Succession Battle.
Among the numerous women, who will be the heroine linked to the protagonist, truly?
Many fans hope their favorite heroine connects with the protagonist, speculating and discussing how that might happen through various storylines.
The Succession Battle is also content that enhances the enjoyment and immersion in the work.
“I too participated in the Succession Battle while burning the midnight oil.”
There’s nothing more meaningless than fighting online. But I simply cannot bear to deny the heroine I’m rooting for.
It’s a fight worth having.
“No matter what, we shouldn’t fight in the establishment.”
The Succession Battle should take place in designated communities. We shouldn’t bring harm to others.
Hwarin and I separated the members of the Tea and Book Club who were about to throw punches and listened to their words.
“How can a mere courtesan become the Qilin Child of the great Sichuan Tang Family? How can she possibly be Tang Jung’s legitimate wife!”
One member of the Tea and Book Club, acting as if he were from the Sichuan Tang Family, rebuked the other side with indignation.
“What’s stopping her?! She was given the title of Hubei’s number one courtesan from the start! What can a woman addicted to love potions do? Only Du Eung-hyang, who has acted as an ally while building affection throughout volume two, is fit to be Tang Jung’s rightful wife!”
A member supporting Du Eung-hyang boldly expressed his argument.
Unlike the first volume, which needed to build the protagonist’s narrative, the second volume introduced the heroine early on, definitely showcasing Du Eung-hyang’s charm, but who would have known someone would try to change the legitimate wife so soon?
As an author, I’m thrilled; as the manager, I’m troubled.
“H-how can a courtesan be a virgin? Du Eung-hyang must be lying!”
The man who had rebuked hesitated in response to the counter-argument.
“All courtesans were once virgins.”
“How can a woman who claims to be Hubei’s number one courtesan be a virgin?”
“Hah! Writer Ho Pil clearly proclaimed it in the novel that it was from the beginning. How dare you suspect him and jump over the legitimacy discussion?”
“What does it say?”
“In ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’ volume 2. When it’s flipped to the back, on the 20th chapter, the eighteenth line states that from Ho Pil’s perspective, Du Eung-hyang is recognized as a virgin.”
The man pushing for Du Eung-hyang as the legitimate wife spoke without hesitation about the specific part of the explanation.
“Is it true? It’s really written there.”
“How many times has that guy read volume 2 already?”
A few members from the Tea and Book Club pulled out ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’ volume 2 to check, their faces turning to shock. I wrote that, but remembering that specific line is a bit scary.
“Ugh……”
The man who had previously asserted this now wore a troubled expression.
“Tsk tsk. This is why I said not to accept anyone into the Tea and Book Club who hasn’t read ‘The Rise of the Tang Family’ more than ten times. I didn’t think someone who doubts Writer Ho Pil and doesn’t recognize the legitimate wife would come to the Tea and Book Club.”
The man looked down at him with a victorious smile.
“Doubting Writer Ho Pil has been my mistake a hundred or a thousand times. But Du Eung-hyang is still a courtesan. In Sichuan, there’s the daughter of a high-ranking family, the most beautiful woman in Sichuan, Gu Suk-Jung. How dare a girl lacking looks and family be a legitimate wife?”
The man launched a counter-attack, and indeed, claiming that the most beautiful person in Sichuan isn’t the legitimate wife would be tough with any reasonable argument.
“Your logic is flawed. Do you think the most beautiful person in Sichuan is prettier than Hubei’s number one courtesan?”
“What are you talking about? Of course, she’s the most beautiful in Sichuan; it’s only natural she’s prettier than Hubei’s courtesan.”
“To say the beauty of Sichuan is prettier than Hubei’s number one courtesan! How is that a natural statement? I thought this guy was from Hubei, but he turns out to be from Sichuan!”
No way. Using regional sentiments to knock down the logic of Sichuan’s number one beauty!?
“What? That guy is from Sichuan?”
“Is the Tea and Book Club from Hubei now caught in the schemes of a Sichuan guy?”
Several members of the Tea and Book Club looked at the designated Sichuan member, chatter spreading among them.
“No, no! My father and grandfather are all from Hubei! This is a slander!”
“Uuuuuuw! Honorary Sichuanese! Gu Suk-Jung, the honorary Sichuanese! Naturally, it’s obvious Hubei’s number one courtesan is prettier than Sichuan’s number one beauty!”
The man looked disgruntled, but the group supporting Hubei’s number one courtesan wasn’t going to let that opportunity pass.
“How can there be internal strife while upholding support for Sichuan’s number one beauty? Let’s quickly help!”
“How dare you deny the legitimate wife!”
Seeing that the supporter of Sichuan’s number one beauty looked like he was about to be attacked, other members of the Tea and Book Club stepped in.
“The woman Tang Jung has in his heart is not Du Eung-hyang, but Gu Suk-Jung! Throughout both volume one and two, Gu Suk-Jung remained in his heart. How can she be abandoned for Du Eung-hyang to become the legitimate wife?”
“Shut up! Honorary Sichuanese!”
Of course, when the opposition team began to take collective action, the opposing side joined in as well.
“Wha-what?”
“Love has its ways to move! Du Eung-hyang, who accumulated feelings throughout the volume to win over Tang Jung, is more suited to be the legitimate wife!”
“Is just being pretty all it takes?”
“If a woman is just pretty, that’s enough! One can live on beauty alone!”
“Brother. How very stirring a statement that is. Isn’t it true, as a man, you can realize who the legitimate wife is?”
“That brat must not have a sister to say such things.”
“Shut up!”
“Enough already!”
“If you keep causing a ruckus, I’ll have to expel you! If you keep making noise, I’ll enforce the banhammer on your access to the Tea Bookstore!”
Hwarin and I raised our voices to calm them down. Tea and Book Club members, please understand while indulging in your fandom, others are present!
“Ugh. I can’t lose the base of ‘The Rise of the Tang Family.’”
In an instant, the members of the Tea and Book Club split into two, sitting in their respective places.
“I won’t drink from the same tea as those people from now on!”
“We shouldn’t be speaking to people who can’t recognize the legitimate wife. Those who have eyes yet cannot see and ears yet cannot hear. They’re unworthy of conversation.”
The two factions of the Tea and Book Club ended up sitting apart.
———————————-
“Aren’t you going to leave them like that?”
After watching the situation unfold for several days, Hwarin asked me.
“What can we do? Here’s the coffee you ordered.”
I answered while handing over coffee ordered by another customer.
“Since you’re the writer, shouldn’t you say something about not fighting over the legitimate wife?”
“If I like someone, how can I say anything as the author?”
An author saying they voted for their favorite character in a heroine popularity poll can get scorned. Preferences are personal territory, not something an author can dictate.
“Of course as the author…”
Hwarin gazed regretfully at the two factions of the Tea and Book Club glaring at each other.
“Hwarin.”
“Yes?”
“If you developed feelings for someone, would you just give them up right away if someone better appeared?”
Hwarin, I might be thinking a bit too simplistically of you, so let me present a clear metaphor.
“Uh? Uh…”
Hwarin’s eyes widened suddenly, her expression shocked at my question.
How’s that? Instant comprehension, right? But contrary to my expectations, she didn’t answer right away. She slightly lowered her head, glancing at me as if contemplating whether to answer.
“Hwarin?”
Is it such a difficult question that you have to ponder it so deeply?
“If someone more suited comes along, wouldn’t I need to give up?”
“What?”
“I mean… I’m not in a position to give up something like that. No. There wouldn’t be a reason for someone to choose me…”
Hwarin lowered her head deeply, muttering with a dejected voice.
Oh no. I messed up. I’ve thought of Hwarin as so ordinary that I overlooked her complex.
“Hwarin.”
I took Hwarin’s wrist, pulling her towards me. With one hand, I lifted her head to meet her gaze.
“Uh?”
“Don’t let this get you down. You’re a person with enough charm. And your skin issues will definitely get better.”
Even with the reputation of being a good conversationalist, her pain subsided. Plus, with the success of ‘The Rise of the Tang Family,’ her reputation will surely rise.
She will surely heal in the not-too-distant future.
“Me?”
Is she asking if she’s truly charming, or if she will heal someday? There’s no need to ask what she means. No need to inquire, just affirm both.
“Yes. Definitely. So if that happens, don’t give up; have confidence. I’ll be cheering you on from the side.”
Her self-esteem won’t fully recover overnight. There will be times she wants to collapse and give in. In that case, I’ll just keep positively supporting her.
After all, just having someone to encourage you gives you strength.
I looked at her with confident eyes.
“Hrmm. Did you really say that? Right?”
Hwarin’s expression changed almost instantly, and she made a peculiar sound in her nose, slightly curving her lips in a smile.
“Uh? Um.”
“Good. Then I won’t give up.”
With a look that seemed to make some kind of resolve, Hwarin replied to me. Her mood swings were quick, rather strange; maybe she wasn’t as down as I thought.
A bit odd, but well, I’m glad she’s cheering up.
“I’m going to go talk to the Tea and Book Club members for a moment.”
I carried a large tray with two menu items out to the counter.
“Why? They should come over there.”
“Hwarin said to solve the issues of the Tea and Book Club! So I’m going to try a problem-solving solution I’ve specially prepared.”
I exaggerated it on purpose, responding to her question in a classic historical drama tone.
“What new nonsense are you trying to pull? Haha, fine. Just go.”
——————————-
“The tea and snacks are ready.”
I placed different items before the factions known as the Sichuan number one beauty group and the Hubei number one courtesan group.
“Manager. We didn’t order this kind of thing.”
“I thought I’d introduce a new menu to the members of the Tea and Book Club.”
“A new menu? This is just coffee and snacks!”
“Looks like they have coffee. We have tea.”
Before speaking, I glanced at the members of the Sukjeong group and Hyang-a group.
Writer Ho Pil cannot stop the Succession Battle.
As an author, declaring who the legitimate wife would be in a harem story is not the author’s position. How could one dictate individual preferences? As an author, I must simply observe this situation.
But as a manager, it’s different.
Kang Yoon-ho, manager of the Tea Bookstore, can use this situation to his advantage.
“This is not an ordinary tea and coffee. This menu is named the Sukjeong Tea Set and Hyang-a Coffee Set.”
“Sukjeong Tea?”
“Hyang-a Coffee?”
The members of the Tea and Book Club all focused their attention on the menus in front of them.
“I mentioned the conflict among the Tea and Book Club members to Writer Ho Pil, and they were curious about how popular Gu Suk-Jung and Du Eung-hyang really are. After much consideration, the Tea Bookstore has decided to implement these Sukjeong Tea and Hyang-a Coffee sets.”
“What does popularity have to do with this menu?”
“Please check the prices.”
“Gasp! The prices of Sukjeong Tea and Hyang-a Coffee are double that of regular menu items.”
“Correct. Only those who truly like Gu Suk-Jung and Du Eung-hyang will order at that price. I plan to tally up how many sets are ordered and report this to Writer Ho Pil.”
A Succession Battle is about to unfold!?
Then, of course, we need to have a popularity poll. Naturally, a money-based election.
The endless emotional strife arising from the Succession Battle could be slightly alleviated if I provided a solution to it.
“Why specifically tally by the character `正`?”
“It’s to assess how many readers see the true legitimate wife (正室夫人) as being whom.”
Dear readers, the more special menu items you buy, the more you tilt the battle for the legitimate wife in your favor!
“Transmitting the quantity sold to Writer Ho Pil?”
“Then he’ll know which lady is more popular right away!”
“Yes. That’s correct. Writer Ho Pil will not depend on the loud voices of a minority but will truly understand how many people like which lady. And, while I’ve heard it casually, I’ve been told it can even influence how the ending will unfold.”
Of course, I don’t plan on changing the ending. Being swayed by money and giving up the ending I had in mind would not be the author’s way. Still, I’m thinking of ensuring some screen time for the heroines.
“Then does that mean the legitimate wife cannot be Gu Suk-Jung from Sichuan?”
“You can create the legitimate wife with your own hands?”
“Du Eung-hyang can really become the legitimate wife.”
“But manager, isn’t this a bit devious?”
“It’s a misunderstanding. How could I ever do such a thing to Writer Ho Pil? I simply want to use it as a measure for popularity, and all the profits will go to Writer Ho Pil, not the Tea Bookstore.”
Though it’s merely a matter of whether it’s my left pocket or right pocket, really.
“Alright. Then we can’t let Hubei’s number one courtesan take the legitimate wife. Give me three Sukjeong Tea sets!”
“I won’t lose! Give me five Hyang-a Coffee sets!”
“Here, two sets of Sukjeong Tea!”
“I’m falling behind! I’ll buy two sets of Hyang-a Coffee for each person!”
Ever since the special menu sales started on the second floor of the Tea Bookstore, the commotion has somewhat calmed down.
Of course, sales on the second floor of the Tea Bookstore reached an all-time high since its opening.
In Shaanxi Province.
Upon a visit to a large mansion, a middle-aged woman met the man with a startled expression.
“T-tang Daehyub, what brings you here?”
Tang Geoh, the visiting man’s name, could no longer suppress the rising anger he let out into the surroundings. However, no one around Tang Hwarin’s mother, be it the guards or servants, dared to step forward.
“I’ve heard tales of you fleeing due to debt in Yichang.”
“Haha. That’s….”
“None of my concern. I didn’t travel all this distance simply to admonish you for that.”
“Then what brings you here?”
“Hwarin. Where is she?”
