Outside the room, San-gyeong, who had followed quietly, watched the scene unfold with his subordinates.

“Wow, things are getting wild in there.”

“Shh.”

San-gyeong silenced him.

Inside, Woo-hye banged her stick on the floor with a sharp thud and shouted sternly,

“Enough!”

Only then did Hyang-eum release her grip on Choeul’s hair, snorting with rage. In her hand, along with the hairpin, was a handful of Choeul’s hair.

The sound of Choeul sniffling was the only thing that remained in the room.

Woo-hye, still staring at the bright red mess in front of her, spoke.

“According to the Dan family’s house law, a slave who steals her master’s jewellery or wedding clothes is to be flogged fifty times and handed over to the authorities. I’m sure Nanny Gye is well aware of this.”

“Are you saying you’re going to punish my daughter? What has she even stolen?”

Nanny Gye replied shamelessly.

“Didn’t the young lady always share her belongings with Choeul? This foolish girl must have thought it was the same this time and made an honest mistake. You’re being too harsh.”

“If the wedding dress hadn’t been torn, I might have agreed with you, Nanny.”

Woo-hye replied coolly. Then she threw the stick she was holding at Nanny Gye and Choeul.

“Ah!”

“But the dress was torn. The wedding is tomorrow – how can you take responsibility for that?”

Nanny Gye looked like she was about to explode with frustration, but Woo-hye’s anger was so justified that she didn’t dare to argue.

It was the wedding dress, after all. Even damaging normal clothes would warrant a brutal punishment, let alone this.

If Woo-hye hadn’t been in her current situation, Choeul would have been beaten bloody by now.

On the other hand, she couldn’t freely punish Nanny Gye and Choeul because of her current status.

“What is so important about a wedding dress? It’s not even that torn! A few stitches and it’ll be fine. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

Pushing her luck, Nanny Gye gradually regained her confidence.

She had an irrefutable reason why Woo-hye couldn’t treat her ruthlessly.

“My mistress entrusted me with all of Yeonmowon’s household affairs. Whether it’s the wedding dress or the dowry, everything is my responsibility. What right do you have to punish my daughter?”

“You seem to have forgotten that there are laws in Cheonhaeguk, Nanny.

“Are you threatening me now? Have you forgotten that I have Hyang-eum’s slave document?”

That was exactly why Woo-hye had set this whole trap – to provoke a scene like this.

“You’re the one who clearly doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation. Do you not understand how important this marriage alliance is?”

“Are you trying to confuse me again with your pretty words? I won’t fall for your clever tricks, my lady!”

“When the marriage contract arrived, I’m sure Second Mother also sent you a separate letter. Telling you to keep an eye on me – make sure I don’t ruin the engagement.”

Nanny Gye froze in horror.

‘How… how did she know?’

She had often wondered if Woo-hye could really see – her instincts were too sharp, almost uncanny.

Woo-hye gave her a pitying look.

“The Dan family is a respected noble house. You know how much Father despises merchants. And yet, Lady Seol arranged this marriage between me and Lord Cheong-un. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out what’s at stake in this union, do you?”

The letter hadn’t laid out the terms of the deal, but it had been clear: the wedding must happen at an auspicious date and time, Woo-hye must not be allowed to run away, and she must be made to conceive quickly.

Iho gave a low whistle.

“Lady Dan’s insight is no joke.”

‘Was it really insight? Or had someone told her?’

San-gyeong stared at Woo-hye with cold eyes.

“What… what does that have to do with anything?”

Nanny Gye still tried to argue.

But then San-gyeong entered the room.

“Everything Lady Dan said is true.”

“Lord Cheong-un. What brings you here?”

“I heard there was a problem with the wedding, so I came to see for myself.”

He looked down at Choeul as if she were something impure.

“It seems that some impure energy has contaminated the bride’s dress.”

“W-What…!”

Before Nanny Gye could protest, he interrupted her.

“The date for the wedding, which my father set after sending the sajudanja, was not chosen at random. Each item sent in the dowry has its own meaning. And now, because of your daughter, there’s a problem.”

The Grand Master of the Taesang Trading House was known for his superstitious beliefs. There was no way such a man would miss such an ominous event.

Although Nanny Gye was seething with anger, she couldn’t say a word. At moments like this, she could not think of even the most outrageous excuse.

Woo-hye, meanwhile, was quietly surprised at how willing San-gyeong was to take her side – even though she hadn’t expected it.

‘Why does he keep helping me?’

Cornered, Nanny Gye suddenly burst out,

“Lord Cheong-un! Oppressing me like this when I have full authority over the household affairs is no different from defying Madam herself!”

Had he been the real Cheong-un, he might have recoiled at her forceful tone.

After all, Nanny Gye was one of Seol Mi-hee’s oldest and most trusted aides, someone she had brought with her from her childhood home and kept close to her ever since.

She had so much power that even the embezzlement she committed while running Doha was quietly ignored.

But her opponent was San-gyeong.

He wasn’t a fool to be shaken by someone like her.

“The date Taesang chose is directly linked to the fate of his descendants. Only when the first child between me and Lady Dan is born will the rest of the promised payment be delivered to Lady Seol.”

“……”

“And how do you want to explain what happened here?”

What Seol Mi-hee wanted was money. What Taesang wanted was a son from a noble daughter.

Woo-hye smiled bitterly.

‘They want a child from me?’

But she was someone who struggled to conceive.

Nevertheless, the medical certificate given to Seol Mi-hee last year, along with Woo-hye’s portrait, stated that, apart from being totally blind, she had no other major health problems.

Of course, this document had been forged.

Finally, when no other trick came to mind, Nanny Gye turned around and slapped Choeul hard in the face.

“You brainless fool! How dare you touch the lady’s things! Is that what I taught you?”

“Ah! M-Mother?!”

If things went wrong now, knowing Seol Mi-hee’s personality, she would never let her live.

Nanny Gye decided that no matter what, the wedding had to come first. Crushing her opponent with her mistress’s power could come later.

Woo-hye saw through her intentions and ruined her plan to lessen Choeul’s punishment by beating her daughter severely first.

“Stop it, Nanny. Beating her won’t erase Choeul’s crime.”

Nanny Gye glared at Woo-hye with venom in her eyes.

“Then what do I have to do to earn your forgiveness?”

“Do you ask when you already know the answer?”

“You want me to hand over Hyang-eum’s slave document, don’t you?”

Woo-hye just looked down in silence. But for some reason, Nanny Gye felt that her gaze was directed directly and oppressively at her and her daughter.

Finally, Woo-hye replied,

“Hand over Hyang-eum’s slave document and I’ll forget today’s incident.

That document was her trump card, the thing that gave her control over Woo-hye.

But if things continued like this, Choeul would be whipped and dragged to the authorities.

With a heavy heart, Nanny Gye admitted defeat.

“All right.”

But San-gyeong had no intention of letting things go so easily.

“She won’t be sent to the authorities, but a slave who dared to touch her master’s things cannot go unpunished. Iho, take this girl and give her thirty lashes.”

“Yes, sir!”

As Choeul was dragged out, she screamed and cursed the whole way. Much of her screaming was directed at her own mother in resentment.

San-gyeong continued with another order.

“Madam Gye will take full responsibility for the wedding dress. It must be in perfect condition by tomorrow.”

Saying “in perfect condition” instead of simply “repaired” meant that she would probably have to remake the entire sleeve.

It was an unreasonable demand, made purely to torment her, but Nanny Gye couldn’t protest if she had ten mouths.

“…Understood.”

She replied, pale and staggering as she retreated.

Only then did the tense atmosphere that had gripped the room finally dissipate.

Hyang-eum’s eyes quickly filled with tears.

“Did you do this on purpose because of me? Why would you do such a thing? This slave document isn’t worth it – your wedding dress is completely ruined!”

“We can just mend the dress and wear it again.”

“My lady…”

Sang-yeong looked at Woo-hye with a strange expression.

He had never thought of her as the type to just take things in stride, so he had always wondered why she allowed Nanny Gye to have full authority. Now he understood.

‘She must really care for the maid.’

“There’s no need to fix the wedding dress.”

At his words, both Woo-hye and Hyang-eum looked confused.

Iho added an explanation.

“Just in case something happens, we brought a spare wedding dress for the lady from our side.”

‘This was what it meant to be thoroughly prepared.’