Chapter 122: Seupai Geim (Spy Games)

I was just about to enter my accommodation to retrieve some of my transcriptions that I wanted to go over with my tutor when I I realised that my whole room had been vandalised. Everything was tipped over upside down, my clothes had been ripped up and my makeup products were oddly destroyed as well. Everything I had brought with me from the village, everything that Hui-Jee and the ksiengs were completely gone. Thank goodness I had entrusted all of my work with my tutor and I had managed to even make copies in my spare time just in case. I had kept a few documents in my room just to go over myself, but that was the only thing that seemed to be untouched. I was completely shocked to the point where my feet seemed to have frozen onto the ground, until a few seconds went by and I realised that someone had emptied out a whole bottle of perfume everywhere as well. The smell was so strong that I barely managed to retrieve what I needed before all of the other students started to make their way to their rooms and were also taken aback by the overwhelming scent of cherries on my last day in the washers accommodation so I could devote myself to school full time.

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"How did it go?" "I did everything that you asked me to; I have an old friend who is watching her every movements, and I tore her room apart." "You didn't touch her scrolls, did you?" "You told me not to and I didn't." "And what about that promiscuous woman who follows her around everywhere? Have you found out who the man was behind her scandal?" "He is one of Bang-Won's men; his father is also a senior scholar and the most corrupt one of them all." "How is that possible?" Sung-Rok asked in disbelief but I just smiled at him. "I told you, Seo Yeon is the biggest lucky charm I could have ever have discovered. She always surrounds herself in the most problematic situations that seem to benefit everyone, most especially myself." "This is the second time now, this cannot be a coincidence." "I told you, finding Seo Hwi and sticking by his side from childhood was my biggest blessing. But his sister, she seemed to have been born just for me, a gift that my mother left in her place to look after me." I couldn't help but to whisper that last sentence as I ran my fingers through the embroidery that I found it Yeon's quarter's. It was a lover's token but it was unfinished, and I needed to bring it to her to finish it for me. "So now what is the plan?" "Now is the time to be reunited with Yeon, whilst you Sung-Rok, will start to release his enemies from custody. Yeon herself has worked hard to get me this job, and I will not be controlled by these seniors. As for the ex-fiance of this low-class woman who cannot tear herself from Yeon, I need to meet up with Hwi for that. You will have to bring him to me." "Will he meet you?" "He wants to be rid of Bang-Won just as much as I want him to be. Chun-Ae, ddi you bring me what I asked you to?" "Yes, young master, I have brought with me a lock of the girl's hair, like you asked me to." I didn't like the tone in her voice; I had no idea what she had against Yeon but I was getting tired of it, and I made it known when I had suddenly grabbed her by the collar of her uniform and I brought her close to me so she could see how serious I was. "If I find out that you have messed up her hair or her looks in any way, I will slaughter you in your sleep." "Master! I have followed you every single day when that orphan girl murdered your father with her own hands! I would not disappoint you at all! I never have and I never will!" "Good, now where is that obnoxious cousin of yours? Bring her to me, I have a task for her." "Yes Master."

"I thought you were ok with fraternising with low-borns, so what is your problem with this Ae-Cha woman?" "There is a difference between people who were born into poverty; the low-borns. But a low-class woman like this one is defined by her morals, and she clearly has none at all." "So you have heard the whole story?" "I had it investigated ever since Hwa-Wol brought it up as a concern to me, and she was right to . She isn't educated or intelligent, but growing up in a brothel gave her a sharp sense of intuition. She will be of great help to myself and Yeon in the future, that is why I rewarded her with a tutor instead of money." "I don't get it." "A woman's purpose in this life is to secure a good marriage for herself and elevate her status as well as that of her family. But Yeon is an orphan and her brother has already made a name for himself with the help of the prince, and he even has money now that he is investing into businesses. Even Hwa-Wol as a kiseng herself isn't any better off than Yeon. But Moon-Bok adores her, no, he almost worships her. Do you know that is the difference between these noble woman and these lowborn ones?" "Money?" "The noble women have the advantage of being educated but rarely use it at all; they only care about their wealth, their social statuses and spending their husband's money in exchange for the limited life they have had to live before and after marriage. But both Yeon and Hwa-Wol know what it is to work hard for what they want and to provide for others as well as themselves. Hwa-Wol sends half of her pay for her man so he can gather resources for his own shop and if she receives his education that I am paying for well enough, she will not only elevate her own social status after marriage, she has the potential to help her man build up his own career." "And since when have you ever been interested in intelligent women? Or women at all, for that matter?" I shot him a warning look before I focused on Yeon;s ribbon again that kept brushing against my skin, just as Yeon herself used to find any and every excuse to come around me in the past before her memory loss, and even afterwards. " I have never been against a woman reicneveing an education, but u have to admit that I was never looking at them either. But with Hwa-Wol's empathy and her growing up in an environment where kisengs are mistreated a lot, she will help her to build up her husband's business successfully and raise his children to be successful as well. What else does a man need? As for Yeon, we are not even married and yet look how much she has helped me out already. She has lead me from one treasure chest from another to handle for myself instead of trying to compete for freedom from me like Hui-jee does with Hwi. She is used to being in control; it is not unusual for a woman to be competitive in her limited world, but to overly compete with a man is rather obnoxious and repulsive. No wonder Hwi is avoiding spending any time with her." "So...are you just using Yeon? Or do you really want to marry her?" "That is for her to figure out since she thinks that she can just run off to wherever she likes without facing any consequences at all." "Whatever, as long as you don't actually marry her, then I'm good. I'll head back to the palace now and bring that boy to you."

As much as I was enjoying my new role in the disaster relief plan where everyone was treated equally due to the emergency of the situation, my predictions had come true. The closer I was getting to the Emperor, the more that the prince was making his stance against me known. Trekking knew how much influence his son had in all of the high positions and he was tasking me with the mission to tear it down. Once again, myself and Hwi were thrown into a power battle against father and son, but this time it was different. Hwi had given me the silent treatment for way too long and I was getting sick of it. If I wanted to marry his sister, then I knew I could not just simply elope with her and tear them apart again. I needed Hwi's blessing to give his sister the life that she deserved and myself and Hwi needed to team up to take down the prince. If anyone was going to free him of the devil prince, it was going to be myself even if I lost my life since I was the one who got him into this mess. Luckily for me, Moon-Bok accepted my position for him and I knew of Hwi's every single movements, so finding him would be easy enough. But I also couldn't deny as the weeks turned into months, I was also beginning to panic; I hadn't been away from Yeon for this long for my entire life and I wasn't used to it, despite my plots of revenge against her. What was going on? Did I do something wrong? Why wasn't she coming to see me? Didn't she know how much I had missed her? Didn't she miss me at all? Why was she running away from me? She was still a hot topic of discussion no matter how much time had passed by, so I had to endure so many rumours of her whereabouts flying all over the place of jobs she was taking on whilst being educated. swear that I tried to stay away from her at one point in time...after everything that I had put her through, but her absence was torturing me until I could take it no longer. I needed her by my side if I wanted to breathe, eat and sleep again. Her constant presence around me that I once had doubts about and even ashamedly doubted now all haunted me in almost every single waking moment that I had. Every single day I could hear her footsteps behind me like when she used to follow us before her memory loss, or her calling out to me to try some new dish that she had invented in the kitchen or her serving me tea every evening as her way of checking up on me I had now realised...she only wanted what was best for me, and the only thing I could do to repay her kindness was with was to distance myself and dared to think of another woman who was never mine whilst Yeon was suffering 100 different torments that I had no idea about. I abandoned her emotionally when she was always there for me no matter what mood I was on or what I was facing...even if a part of me knew that I didn't deserve to get her again, I had to at least try to repay everything that she did for me...and simultaneously try not to get caught up in my anger that was only growing day by day. She had every right to leave my side...so why was I this angry about it? Why did I feel so immensely different about her compared to everyone else? Hwi needed more time but I knew he would come around eventually like he always would so it was natural that he needed more time to figure things out but why did I feel...like I was entitled to Yeon? Like she was a possession of mine? I had made myself different from my father in all aspects and I actually genuinely respected women but Yeon...maybe it was because I knew her almost for the entirely of my life and the fact that she chose to stay by my side.