I Became the Owner of the Heavenly Flower Palace

A palace deep within the Forbidden City.

Grand Academician Gipyeong, his hair white with age, bowed deeply and spoke in a quiet voice.

“Your Majesty.”

As always, the elderly Emperor gave no response. But Gipyeong waited patiently, as if this were perfectly natural.

How much time passed?

The Emperor finally closed his book. He looked toward his old vassal and spoke.

“What is it?”

Still with his head bowed, Grand Academician Gipyeong answered.

“The gift has been delivered safely.”

“Hmph.”

The Emperor snorted, his tone curt.

“At least they didn’t cast her out.”

“How could they?”

Gipyeong smiled faintly, his face deeply lined with age.

“Your Majesty extended respect and grace. Even if they harbor rebellious intent, they would not dare reject such a gesture.”

“Nonsense.”

The Emperor looked directly at Gipyeong.

“Have you forgotten how they burned the court maids sent by the late Emperor? They were young, beautiful, and talented. It was certain the Palace Master would take them as concubines.”

“That atrocity was committed by the Palace Master before the last. Nothing of the sort has occurred since.”

“Something that’s happened once can happen again. One must never let their guard down against them.”

“I will remember this well.”

Grand Academician Gipyeong bowed even lower.

The Emperor watched him for a moment, then set his book down.

Tap.

“So then... will the Palace Master take the girl as a concubine?”

“That, we do not know.”

The answer did not please the Emperor.

“She’s said to be beautiful and clever, yet she can’t even win over a single man’s heart?”

“Princess Huimun has both exceptional beauty and talent. Enough to captivate most men. However... her opponent is the Palace Master of the Heavenly Flame Palace.”

Gipyeong raised his head slightly and looked at the Emperor as he spoke.

“Before a garden of a thousand blooming flowers, no matter how beautiful a single blossom may be, its light inevitably fades.”

“Don’t spout nonsense.”

The Emperor shot back.

“To a man, one woman can be more precious than the entire world. This is the girl’s failing.”

Gipyeong bowed, silently aligning with the Emperor’s sentiment.

There was a moment of quiet, then the Emperor asked again.

“So? Have we heard any word from the Heavenly Flame Palace?”

“I doubt they intended to write anything. Nor do they believe they were sent to be used that way.”

The Emperor’s wrinkled brow furrowed deeply.

“Then why send her at all? Does she think daughters of the princely household grow on trees?”

He spoke as if he had completely forgotten the original intention—to show respect.

But Gipyeong did not believe the Emperor had truly forgotten. Nor did he expect him to admit it aloud.

“The Heavenly Flame Palace are beings like divine beasts hidden among the clouds.”

Gipyeong continued,

“Divine beasts are capricious and fierce. Difficult to deal with under any circumstances. And so, no matter how small the gesture may seem, one must always plant something within the enemy.”

His voice flowed like water.

“Having a single hidden piece to play at a critical moment... that makes all the difference.”

The Emperor did not reply right away.

After a long pause, he spoke, his tone still rough.

“...Will that be enough?”

“Great matters are always done with the distant future in mind.”

“Hm.”

The Emperor tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

He seemed to be weighing something, but Gipyeong could tell the Emperor was satisfied.

Above all, the fact that he now referred to them as “the enemy” confirmed it.

“I will not awaken the Yellow Dragon Priestess.”

The aged Emperor said it flatly, almost as if tossing the words aside.

Gipyeong bent his old frame even lower.

“It is a most prudent decision.”

He spoke like a whisper.

“With this, the other three pillars of the Temple of Heaven shall also witness Your Majesty’s power and yield of their own accord. I humbly offer my congratulations.”

Gipyeong’s words were not empty flattery.

The conflict between the Imperial Household and the Heavenly Flame Palace had subsided. The gesture of goodwill had been accepted—there was no accusation, no sharp rebuke.

Most important of all, the ancient secret pact with the Taego Court had proven to still be in effect. That alone was a monumental success.

All of it had been gained in exchange for a single woman from the princely household.

“Hmph.”

The Emperor reached for the book he had set down.

It was a silent signal that Gipyeong should now take his leave.

But the Grand Academician had one final matter.

“However, they appear to be putting excessive effort into searching for the previous Palace Master. How should we respond?”

“Let them do as they please.”

Flap.

The Emperor opened his book again with a disinterested expression.

“Let them do as they please” meant he would permit them to pass freely—yet another form of grace extended to the Heavenly Flame Palace.

Gipyeong bowed deeply to accept the Emperor’s will. Then he retreated with soft, quick steps.

Neither the Emperor nor Gipyeong spoke of the edict regarding the royal household.

They both already knew the result. And even mentioning it would sour the Emperor’s mood.

Chirp chirp.

From within the inner court, a caged bird chirped.

In the quiet and peaceful atmosphere, the old Emperor continued to read his book.

But the pages did not turn, and the light in his eyes had grown heavy and still.

****

A roadside inn in Guando.

The sun had already begun to set, but the inn remained quiet.

Partly because the innkeeper had overreached and built the place too large, but today especially, customers were scarce.

Rattle.

At that moment, the bamboo curtain at the entrance rustled softly.

The innkeeper turned his head at once and saw three figures entering.

One man and two women.

“Do you have rooms?”

The one who asked was a young woman with a graceful air.

She was beautiful enough to jolt the sleepy innkeeper fully awake—but the sword at her waist kept him from entertaining any foolish thoughts.

“Yes. Yes, of course we do.”

Politeness slipped out instinctively.

Anyone would act that way before a swordswoman in traveling clothes with a blade at her side.

“Give us one.”

“Ah, right away!”

As he bowed reflexively, the innkeeper asked,

“How many rooms should I—”

“One. The largest and best you have.”

“There’s three of you!”

A man’s voice came quickly from behind.

“Three rooms, please. Three good ones.”

As if driving a nail into it, the man spoke firmly to the surprised innkeeper. The innkeeper nodded.

“Ah, yes. I’ll prepare them right away.”

He rushed upstairs in a hurry.

“Palace Master. I beg your pardon, but if we split the rooms, it may affect your protection...”

At North Wind Commander Neung Gayeon’s words, Jincheon quietly shook his head.

“Do not call me ‘Palace Master.’”

It had been Jincheon’s suggestion not to reveal his identity, to avoid drawing trouble.

Sunday objected, saying, How could one conceal the radiance of the Red Dragon? And Neung Gayeon had blamed herself, claiming it was due to her own inadequacies. But Jincheon had refused to back down.

At the very least, he didn’t want to be treated like some suspicious weirdo.

“Then... how should we address you?”

“‘Master’ sounds appropriate,” Sunday suddenly offered.

“For you are the one who owns us, it is only natural—”

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“Call me ‘Young Master.’”

Jincheon quickly cut her off.

Sunday didn’t look pleased, but Jincheon didn’t budge.

Truthfully, calling himself Young Master was embarrassing enough.

He wasn’t the son of a noble family, nor was his status particularly high.

“From now on, call me Young Master. Understood?”

“...Yes,” Sunday replied in a very small voice.

Her eyes were clearly displeased, but Jincheon ignored it. This was Zhongyuan—Cheonhwa’s customs didn’t apply here.

He didn’t even want to imagine the misunderstandings that might arise if they went around calling him “Master.”

Just then, the innkeeper came bounding back down the stairs.

“Th-the rooms are ready. The three biggest and finest ones.”

Jincheon nodded.

“Thank you. We’ve left a carriage outside. Please see that it’s well cared for.”

“Of course! You have nothing to worry about.”

The innkeeper beamed. With no customers earlier and now having sold his three most expensive rooms, he had every reason to be pleased.

Meanwhile, the few patrons in the inn’s dining hall had begun to glance curiously toward Jincheon’s group.

Among them were several young martial artists from Luoyang’s Iron Gate Sect.

“Senior Ban, could you please stop staring? Your eyes are about to fall out,” Yang Hwaran muttered.

Ban Junggwan coughed awkwardly.

“Ehem. It’s not that. Something just caught my attention...”

“I’m sure it did. She’s a beauty, after all.”

When Sang Yunji, seated nearby, chimed in as well, Ban Junggwan protested as if wrongly accused.

“Hey now, it’s not like that. Their martial attire... it’s unfamiliar.”

“So you were wondering which sect would have such beautiful women? Considering you never usually pay attention to martial robes.”

Yang Hwaran pointed out sharply, her tone a touch sour.

She wasn’t wrong, and Ban Junggwan gave a sheepish chuckle.

“But who is that man, I wonder? He has a guard and even a maid... Senior Kang, do you know?”

Kang Hyunsang, who had been quietly sitting beside them, finally opened his mouth.

“I don’t. He does look like someone from a fairly prominent household, but I’ve never seen him around Luoyang.”

Not just the guard—even the maid was exceptionally beautiful.

Their clothes, while resembling servant uniforms, were adorned with fine embroidery—elegant and expensive in appearance.

“Hah. So what, is he just out touring with women in tow? The vulgar intent is so obvious it’s almost impressive.”

Yang Hwaran sneered outright.

“Intent aside, it’s a bit precarious, isn’t it? Having only one guard even with a maid present.”

At Kang Hyunsang’s observation, Ban Junggwan scowled.

“Doesn’t that just mean he’s some clueless brat? He’ll get a proper {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} wake-up call sooner or later. If he’s lucky, he might even survive. Tsk tsk.”

His tone carried unearned irritation, prompting Yang Hwaran to purse her lips.

“Why are you so worried about someone else’s business? If you’re that concerned, why not go offer yourself as their guard? As Senior Ban of Iron Gate Sect, I’m sure they’d welcome it.”

Ban Junggwan responded with another cough instead of a reply.

Truth be told, he had already been considering an excuse to approach them.

“Oh no... you really are going to do it? Unbelievable.”

Yang Hwaran glanced sideways at Neung Gayeon and muttered to herself,

“Men completely lose their minds the moment they see a pretty face. What’s even appealing about such unimpressive women?”

She had already finished assessing Neung Gayeon and the maid.

Their clothing was admittedly refined—but that was it. No ornate crests or ornaments to signal status.

As disciples of Luoyang’s Iron Gate Sect—one with some influence in the city—they felt entirely justified in looking down on them.

In the meantime, Jincheon had finished settling the payment with the innkeeper.

He turned to Neung Gayeon and Sunday.

“Go up to your rooms, unpack, and come back down. We’ll eat soon.”

“Yes.”

“Young Master.”

Suddenly, Neung Gayeon spoke.

“May I ask something? If a bird outside your window were chirping noisily, what would you do? Would you close the window—or drive the bird away?”

Jincheon thought chirping birds were something one could just tolerate—but answered without much thought.

“I’d drive the bird away and close the window.”

“I see.”

Neung Gayeon gave a graceful smile.

“Then I shall do so. Do I have your permission?”

“There’s a bird?”

“There isn’t. But it seems a bit of tidying up is in order.”

He wondered if “bird” was meant as some kind of metaphor—but it didn’t seem that way.

It sounded more like she intended to go check on the area for security’s sake, so Jincheon nodded.

“Go ahead.”

He ascended the stairs.

Behind him, Sunday followed silently.

And as Neung Gayeon watched them go, she turned her head.

Her expression remained composed as ever.