Chapter 7.1

Yeonggwang with a stiff face stood next to Eunseol. His cool eyes deepened. It was not long that his mind became confused. From the moment he knew that Eunseol had faced Doyoon, the inside of his head was in a mess. Eunseol, who was not aware of the fact, had a bright face while watching the game.

“Oh brother, are the temples that you see over there really the residences of concubines? I heard the gyusu talking, and they said that the palace is full of concubines.”

(Gyusu – an accomplished maiden from a decent background. They are probably palace maidens.)

Eunseol looked back at her brother with a quiet face. But his face was very dark.

“I think it was a mistake to have you in the palace today.”

“Yes?”

“I think it would be good to keep this a secret from mother and father.”

“Are you mad at me for walking around the palace alone, brother?”

It was also her sweet voice and the twinkling eyes that shook Yeonggwang without mercy.Then Eunseol smiled gently and squeezed his arm.

“I know brother is worried about me. But… “

“……”

“You don’t have anything to worry about. I deeply regretted the fact that I broke the agreement with you and went around the palace alone, but it was okay. Nothing happened.”

He thought she was a child with pure white eyes. As her name suggested, if he looked into this child’s face for a long time, the pure white snow seemed to be falling softly. Her eyes and her flawless white skin which resembled a snow flower that seems to be so warm and fluffy that it would melt away if he reached out and touched it.

“The guard you met …He was the son of an enemy you should never meet.”

The words couldn’t come out of his mouth. So he closed his lips and glanced at her. Then he hastened his steps to get out of the palace. At that time, Ju Sanggung, the court lady who was rapidly approaching this way after she discovered Yeonggwang and Eunseol had come to the palace. At first glance, Eunseol’s face shook her heart.

“Princess, princess .. ..?”

Ju Sanggung’s body started to tremble.The appearance of Eunseol, who grew up as a pretty woman, weakened her eyes.

‘I must kill to save. You must obey it.’

The sharp voice of the Queen Jungjeon, who had been abolished in the past, seemed to scratch the ears of the court lady. The deep part of her heart heated up. There was no way to describe this painful feeling other than that expression of pain.

“Oh my Queen!”

The Queen waited a long time, and as much as Ju Sanggung did, the Princess has grown up as a very fine woman. How happy she would be if the Queen saw this pretty figure.

It was the moment when the poor Jungjeon, whom she had not forgotten for a moment, and Eunseol, the Princess, the blood of the last king, broke the heart of Ju Sanggung and burst out.

Will the reward of waiting under Lee Hak Soo finally shine? Now it was about time to meet Hong Jungjeon, who will be alone in Tamra. It was Ju Sanggung who had come to realize the plan of revenge that was delayed and postponed finally happening. Ju Sanggung clenched her teeth as she gazed at the back of Eunseol, who was moving away from her.

“My Queen, the Princess has grown up as a beautiful woman.”

The anger and resentment that had been suppressed and endured by living a hellish life under Lee Hak Soo for many years had disappeared when she saw the mature Princess. Now, according to the Queen’s will, it seems that the time has come to be compensated for the past years when she had to abandon the Queen and lived under Lee Hak Soo. As she turned her back, Ju Sanggung regained her original calmness by wiping away the tears that had left around her eyes.

*****

After returning to Pyeonjeon, Doyoon frowned annoyingly.

‘Five maidens entered the country as candidates for concubines. See for yourself..’

It seemed that the voices of the court members who had been tormenting him all day followed him. Doyoon roughly opened the upper gown that seemed to tighten his chest. Then he threw the crown he was holding onto the floor as if it was annoying. He felt his muscles stiff and sore as if he went to fight on the battlefield. Doyoon clenched his fists without even knowing, and looked up at the standing throne.

“I can’t breathe. My chest is stuffy. Open the window.”

At Doyoon’s cold voice, the guard hurriedly opened the window. A dreary wind came in. But the stuffy inside was still clogged up and hardly cooled him down.

“Shall I break this throne with my hands to make this inside cool?”

His eyes as he looked at the throne became cooler. Looking at such a fierce King, the guard shook his head without knowing it.

“I will make a hot tea. The headache and congestion will be gone in a short while, Your Majesty.”

The guard hurried out of Pyeonjeon. Doyoon sat on the throne in his half open gown with his knuckles loose. Then, raising his head at an angle, he looked at the tightly closed Pyeonjeon door. Empty Pyeonjeon. As always, it was Doyoon who was left alone. He slowly closed his eyes. Then, holding his chin, he whispered the woman’s name in his mouth.

“It’s Eunseol.”

Then, the face of Eunseol, who looked like a snow flower, was gently drawn before his eyes. It seemed that the scent of flowers was smeared in the wind that had been flowing through.

Doyoon gently opened his closed eyes. He remembered when he hugged her when they fell down, when Eunseol’s round eyes looked at him with amazement, and when he asked her if she wanted to become a concubine. Somehow, her illusion made his heart warm. Suddenly, Doyoon started laughing for nothing. It was just a woman who appeared and disappeared like the passing wind, but why did he think of her who he would never face again? Doyoon shook his head with an unknown face. Strangely, however, the moment he thought of Eunseol, he felt that the stuffed feeling inside was slightly relaxed.

“She is truly a marvelous woman.”

Doyoon tried to look further into the coincidences with her. In the streets and in the palace. They were all very funny coincidences. Doyoon touched the tip of his chin with a soft smile. It was then.

“Your Majesty, Daewon-gun has requested to see you.”

Doyoon’s expression became distorted while taking a break in search for a peace of mind.

“Come in.”

Answering coldly, Doyoon got up from his seat to straighten the half opened gown. The door of the Pyeonjeon opened roughly and Lee Hak Soo entered.

“Why are you here?”

“What were you doing, Jusang*? What on earth were you doing?”

( *Jusang is Do Yoon’s nickname)

Lee Hak Soo, who was looking up and down at Doyoon, seemed to be displeased, found the crown thrown on the floor of Pyeonjeon. Lee Hak Soo looked at Doyoon as if he was pathetic and picked up the crown.

“How can you be so confused?! Did you know what day it is? It was the day when the children and the disciples of the great believers entered the palace! Why would the King of the country not know that? What’s going on?”

“You didn’t just come here to punish the child because he didn’t attend the game like the old days. Did you?”

Doyoon sarcastically grabbed the crown from Lee Hak Soo’s hand and put it hard on his head as if he was angry. Lee Hak Soo, staring at the figure, bit his lips.

“How far are you going to bring down the royal authority?”

At that moment, his hands and his face harden.

“Did the royal authority exist in the first place?”

“What?”

“At the moment I turned my back, the palace officials were busy talking. I am the son of a ruthless family who killed and took the throne.”

“Who are those fools with dirty mouths?! Who?!”

“Do you know that’s not all? They even talked on the streets. People casually said that the death of the late King and the King, who occupied the blood stained throne are going crazy by the day.”

“Nonsense!”

“Mocking me and the royal family, I grab my stomach and laugh. However, because that was true, I had to hold onto the bitterness and turn away from the ridicule.”

“Who on earth would mock the Supreme King in Joseon!”

Doyoon sat down on the throne again, staring at Lee Hak Soo coldly. Then he opened the box with an appeal written next to him.

“Yes, the Supreme King just stamps a seal on this appeal and repeats those words like a parrot!”

“l was in a hurry to lay the throne without even refuting the murmurs coming from behind! Isn’t it your main power to be able to manage such a rumor?”

Lee Hak Soo’s voice was getting louder. But Doyoon faced the cry head on.

“It is not my power, but the power of this seat, this throne!”

“Nonsense!”

“Because it’s not rumors. But it’s the complete truth!”

Lee Hak Soo’s stomach burned. He looked up at Doyoon’s hardened face while biting his lips.

💔💔💔