Chapter 93

Yeon-oh, who returned to the palace in the Emperor’s sedan chair, was completely flustered. He was bewildered and confused. His mind was already complicated, and now he was also stunned. With the bewildering situation layered on top, he was completely beside himself.

“Consort Gwi-bi, since you are injured, you must rest well.”

Court Lady Dong’s eyebrows were slanted with worry, but a faint smile was subtly emerging overall. Her satisfied smile gave him confidence.

However, Yeon-oh could not easily open his mouth.

“…”

His face, as he lay down on the bed with Court Lady Dong’s assistance, was full of concern. Court Lady Dong, who had carefully examined the injured Yeon-oh, spoke kindly.

“Please call me whenever you need me, Your Ladyship. I shall withdraw.”

“Court Lady Dong.”

“Yes, Consort Gwi-bi.”

Yeon-oh raised his body and checked Court Lady Dong’s face one more time.

“Would you send an inner eunuch to the Gyo House to request to see Junior Colonel Gyo Jin-oh? And when bringing a blood relative into the consort palace, whose permission is required?”

“If the Gyo House receives the message, they will worry about the Consort Gwi-bi. I will send an inner eunuch immediately. The inner palace eunuch will verify his identity when the Junior Colonel enters the palace. Since the Junior Colonel must cross the central gate to enter the consort palace, the inner palace eunuch will accompany him. There is no problem with the protocol for meeting your brother in the Consort Gwi-bi’s chamber.”

“Please do.”

Court Lady Dong bowed her head and withdrew.

Thud.

Yeon-oh heard the sound of the door closing and let out a deep breath. He wondered if the words he spoke instead of what he wanted to say were appropriate.

When he informed the Inner Palace administration of the accident, he said the tree in the Giryung Palace was struck by lightning and burned, but the tree had actually caught fire naturally.

‘What is it? Is it bad luck?’

If the tree had burned by itself in broad daylight, he would have dismissed it, thinking there were many strange things in the world. But it was raining that morning. A tree blazing fiercely even while it rained was beyond strange; it was frightening.

It was not a unique event that happened by chance. He was certain that someone had taken special measures on the tree. There was a spy in his chamber.

‘What difference will summoning my elder brother make?’

Knowing this, he couldn’t speak rashly to Court Lady Dong. He couldn’t be sure about the spy yet. Perhaps Court Lady Dong herself was the spy.

Everything was uncertain.

What was certain was that he was isolated. It was difficult to distinguish who was on his side and who was his enemy. Ultimately, he had no choice but to consider everyone in the consort palace an enemy and prepare accordingly.

Yeon-oh knew that borrowing the power of his family, which he so desperately avoided, was the most certain means he possessed. If he drew the Gyo House into the consort palace, everyone would watch his movements.

The Emperor, in particular, would be most wary of him.

*****

The Imperial Palace was abuzz with rumors. Recently, misfortunes had been endless for Consort Gwi-bi Gyo.

A while ago, the wall of the Giryung Palace collapsed. A few days later, a tree was struck by lightning and burned. Then, Consort Gwi-bi suffered an accident due to Dam So-ui’s mistake, was injured, and was confined to his bed.

Some whispered that Consort Gwi-bi seemed to be receiving heavenly punishment. A few clicked their tongues, speaking of the rumors that Consort Gwi-bi was sinister and greedy.

People were divided on whether Dam So-ui’s mistake was genuine or intentional. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] However, the balance of opinion leaned toward the idea that Dam So-ui, who was usually kind and friendly to the court ladies, would never intentionally threaten Consort Gwi-bi with malice. The rumor followed that immediately after the accident, Dam So-ui begged for forgiveness from Consort Gwi-bi until his steps became unsteady.

No one in the consort palace ignored even the smallest rumor.

What attracted the consorts’ greatest attention was not the misfortune of the Giryung Palace or the rumor of Consort Gwi-bi’s accident. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Consort Gwi-bi’s direct brother, the legitimate son of the Gyo House, Junior Colonel Gyo Jin-oh, visited the Giryung Palace at Consort Gwi-bi’s request.

Up until now, Consort Gwi-bi seemed to be intentionally keeping his distance from the Gyo House. Everyone expected him to immediately summon his brother upon becoming a Gwi-bi and wield the power of the Gyo House in the consort palace, but he had acted independently of his family. It was sudden that such a Consort Gwi-bi brought the Gyo House into the consort palace.

The place in the Imperial Palace that most keenly grasped the affairs of the consort palace was the Cheonghan Hall.

“What did you just say? Embraced, embraced…?”

A cold, almost chilling, low voice descended upon the seat of honor in the Cheonghan Hall. The Great Eunuch, the person in charge of the Inner Palace administration, pressed his face almost to the floor at the Emperor’s angry tone.

The Chief Comptroller, Wan Seobhyeon, who was alternately looking at the Emperor listening in the seat of honor and the Great Eunuch reporting on the palace visitor, cleared his throat.

“Eum.”

The Emperor cast a fierce glare toward the sound of the cautious cough.

“…”

Chief Comptroller Wan Seobhyeon wore his characteristic gentle smile. Seonjae smoothed his wrinkled eyebrows and commanded the back crouched below him:

“Continue your report.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Consort Gwi-bi embraced his brother, the Junior Colonel, when he left, and the Junior Colonel embraced Consort Gwi-bi back…”

The Great Eunuch in charge of Inner Palace administration was mortified.

“Embraced him back in the consort palace?”

This was because the Emperor had interrupted in anger for the umpteenth time.

“Eum, please continue your report.”

Chief Eunuch Wan directly intervened, as if telling him to ignore the Emperor’s interruption.

“Yes, yes. The two embraced briefly, patted each other’s backs, and then bid each other farewell. The Junior Colonel left Consort Gwi-bi’s chamber and then immediately left the palace.”

“What did you all do while the brothers were embracing and saying farewell?”

The Emperor spoke to the Great Eunuch, who had finished his report, in a voice that sounded like he was chewing his words.

“I, I apologize. Consort Gwi-bi requested us to stand back, saying they were seeing each other after a long time between siblings, so this humble person, the Giryung Palace eunuchs, and court ladies were watching the Junior Colonel, who was paying respects, from outside the pavilion. When a brother or close relative visits, it is a common request for the consorts to ask the attendants to step away. Especially during the first visit, we allow them to exchange greetings comfortably. Although we were standing outside, we kept all the doors of the pavilion open and watched without taking our eyes off them for a moment.”

“Did you hear what the brothers were saying?”

“Consort Gwi-bi informed his brother, the Junior Colonel, that he was injured today. The Junior Colonel replied that he had heard the news. Consort Gwi-bi mentioned that Your Majesty had provided his sedan chair for him to return to the palace after the injury, and the Junior Colonel seemed surprised. The Junior Colonel asked if Your Majesty was treating him well, and Consort Gwi-bi…”

The Great Eunuch looked more troubled than ever as he spoke.

“Consort Gwi-bi?”

The Emperor urged the eunuch.

“…Consort Gwi-bi shook his head. I, I apologize, Your Majesty.”

The Great Eunuch would have wished to lie if he could. As the person in charge of Inner Palace administration, his power within the consort palace was considerable. Nevertheless, in the short time he had been in the Cheonghan Hall today, the Great Eunuch had knelt more times than in the past ten days.

Ha.

Seonjae let out a gasp of incredulity audible only to the seat of honor. Even after giving his own sedan chair, it was not considered ‘treating him well’ by Gyo Yeon-oh’s standards.

“Continue.”

“The Junior Colonel said that since Your Majesty is the high Son of Heaven, Consort Gwi-bi should not show such an attitude. They briefly asked and answered about each other’s well-being. The Junior Colonel informed him that the Madam of the Gyo House had returned to Goksan and that the newly born son was healthy. The Junior Colonel said he would soon move his belongings from Goksan. Consort Gwi-bi gave him a byeoksa-geum (demon-repelling Geomungo), signed by a master craftsman from Golsan, as a moving gift for the Junior Colonel, and passed the key to the Junior Colonel through a eunuch. That was the end of the conversation.”

“Gave him what?”

The Emperor’s attitude was almost challenging. The Great Eunuch was not greatly surprised. He had prepared himself for a question about the byeoksa-geum since he entered to report.

“I only heard the name byeoksa-geum. The two did not exchange any further words about it.”

Seonjae slowly nodded his head at the Great Eunuch’s answer. He had heard everything he needed to hear.

Chief Eunuch Wan commanded on his behalf.

“You may withdraw.”

“I shall withdraw.”

After the Great Eunuch withdrew, Seonjae beckoned Chief Eunuch Wan over.

“Find out about the byeoksa-geum.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The man barely heard the eunuch’s reply. He was lost in thought, muttering to himself.

“They haven’t spoken about the Seon-un Temple yet.”

“Should I investigate?”

“No… They must have spoken what was necessary when they embraced. What did they say? Words that could not be relayed through the chamber’s court ladies. It seems there is a spy in the Giryung Palace that displeases the Gyo Young Master?”

Seonjae said with a faint smile. The man’s smile was filled with malicious emotion.

Chief Eunuch Wan reported, pretending not to notice the Emperor’s smile.

“The number of people in the Giryung Palace has increased significantly.”

“Watch them for now.”