49 Times Left, Master! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
“Master and disciple?!”
My nearly startled expression was luckily drowned out by Seon An’s exclamation.
I barely managed to control my expression and looked at Seon An.
Seon An stared wide-eyed, alternating his gaze between Yu Clan Head and the 13th Prince. He seemed to have just realized the identity of the “noble guest” from Yu Clan Head’s words—“master and disciple.” After all, the only person I’d taken as my disciple was the 13th Prince.
Seon An bluntly asked in an urgent voice,
“Grandfather! Does that mean the young master you called ‘noble guest’ is the 13th Prince?”
“Yes.”
This time, Yu Clan Head answered honestly and instructed Seon An,
“Offer your respects to His Highness the 13th Prince.”
Seon An was slightly surprised but quickly composed himself and bowed formally.
“I offer my respects to His Highness the 13th Prince.”
Yet, as I watched the scene unfold, my thoughts were solely on my disciple.
I never imagined the protagonist of that “Go-playing noble guest” anecdote Seon An told me about before my regression was the 13th Prince. I should’ve realized it the moment I heard that “noble guest” remark.
But Yu Clan Head called many people “noble guests,” so I couldn’t immediately deduce who it was just from that phrase.
Besides, I assumed Yu Clan Head had referred to the 13th Prince as a “noble guest” merely as an excuse in front of Seon An—not because he truly regarded him as one.
But no matter how much I lamented inwardly now, it was all useless.
The deed was already done. I’d just shown off my Go skills in front of my disciple using his own style.
Since he knew my intellect wasn’t as exceptional as his, he’d surely find this situation suspicious.
I felt my guts clench with fear.
“You’ve solved an old man’s trouble, so I must reward you. Young Master Yo, I shall grant you the hiding place you desired.”
Had Yu Clan Head not said this, I might have truly collapsed from mental exhaustion.
Just as I was sinking into endless self-loathing, I looked up at him with sudden joy.
“Really?”
Yu Clan Head nodded as if it were only natural, then patted Seon An’s shoulder.
You’re giving the hiding place to me, so why pat your grandson’s shoulder? It’s unsettling.
“But I’ll only give you one. Otherwise, this old man would suffer a loss.”
How calculating of you. No wonder you built an entire clan.
Still, getting even one is better than nothing.
Truthfully, I’d aimed for ten, but that was just in case. Even a single hiding place would suffice—as long as the 13th Prince never found it.
I thanked him with a delighted expression.
“Thank you, Dae In.”
Yu Clan Head nodded, looking pleased.
“If you need more, come anytime. Each time you help this old man, I’ll give you another.”
Yes. But I should show some modesty once.
“Wouldn’t that cause you a loss, Dae In?”
Yu Clan Head chuckled and shook his head.
“If it’s about cultivating a bond with a fine talent, such a small cost is perfectly acceptable.”
You really are magnanimous. Until I moved my Go piece, you seemed so stingy.
I suppressed my true feelings and nodded gently in return.
But just as things seemed to be going smoothly—
“Clan Head Yu. Shouldn’t you also tell me the location of that hiding place?”
The 13th Prince, who’d been silently observing all along, suddenly dropped this thunderbolt. I froze mid-laugh and stared at my disciple. What did he say?
Yu Clan Head also looked surprised as he asked the 13th Prince,
“Does Your Highness also need a hiding place?”
“No. But isn’t Young Master Yo my master? Naturally, a disciple should know his master’s hiding place.”
After saying this to Yu Clan Head, my disciple slowly turned toward me and smiled as if utterly free of selfish motives.
“Isn’t that right, Master?”
As if he had no ulterior motive.
I looked hopefully at Yu Clan Head, wishing he’d refuse—but I already knew it was a futile hope even before he answered.
How could Yu Clan Head possibly refuse when a prince asked for the location?
True to expectation, Yu Clan Head replied without the slightest hint of refusal.
“Indeed. Master and disciple are always on the same side. It would be far more useful for both of you to know the same hiding place.”
Why does this old man get to decide how my hiding place is used?
My insides boiled with rage. But feigning agreement, I forced a smile.
Inwardly, though, I cursed. After all that mental anguish, I barely secured a hiding place—only for it to become worthless the moment I received it.
I needed a hiding place to avoid the 13th Prince, yet now he knew its location. I’d essentially been given something utterly useless.
‘How hollow.’
But worse than the hollowness was the real problem: my disciple might now suspect me because of today’s events.
‘If I obtain a hiding place through Yu Clan Head, everything will end up in the 13th Prince’s ears.’
It’d also be awkward to ask Yu Clan Head, “Please keep it secret from the 13th Prince,” when requesting the hiding place.
I’ll have to find one through other means.
[This is the timeline separator]The next day.
As I dressed for the prince’s lesson, my hands refused to move quickly. All thanks to yesterday’s incident.
“Sister! You spent the entire day again with Lord Seon An yesterday!”
Amid all this, Lin Hwa was being unbearably noisy.
But knowing that indulging every one of her complaints would never end, I ignored Lin Hwa’s shouting and just changed my clothes.
Perhaps because I didn’t want to hear her angry voice, my hands actually moved faster after she yelled. She’s useful in this way, at least.
Ugh. I don’t want to enter the palace. Ugh. I don’t want to see my disciple.
But the appointed time was approaching, and I’d finished dressing. I let out a deep sigh and left the house.
After entering the palace, I went to Wolmu Palace where my disciple stayed—only to find him not in his room, but standing in the garden.
He’s watering weeds. He often did this before, but honestly, what kind of behavior is this?
Was it because I stared at him too openly with such disappointment? Or perhaps because my disciple had already cultivated his body just days after my regression?
“Master?”
I thought I’d entered silently, yet he immediately sensed my presence and turned toward me.
Our eyes met, and my heart reacted first. Still, I forced a smile as if nothing were wrong. My disciple then reached out toward me.
Is he calling me over? No, no, I don’t want to. Grumbling inwardly, I reluctantly approached. He naturally pressed my collar to check my wound, frowned, and asked,
“Did you apply the ointment?”
“I did.”
“There’s no trace of it at all.”
“I applied it last night, so that’s why.”
“I told you repeatedly to apply it regularly, Master.”
“Well—”
“Do you dislike even touching the ointment I gave you?”
I covered my throat and apologized in a barely audible voice.
“My apologies.”
It wasn’t that I disliked him—nor that I avoided using his ointment. I was just mentally drained from yesterday’s hiding place ordeal and had no energy to tend to anything else.
But my disciple, acting as if uninterested, returned to watering the weeds.
Was the interrogation over? Could I relax? What about the hiding place…?
“Why are you seeking a hiding place? Is there something you need to run from?”
So it wasn’t over. Or rather, the interrogation was only beginning.
When he asked the very question I’d worried about all night, I felt my insides go hollow.
I smiled to hide my discomfort. Though I’d prepared many answers, none seemed appropriate now.
“I manage households for ten families—”
“I know that’s a lie.”
“!”
“A master without loyalty or integrity couldn’t possibly love ten people.”
What nonsense. Wouldn’t someone without loyalty or integrity be the only one capable of loving ten people? If they had loyalty, they’d love just one…
“Thirteenth. Come talk with me for a bit.”
I was saved from this awkward situation by a strange voice from behind.
Having no ready reply about the hiding place, I seized the chance and quickly turned around.
To my surprise, it was the 7th Prince. Since he was one of the first the 13th Prince killed in my previous life, his voice sounded unfamiliar.
But why had the 7th Prince come here?
Before revealing his true nature, the 13th Prince was ignored by his siblings and rarely interacted with anyone.
Especially the 7th Prince, who had a powerful maternal family and a high-ranking mother, regarded the 13th Prince as insignificant as dirt under his toenails—so he’d never visit this place.
Puzzled, I quickly bowed formally.
“I offer my respects to His Highness the 7th Prince.”
“Young Master Yo, I presume.”
The 7th Prince gave a slight nod in my direction, then looked back at the 13th Prince.
I also glanced at the 13th Prince. Did he know why the 7th Prince was here? Having regressed multiple times, he probably remembered more of the past than I did.
But his expression gave nothing away, making it hard to read his thoughts.
“What is it, older brother?”
His tone was calm, at least.
“The hunting tournament is coming up soon.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to ride ‘Hae Seong’ during it.”
“No.”
“No? …It’s just for one day.”
“No. Hae Seong is the only horse I have.”
“I’ll lend you one of my horses—excellent ones. How about that?”
“No.”
Only upon hearing the horse’s name “Hae Seong” and their argument did I recall that the 7th Prince had visited the 13th Prince like this before my regression.
‘Ah, this is that incident.’
Hae Seong was the 13th Prince’s only white steed—a magnificent horse so meticulously cared for that its coat gleamed.
The 7th Prince, who loved horses, adored Hae Seong immensely and often pestered the 13th Prince to give him the horse as a birthday gift.
But as the hunting tournament approached, he changed tactics and asked to borrow Hae Seong instead. And that’s exactly what was happening now.
But the 13th Prince would never give his beloved horse to someone he disliked like the 7th Prince. Their argument escalated, and inevitably, the blame shifted to me.
“This is too much! An older brother merely wishes to ride your horse once, yet you refuse? Young Master Yo, what do you think of this?”
Just like now.
“You are his teacher. He might listen to you. Please persuade him on my behalf.”
I couldn’t describe how flustered I’d been back then—whichever side I chose, it would be awkward for me.
But in my previous life, I ultimately sided with the 7th Prince.
Not because I disliked the 13th Prince or favored the 7th Prince. The 13th Prince was simply too powerless to oppose the influential 7th Prince over a single horse.
I believed a prince with such an uncertain future as the 13th shouldn’t earn the hatred of someone like the 7th Prince, who might one day ascend the throne.
To cut to the chase, even after my persuasion, the 13th Prince still refused to lend Hae Seong.
Enraged, the 7th Prince stormed off with a threat—but after the hunting tournament, it was the 7th Prince who fell from his horse and broke his leg.
Thanks to that, the 7th Prince forgot about Hae Seong while treating his injury, and I sighed in relief that things had worked out.
But now, I wonder—was the 7th Prince’s injury really just an accident?
Even as I sorted through these thoughts, the 7th Prince urged me just as he had in the past.
“Young Master Yo. Why aren’t you saying anything?”
I glanced at my disciple. He stood calmly, seemingly knowing exactly whose side I’d take—and showed not a trace of hope in me.
He didn’t even look at me, instead staring past the 7th Prince’s shoulder at the wall.
But this time, the one I needed to support… was my disciple.
“My apologies, Your Highness the 7th Prince. His Highness the 13th Prince has only Hae Seong as his horse. If he lends Hae Seong to you, he’ll have no mount. You offered another horse, but that won’t do either—His Highness isn’t as skilled in horsemanship as you and can’t ride unfamiliar horses.”
My disciple’s brows immediately furrowed. From his expression, I sensed his suspicion: ‘Why are you acting like this? You weren’t like this in your past life.’
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
This is truly just very frustrating why is the princess sooo infatuated girl have a back bone don’t ruin yourself for a man
How many chapters are replaced with that one about princess bomoon? Is it 3rd time already? 😭