My Lordship's Alliance

Chapter Ten: The Change of Course

"I still can't believe that he would do that to her!" Jungwon said as both the brothers were returning to the river bank after meeting Shim Jayoon. Heeseung looked expressionless. He was deep in thought.
"Miss Gim trusted that guy immensely" Jungwon continued, "now what will happen to our Sunwoo!"

"We must find her," Heeseung said.
"Whaaa..." Jungwon was interrupted.
"We can't leave her here," Heeseung looked at Jungwon who already had the notion that this idea is not for the best, "I am going back to the city and I am going to look for her in each and every nook and corner there. We must find her!"

"But hyung, it's going to be tough! It's better to help Sunwoo flee the Bak household than find the lady." Jungwon said.

"No, it would be a great sin to leave her here. We must find her!" Heeseung took off immediately and Jungwon, having no other choice, followed his hyung.

Both the men walked through the busy streets searching for Da-hee. Hopeless, Heeseung entered the same Buddhist temple around which the scholars were having an exposition. Jungwon and Heeseung were so tired and thought of resting a while inside the temple hall escaping from the scorching Sun outside.

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Back in the Bak's family, Sunwoo was getting along with all the in-laws. Sunghoon's mother and sister were so helpful and they asked Sunwoo and Chul to accompany them to have a group bath in the nearby lake. But Sunwoo escaped from such a situation due to mere luck or to speak, a rather unfortunate event. Chul got a cut wound on her hand as she was collecting firewood from the nearby forest and was bleeding a lot. Mrs Bak told Jongsaeng to bring the village physician but Chul insisted that she was afraid of the old man and wanted nothing to do with him. So everyone agreed that someone would stay by Chul's side as the others went to the lake. And after so much consideration the Bak ladies postponed their idea of a group bath and left for the main house. The Bak family stayed in the main house while the newlyweds were staying in a house nearby that was constructed just for the two.

It has been four days since the wedding and Sunghoon has been busy all these days. He would spend his time inside the study and at times, people would come and discuss things with him and go. Sometimes he would accompany them. Sunwoo would carefully observe his husband and his habits. In the morning Sunghoon prefers to get up before sunrise and wants to have a cup of chamomile tea. With that he would wash up and get ready to pray at the family shrine. After having a light breakfast, he would go out for work. Sunwoo doesn't know anything about Sunghoons job or what he does? But every day at noon, the main family would send their manservant to his workplace to give him lunch! Sunwoo finds it rather strange. After the marriage and housewarming, shouldn't he make him lunch and send it? Anyway after work, Sunghoon would come straight back to his house and spend the entire evening in his study examining documents. During those times, no one is allowed to enter the room or disturb him.

Chul's wound was not dried and she was bleeding. Sunwoo had learnt from his mother-in-law that Sunghoon's has kept some essential medicinal herbs in his study. There was no other way, in order to stop Chul's bleeding Sunwoo entered Lord Bak's study!

Sunwoo's heart raced as he entered his husband's study, its hallowed atmosphere made him cautiously push open the heavy oak door, creaking its aged wood. The room, bathed in the same soft, amber light, revealed itself anew as he scanned the shelves, searching for the medicine that could halt the blood flow from Chul's wound.

As he stepped into his husband's study, a world of wonders unfolded before him. The light from outside filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, ethereal glow upon the room and its contents. Sunwoo, overwhelmed by the richness of this room, realized that he had entered it not to admire its artistry but to search for medicine. Sunwoo's gaze suddenly landed on the antique apothecary cabinet, a treasure trove of remedies collected over generations. Its intricate wooden drawers held vials of precious elixirs, dried herbs, and tinctures of forgotten potency. Dust motes danced in the air, bearing witness to this act. As he went through each bottle, suddenly his legs slipped and he fell on the table behind his back throwing some papers from the desk on the floor in the process.