Chapter 10

The birthday festival (3)

– 'I will never again wield a real sword against a person.'

This happened when Baek Seon, Yi Cheolwoon, received the order from Emperor Yunseong and entered the bandit hideout on the outskirts of the capital.

When Baek Seon, leading the imperial guards, entered the mountain hideout, what he saw was a scene drenched in blood.

Dozens of severed limbs were scattered everywhere. The stench of blood was so overwhelming that anyone who wasn't prepared would have retched immediately.

The sight of intestines smoking and the heads of bandits, their faces twisted in terror, rolling around was enough to make one wince.

In the center of this horrific scene, drenched in blood, was a young boy trembling while hugging an old iron sword.

And there was a girl, holding the boy and saying, "It's okay, it's okay," while her hands trembled with fear, but she clenched her teeth and held the boy tightly.

She looked to be around ten years old, or perhaps even younger.

At that age, he had beheaded over sixty bandits alone.

The guards who accompanied Baek Seon shuddered at the horrific scene. Even seasoned warriors would have trembled at the sight.

At that moment, the girl, apparently noticing Baek Seon's robes and realizing he was from the Qingdao Palace, jumped up in surprise.

She then stood in front of Baek Seon with her arms outstretched, trembling. "Don't come any closer. We had to kill to survive," she pleaded desperately.

She was right. The bandits in this hideout were notorious for their cruelty, which was why Baek Seon had come to deal with them personally.

– 'I will never again wield a real sword against a person.'

The boy, hugging the iron sword, was repeating these words to himself.

The weight of the lives he had taken with his own hands was crushing the young boy who had committed his first murder.

He had killed over sixty, not just a few. The fear and pain in the eyes of each of those he had killed were too heavy for a first-time murderer to bear.

Baek Seon, stepping into the sea of blood, lowered his stance to carefully examine the boy. He could only swallow hard.

The boy had no injuries on his body. The blood covering him was all from the bandits.

The traces of fever on his wrists.

And the coldness in his gaze. The innate sense of sword qi, which he could not yet control but was aware of.

Baek Seon instinctively knew that there was no middle ground in this boy's life.

There were only two paths – to become a Sword Sage or a murderer.

– 'I will never again wield a real sword against a person.'

But the words he repeated compulsively seemed to be a declaration to Baek Seon.

"I will live an ordinary life."

"I will work less and earn more. Sometimes, I will enjoy a delicious meal."

"Occasionally, I will look up at the sky and marvel at the scenery, chat with old friends, and fall asleep under the moon, thinking about tomorrow. That is the kind of leisurely life I want to live."

"That is the valuable life I dream of."

*

"The match will be conducted with real swords, but the winner will be the one who cuts the opponent's collar first."

"…Then, wouldn't the noble lady in the splendid palace attire be at a disadvantage?"

"To be honest, that's not particularly important."

Breathing in the clear air of Baeksan Mountain, it feels as if my mind is refreshed. As a mountain that stands tall around the palace, it is known as a famous green mountain within the Qingdao Kingdom.

Time passed, and the day of the birthday festival finally arrived.

Despite the intense winter cold, the heat from the hundreds of people gathered here is considerable.

The scale of the platform and the numerous banquet tables set up in the spacious and scenic area halfway up the mountain is astonishing. The pavilion at the edge of the cliff, where Emperor Yunseong is already drinking with high officials, is a sight to behold.

The grand pavilion, Taehwa Pavilion, built specifically for this event, is so large that it could rival the inner chambers of a prominent noble family.

Inside, the banquet dishes, centered around the main table, seemed to be enough to last for three days and nights, and the prepared wines were so rare that even the most discerning connoisseurs would find many they had never tasted before.

Thinking about the efforts of the palace attendants and eunuchs who had to carry all this up the mountain and prepare it, one can't help but feel a sense of awe.

"Indeed, that's true."

I replied to Hyundang, the head of the palace attendants of the Zhuque Palace.

My role was simply to face and dance with the sword of Noble Lady In, who would perform on the platform. I just needed to exchange a few moves and then lose gracefully.

"…"

"Is there anything else you would like to ask?"

Hyundang, with his short hair, bowed with his sleeves pressed together.

It's a bit strange, but the head of the palace attendants of the Zhuque Palace that I know is not this person. The head of the palace attendants I saw at the Cheonryeon Banquet was almost a minor character, more reserved and had a different name.

Then, who is this person?

"May I ask when you started working at the Zhuque Palace?"

"I first entered the Zhuque Palace as a palace attendant at the age of nine. It has been over twenty years since I decided to dedicate my life to the Zhuque Palace. Why do you ask?"

"No, it's nothing."

If this person were a head of palace attendants, and especially a close confidant of Noble Lady In, he wouldn't just be anyone.

Am I mistaken about something…? After pondering with my chin in my hand, I shook my head, thinking it didn't matter.

"Why did Noble Lady In choose to have me on the platform?"

"…"

"…"

A question I threw out without much thought, but Hyundang, the head of the palace attendants, pondered for a moment before answering.

"How can I fathom the intentions of Noble Lady In? I can only speculate that it might be to clear away delusions."

"Delusions?"

"Xue Wu is a member of the Huayong Xue family, is he not?"

He hit the core of the matter right away. Indeed, the people of the Zhuque Palace are known for their straightforwardness and lack of pretense, and it seems to be true.

"Noble Lady In is a wise person who encompasses all and worries about the people, but she cannot bring the people of the Huayong Xue family into her heart. Since the passing of her uncle, whom she revered as a mentor, the gap has only widened to the point where it can never be bridged."

And, Hyundang, who follows Noble Lady In like a limb, is likely no different.

Hyundang, the head of the palace attendants, does not show anything more than a professional attitude when dealing with me. It's as if he's announcing that this is the minimum courtesy.

"Therefore, perhaps she thinks that suppressing Xue Wu in a match might be a way to completely cut off her own delusions. It might be nothing more than a meaningless self-satisfaction, but…"

"…Then, it's truly strange. Noble Lady In, who understands better than anyone that such a match on the platform is just for show, wouldn't she know that winning a staged match has no real meaning? I don't think she would be unaware of that…"

"I think so too…"

Noble Lady In must have some intention. Hyundang seemed to think so.

Actually, I don't really care about Noble Lady In's intentions.

"Well, anyway, don't worry. This is my area of expertise."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll lose so convincingly that you'll be surprised. After exchanging a few moves, I'll fall without even using my full strength. Hehehe…."

…Social life!

No matter how the times and places change, the essence of social life remains the same.

And, fundamentally, anyone who lives in this world must master the art of getting along.

Whether you become the crown princess of a kingdom or a department manager, you will always have to live with people who are above you. People are social creatures, after all!

Of course, obvious flattery can make you look cheap. Especially upright and stern people like Noble Lady In would despise such characters.

So what? That's my goal!

Finding a way to incur Noble Lady In's displeasure without receiving severe punishment is something I should welcome with open arms.

I'll show you what real flattery is.

A true man should not be obsessed with cheap flattery and sweet talk, but when your life is on the line, it's a completely different story.

As I was thinking this, the band on the platform began to play.

The high officials, who were drinking and chatting in the pavilion, exclaimed and looked over.

The most beautiful flower of the Qingdao Palace. The time had come for the four palace crown princesses to showcase their talents.

*

The prince's birthday festival was an opportunity to see high officials, whom one usually doesn't get to see closely.

Emperor Yunseong, sitting in the most splendid part of the grand Taehwa Pavilion.

Draped in a dragon robe, his humble appearance, as if sweeping his beard, exudes a divine aura.

And below him, Crown Prince Hyunwon, who holds the position of the next emperor.

His eyes were clear, yet, in a way, empty.

'Just as I imagined.'

I sighed inwardly as I looked at Crown Prince Hyunwon, the protagonist of this event, who was only fourteen years old. The emptiness in his eyes was not something you would see in a fourteen-year-old.

Crown Prince Hyunwon of the Qingdao Kingdom cannot distinguish colors.

Living his life immersed in ancient texts from a young age, he eventually reached a point where he could only see the white of paper and the black of ink.

Living like a puppet according to the royal protocols, he no longer marvels at the beautiful scenery of the Qingdao Kingdom, and he has lost the meaning of life.

The life of a crown prince is splendid, but far from happiness.

And it was Xuelan who brought color back into Hyunwon's life.

It was around the third volume of the Cheonryeon Banquet.

The scene where Xuelan, who had slipped out the back of the palace, led Crown Prince Hyunwon up the roof of the royal palace to show him the view of the Qingdao Palace.

There, Crown Prince Hyunwon, for the first time, realized how truly beautiful the Qingdao Palace was, where he had lived his entire life.

When he took in the scenery of the outer palace, where cherry blossoms were flying, the world finally became colorful.

Looking at Xuelan, who was smiling there, he finally realized that this girl was the connection he had been searching for his entire life.

Xuelan had become the new direction in his life, which he had been living like an empty puppet.

As I always say…

Indeed, being a female protagonist in a historical romance… it's not something just anyone can do…

The same goes for this birthday festival.

The foggy Baeksan Mountain. It was said that due to the attack by demons, Xuelan, who was carrying refreshments, would be caught in a landslide.

Trapped in the space between rocks for three days, Xuelan managed to keep the nearly dying Crown Prince Hyunwon alive.

At that time, Xuelan did not reveal her name… The poignant scene of Crown Prince Hyunwon silently recalling the palace attendant in his memory was one of the interesting points in the early part of the Cheonryeon Banquet.

…This setup seems strangely familiar…

"Haha, will there ever be a day as good as today! Look! On such a joyous day as the prince's birthday, bring out even better wine! Hahaha!"

'Below him are the high-ranking officials… Choe Bumseok of the Central Secretariat, In Sunrok of the Board of Censors, Shim Sanggon of the Office of the Yellow Gate, and the strategist Hwan An and General Seong Sawook… The palace guard commander Jang Rae is also here.'

It's rare to see so many important people gathered in one place.

The more such people are gathered, the more tense it is to go up on the platform.

However…

– 'Wow… She is truly worthy of being the mistress of the Baekho Palace.'

– 'Just standing there, she looks like a fairy has descended.'

– 'Amazing… She seems like she's from another world…!'

I could hear the palace attendants murmuring.

Dukbi Ha, performing the Heavenly Dragon Dance on the stage, was completely captivating the audience.

It had been less than a month since she became the mistress of the Baekho Palace.

She must have been busy managing the palace attendants and the atmosphere of the harem, but she had managed to learn the Heavenly Dragon Dance for the birthday festival in that short time.

The graceful movements of Dukbi Ha blended with the noble scenery of Baeksan Mountain.

The white palace attire, adorned with gold embroidery, fluttering in front of the mountain, looked like clouds flowing along the mountain slopes.

The color of her flying hair was paler than silver, her white hair tied back for the Heavenly Dragon Dance, revealing her elegant neck.

Even the moment when she fixed her posture and opened her eyes passed slowly. Her azure eyes revealed their full form. Looking at her white hair and clear blue eyes, she seemed like a white tiger that had lived for a thousand years and taken human form.

The music of the band grew stronger, and the Heavenly Dragon Dance drew the audience deeper and deeper.

Then, it ended cleanly, leaving a lingering impression.

When Dukbi Ha bowed gracefully in gratitude, the high officials, putting aside their dignity, could not help but applaud. Some of them even stood up.

If a fairy were to descend to earth, she would surely take the form of Dukbi Ha. Praising her in such a way, the applause did not stop.

"Truly amazing. A treasure has entered the Baekho Palace. Your Majesty."

"The next to perform on the platform, Noble Lady, must be quite nervous."

"Noble Lady is still young, so the experience of performing on the platform itself will be a great treasure. Let's encourage her with loud applause. She can receive the golden hairpin next year."

The birthday festival is an opportunity for the four palace crown princesses to showcase their talents in front of high officials.

The most noble princess, as chosen by Emperor Yunseong, would receive the golden hairpin directly from him, which was considered one of the most valuable treasures in the harem. The princess who wore the golden hairpin until the next year's birthday festival was often regarded as the most authoritative.

At a time when the position of Crown Princess was still vacant, the officials thought that the most noble Noble Lady would receive the golden hairpin. However, Dukbi Ha's Heavenly Dragon Dance was so impressive that no one would complain if she received the hairpin immediately.

However, the performance of the next Noble Lady was even more astonishing.

Noble Lady Jin Cheongrang did not bring anything when she ascended the platform. She simply wore a beautiful palace attire, as the other princesses did.

She sat modestly on a straw mat in the center of the platform, covered her mouth with her sleeve, and spoke slowly.

"I am truly at a loss for words, to have gathered here on this Baeksan Mountain to see my humble talent."

"Please, if only for a moment, let this joyous day be illuminated."

At that moment, flowers bloomed.

It was winter. The branches of the trees were bare, waiting for the next spring.

However, starting from the trees around Taehwa Pavilion, flowers began to bloom, and soon the entire Baeksan Mountain was covered in a procession of blossoms.

Plants regained their vitality, and the sky became vast. As if the cold and harsh winter had never existed, butterflies fluttered and deer ran around.

The Baeksan Mountain, which had looked desolate behind the platform, was now a warm spring day with lush greenery and colorful flowers.

The high officials could not believe their eyes. Noble Lady Jin Cheongrang had brought spring to Baeksan Mountain.

"What, what is this…!"

"What is happening here!"

The civil officials, who were drinking, were startled and looked around.

The peaceful scenery of Baeksan Mountain was so dazzling that it felt like they had entered a paradise. The view of the Qingdao Palace, spread out below Baeksan Mountain, was much wider than they had known.

The imposing view of the Qingdao Palace