Chapter : 09
The Switched Wedding (4)
The gates of Bisan Fortress opened.
With a deep woooong, the sound of the opening gates seemed to make even the air tremble, the ground rumbling beneath it.
Though it could not compare to the imperial capital of Taegyeongbu, the massive, heavy gates—bearing the weight of long years—felt majestic even in the sound they made as they opened.
So I really am entering this place at last.
The journey here had taken a full day and a half, yet strangely, it felt as though she had arrived far too quickly.
As the carriage appeared to pass through the gates, Joyeong reached out to open the window, her curiosity piqued.
“Waaaaah—!”
A sudden roar of cheers shook the carriage, and Joyeong flinched, startled, failing to open the window.
The jubilant cries of the people welcoming their lord and princess threatened to undo the resolve she had barely managed to steel herself with.
What will happen when they find out I’m not really a princess?
If word of her reputation in Taegyeongbu reached this place as well, it would be utterly disastrous.
Just a few months ago, how rough and calloused her hands had been.
Thanks to being fattened up and having her skin tended so she could be sold for a high price, the swollen cracks had disappeared, but habits ingrained from a life of servitude would not fade so easily.
Unfortunately, the only high-born young ladies Joyeong had ever seen were those who came and went through the Ha family estate.
In other words, they were mostly friends of Ha Jinhong or vain women eager to curry favor with Ha Jinsan.
Birds of a feather flock together—those women were aloof, fiercely proud, looked down on those beneath them, and delighted in tormenting the weak.
Joyeong knew they were awful people, but she assumed that a princess—of a status even higher than theirs—would be at least as difficult and sensitive as they were.
I can’t act as though everything is wonderful. Even if Bisan Fortress isn’t worse than where the princess lived, it certainly can’t be more luxurious. I need to show some displeasure, and I must be careful not to gape in awe or appear too satisfied.
Becoming a princess, it seemed, would not be easy at all.
Meanwhile, outside the carriage, Yeonho and Yulbok led the procession, quietly conversing as they left the people’s cheers behind.
“It seems the people came out to welcome the princess. We never announced that we were bringing her here, yet everyone somehow knew. It feels quite unnatural.”
A note of cold cynicism colored Yulbok’s calm words.
Yeonho replied with an actual smile.
“This was probably arranged for them to receive the princess’s corpse. They must be disappointed that we brought her back alive.”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be good for the princess to show her face just once? To let them know that the one in the carriage is breathing.”
“Leave it be. If they grow anxious, unable to tell whether she’s alive or dead, and try to confirm it themselves, their tails will eventually be caught.”
“Ah, that does sound more amusing. Besides, the princess’s current appearance isn’t exactly suitable to be shown to others.”
The bloodstained clothes were one problem, but her gloomy expression was unsightly as well.
On top of that, since she had been dragged here against her will, if she were to appear before the people now, she might very well shout again that she was not a princess.
“I didn’t expect it to be this serious, but she was even hiding a dagger. Now I understand why the Crown Prince sent that letter. Since the princess might try to escape, we’ll need to find a way to change her mind. If she runs away, it will give the Empress grounds to act. She already knows the assassination failed, so she’ll be sharpening her knives.”
“Indeed. But isn’t finding a way to change her mind entirely up to you, my lord? You’ll need to hold her back, beg her not to leave, and plead for her heart.”
“No. I’m asking for a way to change her mind so that I won’t have to beg. Think of conditions that might tempt her. If that fails, we’ll have no choice but to find something that could serve as a weakness.”
For a moment, Yulbok forgot that Yeonho was the lord of Bisan Fortress and the General of the Guard, and let out a scoff.
“I can’t tell whether you’re trying to win a woman’s heart, or turn the heart of an enemy commander.”
“You sound like you clearly know the difference. If you have a solution, stop beating around the bush and say it.”
“Males adorning themselves and circling females to gain their favor for mating is simply the law of nature.”
At the blatant metaphor, Yeonho frowned.
“Now you’re comparing me to an animal. I have no intention of becoming a beast obsessed with mating.”
“The woman you desire has already chosen another male. You’ll have to make yourself shine brighter than him.”
“Is there really a need to try that hard? Even now, many admire and follow me. The princess merely met some fellow named Jeong Jae-in or Jeong Jae-su before meeting me. If we delay the formal wedding a little and build some rapport between us, her heart will soon turn.”
Yeonho spoke with confidence.
Given his status as the lord of Bisan Fortress, his position as General of the Guard, and the fact that Kang Yeonho was young and handsome, perhaps false humility would have been even more irritating.
Even so, Yulbok could not fully agree. After all, his counterpart was a princess of a far higher and nobler rank—and though she had looked gaunt and worn earlier, she was quite beautiful.
More importantly, she was so blinded by another man that she was willing to throw away even her status as a princess, unable to see Kang Yeonho’s rank, abilities, or looks at all.
Without changing his expression, Yulbok replied indifferently.
“Just so you know, among those who admire you, I am not one of them. I’d rather not be misunderstood. That said, I wish you good fortune.”
“Good fortune? Who am I supposed to be fighting?”
“Winning love is still a kind of battle. And since you equate winning a woman’s heart with earning the admiration of your subordinates, I have no choice but to wish you good fortune. Do your best.”
“I told you not to be sarcastic.”
“I mean it sincerely. It sounds like it will be entertaining to watch.”
“So you want to see my dignity crushed and me humiliated, all for your amusement.”
“I’ve always enjoyed the process more than the result. It’s a pity the letter His Highness the Crown Prince sent has already been burned to ashes.”
“Did I miss something?”
“How deeply the princess cared for Jeong Jae-in. Didn’t Lady Hwabi say she arranged all this because she feared the princess might even lose her life over him? Their hearts have already melted together and hardened like steel. Melting that heart again and splitting it in two will not be easy.”
Yeonho had read the Crown Prince’s letter as well. Still, he found it hard to believe that a princess of an entire kingdom might die simply from longing for her lover.
“She’s lived her whole life in the palace, so her perspective on the world must be narrow. Distance makes the heart grow distant too. The princess will never see that Jeong fellow again. In her sight, there will be no man but me.”
“That may be so for the princess—but are you truly all right with that, General?”
“What do you mean?”
“If you don’t approach her sincerely, the princess won’t give you her heart either. Try to make her fall in love with you.”
“……”
Yeonho’s furrowed brow did not relax.
He would fulfill his duty as her husband and respect her as his wife.
Wasn’t that enough? Did he really have to love her as well?
After that, their conversation ceased, and the procession swiftly entered the palace grounds.
The inner palace was bathed in crimson sunset light.
Stepping down from the carriage, Joyeong looked around.
The aged dancheong paintwork was clean and elegant, imbued with antique charm.
Because of frequent wars and threats of assassination, the garden lacked large trees and was modest in scale.
Yet not a single blade of grass or stretch of wall was neglected; everything was neat and orderly.
Since the lord was also the General of the Guard, it seemed he governed those beneath him as strictly as soldiers under military law.
And yet, despite the stern atmosphere, there was an oddly warm and welcoming feeling to the place.
That impression seemed correct—the servants’ faces did not appear gloomy.
“Your Highness the Princess. You must have endured much hardship on your long journey. I am Bukyeong, the head maid who will attend you from now on.”
The head maid, who looked to be in her mid-thirties, greeted her with a respectful yet efficient bow.
Bukyeong left a very good impression—gentle and kind in appearance, yet reliable with her crisp, clear manner of speech.
The other maids following her looked not tense, but filled with curiosity and excitement.
At the Ha family estate, the faces of the servants had been steeped in spite, jealousy, and contempt, constantly on edge, ready to tear one another apart.
Even the smallest mistake would provoke the Ha siblings’ cruelty, leaving the household atmosphere perpetually tense, like walking on thin ice.
And yet here, in the inner palace of a general who lived in constant warfare, the mood was surprisingly warm and gentle. Joyeong found herself taken aback.
Even more surprising was Head Maid Bukyeong’s reaction after the greeting.
When she noticed the blood on Joyeong’s clothes, her lips stiffened for just a moment.
But she quickly concealed her shock and said with a kindly smile,
“You must be exhausted from your long journey, so we have prepared bathwater for you. I will attend you.”
Bukyeong and the other maids swiftly hid their unease, maintaining calm expressions as they efficiently led Joyeong away.
