Chapter 78

“What will happen to the Inner Eunuch?”

“Nothing has been decided yet. When Yun So-hwa’s eunuch was caught immediately at the scene, the Giryung Palace Eunuch Nae In-su also came to Handan Palace as both a witness and the accuser. They don’t treat him as a criminal, but he is under surveillance. Since Nae In-su shouted, ‘What is this?’ loudly at the time, it seems unlikely that he will be treated as an accomplice or made an issue of, but that is also not certain.”

“Sang-ah, did you come to me by Consort Neung So-yong’s order?”

“Yes.”

The palace servant reported with a calm expression.

“Do you know why the culprit caught at the scene was brought to Handan Palace? Isn’t Consort Hyeok the one who manages the consorts on behalf of the Empress?”

“The evidence seized at the scene belonged to Consort Jin.”

“Then, asking Consort Du-Cheob-yeo for forgiveness as well…”

“They have already finished searching Consort Yun So-hwa’s residence and the eunuch’s room. Consort Du-Cheob-yeo’s item was also found in the eunuch’s room, so Consort Du-Cheob-yeo was also summoned to Handan Palace. Since the matter is directly related to the consorts’ honor, they could not move the culprit to another location.”

“What about Consort Hyeok?”

“She is inside. I apologize, Consort Gwi-bi Gyo. I have been out for too long. I think I should go in now.”

Consort Neung So-yong’s maid paid her respects and quickly withdrew. Her silent footsteps quickly faded away.

If Consort Hyeok was inside, she would help Yun So-hwa there. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] However, if assistance was needed from outside, the situation would be difficult. The matter was serious, and it was clear that any consort who went inside would have difficulty moving until the incident was concluded.

“Consort Bi is going too far.”

“Your Majesty.”

There were no incidents recently that directly involved Consort Bi and Yun So-hwa. However, Yun So-hwa had recently earned Consort Bi’s enmity.

Consort Bi was also the only person among the consorts who could corner Yun So-hwa to this extent. Furthermore, the individuals related to the troublesome evidence found today were those who were close to Consort Bi.

Even if she were not a consort, the act of taking another’s private items outside for her own ulterior motives spontaneously made her exclaim that the action was too much.

“What happens if a eunuch is caught with a consort’s private item and cannot prove his innocence?”

“Usually, his hands will be cut off, and he will be expelled from the palace. In a case like this, the probability is high that his tongue will be plucked out. He wouldn’t just be expelled from the palace; he would be thoroughly made a criminal.”

Court Lady Dong said, clinging tightly to Yeon-oh’s arm. Court Lady Dong had been opposed to him coming here from the start.

“This has become a headache.”

“There is nothing Your Majesty can do.”

“Isn’t In-su in danger too?”

Lady Dong’s expression wavered slightly at Yeon-oh’s words. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The palace servants residing in Giryung Palace currently got along well. At the very least, they wouldn’t kill a colleague for their own sake, and they cared enough to worry if a colleague was in danger.

“The fact that Consort Gwi-bi can do nothing remains unchanged.”

Lady Dong said with a serious face.

“The difficulty is that I don’t know whether the eunuch caught, Yun So-hwa’s eunuch, is truly the victim. Imperial Physician Jang said the poison recently suffered by Yun So-hwa’s palace servant was Jeo-u-dok. Jeo-u-dok has a repulsive smell, making it difficult to detect when mixed with strongly scented food or when the poisoning occurred in an unsanitary place. But palace servants in the Imperial Palace are not allowed to eat strongly scented food, so where could the poisoning have occurred?”

“That matter is in the past.”

Yeon-oh found it hard to gauge how unpleasant and humiliated Consort Jin and Consort Du-Cheob-yeo, who were usually close to Consort Bi, must feel. The consorts’ dignity and honor were at stake.

Or, contrary to his worries, he was anxious that Consort Jin or Consort Du-Cheob-yeo might be cooperating with Consort Bi’s scheme. He was also afraid of how much one must hate another to commit such an act if they were conspirators.

” Court Lady Dong.”

“Yes, Consort Gwi-bi Gyo.”

” Court Lady Dong.”

A dreadful premonition rose in Court Lady Dong at Yeon-oh’s desperate call.

“Why are you calling me like that?”

Court Lady Dong put on the severe expression of a palace matron.

“It is the Gwi-bi’s order.”

Yeon-oh pulled out Lady Dong’s hand, which was supporting him, and removed the platinum bracelet with carved lotus and cloud motifs he was wearing, placing it onto her hand.

“Your Majesty.”

He also took the jingling silver accessory fastened to his right sash and placed it on her hesitant hand.

” Court Lady Dong, go inside Handan Palace and observe what is happening there. Protect the safety of my trusted eunuch, Nae In-su. Court Lady Dong, you are entering Handan Palace on my behalf.”

Yeon-oh gestured to Cheong-ryu and Eunuch Seok, instructing them to follow Court Lady Dong.

Court Lady Dong looked bewilderedly at the palace servants standing behind her. Her stunned expression turned to disbelief at Yeon-oh’s attitude, who was looking at her, then briefly smiled sheepishly as if embarrassed to be passing off a difficult task. Court Lady Dong, about to move unguarded, frowned at the luxurious accessories resting on her hand.

“I am not following the order because of a bribe.”

Court Lady Dong, with a troubled expression, fastened the sash ornament Yeon-oh had given her to her knot and put on the luxurious bracelet.

“It’s not a bribe. I’ll take it back when you return.”

“I will go and return.”

Court Lady Dong twitched her cheek at Yeon-oh’s words, yet turned her body, pretending nothing was amiss. Yeon-oh stood by as the party headed toward Consort Bi’s residence, and So-ha approached to attend to him.

Before Court Lady Dong entered Handan Palace, she looked back at Yeon-oh. Seeing Yeon-oh’s nod, Court Lady Dong crossed the gate and went inside.

“Should I have given her my palace pass?”

Yeon-oh muttered anxiously, the thought only occurring to him after Lady Dong had gone inside.

Handan Palace was quite large, even among the consorts’ residences. Even after crossing the gate, one would have to pass through a complicated, long path to go inside. Yeon-oh watched Consort Bi’s residence for a while, then spoke so only So-ha could hear.

“Let’s leave a servant to run errands. It would be difficult if news was sent from inside and I wasn’t here, so it would be good to leave one to relay messages.”

“Yes. Where should I escort you?”

At So-ha’s question, Yeon-oh looked toward the middle gate, which served as the boundary between the consorts’ residence and the outer palace.

“I will go to the Empress.”

“What…?”

“Let’s go to the Empress’s Palace.”

So-ha’s eyes widened at Yeon-oh’s words.

Asking the Empress Dowager for help now was not the right choice. For several reasons, the Empress Dowager was the one who had forbidden Yun So-hwa from attending to the Emperor’s bedding. It was clear that the Empress Dowager was not particularly generous toward Yun So-hwa.

Although she seemed to favor Yeon-oh after he became Gwi-bi, it was difficult to believe it was genuine.

The Empress Dowager was conservative and had lived in the Imperial Palace for a long time, so there was a high possibility that she would handle both the consorts and the eunuchs involved in this incident concerning the consorts’ dignity in an overwhelming manner.

While the Empress Dowager was the highest authority in the Imperial Palace, giving her the opportunity to exert great power over the consorts’ affairs could not be considered a good course of action.

Recently, the relationship between the Emperor and Yeon-oh was not bad. But whether they were close enough to ask for a favor was another matter. There was a past precedent where the Emperor had lightly punished Yun So-hwa and moved on, but it was unknown if he would do the same now.

The Emperor was generally strict about rewards and punishments. Although he could thoroughly investigate and take measures, he was not currently heavily involved in the consorts’ affairs, so he might simply resolve the matter as it appeared. More importantly, if Yeon-oh directly dragged the Emperor into the consorts’ affairs, he ran the risk of being completely ostracized by the consorts.

“Will I be chased away?”

Yeon-oh looked worriedly at So-ha, even though he thought his choice was the best. So-ha, who had been deep in thought for a moment, answered cautiously.

“You will not be.”

“She should look upon me favorably, though.”

“She will. Consort Gwi-bi is the legitimate son of the Gyo Household.”

Yeon-oh retorted lightly to So-ha’s words.

“What is that, after all?”

The palace servant, who had lived in the Imperial Palace for quite a while, briefly saw the face that thought nothing of his own background, then attended to him respectfully.

Fortunately, it was not far from Consort Bi’s Handan Palace to the Empress’s Palace.

******

Irregular, faint breathing echoed inside the curtained bedchamber. A small cough burst forth as the thin lips opened after a sharp intake of breath.

“Cough, cough… Wh-who has come?”

There was hardly any vitality in the frail voice.

“Consort Gwi-bi Gyo of Giryung Palace has come. She urgently requested an audience with Her Majesty the Empress. She says the matter concerns Yun So-hwa and begs to be granted an audience.”

The wrinkled face of the palace matron was rigidly set. However, her tone was gentle and soft.

“Consort Gwi-bi?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. Consort Gwi-bi wishes to pay her respects to the Empress and present a request.”

A white hand brought a handkerchief to the lips that had released the cough and pressed it there. The silk handkerchief suppressed the coughing sound. A painful noise continued for a moment.

The handkerchief was lowered, and a voice so small it was barely audible echoed.

“What about Dam So-ui?”

“Eunuch Yeon has not yet returned.”

“Help me rise.”

At the Empress’s command, the palace matron entered the inner chamber. Although it was full spring, small braziers and elegant water basins filled with warm water were placed throughout the chamber.

The Empress was leaning against a long chair covered with soft blankets. The palace matron who entered gently helped the delicate body rise.

“Palace Matron Ye, did you see Consort Gwi-bi? What is she like? Is she a beauty like a peach blossom, as Pyeongjangsa said?”

“You speak too quickly. My eyes were briefly indulged.”

The palace matron said with an expressionless face, tidying the Empress’s attire.