Hongdu - The King's Men - Chapter 8
A suffocating silence fell.
Hong Woo Geon slowly opened his mouth towards Kwon Jwa Woo, who had stopped breathing while inhaling.
“That day… 8 years ago, I don’t know what happened at the Office of the Inspector General.”
“Haa…”
A sigh mixed with frustration and betrayal escaped Kwon Jwa Woo’s lips.
She glared at him with eyes that seemed ready to devour him at any moment.
As if aware of the anger in those eyes, Hong Woo Geon continued.
“But I know a way to find out what happened that day without hearing it from someone else’s mouth.”
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
Another meaningless statement, she thought.
As Kwon Jwa Woo turned away roughly, Hong Woo Geon’s urgent voice reached her.
“The Office of the Inspector General’s journal!”
Kwon Jwa Woo turned back towards Hong Woo Geon.
“What did you just say?”
“There’s a journal of the Office of the Inspector General. They say it contains detailed records of what happened on which day of which year. If it were me, I’d find a way to read it somehow.”
“…”
Any hope she might have had crumbled.
“Do you think I don’t know that? Do you think I’ve been a courtesan in Myeongnyebang for 3 years because I didn’t know?”
“You knew about it?”
“Of course I knew. But… isn’t it because I can’t do anything about it that I haven’t?”
“You know but can’t do anything?”
“Don’t you understand yet? What kind of place is the Office of the Inspector General? It’s guarded by Joseon’s finest warriors at every corner. It’s a place with security as tight as the palace where His Majesty resides. How could one enter such a place?”
“…”
“Even if one could somehow get in… where would that journal be, and even if we knew where it was, is there a way to read it without getting caught?”
Words she had kept in her heart all this time poured out uncontrollably.
Just as she used to tell her father about her day’s troubles when he returned from work in her childhood, Kwon Jwa Woo now unleashed her pent-up resentment and grudges upon Hong Woo Geon.
Perhaps because it was such a sudden attack.
Hong Woo Geon listened weakly to Kwon Jwa Woo’s criticism without offering any defense.
How long did she pour out her feelings?
When both the speaker and the listener were growing weary.
Kwon Jwa Woo finally managed to collect herself.
“Are you done now?”
Hong Woo Geon, who had been silent all this time, asked.
“Pardon?”
“I’m asking if you feel better now that you’ve vented.”
“…”
She didn’t answer, but her expression was enough to tell.
A face that looked relieved, as if she had let everything out.
“Then may I say something now?”
Kwon Jwa Woo’s eyes sparkled towards Hong Woo Geon.
A silent meaning of ‘what could you possibly have to say?’ was contained in them.
“The thing you knew about but couldn’t do, would you like to try if there was a way to do it?”
“Did you say there’s a way?”
“There is.”
“What is it?”
“Becoming an official at the Office of the Inspector General.”
“What?”
“Why go around in circles for something as simple as entering the Office of the Inspector General yourself and looking at the journal?”
“Do you call that a solution?”
How could a woman become an official at the Office of the Inspector General?
Just as she was about to spit out the words that had risen to the tip of her tongue.
Hong Woo Geon handed something to Kwon Jwa Woo.
“What is this?”
“It’s the identity tag of someone with the surname Kwon.”
“An identity tag?”
“In a world where even family registers are bought and sold, what’s a mere identity tag?”
“What am I supposed to do with this identity tag?”
“How could one take the civil service examination without an identity tag, and one must pass the examination to enter the Office of the Inspector General…”
“W-wait! Are you telling me to take the civil service examination with a fake identity tag?”
“For someone who’s even played the role of a courtesan in Myeongnyebang, wouldn’t taking the civil service examination be easier than eating cold porridge?”
“That may be true, but…”
Using a fake identity tag to take the civil service examination was a clear crime.
If she were to be caught…
After thinking for a moment, Kwon Jwa Woo shook her head.
“No matter how urgent the situation is, I can’t take the civil service examination.”
“Is that so? Then there’s nothing to be done.”
Hong Woo Geon nodded compliantly.
“I suppose even I would be afraid. I had some expectations since you seemed to have guts, but…”
Trailing off, Hong Woo Geon moved to close the open window.
Or rather, he was about to close it.
Kwon Jwa Woo suddenly grabbed the window and looked up at Hong Woo Geon.
“Why are you doing this for me?”
“Doing what?”
“I’m curious about the reason you’re showing me kindness, even going so far as to make a fake identity tag.”
“I wanted to make use of your abilities.”
“What?”
“You want to know about the day of your father’s death 8 years ago, and in return, I want to utilize your skills as a Myeongnyebang courtesan.”
“…”
“Threats don’t work, money doesn’t work… so I was trying to make a deal. But if even a deal doesn’t work… I’m about to give up.”
“Just like that?”
Oops!
That’s not what she meant to say.
When he said he was giving up so easily, the words in her heart just tumbled out of her mouth.
Hong Woo Geon gazed at her with interest as she hurriedly covered her mouth.
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“It’s not that I want you to do anything…”
As Kwon Jwa Woo rolled her eyes searching for words, her gaze fell on the identity tag she was holding.
“I’ll return this to you.”
“No need.”
Hong Woo Geon waved his hand.
“It’s useless if it’s not you anyway. Do what you want with it, keep it or throw it away.”
Hong Woo Geon closed the window, hiding himself from view.
Left alone, Kwon Jwa Woo stared blankly at the identity tag on her fingertips.
The colored thread attached to the end of the tag fluttered its thin body in the wind.
[This is the timeline separator]She couldn’t remember how she got back home.
Kwon Jwa Woo lay on the bedding spread by Eon Nyeon, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The day had grown dark, and Eon Nyeon’s voice could be heard repeatedly from outside, but she didn’t answer.
Kwon Jwa Woo’s mind was filled with the last image of her father.
Her father, who had left home saying he would return early the next morning as it was his day for night duty, came back as a cold corpse.
The cause was asphyxiation.
However, there were no signs of strangulation on her father.
They said he died from not being able to breathe, but the cause couldn’t be found.
Even more surprising was that four colleagues who were on duty with her father at the Office of the Inspector General had died suddenly from the same cause.
Some said it was the grudge of ghosts.
While the Office of the Inspector General was a place that arrested all kinds of criminals, it was also sometimes a place that made innocent people guilty.
Therefore, many rumors circulated that it was a strange death caused by the vengeful spirits of those who died unjustly, releasing their grudges.
It was an absurd story, but many people believed it.
In the end, her father’s death, whose cause couldn’t be found, was concluded as a death due to the grudge of ghosts.
Since one cannot prosecute invisible ghosts.
And so, her father was forgotten by people.
They say human memories fade with time.
But for Kwon Jwa Woo, the memories of her father became clearer and more vivid as time passed.
Her father’s laughter that still echoed in her ears.
Her father’s voice calling, ‘Jwa Woo.’
The crescent-shaped eye smile her father showed only to her, and the faint scent of ink that permeated her father’s study.
As her longing deepened, the questions surrounding her father’s death only grew more profound.
Kwon Jwa Woo turned her gaze to the identity tag in her right hand.
The journal of the Office of the Inspector General.
If she could just see that, she would know what happened on the day her father was on duty.
But…
A way to do what she had dismissed as impossible until now had appeared.
With that identity tag, she could take the civil service examination, and if she passed, she could somehow get a chance to enter the Office of the Inspector General.
If only that could happen…
Kwon Jwa Woo suddenly squeezed her eyes shut.
A hot tear rolled down her closed eyelids.
Father, father…
Tears mixed with longing and anguish flowed down Kwon Jwa Woo’s cheeks.
The tears left dry tracks as they dripped onto the floor.
[This is the timeline separator]“She didn’t eat this morning either?”
At the old servant woman’s question, Eon Nyeon shook her head with a dejected face.
It was already the fourth meal since yesterday morning.
“Our young lady, she’ll die at this rate.”
Slap!
The old woman’s wrinkled hand sharply struck the middle of Eon Nyeon’s back.
“Ouch!”
As Eon Nyeon rubbed her back with a tearful face, the old woman scolded her harshly.
“How dare you carelessly speak of death?”
Since the master’s passing, the old woman had been particularly taboo about the word ‘death’.
She was afraid that words might become reality.
Not knowing this deep sentiment, Eon Nyeon grumbled with a disgruntled face.
“I’m just so worried.”
How could she not understand that feeling?
This girl would spring up even from death if it concerned her young lady.
But what could be the matter?
The old woman sighed deeply as she looked down at the untouched tray.
The fragrant pine nut porridge and cool radish water kimchi remained intact.
“What could it be? She usually wakes up even from sleep for pine nut porridge…”
“This won’t do.”
Having thought of something, Eon Nyeon went to a corner of the kitchen.
A moment later, Eon Nyeon emerged from the corner with beef wrapped in thin paper in her hand.
“What are you going to do?”
“Our young lady’s second favorite after pine nut porridge is meat, isn’t it? She’ll surely come out if she smells meat.”
She seemed to have made up her mind properly.
Eon Nyeon, who had even prepared charcoal for the brazier, approached Kwon Jwa Woo’s room door.
Then she placed a grill on the brazier full of red charcoal and started grilling the meat.
Crackle, crackle.
Along with the sound of sparking charcoal, the smell of meat wafted through the air. Just looking at it made one’s mouth water.
Eon Nyeon swallowed her saliva and flipped the meat on the grill.
Sizzle, just as the sound of meat cooking and oil dripping could be heard, a small stirring was felt from the quiet room.
An expression of ‘I knew it’ appeared on Eon Nyeon’s face. A pleased smile spread across her face like a blush.
Some time passed like that.
Just as she was about to place the perfectly cooked meat on a plate.
The door that had been closed all this time suddenly burst open.
Kwon Jwa Woo, who hadn’t moved from her room since yesterday morning, finally came out.
“You can’t resist meat after all, can you?”
Eon Nyeon proudly held the plate of meat right under Kwon Jwa Woo’s nose.
However, for some reason, Kwon Jwa Woo didn’t even glance at the meat.
Instead, she hurriedly put on her shoes and crossed the courtyard towards the gate.
A flustered Eon Nyeon quickly followed behind Kwon Jwa Woo.
“Young lady, where are you going?”
Eon Nyeon asked, taking quick steps.
Finally, a completely unexpected answer flowed from Kwon Jwa Woo’s lips.
“I’m going to take the civil service examination.”
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.]
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