“What are you looking at so closely?”
Duke HyoEun, SulJoon, moved a chess piece on the board as he asked. He was Garan’s brother-in-law. The Red King’s fingers were fidgeting with the bamboo shard in his hand and froze at SulJoon’s question.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Garan grinned.
How could anyone fathom what was inside that man’s head? Duke HyoEun shook his head from side to side. The Red King was a difficult man to read.
He would suddenly show up out of nowhere and asked him to play a game of chess, and then he’d suddenly get up from his seat and leave. Duke HyoEun was now used to the Red King’s abrupt behavior.
The maverick of the imperial family. If one told him to be harsh, he was soft. If he was told to be fierce, he would act friendly. The Red King was such an ambiguous person. However, one thing was certain. The Red King treasured his younger sister, Princess Muyeo.
Once the rain cleared, the sun’s rays felt incredibly hot. They opened all the doors in the room to let some cool air in, but there was no wind.
Duke HyoEun felt uncomfortable in his clothes and slightly loosened his collar. Even in this weather, the Red King didn’t shed one drop of sweat. Duke HyoEun felt envious as he glanced at the Red King’s immaculately pristine face.
Suddenly, they heard the faint notes of a melody.
“Is someone playing the morin khuur?”
The Red King asked as his ears perked up at the sound.
“I heard that the daughter-in-law of Princess Yeowa is here. But are you really sure we shouldn’t call Princess Muyeo here? If she finds out that you visited and left without seeing her, I’ll be the one who gets in trouble.”
“I only came by to see your face. Since she has a guest, I don’t want to inconvenience her.”
While he agreed with the Red King, Duke HyoEun’s face was filled with concern on behalf of Princess Muyeo. Garan glanced at him. He was incredibly grateful for his brother-in-law.
Matched at eighteen with a young girl of thirteen, this young man ended up taking the role of the princess’s servant, friend, and nanny.
If she asked him to bring her a flower, he’d bring her a flower. If she asked him to sing, he’d sing. If she asked him to dance, he’d dance. It was said that the emperor clutched his head in frustration at his behavior, but in the end, the couple ended up establishing their own family.
For the first four years of their marriage, the couple slept in separate rooms, but Duke HyoEun never stopped caring for the princess.
The fact that the capricious Princess Muyeo was able to live her life as a functional human being was probably all thanks to this man.
“Anyways, how is your injury? The Princess was distraught with worry.”
“Since I’m not dead, it’s fine. Wounds will heal. More importantly, how is your daughter, MyungHwa?”
“She’s growing up very well.”
A fool for his daughter, Duke HyoEun’s lips immediately stretched into a smile.
“She takes after the princess, so she’s very lovely.”
Such a fool… The Red King clicked his tongue.
“What do you like so much about the princess?”
Although she was his younger sister, he knew that she was very temperamental and intense. And she was too young. Leaving this younger sister in someone else’s care had worried the Red King. He was worried that she wouldn’t be loved. Worried that she’d be lonely and hurt. Thankfully, Muyeo was currently very loved.
That alone made the Red King feel so grateful for Duke HyoEun.
“No matter what she does, she seems so beautiful and lovable to me. What can I say? They say love is a sickness.”
No matter what she does, she seems beautiful and lovable?
The Red King burst out laughing in disbelief, causing Duke HyoEun to look up at him in shock.
“Why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing. I can’t believe you said she seems so beautiful and lovable no matter what she does. Are you sure you’re not blind?”
“Have you never felt that way before, Your Highness?”
“I have not.”
The Red King spoke in a curt voice. Suddenly, a woman’s face drifted into his thoughts. It was that laughable woman who was dangling in the air inside the cocoon of silk as she glared daggers at him. For a moment, he had felt that she was quite lovely, but the Red King attributed it to the fickle nature of man. It was merely a fading mist created by a passing desire.
“How cruel. Aren’t there many ladies who cry out for your affection?”
Even as a man, the duke acknowledged that the Red King was very desirable. With just a glance from the Red King, the ladies of YeonSung would faint. The Red King was like a poisonous punishment for these ladies. Just one look from him was like a fatal blow to the heart. And yet, this man would merely pass by as if it were nothing.
The more one wanted to hold onto him, the more elusive he’d be. And once they gave up on him and spurned him, he would smile at them, causing their hearts to waver. Such a bad man…
What woman in this world would be able to capture the heart of such a bad man?
“But a house needs the fragrance of flowers.”
The duke was using a roundabout way to tell the Red King to settle down and take a queen. The Red King laughed innocently and looked at Duke HyoEun as he cut him off.
“Checkmate, Brother-in-law.”
“Gah!”
Because his thoughts were lingering on his wife and daughter, Duke HyoEun hadn’t realized that his defense had been left wide open for the Red King’s attack. He looked up at the Red King with a long face.
“Because I won the bet, you must do anything I ask, no matter what.”
Duke HyoEun let out a deep sigh.
“Please don’t be too harsh with me.”
“Hmm. I wouldn’t ask you to do anything bad. This is all in friendly jest.”
“Last time, you told me to take my clothes off and dance.”
“Pfft, that time I was just a tad drunk, so… Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to do anything difficult this time.”
The Red King chuckled before his brows furrowed once again. He should probably stop coming over here and seeing how his younger sister was doing. Any sign of his affections would cause the recipient to run into trouble. The Crown Prince’s eyes would begin to dwell on the princess’s household if he didn’t stop.
He heard the swell of his sister’s laughter over the wall. Then he heard the melody of the morin khuur begin once again. Unlike the last piece, the morin khuur sounded bold and lively this time.
Ten days had passed. He couldn’t find any trace of the woman who had escaped with the bamboo slip. Just where could she be hiding?
He also needed that bamboo slip.
Why did the Heukra carry his mother’s waistband? What had caused his mother to fall into death’s grasp seven years ago? He needed to find the source of the scandal and the source of the disgrace. Garan’s hands tightened around the bamboo shards.
The heavy cadence of the morin khuur rang in the air like a dream. The women who had gathered around were in awe as they voiced their praises.
Yujo gave everyone a faint smile as if she were embarrassed. Right now, she was Duke MoonYeo’s wife, Dan SeoYeon. Therefore, she was wearing a dress made of blue silk embroidered with white flowers.
“That was truly wonderful. It also sounded a bit sad.”
“The story behind the morin khuur is also quite sad. There once was a young man in the northern province who received a horse from the woman he loved. He would ride that horse every night because of the yearning in his heart for this woman he could no longer meet. However, another woman found out about this and killed the horse in a fit of jealousy. The young man took the dead horse and made the morin khuur from its body.”
“It’s always because of that darn jealousy!”
Lady Yeon began to wave her fan as she joked. The other ladies giggled as they shook their heads. For the past ten days, Yujo searched the houses of the victims who had burned to death. However, she was unable to find any trace of the symbol of the three-legged crow.
Had she guessed incorrectly? Had she jumped to conclusions? The priestess of Paran? There was no way this person was still alive. And what was the connection between the priestess and the Heukra?
Suddenly, Princess Muyeo seemed to break out of her deep thoughts as she leaned back against her seat.
“Lady Dan, do a lot of people still play the morin khuur in the northern province today?”
Yujo was briefly flustered. She was from Yeha, not from the northern province, so she didn’t know how to answer the princess. She felt as if she’d been caught in the act, so she was very worried about how to answer Princess Muyeo’s question.
Yujo had seen the other side of the princess. The side that the princess kept hidden underneath her friendly mask. Therefore, she knew that the princess was quite sharp and observant.
“Ah… Yes, they do.”
“Really? I heard that it’s not quite so common nowadays. I searched for someone to teach me this instrument, but I wasn’t successful. Seeing it played so well right in front of my eyes… It’s quite fascinating.”
“You’re right. I heard that it’s only practiced by the nobility or in nations like Yeha.”
Lady Kwak agreed. Unable to leave this alone, Yujo gave them a faint smile and spoke up.
“Ah, when I was young, my nanny was from Yeha, so I learned it from her.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me more about the northern province? I heard that the women of the northern province are quite tough, unlike the women here. Is that true?”
“Of course not.”
Yujo laughed and shook her head, but she knew inside her heart that the topic of the northern province was dangerous territory for her. She wouldn’t be able to continue talking about the northern province since she didn’t know much about it.
“So I heard that the lotus lantern festival will start tonight. Is everyone here ready to have some fun?”
Yujo hurriedly changed the subject.
The lotus lantern festival took place at the river in YeonSung after the rainy season had passed, roughly around mid-August.
People would make small candles in the shape of lotus flowers and send them down the river in lanterns. Shops and stalls would stay open all night long, and the streets would be filled with music and performers.
“Of course. What about you, Lady Dan? Won’t this be your first lotus lantern festival?”
Princess Muyeo gazed at Yujo as she asked.
“Yes. My lord husband and I are thinking about going.”
“My goodness! You two are so sweet. I’m quite envious. We have too many children in our family, so if we leave the house together, it’s too tiring. They keep asking us to buy them this and that… I’m always scared to show them anything new.”
And like this, the ladies went back to talking about their daily lives. Yujo carefully lifted the cup of cold tea up to her lips. Princess Muyeo listened to the ladies’ excited ramblings. For some reason, Princess Muyeo’s behavior today bothered Yujo.
That night, Yujo and Jewol left the house and went out. To be honest, they needed to take their minds off of the Heukra and cool their heads outside. Yujo was wearing men’s clothing because it was a lot more comfortable.
She swept up her black hair and was wearing a dark blue men’s outfit. She even had a sword fastened to her belt. She felt so comfortable like this. It was almost as if she’d returned to her usual self.
“It feels like you’ve returned to being Yujo.”
Once they were an appropriate distance away from the house, Jewol looked at her and spoke. Yujo felt the same. Having spent all this time concentrating on titles and watching her words, she finally felt like she could breathe.
“Really? I also feel like I’ve returned to being Yujo.”
She grinned at him as they walked down the road with light steps.
This was the first time she was taking in the nighttime scenery of YeonSung. The marketplace gates were still wide open. Food stalls carrying fruits and roasted squid were scattered throughout the area.
“Wow, I never thought there would be something like this here.”
This was the first time she’d seen anything like this. Her mouth began to water.
“I’m buying tonight, so eat whatever you want.”
Jewol found a spot in front of the marketplace as he spoke. Yujo let out an excited shout.
“Ma’am, one order of wine and some lamb skewers. Please give us a lot!”
“Aigoo! Someone’s excited.”
“Of course I am, Brother! I thought I was going crazy having to pretend I was docile all this time.”
“I guess you have suffered quite a lot lately.”
Shortly, a middle-aged woman brought them their lamb skewers and a bottle of wine. Lamb skewers were Yujo’s favorite back in Yeha.
“Go ahead and eat. I won’t take any of your food.”
“You should eat, too, Brother.”
Yujo suggested as she stuffed the lamb skewer in her mouth.
Oh my god! It was delicious. How did they cook this? It tasted so good!
Lamb was delicious back at Yeha as well, but the lamb here almost seemed to melt in one’s mouth. It tasted sweet and spicy, and it didn’t smell at all.
“They use honey.”
As if he’d read Yujo’s mind, Jewol explained.
“They also added some chili pepper.”
Then he stretched out his hand and wiped the sauce smudged around her lips. It surprised Yujo. In order to hide her awkward feelings, Yujo raised her voice.
“Brother, that’s enough. Do you still see me as a kid?”
“Of course you’re a kid. Would you call yourself an adult?”
“Haa, it looks like you haven’t heard. I’m actually married.”
Jewol laughed. His face looked a bit troubled.
“It looks like you haven’t heard. You married the wrong man.”
“Why would you say something like that…”
“Yujo.”
Jewol’s looked at Yujo earnestly. Yujo frowned. She didn’t know why he was suddenly acting like this. Did something happen?
“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Does it have to do with Brother Yuha or Yeha?”
“No, that’s not it…”
Jewol bit his lip. He had agonized over this for the past few days. He felt as if his blood was running dry. He had followed the Crown Prince’s orders and captured Yuha from Yeha and brought him here. Your brother is already here in YeonSung. But I don’t know if and when anything will happen.
Seeing Yujo look at him with such trust, Jewol almost lost his mind.
If Yujo found out about Yuha, then… No, no. Jewol shook his head. She must never know. Never! She mustn’t find out.
Yujo and Yuha. He was trying to save both of them. How could he save Yuha? If he did, would Yuha and Yujo both understand? Or would they say that he had made the wrong choice?
“…It’s nothing.”
“What is it? Tell me…”
“Should we order some more lamb?”
“Aigoo, don’t change the subject.”
“Then why are your eyes sparkling?”
“They are not! But if you’re going to order more, then go ahead.”
Yujo smiled brightly as Jewol chuckled. That smile looked the same as it did when they were young. Back when she was still the young girl who had picked a flower and brought it back for the sick, bedridden Jewol.
It was a yellow Adonis flower. They signaled the arrival of spring to the people of Yeha. A yellow flower that bloomed in the snow.
Aah, he was such a sinner. How much pain and suffering would he bring these two siblings?
“Brother?”
Yujo worriedly looked at Jewol as she stretched out her hand. She grabbed Jewol’s hand.
“Seriously, what’s wrong?”
I should tell her. I should at least tell her how I feel…
Jewol gazed at her and opened his mouth when Yujo’s eyes suddenly widened. Then she quickly dove underneath the table and hid her body.
“What is it?”
“Ah! It’s nothing! Brother! Agh! Don’t look behind you!”
Yujo looked at the man behind Jewol who was walking by.
N-No way! It’s him?
“What is it?”
Jewol asked again, but she didn’t hear him. Was she mistaken? There was no way she’d see that guy here, right? If he saw her here with Jewol, they’d be in big trouble. She needed to escape as soon as possible.
No! Yujo remembered that the man held the rest of the bamboo shards. Now wasn’t the time to be acting like this. She needed to catch that man.
“Brother!”
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry, but I need to go somewhere by myself.”
“What?”
“Go back home without me. Quickly!”
“Yujo!”
“Shh! Be quiet and just go home. I’ll follow you back soon.”
With that, Yujo crawled on the ground and exited the food stall. She quickly ran into an alleyway behind the marketplace.
She jumped over a few walls and roofs and looked down at the marketplace. As expected, it was that man. The man who had shattered the important bamboo slip. And that very man was currently swinging his arms as he walked through the bustling crowd.
TN: OMG! Jewol betrayed the siblings already?! I mean… I know he was following orders, but OMG! 
