Chapter 42

The sedan chair workers, moving diligently, lowered the gyoja in the open, spacious area in front of Giryung Palace. The fact that the hall was at the secluded northern end of the Imperial Palace was helpful in this situation. There were wide, desolate open grounds all around the hall.

Court Lady Dong attended to Yeon-oh as he alighted from the gyoja, making a noble gesture. Cheong-ryu and So-ha each handed a small piece of silver money to the workers, showing generosity. Furthermore, Court Lady Dong called the young eunuch of Giryung Palace and gave a confidential order.

“Tell the inner eunuchs who frequent the outer kitchen of the Imperial Palace to deliver small pieces of san-yak-go, wrapped in paper, one piece each.”

Yeon-oh watched Court Lady Dong carefully. Court Lady Dong now appeared to be faithfully performing the role of an authority figure’s right hand.

“…”

Dong Yeong looked at Yeon-oh, who was staring at her, with confusion.

“Do you have a command, Mama?”

Yeon-oh shook his head and, attended by Court Lady Dong, headed into the hall. As he entered the inner chamber, he said softly.

“Nothing happened.”

He had spent the night with the Emperor, but it was hard to call it attending to the bedding. Dong Yeong paused briefly and said calmly.

“How can nothing have happened?”

“Truly, nothing happened.”

Yeon-oh untied the silk ribbon from his hair, which was loosely yet beautifully tied to accentuate his face. Dong Yeong approached Yeon-oh, who was tying his hair up haphazardly again, and tried to stop him.

“Mama.”

“It’s true.”

Court Lady Dong, who had been waving her hand in regret, composed her expression at Yeon-oh’s words. The palace servant took the comb and silk ribbon from Yeon-oh’s hand and neatly tidied his hair.

“What does it matter whether anything happened or not? It is a clear fact that His Majesty visited last night. You had it tied up so prettily, why undo it?”

Court Lady Dong skillfully knocked away Yeon-oh’s hand, which was trying to take the silk ribbon from her, with her elbow.

“It feels like it will come undone soon.”

Court Lady Dong found Yeon-oh’s discomfort with the innocent half-up hairstyle amusing. She tied Yeon-oh’s hair in a way that the knot of the silk ribbon continued down the back of his neck. If she had her way, she would call So-ha to pin ornaments where the silk crossed, but Yeon-oh would never allow it.

“It will absolutely not come undone. You must be tired, so don’t bother reading a book; just lie down on the bed.”

“Okay.”

Yeon-oh obediently went to the bed and lay down.

“I shall withdraw.”

Dong Yeong closed the door and came out. After walking a few steps, she glanced back at the hall door.

“Nothing happened…”

Dong Yeong was the one who had first tidied the inner chamber this morning. Such a thing was not called ‘nothing happened’. And if truly nothing had happened on the night of attending to the bedding with the Emperor, who was the current master of the Imperial Throne, that would be a huge event in itself.

“I hope I don’t get into big trouble by underestimating this innocent Young Master.”

Dong Yeong turned around, shook her head gently, and headed outside.

******

What greeted Yeon-oh upon his return from the evening greetings was a yeon (a palanquin with a roof and walls). A large, magnificent yeon (輦) was in front of Giryung Palace. Only one person could ride such a yeon inside the Imperial Palace. Not only inside but also outside the Imperial Palace, only one person in the entire world could ride a yeon carried by more than twenty bearers.

“See that.”

Court Lady Dong said, attending to Yeon-oh with a proud expression, whispering.

“…”

Yeon-oh looked sideways at the palace servant’s boastful voice.

“Mama.”

“Consort Gwi-bi.”

Cheong-ryu and So-ha called Yeon-oh with slightly lowered voices as he entered the gate of Giryung Palace. Flapping their hands and calling Yeon-oh, they mouthed, ‘The Emperor!’ ‘The Emperor!’

The palace servants of the hall quickly lined up and paid their respects.

“We greet Consort Gwi-bi.”

“We greet Consort Gwi-bi.”

Yeon-oh was still not used to the increased number of palace servants after becoming a Gwi-bi. With the addition of the close attendant eunuchs following the Emperor, he was even more flustered.

“Everyone, rise.”

As he helped the palace servants up, the door of the study opened, and Wan Taegam approached with light, soft steps.

“I greet Consort Gyo-gwi. Consort Gwi-bi, may you enjoy great fortune. Mama, His Majesty is in the study.”

Wan Taegam’s demeanor was dignified, and his voice was benevolent.

“Here?”

Yeon-oh made no attempt to hide his bewilderment. The Imperial Palace had countless imperial bedchambers, halls, studies, offices, and reception rooms. Everywhere the Emperor sat, there was a majestic throne, and behind it, a golden screen was unfolded to attend to the Son of Heaven. Yet he was specifically here?

“Yes.”

Wan Taegam replied demurely without wavering. A faint hint of awkwardness lingered on his face as he replied.

“What is he doing here?”

Yeon-oh questioned cautiously in a lowered voice.

“He is writing.”

Wan Taegam was slightly embarrassed.

“Is he issuing a decree to me again?”

Yeon-oh questioned in a lowered voice, almost scolding, forgetting that the person he was talking to was the Grand Supervisor.

Wan Taegam understood the reaction. The Emperor’s Byeongpil Taegam (Eunuchs in charge of writing Imperial decrees) were standing outside the study hall of Giryung Palace, bowing at the exact same angle. Seeing them, Yeon-oh was disgusted. The Byeongpil Taegam were the most powerful of the powerful, those who wrote the Emperor’s decrees. There were not just one or two, but eight of them lined up neatly.

“As this humble servant knows, no. Please do not worry. Please enter first.”

Wan Taegam led Yeon-oh toward the study. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The eunuch smiled warmly, but there was no warmth in that smile.

Yeon-oh urgently looked back.

“…”

“…”

Court Lady Dong and the palace servants of Giryung Palace were bowing their heads from a distance. Court Lady Dong, who slightly raised her head, sent a subtle smile, encouraging Yeon-oh.

“Consort Gwi-bi.”

Wan Taegam urged Yeon-oh with a formal call.

“Has the Emperor’s study caught fire, or, no matter, has something gone wrong?”

“That would never happen.”

“Then why is he here?!”

Yeon-oh questioned in a lowered voice, pushed along by Wan Taegam’s guidance. Wan Taegam responded only with a subtle smile. He tried to quicken his steps in leading Yeon-oh.

Yeon-oh firmly stopped.

“Do not push me.”

“I apologize.”

When the Emperor arrived, even the Empress Dowager, let alone a concubine, would stop everything she was doing and prioritize greeting him. Yeon-oh’s actions could be called insolent if one wanted to, or reckless. However, his effort to survive and his dignified demeanor were amusing to watch. One could understand why the Emperor had recently raised his voice, calling the Consort insolent every time he met him. And also why, even after being so angry, he would come, angrily shaking his sleeves, whenever something happened in Giryung Palace.

He was not a Young Master who had been coddled by the Gyo General’s Household to the point of fearing nothing in the world, as the Emperor claimed. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] But one could guess the reason why the Emperor said that.

“Who is inside the study?”

“His Majesty is inside.”

“Besides His Majesty?”

Wan Taegam offered kindness at Yeon-oh’s persistent questioning.

“Only His Majesty is inside. The door will open soon, Mama.”

“The door…?”

Before Yeon-oh could finish his sentence—

“Are you here?”

A low voice spoke from inside the study. One of the Byeongpil Taegam immediately moved and opened the study door. The Emperor, sitting at the desk, cast his gaze upon Yeon-oh, who was ascending the steps toward the hall door. Yeon-oh stared blankly for a moment at the man who was occupying someone else’s desk as if it were his own.

The man sitting at the desk looked imposing.

“…”

It felt as if this were the man’s palace, not his own. Of course, since he was the Emperor, the entire Imperial Palace was his.

“Ahem.”

Yeon-oh snapped out of it at Wan Taegam’s throat-clearing.

“I greet His Imperial Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy great fortune.”

“Why are you so slow?”

The man, sitting at Yeon-oh’s desk, said, holding the Jupil. From the Empress Dowager’s hall, which was located southwest of the Imperial Palace’s main gate, to Giryung Palace, which was practically at the northernmost point, was a long distance. The one who had granted Giryung Palace to Yeon-oh was none other than the Emperor himself.

“I apologize.”

“I heard the Empress Dowager granted you an eight-man gyoja?”

“It did not seem right to ride the eight-man gyoja on the way to pay my respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, so it took time.”

Yeon-oh apologized and made excuses, yet still did not understand. If the Emperor hadn’t been here, he wouldn’t have had to apologize or make excuses for the time it took to travel, as Giryung Palace was at the northern edge.

“Young Master Gyo is certainly upright and noble in his etiquette.”

The man moved the Jupil to write, leaning his elbow on the desk.

“…”

Yeon-oh looked sideways insolently. There was no way that red ink, which only the Emperor could use, would be in a concubine’s study. The Emperor, or more accurately, the Emperor’s eunuchs, had personally brought it. Wan Taegam, who received Yeon-oh’s resentful gaze, only smiled subtly. It was a smile that looked peaceful but was truly wicked.

Wan Taegam had not lied. The Emperor was alone in the study. The problem was that the place felt like the maw of a beast.