Chapter 52

“Give the Consort Gwi-bi a chair.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The one who replied to the Emperor’s command was Wan Taegam, but the one who moved was Court Lady Dong. Court Lady Dong placed Yeon-oh’s chair right next to the Emperor. The inner chamber’s main seat was the upper seat by location, so their sightlines were on the same level.

Seonjae gestured toward the chair, which was within arm’s reach.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful.”

As Yeon-oh bowed and sat down on the chair, Seonjae spoke toward him:

“You didn’t originally dislike dressing up, did you?”

“I am still unaccustomed to the palace concubine attire, which is too extravagant. Hence, I have no particular interest in it.”

“You do not back down even for a single word. Give the Consort Gwi-bi the bracelet.”

“Your Majesty…”

Yeon-oh called the Emperor with a tone of complaint.

“Why, do you wish for something other than a bracelet? Should I choose it for you? Young Master Gyo, you must learn to submit.”

The man spoke with an expressionless face, showing his own hand adorned with lavish rings, before finally breaking into a smile. Yeon-oh looked at the Emperor, who seemed to take great pleasure in tormenting him, with an impertinent gaze.

“…”

In the meantime, So-ha approached, put the bracelet on Yeon-oh’s wrist, and withdrew.

“Choose. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Would you prefer your maidservant to tie your hair, or would you prefer I tie your hair?”

Seonjae, seeing his sulky face, said, suppressing a laugh. Wan Taegam politely presented the silk ribbon he had received from So-ha.

“I dislike both… However, if I must absolutely choose one of the two, I would prefer my maidservant to do it.”

Yeon-oh spoke firmly, but then, noticing the Emperor’s keen gaze, he recalled what he had said earlier and added the latter part. Seonjae watched Yeon-oh silently before casually gesturing a command.

When Wan Taegam passed the silk ribbon to So-ha, she walked lightly and began to style his hair. The simple yet elegant hairstyle was an adornment that Yeon-oh found quite uncomfortable.

“Why is it that everyone refuses so much when I offer to tie their hair?”

Seonjae complained in a tone of disappointment.

“For Your Majesty to adorn anyone’s hair, it is too much of an honor to dare wish for it.”

“Young Master Gyo, you are so elegant in your sarcasm toward a person’s face.”

Seonjae maligned Yeon-oh, suggesting he was being insulted.

“Is this concubine’s sarcasm truly that sharp? Compared to Your Majesty, I am quite lacking.”

Yeon-oh did not back down, indicating he was regretting his lack of sarcastic eloquence.

“I told you to learn to submit. What is the Hui-heon-cheop?”

“My maternal grandfather bequeathed it to me. But how do you know of it?”

“Everyone must know.”

Yeon-oh did not press the matter further at the Emperor’s words. He recalled that Neung So-yong and Jin Mi-in had screamed when he invited them to Seokgeum-won. Since they say walls have ears in the Imperial Palace, it was not strange that it had become known. He was more curious about the Emperor’s interest in the Hui-heon-cheop.

“Does Your Majesty not prefer the calligraphy of Yuk Myeong-won?”

“So, you did not inform me even though you possessed something valuable.”

“I know that Wang-chik’s calligraphy book is in the Imperial Library.”

At Yeon-oh’s words, Seonjae gave him a look as if he had encountered a heartless person.

“Not the Hui-heon-cheop.”

“Did you come here to see that?”

“No.”

Seonjae said firmly.

“Then what did you come for?”

“Consort Gwi-bi, I am the Emperor. The Emperor can visit his concubines whenever he wishes.”

Yeon-oh felt an inexplicable frustration. All the man had done since coming here was harass him.

‘Did you come here to harass me?’ But he could not say that.

“Court Lady Dong, go to the West Two Hall and bring the Hui-heon-cheop.”

“Yes.”

Yeon-oh commanded the palace maid. Then he turned to the side and said:

“I will give it to you if you want it.”

“A pampered young master of a great noble family. I did not come to take it by force. I hear the Consort Gwi-bi also has the Gi-yu-jip?”

“Court Lady Dong, bring the Gi-yu-jip as well.”

Seonjae burst into an absurd laugh at Yeon-oh’s bold words.

“A concubine who tries to drive out the Emperor by offering him a priceless treasure worth a million gold!”

“What do you mean ‘drive out’?”

Seonjae merely chuckled again at Yeon-oh’s pretense of ignorance.

“The Gi-yu-jip and the Hui-heon-cheop will be a feast for the eyes. Since you offer to let me see them, I will not refuse. More importantly, I heard you distributed thank-you gifts after the Investiture Ceremony.”

At the Emperor’s words, Yeon-oh realized why he was being harassed so. Leaving the man’s gifts out when sending the thank-you gifts was not a problem according to protocol, but his reluctance to give him anything was the bigger reason.

The man liked things that were sweet and cold. Knowing this, he had chosen bing-jeup (iced juice) as the thank-you gift, which he knew the man liked very much, and distributed it widely to those around the Emperor, deliberately excluding the man himself. But he had no idea he would casually dismiss his plans to visit his favored concubine and come here to pick a fight, truly over the bing-jeup.

“Yes, I did so.”

“The reviews were quite generous.”

“I carefully considered the gifts, and it is thanks to the good help of the Gyo Marquisate family.”

The Emperor had told Yeon-oh to learn to submit. But Yeon-oh was reluctant to do so in matters involving the man. People usually called this ‘lingering attachment’.

“I told you to learn to submit.”

“When you came to Goksan, Your Majesty liked the bing-jeup, but I did not offer it because I could not discern which aspect of your behavior at the time was genuine. Did I do wrong?”

The Emperor looked intently at Yeon-oh, who was unwilling to submit, and furrowed his brows. The man’s eyes narrowed, and a twisted smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“You must be the only one to dare oppose me and try to win, Young Master Gyo.”

“I am overwhelmingly grateful.”

“You are ill-mannered.”

Seonjae insulted Yeon-oh with a smiling face. Just then, Court Lady Dong returned with the Gi-yu-jip and the Hui-heon-cheop. The calligraphy books were passed from the palace maid to the eunuch and then presented to the Emperor.

“It really exists.”

“I apologize.”

Seonjae showed no particular reaction to Yeon-oh’s apology. He carefully turned the pages of the calligraphy book.

Awkwardness filled the room. The situation was such that Yeon-oh could not comfortably share his knowledge with the man looking at the books. They had become estranged. Yet, he could not leave the Emperor while he was looking at the books. The place where the man was reading the book was the inner chamber, where Yeon-oh’s bedroom was.

Yeon-oh sat idly, feeling as uncomfortable as if he were sitting on a bed of thorns. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Since the Emperor did not originally like tea, there was no teacup between the two of them. His gaze fell upon Wan Taegam and the maidservants who were bowing their heads. Everyone seemed accustomed to this situation. Yeon-oh was the only one feeling awkward. The most carefree one was Seonjae, who had something to be absorbed in.

“If you find it difficult to sit idly, play the zither or something.”

The man, turning the pages of the book, spoke casually to Yeon-oh, who was being conscious of him.

At his words, Yeon-oh wanted to repeat the words ‘a young master, indeed,’ which the man often used.

The Imperial Family, indeed.

They all treated musicians as mere people who played the zither.

“I have never played the zither without receiving a fee, Your Majesty.”

He didn’t want any more pointless bickering or arguments with the Emperor. So, he should have just remained still, but unnecessary words slipped out.

Seonjae, who had been concentrating on the calligraphy book, turned his gaze sideways.

“Young Master Gyo, do you not know what a concubine is?”

“I apologize. However, I have never played the zither without receiving a fee until now.”

Yeon-oh stated his opinion one more time.

“How much is one piece?”

Seonjae spoke in passing, lowering his gaze back to the calligraphy book. Yeon-oh counted the people in the room and calculated the cost, speaking softly.

“Twenty-two gold pieces.”

Wan Taegam coughed, Ahem! Court Lady Dong and So-ha looked up at Yeon-oh with wide eyes before quickly lowering their faces.

“… Consort Gwi-bi, was your instructor the famous Master Go-eul-san?”

Seonjae, speechless for a moment in sheer disbelief, let out a dry laugh and spoke. Yeon-oh, who had paused at the man’s question, also acted with composure.

“If you dislike it, then do not.”

“Seop-hyeon, give the gold to the famous master of the Imperial Palace. It is the payment for showing me good calligraphy books. I wish to hear the ‘Yeonhwa-man’, but I suppose a noble famous master would not accept requests.”

“No, I apologize. I do not accept them.”

Wan Taegam and the maidservants, who had been relieved by the Emperor’s generosity, seemingly pleased with the valuable calligraphy books, became a little crestfallen at Yeon-oh’s firm words. Wan Taegam withdrew and then returned with the gold as the Emperor had commanded. The small tray piled high with gold pieces looked heavy.

“What are you doing?”

The Emperor urged him, without taking his eyes off the calligraphy book. Yeon-oh accepted the gold offered by Wan Taegam, handed it to Court Lady Dong, and sat down in front of the Geum (zither).

Court Lady Dong, holding the heavy tray with the gold bars, looked alternately at Yeon-oh and the Emperor. Since entering the palace, Yeon-oh had often sat in front of the zither but had never performed a proper piece. It was unlikely that the Emperor would take back the gold he had bestowed, thereby lowering his own face, but if the performance turned out to be utterly nonsensical, it would be another matter.

Yeon-oh, who had sat in front of the Geum and settled his posture, immediately pressed the strings. Contrary to his indifferent expression, the movement of his hands pressing the strings was delicate and full of sincerity. The moment his fingertips pressed the strings, a deep and rich sound powerfully resonated. A magnificent and intensely vibrant sound followed, rich in low notes. The splendid and bass-rich sound did not fade or lose strength even in the high notes. The dense sound, fluidly transitioning between high and low pitches, filled the space.

“…”

Seonjae, who had been looking at the calligraphy book, raised his gaze. Yeon-oh’s hands pressing the strings moved ceaselessly, yet there was no sign of effort on his face. He had every right to say he had never played the zither for free. It was a performance worth twenty-two gold pieces.

Seonjae listened to the ‘Sonyeon-ryeong’ (소년령, Young Boy’s Command) that Yeon-oh had chosen, thinking that the piece was just like him. The stubbornness of choosing a piece set to an old poem of an unknown author, rather than a poem written by a noble scholar, was typical of Gyo Yeon-oh.

Seonjae did not take his eyes off the hands moving up and down the zither until the performance ended. Yeon-oh pressed the last note and waited until the vibration of the sound disappeared before gently withdrawing his hands. That movement, too, seemed part of the performance, and everyone watched with bated breath.

“Seop-hyeon.”

When the piece was completely over, Seonjae called Wan Taegam.

“…Yes? Yes, Your Majesty.”

Wan Taegam, who had been concentrating on the rich sound that seemed to be moisturizing his ears, looked back at the Emperor in surprise.

“Give him more gold.”

Seonjae said, turning his gaze back to the calligraphy book with a deeply furrowed brow.

“I obey your command.”