Chapter 17
Translator: uly
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Wedding Night
It was a moonlit night.
Ah, a deadly moon. I wanted to crack the same joke, but now I was in a situation where I could really die. I needed to act as carefully as possible.
The bridal chamber was imminent. Would Murong Sang-ah know about the news of the Kang family? It was probably right to assume she did. No matter what route she used to send evidence to the Joseon court, she must have her own independent communication network with Joseon.
If the news of the Kang family's extermination had reached me, it was correct to assume Murong Sang-ah knew as well. Of course, even if she didn't, I had a plan for that. I had to escape according to the plan I had devised by racking my brains as much as possible.
There was no one in front of the bridal chamber.
In Joseon, there was a custom of peeking through torn paper windows, but it seemed they didn't do that here. I used to think it was just a funny scene, but thinking about it now, wasn't that basically a Joseon version of adult streaming?
And it was a live broadcast of a virgin and a bachelor, no less. For people of an era without AV, it must have been unbearable.
If no one was around like this, it would be easier to slip out of the bridal chamber and run away.
"Ahem!"
I deliberately coughed to announce my arrival at the bridal chamber.
No response. Should I just go in?
"I'm coming in."
Entering the bridal chamber, only small oil lamps provided the lighting. To enhance the chamber's atmosphere, a pleasant scent wafted from the lamps. The oil inside the lamps wasn't ordinary oil but seemed to be mixed with incense.
A small presence was felt on the bed. Approaching cautiously, there lay Murong Sang-ah with her eyes closed.
Murong Sang-ah's figure illuminated by the lamplight was truly mesmerizing.
*Gulp.*
I unconsciously swallowed dryly. To maintain reason before a woman preparing to receive her husband, and Murong Sang-ah at that, hailed as a peerless beauty, I had to stay tense.
If you want to live, endure. If you partake in this, tomorrow's meal will be in hell.
Repeating it quickly in my mind, I looked at Murong Sang-ah again.
Could there be a man in this world capable of wielding a woman as beautiful as Murong Sang-ah like a staff? The misfortune for her must have been that such men were her brother and her husband.
Unconsciously, I stroked the cheek of Murong Sang-ah, who had her eyes closed.
"My wife."She was no longer Miss Murong Sang-ah, but my wife. The problem was that the time limit of about 30 minutes remained.
Even when I called softly, Murong Sang-ah did not answer. Her irregular breathing confirmed she was definitely awake.
My gaze moved from her face to the upper body covered by the blanket. Her body's contours were clearly visible through the soft blanket.
Her chest, which asserted its presence unmistakably even under the blanket, was beating irregularly. And within her grasp under the blanket, there was something with a distinct outline.
Something that should not be in a bridal chamber.A sword.
So, she intends to kill me after all.
My mind raced rapidly. I had to survive. This wasn't unexpected. It was an already assumed situation. Why doesn't she kill me right away? She's hesitating. If she opens her eyes, she intends to kill me. But she doesn't want to kill. I'll go with the plan that exploits her hesitation.
"My wife."Murong Sang-ah flinched.
"Please kill me."Those who seek death shall live; those who seek life shall die. Thus, I began the biggest bluff of my life.
"My lord!"Murong Sang-ah sat up with a start.
"You were awake.""What do you mean, asking me to kill you?"Murong Sang-ah said while subtly hiding the sword. What do you mean? It's what you originally intended to do.
"Have you heard the news about the Kang family?"
"......"Murong Sang-ah's expression hardened, and she avoided my gaze.
"You have heard. The Kang family was implicated in treason and exterminated."
"There must be some misunderstanding. Treason?"A misunderstanding it is. The source of that misunderstanding is right in front of me. But I must pretend not to know to maximize Murong Sang-ah's guilt.
"My father committed numerous illegal acts to amass wealth. Ginseng smuggling was just the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, to increase the family's assets, he turned a blind eye to many shady people. If one of them was implicated in treason, surely our household cannot remain unscathed."I appealed as if Kang Yun-ho believed the treason stemmed from our family's issues, unaware it was all Murong Sang-ah's design.
"Upon closer inspection, you will surely find it to be a false accusation. Do not give up."
"No. Even the marriage alliance with the Murong Family of the Central Plains was probably not viewed favorably by the Joseon court. If I go to Joseon, I will likely be killed."
"My lord. Even if implicated in treason, death is not certain. If you return to Joseon, a path will surely open."
"My father has already been beheaded. All the acquaintances I knew have been decapitated, and the women of the household have become slaves. What possible path is there?"This is what you did. I dig into Murong Sang-ah's guilt. Hearing those words, Murong Sang-ah avoided my gaze, looking down at the floor.
If I say this much, the real culprit—herself—will absolutely not confess.
"If you gather the Kang family assets outside Joseon, you could rise again."
"That wealth was accumulated because it belonged to the Kang family of Joseon. With the Kang family name gone, how can it be protected?"
"My lord, you must not give up."Right, I won't give up. It's not my wealth or my family anyway, why would I care?
"It's not giving up. I decided to save my wife, how could I give up?"After the shock therapy, it was time to reveal my true intentions.
"......"Murong Sang-ah looked at me with anxious eyes.
"Today, I must die for my wife."
"Wh-what are you saying?"
"If things continue like this, my wife cannot reclaim the Murong Family. If we consummate the marriage today, my wife becomes the wife of a traitor. If my wife is dragged to Joseon, she will become a slave. Even if I run away or remain with the Murong Family, my wife will be treated as a married-out daughter and never recognized as a family member. But if I die today, all of that becomes void."
"That is not a reason for my lord to die!"Murong Sang-ah protested to me.
You were originally going to kill me for that very reason, how hypocritical. But hearing that reason from the intended victim is another matter.
I must continue to stimulate her guilt. I shook my head and continued.
"No. It is a reason to die. The only thing left for me now is you. After today, I won't even be able to protect you."I stroked Murong Sang-ah's cheek with affectionate eyes. So soft and lovely. I needed to express affection quickly and abundantly.
"My lord..."Murong Sang-ah's eyes began to grow moist. Don't cry yet. I still have many insurance policies to lay down.
"Can you accept this?"I took an object from my pocket and showed it to Murong Sang-ah.
"Isn't this a Changbai Pure Silver ring?"
"It's my mother's keepsake. In Joseon, a wife wears a ring gifted by her husband on the fourth finger of the left hand. Even if the husband travels far, she remembers him through the ring. Could you perhaps accept this?"She was almost persuaded, but to prepare for any unforeseen event, I needed to hand over a token of affection.
I took Murong Sang-ah's left hand and gently pulled it toward me. But Murong Sang-ah softly pushed my hand away.
"My lord. I cannot accept this."Murong Sang-ah lightly held her left hand with her right and made a pained expression.
"I'm sorry. Right... It wouldn't look good to wear a ring from a husband for just one day."
"That's not it. My lord!! It's because I, I am a sinner."
Hey. Don't.
If you confess that in front of me, the situation gets complicated.
"Is it because you have to kill me? My wife has a father-in-law to protect, family members, and subordinates, doesn't she? Don't feel such guilt for a man you've only known for a few days. The real sinners are those who implicated my father and relatives in treason. They repaid kindness with enmity. So my wife absolutely need not feel any guilt."
That's you. It's you.
Murong Sang-ah's eyes trembled relentlessly.
Hey. After I've said this much, you can't possibly tell the truth, right?
Let's hurry.
"Now, strike me down."I closed my eyes and pretended to wait for my neck to be severed for a moment.
I've laid down insurance so diligently, you won't kill me, right?
I'm a little scared.
......
Peeking slightly through narrowed eyes, Murong Sang-ah was looking at me with a resolute expression.
"I absolutely cannot do that."Thank you. Mur... I mean, Murong Sang-ah.
"You truly cannot strike me down?"Murong Sang-ah shook her head vigorously.
"Sigh... Then there's no choice. I suppose I'll have to use my own method to save my wife."I sighed and spoke as if there was no other way.
"What is that?"
"Tonight, I will send my wife back to her maiden home."Sending the bride back on the wedding night. This is an act that brings tremendous humiliation to the wife. It usually means the husband, displeased with the wife, drives her out from the very first night. In this case, it would be the groom fighting with the bride and temporarily leaving the house.
"What are you saying?"
"I thought asking my gentle wife to behead me was too much. I will leave the Murong Family, telling everyone that I sent you back because you didn't please me."Doing this would at least prove, like in the original story's ending, that Murong Sang-ah remained undefiled.
"Murong Bi will be pleased to hear you were sent back. The marriage alliance is already established anyway; it's just a matter of humiliating my wife. I will say I'll sleep outside just for today and leave the Murong Family. Then I'll head for Joseon, so please send the Changbong Guard to kill me and send my body to Joseon."This way, I could maintain the original story's flow.
"My lord!"
"This is the best course. We must do it."I spoke in a firm tone.
"My lord, my lord, why are you doing this for a woman like me?"Because if I don't, you'll kill me. Patting the sobbing Murong Sang-ah, I opened my mouth.
"I promised to help my wife with everything I have."I said the most affectionate words I could to tickle Murong Sang-ah's heart.
"My lord!"Then Murong Sang-ah lunged at me.
What. Why. Her face is getting close.
*Oof.*
What.
Who puts their tongue in on the first kiss?
Where did you learn that?
Oooh.
Kissing Murong Sang-ah was,raw, wild, and rough with unrefined emotion.