HLCOB C39

Chapter 39

Did not wish to be the weak one.

It was the thought Choseon had had constantly during the four months spent apart from the elder brother never once left since birth.

“Miss.”

At the servant’s call, the youthfulness on Choseon’s face, which had grown faint, turned aside.

“What is it?”

Like Jaheon in resemblance but unlike him—whose expression, when set, looked cold—Choseon was becoming a gentle beauty, and the flustered servant stammered and barely managed,

“…I‑in two days, we will arrive in Luoyang.”

In truth, Choseon had fared rather well during those four months.

It was because Wang Yun, to test Choseon, had treated her well. Also, before leaving, Jaheon had given Choseon dozens of books to read. Studying those books, Choseon lost track of time.

In truth, Choseon wished to become strong.

Thus, desperately, she studied the political situation. She cultivated ties with the sons of great families who came to meet Wang Yun, and, while pretending to know nothing, picked up the talk of Wang Yun and his retainers, while waiting for the day to meet her brother. In doing so, she came to know things she had not known.

It was reality.

The ruthless reality Jaheon had strove to hide from Choseon.

“…Then, would the elder gentleman already have arrived?”

Masking her anxiety, Choseon asked the servant calmly.

“Ah—Lord Wang will have arrived in Luoyang by now…!”

At the cluelessly excited answer, Choseon sagged and sat down in the carriage. Startled, the servant asked,

“M‑miss! Are you unwell anywhere?”

“…No—no.”

Was she not clever, like her brother? Choseon could guess with what intent Wang Yun had gone to Luoyang first: to use her as a pretext to threaten her brother. Had he not, even in Bing, striven to win Choseon over?

As expected, I…

Choseon squeezed her eyes shut.

She did not know exactly what road her brother meant to take. Only vaguely had she caught the direction. Yet she could not erase the thought that she kept becoming a stumbling block on that road.

No.

Soon Choseon gathered herself.

…I must not become weak.

Because she knew what she was to Jaheon.

“No matter what happens, believe that I will return to you.”

Recalling the promise with Jaheon, Choseon set her heart.

If I become weak, brother will crumble.

Her brother was the most exceptional of any she knew. Thus he would not be easily bested. Then she too must not be swayed by every rise and fall.

If so, I too must become strong.

The young Choseon vowed.

So that brother need not turn his head for my sake.

Jaheon was not in good humor.

Because he knew with what intent Wang Yun had arrived in Luoyang first.

“My lord, salutations.”

Yet one could not openly show distaste. In name, Wang Yun was Jaheon’s patron. So Jaheon respectfully saluted Wang Yun. Looking at Jaheon, Wang Yun stretched out a hand and took his shoulder.

“There is no need to be so deferential to me.”

And, setting Jaheon upright, he added,

“After all, you are also ‘my lord,’ and so am I. Be at ease.”

Seeing through the probing ploy, Jaheon let out a small laugh; then said to Wang Yun,

“How can Censor‑in‑Chief and Yirang be the same?”

Wang Yun smiled at the unexpectedly compliant Jaheon. Scanning him up and down, he asked,

“Seeing you waiting like this at the annex, you must have something prepared?”

Unlike before, seeing Wang Yun dispense even with the show of face, Jaheon held out a bamboo slip.

“Take this.”

Jaheon was confident that the relationship with Wang Yun would not break so long as they could satisfy each other’s desires. That thought was unchanged even now. Only, what Jaheon had not anticipated was that Wang Yun’s desire was greater than he had expected.

“The list of gentry who said they would aid me.”

So great as to raise doubt whether he truly sought power for the revival of the Han. Unrolling the slip and checking the list, Wang Yun asked blandly,

“What is the reason you give this to me?”

At Wang Yun’s mind, asking though he knew, Jaheon said flatly,

“I have lost.”

“…?”

At Jaheon’s answer, Wang Yun looked puzzled; so Jaheon kindly spoke once more.

“It means I acknowledge defeat and pledge loyalty to you, my lord.”

At the unexpected answer, Wang Yun burst into laughter.

“Ha ha ha!”

Not thinking Jaheon would accept defeat so cleanly, Wang Yun asked,

“How did you know?”

“Who else but you, my lord.”

At present, the only one who could profit by severing those who might become Jaheon’s forces was Wang Yun.

“Heh. I only wished to check.”

Nor did Wang Yun deny it.

“Whether that young boy who wept, begging to save his sister, was truly weak.”

At Wang Yun’s words, Jaheon bit his lip.

In truth, their deal was as good as done. Had not Jaheon already accomplished what Wang Yun wanted? Jaheon too had been able to enter Luoyang using Wang Yun as pretext—so all dealings were ended.

But Wang Yun did not want that.

Like a broken water jar—no matter how filled, never filled.

“I will not betray you, my lord.”

To such a Wang Yun, Jaheon said so. Under the present conditions, to set oneself against Wang Yun was not a good choice. If, just as he began to receive imperial favor, he grew distant from Wang Yun, it was clear how the gentry would think of him. Also, Wang Yun had the power of investigation—the authority to cut down court officials.

“And I will help you achieve all that you want.”

So Jaheon bowed his head for now.

“How am I to believe your words?”

But Wang Yun was not easy. Looking at Jaheon, he asked,

“Did you not try to form a faction?”

Lowering his gaze, Jaheon smiled and answered,

“…But have you not already cut off my hands and feet, my lord?”

In truth, there had been a point Jaheon had wondered at throughout this affair.

“Then how can you not believe me?”

It was the Emperor’s conduct. If he meant to lend weight to Wang Yun, why had he given Jaheon the office of Crown Prince’s Attendant? It was an office without real power, yet one all would take as making Jaheon the Emperor’s sole favorite.

The moment he looked at Wang Yun before him, Jaheon was certain.

“Is it because, without me, you cannot seize the court?”

Without Jaheon, Wang Yun’s power was not complete.

“You, my lord, hold as Censor‑in‑Chief the authority to dismiss officials, but you do not hold the authority to appoint them.”

For the only person who could persuade the Emperor and exercise appointment power was Jaheon. That was why Wang Yun had blocked Jaheon’s formation of a faction; if he could not control Jaheon, Wang Yun could not gain the upper hand at court.

And this was what the Emperor had desired—

That Wang Yun and Jaheon hold each other’s leashes and check one another. Bringing that fact out as a piece, Jaheon asked Wang Yun—

“Ha ha!”

At Jaheon’s words, Wang Yun burst into laughter; but on his face lay a subtle anger—the wrath at Jaheon, who had hidden his claws.

“You speak truly. Truly so.”

Thinking he had picked up an ownerless dog to raise as a hunting hound, he had, by the look of it, raised a tiger that bit its master.

“…But have you forgotten your sister is with me?”

At Wang Yun’s words, Jaheon’s lips, which had drawn a slight smile, twisted. Then the golden eyes sank cold and fixed on Wang Yun.

“My lord.”

It was a chill expression one would not think came from such a beautiful face.

“Even a dog one raises, if the leash is tightened, will one day bite its master.”

Jaheon murmured,

“I do not wish for matters to reach such a pass.”

Surely, Choseon was Jaheon’s taboo.

Had he not, for his sister, come up to Luoyang, borne all manner of scandal, and seized imperial favor. But that was to say, in other words, that the moment Wang Yun touched Choseon, Jaheon would attack him without regard to fire or water.

Nor was that all.

No help could be expected from Jaheon at court either.

…

Why had Wang Yun not married Choseon to his own son? Why had he not persuaded her and taken her as adopted daughter? Because he anticipated this reaction of Jaheon’s.

Jaheon was one who had nothing to lose—

Except Choseon.

And one who had nothing to lose was like a starving hound—a hound ready at any time to bite its master.

“Good.”

In the end, the method of holding Choseon to control Jaheon would surely hit its limit one day. One must always open at least one hole for escape if one would keep and use a man. Jaheon was one who could do anything for his sister.

“I will let your sister go.”

But even so, he could not let Jaheon go. Without Jaheon, all Wang Yun’s plans unraveled. Wang Yun had to, somehow, keep Jaheon bound to him; he had to make Jaheon docile.

“In exchange…”

So Wang Yun had found a way to bind Jaheon.

“You shall become my adopted son.”

An adopted son.

A method using loyalty and filial piety, which the gentry held dear as life.

 

 Footnotes:

1. Filial piety was a big thing back in ancient china and surrounding areas