Chapter 43
Crash-
The wine glass fell, bounced on the floor, and rolled away.
The warmth grasping Yeo-il's wrist faded to cold. Everyone's eyes turned to them, and Namgung Hui-myeong's breath caught—it all happened almost simultaneously.
"Cough."
There was certainly no time to cover her mouth. A light cough sprayed red blood in every direction.
The area fell silent, as if time had stopped.
For a moment.
"What the—"
"Damn it, Soyo!"
Namgung Hui-myeong's sudden movements knocked over his table. He supported Yeo-il's limp body, shouting urgently,
"Physician! We need a physician, Brother! Namgung Soyo, open your mouth. You need to throw up… quickly…"
Thick blood gushed up again, soaking Yeo-il's chin and clothes.
The onlookers' faces turned pale. Amidst the bodyguards moving with practiced efficiency, none of the attendees of the Namgung gathering dared to leave.
Namgung Jeok-myeong rushed over, breathing heavily, and examined Yeo-il's face. He gently tapped her cheek; she was as still as death.
"Namgung Soyo."
When she didn't respond, he shook her shoulder.
"Wake up, Namgung Soyo!"
Namgung Chu-myeong hurried over and pulled him back.
"Brother! Calm down. You'll make her worse! What about the physician? Did you send for one?"
Pulled back to his senses by his brother's words, Namgung Jeok-myeong laid Yeo-il down and secured her airway.
"I had one waiting, just in case. My guard went to fetch him, so he should be here soon…"
Namgung Jeok-myeong suddenly stopped speaking and turned to stare at Namgung Chu-myeong.
Their gazes met in the air.
Namgung Jeok-myeong's eyes hardened, as if he'd realized something. Without taking his eyes off Namgung Chu-myeong, he gestured to a bodyguard.
"Yes, Young Master."
"Go to Chorong at Giyeon House now and bring a physician. And hurry!"
"Chorong of Giyeon House, and a physician?"
People looked puzzled. It seemed odd to connect two unrelated things, but Namgung Jeok-myeong's urgency was clear. His bodyguard left quickly without a word.
"Jeok-myeong-ah!"
Danri Mook-ran, who had been standing at a distance under the protection of the guards, finally seemed to regain her senses and spoke.
"Wh-what in the world is going on? That child suddenly vomited blood and collapsed… Surely she wasn't born with some illness…?"
Namgung Hui-myeong shouted through gritted teeth, blood droplets forming on his lips.
"Do you really think she'd collapse and vomit blood just from being sickly, Aunt? Someone has done this to her. I don't know who or what their plan was, but…"
The atmosphere grew tense, and those who had come with Danri Mook-ran hid behind her.
"Gr-Great Madam."
"Will we also vomit blood like Lady Namgung…?"
Danri Mook-ran, her eyes twitching, pushed past the others and confronted Namgung Jeok-myeong.
"This is bad, Jeok-myeong. Quickly call more physicians! Time is of the essence! We need to check the condition of the guests and the children I brought right away! If anything happens to them, I'll never be able to face their parents…"
At that moment.
"Shhh."
It was a silencing sound, barely a whisper.
Though it was a sound one had to strain to hear, everyone's attention naturally turned to one place.
Toward Jin Cheong-ak, standing alone in the center.
"Quiet, hag. How can I identify the poisoned wine with all this racket?"
Jin Cheong-ak, looking annoyed, snapped and picked up the liquor bottle closest to him and smelled it.
Danri Mook-ran, who was already in an uproar, had blood vessels standing out in her eyes.
"Have you ever seen such an impudent bodyguard! Jeok-myeong-ah, how can there be such a lowlife commoner in the Namgung Family…"
"Please calm down, Great Madam."
Go Sang-baek approached and whispered something in Danri Mook-ran's ear. Danri Mook-ran frowned deeply and moved her lips.
"…Is he really that great? Hah! He's just a vulgar martial artist who doesn't even know basic etiquette, isn't he?"
Danri Mook-ran's loud accusation was scattered into the air without gaining anyone's sympathy.
"He's a seasoned warrior. He might have noticed something."
Clink.
At Go Sang-baek's defense, anxious eyes followed Jin Cheong-ak's every move.
Each time he passed a table, sniffed the red Shaoxing wine, and set the bottle down without a word, a sigh of relief followed.
His fluid movements stopped before the last two tables.
Namgung Hui-myeong's and Yeo-il's.
Smelling the Shaoxing wine in the two bottles, he briefly sighed.
"These two. Yes, it's clear. The scent is different. But if only our young lady collapsed…"
Jin Cheong-ak stared at the untouched glass of yellowish-red wine and gave a faint smile.
"Ah! Well, well… Fate has intervened, Third Young Master. You haven't taken a sip yet, have you?"
"That's impossible!"
Namgung Chu-myeong, who suddenly raised an objection, paused and closed his mouth. He looked back at Namgung Jeok-myeong, who stood with an unreadable expression, and added as if making an excuse.
"I still can't fully trust him, Brother. You can identify poison just by smell? Once the physician arrives…"
Namgung Hui-myeong's lips were parched. With a face filled with self-reproach and pain, he stroked Yeo-il's cheek, who had collapsed in his arms.
"…It was me. Soyo."
"…"
"Soyo, if only I hadn't told you it was alright…"
His murmur, filled with deep regret, was buried without a trace by the voices of the people.
"Poisoned wine! Are you saying someone is trying to harm the Namgung family?"
"B-Brother Pae. This is serious. We must close the gates of the estate now, before that scoundrel escapes!"
In the middle of the ruined banquet.
Namgung Jeok-myeong quickly moved past Namgung Hui-myeong, who sat slumped in shock.
He reached Jin Cheong-ak's side and snatched the wine bottles with a rough movement.
"Whoops."
While wine cups and refreshments fell to the floor, rolling and breaking, Namgung Jeok-myeong's expression rapidly hardened as he smelled the two problematic bottles and then the other bottles in turn.
"…He's crossed the line."
His sword draw was lightning fast.
In the blink of an eye, he leaped forward, flying towards Namgung Chu-myeong. Startled by the threateningly swung sword, Namgung Chu-myeong fell back.
"B-Brother!"
Namgung Chu-myeong looked at him as if to ask, 'How could you do this to me?' Namgung Jeok-myeong's eyes flashed coldly.
"You dared to touch Hui-myeong? Did you think I'd be a fool and let it slide like before?"
"What are you talking about? Get a hold of yourself! I'm your brother, Namgung Chu-myeong! I've lived my entire life for the Namgung family and served you. How could I harm Hui-myeong?!"
At his pleading cry, the elders from outside the family, who had been watching in confusion, drew their swords.
One by one, warriors stepped forward to protect Namgung Chu-myeong, rebuking Namgung Jeok-myeong sternly.
"Jeok-myeong-ah, step back."
"Get a hold of your senses, Namgung Jeok-myeong! Not content with your reckless behavior that brings shame to the Namgung Family, are you now trying to harm your own brother?"
"If you want to harm Lord Chu-myeong, you'll have to face us."
"…Enemies?"
Namgung Jeok-myeong smiled grimly and pointed his sword straight ahead.
"Open your eyes and see who the real enemy is."
The moment everyone's gaze followed the elegant tip of his sword to Namgung Chu-myeong's face,
A long sword slash cut across Namgung Chu-myeong's forehead and chin, his white face cracking like porcelain.
