Chapter 9: The Unwelcome Guard

The mountain path was treacherous, but Huiyeon had assumed that with the Great General and his subordinates present, crossing Mount Geumryeong would be manageable. However, even they could not hold back a natural disaster.

Rumble, Craaaack!

A sound that shook the entire mountain echoed, mimicking the roar of thunder.

“Everyone, get back!”

Amidst the urgent shouting, the startled horses let out long, terrified shrills. The carriage, already rattling from the uneven path, jolted violently.

Inside, Huiyeon and Choyong were tossed about like leaves in a gale, slamming against the walls. Screams escaped their lips as their half-healed wounds collided with the hard wood of the seats. It was only after some time that the thunderous roar subsided—or rather, it seemed to drift further away before finally stopping.

The carriage’s violent swaying ceased along with it. Fearing another tremor, the two women huddled on the floor, clutching their injured bodies and refusing to let down their guard.

“Are you alright?”

Instead of a jolt, the door swung open. Yu-chang stood there, his clothes and hair covered in a thick layer of dust.

“…What happened?”

Extending a hand to a deathly pale Huiyeon, Yu-chang gave a brief explanation.

“A landslide. More boulders might fall, so come out quickly.”

Back in the cave, Huiyeon had refused his help, insisting on walking on her own. This time, however, she had no choice but to take his hand. She was so shaken that her legs refused to hold her weight.

The path along the cliff was choked with dust. The horses that had been pulling the carriage were nowhere to be seen; the leather harnesses that connected them had been roughly cut.

“The horses were spooked, so I released them for now. They are trained, so we will find them soon, but I doubt this carriage can travel any further on this road.”

“I see… It appears so.”

Rocks of all sizes blocked more than half the path. A horse might manage, but a carriage certainly would not. Assuming they would have to abandon the vehicle, Yu-chang’s subordinates began unloading and securing their essential luggage.

“Do you know how to ride?”

At Yu-chang’s question, Huiyeon shook her head and spoke honestly.

“No. This is actually the first time I have seen a horse from this close.”

“Well, it seems the list of your ‘firsts’ is growing.”

He meant to put her on a horse whether she liked it or not.

“General…”

“The ground seems to have weakened from the rain a few days ago. We must take a detour, even if it means a longer journey. And we will do so on horseback.”

Yu-chang spoke with a tone that brooked no argument. But Huiyeon couldn’t simply nod in agreement. Her eyes fell on Choyong, who was sitting on the ground after being helped from the carriage.

“I understand the situation. But my maid is injured. She is in no condition to ride a horse.”

Yu-chang let out a short, sharp laugh as he watched Huiyeon fuss over Choyong with worried eyes. One corner of his mouth curled upward in an overt sneer.

“If you continue to act so naively, you will find yourself in grave trouble sooner or later.”

“What do you mean by—”

“That maid is lucky, isn’t she? To have such a benevolent and innocent mistress. I will ensure the horses are driven as slowly as possible. Do not ask for anything more.”

Watching Yu-chang turn away coldly after speaking his piece, Huiyeon realized he had overheard the conversation the two of them had inside the carriage before they set off. She had clearly seen him moving far away, yet…

Huiyeon bit her lip. The rumors were true: those with extraordinary martial prowess could easily hear whispers from a distance. She decided to view this humiliation as the price for a valuable lesson—she had to be careful not to let a single word slip, anywhere, at any time.

Since she had never ridden before, Huiyeon had to share a horse with Yu-chang. Although they were moving slowly for the sake of the two women, it was still a grueling ordeal for them.

“There are armed men not far from here.”

They had stopped by a stream to rest. Yu-chang, who had been watering his horse and stroking its mane, paused at the report from a subordinate who had returned from scouting the area.

“Bandits?”

Faint smoke was rising from a spot not far away. While life had improved recently, the situation in the Hoye Kingdom had been dire until ten years ago. Those who couldn’t survive had abandoned their homes to become slash-and-burn farmers or bandits in the mountains. Even after the rains returned and the land became fertile, many remained.

However, the subordinate’s next words defied his expectations.

“No. They appeared to be trained warriors.”

“Warriors?”

Yu-chang’s eyes narrowed as he glanced toward Huiyeon, who was sitting under a tree tending to her injured maid. He couldn’t understand why she coddled a servant who clearly feared and served the King more than her own mistress. He clicked his tongue at the foolishness of keeping someone nearby who might one day stab her in the back.

“They must be from Taeseong. Find out their objective.”

“As you command.”

The subordinate vanished into the trees as silently as he had appeared. If trained warriors had entered Mount Geumryeong now, the reason was obvious: to find Princess Ju Huiyeon. Yu-chang needed to know if they were here to save her or finish her off.

“How troublesome.”

Yu-chang scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze, his hand habitually brushing the hilt of the sword at his waist. He silently signaled his men to maintain high alert.

Fortunately, the clash he feared did not occur. Yu-chang’s face was well-known as the Great General, which prevented the Taeseong warriors from mistaking them for the assassins who had attacked the Princess.

“From here on, we shall escort the Princess ourselves.”

Yu-chang stared blankly at the man who introduced himself as ‘Jang Son-jae,’ a guard sent by the King of Taeseong. He replied nonchalantly.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Jang Son-jae’s face brightened at the easy compliance, but it froze instantly at Yu-chang’s next words.

“However, my subordinates and I will be accompanying you. We were the ones who rescued the Princess, after all. I wouldn’t want to lose all the credit by backing out now.”

Jang Son-jae frowned at the General’s words, which painted them as ungrateful opportunists. He had heard that Hong Yu-chang was brilliant enough to become General at a young age but possessed a foul personality; the rumors seemed accurate. Though he found the arrogant gaze looking down at him offensive, a fight here would be problematic.

Jang Son-jae clenched his fists.

“We will defer to the Princess’s opinion. Know that if Her Highness refuses, we will not care for the General’s wishes.”

Biting the inside of his cheek, Jang Son-jae turned the choice over to the Princess.

“Do as the General says,” Huiyeon said. “It would not be easy for us to enter the Hoye royal palace on our own.”

Jang Son-jae had expected her to object to the continued presence of a foreign military force, but she had sided with Yu-chang.

“Princess, what do you mean it wouldn’t be easy? Are you saying that because we lost the tribute treasures? Do not worry about that. They will arrive within a few days.”

Jang Son-jae looked as though he had been slapped. In contrast to his agitation, Huiyeon remained calm. She turned her head to look at Yu-chang, who was leaning against a tree. Their eyes met.

“The presence or absence of treasures is not the issue,” she said firmly. “The issue is that we are people of Taeseong.”

Yu-chang let out a small chuckle, as if he had been listening all along.

“What do you mean by—”

Huiyeon turned her gaze back to Jang Son-jae, who failed to understand her point, and let out a sigh. The striker forgets, but the struck remembers. It seemed Jang Son-jae hadn’t given a single thought to how Taeseong had treated other nations in the past.

“Regardless, we are going with the General. Let that be known.”

Having stated her will, Huiyeon stood up. Since it would take some time to prepare for departure, she intended to take a walk.

“Princess, are you going for a walk? Wait, I will follow you.”

Huiyeon shook her head, stopping Choyong as she tried to force her injured body up.

“It’s fine, stay and rest. I am just going to wander right in front of here.”

“But…”

“Are you planning to vomit on the horse again? Rest quietly.”

Leaving Choyong behind, Huiyeon walked toward the water. Before she knew it, Yu-chang was standing behind her.

“Do you have something to say?”

“I was just thinking,” Yu-chang said, “that you truly have no luck when it comes to the people around you.”

“Whether it is a delusion or the truth, General, it would be best if you did not voice every thought that crosses your mind.”

He truly was a detestable man.

“I’ve never been one for restraint.”

Yu-chang shrugged lightly, showing no intention of changing his ways. Huiyeon decided it didn’t matter; once she entered the palace, she wouldn’t have to see him again. She fell silent and cast her gaze upon the flowing river.

“If you need help,” Yu-chang said suddenly, “I will help you exactly once.”

At the unexpected remark, Huiyeon’s head turned naturally toward him. Their gazes locked. In those eyes that had been filled with nothing but disgust and annoyance, a different emotion flickered—but the moment was too brief for her to identify what it was.

“We have rested enough. It is time to leave.”

Leaving Huiyeon behind, Yu-chang turned and walked away first.

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