Hongdu - The King's Men - Chapter 21
Hong Woo Geon snatched the rice ball that was about to enter Lee Gyo Young’s mouth. Then he took a hearty bite.
“I heard the new cook’s skills are decent. This rice is excellent.”
Having quickly finished one rice ball, he looked at Kwon Jwa Woo.
“How is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now you know how scary the world is, right?”
He was referring to Lee Gyo Young, who had tested Kwon Jwa Woo despite having long since loosened the rope.
But contrary to Hong Woo Geon’s expectations, Kwon Jwa Woo shook her head.
“No.”
“No?”
“I thought, the world is still worth living in.”
“What nonsense is this? After all you’ve been through with that cunning bastard, you say such things?”
“That’s right. Even though he had loosened the rope long ago, he waited for me. For my sincerity. Isn’t that so?”
Lee Gyo Young nodded in agreement to Kwon Jwa Woo, who was seeking confirmation.
“Now you understand, don’t you? It’s cliché and old-fashioned, but nothing moves people like sincerity.”
“Someday that sincerity will properly step on your foot.”
Hong Woo Geon retorted unnecessarily.
Then he threw the book he had brought onto the floor.
“What is this?”
Kwon Jwa Woo asked, picking up the book.
“Muwonrok.”
“Muwonrok, as in…”
It was a kind of forensic medicine book containing all sorts of knowledge to infer the method, time, and process of death through corpses.
“Why are you suddenly giving me Muwonrok?”
“The test for Gahapins starts in ten days.”
“Isn’t it a written test like the civil service examination?”
Lee Gyo Young stepped in to answer Kwon Jwa Woo’s question.
“The secret royal inspector Gahapin test is mostly practical.”
“…!”
Kwon Jwa Woo involuntarily recalled the eunuch who had guided her here.
Why didn’t you tell me this important fact?
“By the way, when am I supposed to read all this and use it in practice?”
It was truly an insurmountable task.
Her vision went dark.
“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.”
Lee Gyo Young volunteered to help.
But Hong Woo Geon flatly refused.
“If anyone’s going to help, it should be me.”
“Why you?”
Hong Woo Geon answered Kwon Jwa Woo’s question as if it were obvious.
“Oh, I haven’t told you yet. You and I have been paired up for this test.”
Kwon Jwa Woo whispered to Hong Woo Geon while glancing at Lee Gyo Young.
“You didn’t ask him for this, did you?”
Afraid that Lee Gyo Young might hear, she couldn’t bring herself to use the title “His Majesty.”
Hong Woo Geon flashed his characteristic smile and whispered back as if it were obvious.
“This is why you have connections in high places.”
“…!”
How can someone be so shameless?
Did he really ask His Majesty for this?
[This is the timeline separator]They say life is a cycle of joy and sorrow repeating itself.
But in Hong Woo Geon’s life, there was only indifference.
Sometimes joy and sorrow, elation and grief would knock on his emotions, but they would soon lose strength in the face of indifference.
But lately, it was different.
A strange emotion began to fill his heart, which had been full of only indifference.
Sometimes it was joy, sometimes it turned into anger, and occasionally it became trivial to the point of pettiness.
The emotion he felt now as he headed to his quarters was also like that.
Hong Woo Geon couldn’t find the right words to describe his current emotion. Despite having read tens of thousands of books, he couldn’t properly define the single emotion swirling in his chest.
“A lifetime of learning has been in vain.”
Lamenting, Hong Woo Geon entered his quarters.
He opened the door, took a few steps forward, and then pressed his body close to the wall.
As if on cue, something fell from the ceiling.
Splash, thud.
The net he had set up in advance rolled on the floor.
That shape looked just like how he felt.
“Why the long face?”
A welcome voice came from inside the room.
Hong Woo Geon’s face, which had been contorted all along, finally straightened. He stepped over the net and approached the guest waiting for him.
Deep and clear eyes like a lake followed his movements.
“Your Majesty, what brings you to this humble place?”
The person in Hong Woo Geon’s quarters was none other than the king in disguise.
Although he had changed into the attire of a court official and even attached an ill-fitting beard to conceal his true appearance, the innate dignity emanating from within was impossible to hide.
Just by sitting there, the king exuded his characteristic elegance and imposing presence.
The king shook the bottle in his hand with his usual radiant smile.
“I came for a drink.”
Sitting down next to the king, Hong Woo Geon snatched the bottle.
“I heard Jang the eunuch say you shouldn’t drink for a while.”
Hong Woo Geon said, looking at the wound on the king’s palm.
“That’s why I came without telling Jang.”
“If that nag finds out, I’ll be the one in trouble.”
“Well, who told you to be king?”
As they engaged in conversation only the two of them could have, the heavy feeling in his heart seemed to lighten a bit.
The king noticed the change in his expression with uncanny perception.
“What’s the matter?”
The king asked, taking back the bottle from Hong Woo Geon’s hand and taking a swig. Hong Woo Geon received the bottle from the king and drank silently.
“What is it? You’re making me nervous. Is someone plotting another rebellion somewhere?”
Despite the king’s joke, Hong Woo Geon’s expression remained stiff.
“They say words become seeds. Don’t say such things.”
“If it’s not that, then why the expression? You look like you’ve lost your country…”
“Is my expression that bad?”
“Shall I show you a mirror?”
“…”
“This is a royal command. Hong Woo Geon, tell me in detail what on earth has happened.”
Unable to bear it any longer, the word ‘royal command’ came from the king’s mouth.
It was impossible to open his mouth while sober.
Hong Woo Geon downed the contents of the bottle in one gulp.
“Oh no, it’s getting worse…”
The king’s expression grew serious along with Hong Woo Geon’s.
“I don’t know either, that’s why.”
Hong Woo Geon finally spoke.
The king silently waited for the next words.
Looking at the king, Hong Woo Geon recalled Kwon Jwa Woo with Lee Gyo Young.
The image of her bringing a rice ball to Lee Gyo Young’s mouth. Her attempt to give him another sip of water strangely irked him.
What he disliked more was Lee Gyo Young, that man.
That cunning and glib man who pretended to still be bound even after his restraints were loosened.
Why did it bother him so much that Kwon Jwa Woo was in the same place with such a man?
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“When Your Majesty dislikes someone to death, what do you do?”
“Me… I send them into exile.”
“Maybe I should have become king too.”
“Why? Is there someone you want to send into exile? Who is it? I’ll send them for you.”
“He hasn’t committed any crime to warrant that.”
“Well, we can always fabricate a crime, can’t we?”
“I don’t want to stoop that low.”
“…”
The king suddenly stared at Hong Woo Geon intently.
Hong Woo Geon met the king’s gaze as he was bringing out new alcohol hidden in the room.
“What?”
“I think our kinsman has finally taken a liking to someone.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“You said you don’t want to stoop that low. This is something men often say in front of women they like.”
“How would Your Majesty know that?”
“Don’t you know that a king can see a thousand li while sitting?”
“I apologize for my ignorance, Your Majesty.”
“Hahaha!”
The king, who had been laughing loudly, suddenly stopped.
Then he brought his face close to Hong Woo Geon’s chin and asked.
“Who is she? The woman who has made you like this?”
[This is the timeline separator]“It’s me!”
Kwon Jwa Woo raised her hand high.
All eyes in the room turned to her at once.
She stood up and stepped forward.
It was lunchtime, and everyone had gathered in the dining hall.
The atmosphere in the dining hall was tense beyond measure.
And for good reason.
There were signs that the cook who was supposed to prepare food for the Gahapins had been secretly diverting food.
Naturally, the cook caught diverting food was the one who had given the rice ball to Kwon Jwa Woo.
The cook, who had made some kind of deal with Kwon Jwa Woo, was hanging his head low as if he had committed high treason.
Kwon Jwa Woo stood beside the cook.
She bowed her head to the people gathered in the dining hall.
“I’m sorry for causing this unfortunate incident. This cook here absolutely refused, but I insisted on diverting the food. So please hold me accountable for this wrongdoing.”
As she spoke, Kwon Jwa Woo gave the cook a reassuring look.
Whether it was because he had been tense all along, or because he was moved by Kwon Jwa Woo taking his side,
The cook’s eyes turned red.
It looked like tears might fall from his eyes at any moment. If he were to be kicked out over this incident, he would have no means to make a living right away.
The official in charge of evaluating the Gahapins looked back and forth between Kwon Jwa Woo and the cook. Then, fixing his gaze on Kwon Jwa Woo, he asked.
“Does the Gahapin understand how serious this situation is?”
“I do.”
“If what the Gahapin says is true, then you have bribed the cook with money. This goes against the fundamental virtue of integrity that a Gahapin should possess.”
“I understand that as well.”
“Knowing all this, you still committed such an act?”
“I had no choice. My stomach is different from others’…”
Just as she was about to finish her excuse,
A man entered the dining hall and shouted.
“It’s all because of me.”
It was Lee Gyo Young.
The dining hall buzzed at the appearance of Lee Gyo Young, who had been holed up in his quarters for a while.
He stood in front of Kwon Jwa Woo, as if blocking the official’s gaze.
“Gahapin Kwon did this because of me.”
“What do you mean by this?”
The official furrowed his brow, unable to understand how the situation had developed.
“I had fallen ill and couldn’t leave my quarters for a while. Knowing this, Gahapin Kwon took care of my meals on my behalf.”
The official in charge turned to look at Kwon Jwa Woo at Lee Gyo Young’s words.
“Is this true?”
Lee Gyo Young gave Kwon Jwa Woo a meaningful look.
Acknowledge it as true.
Kwon Jwa Woo, reading Lee Gyo Young’s gaze from the corner of her eye, nodded slightly. After all, there wasn’t a single lie in what he said.
It was true that he had fallen ill because he had been held captive by Kwon Jwa Woo, it was true that he couldn’t move from his quarters because of it, and it was true that she had brought meals to him in his stead.
But the most important part was missing.
‘I kidnapped Gahapin Lee Gyo Young.’
Her conscience pricked at the words she couldn’t bring herself to say out loud.
Lee Gyo Young, sensing Kwon Jwa Woo’s inner thoughts, sent another look her way.
‘Don’t say anything.’
Kwon Jwa Woo’s head lowered with feelings of gratitude and apology.
Silence fell over the dining hall for a moment.
How should this situation be resolved? The official’s face was filled with anguish.
How much time had passed like that?
Finally, having reached a decision, the official opened his mouth.
“Even if Gahapin Lee’s words are true, the fact that you bribed the cook remains unchanged. It is a clear offense for a Gahapin, who should be incorruptible, to commit such misconduct. Therefore, I will impose a penalty point on the eighth Gahapin, Kwon Jwa Woo.”
No sooner had the official’s judgment ended than a voice followed.
“I’ll take that penalty point too.”
All eyes turned to the entrance of the dining hall.
Hong Woo Geon, wearing a blue jeogori that gave off a cool and refreshing feeling, walked steadily into the dining hall and stood beside Kwon Jwa Woo.
My Ex-Girlfriend Is The Regent In The Female-dominant World (Male lead transmigrates to the matriarchal world)
Two years ago, Gu Sui picked up a homeless woman in ancient costume from the street.
Apart from occasionally claiming to be a princess from a female-dominant country due to illness, her figure, appearance, intelligence, and martial arts skills were impeccable.
Naturally evolving from roommates to girlfriends, as time went on, Gu Sui found it increasingly difficult to tolerate her queen syndrome.
“Mu Jiulu, can you stop controlling me inside and out? Let’s break up.”
Gu Sui made a breakup call, and since then, he couldn’t find any trace of her.
A year later, Gu Sui, who was planning to move, woke up the next day and found himself in a different place.
“Young Master, today is the day you choose your Wife-master through martial arts competition at Jade Dew Pavilion. Please get up quickly.”
Gu Sui: Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
As the only son of a general’s mansion in a female-dominant dynasty, the young empress personally issued a decree allowing Gu Sui to select his Wife-master through martial arts competition. Whoever could defeat him could marry him.
Gu Sui: “……”
He didn’t inherit the original owner’s martial prowess, so anyone could defeat him! And what the hell is a Wife-master?
Forced to come to Jade Dew Pavilion, the densely packed women below made Gu Sui’s agoraphobia act up, and his face was full of resistance.
Until he saw the Regent sitting on the second floor, with a smile on the corner of her lips, her eyes wicked and nonchalant.
Hmm… she looked a little familiar.
It turned out that the Regent also found him a little familiar.
Mu Jiulu fiddled with her bone clasp, her deep gaze locked on the man who was out of place in this world.
“Finally, I found you.”
Male transmigrates into female-dominant world
One-sentence summary: What goes around comes around, taking turns in the crematorium
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