NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71
Chapter 71: The Virtuous Wife
As the sun set and the moon rose, the night enveloped Gongdong Mountain.
In the courtyard of the reception hall, which had transformed from an abandoned place to a haunted one, Lee Cheol-soo and Geumhu exchanged greetings.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. I apologize for overstaying at this late hour.”
Lee Cheol-soo bowed his head.
According to So Geom-hu, it was considered rude for a man to visit a woman’s room at night in this era.
If it had been a busier inn instead of the empty Gongdong Sect Main Base, rumors of them secretly meeting could have spread like wildfire.
The separation of genders was strictly enforced in those times.
“No, I’m perfectly fine. You may visit anytime.”
“Thank you for your kind consideration, Senior Geumhu. Have a restful night.”
“May you have a restful night as well, Young Master.”
As Lee Cheol-soo disappeared from view, Geumhu leaned against a pillar of the reception hall, blankly staring into the distance.
The moonlight sparkled down upon her silver hair, giving her an ethereal glow.
Her heart raced.
Through the sensations connecting her to the entire Gongdong Sect, she sensed Lee Cheol-soo returning to Cheongun Pavilion.
‘The Young Master enjoyed the snacks I prepared!’
The snacks were made by Geumhu herself.
Her interest in tea ceremonies honed during years of solitude led to this moment. She felt confident that the esteemed guests enjoyed her work. Yet, presenting them to the Young Master made her heart flutter with anxiety.
What if they doesn’t suit his taste? What if he finds them unappetizing?
Hwajeong County was a small town, lacking in resources for high-quality ingredients.
But the Young Master praised her, saying he enjoyed them.
‘How kind he is! I am so delighted.’
Geumhu hugged her blushing cheeks, lost in her thoughts.
The Young Master.
She yearned to call him that. She wanted to express her love to him. She dreamed of being cradled in his embrace.
Yet, she couldn’t.
Not yet. He was still merely a challenger, neither a husband nor a chosen one. The Gongdong Sect and Hangshan Sect were interconnected with animosity.
As the head of the Hangshan Sect, she had to treat the Young Master, a disciple of the Gongdong Sect, with formality.
She couldn’t openly confess her feelings or express them to him.
That truth tormented her, making her heart ache.
Why was it so difficult to be close?
‘But I’m still happy that the Young Master hasn’t forgotten to visit me.’
All day while making snacks, her mind was solely preoccupied with thoughts of the Young Master.
What if he didn’t come? That anxiety had made her restless.
But he did come.
Not only that, he even made a request of her!
‘Such a gentleman. There’s no need for requests between a married couple…but a command would suffice.’
Thump, thump.
Her heart raced again.
Moreover, the request was something she had long desired.
‘Ah, I can stay longer with the Young Master at the Gongdong Sect!’
Originally, she was supposed to return to the Hangshan Sect, but she had found an excuse to stay under the pretense of checking on the ailing challenger, Lee Cheol-soo.
When he recovered, she would have to depart for that faraway Hangshan.
The thought made Geumhu sad.
But thanks to the Young Master’s suggestion, she could now be a formal guest of the Gongdong Sect, allowing her to remain by his side for a while longer.
That delighted her immensely. Of course, being a disciple, So Geom-hu had to manage the outdated facilities of the reception hall and prepare her own meals, which she complained about, but to Geumhu, none of it mattered.
‘Cooking is the virtue of a virtuous wife…heh heh. For the Young Master, I can certainly cook well!’
Cooking herself? That was even better! She could treat it as culinary training for the Young Master.
The decrepit facilities of the reception hall didn’t bother her. As long as she could stay by his side, even sleeping outdoors would be acceptable.
‘Ah, my Young Master. Just how… kind, gentle… polite, and dependable you are…’
Just as Geumhu was blushing, a voice called from behind her.
“Master!”
So Geom-hu’s voice broke the moment.
Quickly controlling her flushed face, Geumhu reverted to her usual cold, expressionless demeanor as the “Ice Beauty.”
Turning her poker-faced gaze towards So Geom-hu, she asked, “What is it?”
“…Do you really intend to allow Lee Cheol-soo’s challenge? The one who claimed he would take the renowned Seomun Family’s Geombong as a maid—Lee Cheol-soo! A maid! To take the illustrious Cheong-ha as his maid! Can’t you sense the insidious intent behind that?!”
So Geom-hu gazed intently at Geumhu.
Seomun Cheong-ha. Maid.
The mere mention of it made Geumhu’s lips quiver slightly.
Geombong Seomun Cheong-ha had formed a friendship with So Geom-hu, Cheon Sobin. Naturally, Geumhu was also acquainted with Seomun Cheong-ha.
The 14-year-old Seomun Cheong-ha was one year younger than the 15-year-old Cheon Sobin.
Both of them were younger, yes.
But with this thought, Geumhu felt a wave of unease wash over her.
‘What if the Young Master develops feelings for Cheong-ha…?’
Besides, Seomun Cheong-ha was far younger and a girl of the Young Master’s age.
To say she didn’t feel anxious would be a lie.
However, Geumhu trusted the Young Master.
‘No, that’s not it. This isn’t right. The Young Master… promised he would challenge me when he came of age. He vowed to embrace me as his woman.’
Recalling that public confession made Geumhu’s heart race again. She desperately tried to suppress the redness flooding her face.
‘…And anyway, my status is higher. If… the Young Master were to pursue Cheong-ha, then the official concubine would still be my position.’
After all, she was the leader of the Nine Upper Realms and skilled in the martial arts, renowned throughout the land.
Even if Seomun Cheong-ha became the Young Master’s woman, she could never usurp the position of official concubine from Geumhu.
‘…They say heroes are prone to lust. And the Young Master is of an age where his blood runs hot… indulging in a little flame play isn’t a big deal. After all, the official concubine is my spot.’
Geumhu chuckled inwardly.
In status, age, and position, no woman in the Orthodox Faction could surpass her.
Aside from the princess of the Ming Empire or the widely acclaimed beautiful woman, Jeoksawol, who hasn’t appeared yet, the position of official concubine would inevitably belong to her.
But the Imperial Family likely had no interest in the fallen Gongdong Sect, and Jeoksawol was a woman who had bizarrely lived a solitary life for 60 years, completely rejecting men.
So the position of official concubine was undeniably hers.
And Geumhu found satisfaction in that.
After all, it had been a decade since the absence of a challenger; a marriage she had almost given up on due to the passage of time. She was no longer in a position to be picky about spouses.
Besides, a man having concubines wasn’t too much of a blemish either.
‘Especially when I think of that, that… Young Master’s…’
The image of the Young Master’s endowment flickered before Geumhu’s eyes.
With a size like that, it was undeniable his desires were probably quite vigorous too.
If he didn’t indulge in those cravings, it would bring him suffering. She didn’t want the Young Master to be in pain.
Indulging in a little flame play was inevitable.
Plus, he was handsome, young, and a young master of great promise. It was only natural for women to flock to him.
‘Ah, I’m so sorry, Young Master… I should have satisfied your desires but… I can’t…’
A subtle shadow passed over Geumhu’s expressionless face.
She was more than confident she could fulfill the Young Master’s desires.
But as the head of the Hangshan Sect, and remembering the declaration made 30 years ago by the Yongbong Society, she felt resentment.
As a rightful wife, she should have been the one to relieve the Young Master’s desires, but right now, that wasn’t possible.
‘Even so, if the Young Master becomes of age and wins against me in the martial arts contest, that night… I will become his woman.’
Thump.
Geumhu’s heart raced.
She had preserved her virginity for over 46 years. The mere thought of being embraced by the Young Master on the night he comes of age excited her.
‘…W-Wouldn’t you find it scandalous? But still, when the time comes, I’ll be his woman…’
She longed to spend the entire night in an ardent embrace.
To reach that day, she had to endure for now.
Since the Young Master wasn’t of age yet.
‘I’ll wait for the day when the Young Master becomes of age and comes to rescue me.’
With that thought in mind, Geumhu spoke to So Geom-hu in a chilly tone, her face devoid of emotion.
“Cheon Sobin. Didn’t you mention that it was Geombong who suggested it first? I don’t mind.”
“B-But…! Yes, but! Just now, I saw Lee Cheol-soo entering the underworld pleasure district in Hwajeong County! Are you still going to accept his challenge?! Lee Cheol-soo must be a debauched scoundrel!”
So Geom-hu shouted at Geumhu.
‘A scoundrel frivolous enough to frequent the pleasure district! I absolutely cannot recognize him as my Master’s husband!’
So Geom-hu’s hands trembled as she felt anger.
Lee Cheol-soo.
So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin disliked him intensely. Simply challenging her revered Master, who was the idol of every woman in the martial world, was inappropriate enough.
To say nothing of the disgraceful behavior he had shown during the contest and the wager to turn his friend Seomun Cheong-ha into a maid—they disgusted her.
Plus, she didn’t like the idea of him daring to visit a pleasure district while challenging her Master.
So Geom-hu believed her Master wouldn’t lose to someone like Lee Cheol-soo. However, if—by any chance—he did…
‘…If Lee Cheol-soo were to become my Master’s husband… I’d have to respect him as my Master!’
According to the principle of Gunsu-Iltae (君師父一體), a male disciple’s wife would be addressed as Simo (師母), like a mother, while a female disciple’s husband was honored as Simu (師夫) like a father.
But the problem was, Lee Cheol-soo was only 14 years old, one year younger than her.
So Geom-hu couldn’t accept the idea of having a stepfather younger than herself.
She didn’t want to leave even a shred of possibility for it.
‘Yes! My Master must hate the idea of a scoundrel who indulges in pleasure districts!’
Just as So Geom-hu reveled in her secret strategy, Geumhu’s cold gaze struck her with a fierce intensity.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, Young Master. I should have fulfilled your desires. How you must have suffered… because of my lack of action…’
Geumhu didn’t care if Lee Cheol-soo visited the pleasure district or not.
That alone wouldn’t strip the spell that clouded her vision.
“B-But a scoundrel who only indulges in pleasures…”
“A vigorous young man visiting pleasure districts isn’t a serious defect. In the Orthodox Faction, how many young masters can claim they don’t indulge? Besides, I have never changed the qualifications for a challenger in the Orthodox Realm throughout the past 30 years. He is also a man of the Orthodox Faction. Hence, his challenge is still valid. If I change my stance now, it would ruin my reputation and make me a laughingstock!”
“…”
So Geom-hu fell silent, taken aback by Geumhu’s sound reasoning.
There were no flaws in Geumhu’s argument.
The requirements Geumhu established for challenges were simple: the challenger must be a man of the Orthodox Faction. That had remained unchanged for 30 years.
Yet if they suddenly dismissed Lee Cheol-soo’s challenge now, it would not only tarnish Geumhu’s reputation but also the image of the Hangshan Sect.
For the sake of face, Geumhu couldn’t possibly retract her words.
“And in my youth, my Master defeated a scoundrel even worse than this Young Master. Therefore, you have no need to worry.”
Hearing Geumhu’s words, So Geom-hu nodded.
‘That’s right, Master will win again.’
So Geom-hu decided to place her faith in her Master.
Having never suffered a defeat in 30 years, it was utterly ridiculous to think her Master could lose to a boy like Lee Cheol-soo, who was merely a year younger than herself.
So Geom-hu believed that her Master would once again punish the reckless Lee Cheol-soo for daring to challenge her.
She felt ashamed for doubting her Master, a person she looked up to even for a moment.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“Understood, Master. My concern was uncalled for. I apologize.”
“Not at all. The night is chilly. You should head inside first.”
“Understood, Master.”
As So Geom-hu headed in, Geumhu sensed the bright moon overhead and Lee Cheol-soo’s presence far off through her instincts.
‘I’m so sorry, Young Master. I mentioned that you were a scoundrel… I will surely repay this due to you later… with my body.’
When the day comes that he turns of age, she would certainly fall beneath him, becoming his woman.
With that day in mind, Geumhu smiled brightly at the empty reception hall.
*
The rumors Lee Cheol-soo had spread about his duel with the Seomun family melted together with the rumors of his relationship with Neungwolhyang, which were further sensationalized.
“Did you hear? Apparently, this gentleman from the Gongdong Alliance will make the Geombong Seomun’s precious daughter his wager in the upcoming martial arts duel!”
“Oh, that rumor? I heard it from my cousin’s friend, who frequents a tavern! They say that the Geombong Seomun’s daughter and this gentleman have secretly held affection for one another! But now, having dumped her, he’s trying to strike a relationship with Neungwolhyang, and the jealous Seomun girl has challenged him to a duel, wagering herself as a maid!”
“What?! Is that really the case? To seek a duel to capture a previously lost love… Poor Seomun girl, being toyed with like that… this gentleman truly deserves the title Double-Edged Sword!”
“Exactly! How dare he play with the feelings of both Seomun and Neung while ensnaring them both…!”
“Seems like a playboy, indeed!”
In reality, Geombong Seomun Cheong-ha and Lee Cheol-soo had secretly been dating, but their love remained a precarious secret due to the feud between the Gongdong Sect and the Seomun family. Eventually, Lee Cheol-soo ended things with Seomun Cheong-ha and began seeing Neungwolhyang.
Yet unable to forget him, Seomun Cheong-ha challenged him in hopes of rekindling their relationship.
Rumors even circulated that he intended to marry Geumhu, not the courtesan Neungwolhyang.
All kinds of tantalizing gossip spread like wildfire in the martial world.
Regardless of the truth, the tales had become too juicy and interesting for anyone to ignore, causing the word to spread so quickly that it startled Hao Mun.
And.
Finally, those rumors reached Seomun Cheong-ha, the very person implicated in the high walls of the Seomun family.
“What?! I-I was secretly courting Lee Cheol-soo and now I’m being told I’m clinging to him?!”
“Y-Yes, Miss.”
As Seomun Cheong-ha listened to the absurd rumors unfolding, her insides roiled with anger.
She had no idea where or who had started these outrageous claims.
But now that rumors had spread throughout the martial world, it became an undeniable fact, branding her as Lee Cheol-soo’s past lover.
“I can’t tolerate this!”
It was Lee Cheol-soo’s deception.
Though there was no tangible evidence, her suspicions were solid. He’d stooped so low as to play tricks like this?
She couldn’t forgive him.
She already disliked him for sullying the reputation of the Gansu martial world with his lewd antics during the battle, and now he had the audacity to challenge her Master!
While his skills had surprised her, no doubt, his manners and decorum were utterly lacking.
‘A duel, huh… well then! This is a great opportunity to put Lee Cheol-soo in his place!’
Judging him by the skills he had displayed during the duel, he was still no match for her!
Being recognized as one of the Five Great Heroes in the martial world made it unfathomable for her to lose to him unless she acted carelessly.
And considering how she had seen his skills during their duel, Seomun Cheong-ha planned on giving it her all against him.
Not that she could refrain from fighting. If she kept quiet, the rumors would only solidify as truths.
Being labeled as the old love of Lee Cheol-soo? That was unbearable.
So a duel was necessary! She needed to settle this damned absurdity with the martial world’s rules!
No, she didn’t care much for the duel.
What she wanted was to smack that damned face of Lee Cheol-soo!
Seomun Cheong-ha thought as she stomped angrily to her father’s office.
“Father! Please write up the martial arts duel notes to send to the Gongdong Sect this instant!”
At this moment, Lee Cheol-soo’s masterful plan had exceeded all expectations!