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Chapter 17
“Have you read The Four-Character Elementary Learning (Sajaso-hak)? Ha! Then explain what ‘學而不思則罔, 思而不學則殆’ means.”
“Hal-mamama! Are you seriously jumping from Sajaso-hak to the Analects?”
Yeon, who had been silently listening to the two talk, was flabbergasted.
It had already been absurd when the Empress Dowager Oh had asked about Sajaso-hak, but now she was quoting from the Analects—something on the level of the Four Books and Three Classics that even modern-day university students might find difficult!
It was like handing a kindergartner a thesis paper and asking them to interpret it.
Yeon found this whole situation ridiculous.
“Did you time-slip 200 years into the past?”
Ssshh— The Empress Dowager bit her lower lip and shot Yeon a reproving look.
“Hal-mamama, nobody studies the Analects these days. And Sajaso-hak? Seo-jun here graduated top of his class from the Police University. Why not have him recite Article 1, Clause 1 of the Criminal Code instead?”
Yeon stepped in to take Seo-jun’s side.
But Seo-jun gently took Yeon’s hand, which was resting beside him, and leaned in slightly to whisper.
“It’s okay, Yeon-ah.”
It was a soft murmur, but loud enough for the Empress Dowager sitting right in front of them to hear—his voice full of warmth.
Yeon whipped her head toward him.
What is with this guy today?
First, casually touching her, now whispering in a way that tickled her ears.
He’s probably just trying to show Hal-mamama that we’re a real couple, right?
It was all fake affection, yet for some reason, it made her chest feel fluttery.
“Yeon-ah, I’ve read the Analects. So, will you let me finish talking with Hal-mamama?”
His coaxing tone left Yeon with no choice but to close her mouth.
The Empress Dowager was startled.
This was Yeon—the reckless one who had declared at the family gathering that she’d never marry, the one who, when pestered about marriage, rattled off the list of divorced members in the royal clan—and yet here she was, silenced by a single word from Seo-jun.
It was a sight so surprising she could hardly believe it.
“Your Majesty?”
Seo-jun’s voice snapped the dazed Empress Dowager back to the moment.
“I understand what you’re worried about, Your Majesty. If one learns without thinking, nothing is gained; if one thinks without learning, one may fall into danger. You must be concerned that I might remain like oil and water with the Imperial Family.”
Not only did Seo-jun interpret the Analects quote, but he also grasped her intent.
Oh-ho, not bad at all.
The corner of the Empress Dowager’s mouth twitched. But her voice remained cold.
“That’s right. Marriage into the royal family is different from an ordinary union. Becoming part of the Imperial Household means adopting its culture.”
“I understand.”
“Then it’s simple. You should know what Yeon has learned and been taught. It will make it easier when you discuss matters of the Imperial Family with the Crown Prince.”
The Empress Dowager deliberately mentioned the Crown Prince’s illness to gauge Seo-jun’s reaction.
But Seo-jun remained unfazed.
So the rumor that he dislikes the Crown Prince isn’t true?
Then perhaps that incident was just a misunderstanding.
As she was about to mull it over, Seo-jun spoke up.
“In that case, you needn’t worry. My grandfather believed that as citizens of the Korean Empire, we should learn much. So I studied the Thousand Character Classic, Gyeokmong-yogyeol, Sajaso-hak, and even the Four Books and Three Classics.”
Yeon’s eyes went wide, matching the Empress Dowager’s surprise.
“Were you preparing for the Joseon-era civil service exam?”
“My grandfather was a bit old-fashioned.”
Seo-jun whispered the reply to Yeon, then turned back to the Empress Dowager.
“He said that in order to properly serve the Imperial Family, we must understand them well.”
“One must think like royalty to be able to offer help ahead of time.”
As a child, Seo-jun couldn’t understand his grandfather, who thought like a Joseon-era court official.
He had studied, but never once imagined a day would come when it would actually be useful…
Did Grandfather have foresight?
It was turning out to be quite handy now.
Having surprised the Empress Dowager with his rebuttals thus far, he decided it was time to ease off.
“Hal-mamama, I will learn everything Her Highness has learned. If needed, I’ll even study the Gyuhap-chongseo (a women’s domestic encyclopedia written by Lady Lee Bing-heo-gak in the Joseon era).”
It was the kind of statement that would disarm her entirely.
There was no way to beat this man with words.
Finally, the Empress Dowager surrendered.
“That’s enough. Put that away. What’s a grown man doing looking into Gyuhap-chongseo? Listening to such nonsense is giving me a headache. Chief Lady!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I have an afternoon engagement, don’t I?”
Her tone made it clear that even if there wasn’t one, there had better be. The Chief Lady quickly bowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty. There’s a small tea gathering at the glass conservatory.”
The impromptu schedule sounded convincing.
Yeon knew it was fake but pretended not to notice.
“I’ll take my leave. No need to see me out.”
The Empress Dowager patted her skirts and rose, descending from Nak-hwa-ru with a frosty breeze in her wake.
Seo-jun stood and bowed deeply, but she didn’t look back.
Since she’d told them not to see her off, Yeon stayed, leaning her arms on the railing.
Then she called after the Empress Dowager’s retreating figure.
“Hal-mamama, you’re giving your blessing, right? I’m getting married! Please put in a good word with His Majesty!”
When she was far enough away that Yeon could no longer see her, the Empress Dowager turned back.
She caught sight of the two gazing warmly at each other, and her lips inevitably curved upward.
“Do you like Assemblyman Kang Seo-jun, Your Majesty?”
The Chief Lady asked.
“Like him?”
At the very least, he looked like a man who would protect Yeon.
But granting approval too soon would only make a capable man arrogant.
“I just think he’s more useful than I expected for someone I assumed was only a pretty face.”
The Empress Dowager’s smile vanished completely.
She does like him.
A happy occasion for the Imperial Family was surely on the horizon.
Trailing behind her, the Chief Lady allowed herself a faint smile.
Meanwhile, once the Empress Dowager was out of sight, Yeon beamed and turned to give Seo-jun two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“We did it.”
She was confident.
Seo-jun tilted his head.
“She didn’t seem that favorable.”
“Trust me. The fact that she didn’t outright object is already a win. And she smiled at you at the end.”
If the Empress Dowager had truly disliked him, she wouldn’t have even come to Nak-hwa-ru.
Not only had she come, but she’d spoken with him, smiled, and didn’t refute Yeon’s final declaration.
That was definitely a green light.
“She’ll nudge His Majesty for us.”
Just one comment from the Empress Dowager along the lines of He’s not bad would be enough to keep Beom from freely opposing them.
Thanks to Seo-jun’s solid support, Yeon had achieved her goal.
“Good work. But did you really read Sajaso-hak? And the Analects too?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, seriously? Were you a Sungkyunkwan scholar or something?”
“If it were the Joseon era, I’d have been the top scorer.”
Yeon didn’t mind his boasting—in fact, she found it amusing.
“Alright. I’ll put a scholar’s hat on you later. I’m sure there’s one in storage somewhere.”
She pictured him wearing the colorful eosamo bestowed by the king upon the top exam candidate.
“It suits you.”
Seo-jun let her mutter pass without comment and checked the time.
It would be tight getting from Nak-hwa-ru to his office in time for his appointment.
“I should get going. Call me if anything comes up.”
With no one around, Seo-jun reverted to perfect politeness.
Yeon found this sudden return to ‘politician Seo-jun’ oddly unfamiliar and a bit disappointing.
She gave him a sideways look.
“So if nothing comes up, I shouldn’t call? Aren’t we dating? Do you know you’re a zero-point boyfriend?”
A crack formed in his smooth expression as he adjusted his clothes.
“Zero points? I’ve never received such a grade in my life.”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. Today you’re at zero.”
“And Your Highness, what’s your score then?”
“Well, I…”
After thinking for a moment, Yeon smiled.
“One hundred, of course.”
“That’s an overly biased score. Let’s head back to Nak-seon-jae. I’ll escort you.”
“Twenty points.”
She murmured as she held out her hand. Seo-jun frowned slightly.
Then he pulled her hand, the force stronger than expected.
As she was lifted up, her body tilted toward him.
He caught her lightly, pulling her into his arms.
Their chests pressed together, and her forehead bumped his shoulder with a soft thunk.
“Ow!”
His hand slid slowly up her back, pressing gently between her shoulder blades as he murmured—
“How many points is this?”
The low timbre of his voice so close sent a small ripple through her chest.
The playful question felt strangely intimate, perhaps because of that deep voice.
“Don’t joke around.”
She lifted her head from his arms—and froze.
His face was far too close.
If she’d startled and jerked back even slightly, their lips would have met.
Whether from surprise or something else, Yeon’s heart thudded rapidly.
