Fake Concubine 2

1. Fake ​Concubine

Somehow, ​he ​wondered ​why ​his father, who ​usually ​saw ​him ​as ​less than a grain ​of ​dried rice stuck ​to a bowl, ​had ​called ​him ​to ​his ​study.

“Go to Songdo.”

At ​the ​abrupt ​command, Moon Hae-min’s ​eyes widened.

“What do you ​mean?”

“Grand Prince ​Byeokran, that ​bastard, has ​demanded a ​marriage!”

Lord ​Moon ​slammed his desk, ​shouting. Even ​if it was a ​conversation in the study, ​who knew who might ​be listening ​to ​him refer to Grand Prince Byeokran ​so carelessly? Moon Hae-min ​clicked ​his ​tongue ​inwardly.

“I ​am aware. But ​wasn’t [visit our site]it ​Moon ​Hee-yul, not me, ​whom ​Grand unauthorized copy[unauthorized copy]Prince Byeokran requested to ​marry?”

“Hee-yul is ​a ​precious child who ​must ​carry ​on ​the ​Moon family ​line! ​Do you ​even know what kind of family the ​Geumcheon Moon clan ​is?”

An explanation followed ​about how great the ​Geumcheon Moon ​clan was. But ​for ​Moon Hae-min, who ​wasn’t even a ​proper Moon, ​it ​was all ​just ​noise.

“And yet, ​to ​demand such ​a ​precious ​only son as ​a ​concubine, not ​even ​as ​a ​wife! Does that even make sense?”

Ah…

Hae-min, who had been half-listening to Lord Moon, swallowed his surprise. He knew that Grand Prince Byeokran had requested Moon Hee-yul. But he had naturally assumed it would be a formal marriage, not that he would take Hee-yul as a concubine.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, that young one who hasn’t even taken a wife dares! If he were the son of a noble family, he wouldn’t even have had his coming-of-age ceremony…!”

Lord Moon’s face flushed red. For once, Hae-min understood his anger.

Although the family fortunes had declined since The King had taken a disliking to them, the Moon clan was a pillar of the White faction. And yet, to ask for their eldest son as a concubine. It was something they wouldn’t dare demand if the other party wasn’t Grand Prince Byeokran, The King’s brother.

‘So that’s why you’re sending me instead.’

He understood the reason, but he was still puzzled. Moon Hae-min cautiously opened his mouth.

“But sir, didn’t Grand Prince Byeokran request Hee-yul? Even if I go instead, would Grand Prince accept me?”

“How foolish. Who said you should go instead of Hee-yul?”

“Yes? But just now…”

“You just have to pretend to be Hee-yul!”

“…Yes?”

His thoughts momentarily froze at the thunderbolt from the blue. Lord Moon’s voice painfully dug into his eardrums.

“If you keep your mouth shut, who would know if you’re Hee-yul or Hae-min?”

“But sir, I am a man. A common man.”

“I know.”

“You know, and yet…”

You’re still sending me?

Unable to ask, he looked at Lord Moon, who met his gaze fiercely. His face was permanently wrinkled from frequent frowning. Meeting his eyes, his heart beat anxiously. Thump, thump, thump.

“I can’t possibly send our precious Hee-yul.”

Thump…

Something seemed to fall. Was it expectation? He thought he had abandoned such things long ago, and yet…

“So go back to your quarters and pack your things. You’ll be leaving for Songdo tomorrow.”

Lord Moon was even telling him this important news the day before. It was clear he didn’t want to give him a chance to escape.

Moon Hae-min hesitated for a moment. Should he get angry? To say he didn’t want to go, to ask why he, a common man, had to play the role of a concubine instead of Hee-yul, a Scentless Yin person.

But he didn’t feel like it.

After all, no one in this family could go against Lord Moon. Once Lord Moon had decided, he had to follow. In that case, he didn’t want to waste his energy on futile resistance.

In the end, Moon Hae-min silently bowed his head and left the study. The [unauthorized copy]sound of Lord Moon [visit our site]clicking his tongue in displeasure clung to his back.

That night, Lord Moon ordered four burly servants to guard Moon Hae-min’s room.

He hadn’t even thought of running away, but even if he had, it would have been useless. In the end, he spent the night sleepless, and the next morning,

Moon Hae-min left the residence.

‘Lord Moon isn’t even bothering to see me off.’

Neither was the Madam. Only Moon Hae-min’s half-brother, Hee-yul, saw him off with tearful eyes.

‘What to do, that my brother has to suffer such hardship in my place…’

‘…’

‘Grand Prince Byeokran is too much. He doesn’t even [Read on Read BL Novels]have a wife, Read on Read BL Novelsyet he’s taking a concubine first. How can he humiliate our family so openly to the world? No matter how much resentment he holds against Father!’

Hee-yul, huffing like an angry rabbit, cleared his throat and said,

‘So don’t worry, brother. Grand Prince would want to live under the same roof as the Moon clan? Once he achieves his objective, he’ll send you back.’

In other words, he would only be able to return after the Moon family had been sufficiently disgraced. He didn’t know whether to like or dislike this, whether to expect it or not. He was just dazed.

“Young master, are you tired?”

Asked the servant whom Lord Moon had attached as a guard and surveillance. For a son of a concubine to be called ‘young master,’ it was something to see.

“No.”

At the curt reply, the servant didn’t ask further. Thus, the journey continued.

As they headed towards Songdo, the air grew colder. It was partly because it was [Read on Read BL Novels]the time of year when autumn turned to winter, visit our sitebut also because Songdo was located in the north. It was obvious that the further north they went, the colder it would get.

‘At this rate, it’s like going to meet winter.’

The closer they got to Songdo, the deeper the mountains became. The road wasn’t smooth, but Hae-min steadily rode his horse.

After crossing mountains and fields for three days,

Moon Hae-min finally arrived in Songdo.

“Wow…”

Moon Hae-min exclaimed for the first time since leaving home.

Songdo was a bright and prosperous city. Along the wide streets stood rows of grand, tall tile-roofed houses. The people passing by were expressionless, but he could feel a vigorous energy.

‘They say that after Hanseong, it’s Songdo, and [unauthorized copy]it’s true. No, it’s hard Read on Read BL Novelsto stolen contentsay which is superior.’

If Hanseong was like a double-petaled, flamboyant plum blossom, Songdo was like an elegant chrysanthemum. The two cities each had their own charm.

Hae-min momentarily forgot his troubled thoughts and looked around. A city he was setting foot in for the first time in his life, unfamiliar scenery and people he had never met before. Everything was new, so it was fun to look around.

“Young master, this way.”

The guide led the way. Moon Hae-min followed him.

Soon, a mansion as large as a whale appeared. Even without the guide’s explanation, he could tell that it was Grand Prince Byeokran’s private residence.

“…”

He swallowed hard, entering through the main gate. It was as if he had been dreaming until now, and had finally woken up. At the same time, tension washed over him.

That tension reached its peak the moment he stood before Grand Prince Byeokran.

“G-greetings.”

Hae-min stammered. The presence of the man sitting upright on the wooden floor in the center of the M-shaped detached house was immense.

All this time, he had only been frustrated at the thought of being a concubine, but now he realized that he would have to live intimately with such a man. He realized now that the latter was more of a problem. Would he, a common man, be able to handle the nights…?

His vision darkened, but he had to finish his greeting. Moon Hae-min cast an ambiguous gaze somewhere between Grand Prince Byeokran and the stone steps, and continued.

“I am Moon Hae, Yul, son of Moon Won-yul.”

He had almost said ‘Moon Hae-min’ out of habit, but quickly corrected his pronunciation. Fortunately, the pronunciations of ‘Hee’ and ‘Hae’ were similar.

‘He probably didn’t hear the ‘Hae’ part.’

Even if he had heard it, he couldn’t possibly imagine that he was Moon Hae-min, not Moon Hee-yul. [visit our site]No Read on Read BL Novelsone in their right mind would deceive Grand Prince Byeokran.

Even as he thought this, Hae-min lowered his head deeply. He was finding it difficult to act composed, since he was the one doing this ‘insane thing.’

“As I’ve heard…”

Grand Prince Byeokran opened his mouth.

‘As I’ve heard’? Could it be that he’s heard something about Moon Hee-yul? Does that include his appearance? …Then has he found out?

Moon Hae-min’s heart pounded. Just as he was about to run out of breath, Grand Prince Byeokran uttered softly,

“Unusual eyes.”

“…”

Hae-min secretly sighed in relief. He wondered what visit our site[visit our site]he was going to say, [visit our site]hesitating like that, but it seemed to be about his eyes.

“The Geumcheon Moon clan is famous for having unusual eye colors.”

Unlike most people of Dawn, who had black or brown eyes, the eyes of the Geumcheon Moon clan were Jadeite color. Although he was a son of a concubine, Moon Hae-min had also inherited that trait.

However, perhaps because he wasn’t a Moon who was registered in the family register, Moon Hae-min’s eyes had other colors mixed in. Like a stain, there were hints of gray, green, and light brown.

In a way, they were like cracked celadon, so Hae-min didn’t particularly like his eyes. But thanks to them, he looked like a Geumcheon Moon, so he was grateful for his eyes today.

“I am Song Seol.”

Grand Prince Byeokran told him his real name. Song Seol, Song Seol. Moon Hae-min quietly savored the name.

“Show Moon Hee-yul to the quarters where he will be staying.”

Grand Prince Byeokran, Song Seol, told a middle-aged man. He must be the steward of this residence.

After bowing to Song Seol, Hae-min followed the steward.

‘Is that it?’

It was a surprisingly bland first meeting. Well, he, no, ‘Moon Hee-yul’ wasn’t a wife, so there was no need to hold a formal wedding. It seemed that all he had to do was greet the owner of the house, like a guest who would be staying for a while.

‘I was no different from a guest in my own family, and it’s the same here.’

He felt relieved by that fact. At least Grand Prince Byeokran didn’t seem to be interested in him.

Relieved, Moon Hae-min unpacked his luggage in the room he was shown to. This was where he would be staying for the time being.