Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

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Chapter 146: Fabre in the Four Heavenly Houses

As soon as I finished explaining, the princess sprang from her seat and shouted.

“Ah! You’re talking about the story of Tang Taizong, right? The Junior Hero? The one where the common people suffered from locusts and he swallowed the locusts alive? I’ve read it too. No, I should say someone read it to me!”

‘Ah, so it was Tang Taizong? Not Solomon?’

The princess proclaimed that the protagonist of the story I mentioned was Tang Taizong.

But what difference did it make if he was Solomon or Tang Taizong?

As long as our interests aligned, that was all that mattered.

“What does it matter who it was? Whether I read it or someone read it to me, what’s important is that right now, we can help each other.”

“Is that so? I thought we would help each other by understanding one another. Ahahaha.”

I had thought the princess had a serious personality, but now it seemed that was just a facade, and her actual demeanor was quite refreshing.

The princess beamed and praised me.

“Right! That’s a great idea! Swallowing the bugs alive, and if they disappear, that would surely move the hearts of the people… It’s also a good method to inform the court. Yes, we should have Binak swallow a few! Junior Hero, you have such exceptional wisdom!”

“Well, I get told that a lot. Haha.”

‘Oh dear! But didn’t they say the governor had an incurable disease?’

But as we were excited together, it hit me that they said the governor had a terminal illness, didn’t they?

Feeling a bit guilty about asking a sick person to swallow bugs, I cautiously inquired.

“But doesn’t the governor, um… have an incurable disease?”

The princess replied dismissively.

“Hmm… He’ll be fine. The healer said there was no need to be cautious about his diet.”

“Healer?”

While the love bug wasn’t technically food, what surprised me was the mention of the healer by the princess.

I had heard that the healer was the best in the Central Plains.

I thought the governor was merely waiting to die, holding sacrificial rites, but it seemed to imply he had received treatment from the healer, which was unexpected.

So I looked at the princess in surprise, and she shot me a serious look.

“Don’t tell me you think that? That I would go out to find a man with a terminal illness to use as a fake fiancé? That I’m some kind of cold-hearted woman who just offers sacrifices to Binak?”

‘Wasn’t that the case?’

I had assumed it was, but her expression said otherwise.

The princess continued, looking incredulous.

“I’m obsessed with the sword, not some madwoman!”

She adamantly declared that she wasn’t crazy, but honestly, she didn’t seem quite normal.

The differences between us were obvious.

I was simply mad about poisons, not truly mad, while the princess seemed to be fixated on her sword to the point of missing a few screws.

But not wanting to ruin our good relationship, I waved my hands and replied.

“Of course not. I hadn’t really talked to you much, but I never thought you to be such a heartless person at all.”

The princess nodded.

She then elaborated on our relationship.

“Indeed. Binak was someone who wouldn’t be strange to drop dead any moment now. What I did was just prolong his life with the healer and herbalist. Lucky if he lasts another five years, they said.”

So, Binak, who was destined to live a lonely life in poverty, had engaged in a master-servant relationship with me under the notion that he’d get to enjoy a bit of wealth in life.

“Well, that’s good then.”

Since the best healers in the Central Plains had examined him, a bug or two should be fine, and knowing the details of their relationship gave me the impression that it was like clearing out grievances before dying.

After all, I had a terminal illness too, and if the princess promised me the Ten Great Venoms, I would definitely not refuse such a position as the fake fiancé.

Resolving old grudges before dying seemed reasonable.

“Then, please send for the governor. Based on the condition of the copulation bugs, he’ll need to gather people to eat them by tomorrow morning.”

“Ah, got it!”

The princess jumped up and called out for the governor, who rushed in.

As the governor entered and looked at the princess, she nodded.

“The discussion has concluded well. Fortunately, the Junior Hero here understood me. Now, we are on the same boat. He has agreed to assist us.”

“Ooh, that’s wonderful! So, we have another servant for the princess? Junior Hero, then let’s serve the princess with our lives. Though I hold the title of governor, this is all thanks to the princess, and I’m of humble origin, so feel free to treat me like a brother.”

‘Huh? What’s this? Oh no!’

The mention of being on the same boat and the governor’s line about serving the princess made me realize I had temporarily forgotten about wanting to restore Yeon-du to the Flying Heavenly Snake. Ultimately, helping the princess also meant assisting her in her sham marriage.

I recalled why the princess had said earlier that revealing our intentions could lead to death.

If we got caught, we might face the emperor’s wrath.

‘Damn it… As soon as the topic of poisons comes up, my thoughts get all scrambled… I can’t blame the princess for this…’

But what could I do now?

The story was already out in the open.

As I accepted my fate, their conversation continued.

“The Junior Hero said he has a good way to help the princess?”

“Yes, he provided excellent advice.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief. So how do we proceed?”

The governor asked, his face brightening at the good news.

The princess spoke to him with a very serious tone.

“Binak, swallow the bugs as an act of loyalty (loyalty means insect)!”

“Excuse me?”

The governor looked flustered.

Wish the princess would provide a bit more clarification instead of repeating herself in different ways.

She had confused people with ‘leaving home’ and ‘getting married’, and now she was saying to swallow the “loyalty” bugs instead.

‘This doesn’t seem normal, right?’

*

The following day, a massive performance unfolded in front of the government office, bustling with people like love bugs.

It wasn’t simply about demonstrating eating bugs; they were holding a ceremony to offer to the heavens.

Back in these times, such sacrifices were made during droughts or disasters to appease the sky.

Rather than calling out to the crowd, saying the governor had something to announce, it was believed that this kind of ceremony would attract even more people, as food would be distributed afterward.

In front of a splendidly arranged sacrificial table, the murmurs of the crowd could be heard amidst the flying bugs.

“The governor is finally performing the ceremony?”

“Considering it’s due to the newly appointed governor, he couldn’t just sit idly by.”

“This isn’t just about the governor – when something big happens during the rise of a new person, isn’t that the reason for it?”

“Oh, careful, this person is surrounded by guards. Should anything go wrong, it might lead to a fine, so watch your mouth.”

As expected, the chatter among the people blamed the newly appointed governor.

Then, before the grand sacrificial table, the governor stepped forward, lit incense, and declared.

“To the heavens, why do you torment the people of Akyang like this!? Why do you make them shed tears?”

And he bowed deeply.

Then he raised his voice to the heavens once more.

“I offer this ritual to appease your anger, so please, calm your wrath!”

“Is it over?”

“Are they about to indulge a bit today?”

“Better hurry and line up.”

The crowd thought the ritual would conclude simply, anticipating the offerings, though the governor’s next words changed everything.

“However, if I cannot appease your wrath, then all the anger shall rest upon me, the governor of Akyang, Seobinak!”

At that moment, the governor swiftly grabbed a handful of the bugs that had been swirling around the sacrificial table.

And then his hand went towards his mouth.

‘Did he just say to eat a couple? It looks like it escalated to a full show!’

Love bugs have corrosive innards that erode metals.

So if one bursts in his mouth, there’s a sour taste to it, and the gentleman, who struggled to eat even one while practicing at night, was now throwing dozens into his mouth during the main event.

Looking over at the princess, she wore a thoroughly pleased smile.

So far, the plan had been executed well, but the crowd still hadn’t grasped what the governor was doing.

Since the love bugs weren’t large and were far from the governor, viewers couldn’t tell if he was eating them or not.

What was needed at that moment?

A hype-man.

I, alongside Hua Eun, the artisan, and Older Sister Seol, among other crew members, began shouting from the crowd.

“The governor has eaten the dark bugs!”

“The governor has ingested the dark bugs for the people!”

This sparked a commotion among the people.

“He ate the dark bugs?”

“No way. How could he eat those dark bugs…?”

“I thought being a fake fiancé was all about being lucky in marrying well, but it turns out he genuinely cares for the people like this!?”

And two days passed.

After those two days, as all the dark bugs had died and fallen to the ground, the atmosphere in Akyang shifted dramatically from the initial commotion during the ceremony.

The townspeople, who had earlier whispered that the dark bugs were the governor’s fault, began to worry.

“Is the governor alright, considering all those dark bugs fell dead?”

“I found this hawthorn in the mountains! I wish to offer it to the governor.”

“This is angelica, I was wondering if it could help you…”

Now that all the bugs had perished, they assumed that the wrath of the heavens had been borne solely by the governor, making them increasingly concerned for his well-being.

For that reason, from the morning onward, the townsfolk began presenting him with herbal remedies, even if they weren’t of the highest quality.

“This is effective, isn’t it? I won’t forget this kindness.”

A single person looked pleased, seeing such a scene.

The princess stepped out from the reception hall, unable to hold back her expression of joy.

“You must keep your promise to help the Martial Forest Alliance.”

“Of course. Not only will I allow troops to be dispatched, but I will ensure those scoundrels never set foot in the Central Plains. Someone sneaked into my place in Akyang, and if that someone is a member of the Blood Cult, the emperor will be furious.”

The princess was the type of person who would tell such lies to get what she wanted.

Thinking things were going well, I inquired about the whereabouts of the spirit creature she mentioned.

“Then about that Hua Li…”

“Oh! Of course! Did you think I’d forget? Everything is prepared!”

The princess pulled out a note from her pocket and slid it across to me.

“Go to Botam with this note and give it to my master. Then he will give you what you seek.”

“That Hua Li is in Botam?”

“Yes, I’ve heard from letters exchanged between my master that a large Hua Li lives in the lake within the mountains of Botam.”

‘I see, so I just need to sail down the Zhang River and a bit further down to Zhejiang?’

It might be a bit far, but if I took the boat, it would be easy to reach.

I nodded with a joyful expression.

“Thank you!”

“No, thank you. And now that we’ve shared our secrets, let’s keep in touch from time to time.”

“Does this mean…?”

Just as I thought we had mutually concluded our deal, a shout broke through my thoughts.

“Oh! I almost forgot this.”

“What is it?”

Confusion arose at the princess’s remark about forgetting something when she smiled at me.

“The Spirit Peak in Botam is a place only women can enter. Be sure to dress as a woman before you go. I’ve mentioned it in the note to my master, so please make sure you don’t attract anyone’s attention.”

“Wha-? Cross-dress?”

Now I had to dress as a woman because of the poisons?

The path of hobbies in the Martial Forest World was turning increasingly treacherous.

‘Should I change my hobbies instead?’