The fresh breeze flowed into the dining hall along with Hong Woo Geon’s blue military uniform. The stifling air of interrogating a criminal instantly disappeared.
The people gathered in the dining hall looked at Hong Woo Geon with relief and anticipation.
Hong Woo Geon gazed affectionately at Kwon Jwa Woo standing beside him, as if looking at a younger sibling.
“I hope the official can understand. This friend was unfamiliar with the rules and situation here, which led to this incident.”
“Unfamiliar with the situation?”
At the official’s question, Hong Woo Geon gave a confident smile.
It was a smile that, every time one saw it, was good for gaining trust and favor from others.
With just one smile, the frozen atmosphere in the dining hall suddenly changed.
The now more flexible official waited for Hong Woo Geon’s next words.
“This friend only thought of helping a colleague in a difficult situation. He did not consider what would happen afterwards.”
“The situation is very serious for that. He bribed the cook with money.”
“Oh my, that sounds unpleasant. It was not a bribe, but merely a small gesture of goodwill.”
“Fine. Let’s call it a small gesture as you say. But why do it without the other colleagues knowing?”
“Is not a good deed one where the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing? All of this was a mistake arising from my colleague’s excessive modesty. Could the official not overlook it just this once?”
Despite Hong Woo Geon’s persuasion, the official’s attitude remained firm.
“The incident has already occurred. I have a duty to report to superiors and administer punishment.”
“Well then, if that’s the case…”
Hong Woo Geon put his arm around Kwon Jwa Woo’s shoulders as if he had no choice.
Others would think they were extremely close.
Kwon Jwa Woo subtly lowered Hong Woo Geon’s arm. However, as she lowered his arm, Hong Woo Geon repeated the action of putting his arm back on her shoulder.
He looked at Kwon Jwa Woo and continued what he was saying.
“How could I stand by and watch my colleague’s misfortune?”
“There’s no need to go that far…”
Kwon Jwa Woo tried to stop him.
But Hong Woo Geon shook his head.
“I was taught that a true friend guides his friend onto the right path when he is about to go astray. I knew my colleague was taking the wrong path, yet I did not stop him. So I will also take the demerit points for my colleague.”
With Hong Woo Geon going this far, the official’s face was filled with bewilderment.
At that moment, Lee Gyo Young shouted in protest.
“It was done for me, so why is Sir Hong saying he will take the demerit points?”
“Because it’s my colleague’s matter.”
“That colleague committed an offense for my sake.”
“On the battlefield, comrades are of one heart and body. A comrade’s fault is no different from my own. Sir Lee, please do not concern yourself and stay out of this matter.”
“This is not a battlefield. It seems Sir Hong need not concern himself either.”
Caught between the two men’s fierce verbal battle, the official in charge was at a loss for what to do.
Unable to stand by any longer, Kwon Jwa Woo finally spoke up.
“I’m grateful for the concern you both have for me. So I’ve been thinking…”
Kwon Jwa Woo paused to catch her breath before continuing.
“How about we do this?”
All eyes in the dining hall, including the official in charge, turned to Kwon Jwa Woo.
Even Hong Woo Geon and Lee Gyo Young, who had been arguing, stared intently at Kwon Jwa Woo’s lips.
Whose side would her answer take?
Looking at the two men who were secretly expectant, Kwon Jwa Woo said:
“I will concede.”
“…?”
“…?”
To Hong Woo Geon and Lee Gyo Young, who were perplexed and confused, Kwon Jwa Woo drove the final nail.
“How about giving the demerit points I should receive equally to the two of you instead?”
The official in charge, who had been conflicted all along, finally nodded his head vigorously as if he had found the answer.
[This is the timeline separator]“You country bumpkin fool. You can’t even handle such a simple task properly?”
Around the time when the midday sun was slanting down.
In a secluded corner of the Western Palace, vulgar words erupted that did not match the setting.
In a small grove formed by large pagoda trees, three Temporary Royal Inspector candidates surrounded one person in a circle.
The first candidate Cho Geun Soo, recommended by the Chief State Councillor, the second candidate Lee Myung Hak, recommended by the Left State Councillor, and the third candidate Kim Ha Jin, also recommended by the Chief State Councillor, were yelling at and kicking Yoo Chi Sung, who stood in the center of the circle.
Especially Lee Myung Hak, as if unable to vent his anger, kept hitting Yoo Chi Sung’s head, and the intensity increased as time passed.
Though one might have expected him to resist and fight back at least once.
As if their violence had become routine, Yoo Chi Sung only rolled his frightened eyes while surrounded by them.
“I-I’m sorry. I never dreamed that well-mannered fellow would act like that.”
“Right. Everything you do turns out like this, you fool.”
As Lee Myung Hak was tapping Yoo Chi Sung’s head and sighing, a voice was heard.
“I’ve brought her here.”
The voice of the fourth candidate, Park Eun Woo, was heard.
Behind him stood Kwon Jwa Woo, who had been dragged along without knowing what was happening.
Lee Myung Hak, who had been sitting on a low wall hitting Yoo Chi Sung’s head like a toy, stood up dusting off his bottom.
Hop, he jumped down from the wall and abruptly approached Kwon Jwa Woo.
Then he asks.
“You, what are you?”
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking what kind of person you are? What kind of person are you that not only the illegitimate son, but even Hong Woo Geon, who used to watch others’ misfortunes from afar, is now rolling up his sleeves for you?”
“Is that why you called me here?”
Now it seems Lee Myung Hak’s mood was soured by Lee Gyo Young and Hong Woo Geon stepping up to take demerits for Kwon Jwa Woo’s sake.
“Yes. That’s why I called you. So tell me. What are you? What’s your relationship with those guys?”
“Well, that…”
Unable to reveal that they were ‘sharing a secret,’ Kwon Jwa Woo was pondering what excuse to make.
“How much?”
Lee Myung Hak suddenly asked, bringing his face close under Kwon Jwa Woo’s chin as if intrigued.
“How much what?”
“How much did you give those guys that they’re crawling before you?”
Kwon Jwa Woo thought of Hong Woo Geon and Lee Gyo Young.
Did those two ever crawl before me?
“As far as I can recall, those two have never crawled before me.”
“What?”
“But you said you had something urgent to tell me…”
Kwon Jwa Woo turned to look at Park Eun Woo who had brought her, then turned back to Lee Myung Hak.
“Ah, that.”
A sardonic smile spread across Lee Myung Hak’s lips.
A raw, mocking laugh devoid of even a shred of courtesy towards others.
What came after that laugh was even more outrageous.
“I’m in a bad mood. I think I’ll have to let you two go at it.”
Lee Myung Hak gestured with his chin towards Yoo Chi Sung and Kwon Jwa Woo.
Following his instructions, the other candidates positioned Yoo Chi Sung and Kwon Jwa Woo facing each other.
To Kwon Jwa Woo, who was still bewildered not knowing what was going on, Lee Myung Hak commanded:
“Hit him.”
[This is the timeline separator]At Lee Myung Hak’s sudden order, Kwon Jwa Woo wondered if she had heard wrong.
She touched her ear and asked Lee Myung Hak again.
“What did you just say?”
“Has this bitch had a stake driven through her ears since earlier? Why are you making me repeat myself?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Myung Hak roughly slapped Yoo Chi Sung’s cheek.
Smack!
With a harsh sound, Yoo Chi Sung’s face jerked sideways.
Lee Myung Hak spoke to Yoo Chi Sung, who was like that.
“Thanks to our father, a country bumpkin like you became a Temporary Royal Inspector candidate. You should at least earn your keep. What use is someone who can’t even do that? Right?”
The others – Cho Geun Soo, Kim Ha Jin, and Park Eun Woo – nodded in agreement to his words seeking approval.
“Someone who can’t earn their keep should be hit.”
At Kim Ha Jin’s words, Yoo Chi Sung’s face turned bright red with shame.
A hot flame rose up Kwon Jwa Woo’s throat.
Trying hard to swallow the anger in her chest, Kwon Jwa Woo asked.
“Then what is the reason for me?”
“You got in here on the eunuch’s recommendation, right?”
“Is that a reason to suffer such humiliation here?”
“Cho Geun Soo here became a candidate on the Chief State Councillor’s recommendation. Kim Ha Jin over there was also recommended by the Chief State Councillor, I was recommended by the Left State Councillor, and our friend Park Eun Woo was recommended by the Right State Councillor. Should we, who are like that, eat in the same place and receive the same treatment as someone like you who got in on a mere eunuch’s recommendation?”
“…”
“Those who don’t know their place and act up just need to be hit to come to their senses. So hit each other. As a way of coming to your senses and doing better from now on.”
As Lee Myung Hak chuckled, the other candidates followed suit, shaking their shoulders with laughter.
Seeing their behavior, a sigh came out involuntarily.
“You really have nothing better to do.”
“What?”
“Is this all you do at your age? Do your families know you behave like this at home?”
“Behave?”
Veins bulged on Lee Myung Hak’s forehead at Kwon Jwa Woo’s provocation.
“What is this bitch saying? What? Just because you’re friends with a bastard, you think real nobles are beneath you?”
“I don’t know what’s to become of this country, really.”
Kwon Jwa Woo sighed softly and pulled on Yoo Chi Sung’s sleeve.
“Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
“Are you going to keep putting up with these pathetic games?”
“What childish-”
Kim Ha Jin stepped forward, bristling.
“Isn’t it childish for men in their twenties to gather weak people and bully them? Is that normal?”
Park Eun Woo and Kim Ha Jin exchanged glances at Kwon Jwa Woo’s words hitting the mark.
Just then, Lee Myung Hak stepped forward and shouted.
“You, do you really want to die?”
“Is it alright to kill me?”
“What did you say?”
“Is it fine if someone dies here?”
A sneer hung on Lee Myung Hak’s lips.
“No matter how much you two struggle, no one but us will know what happened here. Even if they did know, everyone turns a blind eye – that’s the unspoken rule here.”
“Ah, I see.”
As if she finally understood, Kwon Jwa Woo nodded her head emphatically.
“Now that you understand, bow down on your own. Or get properly beaten up.”
Lee Myung Hak and the other candidates deliberately surrounded Kwon Jwa Woo and Yoo Chi Sung in a circle.
Looking at them, Kwon Jwa Woo confirmed once again.
“You clearly said it. That you won’t speak of anything that happens here.”
“That’s right.”
“Then…”
Kwon Jwa Woo picked up a fallen pagoda tree branch from the ground.
And said:
“Then I’ll begin.”
______
In This Life, I Won’t Be Foolish To Lose You Again (Female-dominant)
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
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