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Chapter Text

The story begins during the tumultuous period of the Three Kingdoms in Korea, recounting the life of a young general named Tae Hoon from the Seong clan of the Goguryeo dynasty.

Born into a small noble family, his father was a high-ranking military commander and his mother was the adopted daughter of the clan leader in the Manchuria region. From a young age, he was trained in martial arts and military tactics. At the age of 15, he followed his father into battle. By 17, he and his father were subduing the powerful Khitan nomadic tribes in Mongolia, and by 21, he was leading an army against the invasion of the Tang and the Silla dynasty.

The constant wars and the suffering of the people led to many uprisings, weakening the royal army. When the alliance with the Tang dynasty collapsed, the king of Silla unexpectedly turned against them and attacked the capital, Pyeongyang, of the Goguryeo dynasty.

His father and he tried to resist, protecting the lives of the nobility and the people. The generals united to defend the capital but failed, and all were killed, including his father, General Seong Han Soo.

He was tasked with protecting the newly crowned King. That night, Silla soldiers stormed the palace, executing all the court officials and palace women. The king immediately surrendered, along with the remaining soldiers and nobles like him, who were captured and taken back to Silla.

From a proud general, in a moment, he became a defeated general of a fallen dynasty.

A prisoner. A slave.

The prisoner convoy set off for Silla at dawn. He and other nobles followed behind the horse-drawn carriage carrying the king. At least they knew the reason: to maintain the dignity of the fallen king due to the past alliance. But the nobles like him had to walk barefoot, wearing prisoner clothes, hands tied behind their backs and necks connected by a rope. Around them, the soldiers of Silla looked haughty, their noses raised high.

Yes, the victors indeed!

Leading the horse at the front of the prisoner convoy was a young general. His name was Yeon Woo, the son of a noble family from the Ji clan in Silla. Tae Hoon's eyes were fixed on the necks of the Ji clan members, his gaze burning with hatred as if wanting to incinerate the enemies.

What could that guy be good at to dare to capture him?

That evening, while the soldiers pitched their tents, the prisoners had to sleep outside, huddling together before the self-made fire. They were given a handful of rice balls each to fill their stomachs, sitting together to find warmth in the cold night.

Outside, Tae Hoon could smell the scent of roasted meat, and the fragrant rice wine the others had seized from the royal warehouse.

At that moment, hatred suddenly overwhelmed his mind. He hated his own uselessness, he hated the cowardice of his king who surrendered to the enemy, he hated those who had killed his family and the innocent people out there.

The lost country, there was really nothing left for him. Thinking so, he decided to abandon his former master, to abandon his homeland, and from now on he could only live for himself. If he were to die, then he would die in a dignified manner, holding his head high with the dignity of a great noble.

Currently, he was planning his escape. However, this was a bit difficult because his neck was tied with a rope and connected to two other people. He didn't want to involve them.

Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the presence of that guy. General Ji Yeon Woo approached, carrying a bundle of blankets for the prisoners. Under the flickering firelight, his clean-shaven face, with its sturdy and resolute features, also exuded kindness. That scholarly face was more suited for a civil official than a military general.

"Come on, everyone share these to keep warm. I apologize for not having enough tents. Tomorrow night, my soldiers will arrange a place for you all to sleep."

Tae Hoon was sitting with his eyes closed, half-listening to what was being said until someone next to him suddenly reached out to take the blanket, pulling along the rope around his neck, and he opened his eyes wide. The nobles around him were rejoicing with the warm blankets, but he alone refused to accept them.

"That guy Seong over there, you'll freeze to death if you don't take it!"

"No need."

General Ji squatted down, at eye level with him. Nearby, that gentle and sincere face looked like it wanted to be punched.

"Who are you...?"

He didn't answer. This Ji didn't need to know his name. At most, Yeon Woo was just a lowly general assigned to guard duty, how could he compare to the renowned general that Tae Hoon once was?

General Ji sighed. "I have such good intentions, if you don't accept then it's fine." Saying so, he stood up and left.

Thinking that Ji Yeon Woo would leave them alone, but no, he kept his word, the next day he passed by the new prisoner camp and distributed more provisions.

Since Tae Hoon was already a prisoner, why would he be kind to him, after all, he had no value in Silla?

Don't want to owe anyone any favors. Just leave him alone, so he can escape from this place.

He wanted to wander the world, roam the mountains, the rivers and the lakes. Later on, no one would remember this young general from the Seong family anymore.

Tae Hoon had been fasting for a few days and was now sitting in the corner of the tent, his hands rubbing the lucky jade pendant his mother wore around his neck, then touching the tiger tattoo on his chest, the symbol of the Seong family lineage.

He hated tattoos back then, but his father insisted that he carry the pride of the Goguryeo nobility with him. The childhood of a lucky noble was so fortunate, enjoying the best education, riding horses, hunting, playing musical instruments, and being served by servants. Because of his multiple talents, his personality was also somewhat arrogant and stubborn. Years of warfare had molded him into the person he was today.

There were footsteps approaching, making him look up. General Ji Yeon Woo handed him a bundle of cloth with a warm blanket and some dry rations. Once again, his good intentions were rejected.

"Why do you keep...?"

"This person is from the Seong family, named Tae Hoon, the only son of a noble lineage among us, formerly holding the position of third-ranked chief military commander." Some noble, seeing his childish behavior, spoke up in annoyance. "His father was the great general Seong Han Soo, after the defense of the citadel failed, he took his own life, leaving only him behind."

"Oh..." General Ji widened his eyes, looking at the person in front of him, who was indeed the renowned general Seong Tae Hoon whom he had heard about many times, and greatly admired his illustrious achievements in the northwestern Goguryeo region. They were almost the same age, but it was regrettable that they had to meet in this ironic situation.

Tae Hoon snorted coldly, exhaling a heavy, tired breath, not bothering to respond.

Yeon Woo blurted out, "It's such a waste of talent to endure slavery!"

Realizing he had spoken out of turn, he quickly turned away, flapping his cloak as he left.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Not knowing which day it was anymore, his intention to escape seemed to be drifting further away. General Ji seemed to be keeping an eye on him everywhere, sneezing once, coughing twice and he would know.

Tae Hoon had to change his plan; after being sold into slavery, it wouldn't be too late to escape. He was skilled in martial arts, so he wasn't afraid of anyone.

Until he found out that his mother had also been taken as a hostage, among the female prisoners following behind them a day later.

The day his escape plan was thwarted was also the day his consciousness left his body.

Walking slowly along the road, suddenly his legs gave way, his knees buckling. His whole body seemed to be pulled downwards, bowing his head to embrace the ground of his motherland, Goguryeo, for the last time, blending with the tortured innocent souls who had shed blood here. Tae Hoon did not realize that after many days of starvation, he had completely exhausted himself and collapsed.

The guards approached, thinking the prisoner was lazy and used a whip to strike. Even after the third strike, he remained motionless. Then General Ji hastily appeared and checked the situation, discovering that this person was in extremely poor condition. Severe physical exhaustion, full of wounds. Some wounds were still bleeding, upon checking the open wounds, they found them festering and emitting a horrible odor.

Panicked, Yeon Woo carried him and urgently called for a doctor, in the following days, he even had him sit on the horse's back. Despite objections from superiors and subordinates, Yeon Woo was determined to save this fallen general. General Ji believed that if fate had arranged for him to meet Seong Tae Hoon, then this special bond would give him a talented and trustworthy companion.

[To be continued]

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

The master-slave life continued to pass by in simplicity, and in the blink of an eye, it had been more than three years. Their relationship grew increasingly intimate, understanding each other as if they were sworn soulmates. On days spent playing chess until late at night, sitting under the cherry blossom tree drinking wine and reciting poetry, or sparring in the training grounds, they merged into one, able to see through each other's hearts and minds. Yeon Woo's gaze remained as gentle as ever, shining brightly whenever they conversed, curved like a crescent moon whenever he smiled at him.

Tae Hoon felt a strange sensation every time he looked into those eyes. It made his heart ache with each beat, thinking of a day when he would no longer see those eyes.

"Hoon-ah, I cherish you greatly, do you know?" Yeon Woo blurted out one drunken evening. "I want to keep you by my side, forever."

"Is the master going back on his word?"

"I... no. I just... want to marry you, so you won't leave me."

The drunken ramblings of a man, Tae Hoon would not take them seriously. The heir of the Ji family was already betrothed to the Choi family's daughter, and their wedding was imminent.

Meanwhile, war broke out on the territory of old Goguryeo with the new kingdom of Balhae. The court mobilized slaves to serve in the army, issuing promises that if they survived after two years, they would be granted freedom.

Recognizing this as the fastest opportunity to escape slavery and return to Goguryeo, Tae Hoon secretly signed up. With a history of military achievements, the Kim family's prince immediately approved his appointment as commander of an infantry battalion.

The night he fled the estate and marched with the army was also the night before the Ji family heir's wedding. Prior to that, he had written a brief letter, asking the steward to deliver it:

Master, as you read this letter, I am leading troops to battle against Balhae. Over the past three years, you have treated me exceptionally well, and I am forever grateful, however, I still wish to fight for my freedom. If I survive the two years, I will definitely return to visit you once. In the meantime, please take care of yourself and your family.

A few nights earlier, Yeon Woo had been drinking and crying with him, relentlessly asking why he was crying but unable to speak through the tears. All he knew was to cry, cry endlessly, gripping Tae Hoon's hands tightly and begging for blessings from his soulmate. Yeon Woo also expressed a desire for him to be present on the most important day of his life.

Sadly, their fate came to an abrupt end. Ji Yeon Woo found peace in his family, while Seong Tae Hoon was far away, wielding his sword to drive the enemy out of Silla.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Promising to go for only two years, unexpectedly, the war dragged on endlessly, with successive kingdoms and provinces invading Silla, all of which were defeated by the Silla army. Seong Tae Hoon, from a lowly unnamed command position, though officially a slave, had been promoted to the rank of cavalry lieutenant, then further promoted to the rank of left-positioned general, continuing to serve the court for another four years before retiring.

The king and princes from the Kim clan deeply regretted their past mistake of not acquiring him. Tae Hoon merely smiled to himself upon hearing this.

But how was his former master doing?

He had no way of knowing. The day he left was also the day his master lost his soulmate. Then, that winter, an epidemic in the capital took away his parents, wife, and children, leaving him all alone in the estate.

Tae Hoon returned on an early spring day. He stood humbly at the door, still clad in armor. Those inside thought it was some noble visitor until the steward recognized the familiar face beneath the calvary helmet.

"Oh! Is that Hoon?"

"It's me, the former left general, here to see your master."

The old steward, despite his advanced age and frailty, excitedly ran inside to deliver the news. Not long after, his former master appeared.

Years of loneliness had aged him, with a sunken face and a few strands of gray hair. But his gentle eyes remained the same, his smile still soft and unchanged. Tae Hoon didn't know how to start, but before he could say anything, he was attacked by two streams of tears.

"H-Hoon... Hoon-ah..."

"I'm... I'm here, Ji Yeon Woo."

"Now... now I only have you, Hoon... only you..." Yeon Woo hugged him, burying his head in his chest. "Please don't leave me... please don't leave me again..."

Just as Tae Hoon was about to express his intention to leave, he still wanted to travel the world one last time. When he revealed his plan, Yeon Woo insisted on accompanying him.

"What about your responsibilities in the capital?" he asked. "The family duties, will you just leave them all behind?"

"I..."

"Listen, I'll stay with you for a while, until mid-June. I'll go after that. I'm just going out to enjoy life, not to die."

"But..."

"Hush!" He placed a finger on his lips. "Be good here, wait for me to come back. My soulmate, I promise I will return."

Yeon Woo sniffled, his soft lips unconsciously kissing the finger. Sitting close together in the reading room, under candlelight, they whispered to each other like that.

Suddenly, he blurted out. "I want to marry you."

Tae Hoon widened his eyes, unsure how to respond. In the end, he had to laugh out loud, finally understanding his former master's feelings all this time.

"Alright, I'll let you marry me. Once married, I'll stay here forever." With that, he gently kissed his master's forehead. "Ji Yeon Woo, I also cherish you dearly."

In response, the Ji family head rushed forward, locking lips with the Seong family's former general. They stared at each other, then laughed, and then kissed again.

It's hard to say how long it was, but Seong Tae Hoon returned after his journey across the four corners of the world. 

And after 20 more years of serving the court, Ji Yeon Woo also retired from public life, living in seclusion with his male lover until the end of his days.

[The End]