I Became the Crown Prince of a Ruined Country

19 – Life

Combs were not very expensive and fancy items. Royalty and nobles used to use combs made of jade as well, but these were common wooden combs.

Nevertheless, Jung stroked the comb with the utmost care, as if treating a precious jewel.

“How is it? Do you like it?”

“Yeah…really.”

Her voice was calm and not too different from usual. However, the staring gaze, the touch of the comb, showed Jung’s emotion instead.

“This is the first time. A gift.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

It’s the first gift in my life.

I guess so. Jeong’s father, Young Yi-in, left Jo Nara two years after Jeong was born.

Since the age of 3, Jung has been neglected in the world without the protection of her parents.

It is a presumptuous world.

Growing up without the love and protection of his parents, the child must live in bitter suffering because of his father’s lineage.

I know the pain too. How can he forget the sorrow of having to be discriminated against for his parents’ faults?

However, unlike me in my previous life, who was at least protected by the system of law, Jeong was not receiving any kind of protection.

She is even being abused by her mother, who will be her greatest protection. Unlike me, who had at least one side by my side, Jung was a terrible loner.

Because it was the first time, and the first time in his life, when he received pure kindness from others, Jung could hardly touch the comb properly.

Could it be that her hands are stained? She was barely holding her hairbrush with her fingertips.

Seeing that cute and pathetic figure, I somewhat impulsively said the following.

“It’s okay. Just touch it. I’ll give you something better next time.”

“Next? Again… Are you giving it? Why? It’s not even your birthday?”

“Originally, you don’t need a reason to give a gift. You just give it if you want to give it.”

“I see…Just, if you want to give…”

Jeong followed my words and mumbled. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she gently grabbed her hairbrush and asked.

“Then why did Dan give you a comb?”

I tilted my head at a question of justice that didn’t quite make sense.

Why did she choose the comb? I didn’t choose it with a very deep and profound meaning. I just considered the simple practical aspect.

At first, I thought about accessories. Things like bracelets and earrings. However, it is clear that she is already subjected to domestic violence, and she is resentful even by the people around her.

‘It would be fortunate if it was stolen.’

So I turned my attention to the thought that it would be better to carry it in my bosom than to wear it on my body.

Then I remembered the comb. It’s practical, and if the design is pretty, it could be used for accessories, so I thought it would be nice.

This is the story behind it, but it was obvious that I would be disappointed if I told it as it was, so I wrapped it up and answered.

But I wonder if even that fell short of expectations. Jung, who heard my answer, put on a somewhat embarrassed expression.

After a while, Jung corrected her expression and asked.

“When is Dan’s birthday?”

“My birthday?”

When was it? I wasn’t the type to celebrate my birthday too well, and since last year I was sent to Jo Nara as a hostage and I completely forgot about it while adjusting to life here.

Because the date of my previous life still comes to mind when I hear the word birthday, I only remembered the birthday of my current life after thinking about it for a while.

“October. The first day of October.”

“The first day of October… It’s the start of the year. Yeah, it goes well with Dan.”

The calendar used in this era was Jeon Uk-ryeok (顓頊曆). It is a luni-solar calendar that considers both the movement of the moon and the sun. Dates were calculated according to the moon, and seasonal changes were based on the sun.

It was an advanced calendar beyond imagination that faithfully calculates leap months in the number of days of 365 days in a year that are familiar even in modern times.

‘Thanks to that, there was no confusion about the date.’

What is unusual is that, as Jung said just now, the starting point of the year is set for October. It is said that it is called Jeongwol as the day of Ipchun. It was very arbitrary.

“Really? I’ve never heard of matching birthdays.”

I’ve heard a lot about names that go well together, but I wondered if having a birthday that suits you was a compliment.

However, Jung was very clear and affirmative.

“It’s real. It suits you well.”

Today’s meeting with Jung ended here.

There was a time limit to this meeting, as she couldn’t help but care about the people around her.

After watching Jeong go around, I also got out of the alleyway and joined Seok and Hugh.

The way back was ordinary as always. It was the moment I returned to the mansion that a change that was different from my daily life came to me.

“Young master!”

Hankyung runs as soon as he sees me, as if he was waiting for me to come. He was so nervous that sweat was beading on his forehead.

“What happened?”

“There was a message from Pyeongwon-gun.”

Those words were enough.

I was ready to set off right away.

“Seok and Hue are resting. Pyeongwon-gun goes with Jingga.”

“Are you all right?”

“It’s okay. Hankyung, call the hyungga.”

“Okay.”

Perhaps feeling the urgency of the situation, Jing Jia jumped out immediately prepared.

On the way to Pyeongwon-gun’s mansion.

I carefully analyzed the current situation.

How far does Pyeongwon-gun know? If it was him normally, he would have known that Jeong and I were meeting, but now Pyeongwon-gun is putting all his energy into fighting against Gunshin-gun.

Oh Yun-gaeks are also dispersed in all directions, so will the information power be the same as before?

Jingjia hinted at me as I was preoccupied with estimating the information of Pyeongwon-gun.

“Do seniors get nervous too?”

“Hmm?”

“Yukbak, they said it was the first time. Young master was full of confidence when he applied to Nogucheon for Yukbak.”

“The opponents are different. Nogucheon is also worth it, but Pyeongwongun is of a different rank.”

“Huh, that’s the case…”

Jing Jia touched the handle of the sword he was wearing.

“Even if you do, you won’t be fine even if you get hit by a knife.”

“What?”

Is this person crazy? To say such words openly on the streets of Handan, which is no different from Pyeongwon-gun’s homeroom.

“Pu-Hup, you look dumbfounded. I’m kidding. I’m kidding. But your expression is better now. Look, if you think so, there’s not much difference, right?”

Jing Jia said it was a joke, but I could never take it as a joke.

Jing Jia visits a Qin general named Fan Qi to contact Qin Shi Huang. When Fan Qi was in exile in Yan, Jing Jia openly asked him to die, saying that he needed your head, and actually took Ben Qi’s head.

He was the one who wanted to kill Qin Shi Huang, who had conquered the world. Could it be called Pyeongwon-gun?

‘Coming to think of it that way, Pyongwon-gun seems like an insignificant person.’

Thinking of Qin Shi Huang, whom I might be against for the rest of my life, Pyeongwongun’s presence becomes blurred.

As the tension is relieved, the complicated head becomes clear.

If I had been overly nervous like a thief who had my feet numb because of my relationship with Jung-i, Pyeongwon-gun would have read the fact that he didn’t even know by seeing me like that.

Some tension is necessary, but I needed to be calm as usual.

“Thank you. It’s a little easier.”

“Have confidence. The seniors are the ones who have Lee Jing-ga as their diners.”

It was a little semi-forced to have Jing Jia as a guest, but it worked really well.

As soon as I arrived at Pyeongwon-gun’s mansion, I was called to Pyeongwon-gun’s front.

It was the second time alone.

§

“Do you know why I was looking for Young master?”

“Isn’t it because of the author’s work?”

Intervening in the quarrel between Hyungga and Nogucheon.

I openly mentioned Yan there.

That was the opposite position of Pyeongwongun, who rejected Yan’s request and set up a confrontational angle.

Sure enough, Pyeongwon-gun lightly nodded.

“That’s right. But there’s nothing to be nervous about. I didn’t call you to rebuke you.”

Inside, I let out a sigh of relief.

Then I got goosebumps.

If I hadn’t listened to Jingjia’s advice and was overly nervous, Pyeongwongun would have felt a sense of alienation from me and recognized him.

Of course, the possibility of that being a bluff still remains. It was not the time to let go of tension.

“If you dare to mention Yan, you must mean to stay away from political strife by intentionally making it look like you’re at odds with me. Isn’t that right?”

“…That’s right. Do you consider me ungrateful?”

For Pyeongwon-gun, it was something that could have made him feel betrayed.

Even though he took me in, I was trying to avoid getting involved in the political strife.

Hana Pyeongwon-gun’s reaction was not bad.

“That can’t be the case. Rather, I’d like to compliment you. Conversely, if Young master was vain about me and tried to get involved in the political struggle, I would have been disappointed with Young master.”

“That’s off topic.”

I am a pawn to the end. Not people from Zhao, but people from Yan.

I wouldn’t know if I had become an official in Jo Nara. Dangerous aside, it’s just too stupid to meddle in a serious power struggle as an innocent pawn.

Acting carelessly in a bloody political battle that is like walking on a knife’s edge is an act of suicide itself.

Someone got caught up in a political strife and sent an assassin to me.

Will it be possible to stop it? Nine out of ten people will die violently without even knowing they are dying.

‘Now that I have a brother, it’ll be better.’

The most famous assassin in the Orient.

If it is Jingga who went to the brink of killing Qin Shi Huang, I believe that one or two tolerable assassins will be easily defeated.

At first, I wondered if this was right, but now that I think of Jingga, I feel reassured. The human heart can change so easily.

Although the biggest hurdle was overcome, the monopoly with Pyeongwon-gun did not end here.

“But seeing that Young master understands the situation so well, I’m curious.”

Pyeongwon-gun was not a tall man who supported him unconditionally.

Unlike me trying to take care of Jung with feelings of compassion and empathy, Pyeongwon-gun invested after seeing objective value in me.

Therefore, he was in a position to give me a test to evaluate my worth at any time.

Now it was like that.

“How does Young master view the conflict between me and Kunshingun?”