Chapter 13
Translator: uly
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Murong Sang-ah's Scoundrel Fiancé - 2
It had been a long time since I'd made a woman cry with my writing.
Back in my childhood, when my literary sensitivity was at its peak, I confessed my love through writing, only to be met with furious tears and a 'How dare someone like you like me?'
What was I supposed to do when she just started crying in front of everyone? Thanks to that, I became the ultimate jerk in the girls' group and a target of ridicule among my guy friends.
Damn her. You have no idea how much PTSD I suffered because of that.
Luckily, I managed to cure that PTSD later by writing an erotic story where I violated a heroine modeled after her.
'Author. This female character is so vivid. Is there a real-life model?'
'No. There isn't. But when imagining the character, please picture short, straight-cut hair and upturned eyes. And she's wearing smoky makeup.'
Anyway, Murong Sang-ah bursting into tears was an unexpected situation.
Why is she crying? All she had to do was firmly state, 'I, Murong Sang-ah, will not kill Kang Yun-ho.'
Though flustered, since I'd decided to keep up the sweet male lead act, I casually used my sleeve to wipe away her tears.
Should I hug her gently and comfort her? No, we're not at that stage yet. If I touch her and she slaps my hand away, even I'd be hurt. So I just wiped her tears with my sleeve.
Seriously, how can a woman crying be this heart-flutteringly beautiful?
Ha. I wonder what kind of guy will make a woman like this fall for him. It must be the protagonist who will appear in the future.
I had used all my prepared moves, so now it was time for a finishing touch and to say goodbye. I took a small jar from my pocket.
[What's this?]
I considered writing again, but since the important situation was over, I decided to speak.
"Congratulations on passing the test. All that's left now is the wedding ceremony. This is tiger balm, good for bruises. It wouldn't do for someone about to be married to have a blemish."
I dabbed some ointment on my finger and carefully applied it to Murong Sang-ah's cheek. She seemed a little surprised by the proactive skin contact, but fortunately, she didn't reject my hand.
What do you think? A man who can't bear to see a single wound on his woman. Sweet, right? Be moved.
------
Although an unexpected situation arose, I was ultimately able to help Murong Sang-ah compose herself and leave the room.
Since I didn't take the Murong Family route, I didn't know, but her personality seems a bit different than I thought. She seemed like a character with very little emotional fluctuation and a face that rarely showed expression, yet she got teary-eyed after just a few words. Could it be that I was just too cool?
As if.
Even I found that thought absurd, and a soft laugh escaped me. It's probably just that her emotions ran high because someone appeared who could offer a helping hand in her isolated, helpless situation.
Still, it's a good thing that I've been upgraded from 'that bastard to be killed', 'that son of a bitch', and 'you' to 'Gongja'. At the very least, she must now think of me as an ally.
I've crossed the most important hurdle among my goals.
In terms of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it's like getting past Hulao Pass, the place where locusts swarm. All that's left is to cut off Dong Zhuo's head, but since it's my head that's about to fly, I need to run away.
'The news of the treason charge arriving on the wedding day hasn't changed.'
There are only two days left until the wedding. It's safe to assume that Kang Yun-ho's entire family has already been arrested on treason charges. Probably, a courier is on his way to Liaodong Fortress with the news of the treason.
Even if Murong Sang-ah sends word to Joseon that it was all fabricated evidence, it's already far too late. The fact that they've been dragged before the court means the decision has already been made.
The Kang family will be exterminated. That major premise ultimately won't change.
I have to acknowledge that there are variables I can create and variables I cannot.
'I must escape immediately after hearing the treason news.'
Where is this? This is the Murong Family, where the Demonic Cult is secretly active. Once the treason news spreads within the family, there's no way the Murong Family members or the Demonic Cult followers would just say, 'Farewell.'
"Brother-in-law, we received the wedding gifts, but do you have anything else to hand over? You have money hidden away in the Central Plains, don't you? Hand some over."
"Hey, you bastard, why is this all you have? Do you want to come up to the roof with me?"
"Come to think of it, you know, if we want to get on good terms with those Joseon ginseng smugglers, we should send them one more gift."
Then I'd ask what that is.
"Your neck."
Ugh... Just thinking about it is terrifying.
From the start, I never thought I could peacefully live the life of the Murong Family's rascal husband. It's a marriage formed between two families. If the other family is exterminated, there's no way the marriage can be maintained.
To survive, the best course is ultimately to not die on the wedding night and escape Murong Sang-ah successfully.
Thinking this way as I walked, I arrived near Murong Bi's office.
"Gongja Kang Yun-ho has arrived."
Since I had to report the test results, I needed to show the face of the rascal Kang Yun-ho once more.
"Come in, brother-in-law. What happened to that bitch Sang-ah? Should I call people for tomorrow?"
Murong Bi welcomed me with open arms, a subtly expectant look on his face.
"She barely scraped a passing score."
"Hmm, you didn't go easy on her because you were bewitched by her beauty, did you?"
"I also thought it was a chance to educate that girl's attitude, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. Still, I was a bit worried because of rumors calling her a child prodigy or a genius, but she kept getting questions wrong and only managed to barely reach a passing level."
When someone seems displeased, the best thing is to join them in badmouthing the person they dislike.
"That's right! You've properly grasped that girl's nature. She's been grossly overestimated! And she doesn't even know it, her arrogance knows no bounds."
If Murong Sang-ah is overestimated, you're just a bubble. Is it because of this inferiority complex and resentment that you foolishly cooperate with the Demonic Cult and end up getting your family exterminated?
"I am a bit worried that the girl might go to the main family and act all high and mighty."
"Hmm, don't worry too much about that. When you spar often, you get to know the other person's character. That girl, no matter the situation, first endures and waits from a defensive position. And then she looks for an opening. But, brother-in-law, are you the kind of person who would give that girl an opening to act within the family?"
"Haha. Of course not. I'll make sure she just keeps enduring."
Right. That personality of waiting for the perfect opening is the problem.
What I'm worried about is Murong Sang-ah's decisive move.
'I have heard the news of your family's treason. Please, for my sake, just die.'
Upon hearing the news of the extermination, Murong Sang-ah's thoughts could change.
Murong Sang-ah could consider what the best choice is and decide to kill Kang Yun-ho, aiming for his wealth.
So I must not let my guard down until the very moment of escape.
"It's truly amazing that you can discern such things through martial arts."
"When you reach a certain level of ascension, you can see the things below it. Things like that girl Murong Sang-ah's personality."
Then why can't a guy like that see that he's ruining his own family?
"Ascension-level martial arts... Just hearing about it sounds like a distant realm."
"Come to think of it, you haven't learned martial arts, have you? Have you ever actually witnessed martial arts?"
"I've seen the Guard Captain's martial arts, but... It's ultimately martial arts for dealing with bandits or the like, so it didn't seem to be of a very high realm."
Whether it's a martial arts dating sim world or whatever, since I've come to a martial arts world, I should be able to see martial arts, but I haven't actually seen any since I got here.
Even digging through Kang Yun-ho's memories, the Guard Captain was the person with the highest martial arts realm around him. But even he wasn't that high-level.
"Hmm... Right. I have some time today, would you like to witness some martial arts?"
"Martial arts, you say?"
"Does it make sense for a man taking a daughter of the Murong Family as his wife to have never seen martial arts? I may not be able to show you myself, but I'll assign someone so you can witness the martial arts of the Murong Family."
"Thanks to you, Elder Brother, I get a chance to broaden my horizons. Thank you."
Right, I'd like to see the orthodox martial arts of the Murong Family people, not the Demonic Arts you use. It's a world I've seen countless times in martial arts novels but could never actually witness. I want to see the martial arts of that world.
"Good. Is anyone outside?!"
Murong Bi called for someone and ordered them to show me the Murong Family martial arts. I bowed to Murong Bi and headed to the training grounds with the Murong Family members.
Finally, I get to see the martial arts of the martial arts world for real!
"Chief Steward."
After Kang Yun-ho disappeared, Murong Bi quietly called for the Chief Steward.
"Young Master. What is it?"
The Chief Steward, appointed by the Young Master after he dismissed his father's friend. He was a Demonic Cult follower faithfully assisting Murong Bi.
"Was there no separate report from the warriors guarding the door?"
Murong Bi trusted the rascal Kang Yun-ho, but he also acknowledged the power of his younger sister's beauty, so he asked the Chief Steward for confirmation.
"The room was soundproofed, so they couldn't hear everything, but perhaps because they were on bad terms, they say they exchanged only a few words at first and then just kept taking the test. And they heard that Murong Sang-ah barely passed, and even that she burst into tears at the end."
The Chief Steward briefly relayed the news he'd heard from the warriors stationed in front.
"That girl cried? That bitch who didn't shed a tear even when she lost to me, cried? She must have really hated to be humiliated. I missed a good show."
Murong Bi sighed, genuinely regretful.
"I can't even imagine making the peerless Murong Sang-ah cry."
"I'm the one who arranged this predestined marriage! For a couple to be on such bad terms even before the wedding. Hehe. It's truly a good thing. Don't you think so, Chief Steward?"
"Haha. I can already picture Murong Sang-ah's unhappy married life."
"The man I carefully selected should at least do that much."
"Could a man who remains unshaken even by Murong Sang-ah's beauty even exist in the Central Plains? A man who indifferently and calmly hurls insults despite the young lady's appearance, a man so accustomed to women that he isn't swayed by her. To find such a man from a barbarian family in a foreign land. You are truly amazing."
The Chief Steward looked at Murong Bi with an admiring face.
"Hehe. Barbarian, you say. He is my precious brother-in-law who will handle that bitch Sang-ah for me and bring wealth to the family. Watch your words."
Murong Sang-ah is Murong Bi's enemy. And a man who can torment Murong Sang-ah will even increase the Murong Family's wealth.
Without realizing it, Kang Yun-ho had become 'my brother-in-law' in Murong Bi's heart.
"I misspoke. I apologize."
"Good. Be careful from now on. The wedding preparations are going well, I trust?"
"Yes. We made various excuses so the famous martial artists couldn't attend, and the wedding is planned to be modest, mainly with local dignitaries and bloodline members."
"Good. Why make that bitch's wedding a big affair? It doesn't look good for a younger sister to be sold off to a foreign country. To prevent rumors from spreading, we must minimize outsiders."
"Yes. A wise decision."
"Good. Now, it won't be long before that tiresome bitch and I finish our succession competition."
"Congratulations in advance."
"As I always say, you've worked hard, Chief Steward. The Cult as well. Once I become Family Head, I will surely repay you."
"How could there be any doubt?"
From Murong Bi's office, the sinister laughter of the two men flowed out.