IRTBACIWLATCP CH 06

Chapter 6. Forcing the Marriage

“Mother, I’ve already ended things with Lu Hyeong-un.”

“There is nothing between us anymore. He is already discussing marriage with the daughter of the Prime Minister.”

Song Cheong-san’s eyes widened, and he was so shocked that he couldn’t even close his mouth.

“The Prime Minister’s daughter? Isn’t she the precious daughter of a truly prestigious family? That’s someone our Song family wouldn’t even dare dream of reaching.”

Madam Na clicked her tongue and scolded Song Cheong-san unhappily.

“What’s so special about a daughter from a prestigious family? Ji-ui is the person who saved Young Master Lu’s life.”

“The kindness of saving someone’s life is greater than the heavens. Even if she is the Prime Minister’s daughter, that doesn’t mean she can stop Ji-ui from marrying into the Marquis’s residence!”

Ji-ui let out a cold laugh.

“The Madam of the Marquis’s residence doesn’t like me, and Miss Yeop certainly won’t like me either. Are you telling me to marry into such a powerful household only to be bullied until I die?”

The members of the Song family could only look at one another without saying a word.

Although they came from an insignificant family, they had heard plenty about the schemes and sinister affairs that took place behind the walls of powerful households.

Seeing them fall silent, Ji-ui nodded in satisfaction.

“This house is registered under my name. If you want to stay in Gyeongseong, I suggest you behave yourselves and listen to me.”

The Song family depended on her for their livelihood.

But in return, she needed them to promise that they would not cause her trouble.

Madam Na muttered unhappily,

“Young Master Lu will become a Marquis before long! If you let a son-in-law from such a family slip through your fingers, you could search with a lantern for the rest of your life and never find another one!”

Song Cheong-san gave a bitter smile.

“I thought that once we came to Gyeongseong, our Song family would finally soar into the heavens. But now that I look at it, we have nothing at all. I, Song Cheong-san, have no face to face our ancestors.”

Ji-ui found the situation both absurd and amusing.

“Father, we can live well enough through our own efforts. Why do we have to rely on someone else?”

Madam Na glared at her.

“Rely on whom? Your father?”

“With his useless appearance, he can barely support the family. What could he possibly do?”

With Madam Na’s anger directed at him, Song Cheong-san pretended not to hear and simply raised his head to stare at the sky.

Ji-ui swallowed the sigh that escaped her.

“Ji-ui, you’re thinking too simply. Gyeongseong is directly beneath the Emperor’s feet. In the end, the only things worth relying on are power and status.”

“How can ordinary people like us rise up without relying on people with power?”

After pausing for a moment, Madam Na continued earnestly,

“Although the Marquis’s residence is a powerful family, there’s no need to be so afraid.”

“As long as Young Master Lu cherishes you, even if you enter the household as a concubine, no one will dare touch you.”

Madam Na had been taught from a young age that a woman’s most important thing was to win her husband’s affection.

She believed that as long as she could hold on to her husband’s heart, everything else would naturally follow.

Ji-ui’s gaze turned cold.

“The Madam of the Marquis’s residence will never allow me to become involved with the Lu family again. I can’t even hope to become his primary wife, let alone a concubine. So stop holding on to such pointless hopes.”

Madam Na’s eyes widened.

“How could the Madam of the Marquis’s residence be so ungrateful?”

“You saved Young Master Lu’s life! Didn’t he even promise in front of us that he would take you as his wife? And now, after all this, he wants to end things?”

Song Cheong-san hurriedly chimed in, trying to please Madam Na.

“Exactly! How can the Marquis of Anjing’s residence break its promise? What do they take our Song family for?”

Suddenly, suspicion arose in Ji-ui’s heart.

Just then, a shadow moved outside the door, and someone who could no longer hold back stepped inside.

“Lu Hyeong-un pays his respects to Uncle and Aunt.”

When the Song couple saw Hyeong-un dressed in magnificent silk robes, they hurriedly rose from their seats.

They nervously tugged at their clothes and smiled awkwardly.

“Young Master Lu, please get up. We’re going to be family soon, so there’s no need to be so formal.”

Back when they had been in Yeonghyeon, they had never thought much of Hyeong-un.

But after learning about his true identity, they suddenly realized the enormous difference between the Song family and the Lu family.

Hyeong-un smiled faintly.

“Uncle Song, Aunt Song, you must have had a difficult journey. Thank you for coming such a long way.”

The Song couple both bowed and fawned over him, urging him to sit down and personally serving him tea.

“Young Master Lu, please don’t mention it. If you hadn’t sent someone to bring us here, country folk like us would probably never have had the chance to see the prosperity of Gyeongseong in our entire lives.”

Song Ji-shim stood up and looked at Hyeong-un with unfamiliar eyes.

Back when they had been in Yeonghyeon, Hyeong-un’s legs had been inconvenient, and he had looked utterly miserable.

He hadn’t had a single coin to his name and dressed in shabby clothes.

I didn’t even spare him a glance.

Yet Ji-ui treated him like a treasure, stayed by his side, and nursed him back to health.

She even spent quite a lot of money on him.

Back then, Madam Na had thought Ji-ui was foolish.

But no one could have imagined that the “cripple” from back then was actually the heir of the Marquis of Anjing’s residence.

After returning to Gyeongseong, Hyeong-un began wearing magnificent clothes and a jade crown, and his noble bearing became increasingly apparent.

He has such an impressive and handsome appearance, and that natural air of a noble young master…

As Song Ji-shim gazed at his handsome face, her heart began to pound.

Why does it feel as though there are deer running wild inside my chest?

Song Ji-shim stepped forward and bowed.

Her movements were as graceful as willow branches swaying in the breeze, and her voice was as clear and melodious as an oriole.

“Song Ji-shim greets Young Master Lu. Your legs… have they recovered?”

Hyeong-un glanced at her before replying,

“Thanks to Miss Song’s concern, they have almost completely recovered.”

His gaze shifted back to Ji-ui.

He looked as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

Ji-ui frowned and asked coldly,

“You and I have already ended things, and there’s nothing more between us. Why did you come here?”

Hyeong-un sighed softly.

“Ji-ui, I know that you still have feelings for me. Why are you deliberately treating me so coldly?”

Lu Chen has already told me everything. Yet Ji-ui is still stubbornly keeping her feelings hidden.

Ji-ui scoffed.

“That was in the past. You mean nothing to me now.”

She had never been someone who became obsessed with things.

She knew how to hold on, but she also knew when to let go.

“If you have nothing else to say, then please leave.”

If Madam Shen finds out about this, she might misunderstand and cause unnecessary trouble.

And if she demands the money back, things will become even more troublesome.

Once money has entered my hands, there’s no way I’m giving it back.

Hyeong-un frowned.

“I was the one who brought Uncle and Aunt Song here. Naturally, I should take responsibility for them to the very end.”

Ji-ui was speechless.

Take responsibility? What responsibility?

Hadn’t he already pushed everything onto someone else?

Song Cheong-san rubbed his hands together and cautiously asked,

“Young Master Lu, are you truly not going to take Ji-ui as your wife?”

Madam Na was furious inside, but she didn’t dare lose her temper in front of Lu Hyeong-un.

“When you were in Yeonghyeon, the two of you lived under the same roof. Ji-ui even threw away all concern for her reputation just to take care of you.”

“Now that you’ve come to Gyeongseong and pretend not to know her, how is this child supposed to show her face to others from now on?”

Hyeong-un clasped his hands respectfully.

“I am already engaged to Miss Yeop. She must be my primary wife.”

“Ji-ui can only enter the household as a concubine. I’m sorry.”

After pausing briefly, he continued,

“However, if the two of you agree, I will certainly make it up to the Song family generously in the future.”

His gaze swept over the Song siblings.

“As for Miss Ji-shim, I will speak to my mother and find her a good marriage.”

“Even if the family isn’t one of the great aristocratic clans, I’ll make sure they are financially secure.”

“As for Ji-ha, I will write him a recommendation letter so that he can enter the best Yunxiao Academy in Gyeongseong.”

“It is where the young masters of prestigious families gather. If he builds the right connections there, his future will be completely different.”

I know exactly what these two want.

Song Cheong-san was so delighted that he could hardly contain himself.

“Really?”

Madam Na’s face also broke into a smile.

“Oh my, there’s no need for you to go to such lengths. But what about the two of us?”

Originally, they had thought Lu Hyeong-un had abandoned Ji-ui.

But now, it seemed that he actually valued Ji-ui quite highly.

When the Song couple revealed their greed so openly, a trace of contempt flashed through Hyeong-un’s eyes.

Outwardly, however, he maintained his polite and respectful demeanor.

“If the two of you become my parents-in-law, naturally I will take responsibility for your old age. I will ensure that you enjoy wealth and prosperity for the rest of your lives.”

The couple’s faces immediately lit up.

“Since Young Master Lu has said so… then we agree! Being the primary wife or a concubine isn’t important. As long as you truly care for Ji-ui, what difference does it make?”

Watching the three of them happily make decisions while completely ignoring her own opinion, Ji-ui actually found it amusing.

“Father, Mother, do you really believe this man will keep his promises?”

Hyeong-un’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Ji-ui, do you really distrust me that much?”

Madam Na suddenly shouted,

“Marriage is decided by the parents and arranged by the matchmaker! If we give our permission, you have to marry him!”

Ji-ui frowned and took out the written agreement she had signed with Madam Shen.

“After receiving the silver, we agreed to sever our kindness and ties and never become entangled with each other again. It’s written clearly in black and white. Can’t you see it?”

Madam Na could only recognize a few characters, but she was so furious that she nearly fainted.

“Oh, heavens… You wretched girl! How did you become so stubborn? Are you trying to anger me to death?”

Hyeong-un’s eyes fell on the document.

His fists clenched tightly.

“Ji-ui, Mother originally agreed to let me take you as a concubine. You’re the one who made a scene for no reason.”

The more Ji-ui listened, the more ridiculous the situation seemed.

“Whether she agrees or not, what does that have to do with me? I have no intention of becoming a concubine.”

Hyeong-un’s expression darkened, revealing his displeasure.

“Ji-ui, I won’t argue about your temper anymore. I even came here personally. At the very least, shouldn’t you show me some respect?”

Song Ji-shim looked at Hyeong-un, a shy light appearing in her eyes.

She gently added,

“Ji-ui, Young Master Lu is being so sincere. Why are you acting so childish? If you truly don’t want this marriage, then perhaps I could…”

Ji-ui slightly raised her peach-shaped eyes and stared at her expressionlessly.

It was as though she could see straight through Song Ji-shim’s heart.

“If I don’t want him, are you saying you want to marry him instead, Sister?”

Ever since Song Ji-shim learned that Hyeong-un was the heir of the Marquis of Anjing’s residence, she seemed to have become a completely different person.

She’s always been ambitious. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.

“I-I…”

Song Ji-shim’s face instantly flushed with embarrassment.

Before she could finish speaking, a voice filled with surprise and grievance interrupted her.

“Lu-lang? Why are you here?”

Everyone looked outside in confusion.