Chapter 8

Wang Yun’s residence possessed an elegant charm.

Given that Wang Yun had originally begun his official career as a military officer, it was clear how much he valued appearances. As Jaheon was taking in the residence, Wang Yun appeared before his eyes. Jaheon offered him a respectful bow.

“This humble one, Im Jaheon, greets my lord.”

At Jaheon’s words, Wang Yun spoke while looking beyond the window.

“Three days since that day, is it?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Beyond the window, Choseon could be seen touring the garden with Wang Yun’s servant, O Juk‑yeop. Indeed, Choseon seemed to take after Jaheon. When she came of age, her looks would rival his. After gazing at Choseon for some time, Wang Yun spoke.

“So you have a younger sister.”

“…My sister is insignificant, my lord.”

At Wang Yun’s remark, Jaheon replied reflexively. But Wang Yun ignored Jaheon’s words and asked,

“How old is your sister?”

“Thirteen.”

Choseon was five years younger than Jaheon. Perhaps that was why she always felt like a child to him. Even knowing Wang Yun was asking to provoke him, Jaheon could not help clenching his fists. Watching this, Wang Yun lifted his teacup and said,

“I saw the bundle… it seems you intended to leave Jinyang with your sister?”

“Regrettably, yes.”

“Why?”

Jaheon spoke as he looked out the window at Choseon.

“As you can see, it is difficult for us siblings to settle in one village.”

Much was left unsaid, but Wang Yun could infer it. Their looks were the reason. Even the information he had already received from his confidant told as much. Wasn’t Jaheon, to begin with, beautiful enough to pass as a woman?

“For your sister’s sake, have you lived wandering?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“Since I lost my parents to bandits at twelve, I have lived wandering the world.”

“You must have suffered greatly.”

It was true, and Jaheon smiled bitterly.

“Yes. That’s so.”

“…Hmm.”

At Jaheon’s answer, Wang Yun spoke while watching the younger sister.

“Then, for your sister’s sake, you toyed with me?”

In that instant, Jaheon fell to his knees and prostrated himself.

“My lord.”

Jaheon had done anything and everything to feed and support Choseon. In gambling dens, with bandit gangs, in brothels, with merchant caravans—he had worked everywhere.

And through doing all manner of work, he had learned something to the marrow.

“This humble one, Im Jaheon, apologizes for the discourtesy last time.”

The easiest way to deceive a person is not to tell a lie.

It is to tell a partial truth.

“My younger sister is still a child.”

Jaheon’s voice trembled as he spoke the truth. He had not intended to tremble. But thinking of those old men who had proposed marriage to a still‑young Choseon made his hands shake on their own. In truth, was Wang Yun before him so different? These accursed ancients. Sick to death of their crudeness, bloodshot eyes and tears gathered in Jaheon’s gaze.

“Please, do not send my sister to Luoyang. She is too young to be a concubine.”

Concealing the most crucial truth, Jaheon spoke only the heartfelt sincerity of a brother who treasured his sister. There was no falsehood in his words.

Nothing but truth.

“For your sake, my lord, I will do anything….”

Jaheon even clasped Wang Yun’s hem with reddened eyes and begged. The sight was pitiable indeed. It stirred even Wang Yun, who knew Jaheon was a man.

“Anything?”

Thus Wang Yun could not help but yield.

“Yes.”

He even felt a thrill. At the thought that he could hold this clever and beautiful boy in his hand and use him as he pleased, the corners of Wang Yun’s mouth rose. So long as he had Choseon, Jaheon would die for Wang Yun’s sake. The sight of this wretched boy clutching his robe and pleading suited him quite well.

“Rise.”

So Wang Yun grasped the arm of the weeping Jaheon.

“I did not summon you because I wished to take your sister as an adopted daughter.”

Jaheon, his face wet with tears, lifted his head and asked,

“…Then why did you summon this humble one?”

“Do you remember the superior stratagem you spoke to me of last time?”

If one wished to seize power in Luoyang, Jaheon’s superior stratagem was to create another set of Ten Attendants. That stratagem reminded Wang Yun that true power came from the Emperor’s favor.

“How could my lord remember the rude words of this humble one?”

“Rude? They were correct.”

The superior stratagem Jaheon had presented to Wang Yun was one that foolish scholar‑officials—who learned of the world only from books and pursued the Son of Heaven as absolute good—could never have devised.

“But my lord, that stratagem was merely something I devised from rumors I heard while wandering, and from your reputation. In my rush to protect my sister….”

“Devised from rumors alone?”

“This humble one is of a lowly family; rumor is all the information I have.”

At that, Wang Yun burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahaha.”

“……?”

Jaheon was not merely an ordinary boy. His brilliance was not ordinary either.

“You are indeed no common sort.”

All denied it, but it was the Emperor who had employed the Ten Attendants.

Thus, to restore the Han, it was not the elimination of the Ten Attendants that mattered. One had to turn the Emperor’s heart. One had to change the Emperor. To pierce that essence—something even ink‑soaked scholar‑officials failed to grasp. Smiling, Wang Yun asked,

“If I were to charge you with truly implementing that superior stratagem, what would you do?”

“…It may tarnish your reputation, my lord.”

“It’s fine. Speak.”

Feigning hesitation, Jaheon answered,

“I intended to ask that you send me to Luoyang.”

“To Luoyang?”

“Yes.”

Create another set of Ten Attendants favored by the Emperor. That was Jaheon’s stratagem. And the Emperor resided in Luoyang.

“Huh.”

Realizing the instrument of the stratagem, Wang Yun let out a hollow laugh.

“You mean to win favor in place of the eunuchs?”

“…You are perceptive, my lord.”

At first blush, it sounded impossible. How could the lowly born Jaheon, merely by going up to Luoyang, catch the Emperor’s eye?

“How will you do it?”

“I have a plan.”

Yet, recalling Jaheon’s looks and his sinister wiles, it did not seem impossible. There was even precedent in the man Song Yu of Chu. Without any office, did not Song Yu remain at the Emperor’s side thanks to his handsome appearance? In any case, there was nothing for Wang Yun to lose. Moreover, even if Jaheon died or became useless in the course of executing the stratagem, Choseon would remain to Wang Yun.

“…Can you do it?”

After some thought, Wang Yun raised an eyebrow and asked.

“If you can, I will see that your sister in Bing Province lacks for nothing.”

He would keep Choseon as a hostage in Bing Province; Jaheon was to go down to Luoyang first and somehow establish Wang Yun’s base. He had no intention of taking Choseon into peril‑filled Luoyang before their base was secure, but hearing it said aloud still left a sour taste.

“……”

After a brief silence, Jaheon asked,

“…Do you believe this humble one will succeed in that stratagem, my lord?”

Smiling faintly, Wang Yun replied,

“Of course not.”

At the unexpected answer, Jaheon lifted his head and looked at Wang Yun. Meeting his eyes, Wang Yun answered as if to himself,

“I believe in your desperation.”

And that answer was similar to what Jaheon had told Choseon when she asked if he trusted Wang Yun. Jaheon soon realized. This was not trust, but a transaction. A relationship that would never break so long as each satisfied the other’s desires.

“This humble one, Im Jaheon.”

Thus Jaheon promptly knelt respectfully and said,

“I will do my utmost not to become a burden to my lord.”

Yet in the eyes of Jaheon, who offered only the trappings of a loyal oath, there was a calm like the sea before a storm.

From the next day.

Having become a retainer‑guest of Wang Yun, Jaheon made a show of strolling the streets of Jinyang. At times he took Choseon around with him. In the past, their faces had brought misfortune, so they had gone about veiled; now, with a protector of sorts in Wang Yun, it was different.

Of course, that was not the only reason Jaheon went about with his face uncovered.

“Oh my, Young Master Im. Weren’t you going down to Luoyang this month?”

Smiling, Jaheon turned to the shopkeeper approaching as he checked over some books in a bookstore.

“Next month, sir. So before I go, I want to leave a few books for Choseon.”

“Your love for your sister is, as always, extreme. Then how about this one? It will be of use to the young lady.”

At the sight of the shopkeeper grinning as he held out Admonitions for Women—a book of feminine norms—Jaheon’s lip twitched. But he did not get angry. He could not overturn the reputation he had painstakingly built in Jinyang.

“No need. My sister read that long ago.”

Jaheon glossed it over. Then the shopkeeper said,

“Ah, is that so? Then there’s nothing suitable….”

What nonsense, that in a shop full of books there were none suitable for Choseon. Forcing up the corners of his mouth, Jaheon changed the subject.

“For now, please wrap the books I will read.”

“Yes! At once.”

Jaheon handed over a few military texts and works on the learning of kingship. Of course, all were books for Choseon. As the shopkeeper went to the back to wrap them, a shriek‑like voice rang out.

“Did you say Young Master Im is here?!”

“Yes.”

“You stay here. I’ll go out!”

“Why should you go out!”

“Don’t you know the rumor that seeing Young Master Im brings great fortune for the day?!”

From the back of the store came the sound of the shopkeeper bickering with his wife.

“Fighting again today?”

Clicking his tongue at the familiar sound, Jaheon turned his head to look outside the shop. There were people who had come just to look at him. Day by day, the crowds come to gawk at Jaheon were growing.

“At this rate, the rumor has spread enough.”

As Jaheon began to make the rounds in earnest through Jinyang, rumors about the siblings spread thick through Bing Province.

Naturally, it was because of their looks. They said Young Master Im was an immortal descended from the heavens. They said his younger sister, Lady Im, was the reincarnation of a fairy. Since both siblings had been entrusted to Wang Yun, all sorts of bizarre rumors spread in a tangled mess. Frankly, the spread of such grotesque rumors had not been part of Jaheon’s plan.

But such rumors were necessary even so.

“They must reach Luoyang.”

Rumors are said to travel a thousand li without feet.

Then how far would these go? Among the truths, what would remain; among the falsehoods, what would arise?

Yet this was not something Jaheon could control.

“…It can only be left to heaven.”

Jaheon slowly closed his eyes.

A month later, the rumors of Jinyang reached Luoyang as well.

It was said that Wang Yun, the Registrar of Bing Province, had taken a peerless beauty as an adopted daughter.