Monopolizing Fortunes (215)
Monopolizing Fortunes (215)
Even when the groom Do Tong-dal appeared, he had to endure envious stares.
Baek So-gu, who had been watching the wedding, whispered to Namgung Baek-jung seated beside him.
"You must be pleased to have such a fine son-in-law."
"Senior, are you mocking me?"
"How could I be? I mean it sincerely."
"Hmph! It's not bad. When he first came to the clan, he was just some lowlife thug."
"Didn't you have him tortured until he couldn't use his arm?"
"Let's not talk about that."
"Still, thanks to that incident you married off your daughter, so it was a blessing in disguise. Heh heh heh. In any case, now that Tong-dal has become the Namgung Clan's son-in-law, the Namgung Clan's name will rise even higher in the martial world."
He was a man whose wedding even the emperor attended, so Do Tong-dal's fame would soon spread to the four seas.
He could even rise to become a figure more influential than the heads of the great sects. And since Do Tong-dal actually had the ability to do so, Namgung Baek-jung could not help but be gratified.
Fortunately, the wedding ended without any further incidents. Do Tong-dal was exhausted, as if he had fought all night, and the same was true of the four women.
The four women gathered in one room to remove their ceremonial wigs and change clothes.
"I'm canceling what I said about holding another proper wedding ceremony later."
Everyone agreed with Namgung Seol-rin's words.
"I think I drank too much."
Yeon Ja-yeon's flushed face was full of intoxication. It had been proper etiquette to move among the guests, greet them, and drink the liquor they offered, so drinking had been unavoidable.
Namgung Seol-rin and Ha Su-ran could dispel the effects of alcohol with Internal Energy, but that was impossible for Yeon Ja-yeon.
"Sis, go to your room now. But don't fall asleep."
Ju Seo-in asked, "Why?" To tell someone that drunk not to sleep was practically torture.
"Your Highness, how old are you this year?"
"Twenty-one."
"Then you're the youngest among us."
"So?"
"Don't you think your speech is too curt?"
"Because I'm an imperial princess."
"No matter how much of an imperial princess you are......"
"I'm just Tong-dal's wife in name only. You all think so, and so does Tong-dal. If you treat me sincerely, then I'll treat you the same way. If not, I'll remain imperial family."
It was logical, but there was clearly a trap in it. Ju Seo-in had said she only needed the title of a married woman, but she was now going one step further and wanting to develop her relationship with the three of them and even with Do Tong-dal.
The three were not so dull as to miss that.
'How cute.'
Yeon Ja-yeon took it that way, but for Ha Su-ran and Namgung Seol-rin, the first feeling was 'How insolent.'
Ha Su-ran suddenly removed her veil. If she had removed her veil during the wedding, the ceremony would not have ended so peacefully.
The moment Ha Su-ran removed her veil, Ju Seo-in's breath stopped. Her reaction to seeing Ha Su-ran's face was no different just because she was imperial family.
The words 'How...... how......' could not even make a sound, and only her lips twitched.
"So you're saying you'll only treat us well if we treat you well first. It seems you never learned how to be considerate of others first. Well, I suppose that's only natural for imperial family."
Ju Seo-in swallowed hard.
"No, well, it's not exactly that...... Is that face real?"
Formal speech came out before she knew it. Namgung Seol-rin muttered.
"I'm telling you, Sis Su-ran's face can't even be imitated with the Thousand-Face Disguise Art. That face is seriously cheating."
Ha Su-ran spoke to Ju Seo-in with a smiling face.
"Then just keep doing as you are now. That was the original agreement anyway."
"Um...... can I touch your face just once?"
It seemed Ha Su-ran's words weren't even reaching her ears. When Ha Su-ran put her veil back on, Ju Seo-in let out a regretful sigh and asked the two of them.
"Can you two really share a man with someone who has a face like that?"
Yeon Ja-yeon answered.
"We're doing it right now."
"Tong-dal doesn't seem like he'd ever leave Strategist Ha's side. With a woman who has a face like that, what man would go to another woman?"
"He comes to us just fine, you know?"
"Even after seeing that face? Maybe Tong-dal hasn't seen it?"
"You don't know Young Master Do that well, yet you intend to become his real wife? Your Highness isn't qualified."
"But...... but......"
Ju Seo-in's shoulders drooped.
"Fine...... I'll do better......"
Ha Su-ran had thoroughly deflated Ju Seo-in with that beauty said to be the greatest of all time.
Namgung Seol-rin clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention.
"Then it's time for bed now. Eldest sister, please go to your room."
"I'm really fine......"
Yeon Ja-yeon put up a show of modesty, but Namgung Seol-rin and Ha Su-ran pushed her by the back.
"This night isn't endless, you know. Only when Sis finishes quickly(?) does our turn come around."
"I feel bad."
"He's the guy who brought twelve go. Don't worry."
When Yeon Ja-yeon was pushed out of the room, Namgung Seol-rin sat down on a chair and let out a long sigh.
"Now we'll have a little breathing room."
Ju Seo-in asked.
"What are you doing right now?"
"We just had the wedding ceremony."
"That's right."
"What do you do at night after a wedding ceremony?"
"The first...... night?"
"There are three brides...... well, four including you, so we set the order."
"Did you draw lots or something?"
"It's by age. Eldest sister, then Sis Su-ran here is second, and I'm the youngest. Originally Your Highness would be the youngest, but imperial authority comes before family, so it can't be helped."
"Family......?"
"Of course we're family. The kind of family that shares life's joys and hardships and protects each other no matter what."
Namgung Seol-rin's words stabbed into Ju Seo-in's chest like a dagger. In the imperial palace, the word family was not used.
They were imperial family, and imperial family meant enemies who could plant a knife in each other's backs at any time, even though they shared one bloodline.
To the imperial family, family was nothing more or less than enemies to be dealt with in order to seize power. In that sense, the relationship between Ju Hyeong-seon and Ju Seo-in was special.
"I see. Family......"
She had never thought of it as special, nor had she ever wanted it. But now that the possibility of entering their warm fold had arisen, the name family finally felt special.
Honestly, she had liked Do Tong-dal. If she were to truly marry, she did not want to consider anyone but Do Tong-dal.
But when Do Tong-dal disappeared for three years, citing closed-door training, she had put those feelings away.
During those three years, as she trained, martial arts became everything she wanted to do. It had been that way since she was young, so it was a natural progression.
When Ju Seo-in had decided to join as the fourth wife, it really had only been because she needed the title of a married woman.
But when she met Do Tong-dal, her wavering heart could not be helped. Do Tong-dal strangely had the ability to steal hearts.
On top of that, the three who had become fellow wives were not rivals fighting over one man, but truly seemed like real sisters.
Cherishing one another, willingly yielding what was most precious, protecting each other in this harsh world...... Yes. Family. They truly were family.
Ju Seo-in now wanted to enter that fold as well. The warmth she had never possessed came to her as desperately as a campfire to a traveler on a cold winter night.
While removing their makeup and changing clothes, Namgung Seol-rin and Ha Su-ran silently watched Ju Seo-in in that state.
"I'll be going."
Ju Seo-in left the room with those words.
"She's like a puppy caught in the rain, isn't she?"
"Right? Is it okay for imperial family to look that pitiful?"
"She must have a lot on her mind."
"Forget it. Let's just think about ourselves today."
* * *
"Heh heh heh......"
Namgung Seol-rin's laughter sounded strange. Do Tong-dal, who had been drinking water after finishing the hard work(?), looked at Namgung Seol-rin as if she were odd.
"What's with that weird laugh?"
"They said you brought twelve go, and I was thinking your reputation is well deserved."
Do Tong-dal let out a short laugh and flopped down.
"I'm dying. Why did I make so much work for myself?"
"What else can you do? You have to spend the first night."
Somewhere, the sound of a rooster crowing at dawn could be heard.
"Let's sleep quickly."
As he pulled the blanket up to his stomach, Namgung Seol-rin said.
"Don't you have to go one more place?"
"Where else would I go?"
"The Second Imperial Princess."
"Are you crazy? The Second Imperial Princess is just a wife in name. Is there someone you want dead?"
"You still haven't reached the level of the Eight-Tailed Prince."
"......."
Namgung Seol-rin stared at Do Tong-dal with suspicious eyes.
"What, don't tell me......"
"No! I only work that hard when someone's life is on the line. I'm not some lecher."
"You do seem like a lecher, though? That aside, are you really going to leave the Second Imperial Princess as a wife in name only?"
"That's what she wanted."
"And you?"
"What about me?"
"Do you really feel nothing?"
"Yeah. Three is already more than enough."
"What if the Second Imperial Princess says she wants to become your real wife?"
"That would be breaking the agreement."
Namgung Seol-rin lay on her stomach and thrust her face right in front of Do Tong-dal's nose.
"Forget the agreement. If the Second Imperial Princess truly wants you, what will you do?"
They had fought together to make Ju Hyeong-seon emperor, so his connection with Ju Seo-in was not a light one.
"I don't know. Let's think about that when the time comes. I don't want to waste mental energy on something that hasn't happened."
"You should prepare in advance. That's what's like you."
"If the Second Imperial Princess says she'll become a proper wife to me, will you accept it?"
"I'll see what the Second Imperial Princess does."
He had expected her to jump up in outrage, but she was trying to show a surprisingly flexible side. Do Tong-dal pushed Namgung Seol-rin's face away from his nose and said.
"That's for you wives to work out among yourselves. I'll follow your orders."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really."
As Do Tong-dal closed his eyes, Namgung Seol-rin asked in a suggestive voice.
"You said you still haven't reached the Eight-Tailed Prince's level, so are you just going to sleep?"
* * *
Do Tong-dal returned to Beijing. He could have gone straight to Prince Yeongun, but he was uneasy about leaving Ju Hyeong-seon solely in the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
He had safely escorted Ju Hyeong-seon to the imperial palace and was about to leave when he received word that someone was looking for Yang Su-pan.
"No Song-guk? Isn't he that Thousand-Man Commander from the Southern Barbarians you recommended, Tong-dal?"
"It seems he's arrived now."
It had taken about half a month to get here from the Southern Barbarians, so he must have run himself ragged getting here.
Yang Su-pan, who had told the eunuch who came to report to bring him in, said to Ju Hyeong-seon.
"I will meet with him first."
"Since he's here anyway, let me see his face too. If Tong-dal recommended him, he's probably no ordinary person."
Do Tong-dal waved his hand dismissively.
"I just meant he's too good to be stuck in the Southern Barbarians, nothing more than that."
"That's by your standards."
Before long, No Song-guk appeared, and he looked utterly like a beggar. Since he must have run without rest from the Southern Barbarians to here, it was only natural for him to look like that.
No Song-guk carefully entered the room, and upon seeing Do Tong-dal, his face turned into a 'Gah!' expression.
Do Tong-dal smiled brightly and said.
"It seems I won the bet."
"No, I ran my ass off, even cutting into my sleep, so how could you possibly get here faster than me?"
Yang Su-pan let out a dry cough.
"Hmph! You are in His Majesty the Emperor's presence. Watch your language."
In that instant, No Song-guk froze. He had never even imagined that the young man sitting at the same table, at the same height, facing Do Tong-dal, could be the emperor.
No Song-guk dropped to his knees and shouted, "I behold His Majesty the Emperor! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand ten-thousand years!"
Ju Hyeong-seon asked.
"From the look of it, you seem to have rushed here from the Southern Barbarians. Is there some matter?"
When No Song-guk did not dare answer, Yang Su-pan said.
"It seems he made a drinking bet with Tong-dal over who would arrive in Beijing first."
"A bet with Tong-dal? Tsk tsk tsk...... To do something so reckless. You must know your enemy and know yourself, but your fundamentals are lacking."
"I apologize!"
Cold sweat ran down No Song-guk's back. He had only made a drinking bet with Do Tong-dal, but he had not expected to be scolded by the emperor.
Do Tong-dal defended the trembling No Song-guk.
"It's a mistake anyone could make. That's how I make a living, too. Heh heh heh......"
Ju Hyeong-seon said to No Song-guk.
"Sit on that chair there."
It was a six-person table, and the seat was directly across from Ju Hyeong-seon. No Song-guk did not dare even think of sitting there.
"Th-this humble officer is comfortable here."
"I'm the one who's uncomfortable. You're hidden behind the table and I can't even see you."
Yang Su-pan said.
"Are you defying His Majesty's command?"
* * *