Episode 17

It was a bright, moonlit night.

‘Ah, a deadly moon.’ I would have made the same joke, but I was in a situation where I could actually die. Caution was imperative.

Soon, I would be at the bridal chamber. I wondered if Moyong Sang-ah knew about the fate of the Kang family. It was safe to assume she did. Regardless of how she sent the evidence to the Joseon court, she must have had her own communication network with Joseon.

If I had received the news about the annihilation of the Kang family, it was reasonable to assume that Moyong Sang-ah also knew. Even if she didn’t, I had plans for that too. I needed to think fast and escape as planned.

There was no one in front of the bridal chamber.

In Joseon, there was a custom of peeping through paper windows, but it seemed that was not the case here. In the past, I thought it was just a funny scene, but now it just seemed like a Joseon version of an adult streaming service.

Especially since it was a live broadcast of a virgin and a bachelor. For people of an era without AV, it must have been irresistible.

If no one was around, escaping from the bridal chamber would be easier.

“Ahem!”

I deliberately coughed to announce my arrival at the bridal chamber.

There was no response. Should I just enter?

“Entering now.”

As I entered the bridal chamber, small lanterns were the only source of light. A pleasant scent wafted from the lanterns, suggesting the oil inside was mixed with fragrances to enhance the mood.

There was a slight movement on the bed. As I approached cautiously, I found Moyong Sang-ah lying down with her eyes closed.

In the lantern light, Moyong Sang-ah looked enchantingly beautiful.

Gulp.

I swallowed unconsciously. Facing a woman ready to accept her husband, especially one called the most beautiful in the world, was nerve-wracking.

Survive. Don’t fall for it. If I did, I’d be dining in hell tomorrow.

I reaffirmed this to myself and looked at Moyong Sang-ah again.

Could there be a man capable of mistreating a woman as beautiful as Moyong Sang-ah? Unfortunately, her brother and husband were such men, a misfortune for her.

I unconsciously stroked Moyong Sang-ah’s cheek.

“Madam.”

She was no longer Miss Moyong Sang-ah, but Madam. The problem was, I only had about 30 minutes left.

Quietly calling her, Moyong Sang-ah didn’t respond. Her irregular breathing confirmed she was awake.

I looked over her upper body, covered by the blanket. The soft blanket outlined her figure clearly.

Even hidden by the blanket, the presence of her chest was unmistakable, pulsating irregularly. In her hand, under the blanket, was something clearly outlined.

Something that shouldn’t be in the bridal chamber.

A sword.

So, she was thinking of killing me.

My mind raced. I needed to live. This wasn’t an unexpected scenario. I had already considered it. Why wasn’t she killing me right away? She was hesitating. She wanted to kill me when I opened my eyes, but she didn’t want to. I would use her hesitation to my advantage.

“Madam.”

Moyong Sang-ah flinched.

“Please, kill me.”

To live, pretend to die. With that, I started the biggest bluff of my life.

“Sir!”

Moyong Sang-ah sat up in shock.

“You were awake.”

“What do you mean by asking to be killed?”

Moyong Sang-ah tried to hide the sword subtly. What else? That was what she had been planning to do.

“Have you heard the news about the Kang family?”

“……”

Moyong Sang-ah turned pale and avoided my gaze.

“You know, then. The Kang family was implicated in treason and annihilated.”

“There must be some misunderstanding. Treason?”

Misunderstandings were just that, misunderstandings. The source of this misunderstanding was right in front of me. However, I had to pretend to be oblivious to maximize Moyong Sang-ah’s guilt.

“My father engaged in numerous illegal acts to amass wealth. Ginseng smuggling was just the tip of the iceberg. Furthermore, he turned a blind eye to many shady individuals to increase our family’s wealth. If one of them was involved in treason, it’s likely our family couldn’t escape unscathed.”

Kang Yun-ho believed the treason was a problem caused by his family. He wasn’t aware that all this was Moyong Sang-ah’s doing. He emphasized that point.

“There must be some misunderstanding. A thorough investigation will reveal it as a frame-up. Don’t give up.”

“No. Our engagement with the Moyong family of the Central Plains might not have been viewed favorably by the Joseon court. I might be killed if I return to Joseon.”

“Sir, being involved in treason doesn’t necessarily mean death. There must be a way if you return to Joseon.”

“My father has already been executed. All my relatives have been beheaded, and the women in my family have been turned into slaves. What path could there possibly be?”

This was your doing. He dwelled on Moyong Sang-ah’s guilt. Hearing this, Moyong Sang-ah avoided my gaze and looked down at the floor.

By saying this much, she surely wouldn’t dare to admit that she’s the real culprit.

“You can rebuild if you gather the Kang family’s assets outside of Joseon.”

“Those assets were accumulated because of the Kang family’s reputation in Joseon. How can I protect them now that the Kang family name has vanished?”

“Sir, you mustn’t give up.”

Sure, I wouldn’t give up. Why should I care? It was neither my assets nor my family.

“I haven’t given up. I’ve decided to save my wife; how can I give up?”

After the shock treatment, it was time to reveal my true intentions.

“……”

Moyong Sang-ah looked at me with anxious eyes.

“Today, I must die for my wife.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If things remain as they are, you won’t be able to reclaim the Moyong family. Should we consummate the marriage tonight, you become the wife of a traitor. Taken to Joseon, you’ll end up a slave. Even if I escape or remain with the Moyong family, you’ll be seen as an outsider, never fully accepted. But if I die tonight, all that becomes null.”

“That’s not a reason for you to die!”

Moyong Sang-ah protested.

Despite her original intention to kill me for that very reason, hearing it from me changed things.

I needed to continue to exploit her guilt. Shaking my head, I went on.

“No, it is a reason. You are all I have left. After tonight, I won’t be able to protect you.”

I tenderly stroked Moyong Sang-ah’s cheek. She was truly beautiful. I had to express my affection quickly.

“Sir…”

Moyong Sang-ah’s eyes began to moisten. She couldn’t cry yet; there was still much groundwork to lay.

“Would you accept this?”

I pulled something from my pocket and presented it to Moyong Sang-ah.

“Isn’t this a Baekpaek-silver ring?”

“It’s my mother’s keepsake. In Joseon, a husband’s gift ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. It serves as a reminder of the husband, even when he’s far away. Would you accept it?”

I was almost there, but to cover any contingency, I needed to offer a token of love.

As I reached for Moyong Sang-ah’s left hand to slip the ring on, she gently pushed my hand away.

“Sir, I cannot accept this.”

Moyong Sang-ah cradled her left hand with her right, her expression pained.

“I’m sorry. Right… wearing a ring from a husband for just one day wouldn’t look good.”

“That’s not it, Sir! It’s because I am a sinner.”

No, she shouldn’t do this.

Her confession in front of me complicated everything.

“Because you have to kill me? You have a father, family members, and subordinates to protect. Don’t feel guilty for a man you’ve known for only a few days. The real culprits are those who involved my father and relatives in treason. They repaid kindness with enmity. You shouldn’t feel any guilt.”

You, yes you.

Moyong Sang-ah’s eyes trembled without pause.

Yeah. After saying all this, she couldn’t possibly reveal the truth.

Let’s hurry up.

“Now, cut my throat.”

I closed my eyes and feigned readiness for my neck to be slashed.

You wouldn’t really kill me after all the groundwork I had laid, right?

I was a bit scared.

…

As I opened my eyes a fraction, Moyong Sang-ah was staring at me with a determined look.

“I absolutely cannot do that.”

Thank you, Moyong Sang-ah.

“Can’t you really cut me?”

Moyong Sang-ah shook her head emphatically.

“Haah… Then, there’s no other choice. I’ll have to use my own method to save my wife.”

I sighed and spoke with apparent reluctance.

“What would that be?”

“Tonight, I will be struck with a shoe.”

Being struck with a shoe on the first night was a huge insult to a wife. It typically signified that the husband disliked the wife and expelled her immediately on the first night. In this situation, it means the groom will quarrel with the bride and leave the house for some time.

“What are you talking about?”

“I thought it was too much to ask my gentle wife to cut my throat. So I’ll spread the rumor that I was hit with a shoe because I dislike my wife, and then I’ll leave the Moyong family.”

This way, as in the original story, it was proven that Moyong Sang-ah remained pure.

“Moyong Bi will be satisfied to hear you’ve been struck with a shoe. After all, the marriage has been consummated, and it’s just a question of disgracing you. I will say I’ll spend just tonight away and then depart from the Moyong family. Afterwards, I’ll head to Joseon. So, please send Changbongdae after me to take my life and send my body to Joseon.”

This maintained the original story’s flow.

“Sir!”

“This is the best course of action. It must be done.”

I spoke firmly.

“Sir, how can you do this for someone like me?”

Well, otherwise you were going to kill me. While comforting a sobbing Moyong Sang-ah, I spoke.

“I decided to stake everything to help you.”

I spoke as tenderly as possible, tickling Moyong Sang-ah’s heart.

“Sir!”

Then Moyong Sang-ah threw herself at me.

What? Why? Her face was getting closer.

Uh oh.

What?

Who put their tongue in on the first kiss?

Where did she learn that?

Ohhh.

The kiss with Moyong Sang-ah was wild and rough, filled with raw emotions.