NOVEL NEXT Chapter 212
212th Chapter: Female Troubles
“Oh, how did you know about that…?”
Dang Yeong-ryeong stuttered after hearing my words.
“How long do you think I’ve been with Sahyeong? I’m not that dull!”
After hearing this, Dang Yeong-ryeong pouted her lips.
Her expression, rarely serious, suddenly shifted. Looks like she discarded the concept of joking around.
That’s fine by me.
“Oppa.”
Dang Yeong-ryeong called me in a serious tone. Seriously, she’s putting on a show and then calling me ‘oppa’?
“This is a hypothetical situation. If, hypothetically, you were to marry Yujin, would you not care even if she were a stone woman?”
Dang Yeong-ryeong asked me.
Her green eyes sank heavily.
Yeah, now I understand why Dang Yeong-ryeong and Yujin were traveling together. Sahyeong was trying to cure her infertility through some quack. So, she allowed Sahyeong to join the group.
As for Dang Yeong-ryeong, being a physician, she must have joined to examine the bones and muscles of the Heavenly Body.
For now, her worried expression towards Sahyeong seemed genuine. Thankfully, it seems like the quack doesn’t view our Sahyeong as a mere test subject.
If that were the case, I wouldn’t have held back.
Anyway, her question was simple. She was asking if I would still cherish Sahyeong despite her being a stone woman.
In the typical medieval martial world, a stone woman is considered a curse from heaven. Thus, men of this era would shout “No!” to such an idea.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care. Sahyeong is Sahyeong. This bond is not something that can be shaken by such a trivial fact.”
With the open-mindedness of a modern man, I couldn’t care less whether Sahyeong was infertile or not.
Our gazes collided in the air.
Swish
She took the secret manual of the Heavenly Transformation Technique with her hand.
“It seems like you’re serious, Oppa. To embrace a woman despite the stone woman’s curse, Yeong-ryeong is impressed. You might be falling for him, Oppa?”
Dang Yeong-ryeong shook her twin tails and placed her right hand on her cheek, babbling nonsense.
Alright then.
Just as I was about to have a serious conversation, nonsense came out instead. I didn’t expect much from her.
“If it were another woman, I might consider it, but for Senior Dang, well…”
I waved my hands at Dang Yeong-ryeong’s horrendous nonsense.
Thinking back on how she tormented me in my past life, my insides boiled with anger. Back then, I was called a treacherous rat who enjoyed luxury from the blood and sweat of citizens, all while gathering elixirs with power and money across the Central Plains, or rather the whole world. How many times did I get dissed in petitions?
They were all enjoying their corruption, indulging in the pleasures of the infamous.
Recalling those times made it impossible to see Dang Yeong-ryeong as a woman.
Hearing my words, Dang Yeong-ryeong puffed her cheeks out.
Swish
She came closer to me. Dang Yeong-ryeong’s face was so close I could hear her breathing.
“Hmph. Oppa, what did you just say? Why isn’t the world’s most beautiful physician, Yeong-ryeong, not good enough? Are you ignoring the adorable charm and beauty of Yeong-ryeong?”
A girl? Adorable? Seeing a 51-year-old Dang Yeong-ryeong acting like this made me furious.
Of course, Dang Yeong-ryeong was exceptionally good-looking. She was above average, or rather, just like she claims, a beautiful maiden.
But so what?
She was a quack who deceived me in my past life. And what? Charm? Just because someone is pretty doesn’t mean all pretty girls appeal to me.
“So, I’m saying I dislike it. Senior Dang, aren’t you past that age?”
I retreated a bit from her burdensome advance and said.
“Past that age? Listen well, Oppa. Yeong-ryeong is forever a young girl! From the moment Yeong-ryeong turned a certain age, she decided to live as an eternal young girl! So, that’s why Yeong-ryeong is the most beautiful girl in the martial world!”
Dang Yeong-ryeong cleared her throat and continued her nonsense earnestly.
Is this quack really mad?
Her gaze turned toward me.
“And if Yujin is fine, then why am I not? Hmph. Are you saying Yeong-ryeong lacks charm?”
Dang Yeong-ryeong, who is three years older than Geumhu, still called her ‘sister,’ but does she really believe she’s on par with Geumhu?
Gazing seriously at Dang Yeong-ryeong, I replied.
“Senior Dang, Geumhu is aware of her age, unlike you.”
“Hmph… well, still… Oppa, that’s too much!”
“Anyway, it’s not that I dislike you, but I don’t see you as a woman.”
Regardless of the quack’s abilities, she genuinely seems to care about Sahyeong.
I don’t dislike her. But I don’t see her as a woman either.
“…Hmph… stupid Oppa…”
Dang Yeong-ryeong looked at me with sulky eyes. I should probably leave before she spouts more nonsense.
I stood up from my seat.
“Then, please take care.”
“Hmph. Yeong-ryeong is upset.”
Ignoring her words, I opened the door to the Medical Hall and stepped outside.
The heavy snow that had fallen earlier had stopped. I was heading to Cheongun Pavilion now. I needed some sleep in my own room after a long time.
Just as I was thinking that.
I sensed a faint presence in my awareness that quickly vanished.
‘What was that?’
Is it a person? I briefly thought that but quickly dismissed it.
The size of the presence didn’t feel human. It felt more like a beast. Kind of like how a radar sometimes picks up birds or animals? That sort of feeling.
Gongdong Sect has two masters of Hyeongyeong. Only another master of Hyeongyeong could possibly conceal their presence.
So there was no need to worry unnecessarily.
I thought that as I returned to Cheongun Pavilion.
*
While Lee Cheol-soo and Dang Yeong-ryeong were meeting.
Outside the Medical Hall, she was there.
Yujinhwi.
Originally, she had headed to the Medical Hall to find Dang Yeong-ryeong.
However, the moment she witnessed Lee Cheol-soo entering the Medical Hall first, she instinctively hid herself in the nearby bushes, concealing her presence.
From that position, she eavesdropped on the conversation between Lee Cheol-soo and Dang Yeong-ryeong.
And she was shocked.
‘Saje knows I’m a stone woman.’
Yujinhwi’s shoulders drooped.
As Saje said, not knowing her condition would be stranger. That’s true because unlike other women, she didn’t have periods.
It was a matter that could be understood with a little common sense.
Yujinhwi’s eyes sank heavily. Still, she didn’t want Saje to see her. She didn’t want to reveal the flaw of being a stone woman. Yujinhwi was a woman too. In front of the person she loved, she only wanted to show her beautiful side.
But she failed. Just when Yujinhwi was about to despair from that fact.
She heard Lee Cheol-soo’s words echoing in her ears.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care. Sahyeong is Sahyeong. This bond is not something that can be shaken by such a trivial fact.”
He doesn’t care.
He definitely said that. A stone woman is a heavenly curse. A curse that would be hated by all men in the world. A curse that cannot be excused even if it’s trampled on from the first night of marriage.
But her Saje said he would embrace even that curse.
Lee Cheol-soo’s words made Yujinhwi’s heart race. Her face flushed bright red.
‘Saje…’
Even if it were just empty words, it felt good. Her heart raced madly. She felt like she received indirect confirmation of Saje’s feelings.
She lowered her hand and gently stroked her lower abdomen. She couldn’t have children.
Because of that, she couldn’t become an official wife. So she thought, even if she could only be a concubine. When her disciple Seoharin said she would support her as an official wife, she wavered, but she never truly desired to become one.
It was good if it worked out, and it didn’t matter if it didn’t.
Or perhaps it was better if it didn’t.
If she became a wife while hiding that she was a stone woman, Saje might abandon her.
The fact of being a stone woman was that significant a flaw.
So she tried to be satisfied as a concubine. If she were a concubine, she wouldn’t have to bear children. If she could satisfy Saje’s desires, that would be enough. A stone woman was ultimately only good for欲望解消.
But Saje didn’t care.
‘Then I too…’
Did that mean she didn’t have to give up either?
Yujinhwi thought that way. Of course, she wasn’t planning to target Saje’s position as the main wife while still being a stone woman.
Though Saje said it was alright, her pride and the perspective of the world were concerning.
Above all.
She also wanted to have a child. She wanted to carry the fruit of love with Saje in her womb.
So she would overcome it.
She would overcome it and bear the fruit of love with Saje.
And then.
‘I will become Saje’s official wife.’
She would become Saje’s only official concubine.
On a snowy day, Yujinhwi decided to embrace her pounding heart and resolve to be more than just a concubine.
*
Returning to Cheongun Pavilion, I found Sahyeong waiting for me.
In the late dawn, when everyone was asleep, Sahyeong stood in the snow-covered courtyard of Cheongun Pavilion, waiting for me.
The scenery of Gongdong Sect was beautiful. It was no wonder it was named Seorae Jeil Mountain.
And the finishing touch of that scenery was Sahyeong.
Unlike her usual appearance as a handsome man, with her disguise off, she looked completely like a woman, her eyes sparkling like stars as she jumped into my arms.
“Saje, I missed you.”
“I missed you too.”
I patted Sahyeong’s head. She sank deeper into my embrace. Her face flushed red, perhaps from the cold.
“Saje.”
“Yes, Sahyeong.”
“Thank you.”
Thank you?
I didn’t really understand what she was thankful for, but somehow at that moment, I felt that it would be wrong to poke the bear.
She slightly trembled as she pulled away from my arms.
“I’ve decided to work hard from now on.”
“What kind of effort are you talking about?”
Sahyeong’s face turned slightly red upon hearing my words. She looked at me and said.
“I will become the best in the world! Then, during that time, I’ll meet you and proudly say it. My… my… I’ll say something!”
Yujinhwi’s face turned entirely red. I chuckled while listening to Sahyeong.
Sahyeong’s face was filled with embarrassment.
“I understand. If it’s you, you can reach the position of the best in the world quickly. I will wait until then.”
“Yes… make sure to wait for me!”
Sahyeong beamed at me. Her smile reflected in the moonlight was beautiful.
I momentarily lost my focus, then nodded at her words.
Becoming the best in the world, huh?
It shouldn’t take too long.
If it’s what Sahyeong wants, then I should let her do it.
After all, I’m the kind of grown man who understands my woman’s feelings.
So, alongside Sahyeong, I spent quite some time smiling at each other in the snowy Gongdong Sect before we both entered Cheongun Pavilion.
*
The next day.
Having overslept delightfully in my house after a long time, I received a call from my master, Jeonyeong, early in the morning, and headed to Hyeoncheon Palace, where my master resided.
The Hyeoncheon Palace, a core royal chamber of the Gongdong Sect where the master lived, had been massively expanded compared to the past.
As I opened the door to Hyeoncheon Palace, Jeonyeong welcomed me.
“My disciple has arrived. Were you looking for me, Master?”
“Yes.”
Clunk
Jeonyeong poured water into the teacup placed before me.
I took a sip of the tea presented by my master. It was a decent high-quality tea with a good aroma.
“The reason I called you today is due to your matters regarding female troubles.”
At my master’s words, I nearly spat out the tea I had just swallowed.
What? Female troubles?