Ch 338: If My Lady Does Not Abandon Me, I Will Devote My Life To You

The carriage stood transversely in front of the main gate. It had ascended about halfway up the steps, but the horse stood very steadily, and the carriage did not shake. The coachman was very pleased.

Yeongchun put her hands into her sleeves, and boldly took out a large roll of silk, which she handed to the coachman.

“Promises must be kept. This is the reward I promised.”

The coachman happily accepted it, and, expressing his gratitude, asked,

“Second Young Lady, do you have many days like today? Then you absolutely must not forget me. I may not be good at other things, but my ability to drive a carriage is the best.”

It was an ability that Baek Hak-yeom also recognized.

“Did you raise horses before?”

The coachman nodded.

“Since I was a child, I was sold here and there, but before being sold to Mun Gukgongbu, I trained horses on a horse farm. After being kicked many times by horseshoes, I developed a knack, and eventually I was able to train any horse to my will. I do as I’m told, and even if I’m told to climb a mountain, I dare not refuse. I know the meaning of every whinny the horses make.”

The coachman began to speak of his specialty without hesitation. Even when people surrounded him again, he did not act as before. Baek Hak-yeom found this man very agreeable and asked a few more questions.

“What is your name? How old are you this year? In the Gukgongbu, did you only look after horses and drive carriages?”

That person’s eyes sparkled.

“The Second Young Lady asking me this…is this perhaps you giving me a chance?”

He was overjoyed, and quickly answered his master’s questions.

“My name is Ma Pyeong-cheon. I am twenty-two this year. I have worked at the Mun Gukgongbu for three years. Because I take good care of horses, I have always been in the stable, and I have also driven carriages for my masters.”

Baek Hak-yeom thought Ma Pyeong-cheon’s personality was quite good. He was quick to understand, and his actions were not slow. He recognized that her few questions were his opportunity, and he readily expressed his inner expectations in the most direct way. Thanks to this, he was able to leave a relatively good first impression. Of course, the most important thing was that he had a little ability. What she lacked most now was an able person.

“It can be called an opportunity!”

Baek Hak-yeom asked Ma Pyeong-cheon again.

“Would you not drive a carriage only for me? Regardless of how much you received before, I will give you three times as much. I will also treat you the same as the servants of our Yeomseokwon. If you agree to do so, I will tell Hong Inang when I return. I will give you three times the pay starting this month. You don’t need to take care of all the horses in the stable; carefully select one carriage to use for me. And from now on, you only need to worry about that carriage.”

Ma Pyeong-cheon was so excited that he was about to jump up from his seat. He knelt down in the carriage and bowed his head to Baek Hak-yeom.

“Yes, excellent! To think that I, who have waited for so long, have finally met Baekrak appraising horses! The day of my advancement has finally come! Second Young Lady, do not worry. I will surely raise the best horses for you and drive the best carriage for you. As long as the Second Young Lady does not leave me or abandon me, I will stay with you for life, whether I live or die!”

Baek Hak-yeom listened and was dumbfounded, suddenly wondering if she had taken in a lunatic. But seeing him so excited, she found it hard to break his spirit and simply nodded her head.

“Then do that.”

Having finished speaking, Baek Hak-yeom couldn’t help but add a word.

“The saying, ‘As long as you don’t leave or abandon me, I will stay with you for life, whether I live or die,’ is not used in that way.”

Ma Pyeong-cheon chuckled.

“In any case, since I met the young lady and decided to devote myself, I will never betray you for the rest of my life.”

She was speechless. Damn it, that saying is not used like that either.

But she no longer wanted to talk to Ma Pyeong-cheon. Firstly, she was worried that her counterpart might utter another “proverb,” and secondly, because a fair number of Yu Clan people had come out. People surrounded the carriage on all sides. Even a person who looked like an official stood in front of the main gate, staring at the carriage with a vacant expression.

The Yu Clan people were going crazy. Who in the world had come? She was thinking of taking on a servant while surrounded by people. The carriage had been parked here for a while, and they had been surrounding it for a while, too. But it seemed that the person inside the carriage was not even looking at them. She has already said all she wanted to say, bowed her head, and begged for it, damn it. One young lady inside the carriage seemed to be nibbling on sunflower seeds. Surely they aren’t fools?

The official, unable to bear it any longer, opened his mouth.

“Who are you all? What is the reason for your visit? This is a private mansion. This is not a place where just anyone can come and talk as they please. If you know what’s good for you, leave quickly. If we take action, you will see a sight you will regret.”

Yeongchun poked her head out to observe. Pointing to several people who had fallen to the ground because of her medicine, she smiled at the official and said,

“Isn’t that already action taken? It’s quite a pretty sight. It’s not as severe as you said.”

The Yu Clan official was on the verge of losing his mind.

“You are insensible! Who are you!”

Yeongchun pointed to Donggungwon.

“We are people brought here by Donggung’s Important Person. We intend to take his younger sister home. By the looks of you, you seem to be an official, and since you also work for your master, I won’t make things difficult for you. If you just let us take Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister, we will leave immediately. We will not hesitate for even a moment. How about it? Will you let us go?”

Nonsense! The official wanted to curse.

“Do you know where this is? Do you think we will simply hand over a person? Besides, Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister is a guest here, how can you make such an absurd request?”

“Oh.”

Yeongchun nodded.

“Right, then quickly escort her out. We have to go back and eat lunch. It’s a serious offense to be late for our young lady’s mealtime. If the young lady gets hungry, everyone here won’t be able to take responsibility.”

The Yu Clan people felt like they had encountered bandits today. The official, having nothing more to say to a mere maid, didn’t want to talk to Yeongchun. He wanted to talk to that young lady in the carriage. But the young lady was too far inside, and the carriage curtain was drawn, so he couldn’t see her properly. Therefore, he turned and gave Donggungwon a meaningful look.

“Donggung’s Important Person, isn’t this too impulsive? Didn’t we finish discussing everything beforehand? We will treat Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister well, and you will do what you must for us. What, has your mind changed?”

However, Donggungwon had no intention of arguing with him. Calmly, he opened his mouth.

“Please let my younger sister go. I will do my utmost to cure your master’s illness. Moreover, I may be able to give everyone surprisingly good news.”

“You mean you won’t do your utmost unless we let the person go?”

The official coldly snorted.

“No wonder the master’s illness hasn’t been cured. Turns out, the problem was with Donggung’s Important Person. Let me say it again. Regardless of who you are, leave here immediately. I will pretend this never happened. I won’t even tell the master. But if you act so unreasonably even after I’ve given you face……”

“If you act unreasonably even after I’ve given you face, I will completely wipe out the Wuseungsangbu within Sangdo City.”

An icy female voice came from inside the carriage.

“I heard there are many valuable objects in this villa, and the mansion in Sangdo City is not poor, is it? This is fortunate. I will confiscate everything and replenish the national treasury. Let’s consider it the Prime Minister’s last contribution to the court.”

The official’s glabella furrowed visibly.

“Who exactly are you?”

“We are people brought here by Donggung’s Important Person.”

Baek Hak-yeom sat in the carriage and began to eat the sunflower seeds that Yeongchun had brought.

“I heard that the Prime Minister’s household invited Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister as a guest, but isn’t she staying too long? If she continues to stay as a guest, she’ll end up becoming the owner. So unless you intend to gift this mansion to Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister, quickly escort her out. If Donggung’s Important Person’s younger sister stays for a long time and thinks this mansion is nice and asks me to take it, won’t you be in trouble?”

The official laughed in disbelief.

“Does she think she’s a bandit? Don’t deny it. Even if you were, how could the Yu Clan possibly fear mere bandits like you? If you understand the situation, leave quickly. If you leave now, I will pretend nothing happened.”

That official wasn’t a fool either. Although the people Donggungwon brought were only one master, one maid, and a girl, he had cultivated some discerning eyes over his many years as an official in the Prime Minister’s office. The audacity of barging into the main gate and immediately knocking down several guards meant that the young lady speaking inside the carriage was definitely not here with good intentions. Either she herself had great ability, or she had capable backers, or, if not, there was a possibility that countless masters he had not yet discovered were hidden behind this carriage.

Donggungwon was a royal physician, and the people he met were all high-ranking officials. Since the Yu Clan had found him, other families could have found him just as easily. Therefore, this carriage in front of him should not be easily dealt with. The best course of action was to drive them away and avoid seeking revenge.

Unfortunately, however, the other party did not leave. Not only that, but they also made the horse take two more steps forward. They were on the verge of pushing the official into the main gate.

The official, in a flustered state, brushed the dust off his body, pointed at the coachman, Ma Pyeong-cheon, and shouted loudly.

“Isn’t this excessive!”

Ma Pyeong-cheon waved his hand.

“I’m sorry about that. The horse won’t listen. Why don’t you step aside? It would be bad if the horse doesn’t listen again and bumps into you.”

The official shouted inwardly. If I could step aside, I would have done so long ago. If I could hide, I would have hidden long ago. Why would I get involved here? Intuition told him. The girl in the carriage should absolutely not be provoked.

Donggungwon did not retreat an inch and made his demands of the Yu Clan again.

“Let my younger sister go. Otherwise, I will go inside and find her.”

Yeongchun quickly added,

“But we will go in sitting in the carriage. You cannot blame us if we hit your garden.”

The coachman, Ma Pyeongcheon, immediately obeyed the order.

“Don’t worry. We will definitely hit something. Maybe even some people!”

The official couldn’t bear it any longer. This was blatant hooliganism. However, the other party clearly knew that this was the Prime Minister’s mansion. What kind of ability did they possess to act like this? There was only one answer. The other party’s status was higher than the Prime Minister’s!

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