Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Wei Yan-ho casually turned his head.

‘Hm?’

Moon Eun-ji was exchanging heated words with some man.

That much wasn’t particularly strange. Given Moon Eun-ji’s personality as Wei Yan-ho understood it, it wouldn’t be odd if she got into a chirping match with a sparrow flying by.

She was a woman who was dying to fight, after all.

The problem wasn’t Moon Eun-ji, but rather that the man conversing with her had an extremely distinctive appearance.

His clothing wasn’t particularly unusual.

The golden silk robes that anyone could tell were expensive certainly caught the eye, but that could even be considered a virtue. Those golden garments were clearly expensive to anyone who looked at them.

The dangling jewels and accessories draped over those golden robes seemed a bit excessive, but it was within the realm of understanding.

It was subtly unpleasant to look at, but everyone has different tastes, and Wei Yan-ho was a broad-minded man who knew how to respect others’ individuality.

However, the story changes when someone dressed like that is so excessively fat that a passing pig would bow its head and call him “big brother.”

Being moderately fat can actually be a symbol of wealth and can make a person’s impression more favorable.

But the man standing across from Moon Eun-ji was so excessively obese that it felt grotesque.

Even now, unable to handle his own body, he was constantly wiping away flowing sweat with a handkerchief, and after uttering a single word, he would repeatedly gasp for breath.

His sagging jowls completely hid his neck, and his drooping belly made his legs look short. If you looked closely, he was quite tall, but his body was so round that he appeared small unless you got close.

It was certainly a distinctive appearance.

The man opened his mouth while constantly wiping the sweat flowing down his face with his handkerchief.

“Why don’t you think it over carefully instead?”

Moon Eun-ji snorted.

“There’s nothing to think about or not think about.”

“You’ll regret it, won’t you?”

“There’s no chance of that happening.”

The fat man smiled slightly.

“What is it that you find so disagreeable? An opportunity to serve a man with my background as a husband doesn’t come often, and Miss Moon knows this better than anyone, doesn’t she?”

“You should know well that I’m a woman who doesn’t care about such backgrounds.”

The man burst into loud laughter.

“That’s right. That’s why I admire you so much, isn’t it?”

Moon Eun-ji’s face contorted.

“In any case, I have nothing more to say to you.”

“You’d better reconsider. I’ve never let go of something I wanted to possess. I’m the type of person who must obtain what catches my fancy to feel satisfied. Right now I’m making this request, but if you continue to refuse me, next time it won’t be a request.”

Though his voice was gentle, the meaning hidden within was far from gentle.

“Do as you please.”

“Are you saying it’s fine if the Hanrim Grand Academy, which boasts a long history, crumbles because of you alone?”

“The Hanrim Grand Academy won’t crumble easily.”

The man smiled.

“That may be so. But I can do it. You know that too, don’t you?”

Moon Eun-ji’s eyes turned cold.

“What are you planning to do?”

The man shook his head while wiping his sweat.

“I’m not planning to do anything yet. However, if you continue to refuse me like this, my heart might change.”

Moon Eun-ji answered in a cold voice.

“I hate that aspect of you. Do you think everything in the world will go according to your will?”

“It’s not impossible.”

“No. At least I will never marry you, so there are impossible things. Well then, I’ll be going.”

As Moon Eun-ji turned around, the man reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

“Wait a moment!”

“Won’t you let go?”

“You’d better not make me angry!”

“Hmph! What will you do if you get angry?”

The man smiled.

“I pride myself on being a gentleman, but I also know that one who stands at the center of power must never be dyed with a single color. I prefer to resolve matters through dialogue, but if the situation doesn’t permit it, I won’t hesitate to use violence or power.”

The man smiled triumphantly.

“How about it? Even if I violate you right now, could you still act so stubbornly?”

Moon Eun-ji’s eyes trembled slightly.

Just then, a quiet voice came from behind Moon Eun-ji.

“That’s not something to say in someone else’s house.”

Moon Eun-ji’s head turned.

“You!”

At the sudden appearance of an uninvited guest, the man let go of her hand and stepped back.

Moon Eun-ji quickly ran to stand behind Wei Yan-ho. The man quietly looked at Wei Yan-ho before opening his mouth.

“Don’t you think eavesdropping on others’ conversations is against etiquette?”

“I apologize. I’m somewhat lacking in etiquette. But you don’t seem qualified to say that. For someone concerned with etiquette, weren’t your words a bit harsh?”

The man’s small eyes, barely visible buried in flesh, flashed with light.

“I know who you are. You’re the one called Hanrim Go Saint.”

Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.

“Thank you for recognizing me. But what should I do? I don’t know who you are.”

The man’s face hardened slightly.

“I am…”

“Ah, it’s fine. I don’t particularly want to know anyway. It doesn’t seem like it would be good to know.”

The man glared at Wei Yan-ho with narrowed eyes.

“Hanrim Go Saint… If you had just played Go and passed your time, you wouldn’t have fallen from my favor.”

“That’s right. In that sense, it’s quite unfortunate. It would be hard for you to fall from favor. You’re so conspicuous that one would have to be able to avoid seeing you.”

“You!”

The man’s face trembled with rage.

However, the man soon took a deep breath and looked at Moon Eun-ji.

“I’ll leave for today. But don’t think this is the end. I’ll give you three days. If you don’t come into my embrace of your own accord within those three days, I’ll handle things my own way.”

The man’s eyes flashed blue.

“You’d better keep that in mind.”

The man left those words and slowly walked away.

Wei Yan-ho quietly watched the man before opening his mouth.

“Who is he?”

Moon Eun-ji said with a shudder.

“He’s someone called Nok Mok-pung.”

“Nok Mok-pung?”

“Yes. He’s the son of Grand Eunuch Nok Gi, who wields full authority in the imperial court.”

“The son of a eunuch?”

Moon Eun-ji nodded.

“More precisely, he’s an adopted son.”

“I see.”

Wei Yan-ho looked at the man’s retreating figure with fresh eyes.

“But what was that gentleman saying to you?”

Moon Eun-ji’s face scrunched up.

“He told me to marry him.”

“Oh?”

Moon Eun-ji shuddered.

“I’ve told him ‘no’ countless times, but he doesn’t know how to give up. He’s so bothersome I could die every time!”

“But isn’t he pretty decent?”

Moon Eun-ji’s eyes narrowed.

“De… cent?”

“I’ve heard of Nok Gi too. He’s the leader of the eunuchs. With that background, his family must be decent, and seeing how he clings like that, he must have some genuine feelings…”

“If you switched positions and were a woman, would you want to marry that person?”

Wei Yan-ho seemed to think quietly for a moment before opening his mouth.

“That’s not a particularly pleasant thought.”

“Right?”

Moon Eun-ji wore a bitter smile.

“Besides, that person doesn’t want to marry me because he likes me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Moon Eun-ji’s complexion darkened a little.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but Father has considerable respect among the scholarly community.”

“I’ve heard that.”

“It’s awkward for me to say with my own mouth, but he’s evaluated as being worthy of serving as a minister of the nation. Yet the reason he remains buried in the countryside like this isn’t simply because Father has no attachment to government position.”

“Then?”

“It’s because the eunuchs who control the imperial court are keeping Father in check.”

“The eunuchs are keeping him in check? Why?”

Moon Eun-ji sighed.

“What makes the Hanrim Grand Academy different from typical scholarly factions is that it doesn’t belong to any particular place. Thanks to that, it was difficult to gain power, but as this continued through generations, a new strength emerged. Because we don’t belong to any faction, we could build friendships with various factions and maintain deep relationships.”

“Ah!”

“Even though they know the eunuchs are treacherous officials, they can’t drive them out because the scholarly factions can’t unite as one. Thanks to that, the eunuchs, who don’t even amount to one-fifth of the total forces, are gaining power. If Father were to take office and coordinate the scholarly factions, the ones who would be in the most danger would be the eunuchs.”

“That makes sense.”

“So Grand Eunuch Nok desperately prevented Father from taking office. And recently, he found another method.”

“That’s the marriage between you and that fatty?”

“That’s right. If that happens, Grand Eunuch Nok won’t have to fear the unification of the scholarly community, and as a bonus, he can form an in-law relationship with Moon Yu-hwan, a giant of the scholarly world.”

“It’s like adding wings to a tiger.”

Moon Eun-ji sighed.

“That’s why that person keeps pestering me. It’s not simply about affection or anything like that.”

“Hmm…”

Wei Yan-ho nodded.

“Then would you consider accepting if there were affection?”

“Pardon?”

“It seems like you’re refusing because there’s no affection, but would you consider accepting if those feelings were genuine?”

Moon Eun-ji firmly shook her head.

“I don’t want to.”

“Of course not.”

Wei Yan-ho smiled.

“What do you mean ‘of course not’!”

“You’re shallow, shallow! A shallow person who judges others by their appearance!”

Moon Eun-ji’s face flushed red.

“It’s not like that!”

“What do you mean it’s not like that. It’s obvious.”

“I said it’s not like that!”

“Really?”

“…”

“Then why wouldn’t it work even if there were affection?”

“Th-that’s…”

Wei Yan-ho’s smile deepened.

“Come on, tell me. Why wouldn’t it work? How come? Why?”

“No, what I mean is… it’s obvious that person has no affection!”

“Look at you changing the subject? I clearly asked if you would accept if there were affection.”

“…”

“Even if there were affection, it wouldn’t work. That’s right, being fat is a crime. This is why people need to be handsome.”

“Who said that?”

“Then?”

“If there’s affection, it’s fine! If there’s affection, it’s okay!”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Wei Yan-ho started walking.

“Where are you going?”

“To tell him.”

“Tell him what?”

Wei Yan-ho grinned.

“You said it’s fine if there’s affection, right? That gentleman looks pitiful, so I’m going to go talk to him. Since he doesn’t show sincerity, I’ll tell him to show his affection!”

Moon Eun-ji screamed!

“Kyaak! Stop it!”

“Why! You said it was fine!”

“Aak! Stop it! I said stop!”

Wei Yan-ho grinned mischievously as he teased Moon Eun-ji.

Even though Moon Eun-ji knew it was a joke, she grabbed Wei Yan-ho’s arm with a flushed face.

Just imagining it was horrifying!

That’s when it happened.

“You bastard!”

A loud shout flew at them.

Moon Eun-ji and Wei Yan-ho were startled and turned around. A young man with an angry face was glaring at Wei Yan-ho.