[The Three Kingdoms] Golden Sun Exhibition

14 – Teacher Geum Taeyang (3)

Sunnyu, her courtesy name is Kongdal.

She is a woman six years older than Soonwook.

So, she is thirteen years older than me.

Although I don’t really want to focus on age, looking at her appearance, I can’t help but consider her years.

‘Is she really in her thirties?’

When I think about this, it’s about being in her thirties, but no matter how much I look at her, Soonwoo seems to be similar to me or slightly older.

She is shorter and looks downcast, stimulating people’s protective instincts to look younger.

Even her physique is petite… petite, excluding Jungwon, and her skin is pale like white jade, almost like a doll.

If you place a same-aged farmer’s wife next to her, they would surely look like mother and daughter.

To that extent, Soonwoo had a high external appearance, or so-called ‘charm’.

‘This world is really strange.’

Exceptional women maintain their youth for a long time.

Not just maintaining youth, but keeping it in a beautiful state.

It’s not clear whether a capable woman is beautiful, or if she is both capable and beautiful.

But as all people age with the flow of time, capable women seem to defy aging, perhaps using their abilities to look younger.

Who is the originator?

– Whilst there are beauties by the Emperor, Yubang has Jangryang and Hanshin.

Jangryang again.

Hanshin again.

Up until now, all the famous people like Taegongmang and Sonbin were men, but in the history of the Central Plains, it was the first time a woman appeared at the forefront of history, that woman was Jangryang.

-Jangryang’s beauty did not change with time, and many people thought she was a celestial being who descended to help a noble man.

According to folk tales, Yubang’s military general, Jangryang, maintained her youthful appearance even until the last of her days- the day she chose to retreat.

-‘My precious Jangryang! I’ve grown old like this, but you are still beautiful.

-‘But that woman Hanshin, is she applying too much makeup because she’s aging? I could see wrinkles that couldn’t be covered up with makeup starting to show!

-‘If I knew this would happen, I’d just get married. Darn.

-‘My younger self was damn stupid! If I had married Jangryang, I could have spent my life with a young beauty, and if I had held onto Hanshin and married her, I could have had her as my wife in my bedroom all my life!

It’s a joke, but Yubang reportedly regretted seeing Jangryang and Hanshin’s beauty hardly change until his dying day.

After Jangryang and Hanshin, many capable women appeared.

Did Jangryang cast a spell on these women, or did the celestial being curse the Central Plains’ land starting with Jangryang, not a curse per se?

Most capable women are beautiful and they either live very, very long or die early.

Those who die early often are manipulated by others because of their beauty.

Those who live for a long time fully exercise their abilities and maintain their charm until their death.

Capable women are beautiful and can work together?

Ah, work is sh*tty but I bear it as I watch that woman.

A single blooming flower in the court soothing bureaucrats emotionally.

Among them, there were women who caught the emperor’s eye and became the empress.

-Can’t hold back beautiful women.

Ironically, this was the secret behind why a very small number of women in the court were able to hold high positions for a long time.

Men naturally feel good when they see a beauty.

– Ha, it’s definitely better to be in a place with beauties than in a place with just men!

It’s the words of a noble man, Yubang. It is a phrase recorded in history.

The empress might have critiqued Yu Bang’s words as utterly nonsensical, but as a man, I deeply sympathized with what Yu Bang had said.

‘Every man wants to look good in front of a beauty.’

Even if you know the woman is the same age or older, if they appear beautiful to the eye, it’s instinctual for a man to want to succeed in something.

A beauty with exceptional ability to boot?

– Marry me and carry on my family line!

– My might, your wits! Together we’ll give birth to a peerless child, a true paragon!

The urge to marry becomes insurmountable.

Women of such talents have worked all around the palace, and so did Sun Yu.

Since before the turbulence caused by Hwang Kun, she held an official position in Narkyang and narrowly avoided death by the hands of Dong Tak.

Despite working for a considerable time at the royal palace at a young age, Sun Yu had become completely isolated.

Sun Yu, aged 30 something, unemployed.

Naturally, Sun Yu leveraged her experience and searched for an official position, and many people were attracted to her because of her uprising against Dong Tak.

– Ah, Sun Yu! Welcome!

– An official position you say? Do we have a job vacancy?

– More than the job, it’s about the child… Hold on a moment!

The problem starts here.

– Why are you refusing me?

– You rose in rebellion against Dong Tak!

– Are you doing this in fear of Dong Tak seeking revenge?

– Please bring the edict of the Emperor! An edict to appoint you to any government position on this land!

– There’s no way that’s possible…

The royal court appoints official positions.

Even though lower-level officials in provinces could be appointed by deputies or prefects, accepting Sun Yu meant antagonism against Dong Tak.

She was a woman whom Dong Tak despised almost close to death.

If it wasn’t for the assassination attempt against Dong Tak, she would have been sentenced to death.

Presently, there is no one who can accommodate Sun Yu.

Sun Yu had seen the downfall of the royal court with her own eyes and was wounded emotionally, she needed time to heal.

“…Originally, I wanted to return to the pavilion in the mountains. Contemplating the mountains, mending my heart and working for people.”

Sun Yu ended her tale with that.

“But then, the self-important, Yu Eon, blocked my path to Shu territory. I ended up going back to my hometown and there, met Sun Wook. He suggested that I get help from someone he knew in Hyeong Ju.”

“Oh, you’ve had a hard time. You sure have been through a lot.”

Usually, I’m not interested in other people’s lives.

However, it’s a different story when the person sharing their life happens to bring a gold chunk.

‘I can listen all day.’

Sun Yu’s life was like the downfall of the whole imperial family.

She aimed to serve the imperial family but her heart was shattered by the sheer current of events, she was in need of a rest.

“Rest up here at ease. But…”

The timing was bad.

“Within the next three months at least, I sense that there will be turbulence here too.”

“Yuan Shu, Sun Jian, Liu Biao…”

“Do you know?”

“I had a conversation with Soonwook. My child, he worries about you a lot.”

“… Well, it certainly becomes more difficult when a war breaks out in Hyungju.”

He evaded Soonwoo’s question with an irrelevant response. I spread out the map of Hyungju towards Soonwoo.

“Personally, I would like to ask for your advice, Soonwoo. But if you feel like taking a break, please let me know.”

“What kind of advice are you seeking?”

“Military strategy.”

This woman, her eyes sparkled for a moment.

Her eyes, seen through her thick bangs, were staring at the map of Hyungju.

‘Could it be?’

She’s a woman I’ve never seen before. If I consider that she’s Soonwook’s relative, I could assume that they have similar characteristics.

But based on my intuition, this woman’s personality is…

“If I get to become the ruler of Hyungju, what kind of strategy would be the best to win against those cunning villains who will try to take over?”

“…Interesting.”

A moment of silence.

Did this woman just lick her lips with her tongue…?

“Teacher, I’ve served as a bureaucrat in the central government for a long time. Although this is a record from 2 years ago, I generally know how much military force is deployed in each region.”

With a rustling sound.

Soonwoo scattered the Go stones on the map.

“One for a thousand.”

I watched Soonwoo’s action carefully. She, unaware of my scrutinizing gaze, began adjusting the Go stones to match the Hyungju topography enthusiastically.

“Even if they’ve been collecting soldiers for 2 years, the number would be roughly this, and those who come to attack Hyungju are… Ah.”

After arranging all the Go stones, Soonwoo lifted her head.

“I, I’m sorry. Suddenly…hahahaha…”

“I get the impression that you enjoy offensive strategies more than defensive ones?”

“…….”

Soonwoo’s expression hardened. I leisurely moved one of the Go stones towards the west side of Hyungju.

“Military strategy is indeed a fascinating topic. In a peaceful era, the principled approach would take precedence, but in these trouble times, those who understand diversionary tactics and Sun Tzu’s Art of War turn out to bring peace.”

“This isn’t a turbulent era that can be resolved just by repeating the principles of righteousness.”

“That’s right. But Soonwoo, do you know why you seem depressed?”

Even though it was our first meeting, it was because it was our first day that I had to dig deep into her inner feelings.

“You’re feeling down because the era is turbulent.”

“Who wouldn’t feel down in these chaotic times except for traitors?”

“No, no. You’re thrilled in these troubling times. But it’s your inner conscience that’s tormenting you.”

I moved closer to Soonwoo.

Sweeping her bangs aside, I scrutinized her deeply-set eyes.

“Aren’t you disgusted with yourself for being excited about an era where you can fully demonstrate your abilities?”

“……!!”

The root cause of Soonwoo’s depression.

It was self-loathing.