TMTISTBH CH 4

Chapter 4

‘A villain without equal under the heavens! How could you be so cruel!’

The last time I saw Myeon Yuwon, he had clutched the corpses of his father and elder brother, crying out with anguish and cursing me in grief. The quiet boy now before me was so different that it was hard to believe they were the same person.

‘Only two were supposed to pass the next civil exam.’

At this academy, the only ones who passed were Bae Honyoung’s close friend Kim Namwon and the eldest daughter of the Seobang household, Lady Seo. Everyone else had failed, and I remembered it clearly because Bae Honyoung’s tyranny worsened after that.

There was no way the younger brother of that Myeon Yuheon would be so dull as to fail the exam.

Though the thought struck me as odd, I could recall little else about Yuwon from those days—he had been no more than “Yuheon’s younger brother,” nothing more and nothing less.

“Inho! Are you not there?”

Snapped out of my reverie by a voice calling for me, I quickly stepped into the lecture hall. From the way the students’ eyes turned toward me, Bae Honyoung had clearly said something about me. As I quietly took my place behind him, Park Suwon, seated opposite, waved a book in his hand and asked:

“Did you truly transcribe this yourself?”

I had no idea what he was talking about. As I stared blankly, Lady Yeong beside him covered her mouth with a giggle.

“Lord Suwon, why do you ask such things? Would Lord Honyoung ever stoop to lying?”

“I only ask because it’s fascinating. While it’s no surprise that Lord Honyoung, being so virtuous, might keep several literate servants, this book here is so perfectly aligned it looks as if it was purchased from a library.”

The word ‘lying’ seemed to strike a nerve with Honyoung. Perhaps he felt Suwon was challenging him—his face flushed with indignation.

“Don’t you have a servant who’s decent with calligraphy? Let’s settle it with a copying contest. The loser will receive ten lashes with the rod.”

“A wager?”

“What, are you afraid?”

“You speak so thoughtlessly.”

Though Suwon looked troubled for a moment, he glanced over at me and soon called his servant without hesitation.

“Geonhye! Come in here.”

Things had escalated. I sighed inwardly and leaned slightly toward Honyoung to ask:

“May I take a look at the book for a moment?”

“Go ahead.”

Receiving the slim volume, I flipped through the pages swiftly. Indeed, around this time, Honyoung had discovered that I had picked up reading by observing him and had me transcribe exam materials from the Royal Academy. But I didn’t recall ever being involved in a wager like this.

As I examined the text, I frowned slightly at the crude handwriting that failed to maintain even spacing. I had never considered myself a poor scribe, but seeing traces of my younger self again… it was quite a mess.

They wouldn’t be asking the servants to write answers, only to copy. Though my handwriting now was completely different, forging the original was something I excelled at.

I cast a glance at the female servant Suwon had summoned to compete against me.

‘To drag a woman into a wager involving corporal punishment… how disgraceful.’

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Other students, including Myeon Yuwon, wore similarly uncomfortable expressions.

“It’s not as though cramming will suddenly produce legible writing. The writing tools are prepared, so get ready.”

Three sets of writing tools had already been laid out. To prevent anyone from mimicking the sample, it was too risky to let someone demonstrate.

I folded the section I had been reading in half and covered it, pretending ignorance as I looked up at Honyoung.

“To whom should I give the book?”

“Well…”

Caught off guard by the question of who would select the passage, Honyoung hesitated. I used the opportunity to press further.

“Surely the fair-minded Instructor Sangwon would be the best choice…”

“Ha! What nonsense… We shouldn’t trouble our teacher with such trivial matters.”

“A servant might not know better. Let’s be generous, Lord Honyoung.”

“Then how about having the newly arrived Lord Myeon choose? Since he’s not yet close to anyone here, he should be the most impartial.”

Everyone agreed with Lady Park’s suggestion, and before he knew it, Myeon Yuwon was standing in the center with the book in hand.

“Choose any passage.”

Yuwon opened the book and paused. His gaze dropped to me, kneeling quietly below.

“Lord Myeon, have you decided?”

“…This one will do.”

Closing the book, Yuwon took up a brush. With swift, fluid strokes, his brush danced across the paper. A few students exchanged looks upon seeing what he had written. I dipped my brush calmly, watching him.

Geonhye was the first to press her brush to the paper, and I followed. As confident as Suwon had been in presenting her, she indeed showed considerable skill with the pen.

Soon, both sheets were complete. The gathered students compared them and reached a unanimous conclusion.

「君子無所爭 必也射乎 揖讓而升 下而飲 其爭也君子」

> “A gentleman does not compete. But if he must, it is in archery — where he bows courteously before ascending the platform, and upon descending, he shares a drink. Even in contention, he conducts himself like a gentleman.”

 

“He did copy it himself. Look at how the strokes and flow match the book.”

“To have this much talent without formal learning is impressive.”

“Hmm… but it still feels more like imitation than true writing. He might be better off painting.”

“It’s excellent enough. At the very least, Lord Bae has a servant who can transcribe for him, which will certainly speed up exam preparations.”

Bae Honyoung reveled in the envious gazes directed at me and looked down on Park Suwon with a smug expression.

“What do you think? I see no need for further comparison.”

“…Your servant is quite capable. I apologize for the baseless doubt.”

“No harm done. But a wager is a wager—your servant must accept the punishment. Since she’s a girl, the switch will suffice.”

“Honyoung!”

“Lord Bae…”

At the mention of punishment, Geonhye trembled in visible fear. Bae Honyoung had never been merciful with servants before, and this time was no exception—he fully intended to carry out the agreed-upon penalty.

Just as Suwon was about to command her punishment, Lady Seo, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

“A gentleman does not contend. What a fine quote. Both lords should offer Lord Myeon a drink in thanks.”

“Honyoung, your servant won. Why pursue further strife? Be gracious.”

“She’s right. The servants likely wrote without understanding, but for us who are learned, to behave so is shameful.”

Even Kim Namwon and the other students stepped in to dissuade him. Only then did Honyoung, who until now had been too absorbed in his victory to consider the meaning of the passage, finally take notice.

A gentleman does not contend.

Realizing the deeper implication too late, Honyoung’s gaze drifted to Yuwon, who stood quietly in the back.

‘Did he choose that on purpose?’

The thought that such an insignificant person might be lecturing him left him in a foul mood. But if he pushed forward with the punishment now, he’d only look petty—so even he had to back down this time.

“Of course. It was only a jest.”

“It’s lucky Honyoung is so merciful. Frankly, Suwon, you went too far.”

Namwon’s laughter-tinged rebuke was joined by others chiming in.

“To send a maid into a wager involving lashes—really now.”

“Lord Bae was the one who first mentioned the rod, wasn’t he… hmm…”

“We nearly embarrassed ourselves in front of the newly arrived Lord Myeon.”

Flushed with shame, Park Suwon instructed Geonhye to step out. I, too, was preparing to quietly withdraw when Honyoung approached and seized my wrist.

“…”

I looked down at him coldly, and he gave me a broad grin, patting my back.

“Well done. We’ll leave early today, so go make preparations.”

“Yes, sir.”

Having endured the brutal succession wars and political schemes of the palace, Inho had no reason to fear petty bullying at an academy. Compared to the cold and cruel ways of the royal court, these boys were clumsy and slow-witted—and most importantly, had no reason to harm one another.

But now my position had changed. No longer Prince Tae Inho of the royal family, but merely Inho the servant of Bae Honyoung. Even a single word was not so easily spoken.

Fortunately, some of the cleverer ones had sensed the truth, and bloodshed had been avoided.

As I exited the hall, I spotted Geonhye sitting pale and trembling behind the veranda. It was pitiable to see how these servants were tossed about according to the whims of their masters. Then again, I was no different.

Sighing softly, I made my way to the stables, when someone suddenly called out from behind.

“Stop right there!”

Turning around, I saw Myeon Yuwon catching his breath as he came toward me.

“Did you do that on purpose?”

“Lord Myeon. Do you have an order for me?”

Feigning ignorance, I took a step back and bowed politely.

“I’m talking about the book. It was folded such that the passage would be the first to appear when opened. You deliberately ensured that quote would be seen, didn’t you?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re referring to.”

I kept my expression calm, but Yuwon clutched his chest in frustration. It was a side of him I hadn’t seen earlier in the day.

“And you mentioned the teacher on purpose, knowing Lady Park would nominate me instead. Was that not all part of your plan?”

“…”

What a troublesome one. I had planned to use him, but I had momentarily forgotten just how perceptive he was.