Chapter 21
“More importantly, how did your meeting with Princess Ongju go? She’s doing well, right?”
Princess Ongju Sun had a pure and upright character, so Chilbok liked her very much.
He had wanted to go along today as well, but Woon made him stay behind to guard Poonguibang, which left him secretly disappointed.
“Please tell me. Our Princess Ongju still has that flower-like smile, doesn’t she?”
The radiant smile that had been on Woon’s face instantly shattered.
But as if nothing had happened, Woon forced a false smile onto his lips.
“Of course, she’s doing well.”
Behind Woon, Chilbok kept chattering.
“Our Princess Ongju has such a kind heart and is so wise—I know it all. I thought she would be living well, respected and loved by everyone.”
Woon remained silent.
It was true that Sun was kind and wise. But she was not loved.
Today, Woon had seen a gloomy shadow on Sun’s face.
When he asked if something was wrong, she said nothing was, but as they talked, the source of her worries became clear.
“I should hurry and have a pretty child. Mother and Father are eagerly waiting. This summer, I’m thinking of going to the temple to pray with devotion.”
It seemed her in-laws were pressuring her to produce an heir quickly.
‘It’s only been two years since the wedding.’
And Sun was only eighteen.
It wasn’t too early to have her first child, but it wasn’t late either.
“Brother, you hear rumors quickly and know many things, right? Do you happen to know a skilled physician?”
When she asked if she should even try herbal medicine to help conceive, Woon almost raised his voice and told her to take care of her own body first.
That was how much thinner Sun looked compared to a few months ago.
How desperate must she be to ask him something like this?
His heart ached.
If only her husband at least cherished her, things might be a little better—but Woon never expected that from the start. He knew well of Jo Namgyu’s womanizing habits.
A man who wanders outside would never treat his wife at home well.
That was why Woon had opposed Sun’s marriage to Jo Namgyu.
But Sun insisted on marrying him because he was the son of the Left State Councillor.
“I want to help His Majesty, even in this way.”
It had been a choice to keep Queen Dowager Joyongbi and Left State Councillor Jo Jajeom in check.
Sun believed that by becoming part of Jo Jajeom’s family, they would support her brother Gwang.
‘You should trust the right people.’
Woon clicked his tongue inwardly as he recalled that time.
Back when the marriage was being arranged, Jo Jajeom had acted as if he would cherish the princess dearly.
But once the wedding was over, he had them live together under the excuse of teaching family traditions, and subtly subjected her to the hardships of married life.
‘How dare they treat a princess like that!’
It was all because of their incompetent father.
Their father, Lee Jong of Eunjo, had handed too much power to Jo Jajeom and, fearing Crown Prince Gwang, had leaned on him instead.
Resenting a deceased father was unfilial, but seeing his emaciated sister made Woon willingly accept being unfilial.
His chest tightened painfully, and as he let out a sigh, they arrived at Poonguibang.
Woon stepped into the courtyard without hesitation, then suddenly stopped.
His gaze landed on one side of the wooden porch.
Hari was leaning against a thick pillar, fast asleep, completely unaware of the world. Seeing her, a gentle breeze seemed to pass through his suffocating chest.
Woon quietly stood and watched her.
Maldong noticed him and hurried to wake Hari, but Woon placed a finger to his lips and signaled “shh.”
He gestured to Chilbok and Siyoung to stay quiet as well and approached Hari without making a sound.
As Maldong stepped aside awkwardly, Hari’s peaceful sleeping face was fully revealed.
Defenseless, comfortable, without worries.
Just looking at her made a soft smile naturally spread across his lips.
Once, Sun had worn the same expression as Hari.
But now, Sun’s face was full of sorrow.
Perhaps it was because he had just seen the sister he couldn’t protect.
He wished that Hari could continue to live this happily.
If possible, he wanted to help her live that way.
Her determination was too strong to break, and she wasn’t someone who could be stopped even if blocked.
‘I wish our Sun could have lived like you.’
Speaking what she wanted, boldly taking what she desired.
Perhaps she felt his deepening gaze.
Her eyelashes trembled, and Hari opened her eyes.
In her hazy vision, a shining face filled her sight.
Hari gasped and leaned her head back.
Woon frowned and reached out, cradling the back of her head.
Before Hari could even push his hand away, a dull, heavy thud echoed. The back of her head tingled.
“Be more careful.”
Woon scolded her and withdrew his hand.
Startled, Hari grabbed his hand.
“Are you alright, sir? Why did you do that? My head is probably harder than that wooden pillar!”
Hari examined the hand that had protected her head. The back of Woon’s hand was red.
“It’s not broken, is it? Should we go to a hospital—an X-ray—no, at least to a physician?”
Heo Jun must already be dead… who would be the famous doctor of this era?
As she seriously pondered, Woon abruptly pulled his hand away. The motion was so sharp that a gust of wind made her close her eyes.
“That’s enough. If you have something to say, say it quickly and leave.”
Woon swept into the room, his robe fluttering behind him.
As if it had all been a lie—the gentle way he looked at her sleeping, the way he sacrificed his hand to protect her head—he turned coldly away.
Yet the back of his neck was red like a ripe apple.
‘Don’t tell me… he’s blushing because we held hands?’
Hari’s face flushed as well.
“Would you consider adopting a nephew?”
Chilbok, who had been carrying a tray, almost dropped it upon hearing Hari’s words.
Adopt someone into the royal genealogy (Seonwonrok)?
Defiling the royal records like that—what an absurd thing to say.
Chilbok quickly regained his senses. Since Woon liked interesting things, who knew what kind of trouble he might cause? At least he had to stay sharp and stop it.
“Even if dirt gets into my eyes, I cannot allow it!”
Chilbok shouted dramatically.
Hari nearly blurted out “What’s wrong with him?” but kept her mouth shut as Woon let out a loud sigh.
“Chilbok, set the tea down and leave.”
“My lord—absolutely not! If you intend to defile the royal genealogy, then cut off my head instead!”
Woon squeezed his eyes shut and gave an order.
“Siyoung, drag him out.”
“My lord, mmph—my lord! You must not!”
Even as he was dragged away, Chilbok shouted at the top of his lungs.
Hari glanced up at the ceiling.
She wondered if the roof had shaken.
Woon spoke.
“My apologies. Chilbok tends to be… peculiar.”
“His loyalty is impressive.”
It was a bit frightening, but Hari decided to end the topic there.
“To continue, the reason I came to see you is because of a child named Wang Eunyoung. She’s only ten.”
Hari calmly explained Eunyoung’s situation.
The tea in the cup grew cold, but Woon didn’t glance at it once, listening intently to Hari.
The warmth gradually faded from Woon’s face.
“That’s all I know.”
Even after she finished, Woon stared at the teacup with an unreadable expression.
A heavy silence lingered before he finally met Hari’s eyes.
“What is your plan? To get the child divorced?”
“Yes.”
“From the mother’s testimony, aside from the age, there’s nothing particularly wrong with the husband, Ok Noye.”
The seventy-year-old man, Ok Noye, doted on his young bride.
He didn’t beat or oppress Wang Eunyoung.
After the wedding night, her mother, Choonja, had taken Eunyoung back to her natal home and refused to send her back, yet he never complained.
Instead, leaning on his cane, he visited daily, quietly standing guard outside Eunyoung’s room before leaving.
And every time he visited, he brought gifts—rice, meat—telling them not to let “his bride” go hungry.
Hari trembled.
The very fact that a seventy-year-old man called a ten-year-old child his bride was horrifying.
