Record of Mad Love

Prince Hwa let out a small laugh at Jin Ye’s question. He was quite relaxed.

“Of course they are everywhere, aren’t they? It is said that walls have ears after all.”

“It means you put a rat next to me. And it seems like it’s not only one or two.”

“That’s why you should spare the general.”

‘That’s why’ she should spare him? From the words that sounded as though being fated was a weakness, Jin Ye got into a foul mood.

She had already gotten annoyed by it. The pain where the name seal was engraved has persisted for several days. It was still swollen red. Yeon Mugeon. No matter how hard she thought about it, it seemed like he was really persistent. A man who was an obstacle whether he was alive or dead.

However, in this situation, Prince Hwa came out and provoked Jin Ye, whose annoyance couldn’t help but soar. Her words became sharper.

“Was there any benefit I gained from saving Jung Wi?”

“Wouldn’t you also gain nothing if you killed him?”

“Why do you think it would be nothing?”

While hitting his shoulder with the tip of the sword covered by its sheath, Jin Ye responded.

“Isn’t this a very good chance to cut your hand?”

Jin Pyeong shook his head. His lips were full of detestable hypocrisy.

“Jung Wi is a loyal subject of this nation.”

It was true, but it was also false.

During the previous emperor’s reign, Jung Wi had never stayed in one place and dedicated himself to the nation. He fought against the ikjaes in numerous battles for around 10 years. As a result, he rose to the level of general and was admired by many people.

However, he never became Jin Ye’s person.

He was the ally of the predecessor emperor, who saw Jin Ye as an eyesore, and now he was in the hands and feet of her brother, Prince Hwa.

One day, he said this to Jin Ye, when she was the crown princess.

“How could you become the emperor with that delicate woman’s body? The emperor’s position is that of a father to many people. Your Highness, you can’t step higher to that position.”

Jin Ye realized it the moment she heard it. That she couldn’t make Jung Wi her ally no matter what. Of course, Jin Ye now had proven how absurd those words were, but at the time she held a grudge about it.

General Jung Wi was the loyal subject of the nation, but also a dishonorable person who didn’t serve the current emperor.

“You better speak the truth. He is the loyal subject of Prince Hwa, not this nation. I guess you’ve grown. How dare you try to deceive me with a wordplay.”

“What do you mean by deceive?”

“That’s right, deceive. General Jung Wi is raising soldiers under the guise of the escorts of the prosperous merchant guild led by Prince Hwa.”

“…”

Prince Hwa immediately shut his mouth tight and couldn’t rush to reply to Jin Ye’s unexpected words. Meanwhile, as if she was enjoying sweet honey in her mouth, Jin Ye stared intently at him, who couldn’t say anything.

It seemed like he was quite flustered because he found out that his thought about him being a step ahead by knowing about the existence of her fated person wasn’t true.

“Why are you so quiet? Don’t tell me you think I don’t know anything because I’m in the palace?”

Then, it meant he really looked down on her.

Prince Hwa squeezed his hands that were on the floor and burst out into light laughter. He did not try to deny it as though he thought it was useless.

“Marvelous, sister. Seems like Marquis Jo is really talented, huh?”

Jin curved her eyes lightly. She also had no intention of hiding her card. Despite being tricked by him as if she were bewitched, she never imagined she would ever lose to him. Even in the past, when she was pathetic and weak.

“I was actually getting into a sour mood, but thanks to you, it turned out well. You should have at least told Jung Wi to do his work properly.”

Jin Pyeong gritted his teeth at the provoking words. It was loud enough to hear. It seemed like he was quite angry because she insulted Jung Wi, his teacher as well as his emotional pillar.

“Sister, you better be careful with your words.”

“You are the one who should not waste your time. Do you think just because one paddles their feet in the water the ocean current will change?”

Jin Pyeong took a deep breath for a moment. As he calmed down, he came up with an excuse.

“We’re raising the soldiers because of the remaining ikjaes.”

Jin Ye found him to be ridiculous because it was such an unbelievable excuse. It was a time when she rather felt pathetic for thinking he might have something big because he confidently came to save Jung Wi’s life.

“That lie— I’ll believe it for once.”

“It’s not a lie.”

“You can take your time to prove it.”

Jin Pyeong couldn’t reply anymore and closed his mouth. It was his defeat. With this, Jin Ye had a justification to strike Jung Wi, but in fact, it wasn’t a complete win for her either. It left a lingering uncomfortableness.

Currently, the merchant guild led by Prince Hwa was among the 5 great merchant guilds of the Hwan Empire. It obviously couldn’t be compared to the biggest merchant guild, but it wasn’t the one to look down on.

Even though Prince Hwa appointed someone else as guild master, it was just a cover to justify him. Many people flocked to him now that he was an important player, so the situation was uncomfortable for Jin Ye. All the more because she didn’t think of this development when she spared his life.

Therefore, her tongue turned even sharper.

“Speaking of, when are you planning to take off that disgusting mask and show your true colors? Thanks to you I always become the heartless sister, yet as a little brother, that is a very disloyal move.”

Prince Hwa finally raised his head and looked at her. He acted pitifully like a puppy drenched in rain when he entered, but now he glared at her with impudent eyes. When he came to plead for the life of his teacher, those eyes did not suit him.

“As a little brother? That’s funny, sister.”

The words that followed crossed the line completely.

“How could this little brother not think of you even for a moment, sister? I worry about you all the time. Not long ago, I got another worry.”

“What kind of worry?”

“I heard your fated person is a commoner. His name is… Yeon Mugeon?”

Jin Ye creased her forehead the moment the three syllables of the name that she didn’t want to hear came out. She let out a vain laugh as she gazed at the provocateur.

“You put that name on your mouth? Seems like you don’t cherish your life, huh?”

“What would happen if I found that person?”

Of course. I will kill both of you.

Yeon Mugeon had already become the Ikjaes’ meal – regardless of whether that was a good thing or not. He probably completely melted inside the ikjaes’ stomachs without leaving any bones.

Jin Ye decided to observe him in silence, thinking that it would only hurt her mouth to tell such an obvious fact. Prince Hwa kept moving his lips without knowing that his life was in danger.

“Marriage—will you do it? If you do, then this brother will worry less about you.”

At this point, she wondered how far he would talk. Therefore, Jin Ye responded aloofly, feeling she wanted to hear more.

“There’s no way I will do it.”

“You’re not marrying your fated person, and not even giving birth. Are you not thinking about the future, sister?”

The future he was talking about was the next emperor. That was because if Jin Ye died, there was no one else but Prince Hwa to succeed to the throne.

Jin Ye herself knew about that problem. However, that was not an immediate problem. A mere prince had no business discussing the emperor’s business at night.

Still, the reason for him to nitpick like this was obvious. Prince Hwa wanted to discuss the qualifications of the emperor.

5 years.

That was the time that had passed since Jin Ye rose to the throne. All this time, she never brought in a concubine, and she never embraced anyone. There was even gossip in the palace about Jin Ye’s inability to reproduce.

There was no way anyone would dare to say that in the palace. However, at least that was an effective way to tie those who fell in love with her.

Jin Ye knew about that fact.

For now, she didn’t worry about it.

“We can give birth even without our fated person.”

“Then, with Marquis Jo—”

The moment he brought up Marquis Jo, Jin Ye immediately unsheathed her sword. And then she swung it above the head of Prince Hwa, who was shocked with his eyes wide.

“…!”

While Prince Hwa was stunned at the thing that happened in an instant, Jin Ye’s sword moved past the top of his head. And then,

Whisk.

Prince Hwa’s tied hair fluttered down the floor, unevenly cut. Prince Hwa was dumbstruck— he didn’t expect his hair to get cut.

In the Hwan Empire, cutting hair was equivalent to heavy punishment. Because it was about cutting the body given by parents. Jin Ye, who did that without even batting an eye, sheathed the sword while giving a warning.

“I was thinking of continuing to listen to you because I thought you would tell an interesting story, yet it upset me.”

“…”

“Why don’t you continue moving that small tongue as you please?”