Chapter : 28
Yeonhwa quickly found the answer.
“Of course. No one stopped me from doing it, no one got hurt, and in the end, all that happened was a fuss.”
In fact, the word “fuss” might describe everything perfectly.
Unlike Brother Museong, who intimidated and oppressed those around him, causing tension, making a fuss and acting flustered seemed almost… funny.
Honestly, she didn’t even have time to feel awkward or resistant because she was too busy blushing.
As a red peony carved from a ruby was attached to each of Yeonhwa’s earlobes, her faintly reddened cheeks made the sight even more delightful.
Yeonhwa turned her head away from Yu Geonmyeong, who was standing beside her.
She spoke to Yang Eui-joon, who was standing opposite her.
“Brother.”
“Uh… yes?”
Yang Eui-joon, who had been stiff, reacted belatedly, and Yeonhwa pointed to what he was holding.
“The reason you made a headpiece from blood jade must have been because it was the most beautiful way to display the blood jade, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, what do you think is the reason Geonmyeong made earrings out of rubies?”
“Well, it’s probably because it was the best he could make with the rubies he obtained?”
Yang Eui-joon answered as if she was asking an obvious question, but Yeonhwa shook her head.
“If it were Geonmyeong, even if he had obtained blood jade of the same size and quality as yours, he would have split it, accepting the loss in value, and made a small pair of earrings instead.”
Earrings were generally less valuable than most other jewelry.
Rubies were also quite precious, so there was no way Geonmyeong, who had tried to get something even better, would make earrings just because he didn’t want to spend the money.
Thus, there had to be another reason why Geonmyeong chose earrings.
And after comparing the earrings to the headpiece, Yeonhwa immediately realized.
“That’s ridiculous. Who in the world would do such an undignified thing with blood jade?”
However, for Yang Eui-joon, who believed that the best was only suited for the best, this was unacceptable.
“Geonmyeong would do it. He’s the kind of person who thinks first about function: that it mustn’t bother me, who always wields a sword and avoids wearing jewelry, rather than about the value of the gems.”
He wasn’t the only one surprised by her unexpected answer.
“How did you… figure that out?”
Geonmyeong never imagined that Yeonhwa, who had been raised almost entirely under Samryeong, would be so perceptive in reading human emotions.
Yet Yeonhwa, seemingly amused, thought Geonmyeong’s astonishment was silly.
“I’m not stupid. With so many clues, how could I not figure it out?”
Geonmyeong chuckled softly at her retort.
‘She’s really clever.’
It made sense if it was a conclusion drawn from rational judgment.
The sight of the two standing opposite each other, understanding one another, was incredibly beautiful.
Even when Yang Eui-joon had approached earlier, it had been exactly like this.
“How could this be?”
Where he was, everything always revolved around him.
That hadn’t changed even when he was with Samryeong.
But here, look—
Nothing changed.
No, more accurately, for those two, nothing had changed.
The impact of it only affected him, shaking his emotions.
Suddenly, Yang Eui-joon felt disgusted by everything.
If he had known, he should have given the box sooner.
He had deliberately chosen the morning of the betrothal ceremony to let them experience the joy of comparing everything, finding the best at the end, and choosing it willingly. Yet it had turned out to be an unsatisfactory choice.
“Master, it seems you should be going.”
Ji Won-hyeong hated it when Tak Mu-seong would always rush forward at the slightest incident, but he disliked, just as much, the way this flower-like young master smiled as if everything was perfect for himself.
Especially on an important day, it looked ominous that his normally cheerful master looked at him with cracks in his expression.
Ji Won-hyeong opened a path with his words and nudged him forward. Geonmyeong nodded and, taking Yeonhwa, left.
“We should be going now. We’ll see you again at the betrothal ceremony.”
They planned to go to the separate area prepared beside the main hall for the betrothal ceremony.
After the two of them left, Yang Eui-joon felt the box in his hands unbearably heavy.
“Ah, miss… if the makeup… comes off… I must… I have to take care of it!”
Yeonhwa and even the little maid trailing behind her didn’t even look back as they passed, leaving Yang Eui-joon blinking.
He stood frozen for a moment before turning his body.
A few steps later, he dropped the box onto the ground.
Crash!
The box shattered, scattering the blood jade headpiece across the floor.
Yang Eui-joon looked down at the blood-stained jade and pressed it with his foot.
Once something wasn’t chosen, it could no longer be considered the best.
With pressure from his foot, it soon cracked! and broke.
Nameless pieces of jade were ignored as Yang Eui-joon walked away, while one stunned gaze followed him.
“Th-That precious thing…!”
It was Namgung Hye-joo, who had long forgotten but had lingered, hoping for a chance.
Seeing the broken red fragments scattered like blood on the dirt floor sent chills down her spine.
Even Namgung Hye-joo, who was easily swayed by desire, could not even consider picking up the pieces to sell.
“The betrothal ceremony is beginning!”
The noisy main hall quieted.
Yeonhwa and Yu Geonmyeong proceeded with the betrothal ceremony in the set order.
Long tables were set up in two rows: the Namgung family on the left, the Daejeong merchants on the right.
Samryeong sat at the head of both tables, while other guests watched the ceremony from outside the open central hall doors.
Yeonhwa and Yu Geonmyeong shared one cup of wine, then offered their cups to their elders.
Then it was Samryeong’s turn.
But, clink!
Tak Mu-seong knocked over the cup, freezing the central hall.
Mo Yong-yun-hwan elbowed Yang Eui-joon in annoyance, thinking, This brat’s going to cause trouble.
He was the best at solving problems, but Yang Eui-joon was the master of controlling the atmosphere among people.
It seemed he had chosen a perfect moment.
Yang Eui-joon looked at Yeonhwa, standing in front of the Daejeong people, and said,
“I don’t think it’s the right time for peonies to bloom.”
Then, clink.
He overturned the cup.
When two of the Samryeong followed the same action, Mo Yong-yun-hwan’s blood boiled.
If he didn’t participate, the Samryeong would certainly start quarreling.
‘It’s best to avoid trouble, but if it’s already happening…’
The cups had been offered to the Namgung and Daejeong side, so the ceremony wouldn’t collapse even if he abstained.
Clink.
Mo Yong-yun-hwan overturned his cup on the table as well.
The atmosphere sank to such a desolate silence that even breathing seemed loud.
“Hmm.”
Mo Yong-yun-hwan leaned back with his arms crossed, looking indifferent, leaving everyone unsure of what to do.
Then Yeonhwa stepped forward.
She calmly stood opposite the Samryeong.
“It seems you felt uncomfortable taking the cup because you’re not close relatives. But, aren’t you three brothers the ones who, above all, cared for me in place of Brother Seonyu?”
Yeonhwa picked up the cup overturned by Tak Mu-seong and poured wine over it.
Shlorp!
Even in the vast main hall, no one missed the sound of the cup being filled.
The guests watched with bated breath, wondering how this betrothal ceremony, clearly disliked by the Samryeong, would conclude.
Would they drink from the cup offered by the sister they cherished so much?
If they were going to yield so easily, would they have acted that way in the first place?
Instead of letting Tak Mu-seong drink the cup she had filled, Yeonhwa herself lifted it and swallowed it in one gulp.
And that wasn’t all.
She repeated the action for Yang Eui-joon’s cup and the third cup, Mo Yong-yun-hwan’s.
She would no longer let anyone else disrupt her life.
Having drunk three cups in one breath, she then bowed toward the three.
“During the betrothal ceremony, I took three cups in place of you three brothers. I trust that you will accept our cups on the wedding day.”
The air between Yeonhwa and the Samryeong became taut.
Their gazes toward each other carried a completely different intensity than before.
