"I heard from her," Seon said. "You're handing over Yeonyahng. Why did you decide that on your own, Ryang?"
"Ryang?" Ryang retorted.
"You said I'm not your sister."
"Then call me properly," Ryang demanded.
Seon scoffed, then obeyed. "Why did you make that decision without my consent, High Councilor, the Mirror of the Guardian?"
"The inn and the merchant company were merely means to support our troops while avoiding surveillance," Ryang explained. "Once there's no need to hide, there's no reason to keep them. It's unfair to the children who work there."
Ryang kept his composure, explaining as much as necessary, but Seon scoffed.
"Have you even spoken to them? You might call them 'children,' but most of them are older than you. Do you think they can find other jobs if we close down? Do you think they'll welcome new owners after we've been taking care of them all this time? I don't know what you discussed in Wicheong, but I won't hand it over. It's the family business I've nurtured since our father's death. It's not your decision to make, High Councilor."
"Our responsibility doesn't disappear by simply enriching those who don't even know the meaning of righteousness," Ryang argued. "Do you enjoy the wealth earned from being called a drug peddler and a brothel keeper? You call it our family business? I told you before, we are not merchants at heart. And certainly not brothel keepers."
Seon's sneer vanished, and she shouted, "We are drug peddlers and brothel keepers! If we've earned our living that way for half a century, then that's our foundation now! Accept it! How can you talk about reclaiming our nation, our name, when you can't even face who we are?"
"Myeonghyeon Seon!"
"Yes, Myeonghyeon Ryang," Seon retorted. "Let's change my name or yours. You act as if you've disowned me, yet you still try to discipline me while acting like the head of the family. Isn't that a bit ridiculous?"
Ryang was about to raise his voice, but he stopped, feeling the familiar symptoms of the lingering effects, his heart pounding. He couldn't escalate the argument, couldn't unleash his anger. He tensed every muscle in his body, fighting the urge to lash out. Seon, unaware of his condition, taunted him with a threat before turning away.
"Give up Yeonyahng," she said. "They won't listen to you anyway. They don't know the meaning of righteousness. Try it if you're curious."
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Two Cannon Ships dropped anchor at the Hyangdo harbor. Hyeok surveyed the port as he crossed the gangplank. Three Cannon Ships were moored there, but their ropes were thick with seaweed, and barnacles clung to their sides—a testament to their poor upkeep. He wondered if they would even stay afloat, but he was desperate.
He went straight to the government office. Governor Juyeong Hyo hurried out to greet him, his eyes bloodshot, likely from a nap or midday drinks. They moved to the main office, and Hyeok relayed Kyeong'ui's request, but Hyo refused outright without even listening to the details. Hyeok, true to his temper, raised his voice.
"You have three ships sitting idle! Why can't you lend us one?"
"Throwing a tantrum won't change anything," Hyo replied flatly. "A warship is a line of defense at sea. Even if they seem idle, just having them afloat deters enemies. If I lend you one, how am I supposed to defend Hyangdo? You have eight Cannon Ships, including the recent reinforcements. Why do you need to borrow one from Hyangdo? Do you know that eight warships are more than most fortresses on the southern coast?"
"Those are for protecting the Princess," Hyeok argued. "You can't compare them to ordinary fortresses. In any case, Her Highness wishes to complete the relocation in one trip. We need more ships for that."
Hyo grew irritated. "What exactly are you moving that requires such a fuss?"
"That's none of your business," Hyeok retorted.
Hyo, sensing something was amiss from Hyeok's stern expression, gave him a sharp look. Hyeok quickly steered the conversation back on track.
"If you don't want to be held responsible if something happens, lend us the ship," he urged.
"If you can't move everything at once, just make two trips," Hyo countered. "What could possibly happen to the camp in such a short time? Even if it's incredibly dangerous, Nahmgyo is right next door. What's the problem? If you're really scared, just stay in the city while your troops are away."
"Who said we are scared?" Hyeok scoffed.
He argued with Hyo for a long time, but neither persuasion nor threats worked. Convinced he had nothing to gain by wasting more time, Hyeok stormed out, slamming the door behind him. Hyo's military officer, who had been guarding the door, cautiously entered and expressed his concern.
"Is it alright to let him leave like that?" he asked. "If something happens to Her Highness after you refused so flatly..."
"Shut up," Hyo snapped. "Did I say anything wrong? What problems could this backwater possibly have? The problems started when the Princess arrived. Such a nuisance..."
He dismissed his officer, put his feet up on his desk, and leaned back. All he could think about was the secret letter from the Crown Prince. The instructions were simple: make excuses and refuse any requests from Kyeong'ui, no matter what. As long as Birahng remained peaceful, as it always had been, a few missing warships wouldn't harm Kyeong'ui, and Hyo could obey the Crown Prince's order without any issues.
Back at the harbor, Hyeok boarded the warship and slammed his fist against the railing. One of the sailors tried to calm him down.
"Let's return to the camp and report the situation to Her Highness," he suggested.
"And face her wrath empty-handed? You don't know her, do you?" Hyeok retorted, cursing under his breath as he looked at the ships moored in the harbor.
He could bypass the governor and threaten the sailors on the deck, forcing them to sail. They were all lax in discipline, and he had the Princess's seal. But if he did that, he, Gahngyun Yeol in Sahcheon, and their parents in Sunyahng would all face trouble.
"Can we reach Sahcheon before sunset if we leave now?" he asked the sailor.
"Just barely," he replied.
"Then tell them to raise the anchor."
The sailor bowed and hurried away. The two warships turned north.
Hyeok arrived at the Sahcheon harbor as the sand still glowed red in the twilight. Torches lined the coast, like stars fallen to earth. Gahngyun Yeol, the governor of Sahcheon, had received news of the approaching ships and rushed to the harbor, worried that Kyeong'ui had come herself. Seeing his younger brother, he was relieved and greeted him with a curt nod.
"Your unannounced arrival alone doesn't bode well," he said.
"Let's sit down and discuss it," Hyeok replied. "I'm exhausted."
They headed to the guesthouse. Hyeok, half-lying on the soft bedding, relayed his conversation with Hyo as if gossiping. But Yeol didn't react as he expected.
"The governor is right," he said. "It's unreasonable to mobilize ships from Hyangdo, which barely has any."
"Then you can provide them from Sahcheon, right?" Hyeok argued. "His Majesty said you should support Her Highness if she needed anything."
"I can't do that either."
"Oh, come on, brother!"
"The King's order was to assist Her Highness only if Sahcheon's defenses weren't compromised," Yeol explained. "He didn't tell me to neglect my duties. Evacuating Sahpung alone will require considerable manpower. Honestly, I'm not keen on the evacuation either. Imagine the complaints from the residents. And does she even know that summer is approaching? If she lands in Sahpung now, she won't be able to leave until the ninth month. What is so important about that sphere?"
Hyeok pleaded with Yeol.
"I don't know much about it, but she considers it important. Please, brother, help me save face."
"Mobilize warships to save your face?" Yeol retorted.
"If I return empty-handed after being rejected in Hyangdo, how pathetic will I look?" Hyeok whined. "I can already hear her reprimanding me, saying Hongyoo would have managed to get it!"
Yeol shook his head. "Try to persuade her to wrap things up and return to Sunyahng. I have a bad feeling about this."
Hyeok vented his frustrations. "Do you think I haven't tried? She doesn't listen to me."
"Is it because of that Royal Attendant?"
"It's not just Hongyoo," Hyeok whined. "There are two more flies buzzing around her."
"Two more?"
Although they were alone in the room, Hyeok leaned closer and lowered his voice. "There's a descendant of House Myeonghyeon in Nahmgyo."
"House Myeonghyeon?"
"I found out by chance, and that Myeonghyeon fellow claims to be the grandson. Both the brother and sister are there, well-established, with immense wealth. That brother is so silver-tongued, he's completely charmed her. She's planning to take them to Sunyahng. She's so fond of them that she even gifted them a chest of books from Sunyahng."
"Tell me more."
Yeol listened intently to Hyeok's detailed account, his brow furrowed. He could sense Hyeok's resentment, which made it difficult to assess the situation accurately or judge the character of the Myeonghyeon siblings. He could only assume they were different from their grandfather, who perished in the flames, given their questionable source of wealth and their willingness to accept Kyeong'ui's offer to go to Sunyahng.
"Don't get too close to them until His Majesty makes a decision," Yeol warned.
"Too close?" Hyeok scoffed. "You worry too much."
"Do they seem loyal to her?" Yeol asked.
"How would I know their true intentions?" Hyeok retorted. "They seem subservient enough on the surface. They even offered a massive amount of wealth recently. Damn, wealth that even we, a meritorious family, couldn't imagine... Her Highness is even more attentive because that wealth needs to be transported as well. It can't be lost under any circumstances."
Yeol cautioned Hyeok against his excessive jealousy. "You are the Princess's betrothed," he reminded him. "If they bow to her, they bow to you as well. Don't be swayed by them, but there's no need for animosity. Don't forget that you are superior."
"That's easier said than done," Hyeok grumbled. He changed the subject, breaking the tense silence.
"Seol sent a letter," he said.
"Seol did?"
"She sent it with the scholar who came here," Hyeok explained. "She said I should win the Princess's favor and bring her back with me. What a ridiculous fellow."
A faint smile touched Yeol's lips as he thought of his younger sister, Seol. "She might not be entirely joking," he said, half-teasingly.
"Don't make fun of me," Hyeok retorted. "Worry about yourself. Has your wife sent you a letter recently?"
"Shut up," Yeol said.
"So, can you help us or not?" Hyeok pressed.
"I told you it's difficult," Yeol replied. "At least not before the evacuation is complete. You said the relocating residents don't need any escort? If you need reinforcements, I can provide them after the evacuation. Not simultaneously."
Seeing Hyeok about to whine again, Yeol rose from his seat. "You're on the mainland after a long time," he said. "Get some rest."