Chapter 613: On the Way to Beijing (5)
I couldn't help but respond to my father's words.
"Pardon? What do you mean by that?"
"Do you intend to let your father witness his own son suffering such humiliation? You unfilial wretch…."
No, I'm at the Super First-rate level in martial arts myself.
So it's not like it'll be that bad….
Come to think of it, how many brothers does Deputy Officer Gwak's older sister have again?
Reality suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.
Besides, the impact on the Eunhae Merchant Group couldn't be ignored.
But this was all because of me.
"I'll just endure it. Whatever."
"Endure it?"
"Yes."
"Tsk tsk. If it were me, I'd grab the chance the moment they offered to back me up. What on earth are you worried about?"
"Well… I still don't quite know how Deputy Officer Gwak feels…."
"Why do you think she's still wearing that pearl hairpin?"
"……."
"Tsk tsk. You're so sharp when it comes to business, yet such a blockhead about this?"
…
…
…
After Father left my pavilion, I wandered around, lost in thought.
When I came to my senses, I found myself at Seo-hyang Sojeo's quarters.
"Huh?"
Just then, Seo-hyang Sojeo stepped out of her pavilion, tilting her head.
"What brings you here at this hour?"
"Ah, I couldn't sleep, so I was taking a stroll."
"Dawn is almost breaking."
I looked up at the sky.
A drum sounded at that moment.
Already the hour of the ox? I'd pulled an all-nighter.
"That look on your face…."
"Pardon?"
"I saw it last evening. So that's what today was about."
"……."
"You have something to tell me."
Right. No more avoiding it.
Giving her the pearl hairpin wasn't a formal proposal, but it had turned into one.
Regardless, this needed a clear resolution.
"Yes. You're right."
I swallowed dryly and asked carefully.
"What do you think of me, Deputy Officer Gwak?"
"Pardon?"
She tilted her head as she replied.
"He's a good man, of course."
"I'm sorry. My question was poorly phrased. Forget your current circumstances entirely—the fact that you need to stay by my side to survive, and all other considerations. Just think of you and me alone."
I continued.
"What do you think about marrying me?"
Her face flushed red at my words.
She fiddled with the pearl hairpin for a moment before speaking.
"Do you remember when you met my parents not long ago? I wore this then, and they said nothing about it. That means they approve of us. If they didn't, they would have thrown it to the floor."
Just as Father said.
"I admire you."
Seo-hyang Sojeo was speaking clearly to me.
She admired me.
Those words hit me heavy in the chest.
"Truth be told, I might have admired you from the first time I saw you. Ever since you wrote my name on that paper from the far north."
I let out a sigh.
"I heard from Father. In your homeland, if a man rejects a proposal, the woman suffers quite a bit."
"Yes. That's true."
"Honestly, I'm prepared for that."
"Pardon?"
Tears began to well up in her eyes.
"You have no feelings for me."
"That's not it!"
"Then I don't understand even more! Why?"
"It's… I don't know how this will sound, but I lack the confidence to ask the one I admire to walk my path with me and share the hardships."
To say this to Seo-hyang Sojeo of all people! Damn it!
My heart… it hurts like it's being torn out.
But I had to answer.
She wouldn't accept it otherwise.
"This isn't some lame excuse. It's my true heart."
It'd be better to hang upside down from a beam and get beaten for three days straight.
I took a deep breath after saying that.
My lips were parched.
Yes, now I finally understood this feeling.
This was the emotion of admiration.
I admired Seo-hyang Sojeo.
I should have realized it sooner.
But I'd unconsciously ignored it.
Because admitting it felt like it couldn't be.
"My goal is to make the Eunhae Merchant Group the greatest trading company under heaven, but there's a more dangerous and arduous one: revenge against the Murim Alliance. That requires staking my life."
I looked up at Seo-hyang Sojeo.
"How could I drag the one I admire into something like that? It's a path I must walk alone. So, I'm sorry."
I clenched my fists and bowed my head.
"Young Master. Are you an idiot?"
"……Pardon?"
The voice I heard then.
"Why do you think so narrowly? I don't know why you harbor vengeance against the Murim Alliance. But have you forgotten? I hate them too."
Lightning seemed to flash before my eyes.
I hadn't thought of it.
Seo-hyang Sojeo had also been forced to hide her identity because of the Murim Alliance.
She'd even been separated from her family for life.
Her grudge against them couldn't be any less than mine.
Why didn't I think of that?
I'm such an idiot. A total fool.
"This path where you burn with revenge, bile in your mouth—walking it alone or together won't make much difference, will it?"
She said to me.
"So, I'll walk that path with you."
Was it my imagination, or did Seo-hyang Sojeo look like a fairy reaching out from within the light?
I'd never told anyone about my goal of revenge against the Murim Alliance.
This was the first time revealing it to Seo-hyang Sojeo.
It terrified me, but it showed my true heart.
And to that, she said she'd walk it with me.
Maybe she seemed to shine because of the psychological relief that I wouldn't walk that thorny path alone.
I chuckled.
"It won't be boring, that's for sure."
"But… this counts as a proposal, right?"
I hesitated at her question before finally answering.
"W-Well, yes, it is a proposal."
"What is this! Do you know how uncool you are?"
"I'm sorry. But I'll make the wedding grand."
- Oink!
Something feels like it just glossed over awkwardly?
Sigh, I didn't want it to be like this either.
But what could I do about the situation?
In the meantime, the surroundings began to brighten.
"Dawn is breaking."
As she spoke, I turned east and saw the sun rising.
Watching the dawn together like this….
"Um…."
Suddenly, it felt embarrassing.
"W-Would you… like to train together?"
"Yes."
…
…
…
That morning.
After training with Seo-hyang Sojeo, washing up, and heading to the dining hall for breakfast, all the family members except the underage children were gathered.
"So, you're heading back to Beijing today?"
"Yes, Grandfather."
I replied politely to Grandfather's question.
Come to think of it, Grandfather was nearing eighty.
If this were my previous life, I wouldn't have much time left to see him.
That made looking at him feel bittersweet.
"It's cold out. Be careful."
"Yes."
Then the maids brought in porridge.
Chicken porridge today.
After enjoying the delicious chicken porridge, tea was served.
These family breakfast tea times often turned into tastings for new teas.
"This is Mi-dam-chwi-a from Guizhou Province."
"Oh! Sweet yet refreshingly light—truly top-grade!"
"Yes. Thanks to Lord Pozhengsa, we could bring back top-grade tea."
Hm, time to get to the main point.
"Um… I've decided to get married."
"I see."
Mother responded calmly.
And the rest of the family looked like they'd expected it.
"Wh-Why isn't anyone surprised?"
At my question, Brother Jeong Ho spoke.
"We saw it coming. Why would we be surprised?"
"You saw it coming?"
"Yeah."
Sister-in-law the Second added an explanation.
"The one who usually looks at women like stones has a completely different gaze when it comes to Deputy Officer Gwak. How could we not notice?"
I scratched the back of my neck without thinking.
Everyone knew but me.
"Hm, then we should contact Escort Leader Gwak."
Second Sister-in-law said.
"Since Deputy Officer Gwak has no parents, her closest relatives nearby will have to stand in as marriage guarantors."
Currently, Seo-hyang Sojeo was known as a distant relative of her master from Guizhou Province.
And her parents had passed from an infectious disease.
Everyone in the family except Father and Mother believed that.
I'd wanted to hide her hometown too, but her natural accent made it impossible.
"Just as Second Daughter-in-law said."
…
…
…
After breakfast, I followed Father to his study.
Once seated across from each other, Father got straight to the point.
"This time, I'm going to Guizhou Province myself."
"Pardon?"
"Even with the circumstances, how can we proceed without the parents of both families meeting?"
"True. But as you know, Father, the situation is a bit…."
"Don't worry. Thanks to you, there won't be any issues."
"Pardon?"
"The Guizhou branch expansion."
"Ah!"
"As clan leader, I can visit with betrothal gifts in gratitude, can't I?"
Father wore an amused expression.
"You agonize endlessly in words, but your actions are always so steady."
"You're right."
After wrapping up our secretive discussion with Father, I stopped by my pavilion before heading to the carriage house.
Seeing Seo-hyang Sojeo by Jukangma felt a bit awkward… but no helping it.
I mounted my horse, and the others followed suit.
"Then, we'll be off."
"Travel safely."
After bidding farewell to Father and the family, we set off for Beijing.
…
…
…
We arrived in Beijing just a few days after departing Hubei Province.
That was how fast Jukangma had run.
At first, the speed was tough, but now everyone had adapted, and they were all fine.
Even Seo-hyang Sojeo, who was relatively weaker in martial arts.
Palgap? Well, he's a bear.
"Welcome!"
The Beijing branch members greeted us warmly.
"Warrior Yi Pil, I'm sorry to ask this right upon arrival."
"You mean to visit Jin Yeong Daehyeop's residence."
"Yes, exactly. This is the report. Please."
The rest of us went to our quarters, washed up thoroughly, and changed clothes.
Riding Jukangma was fast, but it inevitably dirtied the clothes.
"Young Master. Are you that happy?"
"Hm?"
"You've been grinning nonstop since we left Hubei Province."
"Is it that obvious?"
Palgap nodded at my question.
"I'm dying to know what you're feeling."
"Hmm? How to explain it…."
After a moment's thought, I continued.
"One thing's for sure. I need to live even harder from now on."
"Eek! Harder than now? You'd drop dead, and Deputy Officer Gwak would be a widow!"
"Ah…."
I said to Palgap.
"From today, start taking some tonics."
…
…
…
That evening.
Jin Yeong Daehyeop visited the Beijing branch.
I could go to the palace myself, but entering through him was better.
That way, I could meet the Emperor immediately.
Going alone meant waiting until he summoned me.
That wasn't just inefficient—it was a waste of time.
"Greetings, Jin Yeong Daehyeop."
"I heard the gist. You did a great job."
"You're too kind. It was thanks to Jin Yeong Daehyeop, Warrior Jang Won, and the many Gold Guard warriors."
Jin Yeong Daehyeop smiled, clearly pleased by my flattery.
"Let's go see His Majesty."
"Yes."
We headed straight to the palace and soon met the Emperor.
In the Emperor's hand was the report I'd submitted through Warrior Yi Pil.
"I read your report. This is why I like you scoundrel."
That's praise, right?
"Using your merchant status to lower their guard and get close… Clever bastard. That was only possible because you're a real merchant."
"Yes."
Even if the Gold Guard or Embroidered Uniform Guard disguised as merchants, people could tell the difference.
The same sight looks different depending on your position.
"That's why I have to leave you as just a merchant."
It must be regrettable from the Emperor's standpoint, but I could breathe a sigh of relief.
"It says here the expenses for this were considerable."
"Yes."
I'd submitted the costs from Beijing to Hainamdo too.
Though I hadn't skimped on my birthday banquet expenses, in good conscience.
"I won't accept those expenses. Nor the 100,000 nyang confiscated from the Wu Merchant Group listed there."
"You wouldn't do this without reason. What's the condition?"
"In the records related to the Hainamdo project, note that the Eunhae Merchant Group provided assistance. And for the materials used in building the Hainamdo naval base, use ours for at least half."
"Grabbing the real profits, eh."
Come on, you know it all and still say that?
"Fine. You worked hard on this. Since it's payment for what you wanted, no other rewards needed, right?"
"Yes."
But once you see this, you'll change your tune.
I cautiously made another request to the Emperor.
"And, Your Majesty. I have something to say privately. Please clear the room."