless. He wasn't wrong. From Ak I-yeon's perspective, her fiancé meticulously attaching the family name each time could indeed feel distant. Even friends use just names, so between betrothed, how much more?

"Un of Giwangga, to his beloved fiancée I-yeon—would that work?"

"Drop Giwangga too. Anyone would think you're submitting a petition."

"To my beloved I-yeon, who is always in Un's thoughts."

"Now that's fitting."

Ak Wang nodded in satisfaction and finally began writing my words on the paper.

'What is this.'

I gave a wry smile at the sight. I'd been unconscious for a full ten days, and it would take a few more days of lying down before I could move properly. Thanks to that, Ak Wang had nagged me to send a letter to Ak I-yeon right away. Under the premise that since I couldn't move, he'd write what I dictated.

Frankly, embarrassing. Dictating what amounted to a love letter in front of my fiancée's grandfather? Was there anything more humiliating?

"Next."

"Sorry for only writing now. An unexpected issue arose suddenly, leaving no chance to write. Thankfully, it's resolved now, and I'm handling the aftermath—"

"Again. 'Aftermath' might worry Yeon-i."

"Understood."

I probably wouldn't feel this level of shame. No fiancée in the world would suffer greater mortification than me.

"At the end, just say you'll head to Kaepyeong soon, so wait for you."

With that, the ghost letter-writer completed the missive. Ak Wang's quiet remark made me close my eyes again.

With that included, canceling the Kaepyeong trip was impossible now. Even if a meteor crashed in Qinghai, I'd have to go to Kaepyeong.

'Life...'

A fate forcing me back to the capital with Qinghai within reach. Truly cursed.

Leaving the wriggling grandson-in-law behind, I exited the room. Leaving a patient alone wasn't ideal, but spirit beasts guarded him. If anything happened, they'd alert me immediately. Moreover, the auspicious aura they subtly emitted could aid his recovery. Another person's presence might just steal that energy meant for him.

"Must send it quickly."

- Ppiaeek!

Thus, shoving aside worries for my grandson-in-law, I focused on selecting a messenger bird for Yeon-i. I'd picked an especially sturdy one among them, so it'd arrive swiftly. It'd be great comfort to Yeon-i, who'd longed only for his letters. Especially with the part about heading to Kaepyeong soon.

'No better excuse to summon him to Kaepyeong than now.'

I stroked my beard, watching the bird vanish into the distance. He wandered the nation on the Emperor's orders. Last time, he'd been active near Kaepyeong, and Shandong—his next destination—was under heavy Ak Wang influence, so I'd called him briefly. The visit after, he'd come himself to transport Baek Qi's relics from Shaanxi. In short, he'd never come to Kaepyeong halting his duties. Always an extension of work.

'Injury is an irrefutable excuse.'

But now, my grandson-in-law had suffered internal wounds battling Huoguobie Mao. He'd charged a superior foe knowingly and fallen. How could we leave such a valiant warrior abandoned in the provinces? He'd sacrificed for Dasong's peace and the people's smiles—who could begrudge a moment's rest?

"Grandfathers and grandsons alike."

I sighed softly, shaking my head. Admirable, really. As I'd told him, if not my grandson-in-law, I'd have praised him myself as unparalleled. But he was my grandson-in-law. When Yeon-i despaired from qi deviation, this boy had lifted her—only to nearly die in some far-off place unknown to me. Admirable bravery twisted my guts.

'To think the blood skipped a generation.'

Complicated feelings. Giwang's son seemed steady, unlike his father, so I'd been relieved. I'd dismissed it as Giwang's oddity. The grandson-in-law resembled his normal father, not the grandfather, and walked the civil path, not military, solidifying my conviction that Giwang was the mad one. I'd felt assured no heir of Gichungmuwang was like him.

Mistaken. It wasn't Giwang who was odd—it was his son who was unique.

'What sin did I commit in a past life.'

My head throbbed. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠In my youth, tangled with Giwang—Han Jung—through all that hardship. Now in old age, his grandson causes this uproar. And when Han Jung learned his grandson was hurt, that bastard ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would raise hell too.

"Ak Wang, sire."

Lost in such thoughts, staring blankly at the sky, Yangyang Wang approached.

"Among ourselves, call me comfortably. No need for 'sire' between fellow kings."

"I've tried, but it's not easy. Habits are fearsome things."

I quirked a smile at his plea for understanding. Fair enough. During the wars following Taizu the Great, Yangyang Wang had been relatively young among generals. Having honored elders like me with respect, now a king himself, title struggles made sense. Officially no distinction between Ilja Wang and Ija Wang, but treating an Ilja Wang casually as Ija Wang? Hard. So I should understand.

"What brings you?"

"Heading to Qinghai soon, so came to bid farewell."

"Already?"

I gave an awkward smile at Yangyang Wang's words.

"Sorry. You came a long way, and I imposed."

"Not at all. It's been ages since I saw my old friend in Kunlun Sect. Glad for the chance to share bonds."

Courteous words, but they eased my heart. My grandson-in-law must roam the nation. After Gansu came Qinghai naturally, so sending him from Kaepyeong to Qinghai again was cruel. Thus, I'd asked Yangyang Wang: before returning to Hubei, could he check Qinghai?

"Good. Seeing Weiguk Duke after so long made me miss other friends too. No better time for Qinghai."

Grateful and apologetic that he accepted my excessive request so readily. If only Giwang or his grandson resembled Yangyang Wang in duty.

"Ah. Please convey my regards to the Left Vice Inspector General. Uneasy leaving him vulnerable to Huoguobie Mao in my absence."

"Not your fault—the fool who recklessly stuck his head in Ho-gu's lair. Don't worry."

Yangyang Wang smiled wryly but nodded. Even his sense of responsibility couldn't defend the boy's madness.

I meticulously cleaned the tombstone, then rose. Age catching up—kneeling long made my legs ache.

But it's your tomb, so I do this. A king kneeling to clean it—luxury even Taizu the Great never had.

"You should know that too."

I chuckled long, then stroked the stone again. What meaning in posthumous honors? Only regret for failing you in life.

"...I'll head back now. Can't leave too long, or Han Seong will nag. Wonder who he takes after."

Probably you. "Next time, the whole family—son, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠daughter-in-law, grandchildren. Bear the boredom till then."