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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Murong Family's Scoundrel Fiancé - 1
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In Joseon, there were many tiger disasters.
So much so that there was a saying, 'In Joseon, people spend half the year visiting the bereaved families of those killed by tigers, and the other half of the year hunting tigers.'
In neighboring countries, if someone on a journey disappeared without a trace, people would say they were taken by ghosts or that they were reincarnated in another world, but not in Joseon.
'They must have been killed by a tiger.'
That's what they would think.
There are also countless proverbs and folktales related to tigers. Among them, the most commonly heard proverb is probably this one.
'Even if you're taken by a tiger, if you keep your wits about you, you can survive.'
But that's a completely wrong saying. It might be apt as a metaphor for a crisis situation, but if you're actually taken by a tiger, the situation is already over.
To survive a tiger, you mustn't keep your wits about you after being taken.
You have to trick the tiger before it takes you.
Among the folktales I heard as a child, there is one called 'Tiger Brother'.
One day, a man found himself in a situation where he was about to be taken by a tiger.
"Brother! Brotheeer!"
Then, the man wept and desperately called the tiger 'brother'.
"Brother? What do you mean by that?"
The tiger, curious, asked the man for the reason. So the man began to tell his story.
"My mother told me I had an elder brother who died and was reborn as a tiger. Seeing you now, you, tiger, must be my elder brother."
The tiger, fooled by the man's incredible acting, mistakenly believed it was truly the man's brother and sent the man home.
Moreover, the tiger voluntarily brought expensive game to support the man and his parents.
The man not only avoided being taken by the tiger but even became wealthy.
How brilliant is that?
He became rich by swindling the tiger without even being taken.
I must swindle the Murong Family like that.
I don't wish to become wealthy.
They can keep all that money. I just need to survive.
For that, the time has now come to begin my life-or-death acting.
"Young Master, the estate at the end of this road is the Murong Family's."
Finally, I had arrived here.
The road leading to the Murong Family estate was very neatly maintained and beautifully decorated.
The people inside the fortress had lined both sides of the main street, seemingly eager to get a glimpse of Murong Sang-ah's husband-to-be.
If this were modern times, the atmosphere would have been such that banners would be hanging, like:
'(Congratulations) Murong Sang-ah's Wedding'
'Sang-ah, you're finally getting married!'
'Congratulations on Murong Sang-ah's wedding. - Representative So-and-so of Partner Company.'
The people lining up began chattering amongst themselves. Naturally, the greatest focus of their attention was me.
To avoid paying attention, I kept my gaze fixed on the Murong Family estate as I walked, but I couldn't help hearing the sounds that reached my ears.
"He looks better than I thought?"
"He's all show and no substance. Doesn't suit the Young Lady."
"But he's rich. Look at that, all those things loaded on the carriage must be gold, silver, and jewels, right?"
"You're right. Suddenly that guy looks handsome."
"Even if he's empty inside, a man with lots of money makes a good groom."
Hey, lady. Have you seen my insides?
My insides are packed solid with substance and intellect. How can you say they're empty?
While listening to the impressions of the people in the fortress, I soon arrived at the main gate of the Murong Family estate.
The Murong Family estate was closer in scale to a small palace than a typical manor.
A place built to defend against enemies from within and to boast the Murong Family's prestige to guests. The main gate of such a place was majestic, as if declaring it would swallow you whole in one bite if you were an enemy.
'Can I get out of here alive?'
Standing before the imposing gate, which seemed to flaunt the Murong Family's power, I grew tense on my own.
I must not die on my wedding night.
I must not be falsely implicated in treason and executed.
I must safely escape the Murong Family and flee to the Central Plains.
I must survive.
If only I can hand over the book I wrote.
I can make Murong Sang-ah into a Tiger Brother.
Kang Yun-ho, don't be scared! You can do this!
As I was thinking that, the gate opened.
"Welcome!"
The first to greet me at the main gate was a tall man wearing silk clothes. A man with slightly slanted eyes that made him look like a viper.
The Demonic Cult's Young Master, Murong Bi.
[[[[[[Welcome! Please come in!!]]]]]]
The Murong Family members also lined up in unison to welcome our procession.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Young Master."
I approached the Young Master, smiling as I greeted him.
"Huh. A man who's soon to be my brother-in-law, what's this 'Young Master'? Call me elder brother."
"Haha. How could I lightly call you 'elder brother', you who are destined to lead the great Murong Family as its Head?"
"This person... My father is still here, so watch your words. Ahem."
Although he said that, the corners of Murong Bi's mouth were uncontrollably trying to rise towards the sky.
"Of course, Father-in-law must recover his health. However, once Father-in-law steps back from the front lines, isn't it already decided who will become the Head of the great Murong Family?"
"Haha. That is true. By the way, I don't see your father."
Murong Bi briefly surveyed the procession, looking for Kang Yun-ho's father.
"His health has deteriorated rapidly, so he hasn't been able to move around much lately."
I responded with a dark expression. To be precise, he saw his son, who got drunk before the wedding and had a hangover, and collapsed from high blood pressure.
"For both parents of the groom's family to be unwell... It must be regrettable that your father cannot witness the wedding."
"Once we reach the land of Joseon, we plan to hold a simple ceremony again in the presence of the family elders and my father. After holding the ceremony and being generous to those around us, even Heaven will be moved, and won't the elders of both families recover?"
As I said that, I scanned my surroundings.
Is she not here? She shouldn't be.
As expected, no matter how much I looked, Murong Sang-ah was nowhere to be seen.
"Hoho. I see. By the way, it's not polite to keep the procession standing. Everyone must be tired, so come on in!"
No, not yet. I took a deep breath in my heart and broached the subject.
"But, Young Master."
As low as possible. I let a slightly angry tone seep into my voice.
"Hmm?"
"Where is Murong Sang-ah?"
"Ah, about that..."
Murong Bi scratched his sideburns with a troubled expression.
"Don't tell me she hasn't come out to greet the man who will become her husband?"
I abruptly hardened my expression and pressed Murong Bi.
"That child said showing her face only at the wedding ceremony would be enough..."
Right. Murong Sang-ah must be staging her final resistance now.
Even if annulment is impossible, I thought she wouldn't even come out to greet me to express her opinion as much as possible.
"Is that the etiquette of the Central Plains!! In Joseon, when the man who will become her husband comes from afar, the woman who will become his wife adorns herself with flowers and welcomes him!!"
I am extremely angry right now. I shouted loudly so everyone could hear.
As I raised my voice, the smiles on the faces of those who had come to welcome us began to fade, while my procession remained silent.
My earlier instruction to the procession—that once we arrive, no matter what I say, if they don't want to be treated as barbarians, they should stay quiet—had worked.
"Hey now! Your voice is too loud. Is that any way for someone about to celebrate a joyous occasion to behave?"
Murong Bi tried to grab my shoulder to restrain my anger, but I sharply turned my body to face the procession.
"The Changryong Guard sent to escort us treats us like barbarians!! My fiancée does not come out to greet me!! They disregard my family and scorn our Joseon, so how can this marriage proceed!! All of you, turn the procession around!!"
"What!"
Murong Bi, startled, grabbed my shoulder and turned me back. That hurts. As expected, the grip strength of a martial artist is something else.
"Let go of me. Young Master! A bride's family that treats the groom with such contempt—I simply cannot endure this!"
"Brother-in-law! After coming all this way, what is this about?"
"Ask those racists over there, the Changryong Guard or whatever they're called!"
Where did those racist bastards go! Nationality discrimination in a 2020s martial arts dating sim!
I frantically shifted my gaze and looked at the Vice Leader of the Changryong Guard, who was bowing his head deeply.
"Treated like barbarians? Vice Leader, is that true?"
Murong Bi questioned the Vice Leader of the Changryong Guard as if he couldn't believe it.
"Th-that is..."
It's true, so what more is there to say?
"Hey!! Did that girl tell you to do that?!"
"N-no!"
"What do you mean no! Sigh... Brother-in-law. Let's clear up the misunderstanding inside."
As soon as Murong Bi confirmed what I said was true, he let out a deep sigh and spoke in an apologetic tone.
"..."
Hmph! Danbi is throwing a tantrum! No, Kang Yun-ho is throwing a tantrum.
With a face showing a full-blown tantrum, I avoided Murong Bi's gaze.
"Wait in the study, and I'll call that girl. I'll punish those bastards too. So don't talk about turning back."
"Sigh... How could I disobey the words of one destined to become the Head of the great Murong Family? Please, let's go in together."
"Good. Good. Welcome!"
And so, I safely passed the first hurdle and headed towards Murong Bi's study.
***
The scene in Murong Bi's study was a splendid display of favoritism.
"Murong Sang-ah, did that girl order you to threaten her groom?!"
"No, Young Master. How could Young Lady Sang-ah do such a thing?"
The Vice Leader protested as if wronged. Do you know how scared our procession was because of you? In times like this, I need to act not as the prospective groom but as the meddling sister-in-law from the sidelines.
"It's... all due to my lack of virtue. Who would have thought the Young Master's Changryong Guard would threaten us and insult us as barbarians. I couldn't tell if I had come to get married or if I was being dragged to a slaughterhouse."
"M-my Changryong Guard! Those bastards are originally from that Sang-ah girl's Changbong Guard!!"
As if he had heard something that would cause a huge problem, Murong Bi jumped up in a fluster.
You bastard, if it's your unit, it's your responsibility.
Is this bastard really the Young Master?
The future of the Murong Family is truly rock-solid.
"Even in the Joseon peninsula, I heard rumors that bandit gangs wet themselves at the mere sight of the Murong Family's Changryong Guard. But now, our procession was so terrified of the Changryong Guard who harassed us last night that they wet themselves in the middle of the night."
Actually, it was because I got so carried away scolding the Changryong Guard yesterday that I drank too much and wet myself, but.
"Hohoho."
As if the situation was giving him a headache, Murong Bi placed his palm on his forehead.
"I will accept punishment in the Punishment Hall for 100 days for the wrongdoing committed by the Changryong Guard members. Once again, I beg for your forgiveness."
The Vice Leader of the Changryong Guard knelt down, just like yesterday, and begged for forgiveness.
"Failing to distinguish the severity of the matter and causing such a problem cannot end with that. The entire Changryong Guard that went on the escort mission is confined to quarters for half a year."
"Young Master!!"
It's called confinement, but it means no wages for half a year.
Even one month of delayed pay makes you want to quit, and you're telling them to do unpaid labor for half a year?
Wow, that's harsh. Really harsh.
"Young Master, no, elder brother."
"Hoho, you finally call me elder brother."
Perhaps thinking his punishment had satisfied me, color returned to Murong Bi's face.
"The procession fears the Changryong Guard. If you confine them, during the wedding ceremony, I would like no other Changryong Guard members to be in sight of me and the procession either."
"... Fine. The Changryong Guard members not on escort duty, I'll give them a few days off starting now. Vice Leader, go out and relay what you've heard."
Perhaps knowing his words would carry no more weight, the Vice Leader immediately left the study.
Good.
If my plan fails and I have to run, this way I can avoid pursuit by the Changryong Guard.
"Thank you. And is Murong Sang-ah coming?"
"I sent word. She'll be here soon."
Am I finally going to face the final boss? I swallowed dry saliva for a moment, composed my nerves, and opened my mouth.
"While coming here, I calmed my anger and thought about the reason Murong Sang-ah didn't come out to greet me."
"Hmm?"
"Could it be that such problems arise because the cultures of our Joseon and the Central Plains are different? In fact, I think even you, elder brother, might not understand why I was angry."
"That's true. In our Central Plains, there are cases where the groom and bride don't meet until the wedding day."
Actually, Joseon was like that too. It's all a custom I made up.
"So, when Murong Sang-ah comes, I would like her to read these books containing Joseon's customs and stories."
I carefully pulled the books from my bosom.
Not books about Joseon's customs, but books containing Kang Yun-ho's writings.
"Hoho. There are books like that?"
"Being an interpreter family, family members often marry women from other countries. In such cases, we have them read these books and take an exam the day before the wedding."
"An exam?"
"An exam to see if they can adapt well to our family. I didn't intend to administer such an exam to welcome the Young Lady of the Murong Family as my bride. However, my father said that if any serious problems seemed apparent, I should have her take the exam first."
"Your father? He didn't mention that to me?"
"After collapsing, he worried about the bride. He said if he were healthy, he could cover up any mistake, but since his body isn't well now, he can't. So he thought it would be better to take the exam."
"... Good. It seems somewhat discourteous, but since we were discourteous first, I have no grounds to object. It's a foreign custom, but since it's my sister who is marrying into that foreign land. If you and your father need it, it must be done."
Murong Bi nodded and readily accepted.
"I apologize for making such a potentially discourteous request."
"It's fine. In return, let's consider ourselves even now."
What a relief. I've passed the second hurdle.
*Tap tap tap tap*
Suddenly, the sound of busy movement could be heard from outside the study.
"Gasp!"
The sound of the Changryong Guard members waiting outside gasping in surprise somewhere was also heard.
If it's this noisy, it surely means someone has arrived whose mere passing causes a commotion.
"The Young Lady has arrived!"
Right.
The final boss has appeared.