I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 127

The carriage stopped at the entrance of Wolmyeong Temple.

“You have to go up alone from here. The snow hasn’t stopped yet, so your footprints will be covered. You’ll have to wait quite a while, though. As royalty, they won’t be rushing here early in this weather.”

“I might freeze to death before I even meet those royal leftovers.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong grumbled as she stepped out of the carriage. Her attire was so extravagant that even getting out of the carriage seemed difficult.

“You won’t freeze to death in those clothes. You’ll be fine. Besides, a woman shivering in the cold can be quite charming, which will make it even more dramatic, right?”

I knew Yang Ryeo-cheong was complaining to shake off some of her fear and tension.

“We’ll be watching over you, so don’t be afraid.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong touched her chilled cheeks and headed up to Wolmyeong Temple.

Jo Gwang-yun, along with Gu Seung and a few other Changryong Gate warriors, rushed through the mountains, avoiding the main path.

The sun slowly began to rise, but the monks of Wolmyeong Temple were nowhere to be seen.

Having confirmed the first snowfall, someone from the royal family would be coming, and the temple’s rule was to remain out of their sight.

Yang Ryeo-cheong circled the stone pagoda alone. Seeing that her footprints weren’t disappearing, she knew the snow had stopped. As the sun fully rose, dispelling the darkness, the area below the temple became noisy.

Yang Ryeo-cheong swallowed hard.

The Emperor’s brother was undoubtedly leading his escort up the mountain.

Gu Seung, who was observing from the mountainside, widened his eyes.

“Lord Jang, those soldiers are from the Imperial Guard.”

“I see that. Could the Emperor be with them?”

“Perhaps he’s concerned for his beloved brother?”

“Check the leader again. If the Emperor has come, this is a big problem.”

The two focused their gazes.

The two leading figures seemed to be in high spirits, constantly bursting into laughter.

“Hahaha, I wonder what wish our little brother will make?”

The Emperor casually placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

Although he was well over forty, the Emperor’s beard and hair were completely free of gray.

“By the way, don’t you dare wish for the Emperor’s health or the well-being of the Imperial family for my sake. If you do, I might just make a wish myself!”

“That won’t do. Your Majesty would surely wish for this foolish brother to get married, wouldn’t he? I’m not ready for marriage yet. Hahaha.”

The Imperial Guard followed behind the two.

Jo Gwang-yun’s vision went white, but not because of the snow.

The middle-aged man wrapped in luxurious silk was definitely not the Emperor’s brother. The Emperor’s brother was the young man being led by the middle-aged man.

Why was the Emperor here?

If the Emperor were traveling, the capital should be bustling, but he had only brought a few dozen guards on horseback?

The Emperor’s eyes would surely be captivated the moment he saw Yang Ryeo-cheong. Although his brother might see her first, the Emperor was definitely not generous enough to yield a beauty like Yang Ryeo-cheong to his brother.

Jo Gwang-yun closed his eyes tightly and muttered,

“We’re screwed.”

He could hear cheerful laughter, so they must have arrived.

Yang Ryeo-cheong couldn’t suppress her nervousness, knowing that her fate would change within the next hour.

“Who goes there!”

The warriors who discovered the footprints rushed like the wind and surrounded the stone pagoda.

Yang Ryeo-cheong wanted to see Gwak’s face, but she had to maintain the image of a wistful woman praying while gazing only at the stone pagoda. Her only concern was whether the warriors would immediately swing their swords without checking. If that happened, she would become a vengeful ghost haunting this world.

“Clear the way! I must see what foolish commoner dares to be here.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong thought she wouldn’t become a ghost, hearing the young man’s voice.

Gwak, having reached the stone pagoda, pushed aside the surrounding warriors and walked toward the impudent commoner.

However, the person facing away from him was not a man but a woman. Seeing the back view of her in extravagant attire, his earlier anger subsided slightly.

“Impudent woman! Turn around and kneel. Do you know who this person is?”

As she turned around at the warrior’s shout, the warriors who had been blocking her couldn’t close their mouths, and Gwak’s expression, as he looked at her from the front, was no different from theirs.

Despite the presence of many people, the tranquility of the temple at dawn was palpable. Even the sound of breathing was inaudible. The one who broke the brief silence was the Emperor.

“What are you doing, you fools? Quickly arrest that audacious woman…”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

The Emperor, who appeared next, swallowed his shout.

The moment he saw Yang Ryeo-cheong’s face, shimmering in the morning sunlight, the Emperor was no different from the ordinary warriors.

The crimson embroidery of dragons ascending, the delicate and intricate yellow collar, the red-gold tassel ornaments draped over her shoulders, the radiant filigree patterns of pure gold, and the hair adorned with kingfisher feathers, rubies, gold, silver, jade, pearls, and jade-crafted hairpins, along with the beauty created by her red lips. Even a small smile could disrupt one’s composure.

They all forgot their status and were lost in the same thought.

A *femme fatale* [an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who is likely to cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her]. A *femme fatale* who could ruin the country.

“P-Please spare me.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong prostrated herself on the snow.

To think that those beautiful hands were buried in the snow.

The men who saw this felt the same way. Everyone felt as if their hands were dipped in ice and wanted to rush over and help her up.

However, the only person who could lift that woman up was the Emperor. Fortunately, the Emperor was a man with the same desire.

“Get up. Quickly! I’m worried your hands will freeze.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong slowly rose, looking utterly terrified.

The men had to suppress their exclamations at each of her movements.

Suddenly, the Emperor shouted,

“Your imposing presence has frightened this woman! Everyone, move back a hundred paces!”

As the Imperial Guards retreated, only two men remained in front of Yang Ryeo-cheong. However, the sharp judgment of the intelligent young brother did not waver even in the face of a beautiful woman.

He was a step behind the guards, but he quietly backed away while bowing.

Now, there was no one to hinder the Emperor.

“Raise your head.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong had been waiting for this moment. It was time to show a figure that would make men lose their breath.

She gathered her hands, covered her face with her wide sleeves, and raised her head. The Emperor’s longing seemed to melt even the accumulated snow.

“Lower your hands. How dare you hide your face before the Emperor?”

The Emperor’s voice, issuing the command, could not have been more affectionate.

Yang Ryeo-cheong slowly lowered her hands, closed her eyes, and then slowly opened them, raising her head a little more so that her sparkling eyes were fully visible.

The Emperor stood speechless for a moment, his mouth agape.

Regaining his senses, the Emperor asked again,

“Do you not know what this place is?”

“…”

“It’s alright. Tell me what you know.”

“I heard that if you step on the first snow and make a wish at the stone pagoda, it will come true.”

“Did you not know that only the Imperial family is allowed to step on that first snow?”

Yang Ryeo-cheong prostrated herself on the snow again.

“I am an ignorant commoner who has not lived in the capital for long. Please forgive me.”

The Emperor rushed over, grabbed Yang Ryeo-cheong’s arm, and helped her up.

“It’s alright. You may not know since you haven’t lived in the capital for long. There is nothing to forgive.”

He wanted to hold her slender arm forever but didn’t forget his imperial dignity.

Releasing her arm, the Emperor asked,

“So, which noble family do you belong to?”

“I am not the daughter of a noble family but have an ordinary merchant as my brother.”

The Emperor looked incredulous.

“A merchant’s sister…? How can a mere merchant’s family afford to adorn you with such extravagant and expensive jewelry?”

The Emperor had grown up seeing only the finest goods. He had the discernment to know at a glance how precious the things Yang Ryeo-cheong was wearing were.

“My brother, who is always away from home due to his business, compensates for his absence with these precious items. He has embarked on another journey for business this time as well. I committed this sin in the hope that my brother would safely complete his journey and return. Please have mercy.”

“Oh ho. You braved the cold snow for your brother’s sake? What a noble heart. Haha.”

The Emperor even showed a benevolent smile as he spoke.

“Ah, this is not the time for this. I will personally take you home, so let’s go down now. The winter wind is cold. A woman should always avoid the cold.”

“Your grace is overwhelming.”

At the Emperor’s gesture, the guards rushed forward.

“We are returning immediately. Take every precaution to ensure that this woman returns home safely.”

“Understood.”

The Emperor stood side by side with Yang Ryeo-cheong and left the temple.

Watching the Emperor’s party leave from a place overlooking the temple, Jo Gwang-yun felt dizzy.

He had planned this to establish a connection with the Imperial family and the court. Being a concubine of the Emperor’s favored brother would have been more than enough. But it seemed the Emperor would take her for himself.

It seemed like he had seized an incredible opportunity, but the danger was even greater.

Even the most foolish person becomes a target of vigilance the moment they enter the court, and even the ugliest woman becomes a target of envy the moment they enter the palace.

If she became the Emperor’s concubine, she would become a target of envy, and it wouldn’t be strange if she died of indigestion from drinking water the very next day.

Yang Ryeo-cheong was not ugly but a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms. This was not something that would end with mere envy. If she survived to the end, there would be no greater fortune, and if she disappeared quickly, even he would be in danger.

But the situation had changed, and spilled water could not be recovered.

Jo Gwang-yun thought about the fruits he could obtain if Yang Ryeo-cheong survived. It was dangerous, but he could seize the empire in his grasp.

This was incomparable to simply establishing connections.

Then the remaining task was for Yang Ryeo-cheong to survive to the end.

He had planned to walk the stairs of a new world, but he was about to take the elevator straight up.

“Lord Jang, what should we do?”

Gu Seung’s urgent question pulled him out of his deep thoughts.

“The plan has changed, but only the target has changed. The Emperor will now take Yang Ryeo-cheong home. Go ahead and prepare.”

“Yes. Then what about you, Lord Jang…?”

“I am away from home on business. Focus only on that girl for now.”

“Understood.”

Gu Seung rushed down like the wind.

* * *

Yang Ryeo-cheong’s house was completely controlled due to the sudden arrival of the Emperor.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The house seems noisy…?”

“It is because the moving is not yet finished.”

“Ah, you said you had not been here long.”

The Emperor’s heart was set on opening the gate and going in with her, but he barely resisted, knowing that it was unseemly to enter the house of a woman he had just met.

“The brother is away on business, and the father and mother? Have they not arrived yet?”

Yang Ryeo-cheong’s expression suddenly darkened.

“I lost my parents early and live alone with my brother.”

“Oh, how could such a thing…”

“They died from the plague. I was fortunate enough to survive, and my brother, who had a deep connection with my father, took me in and has cared for me ever since.”

“Took you in? Then…?”

“Yes. My brother and I are sworn siblings.”

“Oh ho. Your father had a truly wonderful connection with a man. A merchant is usually swayed by money, but he took in the daughter of a connected family and raised her so beautifully, and he gives generously. Admirable.”

The Emperor did not spare his praise.

End