777.
Park Seongjin did not run away. The king had captured him, but did not force him. For a while, there was silence, and the breathing became longer than the words. Park Seongjin's gaze slowly lifted. The sky beyond the city gates, and beyond that sky, clouds were drifting. It was a direction without an end in sight. What lay at the edge of that infinite distance was unknown, but he couldn't stop his gaze from being drawn towards it. The king quietly spoke again.
"Still, you know... human connections aren't always meant to be opposed."
Park Seongjin was listening with his head bowed. The king continued.
"There's a good match for you. Not a family that merely flaunts its status. Your father was a regional governor, leaving a reputation for integrity, and your mother worked in the inner court for many years before retiring. The family may not be large, but it's respectable, without extravagance, and the daughter is said to be quiet."
The king spoke as though weighing each point carefully, not making a rushed proposal, but rather a list he had long thought over.
"She learned to read at eight, learned sewing and weaving at twelve, and doesn't neglect the rites. She knows how to serve tea to guests properly."
Park Seongjin's eyes subtly wavered. Though he had seen countless battlefields, he was not accustomed to such descriptions.
"She doesn't speak much, and when she's angry, she doesn't linger in front of the mirror for long."
The king added, "She doesn't boast about her talents, doesn't interrupt others, and doesn't let the sounds of her home spill out."
This was a custom of Goryeo: before beauty, character was considered first; before wealth, the family's integrity; and before how much a person spoke, how they were when they said nothing.
"Her dream was also auspicious," the king lowered his voice. "It was said a large bird landed in the courtyard without flapping its wings, standing for a long time without flying away or leaving."
At that moment, Jang Jicheon, who had been beside them, lifted his head. For a moment, he traced an invisible hexagram in the air with his finger. After closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he quietly spoke.
"Fuk."
The king turned his head.
"It's the luck of returning."
Jang Jicheon spoke calmly.
"Even if one does not try to stay, fate will create its own path back. Even if one does not clutch it, it will continue, and even if one tries to avoid it, it will still come back."
He then turned towards Park Seongjin and made a respectful gesture.
"As a scholar, I would dare say, this is an excellent omen. It is not a forced connection nor a bond that restrains."
Park Seongjin didn't say anything. This person had previously explained his destiny through the I Ching, and now he was once again bringing up luck. A fleeting thought crossed his mind: could he truly be someone who only knows luck?
He slowly took his eyes away from the sky. It was a good statement, but it wasn't the time for choices yet. The king did not speak further, and Jang Jicheon also closed the divination. That day, the marriage was not decided. However, an unnamed connection, like a door not yet opened, lay between them.
Park Seongjin, who had not been aware of the young woman's position, smiled helplessly. The governor of Yangju did not wait inside the city but came out to meet them. He had worried that the party might skip Yangju and head straight to the Yalu River, so he had come out a day earlier to the crossroads. The flag was not raised high, and there were not many soldiers. He greeted them without excess, offering a proper welcome without showing any force.
The wide grassland was gently winding along a small stream. The early spring water was clear, and it shimmered in the sunlight. Though the grass along the banks was still short, its color was vibrant, and it swayed with the wind. The ground was firm enough that no dirt clung to their feet when they dismounted. It was clearly a place where people had stopped to rest for a long time.
The governor stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, I am concerned you might have passed by Yangju, so I have come out to wait for you."
There was no calculation in his words. As the newly appointed local governor, his carefulness in addressing a central figure and his responsibility as someone who had been entrusted with the task were clearly reflected in his demeanor.
The procedure was simple. First, they washed their hands with water and offered light outer garments to those who had dismounted. Only then did they sit. They didn't sit with their backs to the river. No one would dominate the water.
The governor of Yangju was a new appointee after the battle of Yangju. He had worked to restore the ruins of the battle and called back the scattered officials to establish order. He personally supervised the local magistrates and was known for his tendency to prioritize the field over the paperwork. He didn't push people too hard but also didn't give them the excuse to run away. This was how he was managing Yangju again.
When the banquet began, he started his report.
"Na Hachu's forces have made no further movement. There's no sign of crossing the river, and the troops are scattered. Even when we send scouts, their reactions are slow. There will likely be no major changes for now."
The king paused for a moment. He gazed at the river and then briefly spoke.
"Na Hachu has been loyal."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The report itself was not surprising. But the king's words carried a deeper meaning. The fact that someone who had not belonged to any side had now sworn loyalty meant that power was shifting.
As Na Hachu leaned towards Goryeo, the atmosphere of Liaodong changed. The tension grew, but the distance remained. It was the distance between trust and control.
The king spoke again.
"But loyalty doesn't mean it's over. We need to think about whether monitoring alone is the best course of action."
The governor lifted his head and met the king's gaze directly.
The king continued.
"How about engaging in exchange? As neighbors, I mean."
It wasn't a command, but a question pointing towards direction.
"What should we do?"
The governor immediately adjusted his position and bowed deeply.
"I will keep that in mind."
He spoke clearly.
"I had considered the loyal one as just a target for surveillance. But now I will see it differently."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"There is still distance. But I will treat them as a neighbor. I will communicate, open markets, and create paths for exchange."
The king nodded slowly. Yangju was not a land that could survive solely on military power. The way people were managed was its defense.
The river still flowed quietly. The report of that day was peaceful, but the way peace was being maintained was already changing.