《Futile Love》 Chapter 1 A butterfly-shaped hair ornament, sprinkled with red, white, and blue jewels gently swayed in the breeze. Gilded accessories made with all kinds of jewels gleamed. A braided, black ornamental wig styled with all sorts of ornaments and a red-eyed golden dragon hairpin rested on her head. Soft and luxurious red silk wrapped around her body embroidered with artificial flowers and butterflies in golden thread. Over it all, a thin, white see-through cloth lay. Tears streamed down her pure face from her black eyes past her red lips and soaked her red and white clothes. The sedan chair was full of the scent of delicate makeup and tears. *** King Chung shook his head. Queen Yo clenched her small fist and said in a trembling voice, ¡°Does she really have to go like this?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rtwzo5e1479ed59feb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rtwzo5e1479ed59feb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rtwzo5e1479ed59feb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rtwzo5e1479ed59feb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rtwzo5e1479ed59feb {display: block;}} ¡°The Emperor wanted a princess with the surname meaning ¡®a shining tree.¡¯ Seriously.¡± ¡°¡­ shining tree. ¡± Mokhwa (ľÈA) was close enough. Mokhwa was the surname of the orthodox royal family of the Hwa Kingdom. No collateral royal family members could use that character meaning Mok or ¡®tree¡¯ as their surname. The amicable royal family of the Hwa Kingdom was full of young members. There were ten princes. Unfortunately, there was only one daughter. There had been a long and secret correspondence between the Hwa Kingdom and the great empire of the Mok Kingdom. King Chung made great efforts both domestically and internationally to strengthen its power and create a comfortable kingdom. Before he realized his dream, he received a letter from the king of the great empire, the longtime protector of the Hwa Kingdom, a small and weak country. What was to come in the future was a golden chance, but it was also a big challenge to King Chung. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sthhu5e1479ed59f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sthhu5e1479ed59f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sthhu5e1479ed59f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sthhu5e1479ed59f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sthhu5e1479ed59f41 {display: block;}} Now, the Mok Kingdom badly needed a princess who inherited the surname of Mokhwa. The right path for the Hwa Kingdom was already set, which was to marry her off to the Mok Kingdom. But the problem was the fragility of human beings. The princess was King Chung and Quee Yo¡¯s only precious daughter. ¡°Your Excellency, as you know, she is our only daughter.¡± The Queen said. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t want to send her, either.¡± King Chung¡¯s voice trembled. Queen Yo¡¯s face was filled with shock. To her, the king was like heaven, the universe, and the giant presence that ruled over everything. However, he was also in deep agony, and he was as stressed as the queen because their only daughter had to leave for Mok Kingdom. ¡°I am so sorry I didn¡¯t understand your intention¡­¡± the queen slurred finally. While saying that, she burst into tears, venting her pent-up sorrow. King Chung stroked her shoulders warmly and wrapped her in his arms. ¡°If we send her off this time, can we see her again?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it. I¡¯m sorry.¡± King Chung changed the topic. Obviously, they would not see her again if the princess left for the great empire, the Mok Kingdom, but he could not frankly tell this to the queen because she couldn¡¯t stand being separated from her daughter forever. Of course, Queen Yo was already aware of it, but she initially felt the matter of sending her off to the Mok Kingdom was just too nonsensical because she didn¡¯t want to believe it. The king said he was so sorry that he could not answer his wife¡¯s question. Big teardrops fell from Queen Yo¡¯s eyes. The king sighed deeply, lamenting that he could not comfort her no matter how much he tried. ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± said the skinny girl, who seemed a little over fifteen years old, to her nanny, stricken with fear. ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Are you kidding me, right? That¡¯s so ridiculous, nanny. ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rmudn5e1479ed59f96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rmudn5e1479ed59f96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rmudn5e1479ed59f96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rmudn5e1479ed59f96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rmudn5e1479ed59f96 {display: block;}} While grumbling about it, she was about to burst into tears. Her nanny comforted her with a somber face. ¡°Your Majesty, poor Princess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say I¡¯m pitiful, don¡¯t look at me with a sad face like that!¡± This quiet girl screamed and then jumped into the nanny¡¯s arms. ¡°You¡¯re lying, nanny. I can¡¯t believe the king will send me off to a foreign country. The queen won¡¯t let me go to a foreign country¡­ ¡± The girl wrapped in the nanny¡¯s arms trembled so much. At that moment, the royal eunuch called her from outside, ¡°The King wants to see you, Princess Woorum.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iarxh5e1479ed5a052 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iarxh5e1479ed5a052 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iarxh5e1479ed5a052 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iarxh5e1479ed5a052 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iarxh5e1479ed5a052 {display: block;}} The girl¡¯s face turned white even though her father wanted to see her in his executive office. The girl freaked out when she learned that her father called her there, instead of his own private study, where she usually saw him. The king and queen sat on a high podium. ¡°Your Majesty King and Queen, your daughter is here at your call.¡± ¡°Woorum!¡± Even before she finished speaking, the queen came down quickly and hugged her daughter. But when the king called the queen in a stern voice, Queen Yo quickly returned to her seat next to him. Her little figure began to tremble. It was the first time the princess heard her father¡¯s voice thundering through the room. When she sat down with difficulty, the king opened his mouth, holding a golden patch. ¡°Listen to me, Woorum, the First Princess of Hwa Kingdom!¡± As she was scared at the moment, she did not notice that King Chung¡¯s voice, which was usually solid, trembled. ¡°According to the message from the Mok Kingdom that they would like to receive a princess with the surname Mokhwa, I have chosen the First Princess Woorum. So, keep your body clean and get prepared to go to the Mok Kingdom, starting today.¡± What her nanny said was true. The young woman trembled like a small bird: the First Princess of Hwa Kingdom, Woorum Mokhwa. The whole royal family of the Hwa Kingdom, with its members more amicable among themselves than other than any other royal family, became gloomy because their only princess left for a foreign country. In particular, Queen Yo¡¯s sorrow, the mother of the princess, was beyond description. She did not touch a drop of water until the next noon after eating only a little porridge that morning. ¡°The Queen, your mother, doesn¡¯t feel good,¡± said a royal eunuch. Prince Mingung, who heard the news, hardened his expression. Although he was not Yo¡¯s biological son, Prince Mingung played the role of a son as the king and the queen had no son. ¡°After Woorum left, this palace feels so lonely,¡± said the prince. Although the princess left only yesterday, he felt a year had already passed. In fact, the princess was a precious daughter doted on by the whole royal family including her brothers. He murmured, ¡°How lonely she probably is since she left alone for the faraway country for marriage.¡± ¡°I hear her nanny went with her,¡± said the eunuch. ¡°Really? How wonderful! ¡± Though the prince used the wording ¡®alone¡¯ in a different context, the eunuch didn¡¯t know it and mentioned ¡®nanny¡¯ to comfort the prince who was in distress because of Woorum. ¡°Most likely that little girl would be crying now. ¡± Prince Mingung looked out the window with a fixed gaze at the sky. *** The sky was blue, and sometimes, there were white clouds floating. The birds in pairs flew in the sky, singing for joy. There were little and colorful spring flowers on the roadside. A fragrant spring breeze blew somewhere and tickled the noses of the pedestrians. On such a peaceful spring day, Woorum, the princess of the Hwa Kingdom, was on her way to the Mok Kingdom to get married to its crowned prince. Woorum would soon arrive in the Mok Kingdom. She did not know how long she had been riding in the sedan chair. She just got out and ate when her nanny asked her to have a meal then got in again and cried inside for a while. She took turns getting in and out of the sedan chair on her way to the Mok Kingdom, sobbing all the way. Though she cried while she was on her way to the Mok Kingdom, her tears had no sign of drying out. On the contrary, the further she went away from her home country, the more tears came out. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yhrvk5e1479ed59ee1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yhrvk5e1479ed59ee1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yhrvk5e1479ed59ee1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yhrvk5e1479ed59ee1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yhrvk5e1479ed59ee1 {display: block;}} Finally, the door of the sedan chair slowly opened. And she saw a man standing outside the sedan chair. *** The spacious residence was embellished much more lavishly than Woorum¡¯s in the Hwa Kingdom. With golden and red cloth hung from the ceiling, it was studded with expensive ornaments everywhere. Ohyulje, the Emperor of the Mok Kingdom was seated in the deepest and highest place of that spacious residence. Seated right below Ohyulje was Empress Taeryong, and the man sitting with his head slightly down was the crowned prince of the Mok Kingdom. ¡°The Hwa Kingdom is becoming too strong for us to ignore it as a small country,¡± said Emperor Ohyulje. How scared he was about his father¡¯s low and stern voice in his childhood! But the prince now grew up enough to hear his voice without batting an eye. If he had not been bound by decorum, he would have been bold enough to look into his eyes. Crowned Prince Bipaan had no fear of facing the emperor neither did he budge a bit before him. ¡°I heard she was a young girl,¡± said Bipaan. Chapter 2 At that moment, Queen Taeryeong bowed a little forward and said, her eyes slanted upward, ¡°No, she is not young. I hear she has just come of age, so she is old enough to get married, Prince Bipaan.¡± With a little sigh, Bipaan asked his father, ¡°Your Majesty, do you have a reason to get me only young girls for my wife?¡± ¡°Well, ¡®young¡¯ might be her defect, but you don¡¯t have any reason to reject them because they¡¯re young, right?¡± said the emperor. Bipaan was silent because the emperor was right. Though they were young, it was favorable for him to have young royal concubines because they were daughters of those in important positions in the government and gave him connections to expanded his power on his path to take the throne. The woman Crown Prince Bipaan had early on as his first crowned princess was the daughter of Taegongsin, the strongest vassal of the Mok Kingdom. And the woman, now confirmed as his new crowned princess, was the only daughter of the Hwa Kingdom, the neighboring country that had been expanding power steadily. The only concern he had about her as the crowned princess was that she might have been raised as a spoilt child, doted on by her elder brother and younger brothers. He had no intention to accept it even if she wanted to act like a baby. If she tried to, she would only have a hard time. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bcmex5e1479eda1278 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bcmex5e1479eda1278 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bcmex5e1479eda1278 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bcmex5e1479eda1278 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bcmex5e1479eda1278 {display: block;}} ¡°I think I was narrow-minded. I would like to accept your decision gladly, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Got it. You can leave now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bowing deeply to him, Bipaan stepped back and headed for his residence. Several months passed after he discussed the matter with the emperor. He was reading a book in his residence in the East Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kxpfl5e1479eda1112 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kxpfl5e1479eda1112 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kxpfl5e1479eda1112 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kxpfl5e1479eda1112 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kxpfl5e1479eda1112 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Majesty, crowned prince!¡± said the eunuch. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°The First Princess of the Hwa Kingdom has just arrived.¡± When the eunuch conveyed the message, he closed the book. For the first time in several months, he thought about this woman from the Hwa Kingdom. She was a woman who came alone all the way down here to become his wife. ¡°Who greeted her?¡± In fact, he had no intention to greet her in person from the beginning. ¡°I hear that the other crowned prince taking a stroll in the royal garden greeted her.¡± ¡°Ruhae?¡± Bipaan¡¯s eyebrows suddenly wiggled. Prince Ruhae was his antithesis. Ruhae had a completely different personality. He had no interest in the throne even though he rose to the position of crowned prince after defeating numerous crowned prince and prince candidates. He was a generous man who always smiled at even the commoners warmly. Although Bipaan didn¡¯t like his actions, Ruhae was still the only favorite of Bipaan. Bipaan thought that as the third in line to the throne without any greed for the throne, Ruhae would be quite helpful to him. ¡°I feel relieved to know Ruhae greeted her.¡± Bipaan opened the book again. His interest in the woman who would be his next crown princess disappeared instantly. The sedan chair carrying Princess Woorum entered the main gate of the outer palace. A group of royal guards stood in front of the gate. In the center of them was Prince Ruhae and a royal attendant. Ruhae watched the sedan chair slow down as it came into the palace with a gentle smile on his lips. ¡®The princess of the Hwa Kingdom is inside that sedan chair. As I hear, the Hwa Kingdom has only one royal princess. It looks like the king of Hwa Kingdom must have made a very difficult decision.¡¯ The general who escorted the princess to the Mok Kingdom introduced himself to Ruhae. After greeting him, Ruhae approached the sedan chair. The sedan chair bearers opened its door gently. ¡°Thanks a lot for coming as far as this¡­¡± When the door was opened, Ruhae smelled a young woman¡¯s soft cosmetics mixed with her tears inside the sedan chair. Inside the chair was a small woman dressed in red silk clothes, with a white see-through linen covering her whole body. Her eyes were still filled with tears and her clothes were already soaked with tears. At that moment, Ruhae was looking at her blankly, at a loss for words. This young woman soaked with tears already captivated his heart. Escorted by Ruhae, Woorum arrived at the backyard of the outer palace. He showed her around the backyard to comfort her for a moment. Full of spring flowers, the backyard was so beautiful that Woorum briefly forgot her sorrow and smiled brightly. A couple of small birds flew around the yard, circled around Woorum and flew high into the sky. Woorum burst into innocent laughter like a child when she saw the birds. Standing at a distance from her, Ruhae watched walk around. When Woorum sat under a big tree in the backyard, he approached her, sat down beside her and asked, ¡°May I have your name?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I should have introduced myself first to you,¡± she said, blushing. ¡°My name is Woorum Mokhwa, the First Princess of King Chung of the Hwa Kingdom.¡± ¡°Woorum?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.teakx5e1479eda1172 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.teakx5e1479eda1172 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.teakx5e1479eda1172 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.teakx5e1479eda1172 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.teakx5e1479eda1172 {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. My name consists of the character ¡®woo¡¯ meaning ¡®rain,¡¯ and ¡®rum¡¯ meaning ¡®cold.¡¯ So, it means cold rain.¡± ¡°Oh, is it because your name means cold rain that you shed so many tears?¡± She blushed all the more at Ruhae¡¯s joke. Did she recall her silly figure who kept shedding tears while she was coming a long journey here? She slightly hid her face with her sleeves. ¡°By the way, may I have your name, Prince?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ctmml5e1479eda1331 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ctmml5e1479eda1331 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ctmml5e1479eda1331 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ctmml5e1479eda1331 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ctmml5e1479eda1331 {display: block;}} At her question, he was suddenly embarrassed and looked around. Fortunately, there was only he and Woorum here. When she mentioned ¡®Prince,¡¯ she clearly referred to him. So, if someone with an evil intention had overheard this, both of them would have run into big trouble. That was the sorry state of the imperial family of the Mok Kingdom. Ruhae hastily corrected her misunderstanding. ¡°I¡¯m not a prince. I¡¯m just one of the imperial family members.¡± When he shook his hands, Woorum realized her mistake and hid her face again with her sleeves. She looked as if she were a child. With a gentle smile he opened his mouth, ¡°They call me Uljin Yu. Yu means ¡®only,¡¯ ¡®Ul¡¯ means a bird and ¡®Jin¡¯ means ¡®save.¡¯ Interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then, does your name mean ¡®saving a bird¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. It means ¡®saving a bird. It¡¯s a funny name.¡± ¡°Well, I think your name has great significance in that it means saving somebody. It¡¯s far from funny. By the way, I hear they don¡¯t analyze the meaning of one¡¯s surname. Is that true?¡± As if she was curious about it, Woorum asked. She asked many questions. Standing with a blank face for a minute, he gave her a gentle smile. Likely, she thought that when he told her about his name Uljin Yu, she thought that his last name was Yu and his given name was Uljin. In fact, he told her that he was a member of the imperial family of the Mok Kingdom, but didn¡¯t mention the surname of the royal family ¡®Danmok,¡¯ which caused her to misunderstand again. He was about to correct her but stopped because he wanted to pull a prank. When he just kept smiling, Woorum tilted her head to one side and said, ¡°Oh, my god, it¡¯s my mistake¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell anybody about this, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± He looked at her with a gentle smile, reassuring her that she didn¡¯t have to worry. He heard she came of age, but she looked much younger. How could such a young lady be the Crown Princess? Crown Princess. At that moment, he felt a sting in his heart, a sharp pain. His face suddenly hardened. ¡°What the heck is this? Why?¡± He put his hand on his heart. A moment ago, he felt a sharp pain in that spot. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked with a worried look. When he suddenly had a gloomy expression, after smiling and chatting pleasantly with her until a moment ago, Woorum became worried about him. He looked at her with a blank face. Her eyes were wobbling. She couldn¡¯t avoid his eyes. Both of them felt awkward when their eyes met for a moment, but when he turned his eyes away, she could also feel relaxed. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xicbd5e1479eda10b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xicbd5e1479eda10b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xicbd5e1479eda10b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xicbd5e1479eda10b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xicbd5e1479eda10b6 {display: block;}} ¡°Let me escort you to your room. Please follow me,¡± said he with a rigid voice. He stood up first and walked away. Though she tried to stand up and follow him, she found her legs wobbly. When he couldn¡¯t hear her footsteps behind, he turned back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Uljin Yu, my legs are¡­¡± she said feebly in a trembling voice. ¡°Were you injured?¡± As she was sitting quietly while she was talking with him, so there was no possibility that she was injured. So, he quickly came to her, surprised at her trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m alright, but I can¡¯t stand up because I can¡¯t give strength to my legs.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that you were not wounded. Please excuse me for a minute. Even before she finished her stumbling words, he lifted her up in his arms. ¡°Good heavens!¡± Chapter 3 There are currently two countries that adopted the emperor system, or those countries called empires. The two countries are the Mok Kingdom, located in the southeastern part of the continental center, and the Ulyoung Kingdom, located in the northernmost part. As the Ulyoung Kingdom was located in the cold north, its influence on other countries was not very strong, despite the territory¡¯s size. Though it was called an empire and treated equally as the Mok Kingdom, the dominant power of the continent was the Mok Kingdom. That¡¯s why the Mok Kingdom was just an ordinary empire but a great empire. As was often the case with those countries with great power, there was intense fighting among successors in the Mok Kingdom. In the reign of the deceased king, the fight to succeed the throne among successors was especially fierce, so all but one successor was killed. Everybody kept mum about it, saying they met a sudden death, but everyone was aware that some of them were killed by one another while others were killed by surviving successors. The only survivor was the prince who had been 6th in line to the throne of the king. He gradually rose from sixth place and took the position of the crowned prince. He was none other than the present Emperor Ohyulje. Some people said that the reason for the fierce fighting for the succession of the emperor was because there were so many princes in many separate palaces. In most countries, there was only the East Palace or the East and West Palace. In the Mok Kingdom, there were not only the East and West Palaces but also the South and North Palaces. The ruler of East Palace was Crown Prince Bipaan. The West Palace was ruled by a prince who was second in line to the throne. The third prince ruled the South Place, and the fourth ruled the North Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xryip5e1479ec56ef0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xryip5e1479ec56ef0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xryip5e1479ec56ef0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xryip5e1479ec56ef0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xryip5e1479ec56ef0 {display: block;}} Emperor Ohyulje was the son of the previous king¡¯s second wife, and later crowned as the prince to succeed the throne. And the current Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom was the son of Emperor Ohyulje¡¯s official wife, so he was the crown prince from the beginning. Finally, the wedding day of Bipaan, the crowned prince of the Mok Kingdom came. As the royal family¡¯s last name was Danmok, meaning a ¡®red tree¡¯, the red color was considered sacred in the Mok Kingdom. The wedding dress was a colorful dress made of red silk. The First Princess of the Hwa Kingdom was at a loss of what to do because of the weight of the red silk dress she put on. ¡°Nanny, this dress is too heavy. ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iqseu5e1479ec56e24 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iqseu5e1479ec56e24 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iqseu5e1479ec56e24 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iqseu5e1479ec56e24 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iqseu5e1479ec56e24 {display: block;}} ¡°Don¡¯t be a crybaby, Your Highness. You haven¡¯t put on the outer dress yet. ¡± ¡°Can I put on more?¡± She looked back at the nanny with a surprised look. The nanny was tying a golden cloth around her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me wrap it around your body to stop it from loosening. ¡± Woorum acted as instructed by the nanny because her tone was firm. When the nanny spoke so firmly, she would not accept her playing like a child no matter how much Woorum whined. After she bound the tightly wrapped cloth over her body with a decorative belt on it, the nanny brought a red garment embroidered with golden flowers. ¡°The wedding clothes of the Mok Kingdom are truly gorgeous. The wedding dress of our country is so simple compared to this,¡± said the nanny. The nanny kept marveling. Some palace maids, who were helping them near the palace wall, giggled at each other after overhearing the nanny saying that to Woorum. ¡°Well, I have seen it when Prince Mingung got married. At that time I really wish I had a chance to wear a fine white wedding dress¡­ I wanted to wear it. ¡± Her eyes were wet with tears when she said that because she missed her motherland at that moment. At the time, her brother, Prince Mingung¡¯s, bride, the royal princess in a white wedding gown looked like a celestial maiden from the moon. The light, white cloth that was wrapped around her fluttered in the wind, and the long lower ends of her cloth made a gentle noise when she walked. While she was carried away with such sentimental thoughts, she heard the nanny¡¯s voice, ¡°Your Highness, you have to put on the crown and cover your body with a red cloth.¡± ¡°Let us help you, too,¡± said the palace maids. ¡°Please sit down.¡± The moment the nanny spoke, the maids quickly brought a cushion with a golden crown on it. When the nanny put the crown of gold and jewelry on her head, someone laid a red cloth on it. Though the fabric was thin, everything was blurry beyond the fabric. ¡°Nanny, I can¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be there to help you.¡± ¡°Nanny, nanny, where are you? Please hold my hand. ¡± Woorum¡¯s waving hands touched something warm. What she touched were dry, big, bony hands. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.znhqu5e1479ec56e8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.znhqu5e1479ec56e8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.znhqu5e1479ec56e8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.znhqu5e1479ec56e8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.znhqu5e1479ec56e8d {display: block;}} ¡°Nanny?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.szlgm5e1479ec56f44 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.szlgm5e1479ec56f44 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.szlgm5e1479ec56f44 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.szlgm5e1479ec56f44 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.szlgm5e1479ec56f44 {display: block;}} When Woorum called the nanny comfortably, she heard many people sitting down and then singing together. ¡°Long live the crowned prince! We¡¯re honored to see Your Majesty, the crown prince!¡± Oh..Your Majesty, Crown Prince¡­ Woorum trembled slightly. While she was looking around without seeing much, confused about whether she should also lower her body, she saw the lower end of the nanny¡¯s skirt as she bowed. Right now, the person¡¯s hand holding hers did not belong to the nanny. Who could it be? She saw a black shadow through her red cloth. ¡°As the princess is late, I¡¯ve come here in person.¡± Woorum shuddered again at someone¡¯s icy voice. His hands were so warm, but how could his voice be so cold? Too embarrassed to say anything, she slightly lowered her head and opened her mouth. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry. I was late because of makeup¡­ ¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. Let me lead you, so just be careful and follow me.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, will do.¡± Even before she finished her words, Bipaan made his point then pulled her hand. Walking behind them were Bipaan¡¯s secretary, a group of palace maids, Woorum¡¯s nanny, and soldiers holding the red flag on both sides. Woorum could not see ahead because she was wearing the red cloth, so she didn¡¯t know such a large group was following her. If she had realized it, she would have freaked out. When Bipaan and Woorum arrived at the entrance of the wedding hall, a loud bugle blared, and the musicians played. When Woorum jumped, surprised at the sound, Bipaan looked at her. Woorum was a much smaller woman than expected. If Bipaan had not been told that she came of age, he would have thought she was a 15-year-old girl with a small figure. Though he never saw her face after she covered it with a cloth, he felt she might look like a young girl. Bipaan bent his waist forward a bit and whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t tremble. As I have to let go of your hand, please watch my steps and follow me well. ¡± ¡°Yes¡­ ¡± Her small voice was trembling faintly. The sound of the musicians¡¯ playing was no more heard in her ears. Bipaan let go of her hands, and Woorum looked down under the fabric of her long cloth in a tense mood. As the lower end of his clothes moved, she also began to move forward. She saw a blue butterfly embroidered on a dark red hem. She walked carefully, paying attention to the moving visibility of the butterfly. Bipaan saw her trembling but pretended not to know. He was not generous enough to care about such a little girl. Woorum and Bipaan were walking on red silk. In her mind, this silk seemed to be endless. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.snsex5e1479ec56db7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.snsex5e1479ec56db7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.snsex5e1479ec56db7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.snsex5e1479ec56db7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.snsex5e1479ec56db7 {display: block;}} She didn¡¯t know how the wedding ended. She was still nervous, sitting on the bed. Her hands were trembling, but she couldn¡¯t stop it. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± She let out a deep sigh. She breathed out loudly on purpose to relieve her tension, but she still trembled. The tension of the wedding ceremony did not subside easily for her. She felt everything was like a dream. No wonder she came to the great empire, the Mok Kingdom, and got married to its crowned prince! What she could remember of the wedding ceremony while in a hazy state was the voice of the emperor that was cold like froth. She thought that the crowned prince¡¯s voice surely resembled the emperor. The emperor¡¯s cold, dignified voice was clearly etched in her mind, even though she was absent-minded as she was so tense. ¡°From now on, forget your former name as the first princess of the Hwa Kingdom, and live as the Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom, caring about the security and well-being of the country. Do you get it, Crown Princess Kyosul?¡± the emperor said. ¡°Kyosul. ¡± ¡®Kyo¡¯ meaning beautiful and ¡®sul¡¯ meaning ¡®autumn wind.¡¯. That was the name that would replace Woorum. Woorum, no, Kyosul, was still covered with red cloth. She kept trembling without relieving her tension. When would her husband Bipaan come to pick her up? Chapter 4 Woorum, the First Princess of the Hwa Kingdom became Kyosul, Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom. Woorum had to forget her childhood name Woorum and live with the royal name Kyosul. Her new name led her to maintain a new lifestyle. Kyosul was waiting for Bipaan on the bed of her residence in the East Palace. In her mind, she seemed to wait for a long time, but actually she waited only briefly when she heard the sound. ¡°His Excellency, the Crown Prince has arrived.¡± As soon as the court lady announced his arrival, the sliding door of her residence opened and Bipaan was escorted inside. Kyosul clenched her hands on her knees before she knew. She heard his footsteps coming nearer and the red silk wrapped around her body was removed by him. Kyosul waited with her eyes closed. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.aoveg5e1479ec5e538 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.aoveg5e1479ec5e538 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.aoveg5e1479ec5e538 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.aoveg5e1479ec5e538 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.aoveg5e1479ec5e538 {display: block;}} ¡°Open your eyes.¡± At that moment, her closed eyes trembled then opened, revealing her black pupils slowly. She now saw Bipaan¡¯s red royal dress embroidered with golden thread. After he removed the red silk covering her face and dropped it to the floor, he carefully looked at her. Her eyebrows and her white forehead were neat, and the eyelashes of her closed eyes were long. Her small nose was neither high nor low, and her small and thick lips were as red as a pomegranate. Her slender cheeks and slim jawline led to her slender neck, and her neck was skinny enough to reveal its joints. When she opened her eyes, her small face began to come to life. Her big eyes were wet as if she were about to burst into tears. ¡°Please raise your head.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.woxlf5e1479ec5e48c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.woxlf5e1479ec5e48c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.woxlf5e1479ec5e48c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.woxlf5e1479ec5e48c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.woxlf5e1479ec5e48c {display: block;}} ¡°¡­ ¡± ¡°Raise your head and look at me. I am Bipaan, your husband.¡± She slowly raised his head. Her big eyes were full of fear. Fear, fear. How come she is still scared of me? Isn¡¯t she a young girl? Bipaan burst into laughter. She sat face to face with Bipaan for the first time. Is his face a piece of carved ice or stone? She felt his face was icy and rigid, but still handsome. His eyes shone sharply and seemed to penetrate everything, and his high nose and red lips were curved slightly. She felt he seemed to smile, but his faint smile disappeared and hardened in no time. It was the face of an adult man. Bipaan and Kyosul looked at each other silently for a while. It was Bipaan who broke the silence first. He took off his red robes and put them at the end of the bed. When he took off the red cloak like the petals of the sweetbrier, he revealed dark red robes. Bipaan took off her outer garments and removed the crown studded with ornaments. And that was it. ¡°Princess,¡± he called her name. When Bipaan took off his clothes, Kyosul, who was curling up her body with her eyes closed, raised her head and looked at him. He gently stroked her face with his warm and large hands. With his hand down, he stepped back a step. His face became cold and rigid right away. ¡°I don¡¯t care whatever you do here. Whether you embroider or read books, I won¡¯t meddle with you, but you shouldn¡¯t block my way. You should not disturb my efforts to succeed the throne. Remember it. Other than that your can live freely the way you want, ¡± he said. After he notified her about matters that require her attention in a cold voice, which was not fast or slow, he turned around and sat at the drinking table. With his back to her, he continued, ¡°By the way, don¡¯t wait for me. I will never seek you. ¡± Having said that, he never again opened his mouth. With surprised eyes, she did not even dare to open their mouth while looking at his back. The first night of their wedding passed like that. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.posql5e1479ec5e4e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.posql5e1479ec5e4e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.posql5e1479ec5e4e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.posql5e1479ec5e4e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.posql5e1479ec5e4e4 {display: block;}} When the day dawned, Bipaan rose from his bed and disappeared after he opened the sliding door. He never turned his eyes on her after that. With his back to her all through the night, he left the next morning. Perhaps Bipaan had stayed awake all night while sitting at the drinking table. And it was the same with Kyosul. Sitting in the same place she had been the night before, she also stayed up all through the night while looking at his back with surprised eyes. Bang! When he left after closing the sliding door, her small body collapsed. Without even making noise, she kept shedding tears. She was so scared of him. She thought for a moment that it would be okay to be held in his arms when he smiled slightly and touched her warmly. He was still scary. His cold voice seemed to tear her apart. His cold voice seemed like a piece of ice that flew through her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vkvgj5e1479ec5e58f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vkvgj5e1479ec5e58f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vkvgj5e1479ec5e58f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vkvgj5e1479ec5e58f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vkvgj5e1479ec5e58f {display: block;}} While crying her fill, she suddenly conjured up the face of the royal family member who greeted her on the day she arrived in the Mok Kingdom. He said his name was Uljin Yu and smiled at her. ¡°I would rather¡­ . ¡± She squeezed the blanket with her thin fingers. ¡°If he were a crown prince. ¡± Once again, tears dropped from her big eyes. *** The sky was blue. As usual, Ruhae was looking up at the sky with a gentle smile. The sky was deeply blue, but he was not as calm and peaceful as his smile. Her eyes were red. He drank alone all night long. He could not call a princess nor a royal official in charge. For he had no answer when asked why he was drinking alone. He himself didn¡¯t know why. As there was no one to fill his cup, he had to drink alone. He had never drunk that much before. ¡°Why did I drink so much like this, Woorum?¡± Surprised by his own calling of that name, he stopped smiling. His eyes, which were always bent in the shape of a half moon because of his constant smiling, looked astonished. He touched his mouth with his trembling hand then put it on his chest. His heart was pounding. Last night was the first night of Crown Prince and Crown Princess. *** Dongchon Palace was located in Bipaan¡¯s residence in the center of East Palace and was always quiet. Even a little court lady held her breath and never raised her voice there. Sitting in a library with his book open, his chin resting on his right hand. Bipaan tapped on the desk with his right finger meaninglessly. Tok tok tok tok ¡­ His long nails hit the wooden desk, making a clear sound. Though he had been reading a book for a while after returning from Kyosul¡¯s palace, he didn¡¯t yet turn a page. When he had a book on the desk but wasn¡¯t reading, it indicated that he had some questions. Now, he had two questions in his head, whose answers he had been looking for. Why did I stroke her face then? Why did I stay up all night? She was a young girl. She was young but beautiful. And she had eyes that seemed to burst into tears. Her fear of him was as full as her tears. Her hands trembled like aspen and turned white with fear. She had a slim figure that seemed likely to collapse at any moment, covered in big red clothes. ¡°Poor little girl.¡± Murmuring to himself, he laughed uncontrollably. Was it because of that? Was it because he felt pitiful about that young girl from a faraway country? He swept down his chest with his left hand. ¡°Have I ever had feelings like sympathy or compassion before? That¡¯s funny. ¡± As if he had resolved his question, he turned his eyes on the book and turned the page. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rouhe5e1479ec5e42c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rouhe5e1479ec5e42c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rouhe5e1479ec5e42c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rouhe5e1479ec5e42c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rouhe5e1479ec5e42c {display: block;}} *** After she cried her fill, Kyosul was staring at the drinking table with a blank expression. Bipaan did not touch a sip or a side dish. Standing up, helped by her slender arms supporting her body, she took off the layers of red cloth one by one with wobbly hands. She again fell into bed, dressed in a white sheet, and pulled the silk blanket across her body. ¡°I wish he were my¡­ . ¡± Murmuring to herself, she fell into sleep soundly as she couldn¡¯t sleep overnight. Tears, which seemed to dry out after her good cry, dropped from her closed eyes and soaked the silk blanket. The sun rose in the sky. As there was no sign of Kyosul being around, her nanny started rolling her feet. ¡°Didn¡¯t she wake up yet? I don¡¯t see any sign of her getting up and moving around. ¡± When the nanny became impatient, the royal ladies standing with their heads bowed signalled to each other with eyes as if they were nervous. ¡°Will you go inside to check on her?¡± ¡°Ugh?¡± ¡°As you, Lady Yuon, are her nanny, I don¡¯t think she will scold you for going in,¡± one court lady said. Chapter 5 The nanny of Kyosul was offered the official title of Lady Yuon in the Mok Kingdom. Though she was from a commoner¡¯s family, she was chosen as the nanny for Woorum when she lived in the Hwa Kingdom, and even in the Mok Kingdom she continued to take care of Kyosul. ¡°We¡¯re also worried about her. We wouldn¡¯t dare to come into her room without her approval.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Let me go and check out.¡± When she nodded, the court ladies opened the sliding door of Kyosul¡¯s room. Once inside, she looked around her room. Her room was dim even though the day broke because she didn¡¯t open the window. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.stzdy5e1479ec53f92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.stzdy5e1479ec53f92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.stzdy5e1479ec53f92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.stzdy5e1479ec53f92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.stzdy5e1479ec53f92 {display: block;}} Sunlight was shining through the window, dividing the room in half. ¡°Your Highness?¡± The drinking table had not been touched at all. When she looked at the bed, she saw the blanket pulled up. ¡°Your Highness, are you sick?¡± When she gently approached her and stroked her cheek, Kyosul opened her eyes feebly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ncbkb5e1479ec53ef2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ncbkb5e1479ec53ef2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ncbkb5e1479ec53ef2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ncbkb5e1479ec53ef2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ncbkb5e1479ec53ef2 {display: block;}} ¡°¡­Nanny.¡± Kyosul¡¯s eyes were welled up with tears again when she called the nanny. Surprised at her tears, she climbed onto the bed and held her in her arms. ¡°Your Highness, What¡¯s the matter with you? ¡± ¡°Nanny, nanny¡­ ¡± Dropping tears, she was hugged into the nanny¡¯s bosom. The nanny was really heartbroken to see her crying. Making a long face, the nanny stroked her slender body gently. ¡°What did the Crown Prince tell you? Did he really hurt your feelings? Oh, poor Kyosul! What should I do?¡± While soothing her, the nanny suddenly looked inside the blanket she lifted to be hugged. The white bedsheet was clean. At that moment, the nanny¡¯s face hardened. When the nanny stopped stroking her body, Kyosul looked up at her. ¡°Your Highness, did the Crown Princess just leave?¡± ¡°Nanny, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Did you sleep alone here last night?¡± When Kyosul found out what the nanny meant, she blushed. ¡°¡­ ¡± As Kyosul didn¡¯t reply, the nanny took it as her answer and let her get up and stand outside the bed. Standing on the floor as instructed by the nanny, she looked at her, touching her lips as if she were nervous. ¡°No one should know that the Crown Prince just left last night,¡± the nanny said. ¡°Nanny, why?¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­I just don¡¯t understand why His Excellency sent this little girl to a faraway country.¡± Nanny¡¯s eyes were welled up with tears. What she meant by High Excellency was King Chung of the Hwa Kingdom, namely Kyosul¡¯s father. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gyles5e1479ec53f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gyles5e1479ec53f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gyles5e1479ec53f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gyles5e1479ec53f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gyles5e1479ec53f41 {display: block;}} ¡°The lords and members of the imperial family here won¡¯t look at you favorably. So, if they find out the Crown Prince didn¡¯t sleep here last night on the wedding night, and if they ever know he treated you coldly, what would happen to you?¡± Nanny shook her head and added, ¡°No, never. You should make sure they should never find it out. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll hurt you if they do.¡± The nanny¡¯s voice trembled. Kyosul seemed to understand her now. Since Kyosul came from a foreign country, she wasn¡¯t on good ground, which meant her position was very dangerous. Only the Crown Prince who got married to her could protect her. If it were publicly revealed that he was neglecting her, she would certainly be attacked by a wicked group even if she held the title of Crown Princess. Especially in the imperial kingdom of the Mok Kingdom, notorious for its intense power struggles, she would be put in great danger. Wiping her tears, the nanny looked firmly at the white bedspread. ¡°I¡¯m determined to protect you in this dangerous palace.¡± The nanny pulled out a small silver dagger from her bosom. Even before Kyosul understood her behavior, the nanny cut the little finger of her left hand with the dagger and sprinkled the blood on the bedspread. ¡°Nanny!¡± Startled at the scene, Kyosul hugged the nanny. The white bedspread was reddening with the nanny¡¯s blood. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.usgkk5e1479ec53fe6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.usgkk5e1479ec53fe6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.usgkk5e1479ec53fe6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.usgkk5e1479ec53fe6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.usgkk5e1479ec53fe6 {display: block;}} ¡°By nature, the bedsheet is supposed to have a trace of red blood on the wedding night. Rumors in the palace typically spread first from the court ladies doing chores.¡± As if she didn¡¯t feel pain, the nanny spoke with a determined look. Shedding tears, Kyosul wrapped her severed finger with her white clothes. ¡°Let me call the court ladies to change the bedsheet a little later. They will prove that the Crown Prince slept with you on the wedding night,¡± the nanny said. ¡°Nanny, nanny¡­ I don¡¯t know why. I don¡¯t want you to be put in danger.¡± Listening to her in an absent sort of way, Kyosul wanted only to see the blood stop flowing from her cut little finger. Kyosul¡¯s white cloth turned red like the bedspread. *** It was very quiet in the morning in Dongchon Palace. Bipaan, who got up at dawn, was doing miscellaneous work in his study at the residence. As the Crown Prince, he was busy every day. He usually did miscellaneous work before he read classical works before the emperor and then continued it after lunch. After that he handled the official duties assigned to him. Emperor Ohyulje entrusted a part of the national affairs to the princes over four palaces. In the late afternoon, Bipaan practiced martial arts, archery, and horse riding. When it got dark, he again read classical works before the emperor and handled personal matters or spent free time before going to bed. His daily routine was tightly scheduled, which made him pretty busy every day, but Bipaan took care of the national affairs perfectly every day. But today he was different. A court official in charge broke his concentration and reported to him silently, ¡°Your Excellency Crown Prince, your wife has just arrived. ¡± ¡°Kyosul?¡± He put down the paper and brush he was holding. He told the official to bring in the Crown Princess right away. Her visit caused an unusual hiccup in his daily routine which was repeated every day. ¡°Did you have a good sleep last night?¡± she asked. A young woman, clad in several layers of silken clothes, bowed to him politely on a small cushion. Kyosul still felt awkward about her dress and makeup as the crown princess. Asking him with a trembling voice, she sat down on the mat cushion. ¡°Did you have a sound sleep and have a good breakfast?¡± she asked. As if she was well prepared, she spoke confidently but seemed tense as she didn¡¯t fix her gaze at him while talking to him. Bipaan breathed deeply. The reason he didn¡¯t burst into laughter, barely holding his breath, was because he was trained to remain calm for a long time. Bipaan, who made a calm look, was looking at her quietly and finally opened his mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I am here to do morning greetings to you.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Opened her eyes wide, she looked at him. Her eyes that were so clear were also unfamiliar to him. ¡°Nobody could expect that a bride deserted by a groom on the wedding night would come to do morning greetings to the groom early the next morning.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ . ¡± Kyosul nodded. She seemed to understand what he meant by. She puckered her lips. Her lips were circled down. He found her lips small and bashful, to his surprise. ¡°I¡¯m scared of you.¡± Did she not understand what he meant? He was surprised at her quite straightforward answer. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nzchg5e1479ec53e95 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nzchg5e1479ec53e95 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nzchg5e1479ec53e95 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nzchg5e1479ec53e95 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nzchg5e1479ec53e95 {display: block;}} ¡°I was scared because I felt you were angry as you deserted me last night, and I was worried as you might not like me because I¡¯m a little girl from a small country¡­. ¡± Bowing her head, she tried to read his mind while looking at him. As if what she said was true, she looked like a frightened young animal. He cleared his throat before he knew. Suddenly, he felt a bit pain in his temple. Only two days after he married Kyosul, he realized that she was the type of woman that he had never met before. Her straightforward replies as well as her open expression of her genuine feelings were embarrassing and unexpected. During his 23 years of life up to now, she was the woman who embarrassed him in the shortest possible time. What a little bitch she is! In the end, he turned away his eyes. Looking into her clear eyes, he found it hard to breathe calmly. He was even worried he might fart in her presence. He knew that he cleared his throat in spite of himself. ¡°If you¡¯re scared, you don¡¯t have to look at me,¡± he said. ¡°Isn¡¯t my due manner to come and say good morning to you?¡± She said she was scared, but she didn¡¯t fail to respond to his question confidently. Hearing that, Bipaan realized why she came to see him in the morning. One was largely the difference in their laws, and the other was the difference in the royal atmosphere of the two kingdoms. ¡°It¡¯s only natural that in a small royal family like yours, in the Hwa Kingdom, you say hello to each other face to face, but you are now a member of the imperial family. Here, it will be difficult for the royal family members to pass by each other¡¯s shadow. Even royal couples rarely bump into each other here.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep. The Imperial Palace is a busy place to say the least¡± In particular, the royal families of the Mok Kingdom were hostile to each other. Of course, greetings in the morning and evening were due manners, but they avoided each other as much as possible. Accordingly, their miscellaneous work was their best excuse to avoid each other. ¡°And I am the second busiest man in the imperial palace after the Emperor.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m your wife, right?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dawnm5e1479ec5484a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dawnm5e1479ec5484a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dawnm5e1479ec5484a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dawnm5e1479ec5484a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dawnm5e1479ec5484a {display: block;}} ¡°So what?¡± ¡°As your official wife, I have to serve you.¡± This little crown princess was unexpectedly enthusiastic about her duty. Though she constantly squeezed the lower end of her long skirt while talking, she was full of enthusiasm with a tense look. She really looks cute. Bipaan wiggled one of his eyebrows. He just felt unease about what he thought about her a moment ago. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nwdof5e1479ec547a6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nwdof5e1479ec547a6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nwdof5e1479ec547a6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nwdof5e1479ec547a6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nwdof5e1479ec547a6 {display: block;}} I don¡¯t feel good about her. He then decided to stop acting silly before her. He already wasted 15 minutes on chatting with her. Her coming to say hello to him in the morning was not on his schedule. ¡°It looks like you are more dumb than I think,¡± he said in a chilly manner. And he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me and live freely as you wish. I already told you this. Did you forget it already?¡± ¡°You told me not to stand in your way,¡± she added, shaking her head, as if she had not forgotten what he on the night of the wedding. ¡°I won¡¯t stand in your way.¡± ¡°Be careful. I don¡¯t want to repeat it.¡± ¡°¡­ I will try not to disturb you, ¡± she said, nodding her head. And she continued, ¡°But I will not forget my duty as the crown princess, either.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± ¡°One more question, may I ask you?¡± Bipaan silently made eye contact with her. The moment his eyes met hers, it seemed that her pupils trembled briefly. ¡°Where is the library? ¡± ¡°Library?¡± ¡°As you told me not to disturb you and not to be around you as the crown princess, I¡¯m just worried about how to spend my days here.¡± ¡°So, is that why you¡¯re looking for a library?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know what to do, so I wonder if I can spend days at the library just like I did in my home country. ¡± He felt that was quite a good idea, but he did not express his feelings. ¡°In fact, as the central library of the Central Palace has a lot of valuable historical materials and maintains tight security, I think you had better visit the library of the outer palace if you want to stop by for enjoyment sometimes.¡± ¡°The library of the outer palace.¡± She repeated his words as if she were determined to remember it. ¡°Let me instruct the official in charge to guide you there. Later, your nanny can learn how to get there and guide you. ¡± ¡°Oh, do you remember my nanny?¡± She was so happy to hear the word ¡®nanny¡¯ from his mouth. He could hear the correct tone of her voice for the first time. What he heard until now was the low tone of her voice as she was scared of him. It was as bright and clear as her eyes. She quickly blushed and covered her mouth. He pretended not to have noticed her excited tone. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kqurk5e1479ec5489c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kqurk5e1479ec5489c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kqurk5e1479ec5489c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kqurk5e1479ec5489c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kqurk5e1479ec5489c {display: block;}} @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.edveh5e1479ec547fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.edveh5e1479ec547fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.edveh5e1479ec547fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.edveh5e1479ec547fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.edveh5e1479ec547fa {display: block;}} ¡°Okay, you may leave now.¡± He picked up the paper and brush that he had put down when she came. Bowing to him again politely with a blush, she got up. It was her first greeting to him as the crown princess. But their conversation was obviously not the type that the newlyweds should have. It smelled of the official rigidity of the junior officials reporting to their senior supervisors. ¡°Hope you have a peaceful day.¡± Kyosul, who hesitated for a while in front of the sliding door of his residence, said goodbye and crossed the threshold to leave the place. Bang! The sliding door was closed lightly. When she left, Bipaan, who naturally held the paper and brush, felt his hand became wobbly. He cast a glance at the doorway. Her attractive cheeks flushed with a childish look and her innocent round eyes made him feel she was too young to get adjusted to the imperial life. ¡°She looks younger than I think, but she acts more maturely than I expect. Anyway, isn¡¯t she a princess who has lived in the royal family?¡± Little did he realize that he had a smile when he said that. ¡°He¡¯s too mean to me consistently. How scary he is! I really had a hard time fighting back tears,¡± Kyosul murmured with a sullen face while leaving his palace. Though she was bold in front of Bipaan, she was full of darkness when she turned back. She was extremely tense when she stood before him, so she racked her brain to be meek to him on purpose for fear he might find fault with her. Even though she was raised as a spoiled, naughty girl, she was still a princess who grew up in the royal family. Accordingly, she was well versed in sticking to formality. ¡°I really felt bad last night, so I wanted to do my duty as the crown princess, but¡­ ¡± On the wedding night, she was so nervous that she couldn¡¯t swallow a sip of water, but she was shocked by Bipaan¡¯s icy attitude that night. Further saddened by the sorrow of her leaving her motherland, she cried all night. Then, she suddenly toyed with some disrespectful thoughts. She recalled the guy from the imperial family who welcomed her on the day she arrived in the Mok Kingdom. She entertained the disrespectful wish that her husband should have been that guy. As she felt guilty about it, she went to see Bipaan this morning to offer morning greetings, but Bipaan did not give any sign of accepting her. The royal family of the Mok Kingdom was different from that of her motherland in many ways. She felt even the wind here was bleak. ¡°I wonder if that was why he said so.¡± Kyosul stopped walking suddenly. A group of court ladies who followed her also stopped while walking at a proper distance. It doesn¡¯t matter to me what you do. Whether you embroider or read books, just live freely as you wish. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vheam5e1479ec5474a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vheam5e1479ec5474a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vheam5e1479ec5474a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vheam5e1479ec5474a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vheam5e1479ec5474a {display: block;}} The cold voice of Bipaan, which made her heartbroken on the wedding night, came to her mind again. Her eyes were welled up with tears at the mere thought of that. ¡°What am I supposed to do in this barren place?¡± As if she were speaking to her nanny, she grumbled. From the first day she became a princess, she felt everyday was so long. ¡°I think I have to go to the library. Seriously.¡± ¡°Let me escort you to the library of the outer palance,¡± said the official in charge, who was silently following her. She helplessly headed for the library. The imperial palace was large. In the center of the large Imperial Palace was the central palace where the emperor¡¯s residence was located. The central palace was large enough to be almost half the Imperial Palace. It was the deepest and most secret palace in the Imperial Palace, home to the empress and concubines. And there were four palaces in all directions of the Imperial Palace, namely the East Palace, the West Palace, the South Palace and the North Palace. Outside them was an outer palace which surrounded the outer edges of the Imperial Palace. The outer palace was home to a cabinet offices where ranking officials who handled national affairs worked, the dwellings of the palace people such as internal officials and court ladies as well as the backyard and a library. Of course, there was a backyard and a library in each palace. Although the central library was more precious and gorgeous, the library of the outer palace was by far the largest. Though Kyosul said to Bipaan that she would go to the library to pretend to be virtuous, it was not in her element to spend time at the library. The reason she recalled the library was because she thought of her brother Prince Mingung. He loved books, and she used to stay at the library against her will to spend time with Mingung. She enjoyed moving around the palace freely and making trouble for the royal family. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t do the same thing here.¡± If she did something wrong, she might be expelled from the imperial family. Such a possibility was real. She was already well aware of the terrifying stories about the imperial family of the Mok Kingdom. Ohyulje killed all of his brothers to usurp the throne. Though she became a member of the imperial family, she never saw the Emperor¡¯s face or the Queen¡¯s, but she remembered his cold voice clearly at the wedding. Though she heard his voice only, she felt much more terrified than she had when her father King Chung became enraged. Chapter 7 ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Crown Princess¡­ ¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s cold eyes suddenly came to her mind. She also recalled his cold voice as he said she should not stand in his way. Her husband, the only person in the palace she could rely on as a young crown princess from another country, was just cold and scary. ¡°If I am destined to be the Crown Princess not favored by him¡­¡± Kyosul was concerned about her life more than anything in the imperial Mok Kingdom, where the princes¡¯ fight to succeed the throne was allegedly fierce. Kyosul walked between the bookshelves of the spacious library. While smelling the musty odor of old books, she felt as if she went back to the library of her motherland. When she closed and opened her eyes, she felt as if she were already there in her motherland. It looked like Prince Mingung, her brother, was about to scold her with a smile for dozing off again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ytryf5e1479ec51025 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ytryf5e1479ec51025 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ytryf5e1479ec51025 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ytryf5e1479ec51025 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ytryf5e1479ec51025 {display: block;}} While she scratched the back of the book with the tip of her finger, she stopped and closed her eyes. And when she opened her eyes again, someone with round lips was face to face with her to her surprise. That man with the long and round lips whispered into her ear, ¡°I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d meet you here.¡± When she closed and opened her eyes again, she saw a man¡¯s face before her eyes. She briefly stopped breathing in surprise. She delicately scanned his face with her large surprised eyes. His white and clean face had a soft jawline. His loosely raised topknot was covered with a monotonous decorative hat and several baby hairs flowing around his face. The back half of his hair was untied and drooped down. His smiling eyes were bent like crescent moons. His thin lips were bent opposite to his eyes, so the more he smiled, the thinner his lips became. As far as she knew, that was the softest smile she had ever seen on a man. His lips that seemed to be painted with a fine brush stroke began to move. His voice, which seemed like the sound of the leaves blowing in the breeze and falling on a tranquil lake, filled the air. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I met you here.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tlfid5e1479ec50f82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tlfid5e1479ec50f82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tlfid5e1479ec50f82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tlfid5e1479ec50f82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tlfid5e1479ec50f82 {display: block;}} When Ruhae spoke to her, she could barely breathe. She thought she had imagined him, but she was mistaken. Feeling relieved, she replied, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Uljin Yu.¡± ¡°Princess, oh, you are¡­¡± Ruhae slurred while hesitating at the moment. Was she mistaken when she thought that his smile looked sad? ¡°You¡¯re now the Crown Princess.¡± It was their second meeting. It was their reunion after only a few days, but their relationship in terms of royal title changed greatly. The rank of Prince Ruhae, the third in line to the throne of the great empire Mok Kingdom, and that of the princesses from the small and weak Hwa Kingdom were completely reversed. The princess of the small and weak kingdom had become the Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom now, wife of the Crown Prince who had the strongest support among his royal family members and who was closer to the Emperor than anyone else. Namely, she had now become his brother, the Crown Prince¡¯s, wife to whom he had to exercise due courtesy. Ruhae felt bitter. Ruhae recalled the words that he repeated in his head. When I see her, Woorum or Kyosul, let me say this to her. He practiced and practiced saying it. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Ruhae lowered his body. He initially leaned forward slightly but soon knelt down. While looking up at her, he turned his mouth up slightly. ¡°Ooops!¡± Kyosul put both hands on her mouth, at a loss for words. She heard that kind of greeting before. On the day of the wedding, Bipaan, who appeared suddenly, received such greetings from the court ladies. After the wedding ceremony, she also received such greetings. In the imperial palace, the Emperor and the Empress received many more greetings like that. In the Mok Kingdom only the Crown Prince and Crown Princess could receive greetings starting with ¡®Long Live!¡¯. Even the Crown Prince¡¯s second wife could not receive such greetings. ¡°Oh, please stand up.¡± ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m uncomfortable with you greeting me like that. ¡± Kyosul spoke her mind frankly with a shy look. Though she hesitated at first, eventually she said what she wanted to. Though it seemed contradictory, that was exactly her way of speaking. Ruhae burst into laughter before he knew. Clearing dirt on his knees, he stood up. ¡°You¡¯re going to hear it from me often, so please get used to it.¡± ¡°In my home country, even my father didn¡¯t hear such greetings, so I just feel embarrassed.¡± That was true. In the Hwa Kingdom, they didn¡¯t use any such greetings. She received such greetings numerously which even his parents King Chung and Queen Yo never did. Moreover, she didn¡¯t like Ruhae¡¯s greeting her like that, in particular. She felt strange about his greetings, unlike the court ladies¡¯. The fact that Ruhae was treating her as his superior made her very uncomfortable. ¡°More than anything¡­ I just feel it more uncomfortable to hear such greetings from Uljin Yu.¡± ¡°Well, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dccap5e1479ec51062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dccap5e1479ec51062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dccap5e1479ec51062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dccap5e1479ec51062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dccap5e1479ec51062 {display: block;}} @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.feogb5e1479ec50fd5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.feogb5e1479ec50fd5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.feogb5e1479ec50fd5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.feogb5e1479ec50fd5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.feogb5e1479ec50fd5 {display: block;}} Ruhae¡¯s soft tone stiffened. His heart sank. He felt she might misunderstand what he just said. Suddenly, the feelings that bothered him all night came to bother him again as they had on the wedding day of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. What am I doing now? Ruhae smiled a humble smile to get rid of such rebellious feelings. Even a short silence seemed to make them feel uncomfortable with each other. Ruhae quickly changed the topic. ¡°What were you doing in the library?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She blushed at his question. ¡°I was thinking of my brother. Though I didn¡¯t like books that much, my brother loved books and learning. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you cried a lot.¡± ¡°I really got along very well my brother. I still miss my elder brothers and younger brothers a lot.¡± Her gaze was now fixed on a faraway place, her motherland. It was the first time that she left for a faraway place like this in her life. As she couldn¡¯t go back, she tended to look back at her good old days while she adjusted to this new life in the Mok Kingdom. Above all, it was not easy for her to adapt to the difference in the cultures of the two kingdoms. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen all the royal family members¡¯ faces here yet. I hear the imperial palace is a busy place. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s hard for them to see each other¡¯s face here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit bewildered.¡± She couldn¡¯t understand it easily because she got used to bumping into somebody once she exchanged greetings with royal family members every day. ¡°I have also heard about the royal story of the Hwa Kingdom. I was impressed because the atmosphere of your royal family was quite different from that of our royal family.¡± ¡°Well, everyone is friendly and caring for each other in my country.¡± She smiled brightly as if she were in the royal court of the Hwa Kingdom. Wow, she can smile brightly like that! Ruhae looked at her smile delicately and remembered it. When he brought up the topic of the Hwa Kingdom, she began to babble on her episodes. She talked about her happy times with her brothers like they were a heroic story. ¡°So, I felt that each day was too short. One day, I felt it was so regrettable that it was getting dark already, so I hid behind a tree in the backyard with Yojin and insisted that this was our dwelling. Oh, Yojin is my younger brother, but we had the smallest age difference, so we always played together. Of course, I liked my elder brother, Prince Mingung, the most.¡± Once she spoke, she didn¡¯t stop. She was now about to reel off the stories about her four older brothers and four younger brothers. Obviously, she didn¡¯t feel tired of talking about them with her small lips. He found her incessant talking interesting. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ghflj5e1479ec50f25 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ghflj5e1479ec50f25 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ghflj5e1479ec50f25 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ghflj5e1479ec50f25 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ghflj5e1479ec50f25 {display: block;}} ¡°When I first saw you, you cried a lot. So, I never thought you¡¯re such a cheerful woman.¡± ¡°You must be kidding me. ¡± She became sullen instantly. She wasn¡¯t just easily moved to tears or bright smiles. She was honest about all her feelings. Even now her feelings of high purity were immediately expressed in her face. It was the first time he looked into such honest face. He felt the reason he was comfortable seeing her was because of a sense of relief that what he saw in her was her true face. ¡°No, I¡¯m not joking. I am praising you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like praise at all.¡± ¡°What I mean is that you are cute.¡± Was it because he was already contaminated by her candor? Ruhae said something inadvertently, which he should not have. ¡°Thank you for that,¡± she said. But it was not Ruhae alone who was embarrassed at that moment. Chapter 8 Taking his frank description of her as ¡®cute¡¯ lightly, she smiled at him. Her detached smile made him to blush. ¡°When I hear about your happy days in the Hwa Kingdom, it looks like you like to go play outside.¡± Recalling her memories, she was always absent-minded about playing with her brothers every day. She talked more about the backyard, fields and even the happenings outside the place in the Hwa Kingdom than she did about the library or the royal women¡¯s quarters. ¡°To be honest with you, I was always scatterbrained and reckless back then.¡± She stuck out the tip of her tongue. She opened her eyes wide and lowered her voice. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cigrh5e1479eb8ee5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cigrh5e1479eb8ee5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cigrh5e1479eb8ee5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cigrh5e1479eb8ee5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cigrh5e1479eb8ee5f {display: block;}} ¡°Ooops! Do you think what I just said undermines my dignity as the Crown Princess?¡± ¡°Well, I think that doesn¡¯t fit the dignity of the Crown Princess¡­¡± Lowering his upper body slightly like her, he lowered his voice. ¡°You are safe as long as nobody knows it. Let me keep it to myself. ¡± ¡°Please promise me. His Majesty, Crown Prince, has sternly warned me that I should never stand in his way.¡± She whispered seriously. She even put her small and thin fingers before her lips. When she talked, it looked like she was scared of her father¡¯s scolding rather than her husband¡¯s warning. ¡°Is that why you have come to this library when you don¡¯t like books?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tvqto5e1479eb8edc1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tvqto5e1479eb8edc1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tvqto5e1479eb8edc1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tvqto5e1479eb8edc1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tvqto5e1479eb8edc1 {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, sort of. I mentioned a library to him because I want to curry favor with him. I also wanted to come here because I was reminded of my brother Prince Mingung when I smelled the musty odor of old books.¡± She just mentioned Prince Mingung to Ruhae as an excuse, but Ruhae felt her act was cute. He wanted to make her laugh more. He thought for a moment how he could please her and hit on a good idea in no time. Though he met her only briefly, he could easily size her and her interests up. ¡± I sometimes take a walk around the back garden of the outer palace,¡± said Ruhae. ¡°Back garden of the outer palace?¡± ¡°Yes, that back garden where I escorted you to calm down your troubled mind on the day I first met you.¡± ¡°I see. I was really troubled on that day.¡± She was very embarrassed when she recalled that she cried a lot and had a cramp in her legs because she was too tense when Ruhae came out to greet her. When he saw her shy face, Ruhae smiled a gentle smile. ¡°If you are bored when you have free time, why don¡¯t you visit the back garden of the outer palace?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I haven¡¯t thought of it before.¡± As he predicted, she was so happy, clapping her hands, when she heard about the back garden of the outer palace. Thanks to her encounter with a good friend, Kyosul could go to sleep in a good mood for the first time since she came to the Mok Kingdom. ¡°Back garden of the outer palace¡­¡± On the day she arrived in the Mok Kingdom, she recalled the back garden where she took a short stroll. Seeing her seized with a cramp in her legs because of her nervousness, Ruhae made a big fuss, thinking she was injured. She clearly remembered the moment she left the back garden wrapped in his arms. ¡°I wonder how I¡¯ve forgotten all about it up to now.¡± She mumbled in a mischievous voice. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m going to go to the back garden of the outer palace.¡± If I go there, can I meet my friend again? She wondered if she could continue her strange association with him tomorrow. When she thought about the back garden of the outer palace, her heart trembled gently. ¡°Daddy! Mommy!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jzpcl5e1479eb8ee12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jzpcl5e1479eb8ee12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jzpcl5e1479eb8ee12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jzpcl5e1479eb8ee12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jzpcl5e1479eb8ee12 {display: block;}} Looking up at the ceiling, she conjured up the faces of her parents who were far away in the Hwa Kingdom. ¡°Brother Mungung! Brother Yojin! Brother Yulso! Brother Chom! Brother Hasok! Brother Chang! Brother Pyong! Brother Yemyong!¡± She called the names of those she missed so much back in her motherland. ¡°How are you? I¡¯m doing well too. I think I can get adjusted to my life here well.¡± It was the same bed, but she felt pretty comfortable about the bed today. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.huyor5e1479eb8eeaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.huyor5e1479eb8eeaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.huyor5e1479eb8eeaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.huyor5e1479eb8eeaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.huyor5e1479eb8eeaf {display: block;}} She snuggled down under the bedclothes. ¡°It means you¡¯re cute.¡± When she closed her eyes, she heard his soft voice ringing around her ears. She kept thinking about his thin and tender lips. She grabbed the edge of the blanket and pulled it up to her eyes. She wanted to hit the sack quickly, so she could greet the next day, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep because of her trembling heart. *** The next day she also headed to Dongchon Palace early in the morning. Although there were no fixed rules on morning greetings, she promised one thing to herself as the Crown Princess. No matter how difficult or how frightening it was to see him, she would visit and say morning greetings to her husband Bipaan, the Crown Prince, without fail. He greeted her with the same expression he showed to her yesterday. Today, he had some doubts about her intention to visit him. ¡°You told me you would not disturb me, right?¡± he asked. Listening again, she found his voice was too icy and stern. She freaked out and shrugged her shoulders. But she spoke out, though she hid her neck between her shoulders and her big eyes under her eyebrows. ¡°I told you clearly that I would not forget my duty as your wife.¡± But her voice trembled like a young bird before a beast. Bipaan cleared his throat as if he was dumbfounded. ¡°You¡­¡± He was about to say something but stopped. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. If you really want it, just do what you want. I already told you I wouldn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m going to see you at this time every day. ¡± Despite his subtle approval, she smiled brightly. Calming down her trembling heart, she felt at ease. After offering him a short but heavy morning greeting, she hastened her light footsteps. Her footsteps now were clearly different from those when she came to Dongchon Palace. Her eyes were shining, and her cheeks flushed. While heading for the outer palace, she asked the court lady who was escorting her. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the back garden of the outer palace.¡± *** The court ladies babbled. But their gossiping didn¡¯t reach her ears. With her eyes half-opened, she was counting the dust floating in the air. When can this¡­ She rolled her dull eyes as if she were bored. She lamented, swallowing a deep sigh. When am I going to be done with this annoying process? The court ladies decorated her hair and dress skillfully, putting butterfly ornaments and accessories in her hair. Some of them used a lot of make-up, patting her face with powder and applying lipstick on the lips. She was already sick and tired of this meaningless process. Losing her temper, after all, she complained. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how many times I put on makeup and get dressed per day.¡± ¡°Well, there are many in this imperial palace who are watching you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.trdgb5e1479eb8ed68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.trdgb5e1479eb8ed68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.trdgb5e1479eb8ed68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.trdgb5e1479eb8ed68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.trdgb5e1479eb8ed68 {display: block;}} Her nanny soothed her. Even if she had no special schedule, she started prettying herself up every morning. At lunch and in the afternoon, she had to redo her dress and makeup. ¡°In particular, you never know when you are called for by the Crown Prince, so it is the virtue of the Crown Princess to be dressed and prepared properly.¡± ¡°But he has already told me that he would never look for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ ¡± She was embarrassed by Kyosul¡¯s straightforward reply. The court ladies who were busy prettying her up were surprised and signaled to each other with eyes. Her garment was simply too heavy compared to the dress she wore in the Hwa Kingdom, let alone clothes, jewelry and even the people she met. No matter how pretty she was dressed up and put on makeup, Bipaan did not care about her. She visited the East Palace to see him every morning, but she only talked from beginning to end. He never made eye contact with her kindly, nor did he initiate any routine dialogue with her. He didn¡¯t even smile at all at the type of joke that she took pains to crack on purpose. By this time, she began to lose interest in him. Recently, she missed her motherland more strongly, and she became easily tired of everything. It was her first feeling of homesickness. ¡°Because I go to see him only in the morning for greetings, don¡¯t you think you can pretty me up in the morning only and not repeat it? I think I can take off my decorations and wash off my makeup off.¡± As she complained long, a senior court lady who helped them with adoring her said, ¡°It is the court manners in this kingdom for you to adorn yourself all the time, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Why is this kind of uncomfortable courtesy the court manners? In my motherland, the typical clothing I had to put on usually was a comfortable skirt and jacket.¡± Chapter 9 Because of a big wig twice the size of her small head and the ornaments on it, her neck and waist felt so painful. And she felt so hot like was in the summer because of multiple layers of garments she wore, no matter how thin they were. She felt uncomfortable about the excessive decorations and makeup based on court manners. She found them more troubling and trying than any strict law of the Imperial Palace. ¡°As Lady Onyu, your nanny said, there are many in the Imperial Palace who are watching you. You have to keep your dignity and elegance in good shape.¡± ¡°Even if I adorn myself so much, he never turns his eyes on me. What¡¯s the point of me prettying myself up?¡± She kept complaining as if she wanted to vent her pent-up grudges against the Crown Prince but suddenly stopped. At that moment, somebody came to her mind, and she stared into space conjuring up somebody¡¯s face. Startled suddenly, she waved her hands before her face. Her long sleeves fluttered. The golden thread sewn on the end of her sleeves gleamed. ¡°Like the nanny said, there are many who are watching me in this palace. So, try to adorn me just enough to make me look not too ugly. If you decorate me too much, I feel it¡¯s heavy and uncomfortable. ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.egrol5e1479eb8a0dc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.egrol5e1479eb8a0dc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.egrol5e1479eb8a0dc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.egrol5e1479eb8a0dc {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.egrol5e1479eb8a0dc {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, I will do.¡± The nanny felt she soothed her troubled heart. She took down half the wig she put on, and removed the ornaments on it. She felt much better as the removal of the ornaments released much less strain on her neck and shoulders. She also took off several layers of clothes, and now she felt much lighter when she moved around. ¡°Whew! I think I can breathe now. Let¡¯s go to the back garden of the outer palace now. ¡± She stood up from the chair lightly. With light footsteps, she left the residence without hesitation. The nanny hurriedly followed her. After Ruhae introduced it to her, Kyosul stopped by the back garden of the outer palace every day. But she didn¡¯t bump into him. There were no people in the back garden, not to mention Ruhae. She felt it regrettable that she didn¡¯t meet him there. However, she was happy to know that court ladies rarely came in and out of the back garden. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kdpax5e1479eb8a006 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kdpax5e1479eb8a006 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kdpax5e1479eb8a006 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kdpax5e1479eb8a006 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kdpax5e1479eb8a006 {display: block;}} ¡°How come there is a place like this in the Imperial Palace where there are many people watching and hearing each other?¡± Tired of court ladies who were following her all day long, she felt freedom when she was all alone. While she was at it, she asked the nanny to wait for her outside the back garden. Although she was still in the Imperial Palace, she felt the excitement of the ponies facing the vast pasture. She instinctively felt the nostalgia when she played wildly with her younger brothers back in the Hwa Kingdom. Her footsteps, which were as light as a feather, gradually gave way to running. She was so energetic that it was doubtful whether she was the same person as the woman who sat blankly out of boredom before the mirror a moment ago. While visiting every nook and corner of the back garden, she suddenly stopped. She looked up. Her eyes grew bigger and nostrils wiggled. Her lips tainted with fresh flower water opened slightly. There was a glow on her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± She finally found a big tree. The tree tempted her when she first saw it. As the back garden was so large, she had to search for it here and there in the whole back garden. And finally, she found it today. As if she had been looking for it on purpose, her eyes shone sharply. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about you from the first time I saw you.¡± Her eyes were sparking provocatively. She was getting excited gradually, gasping for breath. And then she declared in a firm voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to conquer you today by all means.¡± She suddenly put out her hand. Touching its long and slender trunk with no hesitation, she approached the tree slowly. ¡°Finally, today I¡¯ve put on light clothes.¡± Is this what they call a golden opportunity? Today, when she found the tree that she had been longing for, her hair ornaments were reduced by half, and her garments were light. As if she was not content with that, she took off the outer silk robe quickly. *** Those in line to the throne took over part of the national affairs as part of their succession training. Ruhae, the third in line to the throne, also took care of his daily political affairs. Was it because he was swamped with a heavy workload? Today, he didn¡¯t have many documents to review. To enjoy the midday sunlight, he went out for a walk first. Usually, he would take a stroll in the late afternoon after he was done for the day. ¡°It¡¯s been a month of Sundays since I came out at this time.¡± The sun was shining on the top of his head. Ruhae headed for a low hill in the center which was his favorite place. He needed shade under a large tree shade in the middle of the hill. As they said, if one was exposed to spring sunshine, one would even forget one¡¯s lover because of its warmth. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s difficult to see the woman I am longing for.¡± Though he wandered through the back garden slowly, he could not see the woman he was waiting for. He introduced the back garden to her as he wanted to see her often there, but he wondered if he could see her at all, which tormented him. ¡°It¡¯s just funny for me to think I would like to see her.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dwlsh5e1479eb8a148 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dwlsh5e1479eb8a148 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dwlsh5e1479eb8a148 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dwlsh5e1479eb8a148 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dwlsh5e1479eb8a148 {display: block;}} @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ohufz5e1479eb8a073 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ohufz5e1479eb8a073 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ohufz5e1479eb8a073 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ohufz5e1479eb8a073 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ohufz5e1479eb8a073 {display: block;}} Ruhae shook his head bitterly. It was funny. It was funny that he missed her so much even though he bumped into her only a few times, and it was funny that as a prince, he missed and came to think about the Crown Princess. The more he thought about her, the more he felt it was just funny, so he feigned laughter. He enjoyed the warm sunshine and a cool breeze for a while and approached the big tree in the central hill. But underneath the tree there was a yellow silk robe. He picked it up. ¡°How come I see this thing in this place?¡± It was a thin robe worn on one¡¯s shoulders. It would fit a petite woman. Tilting his head, he was about to raise his head and look up at the tree. ¡°No! Don¡¯t look up!¡± He heard a clear voice in the air. He flinched and stopped moving. He only heard the voice, but his lips tickled. He was anxious to beam brightly. ¡°You will see my underskirt, so don¡¯t look up. Never see it. Let me come down. ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that explicitly.¡± How could she mention ¡®underskirt¡¯? He felt his face blushed at that. He heard somebody hastily rustling from above. Tree branches swayed and leaves fell down ominously. A few twigs were broken. While she tried to get down from the tree hastily, she lost her balance because her leg was wrapped by her long skirt. The branch she was holding was broken. ¡°Oops! Oh my¡­¡± With a short scream she felt she would fall down from the tree. She felt that twigs and leaves rustled by her body at the speed of the wind. She closed his eyes tightly. I¡¯m falling! But for some reason, she didn¡¯t feel any pain when she fell. She rather felt somebody¡¯s soft hand supporting her back and legs. When she cautiously opened her eyes, she saw someone smiling a familiar smile. ¡°You should be careful.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Uljin Yu!¡± He was Ruhae. She still knew him only by his childhood name because he didn¡¯t reveal his identity yet. He caught her. Thanks to his broad chest, she could safely land in his arms. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cejgl5e1479eb89f8f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cejgl5e1479eb89f8f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cejgl5e1479eb89f8f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cejgl5e1479eb89f8f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cejgl5e1479eb89f8f {display: block;}} ¡°How come you were up there?¡± ¡°Oh, I like to climb a tree, so I did¡­¡± She blushed and continued shyly, ¡°On the first day I saw you, Unjin Yu showed me this place. When I saw this big tree, I really wanted to climb it. When I climb it, I feel the wind is cooler, and I have a better view of the palace, and I feel like all the brilliant edifices of the Imperial Palace are underneath me, which makes me feel hilarious.¡± Was it because she was ashamed of the fact that she fell from the tree? She was making long excuses to him. Every time he met her, she showed him some funny acts like this. So, he burst into laughter often, and kept thinking about her. ¡°Do you want to have this palace under your feet? You¡¯re quite ambitious. ¡± ¡°Well, because this place makes me feel so stuffy, so I want to get out of it.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s just like you to say that, Your Highness Crown Princess!¡± Chapter 10 Your Highness Crown Princess. That was true. This little lady in his arms was the crown princess, the official wife of his elder brother Crown Prince Bipaan. He was hurt when he mentioned her official title casually, and he was about to put her down when she said, ¡°Shush!¡± She held her index finger and put it before her lips. She narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°You should keep it as a secret from the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Secret?¡± ¡°I am not supposed to do anything that could stand in his way. He might scold me severely. He lets me do whatever I want to, but he told me never to stand in the way of his career. He told me twice.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ltdtx5e1479eb8ebf2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ltdtx5e1479eb8ebf2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ltdtx5e1479eb8ebf2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ltdtx5e1479eb8ebf2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ltdtx5e1479eb8ebf2 {display: block;}} ¡°I see.¡± Ruhae thought it was exactly like Bipaan to give her such an order. Obviously, his elder brother told this little tender-hearted lady in a cold voice, which Ruhae could imagine vividly. Without knowing how pitiful Ruhae thought her, she still grumbled about Bipaan. ¡°He told me to do whatever I wanted to but ordered me not to stand in the way of his career. If that¡¯s true, he isn¡¯t allowing me to do anything I wanted to do, right? Even now, I would like to climb a tree, but my behavior will cause trouble to the Crown Prince if someone notices me climbing a tree and reports it to the Crown Prince, right?¡± ¡°I agree. It¡¯s dangerous, and your behavior is problematic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to ask you to keep it to yourself. Never, ever tell the Crown Prince. I¡¯m scared of his scolding.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bigux5e1479eb8eb4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bigux5e1479eb8eb4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bigux5e1479eb8eb4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bigux5e1479eb8eb4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bigux5e1479eb8eb4d {display: block;}} ¡°Sure, let me just keep it to myself.¡± Ruhae answered with difficulty. Though it was not a difficult promise, he got excited when he heard the word ¡®secret¡¯. He had never realized how sweet this word was. He wanted to keep piling up new secrets with her, secrets only he and she knew. Instead of letting him get lost in his thoughts, she changed the topic quickly. ¡°By the way, why is it so hard to see you? I¡¯ve come to the back garden every day to see you in vain, and only today I have met you.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to meet me?¡± Ruhae asked with a pain in his heart. He gazed at her with a surprised expression. Instead of avoiding his eyes, she looked him in the eye honestly. She didn¡¯t hesitate to open her adorable lips. ¡°Yes, I really felt it a regret that I couldn¡¯t see you here.¡± His heart throbbed with joy because of her too candid reply. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Though I got pretty used to playing alone, I felt bored and lonely when I came here alone every day, so I missed you.¡± Maybe that was the main reason, he thought. He felt she missed his face sometimes simply because he treated her kindly in this lonely palace. ¡°Because you¡¯re my first friend here in the imperial palace,¡± she said. ¡°Friend.¡± Yes, that¡¯s what he expected. What could she expect of him? He fell into low spirits at that moment, but he wanted to venture on a guess about her straightforward expression. Controlling his desire, he replied casually. ¡°I don¡¯t come here for a walk often because I¡¯m busy carrying out my official duties. But I always come to this hill when I feel like visiting the back garden.¡± ¡°Oh, can I see you if I wait here?¡± ¡°Yes, though I can¡¯t promise you.¡± He took pains to repeat in his head that she was not the woman he could make a promise to. Staring at her, he then looked up at the sky. ¡°If the heavens allow me.¡± Though he wanted to see her, he always relied on an accidental encounter like this. That¡¯s why he blamed the heaven for his disrespectful longing for her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nxbno5e1479eb8ec52 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nxbno5e1479eb8ec52 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nxbno5e1479eb8ec52 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nxbno5e1479eb8ec52 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nxbno5e1479eb8ec52 {display: block;}} @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hwnyy5e1479eb8eba1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hwnyy5e1479eb8eba1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hwnyy5e1479eb8eba1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hwnyy5e1479eb8eba1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hwnyy5e1479eb8eba1 {display: block;}} *** Finally, Kyosul settled into a daily routine. Every morning she visited Dongchon Palance to offer morning greetings to Bipaan. Though there was no such etiquette in her motherland, she performed it persistently. That was a duty she was committed to as the Crown Princess. Around lunch time, she stayed at her residence in the East Palace. In the late afternoon, she headed for the outer palace. Sometimes she met the friend who pleased her at the library of the outer palace but usually in the back garden of the outer palace. As she didn¡¯t make any promise in advance to meet him, she failed to see him sometimes, but accidental encounters gave her a greater pleasure. Several days passed. This morning, too, she visited Dongchon Palace without failure. Bipaan got used to it, too. By the time she arrived at the palace, he closed the book and waited for her, sitting on a chair. She looked brighter than she did on the first day. Everytime she came to see him, Bipaan hardly said anything, but she was getting used to it as she saw him often. At first, she stood up after greeting him awkwardly, but she gradually began to talk to him more. Today, too, she brought up a new topic. ¡°Do you take strolls in the back garden of the outer palace?¡± He nodded silently, but she could see her question aroused his interest. Like her, he was also getting more and more familiar to her. As she was such a cheerful lady, her presence stood out in his boring daily routine. ¡°I visit the back garden of the outer palace very often these days. In fact, I like the back garden better than the library.¡± Bippan thought she might like it. Even though she sat with diffidence quietly before him now, she was of such a cheerful disposition that she was more like a tomboy than a virtuous and faithful woman in the royal women¡¯s quarters. That¡¯s why he thought it strange when she asked him about the library first. As she was straightforward and candid about expressing her feelings, it was easy for him to size her up. ¡°And there I have met a friend.¡± ¡°¡­Friend?¡± His eyebrows subtly trembled at that, but she didn¡¯t notice it at all. She got carried away with his unusual interest in her words. For he had never responded to her remarks before. Excited by his response, she passionately told him about what happened. ¡°I met him by chance at the library of the outer palace, and he showed me the back garden there. After that, I went there and met him sometimes to cultivate a friendship with him. I just don¡¯t know how he feels about it when I call him a friend.¡± He didn¡¯t respond at all whether he listened to her or let her words in one ear and out the other. Nonetheless, she continued in excitement, ¡°By the way, when I arrived in the Mok Kingdom, he was the man who greeted me. He was so kind. That day, too, he escorted me to the back garden to soothe me when I was scared in this strange place. At that time, I didn¡¯t know it was the back garden of the outer palace.¡± Kyosul continued to babble on her accidental encounter with Ruhae. Bipaan felt she made a bright expression just because she mentioned that friend. But he didn¡¯t like the fact that when she talked about her friend, she became cheerful and bright, forgetting her fear of him. Today of all days her cheerful voice got on his nerves. Above all, he recalled the eunuch¡¯s message on the day she arrived in the Mok Kingdom. He knew that the very person she mentioned as her friend was none other than Ruhae. When he thought as far as that, he stopped her with an icy look. ¡°Crown Princess!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pskeo5e1479eb8eaf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pskeo5e1479eb8eaf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pskeo5e1479eb8eaf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pskeo5e1479eb8eaf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pskeo5e1479eb8eaf1 {display: block;}} His short and sharp voice made her freak out. She teared up at that moment but tried to fight back tears and focused on him. ¡°Don¡¯t loiter around in the back garden unnecessarily. You should always remember that this is the very strict imperial palace which is quite different from the palace of the Hwa Kingdom where you enjoyed wandering around thoughtlessly. You never know what consequences your reckless stroll there will bring about. Don¡¯t make me repeat what I already told you. How many times do I have to tell you to make you understand my point?¡± He clicked his tongue with a deep sigh. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± She thought he got interested in her words, but his interest was not the kind of she thought. She was just ashamed of herself, who excitedly talked about his friend. Surely he wanted to reprimand me. Only a moment ago she freely talked whatever she wanted to say, but she now got cold feet before his stern warning. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°Make sure they don¡¯t gossip about you behind your back. Do I need to remind you of the basic thing that you should be prudent in your conduct? You are now not the only princess of a small kingdom but the Crown Princess as well as a member of our royal family.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep it in mind all the time.¡± Chapter 11 Noticing her depressed voice, Bipaan also felt heavy. He felt that after all, it was thanks to her friend Ruhae that she could show him her cheerful disposition, though it was fleeting. She was like a little and weak baby animal before a wild beast when she looked at him. I was right when I decided to keep my distance from her. Bippan already kept his distance from her. And she obediently followed his order, but she didn¡¯t act like other women, perhaps because she was young and came from a foreign country. She didn¡¯t act exactly as instructed by him. And that now disturbed his prudent disposition. Yeah, let me give it a pass this time. Saying that, he found his glittering eyes trembling, so he took pains to control it. Seeing him, she was now in low spirits. She felt she could get familiar with him only now, but closed her lips after she was scared again. Her thick and small lips were closed and never opened again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gsfqs5e1479eb7f2e2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gsfqs5e1479eb7f2e2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gsfqs5e1479eb7f2e2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gsfqs5e1479eb7f2e2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gsfqs5e1479eb7f2e2 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness, you look gloomy,¡± said the nanny, approaching her who just came out of Bipaan¡¯s study after offering him morning greetings. The nanny was always worried that Kyosul might be hurt by the Crown Prince¡¯s icy attitude. Coming out with an unusually gloomy look today, she complained to her in a tearful voice, ¡°He has told me not to do anything.¡± She became depressed all the more. *** Under the big tree in the central hill in the back garden of the outer palace was Kyosul sitting alone. Ruhae recognized her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zvwet5e1479eb7f23e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zvwet5e1479eb7f23e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zvwet5e1479eb7f23e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zvwet5e1479eb7f23e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zvwet5e1479eb7f23e {display: block;}} Muffling his steps, he approached her quietly and said with greetings, ¡°Long live the¡­.¡± He was about to greet her gladly with a smile but stopped. When she turned around, he found her face was a mess. Though she cried less than she did on the day of her arrival here, he could notice a deep sorrow in her face though she put on makeup meticulously. ¡°Your Highness Crown Princess, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± He hurriedly ran to her. Though he felt so sorry for her, he couldn¡¯t hug or touch her with his hands. She was squatting on the ground and barely leaning against a tree, and leaned forward. It was a light and instant touch as if a garden balsam bore buds. Her forehead touched his lower shoulder. He grew stiff. He couldn¡¯t reach his hand. While he was agonized with complicated feelings, she opened her mouth, ¡°I go to the Crown Prince¡¯s palace every morning.¡± ¡°Every morning?¡± ¡°Yes. Though I hear there is no such etiquette in the Mok Kingdom, we are supposed to go and see the king and the queen every morning to offer morning greetings in my motherland. So, I wanted to carry out my duty as the Crown Princess¡­¡± While she was explaining to him slowly, her voice was subdued. Her voice was now choked with sorrow, he thought. Her shoulders trembled slightly. When he saw her trembling sadly, he couldn¡¯t hesitate any more. He patted her on the back subtly like the gentle touch of a mother who was trying to settle her baby to sleep. ¡°I just wanted to be good for him as his official wife for the sake of him and my motherland. I just tried my best not to cause any trouble¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince told me not to loiter around in the back garden unnecessarily. He told me I should be prudent in my conduct because my behavior might bring about terrible consequences. All I¡¯m doing all day is to take a stroll in the back garden and stay at my residence in the East Palace. I just wonder if he wants me to stay inside all day long. I just can¡¯t control my tears as I¡¯m so upset and frustrated about his warning.¡± Now, with a hiccup she stopped and then spoke her mind clearly. I understand my brother is pretty sensitive to the line of succession of the throne and power struggle, but I just don¡¯t know why he feels this little crown princess might cause trouble to him¡­ Hearing her explanation, Ruhae was also upset. How could he scold this little and tender-hearted woman severely enough to make her sob like this? He just thought of the Crown Prince Bipaan as his elder brother as well as a member of the imperial royal family, but he began to think about him differently now. His priority was Kyosul before his eyes. ¡°Maybe he told you so because he was worried about you.¡± ¡°Was he worried about me?¡± ¡°Yes. As you are so innocent, he might have been worried about your safety in this dangerous palace. By nature, the Crown Prince is brusque, so he could not have expressed his concern to you softly.¡± ¡°Do you really think he did so?¡± Teardrops began to drop from her eyes at the moment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yjljv5e1479eb7f290 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yjljv5e1479eb7f290 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yjljv5e1479eb7f290 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yjljv5e1479eb7f290 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yjljv5e1479eb7f290 {display: block;}} Wiping her tears casually with the back of his hand, he said, ¡°Yes, I think so. Is there any man here in the palace who doesn¡¯t care about you?¡± He reassured her about that, but she was still in doubt. Fortunately, she stopped shedding tears. ¡°If you are not worried about somebody, you are not supposed to scold him or her,¡± he said. ¡°Oh I see¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cwgzg5e1479eb7f334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cwgzg5e1479eb7f334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cwgzg5e1479eb7f334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cwgzg5e1479eb7f334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cwgzg5e1479eb7f334 {display: block;}} Only then did she realize what he meant. She quickly wiped tears and smudged the makeup on her face. When she vented her frustration, she pulled herself together and said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Then she made a broad smile once again, which made him laugh, too. After that, he continued to comfort her, making excuses for Bipaan, so she could keep smiling. ¡°How come you¡¯re so kind-hearted to me?¡± she asked. She knew many kind people, but they were far away from her. The only ones who were kind to her were the nanny playing the role of her mother and Ruhae. He pulled his hands off her shoulders when she gazed at him. She felt empty on the shoulders. ¡°Well, I¡¯m especially kind to you, Crown Princess,¡± Ruhae answered. Her eyes were opened wide with surprise, but when he smiled at her quickly, she also followed suit, smiling mischievously. ¡°Yea, especially kind to you. Thanks.¡± Though his reply was short, it was more than enough to comfort her. *** ¡°If it¡¯s true that the Crown Prince was really worried about me¡­¡± The most terrific response in human relations was indifference. If Bipaan gave her such a warning as he was worried about her safety like Ruhae said, she didn¡¯t have to care at all. Rather she would gladly accept his order. Pulling herself together again, she headed for Dongchon Palace. ¡°Her Highness Crown Princess wants to offer morning greetings to you, Crown Prince.¡± When she arrived, the eunuch and court ladies conveyed her arrival to Bipaan. Soon, the eunuch came back with an embarrassed look and bowed to her. While she was preparing to take off her shoes on the stepping stone, she got cold feet when the eunuch said, ¡°The Crown Prince told me not to let you in and ask her to go back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With a surprised look, she looked at the eunuch. Startled at her glittering eyes, the old eunuch was at a loss for words. She stepped back, struggling. A couple of court ladies came running to support her. She could hardly believe her ears. ¡°Did he really expel me?¡± Her precipitous shouting resonated throughout the quiet yard of Dongchon Palace. For the past several days, Kyosul was told to go back when she arrived at Dongchon Palace. Though she visited there at the same time every day, he didn¡¯t let her in. ¡°He told me not to do anything, and now he doesn¡¯t want me not to offer morning greetings?¡± Gazing at the locked gate ruefully, she turned back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bsfko5e1479eb7f1e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bsfko5e1479eb7f1e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bsfko5e1479eb7f1e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bsfko5e1479eb7f1e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bsfko5e1479eb7f1e5 {display: block;}} She felt bitter. Actually, she was optimistic that she could get adjusted to her new life in the imperial palace. As if to scorn her, he was so mean and cruel to her. ¡°It¡¯s so difficult for me to see his face¡­¡± she grumbled. ¡°Your Highness,¡± said the nanny turning ghastly pale. ¡°There are many people here who might overhear you. Be careful all the time,¡± the nanny said. ¡°I know that. As a weak Crown Princess from a small kingdom, I should be prudent in my words and actions. Even the Crown Prince won¡¯t protect me.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°I know, nanny.¡± Pouting her lower lips, she closed her mouth. Deep inside, however, she was still complaining about him. I have never seen a person so mean like him. Does he feel uncomfortable about my greetings? I wish he had said that to me. I¡¯m just so frustrated and feel tight as I¡¯ve been kicked out like this. She was confident that if she did something wrong, Bipaan would never take her side. On the wedding night, he already told her not to stand in the way of his career. The matter of succeeding the throne seemed more important to him than a strange woman from a small and weak country. He didn¡¯t show any generosity in this little lady. Chapter 12 Despite Bipaan¡¯s cold attitude, Kyosul tried her best to get closer to him because he was her husband, but she ended up being disappointed. The harder she tried on her own, the more he seemed to stay away from her. Even though she came here to get married to him, he didn¡¯t even smile at her. I still remember his hands felt pretty warm¡­ She looked at her hands blankly. On the wedding day, he came to her when she was prettying herself up with dress decorations and makeup and held her hands. That was the first and last contact he made with her. After that, he had never touched her, let alone her skirt. On the contrary, he was so kind to me. After she saw the cold-hearted Crown Prince, she naturally conjured up Ruhae. He was polite, soft, kind and comfortable to be around. He was a pleasant man who made her comfortable. She tended to talk and laugh more before him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iruqc5e1479eb7e9e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iruqc5e1479eb7e9e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iruqc5e1479eb7e9e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iruqc5e1479eb7e9e5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iruqc5e1479eb7e9e5 {display: block;}} Ruhae, who always gave her a kind smile since their first encounter, was the opposite of Bipaan in terms of personality and characteristics. That¡¯s why she would compare them often. Her husband was cold-hearted while Ruhae was more than kind-hearted, so she thought ill of Bipaan all the more. At the same time, she felt something wistful, which she couldn¡¯t figure out. As she was lost in deep thought, she naturally began to walk slowly. She stopped walking before she knew. The court ladies including her nanny waited silently. *** As she was kicked out of Bipaan¡¯s residence every time she went there, Kyosul stayed at her residence quietly as she got upset today of all days. A court lady announced a message to her. ¡°Your Highness Crown Princess, Princess Kyoyoung, the second wife of the Crown Prince, has arrived to say hello to you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ewcxl5e1479eb7e946 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ewcxl5e1479eb7e946 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ewcxl5e1479eb7e946 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ewcxl5e1479eb7e946 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ewcxl5e1479eb7e946 {display: block;}} Second wife of the Crown Prince? Come to think of it, the Crown Prince Bipaan alone had a second wife, compared with other throne competitors who only had one official wife. Based on what she heard from a court lady recently, the Crown Prince took this woman first as his wife with the intention to make her his second wife. She couldn¡¯t understand how he took his second wife first before getting married to the Crown Princess, but she felt there were political interests involved in that arrangement. In the Mok Kingdom, power and social status were the priority. They sought women for their own political purposes, so they chose their official wives, second wives, and concubines depending on their political calculations. Kyoyoung was a woman who was one year older than Kyosul. She was from a family prominent enough for any prince to take her as his wife, but she failed to get the position of the Crown Princes¡¯ official wife. ¡°Please let her in.¡± Kyosul¡¯s instruction was conveyed from a court lady to another down to the hall of her residence. The court lady standing at the outermost door conveyed the message to Kyoyoung and opened the door. Kyoyoung looked straight ahead with her back straight. She was strong and tall for a woman. Her small and round face seemed all the more so compared with her height. Her blank eyes and plain lips resembled Bipaan¡¯s facial expression. She looked like a woman sticking to formality. ¡°She says you can come in,¡± the court lady conveyed Kyosul¡¯s message. She took off her shoes on the stepping stone before the gate and stepped on the wooden porch. The little court girl quickly put her shoes in order. Kyoyoung went through several doors to reach Kyosul¡¯s main room. There was a woman sitting on a cushioned mat, who looked weak at Kyoyoung¡¯s first glance. Standing side by side, I would look stronger and taller than her. Kyoyoung felt that way for a second. Pretending not to have examined Kyosul, however, she bowed politely. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± ¡°Princess Kyoyoung,¡± she said in a small but elegant voice. Kyoyoung felt that just like the princess of the Hwa Kingdom, Kyosul showed grace and elegance different from hers. ¡°I should have come to exchange greetings with you much earlier. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°No, never mind.¡± When Kyoyoung raised her head, Kyosul had a faint smile on her lips. Kyosul had a small and skinny figure with a white face and a flush, and she was smiling brightly at her now. How lovely she was! Kyoyoung wondered how Kyosul spent the wedding night with the Crown Prince. When she recalled the wedding night, Kyoyoung felt heartbroken. Though she underwent it several years ago, he wounded her heart, which she remembered vividly just like it happened yesterday. There could be no sadder and more shameful than this for a woman, so she wanted to say something to Kyosul. And that¡¯s why she came here to see her. ¡°I would like to tell you something, Your Highness.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mwmzy5e1479eb7ea35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mwmzy5e1479eb7ea35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mwmzy5e1479eb7ea35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mwmzy5e1479eb7ea35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mwmzy5e1479eb7ea35 {display: block;}} Kyoyoung opened her mouth with a heavy heart. She kept repeating it in her heard from the moment Bipaan took her as the Crown Princess, but it was hard for her to confess now. ¡°In fact¡­¡± ¡°Yes, please go ahead. Make yourself at home here.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rfdwb5e1479eb7e997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rfdwb5e1479eb7e997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rfdwb5e1479eb7e997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rfdwb5e1479eb7e997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rfdwb5e1479eb7e997 {display: block;}} Without knowing what she was going to say, Kyosul smiled at Kyoyoung warmly. Was it because of Kyosul¡¯s carefree response? Kyoyoung could speak out freely. ¡°In fact, I deliberately haven¡¯t come to see you up to now out of jealousy, Your Highness.¡± With a curious look, she looked at Kyoyoung. ¡°Though it¡¯s a bit indecent for me to tell you this, the Crown Prince didn¡¯t have the ritual of sleeping with me on the wedding night.¡± ¡°The ritual of sleeping with you?¡± Kyosul blushed her face. Obviously, she didn¡¯t get what Kyoyong meant. When she asked, Kyoyoung got annoyed a bit. She would feel even more heartbroken if she told Kyosul in detail about what happened on their wedding night, but she continued with difficulty. ¡°After he took off my crown on the wedding night, the Crown Prince just left my room. That¡¯s all, no more and no less,¡± she said as if she had nothing to do with it. It was difficult for her to confess to Kyosul what happened on the wedding night, but everybody was aware of the rumor about her in the imperial palace, though they kept mum about it. So, Kyoyoung decided that she might as well see the Crown Princess to confess it in person. And that was her pride. Now, what are you going to do with me? After confessing to her, Kyoyoung pulled herself together and looked at Kyosul. But something she didn¡¯t expect at all happened. Kyosul¡¯s eyes were getting wet with tears. This can¡¯t be right! Is she shedding tears for me who got deserted by the Crown Prince? Several times a day Kyoyoung imagined how Kyosul would respond to her confession, but she had never imagined Kyosul¡¯s reaction like this. She was really embarrassed. She was trying her best to find out Kyosul¡¯s genuine feelings. Finally, Kyosul¡¯s small lips opened. ¡°I thought the Crown Prince didn¡¯t hug me simply because I was a woman from the Hwa Kingdom.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oxyuw5e1479eb7e8ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oxyuw5e1479eb7e8ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oxyuw5e1479eb7e8ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oxyuw5e1479eb7e8ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oxyuw5e1479eb7e8ed {display: block;}} ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was another unexpected development. Kyoyoung revealed her sheer embarrassment. ¡°You suffered the same sorrow that I did.¡± With eyes wet with tears Kyosul stood up from the cushion mat. Tottering toward her, Kyosul hugged her suddenly. Kyoyoung felt warm when Kyosul hugged her, but she was at a loss for words when Kyosul showed such an unexpected reaction. Not caring about her, though, Kyosul asked, choked with emotion. ¡°By the way, how come you stay so peaceful and relaxed? I really can¡¯t stand it. I just don¡¯t know what to do. He is so scary.¡± At first, Kyoyoung was startled when she came to without reserve and hugged her, but she awkwardly extended her hands to hug her, too. As she was bigger than Kyosul, she wrapped her in her arms. Hugging Kyoyoung, she grabbed her tightly. Her tears soaked Kyoyoung¡¯s shoulders. The more her tears soaked her shoulders, the more her frozen heart melted away. I wonder if she is only a young and weak girl¡­ Kyoyoung began to let down her guard slowly and stroked her small back slowly. Now, Kyosul¡¯s trembling began to stop. When Kyosul seemed to calm down, Kyoyoung whispered into her ears, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep with the Crown Prince on the wedding night like me?¡± Kyosul nodded quietly. Kyoyoung tilted her head to one side. Based on what the court lady told her, the little court girls serving at the Crown Princess¡¯s residence brought her blood-stained bedspread and white clothes to the royal laundry center. How come the bedspread was stained with blood? While Kyoyoung was wondering about it, she saw the nanny taking care of Kyosul, who was standing near the wall at the moment. She noticed the nanny¡¯s left hand wrapped with a bandage, showing one of its fingers cut. The moment she saw the bandage, Kyoyoung¡¯s doubt was cleared. And she envied Kyoyoung for having such a loyal servant like the nanny. Chapter 13 ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. Without knowing that, I was jealous of you because I had a closed mind. Would you forgive me?¡± Her confession that she was jealous of Kyosul was true. As Bipaan¡¯s second wife in name only, Kyoyoung burned with love for Bipaan, looking at him from a distance. She became enraged when she knew that a woman who came from a foreign country got married to him and emerged as his official wife, the Crown Princess, and her bedspread on the wedding night was reportedly stained with blood. I¡¯ve been thinking about how to deal with this little woman, but I now see she is getting by thanks to her right-hand woman. Kyoyoung felt she could see face to face with Kyosul on an equal footing without feeling any jealousy. She also understood Kyosul¡¯s position in the imperial palace. At that moment, she felt she could be as generous as toward Kyosul. As if to show she was generous by nature, Kyoyoung now had a kind smile on her face. Getting out of her arms, Kyosul nodded, looking into her eyes. Kyosul¡¯s pale face was stained with tears. She looked all the more lonely with her face wet with tears. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sjgef5e1479ead3208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sjgef5e1479ead3208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sjgef5e1479ead3208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sjgef5e1479ead3208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sjgef5e1479ead3208 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m alright. I should have come to see you first as you came to the palace ahead of me. In fact, I was just so absent-minded about getting adjusted to the imperial palace unfamiliar to me, only thinking about my hard life¡­¡± Kyosul¡¯s eyes were wet with tears again. How can this tender-hearted woman endure a hard life here? Kyoyoung was now complacent enough to worry about her. She even held out her hand to wipe Kyosul¡¯s tears. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know you had such a hard life here. As I heard you went to Dongchon Palace every day, I just thought you and the Crown Prince were leading a happy married life.¡± Kyoyoung furtively sounded out her feelings. As expected, Kyosul freely told her the truth, shaking her head. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hwdav5e1479ead3129 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hwdav5e1479ead3129 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hwdav5e1479ead3129 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hwdav5e1479ead3129 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hwdav5e1479ead3129 {display: block;}} ¡°Well, I went there on my own. I thought it was my duty as his official wife, but the Crown Prince refused even my visit these days, so I¡¯m making a trip there for nothing.¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­I¡¯m so sorry to hear that.¡± When she heard that Kyosul was refused by the Crown Prince every day, Kyoyoung lamented before she knew. Kyoyoung¡¯s hard feelings about her melted away. With a smile she said, ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re so good-natured!¡± ¡°You look very tender-hearted, Kyoyoung.¡± Kyosul smiled brightly. Kyosul had something in common with Kyoyoung in that they had both been deserted by the Crown Prince on the wedding night, which made her relax. In her eyes, Kyoyoung looked like an adult. Without any regard for the big difference between Bipaan¡¯s official wife and second wife, Kyosul felt as if she met a dependable elder sister. Kyoyoung looked at her with a calm smile, thinking, This woman is in the same boat. She felt relieved to know that. She now could be more generous toward this young and weak-spirited Crown Princess. *** The nanny always tried to be by Kyosul¡¯s side as she was worried about her homesickness. For some reason, however, Kyosul wouldn¡¯t let her come in whenever she entered the back garden of the outer palace. Today, too, the nanny followed her to the entrance of the back garden and decided to wait for her outside. Walking along the path in the back garden alone, Kyosul headed for the big tree in the center of the palace. I just don¡¯t know why I¡¯m coming here¡­ Letting out a deep sigh, she leaned against the tree. Her lively face looked sick as her cheeks were sullen these days. She couldn¡¯t feel comfortable these days because of her strong homesickness and the Crown Prince¡¯s refusal to see her in the morning. As she got nervous, she lost appetite and weight quickly. As she lost her baby fat, her big eyes became bigger, making her look younger than before. Her hair ornaments plated with gold noise in the wind. She lowered her head, put her forehead on the tree, and closed her eyes. When she closed her eyes, she could hear the birds singing clearly. At first, she heard a little bird chirping, the wind blowing, and finally, she heard someone coming toward her with light footsteps from a distance. She smiled quietly. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± She opened her eyes at the soft voice of a man and turned around. And she smiled brightly just like she did in her motherland. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ileiv5e1479ead3269 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ileiv5e1479ead3269 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ileiv5e1479ead3269 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ileiv5e1479ead3269 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ileiv5e1479ead3269 {display: block;}} She visited this place, very far from her residence in the East Palace, every day to meet this man. He was the only man who made her laugh after she was worn out due to her husband¡¯s cold shoulder. ¡°Uljin Yu!¡± As if by magic, she just felt so comfortable as if she were back to her motherland when she uttered his name. She approached the man who was offering greetings to her by kneeling with his coat fluttering in the wind. When she touched him on the shoulder lightly, he stood up. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.eqmne5e1479ead319f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.eqmne5e1479ead319f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.eqmne5e1479ead319f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.eqmne5e1479ead319f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.eqmne5e1479ead319f {display: block;}} He was none other than Prince Ruhae, the third in line to the throne in the Mok Kingdom. Without identifying himself in detail, he continued to keep company with Kyosul with his childhood name ¡®Uljin Yu.¡¯ When he met her at the library of the outer palace by chance, Ruhae recommended her to visit its back garden. Since then, they had a secret meeting in the back garden more often than not. As they didn¡¯t promise to meet on certain dates, sometimes one of them wandered around the back garden alone, but this kind of meeting in the back garden was the sanctuary of their hearts. He was the only man in the imperial palace that she could feel comfortable to be around. Before they knew it, they already got close to each other, so they treated themselves as friends, speaking in a casual tone. ¡°Oh, you came out today?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, I got squared away a bit early today. Of course, I have to go back late in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about your official work. Is a royal family member like you swamped with heavy workload everyday?¡± ¡°Royal family members are always busy.¡± Ruhae answered quickly. In fact, he was busy because he was one of the competitors to succeed the throne. He was known as the top scholar in the palace as he was excellent in arts and letters and well versed in knowledge. So, he handled the next important state affairs after his brother Bipaan. In particular, he was in charge of the state affairs relating to education and law. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think so,¡± said Kyousl, worrying her lip. ¡°Though I¡¯m the Crown Princess, I¡¯m not busy at all. Rather, I¡¯m so bored everyday that it¡¯s really hard for me to spend time.¡± The position of the Crown Princess was No. 2 in rank in the royal office managing the king¡¯s concubines. How could a woman in such an important position have nothing to do? ¡°Don¡¯t you think you are the only one who is carefree with no work to do?¡± he asked. Ruhae had spent 21 years in the palace. Though the royal concubines didn¡¯t deal with any state matters, he knew that they were pretty close to those in power. He witnessed them bending over backwards to curry favor with men of power even at receptions. That was a distant world that Kyosul couldn¡¯t even imagine. She was nothing but a young crown princess who, missing her motherland and finding it hard even to get adjusted to the palace life. ¡°The only thing I have to do every day is to pretty myself up every time I leave my residence. I¡¯m not given any assignment regarding state affairs.¡± ¡°How can play the role of the Crown Princess when you¡¯re so tender-hearted?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gtefz5e1479ead3085 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gtefz5e1479ead3085 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gtefz5e1479ead3085 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gtefz5e1479ead3085 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gtefz5e1479ead3085 {display: block;}} ¡°¡­¡± When Ruhae mentioned the title ¡®Crown Princess,¡¯ she got offended all of a sudden. But with her mouth closed tightly, she turned back, folding her hands. He burst into laughter at her childish act, but he swallowed it quickly and said, ¡°Your Highness, Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness, Crown Princess!¡± Though he called several times, she didn¡¯t turn around. He felt sorry about her back, her small head, her skinny shoulders and the excessively large skirt for her small figure. He felt tempted to extend his hand to touch her. ¡°My brother¡¯s wife!¡± Barely controlling his thrilled heart, he just simply called her. Even that made his heart fill with excitement. In the imperial palace where the royal law was strictly observed, it was significant for him to call her casually without mentioning her title fully. Of course, that was something only he knew, which Kyosul didn¡¯t realize at all. He felt so thrilled to call her just that. After that, he kept calling her his brother Bipaan¡¯s wife. ¡°My brother¡¯s wife, didn¡¯t you come here to see me? If you turn around like that, I can¡¯t see your face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Are you really okay even if you turn around? Let me go back, then,¡± he said, stepping back. Chapter 14 Surprised at the sound of his stepping back, Kyosul quickly turned around. Her eyes met his as he smiled at her gently. ¡°You have made fun of me!¡± Her eyes were wet with tears. She was as much prone to tears as laughter. Whenever he looked at her big eyes, he felt heartbroken. Recalling his first encounter with her as she had been crying in the small sedan chair, he was suddenly choked up. Leaning against the tree,with her hands folded behind her back, she shouted at him. ¡°You¡¯re so mean! As you call me Your Highness, Crown Princess or Crown Princess, I was worried and nervous that you were trying to draw a line. But you are just nice and talking to me mischievously with a smile all the time. How do you ¡­¡± How do you feel about me? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kfhqx5e1479ead21e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kfhqx5e1479ead21e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kfhqx5e1479ead21e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kfhqx5e1479ead21e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kfhqx5e1479ead21e4 {display: block;}} That¡¯s what she wanted to ask, but she couldn¡¯t. How could she reveal her feelings about him like this? She was not supposed to do so. She was the Crown Princess, and she couldn¡¯t figure out how she really felt about him. Their meetings up to now could be called the exchanges between friends, but if she asked that question, she might not be able to see him again. But Kyosul was not the type of woman who held back what was on her lips. ¡°I wish Uljin Yu were the Crown Prince.¡± In the end, she told him what happened on the wedding night. Tears trickled from her eyes again. There was no longer a smile on his face. Teetering toward her, he went down on one knee before her. The nanny was waiting for Kyosul in front of a tall gate at the entrance of the outer palace. Sometimes, she stuck out her head and looked inside the gate to check out whether she was coming back. Waiting for her every day was part of the nanny¡¯s hobby now. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.daxzb5e1479ead20ef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.daxzb5e1479ead20ef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.daxzb5e1479ead20ef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.daxzb5e1479ead20ef {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.daxzb5e1479ead20ef {display: block;}} Although the sun rising high in the sky looked small, it was shining everywhere in the world. Looking up at the sun, the nanny looked down when she heard someone approaching. She couldn¡¯t see clearly who he was, because she couldn¡¯t see his face. Embarrassed, she bowed to him. I just don¡¯t know how to greet him formally as I don¡¯t know who he is. What should I do? When she deeply bowed to him, he stopped walking and said, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Lady Yuon serving Her Highness,Crown Princess Kyosul, and I¡¯m her nanny. I have been waiting for her as she is spending time in the back garden of the outer palace.¡± ¡°Really?¡± As if he wasn¡¯t interested, the man entered the tall gate of the outer palace and disappeared. With a sigh, she raised her head. She seemed to have heard his cold voice, but she easily forgot him as she felt there were no high-ranking people in the imperial palace that she might recognize. The back garden of the outer palace was built for foreign envoys and court ladies. As time went by, it became the favorite place of royal family members when they wanted to take a walk. As the palace was built with foreign envoys in mind, it was built magnificently to show the dignity of the Mok Kingdom, so they were satisfied with its quality. The most popular place was the tree, standing tall in the center of the long and upper hill. The tall tree rising high above many colorful flowers and trees was plain compared with other trees but had an aura of dignity. Under that tree stood a woman and a man. They were none other than Kyosul and Ruhae. He was bowing to her, going down with one knee. It looked as if he was showing court courtesy to her politely. At the same time, he was showing his affection for her delicately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I have offended you as I behaved too mischievously.¡± Embarrassed by his sudden act, Kyosul blinked her eyes without knowing what to do, and then cautiously put down her hand. She put her small hand on his head. His hair was as soft as his smile. After she stroked his hair for a moment, she opened her mouth. ¡°Uljin Yu.¡± ¡°Hey, have you already become close enough to call him like that?¡± Suddenly, someone called her from behind. Startled at his voice, Kyosul and Ruhae turned their heads toward where his voice was heard. Bipaan stood there before them on the hill. With a gloomy look, Ruhae raised himself and bowed to him slightly. ¡°Long live the Crown Prince, I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Other palace people would have kneeled and bowed to him like Ruhae did, but like Bipaan, he was one of those who were in line to succeed the throne. So, he showed courtesy by simply bending his waist forward. As Ruhae didn¡¯t reveal to Kyosul that he was the prince, he only went down on one knee to show courtesy playfully. Without paying attention to Ruhae, Bipaan walked to Kyosul with big strides. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ebbcs5e1479ead2260 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ebbcs5e1479ead2260 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ebbcs5e1479ead2260 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ebbcs5e1479ead2260 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ebbcs5e1479ead2260 {display: block;}} ¡°Aren¡¯t you showing manners to me?¡± asked Bipaan. ¡°Oops, Long live the Crown Prince¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xrbyp5e1479ead216c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xrbyp5e1479ead216c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xrbyp5e1479ead216c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xrbyp5e1479ead216c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xrbyp5e1479ead216c {display: block;}} Putting her right hand on her heart, she was about to kneel and bow when he stopped her by raising his hand. ¡°Why did you call him like that? Do you know what it means that you¡¯re not calling someone¡¯s last name in the Mok Kingdom?¡± His was the coldest and most terrifying voice that she had heard up to then. She felt she was shivering at his voice. As early as in the morning she was heartbroken because she couldn¡¯t see his face. But she couldn¡¯t make eye contact with him as he was so scary. Why am I so afraid of him? She opened her trembling lips, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Suddenly, Bipaan made a sarcastic smile. Though she replied to his question, she couldn¡¯t figure out the point of his question. Didn¡¯t I call his last name? She thought she had never called his given name only. She always called him ¡®Uljin Yu.¡¯ Her curiosity was solved when Bipaan said, ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you add the last name Danmok when you called him?¡± ¡°What?¡± She raised her head, surprised at that. Her round eyes met his cold eyes. She felt as if she came to her senses all of a sudden at his icy look. Come to think of it, Uljin Yu told her he was a member of the royal family, so his last name was not Yu, but Danmok. When his eyes met hers, Bipaan turned his head away. Avoiding her eyes, he then approached Ruhae and sharply slapped him in the face with the back of his hand. Though Ruhae drooped his head down at that moment, he didn¡¯t raise it. Bipaan was hurling sharp abuses on Ruhae who lowered his head down. He rebuked Ruhae in a low and dignified voice. ¡°How dare you can entice the Crown Princess when you¡¯re a prince? Did you feel a great pleasure when she, who doesn¡¯t know the customs in this country, called you by your given name alone? I guess you were indulged in a sense of superiority as if you were her paramour or you were the Crown Prince, and didn¡¯t go to the trouble of correcting her, right?¡± Bipaan¡¯s voice turned into a sharp dagger that stabbed Ruhae mercilessly. In fact, he was venting his furious anger over Kyosul to Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.drouh5e1479ead2066 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.drouh5e1479ead2066 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.drouh5e1479ead2066 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.drouh5e1479ead2066 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.drouh5e1479ead2066 {display: block;}} How could the Crown Princess call another guy so kindly in my presence? Bipaan could not forgive her under any circumstances. He tried not to see her. If he turned his eyes on her, he would certainly use pretty bad language to accuse her. That little girl¡­ Bipaan knew she was hurt and shed tears when he said something bluntly. He heard from the eunuch that she went back, full of agony, when he refused to see her every morning. Despite that, she had the nerve to keep coming stupidly every morning. He could size up her temperament in that process. Obviously, she didn¡¯t call him like that on purpose. Given her embarrassment when he pointed it out, Bipaan was sure she was sincere. But he couldn¡¯t give her a pass without rebuking. At the same time, he didn¡¯t want to blame her directly, which would make her burst into tears. How come she is so stupid enough to make me bother again? He clenched his jaw. His lower jaw bulged. The vein in his temple was clearly visible now. He couldn¡¯t figure out why he was concerned about her in spite of himself. There was a breathless and cold silence between them. Sandwiched between Bipaan and Ruhae, who were pitted against each other in a tense war of nerves, Kyosul was at a loss what to do, with her face white, stricken with fear. Prince? Did he really call Uljin Yu Prince? If that was true, Ruhae was the third in line to succeed the throne. Kyosul thought he was one of the royal family members, but it was now revealed that he was the Prince. Besides, she was really embarrassed to realize that she knew him by the wrong name. Chapter 15 Uljin Yu¡¯s name was not Uljin Yu. He was Prince Ruhae. His childhood name was Yuuljin Danmok. So far, she felt Uljin was his given name and his surname Yu. She blushed when she recalled that she had called him by his childhood name only up to now when he was an adult. How come¡­ Confused, she cast a glance at Ruhae. His topknot loosened when he was slapped in the face, his hair was tousled and his cheeks looked flushed. His miserable look broke her heart, but she couldn¡¯t approach him as usual. For she was really confused if this man Yuuljin was the same person that she used to know until now. Why didn¡¯t he point out my blunder in advance? Why did he let me keep calling him like that up to now? Why didn¡¯t he ever reveal his true identity to me? Deep in her heart, Kyosul kept asking a series of questions that she couldn¡¯t answer, nor she could infer answers to such questions. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mersy5e1479eac9e56 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mersy5e1479eac9e56 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mersy5e1479eac9e56 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mersy5e1479eac9e56 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mersy5e1479eac9e56 {display: block;}} Ruhae stood there in a rigid posture when she showed a curious look. Though his head was lowered when Bipaan slapped him in the face, he didn¡¯t move it. It seemed that he was fully prepared to take the blame and punishment faithfully. He also had a lot of complicated thoughts in his head. This is not the way I wanted to reveal my identity to her¡­ Ruhae didn¡¯t have the intention to hide his status and name forever. He planned to reveal his identity to her someday, but he put it off from one day to another out of silly concern. He was worried that she might change her attitude when she found out later that he was not just a member of the royal family but Bipaans¡¯s rival in the fight for the throne. But now Ruhae was faced with the worst situation as a result of his delay. His identity was revealed by someone else, and that Bippan, his rival. He couldn¡¯t make any excuse. Above all, he was worried he might not be able to see Kyosul again on the occasion of this incident. There was a silence going on with three of them lost in thoughts of their own. It was Ruhae who broke the long silence first. He wanted to overcome the current difficulties as much as he could. While trying to raise his head which was slanted a bit, he made eye contact with Bipaan. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.innoh5e1479eac9d6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.innoh5e1479eac9d6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.innoh5e1479eac9d6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.innoh5e1479eac9d6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.innoh5e1479eac9d6d {display: block;}} ¡°Brother!¡± The moment he said that Bipaan again slapped him in the face, but this time his head was not turned. Though he felt burning on his face, he stared at Bipaan strongly. Bipaan¡¯s eyebrows wiggled. Seeing him unscathed and resolute, Bipaan twisted his lips and said sarcastically, ¡°Did you call me brother? Then, you have committed the sin of playing with my wife and coveting my place at the first in line to succeed the throne.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. How could I dare to commit that kind of injustice? It¡¯s just your misunderstanding. What I mean is¡­¡± Ruhae tried his best to deny Bipaan¡¯s false charges, but he couldn¡¯t continue. At that moment, his conscience severely rebuked him. How can you reply? If not for that reason, why did you fail to reveal your true identity to Kyosul? Can you say you don¡¯t have the slightest indecent desire for her? Can you say clearly you don¡¯t have any desire to make Kyosul, your brother¡¯s wife and Crown Princess, your woman? Ruhae couldn¡¯t answer each of these questions arising deep inside. After all, giving up his defiant attitude, he kneeled before Bipaan and lowered his head. ¡°I have made a mistake. I committed disloyalty against you, Your Excellency Crown Prince.¡± ¡°As you repent yourself, let me refrain from punishing you any more.¡± Speaking to him coldly, Bipaan turned away, then cast a glance at Kyosul. She already squatted down and leaned her back against the tree. He couldn¡¯t think straight as she had yet to analyze why Ruhae hid his identity from Kyosul and Kyosul called him by his given name only. He didn¡¯t try to help Kyosul, now leaning her back against the tree. He just spoke to her in an icy tone, ¡°Crown Princess, keep it in mind that you call somebody by name only between husband and wife in the Mok Kingdom. So, be careful!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± She showed a pretty sensitive reaction whenever Bipaan said something, but she didn¡¯t reply at all this time. Bipaan didn¡¯t go to the trouble saying anything more to her and issued an order to Ruhae. ¡°It looks like the Crown Princess was surprised. Take her to her residence.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Without even looking at Ruhae, who replied with his knees down, Bipaan went down the hill. The fact that Bipaan let Ruhae take care of her despite his severe rebuke was an indication of his conceit as well as his warning to Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.evhyg5e1479eac9ec3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.evhyg5e1479eac9ec3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.evhyg5e1479eac9ec3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.evhyg5e1479eac9ec3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.evhyg5e1479eac9ec3 {display: block;}} In other words, his conceit was that no matter how much Ruhae showed disloyalty to him, his brother would never pose a danger to him. It was also a warning that he wouldn¡¯t sit idle at Ruhae¡¯s second challenge to his authority. It was also an implicit pressure on Ruahe that he had better watch out carefully when it came to his conduct. There were lots of meaningful signals between them during their short dialogue. For a long time after Bipaan disappeared, Ruhae kneeled with his head lowered then stood up falteringly. Ruhae¡¯s sad eyes met hers. He slowly lowered himself and saw her eyes. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.esyjz5e1479eac9de0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.esyjz5e1479eac9de0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.esyjz5e1479eac9de0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.esyjz5e1479eac9de0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.esyjz5e1479eac9de0 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t reveal my identity as Prince to you. I just wanted to make you feel comfortable as you came a long way from the Hwa Kingdom, so I didn¡¯t reveal my identity, but I didn¡¯t realize how big a mistake I made against you, Crown Princess.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s fine with me.¡± Kyosul kept silent. As if he didn¡¯t expect any answer from her, Ruhae approached her silently and helped her stand up. When he tried to lift her up by holding one of her hands, she shook it off. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her voice was stiff. She didn¡¯t say it casually. Obviously, she was being careful in her conduct. She stepped back, covering her face with both hands defensively, but she bumped into the trunk of that big tree while stepping back. She always felt ¡®Uljin Yu¡¯ that she used to know was the ¡®giant tree¡¯ that she could rely on. But now he was only ¡®one tree in the back garden¡¯ to her. When she felt that way, she got choked up suddenly. ¡°Why?¡± Her voice got emotional. Was it because she had been holding back what she wanted to say? When she got emotional, her eyes were welled up with tears. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me this in advance? Did you really act like that because you wanted to make me comfortable and feel at home?¡± Ruhae couldn¡¯t answer. Nor could he smile as usual. His solemn expression made her get bold. His forthcoming admission that he made a mistake shocked her more than ever. ¡°So, do you think I¡¯m an easy girl now?¡± Kyosul was embarrassed at that. Has she ever sneered at anybody? Had she ever criticized anybody like this? Out of anger and resentment against him, she put the blame on him against her will. But she was hurt when she vented her anger at him. Her face looked haggard as if she, not Ruhae, was blamed, even though she criticized him. Trying not to look at him, she walked ahead. Her footsteps were shaky. She gave strength to her legs on purpose and moved step by step. Though she tried to focus on moving her feet, she kept thinking about what happened a moment ago. She recalled what she told him. I wish UljinYu were the Crown Prince. Hot tears well up in her eyes came down, after all. Her tears quickly ran down her cheeks and dropped onto her clothes. ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t made the remark¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.amwms5e1479eac9cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.amwms5e1479eac9cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.amwms5e1479eac9cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.amwms5e1479eac9cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.amwms5e1479eac9cf6 {display: block;}} If she hadn¡¯t confessed her genuine feelings about him, she would not have been so embarrassed like now, even if she realized he was the Prince. She wouldn¡¯t have felt she was toyed with by him. She regretted she had made the confession. Looking at her and her shaky footsteps, Ruhae followed her cautiously, so that she could not realize his shadowing. When she arrived at the top gate, the nanny who was looking at her from the outside came running to her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Your face doesn¡¯t look good. Did anything wrong happen in the back garden?¡± When the nanny was examining her, she suddenly fell. ¡°Your Highness!¡± When Kyosul collapsed all of a sudden, the nanny was at a loss of what to do. Someone quickly approached her and lifted her up skillfully. With a surprised look, the nanny looked at him. ¡°Who are you, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Prince Ruhae.¡± Shortly introducing himself, he took her in his arms and headed for the East Palace. Looking at him blankly, she came to her senses and followed him. He took her into her room and put her on the bed before going back. Court ladies who enjoyed spreading gossip began to whisper among themselves. And since then Kyosul never went to the back garden of the outer palace. Only Ruhae went and wandered alone under the big tree in the center. When it was completely dark, he went back inside. Chapter 16 As Kyosul opened her eyes, the nanny was looking at her anxiously. Her hollow eyes blinked a few more times. The nanny quickly grasped her dry hands with her both hands. ¡°Your Highness, have you come to your senses? What happened to you?¡± ¡°Nanny¡­ ¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Kyosul¡¯s poor voice fizzled out. The nanny just shed tears. According to the royal doctor who just came to see her for a medical checkup, there was nothing wrong with her body. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.unptu5e1479eac7457 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.unptu5e1479eac7457 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.unptu5e1479eac7457 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.unptu5e1479eac7457 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.unptu5e1479eac7457 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness is very healthy. It seems to be a psychological problem. Sometimes, royal concubines from other countries have homesickness,¡± said the doctor. As the Mok Kingdom was a great empire, small kingdoms sent princesses to the Mok Kingdom. There were women like Kyosul who were sent to the Mok Kingdom for political marriages. Currently, Kyosul and another woman in the four palaces came from other countries. The nanny nodded at the word ¡®homesickness.¡¯ ¡°Yes. She has got quickly tired, worn out and depressed for some time.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zsppx5e1479eac73b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zsppx5e1479eac73b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zsppx5e1479eac73b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zsppx5e1479eac73b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zsppx5e1479eac73b9 {display: block;}} ¡°It looks like she is exhausted from psychological anxiety and pressure, compounded by homesickness. The best remedy for her sickness is to take a rest for psychological stability. Walking will also be of much help. She should rest. I will brew some herbal medicine for her stamina starting this evening.¡± ¡°Hope she is in your good hands. She was not weak like this before. She used to be very courageous and healthy.¡± ¡°Yes, I agree with you because I have confirmed it by checking her pulse. She didn¡¯t have any signs of weakness or discomfort. If she holds her own, she¡¯ll be up and running in no time. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± The doctor soothed the nanny who got nervous about Kyosul¡¯s health, stomping her feet then went back. After he left, the nanny didn¡¯t leave Kyosul until she opened her eyes. The nanny stroked her pale face with her trembling hand. Kyosul came to her senses and stared at the nanny with a haggard expression. The nanny was on the edge of tears and kept stroking her hands. She did not ask Kyosul anything and just stayed beside her quietly and comforted her. Kyosul also knew that her nanny would wait without asking anything until she pulled herself together. ¡°I¡­ . ¡± Finally, Kyosul opened her mouth. Her lips were still stained with lipstick. ¡°I wished he were the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Suddenly, Kyosul said something completely out of context. Surprised by her unexpected confession, the nanny looked at her. Her gaze was wandering in the air. Looking away, she spoke slowly in a feeble voice as if she was whispering from a distance. ¡°I was foolish and indecent enough to cherish such wish because the Crown Prince was so scary¡­ I wished that kind-hearted man were the Crown Prince¡­ I just thought so without any serious thought because it¡¯s nonsense. I thought he was just a member of the royal family, but he was¡­¡± The nanny felt sad to hear her speak with such difficulty. When she spat out each word, her eyes grew wet with tears. Kyosul, who barely continued to speak, couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the last thing on her mind. It stuck like a solid thorn in her throat. He is the Prince, the third in line to succeed the throne. At the same time, the tears in her eyes came down. Though she did not speak her last thought, the nanny seemed to know who she was talking about. As soon as Kyosul collapsed, he ran out of the back garden of the outer palace and picked her up. He introduced himself as the prince. Is it because she wanted to see the prince that she visited the back garden every day? The nanny kept stroking her face silently while lost in her thoughts. Kyosul¡¯s eyes, which were staring into the air, closed before she knew. The nanny, who gently held her hands until she went to sleep, let go of her hands and walked out of the room. *** The next day Bipaan could not concentrate on his work all morning. He kept opening and closing scrolls. He didn¡¯t turn over even one scroll for almost an hour. Even before he could write on a scroll with a brush, the ink ran dry, so he had to rub an ink stick on an inkstone several times. By the end of Jinshi (7 am ¨C 9 am), Bipaan put down the scrolls and brush and sat on the seat. He closed his eyes and straightened his back as if to relax his muscles for a break. It happened to be the time when Kyosul would come every morning to offer greetings to him. As I can¡¯t focus on my work, let me take a breath and allow her morning greetings today. As he rebuked her yesterday, he wanted to grant her request to see him this morning. However, there was no indication of her being around even until 11:30 AM. In the end, Bipaan, who had been waiting for her arrival, cleared his throat loudly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sbqvk5e1479eac74a7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sbqvk5e1479eac74a7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sbqvk5e1479eac74a7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sbqvk5e1479eac74a7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sbqvk5e1479eac74a7 {display: block;}} The eunuch who was on standby quickly came and answered. ¡°Did you call me, Your Highness?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dlrpn5e1479eac740a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dlrpn5e1479eac740a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dlrpn5e1479eac740a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dlrpn5e1479eac740a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dlrpn5e1479eac740a {display: block;}} Squeezing his lips for a moment, he asked casually, ¡°Hasn¡¯t she come here today to say hello?¡± ¡°Pardon, what do you mean, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking about the Crown Princess.¡± ¡°Are you looking for Her Highness?¡± Embarrassed by his sudden and unexpected question, the eunuch quickly tried to read his mind. Bipaan said in a low voice, with particular attention to the pitch of his voice, ¡°I¡¯m not looking for her. As she used to come here every morning, I just asked whether she changed her schedule today. ¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t come today. Shall I send a messenger to her residence in the East Palace to check on her?¡± The eunuch¡¯s calm voice struck his heart like a hard rock. With a deep breath, he murmured, ¡°Didn¡¯t she come today?¡± One of his eyebrows tilted toward the middle of his forehead. He felt a knot in his stomach suddenly. He looked askance at the cushion mat across his desk. He suddenly recalled Kyosul, who came over and sat there, talking to him like a child with a smile. When she came here, she said it was her duty as the Crown Princess to offer me morning greetings. After all, did she say just empty words? Bipaan closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, the shadow on the cushion mat was gone. Bipaan sat down with his back on the chair and spoke to the eunuch with a stern voice. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to send the messenger. I was just curious if her schedule has changed today. Even in the future let me have no morning greetings from her. ¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± A cool wind blew over his temple. Bipaan again opened up the scroll. His gaze scanning the letters was sharp. *** Kyosul lay in bed all day. It had been a while since she spent a day in the room without going outside. As she was so healthy, she usually didn¡¯t even catch a cold, but sometimes even she had to get sick. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t feel pain at all, I can still be sick like this.¡± Her words seemed to be contradictory but correct. Though she didn¡¯t feel any pain in her body, her heart ached, which was even more painful. She just felt stuffy and couldn¡¯t breathe well. She often felt she was choked up with tears, blocking her airway. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pmpyi5e1479eac735f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pmpyi5e1479eac735f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pmpyi5e1479eac735f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pmpyi5e1479eac735f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pmpyi5e1479eac735f {display: block;}} This was the first time that Kyosul felt heartbroken. She was sick because of Bipaan¡¯s indifferent attitude, and she was sicker because of her longing for Ruhae. Overwhelmed by these troubles and heartbreaking incidents, she lost all her motivation. ¡°I hate everyone. I hate my father who sent me so far, I hate my mother who didn¡¯t stop him, and I hate my brother who didn¡¯t confront him. ¡± Her pillowcase was wet with tears. Now, she felt her memories of her life in the Hwa Kingdom, her motherland, were too distant. Though only one season had passed since she arrived in the Mok Kingdom, she was overcome with numerous agonies. ¡°I hate Bipaan, that heartless man. ¡± Initially, she was thrilled about her groom to some degree. She was even excited. She wondered about his personality, temperament, and appearance, but her husband never smiled at her. Even in the middle of spring he just spoke with a cold look. As if he was dealing with a child or a messy boy, he seemed to treat her not as his wife, Crown Princess, but as a naughty tomboy. As he treated her like that, Kyosul found herself downcast and scared more often than not. ¡°I hate that kind-hearted man much more.¡± He was the first person who smiled at her. Was it because she let her hair down easily? Without exactly knowing who he was, she often searched for him in the back garden of the outer palace as she felt him comfortable to be around and, after all, confessed to him something indecent, namely her genuine feelings about him. Gosh! How can I have a crush on him like this? Chapter 17 Kyosul herself was surprised to know she had made such a confession. How could she wish Ruhae was the Crown Prince? I feel comfortable when I¡¯m with him. I laugh when I¡¯m with him. I miss him when he is not around. She kept thinking about him more and more deeply before she knew, but she was still confused about whether it was because of Bipaan¡¯s icy attitude or because of Ruhae¡¯s lie that she was so sad and heartbroken now. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ehhps5e1479eac20fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ehhps5e1479eac20fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ehhps5e1479eac20fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ehhps5e1479eac20fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ehhps5e1479eac20fa {display: block;}} ¡°Was he simply teasing me?¡± She was scared. She was even worried that his words and actions she had observed so far were deceptive in nature given that he had lied about his identity. Bipaan treated me as much of a mere child. How much did I look foolish and funny to Ruhae then? As such thoughts came to her mind often, she was distressed all the more. As the Crown Princess, she enjoyed spending time with another man, regarding him as a friend, and even confessed to him that she wished he was the Crown Prince. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ksrpz5e1479eac2062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ksrpz5e1479eac2062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ksrpz5e1479eac2062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ksrpz5e1479eac2062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ksrpz5e1479eac2062 {display: block;}} ¡°What a fool I am! Why didn¡¯t I ask him about his identity?¡± After blaming herself for a long time, she began to hold a grudge against Ruhae. She felt the reason he didn¡¯t tell her about his identity frankly was that he regarded her as an unimportant woman. Though she was confused about whether a weight on her mind was caused by Bipaan¡¯s cold treatment or Ruhae¡¯s ignorance. She was more and more attracted to Ruhae. It was the first time she thought about a man for so long other than her brothers. Every day the royal doctor brew herbal medicine for Kyosul. Receiving a bowl of herbal decoction, the nanny stood before the door of her room and asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you awake? She didn¡¯t reply, but when the nanny glanced at the court ladies, they opened the door. With her head lowered, she stepped into the room, put down the bowl, and looked at the bed. She was already awake and sitting up in bed. She looked paler in her white nightgown. ¡°This herbal decoction is for you. The doctor asked you to have it on an empty stomach first then he will prepare another medicine after you have porridge for breakfast. ¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± She was silent. Looking at her with trembling eyes, the nanny offered the herbal decoction to her. ¡°Please drink it when it is warm.¡± Receiving the bowl, she cautiously emptied it. It tasted bitter in her mouth. But for now, she felt much more bitter than it. ¡°Let me bring your breakfast soon.¡± Holding the empty bowl, the nanny bowed to her and stepped back. After a while, she brought a pill with the porridge. Kyosul didn¡¯t say anything until she finished her breakfast. At noon, she brought lunch. The doctor didn¡¯t prescribe any medicine for lunch. Granted that she ate like a bird usually, she hardly ate the food today. As she had medicine but not much food, the nanny was worried. She was sitting for a while after she had lunch. Then she was about to lie on the bed when a court lady gave her a message. *** Sunny spring days were waning, and Mother Nature was preparing to close spring. Full-petaled spring flowers began to disappear one by one, and the cool spring breeze gradually began to turn warm, heralding the arrival of summer. Ruhae, the owner of Namchon Palace in the center of the South Palace, sat in his study with a pale face. He looked so pale that he looked like he would collapse at any moment. The reason he was so haggard was because of one woman whom he couldn¡¯t throw her name around now. Ruhae had a friend that he enjoyed meeting until recently. She was none other than Kyosul, who came from the Hwa Kingdom for a political marriage with Bipaan, the Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom. He used to meet her mainly in the back garden of the outer palace without any prior appointment. When he was caught being with her by chance by Bipaan, she found out that he did not reveal his identity to her. I can¡¯t forget how embarrassed she was¡­ He couldn¡¯t forget her embarrassed eyes and the expression on her face when she came to know for the first time that he was a prince and that his name was not Uljin Yu but Yuuljin Danmok. Whenever he closed his eyes, her glittering eyes came to his mind, troubling his heart. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hjedy5e1479eac20b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hjedy5e1479eac20b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hjedy5e1479eac20b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hjedy5e1479eac20b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hjedy5e1479eac20b6 {display: block;}} I¡¯ve brought myself to this. Who can I blame? This was a punishment he brought onto himself. He should have revealed his identity from the beginning. If he had done so, she might have taken it and given it a pass without any problem as she was simple and naive. But he was scared. He was worried that if she was the Crown Princess would be wary of him, a prince. He was scared because of the unusually fierce competition among princes to succeed the throne. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lzkjn5e1479eac214f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lzkjn5e1479eac214f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lzkjn5e1479eac214f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lzkjn5e1479eac214f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lzkjn5e1479eac214f {display: block;}} ¡°I hid my identity because I didn¡¯t want to lose her, but that made me lose her more quickly.¡± Thinking over and over his mistake, Ruhae murmured with a deep sigh. ¡°Like brother Bipaan said, I might have¡­ ¡± Ruhae suddenly recalled Bipaan¡¯s sarcastic criticism of him. Did you feel a great pleasure when you heard the Crown Princess calling you by your given name? I think you were indulged in a sense of superiority as if you were her paramour or the Crown Prince, and didn¡¯t think of correcting her mistake, right? Was it because he liked it so much when Kyosul called him by his given name? Yuuljin Her voice and her bright smile came to his mind suddenly. Her pronunciation of his name was so cute and adorable, with a pleasant vibration. But he could not hear her voice anymore, let alone her calling his name. After she found out about his deception, she didn¡¯t come to the back garden anymore. Nevertheless, Ruhae continued to visit the back garden as if that were a ray of hope he could count on. As the days went by, Ruhae became more and more skinny. When he held a brush with a tired face, the eunuch said, ¡°Your Excellency, Prince Ruhae, the princess has arrived.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± At his short reply, the door of his study was opened and a fine woman came in. Her round and small face shaped like a finely carved chestnut was pure and white without blemishes. Her hair was shiny as it was treated with camellia oil, and half of her round forehead was covered with bangs. She had a neat and elegant impression. She was Princess Yomin, a woman of virtue who always served him loyally with all her heart without any objection to his instruction. Princess Yomin came into his study and said hello. ¡°I¡¯m honored to see Your Highness.¡± She adjusted her posture and looked at his face. She came to him with a light step. A woman, who hesitated to choose for a moment between the cushion mat next to him and one before his desk, sat face to face with him. ¡°Your Excellency, what¡¯s the matter with you? I hear that you haven¡¯t had much food recently. ¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve got something that disturbs me. That¡¯s all. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Oh, Prince Ruhae.¡± There was some sadness in her calling with lament. She was heartbroken at his reply. He always treated her with courtesy. She was thankful to him because he seemed to respect her, but she felt heartbroken all the time because he seemed to keep his distance from her by showing too much decorum. Today, she asked, though she knew she would be rejected. ¡°Is it something you can¡¯t share with your wife?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.efrgs5e1479eac2003 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.efrgs5e1479eac2003 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.efrgs5e1479eac2003 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.efrgs5e1479eac2003 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.efrgs5e1479eac2003 {display: block;}} Ruhae looked into her eyes. Her clear eyes were filled with her concern about him. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but today, too, he shook his head firmly with a smile. ¡°Thanks for your concern, Princess Yomin. But this is a very little private matter of mine. So, it doesn¡¯t deserve your concern at all. ¡± Though he said in a kind and soft voice, she felt it like a dagger in her heart. She wished he hadn¡¯t smiled at all. Though he was always sweet and kind to her, she was hurt by his kindness sometimes. Looking at his smile, her face became rather hardened. He was trying to keep his distance from her. He always treated her carefully. Though he couldn¡¯t be more kind to her, he wounded her heart. She clenched her fists, her hands placed on her knees. Her skinny and small fists trembled suddenly. After all, she said something she shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°I hear there is some rumor about you circulating among the court ladies.¡± With a curious look, he looked at Yomin. She turned her mouth up slightly. She smiled a long smile and continued casually. ¡°The rumor is that when the Crown Princess first came to the imperial palace, you greeted her kindly and had romantic feelings about her, and since then you have secretly been meeting every day and have confirmed your love.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°Princess! How can you believe such a wild rumor?¡± As soon as she was done talking, he shouted as if he had a seizure. Yomin opened her eyes wide and subdued her surprise at his sensitive reaction. She had never heard such a loud voice before. Suddenly, she wanted to ask, Did you know how to speak in such a loud voice? While Ruhae raised his upper body, embarrassed at her sudden mention of the rumor, Yomin was calm, with a gentle smile on her face. As his wife, she was the type of woman who checked his deteriorating health with calm eyes like a calm lake. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lqzyy5e1479ea17c16 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lqzyy5e1479ea17c16 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lqzyy5e1479ea17c16 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lqzyy5e1479ea17c16 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lqzyy5e1479ea17c16 {display: block;}} Slowly closing her eyes, she continued, ¡°According to the rumor, you were noticed by court ladies heading to the East Palace, holding the Crown Princess in your arms. Not one but several of them allegedly noticed you. That¡¯s why they¡¯re gossiping about you behind your back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the wife of the Crown Prince suddenly fell, so¡­.¡± ¡°I knew you would do so,¡± said Yomin. While he was trying to clarify his position hurriedly, she cut in and replied brightly. ¡°As a woman from the Hwa Kingdom came into this quiet imperial palace, the court ladies made up such a rumor, I think. I didn¡¯t believe it the moment I heard it. In fact, it didn¡¯t deserve my attention because I know what kind of character you have.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ofyyd5e1479ea17b74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ofyyd5e1479ea17b74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ofyyd5e1479ea17b74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ofyyd5e1479ea17b74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ofyyd5e1479ea17b74 {display: block;}} ¡°Princess Yomin!¡± Letting go of his hand holding the desk, he flopped down onto the mat. When he let out a sigh, she touched his face. At her sudden act, he pulled himself back instinctively. She extended her hand again and said, ¡°I think you have become weak recently. Let me ask the royal doctor to brew herbal medicine to recover your health.¡± With a worried look, she cupped his cheeks with both hands. She took pains to forget his effort to pull himself back when she extended her hand. The moment he backed off, her heart sank. He was supposed to be closer to her than anybody else, but he hesitated even to touch her, which broke her heart. But she tried her best to make a smile to forget about her wounded heart. ¡°Let me say goodbye for now, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me stop by your residence sooner or later.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to wait for you, always dressed up and ready to greet you.¡± She answered with a happy smile. But again today she was not satisfied with the quality of dialogue with him. Above all, she didn¡¯t like the way he called her. She has been married to him for several years, but whenever he called her, she was so disappointed. Ruhae was a good husband. He was kind and cheerful. Above all, he didn¡¯t leave his wife alone and lonely. He visited her not too often or not too occasionally. But that was it. The more he visited, the more she felt he was dealing with her in a businesslike manner. She got the impression that he made it a rule to see her out of the sense of duty as her husband. By the way, when are you going to call me your wife? Though Yomin exchanged greetings with him and even talked with him, she felt lonely as she left her study. Ruhae always called Yomin ¡®Princess Yomin¡¯ as if she were not his wife. In the solemn palace, the royal couples showed others how close they were by calling themselves by given names. That¡¯s why she always felt it regrettable that Ruhae always called her ¡®Princess Yomin.¡¯ Though it was not a big deal for her to take issue with, she was still sensitive to the matter of how he called her title. Even those who got to know her for some time called her just ¡®Prince Ruhae¡¯s wife.¡¯ She just wished Ruhae called her his wife. When she stood on the wooden porch, the court lady standing near the stepping stone put on shoes for her. While looking down at her, Yomin suddenly recalled what Ruhae said a moment ago. I held her in my arms because the wife of the Crown Prince fell suddenly. Her eyes sparkled at that moment. Ruhae called even her ¡®wife of the Crown Prince,¡¯ when she was still called ¡®Princess Yomin¡¯, not ¡®wife of the Prince,¡¯ when she had been married to him for several years. She was reminded of the wild rumors getting around among the court ladies. ¡°Bojin!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.flchy5e1479ea17c68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.flchy5e1479ea17c68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.flchy5e1479ea17c68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.flchy5e1479ea17c68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.flchy5e1479ea17c68 {display: block;}} Court lady Bojin, who was waiting for her nearby, came running to her and answered, lowering her head, ¡°I¡¯m here, Your Princess.¡± Bojin was her favorite court lady. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the East Palace. I have to meet the Crown Princess.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hrmmd5e1479ea17bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hrmmd5e1479ea17bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hrmmd5e1479ea17bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hrmmd5e1479ea17bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hrmmd5e1479ea17bc7 {display: block;}} ¡°Got it, Your Highness.¡± Yomin arrived at the East Palace accompanied by the court ladies including Bojin, headed to the left side of the palace. The residence of the Crown Princess was on the left side of the palace. As the East Palace was larger than the South Palace she resided in, it took some time for her to arrive at the palace. Bojin ran to the court lady in charge when Yomin arrived at the main residence of the Crown Princess and told her why Yomin came. ¡°Princess Yomin wants to see the Crown Princess to offer greetings.¡± Her message was conveyed to the senior court ladies and then to the most senior court lady serving right outside the Crown Princess¡¯s chamber. ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul has allowed her to come in.¡± Then the court lady opened the gate of her residence, and Yomin took off her shoes to come in. Looking at her from behind with a worried look, she was standing outside with the court ladies. In Bojin¡¯s mind, Yomin was feeling under the weather while on her way to the East Palace. As she was already aware of the wild rumor about Ruhae and Kyosul, Bojin was worried about Yomin who dared to visit Kyosul. Finally, the door of Kyosul¡¯s room was opened and Yomin came in. She approached Kyosul with cautious steps and stood across her to offer greetings, ¡°Long live the Crown Princess, I¡¯m honored to see you like this.¡± Raising herself slowly, Yomin sat on the cushioned mat. With a gentle smile, Yomnin looked at Kyosul sitting face to face with her. As if she was still sick, Kyosul sat on the cushioned mat, not on the bed, looking pale. As Yomin already saw Ruha¡¯s haggard face, she felt Kyosul¡¯s paleness resembled his. Yomin began to feel some sort of ache in her heart. She got worried more because she felt Kyosul looked pale for the same reason that Ruhae became haggard recently. Looking at Yomin¡¯s beautiful face, Kyosul¡¯s heart ached. Oh, she is the wife of Prince Ruhae¡­ Kyosul was forgetting it until now. Princes of the East Palace, the South Palace, the West Palace and the North Palace, all competing to succeed the throne had official wives. Kyosul assumed that as the Prince, he must have a wife, but she forgot it completely. The moment Kyosul saw Ruhae¡¯s wife face to face, Kyosul was shocked again. What the hell I have been thinking about him? Kyosul felt ashamed of herself. Biting her lip not to be seen stupid, Kyosul took pains to make a smile. ¡°As I¡¯m lazy, I¡¯ve come to see you only now, Your Highness, Crown Princess.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pomel5e1479ea17b18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pomel5e1479ea17b18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pomel5e1479ea17b18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pomel5e1479ea17b18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pomel5e1479ea17b18 {display: block;}} Yomin lowered her head slightly. Was it just Kyosul¡¯s illusion that she felt from the way she spoke that Yomin was complacent and dignified? Facing her directly, Kyosul felt like a child. There was a kind of mellowness of an adult woman in Yomin¡¯s conduct. Kyosul could feel it even when she was simply sitting on the mat with a smile with her back straightened. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Pince Yomin. I was absent-minded getting adjusted to the palace life up to now. If you had come to see me earlier, I would not have greeted you politely.¡± Kyosul¡¯s voice trembled. She couldn¡¯t raise her voice even before Yomin. She just kept conjuring up the image of Prince Ruhae right above her face. He was the man who treated her kindly when she arrived in this strange place. He was the man who comforted her when she was given cold shrift by the Crown Prince. Kyosul¡¯s pale face turned red at that moment. She looks lovely. Looking at her flushed face at that moment, Yomin thought so before she knew, but shook her head, surprised. When Yomin suddenly shook her head, Kyosul asked with a curious look, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No, not really, Your Highness. I just missed what you said to me. I¡¯m alright. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t served any refreshment for you. Nanny?¡± When Kyosul extended her hand to call her nanny, Yomin grabbed it suddenly. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here briefly. So, you don¡¯t need to serve refreshments to me.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Feeling rather awkward, Kyosul fidgeted and put her hand down on her knee. After that, Yomin looked at Kyosul quietly. While she was just staring at her, Kyosul was at a loss of what to do and barely opened her mouth, ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± Chapter 19 When Kyosul said that, Yomin lowered her head after realizing that she had been staring at Kyosul without saying anything. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Your Highness. I¡¯ve committed a gaffe.¡± Finally, Kyosul began to recover her complacency as usual, as if she felt more relaxed now while talking and spending some time with Yomin. ¡°I think I know why you have come to see me today.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wuftw5e1479ea08451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wuftw5e1479ea08451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wuftw5e1479ea08451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wuftw5e1479ea08451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wuftw5e1479ea08451 {display: block;}} When Kyosul spoke in a bright voice, Yomin raised her head and looked at her. ¡°I guess you have come here as you¡¯re curious about how a woman from another country looks. As you¡¯re staring at me like that, I think I can guess why, though I¡¯m slow-witted,¡± Kyosul said. Forgetting the uncomfortable truth that Yomin was Ruhae¡¯s wife, she spoke with a smile just like she did before Ruhae. Yomin burst into laughter at her innocence. Yomin got even ashamed of herself when she thought she to be wary of this little woman. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I think my foolish act has made you uncomfortable.¡± ¡°No, not at all. In fact, I was lonely and bored here in the palace. I just want to thank you for coming to see me.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nedmp5e1479ea083b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nedmp5e1479ea083b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nedmp5e1479ea083b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nedmp5e1479ea083b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nedmp5e1479ea083b0 {display: block;}} Looking at Kyosul¡¯s innocent, child-like smile, Yomin was curious why Kyosul called her the ¡®wife¡¯ of Prince Ruhae without any hesitation. Recalling, however, that she came from the Hwa Kingdom, Yomin felt that¡¯s the way they called royal women in her motherland. After hesitating a bit, Yomin opened her mouth. As she knew Kyosul felt much more relaxed now, Yomin could bring up the question she wanted to ask. ¡°Your Highness, Crown Princess, how come you can call me the prince¡¯s wife so easily?¡± ¡°Pardon? You are the wife of Prince Ruhae, right? That¡¯s why I call you his wife.¡± Nodding her head, Yomin continued, ¡°Your Highness, you know that the laws and customs of the Mok Kingdom are much more complicated than that of the Hwa Kingdom, your motherland, right?¡± Yomin explained to her with extreme caution so as not to commit any disloyalty, but Kyosul nodded easily without caring about it. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to be careful about how to call the royal family members here. There are many royal wives here. So, if you call someone just ¡®a prince¡¯s wife,¡¯ we never know which prince¡¯s wife you¡¯re referring to. That wife could be me or the Emperor¡¯s wife, or the Crown Prince¡¯s wife. So, you have to add the correct title when you call them.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t think as far as that,¡± Kyosul answered, embarrassed. ¡°And ¡­¡± Yomin tried to continue, but she was disturbed as she had to tell Kyosul what she felt bothered her most these days, but she could tell about the purpose of her visit as she naturally mentioned the matter of the title of royal wives in the Mok Kingdom. ¡°When they want to show friendliness or closeness, they can call a princess just a prince¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, you can address the Crown Princess as the Crown Prince¡¯s wife, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Just like a student predicted the answer to a teacher¡¯s question, Kyosul answered. Yomin replied to her question with a gentle smile. ¡°And the prince also calls the princess just his wife to show affinity and friendliness. By the way, I guess the Crown Prince addresses that woman as a ¡®concubine¡¯ as you¡¯re his official wife.¡± Kyosul nodded again. Come to think of it, Bipaan addressed her as the Crown Prince¡¯s wife. She didn¡¯t think much about it because that¡¯s what they did in her motherland. Only after Yomin explained it did Kyosul understand the real implication of his calling. Is it true that the Crown Prince felt a little closer to me? Suddenly, Kyosul felt embarrassed at the thought that she was too scared of Bipaan. She even thought that he might have done his best to treat her with respect and consideration. ¡°Is there anything else that I have to use caution when it comes to calling titles?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if you know this. You call the Crown Prince and the Prince just prince, right? But you shouldn¡¯t call them like that.¡± ¡°In the Hwa Kingdom, they are called like that. I¡¯ve been addressing them simply as princes. I think they might have scolded me for my clumsy manners.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.azkyr5e1479ea08404 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.azkyr5e1479ea08404 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.azkyr5e1479ea08404 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.azkyr5e1479ea08404 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.azkyr5e1479ea08404 {display: block;}} As if she thought it fortunate that she wasn¡¯t scolded yet, Kyosul put her hands on her heart and let out a deep sigh. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t met other princes or princesses yet. She realized anew that she was now living in the Mok Kingdom where she had to be careful all the time. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.smmxt5e1479ea084a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.smmxt5e1479ea084a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.smmxt5e1479ea084a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.smmxt5e1479ea084a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.smmxt5e1479ea084a4 {display: block;}} Yomin continued, ¡°And there are two royal wives in the East Palace. So, you should call them ¡®Ye Princess¡¯ and ¡®Su Princess.¡¯ And there are three concubines here. You don¡¯t have to add any title when you call them. You just call them by adding their last names such as Concubine Suh, Concubine Jeyong and Concubine Yu. By the way, didn¡¯t you receive any briefing from the chief court lady?¡± Yomin suddenly asked Kyosul after she was done explaining. In fact, when she arrived in the palace, Yomin herself learned about every detail of the palace life from the court lady in charge of teaching royal wives about court manners. At Yomin¡¯s question Kyosul answered, blushing her face, ¡°Well, I was absent-minded with getting adjusted to the palace life since I got here¡­¡± That was true. At first, they didn¡¯t arrange any special training program for her so she could get adjusted to the palace life easily while checking its atmosphere. When they were about to give her the required training seriously, Kyosul put it off as she went to the back garden of the outer palace to meet Prince Ruhae. As she was vacant at her residence every day, the court ladies in charge of her training often had to go back, but the reason she was not familiar with the royal family members was partly because of her negligence. In the meantime, the royal doctor recommended that she should take as much rest as possible for psychological stableness, so they didn¡¯t plan any training for her at all. ¡°Recently I¡¯ve been sick in bed, so I couldn¡¯t receive the training on court manners.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! Do you have any chronic illness?¡± ¡°Oh, not really¡­¡± Kyosul slurred. And she again felt dumbfounded. How can she reply to the official wife of Prince Ruhae? Could she confess her heart ached because of him? Could she say she was heartbroken because he embraced her warmly when she was trembling in fear of the cold-hearted Crown Prince? While Kyosul was at a loss for words, Yomin¡¯s face hardened. She recalled her purpose in visiting the East Palace. ¡°May I ask who made you sick like this?¡± Her face was drained of color when she was faced with Yomin¡¯s question. Yomin clearly noticed her face turned white immediately. Now, her smile disappeared, and she looked at her with a sharp look. ¡°Are you sick because of somebody? Is it a fever? Or I wonder if you have become lovesick.¡± ¡°Gee! Crown Princess!¡± When Kyosul trembled as Yomin pressed on her, her nanny, who was standing nearby, cut in. ¡°How come you are trying to cut in when you¡¯re only a court lady? Don¡¯t behave rudely while we¡¯re talking now!¡± Without even turning her head, Yomin gave the nanny a good scolding. The nanny, who stepped toward Kyosul, lowered her head and moved back reluctantly. With sweet talk, Yomin again tried to cajole her into confessing. ¡°Please tell me, Your Highness. Why have you been so sick these days?¡± Yomin asked in a sweet tone this time. Kyosul¡¯s heart began to pound loudly. ¡°I just¡­¡± She was about to cry, but Yomin didn¡¯t care and kept bugging her. ¡°Please tell me comfortably.¡± ¡°Well¡­.I just¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zkobh5e1479ea08354 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zkobh5e1479ea08354 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zkobh5e1479ea08354 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zkobh5e1479ea08354 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zkobh5e1479ea08354 {display: block;}} When she closed her eyes welled up with tears, her tears dropped on her silk dress and soaked it. ¡°Prince ¡­.¡± Kyosul was about to mention the name, after all. Yes, just say he was Prince Ruhae! Say Prince Ruhae! Staring at her, Yomin clenched her fists. Yomin once again strongly coaxed her with a sweet voice. Saying so, Kyosul slurred without any additional words, ¡°The Crown Prince treated me too coldly, so I was just distressed¡­¡± At that moment, Yomin knew that couldn¡¯t force Kyosul to confess any more as she wished. And at the same time, she felt her face flushed because she realized she did something terrible to Kyosul. Kyosul was sobbing before her eyes, and she scolded her nanny loudly, which was unprecedented. How could Yomin behave so rudely? How could she, Prince Ruhae¡¯s quiet and faithful wife, act so recklessly before the Crown Princess? Yomin couldn¡¯t figure out how she could show such rude and crazy behavior to Kyosul. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I don¡¯t know why I showed such a discourteous behavior to you¡­¡± Startled at her own despicable behavior, the first of its kind in her life, Yomin was so embarrassed and lowered her head. ¡°Please forgive my rude behavior generously.¡± Chapter 20 Yomin trembled, so humiliated by her own rude act. She could hardly speak properly now. Nonetheless, Kyosul didn¡¯t say anything. Lowering her head several times, Yomin asked for her forgiveness. ¡°This foolish woman committed a big disloyalty to you, Your Highness. Please forgive me. I won¡¯t come to this place until you formally give me a green light. I will surely make sure I won¡¯t be noticed by you anymore.¡± As there was fierce competition to succeed the throne among the four princes, nobody knew when they could go to ruin if something went wrong. In such a situation, how could Yomin, wife of Prince Ruhae, who was the third in line to the throne, dare to raise her voice before the official wife of the Crown Prince, the first in line to the throne? If the Crown Prince deeply loved Kyosul or if Kyosul were arrogant, Yomin could not be guaranteed her life. No matter how little the Crown Prince cared about Kyosul and no matter how weak and softhearted Kyosul was, Yomin could not be forgiven for her act in the current situation. Trembling, with her head lowered on the ground for a while, Yomin barely raised her head, but she couldn¡¯t look at Kyosul, stepping back, bowing to her politely. After Yomin left, the nanny approached Kyosul. ¡°Your Highness!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qcejv5e1479e9f23bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qcejv5e1479e9f23bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qcejv5e1479e9f23bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qcejv5e1479e9f23bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qcejv5e1479e9f23bd {display: block;}} ¡°Nanny!¡± Shedding tears, she was wrapped in the nanny¡¯s bosom. ¡°I¡¯m here with you, Your Highness. Let me stand by you.¡± ¡°Nanny, nanny¡­What should I do now?¡± Tears began to run down her cheeks. Hugging her warmly, the nanny stroked her back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mqnhr5e1479e9f231e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mqnhr5e1479e9f231e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mqnhr5e1479e9f231e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mqnhr5e1479e9f231e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mqnhr5e1479e9f231e {display: block;}} ¡°I lied to her. I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re okay. Everybody will think that way. Nobody can dare say you lied.¡± ¡°Nanny, but what I said was true. My heart also ached because the Crown Prince treated me so coldly. Of course, I am more heartbroken because of Prince Ruhae. Why did he hide the fact that he was a prince from me? Did he toy with this foolish woman from the Hwa Kingdom? Did he deceive me?¡± Was it because she was full of fear at that moment? Kyosul began to tell the nanny what she hadn¡¯t realized before. The nanny stroked her back slowly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t know why I¡¯m acting like this. I just want to be loved¡­¡± The sound of Kyosul¡¯s breathing was subdued for a moment and she began to sob. ¡°Mom, brother¡­.¡± After sobbing in the nanny¡¯s arms, Kyosul began to calm down in her warm bosom and soon fell asleep. The nanny took away the chair she was sitting on and laid her on the cushioned mat there. ¡°I guess you were thirsty for love here as you were not treated duly and loved as much as you were in the Hwa Kingdom.¡± Stroking her face once again, the nanny took the blanket on the bed and covered her. Her small figure was trembling. *** Yomin returned to her residence in the South Palace. As if she lost her senses, Yomin sat on the cushioned mat with a blank face. A mirror was attached to the desk she was facing now. A beautiful woman who put on makeup was reflected in the mirror. ¡°¡­Just ugly.¡± She uttered one work feebly. ¡°I¡¯m just ugly. Why are you, foolish bitch, sitting here in this South Palace, when you¡¯re full of jealousy?¡± She was reproaching herself. Suddenly, she had tears in eyes. After having a staring match with the woman in the mirror, Yomin closed the mirror stand with a bang. ¡°How ugly I look¡­¡± Shedding tears, she threw herself on the bed. ¡°Oh, I miss Prince Ruha much more than I think I did.¡± Her shoulders were trembling with sobbing. Court lady Bojin, who could come into her room anytime as Yomin favored her, could not dare to comfort her, so she was shedding tears, standing by the wall. *** In the center of the imperial palace of the Mok Kingdom, the deepest place, two men sat face to face in the most secretive place that nobody else could access. One of them was the Emperor of the Mok Kingdom, Ohyulje, who was old but had an imposing aura of majesty and dignity, sitting in the king¡¯s chair. The other was a young man sitting on the red cushioned mat in the middle of the floor: Bipaan, a chip off the old block. The atmosphere, which had been serious for a while as they talked about state affairs, ended when Ohyulje pulled himself back and leaned back in the golden throne. When Bipaan was about to say goodbye to him and leave, Ohyulje opened his mouth with a light tap on the armrest of his chair. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ggmmi5e1479e9f236f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ggmmi5e1479e9f236f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ggmmi5e1479e9f236f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ggmmi5e1479e9f236f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ggmmi5e1479e9f236f {display: block;}} ¡°Come to think of it, I heard a funny story a few days ago.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dnvxt5e1479e9f240e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dnvxt5e1479e9f240e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dnvxt5e1479e9f240e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dnvxt5e1479e9f240e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dnvxt5e1479e9f240e {display: block;}} At his sudden statement Bipaan, who was about to bow out after greetings, stopped. ¡°Recently I had a chance to chat with Concubine Yu in the flower garden.¡± Bipaan frowned at his mention of Concubine Yu. Though she was promoted to one of Ohyulje¡¯s concubines for her stunning beauty, she was frivolous and talkative just like a woman of low birth. She lost favor with Ohyulje a long time ago as she was so slow-witted. As she was so talkative, she was allegedly responsible for all the rumors getting around the palace. Although Concubine Yu was a stunning beauty, Bipaan could not understand why Ohyulje wanted to keep such a talkative woman as his concubine. Speaking slowly, Ohyulje scolded him loudly, shouting, ¡°Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± His reply came automatically. With his head lowered, he replied instantly but giggled at his own automatic response. ¡°You¡¯re at it again?¡± Ohyulje asked sharply. ¡°Could you tell me why you¡¯re scolding me? Please give me a chance to reflect on myself and not to repeat the same mistake.¡± Ohyulje never scolded Bipaan for no reason. If Ohyulje called him out loud, Bipaan knew it was because he had done something wrong. Though he experienced his father¡¯s scolding often when he was a child, he was rarely been scolded after he turned ten years old. So, when Ohyulje gave him such a sudden scolding, he couldn¡¯t understand. When Bipaan bowed his head and asked, Ohyulje opened his mouth. ¡°As you earnestly ask me to answer, let me tell you. Didn¡¯t I tell you to ponder over why I gave you the official title ¡®Bipaan¡¯? In order to be the emperor, you should never easily reveal what¡¯s in your mind.¡± A while ago Bipaan frowned and even laughed. And he bowed deep and asked for his forgiveness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty. I will correct it. ¡± ¡°Out of the four prince candidates chosen to succeed the throne, I have high expectations for you. You have a quality in you that can make you become a great king not swayed by any turbulence. Prince Dukwol is different on the inside and out. Ruhae could be a wise emperor, but his character is too soft to be the emperor. And Binsung is too hasty and arrogant. ¡± Ohyulje smiled at him while saying that. Though he praised Bipaan while denouncing other princes, Bipaan was not pleased with that. Bippan knew well that his father would say the same thing when he had a solo meeting with each of them. It was his shallow attempt to test him. Bipaan regarded what Ohyulje just said as such. Bipaan agreed with him on his comment on Binsung, his youngest brother. Looking askance at Bipaan¡¯s cool response, Ohyulje continued, ¡°Oh, where should I pick up what I said last¡­ ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ezukw5e1479e9f22c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ezukw5e1479e9f22c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ezukw5e1479e9f22c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ezukw5e1479e9f22c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ezukw5e1479e9f22c4 {display: block;}} Even though Ohyulje clearly knew what he said so far, he slurred as if he could not remember. Bipaan leaned forward a bit and replied. ¡°You said you had a chance to chat with Concubine Yu.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. As I am growing old, I can¡¯t remember as well as I used to. Concubine Yu told me there was a wild rumor getting around in the palace these days.¡± Having said that, he looked at Bipaan with a mysterious smile. As if he was restless, Bipaan clenched his fists a bit, but there was calm and peace on his expression. Bipaan¡¯s footsteps going back to Donggung were faster. In order to catch up with his big and fast strides, the eunuchs, and the court ladies had to almost run. Though he didn¡¯t show any restlessness on his face, his rough footsteps already showed how emotional he was on his way to the East Palace. Once he stepped into the East Palace, Bipaan turned left instead of going to the center. That¡¯s where Kyosul¡¯s residence was located. Passing by various edifices quickly, he reached Kyosul¡¯s residence, which was colorful enough, but not as big as Dongchon Palace, his residence. When he crossed the gate, the eunuch walking behind him jumped out quickly and shouted, ¡°Crown Prince Bipaan has arrived!¡± While catching his breath, the eunuch barely shouted, announcing his arrival. Chapter 21 Even before the court ladies conveyed the words, Bipaan took off his wooden shoes on the stepping stones and walked inside. As Bipaan was her superior, he could go in without her approval, but it was the unwritten law for him to inform Kyosul first of his arrival before going in. But who could block his way? The chief court lady opened the door quickly and crossed several inside doors to reach Kyosul¡¯s room quickly while the court ladies in the hall turned pale stricken with fear. As Ohyulje just scolded him, with the warning that he should not ¡®express his feelings easily,¡¯ his face was calm as ever. So, the eunuchs and court ladies thought he came because he missed her. When he entered Kyosul¡¯s room finally, he saw her taking off her wig and changing into a nightgown to lie on the bed. Surprised by his sudden and unexpected visit, Kyosul and the nanny looked at him in bewilderment, forgetting to welcome him with greetings. Bipaan looked at the nanny. ¡°Get out, you!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I just told you to get out.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lbuuo5e1479e9f2755 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lbuuo5e1479e9f2755 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lbuuo5e1479e9f2755 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lbuuo5e1479e9f2755 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lbuuo5e1479e9f2755 {display: block;}} Though he didn¡¯t shout, the nanny felt his voice was pretty harsh. Though she had to help Kyosul take off her wig and do her hair neatly, she couldn¡¯t because of his order. She stepped back out of Kyosul¡¯s. There were now only Bipaan and Kyosul in the room. Kyosul felt she was already trembling. And she held her right arm with her left while hoping she would stop trembling. He walked up to her and raised herself. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Her face turned white. Without saying anything, he grabbed her shoulders tightly and pushed her to the bed. As the bed was soft, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. When he gave strength to his hands, though, she frowned. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qizfo5e1479e9f26a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qizfo5e1479e9f26a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qizfo5e1479e9f26a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qizfo5e1479e9f26a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qizfo5e1479e9f26a4 {display: block;}} ¡°Stop it.¡± Tears dropped from her eyes instantly. She wiped tears, but she could do nothing about them. His facial expression reflected in her tears was pretty calm. She couldn¡¯t read any feelings or sentiment in his face. His grip on her shoulders was tight, but his face was quiet and calm like dawn. Obviously, there was anger in his cold voice, but his facial expression was peaceful. She was scared beforehand as he suddenly came into her room without any notice and grabbed her. She thought he was angry. Without that, he would not have come to her residence, she thought. She was afraid. She had never faced this kind of man before. When she was curling up her body with fear, he held her by the collar and pulled her toward him. Full of fear, she now saw him face to face up close. ¡°I already told you clearly that no matter what you did, you should never stand in my way. Did you get it?¡± Though he said in a scolding tone, his voice was just plain and common as if he were speaking about the weather. Too embarrassed to respond, she fixed her scared gaze on him, at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t figure out why he suddenly reminded her of that again. Standing in his way? In fact, she was confined to her residence and did nothing these days. ¡°How come the rumor about you and Prince Ruhae came into the Emperor¡¯s ears? Did you plot with him to spread the rumor?¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± When Bipaan mentioned Prince Ruhae, she turned white with fear. Sensing that she got nervous, Bipaan scolded her more severely. Shaking her head while trying to defend herself, she barely said in a feeble voice, ¡°Rumor? Which rumor? I just don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± What the heck was the rumor about her and Ruhae? She was just dumbfounded at his scolding out of a clear blue sky. She just kept shedding tears as she was trembling in shock. He gazed at her calmly. She was lying on the bed, with her guard down, and he lay face down on it. After some silence, he turned his mouth up and said, ¡°The rumor has it that you¡¯re having an affair with Ruhae.¡± His voice was flat, with no emotion at all, as if he was talking about some business affairs. But the word he used, ¡®an affair,¡¯ was something vulgar that she or he could not dare put on their lips. An affair with Prince Ruhae? Kyosul opened her eyes with surprise, and strongly balked, ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. I just¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s true or not. The thing is such a rumor came into the Emperor¡¯s ears.¡± He responded as if he wasn¡¯t interested in the truth of the rumor, which broke her heart once more. What wounded her heart was not his sharp response, but the atmosphere, attitude and coldness that surrounded his whole body. ¡°If you can¡¯t be a faithful woman, you should just shut up and be prudent in your conduct. You must have crossed the palace so often up to now that you¡¯re gossiped about, right?¡± Her big eyes trembled. She had yet to overcome the shock of having heard the word ¡® affair.¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kwcnr5e1479e9f26ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kwcnr5e1479e9f26ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kwcnr5e1479e9f26ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kwcnr5e1479e9f26ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kwcnr5e1479e9f26ff {display: block;}} Without waiting for her answer, he mercilessly demanded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you work with Prince Ruhae to pull me down from the seat of the Crown Prince? If you didn¡¯t, who is now slandering me?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qbwun5e1479e9f27af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qbwun5e1479e9f27af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qbwun5e1479e9f27af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qbwun5e1479e9f27af {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qbwun5e1479e9f27af {display: block;}} ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± So embarrassed, she didn¡¯t know what to say. His merciless criticism was cruel. ¡°My position is not weak enough to be swayed by this kind of rumor. Be careful. If you are once again gossiped about like this¡­¡± He came near to her bed and lowered his head. She closed her eyes in panic. Their faces touched. She could feel his breathing up close. She opened her eyes. She expected to face him directly before her eyes, but his face was not seen. Instead, his face was toward her ears now. He whispered into her ears quietly, ¡°I¡¯m going to be the next Emperor.¡± She felt his warm breath and chest. This was the first time she was so close to him. His upper body almost touched hers. His hair braided behind the ears grazed her cheeks. ¡°All you have to do is just keep your place.¡± Having said that calmly, he stood up. She also raised herself up while trembling. And she stopped him who was about to leave her room hastily. ¡°Your Majesty! I have never had an affair with Prince Ruhae. That¡¯s all groundless rumor! Please trust me. I¡¯ve never¡­¡± He stopped walking for a moment but didn¡¯t turn around to see her. Turning his back on her, he bluntly said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to make any excuse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an excuse. That¡¯s a fact!¡± ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to take pains to explain whether it¡¯s true or not. I told you already that I didn¡¯t care about whether the rumor was true or not.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m your wife, Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± His reply was still cold. She was embarrassed. He rushed into her room, grabbed her shoulders, pushed her to the bed and blamed her for allegedly having had an affair with Ruhae. Now he said he didn¡¯t care about it. What the heck is he talking about? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you get so upset with me?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qxrxs5e1479e9f263c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qxrxs5e1479e9f263c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qxrxs5e1479e9f263c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qxrxs5e1479e9f263c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qxrxs5e1479e9f263c {display: block;}} ¡°As the rumor came into the Emperor¡¯s ears, I got blamed because of you.¡± As if he couldn¡¯t calm down now, he emphasized again, ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I told you about this. I don¡¯t care no matter what you are doing. I¡¯m not interested in anything other than the fact that you¡¯re my official wife. I told you I didn¡¯t want to waste my time and energy on useless things, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m pretty busy.¡± And then he left her room, and she didn¡¯t hold him. While he was leaving, she watched his back until he disappeared. Kyosul found it hard to understand what she just heard from him and what he was trying to say. She just sat on the bed blankly and looked at the door through which he went out. Though she felt his voice was flat and cold, it was just plain and blunt when she looked back at it. Though he seemed to vent his surging anger at Kyosul who got scared beforehand, it was not a big deal when she pondered over it again. Oh, I think I understand it now. After thinking hard about Bipaan¡¯s warning, she realized something anew. His way of speaking, glittering eyes and attitude were far from cold and scary. She¡¯d been confused because of his harsh language. He just had no feelings about her just like his title ¡®Bipaan,¡¯ offered by his father Ohyulje, the Emperor. ¡°Bipaan literally means ¡®don¡¯t break your face.¡¯ What a title!¡± She thought that Bipaan was given to him, so that he should not reveal his feelings to others. In fact, he didn¡¯t seem to show any slightest feeling or emotion to others ¡°How can a human being so indifferent to others?¡± Chapter 22 Kyosul recalled all the aspects of Bipaan that she had observed so far. His deep and black eyes always looked gloomy and didn¡¯t convey any feelings of joy, anger, sorrow or pleasure like ordinary people. She wondered if he had ever experienced such feelings before. ¡°Why does he look so sad?¡± She unexpectedly felt he was a sad guy. She felt sorry for his heartless face. What made him such a cold-hearted man? Though she was scared of him, she also felt sad about his face, which tried to look calm when he was angry. ¡°Is it right even for an emperor to suppress his feelings?¡± What Bipaan was interested in was the throne of his father, Emperor Ohyulje. Though he made a fuss about the wild rumor about her and Prince Ruhae a moment ago, Bipaan was more interested in his reputation than in her safety. When she did her best to clarify her position, she realized what he was taking issue with her after hearing her reply. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mekhb5e1479ea0cf5e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mekhb5e1479ea0cf5e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mekhb5e1479ea0cf5e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mekhb5e1479ea0cf5e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mekhb5e1479ea0cf5e {display: block;}} He didn¡¯t take issue with the content of the rumor but the rumor itself and the fact that the rumor came into the emperor¡¯s ears. If she had an affair with Ruhae like the wild rumor suggested, he might not have cared about it all if Ohyulje had not heard about it and the rumor had not disgraced his name. She could be confident about it. ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s what he meant when he said that¡­¡± Only now could she understand what he was all about. Namely, he was totally indifferent to her. ¡°He¡¯s so difficult to deal with.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hurvm5e1479ea0ce74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hurvm5e1479ea0ce74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hurvm5e1479ea0ce74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hurvm5e1479ea0ce74 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hurvm5e1479ea0ce74 {display: block;}} Whether she liked or disliked somebody, Kyosul was accustomed to expressing her feelings in a straightforward manner, so it was the first time she had ever met a person like Bipaan. The day broke. Kyosul looked at the door as she heard the court lady¡¯s voice. ¡°Your Highness, this is Chief Court Lady Mo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Please come in.¡± Mo was one of two chief court ladies taking care of her room. Mo came in, holding a red dress. She gently approached her, bowed and presented the dress to her. ¡°This is a court dress that the Crown Prince left behind on the wedding night.¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± The dress Mo presented to her politely was the outer dress of Bipaan¡¯s wedding clothes. She was surprised by the dress. The previous night Bipaan came to her unexpectedly and made a big fuss about the wild rumor involving her and Prince Ruhae, and now court lady Mo brought his wedding dress. She looked at it carefully. The ornament embroidered in a blue butterfly on the end of the dress. On the wedding day, she walked ahead while looking at it. At that time, she didn¡¯t know whether he was scary. ¡°Thanks.¡± Kyosul received the dress. Bowing to her, Mo stepped back and left. Left alone, she touched the red silk of the dress. You¡¯re the official wife of the Crown Prince. Last night Bipaan told her like that. I¡¯m not interested. His voice was soft. She wished he were as soft-hearted as this dress, in which case their relationship would have been much more different from that now. Her eyes were again welled with tears when she thought about it. ¡°What shall I do?¡± Stroking his wedding dress again and again, she chanted what she didn¡¯t ask him. ¡°What should I do if you say I should just keep my place as the Crown Princess without looking for him?¡± She kept asking questions like that to herself, whose answers she could not know. She hung his wedding dress on the wall. It would stay there as a reminder of Bipaan to her until she returns it to him someday. She put her hands again on it and conjured up Bipaan¡¯s face, who harshly rebuked her in a cold voice without showing any emotion. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kwpbe5e1479ea0ceef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kwpbe5e1479ea0ceef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kwpbe5e1479ea0ceef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kwpbe5e1479ea0ceef {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kwpbe5e1479ea0ceef {display: block;}} Is it because he is the Crown Prince that he shouldn¡¯t express his emotions? While she was conjuring up his images, she dared to feel sympathy for him. She just felt sorry for him, putting on a heartless mask in which he couldn¡¯t show any feelings. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sjkbb5e1479ea0cfd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sjkbb5e1479ea0cfd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sjkbb5e1479ea0cfd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sjkbb5e1479ea0cfd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sjkbb5e1479ea0cfd1 {display: block;}} Can¡¯t he find his real self? Can¡¯t he be himself and show feelings like others? She kept wondering about him. Though his voice was icy like frost and his eyes were so sharp, his hands were really warm. These days Kyosul found herself lost in thoughts often. She talked less and went out less. She didn¡¯t take herbal decoctions any more. She started to take training in court manners, which she put off until now. Every afternoon the court lady in charge of writing visited her residence and taught her about the customs and manners of the Mok Kingdom and the imperial palace. These days Kyosul didn¡¯t go beyond the area of her residence, called Dongbi Palace. She was content with taking a walk in the little back garden of Dongbi Palace. Mostly, she was confined to her room, skimming through books and sometimes drawing pictures with a brush or embroidering to spend a day. When she suddenly thought of her brother¡¯s face once in a while, she put down the brush and got lost in thought again. His face was sometimes like a sculpture of ice or sometimes a warm smile like the sunny sunlight in the spring. ¡°Brother!¡± Letting out a sigh, she called her brother in the Hwa Kingdom. She had four elder brothers, but the one she called at this time was Prince Mingung. He would always come up with a wise answer when she agonized over a silly thing. These days she missed his advice so badly. ¡°Brother Mingung, I didn¡¯t know how tough it would be for me to live alone here.¡± Suddenly, she had so many things happening to her. She found it so hard to get adjusted to the strange environment of the Mok Kingdom, which was so different from the friendly and amicable atmosphere of the Hwa Kingdom. Even tougher for her was her relationship with the royal members of the Mok Kingdom. ¡°I can¡¯t go to the back garden of the outer palace anymore. I just felt so relaxed and comfortable when I saw him there, but I did ¡­.¡± Though she was murmuring to her like that, she couldn¡¯t say the last thing. She was scared. She felt she couldn¡¯t take it back once she said that. ¡°Right now, I think it¡¯s the best policy not to see him.¡± She avoided Ruhae because she was too scared. Her heart ached a lot when she wondered why he didn¡¯t tell her honestly about him from the beginning and why he hid it from her. Initially, she felt that way because she was deceived by him. However, when she met Ruhae¡¯s wife Yomin, who was polite and faithful, she realized that she was wrong in thinking of him romantically. I wish you were my Crown Prince. She was trapped in that kind of foolish wish back then. ¡°His Majesty alone is tough for me to deal with.¡± Bipaan put top priority on succeeding the throne without caring at all about Kyosul¡¯s feelings. He really didn¡¯t know how to deal with her, who cried and laughed at the whim of her feelings. ¡°At first I thought you were upset about me because you didn¡¯t like me.¡± Though she didn¡¯t do anything wrong to him, she felt that way. ¡°So, I thought that you would smile at me if I gain favor with you. But you didn¡¯t show any concern or feelings about my sincere efforts.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gejmv5e1479ea0cdf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gejmv5e1479ea0cdf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gejmv5e1479ea0cdf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gejmv5e1479ea0cdf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gejmv5e1479ea0cdf1 {display: block;}} In contrast with him, Kyosul kept conjuring up Ruhae¡¯s kind smile. Though she kept thinking in her heart that she shouldn¡¯t, she helplessly missed his face. ¡°What kind of advice would my brother Mingung give me now? In fact, I think I¡¯m wasting my time on worthless agonies like this.¡± She made a feigned laugh at that. In fact, the answers to her questions were already there the moment she arrived in the Mok Kingdom as the Crown Princess. She found it hard to accept the stark reality facing her. The court ladies¡¯ calling her ¡®the Crown Princess¡¯ every morning reminded her of the stern reality of her status in the Mok Kingdom. While passing every day with no big trouble, however, she suppressed her excitement. When she put down her impossible dream, she got more comfortable and regained vigor in her daily life. As she didn¡¯t meet Ruhae, who was responsible for her aching heart and blank gazing at the sky, she got better gradually. ¡°Nanny. I¡¯m the Crown Prince¡¯s wife.¡± When Kyosul said that out of the blue, the nanny tilted her head to one side. ¡°The only man that I have to look at is the Crown Prince, and the only man that I can look at is the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The nanny answered with a heavy heart. When the Queen of the Hwa Kingdom was pregnant with Kyosul, the nanny gave the queen prenatal education. Accordingly, the nanny already found out why Kyosul¡¯s heart was disturbed recently. As she kept an eye on Bipaan and Ruhae together, she clearly knew who Kyosul was more attracted to. But she saved her breath and just stayed beside her. Chapter 23 ¡°I¡¯m the wife of the Crown Prince,¡± Kyosul repeated it before her nanny. Her eyes looked sad at that moment, but her nanny didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°And that¡¯s why I should not be heart-broken because of another man,¡± she murmured. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and then opened her eyes. Turning her mouth up, she smiled. And then she pulled herself together once again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hmbyz5e1479e93b06a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hmbyz5e1479e93b06a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hmbyz5e1479e93b06a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hmbyz5e1479e93b06a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hmbyz5e1479e93b06a {display: block;}} ¡°And¡­¡± She was about to say something when her smile disappeared. But her eyes began to be wet with tears. ¡°As the Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom, I can¡¯t go back to the Hwa Kingdom, right?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Choked up with emotions, the nanny hugged her. Tears again dropped from Kyosul¡¯s eyes, who was easily moved to tears. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lvjgq5e1479e93afc5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lvjgq5e1479e93afc5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lvjgq5e1479e93afc5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lvjgq5e1479e93afc5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lvjgq5e1479e93afc5 {display: block;}} ¡°King Chong, my father, Queen Yo, my mother, brother Prince Mingung and other cute brothers, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t meet them anytime soon, right?¡± She closed her eyes quietly. Their bright smiles were vivid in her memories. It was as if they could approach her with a smile and hug her if she opened her eyes now, but what she saw before her eyes was only her room full of furniture made in the Mok Kingdom. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to stay sad like this forever. This is the place I have to survive for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Your Highness! Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. I think I have to accept the reality as it is¡­¡± Her wondering up to now was long enough. She couldn¡¯t remain as the only princess of the imperial family of the Hwa Kingdom, Even after the wedding ceremony was over, she didn¡¯t realize that she was now the Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom. As she didn¡¯t realize it, she felt she could lead a carefree life. She might have even thought that she just came to the Mok Kingdom for an outing. ¡°Besides, I have made friends with a woman here.¡± With a gentle smile, she nodded, wiping her tears quickly. The woman she referred to was Kyoyoung, the second wife of the Crown Prince. After she visited Kyosul the first time, Kyoyoung would come to her residence for a chat. As they became close to each other during their frequent meetings, they began to call each other by their given names. In the imperial palace of the Mok Kingdom where strict royal customs were observed, only those immediate royal family members called each other by their names as an expression of their friendliness. ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s been a long time since I saw Kyoyoung.¡± ¡°Your Highness, she came here only three days ago.¡± ¡°You know, you come to miss your close friend a lot if you don¡¯t see her even for a day. As Kyoyoung always came here to see me, let me visit her this time.¡± With a broad smile, she came out of her residence. Though she smiled brightly, her nanny was still nervous. She felt Kyosul was going overboard when she ventured to see Kyoyoung. ¡°Let me escort you out the door,¡± a court lady said. While she was watching Kyosul walking the hallway, she quickly followed her to the outside. Finally, Kyosul stood on the wooden porch of her residence with a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I came out of my room.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been confined to your room as you were sick. You made me nervous when you moved around the palace when you were healthy. And this time you make me nervous again as you seemed to stay put inside your room,¡± said the nanny. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.asveb5e1479e93b01a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.asveb5e1479e93b01a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.asveb5e1479e93b01a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.asveb5e1479e93b01a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.asveb5e1479e93b01a {display: block;}} ¡°Hohoho, you must be kidding, nanny.¡± Kyosul chuckled at her joke. When she headed to the stepping stones, the court girl waiting there put the shoes on her feet. Several chief court ladies and her royal attendants followed Kyosul¡¯s sedan chair now heading for Kyoyoung¡¯s residence. Kyosul came to pass by Dongchon Palace on the way as her residence was on the other side of the Crown Prince¡¯s palace and his second wife¡¯s residence was on the right. She cautiously passed by the top gate of Dongchon Palace. Bipaan was coming out, accompanied by chief court ladies and the eunuch. ¡°Love live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± She had an unexpected encounter with him. Though she was embarrassed, she instinctively bowed to him politely, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you here.¡± Following suit, the court ladies also said in chorus, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± And those accompanying Bipaan said aloud, ¡°Long Live the Crown Princess! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± Though all the court ladies and the eunuchs lowered their heads deeply to show courtesy, Kyosul bowed only slightly as she was the Crown Princess. Casting a glance at her casually, he quickened his steps. As he recently confronted her over the wild rumor, she trembled instinctively when his eyes met hers. When she raised her head, he was moving. As if she resolved to do something, she stood before him. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± As expected, his reply was curt and businesslike. Though she felt her heartbeat was pounding hard, she didn¡¯t stop. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.garwy5e1479e93b0be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.garwy5e1479e93b0be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.garwy5e1479e93b0be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.garwy5e1479e93b0be {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.garwy5e1479e93b0be {display: block;}} ¡°Though I¡¯m young, I¡¯m not young.¡± Kyosul then looked him in the eye. Her nanny couldn¡¯t figure out what she was doing to Bipaan. What the heck was she talking about when Kyosul said, I am not young, though I am young? There were double meanings in the word ¡®young.¡¯ ¡°So, do you mean you are not foolish even though you¡¯re young?¡± Kyosul nodded. His voice was still flat and dull, but she didn¡¯t regard it as cold-hearted or scary anymore. ¡°How dare I cause any trouble to Your Highness? If you¡¯re in trouble because of me, I¡¯ll also lose my current position. You won¡¯t have anything to worry about from me in the future.¡± Though she spoke in a trembling voice. She said what she wanted to tell him. While she was speaking out, he just looked at her. She was impatient at his glance. She felt she needed to show her firm resolve to him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go to the back garden of the outer palace.¡± ¡°Hummm¡­.¡± She could hear him breathing boringly. As there were many around him at the moment, she said figuratively, ¡°I¡¯m your wife, Your Majesty.¡± Fortunately, he understood what she meant. ¡°Have you realized that obvious fact only today?¡± Though he responded sarcastically, his voice was far from emotional. She was confused whether he was getting angry or he was indifferent like before. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep it in mind.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop you from meeting people. As long as you are not gossiped about, I¡¯m not going to meddle in your matters.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± she said resolutely, as soon as he finished talking. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be a woman of integrity if you treat me like that.¡± ¡°You told me he is just your friend, right? I have the impression that you really value your friend.¡± ¡°Well, Kyoyoung is also my friend, your second wife.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s something that I didn¡¯t expect at all.¡± Bipaan was surprised to hear that. Kyosul¡¯s words and conduct were always beyond his prediction. His friendship with Ruhae was something that surprised him, and now she was a friend of his second wife. ¡°I¡¯m just amazed at how sociable you are.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to try my best to befriend you as much as possible.¡± He suddenly turned his mouth up. It was a signal of danger to him. That stubborn face of hers had something that surprised him. ¡°I just thought she was no more than a princess who grew up like the flowers in a greenhouse, but she seems to be a daring girl.¡± Bipaan went away, accompanied by the eunuch and court ladies. Kyosul¡¯s face blushed. Though she was bold enough to speak to him, she was again overwhelmed by nervousness when she turned back. She really found it hard to confront him face to face. ¡°Nanny, did I do well?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ocktj5e1479e93af68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ocktj5e1479e93af68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ocktj5e1479e93af68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ocktj5e1479e93af68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ocktj5e1479e93af68 {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, you didn¡¯t tremble when you spoke. Good job!¡± ¡°I wonder if I incited his hatred.¡± ¡°Well, when he said you looked like a daring girl, I think he was a bit satisfied with your bold move.¡± ¡°Really? Can I think so?¡± With a sigh of relief, she smiled. Watched him disappear gradually, she turned her head and pressed on her nanny to head for Kyoyoung¡¯s residence. Stopping at a distance, Bipaan looked back at her briefly as she headed for Kyoyoung¡¯s residence. Kyosul soon arrived at Kyoyoung¡¯s residence in Dongbin Palace. When she entered the top outer gate, she saw the main gate of her residence. ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul has arrived!¡± The nanny¡¯s message was conveyed to the court ladies on standby first and then to the chief court lady serving Kyoyoung outside her room. As Kyosul was superior in rank, she could walk straight to her room. Hearing Kyosul¡¯s arrival, Kyoyoung greeted her a little later. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to you see here.¡± Chapter 24 Kyoyoung, who had been sitting on a cushioned mat, quickly stood up, bowed to her and yielded her seat to her. Sitting on the cushioned mat on which Kyoyoung sat only a moment ago, Kyosul opened her mouth with a smile, ¡°As you have always come to see me first, I¡¯ve decided to see you first this time.¡± ¡°Thanks so much for your consideration, Your Highness. Have you recovered?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fully recovered now. I am not physically weak by nature. I was so alarmed by the Crown Prince¡¯s stern look and conduct that I just couldn¡¯t speak up.¡± When Kyosul gave her an awkward smile, Kyoyoung also smiled after her. Kyoyoung¡¯s smile was always kind. Though she was one year older than Kyosul, her smile looked much more mature and always embraced Kyosul like a kind-hearted elder sister. Today, she looked a bit gloomy. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kanja5e1479e938030 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kanja5e1479e938030 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kanja5e1479e938030 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kanja5e1479e938030 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kanja5e1479e938030 {display: block;}} ¡°Kyoyoung, are you uncomfortable today?¡± At Kyosul¡¯s asking, she shivered suddenly and lowered her head with a frown. ¡°Your Highness Kyosul, I just don¡¯t know what to do now.¡± When Kyoyoung, who was smiling a kind smile a minute ago, was close to tears, Kyosul was embarrassed and held her hands after putting aside the desk between them. ¡°Kyoyoung, what¡¯s wrong with you? What happened?¡± ¡°Crown Princess, I think of you as my friend.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fgqgo5e1479e937f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fgqgo5e1479e937f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fgqgo5e1479e937f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fgqgo5e1479e937f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fgqgo5e1479e937f35 {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, me, too. I also regard you as my friend.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Kyoyoung raised her head now, full of tears in her eyes. ¡°As you know, the Crown Prince has never entered the top gate of Dongbin Palace where your residence is located. But several days after I was on my way back after chatting with you, I heard that he visited the palace last week.¡± She was talking about the day that Bipaan suddenly visited Kyosul at Dongbin Palace over the wild rumor about Kyosul and Ruhae. Having heard Kyoyoung¡¯s explanation, Kyosul flinched for a moment heartbroken. Without knowing how Kyosul felt about it, she continued to confess, ¡°When I heard that rumor, my heart was broken so much that I became jealous of you again. How can I come and see you with this kind of disrespectful attitude? That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t bring myself to come and see you. Please forgive me, Your Highness.¡± Kyoyoung was done talking. Kyosul didn¡¯t reply, with her mouth shut for a while. That day Bipaan came to see her out of anger. Who could have known it without both of them who were inside? Accordingly, the rumor spread among court ladies that Bipaan visited the Crown Princess that day. Indeed, there were a lot who kept an eye on their every move. Hesitating for a moment, Kyosul stroke her hand and said, ¡°It seems you miss His Excellency, the Crown Prince a lot.¡± Kyoyoung blushed. She was born as the daughter of the Emperor¡¯s right-hand man and grew up pampered and indulged in a strict home. Bipaan, the Crown Prince, was the first man that she met in her life. Bipaan was very handsome and tall. Even his heartless character made him stand out all the more. That¡¯s why Kyoyoung had a crush on him. Though he had never hugged her and it was so hard even for her to bump into him in the palace, Kyoyoung still missed him so much. Looking at her flushed face, Kyosul said with a bitter smile, ¡°In fact, I was scolded by the Crown Prince that day. I just incurred his anger as I ran around the palace.¡± ¡°Oh dear!¡± Kyoyoung opened her eyes wide with surprise at Kyosul¡¯s confession. Kyosul stared at her bluntly. The woman before Kyosul was graceful and faithful. Tender-eyed, she was slender and tall, with a strong image of an intellectual and strong-willed personality. The type of faithful woman that Bipaan always talked about could be none other than Kyoyoung, she thought. ¡°I really¡­.¡± Kyosul said in a blurry voice. ¡°I really envy you, Kyoyoung. Seriously.¡± ¡°How can Kyosul, the Crown Princess, envy a woman like me? That¡¯s nonsense, Your Highness!¡± Embarrassed by her compliment, Kyoyoung lowered her head. Shaking her head from side to side, Kyosul pulled her hand and said, ¡°Seriously. I envy you. When I look at your attitude and your frame of mind, you look really kind-hearted and generous, which I really envy. I would like to take my cues from you, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bugmw5e1479e9380ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bugmw5e1479e9380ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bugmw5e1479e9380ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bugmw5e1479e9380ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bugmw5e1479e9380ad {display: block;}} ¡°How can you say that? I think it¡¯s because you are not yet accustomed to the palace life of the Mok Kingdom. I think you can set the example much better than me.¡± Kyoyoung comforted her. She even put her hand on hers and patted it. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.peabj5e1479e937fb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.peabj5e1479e937fb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.peabj5e1479e937fb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.peabj5e1479e937fb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.peabj5e1479e937fb4 {display: block;}} Looking at her, Kyosul barely opened her mouth, ¡°I¡¯ve got a secret.¡± Her heart began to beat loudly. She was worried she might make the improper remark. ¡°Please make yourself at home now and talk to me. There is nothing you and I can¡¯t talk about as we¡¯re close.¡± Kyoyoung pressed on her with a soft voice. ¡°You and I already shared our bitter experiences of having been deserted by the Crown Prince on the wedding night. I even confessed to you about my shameful jealousy of you, as you know.¡± Reminding Kyosul that she already shared her own secrets with her, Kyoyoung reassured her. Looking at Kyoyoung¡¯s benevolent eyes, Kyosul began to reel off her secrets freely. ¡°I really feel like I can¡¯t love the Crown Prince¡­¡± Kyoyoung stopped patting her hand at that moment. In fact, Kyoyoung was really serious when she met Kyosul to tell her how resentful she felt about Bipaan¡¯s alleged visit to her residence out of jealousy back then. She thought if she confessed, Kyosul would do the same. As it turned out, Kyosul made a much more surprising confession than she expected. Kyoyoung was confused momentarily after hearing her confession. Pausing for a moment, Kyoyoung intentionally patted her hand again and asked back, ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± Still smiling bitterly, Kyosul continued, ¡°In fact, the reason I was sick in bed was that my heart was broken by the fact that I couldn¡¯t love the Crown Prince. I really can¡¯t accept his indifference to me. How can I accept him who doesn¡¯t show any emotion or feeling at all? I just feel he is scary and I feel sorry for him.¡± While confessing, Kyosul shook her head from side to side. Kyoyoung thought she was serious, given her distressed expression on her face. What she confessed was so shocking and alarming, but it was true. Kyoyoung swallowed dryly, and she got goosebumps all over her body. She was embarrassed and at the same time disturbed how to take her shocking confession. How foolish! She is too immature and innocent to survive in this palace. Though it was funny for Kyosul to mention about her lack of love about the Crown Prince, it was all the more foolish and imprudent for her to confess her genuine feelings about him. Having heard her confession, Kyoyoung felt she could see several moves ahead. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nihjy5e1479e937eb1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nihjy5e1479e937eb1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nihjy5e1479e937eb1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nihjy5e1479e937eb1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nihjy5e1479e937eb1 {display: block;}} She was Bipaan¡¯s second wife. When she got married, the position of the official wife of the Crown Prince had yet to be filled by another woman, which made Kyoyoung feel shameful. Kyoyoung suffered the humiliation of accepting the position of the Crown Prince¡¯s second wife. Nonetheless, she had to be content with just missing him while having secret troubles. When she heard that a little woman from the Hwa Kingdom would be his official wife, she grieved. To her surprise, this little woman, who was superior to her in rank, was more immature than expected. When she went to the trouble of seeing Kyosul, pocketing her pride, she could immediately size up her vulnerabilities. And now she could confirm her vulnerabilities once more. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. It¡¯s because you are too young to deal with the Crown Prince properly.¡± Giving her a kind smile in no time, Kyoyoung soothed her troubled mind. She felt a sense of relief after having heard from Kyosul that she couldn¡¯t love the Crown Prince. ¡°I just can¡¯t understand His Highness Crown Prince¡¯s remarks, I don¡¯t need your love. If he has that frame of mind, why did he get married to me? If he had to fill the position of his official wife, it¡¯s just meaningless.¡± Was it because Kyosul already decided to speak? She didn¡¯t hesitate to say what she had in mind. Her view of a wedding was clear-cut. To her, a wedding was the act of a man and a wife promising each other to share their love and keep piling up their endless love throughout their lives. But the moment she crossed into a foreign country to get married to a man whose face she didn¡¯t know, Kyosul realized that she set foot in a totally different world from the one she used to know. ¡°So, this is what I¡¯m going to do,¡± said Kyosul, clearing her throat, who had been complaining about the Crown Prince until now. After thinking and agonizing while she was confined in her room in Dongbi Palace, she reached a conclusion. ¡°As I have become his official wife now, I am going to carry out what I think is the right duty as the wife of the Crown Prince.¡± Chapter 25 ¡°What do you mean by the duty of the Crown Prince¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°I am afraid I can¡¯t stand by the Crown Prince If I continue my lukewarm relationship with him like now, so I am going to try harder to build a closer relationship with him.¡± Kyoyoung frowned at that. Kyoyoung guessed that Kyosul also heard what Bipaan had told her. Despite that, Kyosul said she was going to do what he obviously would not want instead of following his order obediently. When Kyoyoung thought as far as that, she felt Kyosul was not only young and immature but also stupid. ¡°His Excellency Crown Prince might not like what you are trying to do as he hates to be bothered.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told him a piece of my mind. I told him I would work hard to be on intimate terms with him.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fqosy5e1479e938ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fqosy5e1479e938ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fqosy5e1479e938ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fqosy5e1479e938ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fqosy5e1479e938ee3 {display: block;}} ¡°So, what did he say?¡± ¡°He told me I was quite a daring woman then quickened his steps. ¡°I see.¡± Kyoyoung closed her mouth for a minute. Obviously, the Crown Prince expressed displeasure at Kyosul¡¯s unexpected move, but Kyosul was already determined to befriend him, regardless of his reaction. After turning her initiative over in her mind, Kyoyoung decided to take it to her advantage. If Kyosul carried out her promise to Bipaan, he would certainly be upset, but as long as his anger was not directed at her, Kyoyoung would not have to care about it. ¡°How can I give you my advice on that? As you have already made up your mind firmly, I¡¯m going to support you quietly.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zldgm5e1479e938e42 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zldgm5e1479e938e42 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zldgm5e1479e938e42 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zldgm5e1479e938e42 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zldgm5e1479e938e42 {display: block;}} ¡°Thanks, Kyoyoung. I thought you would support my initiative. As you love and miss the Crown Prince, I¡¯m telling you about my idea in advance, so that you won¡¯t feel resentment towards me later.¡± ¡°What are you going to do in the future? I mean, how can you befriend the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to do whatever comes to my mind.¡± ¡°Your Highness Kyosul!¡± While Kyosul was lost in thoughts on her idea, Kyoyoung called her quietly. ¡°Can you promise one thing to me?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°While you are trying to get close to him, if you notice any sign that he is warming up to you, please let me know in advance.¡± ¡°Sure, will do. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Kyosul was choked up when Kyoyoung made that request. She was amazed how much Kyoyoung loved the Crown Prince. ¡°Thanks so much, Your Highness.¡± Kyoyoung was the type of woman who made sure everything would work out smoothly. She felt she could be satisfied with Kyosul¡¯s reassurance. While looking at Kyosul who was kind enough to accept her request with an innocent face, Kyoyoung smiled brightly. Maybe I can usurp her status as the Crown Princess easily. Obviously, Kyoyoung¡¯s calm smile was pregnant with a different scheme from Kyosul. *** Kyosul decided to translate her determination into action quickly. She needed her nanny¡¯s help to carry out her plan, which she came up with after hard thinking. At Kyosul¡¯s order, she did her best. She stopped the eunuch assigned to Donchon Palace and asked him a favor. The eunuch didn¡¯t answer clearly as if he were pressured. ¡°As His Highness Crown Prince is very diligent in carrying out his official duty, he could be mad.¡± ¡°If he is mad, please blame it on me. If I don¡¯t convey my message to you properly, the Crown Princess will be mad at me.¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± The eunuch seemed embarrassed. But the nanny didn¡¯t budge a bit. As she served her precious boss Kyosul, the Crown Princess, she had to follow her order. She slipped something into his hands, who was hesitating to respond to her request. With a perplexed expression on his face, the eunuch headed for Dongchon Palace with a heavy heart. On the other hand, the nanny walked back to Kyosul¡¯s residence with a light heart. While Bipaan was working in the office, he picked a small scroll letter among a pile of scrolls that the eunuch offered. He was in the middle of handling it in the order of his picking up the scrolls. When he grabbed it, he didn¡¯t find anything usual in it. He smelled the fragrance of a spring flower from the letter he picked. When he opened the scroll wrapped in fine silk, a dried tiny flower fell out of it. On the paper attached to the golden silk embroidered with colored threads was dotted with cute writing. It was a flower-cum-letter. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bzogd5e1479e938f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bzogd5e1479e938f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bzogd5e1479e938f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bzogd5e1479e938f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bzogd5e1479e938f59 {display: block;}} @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lfgib5e1479e938e92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lfgib5e1479e938e92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lfgib5e1479e938e92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lfgib5e1479e938e92 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lfgib5e1479e938e92 {display: block;}} Bipaan was speechless for a moment. Even before reading it, he picked up the flower dropped on his knee and put it on the scroll letter, folding it in half. Without turning around, he asked the eunuch standing nearby. ¡°What is this?¡± He asked sharply. The eunuch lay flat on his face and said, ¡°That is a letter sent by the Crown Princess in the Dongbi Palace.¡± His eyebrows trembled when he heard the word ¡®Dongbi Palace.¡¯ Nobody noticed his subtle uneasiness. He stared at the letter sternly. Though he wanted to open it, he didn¡¯t. He seemed to see Kyosul¡¯s face in the cute writing in the letter scroll. How could she think of inserting a flower into the scroll? It literally contained something that strongly smelled of her cuteness. ¡°I had the nerve to present it to you as Lady Onyu, the nanny serving the Crown Princess, has earnestly asked me to convey that scroll letter to you,¡± said the eunuch. The eunuch was nervous while explaining to him and shivered with fear at the thought that Bipaan might have been offended by the scroll letter. He was harsh and scary, to say the least. Bipaan didn¡¯t pay any attention to the eunuch who lay flat on his face. Instead, he was looking at the folded scroll letter on his desk, sitting upright. The sweet fragrance of a spring flower tickled the tip of his nose. Wrinkling his nose, he said in a quiet voice, ¡°Put it away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The eunuch crawled toward him, with his head lowered and received the scroll letter with both hands. Holding it over his head, he slowly stood up and stepped back. When he reached the door of his study, Bippan called him, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± While opening another scroll, Bipaan stopped the eunuch. The eunuch stopped immediately and lowered his body again. Bipaan didn¡¯t say anything for a while even after stopping the eunuch, and then spit out the word casually, ¡°Put it somewhere inside instead of throwing it outside.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lowering his head, the eunuch headed toward the inner room of his study. Then, he rolled the scroll letter in golden silk and put it on the small desk near the window. There was a faint smile on his lips. *** After finishing his work for the morning, Bipaan headed for the central palace at the order of Emperor Ohyulje. When he entered the palace, Ohyulje was discussing with his trusted aides about state affairs. Assuming that Ohyulje called him to discuss state matters together, Bipaan was about to join them. Bipaan felt a bit strange about Ohyulje¡¯s behavior today, but approached him silently and offered greetings, ¡°Long Live the Emperor! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Going down on one knee, he paid his respects to Ohyulje and sat beside him. ¡°I heard that¡­¡± When Bipaan was about to ask him about state affairs, Ohyulje opened his mouth first. Ohyulje mentioned he ¡°heard¡± something, which made Bipaan feel uncomfortable because the Emperor¡¯s Concubine Yu must have conveyed some rumor about him to Ohyulje when he started with ¡°I heard ¡­¡± As Concubine Yu had loose lips, she was notorious for making up all kinds of wild rumors, but Bipaan didn¡¯t reveal his uncomfortable feelings. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.znpbe5e1479e938dea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.znpbe5e1479e938dea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.znpbe5e1479e938dea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.znpbe5e1479e938dea {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.znpbe5e1479e938dea {display: block;}} ¡°I heard that the Crown Princess Kyosul and Princess Kyoyoung were living alone these days.¡± ¡°How could any man with a wicked intention spread such a reckless rumor?¡± Without asking him, Bipaan could presume who was responsible for spreading the rumor. Pretending not to know, Bipaan took aim at Concubine Yu. ¡°Regardless of who conveyed it to me, was the rumor true?¡± Ohyulje¡¯s tone, which was slow and light, was now heavy and stern. ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t even sleep with the Crown Princess on the wedding night. Is it true that you didn¡¯t visit her and your second wife?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer the Emperor¡¯s question!¡± Ohyulje raised his voice when Bipaan didn¡¯t reply. The Crown Prince¡¯s refusal to sleep with his official wife and second wife was clearly different from the case of ordinary women living apart from their husbands. No matter how many members are in the royal family, the Crown Prince who was to succeed to the throne had to make efforts to have a child to preserve the royal family. That was the most important duty of the Crown Prince. Ohyulje was enraged to learn that Bipaan didn¡¯t even go and see the Crown Princess and Princess at night, let alone sleep with them. Moreover, as there was only one grandson within the royal family that the princes in line to succeed the throne begot, the Emperor exploded with anger. Never had there been so few offsprings of the royal family like now. When Ohyulje was the Crown Prince, he had already had three sons and two daughters. Chapter 26 As the Emperor was enraged, Bipaan had no choice but to reply. ¡°That¡¯s true, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Crown Prince!¡± Thump! The Emperor hit the armrest of his chair with his hands strongly. The sound resonated throughout the large executive office. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yfpde5e1479e936c5f {display: block;}} ¡°It is clear that you don¡¯t want to be the next emperor, right? Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is to succeed the throne without offspring?¡± Ohyulje shouted. Bipaan sneered at him in his heart, though. The Emperor told him not to reveal his genuine feelings, but he now openly got enraged and expressed his surging anger at Bipaan. But Bipaan meekly accepted his severe rebuke with a poker face. By the time Ohyulje calmed down finally. Bipaan said quietly, ¡°Your Majesty, too many princes could bring about the clouds of blood through fierce fighting.¡± Bipaan¡¯s remarks implied a veiled criticism of the Emperor. In fact, Ohyulje had several brothers, and he had only succeeded the throne by killing them all. Clenching his fists after hearing Bipaan¡¯s implicit criticism, Ohyulje reacted instantly, ¡°So, what are you going to do about your offspring?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qdizy5e1479e936b79 {display: block;}} At his asking Bipaan replied, as if he didn¡¯t need to think twice about it, ¡°I¡¯m going to install my prince brother as my successor.¡± Bipaan replied without any hesitation. In fact, Bipaan had set up his own plan on the next successor long time ago. And now he felt it was about time that the emperor knew about his plan in detail. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have another concubine. And as I have no son to succeed my throne, his mother won¡¯t have any chance to intervene in politics. I¡¯m going to strengthen my authority as the emperor to manage state affairs with only the power of the emperor through tough governance. After I, as a strong ruler, build up the Mok Kingdom as a rich and powerful country not to be swayed by the political turbulences in and outside the country, I¡¯m going to hand over my power to the successor. As the previous emperor was a stern and dignified one, the next emperor would further develop the Mok Kingdom governed by the emperor¡¯s authority in terms of cultural power. Generally speaking, a country relying too much on military power is lacking in cultural governance, while a country dependent on arts and literature is easily susceptible to the politics of pleasure. So, I¡¯m going to build a country with the right mix of military power and rich culture.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, who do you have in mind as your successor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s Prince Ruhae.¡± There was a silence between the Emperor and Bipaan. And Ohyulje made a hearty laugh, patting his knee. ¡°Pahaaaaaaa!¡± Ohyulje felt he had a cold sweat on his back. He was surprised by his son¡¯s eloquence and thorough political calculation. If Bipaan had been one of his brothers, not his son, he could not have succeeded the throne, Ohyulje thought to himself. Bipaan was already convinced that he would succeed the throne of the Emperor. Besides, he already decided on his next successor. What he told Ohyulje about his succession plan was only a very small part of it in abstract terms. As Ohyulje could not figure out what Bipaan had in his mind since childhood, he was just amazed about Bipaan¡¯s grand plan on the ruling of the Mok Kingdom and his successor. Besides, Bipaan evaluated the abilities of his brothers better than Ohyulje. ¡°An emperor who can raise the cultural power of the Mok Kingdom?¡¯ In Ohyuje¡¯s mind, only Ruhae could make the Mok Kingdom a strong cultural power, but Ruhae was too meek to exercise dignity as the emperor. However, if Bipaan could develop the emperor¡¯s tyrannical governance before he handed over his power to Ruhae, the latter would have no problem succeeding the throne. In that respect, Biaapn was not just concerned about his own power as the next emperor. He was already thinking about the future of the Mok Kingdom. Looking down at his son with a poker face, Ohyulje felt fearful, but he quietly stared at him without expressing his feelings at all. ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t leave the Crown Princess and Princess lonely too long. Don¡¯t you know the proverb that if a woman bears a grudge against a man, frost falls even in May and June?¡± Cracking jokes like that, Ohyulje tried to change the topic. At the same time, he pressured Bipaan furtively. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gqdic5e1479e936cb4 {display: block;}} ¡°As you know, your wife is hot-blooded and sexually active at her age. Who knows if some other guy is going to tempt her when she keeps spending nights alone?¡± Obviously, he cracked that joke with the recent rumor about him in mind. Ruhae¡¯s alleged affair with Kyosul. After he was tipped off by Ohyulje about it, Bipaan told his men to find out about the veracity of the rumor and learned that Ruhae was seen heading for Dongbi Palace, Kyosul¡¯s residence, carrying her in his arms. But Bipaan was not aware of their secret meetings in the back garden of the outer palace. In fact, there was almost no one who visited the back garden. Losing his temper at Ohyulje¡¯s lewd joke, Bipaan balked at him and said, ¡°Actually, I directed him.¡± ¡°Directed?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iwjhs5e1479e936bee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iwjhs5e1479e936bee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iwjhs5e1479e936bee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iwjhs5e1479e936bee {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iwjhs5e1479e936bee {display: block;}} ¡°As Crown Princess Kyosul was in bad condition at that time, I ordered Ruhae to carry her to Dongbin Palace. While he was carrying her in his arms to the palace, she got worse. It looks like Ruhae committed an act of disrespect as he was overly concerned.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Stroking his chin, Ohyulje nodded at Bipaan¡¯s reply. Though he was not fully persuaded, Ohyulje couldn¡¯t take issue with the matter further as Bipaan initiated to clear the air. ¡°I dare request you to stay away from those who are reporting such wicked rumors to you,¡± said Bipaan, lowering his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to first punish anyone who challenges your authority.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot, Your Majesty!¡± Bipaan lowered his head. And when he raised his head again, the Emperor waved his hand as if he wanted Bipaan to leave. ¡°Long live the Emperor! Let me leave then. I wish you peace, Your Majesty.¡± After offering him farewells politely, Bipaan left the royal palace. Leaning on the king¡¯s chair comfortably, Ohyulje murmured while looking at the ceiling. ¡°Emperor who can make the Mok Kingdom¡¯s culture flourish¡­¡± Suddenly, he recalled a brother he killed several years ago. If he had been wiser at that time, he would have had his brother help him with handling state affairs instead of having killed him. It was Ruhae who took after his murdered brother. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.babhq5e1479e936b0b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.babhq5e1479e936b0b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.babhq5e1479e936b0b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.babhq5e1479e936b0b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.babhq5e1479e936b0b {display: block;}} *** Kyosul, who began to walk around the Dongbin Palace on the occasion of her recent visit to Kyoyoung¡¯s residence there, decided to stop by the flower garden of the central palace. As far as a back garden was concerned, there was one in the East Palace and one in the outer palace that she frequented. But she decided to visit the central palace garden that the chief court lady serving her praised as the ¡®most beautiful place.¡¯ As the place was not a ¡®back garden,¡¯ but a ¡®flower garden,¡¯ there were mainly flowers there, mostly rare species that could not easily be seen anywhere else. Excited, Kyosul headed for the flower garden of the central palace accompanied only by her nanny. The central palace was divided into the center and the exterior section. Royal members were free to come and go out of the exterior section of the palace, while Taekon Palace, located in the deepest center of the palace, the residence of the Emperor and the Queen, were off-limits to even royal members. Even the Crown Princess needed to come with the Crown Prince to be allowed in. Mostly, the Crown Prince and the Emperor held audience to discuss state affairs in the main hall of the central palace at set times. Unlike the Hwa Kingdom where royal members were supposed to offer greetings to the King and the Queen every morning, it was very difficult to meet f with the Emperor and the Queen without any special event. Kyosul stood before the Emperor and the Queen on the wedding day, but she couldn¡¯t see them as she was covered with a red cloth and too nervous to pay attention to them. As it was difficult to meet them easily, Kyosul regarded them as highly dignified persons who she couldn¡¯t dare to have any access to. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± When she reached the outer top gate of the flower garden, a couple of soldiers standing guard there stopped her. They were imperial warriors defending the flower garden. As Kyosul entered the imperial palace only recently and she confined herself in her room for a while, they didn¡¯t recognize her. When they stopped her, the nanny got upset and said, ¡°You guys are rude! How can you stop this woman when you don¡¯t know about her? Show your due manners! She is the Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± ¡°We¡¯re so sorry, Your Highness. Long live the Crown Princess! We¡¯re honored to see you.¡± When the nanny identified Kyosul¡¯s title, they put down their spears and offered polite greetings. Chapter 27 Kyosul got stiff as she was not accustomed to that kind of greetings. A little later, the soldiers raised themselves. Kyosul and the nanny approached the top gate to enter the garden. When Kyosul crossed the threshold and the nanny followed her, they stopped the nanny. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, but only royal family members and top officials can enter this garden.¡± The official title of Kyosul¡¯s nanny was Lady Yuon. Though her rank was high enough to compare with most high-ranking officials, it was below the so-called ¡®top officials.¡¯ Embarrassed, the nanny stepped back and said to Kyousul, ¡°Your Highness, let me wait here outside. So, take a walk slowly inside.¡± ¡°Got it, nanny.¡± Nodding, she entered the palace and disappeared. Looking at her back with a worried expression, the nanny began to wait at a distance from the soldiers. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hyjyv5e1479e93608f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hyjyv5e1479e93608f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hyjyv5e1479e93608f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hyjyv5e1479e93608f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hyjyv5e1479e93608f {display: block;}} When Kyosul arrived at the entrance of the garden, she smelled the fresh fragrance of flowers. She smiled naturally the moment the sweet smell of various flowers tickled her nose. As there were so many rare flowers in the garden, there was another gate inside for her to pass. The wall surrounding the garden was covered with unknown vines, where small and cute pink flowers were blooming fully. While looking at the flowers, she entered the top gate, exclaiming before she knew. ¡°Wow! How large the imperial palace of a great empire is!¡± There were various roads through the endless flower garden with small shrubs planted on both sides. The roads were full of colorful, simple, mesmerizing flowers, all of which emitted all kinds of fragrance but made a great harmony. While walking along one of the roads, she chose only the road right ahead of her whenever she arrived at the intersection. How long did she walk? She wasn¡¯t tired at all as she saw so many beautiful flowers. She came out to a large, empty place, which seemed to be the center of the garden. And there was a pool in the center, which was too small to be called a lake but not small enough to be called a pond. There were a small island and pavilion in the center of the pool. There were about five bridges leading to the island. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dsxkc5e1479e935f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dsxkc5e1479e935f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dsxkc5e1479e935f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dsxkc5e1479e935f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dsxkc5e1479e935f91 {display: block;}} ¡°Can I walk over there?¡± When she was hesitating, she heard a woman¡¯s very sharp voice from behind. ¡°Who are you?¡± When she turned around with a surprised look, a woman wearing a colorful wig with ornaments approached her, holding a long silk robe. This woman with red lipstick boasted of gorgeous accessories, indicating she was high in rank. She thought Kyosul was a lowly royal concubine who didn¡¯t even get the number of concubine rank in the palace. The seniority of concubine rank in the palace was given, based on how much favor the Emperor gave to his concubines. Currently, there were three ranked concubines, and all other concubines were one step higher than chief court ladies. Though Kyosul didn¡¯t put on colorful accessories, she was wearing the golden dragon hairpin only the Crown Princess could wear in the imperial palace. But that woman didn¡¯t notice her hairpin and shouted at Kyosul, rolling her eyes sharply. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear my question? I¡¯m the Emperor¡¯s concubine. Who the hell are you as you dared enter this flower garden? Don¡¯t you know this place is only accessible to the royal family members and top officials? What the hell are these imperial soldiers doing letting this woman wander around here? Let me give them a good scolding.¡± Kyosul was so embarrassed by this woman¡¯s barrage of sharp questions that she couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°How rude you are! How come you don¡¯t show your manners to me, the Emperor¡¯s concubine? Have you recently entered the palace?¡± When Kyosul barely opened her mouth with hesitation, that woman stopped her with an arrogant look and looked her up and down. When Kyosul hesitated as she had never received this kind of treatment, that woman raised her hand, biting her red lips. Surprised, Kyosul closed her eyes and curled up her head. But when this woman was about to slap Kyosul in the face, she was stopped by another woman. ¡°What the hell are you doing now?¡± Kyosul turned her head toward another woman to check out if the latter was her acquaintance. But Kyosul didn¡¯t know her. That woman was also decorated with colorful ornaments all over. I think I have to walk around, colorfully decorated like them, Kyosul thought at that moment. Kyosul usually went around in casual dress as her official garment was heavy and cumbersome, but when she bumped into strangers, her decoration told them the status of her rank in the palace. As the Mok Kingdom was so large and there were so many royal women, their decoration showed to each other how they were ranked in the palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ohxih5e1479e93610a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ohxih5e1479e93610a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ohxih5e1479e93610a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ohxih5e1479e93610a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ohxih5e1479e93610a {display: block;}} Kyosul let out a sigh with bitterness. The second woman seemed to be older and higher in rank than the first woman. ¡°What are you doing? How can you try to beat somebody in this strict palace?¡± ¡°I was teaching this rude woman a lesson. So, just go your way, Concubine Sassi.¡± ¡°Princess Oran!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.occbl5e1479e936015 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.occbl5e1479e936015 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.occbl5e1479e936015 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.occbl5e1479e936015 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.occbl5e1479e936015 {display: block;}} The first woman was Princess Oran, and the second woman was the Emperor¡¯s first concubine, Sassi. The No. 1 concubine of the Emperor and the official wife of a prince in line to succeed the throne were treated as equal in rank in the Mok Kingdom. Even those princes in line to succeed the throne had to respect the Emperor¡¯s concubines because his authority was so high. The fact that Sassi was given the number of the concubine rank meant that she was favored by the Emperor. Even the Crown Prince could not treat the Emperor¡¯s concubine recklessly. When Kyosul came to learn the two women¡¯s identities, she could calm down. Princess Oran was clearly lower in rank than she, and Concubine Sassi was the Emperor¡¯s concubine that Prince Ruhae¡¯s wife Yomin told her about the other day. Completely forgetting about Kyosul before them, they began to compare their ranks in the palace and argue. ¡°As you know, anybody can¡¯t come to this flower garden. As this woman broke the rule, she has to be duly punished.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, you shouldn¡¯t beat her.¡± ¡°Moreover, this woman didn¡¯t show any manners to me when she saw me. This is totally my own matter. So, don¡¯t meddle in my matter, Concubine Sassi. Just pretend not to know and tour the flower garden, will you?¡± ¡°As you know, there are imperial soldiers standing guard outside the flower garden. Obviously, they must have checked out her identity before letting her in. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°Look at this woman¡¯s pretty face! She must have heard the rumor about the flower garden here and tempted the guards outside to come inside.¡± When Oran said cynically, Kyosul bit her lips quietly. Kyosul didn¡¯t like the way Oran spoke recklessly, granted she was not aware of her title as the Crown Princess. Stopping Oran in the middle, Concubine Sassi said, ¡°Oran, you¡¯re too sarcastic! I can¡¯t just ignore your arrogant words.¡± But Oran raised her head, balking at Concubine Sassi¡¯s warning, and opened her red lips, leering at her, ¡°Are you going to report this to the Emperor? I¡¯m the mother of a prince¡¯s son. In other words, I¡¯ve begotten a son for the royal family of the Mok Kingdom where there are few male offspring.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hoywp5e1479e935f1b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hoywp5e1479e935f1b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hoywp5e1479e935f1b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hoywp5e1479e935f1b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hoywp5e1479e935f1b {display: block;}} ¡°How arrogant you are!¡± Concubine Sassi shouted at her. She stammered as if she was shocked by Oran¡¯s arrogance. As she couldn¡¯t stand Oran¡¯s audacious attitude, Kyosul came forward and said, ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°How dare you cut in?¡± Oran shouted at Kyoran. Biting her lips, Kyosul opened her house, looking at her with a stern look, ¡°I¡¯m Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± When Kyosul identified her title belatedly, Oran and Concubine Saassi¡¯s faces turned white. *** Oran was a woman who had nothing and nobody to fear. She was admitted to the palace when she was 15 and got married to Prince Dukwol who was a kind-hearted man but a very hard nut to crack. Since she became his official wife, she loved him dearly and lived in the palace for ten years. It was none other than Oran who delivered the first grandchild, Prince Taehwa, for the royal family that had seen no male offspring for a long time. Six years had passed since she gave birth to a son, but she didn¡¯t beget any more children. Oran was confident that her son would be crowned as the official grandson of the Emperor. Looking at Bipaan, who was younger than her, she believed that Prince Dukwol would be the Crown Prince and succeed the throne. In fact, Emperor Ohyulje was the son of the previous emperor¡¯s second concubine, who was not duly recognized by royal family members at first. There was nothing wrong with the fact that Prince Dukwol was born to Ohyulje¡¯s concubine. It was common in the imperial family that there was intense fighting among princes to succeed the throne. Oran even thought that she could kill Bipaan in order to have Dukwol succeed the throne. She put her five-year-old son on her lap and kept whispering into his ears every night, ¡°I¡¯m going to be the Queen in the future. And you¡¯re going to wear the crown of the Crown Prince in the not-so-distant future.¡± But her son was no more than the grandson of the Emperor at this point. Chapter 28 While Oran was taking a walk in the flower garden, she noticed a woman dressed in plain clothes with no ornaments hanging around, so Oran decided to punish her loudly in a typical display of her arrogance. She guessed that as Kyosul¡¯s face was beautiful, she must have coaxed the imperial guards into letting her in. As someone obsessed with power, she could not see the discipline of the imperial family put in jeopardy under any circumstances. However, when Concubine Sassi, who was given the title of number one concubine, stood in her way, Oran raised her voice. When Oran recklessly punished her, Kyosul stopped hesitating and identified herself. ¡°¡®I¡¯m Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± Only then did Oran notice the golden hairpin hanging from the back of her head. It was a hairpin that only the Queen and the Crown Princess could put on. All the color drained from her face when she heard that, and she felt terrified. She was shocked to learn that this woman in shabby dress was the Crown Princess! In the imperial family of the Mok Kingdom, there was a big difference in rank even among the royal women in the four palaces. Though Oran was only one rank below the Crown Princess, she had to respect and obey Kyosul. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ovygy5e1479e8791e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ovygy5e1479e8791e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ovygy5e1479e8791e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ovygy5e1479e8791e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ovygy5e1479e8791e0 {display: block;}} As such Oran could find no excuse to ask for her forgiveness as she shouted and shook her fingers at her in a loud voice. Shocked by the unexpected presence of Kyosul before her, Oran just stared at her flushed face. Concubine Sassi, who was as shocked and looked at her from behind, put her hands on her chest and bent her knees into a bow. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! Concubine Sassi is honored to see Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± Regardless of their rank in the royal palace, even the Emperor¡¯s concubines and the princesses were supposed to pay their utmost respect to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. When Concubine Sassi paid her due respect, Oran came to her senses then put her trembling hands on her chest and kneeled. Though she wanted to lower her face to the ground, she couldn¡¯t because of her high-handed pride. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± Oran¡¯s voice trembled while paying respect to her. While Oran was lowering her head, she kept recalling what she had just shouted at Kyosul. Oran shivered with fear, but it was against her grain to keep silent and obedient to Kyosul. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lxbnd5e1479e879105 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lxbnd5e1479e879105 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lxbnd5e1479e879105 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lxbnd5e1479e879105 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lxbnd5e1479e879105 {display: block;}} Oran quickly looked askance at Kyosul, who was looking at her and Concubine Sassi with embarrassment. It seemed that she hadn¡¯t yet decided how to respond to them. How can she look so goofy when I have committed such a disrespectful act? Oran felt Kyosul was obviously a weak character who didn¡¯t know which way the wind was blowing. After sizing her up in her way, Oran raised her hair and stood up proudly likely before. It¡¯s your fault that you didn¡¯t identify yourself to me. I didn¡¯t even know your face. Though Oran attended Kyosul¡¯s wedding ceremony, she didn¡¯t see Kyosul¡¯s face because the latter covered her face with a red cloth. Of course, if Kyosul had been as arrogant as Oran, she would not have accepted Oran¡¯s arrogant excuse like that, but Oran felt relieved as she already found out what kind of personality Kyosul was. Receiving their unexpected greetings while she was still embarrassed, Kyosul was at a loss for words. Did she need to punish Oran¡¯s unruly behavior? But Kyosul felt it awkward to punish Oran who looked older than her. When Kyosul was hesitating, Oran opened her mouth first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I¡¯ve committed a disrespectful act before you. As you have not identified your status, I acted discourteously. Please forgive me with your endless benevolence.¡± Oran said in a clear voice that she improvised at the moment. She furtively tried to blame the responsibility on Kyosul by citing her failure to identify herself. Enraged at Oran¡¯s poor excuse, Concubine Sassi stared at her sternly. As she had several dialogues with Oran before and heard many rumors about her, Concubine Sassi was aware of her arrogant character, but she was shocked by Oran¡¯s brazen attitude. In her eyes, Oran was ignoring Kyosul as the Crown Princess looked weak. Concubine Sassi looked at Oran with fierce eyes. She didn¡¯t like Oran¡¯s arrogant and disrespectful act. Nonetheless, Kyosul was hesitant about how to respond to Oran¡¯s conceited remarks. In the end, she opened her mouth with a smile, seeing her face to face. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. As I haven¡¯t had any chance to get familiar with the royal family members, you might not be able to recognize my face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so relieved to hear that, Your Highness,¡± said Oran, lowering her head again. There was a sarcastic smile on her lips. That¡¯s the response I expected. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.muipx5e1479e87924f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.muipx5e1479e87924f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.muipx5e1479e87924f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.muipx5e1479e87924f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.muipx5e1479e87924f {display: block;}} When Kyosul showed respect to her who had acted rudely, Oran was confident of her educated guess. This woman, the Crown Princess, was weak, and she didn¡¯t even seem to have any idea about her own authority as the Crown Princess. Oran found it hard to deal with Bipaan as he didn¡¯t show any emotion, but she now discovered that she could deal with Kyosul easily as she was so weak and tender-hearted. When Kyosul was face to face with Oran, smiling awkwardly, Concubine Sassi came beside Kyosul and opened her mouth. ¡°Princess Oran, I watched the way you apologized to the Crown Princess, but I think your apologies are not sincere enough.¡± Oran turned her eyes at her sharply, but Concubine Sassai continued, ¡°Your Highness, you don¡¯t have to use honorific language for Princess Oran. Besides, you have to punish her duly in order to establish the discipline of the royal family as she has committed a disrespectful act against you.¡± She felt she had no other choice but to intervene as Oran, with ten years of palace life under her belt was too dangerous to Kyosul who looked like a child. At her kind advice, Kyosul nodded, agreeing with her. Concubine Sassi was a woman who seemed to be the same age as Kyosul¡¯s mother. Besides, her protection a while ago and her kind voice made Kyosul feel comfortable with her. Forgetting her situation for a moment, Kyosul smiled at Concubine Sassi who reminded her of her mother Queen Yo in the Hwa Kingdom. Though she was embarrassed at Kyosul¡¯s childish smile, she also smiled at the Crown Princess. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vatgf5e1479e879175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vatgf5e1479e879175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vatgf5e1479e879175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vatgf5e1479e879175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vatgf5e1479e879175 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m really fine. As I have not identified myself, and I was dressed in plain clothes, she might not have regarded me as the Crown Princess. And nothing happened except that she criticized me a bit.¡± Recalling that she might have been slapped in the face by Oran, Kyosul suddenly shuddered then smiled at her. As if she waited for the right timing, Oran leered at Concubine Sassi and said, ¡°Thank you so much, Your Highness. Please forget my discourteous behavior a while ago. I¡¯m going to be more careful in the future.¡± ¡°But you should bend your head down to the ground and ask for her forgiveness. You know the stern discipline of the royal family, don¡¯t you?¡± Concubine Sassi pointed out. Oran stared at her and so did Concubine Sassi. ¡°Crown Princess has said she is fine. Why are you meddling? You know the strict rules of the royal family better than anybody else. Isn¡¯t it the duty of the subordinate to follow her master¡¯s order?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the Crown Princess can ignore your rude act when you hastily judged her by the looks of her clothes and tried to hit her. I¡¯m going to report it to the Emperor so that he can mete out severe punishment.¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about? As you are favored by the Emperor, you are so arrogant now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to report to the Emperor what you have just told me.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oxipi5e1479e879099 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oxipi5e1479e879099 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oxipi5e1479e879099 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oxipi5e1479e879099 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oxipi5e1479e879099 {display: block;}} ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m the mother of Prince Mutaehwang, the only grandson of the Emperor. How can you lie to my face?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Emperor should punish you strictly. What can Prince Mutaehwang learn from you?¡± When the two women had a heated quarrel, Kyosul closed her eyes and shouted, at a loss for words, ¡°Stop it, please!¡± At her shouting, Oran and Concubine Sassi shut their mouths and stared at each other. ¡°I¡¯m fine. So, don¡¯t make a big fuss about this. Prince Oran, you may leave.¡± Kyosul actively intervened to have them part ways hastily. At Kyosul¡¯s order, Oran calmed down, put her hand on her chest and lowered her body deeply. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m going to leave now.¡± And then she quickly bowed to Concubine Sassi out of courtesy then turned back. When she left, Kyosul let out a sigh of relief and turned her head to Concubine Sassi, who was looking at her with a kind smile. Kyosul bowed gently to her and said, ¡°How do you do? I¡¯m Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± When she bowed, the concubine also bowed to her. Chapter 29 Kyosul blushed her face a bit. When the concubine spoke to Oran, her voice was sharp and stern, but she spoke to Kyosul in a soft and meek voice, which reminded Kyosul of her mother Queen Yo in the Hwa Kingdom and made her eyes wet with tears. When Kyosul¡¯s eyes were welled with tears, Sassi held the Crown Princess¡¯s hands kindly, recalling that she came from another kingdom, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Your Highness, would you come with me to my residence in the main palace and share tea and cookies?¡± Kyosul nodded at her soft words. After they got out of the flower garden, Kyosul and First Concubine Sassi had tea and cookies at the latter¡¯s residence. Considerate of Kyosul¡¯s position, Sassi kindly led the conversation, asking her the type of questions that might attract her attention and listening to her story. Kyosul opened her heart to this kind woman. Sipping tea with sweet fragrance, Kyosul said, ¡°Well¡­.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zeflz5e1479e874649 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zeflz5e1479e874649 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zeflz5e1479e874649 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zeflz5e1479e874649 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zeflz5e1479e874649 {display: block;}} When she hesitated a bit, Sassi nodded, signaling to her that she could feel free to talk. Seeing Sassi¡¯s warm smile, Kyosul blushed gently and opened her mouth again, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might be discourteous to you in our first meeting like this, but¡­.¡± ¡°Not at all, Your Highness. There is nobody who can stop you from talking as you¡¯re the Crown Princess. Please make yourself at home and talk to me.¡± ¡°Well, may I get along with you well in the future?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Sassi asked back, surprised at Kyosul¡¯s unexpected remarks. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ishci5e1479e8745a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ishci5e1479e8745a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ishci5e1479e8745a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ishci5e1479e8745a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ishci5e1479e8745a4 {display: block;}} Feeling shy about her response, Kyosul covered her lips with sleeves slightly and said, ¡°What I mean is I would like to come over and share tea and cookies with you if you don¡¯t mind. When I see you, I feel so comfortable as if I am seeing my mother face to face in the Hwa Kingdom.¡± In the end, Kyosul shed tears. These days she has felt so homesick and lonely. As she missed her mother Queen Yo of the Hwa Kingdom so much and couldn¡¯t see her, she immediately expressed her pent-up longing for her mother when she saw Sassi who kindly treated her. ¡°How pitiful you are!¡± Embarrassed by her shedding tears, Sassi put aside the tea table and came closer to her. After hesitating for a moment, she hugged Kyosul. Though Kyosul was the Crown Princess, she was still young. Sassi heard she just came of age and though she must have grown up showered with her parents¡¯ affection in the Hwa Kingdom ruled by a benevolent king. Recalling her old mother in a private home outside the palace, Sassi also shed tears. Wrapped in her arms, Kyosul smelled her light makeup, which reminded her of Queen Yo and made her feel at ease again. ¡°I have two daughters. They are really shrewd and smart, but I regret to say that I¡¯ve never seen them doing cute things as they don¡¯t have amiable characters. Your Highness, you¡¯re so cute. How can I refuse your wishes to get along with me?¡± ¡°Concubine Sassi¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to take side with you in this tough palace. If Princess Oran shows disrespectful behavior again to you, please let me know. I¡¯m going to have her punished severely.¡± When Sassi said that, Kyosu, who was shedding tears, suddenly giggled. ¡°Thanks, Concubine Sassi. By the way, I feel it awkward to call you Concubine Sassi as you¡¯re much older than me.¡± Touching her lips gently, she went on, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I just call you Sassi Mom?¡± Kyosul asked, tilting her head to one side. But Sassi was stunned to hear that. ¡°You want to call me mom? If somebody hears it, you¡¯re in big trouble.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay if I call you Sassi Mom when I¡¯m with you only?¡± Kyosul casually leaned her head on her, who was embarrassed for fear someone might overhear their conservation. ¡°Pardon?¡± Sassi asked back in surprise. When she lived in the Hwa Kingdom, she used to act cutely before her parents and brothers at their request. Blushing at Kyosuls¡¯ cute request, Sassi barely nodded and said, ¡°Oh, I get it, Your Highness. If you feel comfortable about calling me like that, that¡¯s fine with me.¡± ¡°Sassi Mom, please don¡¯t use honorifics to me.¡± When Kyosul said it so cutely, hanging on her arm, Sassi was at a loss for words, but nodded again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jkabv5e1479e8745f8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jkabv5e1479e8745f8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jkabv5e1479e8745f8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jkabv5e1479e8745f8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jkabv5e1479e8745f8 {display: block;}} ¡°I get it. I really can¡¯t stop you,¡± she said, smiling at Kyosul, who in turn smiled at her. ¡°As you say you haven¡¯t seen your children acting cutely to you, let me take their place. So, be ready, Sassi Mom!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.epdtc5e1479e87469b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.epdtc5e1479e87469b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.epdtc5e1479e87469b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.epdtc5e1479e87469b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.epdtc5e1479e87469b {display: block;}} ¡°Oh my god. I¡¯m beginning to be scared of you. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t share tea and cookies with you again,¡± said Sassi, making a hearty laugh as she couldn¡¯t hold back laughter anymore. Kyosul befriended Kyoyoung and Sassi by visiting their residences casually. As she made friends with them, she naturally began to regain vigor and liveliness in her daily life. She seemed to forget her painful memories of leaving the Hwa Kingdom. But she couldn¡¯t help but feel the sharp pain of not feeling loved. Though she could smile thanks to her newly found friendships with Kyoyoung and Sassi, she wanted to be loved, above all. Was it because she received so much love during her childhood? She could not fill her empty heart with their warmth alone. *** There was a strange silence in the Sochon Palace located in the west of the imperial palace. The atmosphere there was somewhat heavy and eerie, compared with the quietness of the Dongchon Palace. Court ladies serving the Sochon Palace were not as talkative as those at the Dongchon Palace. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Court ladies¡¯ lilting voice resonated across the Sochon Palace. Flushing, Oran walked across the palace yard with hurried steps. Stopping their work, court ladies lowered their heads when they saw her coming, but she didn¡¯t glance at either of them. Though she didn¡¯t even look at them, they knew she would immediately give them a good scolding if they didn¡¯t bow to her. ¡°The Prince¡¯s Wife has arrived!¡± The eunuch on standby announced to the people serving at the Sochon Palace. When she skillfully took off her shoes and stepped in, the door leading to the innermost room of Prince Dukwol was opened as the court ladies there were ready to meet her expectations, all the time wary about her words and deeds. Passing by several doors to reach the prince¡¯s room, she stepped into it and hugged him, acting coquettishly. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Oran, my dear wife! It looks like you¡¯re in a very good mood today.¡± Noticing her coming in, he put aside the book and brush. As he always smiled, even his eyes were curved, and his pupil was hardly visible, which made it difficult to look into his glittering eyes clearly. Cunning Prince Dukwol and arrogant Oran were a good match in the palace. ¡°Do you know who I just met before I came here?¡± ¡°Is there another person in this palace who could draw your interest?¡± ¡°Yes, I met the very Crown Princess rumored among the palace people.¡± ¡°The Crown Princess?¡± His playful voice became subdued now. His eyes looked gloomy now, as there was no more smile on his face. But he asked when he saw his wife whose eyes were slanted upward at the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think you, as a proud and dignified princess, took the trouble of going to see the Crown Princess.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kptcn5e1479e874548 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kptcn5e1479e874548 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kptcn5e1479e874548 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kptcn5e1479e874548 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kptcn5e1479e874548 {display: block;}} ¡°You know me too well, Your Majesty,¡± said Oran, bursting into laughter and gently patting him on the chest. With a smile, he took her hand then he put one of her fingers into his mouth and bit it gently. ¡°I wonder if the Crown Princess came to see you first.¡± ¡°No, not at all. I met her in the flower garden. I bumped into her at the flower garden of the Central Palace,¡± she snorted contemptuously. ¡°You know she is the so-called Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom. Nonetheless, she was dressed in shabby clothes like a nameless concubine in the palace,¡± she added. In a grumbling voice, she then told him in detail about what happened at the flower garden. While listening to her complaint with a smile all along, Dukwol patted and stroked her, and sometimes touched his lips to her body. ¡°She must be a pretty soft-tempered little woman.¡± That was his first reaction when Oran told him about Kyosul. Just like the saying, ¡°husband and wife are one flesh,¡± his despicable comment on Kyosul was the same as Oran¡¯s. Clapping her hands, Oran snorted, ¡°You bet! She is just a little princess of the Hwa Kingdom, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t understand how this soft-hearted little woman won over Bipaan¡¯s heart,¡± she continued. Already there was a wild rumor circulating about them in the palace. Even little court girls were aware that Bipaan¡¯s second wife, who got married to him earlier than Kyosul, had been living alone in her residence since the Crown Prince deserted her on the wedding night. Chapter 30 The rumor began to circulate that the Crown Prince spent a long night with this little princess from a faraway country and that he recently visited her room again. This was the hot topic of the court ladies these days. The Crown Princess succeeded in winning over that heartless Crown Prince? It was only natural that all the women in the palace were very curious about Kyosul. In addition to that, there was another ugly rumor getting around among them. The rumor was that she captivated not only the Crown Prince but also Prince Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fltce5e1479e86e959 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fltce5e1479e86e959 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fltce5e1479e86e959 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fltce5e1479e86e959 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fltce5e1479e86e959 {display: block;}} ¡°As you know, most of the wild rumors circulating in the palace are groundless,¡± said Dukwol, laughing off the rumors, but his black eyes sparkled when he continued, ¡°But there is a real possibility that the rumors could turn out to be true.¡± ¡°As there are so many rumors about her, I was led on, too. When I looked at her in person, I was surprised. She just came of age, and she was pretty, but I wonder how such a slow-witted woman can win over any guy¡¯s heart.¡± Oran waved her hands, suggesting she could never believe her ears. ¡°But it seems true that she has won Bipaan¡¯s heart. I hear the path from the Dongchon Palace to her residence can¡¯t be smoother or shinier. I just wonder if this pretty woman has captivated his mind with her great sex skills.¡± Even without watching her language, Oran now put out obscene words about the Crown Princess, but Dukwol turned his mouth up and whispered into her ears. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.swnsp5e1479e86e8cc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.swnsp5e1479e86e8cc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.swnsp5e1479e86e8cc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.swnsp5e1479e86e8cc {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.swnsp5e1479e86e8cc {display: block;}} ¡°In other words, it looks like she pretends to be a pathetic woman in broad daylight then turns into a temptress at night. Wow, even I feel tempted by her upon hearing that.¡± Opening her round eyes wide, Oran sneered, ¡°You¡¯re going too far. How can you show interest in another woman in my presence?¡± ¡°Are you now jealous because you might hear another possible rumor that even Dukwol has been captivated by the Crown Princess?¡± Dukwol touched the tip of her nose gently. With a sullen face, she sat on his lap, with her broad skirt spread on the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m a temptress during the night, as you know, but I can be a temptress even during the day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± On hearing his hot reaction, she pursed her red lips and took off her outer garment. Then, she sat on his legs, bringing her waist closer to his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m more tempting right now?¡± she said, putting her arms around his neck. Looking up at her face, he touched her elbows with his fingers. ¡°If you are willing to show me how horny you are, l want to make love to you right now,¡± he said. As soon as he finished his words, she kissed him. The moment their lips touched, the only sounds in his room were rough and hot breathing. They didn¡¯t wait until they had taken off their cumbersome clothes. Suddenly, lots of documents he piled on the desk fell to the floor. Her hips rolled against his. Then, she wrapped her legs around his neck, pushing her broad skirt up her waist. She reached out to grab hold of anything she could as their excited breathing echoed in the quiet of Sochon Palace. *** Time passed idly. Since he met Kyosul and Bipaan in the back garden of the outer palace, Ruhae spent day after day without purpose. As his brief pleasure in the back garden was gone forever, he was bored every day. He felt every day was the same to him. He even felt breathing, sleeping and eating meant nothing to him. His typical day was pretty busy. In particular, Ruhae was in charge of the most state affairs after Bipaan, as the Emperor recognized his abilities among other princes. Usually, he handled affairs related to justice, but he also handled some of the educational and cultural affairs. The Emperor didn¡¯t leave such a capable prince as Ruhae idle. Taking a brief break from his heavy workload, Ruhae murmured to himself. ¡°It looks like another day will be over while I¡¯m snowed under with work.¡± Stretching his back, he paused for a moment because he realized that he just spoke to himself. He had a bitter smile on his lips. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jscif5e1479e86e909 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jscif5e1479e86e909 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jscif5e1479e86e909 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jscif5e1479e86e909 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jscif5e1479e86e909 {display: block;}} ¡°Who did I talk to a moment ago?¡± He leaned on the chair. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep sigh. Though he thought it was not a big deal at that time, he sometimes got enraged about himself when he looked back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wgtxv5e1479e86e9ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wgtxv5e1479e86e9ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wgtxv5e1479e86e9ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wgtxv5e1479e86e9ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wgtxv5e1479e86e9ac {display: block;}} ¡°How stupid I was!¡± Actually, he was too busy to get distracted by his own private matters. He concentrated on his official duty to stay away from such thoughts. He even tried his best to go back to the days when he didn¡¯t know Kyosul, so he could restore his peaceful daily routine. ¡°I know how stupid I am.¡± He knew what was going on between him and his wife Yomin. He didn¡¯t see her for a long time. In fact, he didn¡¯t have the nerve to look her in the face. He used to stop by her room in the South Palace until this past spring came. Though he didn¡¯t sleep with her for a long time, he wanted to visit her on a regular basis out of courtesy. He wanted to stop visiting but that would break her heart. For some reason, he never felt sexually attracted to her, so he felt he was to blame, not she. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re destined to live with books.¡± That¡¯s what Yomin said when she prettied herself up and came to see him in the South Palace and was rejected. He just smiled at her despite her sneering. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve got too much work to take care of tomorrow.¡± ¡°You have been snowed under with work all the time, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m busy every day.¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re the only one dealing with all the state affairs of the imperial palace.¡± ¡°Princess Yomin!¡± When Ruhae called her strongly, she flinched at that moment. No matter how much she felt hurt, Ruhae was the third in line to succeed the throne. As his wife, she had to show due manners and respect. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡± Smiling awkwardly at her quick change of attitude, Ruhae shook his hand and said, ¡°I think I just love books better than a woman. I feel more comfortable about the smell of books than that of a woman¡¯s cosmetics.¡± ¡°I know it.¡± Though she already knew it, it was shocking to him that she bluntly pointed it out in his presence. Ruhae¡¯s gentle confession tore apart her heart like a fierce storm. Biting her lips, she said, ¡°I just wanted to¡­¡±¡® She looked up at him intensely, with her strained eyes fully reflecting her grudge against him. ¡°You and I are no more than a partnership formed through the manners of the Mok Kingdom.¡± Having said that, she lowered her head to him deeply. The unusually colorful ornament bells she put in the back of her hair shook gently, making a jingle-jangle sound. He just stared at her quietly. Until she adjusted her dress and left his room, he didn¡¯t extend his hand and looked at her blankly, standing at a distance. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tgmdo5e1479e86e871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tgmdo5e1479e86e871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tgmdo5e1479e86e871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tgmdo5e1479e86e871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tgmdo5e1479e86e871 {display: block;}} Just one glance was all he could give to her. He couldn¡¯t show any further feelings toward her. ¡°I already told you many times, Yomin. I¡¯m sorry.¡± But Ruhae now made friends with a woman that he felt much more attached to. He couldn¡¯t control his longing for her. But even before his relationship with her was off to a good start, they had been caught by Bipaan and other people in the palace. He agonized that he had to give up on her even before he could start a serious relationship with her. When he got distracted by her again, he couldn¡¯t concentrate on the state affairs. The pile of scrolls on his desk seemed like pieces of paper that he had nothing to do with. While barely reading through the scrolls, he put down the brush, after all. He just closed the scrolls about the people¡¯s petitions, half of which he hadn¡¯t read yet. When he stood up, the eunuch on standby bowed to him and opened the door. ¡°Are you going out, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the library briefly, so let me go alone.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The eunuch opened the door then stopped at the wooden porch. Usually, it was customary for a prince like Ruhae to be accompanied by an entourage ranging from the eunuch and chief court ladies and other minor ladies, but Ruhae didn¡¯t like such complicated practices, so he usually took a walk alone to sort out his complicated thoughts. He headed for the library of the outer palace. The library was quiet with no people. Walking between the bookshelves, he suddenly stopped at one. He looked down before he knew. To her surprise, he noticed Kyosul sitting down with a pathetic expression and eyes closed. Chapter 31 Squatting between the bookshelves of the library, Kyosul looked funny, cute and lovely. As if she was consumed with longing, her eyes seemed full of tears. Ruhae wanted to touch her small forehead out of sympathy. He wanted to take off the ornamental wig and stroke her hair, but he didn¡¯t. He just smiled at her, waiting for her to open her eyes. He held back the strong urge to comfort her. ¡°Your Highness, Crown Princess.¡± He almost touched her hair. As if responding to his trembling voice, she opened her eyes in surprise before closing them again. Kyosul disappeared into the air like a mirage without any trace of her scent. It had been a hallucination that Ruhae conjured out of longing. His hand hung awkwardly in the air. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yqutk5e1479e878c87 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yqutk5e1479e878c87 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yqutk5e1479e878c87 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yqutk5e1479e878c87 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yqutk5e1479e878c87 {display: block;}} He lowered his hand as his gentle smile faded. ¡°I know she isn¡¯t here¡­¡± He shook his head. Leaving the library, he felt more tired than he had when he entered. When he tripped over the grass on the road, he realized that he arrived at the back garden of the outer palace. ¡°Oh my god!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.inbrj5e1479e878be7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.inbrj5e1479e878be7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.inbrj5e1479e878be7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.inbrj5e1479e878be7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.inbrj5e1479e878be7 {display: block;}} Ruhae was embarrassed. He felt it was okay to go to the library because he used to go there often even before he met Kyosul, but he intentionally avoided the back garden of the outer palace after Bipaan had caught them together. It seemed that his longing had led him there. Whenever the wind blew, his heart ached. When time passed, the clouds passed by, and the sun set, he felt depressed and heartbroken. Leaning against the big tree, he watched the sun setting. Its red spirit sank into his heart. The red energy of the sun cut his tender heart. ¡°I¡¯m so heartbroken¡­¡± Ruhae shook his head wildly. Even when he closed his eyes, he vividly conjured up her lovely face. He couldn¡¯t understand how her image was so clearly etched in his mind. Maybe his longing for her became deeper as he kept thinking about her every day. ¡°Is it because I miss you so much?¡± There was no one to answer him. There was no trace of her voice, her presence or her smell anywhere. What was left at all was emptiness in his heart. Let me stop. Ruhae steeled his heart. In terms of common sense, humanitarian customs and legality, he could not take her. He also had his own official wife. Kyosul was his elder brother¡¯s wife. Ruhae left the place. He vowed that he would never think of her. He vowed that he would regard the library, the back garden and any other place in the outer palace as just another place. With that resolution, he left the outer palace. Peonies shined red in the crimson light of the sunset. Their large petals looked burdensome. The stamen inside the shy white petals shined more brightly than gold and lured the bees with a sweet scent. Ruhae stopped walking and looked at the peonies for a long time. The moment he looked at the peonies, he thought of her again. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re very late today.¡± The shy posture of the peony reminded him of Kyosul. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how I could miss somebody so much.¡± In the end, he had to give up his vows. His longing for her was already too deep for him to control. He spent his days in a standard, boring manner. Tied up by the customs of the imperial palace as a successor of the throne, he was busy playing three roles: a prince, a husband and a son. He had no time to figure out what he really wanted or what he really liked to do. The only things that had guided him since he was born were the customs and laws of the imperial palace. However, the scent of a woman¡¯s tears interrupted that. From the moment the door of her sedan chair opened, he saw Kyosul, as shy as a peony, shedding tears. He couldn¡¯t forget it, and now he understood why. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mnkoz5e1479e878c38 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mnkoz5e1479e878c38 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mnkoz5e1479e878c38 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mnkoz5e1479e878c38 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mnkoz5e1479e878c38 {display: block;}} ¡°This is the first time I felt temptation¡­.¡± Ruhae reached out to touch the round petals of a little peony and found them soft beneath his long finger. Gently stroking it, he was careful not to damage it. ¡°This is the first time I felt the temptation to have you.¡± He always lived a life as given and instructed by the emperor. He was the son of the woman favored by the emperor, so he became the prince and got married to a woman arranged by the emperor. Over the past twenty-one years, he was never moved by any person around him until he was captivated by Kyosul. ¡°This time I¡¯m really determined to do what I want to do.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yznzd5e1479e878cd7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yznzd5e1479e878cd7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yznzd5e1479e878cd7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yznzd5e1479e878cd7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yznzd5e1479e878cd7 {display: block;}} Ruhae¡¯s soft eyes became sharp. *** ¡°Thanks, Kyoyoung.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Please ask for my help anytime when you need it,¡± said Kyoyoung with a gentle smile. Much relieved by her kindness, Kyosul held her hands tightly, ¡°Please allow me to take off first.¡± ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I think I spent too much time while I was having such a pleasant talk with you.¡± Kyosul wished she would stay longer, but Kyoyoung stood up right away. After she offered courtesy farewells, Kyoyoung left her room. Crossing the yard to her residence, Kyoyoung slowed down now. As she walked further away from her residence, her smile slowly disappeared. ¡°It looks like you have¡­.¡± A cold look replaced her smile, ¡°You must have underestimated me.¡± Her cheeks trembled. In the end, she stopped walking when she began to sneer at Kyosul. Kyoyoung turned her head quickly and stared at her residence sharply. Her eyes were cold. When she recalled what just happened between her and Kyosul, she was filled with rage and shivered with resentment. *** An hour prior, Kyosul sat face to face with Kyoyoung in her room in Dongbi Palace. The two women exchanged visits frequently. Regardless of the difference in their titles as the Crown Princess and the second wife of the Crown Prince, they seemed to be on close terms because Kyosul trusted too easily and Kyoyoung was very skilled in dealing with women. ¡°As you are in the imperial palace, I think I am now more comfortable around you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. As you felt so lonely, I was really worried about you.¡± ¡°Really? I am embarrassed to hear that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have tea and cookies like this so often. I just hope you can get accustomed to the palace life and feel more comfortable and at ease.¡± While saying so, Kyoyoung held a cup of tea with a gentle smile. When she sat face to face with Kyosul, Kyoyoung always had the same expression on her face, which made Kyosul feel comfortable all the time. They kept chattering in a good mood for a while. ¡°By the way, Kyoyoung. As for me¡­¡± Kyosul said shyly, with a blush. ¡°I¡¯ve only got brothers in my motherland.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I know you are the only princess in the blessed Hwa Kingdom.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve got four older brothers and four younger brothers. Though I had no sisters, I didn¡¯t envy anyone because I had several brothers.¡± Kyoyoung got curious why she suddenly talked about her brothers and sisters. So, she quietly waited for Kyosul¡¯s next words, smiling at her. ¡°As I have a great time with you like this, I think I know how good and pleasant it is to have a sister. If I had an older sister, I would guess she would be like Kyoyoung.¡± ¡°Did you say older sister?¡± ¡°Yes, older sister. I feel like you¡¯re my older sister.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kwxzm5e1479e878b8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kwxzm5e1479e878b8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kwxzm5e1479e878b8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kwxzm5e1479e878b8d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kwxzm5e1479e878b8d {display: block;}} Having said that, Kyosul nodded cheerfully. Kyoyoung seemed surprised at her remarks but concealed her genuine feelings. ¡°How can I be your old sister?¡± said Kyoyoung, smiling rather stiffly. Expressing thanks out of courtesy, Kyoyoung gently refused her request, but Kyosul came closer to her and held her hands all of a sudden. Kyoyoung flinched and almost pulled her hands away. Barely smiling, she let her put Kyosul¡¯s little hands into hers. ¡°I really feel you¡¯re my older sister from the bottom of my heart. I am just grateful to you in many ways, and I would like to take my cues from you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Genuinely startled, Kyoyoung looked at Kyosul. Kyosul¡¯s innocent and glittering eyes showed that she was really looking up to her. ¡°When I got here, you reached out to me first and shared your shameful secret with me, and I really appreciate that. I pulled myself together thanks to your help.¡± Kyoyoung blinked. The reason that she revealed her shameful secret to Kyosul was because a wild rumor about her already spread throughout the palace. As Kyosul would certainly hear it someday, Kyoyoung felt it would be much better for her to meet and tell her about it in person so as to keep her pride, but the innocent Crown Princess misunderstood her motivations. ¡°Besides, even if you are only one year older than me, I feel some sort of mystic aura around you, which is beyond description. It¡¯s something I can feel from an adult woman. I want to be an adult woman like you.¡± ¡°An adult¡­.¡± Chapter 32 ¡°I mean the type of adult who can proudly carry out his or her duty in their current position. When I see your smile, attitude, and language, I really would like to take my cues from you. I feel you are dignified, well-educated and broad-minded.¡± Looking at Kyosul who was heaping praise on her, Kyoyoung almost burst into laughter. How young and foolish she was! Kyoyoung was nervous before she met Kyosul because the latter was the Crown Princess of the Mok Kingdom, but when she met Kyosul in person, the latter looked like just a child who grew up in her parents¡¯ love without knowing which way the wind was blowing. How could Kyosul praise her so highly? She felt Kyosul was just infantile and foolish, but she knew enough not to reveal her feelings about Kyosul. She gently tapped Kyosul¡¯s hands with a gentle but fake smile. ¡°I¡¯m flattered, Your Highness.¡± Kyoyong pulled her hands. She was very good at keeping a distance from somebody without letting him or her know. In other words, she was a woman totally steeped in behaving well and pretending innocence. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mlpnv5e1479e86e383 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mlpnv5e1479e86e383 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mlpnv5e1479e86e383 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mlpnv5e1479e86e383 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mlpnv5e1479e86e383 {display: block;}} ¡°Do you think it¡¯s discourteous if I call you sister?¡± asked Kyosul. ¡°Yes, I think so. If somebody hears you calling me a sister, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± In fact, Kyosul was calling Concubine Sassi ¡®Sassi Mom¡¯ by forcibly getting her approval. So, blinking her big eyes, Kyousul asked Kyoyoung to respond favorably to her request. ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay for me to call you sister when I¡¯m with you only? I would like to get along with you well. In fact, you¡¯re one year older than me anyway.¡± Kyoyoung bowed her head, ¡°Your Highness Kyosul, there are many people in this palace who can overhear us anytime. When it comes to something against the law, you should use extreme caution. In fact, one¡¯s title is more important than age in the imperial palace. Besides, your request is a very important matter that could negatively affect the Crown Prince, so please withdraw your request.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mqfdd5e1479e86e2b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mqfdd5e1479e86e2b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mqfdd5e1479e86e2b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mqfdd5e1479e86e2b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mqfdd5e1479e86e2b0 {display: block;}} Her firm attitude made Kyosul embarrassed, shaking her head. When she mentioned the Crown Prine, Kyosul came to her senses. If her request ever stood in the way of the Crown Prince, she should never make such a request. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t ask you for it. So, please raise yourself.¡± Raising her head, pretending not to resist her order, Kyoyoung comforted her. ¡°As you¡¯re so immature like this, let me help you more in the future. If you¡¯re in doubt about imperial matters, just feel free to ask me anytime.¡± ¡°Thanks, Kyoyoung.¡± Kyosul¡¯s heart sank when Kyoyoung drew a clear line when she tried to coax her, but Kyosul was easily touched by her calculated words. ¡°You are indeed my role model, Kyoyoung. I¡¯m going to try my best to be a good Crown Princess that you can feel proud of.¡± ¡°I think you can do it very well.¡± Reaffirming her resolve, she looked at Kyoyoung with envy. Kyoyoung had never met a woman like Kyosul she could deal with so easily. If Kyoyoung was a cat, then Kyosul was like a rat used for her amusement. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve got a question.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask. As I got here before you, let me try to be of help to you as much as possible.¡± ¡°Thanks for saying that.¡± Kyosul took out a piece of paper and a brush. Kyoyoung guessed she would ask a quick question, but it seemed she had prepared to ask it. Kyoyoung forgot for a moment that Kyosul was an unpredictable woman. ¡°I¡¯m just curious about the Crown Prince¡¯s preferences.¡± ¡°Preferences?¡± Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t understand at all what she was talking about now. Asking again with a curious look. ¡°Well, I told you about this before. I¡¯m doing my best to carry out my job as the Crown Princess. I pluck the most beautiful flowers in the morning and dry them. And I write a letter to him every morning.¡± ¡°A flower and a letter to Dongchon Palace every day?¡± When she asked again, her voice was rather cold, but Kyosul didn¡¯t notice it. ¡°He hasn¡¯t yet replied to me, so if I know his preferences. I think I can meet his expectations, but I don¡¯t know anything about the Crown Prince. I think you know more about him, so I want to ask¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qhopo5e1479e86e30f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qhopo5e1479e86e30f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qhopo5e1479e86e30f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qhopo5e1479e86e30f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qhopo5e1479e86e30f {display: block;}} Looking at her innocent face, Kyoyoung felt stuffy. *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xznga5e1479e86e3f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xznga5e1479e86e3f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xznga5e1479e86e3f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xznga5e1479e86e3f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xznga5e1479e86e3f6 {display: block;}} When she recalled her conversation with Kyosul at her residence. Kyoyoung felt upset. Looking at the faraway Dongbi Palace where her residence was located, Kyoyoung gnashed her teeth with surging anger. ¡°I know that type of girl. She has pretended to be innocent and shed tears before me. I think I let my hair down looking at her innocent face.¡± Kyoyoung was just dumbfounded. A flower and a letter? Kyosul was trying her best to win over the Crown Prince¡¯s heart behind her back. Kyosul bluntly asked Kyoyoung what his preferences were when she clearly knew how much Kyoyoung missed him. Though she really felt bad, she couldn¡¯t resist as she already promised Kyosul to help her. After that, Kyoyoung had to spend another 30 minutes with Kyosul telling her about Bipaan¡¯s preferences. Kyoyoung feared that if she lied to Kyosul about him, the Crown Princess could make excuses by citing her, so she had no choice but to brief Kyosul about everything she knew about Bipaan. For example, she told Kyosul about Bipaan¡¯s favorite trail and time, his favorite hobby and tea, snacks and food. Though Kyoyoung answered only the questions she asked, Kyosul¡¯s questionnaire was broad. Replying to each of her questions, Kyoyoung felt as if she were a cat bitten by a rat. ¡°Maybe she might be a pretty sophisticated woman. She clearly told me she didn¡¯t love the Crown Prince, and now she¡¯s humiliating me.¡± Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t swallow her anger, recalling her dialogue with Kyosul. At that moment, she heard someone¡¯s lilting voice. ¡°It looks like Princess Kyoyoung is pretty upset. Who could dare humiliate her in this palace?¡± Startled at that, Kyoyoung shut her mouth quickly, but she couldn¡¯t take back what she had said already. She felt a cold sweat on her back. Looking around, Kyoyoung asked in a tense voice, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Good heavens! I regret to say you don¡¯t remember me. How can you forget my voice, even if there has been no frequent exchanges between us recently?¡± In no time, there appeared a woman dressed in a colorful garment behind the big tree planted along the stream running around the outer wall of the East Palace. Her wig was studded with colorful ornaments and gems and her dress was open so that half her breasts were exposed. There was only one woman in the palace who enjoyed putting on this kind of luxurious clothes: Oran, the wife of Prince Dukwol. She was just coming out of the Dongbi Palace. Kyoyoung was caught hurling abuses at the Crown Princess by Oran. She had the worst of luck! Kyoyoung wanted to blame Kyosul for her mistake. ¡°I¡¯m honored to see you Princess Oran!¡± Kyoyoung had been caught off guard but had no choice but to offer greetings to Oran out of courtesy. Waving her small fan, Oran hid her red lips, leering at her. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time, Kyoyoung.¡± ¡°How are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing well all the time. It looks like you¡¯re out of sorts.¡± She was pretty good at finding out others¡¯ vulnerabilities with her lilting voice, but Kyoyoung concealed her expression and replied calmly, ¡°As I was bothered by minor things at the moment, I momentarily forgot my dignity and got irritated. Please forgive my tantrum.¡± Kyoyoung made excuses as if it was not a big deal, but she was nervous about how much Oran heard about her own complaints against Kyosul. Oran folded the fan and touched her lips with its tip, ¡°Minor things¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hstea5e1479e86e257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hstea5e1479e86e257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hstea5e1479e86e257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hstea5e1479e86e257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hstea5e1479e86e257 {display: block;}} Her sneering eyes and twitching lips rubbed her the wrong way. Kyoyoung took pains to avoid her eyes but didn¡¯t let her guard down for fear she might play into Oran¡¯s hands. In the end, Oran slapped her palm with the fan repeatedly. The little decorative bell attached to the fan clinked and unnerved Kyoyoung. ¡°Do you think the Crown Princess¡¯s affairs are a minor thing?¡± Startled, Kyoyoung gasped and hoped that she wasn¡¯t trembling. Biting her lips, Kyoyoung asked furtively, ¡°How did you know it was about the Crown Princess?¡± ¡°Hohoho¡­ you must be kidding me.¡± With a hearty laugh Oran approached her and patted her on the shoulder with the tip of the fan. ¡°Don¡¯t you know this is the Dongbi Palace where the Crown Princess¡¯s residence is located, right?¡± Oran paused, ¡°As you just came out of her residence, I presumed that what you¡¯re complaining about was most probably about the Crown Princess.¡± Though Kyoyoung narrowed her eyebrows, she didn¡¯t show any unpleasant feelings. As Kyoyoung didn¡¯t reveal her feelings easily, Oran just stared at her face to read her mind, but it was not that easy. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Kyoyoung didn¡¯t open her mouth. She didn¡¯t feel it necessary to answer quickly. If she answered too quickly, it could put her into jeopardy if something went wrong. Trying to make eye contact with Kyoyoung, Oran again opened her mouth. Chapter 33 ¡°Why are you surprised as if you were caught hurling wicked abuses at the Crown Princess?¡± Her lilting voice touched her on the raw. Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t help but freak out. Oran was smiling as if she knew everything. Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile before her, so she just shut her mouth. Though Kyoyoung was good at behaving herself well in the palace, Oran was one cut above her. Without letting Kyoyoung find out her real intention, Oran disturbed her mind with sly smiles. Looking her in the eye, Kyoyoung could not figure out what she was trying to find out, ¡°How could I hurl abuses at the Crown Princess? How could I dare¨C¡± ¡°Oh, I think I heard wrong, then. I felt I heard something very interesting.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lpzsu5e1479e7ac4fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lpzsu5e1479e7ac4fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lpzsu5e1479e7ac4fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lpzsu5e1479e7ac4fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lpzsu5e1479e7ac4fe {display: block;}} ¡°Yeah, I think so. You heard wrong, Oran. Don¡¯t you know that the birds are singing and the spring haze makes you feel dizzy?¡± ¡°I feel sorry about that. I hope the Sun of the East Palace won¡¯t rise over Dongbi Place.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you, as a princess from the West Palace, have reason to be concerned about the Sun of the East Palace.¡± Oran burst into laughter, ¡°Really?¡± Opening the fan, she waved it fast before her face, ¡°Well, I hear the Sun of the East Palace rises above the Dongbi Palace only.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kthor5e1479e7ac45b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kthor5e1479e7ac45b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kthor5e1479e7ac45b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kthor5e1479e7ac45b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kthor5e1479e7ac45b {display: block;}} Now Oran was clearly trying to rub her the wrong way. Her remarks were also a clear challenge to her. What she meant by the Sun of the East Palace was Bipaan. Oran was instigating her by alluding to the fact that Bipaan only visited Kyosul. ¡°Princess Oran, you are so mean to me!¡± ¡°Ooops, I think I felt an affinity for you for a moment as you and I feel bad about the Dongbi Palace anyway.¡± ¡°No matter what you say about Kyosul, I am a woman who belongs to the Dongbi Palace, as you know. I¡¯m not that foolish.¡± When Oran openly revealed her hostility toward Kyosul, Kyoyoung flatly rejected it. When the atmosphere became cold, Oran made a fake smile again and said, ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you know that the Crown Princess¡¯s drawback doesn¡¯t necessarily harm your interests? It can be beneficial to you.¡± Though Kyoyoung smiled at that, she felt what Oran had just said had some serious implications. In some respects, her remarks were dangerous. Now, Oran began to reveal what she wanted to say. In fact, those in the imperial palace were already aware of that, but it was the first time Oran mentioned it openly like this. ¡°We in the West Palace don¡¯t care as long as the Sun of the East Palace comes down from the East Palace. If the direction of the Sun changes, isn¡¯t it possible to change the Crown Princess?¡± It was the first time that Oran used such a direct expression, which indicated that she firmly believed in Kyoyoung. No matter how jealous she might feel about Kyosul, there was no chance that she would reveal the affairs of the East Palace to Oran. It was not just a matter involving Kyosul. If her words and deeds harmed Bipaan, it could also put her into trouble. ¡°I would assume that I didn¡¯t hear anything you just said to me. If what you said were leaked to others, you could be in big, big trouble. Do you get it?¡± Kyoyoung demanded. ¡°Hmmm, If you really think so, let me stop here.¡± Potty-mouth Oran relented reluctantly. She stepped back, making nasal sounds. While Kyoyoung bowed to her, Oran said one last word. ¡°By the way, if you need my help in the West Palace, please feel free to come and see me anytime. Let me give you a helping hand for your sake.¡± When Kyoyoung raised her head, Oran already turned around, leaving the East Palace in no time. ¡°Damn it. How did she suddenly appeared before me¡­¡± She felt enraged about Oran when she thought that this arrogant woman from the West Palace came all the way up here to overhear her complaints about the Crown Princess. In no time, Oran left the East Palace. In fact, she was on her way back to the Dongbi Palace to offer apologies to Kyosul for her disrespectful actions in the flower garden recently. When she found Kyoyoung unexpectedly, she reaped an unexpected booty. She overheard what Kyoyoung was complaining about the Crown Princess. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xklbk5e1479e7ac4ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xklbk5e1479e7ac4ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xklbk5e1479e7ac4ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xklbk5e1479e7ac4ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xklbk5e1479e7ac4ae {display: block;}} ¡°I don¡¯t have to take pains to go to the Dongbi Palance.¡± She didn¡¯t have to waste her time uselessly. Oran turned back immediately. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tprks5e1479e7ac553 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tprks5e1479e7ac553 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tprks5e1479e7ac553 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tprks5e1479e7ac553 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tprks5e1479e7ac553 {display: block;}} She was in a cheerful mood on her way to the West Palace with light footsteps. ¡°The Crown Princess, what an interesting woman!¡± Though Kyosul arrived in the palace only two months ago, there were lots of rumors about her. She was the source of all the interesting rumors. Oran pondered what she just heard from Kyoyoung. It was a good topic that stimulated her imagination. She didn¡¯t need to go to the trouble of gaining favor with Kyosul. ¡°The Crown Princess says she can¡¯t love the Crown Prince?¡± It was funny to mention the word ¡®love¡¯ in the palace, but it was not funny at all, given the object of her love. When she connected all the wild rumors about Kyosul with this particular episode, Oran felt she could create another spectacular rumor about her that would be immensely beneficial to Oran and Dukwol. Back to the West Palace, Oran headed for the Sochon Palace, not her residence. Today, too, she was expecting to spend another long night of sexual pleasure in Prince Dukwol¡¯s room. Kosyul was lost in agony sitting in her room. She thought about Bipaan resting his chin on one hand with a serious look. Obviously, he was serious at that moment, but he might look funny to outsiders who didn¡¯t know his situation. ¡°What should I do? I send flowers to him every day even though he doesn¡¯t like them. He has warned me not to disturb his job, but I¡¯ve been doing so every morning. It looks like I have lost favor with him.¡± Each of Bipaan¡¯s preferences that she found out from Kyoyong was different from hers. Kyosul liked the grass and flowers in the back garden, so she liked to talk about them every day, but Bipaan liked the lake and the river, so he took a walk along the stream around the East Palace. ¡°How come our preferences are so different?¡± She let out a deep sigh. She agonized about whether she had to focus on his preferences every day. ¡°But this is something I can¡¯t convey or offer to him.¡± She carefully examined a list of his preferences that Kyoyoung gave her. His walk along the stream around the East Palace, boating, hunting pheasants, archery, embroidering, things woven with colored threads, black color, gold color, live fish, tea without scent¡­ While watching her agonize over the list, her nanny spoke cautiously, ¡°Your Highness, I think it¡¯s much better if you can choose one from your own preferences and give it to him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Anybody can give the Crown Prince what he wants, based on his preferences. But only you can give him what you like, which reflects your wishes and longing for him. I mean the kind of joy that you alone can bring to him.¡± Kyosul turned it over in her mind deeply. ¡°Things I can do for him, things only I can give him¡­¡± She then examined the list over and over. There were not many in the list that she liked. She felt she couldn¡¯t show her sincerity if she simply suited his taste. ¡°Well, I think I had better¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yilox5e1479e7ac3fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yilox5e1479e7ac3fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yilox5e1479e7ac3fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yilox5e1479e7ac3fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yilox5e1479e7ac3fe {display: block;}} She walked to the inner space of her room, where there was a small reception room to greet guests and a bed divided by a curtain. On the wall hung Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress and a bunch of flowers below it. She picked the most beautiful flowers while walking in the backyard every day and put them there. She dried them under the shade there until their fragrance became subtle then put them in the letter she sent to him. ¡°I think this is the best gift I can give to the Crown Prince at this point.¡± She wanted to do more, but she didn¡¯t want to bite off more than she could chew. If she could make him think about what she liked, that was the most she could hope for. ¡°It¡¯s okay to me even if the Crown Prince doesn¡¯t respond to my gifts. I won¡¯t have any regrets.¡± She wished she hadn¡¯t said her last words. She sent a letter to him every day but didn¡¯t receive any reply, which broke her heart. That¡¯s why she asked Kyoyoung about his preferences the other day. She became impatient when he didn¡¯t reply, curious about whether he didn¡¯t like her gift. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he ever mentioned it?¡± She once asked the eunuch serving the Crown Prince about it but was told that he didn¡¯t have a response. She got a bit offended and even upset. No, I shouldn¡¯t feel resentful towards him. He is pretty busy. I don¡¯t want anything in return. I just want to act honorably before him. Chapter 34 She touched Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress on the wall. She made it a habit of touching it as she couldn¡¯t hug him warmly every day. The silk of the wedding dress was soft. Touching the soft silk, she recalled another man¡¯s soft touch she experienced in the past. No, I shouldn¡¯t think about him. Never. Although she did her best to forget him, Ruhae¡¯s face lingered in her mind on and off. She stared at Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress, as if it was the only thing she could see. And then she reminded herself harshly by saying, ¡°Open your eyes wide and look at this. This is your husband. What you can hug now is only this.¡± *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oxvrs5e1479e7a7e81 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oxvrs5e1479e7a7e81 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oxvrs5e1479e7a7e81 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oxvrs5e1479e7a7e81 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oxvrs5e1479e7a7e81 {display: block;}} Finally, the summer came to the Mok Kingdom. While the seasons changed, Kyosul kept sending letters to Bipaan containing dried flowers. Her letters were piled under the small table right next to his desk. When there was no more space for the letters, the eunuch put a small basket beside it. He saw the basket as he lay on his back on the bed earlier than usual. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t reply, she still keeps sending them.¡± By now he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to open them. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.daxig5e1479e7a7dde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.daxig5e1479e7a7dde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.daxig5e1479e7a7dde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.daxig5e1479e7a7dde {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.daxig5e1479e7a7dde {display: block;}} Obviously, her determination was even stronger that the pine trees growing on rocks, though he was not sure if it reflected her stubbornness. ¡°Let me pick one since I finished my work early today¡­.¡± Murmuring to himself, he picked up her latest letter. The silk wrap was as soft as a butterfly¡¯s wing. When he opened it gently, he noticed a dried flower in the middle of the letter. With a curious look, he picked it up awkwardly. ¡°A letter with a flower¡­¡± He had never received such a letter. He didn¡¯t think anyone could send a letter with a flower inside. It was the first love letter he received in his life. The crisp fragrance of the dried flower touched his heart mysteriously. Her small and neat writing filled almost half the page. ¡°Oh, how could she write such a long letter about a trifling topic like summer.¡± Not only her words but also her writing embarrassed him. He hadn¡¯t expected that the letters piled up every day contained this kind of content. ¡°Why does she feel good about giving flowers to me?¡± The other letters had similar content. Bipaan thought that she sent the letters to gain his favor, but he couldn¡¯t understand why she wrote mainly about such stuff. As he tended to look at everything logically, he couldn¡¯t understand the illogical world of one¡¯s emotions. ¡°What the heck are you trying to convey with your feelings about heat, rain and flowers, etc?¡± He couldn¡¯t find any practical benefits on her side. He carefully examined the letters again in order to find any hidden contents or purpose, but there was nothing significant he could find there. What was in the letters was what he saw, no more or less. ¡°These letters are an exact replica of this little woman.¡± After carefully reviewing the letters, he lost interest. He noticed a red stamp at the end of the letter. It was a stamp she put along with her signature. At first he ignored it because it was just a stamp with her name inscribed on it, but he felt strange about the writing on the stamp. The letters inscribed on her stamp were not in block letters. They were like a code as if it was drawn like a picture. Inside the circle stamped in red ink were drawn two letters. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the letters. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this letter ¡®bi¡¯ mean ¡®rain¡¯?¡± He could read one letter ¡®bi¡¯ easily. When he confirmed it, his eyes trembled. That was the letter she wrote so many times in her letters. ¡®Bi¡¯ meant ¡®rain¡¯ but it could also mean ¡®wife¡¯. If she meant the second, then it had the power to penetrate Bipaan¡¯s cold heart. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pwbhp5e1479e7a7e31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pwbhp5e1479e7a7e31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pwbhp5e1479e7a7e31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pwbhp5e1479e7a7e31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pwbhp5e1479e7a7e31 {display: block;}} Bipaan casually put the letter at the end of the bed with his trembling hand. He rarely showed his nervousness. He quickly went to the small bookshelf in the corner of his room. It was a place for rare books, important documents and other precious stuff. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uozvk5e1479e7a7ed3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uozvk5e1479e7a7ed3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uozvk5e1479e7a7ed3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uozvk5e1479e7a7ed3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uozvk5e1479e7a7ed3 {display: block;}} ¡°I think I put it somewhere here.¡± As the Crown Prince, it was a precious thing, but as an individual, it was not. It took some time for him to find it. Besides, as he was impatient, he found it hard to locate it. He opened and closed the drawer of the small desk several times, and even overturned it. While browsing through books, his fingers suddenly trembled when he found it. He could find the document at the lower end of the bookshelf that he had been looking for. The document he took out was wrapped in a golden silk and sealed with a red string. On both ends of the document scroll was inscribed a dragon¡¯s face. It looked precious at a glance. It was none other than their marriage certificate. It was a document officially declaring the marriage of the Crown and the Crown Princess and the crowing of Bipaan. On the wedding day, the emperor¡¯s document was delivered to Bipaan, while the Queen¡¯s document was delivered to Kyosul. ¡°I¡¯ve found it!¡± He hastily untied the red string. It was a document he threw into the corner without opening it after he received it on the wedding day, for his marriage to the crown princess was just a meaningless event to him as a person. But now he was examining each word of the writing in the document. The writing was composed of old-fashioned and standard letters, but when he read half the contents of the document, he found some about Kyosul. In the document was written Kyosul¡¯s child name clearly. That name was not used any more after she was given the official title Kyosul. During her days in the Hwa Kingdom the name she used to use was Woorum Mokhwa. Blinking his eyes several times, he looked at the Chinese characters of ¡®Woorum.¡¯ ¡°Doesn¡¯t it mean ¡®woo¡¯ meaning ¡®rain,¡¯ and ¡®rum¡¯ meaning ¡®cold¡¯?¡± He was familiar with her name ¡®Woorum¡¯ as he heard of it before, but little did he think the Chinese characters of her name were ¡®rain¡¯ and ¡®cold.¡¯ Cold rain, cold rain, cold rain, cold rain. Bipaan¡¯s eyes became hollow and dark. It looked as if some fresh flares were burning in his hollow eyes. ¡°Woorum?¡± He felt as if he was hit in the back of his neck by somebody. He once again recited her name, unbelieving. When he spoke her name, his body shivered when her name came off the tip of his tongue. *** The next day Bipaan couldn¡¯t concentrate on his work. After he handled petitions, he hosted a classical reading session but couldn¡¯t focus. Obviously he was preoccupied with other stuff. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Losing his patience, his master put down the book, while Bipaan closed the book. ¡°Are you distracted, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.frngr5e1479e7a7d84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.frngr5e1479e7a7d84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.frngr5e1479e7a7d84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.frngr5e1479e7a7d84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.frngr5e1479e7a7d84 {display: block;}} ¡°You are just repeating the first chapter of the book.¡± ¡°I was pondering over its meaning deeply.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s enough, Your Majesty. You can move on to the next chapter.¡± Only then did Bipaan discover that his master closed the book and put his hand on it. ¡°How much time is left until the closing of this classical reading?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spent more than a decade studying with you.¡± The old master smiled gently at him. Though he humbled himself before him, using honorifics, Bipaan respected him as his master. So, he quietly waited when his master said something unexpectedly. ¡°I know you were always sincere in studying, and I can testify that you are the best prince of all the royal members that I have trained so far.¡± Then the master closed his eyes briefly. He looked back at those days when he taught Bipaan, and said, ¡°When you turned 30, the emperor ordered you to tour a foreign country, as you remember.¡± Chapter 35 Bipaan¡¯s eyebrows wiggled at that. He was the master who watched him grow for a long time. Accordingly, Bipaan could not avoid the master¡¯s keen insight, even though he was pretty good at concealing his true intentions. ¡°It was three years as a whole. After returning from your three-year-trip to a foreign country, you attended a classical reading class for the first time. Of course, you attended it just one day, which was the first and last one for you. Since then, you have devoted yourself to studying again.¡± ¡°How come you still remember that?¡± ¡°Actually, I slept on it up to now. But today, right now, I suddenly remembered it as you seemed to be the same frame of mind at that time.¡± The master looked at him silently. Picking up the book and the brush, the master stood up and closed his remarks fleetingly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rbric5e1479e7ad3c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rbric5e1479e7ad3c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rbric5e1479e7ad3c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rbric5e1479e7ad3c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rbric5e1479e7ad3c3 {display: block;}} ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s more important to listen for what you¡¯re hearing in your heart than read classics and handle state affairs. If you have a deep-rooted mind disease, how can you cure the disease of others in this world?¡± After the master left his study, Bipaan sat about 15 minutes before the desk =then left suddenly. Leaving the East Palace, he headed for the Dongbi Palace, Kyosul¡¯s residence. He walked with big strides. ¡°Hey, you!¡± While heading for the Dongbi Palace, he called a woman whose face was familiar to him and stopped her. At his calling, the court lady turned around and hastily greeted, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see Your Majesty.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uagxa5e1479e7ad2dd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uagxa5e1479e7ad2dd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uagxa5e1479e7ad2dd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uagxa5e1479e7ad2dd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uagxa5e1479e7ad2dd {display: block;}} ¡°You must be Kyosul¡¯s nanny, right?¡± ¡°Yes, this is Lady Yuon, the Crown Princess¡¯s nanny.¡± ¡°Yeah, I think I saw you before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so honored as you remember me.¡± She was Kyosul¡¯s nanny. She was always seen serving Kyosul at her side, so it was rather strange today that she was walking alone in the Dongbi Palace. As if he felt something strange, Bipaan asked her, ¡°Is the Crown Princess in?¡± ¡°No, sir,¡± she said hesitatingly. Strange enough, he was a bit concerned. Before asking her about Kyosul¡¯s whereabouts, he tried to sound her out. ¡°You told me you came here with Kyosul from the Hwa Kingdom, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been serving her since she was a baby.¡± ¡°Let me ask you a question then. Do you know the meaning of the stamp that she is using?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± When she deeply bowed to him for her ignorance, he didn¡¯t care, to her surprise. Then he presented a letter to her. It was one of the numerous letters he received from Kyosul. At the end of the letter was a red seal stamped, along with her signature. Without examining it for long, the nanny answered as if she was already aware of it. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a seal that the Crown Princess has been using since her days in the Hwa Kingdom.¡± ¡°Are the letter ¡®Woo¡¯ for rain and the letter ¡®rum¡¯ for cold, correct?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± Bipaan¡¯s eyebrows narrowed at her reply. Did he really wish his educated guess was right? Momentarily, he got confused, but the nanny didn¡¯t notice his troubled heart at the moment, and continued calmly, ¡°As you guessed, ¡®Woo¡¯ means ¡®rain,¡¯ but the letter ¡®rum¡¯ is an archaic word derived from the old vocabulary of Hwa Kingdom, meaning ¡®cold.¡¯ As the original word derived from the Mok Kingdom was complicated, she preferred a simplified word with the same meaning.¡± Bipaan recited the name unconsciously, ¡°Cold rain¡­.¡± Cold rain. The cold rain of the Hwa Kingdom. The nanny tilted her head. As she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, she was trying to check out whether she heard wrong, when Bipaan asked urgently, ¡°Where is the Crown Princess now?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wpcrg5e1479e7ad352 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wpcrg5e1479e7ad352 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wpcrg5e1479e7ad352 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wpcrg5e1479e7ad352 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wpcrg5e1479e7ad352 {display: block;}} ¡°Well, she went to the North Palace to send her congratulations to the princess who got pregnant.¡± ¡°So, where is she now? ¡°Probably she is still in the North Palace,¡± she said in a trembling voice. She didn¡¯t hide her nervousness, but ignoring her nervous look, he quickly turned around as soon as he heard her reply and headed for the North Palace. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± she dared to shout at him. But he didn¡¯t reproach her disrespectful act and quickened his steps. As he walked so fast, she couldn¡¯t catch up. ¡°Oh my god! What should I do?¡± She just looked at his back nervously, who was disappearing into the distance. Stamping her feet repeatedly, she just prayed, ¡°Please get out of that place right now, Your Highness Kyosul.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xwrxq5e1479e7ad42f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xwrxq5e1479e7ad42f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xwrxq5e1479e7ad42f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xwrxq5e1479e7ad42f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xwrxq5e1479e7ad42f {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness Kyousl!¡± Her nanny came into her room, making a big fuss. When Kyosul complained she wanted some snacks a minute ago, the nanny went out to bring some, but she came back with nothing. ¡°Nanny, where are the snacks?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t afford to talk about snacks idly right now!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Did you know that?¡± ¡°What?¡± When the nanny began to ask incoherently, Kyosul asked back with a curious look. ¡°I hear the due date of the princess in the North Palace is just around the corner.¡± As if surprised, the nanny shouted. But Kyosul answered calmly with a smile. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know that. What a happy occasion! I hear there is only one royal child at the moment. As there is only one royal son, I think the palace will be much brighter than now if she delivers a baby girl.¡± Unlike the nanny making a fuss, Kyosul replied in a calm manner. At her carefree attitude, the nanny pulled her arm, hitting her forehead with a hand. ¡°Your Highness, you can¡¯t sit idle like this. Please go there.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I mean the North Palace. You haven¡¯t seen her before. You should go and greet her with her due date fast approaching. This is against palace manners. Please visit the North Palace as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been several months since you got here in the palace, but you haven¡¯t yet said hello to the princess there. She got pregnant many months ago, and now her due date is fast approaching. How would she respond if you come to offer congratulations for her pregnancy only now?¡± The nanny kept cajoling her into visiting the North Palace, but Kyosul tilted her head as if she couldn¡¯t understand why it was so important to go and see that princess. When the nanny urged her to put on the shoes on the porch, Kyosul clapped her hands and went back to her room suddenly. Looking at her with a blank expression, the nanny asked, ¡°Where are you going? You should visit the North Palace!¡± At her nanny¡¯s repeated pressing, Kyosul came out after a lapse of some time. She was holding a little box wrapped in silk. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my gift congratulating her on her pregnancy.¡± And then she put on her shoes and was ready to go. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯re looking for urgently? Let¡¯s go, nanny.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± As Kyosul didn¡¯t know the way to the North Palace, her nanny guided her, walking ahead, followed by a group of court ladies. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.enftl5e1479e7ad25e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.enftl5e1479e7ad25e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.enftl5e1479e7ad25e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.enftl5e1479e7ad25e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.enftl5e1479e7ad25e {display: block;}} As Kyosul was heading for the North Palace in her capacity as the Crown Princess to congratulate for the princess¡¯s pregnancy, it was natural that she was accompanied by the court ladies. The North Palace located in the north of the imperial palace was far away. As the imperial palace was so large and as they had to go there from the other end of the palace, namely, the East Palace, it was quite a distance from the East to the North Palace. Entering the North Palace finally, they arrived at the Pukbi Palace, the princess¡¯s residence. As soon as they arrived, the nanny made the announcement in a loud voice, ¡°The Crown Princess has just arrived!¡± Her announcement was conveyed by the court ladies to the princess in the innermost room. When Kyosul took off her shoes and stepped into the porch, she noticed a thick golden string around it. It was set up to block the wicked spirit from going into her room. So, Kyosul was careful enough not to tread on it and entered her room when the court lady opened the door. As it was the princess¡¯s room, there were not as many doors leading to her room as Kyosul¡¯s. A golden string was also around the top of her room. When she came into the room, she noticed a dark-skinned woman lying on the bed. She was Princess Heyjin, who was from a foreign country like Kyosul. As a great empire, the Mok Kingdom had many vassals. One of them, called Jisungkuk, was located in the southwest of the Mok Kingdom. The skin of the Jinsungkuk people was rather dark compared with the white skin of the people in the Mok Kingdom. As a weak and small country, Jinsungkuk was invaded by neighboring countries, so it sent its youngest princess to the Mok Kingdom for its protection. Originally, the Mok Kingdom wanted to arrange her marriage with the weak prince living outside the imperial palace. As a princess from a small country, she stayed at the imperial palace for a while and came to bump into Prince Binsung by chance. She had blue eyes, dark yellow skin, and black hair shining like blue waves. Chapter 36 As Prince Binsung was used to seeing women with fair skin and black eyes and hair, he was instantly attracted to this exotic princess. He implored his mother, the second wife of the Emperor, Concubine Jeyong, to allow him to marry her. Finally, he got married to this woman from the kingdom of Jinsung. This woman was none other than Princess Heyjin. Lying on the bed, she, who was big with child, raised herself gently. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you. Please forgive me for not bowing to you as I feel uncomfortable with pregnancy.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s fine.¡± Kyosul looked at her blankly for a moment as she was surprised at Heyjin¡¯s exotic face. Then, she approached Heyjin with a smile. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mdvch5e1479e7a7418 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mdvch5e1479e7a7418 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mdvch5e1479e7a7418 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mdvch5e1479e7a7418 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mdvch5e1479e7a7418 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve come here so late as I heard about your pregnancy belatedly.¡± ¡°How can I be upset you? I am just grateful for coming here.¡± Heyjin showed courtesy to her by bowing. Looking at her big belly, Kyosul cautiously asked, ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Heyjin looked at her quietly on hearing that. Embarrassed by her gaze, Kyosul just sat face to face with her, at a loss what to do. Heyjin¡¯s eyes were so blue. Her rather dark pupils seemed to contract at the moment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qqxhe5e1479e7a7348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qqxhe5e1479e7a7348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qqxhe5e1479e7a7348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qqxhe5e1479e7a7348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qqxhe5e1479e7a7348 {display: block;}} Looking at Kyosul for a minute, she nodded. Then Kyosul grinned and put her hand on her swollen belly cautiously. She exclaimed before she knew. ¡°Wow! Your baby is growing inside here, right? How wonderful!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to get pregnant some day.¡± Her beautiful voice echoed into Kyosul¡¯s ears. Looking at Heyjin with a surprised expression, Kyosul seemed a bit sad but laughed it off by saying, ¡°Can I? I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± Though Kyosul took pains to hide her feelings, she had a sad smile. ¡°No, I can reassure you that you can get pregnant,¡± Heyjin said resolutely. At that moment, Kyosul was so embarrassed that she changed the topic. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m surprised to know you¡¯re speaking the language of the Mok Kingdom very well.¡± ¡°My country, Jinsungkuk, doesn¡¯t have a language of its own, so it borrowed the letters from the Mok Kingdom. Though we had our own language in Jinsungguk, the intelligent and high-ranking people intentionally used the Mok language for an air of conceit.¡± ¡°Oh, Jinsungkuk.¡± Kyosul quietly rolled her eyes at her confession that she was from Jinsungkuk and opened her mouth as if something came to her mind. ¡°Well, my mother liked the ornaments and accessories made in Jinsungkuk. Beautiful ornaments studded with gems of beautiful colors. In particular, my mother used to put on a necklace made there all the time.¡± Holding her hand, Kyousl talked excitedly. Come to think of it, Heyjin was wearing a necklace similar to the one that her mother Queen Yo wore. While Kyosul was excited about talking about it, Heyjin maintained a confused expression all along. Looking around her room, Kyosul carefully looked inside her room as if she felt something strange. At a glance, it was similar to Kyosul¡¯s in the room design with a desk, a cushioned mat, a cornet cabinet, and a large bookshelf. Of course, Kyosul¡¯s room was much larger. But when Kyosul took a closer look, all the precious things for the study on the desk as well as all the ornaments on the corner cabinet and the bookshelf were not made in the Mok Kingdom. ¡°Wow! Have you brought all this stuff from your motherland?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Beautiful. Just marvelous!¡± In no time, she came closer to the ornaments and looked around them when she noticed a strange and large sculpture shaped like a horse with a long neck right next to the bookshelf. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fhvlq5e1479e7a73b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fhvlq5e1479e7a73b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fhvlq5e1479e7a73b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fhvlq5e1479e7a73b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fhvlq5e1479e7a73b2 {display: block;}} ¡°What is this?¡± She couldn¡¯t see it from the bedside, but Heyjin answered, knowing already what she asked. ¡°That¡¯s an animal called Kusobo in Jinsungkuk. It¡¯s regarded as a sacred animal there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before. Can I look at it in detail?¡± Turning around, she asked, and Heyjin nodded. Lowering her body, Kyosul carefully examined the animal sculpture. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zpbqt5e1479e7a7483 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zpbqt5e1479e7a7483 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zpbqt5e1479e7a7483 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zpbqt5e1479e7a7483 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zpbqt5e1479e7a7483 {display: block;}} Overall, it was shaped like a horse, but it had a deer¡¯s horns and large ears on both sides. Its eyes were large and its long face was sharp at its end, with two sharp teeth sticking out. Stroking its back, Kyosul felt the feel of the gift box she put in her bosom and came back to Heyjin. ¡°It really looks like a mysterious animal. I would like to see the animal in person,¡± Kyosul said, as she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the animal sculpture. ¡°Prince Binsung really likes the sculptures of Jinsungkuk very much.¡± When Kyosul mentioned her husband, Heyjin blushed. At first Kyosul could not figure out how to understand her mysterious expression, but when she blushed thinking of Prince Jinsung, Kyosul felt relaxed. Looking at her stroking her big belly, she offered the wedding gift wrapped in silk to Heyjin. ¡°This is my gift to celebrate your pregnancy. This can be obtained only in my motherland, the Hwa Kingdom.¡± Heyjin bowed to her, expressing thanks. When she unwrapped the silk cover, there was a little box inlaid with mother-of-pearl. When she opened it, she found a pair of little shoes embroidered with all kinds of colors. At the end of the cloth shoes soft fur was attached. ¡°This box is my gift to you, the little shoes for your baby. They are the traditional handiwork of the Hwa Kingdom.¡± ¡°Thanks so much, Your Highness. I¡¯m so happy to receive this precious gift from you.¡± While looking at her, Heyjin lowered her head and put her hand on Kyosul¡¯s forehead. Embarrassed by her sudden act, Kyosul couldn¡¯t avoid her hand. ¡°As you gave me this gift, I would like to repay your favor.¡± After she spoke in a clear and bright voice, Heyjin murmured in the language of Jinsung Kingdom. After she finished murmuring, she pulled her face toward her gently and kissed her forehead. ¡°I wish you all the luck in the days ahead.¡± Having said that, she took her hand off Kyosul¡¯s forehead. Kyosul, who was sitting blankly for a minute, smiled and expressed gratitude to her. After that, Kyosul chatted with her a little more but left her room because the latter might feel tired. Accompanied by court ladies and her nanny, Kyosul was about to leave the North Palace when she saw a guy approaching her from a distance. She began to go closer to him, thinking he must be Prince Jinsung, but she stopped when she noticed his face as if she got cold feet. When she was about to turn with a heavy heart, he apparently found her out and quickly came to her. Her face turned white. ¡°Your Highness Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± He was none other than Ruhae! Actually, she tried to erase his image from her mind by not seeing him or conjuring up his face. He was a presence to her that she should not get close to. She felt so broken-hearted as she had to live with her heartless husband. As she was so loved in her motherland while she lived there, she was resigned to the thinking that she would no longer be loved during her life. She was resigned to the reality where she had to live alone while taking pains to forget him by all means. She vowed that she would never go to the South Palace where Prince Ruhae was located. It was obvious that she could not reject his voice when he saw her at a distance and called her. Then, she bumped into him in a totally unexpected place. She had no other choice but to see him face to face. As if he were about to collapse any moment, he approached her fast with faltering steps. A warm summer breeze blew over them. ¡°Your Highness Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uieac5e1479e7a72d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uieac5e1479e7a72d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uieac5e1479e7a72d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uieac5e1479e7a72d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uieac5e1479e7a72d6 {display: block;}} He was calling her from a distance. Kyosul wanted to see but tried not to see his face. She missed his face. The moment she heard his voice, she felt some heart-broken feelings surging from deep inside. She thought it was okay to meet a friend like him. She thought it would be okay to just casually meet him, chat with him and spend time with him in the boring palace as if nothing had happened between them. Ruhae was approaching him and said in an excited voice, ¡°You¡¯re the Crown Princess, as I expected!¡± Her nanny, along with the court ladies, disappeared. Sensing the atmosphere, she was tactful enough to have them meet privately on the untrodden road in the North Palace. Meeting him for the first time in a long time, she found him pretty skinny and haggard, with a pale face. But his two eyes were glittering sharply. After watching her briefly, he kneeled down to greet her. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you here.¡± While raising himself, he staggered a bit as he was too excited and happy. He even felt dizzy momentarily as he bumped into her at an unexpected place. ¡°Yuuljin!¡± Calling his name, she held his hand with astonishment when he seemed to fall, but she quickly stepped back after she realized what she said to him. Chapter 37 Yuuljin was his childhood name. He didn¡¯t miss it, though she called his name in spite of herself. He quickly snatched her little hand before she could remove it. His face began to regain vigor. He looked at her with shining eyes. ¡°What did you call me, Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wtetu5e1479e797c2b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wtetu5e1479e797c2b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wtetu5e1479e797c2b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wtetu5e1479e797c2b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wtetu5e1479e797c2b {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness, how did you call me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At his asking, she just stepped back, with her face turning white. But he followed her step by step and didn¡¯t let go of her hand. ¡°How did you call me, Your Highness? Please call me once more.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sbftf5e1479e797b8c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sbftf5e1479e797b8c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sbftf5e1479e797b8c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sbftf5e1479e797b8c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sbftf5e1479e797b8c {display: block;}} When she flinched and moved back, he lowered his head deeply. His tears dropped on his shoes. I missed you so much. He vowed for the first time that he would have what he wanted by all means, but he took caution because he didn¡¯t want to wound her heart. He kept pondering over how best to approach her. In the meantime, time passed helplessly. When he finally bumped into her like this, he felt this was a golden opportunity to achieve his goal. Even before he judged it was a coincidence or opportunity, he called her unconsciously and ran to her. When he stood before her, though, he was embarrassed about what what to do as she reacted in a rigid manner. The fact that she took a step backward when he approached her wounded his heart. ¡°You are¡­.¡± He said in a wet voice. He had never called anybody ¡®you¡¯ before. He always showed manners to her by calling her by her official title, but today he called her ¡®you¡¯ for the first time. That reflected his genuine feelings toward her. ¡°Do you not like me at all? Do you hate me? How come you are avoiding me like this?¡± Kyosul¡¯s eyebrows wiggled. Her narrowed eyebrows seemed to put pressure on him. Her face turned white. As if she realized suddenly that she gave her hand to him, captivated by him, she pulled it from him with surprise. He couldn¡¯t hold her hand any more, letting go of her hand. No, I don¡¯t hate you. Kyosul was reciting it deep inside. She held both hands because she felt she might stroke his dishevelled hair in spite of herself. While looking sadly at his haggard figure with her trembling hands folded, she barely turned around. She had never known it was so difficult to turn back and look at him. She turned her body only halfway, she felt short of breath as if she were lifting his whole body. I should get out of here as soon as possible. She kept thinking about it only. She was scared. She was nervous for fear he could read her mind. When she was about to turn, he called her desperately. ¡°I¡¯ve made the decision.¡± It seemed that he found it difficult to say the first few words, but once he opened his mouth, he began to speak. ¡°For the first time in my life I will follow the road that I want, not the one given to me nor the one that I had to follow up to now. I will take the road that has touched my heart, and do what I want to do.¡± Kyosul¡¯s little shoulders trembled. Looking at her who now turned back, he didn¡¯t hide his confession. ¡°You are the woman that I would like to convey my genuine feelings for the first time in my life.¡± There was no reply from her. A cool breeze blew over them. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wasfa5e1479e797bdd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wasfa5e1479e797bdd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wasfa5e1479e797bdd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wasfa5e1479e797bdd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wasfa5e1479e797bdd {display: block;}} After catching his breath for a moment, he went on in a sad voice. ¡°You came to me crying. On that sunny spring day, on that balmy day you jumped into my arm, crying sadly.¡± On that spring day when Kyosul arrived in the Mok Kingdom, she came out of the sedan chair, shedding tears. That indelible image of hers haunted him. Her tears, her laughter: this little woman from the Hwa Kingdom impressed him so strongly. ¡°What should I do? You came into my mind first. I dare say I can¡¯t drive you out of my mind.¡± In the end, he confessed to her. He confessed to her why he stayed beside her in the name of a friend. Though he confessed suddenly, neither he nor she thought his confession was sudden. They already knew each other¡¯s mind on that spring day, but his confession expressed carried weight and force of its own. What she knew secretly was different from what she heard from him in person. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lchmc5e1479e797c7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lchmc5e1479e797c7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lchmc5e1479e797c7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lchmc5e1479e797c7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lchmc5e1479e797c7b {display: block;}} Unable to control his feelings, he shed tears before he knew, getting wet. His voice was so slow and feeble that she couldn¡¯t hear it clearly unless she listened carefully, but his voice was clear . Oh my god! How can he open his mind and confess like this? She was surprised and scared. She wanted to turn to him right away, but she knew she should not. She knew too well that she couldn¡¯t stop if she turned now. When she moved, she felt like she would walk up to him. His wet eyes now fully looked at her. He could hardly see her because of his tears. His tears flowing down his cheeks made his eyes blurry. She didn¡¯t leave yet. If he moved a bit closer to her, he could grab her. Wiping tears from his eyes, he tried to approach her. She was trembling. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to come near her and stopped, shedding more tears. If he didn¡¯t see her now as much as he could, he might not be able to see her again, but his uncontrollable tears stopped him from seeing her clearly. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt attracted to her from the moment he noticed her smiling and crying when the door of her sedan chair was opened. That little woman whose big teardrops soaked her silk dress came to his mind then. When Ruhae smiled and hugged her, she opened her heart to him. She had no other choice on that spring day, but it was already summer when the sun was shining hot. ¡°I¡¯m the official wife of the Crown Prince.¡± In the end, she barely spoke to him. That¡¯s all she could say. Having said that, she could barely get out of that place. Discouraged by her last words, he still didn¡¯t leave. What would have changed if it had been Bipaan, not Ruhae, who greeted Kyosul on the day when Kyosul arrived in the Mok Kingdom? Perhaps Ruhae would not have experienced this kind of heartbreaking relationship with her. The lonely sun was distantly shining on Kyosul and Ruhae who bumped into each other sadly and parted reluctantly. They had a long confusing shadow behind them. *** Kyosul barely arrived at the East Place without knowing how she got there. She unconsciously walked to her residence in the Dongbi Palace with a heavy heart. When she crossed the top gate, her nanny ran to her. In fact, she got here much earlier that Kyosul, and waited for her return nervously. ¡°Your Highness! You came back finally!¡± Without finishing her words, she hugged Kyosul who collapsed in her arms. Though she didn¡¯t know what had happened to her, Kyosul¡¯s body was hot as if the sun was inside her. ¡°Oh my goodness! How short-minded I am! Did anything happen to you? Did you happen to see him?¡± ¡°Nanny.¡± She heard something, but she felt dizzy. Though her nanny said something to her, she couldn¡¯t catch it. She felt like it was just a confusing echo. Looking into her unfocused eyes, the nanny burst into tears. She couldn¡¯t understand how things got complicated, though she did her best to help Kyosul and Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bpead5e1479e797b33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bpead5e1479e797b33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bpead5e1479e797b33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bpead5e1479e797b33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bpead5e1479e797b33 {display: block;}} Today of all days, she led Kyosul to the North Palace, where she ran into Ruhae, and today of all days, Bipaan came to the East Palace to meet her in vain. Everything was a mess, as it turned out. ¡°Hey, what are you doing now? Just escort Her Highness into her room right now!¡± As she was impatient, the nanny called her subordinates quickly. The court ladies came running to her. Helped by them, she barely walked to her room. In fact, she was almost dragged to her room. She just gave herself to them without knowing where she was going. While being dragged like that, her heart was beating strongly. Left alone in the North Palace, Ruhae calmly recollected what had happened. He was on his way to see Prince Binsung. Saying that he wanted to give his baby a name as his wife¡¯s due date was around the corner, Binsung called Ruhae. Binsung knew his father Emperor Ohyulje would offer a new name for his baby, but he insisted he would like to name his baby by himself. In that respect, it was contradictory for him to call Ruhae. ¡°If you called me for that reason, isn¡¯t it against your wishes that I name your baby?¡± ¡°Well, as you are smarter than me, I think you can give my baby a better name. Though I would love to name my baby, I would like to give my baby a better name than mine.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Chapter 38 Ruhae chuckled at his funny logic. As he had a baby even before he turned 20, Binsung, who used to visit the South Palace almost every day, asked Ruhae to visit the North Palace out of joy. As Ruhae wanted to share his joy, he was dragging himself to the North Palace though he was physically weak. Though he arrived at the North Palace, he could not yet reach the entrance of the residence of Binsung¡¯s wife, Pukchon Palace. He was still pacing up and down the same place where Kyosul was standing. He couldn¡¯t leave there. ¡°What should I do?¡± He vowed that he would surely confess his genuine feelings to her this time, but Kyosul¡¯s reaction stopped his advance. It was Kyosul who made him take the difficult decision, and it was again Kyosul who could solve his angst for the past several days. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qjmha5e1479e6ef92e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qjmha5e1479e6ef92e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qjmha5e1479e6ef92e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qjmha5e1479e6ef92e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qjmha5e1479e6ef92e {display: block;}} The only reply she gave him when he confessed to her with difficulty was ¡°I¡¯m the official wife of the Crown Prince.¡± That¡¯s all. She didn¡¯t express any personal opinion about his feelings toward her, let alone reveal her own feelings toward him, but he couldn¡¯t recklessly judge what¡¯s on her mind. If all she wanted was to play the role of the ¡®official wife¡¯ of the Crown Prince, what else could Ruhae do to her, who already gave up the path given to him? ¡°What should I do now?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mmqns5e1479e6ef88a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mmqns5e1479e6ef88a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mmqns5e1479e6ef88a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mmqns5e1479e6ef88a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mmqns5e1479e6ef88a {display: block;}} He recalled Kyosul¡¯s back, who was trembling. He extended his hand to her in his imagination and clenched his fist before quickly withdrawing it. ¡°¡­..¡± Murmuring to himself while looking down at his hand, he walked. He turned back to the South Palace. As if he decided on something, his eyes were glittering. ¡°If what you want is only the role of the Crown Prince¡¯s official wife, I¡¯m going to let you follow that road.¡± He didn¡¯t have any intention to force her against her will. He just wanted to confirm if she was of the same mind as him or not. Though he didn¡¯t get her reply, her choice at this point was the role of the Crown Prince¡¯s official wife. ¡°What if the road you have chosen is far from happy?¡± Ruhae knew well how the Crown Prince Bipaan treated his second wife as well as the rumors about him and his concubines. If Kyosul had to follow the same road that Bipaan¡¯s wives took, Ruhae could not give her up. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t easily let you follow that path.¡± The reason he respected Kyosul¡¯s intention was just because he wished she was happy. No matter how different her intention was from his, he would make her his wife by all means if she had a hard time. ¡°This is the last chance.¡± He ran into Kyosul and confirmed his intention in her presence. He also confirmed her intention. If that¡¯s the case, there was only one person that he had to meet. Kyosul was sick in bed after she visited the North Palace. She was burning up with fever. Stuck with a high fever, she could not pull herself together at all. She just collapsed on the bed, with no sign of raising herself. Her nanny didn¡¯t leave her, and the court ladies brought cold water several times to cool down her fever. The royal doctor came to check her condition dozens of times per day, and Kyoyoung and Concubine Sassi also came to see her several times. Oran, who committed a disrespectful act, stopped by with her son Prince Moo three days after Kyosul was sick in bed, and left after shedding tears. Prince Binsung also visited her every day when he heard that she was sick after her visit to the North Palace. Now, many more people visited the Dongbi Palace to ask after her. By now Bipaan could have stopped by to check his wife¡¯s condition, but he didn¡¯t appear at all. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vzuys5e1479e6ef8de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vzuys5e1479e6ef8de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vzuys5e1479e6ef8de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vzuys5e1479e6ef8de {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vzuys5e1479e6ef8de {display: block;}} ¡°What should I do now?¡± Giving a big sigh, the nanny put a towel in the water basket. After soaking it in cold water, she squeezed the water out and then wiped her body sincerely. While stroking her body to wipe off her fever and touching her skinny body, she was welled with tears. ¡°Oh my god! How poor she is! She is spaced out and fast asleep.¡± Only wearing on a thin silk skirt, she was on the bed. The nanny lifted the blanket and wiped off her body again and again. Thanks to her sincere efforts, Kyosul seemed to have come to her senses. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kkzvw5e1479e6ef981 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kkzvw5e1479e6ef981 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kkzvw5e1479e6ef981 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kkzvw5e1479e6ef981 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kkzvw5e1479e6ef981 {display: block;}} As she wiggled her eyelids, Kyosul said in a very feeble voice, ¡°Ummmm¡­.¡± While wiping her neck, the nanny held her hands firmly with a pleasant surprise. ¡°Are you coming to yourself, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Nanny¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here beside you. I¡¯m holding your hands now. What happened? Did the Crown Prince say harsh things to you?¡± The nanny asked a barrage of questions out of impatience. She didn¡¯t know what had happened to her in the North Palace. After she ran into Ruhae, the nanny went back to the East Palace with the court ladies, leaving Kyosul behind. And she met Bipaan at the East Palace, who was looking for Kyosul. Bipaan headed for the North Palace to look for her. She didn¡¯t know what happened after that. ¡°Crown Prince?¡± Kyosul asked, frowning. ¡°Didn¡¯t you meet him there?¡± ¡°No, not him¡­¡± The nanny stopped while trying to tell her why Bipaan came to meet her in vain. Kyosul still had a fever, which made her spaced out. Didn¡¯t she meet the Crown Prince? Then, did she develop fever because of him? As Kyosul could not come to her senses completely, the nanny concluded on her own that she had fever as she failed to see Bipaan. While she was murmuring as if she were talking in her sleep, she fell asleep again. ¡°Oh my dear Yuuljin¡­¡± A thin stream of tears came down from the outer corners of her eyes and wet her hair under the ears. ¡°Is it fever? Oh my god! Poor Crown Princess¡­¡± Obviously, she didn¡¯t get a scolding from Bipaan as she didn¡¯t see him that day. How come she was suffering from fever? The nanny wiped her body again and again, as if she expected her wiping would help her wipe away her mind anguish. ¡°How come you got a fever after you saw him? How did he make your heart burn with love? And how come you have come to love him? You¡¯re the official wife of the Crown Prince¡­¡± The nanny couldn¡¯t bring herself to finish her last words. Swallowing the last words she couldn¡¯t say, the nanny hated Bipaan. If he had been a little more warm-hearted and more considerate of Kyosul, she would not have felt attached to the man she should not, neither would she have felt so heart-broken like this. *** It was already one week since Kyosul had been sick in bed. One night her body was still hot because of fever. The court ladies, who were on standby to cool down her body by wiping it with a cold towel night and day for seven days, slept curled up as they were exhausted. Some of them were asleep, leaning on the bed while others slept, leaning against the door. The whole palace of the Dongbi Palace was at a standstill. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xjtki5e1479e6ef82e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xjtki5e1479e6ef82e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xjtki5e1479e6ef82e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xjtki5e1479e6ef82e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xjtki5e1479e6ef82e {display: block;}} On that dark night a man opened the door quietly and came in. As if he was familiar with the room, he went to his destination without any hesitation or wandering. His long and dark shadow came to Kyosul with light steps. The nanny, who had a light sleep, felt someone¡¯s presence and opened her eyelids. The moment she opened her eyes, her eyes met the stranger¡¯s suddenly. ¡°Shush!¡± He put his long finger on his mouth. Surprised, the nanny held her breath, covered her mouth with both hands and nodded. Putting down his hand, he said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anybody I have come here.¡± The nanny nodded again. And then she left the room to leave the stranger alone in her room. There were several court ladies in the room, but there were only two near the bed, Kyosul and the stranger. When left alone, the stranger turned his eye toward Kyosul. Unable to move, Kyosul was making a faint moan with pain. As she looked so miserable and pathetic, the stranger was heart-broken. He, too, narrowed his eyebrows and showed sympathy. ¡°How come you are so heart-broken?¡± His voice was gloomy. It seemed that his voice carried a sigh. He knitted his brows further, feeling more concerned about her health. He slowly raised his hand. The back of his hands touched her cheeks. Though it was summer, the night wind was chilly. As he came here by braving through the chilly night, the back of his hands was still cold. But his hands got warm in no time. His hands were warm and soft. Her fever was too hot to the touch. As if he felt he was burned by her fever, he withdrew his hand. He shook his head, and shook his head as if to deny something. On such occasions the ornament of his topknot swayed. The long string ornament and the jade and gold jewel attached at its end clicked together. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Kyosul. Chapter 39 ¡°How can I help you, Crown Princess?¡± He was putting his trembling hand on her slowly. Slowly, little by little and very slowly he touched her face with his fingertips again. The moment his hand touched her, tears came from her eyes. He couldn¡¯t figure out whether it was her fever or lovesickness that made her drop tears. And she faintly said, ¡°¡­.jin.¡± Her tears, which came out the moment his hand touched her, and her unfinished calling ¡®jin¡¯, deeply etched a tear in his mind. Though the name she called was not clear, he sensed clearly whose name it was. He turned his mouth up slightly, and he stopped tilting his head, which seemed unstable a moment ago. His blurry eyes, reflecting his complicated feelings, became clear now. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wbwbn5e1479e6ebc80 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wbwbn5e1479e6ebc80 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wbwbn5e1479e6ebc80 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wbwbn5e1479e6ebc80 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wbwbn5e1479e6ebc80 {display: block;}} ¡°Got it. That¡¯s enough.¡± There was no ambiguity in his short response. Without any pitch, his voice was flat and dull. He wiped her tears with a gentle gesture and turned. He paused for a moment but never looked back. Just like he came in quickly, he went out without hesitation. After he left the room, the nanny came back to her room. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.aynjj5e1479e6ebbdf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.aynjj5e1479e6ebbdf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.aynjj5e1479e6ebbdf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.aynjj5e1479e6ebbdf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.aynjj5e1479e6ebbdf {display: block;}} ¡°Oh my god! How could this kind of thing happen?¡± The nanny was still putting her hand on her lips, much embarrassed by what she saw a minute ago. Blinking her eyes, she took turns looking at the empty seat near her bed and the door now closed firmly. She couldn¡¯t believe that the man had been here only a few minutes ago. Astonished by the fact that he came to see her, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the door for a long time. *** The princes of the four palaces gathered at one place. They were coming out of the main hall of the Central Place. Emperor Ohyulje called them once a week to discuss state affairs. While each of them was on his way back, Bipaan sensed that somebody was shadowing him when he visited the flower garden of the Central Palace. ¡°Come out!¡± Even without turning around, Bipaan shouted. Someone at a distance approached Bipaan. He was Ruhae. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? How can a prince like you shadow me like a worthless scoundrel?¡± Despite Bipaan¡¯s insulting remarks, he didn¡¯t change any facial expression. In fact, he was accustomed to Bipaan¡¯s way of speaking like this. Bipaan always used to look down on those below him as lowly men. Standing beside him, Ruhae said, ¡°I hear your wife has been sick in bed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that she is sick. Are you sure?¡± As Ruhae mentioned the Crown Princess as just ¡®wife,¡¯ Bipaan thought she was his second wife, not Kyosul. As Bipaan answered with no particular interest, Ruhae bit his lip. ¡°The woman I¡¯m referring to is the Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± ¡°In this strict imperial palace, you had better call her by the right title.¡± ¡°Brother Bipaan!¡± When Ruhae raised his voice, Bipaan turned his head and looked at him. He was wearing a poker face. Bipaan¡¯s face was impassive in the past. Still, outsiders could figure out how to interpret his expressions but not now. It was as if Bipaan was elevated to a totally different world. ¡°How dare you raise your voice before your Crown Prince, brother?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uvlet5e1479e6ebc31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uvlet5e1479e6ebc31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uvlet5e1479e6ebc31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uvlet5e1479e6ebc31 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uvlet5e1479e6ebc31 {display: block;}} His low voice rang with authority. Ruhae shuddered before he knew and clenched his fists. ¡°Sorry, I was disrespectful to you.¡± ¡°As you expressed regret, I will forgive it.¡± ¡°Did you go and see the Crown Princes?¡± Bipaan looked at Ruhae silently. His dark blue eyes looked pretty gloomy. ¡°I don¡¯t feel it necessary to respond to such trifling things.¡± His voice was calm as usual. Ruhae felt miserable. Bipaan was like a tree that he could not dare climb or a figure he could not dare challenge. Ruhae even felt his presence beside Bipaan was a disrespectful act itself. Was Bipaan not a human with a beating heart? He wondered if Bipaan could get emotional and express his feelings freely even once during his lifetime. He also wondered if Bipaan¡¯s mask could be broken into pieces to reveal a true expression beneath it. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.isqtf5e1479e6ebcd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.isqtf5e1479e6ebcd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.isqtf5e1479e6ebcd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.isqtf5e1479e6ebcd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.isqtf5e1479e6ebcd0 {display: block;}} ¡°Have you not seen her at all?¡± Ruhae asked again. ¡°If you want to keep asking silly questions like that, just leave!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Crown Prince!¡± At that moment, Bipaan slapped him with the back of his hand. Raising his head upright, Ruhae looked at him. ¡°It seems that you haven¡¯t repented. Do you want me to punish you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, brother. Aren¡¯t you worried about your wife?¡± When Bipaan was about to slap him once more, Ruhae raised his hand to grab his wrist. Without any surprise at all, Bipaan opened his mouth, ¡°I clearly warned you to call her by the official title. After you turned 20, it seems your memory got worse.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you think she is in a poor state? Don¡¯t you think your wife, who has come from a faraway country, is pitiable? How come you don¡¯t show the slightest sympathy when that little woman has been suffering from fever while shivering sadly every day? Isn¡¯t she your official wife? Is it that hard for you to hug and comfort her?¡± Ruhae continued while feeling agonized over Kyosul, Bipaan¡¯s wife. Though Ruhae already said Kyosul was his official wife and asked him to hug her, he really didn¡¯t want to say those words to Bipaan. But as Bipaan, who seemed to be made of patches of ice, was too cold-hearted, Ruhae had no other choice but to say so. If Bipaan listened to his words and hugged her, she would feel warm even for a moment. As long as she could feel warm, Ruhae wanted to do anything for her. He already vowed that he would do it at the sacrifice of his own benefits. But Ruhae¡¯s appeal to his brother Bipaan went nowhere, as expected. As if he wasn¡¯t least interested, Bipaan responded casually, ¡°I don¡¯t know which woman you¡¯re talking about. My official wife is the Crown Princess. Keep it in mind, Ruhae!¡± Ruhae released Bipaan¡¯s hand. Bipaan didn¡¯t raise his hand again. Ruhae burst into feigned laughter. He realized that the man standing before him was really impossible. ¡°Got it, brother. Oops, I forgot momentarily what kind of person the Crown Prince was.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you have realized it finally,¡± Bipaan responded in an extremely flat tone. ¡°I just think it regrettable that Crown Princess Kyosul is your official wife. How come she has gotten married to none other than Your Majesty?¡± Ruhae stared at him. At his rude question, Bipaan stroked his jaw and said, ¡°I see you have some hidden implications in your words.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Could you figure out what kind of implications are hidden in my words?¡± Ruhae¡¯s heated eyes met his cold-hearted glance. They looked at each other for a long time without saying anything. Gazing at him with the same cold-hearted glance, Bipaan opened his mouth. ¡°It seems that the Crown Princess isn¡¯t happy about having gotten married to me. She doesn¡¯t like it. And you wished she had gotten married to you. Am I right?¡± Little did Ruhae think Bipaan hit the nail right on the head, so he shuddered, surprised. ¡°And the reason she is so sick is because she feels the same way as you¡­¡± ¡°Just leave the Crown Princess alone. She doesn¡¯t feel that way. It¡¯s just me who feels attached to her¡­¡± Ruhae shouted at him. In a usual situation, Ruhae¡¯s challenge like that was unthinkable. But he was not scared of Bipaan any more. This time Bipaan was looking at Ruhae with a calm and cold-hearted glance. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Are you going to kick the Crown Princess out then?¡± ¡°In your opinion, what kind of action do you expect me to take?¡± ¡°Just leave the Crown Princess alone and punish me. The Crown Princess just misses you. It¡¯s only me who is giving my mind to her. The Crown Princess has never met me in person,¡± said Ruhae resolutely. ¡°You¡¯re now challenging me without any fear, Ruhae.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mvjwy5e1479e6ebb84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mvjwy5e1479e6ebb84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mvjwy5e1479e6ebb84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mvjwy5e1479e6ebb84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mvjwy5e1479e6ebb84 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this matter for a long time. And I¡¯ve made the decision.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Are you going to kick out your wife then?¡± At Bipaan¡¯s sudden question, Ruhae¡¯s eyes were opened wide with surprise. Though he felt sorry for his wife Yomin, he never conjured up her face while he made a firm determination. When Bipaan brought up an issue that he had never seriously thought about, Ruhae was at a loss for words and lowered his head. ¡°How come you meddle in my matters when you don¡¯t know how to take care of your wife first? I don¡¯t think you are the type of brother that I used to know. I think I¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± Bipaan¡¯s chilly voice pressed hard on Ruhae. ¡°Please give the Crown Princess a hug.¡± Ruhae barely spoke in a dry voice. He hated Bipaan as he had to repeat the same words he already spit out. ¡°I won¡¯t hug any woman.¡± Surprised by his flat tone, Ruhae raised his head. Bipaan¡¯s face was calm and devoid of expression. ¡°I won¡¯t kick her out because she is a woman who will be helpful in my future.¡± Chapter 40 ¡°In this strict imperial palace, you had better call her by the right title.¡± ¡°Brother Bipaan!¡± When Ruhae raised his voice, Bipaan turned his head and looked at him. He was wearing a poker face. Bipaan¡¯s face was impassive in the past. Still, outsiders could figure out how to interpret his expressions but not now. It was as if Bipaan was elevated to a totally different world. ¡°How dare you raise your voice before your Crown Prince, brother?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pyveu5e1479e6a4422 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pyveu5e1479e6a4422 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pyveu5e1479e6a4422 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pyveu5e1479e6a4422 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pyveu5e1479e6a4422 {display: block;}} His low voice rang with authority. Ruhae shuddered before he knew and clenched his fists. ¡°Sorry, I was disrespectful to you.¡± ¡°As you expressed regret, I will forgive it.¡± ¡°Did you go and see the Crown Princes?¡± Bipaan looked at Ruhae silently. His dark blue eyes looked pretty gloomy. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dyymd5e1479e6a435d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dyymd5e1479e6a435d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dyymd5e1479e6a435d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dyymd5e1479e6a435d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dyymd5e1479e6a435d {display: block;}} ¡°I don¡¯t feel it necessary to respond to such trifling things.¡± His voice was calm as usual. Ruhae felt miserable. Bipaan was like a tree that he could not dare climb or a figure he could not dare challenge. Ruhae even felt his presence beside Bipaan was a disrespectful act itself. Was Bipaan not a human with a beating heart? He wondered if Bipaan could get emotional and express his feelings freely even once during his lifetime. He also wondered if Bipaan¡¯s mask could be broken into pieces to reveal a true expression beneath it. ¡°Have you not seen her at all?¡± Ruhae asked again. ¡°If you want to keep asking silly questions like that, just leave!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Crown Prince!¡± At that moment, Bipaan slapped him with the back of his hand. Raising his head upright, Ruhae looked at him. ¡°It seems that you haven¡¯t repented. Do you want me to punish you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do that, brother. Aren¡¯t you worried about your wife?¡± When Bipaan was about to slap him once more, Ruhae raised his hand to grab his wrist. Without any surprise at all, Bipaan opened his mouth, ¡°I clearly warned you to call her by the official title. After you turned 20, it seems your memory got worse.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you think she is in a poor state? Don¡¯t you think your wife, who has come from a faraway country, is pitiable? How come you don¡¯t show the slightest sympathy when that little woman has been suffering from fever while shivering sadly every day? Isn¡¯t she your official wife? Is it that hard for you to hug and comfort her?¡± Ruhae continued while feeling agonized over Kyosul, Bipaan¡¯s wife. Though Ruhae already said Kyosul was his official wife and asked him to hug her, he really didn¡¯t want to say those words to Bipaan. But as Bipaan, who seemed to be made of patches of ice, was too cold-hearted, Ruhae had no other choice but to say so. If Bipaan listened to his words and hugged her, she would feel warm even for a moment. As long as she could feel warm, Ruhae wanted to do anything for her. He already vowed that he would do it at the sacrifice of his own benefits. But Ruhae¡¯s appeal to his brother Bipaan went nowhere, as expected. As if he wasn¡¯t least interested, Bipaan responded casually, ¡°I don¡¯t know which woman you¡¯re talking about. My official wife is the Crown Princess. Keep it in mind, Ruhae!¡± Ruhae released Bipaan¡¯s hand. Bipaan didn¡¯t raise his hand again. Ruhae burst into feigned laughter. He realized that the man standing before him was really impossible. ¡°Got it, brother. Oops, I forgot momentarily what kind of person the Crown Prince was.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you have realized it finally,¡± Bipaan responded in an extremely flat tone. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yqcpm5e1479e6a43c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yqcpm5e1479e6a43c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yqcpm5e1479e6a43c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yqcpm5e1479e6a43c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yqcpm5e1479e6a43c1 {display: block;}} ¡°I just think it regrettable that Crown Princess Kyosul is your official wife. How come she has gotten married to none other than Your Majesty?¡± Ruhae stared at him. At his rude question, Bipaan stroked his jaw and said, ¡°I see you have some hidden implications in your words.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Could you figure out what kind of implications are hidden in my words?¡± Ruhae¡¯s heated eyes met his cold-hearted glance. They looked at each other for a long time without saying anything. Gazing at him with the same cold-hearted glance, Bipaan opened his mouth. ¡°It seems that the Crown Princess isn¡¯t happy about having gotten married to me. She doesn¡¯t like it. And you wished she had gotten married to you. Am I right?¡± Little did Ruhae think Bipaan hit the nail right on the head, so he shuddered, surprised. ¡°And the reason she is so sick is because she feels the same way as you¡­¡± ¡°Just leave the Crown Princess alone. She doesn¡¯t feel that way. It¡¯s just me who feels attached to her¡­¡± Ruhae shouted at him. In a usual situation, Ruhae¡¯s challenge like that was unthinkable. But he was not scared of Bipaan any more. This time Bipaan was looking at Ruhae with a calm and cold-hearted glance. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yramc5e1479e6a446c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yramc5e1479e6a446c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yramc5e1479e6a446c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yramc5e1479e6a446c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yramc5e1479e6a446c {display: block;}} ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Are you going to kick the Crown Princess out then?¡± ¡°In your opinion, what kind of action do you expect me to take?¡± ¡°Just leave the Crown Princess alone and punish me. The Crown Princess just misses you. It¡¯s only me who is giving my mind to her. The Crown Princess has never met me in person,¡± said Ruhae resolutely. ¡°You¡¯re now challenging me without any fear, Ruhae.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this matter for a long time. And I¡¯ve made the decision.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Are you going to kick out your wife then?¡± At Bipaan¡¯s sudden question, Ruhae¡¯s eyes were opened wide with surprise. Though he felt sorry for his wife Yomin, he never conjured up her face while he made a firm determination. When Bipaan brought up an issue that he had never given serious thought to, Ruhae was at a loss for words and lowered his head. ¡°How come you meddle in my matters when you don¡¯t know how to take care of your wife first? I don¡¯t think you are the type of brother that I used to know. I think I¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± Bipaan¡¯s chilly voice pressed hard on Ruhae. ¡°Please give the Crown Princess a hug.¡± Ruhae barely spoke in a dry voice. He hated Bipaan as he had to repeat the same words he already spit out. ¡°I won¡¯t hug any woman.¡± Surprised by his flat tone, Ruhae raised his head. Bipaan¡¯s face was calm and devoid of expression. ¡°I won¡¯t kick her out because she is a woman who will be helpful in my future.¡± Bipaan¡¯s last words made Ruhae bite his lip. He tasted blood. ¡°You really make me miserable, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any intention of making you miserable.¡± Ruhae, whose face was always soft and tender, was angry and shouted at Bipaan, ¡°I won¡¯t sit idle. I won¡¯t leave her shivering alone like that. I¡¯ve come to the point that I can¡¯t leave her alone like that because you have deserted her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know which woman you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°I will not call you my brother or Crown Prince anymore, Your Majesty!¡± With his clenched fists trembling, Ruhae turned and disappeared out of the flower garden. Just as if nothing happened, Bipaan turned his face to the flowers which became more colorful in the garden. Bipaan extended his hand and stroked one of the most colorful and beautiful flowers. Then, he plucked it. He picked it up and put it on his lips. Soft petals of the flower touched his lips. Sweet fragrance tickled his nose. He threw it on the ground, trampled on it and left the garden. *** Walking quickly, Ruhae didn¡¯t head for the South Palace, his residence. Instead, he went straight to the East Palace. When he passed by, the court ladies of the East Palace lowered their heads to say greetings. He would have gladly accepted their greetings with a smile in a usual situation, but he didn¡¯t look at them at all and kept walking ahead. When he arrived at Kyosul¡¯s residence, he stopped at the stepping stones. He asked the court ladies on standby at the gate. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mdplx5e1479e6a42f1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mdplx5e1479e6a42f1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mdplx5e1479e6a42f1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mdplx5e1479e6a42f1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mdplx5e1479e6a42f1 {display: block;}} ¡°How is the Crown Princess Kyosul¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°Her fever hasn¡¯t gone down completely, but she opened her eyes a minute ago and had porridge.¡± ¡°Please tell the Crown Princess that Ruhae has come to inquire after her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Bowing to him, the court lady conveyed his message until the chief court lady serving Kyosul announced it to Kyosul. ¡°Your Highness, Prince Ruhae has come to see you. Would you want to bring him here?¡± In a usual situation, the nanny would not have added her last words. But she asked Kyosul about it because her condition was bad. When other visitors came to see her, Kyosul had not come to her senses yet, so the nanny greeted them, based on the royal doctor¡¯s advice. But Kyosul was well enough to open her eyes now. Kyosul had to decide whether to accept Ruhae¡¯s visit or not. Kyosul¡¯s nanny came back out and replied, ¡°Her Highness is not feeling well, please tell him she can¡¯t accept his visit today.¡± Chapter 41 Hearing Kyosul¡¯s message from the court lady, Ruhae let out a sigh. In fact, he expected this kind of reply because he knew that she had been avoiding him since she discovered his real identity. Kyosul didn¡¯t appear in the back garden anymore, where she took a walk all the time, and when she bumped into him there, she didn¡¯t even try to make eye contact with him. Looking at the stepping stones leading to the door of her residence, he finally walked over to come in. ¡°Oh, no, Your Majesty!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.clovp5e1479e6ef437 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.clovp5e1479e6ef437 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.clovp5e1479e6ef437 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.clovp5e1479e6ef437 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.clovp5e1479e6ef437 {display: block;}} The court ladies expected that he would leave, but when he tried to cross the stepping stones to go to Kyosul¡¯s room, they called him in astonishment. Ignoring them, however, he took off his shoes on the stepping stones to come in. ¡°Your Majesty, the Crown Princess hasn¡¯t allowed you to come in.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± They approached him in groups, but he pushed them aside and went into her residence. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dbymk5e1479e6ef391 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dbymk5e1479e6ef391 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dbymk5e1479e6ef391 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dbymk5e1479e6ef391 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dbymk5e1479e6ef391 {display: block;}} Startled by his sudden move, they followed him. They had never seen such a rigid expression on his face. He was always courteous with a gentle smile on his face, but today he was a totally different man. At a loss what to do, they just followed him. Ruhae was the third in line to succeed the throne, and they couldn¡¯t stop him. ¡°Your Majesty, you should not come without her approval!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please keep your dignity and manners.¡± What they could do at their level was to call out to him like that to express their embarrassment. When he crossed the last door right to Kyosul¡¯s room, more than 20 court ladies were behind him. When Ruhae opened the door and came in, the nanny looked at him with a startled expression. With no smile on his face, he was resolute and determined. ¡°How dare you come into her room recklessly?¡± said the nanny at her bedside, standing up. The nanny also didn¡¯t know how to respond to this embarrassing situation, but he even ignored the nanny and approached Kyosul¡¯s bed. ¡°How come you wouldn¡¯t allow me in when you accepted all the visitors up to now?¡± He asked her sternly. She held a bowl of porridge, leaning against several soft pillows stacked up on the bed. As she hardly had any food while she was sick, her skinny white hand trembled. ¡°I¡¯m tired, nanny,¡± she said feebly with her cracked lips, handing the porridge bowl to the nanny. She ate only half the porridge as she lost appetite, but her remarks to the nanny were responded by someone else. ¡°The Crown Princess has just said she is tired. Just leave!¡± Turning his head, Ruhae shouted to the court ladies standing behind him and closed the door. The court ladies, who were whispering among themselves behind the door, had to go back helplessly. There were only Ruhae, Kyosul and the nanny left in the room. He approached her bed and took the nanny¡¯s spot beside her. ¡°Let me stand by the Crown Princess, so you go and take care of your own matters,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Bowing to him, the nanny stepped back and went out of the room. The nanny¡¯s job was to keep an eye on her, so she was supposed to stand by her, but she understood what he meant when he said that, so she left silently. He took her hand. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gqonm5e1479e6ef3e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gqonm5e1479e6ef3e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gqonm5e1479e6ef3e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gqonm5e1479e6ef3e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gqonm5e1479e6ef3e8 {display: block;}} ¡°Ouch!¡± At that moment, she blurted out a feeble sound. Now he held onto her hand tighter. She tried to disengage her hand from his by twisting her fingers. The more she tried to do so, however, the stronger his grip on her hand was. As she hardly ate any food, she couldn¡¯t refuse him. After wrestling with him in a war of nerves for a while, she finally gave up and left her hand in his. When she relaxed her hand, his strong grip eased. At that moment, she felt the urge to withdraw her hand, but it was obvious that he would strengthen his grip if she tried to withdraw her hand. Without looking at him, she asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°Why are you so mean to me, Your Highness?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.degnu5e1479e6ef487 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.degnu5e1479e6ef487 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.degnu5e1479e6ef487 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.degnu5e1479e6ef487 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.degnu5e1479e6ef487 {display: block;}} She frowned at his response. Her slanted eyebrows looked pitiable while the middle of her forehead trembled, revealing her nervousness. Biting her lower lip, she said in a dry voice, ¡°What did I do to you?¡± ¡°Why are you sick in bed like this? Why are you avoiding me, and why are you so heartbroken?¡± He paused for a moment and then went on, ¡°Why are you swaying my mind so much?¡± He again squeezed her hand, with his eyes trembling. She lowered her head. I shouldn¡¯t see him. She took pains not to see his face. She felt pain in her neck. If she looked into his soft eyes again, she felt she would not be able to turn away again. She was scared of what would happen, but he opened his mouth easily as if he didn¡¯t fear anything. ¡°Crown Princess¡­¡± He called her, but she didn¡¯t reply. With her head lowered, she just wiggled her hand. His voice made her nervous. ¡°Crown Princess¡­.¡± he called again. But as she didn¡¯t look at him, let alone reply, he just let out a sigh. ¡°Oh my¡­.¡± Her heart sank at his deep sigh. At that moment, she was troubled by so many concerns. Gosh! Did I make a mistake? Did I harass him? Did I disappoint him and make him exhausted? I should not have treated him so harshly. What if I regret my act when he gave up on me? Consumed by her concern, she realized her genuine feelings toward him. In fact, the moment she bumped into Ruhae in the South Palace on that summer day, she could not resist her surging longing for him, which she had been holding back. She wanted to conceal her feelings forever. Did he sense her agitation at that moment? He put his other hand on her forehead. She turned her head away as he spoke, ¡°It¡¯s pretty hot here. Please lie on your back. Let me cool down your fever.¡± His voice was soft and peaceful, to her surprise. It was almost the same as it had bee when they walked together in the back garden. He released her hand and looked at the basins beside her bed. She quickly clasped her hands together. She felt her hand was hot. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was hot because he held it or because of her fever. When she stroked her hand, he put his hand in the basin. There was no cold water. It was lukewarm and even a bit warm. ¡°Oh my¡­..¡± He let out a sigh again. She flinched. She couldn¡¯t help it. Even before she actually expressed it, her attitude already showed that he was an important person to her. Checking out the water basins, he put a cloth into a basin with cold water and squeezed it. The warmer the water in the basin was, the more keenly he felt she suffered from fever. ¡°Crown Princess, please lie on your back,¡± he kindly requested. He found her still sitting up when he was about to put the cold cloth on her forehead. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mipoc5e1479e6ef337 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mipoc5e1479e6ef337 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mipoc5e1479e6ef337 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mipoc5e1479e6ef337 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mipoc5e1479e6ef337 {display: block;}} Though she hadn¡¯t yet turned her eyes toward him, she lay on the bed without any objection as he asked. He put the wet cloth on her forehead for a moment then turned it inside out to wipe her face. ¡°Crown Princess.¡± She didn¡¯t reply, though. After all, he stood up, holding a wet cloth, and said loudly, ¡°Crown Princess, why are you ignoring me like this? Even if you pretend not to see me and not to hear me, you still hear and see me, don¡¯t you?¡± Though his voice was clear and loud, he was not angry. He just felt she was pitiable. He continued in a trembling voice, ¡°Why have you become so different? Do you see any big difference between me as an ordinary member of the royal family and as a prince? Did you feel you could get close to me when I was an ordinary royal family member, but couldn¡¯t because I was a prince? Whether I am a royal family member or a prince, I¡¯m still Yuuljin Danmok as I used to be. How come Woorum treats me differently?¡± Now, his voice became filled with emotion and hurried. Unable to hold back his emotions, he was panting. When he was done talking, the room was silent. Kyosul struggled to sit up. ¡°Please lie down. If you sit up, your fever will worsen. Even now, you have a high fever.¡± She shook off his hand. Feeling awkward, he withdrew his hand and looked at her sadly. ¡°Don¡¯t you like my touch anymore? Can¡¯t I worry about you?¡± He felt heart-broken. He was determined to protect her when he confronted Bipaan. The moment he sat face to face with Kyosul, however, he just got confused because his greed could trouble her mind all the more. Chapter 42 Even though he vowed that he would push ahead to protect her as she was so important to him, he found himself trying to read her mind when he sat face to face with her. He didn¡¯t want to do anything that would put her at risk. He wanted to do as she wanted him to do. Despite his endless longing for her, she wanted to devote her heart to the Crown Prince. If that was the case, he understood her refusal to see him, but he was wrong. While gasping for breath, she turned her head towards him, looking up at him with clear eyes. When she looked at him directly, his eyes were opened wide with surprise. ¡°I ¡­.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xdzga5e1479e63ed6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xdzga5e1479e63ed6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xdzga5e1479e63ed6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xdzga5e1479e63ed6d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xdzga5e1479e63ed6d {display: block;}} Though she tried to avoid his eyes, her eyes met his. It seemed that she could not turn away from him forever. ¡°I¡­.¡± Looking at him, she barely opened her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t feel hot no matter how high my fever goes up.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± he asked, looking at her eyes. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.laxnp5e1479e63ec72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.laxnp5e1479e63ec72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.laxnp5e1479e63ec72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.laxnp5e1479e63ec72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.laxnp5e1479e63ec72 {display: block;}} Her eyes were red. He couldn¡¯t figure out if it was her fever or her tears or both that caused it. When her eyes met his, tears fell quickly. The reason she didn¡¯t want to see him all along was that she was fighting back tears. Her eyes looked sad. He thought he only felt sad as he was ignored, but obviously, she felt sad when she ignored him. Her sadness made his heart break all the more. The moment he was thrilled to confirm her feelings about him, she opened her mouth again. ¡°I feel cold. No matter how much silk I cover myself with, no matter how much fever I have, even if I jump into a fire, I am still cold.¡± While she continued to speak in a feeble voice, he just waited silently for her to finish. He didn¡¯t cut in while she was speaking. ¡°When I lived in the Hwa Kingdom, I didn¡¯t feel cold at all. Little did I think I could experience things that would make me feel cold when I came here, but I¡¯m cold now. I¡¯m shivering with extreme cold now.¡± He could guess what she meant by ¡®cold,¡¯ and he was confident that he could protect her from that kind of ¡®cold.¡¯ ¡°I can¡­¡± he said finally while listening to her tearful appeal. He cautiously held her hand, sitting on the bed. His voice was calm but passionate. It was soft but strong enough for her to jump into his arms and leave everything to him. ¡°Crown Princess, oh, I can make you feel warm,¡± he said firmly. ¡°Did you say you would make me feel warm?¡± But she gave him a vain smile. In some respects, her smile was sad and troubling. ¡°How can you say that to me? How can you make me feel warm? You¡¯re a prince. You are not Yuuljin. You are Prince Ruhae!¡± She felt resentful about his promise that he would make her keep warm given their situation. She was upset because he made her have vain expectations. She hit his chest with her small fists, but he felt her angry voice was sweeter than any other confession of hers. That kind of rebuke was what he had been looking for. After all, he couldn¡¯t hold back the urge to confess his genuine feelings about her. ¡°I love you.¡± His short confession rang true and deeply touched her heart. He looked at her seriously. She felt as if she were frozen to hear his confession. She spaced out and at a loss about how to respond to his scary and terrific confession. Love. It was the first time she heard someone confessing his love to her. What should I do? As she was confused with all the complicated thoughts at the moment, she couldn¡¯t think straight. She wanted to make excuses so that she could throw herself into the vortex of feelings. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.brsvr5e1479e63ecf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.brsvr5e1479e63ecf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.brsvr5e1479e63ecf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.brsvr5e1479e63ecf1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.brsvr5e1479e63ecf1 {display: block;}} ¡°I really love you from the bottom of my heart.¡± Ruhae whispered into her ears once more in a softer voice. At his strong confession, she couldn¡¯t afford to agonize or think too hard. She forgot everything at the moment. What she could recognize at the moment was Ruhae before her eyes. His eyes and his voice. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wymrs5e1479e63eded {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wymrs5e1479e63eded {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wymrs5e1479e63eded {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wymrs5e1479e63eded {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wymrs5e1479e63eded {display: block;}} Ruhae approached her slowly and hugged her. She didn¡¯t refuse him. She couldn¡¯t. His overwhelming affection was too big for her to refuse. In the end, she got carried away with her genuine feelings toward him. ¡°Ahhh¡­.¡± She moaned feebly. It was the first time she felt so relaxed and warm since she came to the Mok Kingdom. She felt so warm in his arms. Was it because she had been so exhausted? She let herself be wrapped in his arms and closed her eyes quietly. He wrapped her in his arms quietly for a long time. His heart was full as he had never been this close to her before. His heart was beating so strongly as if it were breaking. He was not sure whose heart was pounding so hard now as her heart touched his. ¡°Haaa¡­..¡± They both heard the sigh but didn¡¯t which of them sighed. The spot near his mouth grew hot as he breathed, warming her. He also felt she was getting hot. He slowly and clearly whispered into her ears with his sweet voice, ¡°Now, please tell me that you are of the same mind about me. If you say so, I¡¯m already ready. I¡¯m going to make you my woman by staking everything on it.¡± It was more difficult for him to read her mind than understanding any hard classics. No matter how hard he tried to understand her thinking by recalling her behavior in the past, he just got confused about it. But her reaction a moment ago, and her rebuking voice gave him a ray of hope. ¡°I think you¡¯re of the same mind about me, right? That¡¯s why your heart is so hot.¡± His suspicion of her feelings about him now turned into his conviction, so he began to get closer to her step by step. His big hands touched her cautiously, and he caressed her hair as if he were counting her hair with his bent fingers. His hands moved from the hair behind her ears to her cheeks and jaw, now back to her lips. His trembling deep breath now wandered around her neck. Kyosul¡¯s eyelashes fluttered. She found it hard to stand it when she was already wrapped in his arms. What if his caressing hands and breath were moving toward her private parts of her body? Ruhae lowered his head, and he moved his thumb between her neck and her clavicle. When he was about to touch his face to hers, she barely pushed him, saying, ¡°No, no¡­.¡± She pushed Ruhae¡¯s chest with her slim and little fingers. Though her push was pretty weak, he had no choice but to be pushed away. He didn¡¯t make any unreasonable demands or push. He accepted Kyosul¡¯s refusal. Only a moment ago they were close enough to each other, but not now. The warmth they felt when they were close together disappeared into the air. Though they got excited they cooled down. When there was a distance between the two, she could take a breath. Spaced out until a moment ago, she began to come to her senses gradually. ¡°You are¡­ Prince Ruhae is wrong.¡± She took a deep breath and took pains to calm down her pounding heart. ¡°I, Crown Princess Kyosul, am the official wife of the Crown Prince. How can I love any other man than the Crown Prince?¡± That was the main reason she got confused. She often hid behind the excuse that she was the Crown Prince¡¯s official wife, but Ruhae was now confident that her excuse was just a simple put-off. Though he felt he lost face because of her refusal, he didn¡¯t have any intention to give up. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ghzob5e1479e63ebd6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ghzob5e1479e63ebd6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ghzob5e1479e63ebd6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ghzob5e1479e63ebd6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ghzob5e1479e63ebd6 {display: block;}} He asked back boldly, ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding you¡­¡± He pulled her hand and put her little palm on his chest. Her hands clenched. His heart was beating strongly enough for her to feel it. Obviously, his strong heartbeat reflected his longing for her. He spoke firmly with a resolute expression, ¡°I¡¯m going to prove it to you.¡± Embarrassed by his sudden announcement, she asked, ¡°Proving what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to prove clearly that your heart is beating as strongly as mine when you see me, so you can¡¯t ignore me anymore.¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­why are you¡­Prince Ruhahe ¡­.¡± she slurred. She couldn¡¯t finish her last words ¡°Why are you giving me a hard time like this?¡± She couldn¡¯t tell him that she was stressed out because of him. If she had said that, it would have proven that his irrational insistence was right. With a calm glance, she said, ¡°You won¡¯t prove it.¡± ¡°I can prove it. I will certainly prove it.¡± Chapter 43 He already declared war on Bipaan. As for her, he wanted to be a little more cautious, but he had no reason not to push ahead with his plan to make her his woman. ¡°If I can prove it at the end of the day, you¡­¡± He changed her title at that moment and said, ¡°Your Highness should recognize it then.¡± He could not call her by that informal title ¡®you¡¯ yet. She should be the Crown Princess to him. Despite that, he made that announcement to her courageously. When she argued that she was the official wife of the Crown Prince before, he would step back with a pathetic look, but this time he aggressively tried to win over her heart. She was too embarrassed by his emboldened attitude. ¡°What do you want me to recognize?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.eichg5e1479e5cfd15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.eichg5e1479e5cfd15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.eichg5e1479e5cfd15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.eichg5e1479e5cfd15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.eichg5e1479e5cfd15 {display: block;}} ¡°Just accept the man you are yearning for.¡± That was an act of sheer obstinacy on his part. When he found her avoiding him often, he became more stubborn in following her. He wanted to develop a romantic relationship with her. He extended his hand. Shrinking her shoulders, she closed her eyes and breathed as she got so nervous, but he just ran his hand through her tousled hair. ¡°Let me leave now.¡± Unexpectedly, he gave in. She felt as if he were trying to do something to her, but he stepped back. She couldn¡¯t predict his behavior. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.urtgg5e1479e5cfc33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.urtgg5e1479e5cfc33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.urtgg5e1479e5cfc33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.urtgg5e1479e5cfc33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.urtgg5e1479e5cfc33 {display: block;}} ¡°Please, please get better,¡± he said with goodbye. His words touched her mind again. She felt as if she could get over her fever right away, but she couldn¡¯t reveal her feelings before him. ¡°Have a good rest and have a good night¡­¡± Having said that politely, he left her room. When he was gone, she took a deep breath, How can he be so confident? Oh my ¡­ ¡°He is really breaking my heart,¡± Kyosul grabbed her chest. Her upper jacket was crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s too harsh for me.¡± She could feel her heart beating strongly when she clenched her fists. ¡°You know the customs of the imperial palace and the Crown Prince much better than I. How come you committed such a reckless act?¡± She thought he was wrong and that his confessed plan was doomed. Even before he was trying to prove something, her heart was already beating fast when thinking about him, as fast as his or even faster. ¡°This is how I feel toward you, but you still want me to confess my ¡­¡± She bit her lips while she was shivering with fear. It was the beginning of their doomed love play. It was a matter of how long she could stick it out and when she could give up on him. ¡°I¡¯m the official wife of the Crown Prince.¡± It was the first thing she said when she woke up in the morning. ¡°The only person that I have to look at, turn to and allow myself to lose my heart to is the Crown Prince.¡± She repeated it and kept it in her mind every day. The more she repeated it, the more clearly she came to realize that she couldn¡¯t stop her heart from going to Ruhae. She kept blinking her eyes while she was lying on the bed. She was up and running but felt strange. Strange enough, her fever was gone. ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡± Though she said that, her voice sounded lonely. Why am I back to normal today? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sssvc5e1479e5cfca5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sssvc5e1479e5cfca5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sssvc5e1479e5cfca5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sssvc5e1479e5cfca5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sssvc5e1479e5cfca5 {display: block;}} Given that Ruhae came to see her yesterday, she felt as if he cured her. She didn¡¯t take any special medicine or therapy. She accepted only one visitor yesterday. Despite her disapproval, he crossed several doors of her residence to come into her room abruptly. He stepped back meekly when she said something. Nonetheless, he showed genuine affection for her to the last minute. His act was tough but yielding then his expression of genuine feelings about her touched her heart deeply. ¡°I love you¡­¡± She murmured his word unconsciously, which surprised her and cover her mouth with both hands. Though she was alone in the room, she looked around and flushed. ¡°Wake up! You shouldn¡¯t think of another man!¡± She slapped her face, covering her ears with her hands, but the more she did, the more clearly she recalled what he said to her last night. She wrapped her hands around her face. Shaking her head, she cast a glance to where he sat last night. Her eyes softened when she recalled his words, Let me prove it to you. His resolute voice echoed in her ears. His withdrawal from her room last night made her miss him. She crossed her arms and wrapped them around her self. When his arms were wrapped around her, she wanted to be carried away with her affectionate feelings toward him. She felt she couldn¡¯t help it. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sgyks5e1479e5cfd96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sgyks5e1479e5cfd96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sgyks5e1479e5cfd96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sgyks5e1479e5cfd96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sgyks5e1479e5cfd96 {display: block;}} What can I do if I can¡¯t control my feelings? ¡°Oops!¡± She almost found herself sliding into illusion. Surprised by her wild imagination, she got up from the bed suddenly. Getting out of the bed, she paced up and down before walking to the window. There was a big window near her bed. She sometimes walked there and enjoyed the sunlight. She brought a desk near it and spent a long time there. It was part of her simple daily life. She opened the window. The hinge didn¡¯t make any noise when she opened it. After she opened it, she suddenly became stiff. Her big eyes were opened wide with surprise. She blushed. She slightly opened her mouth when she noticed something on the windowsill. ¡°This one¡­.¡± There was a small flower on the windowsill. It was an unknown full-petaled flower. The moment she saw the windowsill, her heart sank suddenly. She felt the tears were about to well up in her eyes. The full-petaled flower was not growing there by chance. She never saw it in the back garden of the Dongbi Palace. A little piece of paper was wrapped around the stem of the flower. Obviously, somebody put it there. She reached out her trembling hand and picked up the flower. She unknotted the crumpled slip of paper and opened it. There was no writing there. The moment she looked at the white little slip, lots of things came to her mind. If there was anyone who could have put it there, only one person flashed her mind. The little slip that didn¡¯t contain a seemed to speak volumes. ¡°Was it you again who did this?¡± While murmuring to herself in a trembling voice, she was suddenly moved to tears. Though she tried not to recall him, his face kept coming to her mind. He seemed to appear everywhere in her mind. Was this the way he wanted to prove his love of her? She was convinced that the person who sent the empty slip and the flower was Ruhae. ¡°He is really breaking my heart,¡± Kyosul grabbed her chest. Her upper jacket was crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s too harsh for me.¡± She could feel her heart beating strongly when she clenched her fists. ¡°You know the customs of the imperial palace and the Crown Prince much better than I. How come you committed such a reckless act?¡± She thought he was wrong and that his confessed plan was doomed. Even before he was trying to prove something, her heart was already beating fast when thinking about him, as fast as his or even faster. ¡°This is how I feel toward you, but you still want me to confess my ¡­¡± She bit her lips while she was shivering with fear. It was the beginning of their doomed love play. It was a matter of how long she could stick it out and when she could give up on him. ¡°I¡¯m the official wife of the Crown Prince.¡± It was the first thing she said when she woke up in the morning. ¡°The only person that I have to look at, turn to and allow myself to lose my heart to is the Crown Prince.¡± She repeated it and kept it in her mind every day. The more she repeated it, the more clearly she came to realize that she couldn¡¯t stop her heart from going to Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.crnpq5e1479e5cfbbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.crnpq5e1479e5cfbbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.crnpq5e1479e5cfbbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.crnpq5e1479e5cfbbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.crnpq5e1479e5cfbbb {display: block;}} She kept blinking her eyes while she was lying on the bed. She was up and running but felt strange. Strange enough, her fever was gone. ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡± Though she said that, her voice sounded lonely. Why am I back to normal today? Given that Ruhae came to see her yesterday, she felt as if he cured her. She didn¡¯t take any special medicine or therapy. She accepted only one visitor yesterday. Despite her disapproval, he crossed several doors of her residence to come into her room abruptly. He stepped back meekly when she said something. Nonetheless, he showed genuine affection for her to the last minute. His act was tough but yielding then his expression of genuine feelings about her touched her heart deeply. ¡°I love you¡­¡± She murmured his word unconsciously, which surprised her and cover her mouth with both hands. Chapter 44 Though she was alone in the room, she looked around and flushed. ¡°Wake up! You shouldn¡¯t think of another man!¡± She slapped her face, covering her ears with her hands, but the more she did, the more clearly she recalled what he said to her last night. She wrapped her hands around her face.. Shaking her head, she cast a glance to where he sat last night. Her eyes softened when she recalled his words, ¡®Let me prove it to you.¡¯ His resolute voice echoed in her ears. His withdrawal from her room last night made her miss him. She crossed her arms and wrapped them around herself. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bonoa5e1479e5da081 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bonoa5e1479e5da081 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bonoa5e1479e5da081 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bonoa5e1479e5da081 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bonoa5e1479e5da081 {display: block;}} When his arms were wrapped around her, she wanted to be carried away with her affectionate feelings toward him. She felt she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡®What can I do if I can¡¯t control my feelings?¡¯ ¡°Oops!¡± She almost found herself sliding into illusion. Surprised by her wild imagination, she got up from the bed suddenly. Getting out of the bed, she paced up and down before walking to the window. There was a big window near her bed. She sometimes walked there and enjoyed the sunlight. She brought a desk near it and spent a long time there. It was part of her simple daily life. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lfahh5e1479e5d9fc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lfahh5e1479e5d9fc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lfahh5e1479e5d9fc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lfahh5e1479e5d9fc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lfahh5e1479e5d9fc2 {display: block;}} She opened the window. The hinge didn¡¯t make any noise when she opened it. After she opened it, she suddenly became stiff. Her big eyes were opened wide with surprise. She blushed. She slightly opened her mouth when she noticed something on the windowsill. ¡°This one¡­.¡± There was a small flower on the windowsill. It was an unknown full-petaled flower. The moment she saw the windowsill, her heart sank suddenly. She felt the tears were about to well up in her eyes. The full-petaled flower was not growing there by chance. She never saw it in the back garden of the Dongbi Palace. A little piece of paper was wrapped around the stem of the flower. Obviously, somebody put it there. She reached out her trembling hand and picked up the flower. She unknotted the crumpled slip of paper and opened it. There was no writing there. The moment she looked at the white little slip, lots of things came to her mind. If there was anyone who could have put it there, only one person flashed her mind. The little slip that didn¡¯t contain any seemed to speak volumes. ¡°Was it you again who did this?¡± While murmuring to herself in a trembling voice, she was suddenly moved to tears. Though she tried not to recall him, his face kept coming to her mind. He seemed to appear everywhere in her mind. Was this the way he wanted to prove his love of her? She was convinced that the person who sent the empty slip and the flower was Ruhae. ¡°Why did he¡­¡± While looking at the empty slip, her eyes burned with longing for him. He sent her a slip with a flower! The mix of a flower and a slip like that reminded her of something. Actually, she sent the Crown Prince a flower and a letter every day, but she never received any reply from him. Despite the lack of his reply, she continued to write to him, but her efforts went nowhere, but this person that she had to deny sent her a flower first. ¡°Why?¡± She shouted loudly in the room. This time she was letting out her pent-up grudge against Bipaan as well as Ruhae who captivated her heart more and more. Her nanny who was on standby outside her room asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you awake?¡± She quickly came into the room. Noticing her standing near the window, the nanny came to her with short steps and said, ¡°Did you see anything unusual there?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.locfw5e1479e5da026 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.locfw5e1479e5da026 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.locfw5e1479e5da026 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.locfw5e1479e5da026 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.locfw5e1479e5da026 {display: block;}} She covered the flower with her palm quickly, but she was always clumsy. The nanny already noticed it, but pretended not to have seen it and murmured to herself, ¡°It looks like someone with quiet footsteps had been here last night.¡± ¡°Ugh? What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing. Let me bring you breakfast.¡± The nanny changed the topic. While telling the chief court lady to prepare breakfast, the nanny¡¯s facial expression was distorted subtly. In her mind, there was only one person who could have come to the Dongbi Palace last night, but the quick-witted nanny was aware of Kyosul¡¯s confused and complicated mind at the moment. Even she found it hard to judge which was a better option for Kyosul. As she was sick in bed for the past several days, Kyosul stayed at the Dongbi Palace. The rumor already spread throughout the imperial palace that she was physically weak because she had fallen sick twice since she came to the Mok Kingdom. That kind of image didn¡¯t fit her because she acted wild as a tomboy when she lived in the Hwa Kingdom. Anyway, the royal doctor kept an eye on her carefully, she had to stay put in her room. She was allowed to take a stroll for only one hour in the back garden. After she got up, the first she did at the desk was to write a letter to Bipaan. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.obsvp5e1479e5da0de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.obsvp5e1479e5da0de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.obsvp5e1479e5da0de {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.obsvp5e1479e5da0de {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.obsvp5e1479e5da0de {display: block;}} I¡¯m writing to you in a long time. Weren¡¯t you curious about how I was doing? I had a fever for the past several days. Writing up to that point, she put down the brush. As she wrote a letter with no reply, she wrote down every detail of her daily routines so far, such as her walk, hobby, her basking in the sun at the window, etc. Though she wrote it, she found it hard to write today. When she wrote on the empty piece of paper for Bipaan, that blank slip of paper placed on her windowsill everyday came to her mind. That blank slip seemed to reflect his heartfelt longing for her that he couldn¡¯t express to her in person. She opened the little drawer of the desk. There were lots of little flowers with white knots in it. When she peeked inside the drawer, she felt as if she were a child doing wrongdoing or she concealed her precious and genuine feelings toward him. ¡°What are all these?¡± When she looked at the flowers filling the drawer and the letter she hadn¡¯t yet finished, she let out a sigh. Closing the drawer, she turned her head. She now fixed her gaze at the innermost spot of her room, namely the wall near her bed. Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress was hung there, embroidered with blue butterflies. She approached it slowly. As it was hung high on the wall, she had to raise her head to see its collar. The big and wide fabric was larger than her small figure. Kyosul stroked it with her palm gently. The pretty silk was soft. She touched and stroked it like that in place of Bipaan that she could not see. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how big he was!¡± Looking at the big dress, she imagined his figure. She held the big sleeves, opened it and wrapped it around her body. When she pulled the sleeves across her chest, she stood as if she were hugged in his sleeves. The big wedding dress embraced her eerily. As she never felt his warmth, she could try to feel it from the dress. Wrapped in that dress with no human warmth, she opened her mouth slowly. ¡°Nanny!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here,¡± said the nanny who was waiting outside her room. Without looking at the nanny, Kyosul asked, while she was still wrapped in that dress. ¡°What is love?¡± That was an unexpected question. The nanny had to think hard before answering it. ¡°Your Highness,¡± After a long silence, she spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯m always on your side no matter what decision you make.¡± The nanny felt her mention of ¡®whatever decision you make¡¯ wouldn¡¯t get Kyosul¡¯s consent. She continued, ¡°But listen to me, Your Highness. There are many more people than you think in this palace who love you.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s just lip service.¡± ¡°I saw them.¡± The nanny said it clearly to Kyosul who was laughing sarcastically. ¡°While you were sick in bed, lots of people came to see you, including those I never expected to come. ¡°I really thank them for visiting me.¡± ¡°So, set your heart, please.¡± Kyosul was a bit disappointed. The nanny told her that she would be on her side, and she now said she should set her mind, implying that her mind was torn between Bipaan and Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wieqf5e1479e5d9f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wieqf5e1479e5d9f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wieqf5e1479e5d9f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wieqf5e1479e5d9f59 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wieqf5e1479e5d9f59 {display: block;}} Who should I set my heart on? Lots of thoughts came to her mind. ¡°I wonder if the Crown Prince¡­¡± Kyosul held Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress tightly. She looked down at the moment. After biting her lip several times, she asked with difficulty, ¡°I wonder if the Crown Prince ever came here to see me.¡± ¡°As for him¡­.¡± The nanny¡¯s eyes trembled. She slurred as she couldn¡¯t answer easily, but Kyosul could presume from her hesitating attitude that Bipaan didn¡¯t come to see her. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Kyosul said, waving at the nanny who couldn¡¯t bring herself to answer. ¡°Your Highness, in fact, he ¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright, nanny. I know I shouldn¡¯t expect any kindness or warmth from him.¡± The nanny looked down with a troubled expression. She was murmuring something. Chapter 45 Finally, Kyosul could go out with the royal doctor¡¯s approval, but she was allowed only to go around within the compound of the Dongbi Palace. In fact, she was fully recovered and pretty healthy contrary to everyone¡¯s fear. While she was wandering around the Dongbi Palace, she came to stop by the library. Looking around the bookshelves here and there, she examined one with sparkling eyes. She looked up at the top bookshelf. ¡°Why is the book I¡¯m looking for always on the top?¡± She reached out her hand. She couldn¡¯t touch it, so she took a small stand near the bookshelf and stepped on it. She touched it but couldn¡¯t take it. Narrowing her brows, she stretched her hand. Now, she stood on tiptoes and lightly jumped up. ¡°Oops!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zkytj5e1479e65fb15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zkytj5e1479e65fb15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zkytj5e1479e65fb15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zkytj5e1479e65fb15 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zkytj5e1479e65fb15 {display: block;}} At that moment, she lost balance and fell. She closed her eyes quickly. As it was not that high, she wasn¡¯t dangerous anyway. Thump! She fell from the little wooden ladder-style stand, but she didn¡¯t fall nor bump against the bookshelves behind her. ¡°Huh?¡± She opened her eyes. She stood still on the floor. The hands holding her were warm. She felt someone¡¯s warm chest behind her back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pawhu5e1479e65fa6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pawhu5e1479e65fa6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pawhu5e1479e65fa6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pawhu5e1479e65fa6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pawhu5e1479e65fa6b {display: block;}} ¡°Did you discover only today that there was also a library in the Dongbi Palace?¡± She heard someone¡¯s cold voice. She shivered at the voice instinctively because she knew whose voice it was. It was none other than Bipaan who held her. ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you here.¡± She awkwardly bowed. She looked funny when she turned her head with embarrassment. She was leaning on him with one of her feet on the stand and the other feet still off the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t think your posture is good enough to offer greetings to me,¡± said Bipaan. ¡°Really? I agree,¡± she said, bursting into laughter at that moment. His eyebrows wiggled. He lifted her and put her down on the floor with a rigid expression. She was happy to reach the floor safely but stepped back when Bipaan reacted coldly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Strange enough she felt her face become rigid. She closed her lips awkwardly. When she greeted him with a smile, Bipaan¡¯s face was chilly like a lump of ice. ¡°Do you enjoy it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± He said, ¡°I mean do you enjoy coming here?¡± He bit his lips. Unlike his reticent attitude, he talked a little more today, but his facial expression was as chilly as ever. ¡°As you asked me about the library of the outer palace the other day, I thought you didn¡¯t know there was no library in the East Palace. How about it? Don¡¯t you think this library has more books, and it¡¯s more interesting than the library of the outer palace?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± She just rolled her eyes, at a loss for words. She barely answered, ¡°I haven¡¯t read books here yet, but there are many interesting books here.¡± Every time Bipaan asked her a question, she felt he tested her fiercely. She was careful enough to select every word for fear she might offend his feelings. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.alcek5e1479e65fac3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.alcek5e1479e65fac3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.alcek5e1479e65fac3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.alcek5e1479e65fac3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.alcek5e1479e65fac3 {display: block;}} ¡°Are you going to keep acting like a rabbit whenever you reply?¡± ¡°Rabbit?¡± ¡°You move your shoulders when you reply to me¡­¡± She blushed at his critical comment and curled up her shoulders. As she was always tense around him, she got scared whenever he said something to her. This time he noticed it again. He came nearer to her. She smelled a sweet musk from his body, which she thought fitted him well because of its soft and fresh smell. When he came too close, she stepped back instinctively. Her back touched the bookshelves. She hunched her shoulders as she couldn¡¯t move back anymore. His sleeves touched the tip of her nose. Her heart sank suddenly. ¡°Here¡­¡± He then stepped back as quickly as he came near her then presented a book to her. It was the very book she was trying to reach out. Receiving the book with both hands, she asked with scared eyes, ¡°How did you know I was going to read this book?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I catch you when you fell from the stand while trying to get this book?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. You saw me falling here.¡± She awkwardly smiled at him. He just looked at her silently as if her question was ridiculous. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ytpfc5e1479e65fb6a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ytpfc5e1479e65fb6a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ytpfc5e1479e65fb6a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ytpfc5e1479e65fb6a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ytpfc5e1479e65fb6a {display: block;}} There was another awkward silence between them. She felt uncomfortable about being around him. She quietly stood before him as if she did something wrong. ¡°Goodbye for now.¡± After looking at her for a while, he turned. As he left as quickly as he appeared before her, she became impatient without any reason. She felt awkward and uncomfortable when he approached her, but she felt sorry about parting with him so suddenly. She held him all of a sudden. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± He stopped but didn¡¯t turn around. Looking at his broad back, she said, ¡°I was sick.¡± ¡°You look fine now,¡± he quickly answered. He didn¡¯t even look back at her. She had to be content with his stopping for a moment. Indeed, I don¡¯t have anything to expect from him. It seemed that she had some more expectations of him just because he caught her and got a book for her, but that kind of kindness was common when one met a stranger in need. She suddenly felt ashamed to think that her exchange of some words with him in a long time went to her head. She was thrilled to see him showing a friendly attitude in the library, but his chilly response to her questions put a damper on her expectations of him. She tightly closed her lips. Though her lips curved a bit, she didn¡¯t smile. In fact, she forced a smile to cover her bitter feelings. ¡°Yes, I am okay now. All thanks to you¡­¡± Her mention of ¡®all thanks to you¡¯ was her sarcastic response to him as his official wife who didn¡¯t receive any attention from him while she was sick. Will he ever be curious who really helped me fully recover? Without caring about her feelings at all, he said, ¡°Just take care of yourself.¡± And then he added something that made her heart sink, ¡°Remember that your body isn¡¯t yours alone. You have joined the royal family and my official wife. It is one of the virtues to keep yourself well. Don¡¯t make the members of the royal family uncomfortable and stay fit. I hope you won¡¯t make me bother about you in the future.¡± She was stared at him. Watching him rebuking her even without looking back, she agonized over how to deal with him in the future. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Instead of replying, she asked the question. ¡°You told me to do whatever I wanted to do, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± His answer was short. He didn¡¯t ask further as if he wasn¡¯t curious about her. She felt bitter. Though he didn¡¯t continue to speak, he didn¡¯t leave the place. He seemed to feel the tense atmosphere even without turning around. She clenched the book she was holding. That was Bipaan¡¯s only hospitality shown to her when he took it from the top bookshelf. ¡°When you said I could do whatever I wanted to, does it include my heart, too?¡± She asked with difficulty as she found it pretty hard to mention that word. ¡°Your heart¡­¡± His voice, marked by a flat tone all the time, trembled. The end of his words sounded sharp and seemed to sneer at her. As she found it hard to figure out what he was thinking of, she got anxious as the silence continued. ¡°Given that you dared to ask me such a question, you seem to have made up your mind already. Even if I add any word, how can I move your heart?¡± ¡°What you mean is¡­¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know how many times I have already told you. You can do whatever you want to unless your actions impede me succeeding the throne. I won¡¯t care what you do or what you decide.¡± Bipaan quickly answered her question and left the place. She spaced out as if she had been hit in the head. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hcmaa5e1479e65fa0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hcmaa5e1479e65fa0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hcmaa5e1479e65fa0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hcmaa5e1479e65fa0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hcmaa5e1479e65fa0d {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I am stupid,¡± she barely responded. Of course, that was her complimentary response. She wondered if he heard her faint reply. It didn¡¯t matter anyway. As he was her husband, Kyosul momentarily had some expectations today, but she was mistaken again. She was hoping for his futile love. As always, Bipaan was cold-hearted. ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re so cold-hearted to me.¡± What should she do now? Even though she tried to keep a firm hand on her feelings, everybody seemed to sway her mind. It seemed that they were creating a situation in which they turned her around their fingers. She couldn¡¯t figure out how to respond or how to cope with the situation. She felt like throwing up. Was it the right thing for her to be faithful to her genuine feelings and do whatever she felt comfortable about? For a moment, she was lost in such thoughts. The book cover she was holding was crumpled. Chapter 46 ¡°How can I prove it to her?¡± Ruhae sat at his desk as usual. If there was anything different about him these days, his busy work and favorite books couldn¡¯t catch his eye. ¡°What can I prove to her at all?¡± He let out a long sigh. His voice was full of self-reproach. Though he spoke with bravado before Kyosul, he didn¡¯t know what to do. How to deal with one¡¯s emotions was difficult. It was the first time Ruhae had to wrestle with his emotions. Little did he think he was going agonize over love. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tgkic5e1479e580521 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tgkic5e1479e580521 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tgkic5e1479e580521 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tgkic5e1479e580521 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tgkic5e1479e580521 {display: block;}} ¡°Love someone?¡± At the slightest mention of that word, he felt thrilled and often smiled before he knew. He was severely troubled by his complicated mind until a moment ago, but he suddenly burst into smiling as if something came to his mind. ¡°So far, I¡¯ve thought that emotions have nothing to do with me, but you¡¯re really an amazing woman to me.¡± Ruhae was a recognized scholar in the Mok Kingdom who was interested in learning or state affairs only. Nobody imagined he would agonize over an issue for so long, that was not related to his learning or state affairs. Ruhae was aware of what love was. Of course, he knew the definition at least. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.njfbs5e1479e580480 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.njfbs5e1479e580480 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.njfbs5e1479e580480 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.njfbs5e1479e580480 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.njfbs5e1479e580480 {display: block;}} ¡°Indeed, how can you mention love here in this imperial palace?¡± The word ¡®love¡¯ didn¡¯t fit the imperial palace at all. It couldn¡¯t be more foolish to mention love in the imperial palace just like one mentioned floods in the desert. The relation of acquaintance in the imperial palace was formed with the focus on the relevant parties¡¯ self-interest. Of course, there were some people in the palace who shared their genuine feelings and opinions. For example, Prince Dukwol and his wife Oran, Prince Binsung and Heyrin were on intimate terms, sharing genuine love. Though Dukwol and Oran were married for political convenience, they led a happy married life. In the case of Binsung and Heyjin, it was somewhat different. He forcibly took her as his wife thanks to his mother and Ohyulje¡¯s favorite concubine Jeyong¡¯s pressure and his stubbornness. But it was a special case involving Binsung and Heyjin and seemed irrelevant to Ruhae. For Ruhae, his relationship with Kyosul was more complicated as it involved Bipaan, his older brother and his official wife. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hide my affection for you nor try to stop my longing for you.¡± Ruhae vowed again. It was the first time he met the type of woman that he wanted so much with so fervent feelings and longing. He closed his eyes. He always thought about her and looked into his heart. His pounding heartbeat vibrated through him. A woman¡¯s face he always missed was deeply etched in his heart. Though it was brief, he could vividly feel her touch when she was wrapped in her arms. He didn¡¯t want to forget or lose her touch. ¡°I think I have to honestly show her my genuine feelings about her.¡± He opened his eyes. There would be no sense in relying on luck or cunning tricks in courting her. Though her relationship with her was complicated, he had to solve it step by step. As this was the first time he went through this kind of relationship, he had to tackle it just like he used to tackle problems. He took out a piece of white drawing paper. And he rubbed an ink stick on an inkstone for a long time. Only when it started to get dark did he pick up the brush. He held and put down the brush several times, and finally, he dipped the brush in the inks and put down a black dot on the drawing paper. You asked me why I led you on, right? You asked me whether I made fun of you, right? I dared not to deceive you. I just couldn¡¯t say that in front of you. Once he started confessing, he he couldn¡¯t stop. He continued to write. The drawing paper was quickly filled with his longing for her as if to dispel his agonizing hours up to now. Maybe I embraced you in my heart from the beginning. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t identify myself to you at that time. I didn¡¯t want to let the difference in our status stand in the way of our relationship. But that was my shallow trick, which I think was very foolish. Though it was certain that someday my real identity would be revealed to you, I just wanted to hide it and be with you as an ordinary man, not in the capacity of a prince¡­ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.skofg5e1479e5804d2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.skofg5e1479e5804d2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.skofg5e1479e5804d2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.skofg5e1479e5804d2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.skofg5e1479e5804d2 {display: block;}} Recalling her face, he kept writing until late into the night. His endless longing for her poured out over the paper. After he finished, he looked back at his affectionate feelings toward her. ¡°Oh, my mind looks like this. If I hand this paper to you, can you appreciate how much I miss you?¡± But he ran into the next difficulty. The imperial palace was vast. Unless he had any special business, it was difficult to bump into Kyosul. Besides, the court ladies resided with the Crown Princess. To make matters worse, Kyosul avoided seeing Ruhae these days. She seemed to have stopped taking a stroll in the back garden of the outer palace. How can he convey the paper reflecting his passionate feelings to her under such a situation? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wnfcm5e1479e580572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wnfcm5e1479e580572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wnfcm5e1479e580572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wnfcm5e1479e580572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wnfcm5e1479e580572 {display: block;}} ¡°Even if I convey my desperate heart to you slowly, even that is not easy.¡± When he went up one stair, he had to stop before the next stair. Frankly admitting that this was going to be a challenging task, he just looked at himself frustrated at the reality unfolding before him. But he could find a clue to solve the problem in an unexpected place. *** ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m here to inquire after her.¡± A guest visited the Dongbi Palace. Kyosul met the man for the first time, who had a neat topknot with plain ornaments. ¡°How do you do, Crown Princess? In fact, I came here recently when you were sick in bed, but I didn¡¯t introduce myself in person at that time. My name is Prince Binsung.¡± He had a simple and neat impression. As he hadn¡¯t yet turned 20, he looked immature, but he was tall and broad shoulders. ¡°Oh, I heard from my nanny that you came here. Thanks for caring about me.¡± ¡°I was very sorry to hear that you became sick after you came to the North Palace to see my wife.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. As for your wife¡­¡± While exchanging greetings with him, her eyes trembled. She cast a glance at another man next to Prince Binsung. He was none other than Ruhae. Just like he did yesterday, Ruhae greeted her with his eyes, smiling lightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I met you.¡± Binsung looked at Ruhae with surprise when the latter said that. ¡°Did you already see her?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°When I arrived in the Mok Kingdom, he greeted me,¡± she cut in hurriedly, as if that were the only and last time she saw him for fear Ruhae might say something that could embarrass her. With a gentle smile on his lips, Ruhae nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, Binsung,¡± Ruhae said. ¡°By the way, Brother Ruhae, you are in charge of cultural and educational affairs, right?¡± Binsung asked, tilting his head. It was true that Ruhae was in charge of cultural and educational affairs, but he was only responsible for education and civil exam tests. His major duty was to maintain justice in the country. Kyosul flinched at Binsung¡¯s sharp question, who seemed to understand Ruhae¡¯s duty in general. Ruhae answered without any hesitation. ¡°If I put it more accurately, it was not my original duty, but my older brother asked me to take it over.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ozeei5e1479e580425 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ozeei5e1479e580425 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ozeei5e1479e580425 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ozeei5e1479e580425 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ozeei5e1479e580425 {display: block;}} ¡°Are you talking about the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Sort of¡­¡± Ruhae didn¡¯t answer accurately but laughed it off. But with sparkling eyes, Binsung folded both hands and said, ¡°As expected, you¡¯re a highly competent man, Brother Ruhae. That¡¯s why Crown Prince Bipaan assigned such an important task to you just like he did the same when selecting his official wife.¡± Binsung said that to praise Ruhae, but his praise made her heart sink again. She was troubled by the fact that the Crown Prince left even the important task of selecting his official wife to others. In other words, Bipaan didn¡¯t care about Kyosul at all. She couldn¡¯t help but think that her relationship with him was wrong from the beginning. ¡°As you greeted the Crown Princess from a foreign country, I¡¯m also reminded of the day when my wife arrived at the imperial palace,¡± said Binsung. ¡°At that time she was dressed in the formal dress of the Jinsung Kingdom. Decorated with a colorful face veil and large jewels, she looked like a noblewoman from the sky. I¡¯d never seen such a beautiful woman before.¡± Having said that, he was lost in wistful reminiscences about her. Looking at his expression, Ruhae could fully sense how much he loved her. The face of a man in deep love looked so cute. Binsung and Heyjin looked happy. Chapter 47 Ruhae felt Prince Binsung and Heyjin¡¯s warm affection for each other. Even though he couldn¡¯t touch it, Ruhae felt as if he were burnt by the intense warmth of their love. Kyosul was startled while trying to turn her eyes from Prince Binsung and Heyjin. Ruhae¡¯s expression was the same as Binsung¡¯s, filled with an ardent, blazing yearning. She hunched her shoulders and looked down. Ruhae¡¯s eyes intense gaze made her blush. Why is he looking at me like that? Kyousul worried about Binsung growing suspicious of their relationship. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ofniw5e1479e519fb5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ofniw5e1479e519fb5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ofniw5e1479e519fb5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ofniw5e1479e519fb5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ofniw5e1479e519fb5 {display: block;}} Binsung continued, ¡°I loved Heyjin at first sight. I begged my parents to allow me to marry her, and I finally succeeded in making her my official wife.¡± He reminisced about his first meeting with Heyjin with great emotion. While hearing his story, Kyosul felt somewhat pressured. Binsung and Ruhae both met foreign women and fell in love with them. ¡°I think I am too sentimental. I just find myself conjuring up my wife¡¯s face whatever topic I bring up, Brother Ruhae,¡± said Binsung, laughing heartily. ¡°I like that. I like the way you express your genuine feelings,¡± said Ruhae. Kyosul glanced at Ruhae and found that his expression had changed. She felt relieved to notice it but sad at the same time. Was she mistaken in interpreting Ruhae¡¯s ardent gaze? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fbmyn5e1479e519f17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fbmyn5e1479e519f17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fbmyn5e1479e519f17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fbmyn5e1479e519f17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fbmyn5e1479e519f17 {display: block;}} In no time, Ruhae¡¯s gaze changed back. Yeah, he can¡¯t reveal his feelings to others. He¡¯s pretty good at concealing his expression. She thought it was fortunate that Ruhae showed such control, but she felt bitter deep inside. ¡°Both of you look good, Prince Binsung. I envy you,¡± she said. But she immediately regretted her last statement. Fortunately, Binsung only felt embarrassed at her comment, not knowing her hidden meaning, but Ruhae cast a strange glance at her while looking her in the face. His eyes were loaded with his feelings toward her. His eyes reminded her of the blue flower and blank slip he placed on the windowsill of her room every morning. Kyosul clenched her fists, crumpling her skirt. ¡°By the way, why did you come here to see me with Prince Ruhae?¡± As his elder brother, Ruhae answered first, ¡°Binsung is my favorite brother.¡± As soon as he said that, Binsung exclaimed, ¡°Brother Ruhae!¡± and looked at him with a moved expression on his face. Binsung¡¯s reaction was violent and genuine. Ruhae naturally stroked the back of his head as if they were very friendly to one another. ¡°These days Prince Ruhae has been helping me a lot. Today, I met him on my way here and asked him to accompany me to visit you, Crown Princess,¡± Binsung said. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Kyosul recalled the day when she bumped into Ruhae in the North Palace. ¡°Can I ask how he has been helping you, Prince Binsung?¡± ¡°Well, I want to name my baby, so I asked for his help.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s great if you can name your baby,¡± she said. ¡°I would like to give him a blessed name, so I¡¯m thinking about it in many ways.¡± When he thought of the baby in Heyjin¡¯s womb, Binsung¡¯s face was full of happiness. These days, Prince Binsung was the happiest man in the imperial palace. Unable to overcome his excitement, Binsung continued, ¡°Did you know? Prince Ruhae is really a smart man. Perhaps, he is the best scholar in the Mok Kingdom. I hear he could read letters before he turned five. He is not only well versed in learning but also in writing. Besides, he is so capable. Even though I find it hard to handle the industrial affairs assigned to me, he handles justice as well as educational and cultural affairs. Emperor Ohyulje really wants to maximize his talent and capabilities. Though he might feel tired because of his overwhelming workload, he¡¯s really delivering a great service to the Mok Kingdom, which is a blessing to the kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I understand,¡± she responded, nodding quietly. She knew all of that. Even before she knew his real identity, she heard lots of things about him while she was meeting with people in the outer palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ymqhz5e1479e519f68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ymqhz5e1479e519f68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ymqhz5e1479e519f68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ymqhz5e1479e519f68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ymqhz5e1479e519f68 {display: block;}} It was hard for her to nod as if she heard it all for the first time. ¡°Even though he is so busy, Prince Ruhae was kind-hearted enough to accept my request. In fact, I¡¯m grateful to him every day.¡± ¡°Oh, man. I¡¯m flattered. That¡¯s nothing special to speak of, Binsung.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re kind-hearted, too,¡± she said. ¡°You came to inquire after when I was sick in bed the other day, and you came again today. I appreciate it very much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Crown Princess. The reason I¡¯ve come here today is that I want to check your condition and ask you a favor.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.paxbx5e1479e51a005 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.paxbx5e1479e51a005 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.paxbx5e1479e51a005 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.paxbx5e1479e51a005 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.paxbx5e1479e51a005 {display: block;}} ¡°Pardon? Ask me a favor?¡± With an embarrassed look, Binsung nodded then spoke cautiously, ¡°Yes, a favor. I enjoyed talking with you and Prince Ruhae so much that I almost forgot to ask you a favor. May I ask you a favor as you are much better now?¡± ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t as sick as you thought, but I¡¯m fully recovered now¡­¡± She found herself trying to look at Ruhae. She sensed he was staring at her, but she focused on Binsung and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can help you, but please feel free to ask me¡­¡± ¡°Could you keep my wife company?¡± ¡°Keep her company?¡± ¡°Yes. After you came to the North Palace to meet my wife, she talked to me about you often.¡± ¡°Oh, Princess Heyjin did so?¡± Though she visited Heyjin recently, she didn¡¯t talk much at that time. She just gave Heyjin a craft made in the Hwa Kingdom. She was curious about what Heyjin had to say about her. As if he read Kyosul¡¯s curiosity, Binsung added, ¡°It looks like my wife felt a sense of kinship with you as you came from a foreign country like her. My wife is very sociable, so she wanted to mingle with the members of the royal family by attending tea parties as well as going to the back garden, but she often found herself confined to her residence in the North Palace. She found it hard to make friends with others in the palace.¡± Binsung seemed sympathetic towards his wife because she couldn¡¯t get comfortable in the palace. ¡°She asked me about Crown Princess Kyosul for the first time. She told me several times that you came to see her and praised your gift.¡± ¡°Oh my ¡­¡± Binsung moved one step back and lowered her head before her knees, ¡°Please keep her company as she has been confined to her room since she got pregnant.¡± ¡°Prince Binsung, please raise your head. You don¡¯t have to bow.¡± Embarrassed by his deep bowing, she held out her hand across the desk. He only raised his head slightly to look at her, ¡°If you say I don¡¯t have to act like this, are you going to accept my request?¡± She grinned before she knew, ¡°In fact, I am also bored these days. So I also want your wife to be my new friend. Let me stop by the North Palace soon.¡± Though she accepted his request, Binsung still had his head bowed as if he was not yet satisfied with her reply. Sensing his desperation, she repeated her promise, ¡°Let me try to see her often.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± He lifted his head completely. Hearing his excited reply, she could feel his strong love of Heyjin As he looked so cute and happy at that moment, Kyosul smiled at him. Her smile moved Ruhae and made him grin at him. Kyosul and Ruhae caught each other¡¯s gaze while grinning casually at him. As if she were exposed to sparks, she hastily turned her eyes away. As she was also with Binsung, nobody could gossip about her encounter with Ruhae thoughtlessly, but she felt it was dangerous for her to catch his eye often. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tufpg5e1479e519ebd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tufpg5e1479e519ebd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tufpg5e1479e519ebd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tufpg5e1479e519ebd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tufpg5e1479e519ebd {display: block;}} After he was done asking her a favor, Binsung prepared to leave, and Ruhae also left with him. She could breathe comfortably only when she was left alone in her room. ¡°Never did I expect to see him like this!¡± Though she was embarrassed to see Ruhae unexpectedly, she thought about him in a wistful mood. Besides, she was nervous when she was face to face with Binsung at the thought that she was hiding a secret from him. ¡°I thought this kind of thing would never happen. Even if it happens again, it probably won¡¯t happen again for a long while.¡± But her vague optimism was completely dashed on the first day when she visited the North Palace after Binsung saw her. ¡°Your Highness Crown Princess!¡± Heyjin greeted Kyosul with a bright smile. She was leaning back on a cushioned mat when Kyosul came into her room. ¡°I heard from Prince Binsung that he asked you a favor. Thanks so much for coming to see me so quickly like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Actually, I felt sorry as I came to see you so late.¡± ¡°How are you? I heard that you were sick in bed after you came to my place last time. I felt so sorry to hear that.¡± Chapter 48 ¡°I think I worried you as I happened to get sick after having seen you. I¡¯m fully recovered now. So, don¡¯t worry. In fact, I was not sick enough to make many others worry about me,¡± Kyosul said cheerfully. She added, ¡°I wanted to go out for an outing as soon as possible, but the royal doctor stopped me from going out. I thought I could get more healthy if I breathed in some fresh air and basked in the sun. It looks like the royal doctor is too protective.¡± Heyjin burst into laughter when she got overly chatty. Her laughter was clear and pleasant like pebbles hitting each other in a stream. ¡°I think I know what you mean, Your Highness. When I got pregnant, the royal doctor was really protective, too. I just gave up taking walks and confined myself to my room.¡± ¡°In other words, you chose to stay put here rather than hear his nagging, right?¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kdkic5e1479e51695d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kdkic5e1479e51695d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kdkic5e1479e51695d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kdkic5e1479e51695d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kdkic5e1479e51695d {display: block;}} Heyjin opened her eyes wide with surprise. She tried to hold back her laughter with her hands. Heyjin was in the same situation as Kyosul. Neither liked the royal doctor making such a fuss about their outings and opposing them. While speaking ill of him, both naturally felt a bond of sympathy. ¡°You¡¯re right. Your description of the royal doctor is so accurate and interesting.¡± ¡°I hope I am not rude to him.¡± ¡°Not at all. I think I was right when I decided to ask for your company.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy you think so,¡± replied Kyosul kindly. While smiling at Heyjin, Kyosul looked away often even though she tried to fix her eyes on Heyjin. In some respects, Kyosul seemed to talk a lot on purpose because of Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.aasmg5e1479e5168bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.aasmg5e1479e5168bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.aasmg5e1479e5168bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.aasmg5e1479e5168bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.aasmg5e1479e5168bf {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again,¡± he said. ¡°Nice to see you here, too.¡± Did Hyejin notice her affectionate feelings toward him? Kyosul felt a prick in her heart but tried her best not to reveal it. She didn¡¯t turn her head when she talked to Heyjin. She barely spoke now. ¡°Why are you in the North Palace, Prince Ruhae?¡± Kyosul asked. He was sitting beside Heyjin¡¯s desk, who was sitting face to face with Kyosul. When Kyosul arrived at the North Palace, she noticed a pair of black wooden shoes on the stepping stones. At that time she thought they belonged to Prince BInsung, but it had been Ruhae. Lowering his head slightly, Ruhae replied politely. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m giving her prenatal education here.¡± ¡°Oh, prenatal education?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m reading her basic classical books and beautiful stories for the baby in her womb.¡± Then, he picked up the book that was lengthways on her desk. Kyosul was curious about the book while talking with her, thinking it was her book. His visit made sense. Ruhae¡¯s accompanying Binsung to see her the other day and his presence in Heyjin¡¯s room now was all legitimate, but Kyosul felt embarrassed as her path overlapped his often. ¡°Are you personally in charge of the princess¡¯s baby?¡± Kyosul hastily shook her hand and said, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean to underestimate you. I just thought you might be too busy with managing your overwhelming workload, so I wondered if you could do this additional job of prenatal education.¡± Heyjin could have taken her remarks as looking down on her baby, but she just smiled as if she didn¡¯t care about what Kyosul said. Looking at Kyosul sweating out in embarrassment, Ruhae laughed slightly and said, ¡°In fact, Binsung asked for my prenatal education. You decided to keep Princess Heyjin¡¯s company at the request of Binsung, right? He made the request to me first.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ruhae explained by alluding to Binsung¡¯s efforts. Thanks to Ruhae¡¯s quick reply, Kyosul was saved further embarrassment. While she let out a sigh of relief, Ruhae changed the topic to Heyjin. ¡°I think Prince Binsung thinks the world of you. He asked me to give you prenatal education in person, then he seemed to have listened to your passing remarks on the Crown Princess and went to see her to convey your wishes. This is only possible because of his enormous affection for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered, Prince Ruhae.¡± ¡°It really looks good to me!¡± he said. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qgptb5e1479e516910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qgptb5e1479e516910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qgptb5e1479e516910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qgptb5e1479e516910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qgptb5e1479e516910 {display: block;}} While Ruhae and Heyjin were talking, Kyosul looked at him secretly for fear Heyjin might notice it. Though she fixed her eyes on Heyjin, she only paid attention to Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kmbhc5e1479e5169ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kmbhc5e1479e5169ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kmbhc5e1479e5169ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kmbhc5e1479e5169ad {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kmbhc5e1479e5169ad {display: block;}} He was the same from his white. clean face, his bangs and neatly tied topknot to his straight gaze, soft smile, and polite tone. While looking at him, Kyosul felt somewhat empty and bitter. She felt as if it were a distant past when he visited her residence recently and almost touched her lips and ears with his long fingers. She clearly remembered that he told her he would prove his affection for her, but she could not find any trace of his courage or boldness in him today. Kyosul even felt resentful towards him because she felt like she alone got nervous and anxious about him. While looking at him maintaining an expression of peace now, she felt that he toyed with her in the past. She felt she alone felt affectionate towards him even though he first approached her with genuine feelings. She pouted, complaining deep inside, I just don¡¯t know why I feel strange like this¡­ Kyosul stopped pouting with difficulty. Heyjin said, ¡°It was the first time.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± While she was lost in her thoughts, Kyosul couldn¡¯t follow what Ruhae and Heyjin were talking about. What did she mean by ¡®the first time¡¯? She was at a loss as she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Ruhae was trying to hold back his laughter, which made her blush. Heyjin continued, ¡°I mean the reason why I asked Prince Binsung to ask you to keep my company. Except for my husband, you were the first who was considerate enough to like the sculpture made in my motherland.¡± ¡°Was that the reason?¡± Kyosul was embarrassed once again. Kyosul felt it was kind of far-fetched that she mentioned it to her husband several times. Maybe she was really bored in the North Palace. As if she read Kyosul¡¯s mind, Heyjin added, ¡°Most of the people who saw that sculpture expressed surprise at first then looked down on it with an air of conceit.¡± ¡°How can they look down on such a wonderful sculpture?¡± Kyosul asked with thinking, but not only Heyjin but also Ruhae were already accustomed to her way of speaking her mind freely. ¡°The Jinsung Kingdom is a vassal state, and they seem to think its people are an uncivilized race. So, I¡¯m used to their treating it like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much,¡± Kyosul said, bursting into anger. Then, Kyosul added, ¡°The Hwa Kingdom, my motherland, is also a small state compared with the Mok Kingdom, but the Mok Kingdom can¡¯t ignore it. No matter how excellent it might be, any kingdom should not judge another country¡¯s culture by its own standard. That¡¯s really arrogant. I think an empire state like the Mok Kingdom should be more cautious about expressing such an attitude.¡± ¡°Why do you think it should be cautious?¡± Ruhae cut in while listening to Kyosul¡¯s argument quietly. Kyosul responded, ¡°Don¡¯t you think such an attitude could lead to an empire¡¯s improper treatment of a weak country? I may be blowing this out of proportion, but I think if an empire thinks a country is uncivilized or looks down on it just because it is weak and small, it virtually discriminates against such a country.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hbpcd5e1479e516866 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hbpcd5e1479e516866 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hbpcd5e1479e516866 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hbpcd5e1479e516866 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hbpcd5e1479e516866 {display: block;}} ¡°Then, do you have the view that an empire should avoid discrimination against a weak country?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Don¡¯t you think the ruler of an empire should stop treating a weak state improperly more than anything else?¡± ¡°Are you talking about its welfare policy on its vassal state?¡± asked Ruhae in a very sharp tone. There were no romantic thoughts in their minds at this moment. Ruhae didn¡¯t try to read her mind nor feel thrilled but began to argue logically. ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about it. My point is the empire should respect a weak state as a matter of principle.¡± ¡°Just like the basic respect of a human being?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite liberal-minded,¡± said Ruhae, looking into her provocative eyes. There was a smile on his lips as usual, but his eyes were the same as before. Kyosul seemed to see a prince of the Mok Kingdom, not Ruhae who she used to know. ¡°But in a society where the discrimination against people in terms of their ranks and social status exists, how can you overcome their treatment with contempt and social discrimination? Basic respect for them as human beings can disrupt the order of ranks. What are you going to do about this?¡± Ruhae asked sharply. While speaking her opinion freely without reserve, she hesitated at that moment. But Ruhae continued to ask mercilessly, ¡°If you argue for the sake of argument, it will never go anywhere. Any idea without any practical support is no more than an ideal.¡± Chapter 49 While watching their war of words, Heyjin cut in, ¡°I think Your Highness is a woman who can translate her ideas into action. So, I don¡¯t think you are right when you say her remarks don¡¯t have any practical support or application.¡± Kyosul looked at Heyjin as she continued, ¡°She was kind enough to speak on behalf of me out of anger over people¡¯s dismissive treatment of Jinsung Kingdom, and there have not been many like her who have treated me kindly without any prejudice against my skin and hair color.¡± Heyjin extended her hand and pointed at the gift Kyosul gave her on display near her mattress. ¡°The Crown Princess is the only person who has given me such a precious gift. As you say, I¡¯m flattered, and I am grateful to you. In addition to this reason, I¡¯ve asked to keep her company as I think she must feel lonely here as a foreign woman,¡± said Heyjin, changing the topic naturally. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I rude to you, Crown Princess Kyosul? If I had not been pregnant, I think I would have visited you more often in the East Palace.¡± ¡°No, no, you were not,¡± said Kyosul, waving her hand. As if she waited for that, Heyjin said, looking at her swollen belly, ¡°Then, could you come to my place more often when it¡¯s convenient for you? As I have to stay inside for, I¡¯m thinking hard about how to get out of my boredom.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hvdly5e1479e58da7f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hvdly5e1479e58da7f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hvdly5e1479e58da7f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hvdly5e1479e58da7f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hvdly5e1479e58da7f {display: block;}} ¡°When are you due?¡± ¡°I think I can deliver a baby before summer ends.¡± Heyjin stroked her belly. Her round belly was swollen. As there were not many offsprings in the imperial family of the Mok Kingdom, she couldn¡¯t move freely for fear she could get injured while pregnant. She couldn¡¯t get out of the North Palace. The North Palace was full of tasseled cords of straw and charcoal incense for Heyjin¡¯s baby. She was allowed to bask in the sun while taking a stroll only during her allowed time. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you often throughout the summer, then.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.obxwf5e1479e58d9d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.obxwf5e1479e58d9d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.obxwf5e1479e58d9d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.obxwf5e1479e58d9d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.obxwf5e1479e58d9d8 {display: block;}} Kyosul promised her with a smile. As a woman who loved friends and liked to go out, Kyosul had no reason to refuse her request. After she was done talking with Heyjin, Kyosul was about to leave the North Palace. The moment she crossed the outside door, someone called her in a low voice as if he had been waiting for her. ¡°You must have felt awkward, ¡± Ruhae said. After he left ahead of Kyosul, Ruhae had been waiting for her there instead of returning to the South Palace. She flinched at his voice. ¡°Prince Ruhae!¡± Embarrassed, she looked around, but he was just carefree, leaning against the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Court ladies here are pretty busy taking care of Princess Heyjin, so they don¡¯t have time to look outside. There are no court ladies here. Princess Heyjin can see from her room, but not me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What I mean is you can feel relaxed as there is nobody here watching us, but if you keep standing there like that, she might smell a rat,¡± Ruhae said. Instantly sensing that she was still standing right before the threshold, with one foot outside the gate and the other on the threshold, Kyosul quickly moved. When she was trying to go in the opposite direction of the wall, he quickly pulled her to his side. As she was defenseless, she had no choice but to be dragged nearer to him. She slumped. She felt something warm and broad behind her back. She heard a faint heartbeat. ¡°What the heck are you¡­.¡± ¡°Shush! They¡¯re going to hear you.¡± With a blush, she was about to fly into a passion but closed her lips when he raised his thumb before his lips. She felt like she was going crazy as she was again sucked in. When she regained her pride and tried to hang tough, he lowered his head and whispered into her ear, ¡°If you act like this, you¡¯ll be caught by them in no time.¡± ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m caught?¡± She felt hot around her ears. His breathing touched the back of her neck. She felt as if she were in his arms. No, I should come to my senses. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cgbqw5e1479e58da2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cgbqw5e1479e58da2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cgbqw5e1479e58da2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cgbqw5e1479e58da2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cgbqw5e1479e58da2a {display: block;}} She tried to show her anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you know your rude behavior now could drive you into a more dangerous situation?¡± ¡°Nope because there is nobody watching us here.¡± ¡°Well, that watchful eye ¡­¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re more quick-witted than I think, Your Highness.¡± When he said that, she closed her lips again. His quiet whispering words made her heart sink. ¡°You looked so awkward in Princess Heyjin¡¯s room. You were too conscious of me.¡± ¡°What about you? Do you think you were so carefree?¡± ¡°What if I was not carefree?¡± While he was trying to correct her with a little warning, he looked at her with a sweet expression. Pulled right before his eyes, she was small and pretty. As she turned her head, he could see the clean bridge of her nose. Sunlight shone on her chubby cheeks. Her fluffy cheeks looked like a peach. Every time her long eyelashes trembled, his heart also trembled. He wanted to reach out and hug her tightly when she grumbled as if she were upset, but this was the most he could do at this point, and even now he was too close to her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vyivi5e1479e58dad2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vyivi5e1479e58dad2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vyivi5e1479e58dad2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vyivi5e1479e58dad2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vyivi5e1479e58dad2 {display: block;}} Regardless of his heartfelt yearning for her, she kept voicing her regrets in a sullen voice. ¡°Why did you look so carefree and peaceful? I just can¡¯t understand your sudden change of expression.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but flirt with her as she acted so cutely. He asked in a soft voice, ¡°So, are you upset with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± She was embarrassed, dumbfounded, shameful and even upset. Upset? Who was upset with whom? She couldn¡¯t accept his attitude. Losing her temper, she turned her head quickly. ¡°Gosh!¡± Her eyes were opened pretty wide with anger. She didn¡¯t forget that he was lowering his head right behind her. When she turned her head strongly, his face was right before her eyes. In fact, she touched her face to his. She froze on the spot with her nose touching his face. He also spaced out when she suddenly turned her head and touched his face. His clear glittering eyes, not the clear sky, shone on her. She felt as if she could be burned by his intense eyes. His deep eyebrows and the sharp end of his nose seemed to touch her face. Her thin lips trembled. Kyosul¡¯s long eyelashes trembled, too. Her slightly open lips gleamed. He couldn¡¯t imagine that honey could be sweeter than her lips. If he could come closer to her lips¡­ He felt if he lowered his head a bit or pouted his lips slightly, or even moved his neck and chin slightly, he could easily kiss her lips. His tender breathing was mixed with her sweet breathing. His hand, grasping her wrist, slowly climbed up her forearm. Every time his long fingers touched her, Kyosul trembled as if she were burned by a fire. His hand finally touched her shoulder while rubbing her collar. His fingertips touched her neck. Then, he put down his trembling fingers and gripped her shoulders tightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± The moment he said that she failed to stay alert. She could feel his angst from his firm grip on her shoulders. Though she tried her best to stop him, she wasn¡¯t firm enough to push him away. ¡°I missed you,¡± he said. At his genuine confession, her eyebrows trembled again. What should I do? He is so sincere. She just couldn¡¯t move at all. She could neither push nor pull him. She just had to maintain a proper distance with him like this. *** Kyosul wiggled her lips. Staring into the air blankly, with her eyes losing focus, she indulged in fantasy. Bang! There was heard the sound of a thick pot clinking on a wooden tray. Only then did Kyosul come to her senses. She almost let the tea of her cup spill as it was tilted to one side. She quickly corrected her posture and put it down. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vcrko5e1479e58d97d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vcrko5e1479e58d97d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vcrko5e1479e58d97d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vcrko5e1479e58d97d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vcrko5e1479e58d97d {display: block;}} At that moment Kyosul was in the middle of sharing tea and cookies with Concubine Sassi in her residence of the Dongbi Palace. ¡°Your Highness, I see you often vacant in the Dongbi Palace these days. Have you found any pastime?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been visiting the North Palace these days.¡± ¡°North Palace?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been keeping her company to cheer up her baby. As she is now allowed to go outside the palace even if she is not yet big with child, she feels really bored.¡± ¡°With that princess¡­¡± Sassi¡¯s face looked gloomy at that moment. She seemed to take pains to hide her expression, but Kyosul already sensed it. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just nothing.¡± Sassi tried not to say any further. Typically she didn¡¯t hide anything to Kyosul. Chapter 50 In the end Kyosul leaned forward and asked her again out of strong curiosity. ¡°Please tell me¡­..¡± Sassi¡¯s eyes trembled from side to side. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have anything particular to say¡­¡± Apparently Sassi didn¡¯t want to go into details. Nonetheless, it looked as if she didn¡¯t want to hide anything to Kyosul but at the same time she seemed agonized over whether it was right to tell her everything down to the last detail. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rxkht5e1479e505910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rxkht5e1479e505910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rxkht5e1479e505910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rxkht5e1479e505910 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rxkht5e1479e505910 {display: block;}} ¡°Sassi, is it something that I should not know?¡± ¡°Well, I can let you know about it, but I don¡¯t necessarily have to tell you, either. I¡¯m just afraid if I tell you, you might have prejudice against her when you are now increasing exchanges with her.¡± ¡°It looks like there are some bad rumors about Heyjin, right?¡± Kyosul tried to make an educated guess when Sassi hesitated. As expected, Sassi nodded, putting on a sour face. ¡°Do you believe that bad rumor?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kfbnn5e1479e505871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kfbnn5e1479e505871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kfbnn5e1479e505871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kfbnn5e1479e505871 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kfbnn5e1479e505871 {display: block;}} ¡°Nope. There are so many groundless rumors getting around in the palace. You might run into big trouble if you don¡¯t filter them out,¡± said Sassi, waving her hand. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m quick-witted enough to filter out wild rumors. Do you think I¡¯m foolish enough to believe every rumor without ascertaining its truth?¡± ¡°Of course, I know you are not. I know how smart and kind-hearted our Crown Princess is. In fact I just feel reluctant to say about some bad rumors about others.¡± ¡°Then, please tell me. What if I make a mistake to Princess Heyjin without knowing anything about her rumors?¡± Kyosul¡¯s point made sense. After all, Sassi said in a low voice, ¡°The fact is we concubines keep our distance from her.¡± ¡°Why? Did she make any wrongdoing?¡± she asked in surprise. Her impression of Heyjin was that she was exotic but kind. She didn¡¯t look like a woman who could incur others¡¯ hatred, so Kyosul couldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°When she entered the palace, she went to see many people here, and she went to the trouble of coming to the tea parties or chatting meetings first. I once reminded her that she had better be careful. But she had an accident, after all.¡± ¡°Accident?¡± ¡°At first we thought it was a coincidence. When it was repeated several times, there were some rumors that she laid a curse on people.¡± ¡°Bad spell?¡± The source of such bad rumors was simply groundless. Kyosul seemed pretty agonized whether she could burst into laughter or nod seriously at the moment. As there was apparent angst in her face, Sassi smiled at her first and said, ¡°I think they¡¯re very scared about deceptive spell. How foolish rumors they are!¡± Sassi asked if she was happy to see Heyjin. Kyosul thought of Ruhae. Biting her lip, she smiled at Sassi and said, ¡°Yes, I was happy. It¡¯s pleasant to talk to her.¡± ¡°If you feel happy about it, I think your association with her is good.¡± Do you really think so? Of course, I wish I were happy when I see her, but you can¡¯t say it¡¯s necessarily a good association unless you know who the other party is. Sassi comforted her without knowing her deep angst and said kindly, ¡°As you¡¯re very sociable, I think you can be great friends.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kyosul lifted her teacup and turned her eyes away from her. Lost in thought, she didn¡¯t feel the heat of the tea when she drank it. Her fingertips were cold. *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.joqpb5e1479e5058c2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.joqpb5e1479e5058c2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.joqpb5e1479e5058c2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.joqpb5e1479e5058c2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.joqpb5e1479e5058c2 {display: block;}} He walked with light steps towards the North Palace. Ruhae originally saw it as a burden to give prenatal education to Prince Binsung¡¯s wife, but he couldn¡¯t be happier now. He entered her residence with more robust steps than ever. While he was walking toward Princess Heyjin¡¯s residence, he stopped suddenly. He saw a court lady pacing up and down in front of the narrow gate leading to her house, stomping her feet. Seeing him approaching her, she turned around quickly. ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± he approached the gate, calling her. She stood motionless at his call.¡±You dropped this ¡­.¡± He bent down to pick up the small pouch on the ground. It looked like a pouch containing incense. He picked it up and gave it to her. She received it with both hands, lowering her head. As she was so nervous, she couldn¡¯t even look at him and her hands trembled. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bcdwd5e1479e50595a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bcdwd5e1479e50595a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bcdwd5e1479e50595a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bcdwd5e1479e50595a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bcdwd5e1479e50595a {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared. I am not going to scold you.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. If you don¡¯t mind, I want to leave now.¡± Then she hastily turned and bowed to him. She quickly disappeared into the narrow gate through which the court ladies of the North Palace passed. ¡°She seemed to be pretty scared.¡± With a quick smile, he turned around. Checking out the location of the sun, he guessed the time. It was his great happiness these days to go to the North Palace on the pretext of giving Princess Heyjin¡¯s prenatal education and bump into Kyosul. In great excitement, he walked through the middle gate, but there was someone outside the gate, watching him and the court lady. It was sunny in the North Palace. Strangely enough, whenever she stepped into the palace, Kyosul felt unusually good about the sky there. Oddly enough, when she entered the North Palace, she felt even the scorching sun was warm. She felt the summer air that had become sticky was refreshing there. Perhaps it was because of the tasseled strings of straw surrounding the North Palace to support Heyjin¡¯s approaching due date. The strings that surrounded all the doors of the palace to prevent the arrival of evil spirits seemed to drive out even the summer heat. Perhaps she felt so because the palace was located at the northern end of the spacious Imperial Palace. Those kinds of idle excuses came to her mind whenever she went there to see Princess Heyjin. In fact, she had to make excuses like that. She had to deceive herself every day that she was going there for other reasons than the truth. Every day, she created one more reason why she liked the North Palace. ¡°I feel comfortable when I sit face to face to you, Princess Heyjin,¡± Kyosul took pains to explain. She already lifted the teacup six times and put it to her mouth and then put it down without sipping. She also mentioned often that Heyjin was comfortable to be around. As if she felt awkward, Kyosul sipped the tea a bit. Smiling, Heyjin also sipped the tea and said, ¡°I am sorry and thankful that you have come such a long way to see me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m coming here with a light heart all the time because I take great delight in spending time with you here.¡± ¡°Thanks for telling me so, Your Highness.¡± Heyjin¡¯s dreamy eyes often stared into the air. Initially out of curiosity Kyosul turned her eyes to the place where Heyjin fixed her eyes, but there was nothing particular where her gaze landed. Kyosul felt this kind of weird stare might have brought about some wild rumors about Heyjin among the court ladies. Heyjin seemed to try to look for something surreal to distract from her fear, and the court ladies might have found fault with her for that out of fear. That¡¯s not right. Kyosul narrowed her eyes. Princess Heyjin is such a nice and good woman. Kyosul didn¡¯t accept the rumors she heard from Sassi every day. Heyjin was always nice and cautious even though she was sometimes weird. ¡°By the way, I met Prince Binsung on my way back. It looks like he is coming to see you every day. Whenever I come here, I think I always bump into him,¡± said Kyosul. ¡°Yes, he always comes to see me when he is done with his official duties of the day. Of course, he is coming to see my baby. Hoho,¡± Heyjin said, stroking her swollen belly. Heyjin sometimes looked like a woman from another world, but when she talked about Prince Binsung or stroked her belly, she turned into a woman that Kyosul was quite familiar with. ¡°You really look happy. I envy you,¡± Kyosul said sincerely. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jxest5e1479e505817 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jxest5e1479e505817 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jxest5e1479e505817 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jxest5e1479e505817 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jxest5e1479e505817 {display: block;}} Kyosul thought Binsung and Heyjin were the happiest among the people that she came to know in the palace, and she envied them more than anybody else. In her eyes, the couple shared a deep love and took care of each other so dearly. When she thought of that, Kyosul was suddenly choked up with tears. She changed the topic suddenly for fear Heyjin might catch her shedding tears. ¡°Please tell me why you like Prince Binsung so much,¡± Kyosul said, pulling her knees close to her. When Kyosul leaned forward with glittering eyes, Heyjin blushed. As her dark yellow face took on a glow, it was quite attractive. Kyosul felt Prince Binsung must have fallen in love with her because of her attractive features. ¡°Prince Binsung¡­.¡± After hesitating a bit, she answered in a thin voice like the crying of a crow-tit. ¡°Isn¡¯t he cute?¡± ¡°Cute?¡± Kyosul looked around when she said that. How could she use that inordinate expression ¡®cute¡¯? Kyosul thought such an expression was reserved for children. Chapter 51 When Kyosul was embarrassed to hear that, Heyjin nodded casually and said again, ¡°I think Prince Binsung is so cute.¡± ¡°Cute about what?¡± ¡°Well, I just feel he¡¯s so cute when he¡¯s absorbed in something. He is always doing his best when he is into something. When he is focused on something, he usually pulls his lower lip toward his chin. It¡¯s all so cute.¡± A habit like that could only be noticed by someone who watched keenly. ¡°He is always trying to do something for me, but sometimes, he doesn¡¯t succeed. I feel he is cute when he shows satisfaction after he finishes something, but even when he looks sullen and disappointed at his failure, he is still cute.¡± ¡°It looks like you think everything he does is cute, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± said Heyjin, nodding. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uolye5e1479e4c92e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uolye5e1479e4c92e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uolye5e1479e4c92e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uolye5e1479e4c92e8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uolye5e1479e4c92e8 {display: block;}} Kyosul was embarrassed to hear her praising her husband without reserve, but at the same time, she felt envious that Heyjin could accept every aspect of Prince Binsung with love. How difficult was it to accept anyone¡¯s every word and act with love! Is this what they call blind love? While Kyosul was pondering over that, Heyjin changed the topic and asked her, ¡°It looks like Prince Ruhae won¡¯t come today.¡± ¡°I know he is busy all the time.¡± Kyosul felt her heart sank. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rwbqf5e1479e4c9242 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rwbqf5e1479e4c9242 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rwbqf5e1479e4c9242 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rwbqf5e1479e4c9242 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rwbqf5e1479e4c9242 {display: block;}} Did she already notice it? Did she sense my affection for him? Probably not. Perhaps she said so because he usually comes every day. As if it was not a big deal, Kyosul tried not to overreact, ¡°As they have to assist the Emperor, aren¡¯t all the princes of the four palaces busy all the time?¡± ¡°I think so, Your Highness,¡± Heyjin seconded in a monotonous tone. When she talked about her husband, Heyjin¡¯s eyes sparkled, her voice chimed, and she had a cheerful expression on her face. Now, she shut her mouth shut and her eyes lowered. Looking at Kyosul, Heyjin asked, ¡°I wonder if you ever feel uncomfortable with Prince Ruhae here.¡± Heyjin¡¯s unexpected statement astonished her to the point that Kyosul waved her hand. Then, Kyosul realized she overreacted. On the other hand, she even felt embarrassed for fear Heyjin might think she was not uncomfortable at all. Ruhae¡¯s sharp reminder came to her mind all of a sudden. Prince Heyjin is pretty quick-witted. Kyosul was nervous she might have smelled a rat. Did she sense my relationship with him? Kyosul felt heavy and confused with all kinds of complicated thoughts. On such occasions Kyosul came to feel once again how difficult her relationship with him was at the moment. I think I have to stay on edge like this all the time. At that moment Heyjin said, ¡°Your tea is getting cold. Please drink it.¡± Kyosul lifted the teacup awkwardly. After having tea time with Heyjin, she left early. While she was leaving the North Palace, she heard a familiar voice calling her from behind. ¡°You¡¯re leaving early today.¡± When she turned, it was Ruhae, as she expected. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come today.¡± ¡°Well, I was late as I had to take care of lots of state affairs.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dbjhi5e1479e4c9297 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dbjhi5e1479e4c9297 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dbjhi5e1479e4c9297 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dbjhi5e1479e4c9297 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dbjhi5e1479e4c9297 {display: block;}} ¡°Fortunately, my visit today didn¡¯t overlap yours, so I think I don¡¯t have to feel sorry for Heyjin¡¯s baby as I¡¯m not disturbing your prenatal education today.¡± ¡°You can disturb me.¡± Kyosul was surprised by his unexpected reaction, opening her eyes wide. ¡°I am satisfied with seeing you even briefly like this.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, I just feel happy to see you often like this.¡± Having said that, he stared at her face with a calm smile as his words echoed in her ears. She resisted his romantic approach deep inside. She lightly scolded him politely, ¡°You reminded me that I should be careful because there are many eyes in this palace who are watching us, but you seem to speak to me as if you are not worried at all.¡± ¡°Because there is nobody around us now.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± ¡°I admit that there are many, many eyes in this palace watching us, but as long as there is nobody around us, we can do whatever we want. This palace is so large that even if stand on my hands right now, there is nobody who can sneer at me or who can spread rumors about me.¡± ¡°Standing on your hands?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sjetp5e1479e4c933b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sjetp5e1479e4c933b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sjetp5e1479e4c933b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sjetp5e1479e4c933b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sjetp5e1479e4c933b {display: block;}} He awkwardly replied, ¡°Well, I¡¯m really clumsy at standing on my hands.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that!¡± she said, suddenly bursting into laughter at his silly joke. ¡°Did you laugh?¡± ¡°Why?¡± she asked, looking at him with round eyes. ¡°Oh, you really laughed brightly, Your Highness!¡± he said, who also made a hearty laugh. ¡°Let me leave first,¡± she said, trying to leave. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± He approached her. Again? Thinking of what he did to her the other day, she freaked out and closed her eyes instantly. She vividly remembered he almost touched her in front of the wall of the North Palace. ¡°If you expect a lot like that, I would like to meet to give it to you.¡± ¡°Expect what?¡± Kyosul opened her eyes with surprise. He was standing before her quietly. This time he didn¡¯t get closer to her, nor hug her. Instead, he was offering her a thick letter. ¡°This is a letter that contains my feelings and memories of you from the moment I met you here in the Mok Kingdom. You asked me why I didn¡¯t tell you about my real identity or why I deceived you, right? You¡¯ll find the answer here in this letter. You will find all the details about my feelings about you that you might not have noticed at all.¡± The letter was quite thick and large. It seemed like several pieces of drawing paper were folded together. She held out her hand to take it. She reached for it with just her fingertips as if it was a dangerous item. She felt as if everything would change if she took it. She was overwhelmed by the uneasiness that she might not be able to avoid him anymore, but she couldn¡¯t just stop her growing affection for him because of fear. Ruhae spent a full night writing the letter full of his feelings. He used to carry it secretly in his sleeves whenever he visited the North Palace, and finally today, he decided to give it to her in person. When she took the letter, Kyosul narrowed her brows and looked at it with a serious expression. He was stared at her quietly, Even her serious look is cute to me. I¡¯m in love with her. When he thought like that, he burst into laughter before he knew. ¡°Don¡¯t you want my letter?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Kyosul hastily answered then pursed up her lips. She seemed to be embarrassed and reproached herself for having answered carelessly. ¡°If you really want to give it to me, I think I¡¯m going to receive it in consideration of your sincerity,¡± He took pains to hold back laughter at that. She bit her lip. After hesitating for a while, she finally touched his letter with her fingertips. At that moment, he felt a sharp sensation that quickly spread through his whole body. Is this what one felt when quenching one¡¯s thirst in the thick of the saltry summer? Or is this what one feels when one warms up his frozen body on a heated floor during the winter? He had strange and mixed feelings of pleasure and relief. Though she initially felt it hard to touch the letter, she took it quickly once she grabbed it. Apparently, she wanted to avoid others¡¯ eyes. ¡°You should read all of it very slowly,¡± said he eagerly, with a smile She blushed the moment she received it. He wanted to make fun of her when she blushed, but gave up as she seemed to be tense. If he went overboard by mistake, it seemed that she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the situation any longer. He felt her testy reaction was cute, so he wanted to play around with her a little more. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hjciz5e1479e4c9206 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hjciz5e1479e4c9206 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hjciz5e1479e4c9206 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hjciz5e1479e4c9206 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hjciz5e1479e4c9206 {display: block;}} He wanted to hold her and see her face a little longer. She was still shy and wiggled her mouth like a rabbit. ¡°Did you write everything you needed to?¡± she asked unexpectedly. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I just wonder if you wrote down here all you needed to.¡± Though he couldn¡¯t understand why she asked, he replied to the best he could. ¡°Of course. I wrote it slowly and stayed up all night.¡± ¡°I think you finally put all the pieces of paper together to write this since you haven¡¯t given me those for a while,¡± she said, marvelling at the thickness of the letter. And then she gave him a puckish smile. ¡°Oh, as you are mentioning ¡®for a while¡¯, I think I brought it much later than you expected.¡± Though he couldn¡¯t figure out her motivation, he answered in a way that seemed to fit her mood. She apparently felt embarrassed at his reply, though. ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t say that. Why do you say I expected it from you?¡± she said in a rather stern voice this time while raising her chin slightly. Chapter 52 ¡°I just can¡¯t ignore your sincerity. So, you don¡¯t have to take it seriously. So, please don¡¯t have any vain expectations.¡± ¡°Of course not. I just want to clear your misunderstanding about me. I don¡¯t have any underlying motives towards you,¡± he said, chiming in with her reply. When he replied like that, she replied in an embarrassed and disappointed tone, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m glad you said that¡­¡± But she alternately pursed and bit her lips, and she fidgeted the letter with her fingers while trying to put it down on purpose. He jokingly added, ¡°Please don¡¯t throw it away.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not bad-mannered enough to do that.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pfmcw5e1479e454ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pfmcw5e1479e454ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pfmcw5e1479e454ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pfmcw5e1479e454ee3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pfmcw5e1479e454ee3 {display: block;}} ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I even keep all the blank slips from you. So, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He seemed to feel he was out of sync with her again. And then she turned quickly without giving him any time to ponder over it. ¡°Let me leave first,¡± she said. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bhlpe5e1479e454e4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bhlpe5e1479e454e4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bhlpe5e1479e454e4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bhlpe5e1479e454e4d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bhlpe5e1479e454e4d {display: block;}} ¡°Please take care.¡± Looking at her disappearing slowly, he tilted his head. After watching her leaving the North Palace, Ruhae also turned back to head for his residence in the South Palace. He felt rather heavy when returning. He was habitually walking back, lost in deep thoughts. ¡°Blank slips¡­¡± he kept repeating it. That word Kyosul said casually fixed his mind. ¡°What did she say she collected?¡± Staying in his office, he was fixated on that word while recalling every word she said. Kyosul¡¯s word was the most difficult coded message. Reading classical books, interpreting the difficult articles of criminal justice and even handling the messy state affairs was easier than deciphering her message. After thinking hard, he finally interpreted it in several ways. ¡°Did she want to reassure me that she doesn¡¯t throw away stuff easily?¡± That¡¯s a possibility, but he was bothered by what she said to him. He took notice of her way of speaking and expression that suggested something to him. In particular, he recalled her darting eyes as if she gave him some kind of eye signal. He also recalled her pursing her lips often and blushing with a puckish smile. ¡°Yeah, she can be weird sometimes.¡± He felt he might needlessly think of her as too picky and difficult to deal with. ¡°Indeed, your small actions makes me wonder about your motivation a lot,¡± he murmured with a hearty laugh. Then, he didn¡¯t care too much about it. *** As soon as she woke up in the morning, Kyosul opened the window. She was accustomed to it by now. She didn¡¯t have any intention of basking in the sun or ventilating air. When she opened the window and checked its sash, there was always a happy smile on her lips. Today, too, there was a flower on the windowsill. ¡°Does he expose himself to the early morning dew to place this flower here?¡± Sticking her upper body out of the window, she looked around. She imagined the secret stranger¡¯s moving up to her residence. Most likely he would sneak into the back of her residence to avoid the court ladies¡¯ eyes and then come up to the windowsill right next to her bed. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pbosv5e1479e454e9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pbosv5e1479e454e9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pbosv5e1479e454e9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pbosv5e1479e454e9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pbosv5e1479e454e9f {display: block;}} When she thought about it carefully, she suddenly felt warm deep inside. ¡°How cute he is!¡± She grinned casually and then pressed her lips with her fingertips in surprise. ¡°Did I say he was cute? Oh my¡­I think I took it from Prince Heyjin¡¯s mouth.¡± Kyosul could understand what Heyjin meant by ¡®cute¡¯ when she described her husband¡¯s behavior. When Kyosul imagined Ruhae placing this blank slip every morning, she couldn¡¯t find any other expression of his image than ¡®cute¡¯. She picked up that little flower placed neatly on the windowsill and walked cheerfully away from the window. She opened the lowest drawer of her desk and put it with all the other flowers. The drawer was already full of flowers. She felt happy, looking at the blue-tinged inside of the drawer. Obviously each of the flowers suggested that Ruhae thought about her often. She could confirm directly that all the moments he thought about was capsuled in the drawer. ¡°Will he come today?¡± She went to the North Palace every other day, but she hadn¡¯t bumped into him since she received the letter from him the other day. When Kyosul asked Heyjin in passing, she just shook her head. Perhaps, he was snowed under with state affairs. After thinking hard about him unconsciously, she came to her senses, ¡°What am I doing now?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mvtzs5e1479e454f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mvtzs5e1479e454f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mvtzs5e1479e454f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mvtzs5e1479e454f35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mvtzs5e1479e454f35 {display: block;}} Whenever she felt happy about him, she got nervous. She even felt a sense of guilt when she wondered if it was okay for her to stay complacent and carefree. She looked inside the drawer with complicated mind. She narrowed her eyes and pouted once more then she shut the drawer, closing her eyes. Bang! After she shut the drawer with a bang, she couldn¡¯t let go of the knob. Rather she held the knob so tightly that her fingertips turned white with strain. When she opened her eyes, she felt her resolve not to lose heart to Ruhae began to collapse. ¡°Why should I¡­¡± Her eyes narrowed. She took her hand off the drawer, pulling herself together, but when she opened her eyes, she noticed the thick letter from Ruhae. Foolishly enough, she read it again and again. As if not content with reading about his sincere love of her, she put it on the desk and read it whenever she could. She couldn¡¯t control the strong urge to grab it before she knew. ¡°Oh, I now understand¡­¡± As the wife of the Crown Prince, she was scared about her relationship with Ruhae. ¡°I now understand he didn¡¯t intend to deceive me.¡± She felt ashamed of herself after recalling that she got upset about him first the moment she came to realize his real identity. ¡°But what should I do?¡± She couldn¡¯t do anything with him even if he handed that letter to her. Rather she felt a sense of distance from him all the more. She held the letter and folded it while trying her best to hide her genuine longing to read it often. She folded it a couple of times then opened the drawer containing the flowers he placed at the windowsill ever day. After she put Ruhae¡¯s thick letter on the pile of flowers inside the drawer, her angst went on. She had to shut the drawer again. She was wrestling with herself over how to deal with him. The nanny suddenly came into her room, screaming. ¡°Your Highness Kyosul!¡± Kyosul quickly closed the draw, when the nanny told her, ¡°I hear Princess Heyjin collapsed!¡± ¡°What did you say? Heyjin collapsed? When I saw her at the North Palace the other day, she was in good condition.¡± ¡°Your Highness! What shall we do?¡± Nervous and unable to calm down, the nanny touched her hand. She just licked her lips for a while without telling Kyosul what happened, and finally opened her mouth, ¡°In fact, the thing is ¡­.¡± *** Ruhae was staying in his office today. As he had lots of petitions to take care of, he could not leave the office. Deep inside he wanted to go to the North Palace right away, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°It was a good thing that I took my time out to go to the North Palace and hand my letter to Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± He felt it so fortunate that he could often go there and see her. Right after he handed his letter to her, he happened to be busy. While he was busy with work, the eunuch on standby suddenly came into his room, announcing in a loud voice, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Ruhae looked at him with a curious look as the palace army stormed his room without showing any proper decorum. They shouted, ¡°Arrest him right away!¡± They charged forward and stopped him. ¡°How rude you are! How could you come to this place like this?¡± ¡°Move back!¡± They grabbed the eunuch who was trying his best to stop them by all means. With his face turning white, the eunuch turned back. Ruhae was standing in his place in a calm manner. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gfsho5e1479e454df3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gfsho5e1479e454df3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gfsho5e1479e454df3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gfsho5e1479e454df3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gfsho5e1479e454df3 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m alright. So, stand aside for them.¡± ¡°Eunuch Jang, we are the imperial army.¡± The imperial army was responsible for protecting the Emperor as well as his own army. And the only person who could mobilize them was the Emperor himself. Accordingly, it was the Emperor who ordered them to come here to Ruhae¡¯s residence. Shivering with fear the eunuch lowered his head, but he couldn¡¯t resist Ruhae¡¯s pushing him aside lightly. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± the eunuch crumbled to the floor, shouting in a crying tone. He rammed hit his head on the floor in that process. ¡°Your Majesty, please excuse us for a minute.¡± As the atmosphere became serious, they now began to use the honorific, but Ruhae didn¡¯t show any nervousness and looked at them with composure. ¡°Did a serious incident take place in the palace now that the imperial army came to my place and tie me up like this?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t tell you what happened while we are transporting you like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m following your order without any resistance. Why don¡¯t you tell me about the reason for arresting me?¡± Chapter 53 They tied his forearms with a red rope quickly. Appreciating his calm attitude, one of them said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re under arrest on charges of plotting treason.¡± Ruhae¡¯s pupil contracted at that nonsensical charge. Treason? How could I commit treason? His face seemed to harden for a moment, and he said, ¡°Eunuch Jang!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± said the eunuch, ramming his head on the floor again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gsfbj5e1479e4493c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gsfbj5e1479e4493c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gsfbj5e1479e4493c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gsfbj5e1479e4493c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gsfbj5e1479e4493c8 {display: block;}} He was shedding tears, lamenting the grave situation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Let me come back quickly.¡± ¡°What did you do to deserve this, Your Majesty? How shocking it is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± He smiled at the eunuch with composure, and the imperial army soldiers were overwhelmed by his majestic aura. They were initially rough with him, but now they began to relent. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wtqpq5e1479e44931d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wtqpq5e1479e44931d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wtqpq5e1479e44931d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wtqpq5e1479e44931d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wtqpq5e1479e44931d {display: block;}} ¡°Let us escort you then.¡± Two soldiers stood on either side of him and took him by his arms. The eunuch crawled after him, but he nodded, smiling at him while he was led away. He proudly walked out of the South Palace. The sun hadn¡¯t risen yet and he looked into the lightening sky quietly. Treason? Though he tried to stay calm to soothe the embarrassed eunuch, Ruhae was troubled Let me check out what¡¯s going on now. I¡¯ve never committed treason. He tried to calm down while he was walking nervously. He couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the soldiers¡¯ vigilant glance. He was heading for the Central Palace while trying to compose himself. *** Trials were held and suspects were interrogated in the Central Palace. When they arrived, the imperial soldiers made him kneel down on the ground. Dust dirtied his silk robe as he clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. I¡¯m honorable and innocent. However, he didn¡¯t know what kind of situation he was facing. Even if they charged him with treason, he was not worried. He raised his head calmly toward the upper seat in the center. ¡®If I¡¯m charged with treason, the Emperor will interrogate me in person. He thought that Emperor Ohyulje would question him, so he tried to maintain a calm expression to give him the impression that he was honorable. The moment he confirmed the person sitting on that chair, however, he was startled to find Bipaan was seated there. ¡°I just feel it so regrettable that I am seeing my brother here,¡± said Bipaan in a slow and cold voice. ¡°That¡¯s why I ¡®m telling you now. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± He smiled at the eunuch with composure, and the imperial army soldiers were overwhelmed by his majestic aura. They initially roughed up on him, but now they began to relent. ¡°Let us escort you then.¡± Two soldiers stood on his sides and took his upper arms. The eunuch followed by crawling after him, but he nodded, smiling at him while he was being led away. He proudly walked out of the South Palace. It was even before the sun rose in the sky. He looked at the beaming sunlight quietly. ¡®Treason?¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ggejl5e1479e449363 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ggejl5e1479e449363 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ggejl5e1479e449363 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ggejl5e1479e449363 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ggejl5e1479e449363 {display: block;}} Though he tried to stay calm to soothe the embarrassed eunuch, Ruhae was troubled a lot deep down. But he had to act honorably in a situation like this. ¡®Let me check out what¡¯s going on now. I¡¯ve never committed any treason.¡± He tried to calm down while he was moving his steps nervously. He couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the soldiers¡¯ vigilant glance. He was heading for the Central Palace while trying to compose himself. *** There was held a trial to question and convict criminal suspects in the Central Palace. Ruhae was arrested by a group of imperial soldiers and taken to the interrogation place. They made him kneel down on the ground. His silk robe got instantly dirty with a cloud of dust. He clenched his molars and strained his eyes. ¡®I¡¯m honorable and innocent.¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t know what kind of situation he was faced with. Even if they charged him with treason, he was not worried at all. He raised his head calmly toward the upper seat in the center. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pxhdv5e1479e449430 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pxhdv5e1479e449430 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pxhdv5e1479e449430 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pxhdv5e1479e449430 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pxhdv5e1479e449430 {display: block;}} ¡®If I¡¯m charged with treason, the Emperor will interrograte me in person.¡¯ He thought that Emperor Ohyulje would question him, so he tried to maintain a calm expression on his face to give him the impression that he was honorable. The moment he confirmed the person sitting on that chair, however, he was startled to find Bipaan was seated there. ¡°I just feel it so regrettable that I am seeing my brother here,¡± said Bipaan in a slow and cold voice. Ruhae clenched his jaw and said, ¡°Your Majesty Crown Prince!¡± Ruhae didn¡¯t lower his head nor his gaze. While looking at Bipaan squarely, Ruhae called him rather vaguely. ¡°I¡¯m going to proceed with this trial by myself. As you who manage state political affairs and justice are charged with treason, let me interrogate you in person on the Emperor¡¯s order.¡± They set up flags on the stereobates of the Imperial Palace Army Headquarters. And there were several chairs arranged at the presiding table. Bipaan was seated in the highest seat in the center. Behind him was the secretary; the top civilian and justice officials were on the left and right along with the commander of the imperial army. The scorching heat of the summer tormented Ruhae. The atmosphere of the Imperial Army Headquarters was heavy and quiet just like that of the East Palace. Without knowing why and how he was charged with treason, Ruhae endured the blazing sun. The topknot on his head was hot to the touch, and he felt the heat on his back and neck. He felt so thirsty. ¡°Prince Ruhae!¡± Bipaan opened his mouth finally. Raising his head, Ruhae looked at Bipaan. ¡°Why have you been brought here?¡± Bipaan questioned him in a calm voice. With his eyes half-closed, Bipaan, looked down at Ruhae from the high chair decorated with colorful ornaments. With one of his arms resting on the armrest, Bipaan touched his lips. Ruhae clenched his jaw, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You are saying you don¡¯t know,¡± Bipaan repeated his reply. He corrected his posture and spoke coldly. ¡°Were you asked to serve as the teacher of Princess Heyjin¡¯s prenatal education?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± While answering Bipaan¡¯s question, Ruhae was confused about why Bipaan brought up the topic of the North Palace affairs. Ruhae wanted to answer simply and truthfully as best as he could, and he wanted to quickly find out what¡¯s going on at the moment and deal with it duly. ¡°You are in charge of education and cultural affairs, in addition to justice matters. In such a situation, how could you be so greedy as to give Princess Heyjin prenatal education?¡± Greedy? That word definitely reflected Bipaan¡¯s judgment. Like he said, Ruhae managed education, cultural as well as justice matters. He basically handled affairs involving criminal cases. Bipaan realized that the teacher of the princess at the North Palace was closely related to the current interrogation. Did something ominous happen to the North Palace? His heart was pounding. His sudden arrest was not a problem. Though he was surprised by Bipaan¡¯s interrogation, he didn¡¯t regard it as unusual. When Ruhae sensed finally that something bad had happened at the North Palace, his face suddenly grew dark. He favored Binsung and his family. ¡°Why can¡¯t you reply to my question, Prince Ruhae?¡± Ooops! He failed to reply timely because of some gloomy foreboding. This kind of response was not favorable to Ruhae. ¡°Did something bad happen at the North Palace? Are Prince Binsung¡¯s family okay?¡± If something serious really happened in the North Palace, that was not good for Ruhae, but he needed to confirm first whether Binsung¡¯s family was alright. Without that he couldn¡¯t calm down. Bipaan was still looking down at him sharply. Staring at his tight lips, Ruhae bit the thin skin of his lips. ¡°Just answer my questions!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jaegg5e1479e4492ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jaegg5e1479e4492ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jaegg5e1479e4492ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jaegg5e1479e4492ae {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jaegg5e1479e4492ae {display: block;}} ¡°What happened to Prince¡­¡± Ruhae stopped himself. His current attitude was not favorable to him. ¡°I took on that job at Prince Binsung¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Did he make the request to you in person?¡± ¡°Yes, he did. He came to me first and asked.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Bipaan¡¯s voice was plain. As if he prepared lots of questions, Bipaan kept asking as soon as Ruhae replied. Controlling his uneasiness, Ruhae replied calmly without showing any impatience. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why Prince Binsung made that request to me, but I think he wanted to leave his wife¡¯s¡¯ prenatal education with me as he loved the baby on the way.¡± ¡°If he cared about that baby on the way so much, why did he choose you instead of another person?¡± ¡°Prince Binsung said he expected me to become a good teacher, praising my learning and literary talent.¡± ¡°There are many talented scholars in the palace. Why do you think he singled you out as the teacher?¡± ¡°I think he felt I was the one he felt most comfortable to ask because he and I are on very close terms.¡± Chapter 54 Ruhae¡¯s answer got longer and longer. He often added conditional phrases to his reply, along with his own prediction and the logic of his emotions. While he answered easily, Ruhae was shrouded in strange uneasiness. He felt as if all the questions and answers were played out as Bipaan expected. Interposing for a moment, Bipaan continued to ask questions. ¡°Do you correspond with Prince Binsung often?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I see him most often of the princes in the four palaces.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qpdix5e1479e443c57 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qpdix5e1479e443c57 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qpdix5e1479e443c57 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qpdix5e1479e443c57 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qpdix5e1479e443c57 {display: block;}} Bipaan¡¯s eyes sparkled sharply. Though it was a pretty subtle change, Ruhae noticed it. And he realized at the same time that something bad was going on. ¡°It looks like you already anticipated Prince Binsung would ask you to be the teacher of her wife¡¯s prenatal education, right?¡± That was the key question. Having heard this question, Ruhae was now convinced that something happened in the North Palace and that something wrong happened to Heyjin, more accurately Heyjin¡¯s baby. It was clear that her baby¡¯s life was at stake. So, is this the reason for you charging me with treason? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uqpvo5e1479e443b82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uqpvo5e1479e443b82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uqpvo5e1479e443b82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uqpvo5e1479e443b82 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uqpvo5e1479e443b82 {display: block;}} ¡°Not at all!¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯re excellent in learning and very close to Prine Binsung, so he could ask you a favor comfortably. Didn¡¯t you confirm all this to me just a moment ago?¡± ¡°Customarily, the job of a princess¡¯s prenatal education is taken by a civilian official with great knowledge. There has never been any precedent in which a prince in line to succeed the throne has taken on that job. Though I¡¯m very close to Prince Binsung, I also expected that one of the top civilian officials with great knowledge would be the teacher of her prenatal education. So, Prince Binsung¡¯s request was unexpected.¡± ¡°Despite that, you gladly decided to take that job when you were busy with managing education and justice affairs, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I couldn¡¯t refuse his request as he cared about his baby on the way so much.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Bipaan cut off his words suddenly. Then, he gestured to someone behind him. Ruhae heard the soldiers moving around. ¡°How long have you been visiting the North Palace?¡± ¡°I think over a month up to now.¡± ¡°If you visited that long, I think you must have met some of the court ladies there, right?¡± That was a strange question by any standard. Narrowing his brows, he answered, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Are you saying you haven¡¯t met with any of the court ladies?¡± ¡°Well, I have exchanged some routine dialogue with them while staying there, but I have never made any friends with them.¡± Bipaan stroked his jaw with his fingers. After answering his answer, Bipaan ordered the imperial army soldiers in the back, ¡°Bring in the court ladies of the North Palace.¡± There was heard some sort of very eerie sound from behind the interrogation palace. Ruhae got the goosebumps, but he tried not to turn his eyes to hide his feelings. Soon a woman stood beside him, and it was quiet again in the interrogation place. Bipaan gave an order in a casual voice, ¡°Turn your head and confirm the court lady¡¯s face!¡± Ruhae turned his face. Right next to him was a big wooden chair with a skinny court lady tied to it with straw rope. Her white clothes were torn apart here and there, stained with blood. The tough straw rope was tied around her thin flesh ruthlessly. Her face was roughed up so much that Ruhae couldn¡¯t figure out who she was. ¡°That court lady is¡­.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ftikt5e1479e443bef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ftikt5e1479e443bef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ftikt5e1479e443bef {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ftikt5e1479e443bef {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ftikt5e1479e443bef {display: block;}} After examining her scratched and swollen face carefully, he could recognize who she was and said something carelessly. She was the very woman that Ruhae bumped into at the narrow gate of the North Palace. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know any court lady in the North Palace, but you quickly recognize that woman,¡± said Bipaan, sensing his restlessness immediately. But Bipaan¡¯s push up to now was only his wild guess. Ruhae replied without any hesitation, ¡°As I told you, I visited the North Palace for one month, so I could recognize some court ladies¡¯ faces. What you have interrogated me about so far was based on your own suspicion and circumstantial evidence. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re fabricating the facts if you keep interrogating me like this, with ready-made answers in your mind already?¡± His reaction was violent, given his status as a treason suspect and his quiet character. The high-ranking officials sitting on both sides of Bipaan were surprised. Bipaan clenched his hand on the armrest then looked down at him blankly in no time. Bipaan didn¡¯t hurry. By throwing small and common questions, he was trying to tighten the noose around Ruhae. It was Ruhae who felt more and more on the defensive. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gntlh5e1479e443cc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gntlh5e1479e443cc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gntlh5e1479e443cc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gntlh5e1479e443cc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gntlh5e1479e443cc7 {display: block;}} ¡°It is nonsense and ridiculous that I tried to harm Prince Heyjin¡¯s baby. Why would I commit such an immoral act?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never mentioned to you that the prince¡¯s baby on the way was harmed. Why are so convinced?¡± Each of Bippan¡¯s questions was silly like that. Everybody in the interrogation place knew it, but they didn¡¯t mention it. His interrogation up to now clearly showed that Ruhae didn¡¯t commit any treason. Nonetheless, Bipaan pretended to be innocent. As he played the innocent guy, he looked wicked. ¡°Based on your questioning up to now, I think my guess was right. If anybody who doesn¡¯t know the whole situation accurately hears what you¡¯re questioning me about, they can easily conclude you¡¯re wrong,¡± Ruhae said. Ruhae was disillusioned with each of Bipaan¡¯s questions that were intended to trap him in the so-called treason charges he fabricated. He couldn¡¯t stand his anger. When he got excited, Bipaan was easily persuaded instead of biting the end of his talk. ¡°As you are smart enough for Prince Binsung even to ask you to be his wife¡¯s prenatal education coach, it¡¯s only natural that I can make such assumptions.¡± He lightly nodded and continued with the interrogation. ¡°If your testimony is true, you have never talked face to face with court lady Hosanyo, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just come to know her name here when you mentioned her name.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Bipaan nodded his head again. Only now could Ruhae breathe comfortably. It seemed that his stretched interrogation was at an end, but it was Ruhae¡¯s hasty judgment. ¡°Bring in court lady Yangyang!¡± Bipaan ordered. Ruhae didn¡¯t know her either, but he got nervous as she was new to him. Let me see how he is going to entrap me this time. Bipaan¡¯s way of interrogation was pushy and nagging at his nerves but very logical. Though Ruhae felt upset about it, he had no other choice but to recognize Bipaan¡¯s loaded questions. In no time, another court lady brought into the interrogation place. Unlike the woman ahead of her, who was tied up tightly, this woman walked into the place on her own, dressed in neat clothes. I think I saw her in the North Palace. Ruhae examined her face. Holding her hands tightly, Yangyang was trembling with fear. There were some tangible marks of tears around her eyes. ¡°Can you recognize her face?¡± asked Bipaan in a sneering tone. Ruhae mentioned the fact only, nothing more or less. ¡°Yes, I know she is a court lady assigned to the North Palace. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I knew you were going to answer like that,¡± Bipaan replied flatly and ordered Yangyang to tell the whole truth. ¡°Repeat in detail what you told us yesterday.¡± She lowered her head before Bipaan and opened her mouth, with her shoulders trembling a lot. ¡°I think I saw him about 15 days ago. When I was on my way to the laundry house, carrying a laundry bag, I didn¡¯t want to be caught by others, so I was walking on the path in the back of the North Palace. Then I heard some human voice at the narrow gate at a distance. As my supervisors usually came in and out of the middle gate, I was embarrassed because I couldn¡¯t judge whether to say hello to the person there.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kxwwa5e1479e443b08 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kxwwa5e1479e443b08 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kxwwa5e1479e443b08 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kxwwa5e1479e443b08 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kxwwa5e1479e443b08 {display: block;}} ¡°Are you sure that the voice of that person you heard at that time was that of Prince Ruhae?¡± Bipaan cut in to verify the details of her testimony. Yangyang nodded without any hesitation then looked down. ¡°Yes, yes, Your Majesty. Though he was at a distance from me, he was clearly Prince Ruhae.¡± ¡°How come you were convinced that he was Prince Ruhae when you were some distance from him?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m one of the most trusted court ladies who are reliable enough to take care of Princess Heyjin¡¯s laundry. When Prince Ruhae visited her in the room, I sometimes ran on errands for him. I¡¯ve been listening to his voice for a month, so how can¡¯t I recognize his voice?¡± There was no lie in her testimony. Whenever Ruhae had a solo meeting with Prince Heyjin, several court ladies were on standby in the corner of her room. Even though he was her prenatal education teacher, it was the palace code that entailed them to be on standby when Ruhae and Heyjin were together. ¡®Oh, I think I saw her sometimes at that time.¡¯ Her face was familiar to him. Chapter 55 Yangyang went on in a trembling voice, ¡°Though I knew it was rude, I stopped at my spot and watched them as if I was bewitched by somebody. I saw that woman who was about to go back to the North Palace ¡­.¡± With an angry and sorrow look, Yangyang stared at Hosana. She didn¡¯t mention Hosana¡¯s name on purpose. Swallowing her anger, Yangyang continued with a heavy heart, ¡°I saw her receiving something from Prince Ruhae.¡± According to her testimony, the court lady received something suspicious from him. At that moment, Ruhae jerked his head in shock, which Bipaan must have noticed it obviously. Ruhae also remembered what she testified. The moment he saw Hosana tied up with a tight rope, he recalled that scene. The court lady was pretty nervous after seeing him in front of the narrow gate, dropped something on the ground while turning back hastily. It was a small pouch containing incense. So, he stopped her and gave the pouch to her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.htbld5e1479e419257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.htbld5e1479e419257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.htbld5e1479e419257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.htbld5e1479e419257 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.htbld5e1479e419257 {display: block;}} ¡°At that time I didn¡¯t know what it was, but when I looked back, it looked like poison.¡± Poison. Piercing through the terrifying atmosphere of the interrogation place, this short word shocked everyone there. Breaking the icy silence that dominated the place, Ruhae protested, ¡°No, I don¡¯t know anything about it. It¡¯s true that I stopped the court lady and handed that pouch to her, but it was not something I prepared, but she dropped.¡± ¡°Was it an incense pouch?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wbeec5e1479e4191b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wbeec5e1479e4191b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wbeec5e1479e4191b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wbeec5e1479e4191b6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wbeec5e1479e4191b6 {display: block;}} Repeating what Ruhae just said, Bipaan looked at one of the soldiers and called him by a nod. And then he quickly went out of the place. Bipaan asked Yangyang, ¡°Did you see Hosana drop something on the ground first?¡± ¡°I checked out the narrow gate when I heard Prince Ruhae calling that woman, so if he called her after he first picked up the pouch¡­¡± ¡°Did you see her drop it first or not? Just answer!¡± Bipaan cut off her words when she tried to reply cautiously, fully taking into consideration Ruhae¡¯s position. Stricken with fear, Yangyang replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡± Ruhae protested again, ¡°When I picked up the pouch, I called that court lady who was hastily leaving the place. After I called that woman, Yangyang saw me. When she noticed me, I was holding the pouch, so it¡¯s natural that she didn¡¯t see me picking it up. Please think of the logical sequence of the situation.¡± Ruhae¡¯s protest fell on deaf ears. Bipaan wouldn¡¯t listen to him and nodded for her to leave. After she went out of the interrogation place, Bipaan started the questioning again. ¡°How often do you see Prince Heyjin as her prenatal education teacher?¡± ¡°I see her every other day, and three times per week at most.¡± ¡°It looks like you went to see her pretty often.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± ¡°I already know that you have a sense of strong responsibility,¡± Bipaan said, cutting off his words and praising him, but Ruhae felt his praise was a joke to make fun of him. As expected, Bipaan sharply pointed out, ¡°You used to go there so often with such a strong sense of responsibility, but you don¡¯t go there these days, do you?¡± ¡°I was busy taking care of the state exam for civilians, which is taking place in the fall.¡± ¡°Do you stage the civil state exams usually around this time?¡± That was a trick to entrap Ruhae. His trick was too obvious, but Ruhae told the truth. ¡°I can¡¯t point out the exact timing of the exams, but I have the exams ready around the same time every year.¡± ¡°When you were so busy like that, you went to the North Palace eight days ago, right? Even at that time you went there for Princess Heyjin¡¯s prenatal education?¡± Eight days ago, Ruhae found he was going to be snowed under with work, so he got nervous. He was afraid he might have to delay conveying his letter to Kyosul when he was overwhelmed by his workload. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kiisp5e1479e419208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kiisp5e1479e419208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kiisp5e1479e419208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kiisp5e1479e419208 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kiisp5e1479e419208 {display: block;}} That¡¯s why I barely took time out around that time to go to the North Palace and convey that letter. That day Ruhae turned back to the South Palace after seeing Kyosul at the North Palace to convey his letter. Was it his mistake not to have met Prince Heyjin as he got carried away with having seen Kyosul and hastily came back? Ruhae answered with a heavy heart, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t see Princess Heyjin that day.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you see the princess that day?¡± He went to the North Palace that day only to convey his letter to Kyosul, but Ruhae couldn¡¯t tell the truth. When he hesitated to answer, Bipaan pressed on him again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cnbna5e1479e4192a9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cnbna5e1479e4192a9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cnbna5e1479e4192a9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cnbna5e1479e4192a9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cnbna5e1479e4192a9 {display: block;}} ¡°You left the South Palace for the North Palace, but turned back even without seeing Princess Heyjin, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± he replied quickly. This time he couldn¡¯t make any excuses. He just recognized his whereabouts that day and shut his mouth. He heard many people at the interrogation place whispering among themselves. Despite that, he couldn¡¯t answer honestly. He couldn¡¯t tell Bipaan that he returned to the South Palace after meeting Kyosul at the North Palace. *** Interrogation of Prince Ruhae was like a difficult tug of war to Bipaan. Ruhae denied his charges by all means, while Bipaan persistently interrogated him harshly enough to make even an innocent man forcibly confess his false charges. The long and persistent tug of war didn¡¯t produce a result. Bipaan returned to the East Palace only when the sun was going down. When he was about to lie on the bed, exhausted by long interrogation of Ruhae, someone was waiting for him unexpectedly. ¡°Your Majesty, Crown Princess Kyosul is waiting here for an audience with you.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Kyosul called him in a feeble voice as if she were about to collapse any time, but he cast an icy glance at her. She opened her little and dry lips, ¡°Prince Ruhae was with me.¡± Before Kyosul went to the East Palace to meet with Bipaan, she was shocked to learn from her nanny that Ruhae was taken to the imperial palace for interrogation. ¡°Nanny, what are you talking about now?¡± Kyosul screamed in astonishment. Her eyes trembled wildly. For that short moment, she got so worried and nervous. She was apparently more shocked by Prince Ruhae¡¯s arrest than the bad news about Heyjin. ¡°Why has Prince Ruhae been forcibly taken by them?¡± Kyosul kept pulling the nanny¡¯s arm. Her tense eyebrows and sad eyes, as well as her impatient voice, clearly showed that she was heartbroken. Though the nanny expected how Kyosul would react, she was embarrassed at the Crown Princess¡¯s violent agitation. ¡°I heard that they started interrogating Prince Ruhae formally at the Central Palace.¡± ¡°What? Interrogation of Prince Ruhae? Does it mean that he was imprisoned on charges of a big crime? Why would he commit treason?¡± ¡°I also heard that even though Prince Heyjin collapsed, her baby on the way was in more danger.¡± The emperor¡¯s grandson was in danger. It was not just an ordinary son of a prince. He was the only grandson of one of the four princes in line to the throne. As Bipaan had no child, that grandson could be appointed as the next heir after him. ¡°Please tell me more, nanny!¡± Kyosul demanded strongly. She pulled the nanny¡¯s sleeves harder with her hands trembling. Looking at Kyosul, she told Kyosul everything she heard in detail. ¡°Two days ago Princess Heyjin suddenly fell from a sharp pain in her abdomen in the evening, I hear. So, those around her thought as her due date was approaching, she might deliver a baby earlier than her due, but she didn¡¯t.¡± Why did she complain of stomach ache when she was almost due? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bsghy5e1479e41915b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bsghy5e1479e41915b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bsghy5e1479e41915b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bsghy5e1479e41915b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bsghy5e1479e41915b {display: block;}} Kyosul could think of only two possibilities. ¡°So, the royal doctors in the palace were all mobilized on emergency standby at the North Palace. Prince Binsung was so enraged at the incident. As they quickly handled the situation, they caught a suspect running away from the palace.¡± ¡°A suspect?¡± ¡°Yes, the suspect was allegedly a court lady who put poison in the meals for the princess. When they discovered the poison and the suspect, there took place an impromptu state interrogation, and Emperor Ohyulje left the interrogation with Crown Princess Bipaan.¡± ¡°Then, did the interrogation happen yesterday?¡± As the imperial palace was vast, Kyosul didn¡¯t know there took place such a big incident outside the East Palace. She vaguely thought they must have started an investigation into the incident to catch the real suspect of the royal family who instigated that court lady to poison the princess¡¯s meal. That¡¯s why Kyosul was more embarrassed and confused. ¡°I hear they judged that court lady alone could not have committed such a wicked act, so they investigated all the court ladies of the North Palace and found one who saw Prince Ruhae with the suspect. So, the imperial army soldiers surrounded the South Palace to arrest Prince Ruhae.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just sheer nonsense!¡± She flopped into a chair and said as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears, ¡°Do you think it makes sense that he was taken on circumstantial evidence? There is no direct evidence. This is a total set-up!¡± Chapter 56 How could he get arrested for the simple fact that he was with the court lady poisoned Heyjin? Prince Binsung was the fourth in line to succeed the throne with the least chance of succession among the four princes. Despite that, he was the most favored by Emperor Ohyulje. How could they start the interrogation so quickly and charge Prince Ruhae with treason? The only consideration they had for him was to let Crown Prince Bipaan, not Emperor Ohyulje, proceed with the interrogation in person. After she got briefed about the whole situation, Kyosul still could not believe it. In a trembling voice, she denied strongly, ¡°No, no, he wouldn¡¯t plot treason!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ieyvg5e1479e437ec1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ieyvg5e1479e437ec1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ieyvg5e1479e437ec1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ieyvg5e1479e437ec1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ieyvg5e1479e437ec1 {display: block;}} ¡°Oh my god, Your Highness!¡± The nanny hugged her. Though Kyosul herself didn¡¯t notice it, the nanny realized that she was shaking as if she was having a seizure. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but they found a witness¡­.¡± ¡°But they can¡¯t charge him with treason simply because he was with a suspected court lady, right?¡± Kyosul shouted while crying. But the nanny didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she kept stroking her back quietly. Kyosul seemed to be ready to collapse as she felt so dizzy, but she tried her best to pull herself together. She couldn¡¯t space out in a situation where she didn¡¯t know how the interrogation was going. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dbygl5e1479e437de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dbygl5e1479e437de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dbygl5e1479e437de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dbygl5e1479e437de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dbygl5e1479e437de3 {display: block;}} ¡°What could happen to him?¡± That was a dreadful question. She could predict what punishment the emperor would mete out to Ruhae if he was convicted of treason, but she didn¡¯t want to believe that. Nonetheless, she went to the trouble of asking just because she wanted to shy away from it. ¡°If anyone was interrogated at the state level, I hear they couldn¡¯t be freed easily no matter how light their charges were¡­¡± The nanny couldn¡¯t tell a lie even though she knew Kyosul couldn¡¯t stand it. Kyosul seemed so stunned to hear every word the nanny said. She stared into the air blankly. She felt as if her heart were exploding. While she was agonizing, she suddenly felt as if she lost the whole world. The fact was that Ruhae was arrested and taken to the palace. Obviously, he was falsely charged without any firm evidence, so he would be freed clearly. He was set to be freed by all means. As he didn¡¯t commit any crime, he shouldn¡¯t get any punishment, but the interrogation was far from ordinary. It was the king¡¯s own interrogation. Accordingly, anybody taken for such interrogation could not be freed unscathed. After some severe angst, she barely opened her eyes and murmured in a low voice, ¡°I can¡¯t lose him.¡± She now realized one thing. And she had to admit it, too. No matter how many difficulties she would be faced with, she couldn¡¯t lose him, nor did she want to lose him. At the same time, she had to admit that if Prince Ruhae were taken for interrogation, he would face the punishment of execution or he would be freed in critical condition. She felt she was foolish. Only now did she realize that she could lose him. No matter how dreadful and difficult she felt, and no matter how unethical her actions were, she felt she couldn¡¯t lose him. She couldn¡¯t sit idle. ¡°What should I do?¡± Could she just sit idle and wait for the results of the interrogation? I wish I could help him¡­ Her eyes stopped trembling and sparkled. As if she purified of her overflowing embarrassment and anger, she seemed to resolve herself firmly. Coming to her senses, Kyosul prettied herself up quickly and headed for the North Palace immediately. She sorted out her thoughts and judged that the fastest way to put Ruhae in the clear was the testimony of the direct party, namely Prince Heyjin. ¡°Off limits to everybody!¡± She had to stop before the gate of the North Palace as the imperial soldiers stopped her with their glaring spears. The nanny following her scolded them by saying, ¡°How rude you are! She is the Crown Princess!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gathe5e1479e437e5b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gathe5e1479e437e5b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gathe5e1479e437e5b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gathe5e1479e437e5b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gathe5e1479e437e5b {display: block;}} But one of the soldiers lowered his head and said, ¡°We¡¯re sorry, but this is the emperor¡¯s order, Your Highness!¡± ¡°As Prince Heyjin had such a dangerous incident, I don¡¯t think I can see her today,¡± Kyosul said. As she became so impatient, she didn¡¯t expect that the North Palace was off limits to outsiders. But she could not go back empty-handed as she came here all the way from the East Palace. Looking at the North Palace surrounded by imperial soldiers, she turned slowly. ¡°I hear the Crown Prince was in charge of the interrogation, is that true, right?¡± she asked the nanny. ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± the nanny answered with a worried look. The nanny recalled her terrified face when she heard about Ruhae¡¯s arrest and interrogation. Startled at the news for a while, she cried and begged. Now, Kyosul had sorted out her emotions and got dolled up. It was the first time that the nanny saw such a calm and resolute expression on Kyosul¡¯s face. She was almost scared of her boss. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.arkcn5e1479e437f2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.arkcn5e1479e437f2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.arkcn5e1479e437f2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.arkcn5e1479e437f2a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.arkcn5e1479e437f2a {display: block;}} Though she cared about her and stayed with her, the nanny couldn¡¯t figure out what weak-hearted Kyosul was thinking. The thought made her nervous. ¡°Let me head for the East Palace now!¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°You told me Bipaan was in charge of the interrogation, right?¡± She walked to the East Palace immediately. As she walked so briskly, the nanny couldn¡¯t stop her and could only hesitantly follow her. The nanny didn¡¯t realize that her way of speaking had suddenly changed. Kyosul spoke down to her. The East Palace was vacant. Despite the court ladies¡¯ embarrassed reactions, Kyosul told them that she would wait for Bipaan, the owner of the palace. As Kyosul was the Crown Princess they couldn¡¯t deny her and had no choice but to escort her into his room even though they feared Bipaan¡¯s harsh scolding later. She entered the empty room and waited for Bipaan. She closed her lips tightly and frowned. The heavy atmosphere of the East Palace couldn¡¯t overwhelm her at the moment. ¡°Lady Yuon!¡± The nanny was embarrassed as she replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness Crown Princess!¡± It was the first time that Kyosul had called the nanny by her official title. As the nanny was so tense, she called Kyosul by her official title. ¡°Go to the interrogation place right away and check out the situation for me. You have to come back before the interrogation is over and before Bipaan comes back here. Please find out what kind of questions he asked, what kind of problem Prince Ruhae has gotten into, and the ways they have tried to entrap him.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Just hurry up!¡± Kyosul demanded again. It was the first time Kyosul had ever acted this way. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll follow your order right away.¡± The nanny lowered her head politely. She was suddenly choked up with emotion when she saw Kyosul exercising her authority for the first time. The nanny was impressed and scared because she knew what made Kyosul act like this. The nanny headed for the temporary interrogation place, while Kyosul was waited in Bipaan¡¯s room. ¡°The Crown Prince has arrived!¡± the eunuch announced when Bipaan got back in the evening. He went to his room immediately. Though he was exhausted after interrogating Ruhae all day, Bipaan looked majestic and dignified when he came in. Kyosul stood up and offered a formal greetings to him. Even before she was done greeting, he sat in his chair. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± she said, sitting on the mat. Though she steeled her heart before him, her voice trembled when she sat face to face with him because she knew how dangerous it was to say what she wanted to say. But I should speak out right now if I want to protect my lover, Ruhae. Her nanny had already briefed Kyosul about what happened at the interrogation place. Though she hurried up, she left a bit late from the beginning, so when she got there, she could only watch the court ladies with the North Palace testifying against Ruhae. Kyosul pondered how she would deal with Bipaan before his arrival. I¡¯ve made myself so resolute¡­ Her fingers trembled on her knees. Was it because she remained too tense while waiting in the empty East Palace all day long? When she saw him right, she felt like she was dizzy and nauseous. Her lips were dry. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fpiss5e1479e437d69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fpiss5e1479e437d69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fpiss5e1479e437d69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fpiss5e1479e437d69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fpiss5e1479e437d69 {display: block;}} His black eyes, colorful crown and neat official dress made him look sterner than before, and she had to defend Ruhae. ¡°Prince Ruhae was with me at that time.¡± There was a silence. It made her doubt if she had actually spoken to him. Bipaan didn¡¯t show any reaction even after he heard what she just said. Clap, clap, clap. He clapped slowly and said, ¡°You¡¯re so pitiable.¡± Kyosul thought he was smiling at her. It vanished seconds later. ¡°How pitiful you are!¡± She flinched at his icy response. She shut her mouth tightly as if to calm herself down. Chapter 57 Pitiful. It was an improper expression to use for his official wife and her lover. Nonetheless, It made her feel like Bipaan knew about innermost feelings about Ruhae. Bipaan was aware of the truth long ago, but he didn¡¯t go to the trouble of mentioning it to her up to now. He now had to face the truth. ¡°Well, I ¡­.¡± Kyosul tried to say something. ¡°Fortunately,¡± he cut off her words abruptly and changed the topic. ¡°It looks like your secret meeting with Prince Ruhae in the North Palace was not noticed by anybody. I didn¡¯t hear anything about you up to now.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cwmsz5e1479e385f06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cwmsz5e1479e385f06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cwmsz5e1479e385f06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cwmsz5e1479e385f06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cwmsz5e1479e385f06 {display: block;}} ¡°Secret meeting? No way!¡± Choked with emotion, she denied it strongly, but he didn¡¯t listen to her. ¡°You just admitted it with your own lips a minute ago, didn¡¯t you? You said you were with Prince Ruhae. I think you met him eight days ago, which Ruhae couldn¡¯t reveal when asked.¡± Despite his harsh interrogation, Bipaan couldn¡¯t find out what Ruhae did eight days ago in the North Palace. As a result, Rule was put in a more difficult situation and finally sent to prison. Kyosul learned about this through her nanny. Out of impatience, Kyosul confessed to Bipaan as soon as he arrived. She didn¡¯t even give him any background, but her dialogue with Bipaan continued naturally. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.luetx5e1479e385e67 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.luetx5e1479e385e67 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.luetx5e1479e385e67 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.luetx5e1479e385e67 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.luetx5e1479e385e67 {display: block;}} Bipaan was quick-witted enough. As a quick thinker, he was excellent in putting together the puzzle of Ruhae¡¯s whereabouts, based on her confession that she was with him eight days ago. In other words, Bipaan could quickly infer from her confession why Ruhae couldn¡¯t reveal his whereabouts eight days ago. ¡°Eight days ago, I bumped into Prince Ruhae at the North Palace and had a brief dialogue with him. He stayed with me briefly¡­¡± Oops. It was Kyosul who turned away first on that day. She left the palace first, leaving alone there. After she parted with him, she didn¡¯t know what he did next. I can¡¯t protect Ruhae by saying that. It was a difficult moment for he, but she was convinced that Ruhae didn¡¯t commit treason. Ruhae was not the type of person who would do harm to others. It doesn¡¯t matter. After quickly sorting out her thoughts, Kyosul continued, ¡°Prince Ruhae then quickly left, saying he was snowed under with work.¡± ¡°He turned back first?¡± ¡°Yes, I clearly saw him going back. I was coming out after I met Princess Heyjin, and I bumped into Prince Ruhae who just arrived at the North Palace. Then, he left the palace. That day he didn¡¯t do anything wicked or plot any treason, nor had he the time to do so.¡± Kyosul proved Ruhae¡¯s alibi clearly. As she got tense at the moment, she checked his expression, but she couldn¡¯t notice any change in his calm expression and eyes as before. ¡°Didn¡¯t you describe your meeting with him as secret meeting?¡± Choked with high emotion, she raised her voice, ¡°That¡¯s not a secret meeting!¡± ¡°Nonetheless, Prince Ruhae went to the trouble of going as far as the North Palace from his residence South Palace and left after only seeing you without carrying out his official duty, namely giving Princess Heyjin prenatal education, right?¡± She opened her mouth to say something, but couldn¡¯t find any words to refute his argument. In the meantime, he continued to question her. ¡°Ruhae didn¡¯t reveal about his exact whereabouts eight days ago when he could clearly claim his innocence, and he didn¡¯t mention anything about you. Obviously, he thinks it is more important to hide his meeting with you than proving his innocence. Isn¡¯t it strange that he thinks he has to hide his meeting with you more seriously than his plot to do harm to the princess? Given this fact, isn¡¯t it too obvious that his practical business on that day was to meet you, not the princess?¡± Kyosul couldn¡¯t reply at all at his incisive question. ¡°Even if he were practically charged with treason, he wouldn¡¯t reveal his improper business, namely his secret meeting with you under any circumstances, I think.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.boaxr5e1479e385eb9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.boaxr5e1479e385eb9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.boaxr5e1479e385eb9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.boaxr5e1479e385eb9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.boaxr5e1479e385eb9 {display: block;}} She felt as if each word of Bipaan¡¯s statement turned into a sharp dagger and stabbed her heart. Out of anger, she felt warm. If it was the winter now, he would have seen steam coming up from her hair. ¡°It was never an improper meeting¡± ¡°Never?¡± ¡°Nope, never.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hyged5e1479e385f55 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hyged5e1479e385f55 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hyged5e1479e385f55 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hyged5e1479e385f55 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hyged5e1479e385f55 {display: block;}} The moment she said that, she recalled Ruhae getting too close to her physically on that day. Though he didn¡¯t touch her, she vividly felt she could his physical warmth all around her body. She also recalled many blue flowers and slips that filled the lower drawer of her desk in her room at the Dongbi Palace. ¡°You are a woman who can¡¯t tell me a lie,¡± said Bipaan, snorting at her reply. Unlike Kyosul who was easily upset or susceptible to emotions, Bipaan maintained the same expression as if that was the only expression he could make. While looking at her with a calm expression as if he inquired after her casually, Bipaan changed the topic. For some reason, he gave her an exit while driving her into a corner a moment ago. ¡°Even if your testimony was true, you can¡¯t prove his innocence for two reasons.¡± ¡°What are the two reasons?¡± ¡°First, you said you ran into Prince Ruhae when he just arrived at the North Palace, right? I can infer that he already communicated secretly with court lady Hosana somewhere inside the North Palace outside Princess Heyjin¡¯s residence then turned back after only seeing you in order to prove his alibi.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a stretch. If that¡¯s the case, all the palace people could be called suspects who secretly met with Prince Ruhae on the assumption that he was not caught by anybody. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°But the prince was seen with Hosana. Besides, you were singled out as the only non-North Palace person who talked with her. Isn¡¯t it rational to think that there is another informant for Ruhae when he already got caught talking with her?¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong in his analysis, but it wasn¡¯t the truth either. ¡°Secondly,¡± Bipaan immediately continued without giving her any time to refute. ¡°I can¡¯t take your private testimony before me officially. This is a very serious interrogation underway at the order of the Emperor. The judgment should be made objectively and truthfully in accordance with the evidence and testimonies recorded at the interrogation place.¡± As soon as he was done speaking to her, she responded quickly, ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to refuse it.¡± Bipaan leaned forward and extended his hand. His long and thin fingers snatched the underside of her jaw, and his icy eyes terrified her. She couldn¡¯t believe this man who touched her jaw with his warm hand was the very same person with those terrifying eyes. She couldn¡¯t refuse his hand because she was freaked out by his dreadful eyes. He pulled her jaw close to the tip of his nose and stopped. She felt heartbroken. She felt his pupils looked dark like dawn. The darkness at dawn looked colder and more lonely than any other time of the day. After that was the warm and bright sun in waiting, but Bipaan¡­ While she was lost in such thoughts, he spoke with a stern voice as their lips almost touched, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything that stands in my way!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± At that moment, she seemed to have woken up from her dream. The moment she came forward to defend Ruhae, the moment she revealed his whereabouts and the moment that she revealed that she stayed with him, she should be faced with a totally different situation. She could be entangled in a scandal with Ruhae and shake the imperial palace. She was scared. She couldn¡¯t beat Bipaan. She now realized how intrepid an act she was involved in right now. She also realized how arrogant and discourteous she acted before the Crown Prince of the great empire, but she couldn¡¯t stop it. ¡°Please free Prince Ruhae! Don¡¯t you know that he is not the type of person who can do any harm to the princess?¡± In the end, she pleaded with him in a trembling voice. When she realized that she could not persuade Bipaan with all kinds of methods, she found herself overwhelmed with worry about Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rqgqx5e1479e385e0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rqgqx5e1479e385e0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rqgqx5e1479e385e0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rqgqx5e1479e385e0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rqgqx5e1479e385e0e {display: block;}} ¡°He is going to be freed.¡± When her face was about to turn bright at that, Bipaan continued, ¡°I mean, when he is found innocent.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you want to stand before me as my official wife?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± No matter how he asked a loaded question, she was easily caught. He continued casually, ¡°You haven¡¯t called yourself my wife all along.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Kyosul realized belatedly that even now she didn¡¯t use her official title before Bipaan. She hastily apologized to him by saying, ¡°As I was so embarrassed, I committed discourtesy to you.¡± ¡°Discourtesy?¡± He then stared into the air. As if he got lost in some thoughts in a situation like this, he rested his chin on his fingers and tapped his cheek with the index finger. Chapter 58 Out of impatience, she pleaded with him again, ¡°Your Majesty, he is your brother. You have watched him longer than me, your official wife, and know his character better than others. How can you be so mean to him?¡± Bipaan looked at her again. Though his eyes were always empty, they looked all the more so now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him too much. As your husband, I will deal with the matter in a fair and just manner. It was already very dark when Kyosul left the East Palace. She was staggering in the darkness, with the nanny behind her holding a lamp. ¡°What should I do?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.drlof5e1479e383c4c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.drlof5e1479e383c4c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.drlof5e1479e383c4c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.drlof5e1479e383c4c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.drlof5e1479e383c4c {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness!¡± The nanny following her with a troubled look caught up with her and asked piteously, ¡°Why are you so absent-minded today of all days? Why can¡¯t you pull yourself together?¡± ¡°No, no, no¡­¡± While murmuring to herself absent-mindedly, she suddenly stopped walking. ¡°I did not lose him. Only now have I taken hold of him firmly.¡± Yes, she realized it now clearly. Her trembling eyes turned into crystal clear again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.frxfl5e1479e383ba8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.frxfl5e1479e383ba8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.frxfl5e1479e383ba8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.frxfl5e1479e383ba8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.frxfl5e1479e383ba8 {display: block;}} ¡°I think I¡¯ve been wandering in a wrong place all day long.¡± She began to walk vigorously. As if she went back to her past as the tomboy princess of her motherland Hwa Kingdom, she began to run with her skirt fluttering. The nanny tried to chase her but failed. Kyosul disappeared into the darkness and headed for a destination she realized clearly. ¡°Your Highness! Where are you going now?¡± Only the nanny¡¯s shouting echoed through the dark East Palace. Kyosul was running in the darkness. She knew where she was running. It was the first time she moved with the utmost conviction since she came to the Mok Kingdom and became a member of its royal family. There were lamps lighting the way to the imperial palace. She was heading for the Central Palace under the lights of the dotted lamps on the roads. She ran for a long time. She felt short of breath and her heart was pounding hard. Her skirt wrapped around her trembling legs. Nothing could stop her at the moment. She was happy. She was thrilled with joy. She couldn¡¯t be more satisfied at the fact that she could breathe out so happily. She felt as if she rediscovered the reason why she was still alive. ¡°Why?¡± She asked quickly while breathing roughly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I do this in advance?¡± Was it because she was scared? ¡°Why now?¡± Only when she experienced fear could she forget about it. There was nothing solved yet, but she did all she could to save Ruhae. She went everywhere ranging from the Pukbi Palace where Princess Heyjin was located to the East Palace. She argued with Bipaan and even lied on behalf of Ruhae. She also pleaded with Bipaan to free him, even though she knew her appeal would fall on deaf ears, but all her desperate efforts went nowhere until now. The situation didn¡¯t change. Despite that, she was most thrilled and excited today. She was heading for that place to meet Ruhae. When she entered the Central Place, she slowed down her running pace. Though she was aware of the road to the Central Palace, she didn¡¯t know her way around the palace. She confirmed with her nanny that the interrogation took place at the Headquarters of the Imperial Army. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rzkgr5e1479e383bfc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rzkgr5e1479e383bfc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rzkgr5e1479e383bfc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rzkgr5e1479e383bfc {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rzkgr5e1479e383bfc {display: block;}} ¡°If that¡¯s true, he must be in the prison in the Imperial Army HQ.¡± She couldn¡¯t ask anybody there. She couldn¡¯t let anybody in the imperial palace know that the Crown Princess was visiting the jailed prince in the evening, but she wasn¡¯t worried now. ¡°Even though the palace is vast, I¡¯ve got enough time.¡± She had at least five hours to spend before the day broke. She decided to make rounds to the places with lamps first. Back in the Hwa Kingdom, she wandered around the kingdom like a wild rat so many days. She recalled her days in her motherland for a long time. At that time, she was not a virtuous princess. There never stopped the constant calling of the court ladies who went around to search for her in the palace. As such, it was a piece of cake that Kyosul searched here and there inside the imperial palace of the Mok Kingdom, unnoticed by the court ladies at all. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.homws5e1479e383c9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.homws5e1479e383c9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.homws5e1479e383c9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.homws5e1479e383c9f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.homws5e1479e383c9f {display: block;}} She first walked around the outer castle of the palace to go to the Imperial Army HQ. Straining her hearing, she listened for the soldiers¡¯ footsteps in the corner of the castle or over the wall. And she kept going through several gates of the castle without meeting a single court lady and soon noticed a sign ¡®Headquarters of the Imperial Army.¡¯ ¡°Right here, he¡­.¡± Kyosul¡¯s heart began to beat again. She saw several soldiers were on sentry duty because of the ongoing interrogation. Instead of hurrying up, she watched them quietly, waiting for the right time. If she made a hasty attempt to climb over the wall, she would be caught by them who were far more sensitive to any unusual noise. She knew it because as a tomboy princess she had already experienced it. Fortunately, in less than an hour after she got there, they left the place for a shift change. She seized the chance and quickly went into the headquarters secretly. It was easier for her to find the prison than intruding into the palace secretly. As the prison was located inside the Central Palace, the charges of those jailed there were related to the royal family, so the atmosphere there was very grave and awe-inspiring. She had to go underground. She slowly went down, wary of the security guards¡¯ watchful eye. Fortunately, there were no soldiers inside the prison. She was not sure if they didn¡¯t dispatch the guards in consideration of Prince Ruhae or if that was the expression of their confidence in prison security. Ruhae was jailed in the deepest cell of the prison. Dressed in white clothes and his long hair shaken out loose without the topknot, he looked like a typical criminal. ¡°How come you are¡­.¡± She helplessly shed tears in front of the thick wooden bar of the prison. When he heard a woman¡¯s low voice, Ruhae suddenly trembled and slowly turned his head. Though he let his long hair down, he couldn¡¯t hide his handsome face. His light brown eyes opened wide with surprise when he noticed Kyosul. ¡°Crown Princess!¡± As if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears, he called her in a stunned voice. The moment she confirmed Ruhae¡¯s face, tears ran down her face suddenly. She shut her mouth and got close to the wooden bars. He also came close to her and held the bars. ¡°How come you came down as far as here?¡± Though his eyes sparkled briefly with joy, he said with a heavy heart, ¡°This is not a place for Your Highness to visit.¡± ¡°This is not a place for you to stay, Prince Ruhae.¡± Shaking her head, she repeated after him. And even before he said further, she expressed her pent-up feelings toward him finally. ¡°I love you.¡± Kyosul¡¯s crisp voice turned mellow at that moment. She uttered those sweet words in such a voice. Ruhae just looked at her blankly as if he couldn¡¯t believe his ears. She put up with it too long. She beat around the bush too long. It took too long for her to express her genuine feelings toward him. As it took so long for Kyosul to convey her genuine feelings, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and broke into tears as soon as she saw his face. She extended her hand through the bars, and he held it with his trembling hand. Both of them sat as close to each other as possible with the thick wooden bars between them. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qwitc5e1479e383b4b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qwitc5e1479e383b4b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qwitc5e1479e383b4b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qwitc5e1479e383b4b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qwitc5e1479e383b4b {display: block;}} ¡°What did you say to me a moment ago?¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Her tears soon soaked not only her colorful silk dress but also his white clothes. ¡°I am sorry. I was so foolish. I was so foolish and immature to avoid you all the time. When I thought that I could lose you, I just couldn¡¯t concentrate on anything and come to my senses. I just kept thinking about how much pain you were in now. I am so heartbroken because of you.¡± She then grabbed and tore at her chest and said, ¡°My heart tells me not to ignore you anymore. If I ignore you any further, I¡¯m afraid I am going to be too heartbroken to stand it. I just can¡¯t sit idle when you¡¯re imprisoned like this.¡± With tears running down her cheeks, she looked at him. His hardened face turned soft before he knew, with a bright smile on his face. It was not a dream. Her soft hands and hot tears all belonged to her. Only now did he realize that she came into his heart. He put his hand on her cheeks and wiped off her tears with his thumbs. No matter how far he extended his hand, all he could do was stroke her back as the wooden bars separated them. Chapter 59 If he could have his way, he would hug her and scream to the whole world that she came to him. Though they confessed to each other with the thick wooden bars between them, they didn¡¯t care about the place anymore. Their face-to-face meeting was the most important. Revealing their genuine feelings toward each other, which they intentionally avoided until now, they started to relish in sweet conversation that they had never had before. Right at this moment Kyosul was everything to Ruhae, while Ruhae was everything to Kyosul. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I can wait for you indefinitely. After all, you have come to me,¡± he said. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dsbks5e1479e32a057 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dsbks5e1479e32a057 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dsbks5e1479e32a057 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dsbks5e1479e32a057 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dsbks5e1479e32a057 {display: block;}} ¡°In fact, I was scared. As you know, I¡¯m the official wife of the Crown Prince, and I kept telling myself that it was the Crown Prince that I had to be faithful to, but I found myself missing you often unconsciously.¡± Once she began to speak what she had in mind, she kept talking endlessly now. After she was done finally, she leaned her head on the bars. She felt resentful about the bars that separated them. In her current frame of mind, she wanted to be wrapped into his arms. ¡°I was just scared Bipaan would notice my longing for you. I was scared of his anger. I was scared because I might not be able to control my affection for you when I saw face to face with you. And I was scared you might be put at risk because of my longing for you.¡± ¡°Even if I were put at risk because of you, I would take it gladly. I would be alright because I would be put at risk because of your longing for me. Because you and I share the same love of each other, I would feel fine if I was in trouble.¡± Tears streamed from her eyes when she heard him saying that he would be alright even if he were hurt. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xlqts5e1479e329fa5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xlqts5e1479e329fa5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xlqts5e1479e329fa5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xlqts5e1479e329fa5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xlqts5e1479e329fa5 {display: block;}} ¡°If I continue to stay connected with you like this, you¡¯re going to be hurt. The Crown Prince is a fierce man. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll certainly harm you. As I have revealed my love to you and confirmed your love of me, I won¡¯t feel cold even if I¡¯m alone.¡± ¡°But you can stay warm with me! Don¡¯t avoid me, please. I would like to tell you that you¡¯re going to be alright.¡± Holding her by the shoulders, he pleaded with her in an impatient voice for fear that she might change her mind again. Kyosul¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. She seemed to always be crying. Her tears broke his heart. ¡°I won¡¯t feel alright. How can I live comfortably when I know you¡¯re suffering?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­Oh no¡­Woorum.¡± Ruhae dared to call her by her childhood name. Holding her hands, he looked into her eyes and spoke slowly, ¡°If you ignore me, that will torment me more than any other punishment. Why don¡¯t you know my heart? Are you just content with the fact that you have confirmed my love for you? I can never be satisfied with that. I¡¯m sure my heart will ache more than before. Are you really satisfied with that?¡± His question deeply touched her. Her eyes trembled at his sincere expression. He looked at her trembling eyes quietly and said, ¡°Even if my heart aches later, and I¡¯m suffering because of you, can¡¯t we just feel happy by staying together?¡± It was not Kyosul alone who shed tears. With a soft smile on his meek face, he also shed tears. His smile mixed with tears made him look miserable. ¡°No matter how often you blame me, I¡¯ll call you Woorum.¡± Pausing for a moment Ruhae continued, ¡°Could you call me Yuuljin, please?¡± While looking at him silently, she nodded. His eyes were wide with surprise at her nodding. He felt breathless and his heart was full of happiness. ¡°You really make me¡­.¡± He could hardly continue as he was so emotional. Looking at him quietly, she continued in a trembling voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should act from now on, but what I can tell you clearly is ¡­.¡± Now his tears began to come down, and he wrapped her face with his hands. He felt as if his passionate feelings could be conveyed through the palms of his hands. ¡°I can¡¯t reject my longing for you anymore,¡± she said. ¡°I love you,¡± he said. ¡°I love you,¡± she replied. Was it because his warm hands touched her heart? She blushed. She felt the growing warmth of his palms on her cheeks. ¡®What should I do now? How lovely her name is!¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jxvoh5e1479e32a001 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jxvoh5e1479e32a001 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jxvoh5e1479e32a001 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jxvoh5e1479e32a001 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jxvoh5e1479e32a001 {display: block;}} Though he couldn¡¯t stand it, he tried to be patient as much as he could. ¡®Now that I¡¯ve come as far as here, can I move one step more?¡¯ Little did he know there was such a strong desire hidden in his mind until now. He felt her hands touching his face now. His fingertips followed the tear tracks across her cheeks and across to her petal-soft lips. He pressed his face into her hands. He was all the more anxious to touch her since she was so close. As she lowered her jaw, his thumb touched her lips inevitably. His lips trembled a bit. Out of desire to get a bit closer to her, he moved closer to the bars when she opened her mouth suddenly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lbvjh5e1479e32a0b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lbvjh5e1479e32a0b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lbvjh5e1479e32a0b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lbvjh5e1479e32a0b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lbvjh5e1479e32a0b0 {display: block;}} ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too dangerous for us to call each other ¡®Woorum¡¯ and ¡®Yuuljin¡¯?¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s dangerous¡­.¡± In the Mok Kingdom, only lovers could call themselves by their childhood or given names. It was established as a sort of custom for very long, so people knew easily if a man and a woman were lovers or not by hearing how they called each other. So, Kyosul wanted to give Ruhae a reminder that their secret relationship might be put in danger if they were caught calling each other by their childhood names. He quickly sensed what she was concerned about, but he hated calling her by her official title ¡®Crown Princess¡¯ because it reminded him of the bondage of status in the royal family. While pondering over it, he hit upon a good idea. ¡°How about this way? Instead of your childhood name, why don¡¯t we call each other ¡®woori¡¯? We royal members casually call each other like that. Woori contains significance that we only know.¡± ¡°Woori¡­.¡± ¡°Do you like this expression ¡®woori¡¯?¡± She nodded with a blush. She seemed more precious, cuter to him with a blush. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll call each other woori from now on.¡± With their hands folded together, they accepted their fate belatedly. After confirming each other¡¯s love, both acted so naturally. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off each other as if they thought those days when they pretended not to know for fear of Bipaan were just a joke. ¡°Even if somebody overheard us, I could make excuses by saying I was about to call you Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± ¡°Sounds good, Ruhae.¡± ¡°Kyosul!¡± Just calling the other party¡¯s first name thrilled them. He felt warm and smiled by just calling her name. ¡°My dear Kyosul.¡± He got closer to the bars. Fortunately, the thick bars were spaced far apart enough that he could wrap her in his arms and Kyosul could stick her small face between the bars. He pulled her as close as possible. She was heartbroken about the fact that he was prisoned, but the bars couldn¡¯t stop her love for him. His heart was beating wildly when he noticed her adorable red lips. He felt as if his lips were being sucked into hers. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± she asked in a cheerful voice, smiling at him brightly. It seemed to remind him that he needed to come to his senses. He barely took a deep breath. He even felt like he burst into fake laughter. ¡°It was a close call¡­¡± He almost kissed her. For the first time since he was born he almost let himself get carried with a strong desire. He felt he shouldn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t, given how hard he fought to win her heart. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bpjus5e1479e329f3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bpjus5e1479e329f3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bpjus5e1479e329f3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bpjus5e1479e329f3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bpjus5e1479e329f3e {display: block;}} While touching her soft lips, he moved his fingers slowly along her jawline, her ears and tucked her hair behind her ears. He rolled her earlobes softly. He had to be content with just touching her. ¡°By the way, how come you thought about coming to this place?¡± ¡°Well, I visited various places all day long.¡± She shyly told him about her whereabouts in detail today. ¡°When I heard that you were forcibly taken for interrogation, I felt like the whole world crumbled,¡± ¡°The whole world crumbled?¡± he said laughingly. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Well, I just felt it was so cute of you to describe how worried you were about me.¡± She pouted, thinking he tried to make fun of her by laughing like that. He hastily changed the topic again when he felt a strong lust deep inside. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I first went to the North Palace then the East Palace.¡± Chapter 60 His face grew dark when she mentioned the East Palace. Neither Ruhae nor Kyosul wanted to speak directly of Bipaan. ¡°So, did you meet him?¡± ¡°Yes, I talked with him a lot, but¡­¡± she said, shaking her head from side to side. Though she wandered around to search for Ruhae all day long, she couldn¡¯t find him. ¡°I realized belatedly that it was just useless to wander around in the wrong places. The man I¡¯m concerned about and searched for is only you, Ruhae.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hqmci5e1479e2e540a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hqmci5e1479e2e540a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hqmci5e1479e2e540a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hqmci5e1479e2e540a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hqmci5e1479e2e540a {display: block;}} She came running. As soon as she realized that belatedly, she put aside everything and came running to him as she missed him so much. ¡°I really missed you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He pulled her hand and put it on his lips. That was the only way he could show his thanks. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zckoc5e1479e2e5360 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zckoc5e1479e2e5360 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zckoc5e1479e2e5360 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zckoc5e1479e2e5360 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zckoc5e1479e2e5360 {display: block;}} She felt his warm breathing between her fingers. ¡°Thanks so much for coming to this rough place out of concern for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I couldn¡¯t do anything to help you.¡± ¡°No, you did enough.¡± He resolutely nodded at her as she lowered her head shyly. ¡°You plucked up the courage to come running to me like this, didn¡¯t you?¡± She was deeply touched by his sweet response. Each of his words seemed to contain honey. Though his words were as sweet as honey, the situation surrounding him was far from sweet. First of all, the prison was too gloomy and lonely for the reunion of lovers. Ruhae was inside the prison while she was outside. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°I am not worried any longer.¡± ¡°Do you know any good way out of here?¡± He then smiled at her the way he used to, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? I told you I would prove my love for you. You took pains to come here to prove your love for me, didn¡¯t you?¡± His reassurances ironically led her to come to his prison to prove her love. What was important now was for him to prove his innocence. ¡°How can you crack a joke at a time like this?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right,¡± he said seriously, who spoke to her jokingly only a moment ago. ¡°Just like I did this time, I will surely prove my innocence with the truth only.¡± ¡°No matter how much Bipaan tries to set you up, he won¡¯t be able to beat the truth,¡± she seconded, showing a firm resolution. What was more encouraging to him was that she didn¡¯t try to ascertain his innocence at all. ¡°Do you trust me? Can you trust me even without asking me that I didn¡¯t try to harm the princess or her pregnant baby?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Her conviction in his innocence deeply touched him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fckms5e1479e2e53ba {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fckms5e1479e2e53ba {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fckms5e1479e2e53ba {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fckms5e1479e2e53ba {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fckms5e1479e2e53ba {display: block;}} ¡°I love you.¡± That was the only response he could give to her in return for her trust. She instantly blushed. ¡°You really make me blush if you say that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to keep confessing to you until you don¡¯t feel awkward about that.¡± He extended his hands and wrapped them around the back of her neck. He wanted to pull to kiss her. However, he put his forehead to hers and took a deep breath. He whispered, ¡°I love you, I love you, I love you.¡± His trembling voice gradually echoed in her ears. ¡°I only love you.¡± There were no sweeter words than this to her. She wanted to leave everything to him, captivated by his sweet talk. *** While Ruhae and Kyosul were enjoying a secret date in the Central Palace, there was another secret meeting going on in the West Palace. Prince Dukwol and his wife, Oran, were fully naked and making love in their room. Dukwol¡¯s long pajamas barely covered her naked body. They were inside the canopy. While they were having sex inside, a secret informant stood stiffly outside and reported in a stern voice. ¡°The Crown Princess visited the East Palace.¡± There was nothing special about his report. At first, there were wild rumors that the Crown Princess from a foreign country entranced the cold-hearted Crown Prince. And recently there was another rumor that their relationship was not as close as before, but it was natural that the relationship between a man a woman went through ups and downs. What what the informant said next rekindled Dukwol¡¯s curiosity about her. ¡°Then, she appeared at the prison of the interrogation place in the Central Palace.¡± Dukwol stopped savoring Oran. She gasped for breath and moaned as he stopped, ¡°Huh? Why did she appear there?¡± Because of the strange incident at the North Palace there was set up a makeshift interrogation place in the Central Palace, and Dukwol had an informant placed there to keep an eye on the situation the moment Bipaan started the interrogation. He was watching the interrogation as it might bring about an unpredictable impact on the power structure of the royal family, but he was stunned to hear that unexpected news from the mole. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.whbmi5e1479e2e545d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.whbmi5e1479e2e545d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.whbmi5e1479e2e545d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.whbmi5e1479e2e545d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.whbmi5e1479e2e545d {display: block;}} ¡°That¡¯s very strange. Right now only Prince Ruhae is prisoned there, right?¡± said Oran, caressing Dukwol¡¯s chest, slick with sweat. She crawled behind him and pressed her soft breasts against his back. She slid her legs on either side of his hips allowing him to stroke her leg while he considered the news. Crown Princess Kyosul. The East Palace. Kings¡¯ interrogation. ¡®Prison.¡¯ ¡®Prince Ruhae.¡¯ ¡®Crown Princess¡­¡¯ There was something pretty strange about Kyosul¡¯s movements. The only link that connected the East Palace right to the interrogation was Ruhae. ¡°The Crown Prince¡­the Crown Princess? Then, is the rumor groundless?¡± Touching every part of his body softly, she responded, ¡°Do you mean the rumor that the Crown Princess won over Prince Ruhae¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°Yes, that rumor.¡± Durkwol turned and moved his hand back up her legs. Then, he moved his body away and looked at her. As he stroked between her thighs, she moaned. ¡°Wow! It looks like we¡¯re going to find a treasure box sooner or later.¡± ¡°Treasure box?¡± ¡°Yes, treasure box. We set a trap to pave the way for our son Mutawhwang¡¯s throne succession in the future, but Ruhae was unexpectedly trapped to our surprise¡­¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± As if she was overjoyed, she raised her upper body and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dukwol didn¡¯t release his grip on her body, taking a deep breath. ¡°How come the Crown Princess was entrapped this time¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that court lady Hosana was so skillful in carrying out our secret order?¡± It was unexpected that Ruhae became entangled with their plot. His arrest was embarrassing to them, but nothing bad for the West Palace. As things already happened, Dukwol and Oran originally planned to get rid of not only Heyjin and her baby but also Ruhae. ¡°I think we have to save Prince Ruhae,¡± said Dukwol, biting the soft skin of her hip. She wiggled beneath him. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re going to witness a very interesting development.¡± ¡°Thanks for praising me. As you know, I recruited court lady Hosana.¡± ¡°What kind of prize should I give you then?¡± ¡°Well, I would like to have you, Prince Dukwol.¡± She cupped his face as he pulled her into his lap and continued to make love to her the way she wanted. *** Hosana couldn¡¯t even enjoy the luxury of being sent to prison. She suffered severe torture during the day and endured the icy coldness during the night. While she was tied to a chair in the open in the early hours in the morning, there appeared before her a man¡¯s shade. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t initiate this thing, right?¡¯ That man pressed on her in a low and heavy voice. ¡°Tell the truth!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You have to think about your family.¡± ¡°They will take good care of your family. Of course, you have to make confessions about this crime first,¡± said that man. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t confess, your family, too, will be in big trouble like you.¡± Then that man disappeared without giving her any time to think about his proposal. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qrhnz5e1479e2e5304 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qrhnz5e1479e2e5304 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qrhnz5e1479e2e5304 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qrhnz5e1479e2e5304 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qrhnz5e1479e2e5304 {display: block;}} *** The interrogation now took a totally different turn because Hosana offered to confess after being tortured for days. On the stylobate of the Central Palace were seated top officials and Bipaan. The Imperial Army soldiers surrounded the large yard. In the center of the yard were two big and hard chairs for the suspects facing another harsh interrogation. One of the chairs was clean, while the other was stained with blood and in tattered condition, torn and furrowed by various torturing devices. As expected, Ruhae was tied around the clean chair while Hosana was bound to the other tattered one. ¡°Court lady Hosana!¡± Bipaan called her in a chilly voice. Her black and wobbly eyes slowly looked up. ¡°Why did you suddenly decide to confess?¡± ¡°I would love to see¡­¡± ¡°Who do you want to see now?¡± She tilted her head to one side and said, ¡°I would love to see the prince¡­.¡± As it happened, Ruhae was sitting in the direction she tilted her head. In astonishment, the top officials present at the interrogation looked at Ruhae. He himself was also stunned and ready to spring to his feet out of anger. ¡°I would love to see Prince Binsung¡­¡± Chapter 61 Bipaan slanted one of his brows as if he couldn¡¯t understand her motive at all. ¡°You said you decided to confess because you wanted to see Prince Binsung?¡± Instead of replying, she nodded. She committed another big discourtesy by nodding at the Crown Prince¡¯s question instead of replying politely, but Bipaan didn¡¯t care and asked, ¡°Do you want to put forward this condition in return for your confession?¡± She shook her head and replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to incur his hatred, Your Majesty.¡± Hosana was the very woman who put Heyjin, who Prince Binsung loved so much, and her pregnant baby at risk. So, while proceeding with the interrogation, Bipaan made sure Prince Binsung did not approach Hosana personally. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jrrru5e1479e38e6c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jrrru5e1479e38e6c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jrrru5e1479e38e6c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jrrru5e1479e38e6c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jrrru5e1479e38e6c1 {display: block;}} Nobody would predict what would happen if the hot-blooded Prince Binsung were allowed to approach her. ¡°You just said you would confess because you wanted to see Prince Bisung, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I would love to see him.¡± The interrogation didn¡¯t move forward smoothly because Hosana, who offered to confess, suddenly said something nonsensical. Bipaan narrowed down his questions and asked pointedly, ¡°Tell me how Prince Ruhae was involved in this conspiracy.¡± ¡°Prince Ruhae¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rqgvk5e1479e38e60f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rqgvk5e1479e38e60f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rqgvk5e1479e38e60f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rqgvk5e1479e38e60f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rqgvk5e1479e38e60f {display: block;}} As if her offer to confess was serious, she now began to reply to Bipaan¡¯s questions in detail. All the officials present turned their attention to her. It was the first time she mentioned Prince Ruhae¡¯s name. In the end, Hosana continued with difficulty, ¡°Prince Ruhae has nothing to do with this plot.¡± The tense string that bound the whole interrogation was pulled apart instantly. ¡°I alone was totally responsible.¡± ¡°How can an ordinary court lady like you commit such a despicable and wicked crime? Do you think I can believe you?¡± Hosana cast down her focusless eyes and then said in a spiritless voice, ¡°I just wanted to give birth to his baby as I missed him so much.¡± She spoke each word clearly in a monotonous tone. Her confession shocked the officials. Some of them clicked their tongues and looked down at her in contempt. Her confession was more convincing than circumstantial evidence, and it seemed that the whole interrogation would end quickly. But Bipaan didn¡¯t easily believe her testimony, the only direct evidence. Though he gave lots of weight to her confession, he continued the investigation to completely clear away all the suspicions involved. The Imperial Army soldiers searched not only Hosana¡¯s room but also the North Palace and even Prince Heyjin¡¯s residence. When they searched the South Palace, the faithful eunuch of Ruhae cried and followed them all along. ¡°We found an incense pouch in Hosana¡¯s room.¡± They lowered their heads and presented the pouch to Bipaan. It was the pouch that Ruhae argued he picked up and gave to her, but they couldn¡¯t find anything like a pouch or material evidence in the South Palace, which they could link with Ruhae. ¡°I would love to see him¡­¡± Hosana kept repeating the same words after she confessed. She cast a glance somewhere in the sky as if she were missing somebody over the imperial palace. ¡°Free Prince Ruhae!¡± In the end, it didn¡¯t take long for Bipaan to free Ruhae. It was a tense, breathless and harrowing moment from the moment of his arrest by the Imperial Army until his release. ¡°What did I tell you before? This time I was right.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jjxvz5e1479e38e66a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jjxvz5e1479e38e66a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jjxvz5e1479e38e66a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jjxvz5e1479e38e66a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jjxvz5e1479e38e66a {display: block;}} Though Ruhae himself didn¡¯t prove his innocence, he didn¡¯t get impatient nor did he hurry up. He just accepted Bipaan¡¯s interrogation process obediently. He didn¡¯t refuse it while defending himself with the truth. He trusted the power of the truth. Ruhae¡¯s smile was bright because he believed that he survived the dirty conspiracy against him honorably and proudly, but there was something that he didn¡¯t notice yet. As he was so innocent, Ruhae never sensed the presence of the smokescreen that ridiculed him. Though he was not physically harassed, he was in bad condition while he was in prison. As soon as he was out of the Headquarters of the Imperial Army, he quickly headed somewhere. ¡®I would love to see you right now.¡¯ He wanted to see Kyosul more than anybody else, but there was somebody who was secretly watching him heading for his love Kyosul¡¯s place. In the meantime, Kyosul headed for the outer palace as soon as she heard that Ruhae was freed. She felt it a regret that she couldn¡¯t move quickly because of her capacity as the official wife of the Crown Prince. Accordingly she wanted to keep her demeanor and dignity. ¡®Don¡¯t stand in my way!¡¯ The only place she could forget about her annoying duty as the Crown Princess was the back garden of the outer palace. There was nobody who watched or looked for her in this place. In this place she could just let herself follow her heart, forgetting all about the rules and formality of the Mok Kingdom. Kyosul went out to the outer palace a lot. She spent most of the day in the back garden of the palace. When she headed for the palace, she didn¡¯t take her nanny. Her nanny was aware of the reason why Kyosul went to the back garden of the palace alone, and she could not help but feel worried about Kyosul¡¯s frequent outings to the back garden. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cdbya5e1479e38e71b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cdbya5e1479e38e71b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cdbya5e1479e38e71b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cdbya5e1479e38e71b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cdbya5e1479e38e71b {display: block;}} Kyosul was always happy when she got out of the palace. She didn¡¯t hide her joy. She even hummed a tune when she entered her room. ¡°Your Highness Kyosul!¡± ¡°Ugh?¡± ¡°Have you written any love letters to the Crown Prince these days?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± She calmly sat on a cushioned mat. There was no more joy on her face. ¡°It¡¯s been several days since I have written a letter to him.¡± In fact, she forgot to write to him since she visited the prison to meet with Ruhae. She didn¡¯t think of it at all. As she just focused on Ruhae, she couldn¡¯t think of the courtesy she used to show to Bipaan. She wrote letters to Bipaan out of courtesy, not love. It was the minimum courtesy she could show toward him, as well as an obligation that she had to remind herself of her status as Bipaan¡¯s official wife. ¡°It¡¯s all useless now.¡± Her letters to Bipaan lost any meaning since the moment she confessed her love to Ruhae. She stood up from the mat and passed by the nanny quickly. The nanny looked at her with a worried expression. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°You know that I don¡¯t love Bipaan, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The nanny helplessly sat down on the floor and lowered her head, trembling. ¡°Please! Your Highness! I¡¯m scared, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Nanny.¡± Kyosul touched her shoulder with her hand gently. She could feel the nanny trembling. A¡±Nanny, I¡¯m happy now.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°You always told me that you wanted me to be happy, right? You always whispered into my ear that you wouldn¡¯t have any regrets as long as I was happy, right?¡± She then wrapped her shoulders with both hands. ¡°In this terrifying palace, I¡¯m happy at last! I think I can be happy.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still¡­.¡± Her nanny¡¯s lips trembled in her wrinkled face. It was just not because she couldn¡¯t find the right words. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, nanny. My heart tells me what I¡¯m doing now is right.¡± ¡°Yes, I just wish you were always happy.¡± She hugged the nanny tightly. Though it was the nanny who hugged her all the time, Kyosul hugged her first this time. ¡®Yes, I¡¯ll be alright.¡¯ Kyosul felt she could be alright. She felt she could be courageous as long as she was with Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gogpv5e1479e38e5ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gogpv5e1479e38e5ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gogpv5e1479e38e5ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gogpv5e1479e38e5ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gogpv5e1479e38e5ab {display: block;}} She walked into her room. On the wall beside the bed hung Bipaan¡¯s robe. She stopped looking at it for a long time. The moment she looked at it, she grew sad. She approached the wall slowly where the robe hung. The robe was embroidered with flowers and butterflies of various colors along the hem. Among the butterflies was a blue one that caught her eyes. While stroking it, she touched its wings. Dotted with blue colored threads, its wings were soft and rough along the grain. ¡°Nanny!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Without turning to her, Kyosul was still stroking the ceremonial dress. ¡°Can I see the Crown Prince? I think I have to convey him something. I think he will never come to see me in this place. He told me that he would never.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the official wife of the Crown Prince?¡± Did she mean Kyosul could go and see him or not? Kyosul once again touched the red robe from its collar down to its end gently. She kept that dress as a replica of Bipaan as he would not come to see her in the past when she felt cold and lonely all the time. Though he might not need it, she needed it to spend every night all alone, but she didn¡¯t need it anymore. She found a man who could make her warm. While stroking the dress for a while, she made the decision at last. Chapter 63 ¡°Well, at that time I just wanted to help him as he was innocent.¡± ¡°So, did you meet him?¡± Bipaan didn¡¯t listen to her excuses. A shiver ran down her spine at the moment. She felt tempted to announce her relationship with him. She felt she didn¡¯t have to wait any longer and clarify her position. But could she do that? Even though Bipaan said he would never care about what she would do as long as she didn¡¯t stand in her way, she was his official wife at the moment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mplpm5e1479e2c235f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mplpm5e1479e2c235f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mplpm5e1479e2c235f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mplpm5e1479e2c235f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mplpm5e1479e2c235f {display: block;}} ¡®Can I openly reveal my relationship with Ruhae?¡¯ Bipaan¡¯s question confused Kyosul. He didn¡¯t even give her any time to sort out her thinking. ¡°Let me ask you once more. Did you meet him?¡± He stared at her with fierce eyes. She couldn¡¯t avoid his eyes now. Her big and round eyes were already filled with tears. It looked like he would persistently keep questioning her until he got the right answer. His intent was obvious now because he didn¡¯t give her any other option. In the end, she slowly nodded. Her heart was pounding wildly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oaeae5e1479e2c22be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oaeae5e1479e2c22be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oaeae5e1479e2c22be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oaeae5e1479e2c22be {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oaeae5e1479e2c22be {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, I did. And I¡¯m meeting him now. Ruhae makes me feel warm.¡± Bipaan raised his hand quickly, and she closed her eyes tightly. Tears now began to drop from her closed eyes. She thought he would slap her in the face just like he slapped Ruhae¡¯s face when he caught them in the back garden of the outer palace on a spring day. But Bipaan didn¡¯t. Curling up her body to the best she could, she opened her eyes. His clenched right hand was in the air, trembling a lot. The joints of his big hand were quite visible. Looking at his fist for a moment, she now turned her eyes toward his face. As if he was barely holding back his anger, he shut his mouth and stare at her with his face flushed. She again looked up at his clenched fist. Blood came out of the palm of his right hand. He put down his right hand more quickly than he raised it. ¡°Don¡¯t call him by his first name Ruhae before me. No matter what happens, I¡¯m your official husband. So, as long as you don¡¯t stand in my way and the Emperor heard about your relationship with him, you can do whatever you want to do.¡± She felt something was cut off suddenly. Without looking at her, Bipaan turned, saying, ¡°You can leave now. Don¡¯t come to see me for trifling things like this in the future. You can meet me only when you have important business.¡± With his back turned to her, he waved his hands. She left his study after giving him official greetings. He sat down. Raising his head, he looked at the wedding dress then he quickly threw it aside. It hit a bookshelf and fell under it like a crushed rugosa rose. When he turned, his face was turning white. The Dongbin Palace, where Kyoyoung¡¯s residence was located, was quiet. There were few guests visiting it as it was located at the eastern edge of the East Palace. The only person that visited it was Kyosul. As Bipaan¡¯s second wife, she was not loved, and she didn¡¯t get his attention. There was a wild rumor in the palace that even Kyoyoung was deserted by him on the wedding night. Nonetheless, Kyoyoung was persistently holding her own. She had never revealed her unpleasant or unsatisfied feelings to anybody, trying to fix her image as a faithful woman. She took a shower every day and prettied herself up. She had no expectation that Bipaan would come and see her. Still, she dressed up and made up her face every day. She couldn¡¯t stand her loneliness without doing that ritual every day. She would be his second wife for the rest of her life. She couldn¡¯t improve her situation on her own. She had to spend every night alone, let alone every time during the day. She had to endure this endless boredom and miserable silence every day, taking it as her destiny. ¡°The Crown Prince has arrived!¡± The chief court lady¡¯s announcement stunned Kyoyoung. She looked at the door with a stunned expression. And she saw a big shadow over the door. ¡°What did she say to me?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cbuar5e1479e2c2310 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cbuar5e1479e2c2310 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cbuar5e1479e2c2310 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cbuar5e1479e2c2310 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cbuar5e1479e2c2310 {display: block;}} She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She instantly got confused she might have heard wrong. She never expected to hear that kind of announcement in the Dongbin Palace. ¡®Did I dream a strange dream while asleep?¡¯ When she was lost in such thoughts, the door opened wide. With surprised eyes, she turned her head towards the door. There stood Bipaan. His long hair was down around his shoulders, he stood stiffly, dressed in a light outdoor jacket. Even after she saw him, Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t believe he was there so late at night. After she became his second wife several years ago, she had never imagined a situation like this before. ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.avxsw5e1479e2c23af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.avxsw5e1479e2c23af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.avxsw5e1479e2c23af {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.avxsw5e1479e2c23af {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.avxsw5e1479e2c23af {display: block;}} She barely opened her mouth out of fear and astonishment. The moment she tried to finish her greetings, he shut the door with a bang. The court ladies outside the room stopped whispering and went away one by one. He walked into the room roughly. She felt as if her heart just stopped at that. Gasping for breath, she thought to herself, ¡®No, I should pull myself together. I should come to my senses.¡¯ She felt like she could pass out because of the unbelievable situation unfolding before her eyes. But she strained her eyes with a firm resolve. He gently called her name, ¡°Princess Kyoyoung.¡± At that moment she felt as if she owned the whole world. She felt as if the imperial palace were placed under her feet. She appreciated her ritual. She cleaned her body in a bathtub floating with fragrant flowers. Though she slept alone every night, she was always dressed in silk clothes finely embroidered when she woke up. Looking back, she thought her routine habit like that every day was not in vain. Above all, she thought it fortunate that she could show her beauty to him despite his sudden and expected appearance, but all these moments were only her false illusion. He looked down at her, and she shyly looked up at him. The moment her eyes met his icy glance, she realized it. His visit this time was not different from the type of visit that a man made to his wife casually. She could feel nothing sweet or cozy about his visit. His eyes were cold like an iceberg in a deep and dark shadow. What she noticed from his expression first was his anger. There was no man in the world that could hold his wife with such a threatening and icy look. Though Kyoyoung didn¡¯t know much about conjugal affection, she could feel it instinctively. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± When she felt something ominous, she grabbed her chest. She didn¡¯t do it to calm down her trembling heart. She just wanted to dispel the impending fear. ¡°Do you keep my wedding robe?¡± ¡°Wedding robe?¡± ¡°I mean the wedding robe I left in your room on the wedding night.¡± She blushed. Little did she expect he would mention it on that shameful night. It was the most shameful night of her life and she didn¡¯t want to recall. ¡°Your wedding robe¡­¡± She was plunged into great confusion by his unexpected question and tried to recall it. ¡°Ah! I remembered it. To the best of my knowledge, the court ladies with the Dongbin Palace took it to the laundry center. Probably they did, I think.¡± She stumbled while speaking, but tried to bring back her memory of that night to give him a satisfactory answer. That reply didn¡¯t seem to be what he wanted. His thin lips were closed when he responded curtly, ¡°Got it.¡± Her heart sank when he said it almost with a sigh. As soon as he confirmed it, he turned and murmured to himself inaudibly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you¡­.¡± Kyoyoung heard it but couldn¡¯t understand as his voice was soft. It was clear that he lost interest in her already. Something went wrong. She felt she couldn¡¯t let him go like that. She held him by the sleeve with one hand and held her coat string with the other hand. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± She couldn¡¯t say any other words at that moment. The only thing she could do was call him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dhpyb5e1479e2c2263 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dhpyb5e1479e2c2263 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dhpyb5e1479e2c2263 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dhpyb5e1479e2c2263 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dhpyb5e1479e2c2263 {display: block;}} Her see-through silk clothes revealed the curves of her figure. Only small underwear covered her private parts. Almost naked, she looked at him. She didn¡¯t know how she could be bold enough to arouse his sexual desire. Maybe she wanted to get even with him for his having deserted her on the wedding night. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Calling him again, Kyoyoung pulled his arms. Her hands were as cold as ice. She felt warmth in his arms that she held tightly. ¡®How would I feel if he touches my body with his warm hands?¡¯ Her heart was growing full. ¡°Please hug me, Your Majesty. Please, don¡¯t turn away from me!¡± Then she ran into his arms. The collar of his rustling clothes touched her naked body. She strained her hands after pulling him. Chapter 64 Even though she was a woman, he momentarily staggered when she rushed into his arms with all her strength. After all, he flopped onto the pink mat she was sitting on. She fell between his legs when he dropped to the ground. He narrowed his eyes at that moment. He put his hands on her shoulders. He could feel the fair skin of her soft and round shoulders. Her heart was pounding. To her surprise, he bit his lip. She closed her eyes quickly the moment he put his hands on her shoulders. She thought he was going to push her off, but he stayed still while holding her shoulders. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.incyi5e1479e263a50 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.incyi5e1479e263a50 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.incyi5e1479e263a50 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.incyi5e1479e263a50 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.incyi5e1479e263a50 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Majesty?¡± She raised her head and dared to look up at him. Her pointed eyes tilted sadly to one side when she extended her hands in excitement. ¡°Will you hold me, Your Majesty?¡± She put her hands on his hands. It was the first time they touched. Was it because of his meek behavior? She grew optimistic. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.momnq5e1479e2639a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.momnq5e1479e2639a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.momnq5e1479e2639a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.momnq5e1479e2639a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.momnq5e1479e2639a4 {display: block;}} She tilted her head and kissed his hand on her shoulders. It was the first time she put her lips on a stout man¡¯s body, even though it was his fingers. His fingers wiggled. While biting his lip, he opened his mouth and murmured inaudibly, ¡°Why did you¡­¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± He didn¡¯t reply, though. Her body was quickly turned halfway. That cool silk mat touched her back. While holding her shoulders, he suddenly turned her body and laid her on the mat and leaned over her. With his dark eyes, he scanned her. Blushing, she turned her head. He tightened his hands on her shoulder. ¡°Oops¡­¡± While examining her body with a dull look, he smiled with a short sigh. ¡°Just this¡­ He again said something she couldn¡¯t understand. Kyoyoung felt like she might get annoyed. Unable to control her excitement, she extended her hand. ¡°Bipaan¡­ Your Majesty!¡± She dared to call him by his first name. She stared at him with provocative eyes, touching his coat string with her hand. ¡°Can you stop it?¡± When she was trying to pull him down by his coat, he stopped it with his big hand. She felt his hand was warm a moment ago, but she was scared about it like hot fire now. She instinctively pulled her hand away. He raised his upper body. He looked down at her, fully naked. She felt ashamed of herself after realizing that she was naked before him for the first time. ¡°Let me ignore it as I think it was an accident.¡± His low and soft voice turned into a heavy and stern tone. As usual, his voice was as cold as ice. He was done. She could instinctively feel it. His mysterious visit, which she could never understand, and the golden opportunity that she could use to hold him, all turned out to be a fiasco for her. Her innocent illusion vanished all of a sudden. ¡®What did I do?¡¯ She took off her clothes on her own and jumped into his arms, which was definitely improper. Her act was not only improper but also lustful and reckless. She was full of embarrassment and shame. She blushed. Her eyes welled with tears. He stood up, adjusted his dress then left out before tears came down from her eyes. He didn¡¯t glance back at her. He closed the door with a bang, which was like a dagger stabbed in her heart. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.swonx5e1479e2639fc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.swonx5e1479e2639fc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.swonx5e1479e2639fc {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.swonx5e1479e2639fc {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.swonx5e1479e2639fc {display: block;}} *** Today, Kyosul went to the back garden of the outer palace. Whenever she went to the big tree on the hillside of the center of the garden, she could see him standing there all the time. ¡°I¡¯m late again,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re not late, Kyosul. I¡¯ve got here early,¡± Ruhae replied with a smile. The formal greetings between them were gone long ago. There were only Ruhae¡¯s soft smile and Kyosul¡¯s bright laughter between them. They folded their hands together gently. And someone watching them secretly were pacing up and down behind the tree and quickly disappeared. *** Kyoyoung woke up. She was still lying on the mattress. Fully naked, her lower body was covered with a thin silk gown, even without a blanket. Realizing belatedly that she slept like that even without pulling a blanket over her body, she closed her half-open eyes again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hzbqo5e1479e263aa6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hzbqo5e1479e263aa6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hzbqo5e1479e263aa6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hzbqo5e1479e263aa6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hzbqo5e1479e263aa6 {display: block;}} ¡°Was it all a dream?¡± She wished it had been a dream. What happened last night should have been a dream to her. In fact, it was like a terrible nightmare. ¡®Can you stop it?¡¯ She recalled Bipaan¡¯s cold voice when she tried to pull his clothes off. She missed him all the time. She badly wanted to see him, but what happened last night was the last thing she wanted. Without even knowing how shameful it was, she jumped Bipaan who visited her room unexpectedly last night. She took off her clothes on her own and begged him to hold her. He rightly pushed her aside coldly. ¡°Why did I do that to him? Was I so sexually excited?¡± Was it because she spent so many nights alone that she got sexually aroused the moment he came into her room late at night? She felt ashamed of herself when she realized that she revealed her sexual desire to him but was totally rejected. Recalling what happened last night, she frowned and bit her lip until it turned white and began to bleed. ¡°I never thought I would go through another miserable day since I spent the wedding night so miserably.¡± After all, she experienced another terrible day after her first marriage night. This time she brought it on herself. She tried to put her harrowing experience last night behind her and forget about it. She thought that there was no chance that Bipaan would ever mention it. As long as she kept mum about it, it would be impossible that a rumor about her would spread in the palace. Her name had been on the lips of everybody in the palace when she was deserted by Bipaan on the wedding night, so she didn¡¯t want to suffer another disgrace because of what happened last night. ¡°Let me assume last night didn¡¯t happen.¡± She wanted to forget it like a terrible nightmare, but things didn¡¯t work out as she wished. Kyoyoung had never bumped into Bipaan while coming in and out of the East Palace. Though they were residing in the same palace, they never ran into each other because of their different destinations. In fact, she used to expect to see his shadow even at a distance while she was going around in the palace. But she changed her mind after last night. She wished she would not bump into him at all. As she had never come across him before, she moved around the palace comfortable as she used to, but when she passed the middle gate of the East Palace and headed for the Dongbi Palace, her residence, someone with a stout build approached her. He was Bipaan. Unlike his typical day, he was coming out from the direction of the Dongbi Palace, accompanied by nobody. ¡®Why is he coming my way?¡¯ Kyoyoung frowned, but she hastily lowered her body to hide her gloomy expression. ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± She didn¡¯t expect to bump into him so quickly like this. She blushed and got thirsty because of her sudden encounter with him. With her head lowered, she waited for him to pass by quickly. In fact, he never cast a glance at her, but this time he stopped before her. Neither of them spoke for a while. She just stared at his feet with trembling eyes, with her head lowered. At that moment some unresolved questions came to her mind. ¡®Why did he come to my place last night?¡¯ Why did he suddenly appear and stopped before her today instead of passing by, pretending not to have seen her? She couldn¡¯t find an answer to a series of questions about his erratic behavior now. Bipaan stood before Kyoyoung silently for a long time. As she didn¡¯t have the nerve to see him, she just lowered her head, looking down on his feet. Her neck felt stiff. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kwdmj5e1479e263943 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kwdmj5e1479e263943 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kwdmj5e1479e263943 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kwdmj5e1479e263943 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kwdmj5e1479e263943 {display: block;}} ¡°I am sorry about last night,¡± he said in a monotonous tone. As if the wind blew lightly, he offered kind of gentle apologies to her. She opened her eyes wide with surprise when he moved his footsteps. Standing stiffly, she saw him disappearing gradually, staying put until he completely disappeared from her view. ¡°Did I hear him apologizing to me?¡± She gradually raised her head. When she turned her eyes toward him, he was gone. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. No matter how hard she recalled what he just told her, he apologized to her in passing. ¡®Sorry about what?¡¯ Was he sorry because he refused her temptation or because came to her unexpectedly? She couldn¡¯t understand why he offered apologies like that. She didn¡¯t want his apologies. She felt as if his apology completely destroyed something that had bound her to him up to now. The apology was worthless and made her feel miserable. Chapter 65 Kyoyoung looked blankly at the direction of the East Palace. Her face turned pale and her eyes looked hollow. ¡°Why did you apologize to me? Why?¡± She murmured feebly in embarrassment. She stood at the intersection for a long time. Court ladies, who were standing in a row behind her, lowered their heads while trying to read her mind. ¡°Your Highness, the sun is hot.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m the Crown Prince¡¯s wife.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dlgpv5e1479e2304f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dlgpv5e1479e2304f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dlgpv5e1479e2304f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dlgpv5e1479e2304f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dlgpv5e1479e2304f6 {display: block;}} Kyoyoung suddenly came to her senses when one of the court ladies spoke with a worried look. Shocked by Bipaan¡¯s erratic behavior, she walked to the Dongbi Palace, her original destination. ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul is not here.¡± She was exhausted mentally and physically. It seemed that she was coming to the end of her tether. Compounded by a series of unpleasant happenings, she grew bold. ¡®As I¡¯ve come this far, I intend to meet her today.¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.icqcg5e1479e23046a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.icqcg5e1479e23046a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.icqcg5e1479e23046a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.icqcg5e1479e23046a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.icqcg5e1479e23046a {display: block;}} She told the chief court lady outside Kyosul¡¯s room, ¡°Let me wait for her inside then.¡± The court lady was embarrassed, ¡°Your Highness, are you sure you¡¯re going to wait for her inside?¡± ¡°Yes, I intend to,¡± she answered shortly. She was escorted into her room in no time. ¡°Do you want any tea and snacks?¡± ¡°No thanks. You can leave now.¡± Kyoyoung ordered her to leave the room. Shocked by Bipaan¡¯s sudden visit and erratic behavior last night, she was too tired to return to her living quarters. To make things worse, she made a fruitless visit to the Dongbi Palace, which made her so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t go back alone. Kyoyoung, who tried to stay calm before the court ladies, collapsed on the mat placed before Kyosul¡¯s table. ¡°Why¡­.¡± She hit the table with her fist with a bang. ¡°I wish he hadn¡¯t said he was sorry to me!¡± Without his apology, she would have not felt so miserable. His apology felt as though it undermined her status as his wife. ¡®I wish he had rebuked me. I just feel terrible as you said you were sorry to me in your capacity as the Crown Prince!¡± She grieved over her tough luck. She thought of her encounter with him today. Then, she suddenly realized that she saw him walking out of the Dongbi Palace alone. The empty mattress in Kyosul¡¯s room, where she was waiting now, came into her view. He refused her temptation last night and ignored her with his cold-hearted apologies today. ¡°How come he visited the empty Dongbi Place alone?¡± She felt dejected and miserable *** Kyoyoung didn¡¯t know how long she waited for Kyosul in her empty room. Finally, she heard the chief court lady announcing, ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul has arrived!¡± Soon the door was opened and Kyosul came in. Having heard that Kyoyoung had been waiting for her, Kyosul greeted her gladly and took a seat on the mat. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ermjt5e1479e2304be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ermjt5e1479e2304be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ermjt5e1479e2304be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ermjt5e1479e2304be {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ermjt5e1479e2304be {display: block;}} ¡°Sorry. Have I kept you waiting too long?¡± As usual, Kyoyoung also welcomed her with a bright smile. Given her cheerful look and bright smile, there was no way of Kyosul knowing what happened to her last night. ¡°No, not at all. It looks like you have enjoyed a great outing.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Yes, I can feel it in your twinkling eyes and your reddish cheeks. This is the best I¡¯ve seen you lately.¡± Kyosul wrapped her cheeks as if she was shy. Looking at her, Kyoyoung turned her mouth up. ¡°Do I really look good? I think I look well as I enjoy taking a walk these days as the weather is so good,¡± she answered shyly. And then she examined her desk here and there. Looking at her, Kyoyoung grinned, ¡®You¡¯re lying to me.¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fkyaj5e1479e230549 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fkyaj5e1479e230549 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fkyaj5e1479e230549 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fkyaj5e1479e230549 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fkyaj5e1479e230549 {display: block;}} It was obvious from the way Kyosul didn¡¯t meet her eyes and beat around the bush. She thought of Bipaan leaving the East Palace alone and Kyosul¡¯s empty room in the Dongbi Palace and got angry. ¡°By the way, I would like to share good news with you as a friend.¡± Friend. That was how Kyosul used to call Kyoyoung. Mentioning that term Kyosul took seriously, she emphasized her friendship with the Crown Princess. As expected, Kyosul leaned forward and showed interest. ¡°What is it?¡± Looking at her sparkling eyes, Kyoyoung opened her mouth slowly. She was thrilled when she was about to say, and finally said with dry lips, ¡°The Crown Prince and me slept together!¡± ¡°Slept together?¡± ¡°Yes. Last night the Crown Prince came to see me at my residence. You can ask any of my court ladies there to confirm this.¡± She took pains to add a fifth wheel to prove what she just said was not a lie. She then looked at Kyosul¡¯s face with a triumphant smile. Kyosul¡¯s eyes were opened wide with big surprise. She seemed to be at a loss for words, opening and closing her round mouth several times. For the first time since she met Kyosul, Kyoyoung had a triumphant smile on her lips. However, she hardened her face before her smile made any impact on Kyosul. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Kyosul shouted with joy to her surprise. ¡°Did the Crown Prince know your genuine heart? I know you still miss him, right?¡± Then she grabbed Kyoyoung¡¯s hands all of a sudden. She expressed her joy genuinely. Looking at Kyosul congratulating her, Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t hide her embarrassment. ¡®Why?¡¯ Another incomprehensible question came to her mind. Kyosul acted unexpectedly again. Kyoyoung was confused at her lack of jealousy and her joy. Kyosul was not supposed to offer such innocent congratulations. Rather she was supposed to feel jealous and abandon herself to depression. She was not supposed to smile brightly at her in such a cheerful mood. Though she was blessed with Kyosul¡¯s genuine congratulations, Kyosul felt all the more miserable about herself. She felt so terrible and devastated. Nothing seemed to take her side. Looking at her bright eyes, Kyoyoung turned her mouth up and said in a high tone, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a good thing for me.¡± Kyosul¡¯s joy made Kyoyoung feel, for the first time, that something was wrong. *** It had been a hot and humid summer. Soon, it started to rain hard and was not likely to stop anytime soon. Nonetheless, Kyosul was haggling with her nanny, insisting that she should go out. ¡°Your Highness, why would you go out in heavy rain like this?¡± ¡°I have promised him I would come. So, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back quickly.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it pouring so heavily outside? It¡¯s not just typical rain, but a torrential rain. Why do you want to go outside in this heavy rain? What if you catch a cold?¡± When she put on a raincoat, her nanny stopped her. But Kyosul cut off her words firmly, ¡°Nanny, I¡¯ve promised him.¡± ¡°Let me go out and convey your words to him that you won¡¯t be able to come out because it¡¯s raining so heavily.¡± She pouted. Sticking out her face through the opening of the raincoat, she looked at her nanny then turned suddenly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kbysl5e1479e23040d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kbysl5e1479e23040d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kbysl5e1479e23040d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kbysl5e1479e23040d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kbysl5e1479e23040d {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m going to go there. I should. I can¡¯t stand staying at home because of the rain when I miss him so much.¡± She was blushing when she spoke. Neither of them needed to mention why she blushed or who she was going to meet explicitly. Her nanny let go of her sleeves. With a gentle smile on her lips, she said, ¡°If you insist like this, how can I hold you, Your Highness?¡± Smiling at her quickly, Kyosul quickly went out the door. She knew that her nanny was following her, but she didn¡¯t turn back. As her nanny already let her go out, Kyosul knew she could freely go out. When Kyosul walked out in the heavy rain, the court ladies looked at her nanny with big surprise. Instead of following Kyosul, she stood the wooden porch and watched her running toward the top outer gate, with her raincoat fluttering. They approached her and asked, ¡°Lady Yuon, what happened? How come the Crown Princess went out¡­¡± ¡°Well, when it rains like this, Crown Princess Kyosul is satisfied only when she gets soaked with rain.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to follow her?¡± At this legitimate question the nanny made an empty expression for a moment and shook her head, saying, ¡°She likes to go out in the rain.¡± Kyosul had already disappeared in a downpour. The nanny was relieved that Kyosul was happy, but at the same time, she felt empty. The whole world was wet. Though she put on a raincoat, Kyosul couldn¡¯t stop the rain from sputtering inside it. As she came running on the road with lots of water pool, her shoes were full of rainwater as well as muddy water, but she didn¡¯t stop running with her heavily wet shoes. When did she run like this last time? The manners and customs that should be observed at the palace were swept away with the torrential rain. She ran with a flushed face filled with a sense of freedom she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. Nobody could recognize Kyosul as the Crown Princess. Chapter 66 Kyosul saw the front outer gate in front of the outer garden. The hard ground turned soft and covered with grass, and the grass and trees nearby were soaked with rain. After passing by them, she saw a hill in the center. She stopped suddenly. Somebody was standing under the big tree in the center of the hill. On a rainy day like this, when it was raining so heavily as if the heavens opened, she could think of only one person standing there: Ruhae. Without hiding her joy on her face, she walked toward him. He approached her quickly as if he also noticed her. ¡°Kyousul!¡± What she touched first was the cold collar of his clothes, but she could feel his warm body in no time. Both greeted each other with great joy. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ilhzl5e1479e211c18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ilhzl5e1479e211c18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ilhzl5e1479e211c18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ilhzl5e1479e211c18 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ilhzl5e1479e211c18 {display: block;}} ¡°How come you came here, only wearing such a thin raincoat in this heavy rain?¡± ¡°What were you doing here then without even putting on a raincoat?¡± ¡°Of course, I was waiting for you, Kyosul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came running here.¡± She looked up at him with a smile. Rain drops were coming down his smiling face. He quietly raised his hand to wipe them away in vain. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ltswk5e1479e211b72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ltswk5e1479e211b72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ltswk5e1479e211b72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ltswk5e1479e211b72 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ltswk5e1479e211b72 {display: block;}} ¡°Come to think of it, this kind of downpour has one advantage.¡± The moment she was going to ask what it was, he suddenly took her raincoat and covered her and himself with it. The purple raincoat was large enough to cover both of them, but not convenient enough for them to stand together inside. In order to share it without being exposed to the heavy rain, Kyosul had to get close to him. Though her silk dress was wet, she could feel his warmth. She blushed. ¡°It¡¯s good that there were few people in the palace because of this heavy rain, and it¡¯s much better if we cover our bodies with the raincoat, so nobody can recognize who we are and what we¡¯re doing, ¡± he whispered into her ears in a cozy voice. She blushed at his words and felt as if her whole body was getting heated. Her hands holding his sleeves were so warm she felt like he would notice it quickly. She looked at him quickly and burst into laughter. He was blushing, too. Though he whispered so softly, he, too, was shy at that moment. Both of them were familiar to each other but felt awkward. When she laughed, he got embarrassed and came out from under the raincoat. He held the collar closed, trapping her in the raincoat. She struggled to get out of it, but found it hard to get out. She called, ¡°Ruhae! What did you do?¡± ¡°As you are laughing at me like that, I can¡¯t hug you anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting rained on. You might catch a cold!¡± ¡°Now that my body is already so warm, I think I have already caught a cold.¡± She found herself stuck in the raincoat as she couldn¡¯t move because he held closed. Then she stopped struggling for a moment and jumped into his arms. ¡°Oops!¡± As she suddenly jumped into his arms, he fell backward. She fell on top of him with the raincoat on. ¡°That serves your right!¡± She grasped the closure of the raincoat and pulled it open. After taking it off, she covered him with the raincoat. Once he was covered, she raced to the tree on the hill like a child. By the time she got there and caught her breath, he had already stood up with the raincoat in hand. He approached her through the heavy rain. The big tree was grand and lush with green leaves. Thanks to the lush leaves of the tree, they avoided the rain. With a bashful smile, she sat down beneath it. Though her clothes were dirty from the mud, she didn¡¯t care. He sat beside her and covered her with the raincoat. ¡°I¡¯m all wet, so this raincoat is useless now.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rgmwf5e1479e211bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rgmwf5e1479e211bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rgmwf5e1479e211bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rgmwf5e1479e211bc7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rgmwf5e1479e211bc7 {display: block;}} ¡°If anybody comes to find you, they might speak ill of you behind your back.¡± ¡°Same to you, Ruhae.¡± Saying that, she opened the coat and put one side of it on his shoulder. Smiling at each other silently, they drew closer to share the raincoat. It was so peaceful. They felt even the heavy raindrops were soft because they were together. They felt so good about spending their time together that they didn¡¯t stop laughing for a while. They appreciated each other¡¯s warm considerations by gladly coming out in the rain to meet. As they went through many ups and downs to come this far, they got closer to each other quickly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pcwno5e1479e211c6c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pcwno5e1479e211c6c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pcwno5e1479e211c6c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pcwno5e1479e211c6c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pcwno5e1479e211c6c {display: block;}} After hesitating for a moment, Ruhae took her little hands in his big hands. Her face was red like camellia flowers. As they were soaked with rain, it was meaningless to put on the raincoat. As they had no use of the raincoat, they used it to cover their bodies. Seen at a distance, it looked like a colorful raincoat was hanging on the tree. They sat, still shy toward each other, with their hands folded together gently. His hands were so warm that all she could focus on were his hands. She managed her breathing out of fear that it might sound loud to him. He didn¡¯t move his hands. He plucked up courage enough to hold her hands, but once he held her hands, he didn¡¯t know what to do next. He was sensitive to her every move now. They became tense and nervous while looking at each other. He was about to turn his head towards her slowly when she sneezed suddenly. Her sudden sneezing broke the strange silence between them. Smiling at her helplessly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ¡°Oh my god! You might catch a cold.¡± ¡°No, I just sneezed as the wind tickled my nose.¡± Embarrassed by her own loud sneezing, she gave a funny excuse. But he just nodded at it and said, ¡°You bet.¡± Soaked from the rain, she trembled. He noticed it and wrapped his arm around her shoulders gently. Blushing, she was snugly wrapped in his arms. Though it was only a raincoat, it covered them pretty well. They were satisfied with the fact that they were together, hugging each other and looking at each other with a smile on their faces. They were more than satisfied. As long as they could maintain their fidelity to each other like this, they were happy. They didn¡¯t ask for more, nor should they. They were well aware that if they asked for more than this, they could be severely punished. ¡®But I want more than this, Kyosul.¡¯ He tightened his grip on her shoulders. Though the heavy downpour didn¡¯t stop, the big tree protected them from the rain. The sound of raindrops tickled her ears. She felt as if the sound was coming from a faraway place. When she closed her eyes, she conjured up the image of fog rising softly. The raincoat with its outer fabric made of silk was rather thick. Ruhae and Kyosul were covering their bodies with it in the rain. Over them was a giant broadleaf tree rising high in the sky, boasting of its magnificent grandeur. Leaning against its trunk, about 6 meters wide, they got close to each other. Feeling his warmth on her hands, she whispered, ¡°I feel very strange.¡± ¡°Why do you feel that way?¡± ¡°Well, I mean the whole situation surrounding how we met. I just can¡¯t believe how the biggest surprise of my life could happen to me so quickly.¡± Was it because of the rain? They felt separated from the world because of the sound of rain around them, so they could be more frank toward each other and focus on each other. She felt comfortable and relaxed when she was with him. This moment with him was everything to her. As if he favorably responded to her bashful confession, he held her hands tightly and caressed each of her thin and small fingers as if to remember the feeling of all her fingers. ¡°This is also the most surprising thing to me.¡±He tilted his head, touching his wet forehead to her wet hair. ¡°Most surprising things like me meeting you, knowing you and longing for you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ontho5e1479e211b12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ontho5e1479e211b12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ontho5e1479e211b12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ontho5e1479e211b12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ontho5e1479e211b12 {display: block;}} He threaded his fingers with hers and continued, ¡°And more than anything else, I¡¯m so surprised and happy to know that you and I are of one mind and one heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­¡± Kyosul repeated what he said to her. Happiness. She never thought of this adorable word until recently. She repeated it several times. ¡°I¡¯m happy, too. My heart is beating wildly.¡± Her heart was beating so wildly she felt as if her whole body was trembling while she was with him. She found her heart beating hard when she was with him or when she conjured up his image, but she had never experienced this kind of feeling. She tightened her grip on his hands. She turned her head to him as he looked at her. Their gazes met. Once they clasped their hands, with their eyes fixed at each other, they wanted to stay put like that. Chapter 67 They appreciated each other¡¯s warm considerations by gladly coming out in the rain to meet. As they wKyosul saw the front outer gate in front of the outer garden. The hard ground turned soft and covered with grass, and the grass and trees nearby were soaked with rain. After passing by them, she saw a hill in the center. She stopped suddenly. Somebody was standing under the big tree in the center of the hill. On a rainy day like this, when it was raining so heavily as if the heavens opened, she could think of only one person standing there: Ruhae. Without hiding her joy on her face, she walked toward him. He approached her quickly as if he also noticed her. ¡°Kyousul!¡± What she touched first was the cold collar of his clothes, but she could feel his warm body in no time. Both greeted each other with great joy. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ikxrq5e1479e227fe2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ikxrq5e1479e227fe2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ikxrq5e1479e227fe2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ikxrq5e1479e227fe2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ikxrq5e1479e227fe2 {display: block;}} ¡°How come you came here, only wearing such a thin raincoat in this heavy rain?¡± ¡°What were you doing here then without even putting on a raincoat?¡± ¡°Of course, I was waiting for you, Kyosul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came running here.¡± She looked up at him with a smile. Rain drops were coming down his smiling face. He quietly raised his hand to wipe them away in vain. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ntqjq5e1479e227f3d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ntqjq5e1479e227f3d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ntqjq5e1479e227f3d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ntqjq5e1479e227f3d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ntqjq5e1479e227f3d {display: block;}} ¡°Come to think of it, this kind of downpour has one advantage.¡± The moment she was going to ask what it was, he suddenly took her raincoat and covered her and himself with it. The purple raincoat was large enough to cover both of them, but not convenient enough for them to stand together inside. In order to share it without being exposed to the heavy rain, Kyosul had to get close to him. Though her silk dress was wet, she could feel his warmth. She blushed. ¡°It¡¯s good that there were few people in the palace because of this heavy rain, and it¡¯s much better if we cover our bodies with the raincoat, so nobody can recognize who we are and what we¡¯re doing, ¡± he whispered into her ears in a cozy voice. She blushed at his words and felt as if her whole body was getting heated. Her hands holding his sleeves were so warm she felt like he would notice it quickly. She looked at him quickly and burst into laughter. He was blushing, too. Though he whispered so softly, he, too, was shy at that moment. Both of them were familiar to each other but felt awkward. When she laughed, he got embarrassed and came out from under the raincoat. He held the collar closed, trapping her in the raincoat. She struggled to get out of it, but found it hard to get out. She called, ¡°Ruhae! What did you do?¡± ¡°As you are laughing at me like that, I can¡¯t hug you anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting rained on. You might catch a cold!¡± ¡°Now that my body is already so warm, I think I have already caught a cold.¡± She found herself stuck in the raincoat as she couldn¡¯t move because he held closed. Then she stopped struggling for a moment and jumped into his arms. ¡°Oops!¡± As she suddenly jumped into his arms, he fell backward. She fell on top of him with the raincoat on. ¡°That serves your right!¡± She grasped the closure of the raincoat and pulled it open. After taking it off, she covered him with the raincoat. Once he was covered, she raced to the tree on the hill like a child. By the time she got there and caught her breath, he had already stood up with the raincoat in hand. He approached her through the heavy rain. The big tree was grand and lush with green leaves. Thanks to the lush leaves of the tree, they avoided the rain. With a bashful smile, she sat down beneath it. Though her clothes were dirty from the mud, she didn¡¯t care. He sat beside her and covered her with the raincoat. ¡°I¡¯m all wet, so this raincoat is useless now.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bdqmt5e1479e227f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bdqmt5e1479e227f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bdqmt5e1479e227f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bdqmt5e1479e227f91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bdqmt5e1479e227f91 {display: block;}} ¡°If anybody comes to find you, they might speak ill of you behind your back.¡± ¡°Same to you, Ruhae.¡± Saying that, she opened the coat and put one side of it on his shoulder. Smiling at each other silently, they drew closer to share the raincoat. It was so peaceful. They felt even the heavy raindrops were soft because they were together. They felt so good about spending their time together that they didn¡¯t stop laughing for a while. ent through many ups and downs to come this far, they got closer to each other quickly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lqlgu5e1479e228021 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lqlgu5e1479e228021 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lqlgu5e1479e228021 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lqlgu5e1479e228021 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lqlgu5e1479e228021 {display: block;}} After hesitating for a moment, Ruhae took her little hands in his big hands. Her face was red like camellia flowers. As they were soaked with rain, it was meaningless to put on the raincoat. As they had no use of the raincoat, they used it to cover their bodies. Seen at a distance, it looked like a colorful raincoat was hanging on the tree. They sat, still shy toward each other, with their hands folded together gently. His hands were so warm that all she could focus on were his hands. She managed her breathing out of fear that it might sound loud to him. He didn¡¯t move his hands. He plucked up courage enough to hold her hands, but once he held her hands, he didn¡¯t know what to do next. He was sensitive to her every move now. They became tense and nervous while looking at each other. He was about to turn his head towards her slowly when she sneezed suddenly. Her sudden sneezing broke the strange silence between them. Smiling at her helplessly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ¡°Oh my god! You might catch a cold.¡± ¡°No, I just sneezed as the wind tickled my nose.¡± Embarrassed by her own loud sneezing, she gave a funny excuse. But he just nodded at it and said, ¡°You bet.¡± Soaked from the rain, she trembled. He noticed it and wrapped his arm around her shoulders gently. Blushing, she was snugly wrapped in his arms. Though it was only a raincoat, it covered them pretty well. They were satisfied with the fact that they were together, hugging each other and looking at each other with a smile on their faces. They were more than satisfied. As long as they could maintain their fidelity to each other like this, they were happy. They didn¡¯t ask for more, nor should they. They were well aware that if they asked for more than this, they could be severely punished. ¡®But I want more than this, Kyosul.¡¯ He tightened his grip on her shoulders. Though the heavy downpour didn¡¯t stop, the big tree protected them from the rain. The sound of raindrops tickled her ears. She felt as if the sound was coming from a faraway place. When she closed her eyes, she conjured up the image of fog rising softly. The raincoat with its outer fabric made of silk was rather thick. Ruhae and Kyosul were covering their bodies with it in the rain. Over them was a giant broadleaf tree rising high in the sky, boasting of its magnificent grandeur. Leaning against its trunk, about 6 meters wide, they got close to each other. Feeling his warmth on her hands, she whispered, ¡°I feel very strange.¡± ¡°Why do you feel that way?¡± ¡°Well, I mean the whole situation surrounding how we met. I just can¡¯t believe how the biggest surprise of my life could happen to me so quickly.¡± Was it because of the rain? They felt separated from the world because of the sound of rain around them, so they could be more frank toward each other and focus on each other. She felt comfortable and relaxed when she was with him. This moment with him was everything to her. As if he favorably responded to her bashful confession, he held her hands tightly and caressed each of her thin and small fingers as if to remember the feeling of all her fingers. ¡°This is also the most surprising thing to me.¡±He tilted his head, touching his wet forehead to her wet hair. ¡°Most surprising things like me meeting you, knowing you and longing for you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xnnuo5e1479e227ee0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xnnuo5e1479e227ee0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xnnuo5e1479e227ee0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xnnuo5e1479e227ee0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xnnuo5e1479e227ee0 {display: block;}} He threaded his fingers with hers and continued, ¡°And more than anything else, I¡¯m so surprised and happy to know that you and I are of one mind and one heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy¡­¡± Kyosul repeated what he said to her. Happiness. She never thought of this adorable word until recently. She repeated it several times. ¡°I¡¯m happy, too. My heart is beating wildly.¡± Her heart was beating so wildly she felt as if her whole body was trembling while she was with him. She found her heart beating hard when she was with him or when she conjured up his image, but she had never experienced this kind of feeling. She tightened her grip on his hands. She turned her head to him as he looked at her. Their gazes met. Once they clasped their hands, with their eyes fixed at each other, they wanted to stay put like that. Chapter 68 Their moist and clear eyes were close. Rain flowed down Ruhae¡¯s hair fell on her cheeks. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She exclaimed before she knew. She opened her lips, not knowing when to close them. He gazed at her lips quietly. Her lips opened just like a flower bud and were slightly wet. Her shiny lips were adorable. Momentarily, he felt lustful. He wanted to have her all. He couldn¡¯t convey his feelings with just words. Her glaring eyes, her touch and the atmosphere heightened the feeling. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qvzcb5e1479e17a569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qvzcb5e1479e17a569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qvzcb5e1479e17a569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qvzcb5e1479e17a569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qvzcb5e1479e17a569 {display: block;}} The sound of rain gradually faded. The clearer her feelings toward him, the more all her other feelings disappeared. He felt the same way. His warmth at her fingertips, the scent of her in his nose: there was no distinction between them. Everything that separated them before was gone. The bondage holding them back disappeared. Only the two of them existed in the scope of their perception. Just like they put their shoulders side by side, they touched their lips together. Just like they interlocked their fingers, the distance between them disappeared, and their upper and lower lips touched. He cautiously approached her, and she didn¡¯t avoid him. She leaned on his shoulders and turned her chin upward as if she was looking for his sweet touch. Hard to get. Again and again. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wxzhq5e1479e17a4ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wxzhq5e1479e17a4ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wxzhq5e1479e17a4ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wxzhq5e1479e17a4ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wxzhq5e1479e17a4ca {display: block;}} Their lips with the different warmth of their own touched. They kissed cautiously as if they were asking for permission to touch closer and deeper. And she accepted his kiss meekly. Rather she raised her head as if to ask for more. He got a little more emboldened. Her lips opened again. He kissed her lips a little more deeply this time. She got agitated and surprised a bit but accepted his kiss in no time. They kissed shyly the first time. And they got closer and familiar pretty quickly as if they tried to forget about all the difficulties surrounding them. *** After she came back from her outing on that rainy day, the day when the rainy season started, she caught a cold. When she was sick again, all the court ladies were on alert mode and made a big fuss about it. They quibbled that she got sick three times in less than six months. It seemed that Kyosul would be remembered as a sick and weak-hearted crown princess. Even though it was midsummer, her mattress was covered with soft cotton blankets. The window was open so that fresh air could come in and layers of silk curtain were let down to block the wind. Sitting on the mattress, she listened to the rain. ¡°Ahchooo! Hech!¡± Though it was raining hard, she kept coughing and felt like throwing up as she had fever. Her cheeks, which blushed because she was in love with Ruhae, were redder now. ¡°Are you going to invite the haetae (ziezhi)? I love it very much. Haetae is a righteous animal that tells right from wrong,¡± he said. He tried to play fun with words by alluding to the sound of her coughing using the legendary animal. She looked at him. He offered a tray with a bowl of porridge and a spoon to her, saying, ¡°You should recover quickly in order to be a champion of justice. You should eat well to get over your cold, so you can be up and running.¡± As always, he spoke wittily. With a sullen face, however, Kyosul turned her head. Right next to her was sitting Ruhae holding the bowl of porridge. ¡°This is unfair.¡± Swallowing the spoonful of porridge he put into her mouth, she pouted. ¡°Both of us were soaked in the rain. But why do you look good, and why am I sick like this?¡± And then she put her hand on her forehead. It was hot with a fever. With a pleasant laugh, he blew on the hot porridge to cool it down, so she could eat easily. And then he put it into her mouth and said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s because we can¡¯t see each other if we are sick at the same time. Don¡¯t you think I can come here and see you because I¡¯m okay like this?¡± Everything he said was as sweet as ever. He never uttered any words that rubbed her the wrong way. Though she initially got upset because she alone was sick after getting rained on, her expression softened. She couldn¡¯t look him in the eye and swallowed the porridge he put into her mouth, but she didn¡¯t stop grumbling all along. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gcbip5e1479e17a51b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gcbip5e1479e17a51b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gcbip5e1479e17a51b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gcbip5e1479e17a51b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gcbip5e1479e17a51b {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m afraid they might get the impression that I¡¯m a complete weakling when I am sick in bed like this.¡± As if to chime in, he seconded the thought. Of course, he did it playfully to please her. ¡°Weak is thy name, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Oh, no! You might not know how reckless I was as a tomboy in my motherland. I¡¯ve never been sick like this when I was in the Hwa Kingdom,¡± she responded confidently. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mwwmr5e1479e17a5b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mwwmr5e1479e17a5b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mwwmr5e1479e17a5b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mwwmr5e1479e17a5b9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mwwmr5e1479e17a5b9 {display: block;}} He grinned at that again. As her reaction was so spontaneous, he enjoyed making fun of her. With a gentle smile, he nodded and said, ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you?¡± ¡°I do. Just eat this porridge. Your temperature might go up again.¡± Narrowing her brows, she stared at him with glittering eyes. No matter how sternly she stared at him, he took her expression as cute, which made him smile. Comforting her warmly, he kept putting the porridge into her mouth, which she took with a disgruntled expression. ¡®I¡¯m just happy with him beside me like this.¡¯ Though she lay sick in bed, she felt so happy with him beside her. They were having a good time together, with her eating the porridge he blew on and cooled. The moment she was biting a spoonful of porridge, someone suddenly opened the door and came into the room. Clang! The porridge bowl that he was holding fell on the floor and tumbled all about. Half the porridge in the bowl was spilled on the floor and made it messy. When Ruhae stood up from the stool abruptly, it spun on and fell down. There was a heavy silence after the sharp and thick sound rang through the room. All this happened in a flash. The smile on Ruhae¡¯s face disappeared, and his expression hardened suddenly. He said reluctantly in a stiff voice, ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± It was none other than Bipaan who came into the room. Bipaan cast a cold glance at Ruhae first, then the porridge bowl on the floor and Kyosul with the spoon in her mouth. Her face turned white, she kept her mouth shut, and her eyes widened with surprise. The handle of the spoon hung in the air and her hands were beneath the thick blanket. It was obvious who held the spoon a moment ago. After closing and opening his eyes slowly, Bipaan said in a low voice, ¡°I thought I was in the East Palace, but it looks like I¡¯m in the South Palace.Let me leave now. I wish you peace.¡± To get out of the embarrassing situation as soon as possible, he offered goodbye greetings quickly. And he signalled to her with his eyes, which were plainly noticed by Bipaan. When Ruhae passed by him, Bipaan suddenly grabbed his arm roughly. Ruhae turned to look at him. His glare met Bipaan¡¯s cold gaze. Ruhae opened his mouth first, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± But before Ruhae went further, he cut off his words and said, ¡°If I catch you doing this again, I won¡¯t sit idle. Keep that in mind!¡± His voice was calm, not slow or fast but very resolute. He stared into Ruhae¡¯s face coldly, but Ruhae turned his face and caught his eye. He was determined that he wouldn¡¯t avoid Bipaan anymore. That¡¯s what he decided firmly long ago. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pmfdy5e1479e17a46c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pmfdy5e1479e17a46c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pmfdy5e1479e17a46c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pmfdy5e1479e17a46c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pmfdy5e1479e17a46c {display: block;}} ¡°Sorry to meet you like this. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about my presence here, but I just came here to inquire after Her Highness as I heard she was sick. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Visiting my sick wife? Is my wife on intimate terms with you?¡± My wife. Ruhae was convinced that Bipaan intentionally used that provocative expression to challenge him. He clenched his fists firmly. Staring at him, Ruhae violently shook off his arm he was holding. After taking a deep breath, he picked up the bowl from the floor as if he shook off his arm to do so. The nanny quickly approached and took away the leftovers and the bowl. During that short moment, Ruhae sorted out his thinking. He said confidently, ¡°As you know, I¡¯m the teacher of Princess Heyjin¡¯s prenatal education. As the Crown Princess has frequently visited her in the North Palace for a chat, I¡¯ve come to become intimate with the Crown Princess naturally.¡± ¡°I think your point makes sense. Even when you were in a difficult situation because of the treason conspiracy, my wife earnestly appealed to me to free you.¡± Ruhae flinched. He didn¡¯t expect Bipaan to mention it. There was a strange incident at the North Palace recently, and Ruhae was initially charged as the main culprit. Chapter 69 At the time Ruhae had been in a dangerous situation, but the misfortune turned into a blessing because Kyosul confessed her love to him out of her extreme concern for him. Though they confirmed their love, they couldn¡¯t let others know it. Accordingly, Ruhae couldn¡¯t tell Bipaan about the nature of their relationship frankly. ¡°Yes, because the Crown Princess is kind to me.¡± ¡°Oh, she is kind to you? Don¡¯t misunderstand her kindness as she is kind to everybody.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so mean,¡± Ruhae responded. He didn¡¯t want to retreat meekly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wwziv5e1479e20f7f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wwziv5e1479e20f7f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wwziv5e1479e20f7f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wwziv5e1479e20f7f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wwziv5e1479e20f7f2 {display: block;}} Straining his eyes, Ruhae looked at him and said, ¡°You used to leave her cold until now. How come you¡¯re trying to stop her friendship with me?¡± ¡°Well, I just want to make the distinction between right and wrong relationships.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too late?¡± He asked the pointed question to Bipaan. Too late. It was too late for Bipaan to come close to Kyosul. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mxeet5e1479e20f6f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mxeet5e1479e20f6f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mxeet5e1479e20f6f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mxeet5e1479e20f6f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mxeet5e1479e20f6f7 {display: block;}} It was a secret warning to Bipaan that only Ruhae and Kyosul could sense. But Bipaan didn¡¯t budge a bit and stared at Ruhae. He wasn¡¯t agitated at all. Anyway, Bipaan had one decisive weapon that could end all this war of nerves with Ruhae. ¡°She is my official wife.¡± This short statement of his ended all the agitation in the room. The heated atmosphere in the room quickly cooled down. As someone who put priority on the efficiency in everything, his sharp reminder came too late. ¡°What I mean is that she and I have this official relationship as husband and wife. It¡¯s not a matter of ¡®late¡¯ or not as you just mentioned.¡± She was the official wife of the Crown Prince. This was something that Ruhae could not get rid of under any circumstances. The bondage of status that Ruhae completely forgot was revived sharply. It looked as if there was a long and tough distance as well as a high wall suddenly created between Ruhae and Kyosul. As if he held a grudge, Ruhae bit his inner lips gently, but he couldn¡¯t retreat meekly. ¡°If you regard the Crown Princess as your official wife, I hope you can maintain your basic manners towards her. Don¡¯t you think you have to set the example as a member of the royal family, Your Majesty Crown Prince?¡± Ruhae emphatically stressed Bipaan¡¯s title on purpose. While staring at each other sternly for a while, both turned their heads at the same time. They also walked at the same time, but in the opposite direction. Ruhae walked to the door, while Bipaan walked to her mattress. Approaching her, Bipaan briefly looked into her eyes. She was pretty tense. Grasping the blanket and hunching her shoulders, she looked up at him with miserable eyes. ¡°Hehet¡­.¡± It looked like she was going to cough again. She strained her neck to stop it, but she couldn¡¯t help it. She buried her face with both hands and tried to hold back coughing in vain. ¡°Kkuuup!¡± She wished she had coughed a moment ago. While she tried to hold it, she made a strange noise from her throat. Her neck hurt and she couldn¡¯t hear anything. With an embarrassed and blushed face she looked up at him slightly with embarrassment. Oops! Bipaan already noticed it. He looked like he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye at all even if she made a mistake or had an accident in front of him. Just as expected, he was staring at her with a cold expression without any nervousness or agitation. ¡°Ah¡­ I have a cold, so I cough so often, but I can¡¯t control it.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nenwz5e1479e20f776 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nenwz5e1479e20f776 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nenwz5e1479e20f776 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nenwz5e1479e20f776 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nenwz5e1479e20f776 {display: block;}} She made a plausible excuse, but she wasn¡¯t sure if he ever paid any attention to it. As expected, Bipaan didn¡¯t show any reaction to her statement. He just ignored it as if nothing had happened. Then he extended his hands and abruptly removed the blankets covering her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bksux5e1479e20f862 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bksux5e1479e20f862 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bksux5e1479e20f862 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bksux5e1479e20f862 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bksux5e1479e20f862 {display: block;}} Dressed in thin nightgown, she quickly curled up her body because of the cold. Her white feet stuck out of her skirt and wiggled. ¡°Stand up!¡± He ordered stiffly. So embarrassed, she was at a loss what to do. It was Ruhae who reacted quickly to Bipaan¡¯s behavior. He was about to leave when he saw Bipaan¡¯s actions and turned back. Coming up to her quickly, he grabbed Bipaan¡¯s wrist as he tried to pull her arm. Ruhae asked him aggressively, ¡°What the heck are you doing now?¡± Examining Ruhae¡¯s hand that held his wrist as well as Ruhae¡¯s face staring at him angrily, Bipaan answered slowly, as if Ruhae¡¯s act was ridiculous, ¡°Did you ask what the heck I am doing? I don¡¯t think you can intervene in whatever I do with her as her husband. And she is my wife.¡± Her husband, my wife. The words that came out of his dry lips were so heartless. Bipaan knew very well how to wound Ruhae¡¯s pride and hurt his feelings. Clearly aware of that pain, Ruhae tightened his grip and said, ¡°The Crown Princess is sick!¡± Waving his hand violently, Bipaan shook off his arm. Despite Ruhae¡¯s objection, he grabbed her forearm again and pulled it to his side roughly. She had no other choice but to move until her face grew close to Bipaan¡¯s. She quickly closed her eyes in embarrassment. She felt something warm touching her forehead. As it turned out, Bipaan touched his forehead to hers. She suddenly developed fever. She was not sure if her fever was caused by cold or her shyness. Though Ruhae was embarrassed by his sudden act, Bipaan was calm and composed. With his forehead touching hers, he uttered heartless words in a calm and low voice. ¡°Your fever is not high enough. I don¡¯t think you need to lie in bed as your fever is not that serious.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you are so weak with cold that you can¡¯t move at all.¡± She found it hard to understand what he just said, but Bipaan pulled her off the mattress right away. As he pulled her so violently, she staggered and clung to his strong arm to maintain balance. As he couldn¡¯t stand Bipaan¡¯s rough behavior, Ruhae shouted at him, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Ruhae approached her and tried to help her, but Bipaan extended his left hand to stop him. As he was blocked, Ruhae stared at him. Meeting his gaze, Bipaan didn¡¯t show any anger at all. As he used to, he glanced at Ruhae with cold and sharp eyes. Ruhae and Bipaan confronted each other for the second time. At that moment Kyosul, who could hardly move because of Bipaan¡¯s grip, bit her lip and shook off his hands with all her strength. As Bipaan was paying attention to Ruhae at the moment, he couldn¡¯t tighten his grip on her at the moment. In fact, he didn¡¯t expect from the beginning that she would shake off his hands like that. Stunned by her sudden act, Ruhae and Bipaan stopped staring at each other and turned their gazes to her. She had a determined expression on her face. She said boldy, ¡°Why has Your Highness came to my place unexpectedly? If you want to act like this, please visit Prince Kyoyoung, not me. Unlike me, she is earnestly waiting for you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vhume5e1479e20f680 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vhume5e1479e20f680 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vhume5e1479e20f680 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vhume5e1479e20f680 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vhume5e1479e20f680 {display: block;}} In other words, what Kyosul just said implied that she was not waiting for Bipaan or welcomed him. She had to call forth great courage to make that statement to Bipaan. Bipaan was a dreadful and big presence to her. After barely uttering those words, she couldn¡¯t even look at Bipaan. Silence fell over the room. Fixing his eyes at her for a moment, Bipaan pushed her against the wall hard. She couldn¡¯t even moan in pain before he grabbed her by the collar. Pulling her face closer to his, he touched her eyes. His blue and bottomless eyes were right in front of her now. She couldn¡¯t move at all, let alone turn her head or even her gaze. She felt as if she were tortured by his terrifying gaze, but she had no other choice but to face it. He moved his long fingers down her jawline slowly. As usual, his fingertips were warm. Touching her chin with his warm fingertips, he whispered into her ear in a cold voice, ¡°It looks like you are holding your head high not knowing which is right for you because I have let you have your way for a while.¡± As he was so close to her eyes, she couldn¡¯t see his expressionless face. What she could see was his deep eyes. ¡°You are not in a position to interfere when and where I go, and it is you, not my second wife, who has to stay beside me. You seemed to be confused about it. You should remember that the reason I am here is not because I have missed you.¡± After having said that in a low voice that only she could hear, he moved back a couple of steps. When he stepped back, Ruhae wished he could quickly approach her and comfort her, but he didn¡¯t, given Bipaan¡¯s presence in the room. So, he just stood next to her, only giving her eye signals with a worried expression. Chapter 70 Though he stepped back, Bipaan could see their eye signals. Though she was bold enough to challenge him a moment ago, she turned white while Ruhae was looking at her with a worried expression. Bipaan looked at them silently and said, ¡°Lady Yuon!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Without even turning his head, Bipaan called her. Leaning against the wall, the nanny cautiously approached him, with her head lowered. While he was staring at Kyosul, he closed his eyes and turned around. Walking out of the room with a stern expression on his face, he said, ¡°Have the Crown Princess¡¯s dress readied. It¡¯s been ten days since Princess Heyjin gave birth to the baby.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.faqdf5e1479e1af911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.faqdf5e1479e1af911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.faqdf5e1479e1af911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.faqdf5e1479e1af911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.faqdf5e1479e1af911 {display: block;}} In fact, Bipaan made a sudden visit to Kyosul because of Heyjin¡¯s deliverance of baby. As he came to know that, Ruhae didn¡¯t feel wary about Bipaan anymore. The tenth day from a royal member¡¯s deliverance of a baby was meaningful according to the customs of the Mok Kingdom. Ruhae forgot about it. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to the royal events as he focused on deepening his relationship with Kyosul. ¡°Your Majesty, let me head out first.¡± With quick greetings like that, Ruhae tried to get out of the room as soon as possible. As a member of the royal family, he had to prepare for the happy event at the North Palace. He was about to leave the room when Bipaan called him suddenly, ¡°Prince Ruhae!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ihcxz5e1479e1af874 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ihcxz5e1479e1af874 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ihcxz5e1479e1af874 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ihcxz5e1479e1af874 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ihcxz5e1479e1af874 {display: block;}} Ruhae stopped and looked at him. ¡°You have to call my wife by the right official title from now on. It is your wife alone whom you can call a wife at all.¡± ¡°Let me leave now.¡± Bipaan bugged him to the end. Without giving him a clear answer, though, Ruhae briefly bowed to him and left. In no time, the situation was back to normal. There were only Bipaan and Kyosul left in the room. As she was bold enough to challenge him with her provocative words a moment ago, she was so embarrassed. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to care about it. After giving the nanny that order, he left the room quickly. Coming into the room quickly, the nanny and court ladies began to prepare her for the happy event at the North Palace. Kyosul put on a yellow and green dress with simple ornaments for her hair. With a plain but elegant aura, she tried to show proper courtesy to the royal family members. When she was escorted to the porch by the nanny, the court ladies serving Bipaan waited in a row under the stylobate. When she put on the shoes and went down, Bipaan approached her. He extended his hand to her. As he waved his hand at her several times up to now, she got a bit tense and nervous, but he didn¡¯t pull or hold her with his hand this time. She looked at him with a curious expression. ¡°Hold my hand.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± As his words were so unexpected, she was embarrassed. But as usual, he said carelessly, ¡°Just hold my arm. You look unwell.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.trmqn5e1479e1af95f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.trmqn5e1479e1af95f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.trmqn5e1479e1af95f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.trmqn5e1479e1af95f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.trmqn5e1479e1af95f {display: block;}} She put her hands on his cautiously. Her heart began to beat faster when she felt the unfamiliar touch of his hand. He helped her, holding her hand, when she staggered, which she also found awkward. Though she felt awkward, she followed as instructed. His arm was pretty strong. Though it was raining outside, the rain was falling lighter now. As Bipaan was helping her, only one eunuch followed them, holding a big umbrella, and a large group of court ladies headed for the North Palace. As they had to walk in step with Kyosul, they moved slowly. Arriving at the North Palace, they went further to the north instead of heading for Heyjin¡¯s place. On both sides of the road were hung tasseled cords of straw to drive out evil spirits as well as red cloth. They soon arrived at the maternity center of the North Palace. When Heyjin was pregnant for five months, a maternity center was set up at the Central Palace, along with another one at the North Palace. The nightmare incident that took place at the North Palace didn¡¯t harm anyone. Both Heyijin and her baby were safe and well. As soon as she recovered from the incident, she was moved to the main maternity at the Central Palace. After spending some time out there, she gave birth to a baby recently and moved to the maternity center at the North Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ohecr5e1479e1af8c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ohecr5e1479e1af8c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ohecr5e1479e1af8c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ohecr5e1479e1af8c4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ohecr5e1479e1af8c4 {display: block;}} There were traditional customs related to the deliverance of a baby in the Mok Kingdom. According to legend, on the tenth day after deliverance, evil spirits followed the scent of the blood that a woman bled when delivering a baby and harm the baby. Such a story spread widely because babies often died even before turning one. So, the mother had to be moved to another place, along with the baby, ten days after her deliverance. After she spent twenty-one days in the new place, they were supposed to set up the tasseled cord of straw and red cloth, move to another place, and repeat the same ritual. Accordingly, they needed three different houses for the mother. It was costly, so this practice was only observed by noble families. On the tenth day, family members gathered together to pray for the health of the mother,the good health and long life of the baby, and gave a name to the baby. That¡¯s why all the royal members were heading for the North Palace. Fortunately, the rain fell lighter on the tenth day. Heyjin greeted the royal guests and showed her baby to them for the first time, the second grandson of the Mok Kingdom where there were few descendants. The court ladies of the North Palace quickly moved around to prepare for the happy event. It was the first great happy event of the North Palace. They were busy with serving Princess Heyjin and her baby and bringing blue pine needles and charcoal to drive out evil spirits. They had to replace the burnt pine needles and charcoal with new ones immediately to keep their fragrant scent around the maternity center. Otherwise, they would be severely punished. The members of the royal families of the Mok Kingdom gathered at the maternity center of the North Palace where the straw ropes to drive out evil spirits hung around everywhere. The court ladies accompanying them were not allowed inside the maternity center, so they stood on standby outside. Soon, they blew a little trumpet for the new-born baby three times, and Emperor Ohyuje appeared. Behind him followed the Queen and his two concubines. As it was a sacred place, the Queen left behind the white weasel she always carried on her back. Except for Princess Heyjin who had yet to fully recover from deliverance, everybody there bent their knees to show courtesy to the emperor. ¡°Long live the Emperor and the Queen! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± When Ohyulje waved at them in return, they raised themselves and stood on both sides of Heyjin¡¯s bed. Ohyulje and the Queen approached it and looked at Heyjin. ¡°As you gave birth to a precious baby for the Mok Kingdom, I would like to appreciate your efforts,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m so honored to hear that, Your Majesty.¡± Though she was not fully recovered, her voice was loud enough and clear. As the baby looked healthy, the Queen smiled and nodded. She spoke to Ohyulje, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s time you gave a name to the baby.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.colzg5e1479e1af81c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.colzg5e1479e1af81c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.colzg5e1479e1af81c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.colzg5e1479e1af81c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.colzg5e1479e1af81c {display: block;}} ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± And then he cast a glance to the baby lying next to Heyjin. In fact, she delivered a girl. As Prince Dukwol already had a baby boy, the Queen said it was good to have a baby girl in the royal family, but Ohyulje couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment. However, as she added a baby to the royal family that had so few descendants, he also praised her from the bottom of his heart. The baby girl had red spots on her body as she was born only ten days ago. He thought her skin would be light brown just like the mother¡¯s, but it was a lighter brown as if she also took after the father. When the baby opened her eyes after blinking several times, her blue eyes sparkled. Ohyulje smiled at that. ¡°I already see the stunning beauty of this baby, the fruit of the reconciliation of the Mok Kingdom and Jingsung Kingdom. Obviously, she will grow up as the most beautiful woman. What name can I give her?¡± Stroking his long beads, he thought about her name, but Prince Binsung, who stood next to the emperor, lowered his head and moved one step closer to him, saying, ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve got a favor to ask of you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about the baby¡¯s name for a long time. Can I give her the name I created on my own?¡± Not hiding his delight at the birth of the baby at the age of 18, Binsung spoke in a trembling voice. Even before she was born several months ago, he met Ruhae and earnestly asked him to create a name for her. Chapter 71 Smiling brightly in a long time, Ohyulje nodded and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it only right that as the father of the baby, you give a good name to her? So, what is the baby¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Well, I combined one word from my name and another one from her name. So, it consists of ¡®so¡¯ meaning ¡®bright¡¯, and ¡®ah¡¯ meaning ¡®elegant.¡¯ I would like to give the name Soah to her.¡± Binsung¡¯s childhood name was Sotae Danmok, and Heyjin¡¯s childhood name was Pyoah Hajin. So, Binsung took ¡®so¡¯ from his name and ¡®ah¡¯ from her name to make her name. Thanks to his frequent visits to Ruhae and his counsel, he created that name. Ohyulje gave out a hearty laugh at Binsung¡¯s words and approved the name. With a bright expression, Binsung approached Heyjin and hugged her lovingly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bgaly5e1479e149e60 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bgaly5e1479e149e60 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bgaly5e1479e149e60 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bgaly5e1479e149e60 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bgaly5e1479e149e60 {display: block;}} Despite the presence of the Emperor and the Queen, he didn¡¯t care, which made them think he was not yet mature enough. Soah didn¡¯t go to sleep and kept blinking her eyes until the long and tedious ceremony of naming her was over. Finally, the naming ceremony was over, and another final ceremony to give an official title to the baby was waiting for them. Unlike the baby¡¯s name, the official title was decided by the emperor well in advance in consideration of the baby¡¯s fate as well as the time and location of the baby¡¯s birth. The royal fortune teller presented a red paper roll wrapped in silk cloth to Ohyulje. He received it and opened the paper with the official title of the baby. He announced to Soah as follows. ¡°Let me give her the official title ¡®Koryun,¡¯ who was born as the first baby of Prince Binsung and Princess Heyjin on a certain day in a certain month of the year. I hope she can grow up as the woman who can renew the old and learn the new by harmonizing oldness with roundness, given her official title ¡®Ko¡¯ meaning ¡®old,¡¯ and ¡®ryun¡¯ meaning ¡¯round.¡¯ So let me give her such title.¡± That was the last ceremony. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zgjve5e1479e149dc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zgjve5e1479e149dc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zgjve5e1479e149dc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zgjve5e1479e149dc2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zgjve5e1479e149dc2 {display: block;}} As if she was not yet tired, Soah was looking in the air with sparkling eyes and moved her little lips without knowing that the emperor gave her the official title of ¡®Koryun.¡¯ Then the Emperor and the Queen wished the baby all their best once more. The emperor¡¯s two concubines also said words of blessings to the baby. When they left the maternity center, the princes of the four palaces came up to her bed. Bipaan looked at Koryun blankly, when she turned her head to him. When he felt she was looking at him, he thought she was too young to focus her eyes on him. But strange enough, her blue eyes didn¡¯t move, fixed on him. He even felt her expression wasn¡¯t like that of a baby because of her strange act. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Calling Bipaan, Heyjin offered Koryun to him. ¡°Would you want to hold Soah?¡± She made an unexpected request. With an embarrassed expression he stared at Heyjin. Instead of avoiding his eyes, she looked him in the eye. In fact, he couldn¡¯t refuse her request on a day like this. Nodding his head, he awkwardly received Koryun. His gaze was directed toward at Koryun¡¯s deep blue eyes. ¡°You are the third person who has held Koryun after my wife and me.¡± Overcome with joy, Prince Binsung approached him and babbled. It was not the first time Bipaan saw a baby. When Prince Dukwol¡¯s baby was born, he attended and witnessed the naming ceremony on the tenth day of its birth, but it was the first time that he held a baby like this. The baby wasn¡¯t heavy. He looked at her fist-sized face, round eyes, flat nose, thin eyebrows and her wiggling ten fingers. After looking at Koryun for a while, he turned his eyes toward Kyosul. ¡°Would you want to hold her?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Kyosul hesitatingly moved back at his sudden suggestion. Then she shook her head hastily. ¡°No, not me, Your Majesty. I can¡¯t come near to her because I have a cold.¡± She was standing at a distance all along while the naming ceremony was taking place. Though she wanted to see Koryun up close, she couldn¡¯t for fear Koryun might catch a cold from her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oflab5e1479e149e12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oflab5e1479e149e12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oflab5e1479e149e12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oflab5e1479e149e12 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oflab5e1479e149e12 {display: block;}} Bipaan looked at her in her arms again. Just born, she was small and feeble. Even a little disease was very dangerous to a baby. That¡¯s why they had to go through all this cumbersome ceremony. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rmbej5e1479e149eaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rmbej5e1479e149eaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rmbej5e1479e149eaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rmbej5e1479e149eaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rmbej5e1479e149eaf {display: block;}} Looking at Koryun, he nodded and said, ¡°I forgot for a moment that you had a cold.¡± Though he said that carelessly, she felt pretty dejected. He forcibly pulled her out of the bed even when she had a cold. Nonetheless, he completely forgot about it, which clearly showed that he was not interested in her at all. Though she didn¡¯t expect anything from him, she just felt bad about it when he acted so mean like that. ¡®As expected, you¡¯re a heartless man!¡¯ She clenched her molar teeth tightly. She almost forgot his cold-bloodedness because he was kind enough to help her stand by extending his hand to her room at the Dongbi Palace the other day. In no time, Bipaan handed Koryun back to Heyjin. Koryun didn¡¯t cry at all even when several others held and touched her. She waved her little hands with a smile in Heyjin¡¯s arms. Though it was always difficult to decipher her mysterious smile, Koysul could feel how much she loved her baby from her smile. When Bipaan moved away from her bed, Prince Dukwol and his wife Oran came forward, followed by the other princes of the four palaces in the order of their rank. When Dukwol and Oran approached her bed, their little son, Mu, crawled his way to Heyjin, climbed on her bed and grabbed her. ¡°Your Highness, I would like to hold the baby.¡± Stunned by his sudden act, Dukwol and Oran quickly took Mu¡¯s hands away from her. Dukwol lifted him up, but Mu extended his hand to Heyjin and Koryun and repeatedly asked to hold her. ¡°You only asked the Crown Prince to hold her. I would like to hold the baby. Please.¡± Oran took her son from Dukwol and held him tightly. Then she gave Mu a good scolding by saying, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that. What if the baby falls out of the bed?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let her fall down. Mom, please allow me to hold the baby. Please!¡± Mu, holding her arms, whined again. No matter how she tried to dissuade him, Mu was not persuaded. Tapping him lightly, Oran let out a deep sigh as he continued to whine. In fact, it was the West Palace, Prince Dukwol and Oran¡¯s place, that paid the most attention to Heyjin¡¯s pregnancy. Though he was only the fourth in line to succeed the throne, Prince Binsung would certainly stand in the way of Mu becoming the official grandson of Emperor Ohyulje. So, the Dukwol couple played all kinds of dirty tricks. They even hired a court lady to poison Heyjin to disable the baby boy¡¯s pennis if she gave birth to a baby. As their dirty conspiracy to poison the princess was revealed, the imperial palace was plunged in big chaos. They felt it a great regret that Heyjin and her pregnant baby were safe. Heyjin delivered a baby, and the baby was a girl. It was if the heavens helped them. As Heyjin¡¯s baby was a girl, the West Palace was willing to welcome her. As such, Dukwol and Oran were much relieved until recently. Then, today, their little son Mu showed an erratic act in the presence of Princess Heyjin. As they overindulged too much while raising him, Mu was stubborn, resisting even their parents¡¯ order. As Mu played the baby, crying and throwing a tantrum, Oran took him and left with him after bowing out to other princes. While watching Oran and Mu bickering like that, Dukwol spoke to Heyjin with a smile, ¡°Please forgive my son¡¯s silly actions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Prince Dukwol. I¡¯m happy because he seems to like my baby girl.¡± ¡°Thanks for your generous understanding. Let me head out first.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fbdil5e1479e149d68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fbdil5e1479e149d68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fbdil5e1479e149d68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fbdil5e1479e149d68 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fbdil5e1479e149d68 {display: block;}} Dukwok quickly turned his eyes to Binsung who was fully smiling with joy. The happiest man in the world today, Binsung gladly appreciated his greetings. ¡°Yes, please take care. Brother Dukwol, I see your son is crying. Don¡¯t scold him too much.¡± Without answering properly, Dukwol turned even before Binsung finished talking. Bowing slightly to Bipaan first, he walked out to the door. Kyosul, who moved back and watched Dukwol blankly, caught his eye by chance. She got goosebumps the moment she noticed his sparkling black eyes even though he was trying to smile at her. As Kyosul stepped back in great surprise, Bipaan looked at Dukwol and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Dukwol gently bowed to him and Kyosul once and said, ¡°I just wanted to say hello to the Crown Princess. I hope you can recover quickly as you have a cold.¡± Having said that, Dulwol left the maternity center quickly. Kyosul watched his back until he closed the door. His smile at her while leaving the place troubled her mind. ¡®He looks like a kind person¡­.¡¯ Chapter 72 Strange enough, she felt uncomfortable whenever she met Dukwol face to face, but she couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what made her feel that way. Fortunately, she soon forgot about Dukwol because Ruhae, along with his wife Yomin, came forward to offer greetings to Prince Binsung and Heyjin. ¡°Congratulations, Princess Heyjin!¡± ¡°Your baby is so cute!¡± Ruhae and Yomin congratulated Heyjin and Koryun from the bottom of their hearts. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zbwxb5e1479e0caa39 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zbwxb5e1479e0caa39 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zbwxb5e1479e0caa39 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zbwxb5e1479e0caa39 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zbwxb5e1479e0caa39 {display: block;}} While watching them, Kyosul¡¯s heart sank once more. It was an official place where all the members of the royal family got together. In that place, Kyousul had to stay beside Bipaan while Ruhae had to be with Yomin. While he in the maternity center, Ruhae didn¡¯t cast a glance at Kyosul, let alone give her casual greetings or a smile. Kyosul understood the situation, and she hoped Ruhae wouldn¡¯t perform any unusual acts to draw their attention to his relationship with her. Nonetheless, Kyosul felt heartbroken. While sitting quietly, Kyosul turned her eyes from them. She wished this ceremony was over as soon as possible. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pjzch5e1479e0ca991 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pjzch5e1479e0ca991 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pjzch5e1479e0ca991 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pjzch5e1479e0ca991 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pjzch5e1479e0ca991 {display: block;}} Members of the royal family congratulated Koryun one by one. It was a kind of ritual to prevent her misfortune in advance. When all the procedures were done, everybody was about to leave. Heyjin called Kyosul, ¡°Could you stay a little longer?¡± Turning to her, Bipaan nodded. ¡°Let me wait for you outside.¡± ¡°No, you can go back alone,¡± Kyosul replied. Was it because of her lingering anger towards him? She refused Bipaan¡¯s willingness to wait for her outside. Stunned by her refusal, Kyosul hastily made excuses by saying, ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve got something to talk with Princess Heyjin, so I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be here a bit longer.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Without uttering anything, he turned. It looked as if there was a cold wind blowing behind him when he quickly left the door. After Bipaan left the maternity center, there were only Heyjin, Binsung, Koryun and Kyosul left. ¡°I hear you once tried to visit me before.¡± ¡°Ah, at that time I tried¡­¡± When the incident took place at the North Place, Kyosul abruptly visited the North Palace to prove Ruhae¡¯s innocence when he was singled out as the main culprit, but there was a tight security around the palace after the incident, so Kyousl was denied entry to the palace, and couldn¡¯t see Heyjin. ¡°Are you fully recovered?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. All thanks to you, Crown Princess. Me and my baby are alright.¡± In fact, Kyosul didn¡¯t visit the palace out of concern about her and her baby, but she didn¡¯t reveal it to her. Because of her cold, Kyosul talked to her at a distance, so Heyjin waved at her to come nearer. ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright. Crown Princess, my baby is pretty healthy.¡± Heyjin¡¯s confidence voice reassured her, so she came near to Heyjin. Heyjin handed Koryun to her, saying ¡°Please hold her. On this happy day I hope Crown Princess, my only friend in the palace, can hold my baby.¡± With a mysterious smile Heyjin pressed her to hold Koryun. ¡°In the Mok Kingdom there is a traditional custom that all the royal family members congratulate the mother and give a name to the baby, but in my motherland, the Jinsung Kingdom, customarily one¡¯s best friend congratulates the mother as the godfather as well as the godmother. As the godmother, I hope you can hold my baby, Crown Princess!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nearx5e1479e0ca9e9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nearx5e1479e0ca9e9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nearx5e1479e0ca9e9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nearx5e1479e0ca9e9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nearx5e1479e0ca9e9 {display: block;}} ¡°If you describe to me how to hold your baby?¡± As if she were on the spot, she narrowed her eye. With a bright smile, however, Heyjin handed Koryun to her again. After some hesitation, Kyosul cautiously received her. Her heart trembled when she received the baby for the first time. She looked at Koryun at a distance. Now that she wrapped Koryun in her arms, she felt differently. ¡°How cute she is¡­¡± As if she were tired, Koryun closed her eyes and wiggled her little lips, snuggling into her breasts. Looking at Koryun doing so, she smiled naturally. ¡°I really envy you, Prince Heyjin!¡± In fact, Kyosul murmured it to herself, but Heyjin already heard it. ¡°Why are you worried about? You¡¯re going to get a baby soon when you¡¯re pregnant.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pybtm5e1479e0caa8b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pybtm5e1479e0caa8b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pybtm5e1479e0caa8b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pybtm5e1479e0caa8b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pybtm5e1479e0caa8b {display: block;}} Kyosul suddenly freaked out at that. She felt awkward while holding Koryun in her arms now. Her eyes trembled. After all, she shook her head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can give birth to a baby,¡± she said in a low and depressed voice. Baby? Actually, Kyosul thought about it before. When she realized that she was going to get married to Bipaan for political purposes, she vaguely imagined it. But she was convinced by now that she would never have his baby. ¡°Crown Princess, my wife¡¯s prediction is always correct. Right, honey?¡± Standing quietly next to Heyjin, Binsung said in a low voice. When he looked at Heyjin, she nodded with a blush. ¡°My wife has a good insight. She knows about pretty much everything. Like she said, I think you will soon get pregnant.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kyosul had no choice but to nod at Binsung¡¯s conclusive prediction. If she answered in the negative, that would really make her look weird and strange to him. Anyway, as she was Bipaan¡¯s official wife, it was natural that someday she would get pregnant and deliver a baby. In fact, Binsung¡¯s words were pleasantries at best. Despite that, Kyosul felt heartbroken. She couldn¡¯t laugh it away. ¡°I¡¯m convinced that you will deliver a baby that takes after you who is kind and good-hearted.¡± Kyosul looked at Heyjin. Her blue eyes were sparkling mysteriously. *** There was a big banquet held in the imperial palace not long after they celebrated Heyjin¡¯s baby in the North Palace to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor¡¯s second wife, Su. On the occasion of her birthday, Kyosul was busy prettying herself up for the second time since she arrived in the Mok Kingdom. The most colorful day was her wedding day. When she thought as far as that, she cast a glance at the wall where Biapan¡¯s wedding dress used to hang. The wall was empty now. Only a vague mark where Bipaan¡¯s wedding dress used to hangreminded Kyosul of her lingering image of that dress. ¡°Your Highness, you can get there on time if you leave now.¡± When her nanny pressed, Kyosul turned her head with a smile. Her big wig was fitted with two ornamental butterfly hairpins in on either sides and one stamen-shaped hairpin in the middle. She also put on several small ornamental hairpins studded with jewelry as well as a leaf-shaped hairpin under the wig. She wore her hair in a bun with a golden phoenix hairpin embellished with red gems. To match her long earrings with five nail-sized blue gems she put on a necklace studded with big yellow jewels. A simple ring with a blue jewel gleamed on her hand. Dressed in gold and blue silk, she could look cold because she relied on blue color a lot for her decoration today, but her bright smile gave her bright and clean impression stand out instead of her cold one. Accompanied by her nanny and court ladies, Kyosul left her residence in the Dongbi Palace. The banquet was held in the banquet hall of the Central Palace. Arriving at the hall, she bumped into Bipaan. In fact, he was waiting for her there. ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Kyosul and her court ladies offered greetings in unison. When the court ladies, who sat on their knees, raised themselves, he approached Kyosul and stood next to her. Bipaan¡¯s court ladies who stood in a row behind him came to stand side by side with her court ladies now. Without looking at Kyosul, he spoke in a low voice, looking ahead. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zrrpt5e1479e0ca936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zrrpt5e1479e0ca936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zrrpt5e1479e0ca936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zrrpt5e1479e0ca936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zrrpt5e1479e0ca936 {display: block;}} ¡°As you and I were married not long time ago, I guess we had better enter the banquet hall together in an amicable mood. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Having said that, he could have smiled, but his face was just blank as ever. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Kyosul gently lowered herself to bow to him. Recently she met Bipaan often. She met him at the naming ceremony for Koryun, and today at the banquet hall. Without this kind of official ceremony, he would never come and see her. Their recent meetings convinced her of that. The only thing he expected her to do was to carry out her official duty as the Crown Princess. Accordingly, she had no more intention or willingness to win over his heart. Anyway, she had Ruhae as her lover. In that case, she felt she could only do her bit as his official wife, no more and no less. She vowed again she would do so. Looking at her who replied gently, he reached out his hand. She put her hand in his and they entered the banquet hall. They looked amicable in the eyes of other guests there. There was a stairway on both sides of the courtyard neatly laid out with rocks in the middle. As they went up the road, there were five tiers of different heights. Chapter 73 On the highest tier were seated the Emperor, the Queen and the Emperor¡¯s concubines. Originally, the Queen was supposed to sit on the right of the Emperor in the center, whereas his concubines on his left in the order of their ranks. Today, they gathered to celebrate the Emperor¡¯s concubine Su. Accordingly, the Emperor¡¯s first concubine Ye yielded her seat to Su, the heroine of today¡¯s event. The second tier was reserved for the princes of the four palaces and their wives who occupied their seats in the order of their ranks. In the third tier, the concubines who received a unique concubine number from the Emperor sat on the right side while those who didn¡¯t sat behind them. Their unique number meant that the Emperor favored them and determined their hierarchy in lieu of official titles. Kyosul didn¡¯t know how many concubines didn¡¯t have unique numbers from the Emperor, so she was surprised to see more than twenty such concubines seated there. On the fourth tier, senior officials sat, while in the fifth tier were seated the lower-ranking officials, who were high enough to attend the banquet. The court ladies of Bipaan and Kyosul could not approach the tiers, so they stood watching them walking up the tiers. Those who accompanied their masters were supposed to sit behind the banquet hall. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hdjiz5e1479e0d0180 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hdjiz5e1479e0d0180 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hdjiz5e1479e0d0180 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hdjiz5e1479e0d0180 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hdjiz5e1479e0d0180 {display: block;}} When Bipaan and Kyosul went up the stairs, many people seated stood up as they passed by. ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince and Crown Princess! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± Each time they climbed a tier, such greetings ensued. Though Bipaan did not seem to care about their greetings, Kyosul felt awkward as she was greeted by so many people for the first time. There were whispers here and there among the participants. Though Kyosul didn¡¯t notice it, numerous concubines sitting in the third tier whispered among themselves while paying attention to her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xuxcp5e1479e0d00e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xuxcp5e1479e0d00e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xuxcp5e1479e0d00e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xuxcp5e1479e0d00e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xuxcp5e1479e0d00e0 {display: block;}} ¡°She seems to be younger than I thought.¡± ¡°I feel younger than I thought.¡± ¡°How poor she is! As she came from a small country, she seems to have cold feet as she is overwhelmed by the magnificence of the Mok Imperial Kingdom.¡± They paid attention to her every move. They were not content with just looking at them. They started to size her up and whisper. It was the same among the bureaucrats. It was the first place where Kyosul appeared officially for the first time. The four princes and their wives didn¡¯t pay much attention to her because they exchanged meetings before, but the concubines and bureaucrats were very curious as they saw her for the first time. Unfortunately, Kyosul sensed their close attention to her. ¡°Crown Princess,¡± Bipaan called her in a low voice. ¡°Keep your decorum. Straighten your back and walk looking ahead. If you are really nervous about their greetings, just try to walk by and respond to them leisurely.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. ¡± Kyosul blushed at that. Obviously, her embarrassment rubbed him the wrong way. And that didn¡¯t fit his image of a Crown Princess. ¡®Well, I think I have to show dignity as a noble and neat Crown Princess in the future, so they can¡¯t blame me.¡± She felt as long as she met Bipaan¡¯s expectations, he would never care about her. Kyosul straightened her back. She tightened her grip on his arm. Perhaps that¡¯s why Bipaan once again looked at Kyosul. She lowered her eyes about half down and pulled her chin toward her chest. Her light smile gave her a gentle aura. She slowed down her brisk footsteps and greeted them with her head tilting a bit. She now had a totally different look than a moment before. ¡°¡­Good job!. ¡± ¡°Well, I was a princess of one country before I got here, though you seem to forget it often.¡± Her remark was a sharp reminder to him that it was natural he didn¡¯t notice it because he didn¡¯t care about her matters at all. Bipaan did not answer or rebuke her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tloxv5e1479e0d0132 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tloxv5e1479e0d0132 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tloxv5e1479e0d0132 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tloxv5e1479e0d0132 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tloxv5e1479e0d0132 {display: block;}} As she paid too much attention to her posture and act, she hardly heard the welcome greetings. Showing her proper manners and decorum, she arrived at the second tier where their seats were reserved. On the far right of that tier was seated Kyoyoung. Though she frowned with a bitter smile after seeing Bipaan and Kyosul coming together, she welcomed them with a kind smile of her own. ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince and Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you!¡± Kyoyoung rose from her seat and offered the greetings and waited until they sat down. Bipaan sat in the middle while Kyosul sat on his right. Kyosul glanced to their left. The chair on the left was empty, and right next to it was Yomin. The last seat was occupied by Prince Binsung. As she recently delivered a baby, Heyjin could not attend the banquet. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vgimt5e1479e0d01d0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vgimt5e1479e0d01d0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vgimt5e1479e0d01d0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vgimt5e1479e0d01d0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vgimt5e1479e0d01d0 {display: block;}} Kyosul wondered for a moment where Ruhae was, but in no time she felt someone¡¯s warm hands pushing her shoulders gently. . As she had leaned forward too much to check out the left side, Bipaan was pushing her body into the right posture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Crown Princess, please don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re the official wife of the Crown Prince, and act accordingly. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m asking too much of you.¡± She bowed to him. Kyoyoung smiled kindly at her as if she saw a cute child acting beyond the control of her parents. A little later Prince Dukwol and Oran arrived with their son and climbed the stairs. Looking at Dukwol, Kyosul caught his eye by mistake. Dukwol lowered his head slightly to her with a smile. Though he had a gentle face filled with dignity, Kyosul felt an ominous sign in the mysterious sparkling of his black eyes. When she turned her eyes from him, she saw Oran looking at her with a disgruntled expression. When Oran caught her eye, she quickly changed her expression into a bright smile, which only brought emphasized her animosity. When Kyosul turned her eyes to the Emperor¡¯s only grandson, Mu, he shouted at the sight of Kyosul, ¡°Wow, Ayamama! She is there!¡± He rushed up the stairs and stood before her. She saw him at the naming ceremony of Koryun, but Mu didn¡¯t see her because he had been totally focused on Koryun, so he now tried to recognize her. The only thing he remembered about her was when he went to see her with his mom Oran when she was sick with a fever. While she blinked in shock and embarrassment, he jumped into her arms. She figured out his personality at Koryun¡¯s naming ceremony, Mu was outgoing and stubborn. ¡°Ayamama, are you okay now? You were sick in bed for so long. My name is Mutaehwanggun, Danmok Muyo. My casual name Mu means martial arts, but my official name Mu means mist!¡± Holding Kyosul¡¯s waist and burying his face in her blue silk, he murmured something. His bright and smiling face was clean and clear. He had the bright smile of a six-year-old child. She realized the meaning of Ayamama quickly. As he met her for the first time when she was sick, Mu called her Ayamama which meant sick Crown Princess. Smiling at his cuteness, she stroked his hair. ¡°Thanks to your concern, Ayamama feels okay now.¡± As she smiled brightly at him, Mu buried his face in her silk robe. At that moment, Bipaan extended his large hand from the left and pulled Mu out of her arms. Bipaan pushed Mu aside and said, ¡°I think you need to learn more etiquette.¡± When he spoke to Mu in a cold voice, he suddenly freaked out. Dukwol rushed up the stairs, but he could not stop his son as that little boy so quickly jumped to Kyosul. Dukwol put his hands on Mu¡¯s shoulders and whispered into his ears and told him to exclaim ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. I¡¯m honored to see you!¡± Dukwol didn¡¯t greet Kyoyoung as she was only Bipaan¡¯s second wife. Without even looking at Kyoyoung, he began to ask for Kyosul and Bipaan¡¯s forgiveness. ¡°Crown Princess, please forgive my son¡¯s discourtesy. Crown Prince, my son committed discourtesy to the Crown Princess. Please forgive him!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fsjyn5e1479e0d0087 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fsjyn5e1479e0d0087 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fsjyn5e1479e0d0087 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fsjyn5e1479e0d0087 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fsjyn5e1479e0d0087 {display: block;}} Then he looked down at Mu with an expression of worry and scolding. Mu pouted and looked up at his father. ¡°I¡¯m fine¨C¡± Bipaan spoke coldly, ¡°Dukwol, I know your son is young, but isn¡¯t he old enough to show good manners?¡± He ignored Kyosul who was going to say she didn¡¯t care. Dukwol lowered Mu¡¯s head with one hand and he himself also lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I will make sure he receives training in good manners.¡± A little later Oran, embarrassed at his son¡¯s naughty behavior, came up to the tier and offered greetings to him before going to Mu. She lowered himself to Mu¡¯s eye level and grabbed his hands. ¡°Son, haven¡¯t I told you all the time that you should always act politely?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom. I just acted like that as I was happy to see Ayamama here¡­¡± He pouted at Oran¡¯s scolding. Even when he was being scolded, he sneakily glanced and smiled at Kyosul as if he liked her. Kyosul grinned at his cuteness. Chapter 74 Oran held his hand and sat down at the next table. Dukwol bowed his head to Kyosul and Bipaan several times before heading to the table. Though Dukwol had a gentle impression, Kyosul felt uncomfortable around him. Perhaps she felt that way because of the sharp glittering of his dark eyes. While staring at the next table for a moment, she pulled on Bipaan¡¯s collar and said, ¡°Well, isn¡¯t Prince Dukwol older than Your Majesty?¡± Bipaan turned his head to her for a moment, turned it back and closed his eyes as if he felt her question was ridiculous. She noticed that his eyelashes were long and he looked like a cold statue. She thought he would ignore her, so she turned her head forward towards the table, but then, he spoke, ¡°The only thing important in the palace is one¡¯s birth and position. I am the Crown Prince, born to the Queen and the Emperor, but Dukwol is the son of Concubine Su. Even though Dukwol is older than me, he should respect me by all means.¡± At that moment, a large trumpet announced the beginning of the banquet. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tavjt5e1479e0b40fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tavjt5e1479e0b40fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tavjt5e1479e0b40fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tavjt5e1479e0b40fa {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tavjt5e1479e0b40fa {display: block;}} Ohyulje and the Queen rose from their seats, followed by First Concubine Ye and Second Concubine Su. When all of them stood up, a little trumpet sounded and prompted all the guests at the four tiers of the banquet hall to rise from their seats, turned around, and look at the highest tier where the Emperor and the Queen were seated. All of them bowed to them and cheered loudly, ¡°Long Live the Emperor! We¡¯re honored to see you.¡± As soon as they stood up, they bowed to the emperor couple once again and shouted, ¡°Long Live the Queen. We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± Then, they offered greetings for the third time, ¡°Long Live Concubine Su! Please accept our congratulations on your birthday from the bottom of our hearts. We wish you every blessing.¡± When all of them were done greeting Concbuine Su, Ohylje raised his right hand. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ddyak5e1479e0b405b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ddyak5e1479e0b405b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ddyak5e1479e0b405b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ddyak5e1479e0b405b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ddyak5e1479e0b405b {display: block;}} ¡°Thanks all for coming to celebrate my concubine¡¯s birthday today. Have a great time at this banquet that I arranged for her.¡± Concluding his short introduction, Ohyulje folded his hands behind his back. Though Kyosul thought her act might seem discourteous, she looked at them closely. It was a golden chance for her to observe them at a proper distance. Though he was old, Emperor Ohyulje was big and stout, with a white beard down to his chest. The Queen, who Kyosul heard was older than the emperor, looked much younger than him, smiling often. She prettied herself up more than anyone else here. As the summer was not yet over, she put a short, white fur shawl around her neck. Upon a closer look, however, it was not a fur shawl but her pet weasel, which was white and long. On Ohyulje¡¯s left was Concubine Su standing with a big smile, dressed in orange and yellow. While the Queen wore ornaments made mainly of jade and unusually colored gemstones, Concubine Su wore more subdued jewelry. As the jewels reflected the sun, her big wig gleamed white. As she was the heroine of today¡¯s banquet, her dress stood out, and it seemed too much for the middle-aged concubine. Finally, Kyosul noticed a woman standing next to Concubine Su, looking at her with a gentle smile. Her eyes trembled at Concubine Ye. Her attire was more elegant than graceful. She heard from the court ladies that she was most favored by the emperor at the moment. Kyosul seemed to know why she enjoyed the emperor¡¯s favor more than younger concubines even though she was a middle-aged woman. Kyosul couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Concubine Ye. It was not just because of her stunning beauty, but because she was Prince Ruhae¡¯s biological mother. Now that Ohyulje was seated, Kyosul also took a seat and looked at the next table. Yomin was still alone at the third table. Even when the banquet began Ruhae seemed not to think of attending the party. ¡°Crown Princess!¡± When Bipaan called her, she looked back at him in astonishment. Bipaan looked at her and said, ¡°If you¡¯re worried that Prince Yomin is sitting alone there, you can go to her table.¡± ¡°Oh no, Your Majesty! I¡¯m fine.¡± She vowed she would show proper manners here, but she was rebuked again. Besides, she was caught checking out where Yomin was seated. She blushed because she was afraid Bipaan might have noticed the real reason for her looking there. Kyosul blushed and looked down. The courtyard was paved with large rocks, and dancers in beautiful costumes entered. However, Kyosul was full of other thoughts while she was looking at the beautiful and gorgeous dancers. Bipaan certainly knew that the reason why Kyosul kept looking to the left was not because she was worried about Yomin. Nevertheless, his indirect asking while pretending not to know troubled her mind more than his direct asking. It was far scarier. After the dancing was over, there ensued various talent shows as well as the officials offering gifts, but Kyosul couldn¡¯t concentrate. Though she was served a sumptuous feast, she nibbled at it just several times. It wasn¡¯t until after sunset that the banquet was over. The royal families seated on the first and second tiers rose first. Leaving the banquet, Kyosul was about to head for the East Palace when Bipaan grabbed her wrist. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.spljq5e1479e0b414a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.spljq5e1479e0b414a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.spljq5e1479e0b414a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.spljq5e1479e0b414a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.spljq5e1479e0b414a {display: block;}} ¡°As the external banquet has ended, only the royal family members will gather together for dinner.¡± She blushed again, remembering her nanny¡¯s reminder that morning, and followed Bipaan. In fact, her nanny had said the same thing in the morning. Led by the Emperor, the royal family members left the banquet hall for a place that looked like a back garden north of the Central Palace. It was called ¡°Hwangyonru.¡± It was a banquet hall where only the royal family members could enter. A large wooden building with only one wall stood in the center. Inside and around it was decorated like a back garden, which looked like a pavilion. In Hwangyonru, Ohyulje sat on a cushioned mat on the highest tier, while all the other royal families were seated on small mats in a circle. The royal family members who could hang out together informally were the Emperor, the Queen, the two concubines, the four princes, and their wives. When everyone sat down, the court ladies put down the individual tables and stepped back with their heads lowered. ¡°I¡¯m so glad as everybody is here.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tmuml5e1479e0b40ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tmuml5e1479e0b40ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tmuml5e1479e0b40ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tmuml5e1479e0b40ac {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tmuml5e1479e0b40ac {display: block;}} ¡°We¡¯re happy, too, Your Majesty!¡± When the royal family spoke in unison, Ohyulje frowned and shook his head, . ¡°As this is a private place, you can speak to each other comfortably. It is still too early to have dinner, so just build up more closeness among each other and speak freely.¡± Then, he stopped talking to the room and chatted with the Queen and his two concubines merrily. Soon the palace geisha and the dancers of the Imperial Palace came out and danced with musical instruments on the vacant stage at the front of Hwangyonru making only a little noise, so that they would not interfere with the royal family members talking to each other. Bipaan began drinking alcohol at the table silently. As Bipaan sat between Kyosul and Kyoyoung, they couldn¡¯t talk comfortably. Even the concubines with their concubine number were denied access to this place, including Sassi, who Kyosul knew well. While she sat awkwardly, she saw Mu rising from his seat. He quickly ran away from Dukwol and Oran. His parents tried in vain to stop him as he approached Queen Taeryeong. ¡°Grandma Queen!¡± Just like he did to Kyosul, Moo acted cute, holding her skirt, but she grinned at the naughty boy as if he was so cute. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great, Mu!¡± ¡°Grandma Queen! Please give me Paekye, your pet weasel. I¡¯m so bored, so I would like to play with him.¡± ¡°It looks like the banquet was pretty boring for my little grandson. Got it. Let me hand Paekye to you, so play with him softly.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tzzqv5e1479e0b4000 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tzzqv5e1479e0b4000 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tzzqv5e1479e0b4000 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tzzqv5e1479e0b4000 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tzzqv5e1479e0b4000 {display: block;}} ¡°Yes, grandma!¡± She stroked his head. He lifted his hands in excitement as she handed the white weasel from his place around her neck to Mu. The weasel¡¯s name meant ¡®white lion.¡¯ After receiving him from the Queen, Mu stroked his head softly with a happy smile. ¡°Grandma Queen, can I play with Paekye in the back garden? I promise I won¡¯t lose him. I¡¯m going to play with him within your sight here. So, please grant my request!¡± As Mu grasped her hand and insisted so strongly, the Queen reluctantly nodded. Nodding quickly, Mu took Paekye to a place not far from the pavilion. With a satisfied smile at Mu¡¯s cuteness, Ohyulje looked around and hardened his face. As if she sensed his rigid attitude, the Queen turned her head at him. He stopped smiling immediately, and he was now flushed with anger. ¡°By the way, where is Ruhae now?¡± Only now did he realize that Ruhae didn¡¯t attend today¡¯s banquet. Hwangyonru became quiet at his asking about Ruhae¡¯s whereabouts. As if they sensed a different atmosphere, the girls playing musical instruments stopped playing, and the dancers squatted with their heads lowered. Chapter 75 A cold and heavy silence filled the room, but nobody could answer Ohyulje¡¯s question. His face grew darker. ¡°Where is Ruhae on this happy day? Wasn¡¯t he here earlier?¡± he asked in a low voice, which destroyed the atmosphere instantly. Everybody was aware that the Emperor was upset now. Only Mu, who was playing at a distance where he couldn¡¯t hear the Emperor, enjoyed playing with the weasel. Yomin¡¯s breathing seemed loud in the midst of heavy silence. ¡°Why isn¡¯t anybody replying to my question? Yomin, what happened? Where is he right now, leaving you alone here?¡± he asked Princess Yomin sternly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rynya5e1479e086544 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rynya5e1479e086544 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rynya5e1479e086544 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rynya5e1479e086544 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rynya5e1479e086544 {display: block;}} She lay face down, unable to speak as she got scared. ¡°Your Majesty! I¡¯m so sorry. Please calm yourself.¡± Yomin rambled without knowing what she was saying to the Emperor now. She was choked with tears. Day after day was like a torment to her as she had to live without Ruhae, her husband. Ohyulje turned his eyes away from the miserable woman Yomin. His anger was only directed at Ruhae. ¡°How can he dare not to attend my concubine¡¯s birthday party? Tell him to come to the conference room right away!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uexag5e1479e0864a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uexag5e1479e0864a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uexag5e1479e0864a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uexag5e1479e0864a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uexag5e1479e0864a8 {display: block;}} After issuing the order to the chief internal minister who was standing on standby outside, Ohyulje quickly rose from his seat. Even the Queen couldn¡¯t dare to stop the Emperor when he got really angry. After the Emperor left Hwangyonru suddenly, there was only the sound of Yomin¡¯s sobbin. When she stopped sobbing, Concubine Su spoke to the royal family members after getting the Queen¡¯s permission. ¡°Thanks a lot for coming to celebrate my birthday today. I think we have to end the banquet at this point. I¡¯m already happy, so don¡¯t worry about me and please go back to your places.¡± As soon as Su was done speaking, she left the place, led by the Queen. Concubine Yu also left Hwangyonru with a worried expression. The banquet for Concubine Su was wrapped up like this in a heavy atmosphere. Yomin, the owner of the Nambi Palace, located on the left of the South Palace, sat on a blue stone cushion with her right hand on the desk. She clenched her right hand into a fist until her knuckles turned white. As if she could barely put up with it, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath slowly. She was Yomin, the official wife of Prince Ruhae, the third in succession to the throne. A blue bloodline swelled on her white forehead. ¡°Bojin!¡± At her sudden call, Bojin left her place by the wall came to her and lowered her head. She was Yomin¡¯s most trusted court lady. Yomin ordered with a gentle voice, with her eyes still closed, ¡°Get me cold water. Water just out of the well. And I want you to take some ice from the freezing box and place it in the water. ¡± ¡°Yes, Princess Yomin.¡± Bojin bowed her head again and stepped back out of the room. If she pumped water from the well right now, it would take some time to clear any dust that might have come up from the well, and it would take a good while to take ice from the freezing box and cut it into small pieces to float on the water. During that time, Yomin would be alone. Yomin still remembered her own lousy behavior last spring. As if it happened yesterday, she vividly remembered Kyosul¡¯s expression, tone, trembling and other things when she acted in a lousy manner. She no longer wanted to show her ugly actions to Bojin. Although Bojin was her most beloved court lady, she didn¡¯t want to show it to her again. She was still closing her eyes. Rattle, rattle. The sound of the door sliding rang out. When she closed her eyes, her sense of hearing became sharper, and the sound rang like thunder. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uggho5e1479e086592 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uggho5e1479e086592 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uggho5e1479e086592 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uggho5e1479e086592 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uggho5e1479e086592 {display: block;}} When she realized that she was left alone, she was trembling as she clenched her hands so tightly. If she made any noise, the court ladies outside would rush into her room, but she didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about her bad behavior. She didn¡¯t want to show others how narrow-minded she was. She narrowed her brows. With her trembling hands placed on the desk, she closed her eyes tight as if she never wanted to wake up again. She opened her thin, tiny lips just a little and breathed out hard. She tried to take a deep breath slowly, but her breathing came rough and fast. ¡°Ha¡­ Oops. Huppp. ¡± When she first stepped into the imperial palace, she never expected to be carried away by emotions like this. She thought she would lead a quiet and cautious life as a faithful woman like she did before she got married. She had been living like that until recently. As the wife of Prince Ruhae, she had to spend empty and lonely nights every day. She took those nights for granted until recently, but she didn¡¯t feel bad like this. *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cfdgo5e1479e0864f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cfdgo5e1479e0864f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cfdgo5e1479e0864f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cfdgo5e1479e0864f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cfdgo5e1479e0864f7 {display: block;}} It began on a day at the end of summer when the summer heat disappeared with the sticky moisture. Yomin¡¯s father Chanyom Chung, a high-ranking official of the Mok Kingdom, came back home around 7PM after finishing the day¡¯s work at the Central Palace, and gave her surprising news. ¡°Ran, His Highness Emperor wants to see you.¡± Ran was her name before she got married to Prince Ruhae. ¡°Father, what did you say? Could you repeat it again?¡± Why did her father suddenly mention the Emperor? As she was born into a non-royal family, she once dreamed of entering the Imperial Palace. She had visited the palace a couple of times in her childhood, following her father who held a top-ranking position in the Mok Kingdom. Because his father was a top-ranking official, she even imagined that she might be married to the crown prince or a prince someday. But as she grew up, she forgot such a dream. She just thought that just like any woman in a respectable family she would be married to someone from a good family and would carry on his family lineage, but suddenly, her father mentioned the Emperor. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.urjxb5e1479e086450 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.urjxb5e1479e086450 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.urjxb5e1479e086450 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.urjxb5e1479e086450 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.urjxb5e1479e086450 {display: block;}} As she was discerning and careful in everything, she nodded at her father¡¯s reply. According to her father, the Emperor wanted to choose the official wives of princes from the top-ranking officials¡¯ daughters. Except for top official Taegongshin whose daughter had already been selected for a prince as well as Mugongsin and Hyonggongsin whose daughters were too young for princes, the Emperor said he wanted to choose a top-ranking officials¡¯ daughter as the future wife of Prince Ruhae on a certain day of a certain month. That very day she visited the imperial palace for the first time since he turned ten. When she entered the conference hall of the Central Palace with her father, other high-ranking officials had already arrived and taken their seats. As Taegongshin was there, she stood behind her father, Mungongsin, who was seated in the top tier. Top officials including Mungongsin, Yigongsin, Hogongsin and Yegongsin, were seated with their daughters standing behind them respectively. These daughters had several years between them and knew each other well as they exchanged visits several times. They felt that this kind of selection process was nominal because they knew who would be selected. They knew the palace officials arranged this kind of meeting to stop any wild rumors about the selection process from spreading. So, none of them were foolish enough to pretty themselves up to gain the Emperor or the prince¡¯ favor or show off to them. Emperor Ohyulje sat at the head of the table. She hadn¡¯t realized that he was already there because she kept her head lowered. In the order of their fathers¡¯ ranks the girls went out to the emperor one by one to answer his questions. Finally, it was Yomin¡¯s turn, whose name had been Ran Chung at the time. When the chief internal minister called her name, she went to the stage where the Emperor was seated with her head lowered and stood before him. ¡°Ran of the Chung family, raise your head.¡± Even though he spoke in a soft voice, she was horrified and felt her mouth was getting much dry as she was so tense. Barely holding her breath, she slightly raised her head and looked him in the eye, when the Emperor ordered again. ¡°Look at me closely, ¡± h said softly, but she was stricken with fear. As she was ordered to look him in the eye, even the top officials there flinched because even they could not meet his gaze without his approval. Even if he approved, they usually tried to look at his nose, not his eyes. It was natural that they were surprised at the Emperor¡¯s order that she look him in the eye. Calming herself down, she cautiously raised her head, but she did not see the Emperor. As she stood right below the Emperor¡¯s chair, she was supposed to see him, but it was the face of a prince who was seated two stages below the Emperor¡¯s chair that she saw. The prince had a meek face with a soft smile. Chapter 76 The moment Ran caught his eyes, she decided she wanted to be his wife. ¡°What do you think? I already like you, Ran,¡± Ohyulje asked. ¡°Well, as the Emperor has already decided her for me, I will just follow your order, Your Majesty,¡± the prince said. Bowing gently to the Emperor, he looked at her with a smile and left the conference hall. Though the chief internal minister said something, she didn¡¯t hear it at all. Since that day, she felt she was walking on air from the moment the chief official in charge of the royal marriage affairs visited her house several times until she got married to the prince in the autumn. She couldn¡¯t sort out her thinking clearly until she saw Ruhae¡¯s face directly after she took off the veil when the wedding ceremony was over. From that moment she was no longer ¡®Ran¡¯ of the Chung family. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.unijf5e1479e0875c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.unijf5e1479e0875c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.unijf5e1479e0875c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.unijf5e1479e0875c1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.unijf5e1479e0875c1 {display: block;}} She was Princess Yomin, the official wife of Prince Ruhae. Ruhae always treated her kindly. It was obvious that they lived in conjugal harmony. But as time went on, Yomin felt that Ruhae¡¯s smiles were only superficial. She felt he had never given her a genuine smile. When she realized that, she recalled what he said before the Emperor on that day, ¡°I will just follow your order, Your Majesty.¡± When she first saw him, she really wanted to make him her husband, but that was her wishful thinking. She took pains to ignore it, but whenever she met Ruhae, she couldn¡¯t help but recall his reply to the Emperor, ¡°I will just follow your order, Your Majesty.¡± In other words, he was forced to marry her because it was the Emperor¡¯s order. ¡®How come I didn¡¯t ponder the meaning of his remarks from the beginning?¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t throw a tantrum about it. Ruhae was a perfect husband to the eye. There was not a single day when he didn¡¯t come to see her in the Nambi Palace to chat with her. He always treated her softly and kindly, but he called her princess all the time. She had never spent a long night with him, and he never touched her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pxoyv5e1479e087520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pxoyv5e1479e087520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pxoyv5e1479e087520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pxoyv5e1479e087520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pxoyv5e1479e087520 {display: block;}} He just married her at the Emperor¡¯s order. He had no genuine interest in her. Though every day since she got married was lonely, she could endure it because she was Ruhae¡¯s official wife. Just like they were married at the Emperor¡¯s order, their marriage was kept by the Emperor, too. In other words, they could never break their relationship as husband and wife unless Ruhae was serious about going against the Emperor¡¯s order. ¡°I will just follow your order, Your Majesty.¡± His words from then tormented Yomin again. Though he never failed to come and see her since he got married to her, he stopped visiting her for a long time. She felt as if it were a thing of the past that he came to visit her for a chat and see her face every day. She remembered that he stopped visiting her since Kyosul arrived in the Mok Kingdom. At that time, Yomin looked at Ruhae nervously when he was worn to a shadow. She thought his poor health was coincidental. She knew that Crown Princess Kyosul¡¯s wedding had nothing to do with Ruhae¡¯s fever back then. She spent many sleepless nights worrying about her. Ruhae got better in no time. When she heard from her mole in the South Palace, Ruhae¡¯s official residence that he felt better now, she was convinced that he would come back to her. So, she prettied herself up and waited for him earnestly every night, but he didn¡¯t come to see her. Though he was fully recovered, he was distancing himself from her. ¡°This can¡¯t happen¡­..¡± In the end, Yomin tore the coat string of her clothes. Her finely trimmed nails turned into sharp weapons, drawing red welts across her chest. ¡°This is the Emperor¡¯s order. This is immoral!¡± When she was taken to the Emperor last night, she couldn¡¯t sleep at all as she was so worried. She sat up all night, consumed by nervousness and worry, and the next days she headed for the South Palace as soon as the day broke. It was difficult for her to visit there after her relationship with Ruhae became testy. Despite that, she went to the trouble of visiting the South Palace, and there she witnessed them. As it was still dawn, the gate of the imperial palace was not yet open. It was the perfect time to avoid the court ladies¡¯ eyes. Right behind the backyard of the South Palace, where few people visited, Yomin saw the shadows of two people facing each other. As there were no other people around them, she could easily identify them. She saw Ruhae standing face to face with Kyosul and looking at her with a smile he had given to Yomin. At that moment, she had no choice but to realize that there was something going on between Ruhae and Kyosul. Something that she had never received from Ruhae, something that she didn¡¯t have, and something she couldn¡¯t get from Ruhae. She returned to her residence in the Nambi Palace without being caught. His smile at Kyosul filled her mind. She continued to claw at her chest, bruising and tearing the skin there. Yomin fell on the blue mattress. The dots of blood on her skin stained the blue silk. She could no longer ignore Kyosul. The situation was rapidly heading toward the worst because she remained a bystander. Maybe it was too late for her. Yomin was scratching her chest while she was lying face down on her mattress when the sliding door opened and Bojin came in. She brought the cold water that Yomin asked for. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kvagb5e1479e087572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kvagb5e1479e087572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kvagb5e1479e087572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kvagb5e1479e087572 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kvagb5e1479e087572 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fufwd5e1479e087612 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fufwd5e1479e087612 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fufwd5e1479e087612 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fufwd5e1479e087612 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fufwd5e1479e087612 {display: block;}} Screaming at her, Bojin approached Yomin. Putting the water bowl with ice on the desk, she hugged Yomin from behind. Swallowing cries deep inside, Yomin cried, unable to control herself. Bojin lifted Yomin¡¯s upper body on her knees and held her. She stopped Yomin¡¯s hands from beating her chest. ¡°Your Highness! Why are you harming yourself? Please pull yourself together!¡± Bojin began to cry, too. The wounds that Yomin left on her chest broke Bojin¡¯s heart as if she had cut her own skin. She was so sad it felt like she had a dagger stabbed into her heart. ¡°Why are you so heartbroken because of him? Why are you alone so tormented like this?¡± ¡°Bojin!¡± Yomin stopped scratching her chest now and looked at her, with tears dangling from her eyes. ¡°How come I¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, this is your trusted servant, Bojin, who attends to you all the time. How couldn¡¯t I notice how heartbroken you are?¡± ¡°I wish I had not shown you my ugly behavior like this¡­..¡± Yomin bit her lip, and began to hide her naked chest, but Bojin stopped her. ¡°Your Highness, your fair skin is bruised.¡± Bojin sobbed. Yomin looked at her with a gloomy expression. Bojin cried like a child, narrowing her brows and biting her lips as if she were also annoyed. ¡°Everybody is so mean to you, Your Highness. I hate them. You are Prince Ruhae¡¯s official wife. They are so evil.¡± Bojin said what Yomin could have never blurted out. Yomin was not sure whether she had to stop Bojin or not. As she got her pent-up anger and frustration off her chest like that, Yomin felt a bit better now. ¡°They are evil, not you. Why are you alone so heartbroken? How come you alone have to put up with this? They also have to be heartbroken. Those who did wrongdoing should pay the price for their wrongdoings,¡± Bojin continued in anger. She again hugged Yomin and cried out. Bojin blew off steam and cried for her. Yomin gently hugged. Bojin suddenly flinched at her touch. Surprised, Bojin blinked and said, ¡°Your Highness, I think you have to cool down your fever first.¡± Bojin hastily brought the bowl full of ice water. She took out one piece of ice and put it on Yomin¡¯s chest. ¡°You will feel pretty cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Yomin answered calmly. A cool piece of ice quickly melted on her hot and scratched chest. With an upset expression Bojin examined the messy nail marks that Yomin left on her chest. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wxmul5e1479e0874c5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wxmul5e1479e0874c5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wxmul5e1479e0874c5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wxmul5e1479e0874c5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wxmul5e1479e0874c5 {display: block;}} ¡°Please don¡¯t be sick, Your Highness! Please!¡± Choked with tears, Bojin massaged her chest with ice. Leaning her upper body on Bojin¡¯s chest, Yomin stayed calm and followed her directions. She then drank the ice water Bojin brought for her, which cooled down her troubled mind. She felt sore when the ice water touched her scars, but she could put up with that. Rather it seemed to give her a rude awakening that she should stay alert. ¡°Bojin!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Yomin tried to say something but stopped, but she kept thinking about what Yomin just told her. ¡®Those who did wrongdoing should pay for their wrongdoings!¡¯ Though Bojin¡¯s remarks were a simple truth, Yomin didn¡¯t think of it before because she took it for granted. Chapter 77 Yomin headed for the East Palace, convinced that Kyosul was to blame for everything. At least before Kyosul appeared before Ruhae, he always stayed with Yomin, even though he did so superficially. But Ruhae didn¡¯t come to Yomin anymore. She felt she couldn¡¯t spend the days ahead alone like this. She wouldn¡¯t have cared if she had been left alone from the beginning, but as she was left alone because of this little woman from the Hwa Kingdom, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡®No, you shouldn¡¯t do this to me!¡¯ She quickened her pace. Accompanied by Bojin, she headed for the Dongbi Palace where Kyosul was residing. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.djinm5e1479e016785 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.djinm5e1479e016785 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.djinm5e1479e016785 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.djinm5e1479e016785 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.djinm5e1479e016785 {display: block;}} Arriving at the East Palace, Yomin was about to cross the front gate to head to Kyosul¡¯s residence, when someone called her behind. ¡°I wondered if it was you going inside. Gosh, you¡¯re Prince Yomin!¡± Yomin turned her head at the woman who called her. That woman was approaching her, not accompanied by a court lady. She was the Emperor¡¯s concubine Sassi. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you here, Sassi. I¡¯m surprised to see you here at the East Palace.¡± She greeted Sassi, trying to control her trembling voice. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jxsbe5e1479e0166e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jxsbe5e1479e0166e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jxsbe5e1479e0166e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jxsbe5e1479e0166e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jxsbe5e1479e0166e1 {display: block;}} Approaching her, Sassi grabbed and pulled her arm to the side. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. Why don¡¯t you chat with me for a bit?¡± Yomin could feel from her superficial smiles that she was not asking, but demanding. She felt Sassi tighten her grip on her arm. Come to think of it, Yomin once heard that Sassi and Kyosul were on close terms. If that¡¯s true, Sassi would know a lot about Kyosul¡¯s relationship with Ruhae. Yomin suddenly got the goosebumps. She felt the imperial palace was contaminated with dirty stuff, thinking how Sassi could defend and even protect Kyosul when she clearly knew their relationship was immoral. Yomin felt disgusted at Sassi¡¯s kind face and frowned at her before she knew. Looking at her frowning, Sassi kept up a kind smile. Sassi escorted her to the back garden of the East Palace not far from the Dongbi Palace where Kyosul was residing. They sat side by side in the pavilion there. Though Sassi took her there, she didn¡¯t open her mouth for a while. Yomin didn¡¯t, either. In fact, Yomin was struggling hard to calm down and control the anger surging from deep inside. Sassi spoke all of a sudden, ¡°I know why you came to this place.¡± What she guessed was right. Losing patience, after all, she got enraged and protested in a high pitch, ¡°How can you just sit idle when the stern law of the imperial palace is being blatantly broken?¡± Sassi flinched and looked at her. She didn¡¯t expect Yomin would challenge her directly like this. Given her bloodthirsty eyes, it was obvious that either Yomin or Kyosul would be fatally hurt if the former picked a bone with the latter. As the mother of two smart daughters, Sassi regarded Kyosul as an adopted daughter. Though Kyosul didn¡¯t have any blood relationship with her, Sassi thought the world of Kyosul. Sassi didn¡¯t want to see her precious ¡°daughter¡± hurt, and she could not sit idle when Yomin was fully prepared to fight with her. Of course, Sassi knew that Kyosul was now walking on a tightrope. Though Kyosul never mentioned her relationship with Ruhae, Sassi already sensed it as she had decades of palace life experience. Whenever she saw Kyosul¡¯s happy face after she met Ruhae, Sassi couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell Kyosul to stop meeting him anymore. She was well aware that without Ruhae Kyosul might have been stuck in the palace just like a bird in a cage. She didn¡¯t want to see Kyousl hurt. ¡°How can we humans know the intentions of Providence?¡± ¡°This is not the intention of Providence. This is a strange thing that betrays human morality.¡± ¡°We humans are supposed to follow the intention of Providence.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uyrmf5e1479e0167d7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uyrmf5e1479e0167d7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uyrmf5e1479e0167d7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uyrmf5e1479e0167d7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uyrmf5e1479e0167d7 {display: block;}} ¡°Obviously it was the Emperor¡¯s order. He ordered me to serve Prince Ruhae, and he ordered Prince Ruhae to accept me as his official wife.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.stbtd5e1479e016735 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.stbtd5e1479e016735 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.stbtd5e1479e016735 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.stbtd5e1479e016735 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.stbtd5e1479e016735 {display: block;}} ¡°But the Emperor didn¡¯t order him to give his heart to you.¡± Their icy conversation now yielded to their sharp glance at each other. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand it. If this is revealed to the world, I guess you won¡¯t be safe, either, Sassi.¡± ¡°As you are still young, you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on inside the imperial family, which I think is regrettable.¡± ¡°Do you mean that there are lots of things happening now in the palace, which go against the imperial law and customs?¡± Compared with Yomin¡¯s hardened face, Sassi was now smiling again at her. She said in a low voice with a smile, ¡°Do you think you love Prince Ruhae just halfway as much as Crown Princess Kyosul?¡± There was a brief silence after Sassi asked. Then Yomin sprang to her feet, blushing her face, as if her words were insulting. With a heated face she was looking down at Sassi and talked back sharply. ¡°As you know, I¡¯ve been his official wife for several years now. If there is anyone in this world that he can hug or he is allowed to hug, she is me Yomin, alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only for the purpose of cause.¡± Sassi held her wrist and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you love Prince Ruhae, but I can dare to tell you that you won¡¯t be able to love him as much as the Crown Princess. She is happy everyday even though she could be punished heavily. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s proper that you are taking issue with the cause when you have failed to keep him. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Yomin¡¯s face turned red at her rebuke, mixed with anger and shame. ¡°It¡¯s not because I failed to keep him. The Crown Princess took him away from me!¡± There was seen a red small vein on the white of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Yomin sat down. Sassi was still holding her wrist. ¡°You and Prince Ruhae were forcibly married at the Emperor¡¯s order. And you¡¯re only talking about the laws and customs of the imperial family now. I don¡¯t feel anything like a deep love of Prince Ruhae in your remarks. I know well you did your best to serve him. Don¡¯t you feel heartbroken when you see Ruhae and Kyosul?¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t understand what the heck you are talking about now.¡± ¡°How many couples do you think there are in this palace who love each? Not many. Prince Ruhae was one of them until recently. Superficial love only makes the couple feel more lonely. In this imperial palace, Ruhae and Kyosul have found a real sweetheart in each other. They can really make each other feel warm and loved. Can you dare to end their relationship on the mere excuses of the imperial law and the Emperor¡¯s order?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dgivq5e1479e01669b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dgivq5e1479e01669b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dgivq5e1479e01669b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dgivq5e1479e01669b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dgivq5e1479e01669b {display: block;}} In a country like the Mok Kingdom where the king exercised an absolute dictatorship, it was pretty dangerous for Sassi to use the expression ¡°mere¡± for the Emperor¡¯s order. As such, Yomin looked at her with astonishment. No longer smiling, Sassi gazed at Yomin with a serious look and said, ¡°If you genuinely care for Prince Ruhae, I guess you should go and see the prince first instead of coming here. You should have begged him earnestly. I can say this confidently because you have come here instead of heading for the South Palace where Prince Ruhae is located.¡± ¡°Well, in my case¡­.¡± Yomin couldn¡¯t finish her words as she suddenly stood up to leave. Walking down from the pavilion, Sassi lowered her head to Yomin and left the place after saying sternly, ¡°Please think deeply whether you really love the prince or not. If you think you really love him, I won¡¯t care about whatever you do.¡± She already found out how Yomin felt toward Prince Ruhae. Looking at Sassi disappearing silently, Yomin sat on the spot blankly. Now she looked at the roof tiles of the Dongbi Palace where Kyosul was residing. If she stood up right now, she could go and see Kyosul face to face, but she couldn¡¯t for some reason. From the first moment she saw Ruhae, she decided to make him her husband. ¡°Yes, my husband. I¡¯m going to make him my husband, not my lover.¡± Yomin was surprised at her own words that she uttered unconsciously, so she hastily shut her mouth. In fact, she came to the palace on that day, knowing that the Emperor would choose her as Ruhae¡¯s official wife. As she saw him at that place, it was only natural for her to call him her husband. She had never refused any order given to her. Even though she got married to Ruhae at the Emperors¡¯ order, she didn¡¯t object to it. But she couldn¡¯t think straight and at the same time she felt sore on her chest. At that moment, she heard a man¡¯s voice. ¡°Princess Yomin!¡± Chapter 78 She didn¡¯t know how long she was sitting at the pavilion, but the sun was already setting. Against the background of the setting sun Ruhae walked up to her. Her heart began to beat fast suddenly. ¡°I¡¯ve just heard from Concubine Sassi that you are here.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t come near me,¡± she murmured to herself. ¡°What business brought you to the East Palace? I wonder if you¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ltumm5e1479e019de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ltumm5e1479e019de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ltumm5e1479e019de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ltumm5e1479e019de3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ltumm5e1479e019de3 {display: block;}} ¡°Don¡¯t approach me!¡± she again murmured to herself. ¡°Did you come here to see the Crown Princess?¡± Ruhae stood before Yomin as she smiled a sad smile. It was the first time Kyomin had seen him in a while, and Ruhae cried. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dnqbd5e1479e019d53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dnqbd5e1479e019d53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dnqbd5e1479e019d53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dnqbd5e1479e019d53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dnqbd5e1479e019d53 {display: block;}} ¡°Because I am afraid she might be hurt.¡± Yomin felt as if he put a dagger in her heart because she instantly knew who he meant by ¡®she.¡¯ Yomin didn¡¯t want to see his face at the moment. The thinking that she was not in genuine love with him made her shiver. Her heart pounded. And she also shed tears. When she cried, Ruhae was embarrassed and stepped back. Coming down from the pavilion, she walked up to him. She extended her hand and wiped the tears running down his cheeks. He was embarrassed by her act like this. While wiping his tears, she didn¡¯t care at all. And then she moved back, saying, ¡°How are you, Prince Ruhae? The other day at the conference hall of the Central Palace you were absent from the banquet to celebrate Concubine Su¡¯s birthday. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Princess Yomin¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, please. Just look at me when you¡¯re alone with me like this.¡± She turned her head. Her shoulders were shivering with fear. But he couldn¡¯t comfort her by hugging her. In fact, he was firmly determined that he should not be kind to her. Though he felt sorry for her, he couldn¡¯t treat her the same way as he used to. And he couldn¡¯t sit idle when his lover would be hurt. As he changed his mind, he couldn¡¯t embrace Yomin who he thought was on good terms with him up to now. So far he tended to avoid her because he was at a loss how to end his relationship with her, but he couldn¡¯t delay it any longer. He took pains to ignore her trembling shoulders and opened his mouth. ¡°Just leave her alone. Instead, please blame and swear at me. I can¡¯t continue¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯re my husband, Prince Ruhae.¡± She turned around with a confused look. Breaking a brief silence, he cautiously approached her and held her shoulders. Looking her in the face with his clear eyes, he tightened his grip. She avoided his eyes. ¡°Look at me!¡± She didn¡¯t. ¡°Prince Yomin, look at me!¡± ¡°Please stop it. Don¡¯t call me the princess anymore. Why are you calling me like that as if I¡¯m a strange woman?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that true?¡± She hardened her expression. She felt as if his voice, which seemed soft all the time, turned into a dagger and hacked up her heart. ¡®What a cruel man!¡¯ She kept crying, and looked him in the eye. Eyes never told lies. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lndwm5e1479e019d91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lndwm5e1479e019d91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lndwm5e1479e019d91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lndwm5e1479e019d91 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lndwm5e1479e019d91 {display: block;}} Eyes always told the truth, but Ruhae¡¯s eyes never showed anything like affection for her. Though he smiled at her kindly, he had never expressed any words like ¡®affection¡¯ or ¡®love¡¯ to her. That was a really sad fact to her. It was torture for her to stand before someone like Ruhae who had truthful eyes. ¡°I heard it from Concubine Sassi. So, did you give up on me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Just go back today. Let me escort you back to the South Palace.¡± ¡°Why are there so many people blocking me from going to see the Crown Princess? Why are the palace people on her side? I really can¡¯t understand that. Don¡¯t you know that? She created immorality in the palace that goes against human morality and challenged the moral laws of the family relationship. She is such a wicked little woman from a foreign country who disturbes the imperial palace of the Mok Kingdom!¡± At that moment, there was heard a sharp slapping. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gfsgy5e1479e019e36 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gfsgy5e1479e019e36 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gfsgy5e1479e019e36 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gfsgy5e1479e019e36 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gfsgy5e1479e019e36 {display: block;}} Yomin¡¯s face was turned when he slapped her in the face. It was the first time she was hit by somebody in her life. And it was also the first time that he hit somebody. But neither he nor she was embarrassed in this weird situation. She was not foolish enough not to know why she got slapped in the face, and he didn¡¯t regret having slapped her. He, who beat her for the first time, blushed his face, but didn¡¯t hide his anger. Feeling hot in his right palm, he was choked with tears and upset. ¡°Don¡¯t curse her. She is precious to me. Go back to the South Palace now.¡± Lowering her head, Yomin breathed out and said, ¡°I just wish you went after women in the palace. Why did you choose the Crown Princess out of so many women in this palace? If you had been a womanizer, I wouldn¡¯t have cared at all, thinking you still have affection for me.¡± Her words were harsh and barbed words but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯ve nothing more to say to you. I would rather think I didn¡¯t hear your insulting language. Go back to the South Palace.¡± ¡°I really wish you took another concubine. Why did you choose the Crown Princess?¡± She shouted at him, looking down on the ground. Her desperate shouting resonated throughout the quiet back garden of the East Palace, but Ruhae didn¡¯t respond. As she felt he was gone, leaving her alone miserably, she tried to raise her head when she heard his unique low voice in her ears. ¡°I¡¯m in love with her because it¡¯s her.¡± She had never heard that kind of his voice before. ¡°I miss her and love her because she is really the one and only woman to me. The woman that I love is not the Crown Princess. The woman that I miss and love is Woorum Mokhwa.¡± Ruhae was smiling now while speaking to her in a tone that he had never used with her before. Though she felt sad and terrible about his voice, she wasn¡¯t hurt. She wished he had spoken to her with the same tone, but she didn¡¯t expect it. The moment she saw him face to face, she realized it. When she raised her head, with her eyes closed, then opened her eyes, she regained composure. Even though she had been slapped in the face by the man she treated as her husband and she heard his confession of loving another woman, she had composed and calm expression. She looked like a totally different woman, given that she screamed and got upset about him a moment ago. Even she was surprised to know that she was so composed and calm in this situation. She had to admit his relationship with Kyosul and recognize it. She knew that she didn¡¯t genuinely love him, but she had been hiding it and disguising her feelings with feigned love. ¡°I¡¯ve got a question.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Ruhae tilted his head when she asked suddenly. Even her voice was calm when she asked. She looked into his eyes. Her eyes were calm and peaceful. ¡°On that day when they had a banquet to celebrate Concubine Su¡¯s birthday, why didn¡¯t you attend?¡± Though her question was totally out of context, given the nature of the topic that they brought up so far, he answered with a nod, ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t because I already felt something at the naming ceremony for Koryun.¡± ¡°Can I ask you what you felt?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gznon5e1479e019cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gznon5e1479e019cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gznon5e1479e019cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gznon5e1479e019cf6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gznon5e1479e019cf6 {display: block;}} ¡°I felt I really couldn¡¯t stand looking at Kyosul sitting next to Crown Prince Bipaan. That was excruciating to me. In fact, I felt I couldn¡¯t control my strong urge to come close to her, so I decided not to go.¡± ¡°Please stop it.¡± Yomin couldn¡¯t hear his excuses anymore. No matter what he said, she was legally his wife. So, she didn¡¯t want to hear him talking about another woman compassionately. ¡°I¡¯m going to see the Crown Princess. As your official wife, I¡¯ve got something to tell her.¡± He tried to stop her by all means until a few minutes ago, but her attitude was different now. So, he didn¡¯t stop her anymore and let her go her way. Yomin saw Kyosul in person in her room. It was pretty rare that these two women were meeting like this. One of them had a disgruntled and sullen expression while the other was so calm and peaceful. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Last spring she stepped back from the front gate of the East Palace even without raising her face back then. But she now entered the gate and offered greetings confidently. She told Kyosul at that time that she would no longer come here unless the Crown Princess called her first, but she couldn¡¯t wait for her call anymore. She was determined to come and see her even without Kyosul¡¯s call. She expected Kyosul would not call her anymore in the future. Chapter 79 Kyosul knew too well what kind of woman was sitting before her eyes, so her hands were trembling. Kyosul knew well that she committed an unpardonable sin against this woman. Though she knew it, she couldn¡¯t stop loving Ruhae. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to tell you, Crown Princess.¡± ¡°Yes, please tell me comfortably.¡± Though she opened her mouth again, Yomin remained silent for a while, but Kyosul patiently waited for her to speak. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.enpwt5e1479dfd2650 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.enpwt5e1479dfd2650 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.enpwt5e1479dfd2650 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.enpwt5e1479dfd2650 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.enpwt5e1479dfd2650 {display: block;}} She didn¡¯t know how much time passed. Then Yomin suddenly began to speak out. Yomin asked, ¡°As you know, I recently reminded you of the official titles of the Crown Prince Bipaan and Prince Ruhae, didn¡¯t I?¡± She suddenly brought up the matter of official title unexpectedly, reminding Kyosul of what she told her the first day the met. That day Yomin taught Kyosul how to call the royal family members above all, as she didn¡¯t know anything about it, but Yomin belatedly discovered that she made a mistake. ¡°Come to think of it, I¡¯ve realized that you don¡¯t have to add any honorifics when you call people except for the Crown Prince in this palace.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qgiqj5e1479dfd25ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qgiqj5e1479dfd25ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qgiqj5e1479dfd25ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qgiqj5e1479dfd25ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qgiqj5e1479dfd25ab {display: block;}} ¡°I learned about it from the chief court lady in charge of training me in the royal customs.¡± In the Mok Kingdom only the Crown Princess was equal to the Crown Prince in terms of rank. Wives of other princes were all lower than the Crown Princess in rank, so they had to add the honorific title to the Crown Princess¡¯s offspring in the future. ¡°Your Highness, you are a very special person,¡± Yomin said. In fact, Kyousl was given special treatment, compared with the other wives of princes in the vast empire of the Mok Kingdom where all the royal members were ranked in hierarchy. ¡°You¡¯re special in everything in this palace,¡± Yomin said, giving her a fake smile. As if she was discouraged, she sneered at herself, saying, ¡°It seems you¡¯re fundamentally different from us.¡± ¡°Oh, no, you don¡¯t have to say that.¡± ¡°I think I intervened even in this matter unnecessarily without knowing which way the wind was blowing.¡± ¡°I know you tried to help me back then. And you were kind to me.¡± ¡°I was foolish to do so.¡± Foolish heart. Yomin was really heartbroken when she mentioned that word. That word seemed to be driving her nuts for some reason. As she was physically and mentally exhausted, she couldn¡¯t think straight at that moment. Come to think of it, Yomin¡¯s fatigue didn¡¯t start on the day Kyosul first arrived in the Mok Kingdom. In fact, she had been sick and tired of waiting for Ruhae from the moment her eyes met his, long before he deserted her on the wedding night. It became clear that he didn¡¯t want to embrace her from the beginning. ¡°So, I¡¯m not going to meddle in your love affair with Prince Ruhae. I don¡¯t want to spend my time and energy on useless stuff anymore,¡± Yomin said. ¡°Are you sure, Prince Yomin?¡± Kyosul couldn¡¯t figure out what Yomin was trying to tell her, but Yomin sorted out her thinking on her own and made the final decision not to bother Ruhae¡¯s ongoing relationship with Kyosul. After she touched the point, Yomin shut her mouth. When she opened her mouth again, her voice sounded lifeless. ¡°Please don¡¯t sway and confuse the prince¡¯s heart. Please don¡¯t tempt his integrity.¡± Though she described Ruhae simply as ¡®the prince,¡¯ both she and Kyosul knew who the prince was. Bu Kyosul couldn¡¯t understand what she was trying to say. In the end, Kyosul asked, ¡°Princess Yomin, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°The prince loves you, and Crown Princess Kyosul also loves him.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bztom5e1479dfd25ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bztom5e1479dfd25ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bztom5e1479dfd25ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bztom5e1479dfd25ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bztom5e1479dfd25ff {display: block;}} Kyosul flinched momentarily. She found it hard to take Yomin¡¯s direct mention of her name. As Yomin was Ruhae¡¯s official wife, Kyosul was at a loss about what to say to her. As if she read Kyosul¡¯s troubled mind, Yomin continued in a meek voice, ¡°I thought I loved the prince, but It looked like I just regarded it as my obligation to love him as his official wife. Yes, I¡¯m positive about that, but I¡¯m still confused.¡± Yomin really seemed confused herself. She slowly went on, ¡°Anyway, I am not sure if I really love the prince even if I have been with him for several years.¡± Her eyes began to sparkle when she was speaking. She stared at Kyosul sharply and said, ¡°What¡¯s certain is that Prince Ruhae is having an affair with Crown Princess Kyosul by going against moral laws.¡± Having heard that, Kyosul couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment. She suddenly looked drained, dropping her hand holding the short pillow on the mattress. Even Yomin was surprised at her composure when she said that to Kyosul without feeling any regret. ¡°I won¡¯t serve such a prince anymore. I can¡¯t serve a man who doesn¡¯t respect moral laws.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fjyke5e1479dfd26a3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fjyke5e1479dfd26a3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fjyke5e1479dfd26a3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fjyke5e1479dfd26a3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fjyke5e1479dfd26a3 {display: block;}} ¡°Oh my god¡­Padon?¡± ¡°Do you not get it because you¡¯re immature? I told you I would let go of him. I¡¯m going to let him follow his heart.¡± Yomin narrowed her eyes and frowned in annoyance. ¡®Why is this little woman before me making herself look bad? She constantly arouses my anger by making an innocent expression on her face, pretending not to know what I have said.¡¯ Yomin continued, ¡°Don¡¯t confuse him by loving another man because you said you loved the prince. Don¡¯t trouble his mind by keeping away from him over time because you said you loved him. Prince Ruhae, who loves you only, will always look at you. Don¡¯t tempt him by doubting his sincere heart toward you. Just stand by him, smiling at him. That¡¯s what I wanted to tell you.¡± Kyosul was so embarrassed to hear Yomin¡¯s shocking statement like that that she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. She looked at Yomin with a blank expression. Yomin bit her lip as if she was angry at her. She really hated the Crown Princess looking at her blankly, but it was impossible to truly hate her. She didn¡¯t think there was anybody in the whole who could hate the cute, little woman. ¡°I¡¯m a woman boxed in by the customs and manners of the royal family in this kingdom, but the prince who doesn¡¯t care about them at all is like an invisible man to me. Though I¡¯m the official wife of Prince Ruhae, he is non-existent in this palace.¡± Yomin denied his existence like that. She felt if she totally denied his existence, she could get over this miserable situation facing her. She had no other choice but to do so if she had to get by everyday. ¡°Long Live the Crown Princess!¡± After offering her greetings, Yomin stood up, convinced that she wouldn¡¯t have to offer the same greetings to her privately in the future. When Yomin left the room, Kyomin was confused and at a loss what to do. Her nanny came into the room after confirming that Yomin left. Kyosul was pale as the nanny stroked her back and staring with wide eyes. The nanny asked, ¡°What did Princess Yomin say?¡± ¡°She let go of Ruhae,¡± she said, looking at the door through which Yomin left. Did Yomin really tell her that? Kyosul was confused and scared because there was a real possibility that her relationship with Ruhae had become an open secret. Yomin looked sad as she¡¯d made that bombshell announcement to her a moment ago. Yomin returned to her residence in Nambi Palace. ¡°Bojin, close the doors,¡± Yomin said. ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I told you to close the doors. Right now!¡± Bojin closed all the doors in Yomin¡¯s room. Nonetheless, Yomin kept telling her close the doors in an empty voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you see the door is open here? It¡¯s wide open. Don¡¯t you see that?¡± Now, Yomin began to hit her chest, and Bojin began to sob near her.. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xtgyw5e1479dfd254d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xtgyw5e1479dfd254d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xtgyw5e1479dfd254d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xtgyw5e1479dfd254d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xtgyw5e1479dfd254d {display: block;}} ¡°Bojin, close all the doors. I¡¯m afraid my husband might come again. Quickly close the doors, and let me hide here completely.¡± Her empty voice echoed into the air. Though she married Prince Ruhae out of obligation, not love, it was not easy to let go of him overnight. Whenever she cried, however, she fortunately realized the sad fact that she didn¡¯t love him genuinely. *** Ruhae always met Kyosul secretly. They avoided lots of people in the vast palace during the day and met in the remote backyard or alley of the palace early in the morning. They kept a watchful eye all the time, looking around carefully, muffling their steps and lowering their voices. Two shadows appeared in a narrow and dark space between the wall and the trunks of a big tree. ¡°Nobody is here, right?¡± she asked. ¡°Nope. There is no possibility that anybody is around here at this time,¡± he replied. They whispered in low voices before she burst into laughter. She hunched her shoulders and covered her face with her hands. With her upper body trembling a bit, she tried to hold back laughter. Chapter 80 Getting close enough to her to touch his chest to her back, he hugged her from behind. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re playing hide and seek. I feel like I¡¯m a spy.¡± ¡°Do you think this is interesting?¡± When she compared hide-and-seek to a spy game, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her far-stretched comparison. In the end, he hugged her tightly, unable to hold back the urge. She was at a loss what to do as she was so bashful in his embrace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vfugh5e1479dfcc9ee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vfugh5e1479dfcc9ee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vfugh5e1479dfcc9ee {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vfugh5e1479dfcc9ee {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vfugh5e1479dfcc9ee {display: block;}} ¡°Ruhae¡­.¡± Ruhae said, ¡°Everytime we have to meet like this secretly, I feel sorry. As you compared our secret meeting to hide-and-seek, my heart feels much lighter now, but I feel more sorry than before.¡± As they had to find secret places for their secret dating, Ruhae was always sorry for her. Nonetheless, she didn¡¯t care about it and even burst into laughter, with her imagination taking wing like that. That made him feel much relieved but sorry and grateful at the same time. ¡°Why are you sorry, Ruhae?¡± ¡°Well, I would like to give you the best things all the time, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.orxnz5e1479dfcc94e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.orxnz5e1479dfcc94e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.orxnz5e1479dfcc94e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.orxnz5e1479dfcc94e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.orxnz5e1479dfcc94e {display: block;}} ¡°I take great delight in meeting you in a place like this,¡± she said playfully. Given her sparkling eyes and blushed face, she seemed to be serious. Standing on tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She leaned on him closely and raised her head to get close to his ears. Her little actions thrilled him. She whispered in a sweet voice, ¡°My heart is pounding wildly and I¡¯m so nervous when I have to move around the palace secretly. It reminds me of my days in the Hwa Kingdom where I did the same. In fact, I was like a tomboy seeking hidden places like this and hiding from the court ladies. I had thought those days were in the past, but our secret dating reminded me of those days once again.¡± She was so thrilled when she reminisced about her days in her motherland. ¡°How wonderful you are! It looks like there is nothing difficult in your eyes. I think you know how to enjoy your life,¡± he said, wrapping his hands around her waist. ¡°Enjoy my life?¡± ¡°Well, even in a situation like now you are grinning at me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I was reminded of my tomboy days back in my motherland,¡± she said bashfully. ¡°It amazes me to see that you can stay happy without complaining. That¡¯s not easy. It¡¯s easy to complain.¡± He gently touched her face with his fingers and hugged her with a soft expression. ¡°Kyosul, you smile at me and show your hospitality to me. I love your frank attitude.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal. Never mind,¡± she lowered her head at his praise. As if she wanted to hide her blushing face, she buried it into his chest. He looked at her gently, with his eyes full of his deep affection for her. In fact, it was her innocence and frankness that attracted him to her blindly. ¡°Ooops! What is this?¡± While she was burying her face in his chest, she noticed something familiar to her. She didn¡¯t see that as she was totally focused on him, but there were a bunch of little blue flowers near the wall. In fact, they were the same flowers she found placed on the window of her room in the past. She squatted down gladly and looked at the flowers. ¡°Ruhae, look at these flowers here!¡± He bent down and watched her with a fond expression as she was so thrilled to find the familiar flowers right before her eyes. ¡°Do you like this flower?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ttraf5e1479dfcc9a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ttraf5e1479dfcc9a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ttraf5e1479dfcc9a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ttraf5e1479dfcc9a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ttraf5e1479dfcc9a0 {display: block;}} ¡°Ugh?¡± She looked at him with an embarrassed expression as he continued to smile at her. How could he not recognize the flowers that he used to send to her everyday? Was it because he was too bashful to admit it before her? Kyosul interpreted his reaction freely as she liked. ¡°Yes, I like these flowers very much. In fact, they¡¯re my favorite flowers these days.¡± As if she wanted to chime in, she answered cheerfully with a joke. Though he knew she was trying to give him some clues on her remarks, he didn¡¯t seem to understand her motive. He looked down at the flowers blooming under the wall.. Though they were small and beautiful, he couldn¡¯t find anything special there. He scratched his head and said, ¡°Come to think of it, I think I saw them a lot in the East Palace.¡± Those blue flowers that he saw in the East Palace. She smiled at that expression. She found it interesting that they still kept that secret to themselves, as if they didn¡¯t know it. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this flower?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hcmfy5e1479dfcca3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hcmfy5e1479dfcca3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hcmfy5e1479dfcca3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hcmfy5e1479dfcca3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hcmfy5e1479dfcca3e {display: block;}} ¡°Though I¡¯m well versed in learning, I don¡¯t know much about flowers.¡± ¡°But you noticed these flowers, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you found them first here.¡± He broke the stalk of the flower and put it into her hair. ¡°It looks great on you. I felt it when I met you first. You must like flowers very much, Kyosul.¡± ¡°Yes, I do. In particular, I like the morning flowers the most.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± She implicitly referred to the flowers placed on the window every morning, but without showing any reaction he just nodded. This time she looked straight at him because she was confused why he pretended not to recognize the flowers. But she just gave it a pass, confused but amused at his reaction. They went out of their way to find places no one else ventured despite the dust that gathered on their clothes, but they were so happy simply because they were together. They didn¡¯t necessarily look for dark and remote places around the palace, but the back garden of the outer place was their favorite dating place. Anytime of the day when they missed each other, they would come to the back garden. They found themselves heading for the place even without making prior appointments. Sometimes either of them went there alone and returned, missing the other one. If they bumped into each other there, they spent some time together happily, nothing more or less. ¡°It looks like your residence is the outer palace, not the Dongbi Palace.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Because I always find you here whenever I come here.¡± ¡°Well, I find myself heading for this place all the time when I miss you, Ruhae. Sassi sometimes blames me for trip here in vain when I don¡¯t see you. Nonetheless, I just don¡¯t know why I find myself coming to this place whenever I can find any free time.¡± For some reason he had a serious expression and changed the topic cautiously. ¡°You remember when Prince Yomin came to see you the other day, right?¡± She grew nervous. Actually, Yomin visited her recently to make that bombshell announcement. Though Yomin was stopped by several palace people until she reached Kyosul¡¯s room, they didn¡¯t tell Kyosul about it. Neither Ruhae nor Kyosul mentioned Yomin as they wanted to forget the fact of Ruhae¡¯s unbreakable bond to Yomin. ¡°How did you know she came here to see me at that time?¡± She was even more surprised to discover that Ruhae knew Yomin had come to see her. She hadn¡¯t mentioned it to him on purpose. ¡°As a matter of fact , I met her in advance.¡± ¡°Really? So, did she come to see me?¡± ¡°Nope. I stopped her while she was on her way to the Dongbi Palace where you were residing.¡± He paused for a moment. Actually, he long agonized about whether to tell Kyosul about his talk with her or not, but he concluded that both of them needed to know as the matter concerned them. ¡°Concubine Sassi told me that the princess came to see you.¡± ¡°How come she told you about it?¡± she asked, embarrassed. Her heart sank at the moment that Sassi told Ruhae. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xwrwd5e1479dfcc8f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xwrwd5e1479dfcc8f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xwrwd5e1479dfcc8f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xwrwd5e1479dfcc8f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xwrwd5e1479dfcc8f4 {display: block;}} Kyosul barely opened her mouth in a trembling voice, ¡°But Sassi has never told me she told you about Yomin¡¯s visit.¡± ¡°Sassi said she wanted to stop Princess Yomin from visiting and hurling abusive words at you. Sassi told me she told Yomin resolutely that she had to give up on me.¡± Kyosul didn¡¯t respond at all. She couldn¡¯t think straight at the moment. Her meeting with Ruhae was secret and was supposed to be kept secret. Even if their secret dating were detected by Yomin, his official wife, nobody in the palace was supposed to know about it, but Sassi knew about it despite her efforts to hide it. ¡°Don¡¯t you think everybody knows about our relationship by now?¡± ¡°Even if they know, we have to assume they don¡¯t know,¡± he said. She looked at him with a curious look. ¡°It¡¯s because they are not supposed to expose our relationship easily.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± She often forgot how dangerous of a tightrope she was walking at the moment. And whenever things like this happened, she was reminded of that fact sharply: the danger of their unauthorized dating. Chapter 81 Ruhae was also aware of that danger. Though he wanted to lessen her fear and worry, it was not something he could solve quickly. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°Well, I think I expressed nervousness and worry in spite of myself. I am surprised to know that Sassi also came to learn about our affair.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much because Sassi is on our side. She really cares about you. Didn¡¯t I tell you that she tried to stop Yomin from storming into your room?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m grateful to her¡­..¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jlvod5e1479df5a520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jlvod5e1479df5a520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jlvod5e1479df5a520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jlvod5e1479df5a520 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jlvod5e1479df5a520 {display: block;}} She tried to smile but couldn¡¯t because she was nervous. ¡°Sorry.¡± He gently touched the corners of her mouth with a sympathetic expression. He really felt sorry because he made her nervous and worried because of Yomin. ¡°Thank you for being with me,¡± she shook her head and cautiously opened her mouth. Without him, she might have felt cold and lonely, but he came to her first, knowing it was dangerous to have a secret relationship with her. She could pluck up courage thanks to his persistent encouragement and help. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mxcdn5e1479df5a4a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mxcdn5e1479df5a4a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mxcdn5e1479df5a4a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mxcdn5e1479df5a4a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mxcdn5e1479df5a4a4 {display: block;}} ¡°I had no other choice but to defend you because you wept on that sunny spring day,¡± he said. He wanted to wipe her tears, and he wished there was always a bright smile on her cute and precious face. ¡°How did you come to long for me? Compared to the Crown Princess, I¡¯m not bold and courageous enough.¡± Ruhae revealed his shameful inferiority complex. To judge objectively, he admitted that he was not better than Bipaan. Nonetheless, she longed for Ruhae. Though Ruhae wanted it, he was curious why she chose him as her lover. ¡°Well, I had no other choice but to miss you because you smiled at me so brightly on that sunny spring day,¡± she said, repeating his confession. In some respects, from the moment they met they were destined to share their joy and sorrow. And when they reconfirmed it today, they were deeply touched, but someone watching them at a distance cast a cold glare. He quickly disappeared as soon as he confirmed their secret meeting again. *** The West Palace, where Prince Dukwol and Princess Oran resided, was filled with the sounds of sexall the time. Accordingly, the court ladies as well as the eunuchs pretended not to have seen or heard what happened there. A black shadow quickly disappeared into the couple¡¯s residence as the sounds of their sexual activities filled the space. Caressing Oran¡¯s skin, Dukwol asked him casually, ¡°Why did you come back so quickly?¡± A silent as a shadow, clad in black martial arts clothes, Dukwol¡¯s right-hand man kneeled. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Great. What did they do?¡± Instead of stopping caressing her, Dukwol kept speaking to him. Sitting in his lap, she didn¡¯t care at all about the black shadow, only focusing on Dukwol¡¯s gentle touch. ¡°Definitely that¡¯s true, Your Highness!¡± While receiving the briefing, Dukwol didn¡¯t stop touching her body here and there, which made her let out a whoop. ¡°I confirmed that Prince Ruhae and the Crown Princess are continuing their secret meetings. They briefly met in the secluded areas of the East Palace and the South Palace several times. Prince Ruhae is using a privately hired court lady as a messenger to inform the Crown Princess of their meeting place. They also meet in the back garden of the outer palace frequently, but I¡¯ve confirmed that they are meeting there by chance without any prior appointment.¡± ¡°No, no, it can¡¯t be!¡± Dukwol shook his head, as if he was not satisfied with that man¡¯s finding. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.btplo5e1479df5a4d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.btplo5e1479df5a4d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.btplo5e1479df5a4d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.btplo5e1479df5a4d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.btplo5e1479df5a4d1 {display: block;}} ¡°Your description of ¡®several times¡¯, or ¡®frequently¡¯ is not accurate. Tell me more in detail and accurately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I confirmed that they secretly met in the East Palace four times, and in the South Palace twice. The Crown Princess visits the back garden whenever Prince Ruhae doesn¡¯t have any particular schedule. I¡¯ve confirmed they bumped into each other twice up to now. Even now Prince Ruhae and the Crown Princess are meeting secretly in the back garden of the outer palace, and this is the third time they have run into each other.¡± Twisting her waist, Oran sneered at the man and said, ¡°There is a saying that goes, ¡®A well-behaved cat goes up to the wood-burning stove.¡¯ It looks like that little woman is involved in some lousy affair with the prince.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the point. Have you confirmed their lewd actions?¡± he asked, chiming in with Oran¡¯s remarks. Lowering his head deeply, the man replied, ¡°Yes, they frequently have very close physical contact that go too far against the established customs of the imperial palace. For example, they held hands, got close together and hugged each other briefly.¡± ¡°Hummmm¡­¡­that¡¯s not a big deal at all.¡± Dukwol was obviously not satisfied with his findings. Grabbing Oran¡¯s breasts suddenly, he said, ¡°I need a stronger evidence of their lewd physical contact.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ptxch5e1479df5a570 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ptxch5e1479df5a570 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ptxch5e1479df5a570 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ptxch5e1479df5a570 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ptxch5e1479df5a570 {display: block;}} ¡°Don¡¯t you think you can create a scandal with my findings up to now?¡± While they were talking, Oran was getting excited to the point that she was unable to stay still in his lap. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got enough evidence to zap the East Palace and the South Palace right away. Why don¡¯t you report it to the Central Palace?¡± Oran demanded, excited. ¡°No, not yet,¡± Dukwol said. He calmed her down. ¡°It¡¯s no fun to bring them down too quickly?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to keep seeing that little woman pretending to be innocent,¡± she said, throwing a tantrum in a coquettish voice. Oran hated Kyosul from the moment she bumped into her at the flower garden. Basically she hated everything about her including her status as the official wife of Crown Prince Bipaan, her cute and innocent face, and her bashful and idiotic actions. ¡°Oh, it looks like that little woman has hurt your feelings deeply,¡± he said. ¡°How long are you going to wait? For what? Isn¡¯t it the best policy to get rid of nuisances right away?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is an interesting scandal? You won¡¯t be able to see this kind of scandal again. I think if we are patient a little more, I¡¯m convinced that there will break out a much more interesting scandal.¡± ¡°Oh no. Don¡¯t wait too long,¡± she demanded, hugging his waist. At her repeated demands, he said with a wicked smile, ¡°Sure. As my wife Oran is so impatient, let me put out a trial balloon for a taste of what they¡¯re in for in the coming days.¡± He then stuck out his tongue and wagged it. *** Today of all days Ruhae called her to a place in the back of the North Palace. It was not early in the morning or late at night but late afternoon when many people were moving around in the palace. Kyosul walked along the outer wall of the imperial palace, looking around her closely. As their meeting place was secluded, there were no court ladies or soldiers around. ¡°Kyosul!¡± She turned around at his calling. Smiling brightly, he approached her. ¡°As the place near the palace wall here is vast and untrodden, I was afraid I might not meet you easily, but I¡¯m glad to see you quickly like this,¡± he said. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Oh, these are rice balls and some snacks.¡± ¡°Rice balls and snacks?¡± ¡°Yep. I¡¯m going to take you on an outing today.¡± ¡°Outing?¡± She looked at him with surprised eyes at his unexpected proposal. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared this outing as you miss your happy days back in the Hwa Kingdom when you were a child. You told me you went everywhere like a naughty girl, making trouble and having great fun. I feel like you get sick often as you can¡¯t release your outgoing temper.¡± ¡°Oh, not necessarily. By the way, where are we going to go for an outing?¡± ¡°Just follow me!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.alstc5e1479df5a44b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.alstc5e1479df5a44b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.alstc5e1479df5a44b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.alstc5e1479df5a44b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.alstc5e1479df5a44b {display: block;}} It was the first time she saw him so mischievous and playful since she met him. He walked lightly. She just followed him, full of curiosity. Walking along the wall, he slowed down his pace more and more. He looked for ivies that covered the wall at some point. While looking here and there, he snatched several stems of ivy. ¡°It must be somewhere here.¡± He removed some ivy and finally found a narrow gate hidden behind the ivy. Surprised by that, she approached and asked, ¡°What is this gate?¡± ¡°Well, this seems to be a side door through which they used to go to Mt. Mokak long time ago. It was closed for decades.¡± ¡°How did you know this door was here?¡± ¡°When I was a child, I sometimes used to go to the mountain through this door. I used to enjoy shooting arrows.¡± When he saw Mt. Mokak, he was thrilled because of his fond childhood memories. Watching him reminiscing about his happy days as a child in an excited voice, she suddenly breathed in. ¡°Are you sure you played wildly like that when you were a child?¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Chapter 82 Kyosul said, ¡°Well, when I think about your childhood, I assume you might have enjoyed taking a walk at best.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Ruhae burst into laughter when she showed surprise. He continued, ¡°Can¡¯t you really believe that I was quite a naughty child?¡± He whispered into her ear while pushing the side door. The door had been closed for a very long time while he grew into an adult. Its rusty hinge squawked as he pushed it. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my ears, but your childhood memories are interesting and marvelous to me.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.umefq5e1479dfee83b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.umefq5e1479dfee83b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.umefq5e1479dfee83b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.umefq5e1479dfee83b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.umefq5e1479dfee83b {display: block;}} She still couldn¡¯t believe that he was a naughty boy. Rather she went through the side door after him, while laughing it away. Crossing through the side door alone, they left the stuffy palace into the wooded Mt. Mokak. Looking back, it was unbelievable to get out of the palace so easily and simply like this. The imperial palace was located at the southern foot of Mt. Mokak. The scenic beauty of the mountain put the flower garden or back garden of the imperial palace in the shade. At first, Ruhae seemed to be confused in the mountain but soon revived his memory of it and escorted her. They climbed the mountain for some time and arrived at a broad and flat rock to the south. As they sat on the rock, a cool breeze blew, and they had a fine view of the imperial palace and the castle town. ¡°Wow!¡± Kyosul was amazed at the fantastic scene. She felt as if she had gotten free of the stuffy, overwhelming atmosphere of the palace now that she was on the rock. She opened her hands and took a deep breath, facing the palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xbtvp5e1479dfee7bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xbtvp5e1479dfee7bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xbtvp5e1479dfee7bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xbtvp5e1479dfee7bf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xbtvp5e1479dfee7bf {display: block;}} ¡°How do you feel about overlooking the palace?¡± ¡°I feel so refreshed!¡± She answered cheerfully and turned around as he opened the snack bag. ¡°This rice ball tastes much better when we enjoy a magnificent view like this.¡± ¡°Wow! This is terrific! I¡¯ve never known our palace was so wonderful.¡± While enjoying the rice balls right next to him, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the magnificent landscape before her eyes. ¡°I wish I had taken you here much sooner since you like it so much. Of course, I forgot about this until recently.¡± With a satisfied look, he continued, ¡°There are many temporary places and royal villas in the imperial palace. They are great places to enjoy the scenic beauty and regain one¡¯s vigor. When you feel sick and tired of your palace life, you had better come over here for refreshment.¡± ¡°Can I come with you, Ruhae?¡± She expected him to say yes but was soon disappointed. ¡°Well, official parade here is kind of an official royal event, so it¡¯s hard for me to come with you here.¡± She got sullen instantly, and said, ¡°Then, I don¡¯t feel like coming over here. I can¡¯t see you while I visit a royal villa on my own, right?¡± ¡°Well, you can still enjoy the great scenic beauty and breathe in the fresh air, which I think will be very good for your health.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to come alone. I don¡¯t want to go far without Ruhae.¡± She threw a tantrum, but he found even her tantrum cute. Ruhae and Kyosul had a relaxed time for a change. Even though they did nothing, they just felt good because they were together. Sitting on the broad rock, they touched shoulders. Even that gentle touch made their hearts beat quickly. Her hands holding on the rock gently touched his. His fingers were placed on hers gently with their little fingers folded together. That was it. With their little fingers crossed, they enjoyed their subtle thrill and excitement fully. The cool breeze was good, the warm sunlight was good and the day was good. In fact, they felt good about everything now. As long as they were together all the time, everyday was the best to them. ¡°I think we have to go back now.¡± Their brief outing passed so fast. The blush of the setting sun stretched across the sky. Looking at the setting sun with regret, he extended his hand to her. Holding his hand tightly, she stood up. While climbing down the mountain, she continued to hold his hand. Once they arrived, there would be no occasion she could his hand freely. As she liked the outing so much, she really didn¡¯t want to go back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vhyob5e1479dfee7eb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vhyob5e1479dfee7eb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vhyob5e1479dfee7eb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vhyob5e1479dfee7eb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vhyob5e1479dfee7eb {display: block;}} In the end, they arrived at the high wall. He pushed the side door. This time the gate didn¡¯t move. He pushed it harder. As he had to part with Kyosul once they went inside the wall, his face hardened a bit. Now, he put down the wooden lunch bag and let go of her hand then he pushed the side door with both hands strongly, but he couldn¡¯t open it. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vuzss5e1479dfee88d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vuzss5e1479dfee88d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vuzss5e1479dfee88d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vuzss5e1479dfee88d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vuzss5e1479dfee88d {display: block;}} Embarrassed, he looked at her and said, ¡°I can¡¯t open it.¡± The rusty side door, hidden under the endless high wall, wouldn¡¯t open no matter how hard he pushed it. *** The Dongbi Palace, where Kyosul resided, was shrouded in a tense atmosphere. None of the court ladies opened their mouths. Their gloomy look and actions reflected a very heavy atmosphere in the palace. Lady Yuon, Kyosul¡¯s nanny, was pacing up and down in front of the door of her room. She kept sticking her head out to check whether Kyosul had come back, while walking past the door. She nibbled her fingernails out of nervousness. ¡°Your Highness, when are you coming back?¡± She looked up at the sky. The sun had already set and reddened the sky. Looking at a red sky, she narrowed her eyes. It was not a good sign. The sun was high up in the sky when Kyosul left the Dongbi Palace. ¡°She has never been outside so long.¡± Kyosul would go out of the palace, not accompanied by anybody, including the nanny. It was her secret outing. On such occasions, the nanny didn¡¯t ask about her destination. Though Kyosul had never told her about it, the nanny was well aware of why she went out. It was kind of a tacit promise between Kyosul and the nanny. ¡°Nanny, let me go out for a walk alone.¡± ¡°Please come back before 7 PM at the latest.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be late. I¡¯ve never come back late, right?¡± Today she went out of the Dongbi Palace with that promise, but 7 PM had passed and she still wasn¡¯t back. The nanny grew more and more worried while waiting for Kyosul. Typically she went out for two reasons. For example, she went to the back garden of the outer palace in the afternoon when she felt lonely. On this occasion, there was no specific rule on the curfew, but she would come back before it got dark. Sometimes she ran into someone there or she would spend time alone. On other occasions she went out when the nanny conveyed Ruhae¡¯s message to her as a messenger between the two, visiting the Dongbi Palace and the South Palace secretly. In this case, she usually met him early in the morning or late at night, which lasted between 15 minutes and an hour. This time she went out after the nanny conveyed his message to her around noon. She always avoided the time when there were many people moving around in the palace, but today she ignored it. The nanny felt it strange but didn¡¯t stop her. Kyosul didn¡¯t come back even after the sunset. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m just worried if anything happened to you.¡± Holding her hands tightly, she murmured to herself nervously, looking at the street corner. So, everybody in the Dongbi Palace earnestly waited for her return. After all, it was after 7 PM. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xirut5e1479dfee761 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xirut5e1479dfee761 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xirut5e1479dfee761 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xirut5e1479dfee761 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xirut5e1479dfee761 {display: block;}} And it was slowly getting dark as it was late summer when the days were getting shorter. The nanny couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°I know she ran amok around the palace when she was in the Hwa kingdom, but she never broke the promise.¡± She was consumed by the thinking that something wrong had happened to her. She went out of the Dongbi Palace to search for Kyosul. Though she didn¡¯t know where Kyosul had gone, she had to find her by checking out every nook and corner of the palace. She went to the back garden of the outer palace fist because it was Kyosul¡¯s favorite place, but she couldn¡¯t find any trace of Kyosul even after she walked around the garden twice. ¡°What should I do now?¡± She was in the thick of wandering here and there in the palace when she was stopped by somebody. ¡°You must be Lady Yuon, right?¡± The moment she heard that familiar voice, she got cold feet. It was the voice that she didn¡¯t want to hear in a situation like this. With a pale face, she slowly turned and exclaimed, ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you!¡± The man standing before her was none other than Bipaan. Chapter 83 Bipaan was on his way to the East Palace after finishing the day¡¯s work at the Central Palace, but he found Kyosul¡¯s nanny pacing up and down there alone and felt strange. So, he stopped her and asked sharply, ¡°I thought you were supposed to be with the Crown Princess serving her. How come you are wandering alone here with a haggard look?¡± She flinched and suddenly got nervous at his question. Licking her dry lips, she said in a trembling voice, ¡°Well, I just went out on her errands, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Then, where the heck is the Crown Princess?¡± ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul is in her residence now¡­.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fzerg5e1479df509d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fzerg5e1479df509d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fzerg5e1479df509d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fzerg5e1479df509d6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fzerg5e1479df509d6 {display: block;}} ¡°Oh, that sounds good,¡± he said nonchalantly. She momentarily felt relieved because his emotionless voice suggested that he wasn¡¯t interested in Kyosul. At that moment, however, he said, ¡°I want to her today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Escort me there.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tfezy5e1479df50936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tfezy5e1479df50936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tfezy5e1479df50936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tfezy5e1479df50936 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tfezy5e1479df50936 {display: block;}} Surprised by his sudden order, she raised her head and looked straight at him. He was looking down at her with an emotionless face. He looked like a statue. When she couldn¡¯t move because she freaked out at his order, he started to walk for Kyosul¡¯s residence. ¡°Are you going to follow me?¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± When he moved one step, she realized the graveness of the situation and grabbed his trouser legs, lying face down. ¡°Please forgive me for having lied to you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± he asked casually, with no change in his tone or expression. Shivering with alarm and fear, she told him the truth, after all. ¡°In fact, Crown Princess Kyosul¡­¡± In her mind, she felt Kyosul might have had a big accident. If that was true, it was obvious that she badly needed his help. As she was so nervous and worried, she barely confided, ¡°Crown Princess Kyosul has not yet come back from an outing¡­.It looks like she had an accident somewhere in the palace.¡± ¡°What the heck did you say?¡± He looked at her with glaring eyes and asked, ¡°Are you sure what you said is true?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. How can I lie to you?¡± ¡°When did she leave the palace?¡± ¡°She left around noon, saying she wanted to take a walk. She said she would come back by 7 PM at the latest, but she didn¡¯t come back yet¡­..¡± ¡°Right now it¡¯s already past 9 PM, isn¡¯t it?¡± And then he shouted at the eunuch standing behind him, ¡°Call the Imperial Army right now!¡± *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fnydt5e1479df50987 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fnydt5e1479df50987 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fnydt5e1479df50987 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fnydt5e1479df50987 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fnydt5e1479df50987 {display: block;}} The sun set early in the mountains. Ruhae and Kyosul were left alone in the dark mountains. The looked at the woods around them vaguely. What¡¯s more worrisome for them was not darkness. ¡°Heeeet!¡± She sneezed, hunching her shoulders. He instinctively wrapped his hands around her shoulders. Her thin shoulders trembled quickly. As the sunlight was gone, they began to feel cold in the wooded mountains. ¡°Even though it is late summer, the temperature in the mountains is dropping quickly. Do you feel cold?¡± ¡°Just a little bit.¡± He repeated stroked her forearms quickly. She was dressed lightly that day, putting on clothes without sleeves or a coat. It was a good fit for her during the day, but as the temperature dropped during the night, she felt cold. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might catch a cold again.¡± She groaned helplessly. In fact, she caught a cold recently after she got soaked in the rain. But she didn¡¯t want to hear him saying she was physically weak. Straightening her shoulders on purpose, she raised her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright. So, let¡¯s think about how to get back to the palace, will you?¡± ¡°Can you put on this for now?¡± He took off his coat and put it on her shoulders. As her body was already cold, she felt the warmth of his coat on her shoulders. At that moment, she trembled unconsciously. He burst into laughter, watching her and thinking her actions were so cute. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we can find a door if we keep walking along the wall?¡± ¡°The problem is you and I came out of the castle gate secretly. Can we honorably go back through the gate when we didn¡¯t come out through it first?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ibeay5e1479df50a27 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ibeay5e1479df50a27 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ibeay5e1479df50a27 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ibeay5e1479df50a27 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ibeay5e1479df50a27 {display: block;}} ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know why the side door we used was closed and wouldn¡¯t open.¡± He tried very hard to push it open, but it wouldn¡¯t open no matter how much he tried. In the end, he kicked at it, but all his efforts failed. ¡°Het! Cheet!¡± she began to sneeze again. She pulled the sleeves of his coat to her mouth. Turning to her with a worried look, he looked up at the sky. The dark sky was hidden behind a big dark tree before them. He also began to tremble because of the cold. It looked like they were stricken with cold, not darkness. ¡°As it is so dark, we can¡¯t walk down the wall now. We have to get out of the cold first.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°To the best of my memory there was a shack not far from here.¡± He took her hand. They felt a chill because of the cold in the mountains, but when they joined hands, they felt each other¡¯s warmth. The only thing they could rely on in the darkness was each other¡¯s hands. Holding hands tightly, they walked slowly. They didn¡¯t know how long they walked, elbowing their way out of the dark woods. And finally there appeared something like a round object between the shades of trees. ¡°It looks like there is a dilapidated shack out there.¡± He vigorously walked toward it. When they went near it, they saw a shack on the verge of collapsing. The door was hung on a slant, and one wall of the shack was collapsed with the shingle roof tilted slightly. ¡°After the Mok Kingdom prohibited palace people from coming to this mountain, it looks like this shack was deserted. That means this shack had been neglected for more than ten years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see it here such as it is. I think we can keep out of the cold inside, right?¡± She cheerfully singled out the positive aspects of the dilapidated shack. He looked at her with a satisfied look. ¡°You¡¯re right. We should be grateful.¡± When he lifted the slanted door, she went in. They smelled the musty odor from the old rotten wood inside. After they went inside the door, he twisted the door and shut it tightly. Though they were out of the cold, it was quite dark inside. They groped in the dark and went inside the room. The air was cool, but their breathing was warm. They heard the noise of grass bugs in the dark, which made their heart beat fast. When they were sitting side by side tensely, she again sneezed, ¡°Hooootch!¡± She suddenly blushed with sneezing. ¡°Are you still cold?¡± he asked gravely. Her heart sank at his baritone voice. ¡°Yes, just a little bit,¡± she answered shyly. Hunching her shoulders, she lowered her head. She felt his hands on her shoulders. When she showed surprised, his hands stopped moving. And then he warmly hugged her and pulled her to his chest. ¡°Haaaa¡­..¡± Though it was not clear who let out a sigh, it dispersed into the air slowly. ¡°If we get close to each other physically, we can stay warm.¡±He bashfully made poor excuses after closing the gap between them. They hugged each other tightly in the dark with their hearts beating fast. Bang! At that moment the door burst open with a bang. Stunned at the bang, they raised their heads quickly. A dark shade in the dark stood before the door. ¡°Crown Princess!¡± It was a dreadful and sharp voice. Ruhae and Kyosul stiffened at that voice and looked at Bipaan who stormed into the room. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gwexm5e1479df508db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gwexm5e1479df508db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gwexm5e1479df508db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gwexm5e1479df508db {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gwexm5e1479df508db {display: block;}} He was staring at them with glaring eyes in the dark. *** There was a great fuss in the palace for a long time. Lots of court ladies and Imperial Army soldiers were moving around in groups here and there in the dark, holding lamps. They tried to search for Kyosul in every nook and corner of the palace carefully. There were lamp lights everywhere in the palace, with the court people whispering about Kyosul¡¯s whereabouts in subdued voices. Bipaan was behind all this great fuss, which made them sleep fitfully. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard anything about Kyosul¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°No, not yet, Your Majesty,¡± said the eunuch, lowering his head. Though Bipaan¡¯s voice was calm, he asked the same question three times. ¡°Your Majesty, they searched far and wide at the central gate, east and south gates of the Central Palace, but nobody there confirmed the Crown Princess went out the gate,¡± one of the soldiers said, quickly coming running to him. As he expected some good news, he was disappointed. When he gestured toward him, the soldier went out. He looked at the crowds holding the lights moving around in the dark, who were on the lookout for Kyosul everywhere in the palace. Carefully looking at the lamp lights spreading from Central Palace, he clenched his fists. Chapter 84 ¡°How did she disappear from this palace amid tight security?¡± It was difficult to know if he murmured it out of anger or concern. His eyes were cold, his expression calm and his voice was as stern as always. While keeping the court ladies in the dark to stop them from spreading rumors about her, he called the imperial soldiers to search for her inconspicuously, which was rather surprising to Kyosul¡¯s nanny. How did the Crown Princess disappeared from the palace? Her mysterious disappearance was scandalous enough to damage the dignity of the East Palace. ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince! Your Majesty!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lqedy5e1479df0f3cb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lqedy5e1479df0f3cb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lqedy5e1479df0f3cb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lqedy5e1479df0f3cb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lqedy5e1479df0f3cb {display: block;}} Kyosul¡¯s nanny approached him furtively, with her face turning white. ¡°So, did you find out her whereabouts?¡± ¡°Well, the Crown Princess¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t open her mouth easily. After some hesitation, she cautiously said in a way that would not test his patience any further. ¡°I hear that people in the South Palace don¡¯t know about Prince Ruhae¡¯s whereabouts at the moment.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wkgas5e1479df0f2f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wkgas5e1479df0f2f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wkgas5e1479df0f2f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wkgas5e1479df0f2f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wkgas5e1479df0f2f7 {display: block;}} According to the South Palace people, Ruhae also disappeared on the night Kyosul did. In the end, Bipaan narrowed one of his eyebrows and asked, ¡°When did he disappear?¡± ¡°Around noon¡­.¡± ¡°When did you say the Crown Princess left the East Palace?¡± ¡°Around noon¡­..¡± she said, closing her eyes quietly. She was troubled to give him the same answer. While she was shivering with fear, he didn¡¯t show any reaction. Standing in his place, he just looked far ahead. Everything made Bipaan uncomfortable. Despite that, he held his own. Checking the lamp lights around the palace, he told the nanny, ¡°You stay in the Dongbi Palace. When she returns, let me know as soon as possible. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! Long Live the Crown Prince!¡± Bowing to him politely, she quickly turned and headed for the Dongbi Place, Kyosul¡¯s residence. Then he secretly ordered the eunuch serving her at hand. ¡°Tell the people in the South Palace that Prince Ruhae is helping me at my order.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± With his head lowered, the eunuch quickly disappeared into the South Palace to convey his message. While looking at the flickering lamp lights in the dark, his eyes looked lonely. ¡°Long Live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Hearing somebody offering unpleasant greetings, Bipaan slowly turned his head, his expression hardened. Dukwol and Oran came near him, smiling slyly as usual. ¡°I hear that there was an incident in the East Palace,¡± Dukwol said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Bipaan said. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lrsvo5e1479df0f364 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lrsvo5e1479df0f364 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lrsvo5e1479df0f364 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lrsvo5e1479df0f364 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lrsvo5e1479df0f364 {display: block;}} ¡°I am sorry to hear you saying so. As a member of the royal family, how can I sit idle when something bad has happened in the East Palace?¡± Paying lip service, Dukwol stood beside Bipaan. Looking at the lamp lights side by side with him, Bipaan looked down coldly. Smiling awkwardly, Dukwol moved half-step back. ¡°Are you looking for the Crown Princess only inside the palace?¡± At his asking, Bipaan turned around and stared at him sternly. With a stiff smile, Dukwol added, ¡°I just want to ask if the Crown Princess left the palace.¡± ¡°Well, they already checked all the gates in all directions, including the main gate of the Central Palace but didn¡¯t find her.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Why don¡¯t you try to search for her in Mt. Mokak?¡± ¡°Why the hell are you bringing up Mt. Mokak?¡± ¡°Oh, it just occurred to my mind.¡± Although Bipaan mentioned the major three gates of the palace, Dukwol took pains to mention Mt. Mokak. Bipaan looked straight at him. No matter how big of a fuss the people in the East Palace made about searching for Kyosul, it was impossible for the relevant rumor to get around in the West Palace. Bipaan also felt suspicious about Dukwol and Oran¡¯s unusual move to help him with the search effort. Obviously, they seemed to know something about her whereabouts. But Bipaan didn¡¯t go to the trouble of asking him. He just listened to what Dukwol was telling him. ¡°Well, when we were young, we all ran around wildly in and around the palace. In particular, we found a side door of the palace and went through it to climb Mt. Mokak.¡± Dukwol pretended to reminisce about his childhood days with some nostalgia. ¡°Of course, you never went there as you were noble and high-minded even when you were a child.¡± ¡°Side door of the palace?¡± Ignoring Dukwol¡¯s sarcastic remarks, Bipaan showed interest in the side door. ¡°As I hear, the Crown Princess was a notoriously naughty girl in her motherland. I just wonder if she found the side door by chance and went out of it with an adventurous spirit. It just occurred to me.¡± Of course, he made the remarks on purpose, given his detailed explanation. Bipaan looked straight into his eyes. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.chsnr5e1479df0f436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.chsnr5e1479df0f436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.chsnr5e1479df0f436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.chsnr5e1479df0f436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.chsnr5e1479df0f436 {display: block;}} Bipaan asked the eunuch behind his back, ¡°Have you heard anything new from the East Palace?¡± ¡°No, no news yet.¡± Bipaan looked straight ahead. He saw the flickering lamp lights in the distance. Without turning back, he ordered Dukwol, ¡°Escort me to that side door.¡± ¡°Absolutely! Just follow me!¡± Though Dukwol made a sly smile, Bipaan didn¡¯t see it as he only looked ahead. He passed by the internal wall of the palace toward the outer wall that separated the palace from the outside towns. There were more side doors along the wall than he thought. In addition to the side door reserved for court people, there was another one that had been closed a long time ago. ¡°Aha! It looks like many years have passed. I didn¡¯t know the side door was covered with ivy like this.¡± While he was overly chatty, Dukwol walked ahead, looking for the side door. Bipaan¡¯s expression grew harder. The outer wall was all covered with ivy. Though the southern wall was maintained in good order, the wall facing Mt. Mokwol was in bad shape. Except for anybody who remembered there was a side door here, it was impossible to find it here easily. ¡°I think there was a side door somewhere near here¡­..¡± Dukwol looked around here and there to find it out. ¡°Ah!¡± As if he discovered something, Dukwol raised his voice and put the lamp near it. While looking at it, Bipaan¡¯s eyes were opened wide with surprise. ¡°Call the Imperial Army!¡± he immediately ordered. The side door that Dukwol discovered was revealed to him, and some of the ivy covering the door had been pulled out here and there. Though it was late summer, it was heralding the imminent arrival of autumn in the palace. The temperature in the mountains was chilly enough to make them feel cold. It was already past 9 PM. ¡°This is something serious, man! If the Crown Princess had walked toward Mt. Mokak and got lost there, she has been stuck in the mountains at least two hours.¡± Folding his arms, Dulwol pretended to shiver with cold by rubbing his hands. Though he didn¡¯t like Dukwol¡¯s attitude at the moment, Bipaan didn¡¯t show any particular reaction as the former tipped him off on the side door. If he could find Kyosul, he had to give Dulwoo the due credit. Bipaan ordered some of the soldiers searching the palace to head for Mt. Mokak. He himself climbed the mountain. ¡°I noticed the traces of human footprints here.¡± One of the soldiers on the search came to report to Bipaan and escorted him there. Once they found the footsteps, they found the search much easier. ¡°Good for you!¡± said Dukwol. ¡°We only found the footsteps. We may not know yet if we can find her.¡± Despite Dukwol¡¯s triumphant voice, Bipaan threw cold water on his optimistic thinking. After that, they silently focused on following the footsteps, and soon found a dilapidated shack. Bipaan lifted his fist above his head. The soldiers out on the search stopped for a moment at his gesture. The big noise they made while moving around for the search became quiet. Bipaal looked at the shack for a while. Even though the hinges of the door were torn apart, it was closed perfectly. There were no signs of human presence or no lights inside. ¡°It looks like¡­..¡± Dukwol was trying to say something, but Bipaan stopped him by extending his hand quickly. And then Bipaan slowly walked toward the shack, trying to muffle his steps. He pushed the door gently, but it was tightly shut. Examining the door carefully, he lifted his feet suddenly. Bang! @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ivddq5e1479df0f27e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ivddq5e1479df0f27e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ivddq5e1479df0f27e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ivddq5e1479df0f27e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ivddq5e1479df0f27e {display: block;}} With a big bang, the door was thrust open. Now, their lamps lighted the room vaguely. As expected, there were Ruhae and Kyosul inside the room. ¡°Crown Princess!¡± Bipaan called Kyosul. Only then did Ruhae come to his senses. He put down his hands on her shoulders and sprang to his feet ¡°Long live the Crown Prince! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Ruhae naturally offered greetings to him. ¡°How come you are here, brother Ruhae?¡± Approaching Bipaan quickly, Dukwol shouted in astonishment. Though he looked surprised, Dukwol¡¯s shouting was mixed with mockery. Dukwol¡¯s sharp voice resonated throughout the shack and heightened the tight atmosphere. Chapter 85 Ruhae was with Kyosul when Bipaan found her after an intensive search for her on Mt. Mokak. ¡°What the heck is this?¡± asked Dukwol, making a big fuss about Ruhae¡¯s presence there. Though Bipaan was quiet, Dukwol blamed Ruhae furiously. He asked Kyosul this time, ¡°We searched for the Crown Princess far and wide in the palace and even on Mt. Mokak. Why are you here with Ruhae, my brother? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been with Ruhae until now. If you didn¡¯t get lost, did you come here with him?¡± Dukwol was overly talkative. They discovered that she was with Ruhae, but Dukwol took pains to emphasize it as if he wanted to draw Bipaan¡¯s attention. Though he sounded in astonished, his smile was cold. Everybody knew that he enjoyed watching the awkward situation at the moment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lurhf5e1479dea8814 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lurhf5e1479dea8814 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lurhf5e1479dea8814 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lurhf5e1479dea8814 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lurhf5e1479dea8814 {display: block;}} The moment she caught Bipaan¡¯s eyes, Kyosul freaked out. She couldn¡¯t think of how she could explain or how to behave in this situation. Squatting in one corner of the shack, she placed her fists on her knees and looked at Bipaan with a blank expression. Though she was thrilled to be with Ruhae until a moment ago, she was so tense and nervous now. The atmosphere in the room was cold as if she had been thrown in a basket of ice water. She forgot about everything around her in the real world when she was with Ruhae, but the tense atmosphere surrounding them woke her to the stern reality facing her. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Bipaanall. His dark blue eyes terrorized her, but she couldn¡¯t avoid his sharp gaze. ¡®Don¡¯t stand in my way. Do whatever you want to do, but don¡¯t block my efforts to succeed the throne.¡¯ Bipaan had repeatedly warned her. It was embedded in her heart like a spell, echoing in her mind. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zzsep5e1479dea8774 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zzsep5e1479dea8774 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zzsep5e1479dea8774 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zzsep5e1479dea8774 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zzsep5e1479dea8774 {display: block;}} Was this situation serious enough to block Bipaan¡¯s succession to the throne? She felt it was foolish to ask that question because the answer was obvious. The Crown Princess disappeared from the palace and was found hiding with Prince Ruhae! Her throat constricted painfully and her empty stomach hurt. She wanted to go back to the palace safely after the outing, but that wasn¡¯t what was happening. She felt she would rather have frozen to death in the mountain in a situation like this. It was a very brief moment. She caught the eyes of Bipaan and Dukwol briefly. During that brief moment, however, lots of complicated thoughts came to her mind. The moment she was tormented by such thoughts, she heard Bipaan¡¯s clear and sharp voice. ¡°How wonderful! You found her first.¡± Everybody was stunned to hear Bipaan¡¯s words. With his mouth open, Dukwol looked at Bipaan. It was the first time that Dukwol wasn¡¯t smiling. Just as stunned, Ruhae looked at Bipaan with a curious look. He was confused as if he had his head struck by somebody, but he knelt down and said, with his head lowered, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Though he didn¡¯t communicate with Bipaan in advance or make any eye contact with him on this, he had to play along. ¡°Great job! Let me give you a big award for your actions today.¡± When Bipaan praised him, Ruhae was embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m so honored!¡± ¡°Did you find her on the mountain?¡± Bipaan asked. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°It looks like she sprained her ankle.¡± Ruhae understood Bipaan¡¯s intention quickly. In other words, he could immediately find out what Bipaan was trying to hear from him. ¡°As the Crown Princess found it hard to walk because of her sprained ankle, she couldn¡¯t go back down the mountain quickly. As I couldn¡¯t touch her, I took her to this nearby shack.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Nodding while Ruhae was talking, Bipaan listened quietly. Licking his dry lips with his mouth, Ruhae concluded, ¡°I wanted to go down and tell you about her situation here, but it was already dark, and the Crown Princess said she felt so cold. So, I stayed with her for a while. She couldn¡¯t go back down quickly.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jthkl5e1479dea87c6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jthkl5e1479dea87c6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jthkl5e1479dea87c6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jthkl5e1479dea87c6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jthkl5e1479dea87c6 {display: block;}} Ruhae¡¯s lie was convincing and appropriate. ¡°Alright. Let me take care of the Crown Princess from now on,¡± Bipaan said. The moment Bipaan stepped forward, Dukwol quickly snatched his hand and said, ¡°What the heck are you talking about? This isn¡¯t the situation you imagined at all, is it? Brother Ruhae was caught with her!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rqljd5e1479dea8864 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rqljd5e1479dea8864 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rqljd5e1479dea8864 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rqljd5e1479dea8864 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rqljd5e1479dea8864 {display: block;}} ¡°I sent him out to search for her,¡± Bipaan said. ¡°What?¡± Dukwol¡¯s eyes widened in surprise rather than returnign to his usual half-lidded smile. As if he turned his mouth up, he wiggled his face. Not caring at all, though, Bipaan said, ¡°I ordered the Imperial Army soldiers to search everywhere in the palace and, at the same time, dispatched a messenger to Ruhae in the South Palace, so he could help them with the search.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Dukwol responded. ¡°As Prince Ruhae is smart, I thought he would quickly find out Crown Princess Kyosul¡¯s whereabouts, and my prediction proved right.¡± Embarrassed, Dukwol couldn¡¯t come up with any proper response to contradict his unexpected remarks. Though he and Oran had orchestrated the whole incident, it wasn¡¯t turning out the way they¡¯d planned. Dukwol had ordered his spy to keep an eye on the strange relationship of Ruhae and Kyosul. After hearing from his spy that Ruhae and Kyosul left the palace through the side door, he had the spy shut the door temporarily, so Ruhae and Kyosul would be isolated in the Mokak mountains. After that, he leaked their secret outing to Bipaan, so the three of them could face each other. Dukwol was so excited to learn that even before he leaked it to Bipaan, the latter began to search for her, but the entire plot was in vain. ¡®Damn it! I really wished Bipaan puckered his face into a frown.¡¯ He was so disappointed and shocked at Bipaan¡¯s totally unexpected response. Rather Bipaan went out of his way to put them in the clear naturally. ¡®Did he get wind of my intention?¡¯ He suddenly got nervous. Given Bipaan¡¯s lie about sending Ruhae to join in the search efforts, it was obvious that Bipaan must have smelled a rat. ¡®Was Bipaan already aware of my plan?¡¯ Dukwol stared at Bipaan and Kyosul alternatively with his black eyes. Crossing the shack, Bipaan approached Kyosul. She had to act as if her feet were sprained, but she didn¡¯t have to because she got stiff the moment she met him face to face. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t walk. That¡¯s why you came to this place with Ruhae as you couldn¡¯t walk down.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right,¡± she said, lowering her head. Though she played along, she blushed because she was lying. ¡°Excuse me for a moment,¡± Bipaan said, lifted her into his arms. She always had to look up at him when they met, but they were so close with her in his arms. She was staring into his dark blue eyes, she couldn¡¯t find any clue to his emotions or thinking. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the palace,¡± Bipaan said. Carrying her in his arms, Bipaan left the shack quickly. She instinctively wrapped his neck when he began to walk. Bipaan¡¯s shoulders were broad. In his arms, she felt warm enough to forget about the cold night air. She closed her eyes and lowered her head. When Bipaan passed by Ruhae, the latter let out a low sigh and stood up. He watched Bipaan¡¯s back as he left the shack. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qsceq5e1479dea871a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qsceq5e1479dea871a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qsceq5e1479dea871a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qsceq5e1479dea871a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qsceq5e1479dea871a {display: block;}} Behind him, Dukwol watched at the three of them with a confused look. *** The South Place, where Prince Ruhae was live , was dominated by a cold rather than a quiet atmosphere. It looked as if winter was already around the corner there because of the cold air above the palace. Yomin, Prince Ruhae¡¯s wife, had vowed that she would never come to the palace, but she was sitting in Ruhae¡¯s room now. She wiped Ruhae¡¯s body with a wet towel. Lying on the bed, he was looking up at the ceiling blankly. Though she stayed in the room for a while, they didn¡¯t talk at all. He was sick in bed with fever after when he exposed himself to the cold wind after he gave his coat to Kyosul during their outing to Mt. Mokak. He didn¡¯t know how she discovered he was sick, but she came with a bowl of porridge during lunch time and cared for him without any complaint. She wiped his body with a wet towel to reduce his fever and stood beside him even when she had no particular thing to do. When the herbal decoction and porridge were served, she spoon fed him. She served him all day long, and suddenly opened her mouth when it got dark. ¡°I thought that you left the palace with her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Some court ladies came to my residence. They said they thought you and the Crown Princess went out for an outing with rice balls and snacks.¡± Chapter 86 He didn¡¯t reply because he felt so sorry for that. Even when he was on friendly terms with Yomin, he never went out for an outing with her. ¡°Though I told you I would free you, please don¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you telling me again that you¡¯re sorry,¡± she said coldly. She felt like she was swallowing thorns whenever he said something. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fxyfh5e1479dea3519 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fxyfh5e1479dea3519 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fxyfh5e1479dea3519 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fxyfh5e1479dea3519 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fxyfh5e1479dea3519 {display: block;}} ¡°I guess you don¡¯t want to see me,¡± he said. ¡°You bet.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go to the trouble of visiting me like this,¡± he said. She stopped wringing the towel. Putting down her hand holding the towel, she said, ¡°They still think you and I live in conjugal harmony.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lonwp5e1479dea3476 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lonwp5e1479dea3476 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lonwp5e1479dea3476 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lonwp5e1479dea3476 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lonwp5e1479dea3476 {display: block;}} Of course, that was not true. This kind of hypocrisy was needed for Ruhae and Kyosul to keep their relationship. As he was well aware of that, he felt sorry for Yomin all the more, so he didn¡¯t want her to visit his residency in the South Palace. But Yomin also needed that kind of superficial relationship with him, such as it was. For she had to stay in the palace as his official wife even though he was not her lover anymore. ¡°Please come and see me at my residence in the Nambi Palace from time to time.¡± ¡°How can I have the nerve to see you there as I already lost face to you?¡± ¡°Nonetheless, I hope you can save my face and maintain my dignity. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a difficult job for you.¡± Actually, that was the minimal favor he could do for her, so that she could keep her status as his official wife. ¡°And it would be good to hide your relationship with the Crown Princess if you could maintain good relationship with me.¡± It was a fact that they were aware of and didn¡¯t want to bring up. Given the situation, Yomin didn¡¯t hesitate to mention it now, let alone torment herself. She didn¡¯t know why she brought it up when she knew she would hurt herself because of it. She put her hands into the lukewarm water with the towel. She felt as if she was getting hot, too. *** After she returned from Mt. Mokak, Kyosul stayed in the East Palace rather than her residence in the Dongbi Palace. Outsiders were convinced that she could hardly move because she had sprained her ankle while climbing the mountain, so Bipaan said he would take care of her directly instead of calling the royal doctor. Court people could not believe that Crown Prince had her stay at his residence and cared for her in person. As Bipaan was known to be cold-hearted and brusque, they really couldn¡¯t believe their ears. The rumours about his personal nursing of the Crown Princess spread quickly. Was it because of that rumor that they soon forgot about the big fuss about Kyosul¡¯s disappearance, the fact that she was found with Prince Ruhae on the Mok mountain, and talked about the newly found warmth in the relationship of Crown Prince Bipaan and Crown Princess Kyosul? The reality was different because their relationship was far from cozy or sweet. Bipaan¡¯s residence was as cold as ever. There was even more tense and breathless silences than before because Kyosul was there as well. Neither of them spoke, though. He handled tax matters in the office and usually went to the Central Palace or the outer palace to take care of other matters, but he recently announced that he would digest his daily schedule in his office inside the East Palace while nursing the Crown Princess. Deceiving the court people like that, he even ordered the court ladies not to come to his office in the East Palace. Accordingly he always worked in the office while Kyosul had to stay put on the bed. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tdshw5e1479dea34ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tdshw5e1479dea34ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tdshw5e1479dea34ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tdshw5e1479dea34ca {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tdshw5e1479dea34ca {display: block;}} There was always a thin blind between his office and her room, and she was only allowed to stay or move inside the blind. She felt like her mouth didn¡¯t taste fresh as if she had thorns on her tongue. She was sick and tired of lying on the bed, so she stood up, moved her feet, paced around her room and finally approached the blind that separated her room from his office. Sticking out her head, she looked inside. With his back straight, he was sitting down in front of the desk. She could only see his back, straight in an upright position, his broad shoulders and his dark brown hair. Although she saw him at a distance, she felt stressed. She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She couldn¡¯t afford to stay isolated in her room day after day. She got cold feet when she approached the blind to give him a piece of her mind. Vowing to speak out several times deep down, she was going to open her mouth when he spoke , ¡°Do you have anything to tell me?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.riskb5e1479dea3569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.riskb5e1479dea3569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.riskb5e1479dea3569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.riskb5e1479dea3569 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.riskb5e1479dea3569 {display: block;}} He checed the petition files and didn¡¯t look at her. Surprised, she stepped back. The sound of her urgent movement echoed through the quiet office. She said, with a blush, ¡°Well, I would like to ask¡­¡± He stopped working but didn¡¯t look back. She felt he was listening to her now. So, she got confident enough to ask, ¡°I don¡¯t know why you can¡¯t¡­¡± At that moment she couldn¡¯t think of proper words to express her feelings. Although she felt that she was ¡°confined¡± in the room, she couldn¡¯t use that expression. She had been pondering over that expression since she moved to the East Palace. She regretted that she had not prepared the proper words in a situation like this. ¡°I mean, why don¡¯t you let me out of this palace? As you are working in the office here¡­¡± ¡°I told the court people that I was taking care of the injured Crown Princess. They are supposed to think that you sprained your ankle during your recent hike in the mountain.¡± ¡°Ah¡­..¡± When he mentioned her hiking in the mountains, she had nothing to say, but she found out belatedly that he confined her to the East Palace on the pretext of him nursing her. Although she felt ashamed, she asked again, ¡°Did you say you were caring for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Bipaan was speechless for a moment. There was silence again in his office, which was very much breathless and uncomfortable to her. He suddenly stood up. Looking straight at her, he approached her. She was at a loss of what to do. Lowering his head, he caught her gaze and looked right at her. He lowered his head a little more. Taking a deep breath, she stuck her head out. He slowly opened his mouth. She looked so nervous while she was looking at his thin lips. ¡°Because I¡¯m punishing you now,¡± he answered curtly. She was embarrassed, ¡°What?¡± But he turned his head casually and clarified, ¡°You¡¯re now being punished for having put me in a difficult situation.¡± ¡°Did I make you¡­?¡± she couldn¡¯t finish her words. He went back to his desk. She had no choice but to stand and look at him blankly. She felt frustrated and upset. Though she was choked with tears, she tried to subdue her troubled mind. She kept repeating, ¡°I have no other choice but to take it.¡± She had to endure it because she couldn¡¯t accept him while she loved another prince. Ruhae was the first man that she loved since she was born. She couldn¡¯t openly love him and had to hide her affectionate feelings toward him. And finally she was caught with Ruhae in the shack during their recent outing. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fpjwb5e1479dea341e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fpjwb5e1479dea341e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fpjwb5e1479dea341e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fpjwb5e1479dea341e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fpjwb5e1479dea341e {display: block;}} For these reasons, she felt a sense of guilt toward Bipaan. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She murmured in a feeble voice, which he could hardly hear. Without showing any reaction, he went back to his desk and resumed work as usual. She also came back to the bed inside the blind and sat down. Tears came down from her eyes quietly. ¡®Yeah, he has punished me for my actions that could have stood in his way.¡¯ When she was found with Ruhae in the shack, she could avoid the embarrassing situation when Ruhae and Bipaan put out their wits. She knew why Bipaan acted like that, so she decided to accept his punishment without any resistance. She had to endure the cruel punishment, which meant that she had to confine herself to the room all day long without doing anything or talking all day long. Kyosul was able to leave the East Palace eleven days after she was confined there. On her way back to her residence in the Dongbi Palace, she was accompanied by Bipaan. It was the first time they walked together since they were married. As she left the room and took in the fresh air outside, she felt like she could breathe easy again. She had to live like a guilty woman while she was staying inside the room, but she went back to her normal lifestyle like before. She grew vibrant again. Chapter 87 Although Kyosul was excited, she tried her best to stay calm as she was walking with Bipaan. Following him silently, she folded her hands and walked along, with her head lowered. ¡®I didn¡¯t know there was a path here.¡¯ While waking behind him, Kyosul took a walk in the untrodden path in the back of the East Palace for the first time. She always passed through the front and middle gates of the palace, but he took her down the secluded road. She heard the sound of the stream while walking down the road. As the road was adjacent to the wall of the palace, there was a stream leading into the outer castle. At that moment, she recalled what she heard from Kyoyoung, his second wife, when she first arrived in the Mok Kingdom. ¡®Come to think of it, she told me that the Crown Prince enjoyed taking a stroll along the road near the stream.¡¯ Kyosul suddenly felt that Bipaan might have intentionally decided to use this path to take her to the Dongbi Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cglab5e1479de7edcb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cglab5e1479de7edcb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cglab5e1479de7edcb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cglab5e1479de7edcb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cglab5e1479de7edcb {display: block;}} She liked the secluded atmosphere around the path. Without feeling any fear of Bipaan. She enjoyed looking around. ¡°Ooops!¡± At that moment she discovered something that caught her eyes. Forgetting even his presence, she walked up to it and bent down. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see this here.¡± She held out her hand out of excitement. There was a bunch of blue flowers blooming there. In fact, they were the same flowers that Ruhae used to place at her windowsill everyday. The little petals smaller than fingernails were thickly grouped together to protect the yellow stamen. Those little and lovely blue flowers made her heart thrilled. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ttyzh5e1479de7ed2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ttyzh5e1479de7ed2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ttyzh5e1479de7ed2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ttyzh5e1479de7ed2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ttyzh5e1479de7ed2c {display: block;}} She instinctively squatted down before the flowers and looked at them. ¡°Cucumber herb.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°They are called cucumber herb.¡± While looking at the flowers with an innocent smile, she was surprised to hear his unexpected commentary and looked back at him. While she focused on the flowers, she forgot about him momentarily. He was now standing behind her. She looked up at him with a curious look. She was surprised that he talked to her kindly and that he knew the name of this small flower on the road. Looking at the blue flowers, he said in a low voice, ¡°They won¡¯t bloom anymore.¡± ¡°Are they not blooming?¡± ¡°Because they bloom in the summer.¡± ¡°Ah¡­..¡± She looked at the cucumber herb again. Come to think of it, it was around the beginning of the summer when Ruhae started to put the blue flower on the windowsill of her room in the Dongbi Palace. ¡®Would he continue to bring flowers when the summer was over? Can he place other flowers when the fall comes?¡¯ She was innocently thinking of such questions. She suddenly became curious about something, so she turned and asked Bipaan, ¡°By the way, how do you know the name of this little flower?¡± He didn¡¯t reply. He briefly stood behind her and then turned back. With his back straight, he quickened his pace. She was looking at his back with a curious expression. She was holding a small and cute blue flower that her lover used to bring to her windowsill every day. *** The bathroom was covered with a long stretch of unobtrusive fabric. The jewelry hung in the cloudy moisture that filled the bathroom. The high table had vases, bottles of oil, and soaps. The humid air was filled with a gentle mixture of fresh scents. This was the bathroom of the West Palace. In the middle of the bathroom was a large bath. The bath was filled with water at a moderate temperature, and there were petals sprinkled on the water as decorations. Oran sat in the bath brimming over with water soaking, with only her shoulders bare. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.scotl5e1479de7ed7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.scotl5e1479de7ed7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.scotl5e1479de7ed7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.scotl5e1479de7ed7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.scotl5e1479de7ed7d {display: block;}} ¡°Haaaa¡­¡± Oran leaned back against the edge of the bath, leaned her head back fully and lay it on the floor outside the bath. Her mouth open in a gasp, she shook. Then she moaned. ¡°Ahhhh¡­ . ¡± Oran moaned. She closed her eyes as if she was savoring something. As if it wasn¡¯t enough just to lower her eyelids, she wanted to bring her eyes down to a spot where she could not reached. Oran shook her head. The bathtub water rippled around her fingertips. Some of the petals that floated in the bath sank down, succumbing to the ripples. ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Her coquettish voice sounded like a sob. She eventually couldn¡¯t stand it and reached out to grab the railings of the bath tightly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wwczj5e1479de7ee1c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wwczj5e1479de7ee1c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wwczj5e1479de7ee1c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wwczj5e1479de7ee1c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wwczj5e1479de7ee1c {display: block;}} Carried away with immense pleasure, her body shook. The moment she burst into ecstasy, Dukwol rose from beneath the water¡¯s surface with a splash. Hot water drops splashed on the floor with his rough breathing. He violently shook hair free of water and swept it up with both hands. Water drops flowed down his firm muscles. Dukwol said, looking at her with his dark eyes, ¡°Your are always sweet!¡± He licked his lips and approached Oran. Immersed in ecstasy, she was barely hanging on to the bath¡¯s railing, feeling like a limp noodle. Dukwol put one of his sturdy arms under her slender body and embraced her. She said, ¡°You¡¯re the best all the time!¡± Oran laid his hand on his chest. Touching his hard chest, she felt a sense of infinite happiness. Oran wrapped her legs around his waist. He supported Oran¡¯s slender waist with one arm and caressed her full bust with the other. For a while, the sound of splashing water echoed in the bath. After they had passionate sex, they lay in the bath in the afterglow.. The temperature of the bath remained just right as the court ladies changed out the water constantly, taking care not to disturb their masters¡¯ enjoyment. There was no paradise like this to them when they soaked themselves, surrounded by the warm steam. As he now felt fully relaxed, Dukwol began to bring up the topic slowly. ¡°I hear the Crown Princess came out of the East Palace finally.¡± ¡°Did she come out? How long did she stay there?¡± Counting the date, she pressed his bare chest with her fingers. ¡°Looks like eleven or so days. It¡¯s amazing that she slept together with the Crown Prince in his icy room. ¡± ¡°Well, I am not sure if she really slept with him or not.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? Really?¡± In her mind, the couple lived in the same place for several days. Accordingly, it was natural that they made lover during that period. Oran¡¯s question made him curious more about Bipaan¡¯s relationship with Kyosul. Oran, who terribly hated Kyosul from their first meeting, glared when he mentioned her name. Although the West Palace was wary and kept an eye on the East Palace, there was something more about Oran¡¯s attitude toward Kyosul. As Dukwol also knew how Oran felt about Kyosul, he watched Kyosul more carefully. Dukwol leaned his head toward her ears. The court ladies in the bathroom were from the West Palace, but he felt he wanted to take extra caution. Especially when it came to the most secret and important secret about the East Palace, he was extremely cautious. ¡°The Crown Prince already knows.¡± While he whispered into her ear, he bit her earlobe gently. Oran burst into laughter quickly and splashed him with water. After she made sure that their conversation would be seen as a leisurely bathing play, she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, ¡°What do you mean the Crown Prince knows? Have you boasted to him about my sexual skills?¡± ¡°How could I talk about my sexual pleasure with you to another man?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.njrel5e1479de7ecd4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.njrel5e1479de7ecd4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.njrel5e1479de7ecd4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.njrel5e1479de7ecd4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.njrel5e1479de7ecd4 {display: block;}} Then he grabbed her hair and pulled hard, forcing her to bend her neck backwards and making her moan. Deukwol lifted her and kissed her lips. Quickly stopping her nonsense in a rough and sensual manner, he spoke with his lips touching hers. ¡°The Crown Prince already knows about the dirty relationship of Prince Ruhae and Crown Princess Kyosul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Oran shouted in surprise. She slapped the surface of the water and splashed it noisily. ¡°As you know, Bipaan went to the trouble of going to the East Palace to care for Kyosul in person, right? How could he do that knowingly? How could such a cold-hearted man do that?¡± With a smile, though, Dukwol called her in a low tone, which was scary enough to make her lower her voice. With a sullen face, she pouted and wrapped her hands around his neck and buried her face in his chest. ¡°How could he ignore his wife¡¯s infidelity, which could certainly be his liability? How could he do that?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my question. I just wonder if he has done that. He¡¯s a totally different man.¡± In fact, Dukwol had been suspicious about Bipaan¡¯s actions on Mt. Mokka. Based on his longtime observation of Bipaan, he should have kicked the Crown Princess out if it was certain that her actions would stand in the way of his succession of the throne even if she was his official wife, but he didn¡¯t. Chapter 88 In addition, Bipaan protected her on the pretext of caring for Kyosul in person. ¡°Why would Bipaan protect Kyosul in this situation? Is he hiding something?¡± ¡°It looks like her relationship with Ruhae is not just mere scandal. I think we might have come to a hasty conclusion.¡± ¡°Yeah, we had better watch her a little more.¡± Both of them saw eye to eye on this. Actually they were sick and tired of waiting. They had been waiting for the perfect timing to carry out their plan, so they tried every way to entrap Bipaan and Kyosul along the way. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lgevd5e1479de09432 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lgevd5e1479de09432 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lgevd5e1479de09432 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lgevd5e1479de09432 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lgevd5e1479de09432 {display: block;}} Dukwol asked, ¡°What about Bipaan¡¯s second wife, Kyoyoung? Does she know about this?¡± Kyoyoung was Bipaan¡¯s second wife, who had been ignored by Bipaan since the wedding night. Smiling coquettishly, Oran replied, ¡°I think I have to make friends with her sooner or later.¡± ¡°Oh, sounds good. We¡¯re going to see a more interesting situation in the East Palace.¡± ¡°You bet. We can¡¯t miss this fantastic chance.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cezig5e1479de0938d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cezig5e1479de0938d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cezig5e1479de0938d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cezig5e1479de0938d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cezig5e1479de0938d {display: block;}} In no time, they had sex again. *** Back at the Dongbi Palace, her residence, Kyosul was trying to find the answers to some difficult questions. With a serious expression, she paced up and down in her room. Resting her chin on her arm and lowering her head, she walked inside the room slowly, holding a purple flower with wrinkled petals in hand. That was the flower that she found placed on her windowsill this morning. After she returned from the East Palace, it had been there in place of the blue flowers with round petals. It was not a purple flower with wrinkled petals. She had to pay attention to it. He had placed a different flower on her windowsill every day throughout the summer and suddenly changed it. Besides, Bipaan¡¯s words echoed in her mind and made her think. ¡®This flower won¡¯t bloom anymore.¡¯ That was what he said on the day she returned to the Dongbi Palace, and he tipped her on the name of the flower, which was called cucumber herb. As it turned out, the flower placed on her windowsill was changed after Bipaan reminded her of the new fact. What a coincidence! ¡°And he even knew the name of the flower!¡± That bothered her persistently. And she couldn¡¯t believe that it was Bipaan who placed the flower every day rather than Ruhae. ¡°No, no, it can¡¯t be the him! That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Nonetheless, she found herself wondering who really placed the flower there. Se recalled what Ruhae told her on the day they went out on an outing.¡±Do you like this flower? I don¡¯t know much about flowers.¡¯ At that time, she thought Ruhae pretended not to know about the blue flowers for some reason. Did he really know the flowers? ¡°If he really didn¡¯t know the flowers, then he must not have¡­.¡± Who the hell placed this flower on her windowsill if it wasn¡¯t Ruhae? She looked at the purple flower with a perplexed expression. At that moment she came to her senses at someone¡¯s loud knocking on the door. She suddenly turned her head towards the door. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.syrtr5e1479de093df {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.syrtr5e1479de093df {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.syrtr5e1479de093df {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.syrtr5e1479de093df {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.syrtr5e1479de093df {display: block;}} The sound was heard from the windowsill where someone placed the flower and an empty slip every day. Someone was cautiously knocking on the window right now. Knock, knock. Her heart was pounding fast. She had high expectations that she could finally find out who really placed the flower every day when she opened the window. ¡°Who is it?¡± She had mixed feelings of excitement, expectation and fear. With such mixed feelings, she slowly pushed the window open. As the hinge turned softly, the window opened, bringing in fresh air. Ruhae stood beneath the window looking up at her. Her eyes were opened wide with surprise after she confirmed who he was. ¡°Ruhae!¡± Was it a sigh of relief or disappointment? When she confirmed his face, she was happy. Fortunately, it was Ruhae who brought the flower everyday. He was standing right before the very window he placed flowers up to now. Lowering her body as much as she could, she asked with an excited expression, ¡°Did you knock on this window knowingly?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Did you know that this window here is nearest to my bed?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.drkur5e1479de09484 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.drkur5e1479de09484 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.drkur5e1479de09484 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.drkur5e1479de09484 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.drkur5e1479de09484 {display: block;}} ¡°Of course, I did.¡± She smiled naturally at his instant reply. As she expected, the man who brought the flower every day was Ruhae. There could be no other person than him. It didn¡¯t matter whether Ruhae knew the name of the flower or not. He just plucked the flower because it was beautiful and gave it to her every day as a gift. She felt she got all the confusing thoughts about the flower off her chest overnight. And she felt more happy because she saw him standing outside the window and knocking on it. Looking at her bright smile, he also gave her a big smile. As if it was not a big deal, he said, ¡°If I had been to your room, I would have immediately inferred which window was nearest to your bed, but as I didn¡¯t, I just thought this window would be the nearest to your bed, given the structure of your room.¡± ¡°Nearest to my bed?¡± she repeated his words and smiled bashfully. He then extended his hands inside the window and wrapped her face in his hands. His hands were cold, but she cooled her bushed face by touching it to his cold hands. ¡°Are you really happy I came here?¡± ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Well, I wish I had come here and asked you to open the window much earlier.¡± ¡°Do you come here often?¡± ¡°Shush! This is a secret!¡± He put his finger on his lips, pretending to look around carefully. As he looked so serious, she was surprised and hunched her shoulders, putting her finger on her lips, too. ¡°This is the only place I can come and look at you secretly and go back. If I get caught, I can¡¯t come back again, as you know. So, this is a top secret to me!¡± Lowering her head, she gestured toward him to come nearer. When he approached, she whispered into his ears, ¡°You¡¯re in big trouble now. You have been caught already.¡± Embarrassed, he stepped back and asked, ¡°Really? Is somebody in the room now?¡± Grinning at him innocently, she said, ¡°You were caught by me.¡± ¡°Oh my god! It looks like I was tricked while I was trying to deceive you.¡± He also laughed. She found even this kind of silly talk interesting and funny. ¡°By the way, what business has brought you here? You have never come here secretly at this hour,¡± she said. ¡°Well, I think I have to leave the palace urgently, so I¡¯ve come running here tell you about it.¡± ¡°What? Why are you leaving so suddenly?¡±She asked in big surprise. Though he was smiling at her, he was making a perplexed expression at the moment. Her heart sank. She stuck her body out of the window quickly and asked, ¡°Was it because of our recent outing scandal in the Mokak mountain? Did the Crown Prince punish you? If that¡¯s true, let me go to the East Palace right away to protest. He can¡¯t do this to you.¡± ¡°Calm down, please, Kyosul.¡± He grabbed her hands now holding the windowsill tightly. Though he was embarrassed, he almost burst into laughter at her passionate emotions. ¡°It looks like you are a switch on/switch off person, Kyosul. I really thought you would come out right away and head for the East Palace.¡± ¡°Absolutely! I¡¯m going to go right now. Do you think I can¡¯t? I¡¯m not scared at all when it comes to you!¡± Smiling at her kindly, he caressed her face again with his fingertips, not his palms. ¡°I¡¯m deeply touched by what you have just told me. It¡¯s amazing to know you are ready to fight with that dreadful Crown Prince on my behalf.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.poxmc5e1479de09334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.poxmc5e1479de09334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.poxmc5e1479de09334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.poxmc5e1479de09334 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.poxmc5e1479de09334 {display: block;}} ¡°Sure, I can. This is very unfair. As the Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom, he should not abuse his power, even the Emperor can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± he seconded, nodding. He almost clapped his hands but shook his head. Ruhae calmed her down and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not leaving the palace for unfair reasons.¡± His expression changed every time he said something. Sometimes, he got upset and dejected, sometimes he looked sad and then he resolved herself firmly. In the end, he told her the truth. ¡°As you know, I¡¯m in charge of education and cultural affairs, so I have been ordered to patrol the provincial towns temporarily in connection with my job.¡± ¡°In connection with your job?¡± She let out a sigh of relief. Pulling her hands back, she pressed them to her chest to calm down then asked with a sharp expression, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me the fact from the beginning? You teased me by beating around the bush when you said you were leaving the palace suddenly, right?¡± ¡°Oh, did I tease you too much?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re so mean!¡± Chapter 89 She grumbled in a sullen voice and turned back. She even closed the window with a bang. ¡°Kyosul!¡± He knocked on the window again, but she didn¡¯t open it again. He bit his lip, regretting that he teased her too much. Then he put his hand on the window gently and imagined her standing across the window in the room. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kvncr5e1479ddec165 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kvncr5e1479ddec165 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kvncr5e1479ddec165 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kvncr5e1479ddec165 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kvncr5e1479ddec165 {display: block;}} ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I carried the joke too far because I really couldn¡¯t tell you the truth right from the beginning.¡± ¡°Do you know how surprised I was?¡± she said in an angry voice. Calming her troubled feelings gradually, he comforted her and said, ¡°The fall is just around the corner. Perhaps you remember that I¡¯ve been very busy preparing the state civil exams to be held during the fall, right?¡± Though she didn¡¯t reply, the window trembled as if she agreed. When he noticed that, he went on with a light heart, ¡°The civil exams are held in the capital areas, but there are exams for applicants in the provinces. Recently, there were some corrupt practices with respect to the state exams, so I¡¯ve made the decision to inspect those areas and check out the problems myself. That¡¯s why I have to leave the palace temporarily. As it was decided so urgently at the cabinet meeting, I was ordered to leave immediately. And I came running here to let you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy you came here to bring me the news.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cpspw5e1479ddec0bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cpspw5e1479ddec0bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cpspw5e1479ddec0bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cpspw5e1479ddec0bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cpspw5e1479ddec0bd {display: block;}} Her hardened heart began to melt when he said he came to see her. ¡°I came running here as I wanted to see your face so much. Won¡¯t you show your face again?¡± ¡°Then, why did you confuse me by telling me the lie from the beginning?¡± ¡°Because I felt you were so cute when you were choked with tears after hearing about my sudden departure. I was so glad to know you were worried about me, so I carried the joke too far.¡± She pouted and grumbled at his excuses. Knock, knock. He knocked on the windowsill slowly, ¡°I miss you.¡± ¡°How long are you going to stay in the provincial areas?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it won¡¯t take more than 15 days.¡± ¡°15 days?¡± ¡°Well, I would like to use this occasion to check out the situation in the major provincial areas in the south, so I¡¯m making my schedule very tight.¡± He was still touching the closed window. ¡°I will come back as soon as possible.¡± There was no reply, though, with her leaning against the windowsill. Stroking the windowsill, he said, ¡°I would like to see your face and contain your images in my eyes.¡± Bang! The window was thrust open louder than it was shut. She stuck her upper body out of the window. Her eyes were welled with tears. The moment the window was opened, he held out his hand. She folded her fingers with his. Standing on his toes, he straightened his body and kissed her lips. When he was in the palace, he didn¡¯t see her every day. Sometimes he didn¡¯t see her for many days. But as she couldn¡¯t see him because he would be in the provincial areas, she was faced with a different situation. Even if she could not see him when he was in the palace, she could imagine that her lover was in the South Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zckmd5e1479ddec116 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zckmd5e1479ddec116 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zckmd5e1479ddec116 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zckmd5e1479ddec116 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zckmd5e1479ddec116 {display: block;}} She realized deeply how much she would miss him when he left the palace for the provincial areas. ¡°If I had my way, I would climb into the window and hug you right now.¡± Though he touched and kissed her, his urge to stay with her became all the stronger. At first, he simply thought he would bring her the news and leave quickly, but he realized he couldn¡¯t. With the window separating them, they regretted they couldn¡¯t get closer to each other. ¡°Would you want to come in?¡± ¡°You¡¯re tempting me too much now.¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m tempting you?¡± Faced with her embarrassing question, he just laughed it away. He climbed the low window dozens of times in his heart. He wanted to jump over it, sneak into her room and hug her endlessly, but he held back his lust by all means. He knew he should exercise restraint at this moment, but he found it really hard to calm down his lustful feelings once he saw her. Though the window of her room was lower, it implied a lot. It was the window of the Crown Princess¡¯s room in the Dongbi Palace of the East Palace in the imperial palace. It meant nothing to him if this place was not the imperial palace, if she was not the wife of the Crown Prince and if he was not a prince. He just kept thinking about such meaningless assumptions. ¡®If this were not the imperial palace!¡¯ @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vuajp5e1479ddec1b7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vuajp5e1479ddec1b7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vuajp5e1479ddec1b7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vuajp5e1479ddec1b7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vuajp5e1479ddec1b7 {display: block;}} He again recited that sweet yet dangerous phrase in his mouth. She was looking at him, leaning against the window. He was standing close to the window, holding her hands tightly. He cautiously said, ¡°Kyosul.¡± Blinking her eyes once, she stared at him without answering. Looking at her clear eyes close up, he found his heart pounding fast again. And then he cautiously spoke out what he had in mind for a long time. ¡°In fact, I want you to do me a favor, though it¡¯s difficult.¡± *** Kyosul couldn¡¯t sleep at all. She had so many worries in her mind. The day broke finally, and she left the Dongbi Palace around noon. ¡®He said he would leave the South Palace very early.¡¯ When she thought about the palace without Ruhae, she felt as if the whole palace was lonely and empty. Was it because of that? Even though she couldn¡¯t find the answer all through the night, she quickly made up the decision when the day broke and left for the East Palace before she knew. ¡°I would like to visit the special royal villa in Kongrimok.¡± Meeting with Bipaan alone, she lowered her head and asked for his permission. He kept silent, which made her heart beat more wildly. ¡°Special royal villa in Kongrimok?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. As it¡¯s getting colder, I would love to visit there as I hear there is a hot bath villa there.¡± As she had to sit and talk face to face with him, she spoke in a feeble voice, ¡°Kongrimok is in the southern area, I think.¡± She felt a pang in her heart when he mentioned the southern area. ¡®Has he sensed Ruhae¡¯s departure for the southern area?¡¯ During that brief moment she wrestled with lots of complicated thoughts. ¡®I think I¡¯m deceiving the Crown Prince too much.¡¯ She felt she was too greedy. She had to be content with meeting him secretly and confirming each other¡¯s love. Only then did she come to her senses. Her preoccupation with Ruhae blurred her judgment. She felt she made a silly mistake. Then, Bipaan surprised her. ¡°Good. You came to the Mok Kingdom several months ago, so I think you¡¯re entitled to visit lots of areas across the kingdom.¡± As if to make fun of her worry, Bipaan gladly approved her request. ¡°Are you approving my request?¡± ¡°Yes, I approve it.¡± ¡®Hurrah!¡¯ She was overjoyed to get his approval. She felt she could go to the southern areas and see Ruhae at the special villa in Kongrimok. She was about to bow to him deeply as she was so happy when he went on to say calmly. ¡°I¡¯m going to go there with you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kayey5e1479ddec062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kayey5e1479ddec062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kayey5e1479ddec062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kayey5e1479ddec062 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kayey5e1479ddec062 {display: block;}} ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, I wanted to visit the villa for hot bath as I was in bad condition as I was stuck in the imperial palace for a long time. I think you have made a good suggestion.¡± She got his praise for the first time since she arrived in the Mok kingdom, but she didn¡¯t feel comfortable about his praise. ¡°I¡¯m honored to hear your praise,¡± she barely responded to appreciate his praise. Her thoughts became more complicated now than before. Right after he met her, Bipaan headed for the Central Palace and his departure for the special villa in Kongrimok was quickly decided. Soon everybody in the East Palace was busy preparing for his trip to the villa. ¡®This is not what I want!¡¯ Kyosul looked at Bipaan with a perplexed expression. With his eyes closed, he leaned back in the chair comfortably, but she couldn¡¯t feel comfortable inside her sedan chair on the way back. She was so nervous while sitting next to him in the East Palace. She was at a loss how to respond when he said he would accompany her. She hurriedly left the palace to go back to her residence. It was because of Ruhae¡¯s mention of Kongrimok last night that she came to know about it for the first time. Ruhae said, ¡°I think I told you about a special royal villa last time when I met you last time. Do you still remember that?¡± Chapter 90 Kyousl replied, ¡°Yes, I do. As I said I liked outings, you recommended a special villa.¡± Ruhae gladly replied, ¡°Well, in the southern areas, there is one in Kongrimok. As that place is famous for hot springs, they made the villa for hot baths very well. As it is getting cold, it¡¯s the perfect time for hot baths.¡± ¡°That sounds great!¡± While she nodded, she didn¡¯t know exactly why he brought up Kongrimok suddenly. When she looked at him with a curious expression, he added with a gentle smile, ¡°And that villa is located in the easternmost of the southern area. I think I¡¯m going to wrap up my provincial inspection there.¡± ¡°I guess what you mean is you want to visit¡­.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.otdaj5e1479de079d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.otdaj5e1479de079d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.otdaj5e1479de079d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.otdaj5e1479de079d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.otdaj5e1479de079d8 {display: block;}} She felt her heart sank at that. Her expectation didn¡¯t go amiss. ¡°Yes, if you come to visit the villa in Kongrimok secretly and stay there, I think we can have a good time there without anybody knowing.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Really? Can we do that?¡± ¡°The problem is you need to get the Crown Prince¡¯s approval first to get there.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iiuyo5e1479de07904 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iiuyo5e1479de07904 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iiuyo5e1479de07904 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iiuyo5e1479de07904 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iiuyo5e1479de07904 {display: block;}} Her excitement quickly subdued. She felt heavy at the thought of getting Bipaan¡¯s approval because she already offended his feelings recently when she was found with Ruhae in the shack on Mt. Mokak. She felt rather uncomfortable about trying to seek his approval of her outing to the Kongrimok villa. Ruhae was well aware of her agony. That¡¯s why he cautiously suggested it to her. ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, you don¡¯t have to. It looks like I have entrusted you with a burdensome task that I can¡¯t solve by myself, so I feel sorry.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to feel sorry.¡± ¡°Well, it is my own greed. I just want to spend time with you alone in a place outside the imperial palace without being conscious of other people.¡± ¡°I am of the same mind,¡± she said. He held her hands tightly. When she thought of Bipaan, she got scared all the time, but she grew bold this time when she thought of spending happy time with Ruhae. ¡°We never know when we can have a chance to get out of the palace, can¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. By the way, you said it was the special villa in Kongrimok, right?¡± She made eye contact with him with sharp eyes. ¡°If everything goes smoothly, so you can visit and stay at the villa, let me put this flower between the windows of my room,¡± she said. She was holding the purple flower, which was a perfect token of their promise. He grinned at the flower. She made that promise like that to Ruhae. As it turned out, however, she was destined to depart for the villa with Bipaan. Of course, Ruhae and Kyosul never expected it. While heading for the southern area with Bipaan, she became more and more gloomy with a heavy heart. *** Bipaan¡¯s parade was simple. The Imperial Army guards stood in a row before and after Bipaan¡¯s horse and the Crown Princess¡¯s sedan chair, but there were only a few court ladies and guards following the couple. Kyoyoung, Bipaan¡¯s second wife, saw them off and watched them heading toward the wall of the outer palace. Watching them disappearing in the distance, her eyes were blurred with tears. She bit her lip without anyone knowing. After Kyosul supposedly sprained her ankle on Mt. Mokak, the Crown Prince took care of the injured Crown Princess and slept with her for several days. And several days after she went back to her residence in the Dongbi Palace, the Crown Prince asked to accompany her to spend time at the special villa in Kongrimok for recuperation. The Emperor gladly approved Bipaan¡¯s request, deeply moved by his affection for Kyosul. All these alleged facts made Kyoyoung very much upset. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kjcey5e1479de07971 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kjcey5e1479de07971 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kjcey5e1479de07971 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kjcey5e1479de07971 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kjcey5e1479de07971 {display: block;}} She recalled Kyosul¡¯s face, who confessed her hard married life to her, shedding tears. She felt disgusted when she thought of Kyosul¡¯s blood-shot eyes and tears. ¡®I think I can¡¯t love the Crown Prince for the life of me,¡¯ Kyosul had confessed to her. Recalling her feeble voice, Kyoyoung¡¯s fists trembled with anger. She thought she could make great friends with Kyosul. When Kyosul came to see her with a subservient attitude, she underestimated the Crown Princess. Looking back, Kyosul seemed to be much smarter than she thought. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.unyhi5e1479de07a45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.unyhi5e1479de07a45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.unyhi5e1479de07a45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.unyhi5e1479de07a45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.unyhi5e1479de07a45 {display: block;}} Pretending to be immature and miserable, Kyosul obtained as much information about Bipaan as possible from Kyoyoung. In fact, Kyoyoung spent lots of time obtaining personal information about him while she had been staying with him for a long time. She thought Kyosul would lose favor with Bipaan by making all kinds of trouble, but she gained his favor in no time, occupied his room in the East Palace and was going on an outing to the special villa in Kongrimok with the Crown Prince. ¡°I was too innocent.¡± Kyoyoung thought that she was foolish enough to be caught off-guard when Kyosul cried and hugged her miserably. She thought that Kyosul¡¯s tears were fake. In her mind, it was Kyosul¡¯s trick to make her let her hair down by trying to look miserable and then make the best use of her. While Kyoyoung was lost in such thoughts, she heard some woman¡¯s coquettish voice from behind. She turned her head back quickly and found Oran standing there. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the little woman from a small country is so witty and sophisticated?¡± Oran said. ¡°Long Live the Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you,¡± Kyoyoung bowed to her politely. ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t have to stick to formality between us,¡± Oran said, waving her hand with a laugh. Pretending to be familiar with her today of all days, Oran approached her. She put her hand on her lips and whispered into Kyoyoung¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to sprain one of your ankles or break one of your wrists, so the Crown Prince can come and take care of you in person?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t crack a joke like that, please,¡± Kyoyoung cut off her words sharply. ¡°I think you have to know how to manage your temper,¡± Oran said. She continued, ¡°To be honest with you, I expected the sedan chair carrying the Crown Princess would be turned upside down because of your fiery temper.¡± Kyoyoung felt a prick in her heart. In fact, she had been burning with anger when she saw Kyosul departing for the southern area with the Crown Prince. Casting down her eyes, Kyoyoung replied to Oran¡¯s sarcastic comment calmly, ¡°Well, I think you have misunderstood me. I just prayed for their safe journey because the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are going on a long journey.¡± ¡°Well, if you insist, let me believe you.¡± But Oran didn¡¯t pay much attention to what Kyoyoung said. Trying to read her mind, Oran kept putting out feelers about her thoughts about Kyosul. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that little woman is sophisticated?¡± ¡°Your Highness, there are lots of people around us overhearing you.¡± Though Kyoyoung asked her to watch her mouth, Oran didn¡¯t care at all and continued, ¡°How did she tempt the cold-hearted Crown Prince?¡± Having said that, she checked Kyoyoung¡¯s expression. Oran didn¡¯t want to tip her about the scandal involving Ruhae and Kyosul yet. ¡°I hear she went out for outings often,¡± Oran said. ¡°Oh, I heard that the Crown Princess liked taking a walk very much.¡± ¡°Walk?¡± Oran sneered noisily, but Kyoyoung didn¡¯t pay much attention. ¡®Does she really believe Kyosul went out for a walk alone? Does she already know the scandal?¡¯ Oran stopped to ask and sorted out her thinking before going further. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xttba5e1479de07883 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xttba5e1479de07883 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xttba5e1479de07883 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xttba5e1479de07883 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xttba5e1479de07883 {display: block;}} ¡®If she really knows about the Ruhae scandal, she can¡¯t sit idle like this.¡¯ At any rate, Kyoyoung was a good bait from the point of the West Palace. Whether the bait was good or bad, the more, the better for the West Palace. Getting closer to her, Oran smiled at her and said, ¡°I would like to cultivate a friendship with you.¡± ¡°Let me tell you this once more. I belong to the East Palace.¡± ¡°I know that, of course. I don¡¯t want to take issue with that. I just would like to make friends with the people in the East Palace.¡± She gestured toward Kyoyoung with her eyes, but Kyoyoung didn¡¯t reply. ¡°It looks like there will emerge a good happy couple in the East Palace, but I feel somebody will feel lonely. That¡¯s why I have come here to make friends.¡± Oran¡¯s words were a clear challenge to Kyoyoung, whose eyes began to wiggle with anger. Oran noticed it with her sharp eyes. Kongrimok was a place famous for its hot springs. It was widely rumored that the hot springs there, which was just warm enough to soak, made the skin smooth and were effective against various skin diseases and inflammation. Although the rumors weren¡¯t all true, it was a very attractive place where people could enjoy a relaxing time in the warm spring water. Chapter 91 The special villa for the royal family was located in the clearest and best place in Kongrimok. As it was the only hot spring villa for the royal family, it was the most gorgeous and grandest of all the royal villas. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was the most cherished villa among the royal family members. They started to visit the villa in autumn, and it was very popular until summer. The first visitors to the villa this year were Bipaan and Kyosul. From the day she left the palace, Kyosul could not get over her nervousness. Her sedan chair entered the main gate of the special villa and the yard. Bipaan got off the horse first and spoke to Kyosul in a blunt tone as she was about to get out. ¡°It would be better for you and I to sleep separately, right?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vzcre5e1479ddec2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vzcre5e1479ddec2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vzcre5e1479ddec2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vzcre5e1479ddec2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vzcre5e1479ddec2d1 {display: block;}} ¡°You can stay in a separate room of your own. Let me tell the court ladies here about it.¡± When they arrived, Bipaan said so and turned away from her and entered the villa. That was the first and last time that she saw him while they stayed at the villa. She had already spent several days with him in the East Palace, but she felt tense during her days in the villa. They felt somewhat different from what she felt in the East Palace. In particular, she felt nervous as she didn¡¯t see Bipaan since she arrived in Kongkilmok despite them staying in the same villa. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xbdge5e1479ddec229 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xbdge5e1479ddec229 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xbdge5e1479ddec229 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xbdge5e1479ddec229 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xbdge5e1479ddec229 {display: block;}} He had suggested they stay apart and adhered to the suggestion by eating alone. Although there were some court people who managed the villa, they were not manned enough to serve each of the two masters from the East Palace, namely Bipaan and Kyosul. Accordingly, the court ladies from the East Palace served Bipaan, while the villa people served Kyosul. Of course, they sincerely served Kyosul as she was the Crown Princess. Her life at the villa was similar to what she experienced at the Dongbi Palace, but it was different in some respects. She had nothing to do, so she had more free time. She felt more relaxed and comfortable as the villa was designed for amusement and entertainment. She enjoyed a hot spring bath during the day and in the evenings. They supplied various bath supplies and tea. In addition to hot spring baths, she also enjoyed basking in the bath water mixed with oil and incense. As she was always served warm tea and refreshments, she felt this was paradise. The food in the southern areas was varied and colorful. The very spicy sauces and cooked food aroused her appetite. The food tasted so good that she found herself earnestly waiting for another meal. They didn¡¯t serve the same side dishes for several days. ¡°We have prepared this food for Your Highness!¡± The court ladies with the villa served her from the bottom of their hearts. As the nanny served her on hand, Kyosul did not feel any discomfort because of the change of her place. Though she came here by coincidence, the days she spent at the villa were the most peaceful since she came to the Mok Kingdom. Thanks to the hot spring water, she felt so relieved and refreshed, free of anxiety or burden. As she enjoyed the unexpected luxury of spending free time there, she reflected on her troubled feelings and tried to comfort herself. ¡®It is so amazing to know that Ruhae took my feelings into account when he recommended this place. Did he want to comfort my troubled mind with the hot bath here?¡¯ No matter how much she enjoyed, letting her hair down, she didn¡¯t forget Ruhae¡¯s warm consideration. Whenever she ate delicious food, enjoyed a warm bath, or covered herself with blankets after a soak, she had no choice but to think about Ruhae. ¡®It was good that I came here, but if I got stuck here like this, how can I convey a message to him?¡± The secret meeting they¡¯d planned was out of the question now since Bipaan had accompanied her. ¡®Was it good that I left the palace?¡¯ She quickly grew depressed. She felt so warm and happy thinking about Ruhae but sometimes so sad. It was strange and amazing to know that she could have such contradictory feelings at the same time. When she soaked in the hot springs, she tried to wash away the bad feelings. She wanted to remember only good things. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dltsz5e1479ddec27f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dltsz5e1479ddec27f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dltsz5e1479ddec27f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dltsz5e1479ddec27f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dltsz5e1479ddec27f {display: block;}} ¡®Is Bipaan comforting his troubled mine like me? ¡® Bipaan came to her mind suddenly, though she tried not to think. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that he would come with me.¡¯ It was out of character for him, but it would have been strange for him to send his new wife of only a few months to provincial places alone. Clenching her small fists, she murmured, ¡°He just made the decision to show to outsiders that we are a normal couple. He only focuses on paving the way for his succession of the throne. I could feel it when he decided to let me sleep alone. Spending time with me is not important to him.¡± She suddenly hit the surface of the water. *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hqnjk5e1479ddec327 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hqnjk5e1479ddec327 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hqnjk5e1479ddec327 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hqnjk5e1479ddec327 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hqnjk5e1479ddec327 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness! Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± cried the nanny in an excited voice. She had been at the villa for five days. After having dinner early, she returned to the room and prepared for bed when she heard the nanny. The nanny came to her room hurriedly. When she returned, she went out to prepare some refreshments before bed, but she came back empty-handed. Kyosul looked up at her with a curious expression. ¡°Where are the refreshments?¡± However, the nanny sat down before her as if the refreshments were not important. ¡°Your Highness, I was surprised to find that there is an open-air bath here.¡± ¡°Huh? Open-air bath? ¡± she asked, tilting her head. ¡°If it¡¯s an open-air bath, do you mean they built a bath outside the villa?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The Kongrimok villa had several rooms, so several royal couples or individual family members could enjoy entertainment if they came at the same time. Each room had a separate bath, so everyone could enjoy the bath freely. Kyosul always used the hot spring bath in her own room. Even the bathroom was attached to the room and was spacious enough. It was embarrassing to go in and take a bath alone in a huge bathtub. In addition to that, there were new outdoor and an open-air bath. Kyosul got curious instantly. Although the indoor bath was good with the change of bath supplies and incense and tea every day, she felt bored as she enjoyed the same bath for a long time. As if she read her mind, the nanny told Kyosul about what she had learned about the open-air bath. ¡°I guess you already saw the separate room in the north. I mean, that large and long building. I hear that is not a separate place for the royal guests.¡± ¡°Got it. As it was so big. I thought that it was reserved for the Emperor. What is its purpose?¡± ¡°I hear the whole building there is used for bath.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. Is the whole building a bathhouse? ¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. As it is the only open-air bath, they made it very big.¡± With sparkling eyes, Kyosul covered her mouth with both hands. The nanny¡¯s prediction was correct. When Kyosul behaved as she expected, the nanny continued with a satisfied expression, ¡°As it is an open-air bath, royal guests usually go there during the night. There is no roof on it, so they can enjoy the bright starry night with a splendid mountain background. I hear it¡¯s such a spectacular scene at night.¡± ¡°Wow, you bet! By the way, can they take a bath as it¡¯s cold during the night?¡± ¡°Your Highness, you can really enjoy a hot bath when it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Really?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uyreo5e1479ddec1cd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uyreo5e1479ddec1cd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uyreo5e1479ddec1cd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uyreo5e1479ddec1cd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uyreo5e1479ddec1cd {display: block;}} ¡°Yes. It¡¯s cold outside, but you feel warm inside the hot spring. You can¡¯t ask for more in an environment like this. That¡¯s why they say a hot bath is the best on snowy days.¡± ¡°Aha¡­I think that makes sense because the bath water is warm.¡± With sparkling eyes, Kyosul asked, ¡°I already enjoyed a hot bath during the day, but I haven¡¯t one this evening. Is it okay to have a hot bath twice a day?¡± ¡°Are you going to go there?¡± ¡°Hearing what you say, I feel like going there for another hot bath before going to bed, and you didn¡¯t bring me any refreshments.¡± ¡°Well, I thought you would want to go there when I told you about it.¡± ¡°Really? You felt the same way, too?¡± ¡°Of course. As you know, I¡¯ve served you for a very long time, so I know how you feel.¡± As if she was not surprised at Kyosul¡¯s reaction, the nanny stood up and escorted her. They turned on all the lights during the night as the royal guests were staying there. Chapter 92 Accompanied by the nanny, she headed for the open-air bath building in the north. The building was lit up like Kyosul¡¯s room. The unoccupied buildings were dark, but this particular building was lit as it was reserved for the open-air bath. When Kyosul entered the building, the nanny asked, ¡°Would you like to call a court lady?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I think they already went to bed after finishing their work for the day. I can take a hot bath on my own.¡± ¡°Should I come back to pick you up when you are done?¡± the nanny asked. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nnizu5e1479dd387fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nnizu5e1479dd387fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nnizu5e1479dd387fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nnizu5e1479dd387fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nnizu5e1479dd387fe {display: block;}} ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Do you think I¡¯ll get lost?¡± she said jokingly, pushing the nanny to go back. If not, she was embarrassed because there were too many court ladies serving her when she took a hot bath alone. For example, there was a court lady checking the temperature of the bath water while keeping an eye on her from behind. Another court lady took care of bath supplies and incense.There was a court lady responsible for tea and refreshments, while another court lady cleaned her body and put her clothes in order. In addition, the nanny was with her all the time. ¡°Today, I would like to take a bath alone in a relaxed mood. Please go back and take a rest.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± As the nanny tried to express worry, Kyosul stopped it by ordering her sternly, ¡°It¡¯s my order, nanny!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ecrnf5e1479dd3875e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ecrnf5e1479dd3875e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ecrnf5e1479dd3875e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ecrnf5e1479dd3875e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ecrnf5e1479dd3875e {display: block;}} ¡°Got it. Please enjoy your hot bath and come back safely. ¡± Although she was Kyosul¡¯s nanny, she had no other choice but to obey. After confirming that the nanny left the building, Kyosul went inside. There was no separate sleeping area in the bathhouse. The small room leading to the long corridor was not a bed, but a space for the guests to clean up and changing their clothes. She was puzzled because there were several rooms attached along the corridor. She didn¡¯t think about it deeply and chose one of them to get undressed. She put on a thin gown after taking off the clothes and entered the bath. Her thin gown was kind of see-through, so it revealed her fair skin. ¡°Is this the open-air bath place?¡± She clumsily found her way into the open-air bath place. ¡°Wow!¡± She exclaimed at the amazing scene unconsciously as it was the first time she experienced it. The open-air bath was so wide that she couldn¡¯t see its end on both sides. White steam rose thickly over the mountains in the background. As it was clear, the starlight was gorgeous. Trembling in the cold outside air, she quickly sunk into the bath. Splash! The heat of the hot bath soon warmed her cold body. It was as deep as her waist. She went further inside the bath, looking for a suitable place and lowered her upper body in the hot spring water. The sound of her splashing hot spring water rang amid deep silence. As she was naked, she felt strange about the sound. Due to the cold air, steam was endlessly rising from the open-air bath. As the steam was so thick, she could not see both ends of the open-air bath. She said, ¡°The bath in my place in the Dongbi Palace is large, but it is much wider here. How can I use all of this space? I can¡¯t believe the fact that I¡¯m enjoying the luxury of using this large bath alone. ¡± She splashed water. The ripples that started at her fingertips spread farther and wider, then came back after hitting something on the opposite side. She turned her head in that direction nonchalantly. At first, she thought there was a statue buried under the bath, but the dark shape, seen through white vapor, was moving little by little. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jfvni5e1479dd387b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jfvni5e1479dd387b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jfvni5e1479dd387b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jfvni5e1479dd387b0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jfvni5e1479dd387b0 {display: block;}} ¡°Huh? What is that? ¡± She was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t speak. She barely exclaimed shortly. There was another person in the bath. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d come here.¡± The voice was low and steady, mellow as if the owner of the voice took things like a philosopher. It was familiar to her, but she didn¡¯t hear it often. It was the voice that she didn¡¯t expect to hear again since she came to Kongrimok. She called him with a trembling voice, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Bipaan was nothing more than a blurry shadow through the thick steam.Surprisingly, he approached her first. It was the first time he came to her first, which she never expected. Splash, splash. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zkmfv5e1479dd3884f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zkmfv5e1479dd3884f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zkmfv5e1479dd3884f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zkmfv5e1479dd3884f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zkmfv5e1479dd3884f {display: block;}} The hot spring water rippled. The returning waves of the water tickled her skin. The more she felt tickled, the more tense she felt. She had goosebumps, a feeling tinged with strange tension unlike pure fear. ¡°The nanny told me there is an open-air bath in the back of the villa. As I was in the bath in my room all day, I just wanted to come for a hot bath before going to bed. ¡± Was it because she got nervous that she was trying to make excuses for some reason?. Splash! The waves rippled again before her eyes. She did not know what to do, shaking her head and looking down. When she looked down, her fair skin was exposed to the hot spring water, creating the sense that she was half-naked. Bipaan thought she was only a young girl, but she was a woman, too. The scent of her skin wafter through the fresh air. He moved one step closer through the steam revealing his strong body. As her nudity was revealed through her see-through fabric, she quickly covered it bashfully. She raised her head and looked up as if she was embarrassed. He was already right in front of her. She opened her eyes with surprise. He was gazing at her with his big and blinking eyes. ¡°Well, if I have to explain¡­.¡± she stuttered. She felt she would rather have lowered her head. Bipaan was naked. Although he wrapped some fabric around his waist, he didn¡¯t put any clothes on his upper body, revealing his wide chest openly. He put his hair in a simple topknot on his head, and his long, indigo hair was moist. It was the first time in her life that she faced a man¡¯s naked body. As she was so embarrassed, she didn¡¯t know where to look at and glanced around and away from him. Then, she quickly looked at his collarbone, his thick bulging neck, his wide shoulders, and his chest as well as his moderately muscular abdomen. Though she blushed and kept glancing away, she stole glances at his upper body. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were¡­ . ¡± she said quickly, and lowered her head. As she was so absent-minded checking her clothes and stepping back with greetings, she slipped in the water before she knew. Splash! Clouds of spray rose from the water as she struggled to find balance and flailing her arms around. In the end, she closed her eyes as she felt she was losing her balance and about to plunge into the water, but he grabbed her wrist with a strong grip before she slipped. ¡°Be careful. Although they keep an eye on this place all the time, you have to take caution as it¡¯s slippery under the water. ¡± She heard him talking to her.. She opened her eyes suddenly and turned her head towards him. He was standing right in front of her. They were close enough to touch their noses. While taking a deep breath, she staggered. Her legs were wobbly, but this time he touched her back with his warm hands. ¡°Watch out.¡± Giving her a warning for the second time, he wrapped both hands around her wrists. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yffva5e1479dd386f9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yffva5e1479dd386f9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yffva5e1479dd386f9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yffva5e1479dd386f9 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yffva5e1479dd386f9 {display: block;}} She was so embarrassed. He held her right wrist with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. It was as if he was hugging her from behind. As she could not breathe freely, she had to hold her breath. Her fingers trembled. She was dressed in a thin gown while he was mostly naked. If they touched at all, it was skin to skin contact. It had been a long time since they got married, but she couldn¡¯t even imagine touching his body, let alone his bare skin. She felt so strange and even scared about touching his body. Strange enough, he stayed that way instead of avoiding her. With her body stiff in his arms, she hunched her shoulders a bit and her lips trembled. The water she splashed while struggling to keep her balance had soaked them. Water dripped from their hair down their body to their fingertips. They felt cold as water cooled in the cold air and flowed down their bodies. The silence of the moment was broken intermittently by the sound of dripping water. She intentionally held her breath because of that sound. Now she felt awkward about her own breathing. She got tense in that quiet moment, and goosebumps appeared on her upper body though she had been soaking in the hot spring water. Chapter 93 He slowly released her wrist and pulled away his other arms from her waist. She felt his hands were hotter than the spring water. She felt exceptionally cold where he pulled his hands away. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice trembled. Touching her right wrist, she walked back carefully. This time she took extreme care not to slip and distanced herself from him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dqcsx5e1479ddb7d3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dqcsx5e1479ddb7d3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dqcsx5e1479ddb7d3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dqcsx5e1479ddb7d3e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dqcsx5e1479ddb7d3e {display: block;}} ¡®Why?¡¯ Her heart pounded. She kept thinking about his mysterious actions. She didn¡¯t feel it strange when he had caught her when she was slipping, but the fact that he didn¡¯t leave quickly and held her for a while bothered her. Why did he do so? To the best of her knowledge, Bipaan was not interested in anything other than succeeding the throne. Why did he hold her in the water for a long time? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ufttr5e1479ddb7cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ufttr5e1479ddb7cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ufttr5e1479ddb7cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ufttr5e1479ddb7cb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ufttr5e1479ddb7cb4 {display: block;}} She was confused. She even felt resentful towards her throbbing heart, which was not supposed to pound at all. How come her heart beat so wildly when she saw Bipaan? She was overwhelmed by confusion for the moment. ¡®Wasn¡¯t he ashamed of himself?¡¯ When she thought a little more, she came to understand the situation from her angle. Her heart beat because she was ashamed, and Bipaan also might have gotten stiff because of the fact that he was naked before her. ¡®He must have been ashamed, too.¡¯ Looking back, she wasn¡¯t ashamed in that situation. She began to feel relaxed and even smile. ¡®It¡¯s amazing to discover that such a cold-hearted man can feel ashamed!¡¯ Though it was a guess, she held back laughter, convinced that she was right about his feelings. She bowed her head to him and said, ¡°Let me head out first, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You just came to this hot bath, right?¡± he asked suddenly. She was stopped by his question when she was about to leave. She turned around and answered awkwardly, covering her half-naked body with her arms,¡±Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re leaving so soon?¡± ¡°Because you are here.¡± She blinked, wondering if he asked the question on purpose. ¡°Hummmm¡­¡± Bipaan turned his head as if he couldn¡¯t understand what she was talking about. Then he said, ¡°As this open-air bath is for everybody, never mind my presence and just enjoy it freely.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.abebk5e1479ddb7ceb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.abebk5e1479ddb7ceb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.abebk5e1479ddb7ceb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.abebk5e1479ddb7ceb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.abebk5e1479ddb7ceb {display: block;}} But she was not persuaded, and asked herself, ¡®Well, that¡¯s not my point.¡¯ She protested deep inside in response to his nonchalant suggestion. ¡®Doesn¡¯t he feel awkward about the current situation at all?¡± She was really frustrated as she couldn¡¯t figure out his real intention. ¡°What I mean is I really didn¡¯t know you were here, so I was dressed like this. ¡± ¡°Your dress?¡± When she confessed about her half-nakedness, Bipaan examined her. She was embarrassed when he was scanning her body. She flinched and quickly fastened the buttons, twisting away from him and covering her body with her arms as much as possible. Only after checking her, he looked at his own outfit. ¡°Well, I was dressed like this because I thought I was alone here, but I think you might feel uncomfortable about my clothes.¡± He then loosened the hem of the cloth tied to his waist. ¡°Ooops!¡± She screamed in surprise and covered her eyes with her hands. My heart was pounding fast. He stayed calm despite her screaming. As she was so curious, she peeked between her fingers and saw him putting on a wet robe . ¡°Ah¡­.¡± She put down her hands with a short exclamation. Apparently, he initially took off his robe and wrapped it around his waist.At first she thought it was a piece of cloth to cover his lower body because he tied it around his waist. She was scared and nervous for fear he might remove it completely. Not caring at all about her reaction, he said calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel strange about this as you and I are a couple, right? Please enjoy a hot bath freely.¡± She felt very awkward about his use of the expression ¡®couple.¡¯ She was surprised to hear him saying that he thought they were a couple. ¡®Well, we are a couple legally. Anyway, are all couples married?¡¯ She smiled a bitter smile thinking to herself. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± she barely responded, nodding. Though she replied, she was very uncomfortable about the fact that they were in the same bath. She felt uncomfortable from the moment she nodded. The surface of the water rippled.. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.aempy5e1479ddb7d93 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.aempy5e1479ddb7d93 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.aempy5e1479ddb7d93 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.aempy5e1479ddb7d93 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.aempy5e1479ddb7d93 {display: block;}} ¡°Even if the water is warm, the open air is cold. If you keep standing there, you might catch a cold.¡± ¡°Ah, got it.¡± She furtively lowered her body into the water just like Biipaan. When her shoulders were beneath the surface, she looked at him as he was sitting right next to her. . Though the open-air bath was spacious, he did not return to wherever he¡¯d been sitting before. Instead, he stayed beside her and enjoyed the hot bath. She could not move away from him in this situation. ¡®Oh my gosh.¡¯ She was confused all the more now. She felt as if she was overheating in the hot springs, but not just from the heat of the water. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I am now taking a hot bath with Bipaan like this.¡¯ She was close enough to touch his body if she extended her hand. In this situation, she could not relax and enjoy a hot bath. Even though she was sitting in the hot water, she was tense, and she kept lowering her body deeper into the water. When she lowered her body up to her mouth, she breathed out air bubbles. Her face was reddening because of her tension as well as the hot spring water. She felt dizzy because of the hot steam from the water. ¡°By the way, ¡­¡± His curt tone surprised her. With a big splash, he jumped up, approached her and looked down at her. In surprise, she looked up at him with dazed eyes. Drops of water dripping from his hair fell on her cheeks. ¡°It was good that you stopped by this open-air bath.¡± The moon¡¯s light highlighted his strong build shone. His wet hair fell down his shoulders. The sound of the water drops falling from his hair annoyed her. His robe draped over the muscles of his upper body, which seemed tense.. She looked up at him, fixing her gaze on his eyes. The moonlight shining from behind him touched her body. Her fair skin seemed to shine through the thin, wet fabric of her gown. The moonlight was romantic that night and highlighted her small figure. He stared at her with a blank expression. The humid air between them and the water dripping down their bodies heightened the tension between them. For a brief moment, she was his woman, and he was her man. Bipaan held out his large hand with his fingertips extended towards her. When he extended his hand to her suddenly, she became embarrassed and stepped back. She folded her hands behind her and pulled her body away from him, but she slipped again when she grabbed for the edge of the bath. Splash! Her grip slipped and she couldn¡¯t sustain her balance in the water anymore, she splashed water out of the bath, making a sharp noise ring through the quiet building. The sound of the splash broke the tranquility of the open-air bath. Her sweet scent that tickled his nose vanished in the air. Then could she come to her senses. Her face was soaked and her cheeks gleamed from the water she splashed on herself. Bipaan pulled away his hand and she leaned back. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± she said. As she splashed water on him unintentionally, she sprang to her feet in embarrassment. Approaching him quickly, she tried to pull her sleeve and wipe his face, but she couldn¡¯t wipe him with the soaked clothes. Rather, it only added a wetness. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can wipe me with this wet cloth.¡± While looking at her quietly, Bipaan sighed as if he couldn¡¯t understand why he had to explain that to her. She realized that he was right. ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve made a mistake again. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°I already heard you say that several times today.¡± ¡°Sorry again¡­.¡± ¡°I think I have to leave this place first as I make you uncomfortable.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kopxl5e1479ddb7c53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kopxl5e1479ddb7c53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kopxl5e1479ddb7c53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kopxl5e1479ddb7c53 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kopxl5e1479ddb7c53 {display: block;}} ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not¡­.¡± she stammered. ¡°Hummm¡­.you don¡¯t deny what I have just told you.¡± She blushed. Actually, she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that she couldn¡¯t enjoy a hot bath because of his presence. As she was forthcoming and honest by nature, she had to admit it. It was one of her unique characteristics. He cast a quick glance at her and straightened his wet robe. ¡°Enjoy your hot bath comfortably!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± When he was about to leave, she stopped him. He stopped before he disappeared into the steam. ¡°I think I heard you saying that things worked out well a moment ago. What did you mean?¡± She asked about what he said in passing because she was so curious. Chapter 94 He replied without looking back at her in his usual plain tone, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal, so I didn¡¯t tell you about it. I was going to tip you off as I bumped into you here. I will go back to the palace early tomorrow. ¡± Surprised by his unexpected response, she asked back, ¡°Really? Going back tomorrow? Just you alone?¡± ¡°If you want, you can come with me.¡± ¡°Oh no. I would love to stay a little longer here. ¡± Her voice trembled because her intention to stay here was not pure. She looked down in hopes that he would not notice her impure intention, though he could not see her eyes as he turned back. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mmwfe5e1479dcd0fe4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mmwfe5e1479dcd0fe4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mmwfe5e1479dcd0fe4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mmwfe5e1479dcd0fe4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mmwfe5e1479dcd0fe4 {display: block;}} ¡°Today I¡¯ve received an urgent notice from the palace. The Emperor has ordered me to come back urgently because of some important national issues.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Nodding, she asked again as if she felt something strange. As she already asked one question, it was not difficult for her to ask another. ¡°If you didn¡¯t run into me like this, were you going to go back without telling me? ¡± ¡°Well, I was going to tell the eunuch to convey my message to you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dugjr5e1479dcd0f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dugjr5e1479dcd0f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dugjr5e1479dcd0f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dugjr5e1479dcd0f41 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dugjr5e1479dcd0f41 {display: block;}} His answer was simple and clear. He added quickly, ¡°The Emperor¡¯s order was so urgent.¡± She thought to herself, ¡®Of course, you should follow his order.¡¯ Though she was taking a hot bath, she felt something cold in her heart. Leaving her alone there and returning to the palace was natural to him. ¡®Was I mistaken in thinking that we had grown closer after spending several days with him here?¡¯ She felt funny about it when she felt she was sorry for his sudden departure. Having heard that, she also replied with a tone similar to his. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Please go to sleep early as you have to go a long way.¡± ¡°Good. Let me head out first. Have a good time here!¡± ¡°Thanks. Don¡¯t worry about me. ¡± She thought it was strange for him to express consideration about her but responded properly. She lowered her head toward him as he left the bath. He left without looking back. Standing alone for a while, she sat down in the hot bath. The hot spring water warmed up her body. ¡°Now I can really relax freely at this villa. ¡± She murmured in a relaxed and empty voice. She leaned back against the edge of the bath. When she was with him in the bath, she was so nervous that she couldn¡¯t even think of that. Now she could feel relaxed as he left. She could enjoy the scenic beauty of the open-air bath. She leaned back and looked up at the sky. She felt warm under the neck while she felt the cold on the tip of her nose. The thick steam coming from the open air bath covered the moon. The moonlight shining through the dim vapor looked moist like the wet air. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gzfyy5e1479dcd0f94 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gzfyy5e1479dcd0f94 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gzfyy5e1479dcd0f94 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gzfyy5e1479dcd0f94 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gzfyy5e1479dcd0f94 {display: block;}} Definitely, she had a hot bath, but she felt cold today. The next day Bipaan was ready to go back to the palace early in the morning. When he left for Kongrimok, he accompanied her, sharing the sedan chair with her. He reserved the sedan chair for her, and mounted his horse this time. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± He heard someone calling him who was not part of his entourage. When he turned back with a curious look, Kyosul was standing there. Neatly dressed, she bowed quietly, ¡°I wish you a safe return, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Did you come to see me off?¡± he asked in a trembling tone. Then she nodded to him calmly, ¡°As your wife, I think I should say goodbye.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to know. ¡± Their eyes met for a moment, and then he turned, as usual. ¡°See you at the palace, Your Majesty. Let me offer you greetings when I return. ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.eyjfn5e1479dcd1035 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.eyjfn5e1479dcd1035 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.eyjfn5e1479dcd1035 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.eyjfn5e1479dcd1035 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.eyjfn5e1479dcd1035 {display: block;}} ¡°Have a good time as much as you can.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Soon he and his entourage left the villa. Standing in place, she watched him disappearing gradually. When his horse disappeared from sight, she quickly walked back to her room. ¡°It looks like the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are really enjoying a happy married life.¡± Several court ladies who came out to see him off whispered among themselves when she was leaving. ¡°Wow, I envy them so much. I wish I could find a lover. ¡± ¡°Hey, forget about it!¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t know anything about the royal couple¡¯s relationship after marriage. Hearing their babbling and whispering, she quickened her pace biting her lip as she went. *** Since Bipaan left the villa, she went to bed with a lamp burning outside the white paper window of her room. She also placed a purple flower in the window sash nearest to her bed. Though she promised to put the flower there as the sign of their promise, she couldn¡¯t blow out the lamp for fear that Ruhae might get lost during the night. As the lamps were hung on all streets of the villa, it was bright everywhere, but unoccupied buildings were dark with no lamps. She made sure the lamp was on outside her dwelling, so he could easily find her room among many dwellings in the villa. Behind the white paper window of her room was lit a faint lamp.. She lay on the bed in the dim room. She went to bed a long time ago, but she had not fallen asleep yet. Though she didn¡¯t see anything amind flickering light, she was just staring into the air without closing my eyes. ¡°He said he would wrap up his work within 15 days.¡± She recalled what Ruhae had said before he went out for the inspection tour in the southern areas. Somehow she felt nervous. As she felt so lonely and empty in her heart, she couldn¡¯t relax and enjoy her free time at the villa. ¡®Why do I feel so lonely now?¡¯ Whenever she was in doubt, she only thought about Ruhae. She felt the reason why she felt so lonely was that Ruhae was not with her now. ¡°I wish he could come back to me soon. ¡± She curled up her body beneath the silk blanket and wrapped her arms around her knees. Although she slept alone every day since she came down here, she felt her room was unusually large these days. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Lying in bed, she curled her fists and pressed on her chest. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t seen him on the last day, I would have stayed here without knowing he already left.¡¯ Surprisingly enough, she was thinking of Bipaan, not Ruhae. She felt the villa, famous for its quietness, became more quiet after Bipaan left. Though she hadn¡¯t bumped into him, she felt strange after he left. Initially she felt the quietness of the villa peaceful, but she now felt it was lifeless and frustrating. She thought her stay at the villa was boring. No matter what she did, she found herself repeating the same thing, so she stopped taking a hot bath and walks. She even closed the window closest to the bed and kept it closed. She did not go outside. For the first couple of days, her nanny let her do whatever she wanted to do, but she began to worry on the third day. To the best of her knowledge, Kyosul remained in bed only when she was sick. Rather than staying put in any one place, Kyosul liked to go out and visit many places by nature. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re back to your old habits,¡± her nanny said. Was it because of her habits that she formed after coming to the Mok Kingdom? @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ejqqp5e1479dcd0ef7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ejqqp5e1479dcd0ef7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ejqqp5e1479dcd0ef7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ejqqp5e1479dcd0ef7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ejqqp5e1479dcd0ef7 {display: block;}} ¡°You gave me lots of headache because you used to bum around in the Hwa Kingdom. And now you¡¯re giving me another headache as you spend all day in your room without going out at all.¡± Expressing her frustration, her nanny removed the hem of the cloth that covered her bed. Kyosul was lying there just like she did yesterday, as if she got frozen there. ¡°Why are you disgruntled this time? As you are throwing a tantrum here, I feel embarrassed when the court ladies here look at us with a curious expression.¡± Her nanny was complaining with reason. As she watched Kyosul for many years, she lectured her instead of sharing her nervousness or worry. ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± Kyosul said. Not caring about her constant nagging, she tossed and turned in bed with a lazy voice. ¡°As you lie down on the bed like that, it¡¯s natural that you get tired. Just get out of bed, take a walk and breathe in the fresh air. ¡± ¡°Well, I know every place here even with my eyes closed.¡± ¡°Would you like to go out to the market? As you came down here, I think you can enjoy going to the market for a change.¡± ¡°The market¡­¡±She briefly seemed to have interest but buried her face into the bedspread again. ¡°I¡¯m tired of going out.¡± Chapter 95 Surprised by Kyosul¡¯s response, she cried, ¡°Your Highness!¡± Lamenting with irritation, her nanny tried to comfort and persuade her. ¡°You might get sick if you keep lying down on the bed. Just open the window and get some fresh air. Why are you keeping the windows closed? ¡± She gave up taking her outside, so she met halfways and persuaded her to open the window to let the fresh air in. The nanny stood in front of the window closest to her bed. ¡°Do not open it!¡± As the nanny touched the doorknob at the window, she sprang to her feet suddenly and shouted loudly at her. It was the first time Kyosul had shouted so suddenly. The nanny was so surprised that she got stiff, looked at her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.abkqt5e1479dd46bb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.abkqt5e1479dd46bb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.abkqt5e1479dd46bb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.abkqt5e1479dd46bb4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.abkqt5e1479dd46bb4 {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness!¡± she sighed before she knew. Her fingertips trembled. As she was so hurt, she almost cried. ¡°Oh, I just wanted to¡­ ¡± said Kyosul, surprised by her own actions. Even as a child she had never shouted loudly at her nanny like that. As she was good-hearted by nature, Kyosul had never treated her nanny or any other person roughly, but she screamed at her nanny so loudly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vcdxw5e1479dd46b0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vcdxw5e1479dd46b0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vcdxw5e1479dd46b0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vcdxw5e1479dd46b0d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vcdxw5e1479dd46b0d {display: block;}} Of course, she had a good reason for that. She promised to Ruhae that she would put that flower on the window as the sign of her trust in him. There was a little purple flower between the window and door frame closest to her bed. She carefully put it there, so that the dried flower would not fall off. She was worried that even if she merely touched the window, the flower would fall. Since she placed the flower, she stayed put in her room waiting for him. She couldn¡¯t tell this to her nanny. ¡®I know I can trust her, but I don¡¯t want to entangle her in this matter. I don¡¯t want to tell her about it.¡¯ Even though she didn¡¯t tell her nanny about it, she felt her nanny might have gotten wind of it because she had been watching her for many years, but she didn¡¯t want to tell her nanny and ask her to keep it to herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, nanny.¡± Instead of telling her the truth, Kyosul made an excuse and apologized. She slowly got up from the bed and approached her nanny. The nanny was standing on the same spot, where she stood stiff because of her shouting. She grabbed her nanny¡¯s hands. As if she played the baby, Kyosul jumped into her bosom and leaned on her. ¡°Sorry, nanny.¡± ¡°Oh, no, I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. ¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I think I shouted at you because I was tired. Let me take a rest for a few days.¡± ¡°Yes, please. I think I pressed on you too much. ¡± ¡°No, no. I know you did it because you¡¯re worried about me,¡± Kyosul said, making a sad nasal sound. Kyosul knew how much her nanny cared about her, but Kyosul had a crush on Ruhae. She couldn¡¯t stand seeing the flower fall down because of her nanny¡¯s mistake. Even if the flower fell when her nanny opened the window, she could just pick it up and put it back in the same place, but she hated the idea of it. Her longing for Ruhae was so strong and selfish at the same time in her nanny¡¯s mind. In fact, Kyosul herself couldn¡¯t understand why she was on edge. She didn¡¯t fret herself in a fit of nerves simply because of Ruhae. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Then one late afternoon, she heard the sudden sound of someone knocking on the window, which she took as the gun salute of joy. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nuxal5e1479dd46b64 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nuxal5e1479dd46b64 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nuxal5e1479dd46b64 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nuxal5e1479dd46b64 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nuxal5e1479dd46b64 {display: block;}} Knock, knock. Though the knocking sound was small, she heard it more clearly than any other sound. She had no doubt that she heard wrong. She got out of bed, stepped on the floor, flipped the windows open, and jumped out the window. ¡°Ruhae!¡± He was standing on the low stand beneath the window, who she was waiting so earnestly. His soft brown long hair shook with a cool breeze. He had a kind and gentle smile on his elegant face that she imagined and missed every day. There was no other person who looked at her more adorably. She could sense his deep affection for her when she looked at his dark eyes. As soon as she saw his face, she completely forgotten her uneasy feelings that troubled her after Bipaan left. She was so excited and happy to see him. She was full of smiles on her face before she knew. He barely caught her in his arms after she jumped out of the window the moment she found him outside the window. ¡°How come you jump at me when you don¡¯t know for sure I was here?¡± ¡°You must be Ruhae, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I am!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ruhae!¡± She laughed heartily, cracking a joke. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zqirf5e1479dd46c06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zqirf5e1479dd46c06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zqirf5e1479dd46c06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zqirf5e1479dd46c06 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zqirf5e1479dd46c06 {display: block;}} Was it because she hadn¡¯t met him in a long time? She acted like a baby. Stroking her back and hair, he whispered sweetly, ¡°I am sorry to have kept you waiting so long. As it involved the state civil exams, I had to check and inspect the process carefully, which took me a lot of time.¡± He made a belated excuse to her, but at the same time, his explanation wiped away all her fatigue and tiredness. ¡°As you have been kindly waiting for me here in Kongrimok, I feel like I¡¯ve already gotten over all my headaches and stress.¡± ¡°Well, I have not,¡± she whined in a nasty voice. She continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been so stressed out while waiting for you up to now. My whole body is still aching, and I feel stuffy. ¡± She patted her shoulders with her small fists then touched her forehead with the back of her hand. ¡°As I have been waiting for you so earnestly and so long, I feel like my neck has gotten longer.¡± ¡°Oh, you are making me feel all the more sorry. How can I help you relax?¡± ¡°Help me relax? You¡¯re joking¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. Shall we have a great time right away? ¡± He was overly talkative now, which made her burst into laughter. She liked the way he spoke to her for fun while he was friendly and serious. In the end, Kyoul told him the truth. ¡°In fact, my hardened heart melted away as soon as I saw your face.¡± ¡°So, you are confessing that you have made fun of me, right?¡± ¡°Well, I just behaved perversely as you came to me so late.¡± ¡°I can accept it no matter how.¡± He put his hands under her armpits and lifted her up. His arms were strong as he lifted her up and put her on the window sill, helping her climb back inside. Putting his arms on the window sill, he folded his arms and rested them on his chin. He silently raised his eyes and looked up at her. Now, both of them were looking at each other, with Kyosul in the room and Ruhae under the window. Without any word or contact, they just fixed their gaze on each other. A strange tension between them crossed the window. When the window, which she left closed every day, was opened, they were supposed to move on to their next actions. They expected a more intimate moment from each other. That was already implicated in the promise they made to each other, but they didn¡¯t mention it explicitly. Therefore, the tension grew more intense. ¡°Is there anybody else inside?¡± he asked. ¡°No. Only me. ¡± He asked cautiously, and she answered simply. After he asked the first question, a brief silence ensued. He was not in a hurry, nor did she press on him. They just looked at each other and waited silently for the right moment. Ruhae asked more carefully than the first, ¡°May I come in?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.acujt5e1479dd46aaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.acujt5e1479dd46aaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.acujt5e1479dd46aaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.acujt5e1479dd46aaf {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.acujt5e1479dd46aaf {display: block;}} Asking that, Ruhae leaned on the window sill more closely. He looked up at her as if he was asking for her answer earnestly. She seemed to be out of breath for a moment. She couldn¡¯t open her mouth. Even though she saw him often, the villa his presence beneath her window, and the idea of them being alone in her room created a strange tension for her. There ensued a long silence. In the end, she opened her mouth, ¡°Yes, you can come in.¡± As soon as she replied shyly, he tightened his grip on the window. Then, he lifted himself onto the window sill by holding the window¡¯s frame and climbed into the window quickly. There was no time for Kyosul to step back. As she was standing close to the window, he came through the small gap between her and the window. Accordingly, they were very close to each other. As he entered, she was pushed back and almost lost her balance because he stood before her so quickly. At that moment, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist quickly. Chapter 96 ¡°Ah¡­¡± she exclaimed, blushing when he wrapped his arms around her waist so suddenly, which reminded her of Bipaan¡¯s warm hands that gripped her waist in the hot bath. She tried to forget that moment but couldn¡¯t. On the night she went to the open-air bath, Bipaan held her when she slipped in the hot bath. His awkward, yet cautious actions left a deep impression in her mind. At that moment she closed her eyes. She hunched her shoulders and lowered her head. ¡®No, no. I shouldn¡¯t recall his warm touch from that night.¡¯ She kept repeating the thought deep inside numerous times. She tried her best to forget all the moments she shared with Bipaan in the open-air bath that night. She didn¡¯t want to bring back any memories about him, but Ruhae¡¯s soft and gentle touch made her recall all the memories of Bipaan so easily. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vwcoy5e1479dd41ab0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vwcoy5e1479dd41ab0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vwcoy5e1479dd41ab0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vwcoy5e1479dd41ab0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vwcoy5e1479dd41ab0 {display: block;}} She was shrouded in a feeling of embarrassment and guilt. ¡®Yes, this is a sin. It is a sin for me to think of another guy when I am wrapped in his arms.¡¯ Her beloved partner Ruhae was now standing right before her eyes. She grabbed the lower edges of his sleeves tightly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jupzr5e1479dd419ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jupzr5e1479dd419ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jupzr5e1479dd419ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jupzr5e1479dd419ff {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jupzr5e1479dd419ff {display: block;}} Feeling that she was acting strange, Ruhae leaned over her as she nervously hunched her shoulders. He wanted to see her face. The more he tried to look at her face, the more she lowered her head. He couldn¡¯t see her anymore because she lowered her head too much. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± she said in a feeble voice. While saying so, she was wrapped tightly in his arms. She was close to him, and she reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist. With their arms around each other, they shared an embrace touch full of affection for each other. She felt Ruhae¡¯s touch was different. Thinking like that, she calmed herself down. She buried her face in his chest, and breathed in his scent fully. She tightened her grip and pulled him closer. She wanted her whole body to be filled with him. Looking at her, he said, ¡°I think you have missed me for so long.¡± As what he said was not wrong, she nodded violently like a child. He felt her so cute that he stroked her hair. ¡®Yes, you¡¯re right. I missed you so much every night that I felt empty and lonely.¡¯ Dwelling on his remarks, she cleared up her confused mind. She felt okay as she met him finally. Though it had been 15 days since they last saw each other, they just hugged each other with the window wide open. ¡°Did you go to bed, Your Highness?¡± the nanny asked outside the door. Kyosul was stunned to hear her voice. Opening her eyes quickly, Kyosul raised her head with him looking at awkwardly. On usual occasions, the nanny would come into her room without her approval. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rguos5e1479dd41a49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rguos5e1479dd41a49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rguos5e1479dd41a49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rguos5e1479dd41a49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rguos5e1479dd41a49 {display: block;}} However, after she raised her voice recently, she was careful enough to come in and out of Kyosul¡¯s room recklessly. She did not enter the room before asking her first. As there was no reply, the nanny asked again. ¡°Your Highness! Are you asleep now?¡± ¡°Do not come in!¡± Oops! She raised her voice again because she was embarrassed. She felt sorry again for her nanny, but she had no other choice but to do so to protect Ruhae. She patted his clothes several times and hurriedly approached the door. She saw the nanny¡¯s shadow outside the door. She did not open the door, but put her hand on it and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I have yelled at you again.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s my duty to find out how you feel, so I just feel sorry as I can¡¯t read your mind these days.¡± Although the nanny kindly comforted her, she felt bitter while saying so, Kyosul turned her head for a moment and looked at Ruhae. And then she turned back and said in a low voice, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help anymore today. I just want to be alone for the time being. So, I don¡¯t want anyone in my room. ¡± ¡°Your Highness! Are you ¡­. ¡± The nanny quickly shut up while trying to say something. She was silent, but Kyosul waited for her to talk. There was a long silence between them. There was no way for Kyosul to know what the nanny was thinking deep inside. As she was somewhat tense, she couldn¡¯t even ask the nanny as if she was a criminal waiting for a judge¡¯s ruling. Her hands grew wet when the nanny said unexpectedly, ¡°Your Highness, would you want a warm bath before going to bed? ¡± Her unexpected question was out of context. And Kyosul clearly said she didn¡¯t need the nanny¡¯s help anymore today. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.chnxa5e1479dd41b19 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.chnxa5e1479dd41b19 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.chnxa5e1479dd41b19 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.chnxa5e1479dd41b19 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.chnxa5e1479dd41b19 {display: block;}} Why did she bring up warm bath at this point? When she had a warm bath, many court ladies were on standby to serve her, which she didn¡¯t like. And that was the last she wanted in a situation where she was with Ruhae at the moment. As she was bewildered, she was about to ask when the nanny spoke first. As if she thought deeply amid silence, she said, ¡°I will prepare a warm bath for you after 9 PM. You don¡¯t need a court lady, right?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Apparently Kyosul was embarrassed but replied in the positive. If she had no court lady around in the warm bath, she had no reason to object. Perhaps the nanny already smelled a rat? Kyosul¡¯s heart pounded lightly in anticipation of her next words. The nanny said in a calm voice. ¡°As you say you want to take a break alone, let me have all the court ladies serving you out of the bath. I¡¯ll make sure nobody be around the bath after 9 PM. Nobody, not even me, will be around during that time.¡± Even before Kyosul asked for it, the nanny came up with a perfect solution. ¡°I would really appreciate it so much if you can. Thank you.¡± ¡°And let me bring you breakfast between 9 and 11 AM tomorrow.¡± Everything went over so naturally and smoothly. Kyosul and Ruhae made eye contacts and exchanged an awkward smile. While they were so happy, the nanny bowed out politely. ¡°Your Highness, good night!¡± The nanny was a wonderful woman. Even though Kyosul didn¡¯t ask her, she always did what she wanted the most. Did she already discover what Kyosul wanted this time? While serving Kyosul for many years, she was usually reticent, but the nanny always found out what Kyosul wanted even without asking her. This time, too, the nanny discovered what she wanted before she spoke. She heard the nanny walking away in the distance, followed by the court ladies, who she obviously ordered to move away from her room. Her heart beat more wildly as the sound of their footsteps was heard no more. She placed her hands on the door and listened to their footsteps for a while. She stood by the door until she couldn¡¯t hear anymore. Then she walked away from the door and turned back. ¡°Ruhae!¡± With sparkling eyes, she glanced back at him. She suddenly said something bold and unexpected. ¡°Shall we bathe together?¡± It was past 9 PM. Kyosul carefully looked around and walked out of the bed stealthily. Following her, Ruhae caught up with her cautiously. Even though they were a prince and the Crown Princess in the palace, they had to move secretly here in the villa, which made them feel a mysterious shudder. ¡°When I am with you, I always have an interesting experience.¡± ¡°Shush! You have to be careful yet. ¡± When he smiled at her, she made a big fuss and shook her index finger. He had to grin at her again at that, but he tried to hold back laughter and closed his lips. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rpqqx5e1479dd4198b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rpqqx5e1479dd4198b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rpqqx5e1479dd4198b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rpqqx5e1479dd4198b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rpqqx5e1479dd4198b {display: block;}} As the nanny said, there was not a single court lady around her room. Only they were left in the room now. She felt this kind of silence was so boring until yesterday. As she was moving secretly with Ruhae in the silent place, she felt she was walking on air. She felt as if she was in paradise, feeling so warm, relaxed and comfortable. Kyosul and Ruhae arrived at the bath without bumping into anyone. As the nanny said, the bath was ready for them, but there were no court ladies on hand. ¡°Never did I expect that I would be able to bathe with you, Ruhae. While I stayed here, I took a bath every day, and I liked it so much. I think I know why you recommended Kongrimok to me.¡± Full of excitement, she was overly talkative now. She grabbed his hand suddenly and led him to the bath. As the bath in her room was small, there was no fitting room. There was a large flat table behind the bath, several light robes and lots of towels. Picking up one of the bathing suits, she said, ¡°I like hot springs here very much. They¡¯re clean and warm. I think you must be exhausted from hard work, so you can relax by taking a hot bath here.¡± Chapter 97 ¡°Do you like it so much?¡± Ruhae asked. ¡°Yes, yes. Isn¡¯t it funny? Actually, I met Bipaan in the open-air bath accidentally and wetook a hot bath together briefly. I was scared and uncomfortable when I was with him, and I got stiff. I also had a heavy heart. Although I feel a bit shy, I get excited when I¡¯m with you like this.¡± Obviously, she was too excited. She just kept talking, not knowing what to do next. After all, he narrowed his eyebrows. ¡°I think you forget too often.¡± ¡°Huh? What? ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ortrf5e1479dc88fe5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ortrf5e1479dc88fe5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ortrf5e1479dc88fe5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ortrf5e1479dc88fe5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ortrf5e1479dc88fe5 {display: block;}} She turned, holding a bathing suit for him, but he was already behind her. Gazing at her, he put his hand behind her neck. ¡°I am a man, too. A man full of an ugly desire of monopolizing you. ¡± Splash! The waves rippled. Her thin cloth fell into the hot spring. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.knrqk5e1479dc88f45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.knrqk5e1479dc88f45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.knrqk5e1479dc88f45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.knrqk5e1479dc88f45 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.knrqk5e1479dc88f45 {display: block;}} It came out of her hands. She didn¡¯t know she had dropped it. She was still holding her hand in the air. She bent her fingers, thinking she was holding the cloth in the air, but it was not there. In surprise, she looked up at him. Usually when she made such an expression, he would smile as if he was okay. He always soothed her and took side with her, but he was different now. His expression was stern expression. ¡°Have you realized it now?¡± he said, staring at her silently. ¡°Ruhae? ¡± she called him cautiously because she felt strange about Ruhae. He was not the man that she used to know. At first she got scared. His serious expression with no smile reminded her of Bipaan. At that moment, she remembered for the first time that they were brothers. Though Ruhae and Bipaan were totally different in their character, they were brothers born to the Emperor. Though she got scared when she overlapped Ruhae¡¯s image with Bipaan¡¯s, she relaxed in no time. Their faces looked alike, but she felt different about them. Unlike Bipaan¡¯s, Ruhae¡¯s face was not intimidating. This time, however, she found Ruhae¡¯s expression strange. She grew embarrassed for a moment, but his strange look thrilled her. ¡®How can I fall in love with the same man so often?¡¯ He stuck his long, soft hands into the lapel of her jacket. She suddenly trembled when she felt his cool touch around her neck. After wrapping his hand around her neck, he touched the hair at the base of her neck. Every time his fingertips touched her neckline, hair, and the skin on the back of her neck, she got goosebumps. It was not creepy but sweet. ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± He only touched her with his fingers. Nonetheless, she let out a whoop. ¡°Do you feel it?¡± She blushed at his embarrassing question. At that moment, he put his other arm around her waist. He gently gripped her waist and pulled her closer.. Before she touched his body, he pulled her head towards him. He closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hglqs5e1479dc88f97 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hglqs5e1479dc88f97 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hglqs5e1479dc88f97 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hglqs5e1479dc88f97 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hglqs5e1479dc88f97 {display: block;}} Even before she realized it, he kissed her. After pulling her into his arms, he rushed to have her without stopping. He was burning with the desire to monopolize her body. He fully unleashed his lust. From the moment, he met her, he buried that secret lust deep inside. Was it because he was in a different place or was he with her alone? Or was it because of what she told him a moment ago? He did not hold back the sexual urge anymore. He wanted to show her his burning love fully. Her reddening face heightened his lust. Holding the back of her neck, he tightened his grip. He pulled her waist closer to him. She grabbed his sleeves, but she did not push him away. She was surprised but did not refuse. He kissed her lower lip. When he licked the tender skin inside her lips, her lips gradually opened up. Not even recognizing that her lips were open, she got carried away with his sweet kiss. Waiting for her mouth to open, he carefully licked her lips. He first licked her lower lip once then her upper lip once before slowly touching it with the tip of his tongue. She did not close her lips. He was more aggressive now. He slowly swept the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Her tongue was soft, flexible and smooth. When he licked it with the tip of his tongue quickly, it trembled. When he kissed her deeply, she felt short of breath. Time, space and the whole world seemed to disappear. ¡°Haaa¡­ ¡± Her short breath scattered into the air. She still didn¡¯t open her eyes. He did not take his hands off her neck. He stroked the back of her neck with his thumb. Holding her back with his hand, he caressed it up and down gently. He tilted his head and touched her forehead. He smiled as usual, looking at her sweet face, as she relished his passionate kiss. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.glgxk5e1479dc89036 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.glgxk5e1479dc89036 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.glgxk5e1479dc89036 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.glgxk5e1479dc89036 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.glgxk5e1479dc89036 {display: block;}} He stared at her with an adorable look, and whispered into her ears sweetly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me sweetly about the man you shared time with. I don¡¯t like it.¡± Only then did she realize what she told him a moment ago. As she was so excited, she confessed to Ruhae that she spent some time with Bipaan in the open-air bath last night. She seemed to wake up from a dizzy dream. She opened her eyes quickly. When she realized her mistake, she came to her senses. ¡°I think I talked too much. ¡± ¡°Nope,¡± he said, shaking his head. There was a strange smile on his mouth. ¡°You haven¡¯t yet told me everything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, you told me you bumped into another man in the open-air bath, but you didn¡¯t tell me anything about what you did with that man. I would like to know all about it.¡± ¡°Do you want me to tell you what happened in detail? I just bumped into him. That¡¯s all.¡± That was not true. She couldn¡¯t say that nothing special happened. Bipaan held her wrists, and she briefly saw his naked body through his wet robe. ¡°As I told you already, I would like to monopolize you.¡± He grabbed her hands then touched each of her fingers while catching her eyes. ¡°I would like to do everything he did with you, so you can only remember me.¡± Her heart sank at that moment. She felt as if Ruhae had caught her in her lie. As if he read her mind already, he suddenly stood up after staring at her. He approached the flat table, quickly took off his clothes and put on a robe for the hot bath. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start here?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I mean when you first bumped into him in the bath.¡± ¡°Oh, I went into the bath without knowing Bipaan was already there and met him by chance.¡± She innocently confessed to Ruhae everything. Though he twisted his lips bitterly, he was convinced that that their brief encounter in the bath didn¡¯t impress her at all, and that¡¯s why she told him about that so completely and easily. Nevertheless, out of his ugly jealousy he wanted to erase the memories of Bipaan from her head. Splash! With a loud noise, Ruhae jumped into the bath without notice and looked back at her, sweeping his soaked hair with one hand out of his face. ¡°If Bipaan was already in the bath, he probably looked like me.¡± Then he held out his hand to her. ¡°Please come on in, Kyosul.¡± Wet hair, wet robe, his stout chest and body line exposed through it, and his moist eyes tempted her. She now realized perfectly that the reason she felt so strange and aroused after she met Bipaan in the open-air bath was because she saw a man¡¯s naked body for the first time in her life. ¡®Any woman would have felt the same way.¡¯ Certainly any woman or man would feel embarrassed and excited when they first saw the naked body of the opposite sex. When she saw Ruhae¡¯s wet body, she realized that she felt different from what she felt about Bipaan in terms of her trembling, thrill, heart beat, and other physical and mental feelings. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zpfyl5e1479dc88eea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zpfyl5e1479dc88eea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zpfyl5e1479dc88eea {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zpfyl5e1479dc88eea {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zpfyl5e1479dc88eea {display: block;}} She took off her clothes piece by piece, leaving them in a pile near her feet. Her skinny body was covered with a thin silk cloth. Splash! Barely covering her body with that thin fabric, she approached him. When he heard the sound of splashing, he opened his eyes that he had closed while she was changing her clothes. Instead of curling up her body, she was standing in the bath, completely wet. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± Facing her in the hot water, that was the first words he said to her. ¡°I feel so jealous because somebody else saw this beautiful lady before me. I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Well, Bipaan was never interested in me anyway.¡± ¡°No way, I can¡¯t believe that. I really want to hug you right away as I can¡¯t stand it. ¡± She didn¡¯t know Ruhae was such a sly guy. Chapter 98 Her body was all of a glow when he expressed his lust in such explicit language. ¡°Oh, when I slipped in the bath, Bipaan held me. ¡± As soon as she was done talking, he grabbed her wrist. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, sort of.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xvdyy5e1479dc6144d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xvdyy5e1479dc6144d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xvdyy5e1479dc6144d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xvdyy5e1479dc6144d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xvdyy5e1479dc6144d {display: block;}} When she nodded awkwardly, he pulled her wrist. She was quickly dragged into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m going to repeat what he did to you.¡± He grabbed her hands after hugging her from behind. Then he kissed each of her fingers. ¡°What should I do now?¡± He sighed suddenly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qwmzl5e1479dc613ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qwmzl5e1479dc613ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qwmzl5e1479dc613ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qwmzl5e1479dc613ab {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qwmzl5e1479dc613ab {display: block;}} ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Because I want to hug you so much. I really can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°You are already hugging me, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked innocently. As he was not sure if she didn¡¯t really understand what he said, he looked at her again. But she was just blinking her eyes. With a smile, he lowered his head toward her ears and said, ¡°What I mean is I would love to hug you just like couples do.¡± ¡°Oh my god..how dare you ¡­ ¡± When she understood what he meant, she instantly blushed. But he did not stop. He wiggled his lips as if he was biting her earlobe that turned red. ¡°You know why? Because this is the first time I have seen you in so long. I just kept missing you while I was away.¡± He touched her lips with his fingertips. His fingertips now went up and down her whole body.. She pressed her eyelids closed her eyes and bit her lip. Splash! The waves of the hot spring water submerging them became more and more rough. The splashing sound continued, and the water overflowed the bath to the outside. Although the hot spring water slowly cooled, the steam was getting hotter. *** Ruhae walked slowly down the hallway of Kyosul¡¯s place in the villa. As the nanny ordered all the court ladies stay away from her place, there was nobody there. It was fortunate for him because he had to sneak into her palace, even though he was a prince in the imperial palace. Nevertheless, he had to watch out. He was careful not to make any noise when he walked in the hallway. He even muffled his steps not to make any of the hallway floorboards squeak as he carried Kyosul who was asleep in his arms. His touch in the warm hot spring water was stimulating. She felt dizzy when she was exposed to the hot spring water that relaxed her whole body and the heat of the steam, along with his warm touch. Besides, she was so overwhelmed by the joy of meeting him that she had been waiting for so eagerly that she let her hair down and fell asleep before she knew. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.btgts5e1479dc613fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.btgts5e1479dc613fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.btgts5e1479dc613fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.btgts5e1479dc613fe {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.btgts5e1479dc613fe {display: block;}} ¡°Aren¡¯t you too defenseless?¡± he whispered, placing her on the bed. She fell asleep like a child while taking a hot bath. He laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. Looking down at her sleeping face, he stood by the bed. ¡°Kyosul.¡± He called her name. He always felt sweet when he rolled her name in his mouth. But it was a name he couldn¡¯t call freely. ¡°It¡¯s just amazing that you are asleep right here before my eyes.¡± He never knew he could spend such a comfortable time with her. At this moment he could freely enjoy the moment of being together with her in her cozy room without being conscious of others and without being pressed by the passage of time. He carefully held out his hand. He swept her hair back from her forehead. He wanted to touch and caress her, but he was afraid that he would disturb her sweet dreams. ¡°I feel sorry because you fell asleep at this precious moment, but at the same time, I am grateful because you are sound asleep by my side.¡± He felt her defenseless posture showed her trust in him. Looking at her for a while, he sat next to the bed. Though he could sit comfortably with his back against the bed, he turned his body towards her. Putting his arm on the bed, he laid his head on it and looked at her endlessly. Even though he just looked at her, he smiled before he knew. It was early dawn. She opened her eyes. Her memories of the hot spring water and sweet moments with him disappeared when she woke up. She looked around blankly. It was dark everywhere. The moonlight was shining faintly through the paper window. She heard the sound of faint grass bugs instead of splashing sound in the hot bath through the quiet night air. She woke up, concentrating on all kinds of sounds everywhere. ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rjmty5e1479dc6149f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rjmty5e1479dc6149f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rjmty5e1479dc6149f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rjmty5e1479dc6149f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rjmty5e1479dc6149f {display: block;}} She brought back her memories last night. While she got carried away with his soft touch in the hot bath, she fell asleep. When she remembered that, she blushed. She was in the hot spring bath before she closed my eyes, but she was now in her bedroom when she woke up, which embarrassed her. She raised her upper body quickly. ¡°Are you awake?¡± As if he was waiting for her wake-up, he spoke in a sweet voice. She turned her head. Next to the bed, he was looking at her, leaning against the bed. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at the bridge.¡± ¡°¡­ why?¡± ¡°Because I like it.¡± He reached out his hand. Only after she woke up, he could touch her cheeks. ¡°As I was so happy about looking at your beautiful face, I just kept looking at you for a long time.¡± She was flattered by his romantic words. She blushed and changed the topic. ¡°By the way, how did I get here? Did you bring me here? ¡± ¡°Yes. I held you in person and carried you here.¡± Did she bring up the wrong topic? She blushed when he mentioned that he carried her to her bedroom. Looking around, she noticed the bedspread, her hands on it and her silk sleeves. She raised his hands in surprise and checked her body. Fortunately, she was dressed properly, with a thick satin jacket. Obviously, she was dressed in a hot bath silk gown right before she jumped into the bath. ¡°This dress I¡¯m wearing is¡­ ¡± ¡°Oh, I changed your clothes.¡± While she was at a loss for words in embarrassment, he spoke confidently. ¡°I dried you off thoroughly and put the clothes next to the bed on you. It took a long time as I had to put them on you cautiously, so you would not wake up, but I think you were in deep sleep.¡± When he explained, she instinctively wrapped her body with both hands as if she wanted to cover it. She felt ashamed of herself for what happened last night. He laughed as he watched her feeling embarrassed because he felt she was so cute. Then he brought up a different topic to save her face. ¡°It is dangerous to fall asleep while you¡¯re taking a hot bath. Be careful as you may pass out.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ve never fallen asleep before, but you¡­.¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her words. Though she slurred, both of them recalled what happened between them last night. Splash, splash, splash. She could vividly remember that splashing sound. Though they didn¡¯t say much at that moment, they were having a deep and private conversation deep inside. Looking at each other, both of them opened their mouth first. When her heart began to beat fast, and her breathing sounded awkward, he said first, ¡°I think I had better sleep on the mat outside.¡± He stood up suddenly, but he looked at her with eyes full of passionate feelings, as if he didn¡¯t want to go out. Her eyes trembled as she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. He stayed beside her bed until very late at night. Then he said he wanted to move out to sleep on the mat outside, which she thought rather strange. So, she asked, ¡°Why do you want to sleep outside?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.prmne5e1479dc61350 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.prmne5e1479dc61350 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.prmne5e1479dc61350 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.prmne5e1479dc61350 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.prmne5e1479dc61350 {display: block;}} ¡°Because you¡¯re so precious to me,¡± he answered with a serious and adorable look. At that moment she grabbed his hands and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go! If you think I¡¯m precious, please stay with me here.¡± Whenever she said, his heart beat wildly, with his lips dry. She continued to say slowly and calmly, ¡°My bedroom is large. I¡¯ve been waiting for you while you were away in the southern areas.¡± She felt so lonely during the long night every day. And she had been waiting for him during those long, long nights. She just realized that. When she became firmly convinced, she tightened her grip on him. ¡°If you hold me like this now, I may not stand it anymore.¡± He looked down at her grabbing him tightly. In fact, he endured lust for her for a long time. Even today he stopped the strong sexual urge many times. Controlling it, though, he wanted to stay with her as much as she wanted. Chapter 99 When Ruhae saw her body wet in the bath, when he dried her off as she slept and changed her clothes for her, he restrained himself from making any sexual move. But what she just said to him was very tempting. If he walked toward her bed, he couldn¡¯t guarantee he could hold back his lust. Not caring about his feelings at the moment, she pulled him to her side. While she spent several nights alone in the villa, waiting for him, she was vowing to sleep with him, as if she regarded today as her belated wedding night. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hcubr5e1479dc01adb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hcubr5e1479dc01adb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hcubr5e1479dc01adb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hcubr5e1479dc01adb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hcubr5e1479dc01adb {display: block;}} ¡°Don¡¯t you think I have already become your woman?¡± When she asked with innocent eyes, he chopped off the straps that had been binding him. He jumped into her bed. Several layers of cloth were thrown down the bed. Although they enjoyed foreplay in the hot bath, their passions burned again easily after a little rest. She felt something cool touched her skin. The tip of her tongue was touched. Her lower lip touched the wet path. He gently bit the tender skin behind her lips then kissed deeply. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wvikq5e1479dc01a0c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wvikq5e1479dc01a0c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wvikq5e1479dc01a0c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wvikq5e1479dc01a0c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wvikq5e1479dc01a0c {display: block;}} ¡°Haaah¡­ . ¡± Her moans made him more excited. He caressed her body gently with his fingertips. As if he wanted to remember her body with his fingertips, he touched her whole body from head to feet. She was caught in exhilarating tension. Depending on the parts of her body he touched, the muscles in her body were tense and relaxed alternately. He touched her body with his fingertips for a while. His eyes also moved along his fingertips. He tried to have every movement of her small muscles captured in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wonderful and beautiful.¡± He barely whispered amid his surging sexual passion. Her fragile body was sensitive to his touch. Although she felt such a pleasure for the first time, she didn¡¯t refuse it. Instead, she was highly receptive to it. As dry cardboard absorbed water, her heart was wide open, so he could enter it freely. ¡°Kyosul!¡± he called her name. He called numerous names around him so far, but his calling her name was special. It was only her name, but she could immediately sense his motivation as he looked at her now, his strange voice for the first time, his warmth as he stopped touching her body, and his jubilant face. As if she was ready to accept his every move now, she closed her eyes. She extended her hands to him as if she was drawn into his chest. He folded fingers with hers tightly then he came close to her. Then he climbed over her body and slowly covered her slender body with his stout body. She felt good even when his heavy body covered her. Their skin touched freely without any barrier. They felt each other¡¯s skin and conveyed their warmth. One of them felt warm while the other felt cool, with each of their body parts touching together such as hands on hands, chest on chest, belly on belly and legs on legs. Then his body moved little by little. He embraced her as if he wrapped her with his whole body and touched her face. His fingers touched her cheeks and moved to the corners of her mouth. When his fingers touched her lips, she gave her lips instead of fingers. They kissed a lot so far. And they caressed each other in the bath last night. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ranwq5e1479dc01a7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ranwq5e1479dc01a7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ranwq5e1479dc01a7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ranwq5e1479dc01a7b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ranwq5e1479dc01a7b {display: block;}} They touched each other with deep love, but they felt completely different now, as they were in a different place and became more relaxed than before. Lying side by side on the bed they kissed and touched. Thanks to the bed that supported their bodies comfortably, they were quickly aroused physically. ¡°Ah, Kyosul!¡± He called her name, with his face buried in her neck. He vented out his pent-up desire by calling her name. She curled her shoulders with tension. She felt his hot breath around the neck. Suddenly she had goosebumps, but she felt good about it. He carefully asked when she was very sensitive to his physical contact. ¡°Are you scared?¡± She shook her head from side to side instead of answering. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say anything. She found it hard to sustain her body. All she could do was express her feelings by moving her head slowly. All her senses had been heated up and sensitized when she enjoyed foreplay with him. And she wanted to be hugged by him with all her heart. It was the first time she had sex with a man. She was shy and nervous, but she didn¡¯t hate it. Her only concern at the moment was how she looked to him. She wished she looked pretty to him. She wanted to look more beautiful to him than any other woman in the world. She put her arms around his neck because just nodding at him was not enough. She gently pulled him to her. His face was buried in her chest. The scent of her body was sweet. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hqbpo5e1479dc01b4e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hqbpo5e1479dc01b4e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hqbpo5e1479dc01b4e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hqbpo5e1479dc01b4e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hqbpo5e1479dc01b4e {display: block;}} The strange scent from her chest made his heart beat fast. He pulled her waist and opened his mouth. That was the start. He never stopped and she could not stop for a moment. He knew how to control his touch. Not too fast or slow, but never roughly. She began to feel relaxed and loosen up when he touched her body with his fingertips. She felt a strange sensation she had never felt. Her body responded frankly to the strange touches of his body and new sensation. ¡°Ah¡­ Huuut¡­ ¡± Faint moaning came out from her mouth, which she did not want. Even before she was surprised at her own moaning, she groaned with pleasure again. He was gasping for breath now. But he was not in a hurry, watching her reaction. He didn¡¯t have to say anything. Her eyes, facial expression and trembling were enough. He hugged her more tightly. For this moment, they were alone in the world. She only looked into his eyes. She moved her body along his gestures and enjoyed his expressions. She listened closely to his voice and the fast pace of his breathing, not missing even his slightest moaning. And they became one in body and soul. Her eyes were now opened wide. Looking down at her surprised face, he caressed her cheeks with his fingers. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t ask. ¡± As if she was ashamed, she buried her face in his shoulders. He wrapped her small figure and caressed it gently. ¡°I feel so good.¡± Although she hugged him, she wanted to hug more tightly. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, and I feel so good. I hope you are as happy as I feel,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m happy, too,¡± she shyly confessed. They folded their fingers together. Their joined hands grew moist. His breathing was mixed with her coquettish moaning. She trembled gently. As if he couldn¡¯t hold it any more, he moaned. He tightened his grip on her body. Though she buried her face in his neck, he did not stop moving. Suddenly, sweat dropped from his body. He slowed down now, but her reaction was even more sensitive and vigorous. As if she couldn¡¯t stand it any more, she twisted her body, moaning. He lowered his body while kissing her shoulders, forearms, and waist. After they had sex like that, she became a woman before him, while he came a man before her. She was the only woman that made him feel like a man. The air surrounding her bed was hot and strange, mixed with their sweat, body odour as well as other scents. Just breathing in the air itself made them excited easily. They lay on the bed side by side. He wrapped her in his arms and she curled against him as if she was exhausted. He didn¡¯t take his body off from hers for a moment. Her body wiggled sometimes. Whenever she did, he caressed her body. ¡°I wish time stopped forever,¡± he whispered. She didn¡¯t answer, but he knew she was listening. He continued to whisper, ¡°If we were in a time zone that only allowed us to move, I could stay here with you like this for a long, long time. ¡± Of course, that was wishful thinking. His words were sweet, but she was heartbroken at that. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jexps5e1479dc01997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jexps5e1479dc01997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jexps5e1479dc01997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jexps5e1479dc01997 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jexps5e1479dc01997 {display: block;}} ¡°You have to go back, right?¡± she asked, without hiding her feelings. She dared to point out the weakness of his wishful thinking, but they could share their agony like that. He came up with a strange reply to her question. ¡°Shall we run away?¡± ¡°Run away?¡± she asked, as if she were scared. Although they loved each other, they married their current partners by the Emperor¡¯s order. In some respects they were mired in the twist of fate, which broke their hearts. Nonetheless, they couldn¡¯t avoid each other. He tightened his grip on her hands as if he was rebelling against the cruel situation they faced. ¡°I can throw everything away if I can be with you. My life in the palace, my position as the prince and my affluent life with a good house, nice food and clothes are meaningless to me without you.¡± Chapter 100 When he said that slowly, she was choked with tears and cried. As if her tears were precious water, he drank every drop. ¡°It would be great if you could, ¡± she said, with an unexpected smile. They already knew that no matter how earnestly they hoped for it, they couldn¡¯t make it their reality. She embraced him, and he caressed her back. ¡°Thank you for saying so,¡± she said. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gmwfi5e1479dbf0bbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gmwfi5e1479dbf0bbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gmwfi5e1479dbf0bbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gmwfi5e1479dbf0bbb {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gmwfi5e1479dbf0bbb {display: block;}} ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m sorry because that¡¯s all I can say at this point,¡± he said. Shaking her head, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± She stretched her upper body and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too, because I couldn¡¯t hold your hand right away and I didn¡¯t have the nerve¡­¡± And then she closed her eyes to forget about her fear and kissed his lips as if she sought comfort. While kissing her, he caressed her adorably. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qryil5e1479dbf0b17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qryil5e1479dbf0b17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qryil5e1479dbf0b17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qryil5e1479dbf0b17 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qryil5e1479dbf0b17 {display: block;}} They were excited again when they touched. They wanted to make the most of the time they were together. They couldn¡¯t spend tonight meaninglessly. As if they were trying to cope with the sadness of their coming separation, they made passionate love again and again. The night was deeper and longer than ever. *** ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± It was amazing to her. When she woke up in the morning, she found him lying next to her in the bed. She never expected she would start the day with his sweet greetings. As she was so choked with emotions, she almost cried. ¡°Yes, I did. Did you have a good sleep, too? ¡± ¡°Yep! I slept very well thanks to you, Kyosul.¡± He pulled her arm. He let her sleep under in his arms all night. As he held her close, she touched his chest. Forgetting her shyness overnight, she tickled his chest with her fingers. Wrapping her in his arms, he touched her shoulder. The moment she woke up, she felt it was so good to be with him and touch him. She felt so good that she didn¡¯t need to get up right away and start the day. The fact that her lover was with her now comforted her so much. They rolled in the bed all day. As they had nothing to do, they were happy all the more. While they were looking into each other¡¯s eyes, smelling each other¡¯s scents and feeling each other¡¯s warmth, time passed quickly. The nanny left the breakfast table in front of the door and went away. There was more food than usual. Though she didn¡¯t talk to the nanny, the latter knew that he was there in her room now. ¡°How long can you stay?¡± she asked. As they made passionate love until the wee hours of the morning, they felt listless and looked at each other while lying on the bed. He stopped touching her hair when she asked. She sensed immediately that her dreamy time was over, and that it was time he should go back to the palace. She woke up to stern reality again. He embraced her cheeks with his warm hands. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bfkir5e1479dbf0b6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bfkir5e1479dbf0b6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bfkir5e1479dbf0b6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bfkir5e1479dbf0b6b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bfkir5e1479dbf0b6b {display: block;}} Ruhae¡¯s touch was cautious, sad and something she wanted to avoid. In the end, he said, ¡°In fact, I have to go back to the palace urgently and handle lots of work. I have delayed the state civil exam for the fall by 15 days because of my inspection tour in the southern areas.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She placed her hands on his. Her hands were cold. Though she reassured herself she would be alright, she was choked with tears. ¡°I know you¡¯re busy handling state affairs all the time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to make you aware of that all the time.¡± He suddenly hugged her. Hugging her, he squeezed her several times. No matter how much and how often he hugged her, he felt that was not enough. Above all, he didn¡¯t feel good because he knew she had to wait for him again. He didn¡¯t want to be perceived as a bad guy by her, but things didn¡¯t work out as he wished when it came to their relationship. Yesterday was such a happy day. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tuvjj5e1479dbf0c0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tuvjj5e1479dbf0c0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tuvjj5e1479dbf0c0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tuvjj5e1479dbf0c0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tuvjj5e1479dbf0c0e {display: block;}} It was an unexpected gift for her, so yesterday was all the more precious to her. When the day broke, he snuck out of the villa. After he left, she told the nanny that she would return to the palace. The nanny prepared for her departure without delay and made sure she could leave around noon. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! We all wish you a safe journey back to the palace!¡± When she was about to leave, all the court ladies of the villa came out to see her off. She got into the sedan chair, greeted by them as they stood in the yard. When the door was closed, several young court ladies whispered among themselves. ¡°Since the Crown Prince left the villa, she has felt lonely all along. I hope you can arrive at the palace and meet him as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I can imagine how much she wanted to go back to the palace!¡± ¡°She must be so happy now!¡± Even inside the sedan chair she overheard them whispering. Hearing their gossip, she felt unpleasant. She wanted to refute their delusional gossip talks but couldn¡¯t. She had to make sure they did not catch her loving Ruhae under any circumstances. The sedan chair carried her slowly away from the villa in Kongrimok. Inside the shaking sedan chair, she thought about Ruhae who already passed through this road on a horse after sneaking out of the villa. ¡®I¡¯m going to see him at the imperial palace.¡¯ She wanted to see him again soon, but at the same time she was reluctant to meet him. She opened the small window of the sedan chair, stuck her head out and looked back. The villa down the hill was already far behind. The time she spent at the villa seemed to fade away like the villa that was slowly disappearing in the distance. Her heart ached while she was looking back at the villa. *** It was one day in the middle of autumn when the wind was quite cold. Boo boo boo, boo boo, boo¡­ ¡­ . While three men were barely holding the horn as big as a 10-year-old child, one of them blew it strongly. The big sound was strong and soft enough to spread out to every corner of the palace. When they heard the horn ringing, the big crowd gathered in front of the gates of the palace shouted for joy. Purely rejoicing, they lay face down on the ground and shouted at the top of their voices. ¡°Long live the Emperor! We celebrate your birthday!¡± ¡°Long live the Queen! We celebrate your birthday!¡± ¡°Long live the Emperor!¡± ¡°Long live the Queen!!¡± ¡°May God bless you!¡± That day was the birthday of Emperor Ohyulje and Queen Taeryong. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.yzhxi5e1479dbf0ac7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.yzhxi5e1479dbf0ac7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.yzhxi5e1479dbf0ac7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.yzhxi5e1479dbf0ac7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.yzhxi5e1479dbf0ac7 {display: block;}} There were two fixed national holidays and three unfixed national holidays in the Mok Kingdom. The founding day of the Mok Kingdom was the first fixed national holiday, and the second one was the previous Emperor¡¯s birthday, who made the Mok Kingdom a great empire and brought about great prosperity and peace to the people. The three unfixed holidays were the birthday of the current Emperor, the Queen and the Crown Princess. On Emperor Ohyulje¡¯s birthday the kingdom held festivals across the country for a whole month. During this period, everybody had a great time without being forced to work. Merchants gave a big discount, giving away all kinds of junk and snacks to any passersby on the streets. If things went out of control, the whole kingdom could be plunged into chaos, but the people were diligent and restrained, so there were no big accidents during the festive days. One week after Ohyulje¡¯s birthday was that of Queen Taeryong. As the holidays overlapped with one only a week apart, the festival was more colorful and grander than any other emperor¡¯s birthday. On that day, all the kings of the minor kingdoms neighboring the Mok Kingdom were invited to the banquet, where all the royal people who carried on the bloodline of the family last name ¡°Danmok¡± gathered in one place. And for the next two weeks after that, they began to accept the foreign delegations who came to celebrate the birthday. Emperor Ohyulje was 56 years old and was nearing his 30th year of rule. As she spent the previous night so absent-mindedly among the royal members, Kyosul felt listless on the bed the next day. At her side were Concubine Sassi, who she literally regarded as her mother, and Princess Kyoyoung, who gazed at her with a smile. In fact, she was exhausted after meeting and greeting the members of the royal family who all lived outside the imperial palace. ¡°It looks like she was scared a lot. They are notorious for feeling jealous of those living inside the palace,¡± said Sassi to Kyosul, lifting a teacup from the snack tray gracefully. Chuckling at her, Kyoyoung caressed her hands and said, ¡°Please cheer up. It doesn¡¯t look like good if you continue to stay in bed. Weren¡¯t you happy when you met them first?¡± Chapter 101 ¡°Oh my god! I didn¡¯t expect they would throw a barrage of questions at me. Did you have the same experience, Kyoyoung?¡± Calling her friendly, she asked as if she played the baby. Looking at her with a kind smile, Kyoyoung was accepting. ¡°Well, I was really put on the spot when I saw them for the first time, but as I was the Crown Prince¡¯s second wife, they didn¡¯t ask me too many questions. If they had done the same thing to me, I think I would have gotten sick for some time.¡± Though Kyoyoung spoke politely, it was a bit of a joke. Having heard her exaggerated description of her experiences, Kyosul could guess how hard a time Kyoyoung had on that day. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.thrly5e1479dbd3aff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.thrly5e1479dbd3aff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.thrly5e1479dbd3aff {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.thrly5e1479dbd3aff {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.thrly5e1479dbd3aff {display: block;}} ¡°By the way, you have to pull yourself together because the envoy of the Ulyoung Kingdom will soon arrive,¡± Sassi said. Kyosul quickly got up at her remarks and screamed, with her face turning white. ¡°Do I have to accept the envoy delegation?¡± As she asked with so much surprise, Sassi and Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily. They could stop laughing only when she blushed in embarrassment. Sipping tea, Sassi said, ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to care about other minor kingdoms, but Ulyoung Kingdom is an empire, so not only the Crown Prince and you but also other princes of the four palaces have to greet them. I¡¯m going to be here, so why don¡¯t you go and welcome them with Princess Kyoyoung?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qupih5e1479dbd3a2e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qupih5e1479dbd3a2e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qupih5e1479dbd3a2e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qupih5e1479dbd3a2e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qupih5e1479dbd3a2e {display: block;}} Letting out a sigh at her remarks, she was about to cry while frowning. Only now did she realize that Kyoyoung¡¯s dress was too colorful for their tea gathering. ¡°Are you already fully prepared to greet the envoy delegation?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, I am. I think you had better order the court ladies to prepare you quickly.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± She had no choice but to do as instructed when Sassi and Kyoyoung prodded. At that moment the nanny came into the room urgently. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just heard about it. You want me to pretty myself up to greet the delegation from the Ulyoung Kingdom, right? Please call the court ladies quickly.¡± But the nanny was confused about her reaction. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you I have to get dressed up, do my hair and put on make-up to greet the delegation.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not why I¡¯ve come to see you, Your Highness!¡± Not only Kyosul but also Sassi and Kyoyoung turned their eyes toward the nanny, surprised by her unexpected reply. Catching her breath for a moment, the nanny grabbed Kyosul¡¯s hands in great excitement. ¡°Your Highness! I hear he is coming here as part of the delegation to celebrate the Emperor¡¯s birthday!¡± ¡°Who is coming?¡± Kyosul asked in embarrassment when the nanny hurriedly kept repeating that he was coming. ¡°I mean your brother in the Hwa Kingdom. Prince Mingung is visiting the Mok Kingdom.¡± Though Prince Mingung was her half brother, he thought the world of her and treated her very kindly when she was in her motherland. As his longing for Kyosul became deeper since she got married to Bipaan in the Mok Kingdom, Prince Mingung volunteered to visit the Mok Kingdom as an envoy. Although several top-ranking officials raised objection, he was determined, and he finally got King Chong¡¯s approval. As he left early to arrive on the second day of the national holiday, which was when they began to accept foregin delegations, Prince Mingung was soon entering the imperial palace of the Mok Kingdom. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ykpbl5e1479dbd3a9e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ykpbl5e1479dbd3a9e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ykpbl5e1479dbd3a9e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ykpbl5e1479dbd3a9e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ykpbl5e1479dbd3a9e {display: block;}} Prince Mingung was Yonjonyo¡¯s son, who was King Chong¡¯s concubine. He was the king¡¯s third son. And Kyosul was King Jong¡¯s only daughter, who was born to the king and Queen Taeryong. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kgfud5e1479dbd3b63 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kgfud5e1479dbd3b63 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kgfud5e1479dbd3b63 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kgfud5e1479dbd3b63 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kgfud5e1479dbd3b63 {display: block;}} Although he was the son of a concubine, King Chung knew Mingjung was cut out to be a great king, so he chose him as his successor. As the royal family members had a good relationship with each other and deeply loved their half brothers, they gladly accepted the king¡¯s decision and celebrated him. As the atmosphere of the royal family was amicable and she was the king¡¯s only daughter, she was loved more than anybody else. Prince Mingung doted on her, in particular. So, he wanted to go to the Mok Kingdom to celebrate the Emperor¡¯s birthday and check out with his eyes whether she was living well there. ¡°Your brother is here, Woorum!¡± Mingung called her childhood name. When he thought she went all the way to the Mok Kingdom alone on that day, he was choked with tears. Entering the imperial palace of the kingdom at last, he recalled the day when he got King Jong¡¯s approval with difficulty. In fact, all the princes of the Hwa Kingdom wanted to come and see Kyosul. Even the six-year-old prince, who was the youngest among his brothers, insisted on going. So, all the princes gathered and competed in the central palace of the Hwa Kingdom to be chosen as the envoy. After all, he was chosen as the winner, and won the privilege of being the king¡¯s envoy. While smiling at the faces of those princes who were sad and jealous after they were defeated, Mingung was so overjoyed at the thought of meeting her beloved half-sister Kyosul and mounted his horse in haste. After passing through the outer castle of the Mok Kingdom, he could see the magnificent grandeur of its imperial palace. Only the Emperor and the princes of the four palaces were allowed to pass through the main gate of the Imperial Palace. So, Mingung got off the horse, talked to the eunuch on standby and headed for the second largest gate. Following him, the long procession of the envoy¡¯s delegation entered the palace. *** Overcome with joy at the prospect of seeing her brother, Kyosul kept her place beside Bipaan, not knowing how tired she was. Except for the delegation of the Ulyoung Kingdom, she didn¡¯t have to keep her place because all other delegations were from smaller kingdoms than the Mok Kingdom. Bipaan thought that Kyosul would also leave just like the wives of the princes when the foreign envoys went back to their guesthouses. But when she didn¡¯t leave and kept her place next to him, Biapaan looked at her with a curious expression. When she heard that Kyosul¡¯s brother Prince Mingung would come, Kyoyoung didn¡¯t leave the place either. When Kyosul wouldn¡¯t leave, Oran, who was about to return to the West Palace, came back and sat beside Prince Dukwol. As she didn¡¯t know exactly why Kyosul stayed, Oran didn¡¯t leave, naively thinking Kyosul was staying to curry favor with the Emperor. On the other hand, Prince Binsung went back to the North Palace right away to stay with Heyjin and baby girl Koryun right after he greeted the envoy of the Ulyoung Kingdom. Watching Prince Mingung¡¯s delegation entering the palace, she uttered a little exclamation when she noticed the flag of the Hwa Kingdom. Bipaan slightly turned his head after finding out why she kept her place until late. The chief internal officer in charge of the palace events shouted loudly, ¡°Prince Mingung of the Hwa Kingdom has just arrived!!¡± The top ranking officials present there were shocked and began to whisper among themselves. It was the first time and unprecedented that the prince of a kingdom like Mingung would come as the special envoy to celebrate the Emperor¡¯s birthday. Earnestly waiting for him, Kyosul was already welled with tears. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off from him as if she saw him in several years. ¡°Brother¡­¡± As soon as the delegation of the Hwa Kingdom went out of the Central Palace, she stood up and ran to Prince Mingung waiting for her at the main gate and hugged him. ¡°Woorum! I haven¡¯t seen you for a long time. How have you been?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.chbzb5e1479dbd3998 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.chbzb5e1479dbd3998 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.chbzb5e1479dbd3998 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.chbzb5e1479dbd3998 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.chbzb5e1479dbd3998 {display: block;}} Mingung still called her by Woorum, her childhood name. When he called her like that, she felt as if she was back to her motherland. Clinging to him like a child, she nodded eagerly when he asked her tenderly, holding her in his arms and caressing her hair. The nanny, standing behind them, greeted him, slightly tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯d like to offer you my heartfelt greetings, Prince Mingung. I feel sorry for you as I have not served her well enough. ¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t say that, nanny. I could worry less as you¡¯re around her all the time. I was convinced you would take care of her well all the time.¡± After praising the nanny, he pulled his arm away from her. He then raised his hand and lowered his head to examine her face here and there. She felt shy for a moment and caught his eyes with a smile. ¡°You cried again, Woorum! I can imagine you must have cried a lot in this strange place. Do you like the food here? It looks like you live luxuriously here. Have you made lots of friends to your liking? Is the Crown Prince treating you well?¡± Chapter 102 ¡°Brother, please ask me questions one by one.¡± When he asked her a barrage of questions, she burst into laughter like a child. With a good smile, he stepped back and asked, ¡°So, are you happy?¡± Suddenly she made a blank expression for a moment, but she nodded, with a big smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m happy.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pixwj5e1479db96d7c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pixwj5e1479db96d7c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pixwj5e1479db96d7c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pixwj5e1479db96d7c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pixwj5e1479db96d7c {display: block;}} She felt as if she had returned to her childhood. Her babbling, clinging to her brother¡¯s arms, who she met in a long time, made her forget her age. The court ladies who were passing by greeted her, but laughed at her playing the baby before her brother among themselves. Without caring about them at all, she escorted him to her residence in the Dongbi Palace. When they arrived there, there were already two pairs of fine shoes on the stepping stones. One of them must have belonged to concubine Sassi, who said she would be waiting for the Crown Princess. But they didn¡¯t know who the other shoes belonged to. When Kyosul tilted her head, wondering about the other shoes, one of the court ladies said, ¡°Princess Kyoyoung is waiting for you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.indsu5e1479db96cda {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.indsu5e1479db96cda {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.indsu5e1479db96cda {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.indsu5e1479db96cda {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.indsu5e1479db96cda {display: block;}} Only then did she realize that she had forgotten about her and hastily left the Central Palace alone. She quickly led Mingung into her residence. Court ladies at the Dongbi Palace already knew who he was. As she met her brother for the first time in a long time, they were as happy as she. While passing by the gate, Mingung asked her furtively, ¡°There are as many gates here at my father¡¯s. The gates at my place are not as many as these.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that, brother,¡± she said shyly. When she quickened her pace silently, he just smiled and looked at her. Finally, they entered Kyosul¡¯s room, where Sassi and Kyoyoung welcomed him. ¡°My name is Sassi, and I am the Emperor¡¯s first concubine. I heard from her that you are her brother. You¡¯ve come a long way, and thanks for that,¡± said Sassi, lowering her head. Watching her speak comfortably, he felt much relieved because Kyosul seemed to have made a good person in the Mok Kingdom. Originally the palace customs here required that Sassi use honorific language for Prince Mingung, but nobody pointed it out. In his eyes, Sassi seemed older than his mother Queen Yo in the Hwa Kingdom. Obviously Woorum must have relied on Sassi as she missed her biological mother¡¯s warm love. When he furtively smiled at her, thinking of that, she nudged him in the ribs gently. This time Princess Kyoyoung introduced herself to him. ¡°I¡¯m Princess Kyoyoung. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from the Crown Princess. So, I feel as if I haven¡¯t seen you for the first time.¡± Mingung burst into a hearty laugh at her joke. ¡°I think I can worry about her less and relax as much as I can because she has good friends like you here.¡± Mingung knew that Bipaan had a second wife, so he was worried that Kyoyoung might feel jealous of her who was belatedly selected as his official wife. He was relieved when he discovered that she and Kyoyoung seemed to get along well. When she was far away, Mingung was always worried about her. When he found out she was keeping well, though, he was so happy, but he was careful not to reveal his feelings. At that moment Kyosul, standing beside Mingung, approached Sassi and embraced her arm. ¡°Brother, I regard Sassi as my mother here.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.waeuz5e1479db96d2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.waeuz5e1479db96d2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.waeuz5e1479db96d2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.waeuz5e1479db96d2c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.waeuz5e1479db96d2c {display: block;}} As if he expected, Mingung nodded his head. ¡°Thanks a lot for taking care of her.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m so blessed to have such a precious daughter at my late age.¡± After exchanging a dialogue with him for a while, Sassi and Kyoyoung stood up first, so that Kyosul and her brother could enjoy their private time. Even though they were close to Kyosul, Sassi and Kyoyoung knew that there was something only Kyosul and her brother could share between them. Kyosul didn¡¯t hold them and saw them off. When they were left alone in her room, Prince Mingung asked the question he wanted to ask all along. ¡°So, is the Crown Prince treating you well?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wuqnk5e1479db96dd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wuqnk5e1479db96dd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wuqnk5e1479db96dd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wuqnk5e1479db96dd0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wuqnk5e1479db96dd0 {display: block;}} ¡°Ah¡­ as for that¡­¡± When she stammered after hesitating a bit, he sighed as if he knew her situation. Though she got married to the Crown Princess in the Mok Kingdom, Mingung was already aware of the rumors about her. ¡°I already knew it when you were sent off here for marriage. I know your husband Bipaan has no expression on his face, as his official name implies, he is cold-hearted and cool-headed. I think I can imagine how distressed you must have been when you got here.¡± He bitterly clicked his tongue. Though she wanted to deny it and ease his worries, she couldn¡¯t say anything. She bowed her head, at a loss for words. ¡°But I am much more relieved that you say you¡¯re happy, and that you have such good friends like them. I think you can cultivate your marital relationship over time. As you know, most of the royal marriages are arranged for the sake of political interests of the kingdoms involved. So, those who can get married through their genuine love are really blessed.¡± He caressed her hair with his big hands and said, ¡°I wish I could see your husband Bipaan, but I am not sure if I can see him in my capacity as the envoy. If he can visit us here, I may see him.¡± ¡°Probably he won¡¯t come here,¡± she said cautiously. He stopped caressing her hair for a moment then pulled his hand away awkwardly. Silent for a moment, they changed the topic. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not sure if you remember this.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°When you were very young, he visited the Hwa Kingdom.¡± She knew who he was when her brother used that expression ¡®he¡¯. He was obviously Bipaan. ¡°You mean the Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom visited our motherland as a child?¡± ¡°Yes. Bipaan visited several countries at the Emperor¡¯s order as a child, and the Hwa Kingdom was one of the countries.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that at all.¡± ¡°Maybe because you were so young, you couldn¡¯t remember him.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, I think Bipaan was also young. How come such a young child could visit foreign countries? I can¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°Even then he was confident. He was very calm and political for a child.¡± As if she tried to recall his childhood days, Mingung closed his eyes for a moment. Watching his friendly face, with his eyes closed, she smiled. She expected she would never see his face again after she came to the Mok Kingdom, but now she was looking at his face right before her eyes, which reminded her of her happy days in the Hwa Kingdom where she was happy everyday, loved by everybody around her. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re going to stay here a little longer, right?¡± ¡°My beloved Woorum!¡± Instead of replying, he called her name and caressed her face. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qcapp5e1479db96c7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qcapp5e1479db96c7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qcapp5e1479db96c7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qcapp5e1479db96c7d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qcapp5e1479db96c7d {display: block;}} ¡°In my frame of mind, I would like to stay here for many years and see you leading a happy married life, but my position as the Crown Prince of the Hwa Kingdom doesn¡¯t allow me to stay long,¡± he said bitterly. He continued, ¡°By the way, brother Yulso also missed you a lot. Brothers Chum, Pyong, Yojin, Hasok, Chang and Yemyong also wanted to come here as an envoy. Do you know how many games we played to be chosen as the final winner and get the chance to come here as the envoy? Our youngest brother Yemyong insisted on riding a horse he couldn¡¯t mount. In the end, he got on a horse while crying and participated in the game.¡± ¡°Are you sure even Yemyong took part in the game? That little boy?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true. He just missed you so much.¡± Although she almost burst into laughter, she was choked on her tears. As her brothers got along very well with her, they missed her so much. ¡°So, I beat them all and came here, but it was too tough for me to overcome the top officials¡¯ objection to my request for me to stay here a little longer. They insisted that I come back after just one day. When I go back I will have to deal with lots of petitions. My beloved Woorum! I can stay here with you for only one day.¡± After all, she couldn¡¯t help but cry. Her joy of meeting her brother after such a long time turned into sadness when she realized that she could only spent a day with him. ¡°When can I see you again if you go back now? Are you going to come back as an envoy next year? It¡¯s going to be more difficult for you. And then I may not see you again forever? If you succeed the throne and become the new king of the Hwa Kingdom, I might be able to see you again.¡± Chapter 103 Though he was her half brother, they were closer than any other royal members in the Hwa Kingdom. If Mingung couldn¡¯t come, one of them would come surely. Though she would be happy to see them, the fact that she might not be able to see Mingung again saddened her heart. She tried to hold back tears, but the more she tried, the more tears she shed. He got close to her and hugged her tightly. She was small enough to be wrapped in his arms. ¡®How can I leave her alone here?¡¯ Mingung thought to himself, but he couldn¡¯t break the promise he made to King Chong. The top officials took the fastest route between the Mok and Hwa kingdoms and calculated Mingung¡¯s business trip as one day. So, even if Mingung quickened his pace after staying a little longer in the Mok Kingdom, he might not be able to arrive back at the Hwa Kingdom on time. They didn¡¯t like Mingung¡¯s journey to the Mok Kingdom, and even King Jong was not happy about it, given his position as the next king. While Kyosul was weeping, the nanny announced suddenly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wktft5e1479dbe58ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wktft5e1479dbe58ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wktft5e1479dbe58ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wktft5e1479dbe58ed {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wktft5e1479dbe58ed {display: block;}} ¡°Your Highness, the prince has arrived!¡± ¡°Prince?¡± Did he hear wrong? Mingung opened his eyes wide with surprise. ¡°Oh, I would like to introduce him to you, brother. Please let him in, nanny.¡± Smiling again brightly, she wiped her tears with her sleeves, but she couldn¡¯t do anything about the red marks around her eyes. He turned his eyes toward the door. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.eesuz5e1479dbe584d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.eesuz5e1479dbe584d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.eesuz5e1479dbe584d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.eesuz5e1479dbe584d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.eesuz5e1479dbe584d {display: block;}} In no time, Ruhae came into her room. Ruhae already saw his shoes on the stepping stones and heard from the nanny who he was. Ruhae first offered greetings to Kyosul, ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± Whenever he greeted her, he bent his waist down to the floor and went down on one knee, with his head lowered. As one of the princes, Ruhae could simply bow to her, but he always showed his manners by doing so. His greetings implied two things to her, namely his love and loyalty. And Mingung was aware of that. At that moment, Mingung¡¯s face hardened. ¡°And I would like to offer my greetings to Prince Mingung of the Hwa Kingdom. How do you do? My name is Prince Ruhae,¡± he bowed to him slightly. Mingung also responded by bowing to him, ¡°I¡¯m Prince Mingung.¡± His tone was rather heavy, which Ruhae instantly noticed. When Ruhae sensed that Mingung didn¡¯t feel good about him, his heart sank. He heard Mingung doted on Kyosul as her dearest sister. Did Mingung discover his love of her? Suddenly, Ruhae noticed her eyes were bloodshot, so he approached her. ¡°Your Highness, did you cry?¡± When he tried to hold out his hand toward her eyes, he was stopped by Mingung. ¡°Prince, how could you dare touch the Crown Princess?¡± Mingung¡¯s stiff voice clearly signalled some sort of warning. Embarrassed, Ruhae tried to pull his hand away when she put down Mingung¡¯s hand and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s alright, brother. He and I are on intimate terms. We¡¯re very comfortable toward each other.¡± ¡°Woorum!¡± When Mingung called in a stern voice, she took her hand away from Ruhae¡¯s arm and lowered her head. She couldn¡¯t do anything about this kind of stern voice. ¡°As you are too much accustomed to our customs of the Hwa Kingdom, you are not familiar with the imperial customs here, so you seem to be on good terms with him, but Woorum! This is very different from our kingdom. In particular, when it comes to the rank of the successor of the throne; it¡¯s very dangerous here.¡± Mingung intentionally emphasized the word ¡®the successor of the throne¡¯ as if he wanted to bring it to Ruhae¡¯s attention. And his simple mention of that word dampened the atmosphere of the room. Turning his head toward Ruhae, he showed his manners by lowering his head. ¡°As Woorum is young, she seems to deal with you comfortably. As you know, please don¡¯t fall for it when she plays the baby.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uduvq5e1479dbe589f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uduvq5e1479dbe589f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uduvq5e1479dbe589f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uduvq5e1479dbe589f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uduvq5e1479dbe589f {display: block;}} Ruhae had no choice but to nod at his wary reminder, but said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll keep it in mind, but¡­¡± When his voice drifted, Mingung narrowed his eyes. Still wrapped in Mingung¡¯s arms, she looked at him and Mingung alternately. It was the first time that she saw her brother stiffened. ¡°Can you promise me clearly?¡± Mingung said. ¡°As you insist, let me be clear,¡± he replied. After all, he stood face to face with Mingung, as if he made up his mind. Though he flinched when Ruhae looked straight at him, Mingung also stared at him with glaring eyes. ¡°She needs a friend she can share her feelings with comfortably in this palace. This place is so different from the Hwa Kingdom. I¡¯m going to make sure she doesn¡¯t feel lonely by keeping a good relationship with her.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s what the Crown Prince, not you, has to take care of,¡± Mingung said bluntly, who initially seemed overwhelmed by Ruhae¡¯s confident reassurances. And Ruhae couldn¡¯t respond to that easily. Could he tell her brother how badly Bipaan treated her? He couldn¡¯t do so. When Ruhae lowered his head bitterly, Kyosul pulled her hands from Mingung¡¯s arms and stood up abruptly. ¡°Brother, leave!¡± Not only Mingung but also Ruhae was surprised by her abrupt remarks. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xuezk5e1479dbe593d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xuezk5e1479dbe593d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xuezk5e1479dbe593d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xuezk5e1479dbe593d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xuezk5e1479dbe593d {display: block;}} Ruhae heard lots of things about the Hwa Kingdom from her, so he knew how precious Mingung was to her. Then, how could she tell her brother to leave? ¡°Woorum¡­?¡± ¡°If you want to meddle in my private affairs like this, please leave. You said you would have to go back today. Then, go back!¡± She pouted. She was obviously upset when she saw her brother talking to Ruhae recklessly. As she was well aware of what she said to her brother, she was choked with tears. ¡°Ruhae is the one who has treated me with the most kindness in this palace. No matter what you say, I¡¯m going to keep a good relationship with him.¡± ¡°Did you mention ¡®most kindness¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even more kindly than the Crown Prince?¡± She hesitated for a moment, but she said, clenching her fists and closing her eyes, ¡°Yes.¡± There was a brief silence. And he caressed her hair, who was still closing her eyes, with his big hands and said, ¡°Got it. I think I know you are living happily here. Though I¡¯m a bit worried, let me go back as I have confirmed you¡¯re keeping well.¡± When she opened her eyes, she saw him smiling at her, but it was the kind of smile that she never noticed on his face before, which seemed a bit sad. When he went near the door, she hugged him from behind. ¡°See you again.¡± ¡°Sure. Let me try to come back again.¡± He tapped her hands and went to the door, passing by Ruhae. He whispered something into Ruhae¡¯s ears. Though she couldn¡¯t overhear what Mingung said, Ruhae seemed surprised and turned back to watch him go. Without looking back, though, Mingung slipped out of the long hallway. Standing blankly, she broke into tears. Her brother went away, after all. When she cried as her brother left, Ruhae smiled awkwardly and came to her. She hugged him and cried freely. ¡°Why did you tell him to go when you are so sad like this?¡± ¡°Boohoo¡­because he was so mean to you, Ruhae,¡± she answered, crying. He tightened his grip on her with a happy look and hugged her tightly. ¡°You¡¯re alright. Your brother knows how you feel. You can see him later.¡± Comforting her warmly, he recalled what Mingung just told him while leaving. ¡®I won¡¯t sit idle if you make my sister sad. Please make her happy.¡¯ Mingung clearly knew that he loved her, and she loved him. Ruhae heard Mingung¡¯s request clearly. At first he was scared when Mingung discovered he loved his sister. Although he thought he was quite good at hiding it, Mingung detected it. He thought he was caught loving her because Mingung was her brother, so it was okay. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.cqbla5e1479dbe57f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.cqbla5e1479dbe57f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.cqbla5e1479dbe57f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.cqbla5e1479dbe57f2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.cqbla5e1479dbe57f2 {display: block;}} Thanks to his request, Ruhae came to ponder over it a little more. Namely, how to make her happy was Ruhae¡¯s top priority now, but there was nothing Ruhae could do in the current situation. There were more things he couldn¡¯t do for her than things he could. Above all, he couldn¡¯t promise her anything in the future, but he was confident that he could make her happier than any other woman now. He would not have plucked up the courage to approach her without that confidence. ¡®Let me bring her the greatest happiness now at this moment. I¡¯ll do my best right now.¡¯ He made a firm resolve. He didn¡¯t think about it so deeply. The more he thought that his relationship with her was difficult, the harder he found it to approach her. So, he decided to enjoy his present relationship with her to the best he could. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go and see the festival?¡± Chapter 104 One week had already passed since the birthdays of the Emperor and the Queen, but people felt the festival period was too short, no matter how long it was. Throughout the festival period, everyone was happy and enjoyed the atmosphere. The market was always noisy with mingling people, but they were all happy. And there was an eye-catching couple among the happy crowds, who were elbowing their way out of the crowds to enjoy the festival. Wearing a silky suit and simple accessories that only the powerful could enjoy, they walked on the market street. Nobody announced their arrival at the market, so they could avoid the crowds¡¯ attention. The man, dressed in indigo blue, put a small hairpin in his tied long hair. As if he grew up preciously in the royal palace, his white face, never tanned by the sun, made his red lips stand out all the more. And the young woman, hanging on his arm, was wearing a butterfly-shaped hairpin in her half-tied hair. She was wearing a light pink silk dress, with gold thread embroidered at its end. She walked with an uneasy face but at the same time in excitement, looking around here and there, swept along in the crowds. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.pbmyr5e1479db14b89 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.pbmyr5e1479db14b89 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.pbmyr5e1479db14b89 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.pbmyr5e1479db14b89 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.pbmyr5e1479db14b89 {display: block;}} ¡°It¡¯s a little bit noisy here, but isn¡¯t it interesting?¡± She nodded strongly when he whispered quietly into her ears. ¡°Ruhae, Ruhae, this is the first time that I¡¯ve seen so many people here! And there are so many pretty and amazing things! ¡± She smiled and rejoiced like a child. He smiled at her, stroking her hair, who was clinging to his arms. ¡°If you have anything you want, tell me. I¡¯ll buy anything for you,¡± he said confidently. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fuhpr5e1479db14af4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fuhpr5e1479db14af4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fuhpr5e1479db14af4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fuhpr5e1479db14af4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fuhpr5e1479db14af4 {display: block;}} ¡°Really?¡± she said, looking around here and there. ¡°Of course!¡± There were lots of makeshift stands on both sides of the street. There were a variety of decorations, goods, and toys on every stand. Looking around, she pulled his arm and touched her face to his. She whispered in his ear with a shy voice. ¡°Well, I¡¯m so hungry.¡± At her unexpected action, he made a blank expression for a moment then laughed loudly. She blushed, lowering her head. As it¡¯s been a while since she walked around the market street, it was only natural that she got hungry. Although Ruhae also wanted to eat something first, he burst into laughter at her cute action. ¡°Please stop laughing. It¡¯s not funny at all. ¡± She tapped his forearm with her small fists. He laughed heartily and nodded. ¡°The delicacies of the festival are festival food. Then shall we go to the food court? ¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Raising her hand quickly, she answered. Smiled at her innocent face, he elbowed his way out of the crowd. It was the first time that they found themselves swept along in the crowd. Before they moved, Ruhae and Kyosul felt their bodies were shaken by somebody else. It was difficult to hold their balance as they were stuck in the moving crowds. She was clung to his arms. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.boiik5e1479db14b49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.boiik5e1479db14b49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.boiik5e1479db14b49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.boiik5e1479db14b49 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.boiik5e1479db14b49 {display: block;}} After getting out of the crowds finally, he moved into an alley where they smelled something delicious everywhere. All the stands in that alley were filled with all kinds of food. Fortunately, there were fewer people than those on the market street. If there were as many people here, they would not be able to enjoy the food comfortably. Encouraged by the smell of the food and the less crowded crowds, She walked ahead confidently. Embarrassed by her erratic actions, he hurriedly followed her and grabbed her by the collar. ¡°Why are you walking fast alone? What if you get lost?¡± ¡°Why should I get scared when I know you will find me wherever I am?¡± Turning back, she replied quickly. Without waiting for him, she quickend her pace. ¡°Kyosul!¡± He hurriedly tried to catch up with her. Exclaiming often, she looked around. While scanning the food stands on both sides, she did not slow her pace. Meat, fruit, seafood and small snacks as well as spicy, salty and sweet smells stimulated her appetite. She stopped in front of a shop where grilled chicken was stuck on skewers. Looking at the grilled chicken for a long time, she turned to him and blinked her eyes several times. When he nodded, she went straight into the store and sat down. He slowly approached and sat in front of her, when a girl came to them. ¡°May I take your order?¡± As she didn¡¯t know the menu, she looked around and pointed to food on the table. ¡°Please give us the chicken over there.¡± ¡°Yes, wait a moment!¡± The girl replied cheerfully and disappeared quickly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zhdkk5e1479db14bde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zhdkk5e1479db14bde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zhdkk5e1479db14bde {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zhdkk5e1479db14bde {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zhdkk5e1479db14bde {display: block;}} About 15 minutes later, the girl came back with the food. Roasted chicken topped with plenty of black sauce was placed on the table. After eating a little bit of sauce with the tip of his finger, she nodded with a smile. ¡°Does it taste good?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sweet, salty, and a little spicy, but it tastes great. ¡± The unidentified black sauce passed her test. He cut the chicken into a good size for eating. ¡°You can eat it with a sauce, or you can just eat the lean meat.¡± He took one chicken leg and gave it to her. They began filling their hungry stomach with a chicken on the table. The sweet and sour sauce and the soft chicken matched well. When they were almost done eating the roasted chicken, a boy came up with bread as big as an adult¡¯s two fists. ¡°This is honey bread, our shop¡¯s signature dessert that we are proud of. It is very hot with melted sugar. So, enjoy it carefully. ¡± The boy put two loaves of bread on the table and offered a brief explanation. The bread was quite large and covered with a smooth film of sugar on its surface. Looking at it for a moment, she carefully poked the bread with one chopstick. Melted sugar stuck to the end of the chopstick. When she put it into her mouth without knowing how hot it was, she took it out quickly. ¡°It¡¯s really hot because it was taken out after it was dipped in boiling sugar. Let¡¯s eat it a little after it cools down, ¡± he said with a smile while watching her. Nodding meekly, she cracked the sugar slightly and split the bread in half with chopsticks. Contrary to the hardened surface of the sugar, its inside seemed to melt. Yellow honey was in the center of the moist and soft bread. It flowed on to the plate. ¡°Wow!¡± Feeling amazed, she picked up the bread. She blew her breath on the bread and had it all without stopping for a moment. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± She nodded without answering his question because she was busy eating honey bread. Staring at her with a satisfied look, he pushed his own bread to her when she finished eating her bread. ¡°This is yours, Ruhae.¡± ¡°This bread is too sweet for me. As you like it, won¡¯t you eat mine? ¡± ¡°Well, thanks for the bread.¡± She didn¡¯t refused. She smiled at him who was shaking his head as if he couldn¡¯t believe her actions. In the end, she ate two loaves of bread then likcked the melted sugar stuck to the chopsticks as if she was not full. After satisfying their hunger, they went out of the shop and wandered around the food street to try various snacks. Finally, they ate the cooked fruit coulis stuck on a wooden stick and left the food street. They went back to the market street. There were many rare things that usually did not appear in the market. They were brought from abroad by merchants aimed at the festivals. A variety of products attracted their attention. ¡°Wow, look at this, Ruhae!¡± Looking at various items on the food stands, she hopped around, laughed and made a fuss. Following her, he asked the same question, ¡°Can I buy you this?¡± ¡°No, thanks, Ruhae. Are you going to buy me everything I mention here?¡± ¡°Well, because you like it. I want to do everything for you if you like it.¡± ¡°Really¡­ That¡¯s ridiculous. How can you be good at it?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ugryr5e1479db14a96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ugryr5e1479db14a96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ugryr5e1479db14a96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ugryr5e1479db14a96 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ugryr5e1479db14a96 {display: block;}} ¡°Are you sure? How can you say that without being shy?¡± ¡°Because that shows my genuine feelings toward you.¡± He said casually, which would make her blush again. In the end, he bought some cute accessories for her. She wore a headband ringing with crystal clear bells and held a pinwheel with feathers, a finely dried bouquet and a chicken model in her hands. If people on the market street had to choose someone who enjoyed the most fun on the market street today, they would choose Kyosul without hesitation. They enjoyed the festival so much that they didn¡¯t know how time passed so fast. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. Don¡¯t you think we are supposed to go back?¡± she said, looking at the sky with uneasy eyes. ¡°No, it¡¯s too early to go back.¡± He grabbed her hands as she was turning around with a worried look. Chapter 105 She looked back at him in surprise. There was a confident smile on his face, which was attractive enough to bring her closer to him. ¡°The real beginning of the festival is the nighttime.¡± The noise during the day was nothing, compared with the big nighttime fuss. Bang! Bang! Firecrackers were shot from place to place, embroidered the dark sky with bright fireworks. Every time the firecrackers were set off, they cheered. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ayhgu5e1479db50748 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ayhgu5e1479db50748 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ayhgu5e1479db50748 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ayhgu5e1479db50748 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ayhgu5e1479db50748 {display: block;}} Cheng, cheng. Kung kung kung. People beat gongs and drums here and there to heighten excitement, and played flutes. The exciting performance of the vagabond players made them move their shoulders up and down. ¡°How about it? Isn¡¯t the atmosphere different from the day?¡± Ruhae asked, in a satisfactory tone. Carried away with the exciting scenes before her eyes, she nodded and exclaimed, @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qcghg5e1479db506a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qcghg5e1479db506a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qcghg5e1479db506a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qcghg5e1479db506a4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qcghg5e1479db506a4 {display: block;}} ¡°Awesome!¡± She would have had lots of regrets if she had gone back home after watching the festival during the day only. While the festival was noisy during the day, it was colorful and exciting during the night. While she was watching the scenes, she smiled and laughed and moved her shoulders up and down. ¡°Look over there!¡± Bursting into laughter suddenly, she pointed her finger somewhere, where a circus group with fluffy animal masks were dancing a funny dance. Several people joined their hands, wearing masks, and imitated a giant dragon and giraffe. Ruhae and Kyosul followed the circus group for a long time. They mingled with strangers and danced together in a large circle. They clinked their glasses together and became drunk. For the first time since she arrived in the Mok Kingdom, she was having fun during the night festival. After going to many festival events here and there for some time, they went out to the outside, holding small fireworks. They sat on a secluded outskirts and watched the festival far away. Although they were right outside the festival area, it was already quite dark and quiet. They felt as if their great excitement and joy during the night festival were fading away. They stepped away from the noisy festival area and moved to a dim place. And then they set off small firecrackers there. The firecrackers with gunpowder glued along the long wooden stick sparked along it and glinted like flowers. Her face was illuminated by the flickering light of the small flame. She didn¡¯t take her eyes off the stick firecrackers, while he fixed his eyes on her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you amazed?¡± ¡°What were you amazed by this time?¡± ¡°I mean gunpowder.¡± ¡°Gunpowder?¡± Gunpowder was a word that didn¡¯t fit the romantic atmosphere at all. He felt embarrassed when she mentioned gunpowder, so he asked again. But she stared at the flame seriously and continued calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the firecrackers that they shot a while ago and this flame are beautiful?¡± ¡°Yes, that symbolizes the beauty that wraps up the festival.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ywhxm5e1479db506f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ywhxm5e1479db506f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ywhxm5e1479db506f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ywhxm5e1479db506f7 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ywhxm5e1479db506f7 {display: block;}} ¡°Then, this beautiful gunpowder becomes a weapon that kills people on the battlefield, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You bet.¡± He nodded, paying respect to her amazing power to connect things when she remembered the terrible explosives of the battlefield while watching the beautifully igniting fireworks. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a human problem. Depending on a person¡¯s intention, gunpowder can be such a beautiful firecracker or a cruel explosive. ¡± The flow of their story flowed from gunpowder to humans. It was difficult for him to keep up with the wide range of her topics, but her thinking had some connection and logic. That¡¯s why he was embarrassed but interested at the same time. She continued to explore other topics this time. ¡°The milestone that can make the world beautiful or cruel comes from people¡¯s minds, right? So, the heart of the matter seems to focus on the matter of controlling humans. Because it depends on humans whether they can make the world a just and happy place or an evil and scary place.¡± ¡°Are you now touching on politics?¡± ¡°Politics?¡± ¡°Well, if you talk about the matter of governing humans, isn¡¯t it politics?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t think hard about it. ¡± While she had been talking about a thought-provoking topic, she suddenly stopped shyly. He smiled and cheered her up. ¡°You¡¯re thinking much deeper than that. I am amazed by your insight. You can read people¡¯s minds by looking at a small flame.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.rojat5e1479db5079b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.rojat5e1479db5079b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.rojat5e1479db5079b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.rojat5e1479db5079b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.rojat5e1479db5079b {display: block;}} ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s not my insight. That¡¯s just my funny thinking. Anybody can speak like I do.¡± At that moment some old man appeared before them and said suddenly, ¡°When I checked my fortune today, I read two letters , ¡®bird¡¯s rain.¡¯ Figuratively speaking, bird¡¯s rain will come down today. I think the rain symbolizes you guys!¡± Kyosul flinched at his mention of ¡®bird¡¯s rain because ¡®bird¡¯ was included in Ruhae¡¯s childhood name Yuuljin, and ¡®rain¡¯ included in her childhood name ¡®Woorum.¡¯ As if he noticed Kyosul feeling restless, the old man shouted at her quickly. ¡°The hill was broken because of you!¡± ¡°Broken?¡± ¡°What I mean is I see blood and regrets flowing from the hill because of you.¡± The old fortune teller¡¯s words were not clear. When taken at its face value, his expression did not fit the logic. Kyosul could not understand what that old man talked about. She asked, ¡°What do you mean by the hill and blood and regrets?¡± As she was bewildered, she asked that old man in detail, but Ruhae interrupted and blocked her, with his face hardened. At first he made a serious expression with wariness, and now showed extreme displeasure. ¡°Ruhae!¡± she said, turning to him suddenly. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit we don¡¯t have to listen to,¡± he said resolutely. And then he stepped toward the old man. After lowering his upper body to catch his eyes, Ruhae warned him in a low voice. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about? If you dare to make reckless remarks to us¡­¡± ¡°Well, what do I know as a man wandering about in a back alley? I¡¯m just telling you what I see. ¡± Cutting off Ruhae¡¯s threat in the middle, that old man stared at him. While speaking in an innocent and ignorant tone, he glared and leaned forward and spoke to Ruhae, ¡°You already know something about it, don¡¯t you?¡± His glaring eyes and eerie smile were scary. Ruhae had goosebumps momentarily and stepped back. The old fortune teller was not interested in him. Giving Ruhae a piece of his mind, that old man turned his eyes to Kyosul. Suddenly, the old fortune teller pointed at her, ¡°You¡¯re too young.¡± As she was bewildered at his reminder that she was too young, Kyosul just blinked. Ruhae stepped between them, hiding the old fortune teller from her view. ¡°This old man is trying to deceive you with reckless words.¡± Ruhae did not believe in ¡®fortune-telling¡± and hated it. At first he thought that old man would crack some funny jokes then leave right away. But the current situation created by his mysterious fortune-telling made Ruhae very displeased. As he felt so bad, Ruhae wanted to turn back immediately. When he was trying to leave with Kyosul, the old fortune-teller ignored him and said to Kyosul quickly, ¡°As you are trying to do something that didn¡¯t make sense, your life has been entangled like this. If you had waited with patience, you would have achieved your goal, but you ruined it all because you went to the trouble of seeking it by yourself. You had to know how to throw a net and wait, but hastily chased the shadow of a fish, chased the splash of water, upsetting the whole apple cart. Although they say those who seek what they want are blessed, but that does not apply to your situation.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lbisc5e1479db50647 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lbisc5e1479db50647 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lbisc5e1479db50647 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lbisc5e1479db50647 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lbisc5e1479db50647 {display: block;}} What the old fortune-teller said was ambiguous. It was a series of unclear vocabulary and ridiculous fables, but it was powerful enough to stop even Ruhae who was about to turn away. The old man¡¯s voice was so attractive that Ruhae and Kyosul could have listened to him all night. ¡°Nonetheless, you are still young. You¡¯re going to do things that will make you shed tears of regret later. You¡¯re destined to throw yourself out because you have to pay the price for not enduring the cold. Tut, tut.¡± The fortune-teller¡¯s voice became softer until it was just murmuring. ¡°Tut, tut, tut,¡±the sound of him clicking his tongue rang long and low like breathing. After speaking, the old man sat on a small chair, crouched, lowered his head and didn¡¯t move as if he fell asleep on the spot. Kyosul swallowed around the dryness in her throat. Was it because of that old man¡¯s fortune-telling? Did he have Ruhae and Kyosul in mind when he made such a difficult-to-understand prediction? That fortune-teller¡¯s preaching was vague and bordered on reproach. As he didn¡¯t add any subject to his sentences, it was more confusing. He spoke while looking at Kyosul, so he clearly had her in mind. He said something like, ¡°Somebody was young, somebody couldn¡¯t wait, somebody made things messy, somebody got bruised and somebody who reproached.¡± Chapter 106 As the old man said so many things in one sentence, the subtle differences in accents and facial expressions made Ruhae and Kyosul feel as if he were speaking to someone else. Who was it? ¡°Hill¡­ . ¡± Kyosul murmured, trembling unconsciously. Hill. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ihjbw5e1479db38ce1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ihjbw5e1479db38ce1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ihjbw5e1479db38ce1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ihjbw5e1479db38ce1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ihjbw5e1479db38ce1 {display: block;}} That was the only subject that the fortune teller mentioned in that sentence. That fortune teller called Ruhae and Kyosul a bird and rain respectively. If that was the case, the hill was clearly not referring to them. How could he talk about somebody else when he was trying to tell their fortunes? He seemed to announce someone¡¯s existence that was inseparable from their lives. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gbuiu5e1479db38c35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gbuiu5e1479db38c35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gbuiu5e1479db38c35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gbuiu5e1479db38c35 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gbuiu5e1479db38c35 {display: block;}} When Kyosul was trying to ponder over it more, Ruhae embraced her tightly. When she was wrapped in his arms, she could shake off the anxiety that filled her whole body. ¡°We stayed outside too long. Aren¡¯t you tired? Let¡¯s go back,¡± Ruhae whispered gently. When she heard his kind and comforting voice, all the distracting thoughts in her mind disappeared. She nodded silently. As the night drew on, the fever of the festival became hotter. Leaving the festival behind, however, they walked back with a heavy heart. There was silence when they entered a secluded alley nearby. Their short deviation at the festival was over. They had to end it. They were not supposed to look like lovers anymore. Kyosul had to go back to her original place as the Crown Princess while Ruhae returned to being another prince. *** Though they returned to the palace and their original positions, the festival continued. During this festival period, even the Imperial Palace was also in the thick of pleasure and excitement. While the Central Place was somewhat noisy and disorderly with the festival, other palaces were rather quiet. As a result, it was easy for the lovers to meet privately during the festival because there were fewer people that had to avoid and watch out. As they couldn¡¯t miss this golden opportunity, Kyosul and Ruhae met and spent time together almost daily, but Ruhae became strange for the past several days. Since he returned after enjoying the festival on the market street and after he met that strange fortune teller, he often looked at Kyosul with sad eyes. When they met secretly, he was particularly worried and anxious. ¡®Obviously, he is bothered by that fortune-teller¡¯s prediction.¡¯ Today, Kyosul returned to the Dongbi Palace at sunset after spending all day with Ruhae. After dinner, she spent the evening leisurely, but she stood up abruptly as she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She quickly looked around her room. The court ladies at the Dongbi Palace were reduced by half as it was dark. After dinner, her nanny did not keep an eye on her. She carefully walked out of her room. Muffling her steps, she quickly left the palace and headed for the south, bathed in the moonlight. The Namchon Palace was as familiar to Kyosul as the Dongbi Palace. Without looking around, she immediately knocked on the window of Ruhae¡¯s room. Knock, knock, knock. There was no light lit in the room. It was impossible that Ruhae had already gone to bed and didn¡¯t hear her knock. She began to feel cold in her fingertips, when a dim shadow came over the window. When she knocked on the window strongly, he opened window wide. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.efjpy5e1479db38c8a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.efjpy5e1479db38c8a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.efjpy5e1479db38c8a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.efjpy5e1479db38c8a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.efjpy5e1479db38c8a {display: block;}} ¡°Kyosul!¡± Ruhae, who found Kyosul outside the window, shouted in surprise and looked around, muffling his voice. ¡°How come you came here all of a sudden? At this time? It¡¯s dangerous! ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even my nanny didn¡¯t know I came here. I came to see you today because I have something to tell you right now. ¡± ¡°Now¡­ ?¡± Ruhae thought deeply, while Kyosul acted quickly. Of course, it was very rare that she came at this time. As he was so surprised, he just looked at her blankly, she reached out through the window. ¡°Are you going to keep me standing outside?¡± Ruhae pulled her with both hands through the window. As she crossed the window into the room, she got to the point even before she closed the window. ¡°Tell me honestly.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruhae turned back to her after closing the window with a latch. Unlike him who kept looking around and expressing concern about her sudden visit, she focused on the topic, looking only at him. ¡°You are still bothered by that ridiculous fortune-teller¡¯s prediction, right?¡± His eyes widened with surprise. ¡°¡­ Did you notice it? ¡± ¡°Very much.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hzhjc5e1479db38d33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hzhjc5e1479db38d33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hzhjc5e1479db38d33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hzhjc5e1479db38d33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hzhjc5e1479db38d33 {display: block;}} She grabbed his hands. They held hands tightly and sat side by side on the bed, looking at each other. She didn¡¯t ask why he paid so much attention to that fortune-teller. As she was in the same boat, she could know without asking. It was because of the relationship between the Crown Princess and the prince. It was because each of them had their own official spouse. Nevertheless, they were attracted to and loved each other. Just like she suddenly came and brought the topic, she continued, ¡°You told me the fortune-teller was trying to deceive us with his three-inch long tongue, right? That¡¯s a typical trick people like him use to make money by deceiving suckers on the streets.¡± He just grinned as she enthusiastically spoke. Excited by his laughter much more, she spoke heatedly, ¡°Do you remember him when he spat out words we couldn¡¯t understand and then suddenly lost interest in us and got lost in thoughts?¡± ¡°As if he were possessed by a spirit,¡± he said. ¡°Right. That was so fake. Very awkward. So, I noticed his trick. ¡± ¡°Did you notice it, too, at that time?¡± ¡°No, actually I was a bit confused at the time, but when I came back, I pondered over it. Perhaps he would have asked for more money if I had asked more questions.¡± He stroked her hair as if to calm her down. Her head was even hot as she spoke passionately. ¡°I know, I know. I think so. It just keeps occurring to my mind¡­.¡± Ruhae¡¯s eyes grew unfocused again. She thought of his sad eyes when he looked at her these days. She grabbed his hands with both hands. ¡°I already forgot everything. I don¡¯t remember what the heck he rambled about because he said too many strange and awkward words. ¡± ¡°Right. Nonsensical sentences. ¡± ¡°It looks like you were tricked because you are so smart. As you try to find out its meaning and interpretation by yourself¡­ ¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He pressed long kisses to her finger. With his lips still on her fingers, he continued to talk, ¡°It¡¯s not because of that fortune teller¡¯s prediction. It just amplified the anxiety that was already in my mind. I didn¡¯t control my fears and made you worry. I¡¯m still stupid.¡± His lips tickled her fingers. When his breath reached her fingers, she was touched by the warmth conveyed through her fingers. ¡°If we had not maintained this relationship or if we had not had any concern at all, we would have laughed off his prediction, ignoring it as just pure nonsense. ¡± ¡°You bet. But for this relationship¡­¡± This relationship. Something they could call ¡®this relationship¡¯ bothered them. ¡°But you have to remember this one thing.¡± As if trying to forget the pain, she looked at him, straining her eyes. ¡°You are the only person that I can give my heart to,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, same to me.¡± He put his hands on her cheeks. She put her hands on the back of his hands and spoke slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Every word reflected her genuine feelings. Her fingers crossed his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t be nervous,¡± she said tenderly, which touched his heart strongly. ¡°If no one knows this, or even if we can¡¯t tell this to anybody else¡­¡± Each of her words was emphasized. As if not to miss her tone, he listened carefully. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ieiil5e1479db38bd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ieiil5e1479db38bd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ieiil5e1479db38bd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ieiil5e1479db38bd1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ieiil5e1479db38bd1 {display: block;}} ¡°Because you are my man, and I am your woman.¡± My man. My one and only love. When Kyosul said that, there was silence between them for a while. Even though they didn¡¯t talk, their intense gazes spoke volumes. After looking at her for a long time, He leaned his forehead on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m leaning on you who cried inside the sedan chair.¡± It was anxiety and fear he brought upon himself. But now he realized that he didn¡¯t have to go through it by himself. He realized it through this young woman before his eyes. The month-long festival to celebrate the birthday of Ohyulje ended with the gathering of all the royal families again for a splendid banquet. The royal families who had spent a month or so in the palace returned to their homes a day or two after the banquet. All the palace people who were busy preparing for the festival were exhausted. And they received special allowances and vacations as they volunteered to serve royal families at the Imperial Palace banquet during the festival period when no one was forced to work. The special bonus they received was bigger than any other cash award. Chapter 107 As there were so many volunteers to work during the festival period, they had to be chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who stayed at the palace during the festival went on vacation, but those who enjoyed the festival returned to the palace. The Imperial Palace soon forgot about the banquet and grew quiet again. The imperial palace was quiet and empty after the national festival was over. Kyosul decided to visit the flower garden for the first time in a long time. As only royal family members and high-ranking officials could enter the garden, she left for it without her nanny. As she mainly visited her favorite places in the garden, they were familiar to her. Since she used to walk around the garden alone, she felt more comfortable without the court ladies. ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! We¡¯re honored to see you!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fuwtg5e1479dad5897 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fuwtg5e1479dad5897 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fuwtg5e1479dad5897 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fuwtg5e1479dad5897 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fuwtg5e1479dad5897 {display: block;}} The soldiers who guarded the main gate now recognized Kyosul, which made her feel rather awkward. Unlike the imperial palace she was familiar with, she crossed the gate, feeling uncomfortable with their greetings. The flower garden was full of autumn flowers boasting fine appearances. She momentarily wondered if there were any winter flowers among them as the garden was full of seasonal flowers in full bloom. At that moment, somebody hugged her side suddenly. She screamed in surprise. Then, the small shadow that embraced her looked up at her with a sad expression. ¡°Ayamama, don¡¯t you like Mu?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.twzhu5e1479dad57e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.twzhu5e1479dad57e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.twzhu5e1479dad57e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.twzhu5e1479dad57e0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.twzhu5e1479dad57e0 {display: block;}} It was Ohyulje¡¯s grandson Mu. Confirming him, she shook her head, blushing. ¡°No, no. I was just surprised as you came up suddenly. ¡± Then, when she caressed his cheek, he smiled brightly, released his hands holding her and jumped up and down. ¡°Nobody is playing with me, so I¡¯m bored, so I came here to watch the flowers and I found the best flower! Ayamama is prettier than all the flowers here, and I like Ayamama best!¡± While babbling like that, he pulled her hand. ¡°Where are you going, prince Mu?¡± ¡°I would like to show you something. As I play here the most, I know this place best! ¡± He was so happy to bump into her at the flower garden that he ran holding her hand. Although she was surprised at first, she gladly walked with him with a smile as he cheered while running around. Walking around the garden with him, Mu told her about the flowers. What did he do in this large palace without his friends? There was no entertainment for him in the palace other than being cared for by a nanny and learning from many teachers. As a result, he always visited the flower garden for enjoyment. Thanks to his frequent visits, he inadvertently gained a thorough knowledge of flowers while he played in the flower garden alone for a long time. As he babbled about the details of many flowers, Mu¡¯s nanny thought he loved flowers. She gave him a book about flowers. He quickly absorbed lots of knowledge about flowers, as if he were dry land and it was water. He was well versed enough to identify any flower instantly as soon as he saw it. ¡°Are you bored because you have no friends?¡± When she asked him, who was busy explaining to her about flowers at the moment, he shut up and quickly became sullen. Drooping his head, he nodded. She felt so much pity for him. At that moment, she hit upon a good idea. ¡°It would be nice if you invite a friend here.¡± ¡°Friend?¡± ¡°Yes, a friend.¡± Bending her knees at his eye level, she said, stroking his hair. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.esvqb5e1479dad583e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.esvqb5e1479dad583e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.esvqb5e1479dad583e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.esvqb5e1479dad583e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.esvqb5e1479dad583e {display: block;}} Tilting his head, he scratched his face and said, ¡°What do you mean by friend?¡± ¡°Oh, what I mean is inviting some friends that are your age to the palace for a little prince like you who is bored.¡± ¡°Wow, can I get a friend then?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Listening to her, he smiled, opening his arms wide and turning round and round. ¡°Please ask you mom, Princess Oran. Please ask her to get you friends.¡± When she mentioned Oran, he suddenly stopped turning round and round. Feeling dizzy as he kept turning round and round, he jumped into her arms and whined. ¡°Mom is scary. I was scolded severely today. I asked daddy to play with me, but she scolded me, saying daddy was very busy with handling state affairs. She told me I shouldn¡¯t disturb him. I like my mom, but I like you better. You are beautiful and fair-skinned, and I want to protect you!¡± While he was whining, he turned the topic and talked about her. With a little smile, he kissed on her cheek. Feeling sorry for him, she was touched by his kiss and felt warm toward him @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.nicsc5e1479dad58f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.nicsc5e1479dad58f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.nicsc5e1479dad58f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.nicsc5e1479dad58f4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.nicsc5e1479dad58f4 {display: block;}} ¡®How lovely he is! I envy Princess Oran.¡¯ She was about to hug him when she heard some sharp voice from somewhere. ¡°Mu! How come you are being so rude to her like a spoiled child?¡± Stunned by someone¡¯s sudden scolding, he pulled himself away from Kyosul. ¡°Huh? Mom¡­ ¡± Standing upright, he folded his hands and bowed. He quickly corrected his attitude, which suggested he was used to it. It was Oran who appeared before him, giving him a severe scolding. Kyosul, who was bending her knees at the moment, stood up and greeted Oran. After greeting her quickly, Oran approached him and put her hands on his shoulders. And she pulled him to her side. Oran tightened her grip on his shoulders. When she pressed on his shoulders hard with her fingers, he got scared and looked up at her and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, mom.¡± When she saw his scared face, Oran felt she was so strict, so she smiled and got on her knees to make eye contact with him. ¡°No, I¡¯m wrong. What I mean is you should not treat her so informally as she is the Crown Princess.¡± Kyosul¡¯s face hardened a bit at her words. Though Oran¡¯s advice to Mu was understandable, Kyosul felt it was too harsh. Besides, her overly defensive attitude was also regrettable. ¡®Why is she trying not to trust me?¡¯ When Kyosul was thinking about it, Mu began to babble again, encouraged by Oran¡¯s soft voice. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to behave with manners in the future. By the way, please do me a favor.¡± ¡°Favor?¡± ¡°Yeah. Well, the Crown Princess tipped me off on this, I wish I had friends in the palace!¡± He shouted with an excited voice. The moment Oran heard ¡®friend,¡¯ her face hardened instantly. Standing straight, Oran turned to the Crown Princess and asked, ¡°What did you tell him?¡±¡±Yes, because he said he was so bored¡­¡± ¡°Mu is different from other children. How can you allow him to hang out with peers like those in private houses? No way. As Prince Heyjin delivered a baby girl, she will take care of him in a few years. I have not gotten him friends because I¡¯ve my own plan. So, don¡¯t let him toy with any vain ideas like that.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Though she wanted to refute her, Oran was Mu¡¯s mother. Kyosul¡¯s taking issue with her way of educating her son was a sensitive matter. Quickly finding out the point of their conversation, Mu became sullen again. He looked at Kyosul with his eyes drooped, which made her heart ache. ¡°That makes sense, but¡­¡± As soon as Kyosul began to say something, Oran hastily responded as if she read her intention. ¡°By the way, we¡¯re doing our best to educate him in the West Palace, so you don¡¯t have to pay attention to him. And it¡¯s also my duty to take care of him. If you try to help him, you might think I¡¯m not competent enough to raise him, right?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± She quickly tried to clarify her position when Oran gave her a long lecture on his education. Oran suddenly smiled and leaned forward. ¡°I really wish you didn¡¯t pay any attention to my son.¡± Oran bowed deeply. She had no choice but to turn her eyes away from him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.oybej5e1479dad5778 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.oybej5e1479dad5778 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.oybej5e1479dad5778 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.oybej5e1479dad5778 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.oybej5e1479dad5778 {display: block;}} He drooped his shoulders. Soon, Oran left the flower garden after bowing to her, taking Mu with her, who looked sullen. Thinking of Oran who was wary of her all the time, she was left alone in the flower garden. The wind blew and the petals fluttered. Some swaying petals fell down, blown by the wind. The petals falling on the ground seemed unusually lonely. ¡°What a cunning bitch!¡± Having sneered at Kyosul, Oran twisted her lips. She had a court lady take Mu back back to the West Palace, then crossed the Imperial Palace roughly. ¡°What the heck is that little young bitch? All the guys are captivated by her beauty¡­¡± Coarse and harsh words came out of her mouth continuously. In her eyes, even the cold-hearted Crown Prince, decorous Prince Ruhae, and even her husband Prince Binsung cast an interested glance at her. Now, her son Mu followed her, calling her Ayamama. All this annoyed Oran very much. Chapter 108 ¡°Let me see how long she can get around with that arrogant attitude.¡± Oran quickened her pace in great impatience. She soon crossed the main gate of the palace and was quickly escorted to the innermost room by a court lady on standby. Oran, who sent the owner of that room to the lower seat in the back and leaned against the bedside comfortably, greeted her in a nice tone. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± The other party replied in a reluctant voice, ¡°I¡¯m surprised you have come to see me in a shabby place like this.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bqdns5e1479da454a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bqdns5e1479da454a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bqdns5e1479da454a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bqdns5e1479da454a0 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bqdns5e1479da454a0 {display: block;}} Nevertheless, Oran smiled and responded with a more gentle voice. ¡°As the butterfly doesn¡¯t fly in the place of flowers here, how can¡¯t this place look shabby?¡± Flowers and butterflies. It was a common metaphor. It was Yomin, Prince Ruhae¡¯s official wife, that Oran visited. She already let the butterfly fly away. She decided not to wait a long time ago. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ziwdo5e1479da453f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ziwdo5e1479da453f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ziwdo5e1479da453f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ziwdo5e1479da453f6 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ziwdo5e1479da453f6 {display: block;}} But that didn¡¯t mean she could accept Oran¡¯s reckless sneering like this. Yomin¡¯s eyebrows were noticeably wriggling. She strained her eyes and looked at Oran sharply. She clenched her jaw, barely swallowed anger and spoke clearly, ¡°Princess Oran, watch your language, please.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the butterfly¡¯s whereabouts?¡± Yomin¡¯s face, who was seated in the lower mat, became hardened. Not caring at all, Oran added in a high-pitched tone, ¡°I have a lot of things to share with you about something.¡± Oran leaned back. She lay on the bed, as if it was her own dwelling place. The light coat covering her breast came off, revealing her shoulder line. She lifted her shoulders bewitchingly, showing off her full bosom. Yomin still sat with upright position, with her back straight, and looked down at Oran. Though she gazed at Yomin, Oran¡¯s eyes looked arrogant when she looked up at her, with her eyes half closed. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you, Princess Oran.¡± Yomin then added in a firm and monotonous tone slowly. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed by your sexual look.¡± At that moment Oran cut her off and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested about my story on the flower place that your butterfly has found?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to hear that at all!¡± For a moment, Yomin raised her voice and then shut up. She continued to say calmly, ¡°Furthermore, I don¡¯t think we have anything to share between you and me.¡± Yomin regained her composure. When it comes to controlling her mind, she had already grown accustomed to it over a decade. There was a moment of silence in her room. Yomin sat politely, with her head down slightly. Leaning against the bed arrogantly, Oran stared at her with a strange expression. Oran¡¯s eyes carefully scanned her without saying anything: the angle of her head that allows her not to see her, her firmly closed lips with a gentle smile, her red lips, the bridge of her small nose, her neatly trimmed eyebrows and her smooth white forehead. Oran¡¯s face, who was looking at Yomin closely, seemed to reflect nothing. But upon closer look, there was something like anger on it. It was the first time that anybody repeatedly refused Oran¡¯s request. No one dared to annoy her. So, she was shocked to learn that Yomin gave her a short shrift like this. Oran was dumbfounded and offended, which made her feign a smile. ¡®It¡¯s funny. Very funny.¡¯ Little did Oran think the woman before her would give her such entertainment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qfmpl5e1479da45451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qfmpl5e1479da45451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qfmpl5e1479da45451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qfmpl5e1479da45451 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qfmpl5e1479da45451 {display: block;}} She lifted one side of her lips for a smile and said in an annoying voice, ¡°I have been in the Imperial Palace for ten years and I thought I knew a lot about the Imperial Palace. But there are still many new and novel things around me. ¡± She never thought not only Kyosul but also Yomin would bother her so much ¡°Isn¡¯t the Imperial Palace also a fun place?¡± Yomin still didn¡¯t reply. There was no change in her facial expression. Oran stopped laughing and suddenly looked at her. She was again scanning her carefully. ¡°You¡­ . ¡± Oran¡¯s fingers fluttered in the air. She pointed the tip of her finger sharply at Yomin. ¡°You already know that, don¡¯t you?¡± Yomin did not answer. She didn¡¯t even bat an eye at all. In the end, Yomin asked in a firm voice, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You already know what I¡¯m talking about. Too much. ¡± Oran cut off her words and added, ¡°You already know everything.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care about where the butterfly is,¡± Yomin replied curtly. ¡°What the heck?¡± Both of them were now fully engaged in a war of nerves. Oran asked back, snorting high, ¡°I clearly mentioned ¡®a different flower place,¡¯ but you said you don¡¯t care?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal for a man to have a couple of women.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jndhw5e1479da454e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jndhw5e1479da454e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jndhw5e1479da454e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jndhw5e1479da454e1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jndhw5e1479da454e1 {display: block;}} ¡°Oh, that makes sense,¡± Oran said, shaking her head, and added, ¡°How generous you are!¡± ¡°As the wife of Prince Ruhae, I just serve him, no more or less.¡± ¡°Serving him as his wife?¡± Oran repeated Yomin¡¯s words. Her voice and eyes drifted through the air. ¡°So, what you mean is you are maintaining a nominal relationship with Prince Ruhae, not one between a man and a woman?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re smart!¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered. As you know, I¡¯ve been in the palace for more than 10 years in the Imperial Palace.¡± Oran replied in a sneering voice. She even tilted her head. Though they exchanged polite and peaceful conversation, it was full of mutual contempt. It was surprising that Oran, notorious for her hot temper, responded to Yomin without getting upset. Perhaps it was because Oran herself was well aware of her hot temper and restrained herself. In some respects, her arrogant attitude might have prompted Yomin to go on the offensive in a break with her usual self-defensive attitude. But Oran was also persistent. ¡°But as for this issue, I think you should really know it in your capacity as Prince Ruhae¡¯s official wife.¡± ¡°What?¡± Oran was so embarrassed by her icy response that she couldn¡¯t continue for a moment. But she soon pulled herself together and said, ¡°This is about Prince Ruhae.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested at all.¡± The woman turned her head away. Oran felt flabbergasted at her indifferent attitude. Things didn¡¯t work out as she wished today. Oran, frustrated, sprang to her feet then sat upright. Though the thin coat came off her shoulders, she didn¡¯t care. Oran leaned forward and stared at her eyes for a while. ¡°You haven¡¯t yet heard what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to make a fuss about it.¡± ¡°It looks like you already know the fact when you say you don¡¯t want to cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Whatever the problem, if I know too much, it will cause trouble in one way or another. Anyway, I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble. I don¡¯t want it. I just want to keep the status quo. So, I don¡¯t want to know about any news that I don¡¯t want.¡± Yomin was adamant. She didn¡¯t want to listen to Oran, no matter what she brought with her. And she shut her mouth, and didn¡¯t give Oran any chance to say anything. Oran also shut up because of her tough stance. Though she shut up, Oran couldn¡¯t think straight. ¡®Does she really know all about it? Or doesn¡¯t she want to know about any specific thing? She doesn¡¯t have any reason to resist like this.¡¯ It was difficult to figure out what Yomin was thinking. And she was very good at managing her facial expression. There ensued silence between them. It looked like Yomin was consistently indifferent. In the end, Oran said with a feigned smile, ¡°Well, I think it was good that I came to this place today. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re such a great woman.¡± Yomin just looked at Oran silently. Oran stood up with a bright smile. ¡°The West Palace, my place, is always open. If you¡¯re too bored and wondering about it later, just come over and talk.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.tywug5e1479da45390 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.tywug5e1479da45390 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.tywug5e1479da45390 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.tywug5e1479da45390 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tywug5e1479da45390 {display: block;}} Yomin didn¡¯t take Oran¡¯s final card favorably. After offering greetings out of courtesy, Yomin completely took her eyes from her. The noise of Oran closing the door as she left the room was heard loudly. Yomin flopped down on the bed. Though she barely put her hands on the floor, she couldn¡¯t raise her head that drooped down. ¡°Madame!¡± Bojin, who was standing, leaning against the wall all along, came to her, surprised. Wrapping her with both hands, Bojin helped her. ¡°What the heck was Prince Ruhae doing? How come he was caught by such a cunning woman?¡± Yomin lamented, thinking about him. Tears came down her cheeks, with her lament. ¡°Oh my god! Our poor madame¡­¡± Bojin wiped her cheeks wet with tears. ¡°Good job! You made it. You beat her. You were strong!¡± Bojin comforted her. Yomin put her head on Bojin¡¯s bosom and leaned on her. Though she was small, Bojin supported her, full of reassurances. Chapter 109 Bojin soothed and gently pat Yomin¡¯s back, wiping tears from her cheeks as she trembled. Her tenderness made Yomin all the more sad. ¡°How can Prince Ruhae be so mean to you, who are so beautiful?¡± Bojin blamed the prince in a disrespectful manner. Not caring about Bojin¡¯s remarks, she asked, ¡°Do I need to tell him that he should be careful?¡± ¡°Well, do what you want. I¡¯m always on your side. I will follow your will.¡± Bojin wanted to stop Yomin deep inside, but she wanted to be on the misfortunate queen¡¯s side unconditionally. Hearing that, Yomin shook her head. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gwsxn5e1479da11a33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gwsxn5e1479da11a33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gwsxn5e1479da11a33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gwsxn5e1479da11a33 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gwsxn5e1479da11a33 {display: block;}} ¡°No, no. I don¡¯t want to tell him. I can hardly see him.¡± Yomin shook her head countless times, hoping she could shake off her idle thoughts about Ruhae and Kyosul. It was because of the wind. The wind blew and cluttered up her thoughts. The wind even messed up her mind. Nobody could stop the work of the wind. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dzsnh5e1479da11992 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dzsnh5e1479da11992 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dzsnh5e1479da11992 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dzsnh5e1479da11992 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dzsnh5e1479da11992 {display: block;}} The cold wind whirled around the palace. The winter was advancing quickly. The eaves and stone walls of the Imperial Palace were covered splendidly decorated with white snow. Time passed quietly in the palace with lots of secrets. There was a loud noise heard in the quiet palace one day. The source of the noise was the Dongbi Palace, where Kyosul was located. The nanny let the tray slip from her hands while coming into Kyosul¡¯s room with some snacks on it. Teapot, teacups and plates of sweets fell on the floor and shattered into pieces. Yellow tea spilled across the floor. ¡°You Highness¡­¡± With her face turning white and her hands trembling, the nanny approached her. Kyosul was looking at it, covering her mouth with both hands. The tray was full of delicious dishes, but she frowned as if it was horrible food waste. ¡°Wook! Wook!¡± She had nausea and threw up twice, but she didn¡¯t vomit any food. She just felt nauseous, but there was no vomit. That was the real problem. ¡°Nanny, please put away the food tray!¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± While feeling unwell because of her continuing nausea, she pointed to a plate on the tray. What she pointed to was a braised fish. After she stopped stroking her back, the nanny left with the plate with braised fish and some other plates that smelled badly. A little later when the smell of the side dishes disappeared, Kyosul stopped feeling nauseous. Coming back into the room, the nanny let the court ladies on standby leave the place for a moment. They could now talk to each other freely without being overheard by them. The nanny approached Kyosul and slowly stroke her back. She looked at Kyosul with a nervous look and then began to ask very carefully. ¡°Your Highness, can you figure out what¡¯s the cause of your nausea?¡± Nausea was not unusual. If one¡¯s stomach didn¡¯t feel well, one could have nausea anytime. But Kyosul didn¡¯t have a weak stomach. And most of all, there was a problem naturally associated with her vague nausea. The moment she saw Kyosul feeling nauseous due to the food, something quickly occurred to her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zrjuj5e1479da119e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zrjuj5e1479da119e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zrjuj5e1479da119e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zrjuj5e1479da119e4 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zrjuj5e1479da119e4 {display: block;}} Feeling the nanny¡¯s trembling hands, Kyosul lowered her hardened face. ¡°¡­ Come to think of it.¡± Only then the nanny remembered that Kyosul hadn¡¯t had a period recently. When she was reproaching herself for not having paid a little more attention to Kyosul, she grabbed the nanny¡¯s hands and said, ¡°I wonder if I have gotten pregnant.¡± Her voice trembled. In fact, it was Kyosul who was shivering with fear the most right now. The nanny replied in a soothing voice to calm her down. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it may be. I think you had better call the royal doctor to examine you¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± She stopped the nanny. Hanging on the nanny¡¯s arm, she desperately shook her head. ¡°Never, ever. It just doesn¡¯t make sense that I have gotten pregnant.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Having said that, the nanny suddenly shut up. Kyosul was Bipaan¡¯s official wife. And Bipaan didn¡¯t visit her recently, so she would be in big trouble if it became known that she was pregnant. This was a serious problem that could lead to an international dispute between the Mok Kingdom and the Hwa Kingdom. The two bowed their heads silently for a moment. Lots of complex thoughts came to their minds. And Kyosul said in a firm voice, ¡°First of all, please send a message to Prince Ruhae, requesting him to come to my place urgently.¡± In no time, Ruhae arrived at the Dongbi Palace. Never did he visit there during broad daylight. Ruhae was also very surprised and nervous about her unexpected message. Both of them met secretly in her room. As they were face to face, there was no longing for each other at the moment. Kyosul was pale and her mouth was closed while Ruhae, who was nervous about her expression, could not open his mouth. A heavy silence continued between them. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wxxle5e1479da11a84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wxxle5e1479da11a84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wxxle5e1479da11a84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wxxle5e1479da11a84 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wxxle5e1479da11a84 {display: block;}} Finally Kyosul barely opened her mouth. ¡°Ruhae!¡± She trembled as soon as she spoke. He clenched his fists on his knees. ¡°What if we have a baby?¡± she asked in a feeble voice. His eyes widened in surprise. He couldn¡¯t breathe at the moment in embarrassment. Barely breathing, he quickly regained his breath and asked, ¡°What do you mean? Oh, Kyousul, I can¡¯t believe that¡­¡± He was quick-witted enough to know what she was trying to say. She put her hands naturally towards her lower belly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. However, there are already several signs that I am pregnant¡­¡± ¡°Kyosul!¡± He immediately came beside her. Even before she knew it, she was already wrapped in his arms. His long arms wrapped around her whole body, and his broad shoulders supported her head as he embraced. His lips gently touched her cheek. He kissed her gently again and again. He kissed every part of her body that he could touch. ¡°Thank you very much. Thank you.¡± He kept repeating the same words as if those were the only words he knew. She could shake off anxiety and tension in his arms. She closed her eyes. Tears streamed from her closed eyes, but she smiled in joy. She shed happy tears. She felt everything would work alright. Such vague optimism sprang up as long as she was with him, she thought she could overcome any difficulties. ¡®What¡¯s the big deal?¡¯ She thought like that. Ruhae did not say much. He just hugged Kyosul tightly. He kept hugging her, kissing her and said lots of kind words. That was enough. *** ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡± She went out of the palace secretly and went to see several doctors. Dressed in shabby commoners¡¯ clothes, Kyosul and her nanny looked like typical ordinary women outside the palace. Doctors checked her pulse without any suspicion and came up with the same answer. Pregnancy. After returning to the Dongbi Palace, neither Kyosul nor the nanny spoke. As it was dark, Kyosul¡¯s room became darker, but they didn¡¯t light the lamp. The fact that she conceived a new life was really something to celebrate, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°You knew it, didn¡¯t you?¡± the nanny asked feebly. ¡°It¡¯s okay because I already expected it.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± the nanny could not say more than that. Suddenly Kyosul jumped up from her seat. Nanny looked up at her in surprise. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­ I have to go and see Crown Prince Bipaan now.¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Following her, the nanny stopped Kyosul at the door. ¡°Your Highness, what are you going to do? What the heck are you going to say to the Crown Prince? No, you shouldn¡¯t. He¡¯ll be in big trouble. You should never tell him about this.¡± ¡°Well, what should I do? Do you want me to hide my pregnancy and deliver a baby secretly after ten months?¡± In the end, Kyosul shed tears in a loud voice, shivering with fear. She knew her own condition long ago. Even without the royal doctor¡¯s examination, she knew she was pregnant. In her little womb, a little baby was growing life. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.owhwy5e1479da11938 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.owhwy5e1479da11938 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.owhwy5e1479da11938 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.owhwy5e1479da11938 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.owhwy5e1479da11938 {display: block;}} She covered her belly. ¡°I would do anything for this baby.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know what it meant to be a mother, she could do whatever she had to for her baby. She had to. *** As it was winter, the imperial palace was lonely and quiet. In particular, the East Palace, Bipaan¡¯s residency, was particularly empty because the court ladies knew his character hid their emotions and led a quiet life. Bipaan, the owner of the East Palace, usually read books in his library or in his room when he was in his residence. He always spent quiet time alone. But today he was meeting another person. As it was winter with few sunlight, Kyosul, whose face looked more pale, sat still in front of Bipaan. ¡°I am a busy man. If you are sitting here like this and don¡¯t want to say anything, just go back. ¡± Chapter 110 It had been thirty minutes after she came into his room that Bipaan opened his mouth. She flinched at his cold voice and lowered her head on the floor, shivering with fear. A little surprised by her sudden actions, he opened his eyes wide. ¡°What are you doing? Please raise your head now. ¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Her trembling voice was unusual. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.adzye5e1479da9aa69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.adzye5e1479da9aa69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.adzye5e1479da9aa69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.adzye5e1479da9aa69 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.adzye5e1479da9aa69 {display: block;}} Bipaan removed the desk between them and reached out for her small figure. The moment he was about to stand up and approach her, Kyosul opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry and embarrassed. I have gotten pregnant.¡± His hands reaching out to her stopped in the air. Silence ensued between them. Time seemed to stop. Kyosul was shivering before him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.vdbex5e1479da9a9b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.vdbex5e1479da9a9b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.vdbex5e1479da9a9b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.vdbex5e1479da9a9b2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.vdbex5e1479da9a9b2 {display: block;}} Stiffening like a statue, he stepped back and sat on the cushion. He touched his forehead. His body, which had been still for a while, trembled slightly and then he suddenly turned his head back towards her. ¡°Pahahahahaha!¡± There came out a man¡¯s laughter from the East Palace. The people in the palace looked toward his room in surprise. There was only one man living here, and only one man with that voice. Bipaan¡¯s laughter burst out from his room. Bipaan was laughing now, with his head turned back, in the biggest and most hearty voice ever. It was really astonishing, given his quiet character and reticence. Stunned by his reaction, she stiffened, stricken with fear. She barely raised her head and looked at him. He was tightening his grip on a long pillow next to the cushion as if expressing some indescribable feelings. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking deep inside at the moment. ¡®Pregnant?¡¯ Bipaan had no choice but to laugh at the fact that his wife got pregnant. It was the first time that he laughed so heartily. His laughing, which continued for a while, suddenly ended. Raising his head straight, he looked straight at her. Meeting his eyes, she was embarrassed once again. His face was always expressionless, but he was smiling now. ¡°Oh, my official wife is pregnant? It couldn¡¯t be better news for me.¡± ¡°Well, Your Highness¡­.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t visited and slept with you recently. How come you are pregnant?¡± Although she was determined to face the music, her eyes got wet as soon as she heard his sarcastic voice. . ¡°This is something ordinary people can¡¯t understand, but I can understand from my point of view. So, that¡¯s the only way you had to choose to stop their rumors about you, right?¡± She couldn¡¯t respond at all. She couldn¡¯t open her dry lips anymore.He continued to speak softly, ¡°Tonight let me come and see you, so be prepared.¡± That was it. He did not speak any further. ¡°As I solved your anxiety, leave,¡± he said, with a smile. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jffue5e1479da9aa10 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jffue5e1479da9aa10 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jffue5e1479da9aa10 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jffue5e1479da9aa10 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jffue5e1479da9aa10 {display: block;}} His actions gave her much greater fear than when he was expressionless. Confused by his incomprehensible action, she didn¡¯t even think of raising herself. Watching her briefly, he threw a small pillow on the floor and shouted angrily, ¡°I told you to go immediately! Get out! Let me come and see you, okay?¡± Getting angry at her in an unprecedented loud voice, he smiled again. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she stood up in astonishment. With her vision blurred by tears, she stumbled out after barely bowing to him. She was grateful to him because he said he would come and see her even before she asked him, but she was more scared about him because he didn¡¯t ask or blame her. And that loud laughter of his and his scolding. Her legs trembled in fear. She barely moved her steps out of the East Palace, crying. Left alone, Bipaan was still smiling, putting his chin on the back of his hand and leaning his arm on a long pillow. He was smiling. It was only a smile that came out immediately after he heard Kyosul¡¯s ridiculous confession. He had no other choice but to smile. ¡°She is pregnant? Huuuuuu¡­¡± He quietly closed his eyes. It was clear who was the father of her baby. ¡°Ruhae¡­¡± Bipaan bit his lip. A thin blood flowed through his tightly lipped mouth. *** @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.lenru5e1479da9aac5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.lenru5e1479da9aac5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.lenru5e1479da9aac5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.lenru5e1479da9aac5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.lenru5e1479da9aac5 {display: block;}} Winter nights came early. As soon as the sun set and it was dark, a group of court ladies entered the Dongbi Palace. In front of them was Bipaan in a brilliant blue coat. At his unexpected visit, people at the Dongbi Palace moved busily, not hiding their joy. However, their busy movement stopped at once when he raised one hand. ¡°Don¡¯t bring in any food or drinks. All the court ladies, leave now!¡± He was back to his former self with an expressionless face and a low voice. At his order, they bowed to him and left quickly. Finally, the nanny left Kyosul¡¯s room and returned to the court ladies¡¯ dwelling palace. A heavy silence fell over the palace. Looking at the shadow of the dark Dongbi Palace for a while, Bipaan slowly climbed over the stepping stones. He opened the main door and went into Kyosul¡¯s room. Kyosul was brilliantly decorated as she had been on their wedding night. The white dress decorated with sparkling, transparent gemstones reflected the light of the swaying lantern. A thin, see-through skirt and a thin coat cover her.. A golden dragon hairpin held her black hair turned up, and colorful, floral and butterfly ornaments decorated the side of her hair. Jewels were embedded in the ends of the beautifully twisted branches of the ornaments. The rouge on her lips made her little white face seem more vibrant. Her hair accessories waved from the wind blowing from somewhere. Small jewels hit against each other with clinking sound. A soft and sweet fragrance came out of the sachet hung in an invisible place. Kyosul was sitting on the bed, with her head down. Her face turned white at the sound of the door opening. Bipaan was smiling again. ¡°Why did you put on all those ornaments that you won¡¯t touch anyway?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you sneering at me?¡± ¡°Why should I sneer at you?¡± ¡°I¡­ . ¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak at the moment. His little laugh picked up where she couldn¡¯t finish her words. She felt goosebumps at the moment. Although she wished he would smile as he was always expressionless, this kind of laughter was not she wanted. While heading for the cushion in her room, he stopped and suddenly turned around to come to her bed. When he stopped right before her eyes, she trembled with fear. She closed her eyes. Her tightly closed lips gleamed red. She felt his warm touch. She felt the warmth coming from the air. At the touch of his fingertips, she felt the warmth spreading all over her body. After slowly sweeping her cheeks, his hand hovered around her mouth and down to her chin, jaw line, earlobes and neck. In no time, the ornaments hanging on her were taken out one by one and fell to the floor. The ornaments cluttered and rang clear sounds. Finally, the golden dragon hairpin fell. The hairpin, which was always shining on her head, rolled across the floor like other ornaments. Looking down at the dragon decoration that fell on the floor, tears came down from her eyes. As the ornaments fell out, her hair fell down and around her shoulders over her white coat. As Bipaan gently pushed her forehead, she fell backward. Her black hair scattered across the bed. The thin cloth of her jacket came off, revealing her shoulders. She looked up at him with trembling eyes. Looking at her disorderly appearance for a moment, he stepped back and sat on the cushion. It was so quiet that even his breathing could not be heard. She lay on the bed and shed tears silently. He was sitting on the cushion, leaning against the wall. His smile was still there. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ausbg5e1479da9a94a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ausbg5e1479da9a94a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ausbg5e1479da9a94a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ausbg5e1479da9a94a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ausbg5e1479da9a94a {display: block;}} His smiling face looked really great. His eyes were closed, highlighting his long eyelashes. His sharp nose rose high, and his exposed jawline was sharply slanted. ¡°The baby is¡­¡± She opened its eyes. ¡°If the baby is a girl, she will be the crown princess, and if the baby is a boy, he will be the crown prince. As a girl, she will enjoy luxuries that no other girl can afford, and she will grow up in abundance. She will eventually marry the prince of a royal family or kingdom. As a boy, he will be the crown prince of the Mok Kingdom succeeding me, and emerge as the emperor of the Mok Emperor,¡± he said in a soft voice. However, Kyosul heard his voice, trembling like a leaf. ¡°He will be born and raised as my own flesh.¡± She put her hands on her mouth to stop crying. Although she covered it with both hands, the sound of her feeble weeping was coming out through her fingers, but his calm voice was not disturbed. He went on quietly, ¡°When I become the emperor, this baby will be the only crown princess or prince, and you will be the empress, and Ruhae will be appointed as the king of a prince state on the periphery of the Mok Empire.¡± Her eyes were opened wide in surprise. Chapter 111 Ruhae. Never did she expect that she would hear his name at this moment. ¡®I can¡¯t cover the sky with the palm of my hand¡­¡¯ she thought to herself. She could cover her mouth with both hands but not the sky. She didn¡¯t mean to. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.mqnwr5e1479da08c5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.mqnwr5e1479da08c5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.mqnwr5e1479da08c5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.mqnwr5e1479da08c5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.mqnwr5e1479da08c5c {display: block;}} Hearing Bipaan mentioning Ruhae made her feel like it was all over. She felt drained. She rested her arms on the bed casually and breathed out lightly. She was not sure if he could hear her breathing, but she couldn¡¯t hear his voice anymore. And neither of them went to sleep. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kkxbr5e1479da08bae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kkxbr5e1479da08bae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kkxbr5e1479da08bae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kkxbr5e1479da08bae {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kkxbr5e1479da08bae {display: block;}} Time passed silently in the darkness. Eventually, a ray of sunshine came through the window. When the sunlight reached Bipaan on the cushion mat, he got up and went straight to the door. When he touched the door to open it, he turned and asked her on the bed, ¡°Do you know what my name is?¡± He felt bitter. When he heard it eleven years ago, he never forgot his name literally meant ¡®cold rain.¡¯ Foolishly enough, he never thought of telling her about his name, and she was unaware of his name until then. Her heart sank. ¡°Ahn. Danmok Ahn.¡± Having said that, he went out of her room. She just sat on the bed for a long time after he left the room. Only now did she know that his name was Ahn, which meant ¡®hill¡¯. The imperial palace, which was quiet and empty as usual during the winter, suddenly became noisy because of Kyosul¡¯s pregnancy. The palace people were full of joy when they heard about her pregnancy, which came on the close heels of Princess Heyjin¡¯s deliverance of baby girl Koryon. Royal doctors went to the Dongbi Palace several times and confirmed that she was pregnant. In particular, the court ladies at the Dongbi Palace rejoiced as if they had something to celebrate at their homes. Royal doctors offered herbal decoction for the baby in her womb. Concubine Sassi, whom Kyosul treated as her mother, stopped by her residence every day, but Kyosul didn¡¯t hear from her only friend, Kyoyoung, Bipaan¡¯s second wife. Though Kyosul seemed to know the reason, she could not hide her bitter feelings. One day when Kyosul was keeping well amid the palace people¡¯s affectionate attention, Kyoyoung, who she lost track of for sometime, visited her in a long time. There was an awkward silence between the two women facing each other. Kyoyoung put her teacup on the refreshment tray with a thump. Kyosul was surprised at that and looked at her face. ¡°Kyoyoung¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that, Your Highness!¡± She suddenly felt scared at her voice as Kyoyoung used to speak in a kind voice. Kyosul felt cold sweat rolling down her back. After looking at Kyosul with mixed feelings for a while, she said just one word, ¡°Congratulations!¡± But her facial expression reflected that her feelings that were the opposite of congratulations as she bit her lip. Kyoyoung¡¯s bloodshot eyes focused on Kyosul. At that moment tears came down from her red, unblinking eyes. ¡°Kyoyoung!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked you not to call me that.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sivci5e1479da08c05 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sivci5e1479da08c05 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sivci5e1479da08c05 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sivci5e1479da08c05 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sivci5e1479da08c05 {display: block;}} Although Kyosul called her name, embarrassed by her sudden tears, Kyoyoung responded coldly. Kyosul quickly pulled back. ¡°I¡¯m a princess, and I¡¯m not your friend or sister at all!¡± In the end, Kyoyoung raised her voice. Kyosul lowered her head. After speaking out her mind, Kyoyoung sprang to her feet with a flush. Kyosul couldn¡¯t stop her from leaving. The court ladies on standby opened the door, sensing Kyoyoung¡¯s approaching the door. When she was about to cross the door, Kyosul said feebly, ¡°Are you not going to stay as my friend?¡± The last words she barely uttered were muffled by the sound of her closing the door with a bang. Kyosul could understand her feelings. On the surface, it was natural that Kyosul was pregnant as Bipaan¡¯s wife. Kyosul was scared of Bipaan from the moment she met him, but Kyoyoung felt different. She had been missing him for a long time and even confessed to Kyosul that she still loved him. Kyosul never imagined how betrayed she felt when she heard about Kyosul¡¯spregnancy. But Kyosul couldn¡¯t tell her the truth about her baby¡¯s biological father to soothe Kyoyoung. She had to hide it to the end. The only known fact outsiders should know was that Bipaan spent one night in Kyosul¡¯s room and she got pregnant after that. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.fgdyo5e1479da08cb2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.fgdyo5e1479da08cb2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.fgdyo5e1479da08cb2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.fgdyo5e1479da08cb2 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.fgdyo5e1479da08cb2 {display: block;}} If the truth about the baby was known, she, Ruhae and her baby would be in grave danger. As she couldn¡¯t tell the truth to Kyoyoung, she agonized by herself. She now lost the only friendship she had in this barren palace. She could no longer expect to speak to Kyoyoung as a friend. Although she understood Kyoyoung¡¯s sense of betrayal and anger, she felt sorry for her own fate as she couldn¡¯t comfort Kyoyoung. *** Suddenly, Ruhae visited Kyosul as she was relaxing in her room. He was accompanied by lots of palace officials who had numerous books and stationery in their hands With a smile on his face, he entered the room with a book in hand. They waited outside her room. ¡°May the Crown Princess live long! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± As if he was conscious of the court ladies on standby outside the room, Ruhae only bowed gently this time. Looking at the pile of books they were holding, she opened her eyes wide. Standing up from the cushion mat hesitantly, Ruhae approached her. ¡°Prince Ruhae, what business has brought you here?¡± ¡°I received the emperor¡¯s order. From now on, I¡¯m going to be your teacher,¡± replied Ruhae with a bright smile. ¡°To put it more accurately, I¡¯m going to be your baby¡¯s teacher.¡± Ruhae was known as the most erudite and scholastic figure among many literary men in the palace. Of course, there were many learned scholars in other palaces, but he had lots of interest in classics from the beginning, so he could interpret most of classics by himself, so much so that even his teacher recognized Ruhae¡¯s deep learning. It was natural that he was chosen as the teacher in charge of a princess¡¯ prenatal education. After she was briefed by Ruhae about his new assignment, she was even more surprised to know that she had to read all the books they were holding in their hands. ¡°Do you mean I need to read all those books for prenatal education?¡± ¡°Well, you can raise your baby as a member of the outstanding royal family only when you know about the Mok Kingdom well.¡± Ruhae was adamant in this regard. She let out a little sigh, looking down at her belly and picked up a book. The palace officials put the books they were holding in the library of the Dongbi Palace and arranged them before leaving the palace. Led by Ruhae to the library, she sat down at the desk and turned the pages of a book. Nonetheless, he was all smiles. ¡°Are you really well versed in learning, Ruhae?¡± ¡°Well, I have memorized the contents of all these books.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± While looking at him with suspicion, she turned over the pages of the book that she was holding, and asked quickly, ¡°What is the fifth line on page forty six of this book?¡± ¡°Well, do you think I can answer if you ask like that?¡± ¡°Please try to answer.¡± In response to her mischievous challenge, he shook his head as if she was helpless and said in a low voice, ¡°This is what it says there. When King Sokjong said, ¡®The most important factor in a prince¡¯s qualities is his character. How can a prince without character rule his people?¡¯ His son Taemunjang bowed to him¡­¡± Discovering that he recited the same phrases correctly, she was aghast and her mouth fell open. ¡°I¡¯m amazed how you can memorize and recite it verbatim. Are you sure you¡¯re a human?¡± ¡°I told you already that I memorized everything. I am not lying.¡± ¡°But I just wonder how you can memorize the exact line of the exact page in the book.¡± Grinning at her who was grumbling, he stroked her head. She quietly smile and gently closed her eyes. He then looked at her and carefully put his hand on her belly. ¡°Maybe this baby will grow to be very smart.¡± When she opened her eyes briefly, she looked into his eyes. The two exchanged a happy smile for a moment, but suddenly her expression grew dark. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hcugy5e1479da08b4f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hcugy5e1479da08b4f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hcugy5e1479da08b4f {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hcugy5e1479da08b4f {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hcugy5e1479da08b4f {display: block;}} He seemed to know the reason for it, so his expression also hardened a bit. But he tried to smile at her because she would feel more stressed if he felt depressed like her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to everyone.¡± ¡°Everyone?¡± ¡°Yes, everyone including the emperor and the queen who are overjoyed to hear about my pregnancy, the emperor¡¯s concubines, Sassi, Princess Kyoyoung and even Crown Prince Bipaan¡­¡± While calling their names slowly, she was choked with tears. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, but I¡¯m so afraid and sorry at the same time. However¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s our baby. As everybody congratulate you, please deliver a baby happily. ¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know well¡­¡± Her eyes trembled nervously. Chapter 112 Ruhae felt heavy while he was putting his hand on her belly. Putting her hands on his, she closed her eyes. In her womb a baby was growing. If the truth about the baby was discovered, no one would forgive it. ¡°Bipaan told me that he will send you to a prince state in the border area and appoint you as its prince regent.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not common to receive such a royal title, so I am so happy to hear that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad because you¡¯re going to be away from me and my baby in a faraway prince kingdom.¡± In the end, the tears welling in her eyes began to come down her cheeks. When she cried, he could no longer smile at her as if he was indifferent. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ptkqq5e1479d97b08b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ptkqq5e1479d97b08b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ptkqq5e1479d97b08b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ptkqq5e1479d97b08b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ptkqq5e1479d97b08b {display: block;}} He kissed her tears and said, ¡°Shall we just run away?¡± ¡°Ruhae?¡± ¡°Shall we just escape to a faraway place secretly with our baby where nobody in the Mok Kingdom can reach us?¡± She was restless. He mentioned the idea when they met at the royal guest house in Kongrimok in the southern area in early autumn. ¡°Ruhae, that matter is¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.easuw5e1479d97afe8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.easuw5e1479d97afe8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.easuw5e1479d97afe8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.easuw5e1479d97afe8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.easuw5e1479d97afe8 {display: block;}} She had no choice but to take a dim view of his idea. Despite her disapproving reponse, he continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it since I talked to you about it in Kongrimok. The more I love you, the more I thought about it. Even when you turned away from me, I looked toward the Dongbi Palace and thought about climbing over the palace wall after carrying you on my back. Of course, I was worried you might have a hard time adjusting to life outside the palace, but as I was selfish, I thought you would just feel fine and relaxed as long as you stayed with me, so I thought I would like to flee to a place nobody knew and live a happy life together¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ruhae. Please stop it.¡± Kyosul put her hand on his mouth. More tears came down from her eyes. Her hands were trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t know. If you tell me about it¡­¡± He looked at her gently and gently hugged her after putting down her trembling hands. ¡°You¡¯re fine, Kyosul, as you¡¯re young. That was my little selfish hope that I could stay by your side forever¡­ . ¡± He soon gave up the idea of escaping with her. ¡®As you are too young to understand my intention, I think I have to give up.¡¯ He felt a bit bitter, but she couldn¡¯t notice it because she was wrapped in his arms. ¡°I also want to stay with you, and I don¡¯t want to be separated from you. Why should he send you to the prince state?¡± When he was in his thoughts with her in his arms, he looked at her with a bright smile. She was a bit bewildered for a moment. Her tears stopped. ¡°I¡¯ve got a good idea. Although you need Bipaan¡¯s approval, I think I can stay with you for a very long time if he okays it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is I¡¯m going to be our baby¡¯s teacher. As I have already been in charge of your prenatal education, I can naturally become the baby¡¯s teacher. Maybe I can stay with him in the imperial palace until he comes of age. ¡± Forgetting that she cried until a moment ago, she clapped with a big smile. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s a good idea! I can stay with you for a long time.¡± This time she jumped into his arms. He stroked her back silently. Her joy was enough to hide his genuine feelings at the moment. As she was wrapped in his arms, she could not notice his sad look. Though he said that to reassure her, he knew Bipaan would not approve her request to have Ruhae as her baby¡¯s teacher. Her prenatal education immediately began. She learned about the history, literature, art, and many other fields in the morning. After having lunch, she took an hour¡¯s break then participated in a hands-on class. Although her daily schedule was tight, she was happy because her teacher was Ruhae. Although she had not eaten much, she had bad morning sickness. Lots of kitchen maids took special care of her food and snacks. After she was done having lunch a moment ago, she was enjoying some cookies when a court lady announced, ¡°Your Highness, the Queen has arrived!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.equtz5e1479d97b039 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.equtz5e1479d97b039 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.equtz5e1479d97b039 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.equtz5e1479d97b039 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.equtz5e1479d97b039 {display: block;}} A little later the door opened, and Queen Taeryeong came in. Kyosul stood up in amazement. As the queen arrived without any notice, Kyosul got cold feet momentarily and lowered her head hurriedly. ¡°Long live the Queen! I¡¯m honored to see you.¡± And then she was about to yield her upper seat to her, the queen, with her pet weasel around her neck, waved her hand and said, ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. Just sit in your place as you¡¯re pregnant.¡± ¡°How dare I sit in the upper seat before the queen?¡± she said in a trembling voice. It was the first time she met with the queen alone. She saw the queen briefly at a banquet at a distance. Kyosul was at a loss about what to do, even though the queen asked her to just sit down. Noticing her uncomfortable posture, Queen Taeryeong, holding her pet weasel on the shoulder, gently stroked its fur and smiled at her. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zuswm5e1479d97b0db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zuswm5e1479d97b0db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zuswm5e1479d97b0db {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zuswm5e1479d97b0db {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zuswm5e1479d97b0db {display: block;}} ¡°Are you going to make me feel pain in my neck? As you¡¯re pregnant, just sit. ¡± She was grateful to the queen for her kindness and sat back on the seat but kneeled, still feeling uncomfortable. When she was looking at the queen¡¯s white hand decorated with pointed nail ornaments gently stroking the weasel¡¯s fur, the nanny came in with her head down holding a refreshment tray and put it down before her politely. As she was already eating some cookies before the queen came in, the nanny placed tea and other kinds of snacks on the plate and left. When Kyosul was about to reach out and pour the tea into the teacup, the queen quickly picked up the teapot. ¡°Just make yourself at ease.¡± With a gentle smile, the queen poured tea into two small teacups, handed one to her and picked up another for herself. After sipping tea a bit, the queen put her hand on the weasel and asked, ¡°Do you know my pet¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Oh, I understand its name is Paekye.¡± As she heard its name in passing in the past, she was not so sure. ¡°Yes, correct. Its name is Paekye. It means a white lion. I really value it as I got it in my later years. ¡± The queen looked down at the weasel, Paekye, with a gentle gaze. Paekye, with its nose buried in her lapel, made a squeaking sound. As she put her hand on its face, the weasel licked her hand. As Kyosul looked at her cuddling Paekye blankly, the queen suddenly asked her. ¡°But it¡¯s a bit surprising.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The queen turned her eyes away from the weasel and looked at her. Though she was an old woman, her eyes were intense. ¡®Isn¡¯t she the queen of a great empire?¡¯ she thought to herself at that moment. Although she met her eyes very briefly, Kyosul flinched and trembled. She couldn¡¯t avoid her sharp and penetrating eyes. Fixing her gaze on Kyosul, she said, ¡°Although I am Bipaan¡¯s biological mother, I thought he would never open his heart to anybody, and I was convinced that I was right in my judgement. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t understand how come he ¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Although she responded quietly, her heart was beating fast. The queen correctly understood that part of Bipaan¡¯s character: his cold-heartedness. She continued, ¡°He¡¯s so cold-hearted. Though I¡¯m his biological mother, he is so formal even to me. When he looks at me with a cold look, I feel like I¡¯m being intimidated. Basically, he was born to be the crown prince and the emperor. I just wonder how he could kindly accept you¡­¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is a warm-hearted man.¡± Although she had been offended by Bipaan¡¯s cold attitude, she just listened to the queen when the latter began to complain about him. Clearly, Bipaan seemed to be able to read everyone¡¯s mind with that cool, sharp eye. But she remembered that his hands were really warm. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kzzrw5e1479d97af8e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kzzrw5e1479d97af8e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kzzrw5e1479d97af8e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kzzrw5e1479d97af8e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kzzrw5e1479d97af8e {display: block;}} In fact, his hands were warmer than anybody¡¯s that she touched so far. After she shut her mouth when Kyosul responded, she looked at Kyosul for a moment and then grinned all of a sudden. ¡°I was worried about you because you came here to get married at the emperor¡¯s order, but I think my concern was groundless. I¡¯m glad to know that you really understand Bipaan rightly.¡± The queen laughed. Kyosul also smiled like her, but could not smile comfortably. ¡®Understand him right?¡¯ In fact, she didn¡¯t. The only fact that she knew about him was that his hands were warm. Shortly after the queen left, the court day on standby called her again. ¡°Princess Heyjin wants to inquire about you.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± Chapter 113 The door opened and Hyejin came in with Koryun in her arms. Koryun had been born at the beginning of the rainy season. Many court ladies dissuaded her from going out for the first few months after she was born, but she rejected their advice out of hand. Holding her baby, she offered formal greetings to Kyosul and sat down on a cushion lower in the back. She opened her mouth gently while looking at Kyosul for a moment. ¡°I told you about it, Your Highness.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uflve5e1479d94d56b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uflve5e1479d94d56b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uflve5e1479d94d56b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uflve5e1479d94d56b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uflve5e1479d94d56b {display: block;}} ¡°Don¡¯t you remember I already told you that you would have a baby, too?¡± Her well-arranged white teeth gleamed as she smiled. As Kyosul saw her smiling brightly first, she looked on her in awe for a moment before coming to her senses. ¡°Ah. Uh, as it happens, I¡¯ve come to be pregnant as you predicted.¡± Kyosul thought Heyjin mentioned her her pregnancy out of courtesy, so she responded accordingly. ¡°Congratulations!¡± she said in a calm voice. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gcuxn5e1479d94d4a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gcuxn5e1479d94d4a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gcuxn5e1479d94d4a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gcuxn5e1479d94d4a8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gcuxn5e1479d94d4a8 {display: block;}} Kyosul returned her compliment by smiling but felt bitter deep inside. Though Heyjin was congratulating her purely, she couldn¡¯t feel comfortable because she was deceiving her by not telling the truth. ¡°Just relax and receive my congratulations!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± While smiling at her, Kyosul rolled his eyes in embarrassment as she felt Heyjin seemed to read her heart. ¡°You are smiling, but you are not smiling at all. Please don¡¯t think of anything else and just feel comfortable. What are you worried? The baby in your womb is your baby, right?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. ¡± ¡°Then, what is bothering you? When you feel relaxed, your baby can grow well.¡± Hyejin¡¯s blue eyes gleamed mysteriously. Did Heyjin know something about her baby? Looking into Kyosul¡¯s blinking eye, she noticed a book on the small desk before her. She held out her hand and picked it up. ¡°I studied this book, too.¡± ¡°Oh, these days I¡¯m learning a lot about the Mok kingdom from Ruhae. He has been appointed as the teacher for my prenatal education.¡± ¡°Really? I heard a lot about him from my husband.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He says Prince Ruhae is a very good man. So, I¡¯m going to ask him to teach my girl when she grows up.¡± While saying that, Hyejin stroked Koryun¡¯s cheeks. Koryun wiggled her eyes a bit then snuggled into her bosom. Hyejin¡¯s gaze upon Koryun was soft. Seeing her, Kyosul stroked her belly and thought to herself, ¡®Can I and my baby laugh happily like Koryun and Hyejin?¡¯ While Kyosul was looking at her blankly, there was heard a court lady¡¯s voice outside the door. ¡°Your Highness, Princess Oran¡¯s son has arrived to see you!¡± ¡°Please let him in.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zsukz5e1479d94d50c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zsukz5e1479d94d50c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zsukz5e1479d94d50c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zsukz5e1479d94d50c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zsukz5e1479d94d50c {display: block;}} At that moment, Hyejin said, ¡°Let me leave now. Once again, congratulations! Hope you don¡¯t worry about anything and deliver a baby well.¡± Hyejin said goodbye and left the room immediately. Right after she left, Mu came in with an excited look. Then he, sitting on a cushion, jumped into her arms,. ¡°Ayamama! Ayamama! ¡± ¡°Mu, What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Surprised by his sudden action, she hugged him and stroked his back. Wrapped in her arms, he murmured feebly, ¡°Ayamama, don¡¯t be sick. Don¡¯t be sick because I can¡¯t protect you as I¡¯m so young now.¡± ¡°Mu¡­¡± ¡°I went to the flower garden with mom. She told me you couldn¡¯t come to the flower garden anymore. I asked why, and she replied that you would have to stay put in your room. She also told me you would have to take care of yourself. You must be sick, right? You shouldn¡¯t be sick. Please, don¡¯t be sick. Let me blow my breath on you.¡± Then he raised his hands on her shoulders and blew his breath on her cheeks. ¡°You are alright as I blew my breath on you, right?¡± She burst into laughter at his bright smile. It was true that her mobility was impaired by her pregnancy, but Mu misunderstood the reason why. He tilted his head a bit when she smiled at him then grinned at her, thinking she smiled because she was okay. She opened his mouth, stroking his head. ¡°Thanks for your concern, but I¡¯m not sick, Mu. ¡± ¡°Really? Aren¡¯t you sick? ¡± ¡°Nope, Here inside my belly is a baby, so I can¡¯t go out because I have to be careful.¡± Then, she stroked her belly. He cast a glance at her belly. Then, he jumped up from his seat and clapped his hands. ¡°I know! I know! It¡¯s like that baby girl Koryun, right? Will your belly grow big like this?¡± He drew a large circle over his stomach. She had no choice but to smile and nod as he acted so cute. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ksovo5e1479d94d5c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ksovo5e1479d94d5c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ksovo5e1479d94d5c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ksovo5e1479d94d5c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ksovo5e1479d94d5c8 {display: block;}} ¡°Wow, a baby! I saw Prince Heyjin holding Koryun in her arms a moment ago. So, will I have another sister like her?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re smart, Mu! ¡°she said. Mu cautiously crawled on her, knelt before her and put his lips on her belly. ¡°Sister, can you hear me? Grow up there well and come out quickly. Let¡¯s play together!¡± He stroked her belly with his small hands. At that moment, she could forget everything and laugh happily. *** Next to the Dongbi Palace was a small pavilion. It was a small space housed just one table and two chairs. It had a good view of the front yard and backyard of the Dongbi Palace. It was a good place for anybody to watch Dongbi Palace quietly. Kyoyoung liked to spend leisure time at the pavilion. She drank tea, wrote calligraphy, or just sat down there for fresh outside air. Again today, she was sitting there. On the table was a large piece of drawing paper. Small porcelain dishes were lined up along the side filled with colored dye. She grabbed a fine brush and slowly drew each stroke. It seemed she spent time leisurely rather than painting, basking in the warming sunlight amid the gentle wind. . It was spring. ¡°Spring¡­¡± Kyoyoung murmured suddenly. The tip of the brush stopped in the middle of drawing a long thin line and trembled. She drew the leaf vein crooked. She hated spring at some point. It was about this time last year when Kyosull entered the palace. ¡®I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t love the Crown Princess.¡¯ That¡¯s what Kyosul confessed to Kyoyoung when they met. ¡°Ahhh!¡± A scream was heard suddenly, along with the noise of something being smashed. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Princess Kyoyoung!¡± Sudden court ladies rushed to her when they heard a sudden scream at the pavilion. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me!¡± She issued a sharp command again. They stopped approaching her. While looking at each other for a moment, they asked carefully. ¡°Princess Kyoyoung, are you okay?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Their master was depressed. She had never raised her voice as high as today. They were not only surprised but also embarrassed. This kind of situation became more frequent over the past several months. All the court ladies already knew that their master was not just out of sorts but also depressed. She didn¡¯t let them approach her. Her voice was calm like before, but it was somewhat stiff agitated, and trembling. ¡°Nothing¡­ I just saw a little bug. Let me take care of it, go back to your work. ¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I just said just go away!¡± Her voice from the pavilion was firm. They exchanged eye signals with each other. ¡°Yes, madame. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± And they stepped back and left there. Their footsteps disappeared gradually. The palace people learned how to walk silently. And they were accustomed to listening to their muffled footsteps, too. Only when she was convinced that she was left alone, she let out a deep sigh. She stood up suddenly and grabbed a corner of the table. Her strained hand trembled. The table was empty. All the bowls, brushes and paper were strewn all over the floor. Various colors of dyes were mixed up, and the porcelain dishes and inkstones containing water broken. ¡°I¡¯m so stupid.¡± She murmured with a sigh. Her blurry gaze skimmed over the broken pieces of china. The floor of the pavilion was stained with various colors, but she didn¡¯t move at all. Rather she watched the colored dyes permeating into the wood. ¡°I can¡¯t even understand why I¡¯m so stupid.¡± She just felt so sad and pathetic about herself. The messed up pavilion reflected her bad temper. The result of her tantrum tormented her. ¡°A lie, a liar.¡± Her fine makeup was twisted in an instant. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ylkzt5e1479d94d438 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ylkzt5e1479d94d438 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ylkzt5e1479d94d438 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ylkzt5e1479d94d438 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ylkzt5e1479d94d438 {display: block;}} ¡®I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t love the Crown Prince¡­¡± ¡°Ahhh!¡± She shouted again. There was nothing else she could throw or break in the pavilion. Bang, bang. All she could do was hitting the table with her clenched, dry fist. ¡°Stop it, stop it!¡± She reached out into the air. Kyosul¡¯s stupid voice kept ringing in her ears. Every time she recalled Kyosul¡¯s lies, she couldn¡¯t control her pent-up anger. She couldn¡¯t calm herself down without screaming, shaking her hands, and breaking something. Chapter 114 After hearing that Kyosul was pregnant. She reluctantly went to the Dongbi Palace to see Kyosul. Since then, Kyosul¡¯s voice kept echoing into her ears. It was not easy for her to eat or sleep comfortably. All her peace was broken. Kyoyoung, who used to be quiet and neat, became increasingly harsh and prickly. Her sweet face also became haggard. ¡°I came here to inquire after you, but you don¡¯t look very good.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.bkwgp5e1479d9998d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.bkwgp5e1479d9998d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.bkwgp5e1479d9998d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.bkwgp5e1479d9998d8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.bkwgp5e1479d9998d8 {display: block;}} She heard someone¡¯s coquettish voice suddenly. Kyoyoung¡¯s face hardened suddenly. When she turned, she found Oran coming up at the pavilion with a smile. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m honored to see you here.¡± As soon as she greeted her, Kyoyoung sat down and picked up the broken pieces of china dishes. ¡°Oh my god! What is this mess? ¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zyumt5e1479d99985b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zyumt5e1479d99985b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zyumt5e1479d99985b {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zyumt5e1479d99985b {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zyumt5e1479d99985b {display: block;}} Though she asked worriedly, there was something mischievous in her voice. Not caring about her on purpose, Kyoyoung focused on picking up the broken pieces. ¡°¡­bugs¡­¡± Hearing her scared voice, Oran burst into laughter. Grabbing her own skirt, Oran squatted in front of her. She touched a few broken pieces with the tips of her long nails. ¡°You should kill bugs by applying insecticide. You can¡¯t kill them by breaking your stuff like this.¡± ¡°Let me clean it up. I am sorry you saw this messy stuff here. As you can see, it¡¯s very messy. Won¡¯t you leave for today and come back another day? ¡± Her voice was firm, but annoyed. Though she spoke politely, it was obvious that she was treating Oran coldly. But Oran didn¡¯t care at all and said, ¡°Have you heard about the update on the Crown Princess recently?¡± ¡°Although I belong to the Dongbi Palace, I don¡¯t have to know everything about her.¡± ¡°I knew you would say so.¡± Oran said as if she was trying to show her goodwill. ¡°I hear the Crown Princess has had pretty bad morning sickness. Every time kitchen women serve food to her, she reacts so quickly and violently that they find it difficult to prepare her food.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kyoyoung reacted indifferently. Pretending not to know her feelings, Oran just went on casually, ¡°Being pregnant brings lots of pain. Not to mention morning sickness, you have to avoid certain food.¡± Kyoyoung didn¡¯t even respond. She put all the pieces in a partially broken bowl, but she didn¡¯t want to get up because Oran would keep talking if she was done and took a seat. ¡°You can eat the food when you¡¯re not pregnant, but the same food is poisonous when you¡¯re pregnant. Isn¡¯t it funny? ¡± Kyoyoung stopped moving her hands at the word ¡®poisonous.¡¯ As far as pregnancy and poison were concerned, she vividly recalled assasination attempt on Hyejin by poison. The court lady who secretly loved her husband Prince Binsung tried to poison Heyjin¡¯s food. Fortunately Hyejin and her baby Koryun emerged unscathed. ¡°Look at this,¡± Oran said, taking out a pouch from her inside pocket. ¡°I hear your face has become haggard these days, so I specially prepared this pouch for you.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.elnem5e1479d999889 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.elnem5e1479d999889 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.elnem5e1479d999889 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.elnem5e1479d999889 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.elnem5e1479d999889 {display: block;}} ¡°¡­ What is it? ¡± ¡°It has mung beans inside.¡± Oran, who was squatting to make eye contact with her, stood up. She put a heavy pouch on the table. ¡°It¡¯s good for the skin, but if a pregnant woman eats mung beans, she will get into trouble.¡± ¡°Princess Oran!¡± Kyoyoung sprang to her feet and stared at the Oran sharply. Nonetheless, Oran kept smiling. ¡°I told you this before; please watch your language in the palace.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It looks like you are misunderstanding me. I just wanted to present mung beans that are good for your skin as I am concerned about your health.¡± Oran tapped the thick pouch. ¡°I¡¯ve ground it finely, so it¡¯s easy to clean it with water and apply it directly to your face. If you enjoy snacks, it is easy to mix it with them. You won¡¯t think it¡¯s mung beans. ¡± ¡°Is there any reason I should not know it¡¯s mung beans?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just what I think.¡± Oran casually replied to Kyoyoung¡¯s sharp questions. ¡°I hope you can use it as you wish. In the meantime, let me leave now as you seem to be busy.¡± After speaking her mind, Oran left without delay. Stopping at the gate of the pavilion, she suddenly stopped and said lastly, ¡°Oh, if you¡¯re bothered by bugs, you¡¯d better apply insecticide immediately, so you don¡¯t have to be tormented.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Okay, as you please.¡± Oran left the pavilion without any regrets. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.wkahy5e1479d99992a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.wkahy5e1479d99992a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.wkahy5e1479d99992a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.wkahy5e1479d99992a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.wkahy5e1479d99992a {display: block;}} After Oran left like a gust of wind, Kyoyoung stood there without clearing up the mess. Having heard the latest news about Kyosul unexpectedly, she felt frustrated and depressed once again. She beat on her chest. She felt bitter as if the gastric juice came up. ¡®I am afraid.¡¯ She didn¡¯t throw a tantrum. She quietly bit her lip and looked at the pouch on the table. *** ¡°Kyoyoung! ¡± Kyosul shouted with a bright smile when she visited the Dongbi Palace. ¡°Oh, Princess Kyoyoung.¡± It was her unexpected visit to Kyosul. She really didn¡¯t even expect it. When Kyoyoung visited her and left with a sullen expression last, Kyosul thought she would never see her again. Surprisingly, however, Kyoyoung came to see her first. Sitting silently for a while, Kyoyoung slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Last time I was rude,¡± she said, but couldn¡¯t look straight at Kyosul. Instead, she stared at the prenatal education book on the small deskWhile reading the contents of the book casually, Kyoyoung continued, ¡°Please forgive my faults last time.¡± ¡°Oh, never mind. I wouldn¡¯t call it your fault.¡± Kyosul reached out to her with pure joy, but she could not hold her hands. She held the box that she put down next to her, as if to avoid Kyosul¡¯s hands. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Kyoyoung put the box on the table. She unwrapped the knots of the cloth one by one and opened the lid. ¡°I made this snack by myself for you and your baby.¡± ¡°Are you sure you made it yourself?¡± ¡°When I heard that you suffered from morning sickness, I made some snacks and refreshments I used to enjoy before I came to the palace.¡± The box, half as big as the desk, was filled with bite-sized rice cakes. Kyosul was more delighted at the fact that she came back rather than the gift itself. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll eat it every day. ¡± ¡°I hope you like it,¡± said Kyoyoung, bowing to her. As she was overjoyed with Kyoyoung¡¯s visit, she did not recognize that there was no smile at all on her face. *** The air of the West Palace was hot as if there was never winter there. In particular, Oran¡¯s room was full of heat. The mysterious fragrance filling the room stimulated their senses. ¡°Princess Oran, my dear baby!¡± Dukwol grabbed her round butt as if he could not stand it. He touched, sucked, and licked her across body. As long as he was with her, he felt every second was precious. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± When they were in the middle of making love, someone called him from outside. Though the stranger couldn¡¯t hide her excitement, she was afraid to bother their private time on the bed. Her urgent and trembling voice threw cold water on the heated atmosphere of the room. Although he held Oran in his arms, his eyes suddenly changed. He raised his head suddenly and stared at the stranger outside sharply. ¡°Who dares to hinder my sweet sleep at the West Palace?¡± Oran touched his neck softly with her tender hands. She lifted her upper body, touching her body to his back closely. ¡°Please calm down. She is my mole in the East Palace.¡± ¡°In the East Palace?¡± ¡°Yes. I planted a court lady in the East Palace secretly to check out something. As she came to my place urgently at this time, it looks like my prediction was right. ¡± Oran stood up happily. She never pulled her body from him. Dukwol was puzzled and tried to calm down. She came across the room naked body. When she opened the door, the young court lady was lying face down on the floor. ¡°Come in.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.jheiq5e1479d999801 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.jheiq5e1479d999801 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.jheiq5e1479d999801 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.jheiq5e1479d999801 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.jheiq5e1479d999801 {display: block;}} Trembling with fear, she crawled into her room, feeling much relieved to hear Oran¡¯s answer. As the door was closed with a bang, the court lady raised her head inadvertently and saw Prince Dukwol and Oran naked before her eyes. Stunned, she shook her shoulders and lay face down again. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Walking behind Oran with a silk cloth, Dukwol covered her with it as if he embraced her shoulders. Hiding their naked bodies with one blanket, they sat on the cushions. ¡°I clearly told you to come to me only when you have news about any accident.¡± ¡°Yes, madame.¡± ¡°Are there any accidents in the Dongbi Palace?¡± ¡°I hear that the Crown Princess collapsed, complaining of abdominal pain,¡± she said curtly. At her very short report, Oran and Dukwol¡¯s expression changed quickly. Chapter 115 Clink! ¡°Ahhh¡­ ! ¡± Grasping her stomach, Kyosul bowed sharply. She dropped the cup she had been holding. It shattered to pieces as it was hit the corner of the table. ¡°Kyosul!¡± Stunned, Ruhae jumped over the desk. They had been sharing refreshments with the book open on the table. It had been a long time since he frequently visited the Dongbi Palace after he had been appointed her prenatal education teacher. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.dfchq5e1479d8bd217 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.dfchq5e1479d8bd217 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.dfchq5e1479d8bd217 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.dfchq5e1479d8bd217 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.dfchq5e1479d8bd217 {display: block;}} When he jumped over the desk, his hand fell in the broken china slicing through his palms. Without feeling his own pain, he carefully examined her condition. ¡°What¡¯s up? What¡¯s wrong with you? ¡± ¡°My stomach, my stomach¡­¡± It was common that one had stomach troubles. However, the problem was that she was pregnant. For her now, abdominal pain at the moment was the most sensitive issue, compared with any other pain. ¡°Lady Yuon!¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.aohww5e1479d8bd175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.aohww5e1479d8bd175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.aohww5e1479d8bd175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.aohww5e1479d8bd175 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.aohww5e1479d8bd175 {display: block;}} He called for the nanny waiting outside. The nanny always stood near the wall in her room, but she left it only when she was with him alone. ¡°Call the royal doctor right away!¡± At his urgent tone, the nanny called for the royal doctor without confirming her condition. It meant the nanny trusted him. The doctor arrived quickly, ¡°Long live the Crown Princess! I¡¯m honored ¡­¡± The royal doctor came immediately and tried to offer his due greetings, but Ruhae stopped him and asked him to give her first aid. ¡°Forget the greetings, just take a look at her condition right away!¡± Meanwhile, Kyosul complained of occasional abdominal pain. She felt pain in her joints now. All Ruhae could do was to hold her hand as she grasped his hand in pain. Ruahe had her lie down on the cushion, and the doctor began to check her pulse first. There was no trouble in the doctor¡¯s face when he put his two fingers on her thin, trembling wrists. After he was done checking her pulse carefully, the doctor checked some other part of her upper body after seeking understanding from her and the nanny. ¡°Have you had this kind of pain before?¡± ¡°Yes, but not as severe as now. I started to feel pain recently, little by little¡­¡± ¡°What kind of pain was it? For example, was it like stabbing with a stick, bowels twisting or tearing apart?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like twisting like something burning inside and painful.¡± She grasped her stomach and curled up. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. While the pain came and went intermittently, she bit her lip, barely answering the doctor¡¯s questions. After he remained calm, he asked carefully with a dark expression, ¡°Have you discharged blood?¡± When he spit out such an imprudent word, everyone held their breath in the room. Even Kyosul, whose face turned white while enduring pain, was embarrassed. She looked at the nanny and said in a trembling voice, ¡°No¡­I haven¡¯t discharged blood¡­¡± The nanny approached her and held her hands. ¡°Right, she hasn¡¯t discharged blood.¡± Only after the nanny answered in a row, her anxiety went away, but she could not be completely relaxed. She still felt twisting pain in her stomach. As if she went through a typhoon and earthquake, she felt pain in her belly where her dear baby should be growing up peacefully. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.puoge5e1479d8bd1c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.puoge5e1479d8bd1c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.puoge5e1479d8bd1c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.puoge5e1479d8bd1c8 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.puoge5e1479d8bd1c8 {display: block;}} She felt more psychological pain than physical when she felt it in her stomach. Each time she felt her stomach twist, her heart sank. ¡®No no¡­ . ¡® She earnestly prayed. Although she didn¡¯t know who she was praying to, but she just kept praying, holding her stomach cautiously. She curled up her small body. Everybody¡¯s face was wet with tears while looking at her trembling form. ¡°All the food brought to the Dongbi Palace, as well as drinking water and tea and incense, are managed by the Royal Medical Service. And I check it once again finally, so there should have been no issue¡­¡± said the doctor. While saying that calmly, the doctor stopped and then looked at the tray beside her cushion. ¡°Was she eating snacks when she complained of pain?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ruhae said on behalf of Kyosul. ¡°Obviously, I confirmed that tea over there, but I¡¯ve never seen that snack.¡± As he was suspicious about it, he reached out. On the small table was a pile of small rice cakes about the size of a finger. ¡°It¡¯s a rice cake she received recently, and it¡¯s her favorite snack these days.¡± This time the nanny answered instead. The atmosphere was strange. Kyosul looked at the doctor, while exhaling a shallow breath. He asked politely. ¡°Can I take a look at it for a moment?¡± Her eyes trembled. She could read the doctor¡¯s suspicion There was a problem with the rice cake, but it was an impossible doubt because it was a gift directly offered by Kyoyoung recently. ¡°I received that cake from¡­¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead and examine it.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.kxdlt5e1479d8bd26a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.kxdlt5e1479d8bd26a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.kxdlt5e1479d8bd26a {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.kxdlt5e1479d8bd26a {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.kxdlt5e1479d8bd26a {display: block;}} When Kyosul was about to explain in an embarrassed voice, Ruhae cut her off. Her trembling eyes met his firm gaze. She shook his head and said, ¡°There can¡¯t be any problem with the rice cake¡­¡± Nodding, Ruhae said, ¡°Fine. If there is nothing wrong, you¡¯ll be alright.¡± The doctor examined the rice cake right on the spot. There was nothing suspicious when he touched it here and there. Several medical assistants waiting in the back unpacked and took out some devices for further examination. .Ruhae asked, ¡°Is there any problem?¡± ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t figure it out right now, but can I take some rice cakes for further examination? ¡± Lowering his head, the doctor asked Kyosul, and she had no other choice but to nod. After giving her first aid, the doctor left the room. After quietly watching them, Ruhae followed him quietly and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Oh, Prince Ruhae¡­¡± Turning to him, the doctor bowed. His assistants already left for the Royal Medical Service, but the doctor was wandering the palace alone holding a rice cake he took from Kyosul. ¡°I think I have to inform the East Palace about this¡­¡± he fumbled, hesitatingly. Ruhae looked own with a heavy heart. And then he came near the doctor. ¡°Did you find a problem as you expected? What is it that you can¡¯t directly report to the Crown Princess? What is it?¡± asked Ruhae, pressing on the doctor for an answer. *** A few days after Kyosul complained of abdominal pain, Kyoyoung came back to the Dongbi Palace. She did not stay long in Kyosul¡¯s room again. The moment she was about to leave, someone caught her from behind. ¡°Princess Kyoyoung!¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m honored to see you, Prince Ruhae!¡± She greeted him in a dry voice. She was on speaking terms with him. But her attitude toward him as well as his feelings about her were different now. Ruahe asked bluntly, ¡°Is it true that you gave the Crown Princess rice cakes?¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± When he got to the point right away, she replied, raising her head. He was holding a box containing the rice cakes that she offered to Kyosul last time. ¡°You made this in person, right?¡± ¡°How come you are holding the cake?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you. Did you make this cake by yourself? Answer me!¡± She did not answer. She bit her dry lips and stared at the rice cake in his hand. ¡°Let me ask you again. Is this the rice cake you made for the Crown Princess or not?¡± She tried to raise her trembling hand all of a sudden when someone stopped her quickly. Ruhae looked up with an embarrassed expression. Kyosul was on the floor, watching them. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± ¡°Please come back inside, both of you. ¡± Kyosul ignored his question and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m ordering you politely in my capacity as the Crown Princess. Please come back inside.¡± Her order was unprecedentedly calm and severe. ¡°Please bring back the box with the rice cakes you took.¡± Ruhai¡¯s hands as well as hers trembled. Both were carrying small boxes. Taking them back to her room, she first sat on the cushion and looked at them silently. Ruhae moved one step back. Kyoyoung first sat down across the desk. Kyosul cast a glance at her quietly. Her closed lips, hardened eyebrows and stern face showed Kyosul was a different woman now. With a sharp look, Kyosul stared at Kyoyoung. ¡°Let me ask you, Princess Kyoyoung.¡± There ensued a breathless silence for a moment. Kyosul brought up a topic all of a sudden and asked her directly, ¡°What¡¯s in this, what is it?¡± Kyosul was pointing at the box she was holding. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ojrpb5e1479d8bd114 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ojrpb5e1479d8bd114 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ojrpb5e1479d8bd114 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ojrpb5e1479d8bd114 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ojrpb5e1479d8bd114 {display: block;}} As if trying to avoid her gaze, Kyoyoung hid a small box under her skirt and brought it to Kyosul¡¯s room. It was the same box that she initially brought to Kyosul¡¯s room and took it from the room again. ¡°¡­ Rice cake. ¡± ¡°Is it pure rice cake? Doesn¡¯t it contain any poison? ¡± ¡°Oh my¡­Crown Princess Kyosul!¡± Stunned, Kyoyoung shouted. Even Ruhae, who was standing behind, was astonished. Kyoyoung never expected that Kyosul would ask her directly like this. It was only Kyosul who remained calm in the room now. She spit out dangerous words on her own and continued casually, ¡°Although you left me cold-heartedly, I still like you, Princess Kyoyoung.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kyoyoung was trying to respond. Chapter 116 But Kyosul firmly cut off her words. She gently stroke her belly with both hands, which she had been clenching firmly a moment ago. Slightly lowering her head, she looked down her belly. ¡°I can never forgive you if you harm my child.¡± Silence fell again on them. Kyosul now stroked her belly more often, and her warm expression slowly faded. She raised her head again and made eye contact with her. Kyoyoung also did not avoid her eyes. Although both of them shut up, the atmosphere surrounding them was different. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hcszn5e1479d94e3be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hcszn5e1479d94e3be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hcszn5e1479d94e3be {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hcszn5e1479d94e3be {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hcszn5e1479d94e3be {display: block;}} Though Kyoyoung pretended to be calm, she was clearly tense at the moment. ¡°Haven¡¯t you made it for me this time, too, right? Why did you take it back instead of giving it to me?¡± Kyosul asked directly. ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you are scared to hear that I¡¯ve had stomach pains?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your speculation,¡± replied Kyoyoung, biting her lip. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.zvitg5e1479d94e2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.zvitg5e1479d94e2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.zvitg5e1479d94e2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.zvitg5e1479d94e2d1 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.zvitg5e1479d94e2d1 {display: block;}} Up to now Kyoyoung regarded her as a little bitch. Kyoyoung even ignored her because she was childish and ridiculous, but now she felt as if she was being fooled by Kyosul. Kyoyoung tightened her grip on the hem of her dress, which was crumpled instantly. When she pulled the hem, the small box she hid under the knee was revealed finally. ¡°You said you made it by yourself, right?¡± Kyosul asked again. ¡°What did you put in? Did you know what you put in?¡± Kyoyoung did not answer. Instead she closed her eyes. Kyosul didn¡¯t press on her. She waited without asking more. Silence followed again. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking when she closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, unexpectedly, she smiled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already checked it all?¡± ¡°Princess Kyoyoung!¡± While watching her with patience, Ruhae tried to interfere. He tried to stop Kyoyoung¡¯s rude words, but he was stopped by Kyosul. As he moved, Kyosul raised her hand lightly. Her little motion stopped him. After stopping him from interfering, she looked straight at Kyoyoung. ¡°Did you give this to me knowingly?¡± ¡°I just wished you liked it.¡± Kyoyoung¡¯s response astonished everyone in the room. The nanny standing on one side of her room clicked her tongue. Ruhae could not hide his anger and stared at her sharply. Only Kyosul remained calm as before. Instead of fearing at all, Kyoyoung faced her. Now, her dirty trick was revealed and it was all over. Convinced that she failed completely, Kyoyoung didn¡¯t hesitate to speak her mind. Watching her acting shamelessly, Kyosul even felt at ease. Funny enough, she felt she got her pent-up anger about Kyoyoung off her chest suddenly. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hthna5e1479d94e348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hthna5e1479d94e348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hthna5e1479d94e348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hthna5e1479d94e348 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hthna5e1479d94e348 {display: block;}} She could feel a bit more relaxed and talk with Kyoyoung. ¡°So, what did you expect after you gave it to me?¡± ¡°¡­ I hoped my pain would end.¡± Kyoyoung replied it was pain. That word echoed through the room and reached Kyosul¡¯s ears. As its meaning implied, it caused pain to Kyosul. She tightened her hands wrapping her stomach. She covered it more firmly now. Kyosul had been waiting for this happiness for a long time, but it was a big pain to Kyoyoung. ¡°Is my great happiness a big pain to you? You also wanted me to be happy, right?¡± Kyouyoung¡¯s face was wet with tears and said, ¡°You never wished for his love, right? Did you lie to me last time? How come you are so happy when you¡¯re pregnant with the baby of the Crown Prince that you said you don¡¯t love?¡± ¡°Princess Kyoyong, that was¡­¡± Having heard Kyoyoung¡¯s sharp reminder of her erstwhile confession, Kyosul could figure out why she ended up with the current situation, but she could not clarify her position to Kyoyoung now. Even though she did, Kyoyoung¡¯s actions were no more than her ill-advised jealousy. ¡°I didn¡¯t take your baby, Kyoyoung¡­¡± ¡°How come you can¡­!¡± Kyoyoung raised her voice suddenly. ¡°I was here before you in this palace! I came to the palace first and served the Crown Prince first. Even before you got here, I was already here. Why should I remain as your shade?¡± That was true. Even before Kyosul set foot in the Mok Kingdom, Kyoyoung was her shade. ¡°Why should you have all of it?¡± Kyoyoung couldn¡¯t understand the whole situation at all. Kyosul came to the East Palace later than she, and when she met Kyoyoung privately, she confessed that she couldn¡¯t love Bipaan. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.sbnvm5e1479d94e436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.sbnvm5e1479d94e436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.sbnvm5e1479d94e436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.sbnvm5e1479d94e436 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.sbnvm5e1479d94e436 {display: block;}} And Kyoyoung thought she was too young, immature, childish, stupid and good-hearted. How could such a woman now announce proudly she was pregnant? Kyoyoung said, ¡°If I¡¯m invisible, don¡¯t you think you should be the same?¡± Pouring out her emotions without stopping for a minute, Kyoyoung calmed down gradually. She now stopped smiling and returned to her true self as a princess like before. ¡°I¡¯ve been married to the Crown Prince much longer than you. I have served him as his wife, filling the vacant position of his official wife for several years, but the Crown Prince has never visited me during those years. Although he didn¡¯t sleep with me on the wedding night, I took it as my fate and stayed around quietly. But¡­¡± Although her attitude and tone were elegant, her point was not. Kyosul didn¡¯t blame her. She just listened to Kyoyoung¡¯s rude complaint silently. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that the Crown Prince visits you, but I really can¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°But fortunately, my baby is well and safe,¡± Kyosul said, adding, ¡°It¡¯s very healthy, too.¡± She also said, ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up the Dongbi Palace,¡± referring to Kyoyoung¡¯s residence. Kyoyoung humbly accepted whatever measures she would take against her. Compared with her harsh questioning, Kyosul¡¯s response was unexpected. ¡°I just had intestinal pain because I didn¡¯t pay attention to food.¡± Kyosul diagnosed the cause of her abdominal pain. More than any of the words that she said after she was brought back into the room, Kyosul¡¯s remarks disturbed her the most. Kyoyoung made a frown and refuted, ¡°Crown Princess!¡± But Kyosul said, ¡°As you said, you served the Crown Prince from the time he had yet to find his official wife. I hope you can continue to stay around and serve him to the end¡­¡± Feeling bitter at her remarks, Kyoyoung bit her lip. She even dared to roll her eyes at Kyosul. Kyosul continued, ¡°I don¡¯t have any hard feelings against you, Princess Kyoyoung, let alone any malice. I just hope I and you can fulfil our duty as his official and second wife respectively.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Kyoyoung sprang to her feet. And then she announced, ¡°I won¡¯t thank you at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not part of your duty to express gratitude to me.¡± ¡°Long live the Crown Princess.¡± Kyoyoung said goodbye very quickly and left the place. But Kyosul felt she couldn¡¯t, and should not end her friendship with Kyoyoung like this. But she just let it go as she was afraid of sinning against herself. She wanted to deliver her baby as quietly as possible. As her baby was precious, she just wished she didn¡¯t reveal the truth by all means. Only Ruhae was left alone after Kyoyoung left. While watching the situation, standing in the back, he asked for the first time, ¡°How did you know?¡± Of course, she didn¡¯t ask what he was referring to. As if on cue, she quickly answered, ¡°Well, on the day I had stomach pain, you also injured your hands, right? As I belatedly came to think of the rice cakes, I asked the nanny to bring the royal doctor again.¡± ¡°Oh, Lady Yuon did¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame her. She just carried out her duty as my nanny.¡± That¡¯s true. If anyone carried out his or her duty sincerely, there would be no problem at all. The thing was one¡¯s private feelings were mixed when they did things, which was the case of Kyoyoung. If Kyoyoung only had done her duty faithfully, she wouldn¡¯t have caused such a big problem, and Ruhae wouldn¡¯t have had to see her here. The nanny, who was on standby nearby, bowed her head quietly. When he looked back at the nanny, Kyosul said, ¡°So, I sent a message to the chief royal doctor through the nanny, asking him to get back to her as soon as he got the results of the diagnosis of the rice cakes.¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.xctmn5e1479d94e24d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.xctmn5e1479d94e24d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.xctmn5e1479d94e24d {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.xctmn5e1479d94e24d {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.xctmn5e1479d94e24d {display: block;}} Kyosul wrapped her belly with hands and continued, ¡°According to the doctor, there were various herbs in the rice cakes.¡± She continued, ¡°The doctor told me that the rice cakes have the aftereffects of preventing a baby from implanting in the womb and causing bleeding. As I had only a small amount of rice cakes, I could avoid any major aftereffects. Besides, they didn¡¯t know when I first got pregnant, which also helped me avoid¡­¡± In fact, the fetus in her womb grew at least a month longer than everyone knew. Perhaps thanks to that, she could have avoided major aftereffects as the baby had already been implanted in her womb. ¡°How fortunate you are¡­¡± Ruhae said. ¡°Why did you want to hide from me the fact that there was something wrong with the rice cakes?¡± ¡°Because I was afraid you would feel hurt because you like Princess Kyoyoung.¡± She seemed to agree with him. He always hid her weakness. ¡°Yes, I still can¡¯t hate her,¡± she said, closing her eyes. Chapter 117 She recalled what Kyoyoung said to her first when they met, ¡®How good-hearted you are!¡¯ And Kyosul recalled her face, who let out a sigh of relief while saying so. She thought she wouldn¡¯t care about the distinction between her status as Bipaan¡¯s official wife and her status as his second wife. Looking back, that was her silly illusion. Kyoyoung was a faithful and bold woman. Kyosul was determined that she would take cue from Kyoyoung as a woman of determination. She wanted to stay with her and depend on her for a long time. Then, this woman, who she liked, trusted and relied on, left Kyosul. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gldwk5e1479d8cfa5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gldwk5e1479d8cfa5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gldwk5e1479d8cfa5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gldwk5e1479d8cfa5c {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gldwk5e1479d8cfa5c {display: block;}} Kyosul had no choice but to let her go, too That¡¯s why she told Kyoyoung, calming down her troubled emotions, ¡°It¡¯s just because I had intestinal pain.¡± It was an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by food poisoning and diarrhea. ¡°Princess Kyoyoung!¡± An unwelcome guest visited the Dongbin Palace, Kyoyoung¡¯s residence. As soon as she heard her voice, Kyoyoung frowned. Although she showed her displeasure openly, her visitor did not care at all. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.inibe5e1479d8cf9bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.inibe5e1479d8cf9bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.inibe5e1479d8cf9bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.inibe5e1479d8cf9bd {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.inibe5e1479d8cf9bd {display: block;}} The unexpected visitor was none other than Oran, Prince Dukwol¡¯s wife. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember I told you so the other day? I was sure that I could build a close friendship with you.¡± Oran moved to the upper cushion occupied by Kyoyoung confidently. Kyoyoung inevitably got up to yield her seat to her. ¡°You are awesome! I¡¯ve come to respect your guts. ¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I think you know very well what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Oran smiled at Kyoyoung¡¯s blunt response. Oran¡¯s eyes turned sharp while looking at her for a while. Though she had a smile on her lips, her eyes glared like the viper looking for prey. Oran leaned forward and whispered. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have stomach pain with mung bean powder only.¡± Though her voice was so low that it was hardly audible, it rang in her ears sharply. Her eyes trembled. For a while, a heavy silence filled the room. Everyone in the Imperial Palace knew that Kyosul had intestinal pain. But what she ate and exactly what happened in the Dongbi Palace was unknown. It seemed that the chief royal doctor imposed a gag order on all the court ladies. But Oran already understood the whole situation. Kyoyoung really wanted to hide it from her, but she was obviously caught by Oran, too, who she wanted to keep her distance from all the time. ¡°¡­ Please leave,¡± Kyouyoung said, dropping her head. ¡°Wow, how smart you are! How can you keep your place here in the Dongbin Palace when you caused such an incident? It seems like the Crown Princess likes you very much.¡± ¡°Get out. Get out right now!¡± As she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, Kyoyoung shouted at her. She jumped out of her seat and raised her finger toward the door. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see even your shadow here again!¡± ¡°When you and I are in the same boat, how can you be so mean to me?¡± Oran said, laughing at her sneeringly. Kyoyoung¡¯s face was turning more and more red. ¡°Ahhh!¡± She screamed while standing upright. Despite her creepy screaming, Oran did not bat an eye and kept her smile on her face. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.spjjl5e1479d8cfa0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.spjjl5e1479d8cfa0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.spjjl5e1479d8cfa0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.spjjl5e1479d8cfa0e {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.spjjl5e1479d8cfa0e {display: block;}} Kyoyoung close her eyes, clenching her fists, with all the muscles of her face distorted. The joints of her fists holding on the hem of her dress were swollen, and the hem was crumpled like a piece of paper. ¡°Ahhh!¡± She screamed sharply again. *** Time passed quickly. It was one day at the end of the summer when the haze was swelling up. There was a baby¡¯s loud cry from the Imperial Palace. Kyosul finally gave birth to a baby. It was a baby boy, Taehwanggun. When the news of his birth came, there were mixed feelings among the palace people. Some jumped with joy, but others looked gloomy. As soon as the baby was born, he caused a huge political wind in the Imperial Palace. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.uubat5e1479d8cfaae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.uubat5e1479d8cfaae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.uubat5e1479d8cfaae {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.uubat5e1479d8cfaae {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.uubat5e1479d8cfaae {display: block;}} At present, the power of the Mok Kingdom was divided into two major political forces. One of them was an orthodox faction that supported Bipaan, the Queen¡¯s son, and the other was the faction that supported Prince Dukwol, the eldest son of the emperor and his concubine. Bipaan had enough qualities, but the problem was that he had no child. Dukwol already had son Mu, but as he was a child of the emperor¡¯s concubine, there was a problem with legitimacy. As they had comparative strength and weakness, they were maintaining peace and stability between them. Accordingly, they showed mixed reactions when they heard about Kyosul¡¯s birth of a baby boy. The supporters of Bipaan cheered for the birth of TaeHwanggun. They quickly moved to absorb all the pro-Bipaan politicians who were on the fence up to now. On the other hand, those who supported Prince Dukwol plunged into chaos and frustration, though they didn¡¯t express their feelings openly. The birth of Taehwanggun further strengthened Bipaan¡¯s position. Bipaan truly became the next emperor after Ohyulje as he had a son. The palace was full of gold straw ropes and red cloth. *** Although it was the center of the happy events of the palace, the East Palace was as quiet as ever. Somehow, Bipaan was sitting in his room, not in the library. He sat across from Ruhae with a refreshment tray in between them. The two sipped tea without saying anything. Taking his teacup from his mouth, Ruhae opened his mouth first. ¡°Congratulations!¡± While closing his eyes, Bipaan was enjoying the fragrance of the tea. ¡°How happy you are as you have a baby boy!¡± ¡°You know it well, Ruhae.¡± Finally, Bipaan opened his eyes. He put down the teacup on the tray. And he stroke his jaw line with his long, white fingers. While looking at Ruhae with a keen and cold gaze, he closed his eyes again. ¡°Give a name to the baby boy.¡± Ruhae looked at Bipaan in surprise, but his eyes were still closed. Even though he opened his eyes, Ruhae would not be able to read his mind anyway, but it was even harder to read his intention as he closed his eyes. ¡°The baby is my flesh, he is going to be my prince and when he grows up, he will be appointed as the next emperor. So, give a name to him.¡± ¡°¡­Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Originally, I wanted to appoint you as my successor after I become the emperor, but as I have a son now, I can¡¯t, so I want you to give my son a name as I would like to soothe your troubled mind.¡± Ruhae could not say anything. Bipaan was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed. He didn¡¯t even move as if he didn¡¯t breathe. His long eyelashes stretched long over his closed eyelids. He looked so relaxed. Having said that, Bipaan didn¡¯t seem to be troubled at all. Ruhae, sitting with his hands on the floor and sticking out his upper body, felt a bitter sense of defeat deep inside. Bipaan was a man he could hardly expect to beat. In fact, he didn¡¯t even want to beat him from the beginning. Bipaan knew already the baby¡¯s biological father was Ruhae. Despite that, how could he remain so peaceful and detached? Besides, he¡¯s ordering his biological father to coin a name for his son. He tightened his grip on the floor. His fists, holding on to the edge of the cushion, which reflected his anger, fear, guilt and compassion, trembled for a moment. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.qrtgn5e1479d8cf963 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.qrtgn5e1479d8cf963 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.qrtgn5e1479d8cf963 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.qrtgn5e1479d8cf963 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.qrtgn5e1479d8cf963 {display: block;}} His face was distorted. ¡®How can he do this to me?¡¯ In fact, the sin he has committed against Bipaan was kind of lese-majeste, which could not be redeemed by any punishment. Nevertheless, Bipaan ordered him to give the name to Taehwanggun. ¡°Let me give you ten days to give the name. I was ordered by the emperor several months ago to name Taehwanggun in consideration of his birth time and his destiny, but how can I compare it to the name Ruhae has yet to give over the next ten days? Yes, within the next ten days or on the tenth day, when the naming ceremony takes place, give me the baby boy¡¯s name.¡± Still with his eyes closed, Bipaan reached out and gently shook his hand, suggesting that he could leave. Biting his lip, Ruhae left the room after formally saying goodbye to him. Bipaan was left alone in the room, sitting on the cushion with his back against the chair. The fragrance of hot tea was still there, but it got cold soon. The cold mug contained pale yellow water in it. Returning to the South Palace, Ruhae couldn¡¯t wait until the court ladies to open the door, so he opened it roughly with his hands. His heart was beating, and he felt hot all over his body. He couldn¡¯t do it. As the Crown Prince, he couldn¡¯t do it. Ruhae couldn¡¯t understand at all. How come Bipaan ordered him to name his baby? What was his motivation? Chapter 118 Bipaan was a man he could never understand, a man who stood aloof from everything since he was a child. Ruhae tilted his head back after taking a deep breath. His flushed neck with protruding blood veins produced a shrill cry. His clenched fists loosened. After staggering a bit, he collapsed on the floor with a thump, but court officials couldn¡¯t even touch the door of his room, stunned at his unprecedented actions. If the floor of his room was cold, it would be better for him, but it was warm because the court ladies had moderately adjusted the temperature of the heated floor. He laughed a hollow laugh unconsciously. ¡°Hahaha. What a guy you are¡­Ha ha ha ha ha¡­¡± @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.gezgz5e1479f400969 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.gezgz5e1479f400969 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.gezgz5e1479f400969 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.gezgz5e1479f400969 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.gezgz5e1479f400969 {display: block;}} Tears flowed from his empty eyes. Even before the fight began, Ruhae knew he lost. Although Bipaan was a man who didn¡¯t show his intentions to anybody and didn¡¯t get close to anybody, it was Ruhae who was closer to him than anybody else and knew the most about him. He didn¡¯t know at first, but soon he discovered that he was a loser from the beginning. Ruhae gave the name Damkang, meaning a ¡®clear hill,¡¯ to the baby. His full name and title was Dohwan Taehwanggun Danmok Damkang @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.iwpnl5e1479f4008b5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.iwpnl5e1479f4008b5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.iwpnl5e1479f4008b5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.iwpnl5e1479f4008b5 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.iwpnl5e1479f4008b5 {display: block;}} And he was the son of Kyosul and somebody. Three years later¡­ Dukwol and Oran faced each other in the innermost room of the West Palace. There was no refreshment tray. Dukwol smiled at Oran with his eyes, and she also looked at him, smiling at his face. Though they were looking at each other tenderly, the atmosphere was far from warm. Rather there was a cold and tense atmosphere in the room. ¡°That baby is already three years old. As I heard it, I guess you already know that, too.¡± ¡°Haha, you mean how the emperor thinks about him?¡± Dukwol, who burst into a hearty laughter, waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Oran. Everything will be alright. ¡± ¡°But honey¡­ ¡± ¡°Honey!¡± Dukwol cut off her words when she was leaning forward to say something. After letting out a sigh, she corrected her posture and sat upright. What could she do when he, whom she loved and trusted, said everything would be alright? Nonetheless, Oran couldn¡¯t shake off her anxiety, and Dukwol was well aware of that. ¡°Actually, it is true that the power of our faction has been greatly weakened by the birth of Dohwan Taehwanggun, but don¡¯t you know that the powerful factions of the Lee family and your father firmly support our faction?¡± ¡°But Bipaan¡¯s faction is supported by the powerful Taegongsin, isn¡¯t it? You shouldn¡¯t ignore the Hwa kingdom, Kyosul¡¯s motherland.¡± ¡°Although the birth of the baby attracted many political figures to Bipaan¡¯s faction, their actions are fleeting, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Now, Dukwol, who had been smiling at her, looked straight at her. His creepy eyes were as dark as an abyss, sparkling. Faced with his unaffected face, Oran blushed slightly. It was his eyes that attracted her back then. The moment she saw his eyes, she was captivated by him. ¡°Our son Mu is now ten years old. Everybody knows he is a smart boy. Even Taemunhang told me he was paying special attention to him.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Oran shouted for joy at his remarks. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.hnbcg5e1479f400911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.hnbcg5e1479f400911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.hnbcg5e1479f400911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.hnbcg5e1479f400911 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.hnbcg5e1479f400911 {display: block;}} Taemunjang was the chief royal scholar and he was the highest of all civilian servants. Though he was lower than Taegonsin in rank, he was still regarded as a powerful figure on the central political stage. He was the oldest of all the bureaucrats serving in the Mok Kingdom and spent a long time in politics while keeping the title from the previous emperor¡¯s rule. Unlike those who sat on the fence because of the competing rivalry of Bipaan and Dukwol, he was the most powerful figure who remained neutral. Accordingly, the fact that he was watching Mu closely was something very special to Dukwol and Oran. Oran¡¯s face was flushed. ¡°Huh, do you mean that Taemunjang will protect him?¡± ¡°Well, the problem is I can¡¯t figure out how to read that old scholar¡¯s feigned smile.¡± But the smile on Dukwol¡¯s face was surely filled with confidence. ¡°Besides, Dohwan Taehwanggun has a fatal weakness.¡± ¡°A fatal weakness?¡± It was the first time she heard it from him. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.ixykt5e1479f4009c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.ixykt5e1479f4009c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.ixykt5e1479f4009c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.ixykt5e1479f4009c3 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.ixykt5e1479f4009c3 {display: block;}} ¡°He¡¯s only a child now. Even if he has flaws, what¡¯s the big deal at this point?¡± ¡°If we shake the child¡¯s existence itself, can¡¯t we gain power enough to overturn the current power structure? It was something that Dukwol hadn¡¯t mentioned to Oran up to now as it was a very sensitive issue, though they shared every secret between them. So, he waited until he became fully convinced of that before revealing it to Oran, but he felt he could talk to her about it now. ¡°His existence itself? What do you mean? ¡± Oran tilted her head and got close to him. They were looking at each other up close before they knew. With all smiles, he put his mouth to her ear, as she was full of curiosity. The more he whispered, the more her eyes widened. Her face turned white as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. If this was true, it would be a great help to Dukwol as well as a secret weapon to knock Bipaan down because he seemed so arrogant. Soon Oran¡¯s face was full of twisted smiles. ¡°And then¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± Repeating after him, Oran looked at him. His smiling face looked sweet, but it was kind of frightening. It was something that thrilled her for a long time. ¡°After defeating Bipaan with that fatal weakness¡­¡± As if to heighten the tense moment, he stopped talking abruptly and smiled at her. ¡°Our son Mu, not Damkang, will become Hwangtaeson, the grandson successor of the emperor.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Oran exclaimed with a bright smile. Hwangtaeson was the top among the emperor¡¯s grandchildren in the succession hierarchy. Originally, there were no ranks among the emperor¡¯s grandchildren, and only the grandson chosen as Hwangtaeson obtained the official title as the next successor. In other words, he was the most likely successor of the next emperor. Once a baby son was chosen as Hwangtaeson, his rank would never change regardless of the political turbulences. When he grew up, he would be officially designated as the Crown Princethen the Emperor without problem. In the current situation where there were only two grandsons in the royal family, Dukwol thought Mu had a high chance of achieving the title of Hwangtaeson. If Mu could achieve it, Dukwol, even though he was not the Crown Prince, could wield indefinite power as the father of the next emperor. Although there was a way for him to be the emperor, he could aim at the next best option through Mu. ¡°If Mu becomes Hwangtaeson¡­¡± He thought that if that happened, those who leaned toward Bipaan with the birth of Dohwan might come back to him. With Mu at the forefront, he could promote Oran¡¯s power, too. Actually, she was dreaming of various possibilities rather than aiming for just one thing. ¡°I think we have to report it to the Emperor to make our dreams come true,¡± she said, with a sly smile. She clung to his arms with deep emotion. He embraced her with his big hands. If everything went according to their plan, the position of the next emperor would surely be Mu¡¯s. And he was convinced that the pendulum of power would shift back to his faction. *** Under the clear and high sky a child was playing under a big tree in the middle of a hill. ¡°Wow!¡± The kid who ran around happily kept falling down and rolled over to the grass, as if he had great fun doing it. As a result, the hat on the child¡¯s head fell off, but the child simply rolled around, not caring at all. He got grass in his short hair. ¡°Damkang, Damkang. Be careful! You might get hurt.¡± A woman called him with a smile on her face. @media screen and (min-width: 1201px) {.femyc5e1479f400851 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 993px) and (max-width: 1200px) {.femyc5e1479f400851 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) {.femyc5e1479f400851 {display: block;}}@media screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 768px) {.femyc5e1479f400851 {display: block;}}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.femyc5e1479f400851 {display: block;}} Dohwan Taehwanggun, who was rolling on the grass, replied, grinning at her, ¡°Mom!¡± Kyosul approached him. Dohwan stood up and toddled along to her, grabbed her skirt and sat down. She sat down with the child. ¡°Damkang, what a mess you are! Covered in grass¡­¡± Smiling at his cuteness, she cleaned the dust from his body. Dohwan, scratching his head with his small hands and shook his head hard. Small blades of grass fell off. While shaking his head, he staggered as if he felt dizzy and fell into her skirt. ¡°Mom, I feel dizzy.¡± The young Dohwan couldn¡¯t speak well, but as he grew up amid her affectionate care, he often expressed his feelings well. ¡°Because you shook your head so hard, it¡¯s natural you feel dizzy,¡± she said. She caressed his face as he lay on her skirt. Every time her hands touched him, he moved his face around with a hearty laugh. Kyosul was so grateful that she could spend time happily with her child. In fact, he could not see the light of the world. He was born through her unacceptable relationship with Ruhae. Belying all this ironic situation, Dohwan was growing up so brightly and strongly. Chapter 119 After moving his face around, he grabbed her hands and smiled happily. "Do you like this place a lot?" "Yeah!" "I love this place, too." Patting him on the back, she looked up at the sky, patting it. Over her head was the lush greenery of the big tree on the hill. She became wistful while looking up at the tree. "I wanted to climb that tree. I felt that if I climbed up there, I could get along well in the Imperial Palace. " "To the top of the tree? Up there ... Wow!" Dohwan looked up and shouted for joy. His eyes sparkled. "So, did you climb up there?" "Unfortunately, I fell from it while I was climbing." "Oops¡­" Dohwan uttered a sigh at her answer. But she smiled at him and stroked him kindly. "Though I fell from the tree, I fell into someone''s very friendly arms. Even though I fell, I really liked it better." She was recalling what had happened between her and Ruhae a long time ago. Not long after she arrived in the Imperial Palace, when she was running around everywhere without any fear, she bumped into that kind man. One day when it was getting dark she climbed the tree and fell from the tree while climbing and fell in his arms. Was it from that day or after? Maybe it was before. She could manage to get by day by day thanks to his warm presence. She embraced Dohwan warmly just like Ruhae embraced her back then. "Thanks to him, I could meet my pretty lad like this. " "I''m going to do it!" Dohwan in her arms suddenly shouted. "I''m going to climb the tree in lieu of you, mom. I''ll climb to the top of that tree! " He jumped up and pointed to the top of the tree. She looked at him proudly. "Would you, please? Even though I couldn''t climb up there, can you climb up there, son?" "Yeah!" His sonorous cry floated high in the clear sky. The hot summer passed. The sunlight of the summer sun was gradually fading away. Soon the child will observe his third birthday. Kyosul looked at him happily. They were spending such a wonderful time together peacefully. They didn''t sense the dark clouds gathering toward them. *** Today the Imperial Palace was busy preparing for Dohwan''s third birthday. As numerous palace workers moved in and out, the central conference room, Daejeon, a little away from the banquet hall, was surrounded by a severe atmosphere. Ohyulje stopped the princes of the four palaces when they were about to go back after discussing state affairs with the emperor. Bipaan was still expressionless, as if he smelled a rat or did not care about it. On the other hand, Dukwol, whose face was always smiling, hardened his face a bit, but looked at Bipaan with an unpleasant smile. Ruhae and Binsung didn''t seem to know which way the wind was blowing, curious why the emperor stopped them. Daejon was noisy until a moment ago with numerous officials talking to each other, but it was quiet now. The emperor opened his mouth with a low cough. "I stopped you because I need to tell you something in advance." They knew that. When the emperor began to speak, everyone looked at him. Looking at the four princes one by one, he stroked his long white beard and said with a slight smile, "Tomorrow, when he observes his third birthday, I''m going to appoint Dohwan as Hwangtaeson, the successor of the next emperor." Except for Bipaan, the other princes flinched at his announcement. Although it was predictable, they felt it came out early, given that Dohwan was only three years old. Tomorrow, Dohwan would be only three years old, and it was too dangerous to appoint him as Hwangtaeson when nobody knew what would happen to him in the future. Besides, there was Mu, who turned 10 this year. His father, Prince Dukwol, smiled secretly. "There are four palaces here and there are also lots of princes outside the palace. But it is true that Bipaan has established his strong position and I''m not young. It is no wonder at all if my successor takes my place anytime, and you know, the next emperor will definitely be Bipaan." "Your Majesty, you are still healthy," Bipaan said with a cold voice. Of course, he said that out of courtesy, and everybody knew that. Nonetheless, the emperor laughed at Bipaan, appreciating his efforts to show his manners. "Bipaan is also urging me to make Dohwan Hwangtaeson, so Dohwan''s age doesn''t matter. As I have so few grandsons during my generation, I don''t expect any more offspring after Dohwan. I don''t think I''m making a hasty judgment on this. By the way, I am bothered by your unpleasant expression, Prince Dukwol." Ohyulje cast a sharp glance at Dukwol''s face. Although he smiled, his face hardened. "As Mu''s father, do you feel uncomfortable because I am going to appoint Dohwan as Hwangtaeson, who is much younger than Mu?" Although he didn''t rebuke him, Dukwol lowered his head at the emperor''s raised voice. "How can I toy with such improper thinking? I was just so worried that I could not agree with what we all had to celebrate. " "Are you worried about something?" "Yes, I am, Your Majesty." The emperor leaned forward to him. Dukwol crawled toward him and bowed face down. "I hear a bad rumor getting around in the streets¡­" As he fumbled words, the emperor wiggled his he eyebrows. Then the emperor struck his fist on the armrest of the throne and said, "Dukwol, you are now speaking like a man of small character! How come you are fumbling words as one of the four princes?" Stunned by his rebuke, Dukwol raised his upper body upright because he deliberately fumbled Though the emperor was old, he could not ignore his dignity. Dukwol felt a cold sweat flowing down his back. He also knew how dangerous what he had to say was. But he felt he had to tell the emperor now. "I''m sorry to say this, but I made a mistake because I was concerned that some chaotic rumors were getting around among lots of court ladies who liked to gossip." "Chaotic rumors? Get to the point! " When he raised his voice, Dukwol bowed. "Tell me right now!" With his head down, Dukwol smiled in triumph. As he upset the emperor, the repercussions of his disclosure about Dohwan would be greater. "I dare to say it, but there is a chaotic rumor that the father of Dohwan Taehwanggun is not the Crown Prince." When he was done speaking, silence fell over Daejeon. Nobody could open their mouth. With his head down, his face was all smiles. However, there was no change in Bipaan''s facial expression, and he didn''t cast any glance at Dukwol. Checking Bipaan''s face, the emperor stroked his mouth and touched his long beard with his long fingers. "Hummmm¡­...it''s an interesting story. Then, who is Dohwan''s biological father?" Dukwol, who was full of smiles, quickly made a sad expression, raised his head and looked up at Ruhae, whose face turned white. "I''m sorry to say this, but his biological father is Prince Ruhae¡­" "Shut up!" Bang! The emperor got enraged and shouted at him, striking the armrest hard. "Don''t you know what you''re babbling about? Do you think you''re going to be safe even after making such reckless remarks? How could you dare say that Dohwan''s father is not Bipaan? How dare you say that, you bastard!" While yelling at Dukwol, the emperor watched Ruhae''s response. His keen eyes did not miss Ruhae''s face turning white. He even saw Ruhae clenching his fists to stop trembling. Now the emperor cast his glance at Bipaan, but again there was no change in his facial expression. The emperor was about to smile after confirming what he expected in Bipaan''s expression, but quickly looked at Ruhae and said, "Ruhae, deny it if you want to. How come this kind of rumor about you is getting around?" "Well, I think I was rumored because I frequently visited the Dongbi Palace as the teacher of Dohwan Taehwanggun." Though Ruhae answered calmly, his voice was trembling a bit. The emperor''s eyebrows wiggled. "Crown Prince Bipaan! Tell me about it in detail! " As the emperor shouted at him in anger, Bipaan gently closed and opened his eyes He said, "Please calm down, Your Majesty. Needless to say, Dohwan is my blood." It was a calm voice, but as the emperor already knew that Bipaan could stay calm and sober in any situation, he could not take Bipaan''s remarks at face value. Jumping out of his chair, he shouted while walking toward the back door. "Call all the members of the royal family to Daejon after dinner. Also, summon all the concubines!" The four princes bowed as his order, and numerous palace officials lay face down, answering in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty!" Dukwol''s eyes were filled with smiles. The stone he threw made a ripple brilliantly. He did not know how the pond would roll, but he was satisfied that all the members of the royal family would get together. Chapter 120 The imperial family meeting including all the concubines was called. A cold atmosphere dominated the palace. Even though it was late into the night, the lights were lit up all over the Imperial Palace. All of the paths that were lit led to Daejon. The Queen, the emperor''s favorite concubines, the four princes and their wives, as well as the concubines who didn''t win the emperors'' favor were all gathering at Daejeon. The women who didn''t know the situation tilted their heads out of curiosity, but followed the emperor''s order. Only one of the women, Oran, walking beside Dukwol, barely holding back the urge to burst into a smile. Daejon was filled with all the members of the royal family. Ohyulje was seated on the highest chair, and Queen Taeryong sat in a small chair next to it. Then, in the chairs arranged on the right and left sides of the queen, the first concubine Ye and second concubine Su sat. At the lower stage the wives of the princes at the four palaces and three concubines sat side by side. As Mu and Dohwan were left at the hands of the nannies, they did not come to Daejeon. It was a long time after everybody took a seat that the emperor stood up from his seat. "The reason I called all of you here in one place today was because I heard a reckless rumor for which I might have to punish the person involved under the law." Looking around the royal members gathered, he screamed, pointing to the bottom of the stairs. "Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Prince Ruhae, come out and get on your knees!" Several women began to whisper here and there. Unlike Bipaan, who silently followed without changing his facial expression, Kyosul and Ruhae''s faces turned white already. The three knelt down with the stairs in between, lowering their heads. When the emperor was about to open his mouth, Bipaan shouted, with his head down, "I''m honored to announce to you. I''m worried that your discerning eyes might be blurred by Dukwol''s groundless rumors. How dare he doubt Dohwan''s biological father? I am suspicious of his underlying intention to make such a false statement. " Although Bipaan''s actions might be regarded as very rude, the emperor did not rebuke him. Quietly listening to Bipaan with a nod, those gathered in Daejeon without knowing why came to know the reason. As they came to learn more about the "birth of Dohwan Taehwangun" and Ruhae''s appearance along with Bipaan and Kyosul, they were astonished. Crown Princess Kyosul and Prince Ruhae? Only Dukwol and Oran as well as Yomin, Ruhae''s official wife, didn''t seem to show any change in their facial expressions. Stopping others'' whispering by raising his hand, Ohyuje called Dukwol, "Come forward, Dukwol." He rose from his seat, and Oran, who was not called, followed him. The emperor did not bother to stop her. They kneeled down behind Bipaan, Kyosul and Ruhae. There was a brief silence. Suddenly, the emperor knocked on the armrest of the throne and yelled, "You, bastard! How dare you make such reckless remarks before me? How dare you spit out such imprudent words in front of the emperor? Don''t you know that although you''re my eldest son, I settled for making you No. 2 prince in the succession to the throne because of your frivolous temperament?" "Calm down, Your Majesty. It''s not just a rumor that''s getting around for no reason. " "It looks like you haven''t yet come to your senses!" In spite of Ohyulje''s anger, Dukwol didn''t budge a bit. He was too confident before the angry emperor, though he lowered his head when replying to his question. Dukwol never expected that the emperor would convene an imperial family meeting and get angry before all of them. Things got more complicated than thought. Dukwol put his brain to work quickly. It would be easier for him to take issue with a simple case first than an overly complex one. So, Dukwol decided to talk about the suspicious interactions between Ruhae and Kyosul instead of arguing that Ruhae was Dohwan''s biological father. "If you''re in doubt, please ask Ruhae and Kyosul directly. There must be some reason why this kind of rumor about them is getting around." Dukwol brought the emperor''s attention to them. Kyosul was shuddering violently at that moment. In the end, Bipaans''s eyebrows wriggled slightly. "Crown Princess! Prince Ruhae! " "Your Majesty, Dukwol''s behavior is so rude and¡­" "Shut up, Bipaan!" The emperor''s anger was already at its peak. Everybody else was quiet, and only his loud voice resonated through Daejon. "Your Majesty!" Finally Ruhae opened his mouth. He clasped his fists, but his face was white, but his eyes shone as if he was firmly determined. Everybody turned their eyes toward him. And he opened his mouth, after all. "I do¡­ " What he just said made all of them hold their breath immediately. Breaking the cold and heavy silence, the emperor shouted, "Tell me again." The atmosphere of Daejon became stern. "I do love the Crown Princes, no, Woorum Mokhwa" There was silence again. They couldn''t even afford to whisper, stunned by his shocking confession. They were just speechless as what he said was just nonsensical and should not happen. When no one even tried to move, Dukwol jumped out of his seat with a sneering smile. "See, Your Majesty! The Ruhae is betraying the basic moral laws of humans¡­" "Shut up!" There was heard a low but terrifying voice. Overwhelmed by the voice, Dukwol stopped talking unconsciously. It was not Ohyulje''s voice but Bipaan''s. Bipaan lifted his head, got up from his seat, turned and approached Dukwol. Though he was four years younger than his half brother, Bipaan was much taller than Dukwol. His towering height overwhelmed him. He quickly came up to Dukwol, grabbing him by the collar and pulled his face. His black eyes were fixed on Dukwol''s right away. Dukwol felt goosebumps, but heard a low, but clearly audible voice in his ears. "Without knowing the hill is high, the moon is trying to rise above it," Bipaan said. Of course, the ''moon'' here was referring to Dukwol, and the hill Danmok, namely Bipaan. Dukwol always ignored him with a mysterious look. He was below Bipaan as the second prince,and he felt like he was a lowly slave when he stood before Bipaan. So, he hated Bipaan. He wanted to beat Bipaan. He always felt slighted because Bipaan took the position of the Crown Prince simply because he was born to the Queen, though he was younger and less talented than him, but he knew clearly that Bipaan was not an easy rival to deal with. That''s why Dukwol always pretended to smile. He hid his dark eyes full of hatred in his crescent-shaped eyelids and swallowed anger in a gently curved smile. He wanted to get him off guard by just smiling as if he had no other intention. And he wanted to make him fall off the cliff the moment he was caught off guard and take away everything from him, including his position and status in the imperial family. But Dukwol thought Biapan was too easy a target. "Don''t you know the person you''re now blaming? If you blame the Crown Princess, it is the same as blaming me. It seems you''re too stupid to realize that." "Crown Prince!" When Ohyulje called him quietly, Bipaan released his grip on the collar and pushed him before lowering his head to the emperor, but the emperor did not reproach his actions. He just called Bipaan once, but didn''t even look at Dukwol who fell down. Thrown on to the floor, Dukwol made a little m.o.a.n. Oran approached him and supported one of his arms. Her sharp gaze turned to Kyosul, who was looking at Bipaan with surprised eyes. Kyosul lowered her head to the emperor and sat down again quietly. Ruhae''s shocking confession was buried in a bit of confusion, but thanks to the confusion, the emperor could size him up in a genuine way. There was a smile on his lips. "Ruhae, what did you say?" "It is just as I said. I love the Crown Princess." In the end, Kyosul cried. The emperor could not miss her tears dropping on her skirt. "Why are you crying, Crown Princess?" Unlike when he dealt with the princes, he spoke to her in a soft tone, with a voice that seemed to appease a young child or speak to a precious daughter. But Kyosul felt discomfort in that voice. She flinched at his voice, and quickly wiped tears, but her lacrimal gland when once opened did not know when to close. "Why are you crying? Are you crying because you received someone''s love that you should not have? Or are you crying to sympathize with him?" Kyosul, who had buried her face in her hem, barely raised her face and opened his trembling lips. "¡­I do love Prince Ruhae." Chapter 121 In the end, she also confessed to the emperor about her love of Ruhae, something that he could never approve. She felt she could not hide it anymore, nor did she want to hide it. She just proudly wanted to shout to everybody that he was her lover. "Pahahaha!" Suddenly the emperor laughed a hearty laugh, while all the others in Daejon were very nervous, except for Bipaan. At that moment, he stepped forward. Kneeling on one knee, he raised the other knee, with a hand on it and opened his mouth, his head slightly down. "Your Majesty, I would like to make a request to you." "As you kneel down before me like that, it looks like you want to speak your mind about these wrongheaded lovers, right?" Ohyuje was not an ordinary emperor. With as much composure as Bipaan''s, he was sneering at Ruhae and Kyosul for their unforgivable sin. "Please expel them the Crown Princess and the prince from the palace!" Nobody expected that he would make such a request, not even Ruhae and Kyosul. But the emperor responded with a calm voice. "Why are you talking about expelling them all of a sudden?" "As she is bound in fetters and unable to love me with all her heart in this palace, please expel her with Ruhae out of this imperial palace." He again said that Dohwan was clearly his blood, arguing that nobody would challenge it because he was the child''s biological father. And he went on to say that he would let go of Kyosul. He asked the emperor to free her and Ruhae from this palace, which was magnificent and gorgeous but very cold. When Dukwol, who was lying face down, pulled himself together and tried to open his mouth, he had to roll around the floor again. Bipaan, who was very courteous to the emperor, treated him more roughly than anybody else, but the emperor did not bat an eye. It was not just Bipaan''s violent behavior that shut his mouth. The mysterious energy coming from his body, as it had nothing to hide anymore, made it impossible for him to move. Overwhelmed by Bipaan''s overbearing attitude, Dukwol and Oran lay face down on the floor and clenched their teeth. They couldn''t even challenge him. As there was none who disturbed him, Bipaan made short work of having his say. When he had his say, Ruhae, who was kneeling down, said, "I have made an unforgivable sin. I know well that I can''t stay here anymore. I''m going to leave. Your Majesty, please let me go. Never again will I return to the palace or the Mok Kingdom. " Ruhae bowed down to the emperor again and again. Next to him, Kyosul couldn''t control tears coming down her cheeks. "Yes, I''m going to leave. I made the unforgivable sin of loving my brother''s wife, for which you can impose a capital punishment, but please have mercy on me and allow me to leave the palace," Ruhae said loudly. It was the first time that the emperor heard Ruhae speaking with such a loud voice. Ruhae always kept his place quietly but surely. He was the next most smart prince after Bipaan, and more docile than anyone else. But he liked his brother''s wife and now declared proudly before him that he would leave the palace. Dumbfounded by Ruhae''s bombshell announcement, the emperor burst into laughter. What else could he do? He laughed suddenly and uncontrollably. "Under the imperial law I''m going to have Crown Princess Kyosul and Prince Ruhae beheaded for trampling on our morality and their bodies thrown on the fields to give them a bad name." The emperor spit out cruel words on their punishment. Ruhae and Kyosul''s faces instantly turned white, but Ruhae did not stop and continued, "From now on, I will give up my royal name. I will give up my last name Danmok. I will live as a low class man who is no more than a subject to the imperial law. Also, I''ll give up all the glory and wealth of the royal family. Just allow me to leave. In this imperial palace where everything works in the world of power, I have met my true love with difficulty. I can''t break up with her. Even if you can separate us by capital punishment, we will meet and love again after death. But, please let us live a little more happily in this life. Please allow us to leave." While listening to his pleading, the emperor made a mysterious smile. He raised his right hand slowly. His old hands floating in the air could shut Ruhae''s mouth. At that moment, one among those women who were quietly shocked came forward and said, "Taeryong, your wife and the Queen, dare beg you. Please grant Prince Ruhae''s request. " That was the start. "Your second wife Ye, I dare beg you. Please grant his request, and let them leave the palace. " "Your first concubine Sassi, I dare beg you. Please let them leave." They continued to beg the emperor. "How long do you think they can sustain themselves in this palace? Please allow them enjoy their happiness after leaving the palace!" "What is the use of the moral laws of family relationship? As Your Majesty is god, please treat them with generosity and benevolence!" "What shall be left if you punish them with capital penalty? Please grant his request, Your Majesty. " The three women who knelt on the floor and bowed to him, competitively pleaded with the emperor for his generosity and forgiveness, As if he never expected Queen Taeryoung''s pleading, the emperor was very embarrassed. As Ye, his second wife, was Ruhae''s mother, the emperor rightly guessed she would take his son''s side, but he couldn''t easily understand why even Sassi came forward and begged for his forgiveness. Queen Taeryong was the source of the greatest strength to him, Ye was his favorite woman, and Sassi was the woman who made him feel the most comfortable. When these three women bowed to him to beg for his forgiveness of Ruhae and Kyosul, the emperor was very upset. At that moment, another woman said in a little voice, "This is Princess Kyoyoung. I dare beg you, Your Majesty. Please grant his request to leave the palace!" Kyoyoung remained silent up to now. In fact, she had been shedding tears silently from the moment she came to know the reason why the royal family meeting was called in Daejon. When she watched Kyosul and Ruhae leaving together, when she heard rumors about them but couldn''t believe her ears, she just shook her head because they couldn''t believe it. ''No way! How can they¡­'' They should not have had an affair. However, Kyosul and Ruhae proudly declared they were in love. The moment she heard their announcement to the royal family, Kyoyoung felt like the sky would fall. ''I can''t believe¡­'' Her trembling eyes turned to Bipaan. As her eyes were already welled with tears, she could not clearly see him, but she could fully discover the fact that all the stories Bipaan spoke with confidence were false. He tried to bury his head in the sand. Nobody would believe his claim that he was Dohwan''s biological father. However, everyone in Daejon believed him as they seemed to wish Bipaan was Dohwan''s father. She wasn''t sure if they believed him against their will. If that''s the case, was it only Kyoyoung who knew Bipaan was lying because she knew him well enough to detect it as she had been staying beside him for many years? In fact, it didn''t matter to her. Kyoyoung could understand the situation more clearly because of Bipaan''s lie. ''No..how come this could happen?'' She felt choked. Her whole body trembled from head to toe. She felt like her heart was torn apart. She felt like she was suffocated. What she said and did to Kyosul came to her mind. Reflecting on what she said harshly to Kyosul back then, Kyoyoung reproached herself again and again. She vented her anger on Kyosul when Bipaan didn''t appreciate her years of longing for him at his side. Though it was Bipaan who wounded her feelings, Kyoyoung cursed Kyosul without any reason. Perhaps she did that because Kyosul was an easy target. Nonetheless, Kyoyoung thought it was okay to be mean to Kyosul because she was loved by Bipaan. Come to think of it, though, Kyosul was not loved at all by him. Kyoyoung recalled Kyosul''s sad voice, who just kept saying she was sorry instead of protesting. At that moment, Kyoyoung could easily figure out that Kyosul was as much hurt as she. Alas! All that was the things of the past. Kyoyong wanted Kyosul to forgive her rudeness in the past because she was afraid of her sin more than anything. Looking back, she hated Kyosul. Was it because her first impression was funny and pitiful? Perhaps it was because she had false hope that she could get along with her intimately. In fact, she kept reminding herself that she could not and should not believe anybody in the palace, but she took Kyosul as an exception. She took Kyosul''s confession that she couldn''t love Bipaan at face value. Chapter 122 "How stupid you were to say that!" Kyoyoung made fun of Kyosul when she made such a confession. One''s genuine heart for somebody was meaningless in the Imperial Palace. It didn''t matter whether one loved somebody or not. There were none in the palace who relied on such sweet and feeble sentimentalism in the Imperial Palace. Nonetheless, Kyoyoung was fooled by her innocent eyes. Foolishly enough, she even sympathized with her, feeling sorry and pitiful towards her. She even tried to protect Kyosul. So, she was enraged when she learned that Kyosul, unlike her, got close to Bipaan quickly and got pregnant. How could she get pregnant when she confessed that she didn''t love him? ''How could she have her way with me, pretending she didn''t know anything?'' She felt betrayed. "You were too naive!" said Oran, comforting her with a cunning voice. Oran was casually sipping tea in her residence when she said that in a comfortable tone. Oran put the teacup down, dropping her eyes, and said, "Well, she might think she is also from a royal family." "I was told that she came from a loving and harmonious royal family, so I didn''t expect at all that she held her cards close to her chest." "Did you say her royal family was harmonious? Never judge from appearance!" said Oran, laughing loudly. She continued, "What royal family isn''t harmonious in the world?" After sneering at Kyosul as much she could, Oran leaned forward as if she wanted to whisper. She whispered, with her right hand right next to her mouth. "Maybe these folks in the Hwa family are the dirtiest." Oran even pretended to shake her shoulders as if she felt terrible about them. Kyoyoung also clenched her jaw but didn''t say anything. She tightened her grip on the teacup, with her violently trembling fingers. Oran went on, "Is there anybody who claims they are really clean? In fact, the more they claim they are, the dirtier they are, People like us who are openly blamed are more clean. " Oran furtively showed her friendship with her by exchanging eye signals with her. Given Oran''s way of speaking with Kyoyoung comfortably and even talking about a dangerous topic, it looked like she had been visiting her residence frequently for a long time. At first Kyoyoung didn''t welcome her visit at all, but now she didn''t even point out Oran''s rude attitude. After sipping tea, Kyoyoung put down the teacup. She dropped her eyes like Oran''s. Her eyelids covered with a dark, colorful eye makeup were half closed. "I think I have misunderstood you, Oran." "How kind you are!" Oran responded, surprised at her unexpected compliment. Kyoyoung continued, "At first, I was annoyed because you gave it to me straight. As I''ve come to know your sincerity now, I would like to value your honest and blunt comment." "Oh, I''m grateful to you as you have understood my sincerity now," Oran replied wildly. But her round eyes clearly showed she was taking Kyoyoung''s words with derision. Kyoyoung remembered she sneered at Kyosul''s sincerity, but she said she understood Oran''s sincerity. What an irony, she thought to herself. Anyway, their pitting against Kyosul was good for both. They frequented each other since then. While comforting Kyoyoung, Oran tried to form a close friendship with her. When she felt she was close enough to Kyoyoung, Oran brought up a topic while sipping tea. "Well, how unfaithful and vulgar it is!" "What''s up?" "Well, I''ve heard something¡­" Oran, who was about to open her mouth, shook her hand and turned her head. "No, nothing particular. I''m afraid you might blame me if I tell you this." "What are you talking about? Is there anything we should avoid talking between you and me?" Kyoyoung pressed on her. After resisting for a while, Oran reluctantly said, "I hear Kyosul is bringing a guy into her room." "A guy?" "As she can''t have s.e.x while she is pregnant, she seems to be burning up with s.e.x.u.a.l desire as the Crown Prince isn''t visiting her." "¡­Pardon?" Kyoyoung''s face grew dark. It was mixed with fear, anger and contempt. "As you know, those women who say they like men pretend to be innocent and quiet. You know why? Because they can seduce men more easily when they pretend like that." Kyoyoung was silent. Looking at her expression, Oran shook her head with a sigh and clicked her tongue. "It looks like she doesn''t fear anything. How dare she get pregnant and tries to seduce another man?" Oran said. Though her trust in Kyosul was already broken, even such a little thing shook Kyoyoung''s troubled mind violently. Determined that she would check out Kyosul''s residence, Kyoyoung began to find out the truth of the rumors about Kyosul. Blinded by jealousy, Kyoyoung began to dig up everything about her thoroughly. As she resided in the East Palace like Kyosul, Kyoyoung felt she could check out with her own eyes what''s going on in Kyosul''s place. One day, Kyoyoung opened her mouth to Oran with a heavy heart. "Princess Oran!" She had been agonized with what she found out for several days before approaching Oran. But there was only one answer. Now, it was just a matter of when she revealed it to Oran. Although she opened her mouth, she couldn''t speak right away as her heart was pounding hard. But the moment she opened her mouth, or at the moment she called Oran to her residence, she already decided to tell her about it. "I''ve confirmed Crown Princess Kyosul''s infidelity," Kyoyoung said, burning with anger. She added, "Her partner is Prince Ruhae!" When she heard the answer she had been waiting for, Oran sympathized with her anger, though she was aware of it all along. Oran knew Kyoyoung would be boiling with rage when Kyoyoung found out herself that Kyosul''s partner was Ruhae. From her point of view, Oran could play a dirty trick without exposing herself to any danger by using Kyoyoung as best she could. After that, there were more frequent exchanges between them. Kyoyoung even had a solo meeting with Dukwol. She mentioned justice with a hardened expression, but she was scared at the same time. And Dukwol''s attitude instigated her further. "Don''t you think we have to establish the discipline of the imperial family more firmly?" She had no doubt that she was acting out of justice back then. *** It was none other than Kyoyoung who found out every detail about Kyosul''s wrongheaded love with Ruhae and reported it to Dukwol and Oran in the West Palace. Rather, she sold them off. Right here in Daejon today, when Kyosul and Ruhae bowed to the emperor, begging for his mercy, Kyoyoung realized that she had made a mistake. She felt deeply ashamed of her behavior. And she felt all the more bitter because it all was caused by her jealousy of Kyosul. "¡­ I, Princess Kyoyoung, dare beg you, Your Majesty! Please allow the Crown Prince and the prince to leave the palace! " When her tearful voice subdued, another woman came forward and said, "I, Princess Heyjin, dare beg you, Your Majesty! Please grant his request!" While watching the situation carefully, she said that, bowing to the emperor. Her husband Prince Binsung also followed suit, begging the emperor for his forgiveness. Impressed with her exotic words and deed, Ohyulje never let Heyjn''s words in one ear and out the other. Though her voice sounded lazy to others, her speaking with a low voice sounded like a prophecy to him. Finally, the emperor glanced over all who present in Daejon, with their heads down. "How foolish you are!" There was sarcastic smile on his face when he heard them all. They lived in the palace all their lives, but it seemed to him that they still believed in such sentimental words as ''sincerity'' or ''love''. They begged for his forgiveness and generosity at the risk of their lives. His gaze on them became icy, and he finally turned his eyes toward Kyosul and Ruhae. As if there was nothing to hide or fear anymore, they held each other''s hands tightly. Ohyulje closed his eyes silently. He couldn''t simply ignore their request. In fact, he sacrificed too many people for his own political interests up to now. He was not a woman in the Imperial Palace who dreamed of the tender word ''lover.'' He was a cold-hearted man who took a lot of lives to attain his current position. Accordingly, he had no reservations at all about taking the lives of Ruhae and Kyosul, even if one of them was his most cherished son. He already made up his mind coldly. With no smile on his hardened face, he stood up from his seat and announced, "As of today, the name Yuuljin Danmok shall be erased from the imperial family tree." Ruhae looked up at him. His eyes did not meet the emperor''s. Standing tall, the emperor was just looking ahead. Erase his name from the royal family tree? Chapter 123 The emperor''s decision was in line with Ruhae''s request to abandon his name, but he was still nervous. Deleting his name had plenty of room to be interpreted in many ways. He tightened his grip on her hands. Lying face down, she didn''t move. There were numerous numbers of cases in his head during that short silence. All the royal family members present in Daejon couldn''t think straight, at a loss about how to interpret his ruling. At that moment the emperor declared, "Carry out their capital punishment as soon as the day breaks tomorrow." Capital punishment! Ruhae closed her eyes quickly. The emperor''s ruling was clear. "Your Majesty!" "Please forgive their sin!" The three women who came forward to plead for his forgiveness raised their voices, but he ignored their petition. It seemed he never paid attention to their request. "Tomorrow we''re going to celebrate Dohwan Taehwanggun''s third birthday and his crowning ceremony as the heir to the next emperor, so carry out my order quickly and secretly." He looked around Daejeon. And as soon as his gaze turned to a woman, she got up and opened her mouth with a clear voice. "I''m going to go back to my parents'' house outside the palace." It was Yomin, Ruhae''s official wife. While the three women supported Ruhae and Kyosul, they didn''t care about her at all. Although they were begging the emperor to let them leave the palace, they couldn''t look at her. In fact, they couldn''t afford to think about her. Although she was forgotten by all, with the man she served as her husband and another woman officially recognized as a couple, she did not seem sad at all. She was so cool as if she didn''t care at all. She seemed to have already forgotten Prince Ruhae. "It is Prince Ruhae, not me, who has gone against the moral law of family relationship. And it is also Prince Ruhae, not me, who has ended our relationship as husband and wife." The emperor nodded and said, "You''re right, but you can''t leave the palace." "I don''t have any reason to stay at the Imperial Palace as a princess. Please dispose me as a princess." Even facing the emperor, she spoke clearly without fear, but his reply to her pert request was was totally unexpected. "I won''t dispose you as a princess." She, who faced him confidently without trembling, wiggled her eyebrows. She protested as if she could not understand at all, "How can a princess exist without her prince?" The name of Ruhae was supposed to be deleted from the royal lineage. It made no sense for her to remain as his wife. "Just like you said, you are not to blame at all for all this. Why should I depose you?" "I don''t want to serve a prince who has betrayed the morality of family relationship. I''ve given up on him. I''d like to be relieved of my position as a princess for my refusal to serve him. I can''t recognize him as my husband." Yomin looked at Ruhae sharply. After showing her hatred of him for a moment, she begged the emperor. "I don''t care when I will be recorded as a deposed princess. I just want to leave the palace. Please grant my request!" The emperor looked at her, stroking his chin with the back of his index finger. "I recognize your strong courage!" Opening his mouth belatedly, he praised Yomin and issued a brief order. "I grant your request!" "I''m so grateful for your decision. Please allow me to leave the palace without observing Dohwan''s crowning ceremony. As soon as the day breaks tomorrow morning, I''ll leave the palace." After bowing to the emperor, Yomin sat down again quietly. In no time, Ruhae''s fate was decided. The whole meeting, which lasted less than 15 minutes, was awfully heavy and choking. Perhaps because they knew the emperor''s decision on Yomin, or perhaps because they confirmed her existence that they had forgotten up to then, even those who supported Ruhae and Kyosul didn''t open their mouth now. There were none who would come forward to beg the emperor to lessen the punishment. Nobody couldn''t do so in front of Yomin. Silence in Daejon became longer. It was only the emperor who could break the silence. "I will not talk about the birth of Dohwan anymore. Crown Prince Bipaan will be in charge of Prince Ruhae and the Crown Prince''s execution." He firmly reaffirmed his decision. The controversy flared up like gust and rocked the imperial family was ended perfectly. Chapter 124 "¡­Who is there? Crown Prince Bipaan?" Ruhae called Bipaan with a doubtful expression. He wrapped his arm around Kyosul''s shoulders as if to protect her. Ruhae and Kyousul looked at Bipaan nervously, but Bipaan didn''t move or speak in the open prison door. The old keys dangled from his fingertips. Unexpected silence continued while Ruhae and Kyosul wondered why he stood there. Nobody moved. Although the thick wooden door was wide open, but he didn''t approach them as if he was blocked by something. Looking down at them blankly, Bipaan spoke in a heavy voice. "I asked the emperor to let you leave the palace. Nonetheless, he ordered me to carry out your capital punishment." "¡­ Thank--" "I didn''t take your side to hear that." His voice was sharp and she shut her mouth as she couldn''t find the right words to express her feelings at the moment. Seeing her reaction, Bipaan bit his lip before opening his mouth again. "Although the emperor ordered me to carry out his order, I knew his real intention was for me to deal with you as I wished without being caught by the other members of the royal family." Kyosul and Ruhae looked up at Bipaan in astonishment at the same time. Bipaan did not meet their eyes. Although he was speaking to them, he stared into the air. He couldn''t look straight at her face to face. He continued, "It would shake the stability of the imperial law for the emperor to announce that he would allow you to leave the palace without any punishment. There were so many royal family members there watching his decision, so the emperor who wished for the grand future of the kingdom could not approve my request. In other words, the emperor ordered your execution, but at the same time his order suggested that I should help you leave the palace." His slow voice was cold, but they were so happy to hear the good news that they did not know what to do. ''We have survived! We can leave the palace together as we wish! We can plan our future together!'' Their hearts pounded. They tightened their grip on their hands. Forgetting him right before their eyes, they looked at each other in surprise and deep emotions. Looking at them still inside the jail whose door was open, he threw a bag in his hands. A small bag fell heavily in front of them. "You will be able to lead a happy and luxurious life all your lives with the jewelry in the bag." He was unusually talkative at the moment. Perhaps, this was the most he had ever spoken to her since he met her. He quickly turned around after looking at the two people who still did not believe what was happening. He wanted to leave the place as soon as possible while they got carried away with his surprise gift. "Your Majesty!" He stopped when she called him feebly. She approached him with light steps and touched his back. Touching his collar cautiously, she carefully opened his mouth, "I''m so sorry, Your Majesty. I''ve come to the kingdom as your official wife, but I''m leaving now after sinning against you. I''m so deeply touched by your decision to let us leave¡­" In the end, her voice trembled when she spoke then she sobbed uncontrollably. Bipaan did not turn his head. With his back against her, he was looking at the prison road ahead, which was still quite dark. "I''m letting you and Ruhae leave the palace, but Dohwan Taehwangson Damkang will grow up by my side as the next heir and become the emperor. " She was heartbroken to hear her son''s name, but she could not take him with her. Given Bipaan''s big favor, she would be asking too much if she pleaded with him to allow her to take her son. The child would have died without Bipaan''s confirmation that he was Damkang''s biological father. "I hope Damkang is in great hands¡­" Was it her illusion? She felt like she heard Bipaan''s cynical response. Bipaan shook his head slightly and walked out of the prison quickly When she was watching him blankly, Ruhae approached her. He slowly raised her hands and wrapped her shoulders. "Kyosul, Oh no, Woorum, let''s hurry up! " It was Kyosul''s childhood name he had forgotten for a long time. Since Kyosul was deposed, she longer needed her official title Kyosul. From now on, she could live as Woorum while Ruhae as Yuuljin.. When they recognize this simple fact, they were thrilled. These young lovers were simple. As they could get by only with their sincere love of each other, they were thrilled by the simple fact that they could live together in the future. Holding hands tightly, they walked out of the prison, full of hopeful dreams. Unlike other days there were no soldiers patrolling the imperial palace tonight. Obviously, the emperor took the measure in advance. As a result, they quickly moved and left out of the back door of the palace, which opened easily. Hiding at the foot of Mt. Mokak, they took a break for a while, but Ruhae didn''t get things done completely at the palace. "Please wait a moment here. Let me go back to the palace quickly." "Why are going there suddenly?" she asked in surprise. Hugging her shoulders once again, he said, "I have to take care of some stuff there." "Yuuljin!" "I''ll be right back." He quickly disappeared after handing the bag of jewelry to her and hugging her once more. Her eyes trembled nervously, but she could wait. As she was waiting for him, she didn''t find it difficult or hard to wait. *** After all, Bipaan sent her away. He ordered the court ladies to bring a liquor table. He was sitting alone in his residence at the East Palace. Although he didn''t enjoy drinking, he didn''t get drunk even if he drank a lot. He kept drinking, lots of wine bottles piled up beside him. It was empty and silent in his room. "Now the dust has settled finally." He had a bitter smile, but he felt lonely. At that moment someone urgently called outside the door. "Brother Bipaan!" Although he heard it suddenly in silence, Bipaan was not surprised at all. Ruhae was an unexpected visitor, but Bipaan seemed to know already that he would be coming back. When he slowly turned his head, he found Ruhae standing in front of the open window. Bipaan turned his head back and replied gently, "Palace guards will be patrolling after midnight, so you should hurry up." "I received a big favor from you, brother." Approaching Bipaan, he bowed to him. Looking down at his back lying on the floor, Bipaan turned his eyes away from him and began drinking again. . Ruhae opened his mouth at his indifferent attitude. "¡­I think I can never beat you, brother. " "What the heck are you talking about? I can''t understand it. " "Cuc.u.mber herbs." "¡­ Why are you suddenly mentioning that summer flower?" Ruhae bit his lip at that moment. Bipaan was a tough cookie. Ruhae found his lover Woorum, along with the future he could share with her. At this moment, however, he felt the bitter sense of defeat and got upset about Bipaan. Ruhae said with a heavy voice, "That flower on the windowsill of the Crown Princess. You placed it there everyday, right?" "Why are you talking about the flower all of a sudden? It looks like you aren''t in a hurry to leave the palace." "When you told me about ''that woman'' in the past, wasn''t she Woorum, the Crown Princess, right?" As Bipaan was deliberately beating around the bush, Ruhae shouted at him finally. By every standard, Bipaan was a real tough cookie. Ruhae couldn''t stand it this time. His firmly clenched fists was trembling as he couldn''t control his emotions. However, Bipaan casually took a sip of alcohol in relaxed moods. "Are you really okay? Doesn''t it bother you at all if you send your wife to another man?" "Even if I''m not okay, it''s obvious you''re going to take her. I don''t understand why you''re asking that." Having replied coldly, Bipaan turned his head so Ruhae could only see his profile. His sharp jawline trembled slightly. It seemed Bipaan was worried he might say some unpleasant words. In fact, even if Bipaan replied he was not okay, Ruhae would take her anyway. He had to. Otherwise, there would be no place in the palace where they could stay. "As the Crown Princess loves you with all her heart, live happily with her. " Despite his cold voice, he fumbled words. In the end, he closed his eyes. "Brother, you already knew Woorum before she became your wife. Haven''t you loved her for a long time?" Again, Bipaan had no answer. Ruhae felt more miserable as he kept silent. Biting his lip, Ruhae jumped out of the window without even saying goodbye to him. A cold night breeze blew in through the open window. The wine glass hung from his white fingers and trembled dangerously. "I love her¡­" He had light smile on his lips. This will be the end of his relationship with Kyosul. Darkness went away, and the dawn came. The sun was shining at his feet as he sat on the cushion with a glass of wine. Chapter 125 The South Palace, Ruhae''s place, was half empty as he left. And his official wife Yomin was busy preparing for her own departure. She didn''t hesitate to clean it up. She calmly emptied her stuff. "Boohoo..." Bojin kept crying as she helped Yomin pack. At first Yomin didn''t pay much attention to her whimpering and tried to comfort her. "Why are you crying?" "I am just upset and bitter. How come you are so calm, Your Highness?" "I don''t know what you mean." Answering indifferently, Yomin emptied one wardrobe. She was going to send all the clothes in it to the laundry center. While crying, Bojin threw herself flat on the basket. Some of the baskets on the floor were full of her personal items such as ornaments and clothes. Bojin collected her clothes in the baskets. "Just take everything when you leave, including jewelry and silk. Why are you throwing them away? " "I came here empty-handed. So, wouldn''t it be right to go out empty-handed?" "No, no. You should be rewarded for the precious time you wasted in the Imperial Palace. " "Reward?" While cleaning up her stuff, she stopped for a moment. There was a faint smile on her mouth, which instantly disappeared. "No, it''s a punishment for the position that I coveted, which was not mine." "You''re Prince Ruhae''s official wife, aren''t you? The person who coveted the position was not you, but the Crown Princess!" "Hey, Bojin." She called Bojin sternly. At that moment Bojin, who blamed the Crown Princess before her, flinched a bit but did not stop speaking her mind. "Oh my god...How can you give in without any resistance? How come you can take it so easily? You let your husband leave and even lost your position as the princess¡­" "¡­ It doesn''t matter to me. " She comforted Bojin with a spiritless voice. When she didn''t get angry with her rude criticism of Kyosul, Bojin felt more bitter. Bojin crawled toward her and grabbed her skirt. "How come it doesn''t matter to you? You lost everything and now you''re leaving alone..." "Well, you are going to stay with Yomin, oh no, with me, aren''t you?" Yomin gave up her title as a princess as well as her official title Yomin. She called herself ''I,'' not Yomin. She touched Bojin''s hair with her thin hands. Bojin looked up at her with wet eyes. "In this lonely palace, where there was nothing belonging to me, I could breathe as you stayed with me." "¡­ Your Highness..." "If you don''t mind, won''t you leave the palace with me?" Leaving the South Palace and the Imperial Palace, she expressed her wishes for the first and last time. Bojin rubbed her wet red eyes. Smiling brightly, Bojin grabbed her hands with both hands. After she was done preparing to leave the palace, Yomin visited the East Palace for the last time. She headed for the Dongin Palace, where Kyoyoung resided. She didn''t have to worry about visiting Kyoyoung late at night or calling the chief court lady. Feeling someone''s presence in the backyard, Yomin rushed there. "I thought you couldn''t go to sleep easily." When somebody talked to her suddenly in the darkness, Kyoyoung looked back in astonishment. Kyoyoung with a gaunt face was wandering in the backyard. "¡­ How come you have come to this place?" Snap! Even before she asked a silly question, Yomin slapped her in the face quickly. Yomin was still calm. Nobody would have figured out what had happened without her flushed face as well as her turned head. There was no change in Yomin''s facial expression. "You should have kept the secret of the East Palace to yourself. Why did you leak it to the West Palace so foolishly?" "¡­ How did you...? " "I won''t ask you. So, don''t ask me, either." Yomin cut off her words resolutely. She was calm all along even when she knew Ruhae had an affair with Kyosul, but the only person of whom she could not control her anger was Kyoyoung. Looking at her reaction at the recent royal family meeting, Yomin could confirm that she was the whistle-blower. She felt bitter. She endured all the stress by herself without letting anyone know about Ruhae and Kyosul''s affair. As if to make fun of her patience and pain, however, Kyoyoung made her endurance come to nothing by leaking it to Oran. "I am leaving, so stay at the palace to the end. As you wished so much, stay beside the Crown Prince by all means." "¡­ I can''t¡­" "You have to." Yomin didn''t allow her to make any excuse. She continued with a heavy heart, "Protect the son just like you stand by the Crown Prince. As you were responsible for expelling his mother from the palace, you have to fill the vacuum left by her." Kyoyoung lowered her head. Yomin''s critical glance tormented her. She looked at Kyoyoung for a while, but Kyoyoung couldn''t leave the place first. "How foolish I am to the end!" Yomin sneered at herself. After she abandon her position as a princess, what she did for the last time was her bitter criticism of Kyoyoung. She had been totally ignored by Ruhae. Given her position right now, it was absurd for her to express her concern about Ruhae''s son to Kyoyoung. Going back to the South Palace, Yomin was staggering dangerously. "This is going to be my last visit to the palace." That was true. She was stepping back to the South Palace for the last time. She didn''t want anything from Ruhae. She just wanted to watch him, but now she couldn''t do anything. All she could do was wish him well. *** Darkness, which seemed to cover the Imperial Palace, was forced to retreat when the sun rose. No matter what happened last night, the sun was to rise again. The day broke when they would observe Dohwan Taehwanggun''s birthday and crowning at the same time. "Where is my mom? Mom?" Rubbing his eyes, young Dohwan looked for his mother, but nobody brought his mother to him. Everyone looked embarrassed and turned away from his eyes. He didn''t like birthday gifts piled mountain high, nor delicious meals. He just missed his mom. "Where is my mom? Why isn''t she coming?" Dohwan became more and more impatient. His patience didn''t last long. Although there was a splendid banquet taking place, he didn''t pay any attention to dancer''s dance or musicians'' songs. At last, his face turned red and tears began to be welled up in his eyes. "Damkang!" Someone called with a heavy voice. He put his heavy hand on Dohwan''s head. With his eyes still welled with tears, Dohwan looked up at him. Bipaan was also looking at him. He rarely called his childhood name Dohwan, which his mother Kyosul used to call kindly. Bipaan just called him Damkang. "Dad," Dohwan hung his head while whining. It was only Dohwan who could conduct himself without reserve before Bipaan, who was feared by all people in the Imperial Palace and notorious for its cold-heartedness. As he was busy taking care of state affairs, he couldn''t spent much time with Dohwan, but he was always kind to Dohwan. "Your mother is sick in bed with illness of the mind, Damkang. So, let''s go and see her when she gets better." Unlike his scary look, Bipaan always grabbed his small hands kindly. As if he felt relieved by Bipaan''s comfort, he rubbed his eyes with the sleeves. Dohwan opened his eyes wide and asked, "Is mom very sick?" When Dohwan looked up at him, Bipaan knew he took after Kyosul so much. He silently stroked Dohwan''s head. Looking at him, Bipaan seemed sad. Dohwan found it hard to understand his father''s facial expression, but he was about to cry, thinking his mother was very sick. At the end of the banquet, Dohwan was brought to Ohyuje. In no time, the Hwangtaeson''s crowning ceremony was held. Young Dohwan did not understand the meaning and weight of what had happened. He just recognized that his official title was changed from Taehwanggun to Hwangtaeson. Before the child understood the weight of the crown on his head, the emperor first supported him as the heir to the next emperor. Crowning the Hwangtaeson was was a great national event. Not only the Imperial Palace but also all the castles were boisterous about celebrating Dohwan''s crowning ceremony. When the ceremony was done at the central palace, a large sedan chair decorated with golden ornaments and red cloth was prepared. "Wow!" Extremely excited to see the big sedan chair for the first time, he forgot the sadness of not seeing his mother all day. As he was still young, he got in the sedan chair with his father. "Are you sharing this with me, dad? How far are we going? Are we going to see mom?" As he was thrilled, Dohwan talked a lot. He grabbed his father''s fingers with his small hands and looked around with a bright smile. The huge golden sedan chair carrying Dohwan and Bipaan left the palace and turned around the capital city. Chapter 126 There was a woman secretly watching parade in tears. Hiding in a dark alley behind the crowd, she covered her mouth with both hands, barely balancing her body as if she was going to fall. "¡­ Please let him be in great hands. " "Woorum." The man, who was standing by her, held her hands tightly. His wishes for the baby were as strong as the woman''s. "My brother will protect him well. " Although he vowed not to call Bipaan brother, he did again while comforting her. After barely confirming Dohwan''s safety at a distance, Ruhae and Kyosul left the Mok Kingdom as soon as Dohwan''s sedan chair returned to the palace. After the crowning ceremony was over, Dohwan, ? expected, cried wildly in search of his mother. No matter how much the nannies comforted him, he was very stubborn and cried himself to sleep. "Mom...mom¡­" Dohwan murmured, looking for his mother in his dream. His clenched fists wiggled. As a child, he even knitted his brows with tears welled in his eyes. "Damkang...You''re a young hill that resembles me. " Bipaan stroked his eyes with his soft fingers. His gaze upon the child was incredibly soft and friendly. At the same time, his tone was sad, which was quite unlike him,"The reason he gave you a name meaning a hill was probably because¡­" Bipaan mumbled. He didn''t finish his words or could not. He also wrinkled his forehead. Bipaan turned his head with a bitter expression and rose from his seat. The father, who was watching Dohwan while he was asleep, hardened his expression again. Returning to the East Palace, Bipaan brought in a liquor table again today. He carelessly threw off his gorgeous red robes, and laid down on the couch, holding a glass of wine. She left. He sent her away. What would he say to Dohwan? Bipaan had to tell him that his mother was so sick with the illness of the mind that she eventually died and went far away. How sad would he feel? Bipaan knew well how close he was to his mother. As he watched from afar the two smiling at each other, he could predict how sad his son would be. He hoped his son''s sadness would not be an obstacle for his future, and that he would not be sick in bed, longing for his mother. Bipaan''s head was a mess. How to deal with his son was more complicated than any political quagmire. He felt he would never find the answer. In the end, Bipaan threw his wine glass at the wall. Shattered to pieces, the glass stained the walls red. Darkness fell again, which brought him back to his memories from childhood. *** Although the emperor''s order was always abrupt, Bipaan was now quite used to it. As his order now was so unexpected, Bipaan was embarrassed. "Your Majesty, are you ordering me to ¡­" "Yes, I ordered you to visit other countries as the Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom, not only our vassal states but also other neighboring kingdoms." Bipaan burst into feigned smile. Visiting other countries? Bipaan was only thirteen this year. Although he grew big, he was not yet an a.d.u.l.t. He finished training as the Crown Prince, but it was early for him to deal with foreign affairs. Of course, he was already involved in state affairs by attending the cabinet meetings in Daejeon, but his exercise of influence in the Mok Kingdom was different from that in other countries. If something went awry, it would inflict serious damage to the honor of the Mok Kingdom. "I will follow your order, Your Majesty." He accepted the emperor''s order without any objection. There were 13 princess in the Mok Kingdom, Bipaan was the heir to the emperor. He learned to live as the ''Crown Prince'' from the time he began to read books by himself. He only learned how to live as the ''Crown Prince'' to become the emperor. He was thoroughly educated and raised to become the ''Crown Prince.'' Although he was embarrassed by the emperor''s unexpected order, he didn''t think his order was unreasonable. Ohyulje didn''t have him accompanied by any particular delegation. Bipaan left with only one bodyguard, who was supposed to shadow him secretly. Three years passed after he left to tour abroad. As he visited most of the countries, he could return to his homeland in three years as soon as was done visiting a few more kingdoms. In fact, he wasn''t really eager to return home. Be it his motherland or a foreign country, Bipaan always wore the mask of ''Crown Prince''. Where he went, he acted like he did in his motherland, and he received the same treatment he enjoyed back home. Finally, he arrived in the Hwa Kingdom. The Hwa Kingdom was a small country growing in strength little by little. The most famous story about the country he heard was about its royal atmosphere. Its royal family members mingled so well with each other that rumors about them spread to other countries. Though there were numerous princes, there was no dispute among them, and there was only one princess. Bipaan could not understand all these rumors because he grew up under the impression that his brothers were an enemy sharing the same blood. So, he wanted to visit the Hwa Kingdom and confirm these rumors for himself. The Hwa Kingdom held a grand welcoming ceremony for him. Of course, it was not comparable to the banquet for the emperor''s concubine in the Mok Kingdom. He maintained a lack of expression during the ceremony, and when the ceremony was over, he was escorted to a VIP palace. As it was a VIP palace dedicated to foreign guests, it was decorated magnificently, but in his eyes, it looked plain, but he liked it. While lying on the bed, he thought the VIP palace was luxurious by the standards of the Hwa Kingdom, but it was not in his eyes. ''How many days will I stay here?'' Bipaan always thought about it on the first day of his arrival. He made the final schedule, based on his first impression of the actions of the royal family members at the banquet. He recalled King Jung''s face, who greeted him gladly with a smile, despite his indifferent attitude. "Can I stay here for a couple of months?" Anyway, he had unlimited free time. His father might wish he could come back later. So, he momentarily thought he might want to idle away comfortably in the Hwa Kingdom where royal members were so kindly and harmonious. "But I don''t think I will get any benefit if I stayed longer." Clearly, there seemed to be nothing that could help him to become the emperor. "Let me stay here for a few days." Although he had free time and many of the political figures in the Mok Kingdom would not welcome his return, he thought he shouldn''t waste time. It was his conclusion. He was a person who led a life based on careful political calculations. As he was the Crown Prince of the great empire, he couldn''t get access to the cabinet meetings of the Hwa Kingdom. Other than that, there were no restrictions on his movement. Bipaan spent most of the time meeting with King Jong. One day, Bipaan went to the back garden for a walk. It was too small, compared to that in his fatherland, but it was a good place for relaxation because there was nothing artificial about it, unlike the one in the Mok Kingdom. "Who is there?" While he was enjoying the cool air in the back garden, with his eyes closed, he heard a young girl''s voice. When he turned his head, a little girl was looking at him. As she was dressed in a blue skirt, she looked like a young court lady. "Don''t you know that when you ask somebody, it''s the etiquette to identify yourself first?" "Oh, I''m sorry. I am¡­" Bowing to him, the girl was about to say, but she tilted her head and said, "Well, no! I can''t tell you. I should not say it." She shut her mouth and shook her head from side to side. He turned his head and said, "Then, I can''t I tell you, either." "Well, it doesn''t matter. I just asked you because I''ve never seen you before. I was bored up to now. Can you please play with me? " "What?" But the girl pulled his hands blindly. As she was weak, he could pull away his hands, but he didn''t for some reason. He wasn''t sure if it was because he felt attracted to her face as a young girl or her innocent smile. Come to think of it, it was already spring. The fragrance of spring drifted into his hardened heart and stirred his heart. That little girl was behind all this stirring. Her smile fluttering like a butterfly was more beautiful than any spring flowers. Her fluffy skirt surrounded her in abundant soft folds of fabric. Led by her small white hands, Bipaan wandered the palace without knowing how much time passed. Chapter 127 The little girl, who appeared to be a court lady in his eyes, knew every nook and corner of the palace as if she lived there for a long time. Following her, he went to secret places where he couldn''t dare to go alone and saw beautiful scenery that he could not imagine. When they parted, the girl had tears in her eyes and wouldn''t let go of the hem of his robe. But when they met the next day, she wrapped her arms around him with a smile on her face. "I''ll see you again tomorrow!" The girl promised to meet him without listening to him. Although he could easily break the promise she made on her own, he went to see her without fail. As a result, he stayed much longer than he planned to originally, and it was already at the end of spring before he knew. After he met her in the back garden, he wasn''t interested in what went on at the cabinet meetings in Daejon in the Hwa Kingdom. He found himself spending days thinking about the girl and recalling her face unconsciously. "Isn''t it time to say it now?" One day when he was watching her babbling pleasantly after picking up a bunch of thin silk from somewhere, he asked her. Running around as if she was about to dance with the silk wrapped around her, she trotted toward him. The girl grinned at him after she gently sat in front of him as he squatted on the field. "What do you want to know about me?" "Your name. I think we can introduce to each other, as we have been playing together a lot." Pouting her lips, she said, "Well, if you know my name, you will run away. I hate it. I won''t tell you because you will leave me, because you won''t play with me¡­" She suddenly looked aghast while grumbling then began to cry. Although he was hardly ever moved by into revealing his true feelings, he was really at a loss about what to do this time. Tears dropped on the silk wrapped around her body, showing no sign of stopping. Although she was wiping her tears quickly, it was useless as she shed more tears than she wiped. With the girl crying before his eyes, he agonized, not knowing what to do. He was not sure whether he should stroke her head or pet her on the shoulder to dissuade her from crying, or hug and comfort her. He never thought he wanted to stop someone''s crying. So he didn''t know what to do. "I won''t run away. I will not leave." In the end, that''s all he could say to her. Although he wanted to hug that little girl crying, he couldn''t, and shouldn''t because she was a court lady of the Hwa Kingdom. That was too bad. A court lady was the king''s woman. No matter how young she was, she was the king''s woman, so he couldn''t hold her in his arms. For the first time since he was born, he felt a sense of despair that he couldn''t have his way, and a bitter sense of defeat. ''How come this girl is a court lady here?'' "As I want to be closer to you, I want to know your name. I can''t call you just ''you'' forever." With his hand pausing in the air momentarily, he barely touched her head. Her hair was soft. When he stroked her thin hair, she held his hands as she cried. "I''m simple-minded, so let me trust you." She nodded and then said just one word after hesitating a bit. "Chanbi." "What did you say?" "Chanbi. My name is Chanbi." She saw the girl''s closed lips trembling. "Hummm¡­..Chanbi. So, you are called Chanbi or cold rain, because ''chan'' refers to cold, while ''bi'' refers to rain?" The girl shook her head at his interpretation. "Then, just Chanbi? Is Chanbi your name? " The girl shook her head at that, too. After sighing, she barely opened her mouth when somebody interrupted. "What are you doing here?" He heard a man''s voice, but he didn''t care about it and still looked at the girl, but the girl was surprised and backed away from Bipaan. At a loss about what to do, she buried her face in the hem of her silk skirt. Bipaan was slightly irritated by the voice that interrupted it because he felt he could find out her name. Looking at the place where the voice was heard with a stern look, he found a boy dressed in silk clothes, looking too young for an a.d.u.l.t. Was he about the same age, 15 or 16? Despite his young age, he had an aura of dignity, as if he were from a noble family. Of course, he was not comparable to Bipaan, the Crown Prince of the Mok Kingdom. Nonetheless, the boy approached proudly and stopped in front of the girl. "What were you doing here? How come you were so rude without knowing who he was?" "Oh, Prince Mingung!..." Her voice trembled, as she was scared. Bipaan looked at the boy called Prince Mingung. The boy who suddenly appeared was Mingung, the prince of the Hwa Kingdom. Knowing the opponent''s identity, Bipaan was more annoyed about him. ''How come the prince of a small kingdom disturbed him?'' he thought to himself. "She just mentioned Mingung. If that''s the case, are you a prince of this kingdom?" His slow voice was very cold, compared to his soft voice when playing with her. Not only Mingung was surprised by his cold voice but also the girl, who turned and looked at Bipaan with teary eyes. At that moment Mingung replied, "I''ve introduced myself to you recently. Don''t you remember me?" The girl''s round eyes turned to Mingung this time. If he was a prince, he was the third highest person in the Hwa Kingdom. How come he was using honorific words towards him? As she did not know Bipaan''s identity, she couldn''t understand the situation. Without knowing her curiosity, Mingung bowed to him and pulled away her hands. "Please forgive this child''s rudeness. I just hope her rudeness won''t cause any crack in the friendly relationship between the two kingdoms." "Well, that depends on you." Bipaan''s gaze turned to the girl. Noticing that, Mingung hid the girl behind her, biting his lip. When the girl behind Mingung stuck her head out and looked at Bipaan, he pushed her back and said, "Go back to your place." "However¡­ . " "Go on!" As Mingung raised his voice, she flinched and left the back garden, with her head down. Leaving, she seemed to cry again. Bipaan was touched. With tears dropping, she disappeared. After she left, Mingung said a few more words, but Bipaan didn''t care. From that day she did not appear in the back garden. Bipaan went to the place a couple of times, where he went with the girl, but he couldn''t meet her. The girl disappeared after she opened his tightly closed heart at once and won his heart. There was no reason for him to stay in the Hwa Kingdom anymore, so Bipaan left the country, with his lingering affection for her. *** Many years passed. Young Bipaan now grew up to the age of twenty-three while completely concealing his emotions. He confessed to his favorite brother Ruhae a few times about his affection for the girl he met in the Hwa Kingdom but kept his longing for her to his heart. As she was a court lady of a foreign kingdom, he was not supposed to keep in touch with her. All he had to do was just to hide his love of her from anybody else. One day the emperor gave Bipaan another order. Ironically, it was an order for him to greet the princess of the Hwa Kingdom, who was the only girl in his heart. In fact, he had a woman he had already married. Bipaan accepted several women at the emperor''s order. All he did was just accept them at his order, nothing more or less. He had no intention to live with them from the beginning. In fact, he had given away all his heart to that girl who he saw in a foreign kingdom a long time ago. It was one day after some time had passed since both kingdoms discussed about their marriage. Bipaan, as always, was reading a book at his residence. Then a eunuch came in to announce, "I am honored to inform you that the first princess of the Hwa Kingdom has arrived." When he heard the ''Hwa Kingdom,'' he was heartbroken but didn''t reveal his feelings. The eunuch continued, "I hear that Prince Ruhae, who was walking in the back garden at the moment, greeted her." "Ruhae?" said he, wiggling his eyebrows. "I am relieved if he welcomed her." He was briefly disturbed by that, but he opened the book again. The woman who would be his official wife and the Crown Princess several days later was not the subject of his valid interest. He was not interested in a ''woman'' at all. His first and foremost interest was only in being the emperor. He was born to be an emperor, he took it as his rightful duty, and he could do anything to become the emperor. He was born and raised solely for the position of the emperor. He had never thought about nurturing warm and tender feelings, except for one occasion. Chapter 128 It was the wedding day. Bipaan headed for the Dongbi Palace, the official dwelling place of his official wife, which had been empty for a long time. The woman was the princess of the Hwa Kingdom. When he entered the Dongbi Palace to meet the woman who would be his official wife, he saw a woman who was covered with a red cloth. Waving her hands dangerously, she was at a loss about what to do as she couldn''t see. "Where are you, nanny? Please hold my hand." He grabbed her hand waving in the air. She did not seem to even know who was touching her hand. It was no wonder because he appeared after the red cloth was put over her face. "Nanny?" She felt relieved, thinking she grabbed the nanny''s hand. At that moment, the court ladies in her room shouted in unison, "Long live the Crown Prince! We''re honored to see you!" He didn''t take their greetings seriously, but the princess trembled at their greetings. He felt she was trembling when she tightened her grip on his hand. "As you''re late, I''ve come here to see you in person." The princess flinched again. While she was absent-minded, the princess bowed and opened her mouth, "Oh, I apologize. I''m late as I have to do makeup and get dressed up¡­" "It''s okay. As I will escort you, follow me and watch your step." "Yes, yes." Before the princess finished talking, he pulled her hand to his side. Looking down at the skirt, she went ahead, led by his hands. Following the two were the eunuch, chief court lady, a group of court ladies and the nanny. Soldiers holding red flags on both sides escorted them. When Bipaan and the princess arrived at the entrance of the wedding hall, somebody blew the trumpet loudly, and the musicians began to play. Surprised by the sound of the trumpet, she hesitated, and Bipaan looked at her. She was a much smaller woman than he expected. If he had not heard that she was now an a.d.u.l.t, he would have thought that she was fifteen at most. As her face was covered, he did not see her face. But he assumed that her face would look like that young girl he met a long time ago in the Hwa Kingdom. Bipaan leaned forward a bit and whispered in her ears, "Do not tremble. You have to walk without holding my hands from now on. Just watch my steps and follow me. " "Yes, yes¡­" Her small voice was trembling. Although he let go of her hands, he could feel that the woman standing by was still tense. By the time she felt comfortable about standing alone, Bipaan began to walk. She followed him carefully. He saw her trembling, but pretended not to know. He was not so generous to care for a little girl like her. Now Bipaan had an official wife. "The Crown Prince has arrived!" When the chief court lady announced it and opened the door, Bipaan came into her room. He slowly headed to her bed. Kyosul was holding both hands on her knees. He removed the red cloth covering her head. She sat quietly, with her eyes closed. "Open your eyes." She flinched at that. Her closed eyes trembled and opened, gently revealing her black eyes. Bipaan was looking at her face after he removed the red cloth covering her face and dropped it on the floor. It''s strange, but it was familiar to him. Feeling strange momentarily, he soon regained his composure. Although her beauty was stunning, he already saw many beautiful women in the Mok Kingdom. Could he still be captivated by her beauty? He couldn''t understand why he was enchanted by her beauty even for a moment. "Please raise your head." She didn''t. "Please raise your head and look at me. I am Bipaan, your official husband." Kyosul gently raised her head. Her big eyes were full of fear. ''Fear, fear. How come you are afraid of me? You''re still only a little girl,'' he thought to himself. Thinking like that, he couldn''t control laughter. Kyosul first saw his face. Both looked at each other silently for a while. It was Bipaan who broke the silence. He took off his red wedding coat and put it on the bedside. When he took off the wedding coat, which was red like the petals of the flower, she saw his dark red robes this time. He then took off her outer garments and the crown studded with fine ornaments. And that was it. "Crown Princess!" When Bipaan took off his clothes, Kyosul, who was shrinking, with her eyes closed, raised her head and looked at him. He gently stroked her face with his warm, large hands. Putting his hands down, he moved back a step. He soon turned into a cold-hearted man. "It doesn''t matter to me whatever you do. Whether you embroider or read books, that''s none of my business. Just don''t stand in my way. Don''t disturb my efforts to succeed the throne. Other than that, live freely as you wish." After telling her this in a low and cold voice, he turned and sat in front of the liquor table. With his back against her, he continued, "By the way, don''t wait for me. I will never come and see you here." After that, he never again opened his mouth. Surprised by his bombshell announcement, she did not even dare to open her mouth, looking at his back. Sitting in front of the liquor table, it looked like he was going to go back to his dwelling place at the East Palace when it was getting dark a little later. He was sober and couldn''t even sleep. Soft breathing rang in his ears from the woman sitting on the bed. As it was quiet, her breathing sounded loud when he listened for it. As he was hearing her soft breathing, he felt somehow relaxed. While he was listening like that, time passed quickly and the day broke. He didn''t intend to stay there all night, but that''s what happened. From the moment he met her for the first time, he could not understand his actions towards Kyosul. Although he missed her, he couldn''t follow through with action. He had no l.u.s.t for her. ''Why?'' Wondering why for a moment, he closed his eyes quietly then stood up. It was futile thinking to him. He quickly walked toward the door. Though he had lots of complicated thoughts about her, he did not cast a glance at her. Only showing his back to her all night, he left her room like that. He deliberately closed the door loudly. By closing it with a bang, Bipaan decided that he would end his longing for her, but it was a dangerous thing for Bipaan to have stayed in her room all night. It should have never happened again. It was more dangerous because he didn''t intend it. He had to close her feelings towards her. That was the only way he could be the emperor. *** Bipaan''s dwelling place in the center of the East Palace, called Dongchondang, was always quiet. Even the errand boy held his breath there, so he could never raise his voice. Sitting in the study with his book open in front of his arms, Bipaan meaninglessly knocked on the desk with his right finger. Tak, tak, tak. His long nails hit the wooden desk and made a clear sound. After returning from Kyosul''s residence, he had been reading a book for a while, but he couldn''t get through a single page. When he wasn''t reading a book at the desk, it meant he had something in his mind. Now, he was looking for the answer to two questions in his head. ''Why did I stroke her face back then?'' ''Why didn''t I get out of there right away and stay overnight?'' She was a young girl. She was young but beautiful. And she had eyes that seemed to burst into tears at any moment. Her pale hands, trembling like a leaf, turned white when he entered her room last night. She had a slender figure that could be buried and disappear in his red and big clothes. "Poor girl." Murmuring to himself with a bitter smile. Was it because he felt this young girl from a faraway country so pitiable? He stroked his chest with her left hand, on which he was resting his chin. "Did you have this kind of feeling, like sympathy or compassion? How funny..." he asked himself. As if his question was resolved, he turned his eyes to the book. Then he could read the pages. He wished that was the right answer. He wished it was just his feelings like sympathy or compassion, or some other warm feeling, but he was not supposed to toy with this kind of feelings. His fate did not work out for him as he wished. Chapter 129 Crown Prince Bipaan''s days were tightly scheduled. He carried out his job perfectly without failure, but today was different. The eunuch on standby outside his office disturbed his focus by announcing, "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess has arrived." "The Crown Princess?" He put down the brush he was holding. After a moment, he told the eunuch to let her in. Since that day, there was a hiccup in Bipaan''s daily routine as Kyosul came to visit him every morning. "How are you, Crown Prince?" Kyosul, clad in silk and an ornamental wig, politely bowed to him from the small cushion across his desk. She felt awkward about her royal dress and heavy makeup. She was seated with a trembling voice after offering morning greetings to him. "Did you sleep well last night? Did you have a good breakfast?" she asked. He felt embarrassed by her polite greetings, which he had never received before. As he tried not to let her detect his embarrassment, he responded rather harshly. Nonetheless, she persistently carried on a morning dialogue with him. She told him that offering morning greetings was customary in her motherland. Even though he turned a cold shoulder on her on the very first day she came to offer morning greetings, she came to his residence at the East Palace the next day. "I''m going to visit you at this time every day." His first impression of her was that she looked like a young animal shivering with fear. So, he thought that she was a weak and shy lady. At first she offered morning greetings, then she looked straight at him and smiled. It was the first bright smile he saw in the Imperial Palace. He felt a familiar warmth on her smile. ''Oh, she can smile brightly!'' But he didn''t pay much attention to it. He thought that her smile was rather unfamiliar to him because he had never seen it before. Back then, he simply thought his heart ached because he had an upset stomach after having breakfast, and he foolishly ignored it. Many days passed, marked by the routine of his schedule and her visits. Now, he was quite used to her visit everyday. By the time she arrived, he had cleared the desk and waited, leaning against the chair. Her visit already became part of his daily routine. It was the first change in more than ten years. She looked much brighter than she did on the first day. Every time she came to see him, he didn''t respond to her greetings, but she began to be quite familiar with his style thanks to her frequent visits. At first, she stood up after offering him morning greetings awkwardly, but she began to talk more every day. She brought out a new topic today. "I have made a good friend." "¡­Friend?" The tip of his eyebrows trembled slightly. ''Friend'' was a fairly strange word for Bipaan. However, she boasted of her new friend proudly. Besides, she went overboard talking about her new friend in excitement. In particular, he was impressed with her exceptionally cheerful voice when she talked. The only thing that bothered him was whether there was someone in the Imperial Palace who could interact with her intimately. "Oh, he is the man who welcomed me when I first arrived in the Mok Kingdom." When she explained about the man more, Bipaan realized that her new friend was Ruhae. If her friend was Ruhae, he felt there was no problem at all. Ruhae was as fragile as Kyosul, who was not suitable for the palace at all. Never did Bipaan expect the man she praised so much in great excitement was Ruhae. Bipaan cut off her words with a cold voice. "Crown Princess!" "Yes, pardon?" "Don''t wander around the palace unnecessarily. You should always keep it in mind that this is a strict imperial family, unlike the royal family of the Hwa Kingdom where you used to run around recklessly. You will never know how your imprudent behavior will affect others in this palace. Don''t make me repeat . How often do I have to repeat this before you can understand my point?" With a big sigh, he clicked his tongue. He rebuked her with harsh language again, which quickly made her sullen. He didn''t like her words and deeds. Her friendship with Ruhae annoyed him. After that day, Bipaan rejected her visits. He could not understand why he was behaving capriciously, but he felt it was partly because of the confusion that caused ripples in his calm daily life or her excited talking about Ruhae in front of him. Most of all, when he found himself heading to the back garden of the outer palace on the pretext of a walk after kicking her out, he had to stop walking right away. "I''m sorry. I think I have made you uncomfortable because I was too mischievous." It was Ruhae''s voice. Surprised, Bipaan pricked his ears and carefully approached the hill in the center of the garden. There was Kyosul, standing with Ruhae. He knelt down with one knee and the other knee up before her. It was as if he showed his manners before his master or proposing to his lover. "Yuuljin¡­" He felt bitter to hear that. He was annoyed when she stroked Ruhae''s head, but more annoyed when she called him Yuuljin. In the Mok Kingdom, lovers usually called their childhood names instead of their official names. Forgetting the fact that he snuck up to them, Bipaan popped up before them. His lips trembled, but he said in a cold voice tinged with ridicule while pretending to stay calm. "Oh, are you guys close enough to call each other by childhood names?" They were embarrassed by his abrupt appearance. Even their embarrassment annoyed him. They looked as if they did something that they should not be caught doing by anybody else. "Did you call him like that without knowing what it meant for you not to call somebody''s formal name in the Mok Kingdom?" She shivered. As a man he wanted to hug her right away, but he didn''t because he didn''t know how to express his deeply emotional feelings toward her. She opened her trembling lips. "No, I didn''t know." There was sarcastic smile on his lips. She said she didn''t know. It was understandable that she could not know because she was from the Hwa Kingdom, but he could not forgive her ignorance easily. He could not forgive her for calling another man by name kindly. Yes, that''s the reason. In the end, he found out the reason why got so upset about her. And he poured out his anger on Ruhae. Slap! Bipaan backhanded Ruhae in the face. Bipaan was a difficult opponent, but he never used force before. Today, however, he showed it, unable to control his anger. After all, Ruhae knelt in front of Bipaan and bowed. "I acted foolishly. I dared to show disloyalty to you, Crown Prince!" Bipaan clenched his trembling hands. What could he do now? He wanted to laugh, but didn''t show it. As he was leading a masked life, he couldn''t. "As you repent, I won''t punish you any more." He spoke coldly and barely turned his head. Then, he went down the hill. Although he was concerned about them, he could no more stand there with them. He did not know how he would change his mind when he stayed longer. He looked down at his hands, remembering how he slapped Ruhae. He slapped Ruhae in the face twice, which was unthinkable. But he could not think about it anymore. He didn''t want to think about it. *** The next day she didn''t come to the Dongchon Palace. Though he guessed she only gave him lip service, he felt bitter. Thinking he would be going back to his usual daily routine, he pretended to feel relieved. However, her shadow constantly hovered around him. Like it or not, rumors about her were conveyed to him. On such occasions he couldn''t stay cool and his tumultuous feelings grew unruly. Since she got here, he felt strange about all the moments with her. It was the first time he felt such strange feelings about anyone. He had experienced it once in his childhood, but he had been immature at the time. Now, he was the Crown Prince everybody recognized. Nevertheless, whenever the storm named Kyosul came in, he was swept away helplessly. For twenty-three years, he led a stoic life, controlling his feelings and disciplining himself. So, he was hardly moved or shaken by people or major events. But this young and frail woman swayed his mind in less than four months. He didn''t want to admit it to the end. He tried not to admit it. He was angry about her, but at the same time, he felt she was commendable. He felt that he was getting accustomed to the presence of this strange woman. But this lady from the Hwa Kingdom stirred his heart in an unexpected way. Chapter 130 While he was doing his work in the morning, he picked up a small letter from a pile of new scrolls. He smelled the fragrance of spring flowers from the letter. As he opened the scroll wrapped in fine silk, a small dried flower fell. It contained her handwriting on the paper attached to the golden silk embroidered with colored yarn. He was speechless at the sight of it Without reading it properly, he picked up the flower that fell on his knees and folded the scroll in half. "This is a letter sent from the Dongbi Palace," said the eunuch. His eyebrows trembled when he heard the word Dongbi Palace, which was Kyosul''s residence. Of course, nobody noticed it. He stared at the scroll intensely. ''This is a foul.'' The unexpected flower letter from her made him very nervous and confused. Obviously, it was destined to stir his heart against his will, which made him restless. On the surface, he seemed calm, but he was greatly confused deep inside. Without reading his mind, the eunuch made various excuses on explaining how he got to convey that letter to him, but he didn''t care. His eyes contained only letters from the Dongbi Palace while his nose contained only the smell of fresh spring flowers. What he smelled from the flowers was a spring scent reminiscent of her scent. ''Did I say it smelled like her?'' That was another danger alarm to him. He frowned for a moment and said in a noise voice "¡­ Throw it away. " "Yes, Your Majesty." The eunuch crawled toward him and received the letter with both hands, with his head down. Holding it over his head, he slowly got up from his seat, stepping backwards. When he was about to cross the threshold, he called while opening another scroll, "Wait a minute." Bipaan unfolded a new scroll. "Put it there inside the office instead of outside." "Yes, Your Majesty." He walked up to the inner chamber of the office. He rolled the letter wrapped in gold silk again and placed it on the small table next to his bed. That young woman''s face kept glimmering in his mind. As the seasons changed, she continued to send flower letters to him. It was a short letter with a dried flower, but her letters piled up under the table next to his bed. He had never received such letters, and he never thought about sending a letter this way. It was the first love letter he received in his life. The aroma of dried flowers stirred his mind again. Her handwriting that filled half the paper was small and neat. The first letter he opened was full of her rambling about the weather. Embarrassed, he read the next one then the next one. All the letters were the same. Not only her words but also her letter embarrassed him. He never imagined that she would talk about her private life in the letters. All of it was unexpected. No matter how hard he tried to read between the lines, he could find no special meaning. What was written in her letters were just what he saw, nothing more or less. "It is a letter that befits this young woman." That was true. As she wrote the letter, obviously it was supposed to sound like her. The moment he was going to lose interest in her letters, he came to notice a red seal at the end of the letter. It was a word stamped beside her signature. The letter inscribed in the stamp was not in block character. Letters with a lot of decoration and embellishment seemed like passwords drawn with pictures. Two letters were drawn in a small circle of a red stamp. Bipaan narrowed his eyebrows and stared at the two letters. "Woo meaning rain?" The moment he checked the letters, his eyes trembled. That letter was written on each of her letters. Woo meaning rain. He hurriedly searched for something in the inner chamber and found the official letter from Emperor Ohyulje that recognized her as the Crown Princess. He skipped the formal and antiquated contents and found out the very expression he was looking for. In it was clearly written Kyosul''s childhood name. It was not used anymore because of her official title Kyosul. During her days in her motherland Hwa Kingdom, her name was Woorum Mokhwa. Blinking his eyes several times, he checked her Chinese characters. "Woo meaning rain, and Rum meaning cold?" Her name was Chanbi in Korean or Woorum in Chinese, meaning cold rain. In fact, he heard about her childhood name Woorum, but he never knew the Chinese characters of her name was Woorum, but this kind of Chinese characters were not used for common names, so he never associated them with her name. "Does her name really mean cold rain?" He once again recalled her name, and reflected on it. Chanbi, Chanbi, Chanbi. "Woorum?" He felt as if he had his head beaten by somebody. With an incredible look, he again recited her name. His whole body began to tremble when he kept pronouncing it. He was already thinking back to the days when he met her more than ten years ago. "Chanbi," she said, explaining to him about the meaning of her name Woorum. "What?" "My name is Woorum, meaning Chanbi. " It seemed like yesterday he had that dialogue with her. He recalled it vividly. As he tried to recall it, he could still remember it. And that was the only warm moment left in his heart when he looked back. "Was she the same woman then?" His hands trembled while he was holding her letter and the emperor''s official letter. The strange feelings that he felt when he met her for the first time were not an illusion of his heart. It was his heart, not Bipaan as a human, that recognized her as a lover. It was because he had been deceived by the passage of time. He was blind to the feelings of love as he had been controlling his emotions. "Why didn''t I notice it much earlier?" Funny enough, he began to realize that Kyosul had a lot in common with that little girl that he met in the Hwa Kingdom. Her round eyes full of rich emotions and curiosity, chubby cheeks and shy flushes on her face, bright smiles and unpredictable way of speaking and unpredictable actions. The more he recalled her words and deeds, the clearer he was convinced Kyosul was the Woorum of his childhood. A laugh escaped him. Never did he think that little girl who he thought was a court lady was the only princess of the Hwa Kingdom. ''Was that woman Kyosul?" His pretence of composure, which he kept all the time, had been broken in ten years. Hot tears came down from his eyes. After he returned from the Hwa Kingdom, he couldn''t forget about her and missed her a lot. The woman who stirred his mind for the first and last time became his official wife now, but he couldn''t rush to her and confess right away. He was afraid. The more he recalled Woorum, who used to run around freely in the fields, the more he found it difficult to go and see her. . It had already been eleven years since he met her. He was not sure if she could remember that day, but most of all, he was the problem. ''I¡­'' He pressed the heart hard with his palms. He stroked his face with his long fingers and touched his lips. He grew up as a man who was too cold-hearted. Moreover, he already hurled harsh words at Kyosul. He even used bad language and violence against her. He clenched his fists. Could he touch her again, after surely hurting her a lot? ''Would it be okay if I asked her for forgiveness? Isn''t it too late?'' It looked like someone would ridicule him. He had mixed feelings. He wanted to see her right away, but at the same time he felt so sorry for treating her so badly. He was never faced with such a complex and confusing problem before, but his angst didn''t last long. "Sometimes it is more important to listen to the echoes of your heart than to pay good attention to the scriptures and state affairs. If you are seriously ill in your mind, how can you solve the sickness of the people?" That''s what his teacher told him at the end of the day''s scripture reading, noticing Bipaan''s troubled heart. Bipaan stood up and headed straight to the Dongbi Palace, but she was not there. He confirmed with her nanny that Kyosul was the same woman he met back then. He wanted to see her right away as if his angst was over. "Where is the Crown Princess?" "Oh, she left for the North Palace a little while ago to congratulate the princess on her pregnancy." "I''m asking where she is right now." "Likely in the North Place now." Chapter 131 Right after he heard the nanny''s answer, Bipaan headed for the North Palace. Nobody could stop him. Would he have acted differently around Kyosul if he had noticed the nanny''s nervous expression? Maybe it would have been better for him if he had not. Bipaan hurried to the North Palace. As he got closer, he felt nauseous. He was confused as to whether his heart was beating or not. "Crown Princess¡­" Discovering her presence there, Bipaan was about to call her but stopped. She was standing at the end of the road to the North Palace. He saw her beautiful figure that he had been missing so much, but he could not call her. She was not alone but with Ruhae. "Long live the Crown Princess! I''m honored to see you." "Yuuljin!" She was calling his name, helping him as he staggered. The moment he heard her pathetic voice, Bipaan felt something was broken and cut in his heart. Standing still, he looked at her blankly. He was touched by their eyes looking at each other, their expression and tears. ''How long they have been meeting like that?'' He couldn''t cut in. It was too late. He emptied himself of the fleeting excitement that had carried him away for a moment. He felt Providence had not sided with him. "Perhaps¡­ she is a better match for Ruhae than me. At least¡­he could treat her warmly." Above all, he couldn''t stop Kyosul''s affectionate glance at Ruhae. And she already gave her heart to Ruhae. And he couldn''t force her to stop loving Ruhae. He was afraid again. "I just wish you happiness." In fact, he had forgotten emotional words like happiness or love a long time ago while he was seeking to succeed the throne. So, it was a kind of luxury for him that he was greedy for her love. It was only Kyosul who made Bipaan weak. *** "Is the Crown Princess sick in bed?" While turning the pages of a book, Bipaan sprang to his feet and asked the eunuch. Soon after he let the eunuch out, Bipaan could no longer focus on the book and wandered in the office. He was worried, so he wanted to go and see her, but he felt he shouldn''t. He thought that he shouldn''t cross the line any longer. After so long a time he didn''t want to give her a hard time by stirring her heart. After hearing that she was sick, he couldn''t concentrate on anything. One week later, however, he finally decided to visit her. The court ladies assigned to her were so exhausted from taking care of her day and night for one week that they were sleeping, curled up, when he arrived there. Some of them fell asleep around the bed, and others slept against the door. It seemed that the whole Dongbi Palace lost its vigor and fell asleep. In the darkness of night he opened the door himself, entered the chamber, and approached her. The nanny, who slept lightly, woke up and looked up at him. She was so surprised that she couldn''t shut her mouth. He put his finger on his lips and said, "Shush! Don''t tell anyone that I''ve been here." The nanny nodded then left the room. Now, he and Kyosul were left alone in the room. Distressed by fever, she m.o.a.ned faintly. He said, "Don''t be sick." He put the back of his hand on her cheeks. As if she liked his warm hands touching her hot face, she slightly tilted her head between being asleep and awake. "¡­I just hope you can be happy as you wish. I really wish you could fill what''s lacking in me.. " Tears flowed from her eyes. He was not sure if she shed tears because of her fever or heartache. He wiped her tears and left. Surprised by his unexpected visit, the nanny looked at the door blankly. *** On the way back from the cabinet meeting, Bipaan stopped by the flower garden for a minute. He had words with Ruhae, who was chasing him at the moment. "Have you visited the Crown Princess while she is sick?" Bipaan couldn''t reply honestly to his sharp question. Facing him, Bipaan was heartbroken as he naturally recalled their glances at each other. Although he had already visited her secretly, he could not tell him honestly about it. In fact, he couldn''t tell anybody about it. If Ruhae found out his affection for her, he would back out voluntarily. In that case, she would be heartbroken. He didn''t want her to be heartbroken. He just wished she were happy as much as she wished. "Why don''t you just hug her?" Bipann''s heart sunk at his suggestion. Of course, he thought about that before. Every night he hugged her in his heart thousands of times. But how could he give her a hug now when she would fear him rather than laugh with him like she did in the past? "I''m not going to hug any woman." Bipaan had no choice but to say so. Instead of fearing him, Ruhae challenged him, upset about his poor treatment of Kyosul. But Bipaan was relieved by Ruhae''s attitude. He felt that a guy like Ruhae, who could confront him on behalf of a woman he loved, would be a good match for her. Although there were obviously lots of difficulties in the days ahead, he thought he could send her off to Ruhae. "From now on, I will not call you my brother, Crown Prince." With his clenched fists trembling, he turned away and disappeared out of the garden. Bipaan turned his head, suppressing heartache. Even though nobody watched it, the garden was full of beautiful summer flowers showing off their colorful petals. Bipaan reached out, touched one of the most colorful and beautiful flowers, and suddenly tightened his grip to crush it. Like this flower, Kyosul was a frail woman. If she was standing by him, who grew up in the heartless Imperial palace, she would surely crumble like this flower. ''Good for her. I feel relieved now. '' Ruhae would approach her without hesitation and stand by her. ''Okay. Just go, Ruhae. Keep up the spirit of confronting me and run to her and hug her. Wrap her in your arms warmly hundreds of times, thousands of times on my behalf. Hug her more warmly and kindly in my stead... '' He grabbed the torn petals and brought them to his mouth. The soft petals touched his lips. He wanted to embrace her and love her as much as he could. The fresh scent of the petals tickled his nose. Then, he threw the petals on the ground and left out of the garden. At dawn one day Bipaan secretly visited the Dongbi Palace. He sneaked into the back of the Dongbi Palace and approached the window of her room next to the bed. He stared at the window for a moment. He recalled a fine woman who was still asleep beyond the window. He stood still there shortly, but time passed quickly and the sun shone upon him. Surprised, he placed a flower he cherished on the window sill. It was a blue flower with dark purple edges, with its petals smaller than nails cl.u.s.tered around each other and wrapped the flower. He tied a small piece of paper to the stalk. He tried to write something on it all night, but in vain. He just couldn''t convey his heart to her for the life of him. Leaving a gift that could not show its owner, he looked back at the window for a long time and turned around when he heard she raised her head. He escaped from her place lonely. *** Bipaan decided to focus on his duty. As for love, he was so unfamiliar with it by nature. As he never wanted it in the first place, he could easily give it up, but that was his misunderstanding. "Why are the books that I want always on the high bookshelf?" While he was sitting in the library of the East Palace, he heard a woman''s murmuring. He quickly got up from his seat and went looking for the voice. ''What the heck am I doing now?'' He was about to turn around after scolding himself when he saw Kyosul stepping on a footrest dangerously and staggering. Even standing on the footrest, she couldn''t reach out for the book she wanted. He burst into laughter at her little figure. He was already captivated by her. Hiding himself between the bookshelves, he watched her. Stretching her hand and standing on her tiptoes, she suddenly hopped up to get it. "Ugh?" At that moment, her hand hit the bookshelf partition. As a result, she was going to fall after losing her balance. The moment she lost her balance, he quickly moved right up to her and caught her in his arms. The short ladder-shaped wooden footrest fell down. He barely caught her in time. The sweet scent of this young woman tickled his nose. His heart sunk all of a sudden. "Have you found out only now that there is a library in the East Palace?" As he tried to hide the pounding of his heartbeat, he spoke rather coldly. He could feel that she was tense. Chapter 132 Oops... He scared Woorum again. He bit his lip bitterly. "Long live the Crown Prince! I''m honored to see you." Kyosul slightly bent her knees awkwardly. She turned her head to look back at him, embarrassed and at a loss about what to do. With one foot on the step stool and the other in the air, she was completely leaning against him. "I don''t think you are in a good posture to offer greetings." "Oh, really? I think so." She burst into laughter. His eyebrows wiggled at that. He tightened his grip on her forearms. He smelled the sweet scent of her tender skin. Something soft and tender pressed against his chest. She was not heavy, but he couldn''t endure her physical touch at the moment. He lifted and placed her on the floor. Her small figure was ridiculously light. ''Ah¡­ I shouldn''t smile.'' His face hardened all the more. After lifted lightly, she set her feet gently on the floor. She stood on the ground firmly, but for some reason, she felt strange. She quickly turned back and said, "Thank you." "So, was it worth seeing it?" "Pardon?" She shrugged her shudders at his unexpected question. "I mean the library here." He replied briefly and bit his lips, thinking to himself, ''My conversation with her never goes smoothly. Maybe it''s not right. How did I forget how to talk to her?'' He blamed himself but kept talking anyway. A little while ago he caught her gladly, and now, he wanted to talk. The only thing Bipaan had control control over was his expression. "As you only asked about the library in the outer palace, I thought you didn''t know there was a library in the East Palace. There are more books here than in the library in the outer palace." "Ah¡­ . " She rolled her eyes, at a loss for words. Seeing her embarrassed, he clenched his jaw and asked, "Don''t you find it more interesting here?" What stupid question did he ask? He felt like he was conceited when he said the library here was better than in the outer palace. She and Ruhae were more familiar with the outer palace. Bipaan felt inferior to them more and more. "I haven''t read many books here, but there are lots of interesting books. " "Will you keep acting like a rabbit every time I speak?" "Rabbit?" "You shake shoulders every time I say something." He wanted to shut his mouth. Every time he moved his tongue, he said foolish things he wanted to erase. No matter how hard he bit his lip, he couldn''t stop opening his mouth in front of her. All her gestures, words and eyes were so cute that he could not stand it. He suddenly held out his hands. When she stepped back at that, he felt bitter. ''Why is she so scared of me?'' He quickly pulled the book she was looking for from the shelf and gave it to her. Then he stepped back. "Here you are." Receiving the book with both hands, she asked him curiously, "How did you know I was looking for this book?" "Don''t you know I caught you in my arms when you fell while trying to reach this book?" "Oh, you''re right. You saw me, " she said awkwardly. What should he do about this cute lady? Bipaan had to make every effort not to laugh again, not to say awkward words, and not to touch her rudely. Patience, patience. He found it very hard to maintain patience around her. "Bye for now." He barely turned. Without knowing how much he got into a stew, she suddenly caught him, "Your Majesty." He stopped but did not look back. He felt he could never be the same once he turned and looked at her. "I was sick recently." "You look fine now." He thought to himself, ''I know. You look much better now. I went to visit your place secretly at dawn the other day.'' But he couldn''t say anything about it. Instead, he spoke coldly. When he felt he was touched, he spat out even worse words. As he had to hide his feelings, he said something in the opposite way. It was a defensive mechanism as he was so clumsy in expressing his feelings. "When you can do anything freely, does it reflect your heart?" "My heart?" After all, she cut to the heart. His voice, which had no pitch, trembled. As he was agitated, he slurred the end of his words and raised his voice. He was silent for a while. It was hard for him to say anything. He did not think she would ask so directly. He recalled her eyes meeting Ruhae''s. It looked like she already decided to give heart to him. ''That''s why she asked me such a question.'' The only answer he would or should give her would be his approval to do what she wanted. He knew it, but it was hard to give an answer. He felt as if a blunt knife squeezed through his chest and cut his heart to pieces. "Given that you are asking me boldly, it seems like you''ve already made a decision. Do you think I can stir your mind if I say anything?" "¡­What you mean is¡­" "I don''t know how many times I told you. As long as you do not harm my efforts to succeed the throne, live freely. Whatever you do or whatever you choose, that''s none of my business. " Bipaan quickly wrapped up his conversation with her and left the library. He couldn''t stand it. He felt nauseous. *** Bipaan had to admit that Kyosul and Ruhae advanced their relationship further. Bipaan wanted to focus on his duty without seeing either of them anymore, but he was bothered by them often. A poisoning incident took place in the North Palace. Ruhae was cited as the main culprit on ridiculous and false charges, and Bipaan was in charge of interrogating him as the Crown Price. Interrogating Ruhae was a tough job and stressed him out. Bipaan returned to his residence only when the sun began to set in the west. When he lay down for a rest, an unexpected guest was waiting for him outside . "Your Majesty, the Crown Princess has arrived. She is waiting for you." In fact, she had arrived at the East Palace before he came . Now, It was more difficult and complex for him to deal with her. "Your Majesty." As if she was about to collapse any moment, she called him faintly. Without responding, he just looked at her coldly. She opened her dry, little lips. "He was with me at that time." Her testimony made it much harder to continue with the interrogation. Already exhausted, he felt like he had been beaten. ''Yeah, I guessed you were together at that time. You would be spending time together without me." He hated everything now. He was exhausted. He clapped his hands slowly and duly. In the end, he opened his mouth slowly. "You guys really look pathetic." That was the only thing he could in response to their love. From the moment, he was in charge of interrogating Ruhae. Bipaan knew she would come to see him. He had anticipated this moment lots of times, but every moment was more difficult and painful to him than expected. "Eight days ago, he was with me. That day I bumped into him when he stopped by the North Palace, so I briefly talked with him. After he stayed with he briefly, he¡­" After pausing for a moment, she continued, "He quickly left, saying he was busy handling state affairs." As soon as she was done talking, he quickly found out that she lied. He felt she lied to put Ruhae in the clear. It was true that they met, but it seemed she couldn''t confirm what happened after he parted with her. Bipaan was also convinced of Ruhae''s innocence, but he was so exhausted at the moment that he couldn''t afford to take her testimony into account. He questioned her harshly. Although she was embarrassed and agitated, she sided with Ruhae to the end. She even said, "I''m going to come forward as a witness when you interrogate him." Without hesitation at all, she volunteered to testify. After she showed such a strong resolution even before her scary husband, he was fully convinced that his judgement was correct. She wanted Ruae. Apart from that, however, he was so troubled and frustrated. "I can''t approve you testifying." Bipaan reached for her until his long finger touched her chin and found it surprisingly smooth. Her lips, which must be more soft, were up close, but he could not get closer. At this moment, she was a forbidden fruit that he couldn''t covet. Suppressing his desire, he reminded her of the same thing, which he had mentioned to her lots of times in the past. "Don''t do anything that would stand in my way." Bipaan was now showing jealousy to her. It was the expression of his jealousy of Woorum, his first love, and Kyosul who gave her heart to Ruhae. Chapter 133 "Your Majesty, please release the prince! Don''t you know that he is not the type of man who could hurt Princess Heyjin?" She begged in a trembling voice. "I think he will be set free." The moment her face became bright, he said in a calm voice, "On the condition that he is really innocent." "Your Majesty!" "By the way, you don''t want to behave as my official wife?" "¡­ Pardon?" She asked again as she couldn''t understand his question. No matter what he said, she was easily tricked. The more heartbroken he was, the more he found it easy to maintain his composure. As if he was indifferent, he said, "You are not expressing your official title Crown Princess when you talk to me." "¡­ Oh, didn''t I?" Even now, she didn''t mention her official name. She urgently changed it and said, "I as the Crown Princess was so embarrassed that I made a mistake." "Mistake?" He looked into the air. He put his chin on his fingers and habitually tapped his cheek with his index finger. ''I can see even in her trifling expressions that she doesn''t want to be my wife.'' Although he felt there was nothing he could do about it, he felt frustrated the moment he confirmed her unchanged affection for Ruhae, but she didn''t know or try to know how Bipaan felt toward her all along. Her only concern was about Ruhae, detained in prison. "He''s your brother. You have known and watched him much longer than me, and you know his personality well. Why are you so cold-hearted?" Bipaan looked at her again. ''She says I''m cold-hearted. This woman, who is so mean to me, says I''m cold-hearted? Who is really cold-hearted?'' But he soon calmed down and said, "Don''t worry too much about the prince. As your husband, I''ll treat him impartially and fairly without any personal feelings. " It was much more than he would usually say. *** "Crown Prince, the Crown Princess has arrived to see you." While working in his study, Bipaan stiffened at the eunuch''s announcement. As the silence continued for a moment, the eunuch asked, "What shall I do, Your Majesty?" "¡­let her in." After the eunuch left, Bipaan stood up from his seat and checked how long it would take for the eunuch to bring her to his study. He sat down and stood up again. He was leaning against the desk when he heard the door opening. As she arrived a little earlier than expected, he was embarrassed and picked up any book he could reach. Soon she came near to him. He could feel her coming without checking it with his eyes. He was familiar with her thin breathing, pleasant and fresh scent. He even felt her shy gesture without seeing it. All of his senses were directed toward her. With his eyes fixed on the book, he looked up, as if he was not interested in her. "Long live the Crown Prince! I''m honored to see you." She slightly bent her knees and greeted him. He slowly closed the book and put it on the desk. Still leaning against the desk, he looked up with arms folded. "I never knew the Crown Princess would come to see me." Though he barely kept calm, he couldn''t hide his nervousness. Never did he think even in his dream that she would come to see him again. He had thought he would no longer see her in the East Palace. In surprise, his gaze soon moved to the red robe she was holding. "What is that?" At his asking, she approached him cautiously and offered him the red robe. He quickly looked at the robe, still with his arms folded. Luxurious , thick red silk, with carefully embroidered flowers and butterflies-- he was familiar with the robe and clearly remembered the day he wore it. It was his wedding robe. "It is the robe that you left behind in my room on the wedding night." "Why are you giving it back to me now?" She didn''t reply. Their wedding took place in early spring. When he thought that returning it now was unusual, he asked coldly. He could not miss it when she flinched at his asking. "Hummm¡­..you must have some reason. Can''t you tell it to me?" He touched his mouth as if to tease her. There was a wave of strange emotions stirring his mind. His excitement that he would be able to see her in his study quickly put him in a bad mood. "Because I don''t need it anymore." She presented it to him, but he did not take it. So, she put it on the desk. The edges of the long red robe touched the floor. "I don''t need it anymore¡­" He repeated her words with a hard voice. "That means you needed it before." "¡­ Yes. I needed something to replace you. " She answered smoothly. His heart froze now. He exchanged sharp words with her, which he didn''t intend at all. His charged feelings made him use more harsh words. "Did you want me to hug you?" "¡­ If you wanted. " He couldn''t let her go. He persistently asked her. Put into a corner, she boldly spoke her mind. "Well, it wasn''t exactly what I wanted." He felt something was broken. He unwittingly turned to her. Then, he reached out and put his arms over hers. He put his hands slowly on her small, round shoulders then her arms. He grabbed her wrists. If he reached out and held her waist, he could hug her, but he couldn''t reach out anymore. He just looked down at her with a little gap between them. Although she could feel his gaze, she never looked at him. He wanted to hug her tightly right now. ''No, this is my greed. If I can''t hug her always, I shouldn''t covet and harass her.'' He was not confident. As a man who lived without knowing how to express feelings all his life, could he really embrace her? Could he not hurt her? Could he please her? Could he only harass her? He already made many mistakes and made her cry. He was not confident. Besides, she already gave her heart to Ruhae, and he didn''t want to force her to dump Ruhae come back to him. He wished she could be happy with somebody else. If only she could be happy. In a word, he overly cared for her happiness. He was not confident about himself at all as far as she was concerned. He just felt as long as she could live as she wished and he could watch her at this close distance, he would be okay. He was thinking deeply. He didn''t know how much time passed after he stood awkwardly before her. He slowly dropped his fingers one by one as if he was desperate for something. And he decided to release her. "If that''s the case, does it mean that you have found something else to make you ''warm'', right?" This time she didn''t reply. In the end, he spat out words that could hurt his feelings. "My brother cared about you so much when I saw you guys in the garden. And you went out of your way to defend him regarding the interrogation." "Back then, I just wanted to help the innocent." "So, did you meet him?" Bipaan did not listen to her excuses. To end his lingering affection for her, Bipaan questioned her harshly. "Let me ask you one more time. Did you meet him?" At last, she had tears in her eyes, and nodded slowly. His heart was pounding hard as if it would break open. "Yes, I met him, and I''m meeting now. Yes, he treats me warmly." He quickly raised his hand and she closed his eyes tightly. The tears that had already filled her eyes dropped. It looked as if each of her words became a dagger, tearing apart his heart. Cruel woman. ''How come she is so naive?'' If she were a little clever and cunning, he could easily release her after hating and curising her. But she was not. Why did she reveal her sincere feelings about Ruhae and break his heart? Although he heard what he wanted to hear from her, it was difficult for him to swallow his hurt feelings casually. In some respects, it was a contradiction. His raised hand didn''t fall. His fist stopping in the air trembled as if he tightened it. With a blank look he shut his mouth, barely controlling his anger. Some blood came out of the palm scratched his fingernails. He put down his hand faster than he raised it. "Don''t call my brother Ruhaei before me. Anyway, I''m your husband. As long as the emperor doesn''t know this and you don''t hinder my way, just do as you please. " After all, that''s what he could say to her, as always. After letting her out, he slowly approached and sat down in the chair with his hands on the desk. Looking at the red robe on the desk for a moment, he quickly got rid of it. It hit the bookshelf and fell under it like a shattered rugosa rose. His face turned white when he turned. Chapter 134 Indeed, she really flew away from his arms like a bird. Tears dropped from his eyes suddenly. Although he decided to send her off long time ago, it wasn''t as easy as he thought. He already began to miss her. He took the wedding robe she left behind to the small back room of the East Palace. In the empty room without any furniture only the red wedding suit hung on the wall. He did not allow anyone to enter, and he spent time alone there. One day, when he was lost in thought, he looked at the robe in the back room before going to bed. He got up suddenly. He unexpectedly headed to Kyoyoung''s residence. It was a strange road that he had never walked since the wedding day. He didn''t even think it was late. Not only the court ladies at the Dongbi Place but also its owner Kyoyoung couldn''t hide their surprise when they saw him. As she was just about to go to bed, she was wearing thin and light clothes. Looking at her with a shy expression, he indifferently asked. "Do you have my wedding robe?" "¡­ Wedding robe? "The wedding robe I left behind on the wedding night." "Ah! I remember. Apparently, the court ladies took it to the royal laundry center. I guess they sent it to the East Palace after washing it." Embarrassed, he barely squeezed out her memory. ''Yes, that''s the way you handle it,'' he thought to himself. And then he said, with a sigh, "Oh, I see." As soon as he confirmed it, he turned. That was the only reason he went to the trouble of visiting the Dongbi Palace. Why did Kyosul bring the wedding suit to him after looking at it on the wall for so long? As he was curious, he wanted to check if his other wife kept it like Kyosul had. But Kyoyoung didn''t put much weight on his wedding robe. ''If that''s the case, why did she keep it until recently?'' He felt like he could have some hope. Did she ever expect him to come and sleep with her? ''Can I covet her even now?'' He was consumed by such vain illusion at that moment when he was about to leave Kyoyoung''s room. She grabbed him by the collar with one hand and pulled the string of her gown with the other. "Your Majesty." Calling him, she pulled his hand. He frowned at her nudity when she took off all her clothes. "What are you doing, Princess?" "Please hug me. Please do not turn away from me this time." Then, she jumped into his arms. The rustling lapel of his robe touched her n.a.k.e.d body. She tightened her grip on his hands. In the end, he flopped down on the scarlet mattress. She fell over his legs. He knitted his brows. He put his hands on her shoulders. He felt through his fingertips her tender skin, her soft and rounded shoulders, and her trembling feelings. Surprisingly, he bit his lip, but he still had no interest in her. Was it because he was troubled by Kyosul these days? When he touched a woman''s skin, he felt something hot going up deep inisde. ''I want to hug and touch Kyosul like I''m touching her now. Would she touch me, too? Does she want to hug me, too?'' His false delusions continued without hesitation. He imagined Kyosul in place of Kyoyoung. He felt as if he was hugging Kyosul at the moment. At that moment, Kyoyoung touched her lips to his hand. His fingers wiggled. He opened his lips slightly and whispered with a low voice, which was hardly inaudible. "Why are you¡­" He was thinking to himself, ''Why don''t you see me? Why are you in love with another guy?'' But he knew he couldn''t approach her as he was scared and cowardly. Suddenly, he felt Kyoyoung''s presence at the moment, who was anxious to touch him. The more he sensed her coquettish act, the more he resented Kyosul. Why couldn''t Kyosul act like her? No matter how many women he had, it was meaningless to him without Kyosul. As he was confused for a moment, he held Kyoyong. Although he saw her n.a.k.e.d body, he was not s.e.x.u.a.lly aroused at all. Could he forget Kyosul if he hugged her now? "Ah¡­" As if she were prepared for this moment, she made a m.o.a.n. He shook off his wild thoughts. "Stop it." He left the Dongbin Palace without making love to her. ''How stupid I was!'' He felt he was so stupid while leaving the palace. He thought it would be rude to Kyoyoung if he hugged her to forget about Kyosul, no matter how s.e.x.u.a.lly she approached him. ''I''m screwed up¡­'' He reproached himself. ''I can''t afford to waste my time playing this kind of emotions game.'' He pulled himself together. Imperial palace, throne, emperor: he reminded himself of the great cause he had lived with all his life. *** Bipaan had to harden his expression when he was told that someone came from the Dongbi Palace to visit him. In fact, he inevitably saw Kyosul because of imperial events, but tried to keep his distance from her. But it was not easy for him to give up his affection for her. It was at this point when he was struggling to forget her when she came back again. He even thought that she might want to make fun of him after she found out his true feelings about her. "Long live the Crown Prince! I''m honored to see you. The Crown Princess has not yet come back to her residence!" The person from the Dongbi Palace was not Kyosul but her nanny. Given her way of greeting him quickly, she looked very desperate. Obviously, she had been agonizing about this for a long time before coming to see him. She kept wiping sweat on her forehead as if she was very tense. "What do you mean she didn''t come back?" "She went for a walk around noon¡­But she hasn''t come back yet. I dared to call on you because I was worried something bad might have happened to her." ''"It''s already quite dark outside." He looked outside. He was as nervous and worried as the nanny. "Call up the Imperial Guards right now." He ordered the eunuch and then stood up from his seat. ''I''m afraid she has been hurt while running around in the field.'' He recalled the tomboy image of Woorum, who ran around hills like a rabbit and climbed up and down trees faster than a squirrel. As there were large trees in the palace, he naturally thought that she might have been attracted. The first place he visited was the library in the East Palace, but the officer in charge of the library said he never saw her. Then he reluctantly looked around all the likely places in the library and the back garden of the outer palace in vain. Coming back with a heavy heart, he arranged a search team of the Imperial Guards. ''She can''t go there¡­'' Suddenly, he called the nanny quietly as if he smelled a rat. "Let''s go to the South Palace." "¡­Pardon?" The nanny was stunned. Given her reaction, he felt the nanny must know something regarding her disappearance. Pretending to be calm, he issued an order. "Go to the South Palace and check out where Prince Ruhae is right now." The nanny''s face turned white. Trembling like a leaf, she moved up and down her dry lips. "Well, Your Majesty¡­" "Hurry up!" He didn''t reveal his feelings. After quickly ordering them to hurry up, he turned away. He could feel the nanny''s glance at him. Her glance was telling him, ''Do you already know? How did you know? How come¡­'' But he ignored her desperate glance, and he didn''t want to let her know that he also knew something. There was no update from the Dongbi Palace, and there was no official record on her entrance or exit of the palace. The nanny sent to the South Palace soon returned. Her face was white and tired. She couldn''t easily open her mouth and hesitated for a while. "Even the South Palace people say they don''t know Prince Ruhae''s whereabouts." On the night, Kyosul disappeared, Ruhae also disappeared. He wiggled one of his eyebrows. That''s what he expected, but confirming it always was a tough thing for him. "When did she leave the palace?" "¡­ At noon¡­ . " He cast a glance afar, while staying silent. The search team of the Imperial Guards were out everywhere to find their whereabouts. Bipaan wanted to protect Kyosul by all means, but things didn''t work out as he wished. ''What a tough day it is!'' While standing alone, watching the soldiers on the search with a nervous look, he looked lonely. The situation surrounding Kyosul''s missing unfolded more uncomfortably in Bipaan''s eyes. Unexpectedly, Prince Dukwol and Oran visited him to help with their search efforts. Chapter 135 "Why don''t you try searching for them on Mt. Mokak?" Dukwol made the unexpected suggestion. "I heard that the Crown Princess was a notorious tomboy in the Hwa Kingdom, so I wondered if she accidentally found a side door and went out of it with a spirit of adventure and got lost. It just occurred to me suddenly." Unlike his explanation that it came to his mind suddenly, his description was was quite specific. Bipaan made eye contact with him. Bipaan''s intense and frosty gaze met his round half-moon shaped eyes Bipaan quickly realized the whole disturbance was the result of Dukwol''s shallow tricks. He couldn''t understand how Ruhae and Kyosul got caught up in the tricks of the West Palace. Aside from Kyosul, who was easily deceived, he really had no idea how Ruhae fell for their trickery. He assumed that Ruhae loved her so much that his judgement was clouded. Ironically, Bipaan found himself in a difficult position to save them, but he pitied himself and went along with Dukwol''s suggestion, pretending not to know. Dukwol escorted Bipaan through the inner wall beyond the outer palace then went to the outer wall, which was the boundary between the Imperial Palace and the outside. While searching for a side door in the outer wall, they found the door where the ivy covering it had been removed. They went out of it and headed for Mt. Mokak. "I''ve found a trace of someone''s having trodden on this road," said one of the imperial soldiers on the search mission. After they found the road, it was easy to chase Ruhae and Kyosul. Soon they found a shack on the edge of collapse. Bipaan raised his fist above his head. The imperial soldiers stopped searching immediately. Silence fell again on the mountain full of the noise of the searching soldiers'' footsteps. Bipaan looked at the shack for a moment. The hinges of the door were broken apart, but refitted tightly against the entrance. There was no light and no sign of anybody''s presence inside. "Look at that¡­ " When Dukwol was about to open his mouth, Bipaan reached out to stop him. Bipaan found his heart pounding hard. ''Are they inside?'' Out of concern for them, he wished they were inside, but at the same time he didn''t want to find them there. Kyosul was always difficult for him to deal with. Hesitating for a moment, he had no other choice but to go in and check it out with his own eyes. He approached the shack, muffling his footsteps. He gently pushed the closed door with his fingertips, but the door was so tightly hinged that it wouldn''t move. While checking the door knob, he suddenly kicked it hard. Thump! The door fell in with a loud noise. A dusky light came into the dark shack. As expected, he found Kyosul and Ruhae sitting side by side. Bipaan''s heart sank when he saw them. He felt his heart was constricted as if it were covered with a thorn bush. He examined them with a chilly gaze. She was wearing Ruhae''s coat. Ruhae wrapped his hands around her shoulders. She got so close to him that she almost touched his chest. Not even thinking about being apart, they looked up at him in astonishment. "Crown Princess!" Bipaan called Kyosul. Only then did Ruhae come to his senses. He pulled away his hands on her shoulders and sprang to his feet. "Long live the Crown Prince! I''m honored to see you." Ruhae naturally offered greetings. "How come you are here, brother Ruhae?" Approaching them in no time, Dukwol shouting in astonishment. Although he seemed stunned, Dukwol obviously shouted with derision. As his voice rang through the shack, the chilly atmosphere was more palpable. "Oh my god! We searched every nook and corner of the palace and even visited Mt. Mokak to search for the Crown Princess. How come brother Ruhae is with her? We thought the Crown Princess got lost, but we were wrong. Does it mean that you didn''t get lost but came out with him for the hiking?" Dukwol shouted at them as if he were stunned, but there was a faint smile on his lips while he was shouting. Bipaan calmly and simply put an end to all that confusion with just one word. "Awesome! You found the Crown Princess first!" Ruhae went down on one knee and bowed. Although he didn''t talk with Bipaan in advance or didn''t give him the eye in advance, there was only one reply in this situation. And he replied, "¡­ Yes, Crown Prince! " "Good job! I will give you a great award for this," Bipaan said. "I''m humbled and honored if you do so," Ruhae responded. Bipaan praised him, while Ruhae replied on impulse. "Did you find her in the mountain?" "¡­ Yes, I did." "She must have sprained her ankle." Ruhae was smart and quick-witted. When Bipaan made a few hints, Ruhae immediately noticed his intention and saw eye to eye with him, . Their play-acting paid off nicely. "Okay. Let me take care of the Crown Princess from now on." Although Bipaan initiated the play-acting, he could not forget the image of their hugging tenderly when he found them, which offended his feelings. Suddenly, he approached Kyosul and picked her up. He had been hoping for this moment for a long time, so he felt heartbroken when he did. Wrapped in his arms, she was young and small. Probably she would not know for all her life how he felt her when he picked her up. With her in his arms, Bipaan headed for the East Palace. Strange enough, he felt excited and sweet while he was walking to his residence, holding her in his arms. He felt like he could walk to the end of the world like this. *** Bipaan sat straight in front of the desk. Although he tried to focus on his work, he found all of his attention on Kyosul''s actions in the rear room of his residence. After he found her stranded on Mt. Mokak, he took her to the East Palace and didn''t allow her to go out. He also did not leave the place on the pretext of caring for the sick princess. A blind was installed between Bipaan''s office and her room after placing a bed on her side of the blind. When he heard her walking around in her room, he often had a mysterious smile. When he heard the sound of her touching the blind next to his feet, his hand holding the brush stopped. She was now standing before him as if she had something to say. "Do you have anything to say?" He asked bluntly first. He again spat out hard words. As expected, she stepped back like a surprised rabbit and said, "Why did you take me here? Why are you not allowing me to go outside? And I see you staying only inside your office rather than going to the central palace¡­" "I told others that I would be staying here to care for you. Anyway, they think you sprained your ankle while you were hiking." "Ah¡­" As he brought up the topic of her hiking with Ruhae, she was speechless. Although he didn''t mean to rebuke her, she seemed to be dejected and downcast. In fact, he wanted to have a friendly conversation with her, but whenever he opened his mouth, he made her feel timid. He felt so frustrated. "Did you say you would care for me?" "Exactly." "Why?" He could not answer right away. His heart trembled. He was afraid she might notice it. ''How should I reply? If I reply honestly, will she listen?'' At that moment, however, the images of Ruhae and Kyosul hugging tenderly in the shack came to his mind. Shaking his head in his heart, he approached her. As if she was tense, she grasped the hem of her skirt. He noticed it and felt his feelings were offended. He lowered his head to make eye contact with her. When he looked at her eyes up close, he felt nauseated. He tilted his head a little more. She breathed deeply and pushed her neck back. As she seemed to run away, he unknowingly reached out. ''Don''t go. Don''t be scared!'' He kept repeating the words in his heart he couldn''t spit out. He supported the back of her neck with his hand. Her young fine hair touched his fingertips. He felt like saying something. ''What if I pull my hand¡­'' He couldn''t think straight at the moment. He opened his mouth, gently tightening his grip on her neck but taking care not to pull her to his chest. "You''re being punished at the moment." "¡­Pardon?" She opened her eyes wide in surprise, looking straight at him. ''Oops! It''s dangerous.'' He hurriedly avoided her eyes and turned his head. He also pulled away his hand supporting her neck. His hand was trembling and his face was burning with embarrassment. The moment he saw her he lips, he imagined kissing her. The fact that he imagined it embarrassed him. It was the first time he imagined it. "It''s your punishment because you dared to put me in a difficult situation." He then returned to his desk after speaking more harshly to hide his nervousness. He was no longer confident enough to see her face to face. Chapter 136 He was faced with a close call every day while he was staying with Kyosul. Without any sense of wariness, she would sleep on the sofa right next to him or on the bed in her room soundly. The fact that he shared the same bed with her thrilled him so much that he couldn''t sleep at all. It was the happiest time in his life that he just looked at her moonlit face when she was asleep. Seven days passed since he brought her stay at the East Palace to punish her for hiking to Mt. Mokak. He escorted her there. It was the first time they took a walk after the wedding. He took her for a walk on the back path of the East Palace. He enjoyed walking there. In fact, walking along this road with Kyosul was his simple wish. There was heard the sound of a brook murmuring along. As the back path bordered with the wall of the East Palace, there was a waterway leading to the outside of the palace. "Wow!" Kyosul, who was following him, suddenly exclaimed out of joy. When he turned around, she was squatting in front of a pile of flowers, forgetting to follow him. Confirming the flower instantly, he found his heart was throbbing. "They are cuc.u.mber herbs." "Pardon?" "I just said the name of the flower is cuc.u.mber herb." She looked up at him in surprise. Feeling her glance, he also focused on the flower, hoping that he would not blush. "They are not blooming anymore." "Really?" "¡­Because they are only blooming in summer. " "Oh, I see...By the way, how come you know the name of this little flower? " He didn''t answer. For some time, he used to receive letters from her every day. She wrote down her personal preferences on it, in which she said she loved flowers. So, he remembered it and secretly delivered flowers, but he could not confess to her. If he could, he would not have sneaked into her residence at dawn every day. He hung an empty single note on the flower and turned back, swallowing what he wanted to say to her. Now that summer was over, he had to find another flower, even though he couldn''t write anything on the note. *** Kyosul came to see Bipaan again. He vowed that he would no longer expect her visit. He took pains to keep down his longing for her. "I would like to visit the royal guest house in Kongrimok." "Guest house in Kongrimok?" "Yes. It''s getting chilly¡­ I hear that there is a hot spring palace¡­" "Kongrimok is in the southern area." Suddenly, it occurred to him that recently Ruhae went down there in connection with the state civil service exams this fall. He felt she was funny. He also felt she was cute. He just laughed that her intention was too obvious. As if she also read his mind, she looked nervous. While watching her mischievously, he again pretended not to know. "Okay. Several seasons already passed since you came here. I think it''s okay for you to tour other areas of the Mok Kingdom as the Crown Princess." "Oh, are you willing to approve my request?" "Sure, but let me go with you." His mischievous accompaniment began like that. Although he headed for Kongrimok with her, he avoided her when they arrived there. He was annoyed because he was often reminded of the reason why she visited this place. ''Oh my god¡­ How could I be jealous like this?'' He was surprised to find himself feeling jealous about her close relationship with Ruhae. Nonetheless, he wanted to have dinner with her, but he didn''t convey his message. In the meantime, time passed, and he received a message from the Imperial Palace. ''I can''t do anything as I''m greedy.'' He felt ridiculous about his situation. He thought to himself, ''She will like it better if I leave.'' He thought she would be better left alone because she could meet Ruhae freely. He smiled bitterly. Spending the last night meaninglessly in Kongrimok, he went to the open bath with a heavy heart. He was taking a hot bath when he heard someone''s voice. "Is this the open hot bath area?" He never expected he would hear someone''s clear voice there. He flinched momentarily, but tried to focus on the hot bath, thinking he heard wrong. "Wow!" The exclamation that followed was clearly Kyosul''s voice. Splash! He heard someone splashing water, breaking the silence. When it was clear that someone entered the bath, he was embarrassed. ''Should I avoid pretending or not be ashamed to greet her?'' Hot vapor disturbed his thinking. As he was so embarrassed, he was at a loss what to do. He wasn''t sure whether he should just pretended not to know or greet her indifferently. While he was hesitating, Kyosul noticed him first and exclaimed, "Ugh?" Now he had no other choice but to greet her. "I didn''t know you would come here." He pretended to stay calm as if it was not a big deal. Disguising his true feelings without being caught by others was his strength. "Your Majesty!" He could feel how embarrassed she was, given her tone. Splash! The wave rippled, and her figure loomed through the steam. Her skin was exposed through the thin nightgown wet in the hot spring water. Her flushed skin exposed through the see-through gown was sweet. Her see-through fabric aroused him more than her nudity. He thought she was only a little girl, but she was a woman by any standard. He smelled the fragrant scent of her skin in the fresh wind of the open air. He stepped towards her through the steam. As she was shy and embarrassed, she covered her b.r.e.a.s.t. Was it because of the steam? He approached her right up to her, as if he had been bewitched by something. Her eyes popped out in embarrassment. He was not agitated, though, while looking into her blinking eyes. "Well, I just¡­" She rolled her eyes without finding an excuse. She blushed more. "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t know you were taking a hot bath here¡­" She hurriedly lowered her head. As she was so concerned with covering her n.a.k.e.d body and stepping back after greeting him hurriedly, she slipped. Splash! Water sprayed while she was shaking her hands and staggering. He quickly grabbed her body as she lost her balance. "Be careful. Although the people here take care of this place all the time, it''s very slippery under the water." While he was stumbling while trying to balance himself, he got close to her and whispered to her, which he didn''t mean at all. As she suddenly turned her head, she was close enough to touch his nose. She breathed in and stumbled again. This time he wrapped his arm around her waist to stop her from slipping. "I told you to be careful." Wrapping his arm around her waist, he stiffened. He grabbed her right wrist. It felt as if he could hug her from behind right away. She was dressed in thin clothes while he was almost n.a.k.e.d. If they touched even slightly, it was like them touching their bare skin. Although he married her a long time ago, he still found it unfamiliar and difficult to touch her bare skin. He felt like his heart would burst if he did so. Quiet followed. Only the sound of water drops falling intermittently was heard in the quiet hot spring. Tut, tut. He held his breath amid the sound of the water drops falling. He felt even his breathing was awkward at the moment. The quiet moment created a tense atmosphere. Although he soaked himself in the hot spring, he felt cold and got goosebumps on his upper body. ''Let me pull myself together.'' It was Bipaan who came to his senses first. When he took his hands off her, she quickly moved away from him. "Thank you." Her voice trembled. He comforted himself, thinking, ''Yeah, it''s good I stepped away from her.'' She said, "I''m going to leave now." "You just came into the hot spring, didn''t you?" As she was about to leave, he grabbed her. He did not want to let her go because he would never get another chance like this. "As this open hot spring is open to many people, you don''t have to leave." Then he sat close to her, pretending not to notice. Although he deliberately tried to enjoy the hot bath, he was totally focused on her. His body was heated up because of the steam, but his heart was pounding hard, which made him feel short of breath. He made an excuse. He thought he would be swept away by the heat of hot springs. With the sound of splashing water, he jumped up. He approached her and looked down at her. She looked up at him blankly. Drops of water dripping from his hair fell on her cheeks. "As you happen to be here, I think I had better tell you this." Chapter 137 Bipaan''s strong build glowed white in the moonlight. The moonlight shining from behind him touched Kyosul''s body. Her white skin exposed through her wet gown seemed to shine brightly, reflecting the moonlight. Like a bunch of cuc.u.mber herbs, her small and sweet figure strangely aroused his romantic feelings. Her naive face with an innocent expression, her thin shoulders and deep clavicle as well as her see-through gown stimulated his eyes. He stared at her blankly for a moment. The wet air and water drops flowing over their bodies heightened the tense atmosphere surrounding them. They were a woman and a man very briefly. Forgetting what he was trying to say, he was captivated by her at the moment. He held out his large hand; with the tip of his long and slender fingers, her pointed at her. Splash! She shook her hands and hit the surface of the water. The noisy sound of water broke the tranquility of the open-air bath. The water splashed over his body made him come to his senses suddenly. His face was soaked and his face felt burning. He withdrew his hands. "Oh, I''m sorry!" She jumped up and approached him. Then, she pulled his sleeves and wiped his face. Perhaps she was trying to wipe his face, but his wet clothes couldn''t absorb any moisture at all. Rather, it only added wet. "You can''t wipe water away with wet clothes." He held back the urge to sigh at her funny actions and wanted to stop it. As she came close to him and touched his face, however, he was again smitten with her. "I made a mistake again. I''m sorry. " "You''re saying sorry too much to me today." Kyosul was still afraid of him. He felt like he was losing energy. "I think I have to get out of here first. I think I have scared you too much." "Well, that''s ¡­" She hesitated to say something. He turned his eyes away from her and pulled on his wet coat. "Please enjoy your hot bath." "Your Majesty¡­" He was about to leave the place, but she grabbed him. He stopped before he walked off into the steam. "You said something like ''as you happen to be here, I think I had better tell you this.'' What do you mean?" His heart sank at that. As she was indifferent to him all along, he wanted to double check if she was ever interested in him when she asked questions like this. He replied without looking back at her. As always, he spoke in a simple and casual tone, "Oh, I didn''t tell you because it was not a big deal. As I happened to see you here, let me tell you something. I''m going to return to the palace early tomorrow." He again fled from her foolishly. The next day, Bipaan was ready to leave for the palace early in the morning. He left the sedan-chair for Kyosul, and got on a horse instead. "Your Majesty!" He heard someone calling him from behind. To his surprise, she was standing there. Neatly dressed up, she lowered her head politely and said, "I wish you a safe return. Goodbye." "Are you here to see me off?" He asked in a trembling voice. She said, nodding calmly, "As the Crown Princess, it''s my duty for me to come here and see you off as you go on a long journey to the palace." "That sounds good, Crown Princess."Their eyes met very briefly, and he looked away as usual. "See you at the Imperial Palace. I will come and offer you greetings when I return." "Enjoy yourself as much as you can." "¡­ Thank you." He smiled as he was leaving Kongrimok. He left with a light heart this time. "I never expected I would come down with you." The moment when he splashed water with her in the open-air hot spring kept playing in his mind. He felt the last night in Kongrimok was a gift. *** As it was winter, the imperial palace was lonely. In particular, Bipaan''s residence in the East Palace was more lonely. Kyosul''s face looked more white during the winter when there was little sunlight. She was now sitting in front of him with her head down. It was the first time she met him during the winter. This time he was happy but at the same time nervous because he wasn''t sure how she would stir his heart. He was afraid he might want to have her. At this point, he didn''t want to force his feelings on her, which would certainly hurt her feelings. As he already knew she was in love with Ruhae, he deliberately said coldly, "I am busy. If you don''t want to say anything, leave." She trembled and lowered her head on the floor. Embarrassed by her unexpected actions, he opened his eyes wide and asked, "What the heck are you doing? Please raise your head right now. " "Your Majesty," she said with an unusually trembling voice. He pushed the desk to the side and held out his hand to Kyosul. The moment he got up to lift her, she said, "Your Majesty, I''m so embarrassed to tell you that I am pregnant." He put down his hands and looked at her silently. Silence followed. It seemed that time stopped. Stiffened like a statue, he stepped back and sat on the chair. He put his hand on his forehead. He, who remained still for a while, trembled slightly and suddenly turned his head back. "Pahahahahaha!" He just laughed. It was the biggest and most hearty laugh she had heard since she married him. He tightened his grip on the wooden pillow as if he squeezed out some feelings that he couldn''t describe. She couldn''t figure out anything from his facial expression. He couldn''t help but laugh at her words that she got pregnant. It was the biggest laugh he laughed in 20 years. He was laughing for a while without stopping then suddenly stopped. Looking straight at her, he said softly with a smile, "Oh, as you''re pregnant, is there any better news than this?" "Your Majesty... " "By the way, I''ve never slept with you, as you know. How come you got pregnant? Is this the mischievous trick of Providence?" He began to spit out harsh words. Looking at her tearful eyes, he sneered at her. Only that way could he see her face to face. Watching her frightened face, he continued, "Lots of people might regard your pregnancy as very rare, but I see it''s normal. Oh, I''ve got an idea to silence those who like to spread gossip and rumors.'' Twisting his red lips cynically, he said nonchalantly, "Tonight I will come and see you in your room. So, be ready." That was it. He didn''t say anything more. "Now, as you have resolved your headache, just leave." He was still smiling at her, but she didn''t move. While looking at her for a minute, he threw the wooden pillow on the floor and shouted, "I told you I would come and see you tonight! Get out! Leave!" After shouting at her in a fit of anger, he smiled again. Stunned by his shouting, she sprang to her feet instinctively and began to cry. After offering him greetings, she staggered out of the room. Left alone, Bipaan was still smiling, leaning his hand on the wooden pillow and putting his chin on the back of his hand. As he was so shocked by her confession, the only thing he could do was just smile. "She''s pregnant? Oh my¡­" He closed his eyes deeply. He knew who was the biological father. "Ruhae¡­" He bit his lip. A thin stream of blood flowed into his mouth. His dream was completely broken beyond any hope. Although he hugged her in his heart numerous times, he didn''t have her, but Ruhae had her so easily. He was heartbroken, but he couldn''t reveal to her or Ruhae that he was heartbroken. Ruhae took a woman so easily by her heart, but it had been Bipaan himself who sent her to Ruhae. ''Can I hate her now? Can I heal my hurt feelings by hating her?'' Bipaan could never hate her. Even though she had Ruhae''s child, he couldn''t hate her. What about Ruhae? It was Bipaan who gave her to him, and asked him to protect her in his stead, so he couldn''t hate Ruhae either. After all, it was Bipaan who had to blame himself for her pregnancy. Winter nights came early. As soon as the sun quickly set and darkness fell, a group of people entered the Dongbi Palace. In front of them was Bipaan in a brilliant blue coat. "Don''t bring in anything not even the liquor table. Court ladies, get out of here." As usual, he ordered them with a low voice, without any expression on his face. After letting the court ladies out of the palace, he briefly looked at the shadow and climbed the stepping stones that led to Kyosul''s room. He opened the door and entered it. He found her in the room as brilliantly decorated as she was on the wedding night. Chapter 138 Her white dress decorated with sparkling gemstones reflected the light of the swaying lantern. She put a thin coat over her slender shoulders and a golden dragon hairpin and ornate floral and butterfly ornaments in her black hair. Rouge had been applied to her little white face. Her hair ornaments swayed in the wind coming from somewhere. Small jewels hit against each other and clinked. A soft and sweet fragrance came out of the incense sachet hung somewhere in the room. She was so beautiful the sight of her broke his heart. "Why do you have those ornaments in your hair?" "Are you sneering at me now?" She asked in a sullen voice, trying not to cry. "Why should I sneer at you?" "I¡­" She couldn''t finish her words. Nonetheless, he chuckled, which made her shiver. He always wanted to see her face to face, but he couldn''t even hug her. She was so beautiful tonight. He turned around and came to her bed. When he stopped before her, she flinched and trembled. She closed her eyes. He unknowingly reached out and swept his hand across her cheeks. Her face felt soft like a baby''s. Her tightly closed lips shone in red. He wanted to touch her lips, which he dared not to kiss and put his hand down to her chin. ''If I can touch her lips, if I can feel the moistness of her red lips, can I stop there?'' He was not confident. As always, he was not confident whenever he faced her like this. So, he just swept his hand across her young jawline. His tender hand touched her earlobes and reached her neck. The ornaments on her hair fell one by one to the floor. Clink, clink. The ornaments clinked against each other with a clear sound. Finally, the golden dragon hair shining in her hair fell and fell to the floor like other ornaments. As the ornaments fell out, her hair also fell. Her dark, long hair slipped on her dress which was while like a snow field. When he gently pushed her forehead and she fell back stiffly on the bed. Her black hair scattered here and there across the bed. As the coat on her shoulder slipped down, her slender shoulders were exposed. She frowned and looked at him with trembling eyes. Her red lips parted. ''Can I calm down my troubled feelings if I sleep with her?'' But obviously she would be hurt. He couldn''t hurt her feelings. He wished she would not be hurt or sick under any circ.u.mstances even if he were stabbed, torn or injured millions of times. He wanted to hug her warmly and say, "I love you, I love you," but he was not courageous enough. He was not sure if she really wanted his confession. Above all, he was afraid of being rejected. Watching her undressing for a moment, he stepped back and sat on the chair. There ensued silence between them. He was sitting with his back against the chair. The smile on his mouth did not go away. His smiling face was more handsome than ever as he closed his eyes and his long lashes swept across his cheek. The sharp ridge of his nose was high, and his exposed jawline was sharp. Finally, he opened his mouth. "Your baby¡­" His voice was soft and deliberate as if he were trying to calm down his anger and frustration as best he could. "If it is a baby girl, she is going to be the crown princess, and if it''s a baby boy, he is going to be the crown prince after me. As a girl, she will enjoy the luxury that no women can enjoy and grow up in abundance and will eventually marry her partner from a royal family of empire or the prince state. As a boy, he will be the next crown prince after me and rule the Mok Kingdom when he becomes the emperor." He spoke softly, but every time he spat out words, his mouth felt dry. "The baby will be born as my blood and grow up as my blood." He tried to make sure his voice did not tremble when he spoke. "When I become the emperor, the baby will be the only crown princess or crown prince. You are going to be the Queen, and I''m going to send Ruhae to a prince state on the periphery of the Mok Kingdom to make him its king." She opened her eyes wide in astonishment. Her breathing again broke his heart. He couldn''t speak any further. Neither he nor she went to bed. Time flowed silently in the darkness. The sun was shining through the window. When the sun reached Bipaan sitting on the chair, he rose. Then he went straight to the door. He was about to open the door to leave when he suddenly turned and looked at the bed. "By the way, do you know what my name is?" He felt bitter when he asked her. He had never forgotten her name Woorum meaning ''cold rain'' from the moment he first heard her name eleven years ago. But foolishly enough, he did not even think of letting her know his name, so she did not know his name. "My name is Ahn, and my last name is Danmok. Ahn Danmok." Having said that, he went out of his room. ''If I, not Ruhae, had greeted her on the spring day when she arrived in the Mok Kingdom, would I have treated her differently? What would have changed?'' It was already too late for him to regret. He decided that he would end their relationship once and for all by telling her his name just like she left after telling him her name on the spring day many years ago. It was over. There were many people around him who left. Following Emperor Ohyulje who left on the path of no return, Crown Prince Bipaan succeeded the throne as expected. Crown Prince Bipaan, now Emperor Chonghyolje began an iron rule from the moment he assumed power. The bureaucrats who resisted his iron rule early on began to cooperate after realizing that his rule was not a tyranny of the empire but a means to make the kingdom a great power. After he solidified his power as the emperor, Chonghyolje appointed his brothers, formerly princes of the four palaces, as kings of the prince states on the periphery of the empire. They were nominal kings, though. His purpose was to expel them from the Imperial Palace to stop their threat to his power before they could move against him. He established an unprecedented succession system. In the past, the royal family of the Mok Kingdom had four heirs, called Sabanggung or four princes. But Chonghyulje promoted only one Crown Prince as the next emperor candidate. He was none other than Dohwan born to Kyosul and Ruhae. Unlike the previous emperors, Chonghyulje didn''t take any other wife after Kyosul left. As he didn''t live with his second wife Kyoyoung, he didn''t have any other child. Accordingly, only Crown Prince Dohwan was his legitimate successor. This kind of legitimacy strengthened his stature further, and Chonghyulje''s absolute emperor system made the Mok Kingdom stronger and prosperous. And he was respected as the Chonghyolchon, the Great Emperor, for his brilliant achievements. As he brought about the great period of stability and prosperity, Chonghyulje had nothing more to hope for. All he wished was that Dohwan would grow well and succeed him. Although he was cold-hearted to everybody as usual, he was kind and gentle to Dohwan only. Dowhan also respected him from the bottom of his heart and accepted his rule as God''s intention. Dohwan grew up smart and healthy. Watching him growing well, Chonghyulje was very happy, but he felt heartbroken as his brother Ruhae came to his mind when he saw Dohwan. He loved and cared for Dohwan more than anyone, and exactly twenty years after he succeeded the throne,Chonghyule made a bombshell announcement that no one expected. "I''m going to retire as the supreme emperor, and the Crown Prince will take over my power as the next emperor." As he ruled the kingdom for 20 years amid the love and support of the people with his absolute power, his sudden announcement shocked the kingdom. In no time they accepted the new emperor, Dohwan. Nonetheless, as the supreme emperor, Chonghyulje still had power and influence, and provided strong support for the young new emperor, called Dongyoungje. Dongyoungje established an excellent cultural kingdom on the strong foundation laid by his father. Now the Mok Kingdom enjoyed a brilliant and splendid glory that no other country could covet. Thanks to the rapid progress in the cultural field, he was praised as the "Cultural Emperor." It had been four years since Dongyoungje became the emperor. Although he was only 27 years old, he made the Mok Kingdom a cultural powerhouse thanks to his excellent abilities and the unconditional help of Taemunjang, the head of the National Academy. Dongyoungje respected and followed Taemunjang who was nearing 50. He even respected Taemunjang more highly than Taegongsin who was the next most powerful after the emperor. In fact, Taemunjang took the initiative to culturalize the Mok Kingdom. As such, he earned Dongyoungje''s trust. Today, Taemounjang was meeting with Dongyoungje alone. Chapter 139 "It seems like you haven''t gone against my policy, as always," said Dongyounghje, with a beaming smile. Seeing his bright smile, Taemunjang appreciated his compliment and lowered his head. "I am honored to hear that, Your Majesty." "Hahaha, please feel comfortable. By the way, I hear your wife has been working very hard in the palace office." "All thanks to you, as you''ve asked for her help." Taemunjang bowed to him again. This kind of behavior might have been seen as overly polite during the previous Ohyulje days, but it had become routine from Chonghyulje''s rule. Not long after he was chosen as Taemunjang, the empress heard about Taemunjang wife''s extraordinary abilities in literature and invited her as her personal teacher. In the early days, the lady only served as the empress''s teacher, but soon became the master of the palace office managing concubines and court ladies, so much so that any court lady who didn''t enjoy the benefits of learning from her couldn''t be qualified to work at the palace office. Even the concubines who were not favored by the emperor asked for her tutoring. Rumors about the lady spread to the wives of top officials, which led to a monthly social meeting at the lady''s house. "Sooner or later I''m going to give your wife the official title of Madame Taejongmun in recognition of her excellent service." "Your Majesty!" Taemunjang dared to look up at him in surprise, but Dongyoungje didn''t blame him. He was smiling at Taemunjang gently. The title of Madame Taejongmun was not easy to obtain even if she was Taemunjang''s wife. The highest in rank among many official titles given to top officials'' wifes, Madame Taejongmun was given to only a few women in the long history of the Mok Kingdom. "I''m so honored and indebted to you, Your Majesty!" Overwhelmed by Dongyoungje''s announcement, Taemunjang jumped up from his seat and bowed to him. Given his long beard, he was obviously the age of his father, but neither cared about it. "Hahaha, I hear you love your wife so much, and I think that''s true. When I offered to give you the title of Taegongsin, you refused it, but you gladly welcomed my decision when I said I would give your wife the official title of Madame Taejongmun." "I''m so honored, Your Majesty." *** The wind was blowing hard, disturbing the leaves of the tall tree. The big tree was in the middle of the hill. Under the tree was standing a noble woman dressed in silk. At most she looked in her late 30s, but she was over 40. She was none other than Madame Taemunjong. Unlike Chonghyulje, who had only one concubine and installed the only one successor, Dongyounghje had several wives in the four years after his inauguration as the new emperor and established four palaces like the royal family of the Mok Kingdom did before. Madame Hwa, the master teacher of the palace women, was so busy teaching court ladies and concubines. Today, she visited the third concubine for tutoring then stopped by the back garden of the outer palace briefly on her way back home. She gently stroke the big tree. The hard hark of the tree was the same as before, but grew thicker and larger. She had been here a long time ago. "Honey." A gentle voice came through the wind. Suddenly, Taemunjang came behind her and stroked her cheeks with a smile, Madame Taejungmun, who closed her eyes and felt the touch, folded her hands over his. "You did a good job today for the sake of the Mok Kingdom." The ornamental hairpin on her wig shook with the wind and clinked. She was still beautiful even if she grew older. Looking at her, Taemunjang carefully opened his mouth. "Chonghyolje appeared at the cabinet meeting in Daejeon today." She flinched at that and stiffened. "He praised my achievements and told me he wanted to see you as you were given the official title in ten years." "Does he recognize your face?" She asked in a trembling voice. Taemunjang just nodded silently. "When it''s dark, I have to leave. If your meeting with the supreme emperor lasts longer than expected, don''t worry about me. Let me go back home first. " "I won''t be long there." "I think you will be there long," Taemunjang responded quickly. In no time, they looked away. "I have got something to confess to you," Taemunjang said. "Honey¡­" Although she tried to stop him, he didn''t care and said reluctantly. "You said you saw a flower placed on the window sill of your room every day. I didn''t place it there." Her eyes trembled a lot. She was soon choked with tears. "Why¡­" She gripped his hand. "Why are you trying to reveal it to me now? Why?" "¡­ Did you know that? " "I didn''t know it then. Only now" She closed her lips then turned her eyes at him, saying, "It doesn''t matter if it was not your flower. It was you that I recalled while looking at the flower. The man that I chose was you." "If you wait here, he will come." "I don''t want to wait." "¡­ It looks like he is pretty impatient." Looking over her shoulders, he turned bitterly. She already stiffened. When she turned after some hesitation, the supreme emperor was already behind her. Bowing to him, Taemunjang left the back garden of the outer palace. There were very few who visited the back garden. Only two, Chonghyolje and Madame Taejongmun were standing, facing each other in the vast back garden. After discovering him there, she could not even breathe properly. Bowing to her slightly, the supreme emperor approached her carefully. His face was still white and cold, and his black eyes shone vividly, belying his age. "As you assumed the post of Madame Taejongmun after ten years, I would like to congratulate you." "¡­I''m so honored." Gasping for breath, she was stiff with her head lowered her head."How many children do you have?" "I have one daughter, the eldest, a son and another daughter, the youngest." "So, you have one son and two daughters, right?" While barely answering with a trembling voice, she nodded carefully. As he stroked his chin, he suddenly spoke as if something came to his mind, "I think you have another son, who now assumes the highest position in the Mok Kingdom." At that moment, she raised her head and dared to look at him in the face. His eyes still looked cold. On the contrary, her eyes were welled with tears gradually. They were looking at each other silently, but it was Chonghyolje who broke the silence first. "When I heard that Taemunjang''s last name, who was Dongyoungje''s teacher, was Yu, I just let it go in one ear and out the other." Although she flinched, she could not avoid his sharp gaze. "Even when I heard that Taemunjang''s wife became the master teacher of the palace office, I didn''t pay any attention. When I heard that a civil service official without any political connection raised his family as an influential one and became Taemunjang, when I heard that his wife was so excellent in writing compositions that she came to be the master teacher of the palace office, I didn''t give any serious thought to it. In the meantime, I heard that Taemunjang''s name was Uljin of the Yu family, and his wife''s name was Woorum of the Hwa family." Taemunjang was Uljin Yu, and his wife Taejongmun was Woorum Hwa. They were none other than Prince Ruhae and Crown Princess Kyosul who had disappeared from the Imperial Palace. Although twenty years had passed, her face was still the same except for the wrinkles on her face. Her face was still young, and she was still beautiful. And she was easily moved to tears like before. In the end, tears welled in her eyes dropped on the ground, and he wiped her tears with his big hands. His hands were still warm. "When I first saw you, you were so young." "I didn''t know anything at that age¡­" He shook his head at her crying voice. "No, I met you well before you came here. You may not remember it, but I clearly do." Her eyes popped up in surprise. ''Did I meet him before?'' She couldn''t recall any memory of having met him before the wedding day. "Back then you were a thirteen-yaer-old girl, and we didn''t know each other''s social status. Yes, you were so young. That''s why you didn''t know my heart." "¡­ when I was 13 years old?" "At that time, you came to me smiling like a flower. You wore a shabby indigo jersey like a court lady. When I stiffened, looking at you, you pulled me away to play with you. You made me miss you then disappeared in tears. When I met you seven years later, you forgot me and loved another guy." His slow voice was not cold at all. It was a warm and soft voice she had never heard before. Chonghyoje, or Bipaan whose hair became grey, began to tell Woorm everything. Finally, he confessed his warm and romantic feelings about her for the first time. "Just like you were so young when I first met you, I was too young to free myself from the fetters of succeeding the throne. I wasn''t confident because I was worried that you, who feared me, would be hurt because of me. So, I was obsessed with thinking that I would let you go to make you happy. Would you forgive me for having treated you so coldly in the past?" He was speaking with a trembling voice, after all. Woorum, who was crying unconsciously, quickly looked at his face. She found a gentle smile on her face for the first time. With a wrinkled face and grey hair, he was looking down at her with a soft smile like never before. "Will you forgive my love of you when I was young?" With a gentle smile, he wiped away her tears quietly. The sun was setting, reddening the sky. The shadows of the two stood silently in the back garden of the outer palace. *** It was an immature love. As he was young, his love was immature. As he was young, he couldn''t love her as he wished. As time passed, he wanted to see, meet and have her in his arms, but he could not since he was immature. He thought he should not do so back then. So, he cried. He was heartbroken. So, he let her go. There was one boy. He missed a girl who melted his frozen heart, but when he met her, he couldn''t hug her because he was worried he would hurt her, so he let her go without showing her his true feelings. There was another boy. He forgot everything when he was smitten by the fragrance of her tears, and finally he could make her his woman by persistently hanging on her, but he gave up everything. There was a girl. She was born in a harmonious family and loved dearly. As she was too easily moved to tears, she didn''t know what to do so often. She stirred a boy''s mind, but she left him without appreciating his love, and loved another boy. Here was the immature love of these foolish children. It was love which was warm, cozy, sweet but so sad, pathetic and bitter. It was their immature love.