🌻 A Sword for Her Freedom
Ji-nara remained at the inn for days, anxiously awaiting Tian Ke's return. Yun Yuhua stayed by her side, offering gentle reassurances to keep her spirits from falling.
Meanwhile, at the distant border, Tian Ke stood before the abandoned house where his grandmother had once disappeared. Dust covered the broken walls, and silence hung heavy in the air. Moments later, the Ming Emperor stepped inside, his expression solemn as he took in the decayed remains of what was once Anke's home.
"This was where your grandparents built their life together," the Emperor said quietly. "Yet you come now, before their fate has been uncovered. Tell me—what presses you so urgently that you would turn from one unanswered mystery to another? My patience for these riddles is wearing thin."
Tian Ke smiled faintly as he ran his fingers across the cracked wood.
"The truth behind their disappearance still matters to me... but another burden has come to weigh heavily on my heart," he answered.
The Emperor studied him closely. "What burden do you speak of?"
Tian Ke exhaled, his brow furrowing.
"I ask for your help to annul a marriage. A political one," he said. The Emperor immediately shook his head.
"I do not involve myself in such matters lightly."
Tian Ke lifted his gaze, steady and clear.
"It concerns a Mongol princess. One who carries Joseon blood," he pressed. At this, the Emperor's hand froze midair, his expression sharpening.
"You speak of the Mongols' Third Prince—who seeks to marry his own niece?"
Tian Ke gave a firm nod.
"Please. Though they share no blood, such a union is intolerable. Worse, the girl herself has refused."
The Emperor's face hardened, but he shook his head again.
"I have no grounds to interfere—"
"Then make me the reason!" Tian Ke burst out, his voice echoing through the hollow house. The Emperor stiffened, struck by the fierce loyalty in Tian Ke's voice—a sound full of both courage and the quiet authority of someone meant to rule.
The Ming Emperor had made his decision — and so had Tian Ke. Though no words were exchanged, the bond between them grew deeper, woven by blood and trust.
Tian Ke set off at once, determined to return to Joseon and deliver the news to Ji-nara and her mother. As for the Ming Emperor, he too changed his path. Instead of returning to the palace, he rode toward Mongolia. He knew well that a stubborn Mongol would not accept the edict unless it was handed down in person.
Days passed. Tian Ke rode tirelessly, reaching Gaeseong sooner than anyone expected, the royal edict secured within his robes. Yet, although he had returned, Ji-nara was no longer safe.
On her way back from the market to the inn, Ji-nara never made it to see Tian Ke's arrival. Two men seized her from the narrow alleys of Gaeseong, muffling her cries before disappearing into the crowded streets.
"Tian Ke!" Ji-nara screamed inwardly, her heart pounding, before darkness claimed her. The two men swiftly bound her hands and feet, lifting her limp body onto a horse. Then they rode off—heading toward Mongolia.
At that very moment, Tian Ke drew near the inn. On his path back, he caught sight of two unfamiliar riders. Their garments bore the distinct markings of Mongol warriors. Tian Ke slowed, a chill of unease creeping up his spine. Suddenly, Lee Hae rushed toward him, her face stricken with terror.
"Please, help! They have taken my daughter!" she cried out desperately.
Yun Yuhua, standing nearby, froze in shock before swiftly seizing her bow, quiver, and sword. Without hesitation, she dashed toward the marketplace, her eyes burning with determination. Tian Ke stood motionless in the center of the market, struggling to steady his breathing.
"She… Was it her…?" His voice broke, unable to form full words. Qian'ai hurried to his side, gripping his sword tightly.
"They bear the Third Prince's crest," Lee Hae said urgently, pointing to the badge she had glimpsed. "There is no mistaking it."
Just then, Seo Ju burst out of the inn, his face pale.
"That means… it is no mere abduction. They seek to take her to Mongolia!" Qian'ai shouted. "We must move, Dage!"
Without a word, Tian Ke leapt onto the nearest horse and spurred it into a full gallop, racing out of the village alone. Yun Yuhua and Qian'ai quickly mounted another and chased after him without hesitation. Seo Ju watched them go, then turned on his heel toward the palace.
"Where are you going?" Lee Hae demanded, seizing his sleeve. "My daughter has been taken! You know what that means—!"
"I know," Seo Ju cut her off coldly. "I am going to summon His Majesty."
Lee Hae stiffened, understanding immediately. If the King himself intervened, this matter would shake all of Joseon and Mongolia. Without another word, she seized a merchant's horse, swinging up with swift grace. She met Seo Ju's gaze firmly.
"Then I shall ride ahead. I will delay them as best I can."
Tian Ke rode without pause toward Mongolia, a single thought burning in his mind: to protect Ji-nara's dignity at all costs. Yun Yuhua and Qian'ai followed closely behind, their loyalty unshaken. Not a second could be wasted; their horses flew over the earth as though sensing their urgency.
As they neared the Mongol camp, Lee Hae, who had shadowed them from behind, suddenly pulled her horse alongside Tian Ke and pinched his shoulder sharply.
"I will speak with them first," she said in a low voice. "If things turn for the worse, you may intervene."
Though concern flickered across Tian Ke and his siblings' faces, they trusted her judgment.
"Understood," Tian Ke answered, his voice steady. Lee Hae dismounted and walked straight into the tent, her steps unyielding. Inside, the so-called Mongolian Third Prince lounged arrogantly at the center.
"Great Aunt! You have come at last," he greeted her with a smirk. "I spoke with Great Uncle. He said you had agreed to bring Jinaran to me… but then you changed your mind."
Lee Hae scoffed coldly.
"So what if I did? I never promised you her hand," she said, her voice sharp. "Tell me—why did you steal her away like a thief?"
The Third Prince laughed, feigning innocence.
"Great Aunt, what are you saying? Great Uncle gave me his blessing already!" he declared, his confidence thick and shameless. Lee Hae's eyes darkened.
"If you truly loved Jinaran, you would honor her wishes. You would not trample over her to satisfy your own greed," she said icily. The Third Prince's face twisted at her words.
"Great Aunt," he called again, his voice hardening. Lee Hae did not flinch.
"Return my daughter to me," she demanded, every word ringing with authority. The Third Prince threw his head back and laughed, the sound wild and mocking.
"Why?" the Third Prince shouted. "So she can marry that low-born commoner? You would rather hand her to a nobody than to a commander like me? I am a prince — and with her, I could rise even higher!"
Lee Hae's face twisted in disgust.
"At least that young man holds no desire to harm her," she said, her voice cutting.
The Third Prince's eyes narrowed. In a flash, he drew his sword and pressed it to her throat. Lee Hae did not so much as blink. He sneered at her, amused by her defiance. From the rear of the tent, two guards dragged Ji-nara in. Her mouth was bound, but her muffled cries filled the air.
"Ma!" she screamed, kicking and struggling to break free, but the men held her fast. Lee Hae's eyes sharpened. She knew at once.
"What have you done to my husband?" she demanded. The Third Prince smiled cruelly.
"He refused to hand her over. So I put him to sleep," he said with twisted delight. "As for her… she will be mine before the night ends."
At those words, rage surged through Lee Hae. She lunged for the Third Prince's sword, grabbing his wrist to wrench it away — but he was faster. He shoved her roughly to the ground. Ji-nara cried out, trying desperately to push the cloth from her mouth.
"Ma!!" she screamed as loud as she could.
At that moment, the tent flaps burst open. The Ming Emperor entered, flanked by Tian Ke, Qian'ai, and Yun Yuhua. The sight that met their eyes was shameful — the Joseon Princess fallen to the floor, and the drunken Third Prince posturing like a king. The Ming Emperor's face turned thunderous.
"How dare you lay your hands on your Great Aunt, bearer of Joseon royal blood!" the Ming Emperor thundered, his voice shaking the very walls of the tent. The Third Prince recoiled, his face draining of color. Panic flashed in his eyes as he stumbled backward. Why would a Ming Emperor appear here, in the heart of a Mongol camp? Lee Hae herself could not fathom it — but at the sight of Ji-nara being freed, all questions fled her mind.
"Ma!" Ji-nara cried out, rushing into her mother's arms. Lee Hae caught her, holding her tightly, her voice trembling with both rage and relief.
"I'm glad you're safe…" she whispered, brushing Ji-nara's hair back with a trembling hand.
Tears streamed down Ji-nara's cheeks. "They hurt Ba… He's still unconscious," she sobbed. At those words, Lee Hae stiffened. Fury lit her veins. Her hand moved instinctively toward the dagger hidden in her sleeve, ready to strike the Third Prince down — but before she could act, the Ming Emperor stepped forward, his gaze like steel.
"Release Khan Hetunara immediately," he commanded, each word a blade. The Third Prince clenched his fists, shooting a murderous glare at Lee Hae and Ji-nara. But under the Ming Emperor's gaze, he had no choice. With a bitter nod, he signaled his men.
Tian Ke watched the reunion silently. A pang stirred deep within him. This bond — the bond between mother and daughter — was something Yun Yuhua had never known. Yet even so, she stood a little taller now, heartened by the sight that such love could still exist.
Moments later, Khan Hetunara was carried out, his breathing shallow but steady. Ji-nara rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she helped tend to him. In the center of the tent, the Ming Emperor took his seat with the solemnity of judgment itself. He fixed his unblinking gaze upon the Third Prince, who shrank visibly beneath the weight of it.
The Emperor's silence was heavier than thunder. He needed no elaborate accusations — the scene before them spoke louder than any words. Greed, humiliation, and the sheer disgrace of a prince attempting to steal a bride without honor or ceremony — such crimes needed no further evidence. The letter of annulment weighed heavy in the Emperor's robes, but heavier still was his disgust. No man who trampled dignity and family in such a manner deserved to claim even the shadow of a crown.
The Third Prince knelt before the Ming Emperor, his gaze lowered in silence. Ji-nara and Lee Hae stepped out, leaving Hetunara in the doctor's care. Tian Ke and his siblings waited outside, their hearts heavy with worry, but patient for Ji-nara's news. At last, Ji-nara emerged from the tent. Her eyes, brimming with tears, found Tian Ke immediately. Seeing them, Yun Yuhua and Qian'ai exchanged a knowing smile and quietly stepped away to give them space.
"Where have you been? Why did you run away?!" Ji-nara cried, her voice shaking.
Tian Ke stood still, watching the storm of emotions on her face. His chest ached at the sight of her, so familiar, so missed. A soft, broken smile touched his lips. Days and nights of relentless riding, without rest, without food — all to reach her — weighed on him at once. As he took a step toward her, wanting nothing more than to hold her, his body gave out.
He collapsed without warning.
"Tian Ke!" Ji-nara screamed.
"Dage!" Yun Yuhua and Qian'ai shouted, rushing to him.