At my words, Guizhou’s Commissioner asked with an anxious look.
“And what method is that?”
“The answer is – death.”
“What?”
Both Commissioners clearly looked flustered at that.
Well, of course they did – even to me, it sounded ridiculous.
“Are you… joking with us right now?”
Guizhou’s Commissioner asked, voice straining to hold back his anger, and I lightly shook my head.
“I’m completely serious right now.”
“But how is that supposed to…”
Right then, Hunan’s Commissioner raised a hand to calm him down.
“Try explaining it in a bit more detail.”
“Yes.”
I started explaining.
“When I said ‘dying is the way,’ I meant we should hit them where they least expect it.”
“Hit them… where they least expect it?”
“Exactly. In other words, we make them believe Lady Jaryeong is dead.”
I went on.
“There’s something I’ve learned while working for the Eunhae Merchant Group. The Murim Alliance is relentlessly obsessive. Once they set a target, they’ll use any means necessary to accomplish it.”
“…”
“If the two of you have some other way, then there’s no need to use mine. To be frank, Lady Jaryeong and I aren’t family. Her family, and the ones who’ll be bound to her as family, care for her far more than I do. If there were another way, it should come from you, not from me.”
At my words, the two of them sighed and shook their heads. From their expressions, I could already guess what decision they would make.
Understanding what I meant, Guizhou’s Commissioner spoke with a bitter look.
“Until you told me, I didn’t even realize they’d already made a move. As a father, I hate to say this, but with my abilities, I honestly can’t be sure I can protect my daughter from their claws.”
He continued.
“Outside of your proposal, I can’t think of a single decent method.”
I turned my head to Hunan’s Commissioner.
He also nodded, as if to say he agreed with Guizhou’s Commissioner.
To be fair, even the Empress died at the Murim Alliance’s hands in my previous life; there was no way these two could protect Lady Jaryeong with ordinary methods.
“Then it’s decided.”
“But how do you intend to fool their eyes? Those people will definitely insist on seeing my daughter’s corpse.”
“For that, I plan to borrow the White-Haired Physician’s help.”
If someone can neutralize poison, it also means, put another way, they can create it.
With that kind of skill, he should be able to make a poison that can fake someone’s death for a few days.
Hunan’s Commissioner gave a wry smile.
“If we officially turn Jaryeong into a dead person like that, I won’t be able to take her as my daughter-in-law.”
“…”
“But there’s no better way for Jaryeong’s sake, so it can’t be helped.”
And this would probably be the best option for Hunan’s Commissioner’ two sons as well.
For the fourth son, watching the woman he loves marry his own older brother is hell; for the third, realizing his younger brother’s feelings and suffering because of them is hell too.
When I first saw the fourth, the Unorthodox Qi I sensed on him, thankfully, was only something he’d picked up from the attendant he served.
That’s why that energy had been so faint.
Now that there’s no Unorthodox Sect figure at his side, that aura will disappear.
.
.
.
The next day, Hunan’s Commissioner headed back to Hunan. With his position, he couldn’t stay away for long.
I also started getting ready to return.
Guizhou’s Commissioner thanked me and handed me a promissory note.
It was a hefty sum, including payment for the snow I’d brought and several other tokens of gratitude on top of that.
Back in my quarters, I took out the promissory note and smiled as I looked it over.
Seeing it made all my trouble up to now feel worthwhile.
Inside the envelope, there was another, smaller envelope.
“…”
Just then, Palgap walked into my room and asked.
“Why are you making that kind of face, young master?”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“Shouldn’t you be grinning when you’re looking at a promissory note? I don’t know why you look so sour.”
“It just… feels heavy in my hands, that’s all.”
At that, Palgap tilted his head.
“Ah! I’ll help you straighten your clothes.”
“Huh? Out of nowhere?”
“Lady Dong just sent a maid over. She invited you for a cup of tea.”
A little while later.
I walked into the inner quarters.
For other outsiders, just getting into the inner quarters would be nearly impossible… but I keep walking in without any trouble.
I was led to the reception room inside the inner quarters.
It was a place set aside for receiving visiting relatives.
While I was quietly nibbling on some refreshments in the reception room, Lady Jaryeong soon came in.
This time, she wasn’t in a wheelchair – she walked in on her own two feet.
The color in her face was completely different from before.
She looked truly healthy now.
According to the White-Haired Physician, the detoxification was completely finished, and her strength had recovered quite a bit.
“I heard you’re leaving for Beijing tomorrow.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“First, I wanted to thank you. For so many things, really.”
“I only did it because I was being paid. If you’re too grateful, it makes me feel pressured.”
“Is that so?”
She smiled.
“…”
For a moment, I blankly stared without realizing it. It was a smile that truly came from the heart.
No wonder everyone cares so much about Lady Jaryeong.
“Um… Father told me. That I’d been poisoned… that it was them. And about what’s going to happen from now on.”
Ah, so Guizhou’s Commissioner had already explained everything to her.
Well, since she’ll have to live as someone officially dead from now on, he couldn’t exactly keep her in the dark.
“Are you prepared for it?”
“Yes.”
She nodded.
Her eyes were clear and bright with hope, without the slightest hint of fear.
It’s not that she trusts me that much… or could it be?
Now’s the time to bring it up.
First, I checked our surroundings. There was no one around eavesdropping on us.
Still, just in case, I wrapped the area in a Qi barrier.
Then I asked her directly.
“My lady, you can see the future, can’t you?”
“…!”
At my question, she stared at me in shock.
“Wh– what? What are you…”
“Honestly, I hadn’t noticed before, but after seeing that Elder’s reactions to your condition and a few other things, I became sure of it.”
“…I see.”
Realizing she couldn’t deceive me any longer, she quietly nodded.
“And the reason they’re trying to kill you is exactly because of that.”
“…”
She bit her lip, then lifted her head and spoke.
“My ability felt like a threat to them, didn’t it.”
“That’s right. To be honest, your ability is something anyone would covet. But the fact that they saw it as a threat makes their next moves truly worrisome.”
“…”
She thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Honestly, I did question whether I really had to pretend to be dead. Whether it was really necessary. But… there really isn’t any other way, is there.”
I asked her.
“You weren’t able to see anything about this in your visions?”
“It’s not something I can see whenever I want, or choose the exact scenes I want to see.”
“I see.”
“But did you know this?”
“Know what?”
“At some point, the future I was seeing started to change little by little. It was around early winter, about five years ago.”
“…!”
Her words made me jolt inside.
Because the timing she mentioned lined up almost exactly with when I returned to the past.
“Is… that so. How did it change?”
“Into something better.”
In that case, that’s a relief.
At the very least, it meant the things I’d changed since coming back hadn’t made this world worse.
My own goals are important, but I have no desire to see the world worsen because of them.
“And in that changed future, I saw you there, Deputy Merchant Lord.”
“Is… that so?”
“So I was wondering… do you also covet my ability, Deputy Merchant Lord?”
I let out a short laugh and nodded.
“Honestly, I do. But that’s all.”
“Why is that?”
“Because knowing the future just means having that much more to worry about. And the future is meant to change. I have no interest in wasting my energy over a future that’s going to change anyway.”
“You’re an interesting person.”
“I hear that a lot.”
“Then there’s something I’m curious about. If you don’t need my ability, why go through all this trouble for me?”
“That’s a misunderstanding.”
“What?”
I spoke firmly.
“I’m not doing this for you – I’m doing it for myself. I’m a merchant, and solving this mess brings profit to me.”
“Profit… you say?”
“Money. Your father paid me quite a lot.”
At that, she first looked dumbfounded, then suddenly burst into laughter.
Hmm, am I really that funny?
At that very moment.
Several people arrived at Guizhou’s Commissioner’ residence.
The Commissioner’s other sons.
“Jaryeong!”
“Your big brother’s here!”
They barely paused to greet their father and mother and rushed straight toward Dong Jaryeong’s quarters.
But she wasn’t in her room.
“Ah! You’ve arrived.”
A maid quickly bowed her head in greeting.
“Where’s Jaryeong?”
“She’s currently in the reception room, talking with a guest.”
“A guest?”
They tilted their heads in confusion and headed for the reception room. Just then, Dong Jaryeong came out of it with a young man.
He was such a handsome young man that all of them momentarily spaced out.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. Please continue taking good care of your health.”
“I had a wonderful time. Take care on your way.”
Dong Jaryeong’s smile as she said that was completely sincere. The young man left the inner quarters, and she quietly watched his back as he walked away.
Watching this, her four older brothers narrowed their eyes.
“Youngest.”
“Yeah?”
“Who is that guy?”
“I don’t really know either. But he’s insanely handsome.”
Just then, as if he’d heard they had arrived, Dong Hang-su walked up to them.
“You came?”
“Yeah, Hang-su. Ah, you’d know! Who is that guy?”
“Ah, you mean that gentleman?”
“‘That gentleman?’”
“Yes. His name is Eun Seo-ho, Deputy Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
At that, one of the brothers spoke up.
“I’ve heard of them. Isn’t the place that sells those Windcraft Fans the Eunhae Merchant Group?”
“Is that so? Still, he’s just a merchant, isn’t he?”
They were government officials themselves, so their impression of merchants wasn’t very favorable.
But Dong Hang-su warned them.
“Don’t look down on him just because he’s a merchant. That gentleman is truly remarkable. Make sure you don’t say anything rude.”
They tilted their heads at that.
They knew Dong Hang-su usually couldn’t care less even when meeting high-ranking people.
So for someone like him to praise a man that much meant the young man wasn’t ordinary at all.
“But why would someone like that be spending time alone with Jaryeong in the reception room?”
“And Jaryeong actually smiled!”
“Jaryeong smiled at some other man! This is no ordinary matter!”
At their reactions, Dong Hang-su let out a sigh.
“Well, that’s because he’s the one who saved Jaryeong.”
“That guy did?”
“Yes. So when you meet him later, make sure you thank him properly.”
“Ahem, understood.”
At Dong Hang-su’s warning, they all nodded.
“More importantly, can’t you see Jaryeong walking on her own two feet right now? Isn’t that what really matters?”
“Ah!”
“R–right!”
Only then did they realize what truly mattered, and they rushed over to Dong Jaryeong.
“Jaryeong!”
“Oh my! Brothers?”
“Ugh! Our Jaryeong is walking on both legs!”
“How could this not move a man to tears?”
Looking at her brothers carrying on like that, Dong Jaryeong bowed her head slightly.
“I’m sorry for making you worry so much, brothers.”
“No, no. We’re just happy you’ve become healthy again like this. Huuu…!”
“Exactly, exactly!”
“Don’t you ever get sick again.”
As she soothed her brothers, who were almost wailing, Dong Jaryeong felt a pang of guilt.
She knew all too well how heartbroken they would be when they heard she had ‘died.’
‘I’m sorry… brothers.’
But if she really died, that farewell would be forever.
This was only a brief parting to avoid that ending.
She thought of Eun Seo-ho.
When she had asked why he went to such lengths for her, he’d answered boldly that it was for profit.
She’d been taken aback, but that honesty made him even easier to trust.
‘And in the future I saw, I’m in Beijing this winter.’
The next morning.
I set out at the break of dawn.
Last night, Palgap had brought word that Lady Jaryeong’s brothers had arrived.
So the men I’d passed on my way back from meeting Lady Jaryeong had been her brothers.
Young Master Dong Hang-su had said he’d explain things to them, but they’d seen me talking alone with her.
If I stuck around, it could turn into an unnecessary headache, so slipping out quickly was the wisest choice.
After leaving the residence, we didn’t head straight for Beijing.
We went instead to where Guizhou’s Commissioner’ family estate was located.
Next to that estate was a small mountain, and we went up into it.
And then we waited for the right time.
How many days did we end up staying there?
One day, Palgap, who had gone down to the village to buy supplies, came back with news.
“Young master! Right now, the marketplace is buzzing with rumors.”
“What rumors?”
–TL Notes–
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