Chapter 4
“Still, there’s no need to see it all negatively.”
Dang Cham-ryeo feigned comfort toward Li Seo while slyly adding a touch of provocation.
“No matter how much of a genius you are, becoming the head of the Sacheon Tang family without any backing was always a fanciful dream. If you instead serve as a concubine of Cheonma, acting as a bridge between the sect and the Tang family, that too can be considered a life of value. Of course, it’s not a position that fully matches your talent…”
“Ah, I understand.”
Li Seo exhaled and nodded.
The idea of marriage at sixteen had initially shocked her, but in the grand scheme of life, marriage was inevitable—whether now or ten years later, it made little difference.
“You understand?”
Dang Cham-ryeo raised an eyebrow, incredulous.
“Yes. When should I go?”
As always, Li Seo’s speed in accepting reality was remarkable.
“She’s far too young.”
Cheon Ryeon-gungju Sang Gwan-baek rubbed his temple with a troubled expression.
He had been asked to visit by the sect because a girl of the perfect age was admiring the sect leader. After much deliberation, he had come.
“Sixteen is exactly the right age.”
“The sect leader is well past forty.”
Sang Gwan-baek shot a disapproving glance at Lady Seo, feeling irritated.
‘So she spread false rumors to gain a connection with the sect.’
How could a prestigious family like the Sacheon Tang stoop to such petty tactics?
Still, since he had come all this way, he could not return empty-handed. Sang Gwan-baek reluctantly proposed a compromise.
“Would you consider showing another daughter? I hear you have several who have reached the age of maturity.”
“That may be true, but none of them are as outstanding as the ninth.”
“Hmm. Even among Lady Seo’s own daughters?”
Lady Seo’s expression stiffened slightly at Sang Gwan-baek’s skeptical tone. As the mother of Tang Hyun-min, Tang Ha-rin, and Tang Seo-ha, she found it uncomfortable to speak ill of her daughters just to send Li Seo.
“…They are all intelligent, but naturally, there are differences.”
Sang Gwan-baek snorted.
She didn’t want to give up her daughters, yet she wanted a connection with the sect. A transparent ploy.
“Very well, then let’s at least see her.”
Lady Seo bowed her head and stepped aside.
After a brief wait with tea, the door opened, and Li Seo entered.
‘Good heavens, she’s just a tiny bundle of life.’
Sang Gwan-baek clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
She might be older in a few years, but even with her talent, taking in such a young girl as a concubine was impossible.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Dang Li-seo.”
“Ah, yes. Sit, and let’s pass the time.”
“Yes.”
Li Seo gracefully seated herself in Lady Seo’s chair, waving her hand to summon the servant to bring tea.
‘How is she so composed?’
Could she not even understand why she was summoned?
Sang Gwan-baek, irritated at being sent on a futile errand, addressed Li Seo.
“Do you know why you are here?”
“I was told I am to become the sect leader’s concubine.”
“Ha. Do you know what that entails?”
“Roughly, yes.”
Li Seo picked up a mooncake from the plate and bit into it.
The nut-filled filling filled her mouth with a rich, sweet aroma.
“Good appetite, I see. Surprising, given the circumstances.”
“They say ghosts who eat well are beautiful. I believe it’s never a loss to eat well, no matter the situation.”
Li Seo took another bite.
“I do have a question, though.”
“…Ask it.”
Lowering her voice to a whisper, Li Seo asked,
“What about a concubine’s stipend?”
Sang Gwan-baek’s jaw dropped.
In other respects, she might be a child, but her boldness was not to be underestimated.
Seeing his shocked reaction, Li Seo quickly added,
“Of course, I don’t think stipend alone matters. There’s also the honor of being the sect leader’s companion… the gratitude of serving the great Cheonma Shingyo…”
“There is no stipend.”
“What?! How can that be?”
Li Seo sprang to her feet.
“Instead, you may purchase goods anywhere without paying.”
“A reward fitting for a role of priceless dignity.”
Li Seo sat back down.
‘Does the Sacheon Tang not provide pocket money?’
Sang Gwan-baek found her fixation on a stipend curious. Her noble bearing and composed manners suggested she was not poorly raised.
‘Ah… could it be…?’
Connecting Lady Seo’s suspicious attitude with Li Seo’s obsession with money led to a clear conclusion.
This girl has been mistreated!
Understanding this explained her unusually mature and composed demeanor. Even a child grows quickly when life is hard.
‘Truly harsh. What crime has this child committed to be treated so?’
Sang Gwan-baek felt disappointed in Lady Seo. She had thought Lady Seo, among all the women of the Sacheon Tang, was closest due to her faith in the sect—but she was just as harsh and stingy as any non-believer.
“So, when may I formally enter the sect?”
Sang Gwan-baek, sensing Li Seo’s eagerness to leave the Tang family, replied with pity.
“Even if you are prepared to become a concubine, you cannot enter the concubine quarters immediately. You are too young and an outsider. Becoming a proper disciple must come first.”
Coincidentally, the work at Cheon Ryeon-gung, where Sang Gwan-baek served, was exactly this.
All prospective outsiders born beyond the Ten-Thousand Mountains must first be educated and trained as preparatory disciples.
“All prospective disciples must spend a thousand days at Cheon Ryeon-gung studying the doctrines of Cheonma Shingyo and practicing foundational martial arts. There are no exceptions for concubines.”
“I see.”
Li Seo nodded, finding this explanation reasonable.
It would be strange for a concubine of Cheonma not to be a believer.
“The appropriate time to enter will be next spring. By the time you leave Cheon Ryeon-gung, you will no longer be a child, and you may then move directly into the concubine quarters.”
“Understood.”
Sang Gwan-baek regarded Li Seo with sympathetic eyes, offering sincere advice.
“Entering the concubine quarters does not guarantee favor. I am sorry to disappoint you, but most concubines never even see the sect leader and die unnoticed.”
“I expected as much.”
Li Seo recalled the historical dramas she had watched in her previous life.
Though the sect leader was not an emperor, as with most cult leaders, Cheonma was revered as a god. His internal power would rival that of any sovereign.
‘The concubines must be countless.’
Occasionally, a favored concubine would enjoy wealth and authority, but the risks were equally great. For a security-oriented person like Li Seo, staying inconspicuous suited her temperament.
“What happens if one does not receive favor?”
