FIB Ch 9 part 2

PR by neji

Smoke was rising from the residence. The men who tried to approach the house stopped in their tracks as they heard the sound of fire crackling through the building.

“Move!”

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He could no longer smell the piercing scent of blood nor hear the shouts of the men trying to take his life.

MoonWon had collapsed onto the ground, and her blood was turning the ground red. The ashes coming from the fire were falling around them.

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“MoonWon!”

The roof above her was shaking dangerously.

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As he thrust his sword at those in front of him, their blood splattered on his face. As he tried to make his way towards the collapsing house, the men who had tried to kill MoonWon blocked his path.

“Aagh!”

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The man who tried to strike Heon’s arm was stabbed in the heart by his sword. Heon’s entire body was drenched in his enemies’ blood as well as his own, but all he could see was MoonWon.

He couldn’t let her go yet.

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And no one could take her away from him.

“I said move!”

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Heon screamed at the men who tried to keep him away from the residence.

MoonWon was different from his father who had helplessly let go of his hand. He couldn’t send MoonWon away like this. He hadn’t done anything right towards her.

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Creak.

Heon’s eyes went up at the ominous sound.

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“Block them all!”

Junghwan had arrived a moment too late. Heon could hear Junghwan calling out to him, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he moved first.

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It was as if time had stopped. This critical moment moved so slowly.

He needed to save MoonWon.

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Nothing was more important to him.

Heon leaped forward as he saw the rubble falling above her.

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“Master!”

The residence collapsed with a thundering roar.

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* * *

Consort Yu anxiously chewed on her dry lips as she walked back and forth in her room.

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If this night passed by without any trouble, she had a good chance of winning this battle. Although she was currently in the same boat as the duke, one never knew how things would turn out. 

‘It’ll all end once that brat is dead.’

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One year of mourning would be enough. After that, she could marry the duke’s daughter, SoHee, to Heon. Then JaeHoon wouldn’t be able to do anything to her even if he inherited the throne.

“Why hasn’t there been any news?”

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They were only ordered to kill a mere brat, so why was it taking so long? She felt like her blood was running dry from the waiting.

The night was dark, and the moon was nowhere to be seen. So much time had passed that the wick on the candle was almost gone. Suddenly, she heard the sound of hurried footsteps in the distance.

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When she heard the unfamiliar sound, Consort Yu hurriedly ran to her bed and closed her eyes as if she had been asleep all along. 

“Your Highness.”

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Consort Yu could hear the tremor in Court Lady Yeo’s voice and furrowed her brow.

Had they failed?

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There was no way. She had even dragged over some soldiers from the borders to carry out this plan. Even if Heon was a skilled soldier, there was no way he could have stopped them.

“What is it?”

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Consort Yu spoke in a hoarse voice as if she had just woken up and slowly sat up. She needed to act as if nothing had happened.

In the end, it was all up to her. She needed to know at least one unspeakable secret of every single one of those who acted as her hands and feet. After tidying up her appearance, she allowed the guest to enter. As soon as the doors opened, the representative from the emperor’s personal secret service entered the room. The Consort caught her breath.

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“What is the meaning of this? Do you know who I am? How dare you show such disrespect?”

“The Nation of Ju has invaded CheongMoon and SeoJook.”

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“What did you say?”

CheongMoon and SeoJook were the towns standing between Heon’s bamboo grove and the Nation of Ju. The Emperor of Ju hadn’t invaded SeoMoon out of consideration for Heon, so why was he suddenly attacking now?!

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However, now wasn’t the time to be worried about Ju.

“Wasn’t His Majesty very worried about those two towns? What happened?”

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The representative’s eyes narrowed as he watched Consort Yu’s feigned ignorance.

Usually, he wouldn’t have taken the time to explain with great detail. However, the Emperor had ordered him to let the Consort know the exact situation they were in.

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“With the number of soldiers stationed at the border, Ju’s soldiers would not have been able to attack. That is… if the usual number of soldiers were there.”

Consort Yu tried not to show any reaction to the news, but her hand began to tremble underneath her sleeve.

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She could get caught here.

“But what happened? I don’t know much about these matters.”

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“The soldiers that should have been stationed there were ordered to kill Royal Attendant Ju YongUn and the Chief Commander’s wife instead.”

Consort Yu’s eyes widened at the news. Does that mean they weren’t dead? What a tenacious life they had.

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She would have to make another move at a later time. For now, she needed to avoid getting caught here. Consort Yu let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad my daughter-in-law wasn’t hurt.”

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“……”

“We shouldn’t waste any time. I’m going to receive His Majesty’s permission to leave the Palace. Who would dare try to harm my daughter-in-law?!”

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“Your Highness. We have the evidence and the witnesses that prove the order came from you.”

Consort Yu had definitely made the move, but the duke was the one who had moved the soldiers. She had definitely ordered him to move in secret.

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Had the duke betrayed her? However, Consort Yu still had plenty of reason to believe that he would not abandon her just yet.

“This is not fair. Who would claim such a nasty thing?! Who?!”

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“Your Highness, who do you think sent me?”

Consort Yu did her best to act normal, but her face stiffened. If MoonWon had at least died, then she could have weathered this storm and made it out intact. Her carefully plotted plan had completely failed.

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“This is an imperial order. You are to move to SeoWok Palace immediately.”

SeoWok was a remote residence located at the west end of the Palace. Everyone in this vast Palace avoided that place. The nation’s traitors were interrogated for a confession right next door. The criminal’s screams could be heard throughout the day.

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“There is a conspiracy against me! I must go and see His Majesty!”

“His Majesty ordered me to give you a message. If something bad happens to the Chief Commander’s wife and in turn affects the Chief Commander negatively, he asks that you prepare to give up your life.”

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The Emperor had never treated her like this before.

In a situation where she did not know all the details, one little slip could result in her death.

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“The same was said to His Highness the Crown Prince, who is currently under house arrest. His Majesty already has the evidence that Your Highness Consort Yu and His Highness the Crown Prince are the ones responsible for this.”

“……”

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“Do you still want to meet with His Majesty?”

Not only did Ju YongUn block her path, but so did his daughter.

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If that brat was going to block her path like this, then why didn’t she at least die? Why did she have to survive?!

She clenched her fists until her veins throbbed, but there was nothing she could do.

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“Take Consort Yu away.”

* * *

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“Everyone stay here.”

After sending the rest away, the Emperor frowned at the dark residence.

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Using the Consort and the Chief Commander to gouge out the Ju family… He didn’t think it was such a bad idea if it meant that it would gouge out the unresolved feelings in the Crown Prince’s heart.

His reasons for ordering Heon and MoonWon’s marriage were simple.

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The Ju family would be a significant burden on Consort Yu’s back. Although she was always bowing in subservience, MoonWon had the ability to overpower JaeHoon. Having a Crown Princess who was better than the Crown Prince… The Emperor had wanted to avoid it at all costs.

The Crown Princess was merely supposed to be of help to the Crown Prince. She could be nothing more than that.

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“Your Majesty, I already let the Chief Commander know, but…”

The perplexed eunuch reported back to the Emperor. The Emperor stared at the door that remained firmly shut.

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Although he favored the Consort and found her to be immensely beautiful and comforting, the longer she stayed in the Palace, the more she tried to change the direction of the future he had planned. 

He understood why she behaved like this. The ground in the Palace was thorny, and it was difficult for her to live there without an imperial son as her support. However, as he watched his lover gradually change, all he could do was put obstacles in her path to hinder her plans.

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“Everyone leave.”

At the Emperor’s command, everyone took a step back and disappeared.

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The Consort had made her move immediately once she had known that the Ju family’s daughter was to be the Crown Princess.

Because the Emperor had also disagreed with the selection, he stepped aside and merely watched over what happened. However, instead of helping her, he twisted her plans by ordering Ju YongUn’s daughter to marry Heon.

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“Chief Commander.”

Not a candle was lit in the dark room.

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The Emperor used the moonlight to barely make out the figure of a woman lying in bed and Heon’s back as he sat by her side.

If he married MoonWon to Heon, a man who craved security in his life, he’d be able to fence him in with a family. And it was also his warning to the Consort to stop trying to amass more power. 

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“Are you alright?”

Despite the Emperor’s question, Heon did not even turn his head.

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Although this was disrespectful and incredibly disloyal, the Emperor did not have the heart to comment on it.

“Mm!”

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The Emperor began to approach Heon but suddenly came to a halt.

His eyes widened in disbelief as his piercing gaze remained on Heon.

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“I’ve brought an imperial physician, so treat your wounds along with your wife’s.”

“……”

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“I will save your wife no matter what. So go and treat your wounds as well…”

“She is alive.”

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Heon’s dry, raspy voice caused the Emperor’s eyes to tremble. Heon was normally a man of few words and had a low voice, but that could not compare to how he sounded now.

The Emperor turned his gaze from Heon to MoonWon lying in the bed.

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She was breathing, but she was so pale that it seemed as if she’d pass away at any moment. Heon’s hand was firmly grasping MoonWon’s as if to make sure she was still alive.

“I will take action against the culprit regardless of their rank. The Crown Prince and the Consort are no exception.”

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“I used to believe that protecting the vestiges of my father was the only way to protect my way of life, Your Majesty.”

Strange words began to flow out of Heon’s mouth. His voice was chilling and firm, as if it were encased in ice.

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“Chief Commander.”

“I will leave the bamboo grove.”

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The unexpected declaration caused the Emperor’s mouth to close shut.

Because he knew what the bamboo grove meant to Heon, the Emperor refused to accept it.

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“That cannot happen.”

If the bamboo grove was something Heon could not let go, then it was also the most powerful tool the Emperor had to keep Heon tethered to him.

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The two neighboring towns surrounding the bamboo grove were currently under Ju occupation. If Heon left the grove now, the only one who’d gain anything from this twisted situation was the Emperor of Ju, Doyoon.

“For now, treat your wife’s wound as well as yours.”

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The Emperor hurried out of the room as if he refused to hear a reply.

“Your Majesty.”

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The Emperor shook his hand at the approaching eunuch.

Heon was merely going in a different direction than the Consort. But like her, he was not a person who would let go of the things he protected so easily.

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And yet he said he’d leave the bamboo grove.

This meant that he no longer had any attachment to SeoMoon.

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“Send the imperial physician inside. We must save the Chief Commander and his wife no matter what.”

“I will tell him, Your Majesty.”

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Although he could find someone to replace someone like Heon easily, there wasn’t a noble family who could replace the sheer number of soldiers under his command. 

If Heon decided to resign from his post and leave the bamboo grove, it might alert the other emperors of foreign nations, who were all keeping an eye on SeoMoon and waiting to pounce at any opportunity. Although he was an uncomfortable subordinate to have, if he left when JaeHoon hadn’t yet found his proper footing in the political sphere, it would be a great opportunity for not only Ju but all the other foreign nations who wanted to attack.

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“I must return to the Palace.”

Although he must stop Heon from giving up the bamboo grove, he also had to make preparations to block Heon’s rage if it was aimed at the Crown Prince and Consort Yu.

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If he did not settle this matter properly, it would only begin a bloody war of revenge. The two’s reckless actions had turned into the worst case scenario.

“Your Majesty!”

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The Emperor staggered as he exited the residence.

One of the two who had to pay the price was the lover to whom he had given his heart. And the other was the son who would inherit his throne.

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‘How do I fix this?’

No matter how much he mulled over it, he could not find the answer he wanted.

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* * *

Deep within an abyss, MoonWon couldn’t see anything. She looked up.

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The sky was so blue that it looked strange. Left all alone in this world, MoonWon took in a deep breath.

She was probably exhausted.

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MoonWon really liked the complete silence. Although the completely dark ground was a bit scary, if she just kept her eyes on the sky and moved forward, it wasn’t difficult at all.

“I’m sleepy.”

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Her eyes gradually began to close. She wanted to look around some more, but her entire body felt like it was made of cotton soaked in water. She couldn’t lift a finger.

“Father?”

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Letting out a strained breath, MoonWon saw a familiar figure. Her eyes followed the figure and began to well up with tears. Forcing herself to start moving, MoonWon began to run after it.

“Mother! Father!”

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MoonWon had almost never seen the two of them standing together like that. And MoonWon hadn’t seen her mother in a long time.

“Father!”

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She thought she was tired, but the moment she saw YongUn in front of her, MoonWon felt a surge of strength. If she lost them this time, she may never see them again.

When MoonWon drew closer, YongUn and his wife turned around.

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Although they were walking and MoonWon was running, the distance between them remained the same.

“Wait for me!”

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MoonWon’s skirts twisted around her legs, and she stumbled. However, she quickly got back up.

“Aah!”

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She could no longer see the clear sky or the silent space. This was the last person who would believe her. She could not let him go.

She began running frantically once again, but she collapsed not long after.

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“Father!”

YongUn stopped in his tracks at MoonWon’s scream. He gazed at MoonWon who had collapsed on the ground and smiled as he shook his head.

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“Don’t go and leave me alone.”

The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. It was already so difficult and overwhelming now. How was she to continue enduring this all on her own?

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She didn’t want to do it anymore.

If she had to struggle and endure it all again, she’d rather just give up.

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“…Take me with you.”

YongUn gazed at MoonWon and shook his head once again.

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When she saw YongUn turn around again and walk away, MoonWon got back up. The moment she tried to follow after YongUn, the ground shook beneath her feet and she fell back down again. The dark abyss returned, and the ground between YongUn and MoonWon split. Hot lava sloshed in the cracks and drew them further away from each other.

“Why is it always me? Why am I always the one who is left out?”

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Why didn’t things ever go her way?!

However, despite her wishes, YongUn and MoonWon’s mother had completely disappeared.

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MoonWon’s eyes continued to search for traces of YongUn. Then she looked back at the path she had taken.

She just wanted to give it all up now. She didn’t want anything, and she didn’t expect anything more.

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Crouched on the ground, MoonWon gathered her legs together and buried her face against them.

* * *

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“Yusun-nim! This is all a misunderstanding! This is unfair.”

Crying screams and shouts rang in the air of the bamboo grove. All the servants’ and slaves’ belongings were thrown outside. The soldiers’ hands were busy as they rummaged through every single item.

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A soldier discovered something as he looked through a mountain of items and pointed at one of the servants. Suddenly, other men grabbed the servant by both arms and dragged them out.

“That…! That was just given to me for my birthday! That’s all! How could I dare to be careless when I am serving the Mistress?! Yusun-nim! This isn’t fair… Aagh!”

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“Drag them away!”

“Yusun-nim!”

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Yusun pursed her lips as the servant begged for their life.

She was to blame for allowing old friendships to influence her decision when she had been given the command to clean house. The more they searched for items sent by Consort Yu, the more they seemed to pop up.

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Not only had they driven their true mistress to the edge of a cliff, they had also branded her as a criminal.

“Yusun-nim!”

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“What are you doing?! I told you to drag them away immediately!”

None of Consort Yu’s people were to be left behind.

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Although Heon hadn’t given her the order, from what she could gather from Junghwan’s letter, the situation was very dire.

“Don’t miss a single thing.”

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The traitors had targeted their masters’ lives. It was possible that this would not end with merely their lives. Heon could go after the lives of their families as well.

“Yusun-nim! I’m sorry! Please save me!”

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“Now is not the time to beg me for your lives! Why is it taking so long?! I told you to drag them away immediately!”

If they were going to beg for their lives like this, they should have acted properly from the start. In order to live, Yusun needed to eliminate every single trace of Consort Yu from the bamboo grove. 

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At Yusun’s shout, the soldiers moved quickly.

“Yusun-nim.”

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“What about Yeori?”

“That is…”

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Yeori had recovered just enough to be able to move with some difficulty. However, she did not leave MoonWon’s room. She begged that if she were to die, she’d do it in front of MoonWon and never left the room MoonWon used to occupy. She continued to cling onto that place and spent her days cleaning and tidying it.

“Has she made any other moves?”

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“We’ve planted people to keep an eye on her, but it seems that she hasn’t done anything suspicious for now. All I’ve heard is that she continues to overwork herself despite her injuries. It seems that those who are keeping watch over her have tried to get her to stop, but she will not listen.”

By the time Yusun had realized what had happened to Yeori, it was too late.

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Junghwan’s latest letter reported that he did not know when they’d return, and it sounded like the situation had not gotten any better.

Yusun did not know who was to blame for all this. However, she knew that she and the servants carried some culpability for being unaware of how serious this matter had gotten.

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