《Flower of Evil》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: Lee Woo I grew up as an empress. I was raised and trained to perfection to be one. I was told that the seat next to the Noble Sun was mine, so more than any other woman in this country, I would be the noblest woman amongst them. I grew up to be the Empress, and became the Empress, but the heart of the Noble Sun never became mine. * * * ¡°I greet the Empress dowager.¡± Said Empress Lee Woo, and after smiling a little, she followed, ¡°Did you have a good night¡¯s rest?¡± ¡°Empress, might you be having a hard time visiting this old woman every day?¡± ¡°Oh my¡ªhow could it be a burden for a child to visit her parents once a day? It¡¯s my pleasure to see Your Highness here, so please don¡¯t say that.¡± The Empress Dowager looked at the beautiful woman in front of her. In the palace, Empress Lee Woo was the epitome of beauty. No matter how they would define the word ¡®beautiful¡¯, eight-out-of-ten people were bound to be swayed by this woman¡¯s beauty. The beauty and background of the Empress alone were surprising enough; but not only that, the Empress was flawlessly controlling everything from the palm of her hand. Perhaps because of the precious blood flowing in her veins, she was born with skill and grace in everything she did. It was, however, a pity for the Empress to be turned down by the Emperor. Not only was there no love between them, she seemed like a trophy wife¡ªan empress only for show. After greeting the Empress Dowager, Lee Woo left and prepared to return to her palace. The meeting had been intended to be a reception for the Emperor, but he had refused everything¡ªhe said that he¡¯d stay with his small flower. My head was throbbing. I guess the Emperor¡¯s small flower gave me a headache. However, without any expression, she walked gracefully towards that place¡ªnot as quickly or slowly as usual. Every time the Empress passed by, everyone in the palace turned their heads to her. Not only was her appearance colourful, but the way she carried herself impressed everyone with her sophistication¨Ctheir mouths would open subconsciously without them even realizing it. Whenever the court ladies saw such things from her, they raised their heads with pride. ¡°Your Majesty, how about riding a sedan chair next time? Soon, the concubines will come to request your audience; if you walk like this, you won¡¯t have enough time to prepare.¡± The court lady, who was following Lee Woo, carefully asked for her response. The lack of preparation time was just an excuse. It was only the Empress, as the noblest woman in the palace, who was not allowed to ride a single palanquin.1 ¡°That¡¯s enough. In the palace, those who are not given permission by His Majesty are not allowed to ride a palanquin.¡± Lee Woo answered firmly in a fine voice. Court Lady Park sighed. The Empress had a beautiful voice but she was very straightforward. The Empress¡¯s family was no worse than the concubine¡¯s. No, the comparison itself was impossible. The family of Noble Consort Song was only the fallen noble family of the Zhou Dynasty¡ªmoreover, she was not a great woman either. On the other hand, the Empress¡¯ family was a family of first-class contributors that was established since the founding of the Gi Dynasty¨Cher father was also the prime minister and her brother as the general. Even if she wasn¡¯t the Emperor¡¯s favourite, the Empress was a great and a pathetic pillar of support to him, and would not be ignored by anyone. ¡°Noble Consort Song is¡ª¡± Court Lady Park blurred the end of her speech. Is it only Noble Consort Song? After Concubine Song was given a palanquin by the Emperor, several lower concubines were also seen riding in colourful kilns, as if they had been competing with each other. Of course, except for Concubine Song, the other ladies were only making the excuse that they were not feeling well. Lee Woo knew as well. Song So-hwa, the small flower of the Emperor. She¡¯s been bestowed with the title of ¡°Gwibi¡±¡ªmeaning ¡°Noble Consort¡±¡ªthe highest status a concubine could have. The Emperor bestowed the palanquin to her himself because he felt sorry for the small-footed Noble Consort walking around the palace. Originally, it caused a stir that someone other than the Emperor would ride a sedan chair in the imperial palace.Exceptions were made only when the imperial family¨Cor someone from another noble family¨Chad not been feeling well. However, ever since the Emperor himself had ordered Noble Consort Song to ride in a sedan chair, she had always walked around the palace inside it. The palanquin, splendidly decorated with all kinds of jewels, was proof that she was the Emperor¡¯s favourite. ¡°Let¡¯s just walk.¡± Court Lady Park was silenced and so she quietly followed. She thought, ¡°How can I know the Emperor¡¯s heart when he likes a woman who only knows how to whine.¡± After returning to the Empress¡¯s palace, she was clothed with new attire and lightly dabbed on with her usual make-up. As it was a gathering of lower concubines, she had to pay special attention to her position as an empress. The meeting was held once a week, and was familiar to both the Empress and the court ladies, but despite the familiarity, it was still uncomfortable. The appearance of So-hwa had been a turning point. Before she came, the atmosphere in the palace was peaceful, with everyone being treated fairly by the Emperor¡­ Therefore, their ranks were clear and on-point since they were based on the prestige of their respective families. However, the moment that girl appeared, everyone had founded their own faction. There were those who wanted to receive the Emperor¡¯s favour, there were those who ignored her, there were those who held their breath and defended themselves, as well as the Empress, who did nothing. In terms of family and quality, none of the Emperor¡¯s women were more precious than Lee Woo was. However, the fact that the Emperor was biased was a problem. Song So-hwa was a small and beautiful woman. Some might say she was like a flower, too. She had such an innocent face, with pink, round cheeks, and was always laughing or crying. Even though she could act childish, no one could punish her except for one person¨Cthe Empress. She had often been compared to other concubines on account of her dirty looks and friendly nature. Lee Woo went out to the reception room. Thirteen ladies were already seated in order of dignity and had received the audience of Her Majesty. Each of them had decorated themselves splendidly so as not to lose out to each other; but if you were to look closely, you could feel the gap between their fabric and the ornaments¨Cwhich also represented the wealth of the family. Within the palace, only Nokbong was given to the concubines in order of dignity¨Cbut there were few women who weren¡¯t satisfied with it, so most ladies had traditionally brought wealth with them from their own families. 2 ¡°Presenting, Her Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°Everyone, be seated.¡± Woo¡¯s eyes turned to the right side of the table. There was Concubine Song in the top seat. Song Gwibi, wearing a pink jeogori and a sky-blue skirt, looked very lovely. Among the many concubines, she was one of the few who lived with only the Nokbong Peak provided by the palace. Of course, the Emperor had felt sorry for her, being far from her family, so he had handed her countless precious objects. However, she had not been interested in wealth or splendour¨Cand so the precious relics had piled up in her place. She hadn¡¯t even known how expensive they were; she was just excited to think of how the Emperor would¡¯ve been thinking about her while he prepared all those things. Lovely Noble Consort Song is like a flower: a kind-hearted girl, the small flower of the Emperor¡­ When Lee Woo came up with numerous modifiers and compliments pointing to So-hwa, her heart filled with tears. When Lee Woo sat down and looked at So-hwa, all the other concubines looked at the Empress. They noticed that she was a woman with all the beauty of the world¡¯s best colours. Even a crying Empress would have only been too beautiful. It was true that Noble Consort Song was beautiful, however she was not even noticeable when seated with the empress. The phoenix pattern embroidered with gold above the red silk was allowed only to the Empress. It suited her as if it were a part of her since birth. Everyone felt that the Empress was more beautiful than anyone¨Cespecially the ugly concubine favoured by the Emperor. Nobody liked So-hwa as the highest concubine. Nobody felt she deserved the title. As she stole a glance at the Empress, she thought of how she really was a beauty. She¡¯d been having a hard time because everyone had compared her to the Empress; however, she¡¯d been using her looks to monopolize and secure her status in the palace, making her own place for herself, apart from the Empress. She thought. ¡°The Empress has me worried¨Cif she wanted to, she could have me punished at any time, and I wouldn¡¯t know what to do.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been getting colder and colder; everyone, take care of your health. Although autumn leaves are still in full swing, it will take a long time to repair the palace before winter comes. I told my court lady, Park, to leave supplies and nokbongs at each of your palaces in preparation for winter, so please check them and let me know if there¡¯s anything else you need.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± It hadn¡¯t been very long since there were autumn leaves. If you¡¯d looked, there still might have been green leaves that have yet to be coloured in one corner of the palace. The Empress¡¯ palace had always gotten ready a bit earlier. The Empress¡¯s seat was the highest woman¡¯s position; but in a way, it could be also said to be the heaviest of them all. Since it was the Empress who headed the royal family, those who lacked the talent were bound to stand out. Lee Woo was playing the role well, and the concubines were well-aware of it. She gave not only Nokbong Peak, which fit the dignity of the royal consorts, but also sleeping products; she always considered each of their tastes. Those who were clumsy, liked anything, saying simply that they liked it; but those who were quick to catch on were tongue-in-cheek when handling his work. She had been playing the role of an empress fairly and neatly so that none could cast aspersions or complain. ¡°Hyebi.¡±3 Woo looked at Hyebi Choi I-Ran sitting opposite Song Gwibi. Wearing a purple skirt embroidered with silver flowers and a navy jeogori, she was the most colourful of all the concubines. Dark red lips and defined long eyelashes bent strangely, and smiled slightly toward her right. ¡°Yes, Empress¡±. ¡°I heard that your legs have not been comfortable. Could you show them to me?¡± The concubines looked at each other. This is what the Empress had been pointing out. Everyone knew that the high-nosed Hyebi was riding on the palanquin, claiming that her healthy legs hurt because she didn¡¯t want to lose out to Song So-hwa. It was difficult to lie the same way to the Empress who knew¨Cbut pretended not to¨Cand so Hyebi was keeping her calm. In addition, most of the concubines had been riding a palanquin, so everyone began to pay attention because the arrow was shot at Hyebi, the next high-status woman among them. The Empress spoke to everyone: ¡°Everyone, stop using the palanquin.¡± Everyone there knew what Woo was saying and tried to act calm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I have my own physician, but thank you for your sincerity.¡± ¡°I care about you, so please accept my request, Hyebi.¡± Hyebi couldn¡¯t answer immediately and remained silent. There was no way to refuse when she¡¯d gone out of her way. ¡°The doctor said that if I took a few days off from treatment, I would have no difficulty walking. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll see you in good health at the next greeting.¡± ¡°Then, that¡¯s fine; I feel much more relieved.¡± Footnotes Chapter 2 Chapter 2: Lee Woo(2) ¡°However, Your Majesty¡ªlooking at the Noble Consort, everyone will notice that while she rides the palanquin, the noblest woman in the empire does not. I¡¯m afraid that they might think she is belittling Your Majesty.¡± Hyebi couldn¡¯t argue with the Empress, and so she continued to stare at her. Her beautiful facade had masked an anger that had been boiling beneath for a long time. Not knowing what to do, she could only smile and redden with anger. ¡°I do appreciate the kind gesture.¡± Hyebi stared at the beautiful woman in front of her and bowed slightly in response. She did remember to throw an obligatory smile before the Empress continued: ¡°However: it has come to my attention that Noble Consort Song is aware of basic manners, and her obligation to greet whomever she meets along her way. Whenever she sees me, she will go out of her way to stop and bow; and only after that will she return to her palanquin. She¡¯s a woman of courtesy, but is not familiar with our ways, so I ask everyone here to kindly understand. Besides, that palanquin is a gift from His Majesty himself; I don¡¯t think I can do anything about it.¡± The Empress smiled mischievously where Hyebi smiled bitterly. Again and again, she lost to the wits of the noblest woman in all the Empire; but that meant nothing to her. The real problem was how she hated seeing So-hwa beside the Empress. She was angry beyond words because of the things that keep on happening. That bitch! She hated So-hwa; that girl kept pretending she didn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on around her. The Noble Consort didn¡¯t even know how preposterous she was because of her idiotic behaviour¡ªriding the palanquin while everyone was walking from place to place. She hated the fact that Lee Woo was putting up with the Noble Consort and her behaviour. That¡¯s your Empress¡ªright there! Then, on the other hand, the Emperor tolerates and accepts the whole situation as though it was just a normal thing. He acts as if a century of palace law and decorum was nothing but a bunch of neatly-written words on a piece of paper. She looked at Noble Consort with contempt. Her bright smile made Hyebi feel nauseous. She wanted to kick her out right now. Hyebi would bet her whole life that Noble Consort Song wasn¡¯t even aware of how Empress had been supporting her, and had been taking her under her wing even now. ¡°The most important thing right now is to accept His Majesty¡¯s sacred heart. It is of the utmost importance that you make His Majesty feel comfortable in any way you can. Always keep that in mind.¡± The authority in the Empress¡¯s voice was loud and clear. They all bowed their heads in acceptance; no one dared to take her words lightly. They all knew that¡ªexcept for Noble Consort Song¡ªno one would ride the palanquin at the next Greeting anymore. *** Lee Woo quietly sipped her tea. No one in the Empress¡¯s palace tried to open their mouth; and thus, the silence was maintained. After the morning greetings from the concubines, the Empress proceeded to rest and drink some warm refreshments¡ªwhile the cold air billowed from the window of her room. It had been left open to better serve as decoration for the improvement of the room¡¯s ambience. Everyone knew that the Empress liked the quietness of the palace; and since this was a wonderful day to rest, she did so. There was only a few hours¡ªif not days¡ªthat the Empress was allowed to rest and this was one of them. ¡°Court Lady Park, please inform His Majesty that I request his audience.¡± Court Lady Park went immediately to the Emperor¡¯s residence as soon as she received her request. Tears began flowing down from Woo¡¯s eyes as she was enveloped by silence and solitude. Her eyes landed on the barren garden below the palace; she felt grief on account of the lack of flowers on the lonely flowerbeds. ¡°It could have definitely been a brightly-coloured garden in the summertime, if it weren¡¯t so barren,¡± she thought, wiping the consistent flow of tears. The summer heat would be good for the flowers¡ªhelping the plants maintain their vigour and splendour. But what was the use if there was not even a single bud left? Woo suddenly remembered her family; not being loved in the Imperial Palace, she yearned for some kind of love in many ways. She remembered her father, who was always thorough and tough, yet still loved her deeply; and her brother, always spoiling her, and affectionate towards her. It was a very loving family¡­ It was a very good family¡­ she missed her family. Her brother must be occupied with his wife right now¡ªhe never forgets to take care of her, even when he¡¯s busy with his work. She remembered when they were kids; she was always compared to being ¡°as beautiful as a flower¡± and ¡°gentle like the wind.¡± Although her manners and etiquette kept her in check, she never forgot how to laugh and have fun. But what happened now? Court Lady Park knocked on her door. She quickly composed herself before granting her permission to come in. ¡°Your Majesty, the Emperor has said that he is unable to meet you today¡ªhe is busy with some affairs of the state.¡± Woo got up from her seat. She strode from the table to the court lady. The lady bowed her head as a sign of respect¡ªas well as embarrassment. A normal noble might strike their servant when they didn¡¯t get what they wanted¡ªbut Court Lady Park knew her master well. She wasn¡¯t that petty of a master to hit her, but she still hid in embarrassment when she felt that she hadn¡¯t done her job properly. ¡°Is that so? If he is busy with work, then I shall humble myself and visit him in person. He wouldn¡¯t turn me away just because he¡¯s busy if I make an appearance, right?¡± Well-dressed and well-postured, she left the residence with her chin up. Court Lady Park sighed along with her subordinates while they accompanied the pitiful Empress on her way to the Emperor¡¯s residence. They all knew¡ªperhaps the Empress did, herself¡ªthat the Emperor wouldn¡¯t be too pleased to have an unwanted visitor¡ªunless it was the Noble Consort. ¡°Tell His Majesty that I¡¯m here,¡± said the Empress in a chilly tone. The court lady from the Emperor¡¯s residence shivered. The Empress¡¯ presence turned her beet-red from anxiety. She was well-aware that the court lady Woo had sent had already been turned down; she hadn¡¯t expected that the Empress would come herself. It was a common occurrence for the Empress to be denied an audience by her husband¡ªbut it was very rare that she would come to retaliate. It was an inconvenience for the court ladies, but they had no choice. She was the noblest lady in the empire, after all. Left with no choice, the court lady took a deep breath and exclaimed loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress is here!¡± A deafening silence followed. If there was a shade of red deeper than the beet-red previously on the court lady¡¯s face, it was probably there right then. Lee Woo sighed and closed her eyes for a minute before opening them again. ¡°Tell him again.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Empress Lee Woo has arrived.¡± She gave it her all. She called with a voice louder than before. And with the expectation, there was no answer yet again. But Lee Woo was never one to lose. She stepped up close to the door. Every closed mouth had opened when she gave her proclamation; ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll come in now.¡± She opened the door by herself. Anyone who lived in the palace knew you couldn¡¯t just open a door without permission¡ªbut her gesture was so natural and elegant that everyone was simply mesmerized. The Empress entered the chamber to the surprise of the court ladies. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Emperor Hee-yoon dared not take his eyes off of his desk¡ªcontinuing to act as though the Empress wasn¡¯t even in the room¡ªand only kept doing his job, pretending like she didn¡¯t exist. ¡°I am here because I have something to tell you.¡± She spoke calmly. However, as expected, the Emperor was still silent, as if he heard nothing. But Lee Woo still tried her best to get his attention. ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡± Annoyed, the Emperor raised his head to look at Woo. Despite his good looks, whenever he looked at her, his eyes turned cold and bitter. Woo was always discouraged by the lack of warmth in his gaze. She was used to it, but every time he looked at her this way, her heart fell deeper into despair. ¡°Tell me; who told you that you could come in here without my permission? Is the Empress above the law, now?¡± Woo smiled at those words. They were cold and unchanging, and yet, she still managed to smile bitterly in front of her cold husband. She felt the frustration and sadness of being unwanted by the Emperor once more¡ªand it ripped her heart into pieces. Hee-yoon never liked that smile. He always felt like the Empress only held a higher status than he did just because he owed his position to her father. He felt pathetic whenever he vented his own anger towards the Empress; although she was completely innocent. When he was angry, he¡¯d take his anger out towards that woman again and again. Because of his pathetic reasoning, things continued this way for ten whole years without either of them realizing it. ¡°Won¡¯t you invite me to sit down?¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± The Emperor never bothered to ask if she wanted tea. At the very least, no noble family treated her this lowly; and no one could make her feel so pathetic. But she refused to let the Emperor see her cry. Normally, she felt passive about the cold treatment she got from him, but this time, she laughed, feeling weak and helpless. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of forbidding Noble Consort Song from riding the palanquin.¡± Bang! As soon as she finished speaking, the Emperor¡¯s angry fist landed on his desk. Woo simply bowed her head and continued speaking: ¡°There have been several complaints about it, especially from the concubines. This would be in the best interests of Noble Consort Song and yourself, so please allow me to forbid her from doing so.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not satisfied with my words?! Who do you think you are?! It¡¯s just a damned palanquin! What do you want me to do? Revoke an order from the Emperor?¡± Woo kept her cool. Despite her husband¡¯s growling voice, she kept her head bowed respectfully. She also answered him with a flower-like voice that didn¡¯t suit the current situation. ¡°It¡¯s not just any palanquin¡ªit¡¯s Your Majesty¡¯s very own personal palanquin. Some might understand, but many would say it¡¯s shameless of Noble Consort Song to ride a palanquin made for a king. Every other concubine would eventually demand the same kind of treatment, and that could start trouble. Not to mention, it wouldn¡¯t be a new law; anyone other than the Emperor is already forbidden from riding the palanquin inside the palace.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± The Emperor¡¯s face flushed red with anger. He was a rational man, but he always became emotional when facing the Empress. Women¡¯s weeps always made him angry. ¡°I am not saying that Noble Consort Song is a bad person and vice versa. But everyone dislikes the attention that she¡¯s receiving and since she came from a fallen family, everything is extra hard for her. I think it¡¯s best if we keep her profile low for now.¡± The calm face with which the Empress spoke only infuriated him further. To him, the fact that he¡¯d lent out the palanquin with kind intentions should be all that mattered¡ªwhen, in reality, it had become a serious source of discontent for the other concubines. ¡°Remember¡ªthe palanquin was made for the Emperor alone. I had only said that because the palanquin does not exist for anybody except for your use, especially for someone whose rank can¡¯t be even compared to yours.¡± Hee-yoon stayed silent. But the hatred and coldness radiating from his eyes were very clearly felt by the Empress. The fact that he got angry and shouted while the Empress stood there in complete calmness made him feel pathetic again. Her straight face and hard stare were enough to make the color of his face turn red with anger. He felt like a child, a hopeless child that only had the title of the emperor as his shield. Hee-yoon unconsciously became a child that didn¡¯t want to lose to the empress. ¡°You knew it already, your Majesty. So-hwa is not a princess of any country. No, in fact, she has the lowest rank out of all the concubines that entered the palace. She¡¯s just a mere court lady! Everyone knows that what has become of her status is a great favor already. You don¡¯t have to do anything anymore. Sometimes, what has overflowed is no better than what is lacking.¡± ¡°Is the Empress trying to teach me?¡± The Empress smiled bitterly. She found it difficult to prevent the tears from flowing while looking at her hostile husband. Her hands started trembling. In response to this, she carefully clenched her fist and started talking again. ¡°This will be poison to her. Because of your Majesty¡¯s actions, Noble Consort Song will have everyone¡¯s eyes on her. Even her small mistakes will be overflowing with criticism, and this is not good. Some might even say that she¡¯s leading you astray and perhaps has a hidden agenda. Please, your Majesty, don¡¯t put such a burden on that young and naive girl.¡± Lee Woo said sincerely. The Emperor was silenced with her words, not because she was spouting nonsense, but because she was actually right. With the silence growing longer, Woo got bored and got up from her seat, leaving the Emperor to his problematic thoughts. Woo came out of the Emperor¡¯s office with a frown. ¡°I greet her Royal Highness, the Empress.¡± Woo was surprised to hear someone call her title. A tall man came into her view. The man looked more like a boy than a grown-up adult because of his eyes and wide smile. Despite dressing simply, by his looks alone, anyone could tell that he too had noble blood. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you. Have you come to see his Majesty?¡± Woo greeted the man with a lovely smile. Prince Hee-won and Lee Woo have known each other since their childhood. This is because the prince and Woo¡¯s brother were very close and had a bond similar to siblings. Although in the world of politics, the two are seen as enemies, in reality, they just didn¡¯t care. Prince Hee-won smiled again at Woo¡¯s greeting. He also frowned playfully and held out his hand for her to take. ¡°I have seen the beautiful woman of the Noble Sun in the palace and I can¡¯t seem to remember what I was supposed to do. If you don¡¯t mind, can you stay with me for a minute?¡± Lee Woo smiled at his light gestures. As she was charmed, she took the hand offered to her and blushed slightly. ¡°My Lord, aren¡¯t you planning to meet with his Majesty?¡± At her words, he cleverly slithered his way out by saying he suddenly felt ill and being with her provided him ease, which made the Empress laugh. Unconsciously, the Empress also seemed to forget the hurtful encounter with the Emperor just minutes before. She remembered only meeting him once at a party before she entered the palace. And when she did, since she always accompanied her brother whenever he visited Prince Wang, they also inevitably became close. Hee-won went with her to the Empress¡¯ palace. Although silent, they were both comfortable with each other like it was very natural. Since it was not a good idea to always meet with the Empress because of his status, Hee-won tried to limit their encounters and only went because of his friend¡¯s request. And like a gentleman, they only meet outside to talk to prevent speculations from everyone. They discussed casual matters while being monitored by the palace¡¯ people. The Emperor was quite understanding of this matter because he trusted his brother. The Prince looked at the Empress. The way she carries herself with a straight back and a very noble posture made him laugh a little. ¡®It¡¯s very telling of her personality,¡¯ he silently thought. Hee-won was also surprised that the child he once knew grew up to be an empress of a country, and it made him feel a little unsettled. He knew how ruthless and crazy it was inside the palace, and being out of there was like a dream come true for anyone. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re playing this role well?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just trying.¡± Woo sighed and answered Hee-won¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You are doing well.¡± Chapter 4 ¢ñ. Lee Woo (4) Hee-won always said what the Empress wanted to hear. Whenever I grow tired of everything else, he is the only one that comes to my aid and eases my worries. Lee Woo turned around and smiled ever so gracefully. Hee-won¡¯s dark world brightened a little more because of the Empress. He would not be exaggerating if he said that her smile was like that of a goddess because it was just so pretty. ¡°I heard there was some dispute in the palace because of a palanquin.¡± Hee-won carefully said. Hee-won knew. He knew that the Emperor¡¯s little flower, Noble Consort Song, had already been rife with rumors both inside and out of the country. Most of the rumors were about her beauty, and it was expected that everyone would be disappointed when they became aware that the noble Consort was young, immature, and had only her face as an asset. As a matter of fact, the more a rumor spreads, the more fake and made-up it will be. Her beauty was so outstanding; it made the Emperor treat/see her like a princess despite not being one at all. The only reason she was even qualified to be the Noble Consort was her elevation in status to that of a noblewoman. If she was somehow able to conceive a prince, there would be a huge rift due to her and the Empress¡¯ status in court. ¡°Yes. Everyone is questioning his Majesty. I think it bothers him too.¡± ¡°But how are you?¡± Lee Woo suddenly couldn¡¯t speak. Her brows furrowed as she looked at Hee-won. The patient prince smiled a little and patted her head as if he were soothing her worries and telling her that she did a great job regardless of her inability to do anything. ¡°My Lord, you can¡¯t treat a grown woman like this.¡± She said while frowning. ¡°Then don¡¯t frown like that, my Lady.¡± ¡°¡± The prince took her hand once again, which she happily obliged. Lee-Woo suddenly remembered her brother, who often talked about the prince. ¡®Such a pitiful person. He¡¯s not lacking anything, but it¡¯s his brother that still became the emperor. His Majesty the current emperor is also great. But I sometimes imagine what it would be like if he were the emperor instead. Probably because of his gentle nature, he has been destined for greatness. Hee-won was not stupid. He would never confuse kindness with stupidity. It was just that he was so innocent that he just accepted everything that came his way. ¡®He is both so sweet and wise.¡¯ Lee-Woo silently thought. But one of the scary things about Hee-won was that he treated even the most rotten people with sentiment. ¡®It was scary yet pitiful.¡¯ He was a gentle-looking man with long lashes and shadows under his eyes, but he knew. He knew everything; he was merely acting like an idiot to suppress his anger and keep the country peaceful. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I suddenly started reminiscing about the past¡­ nevertheless, my Lord, I am the Empress, I can¡¯t be a child forever. I need to set an example for everyone to follow.¡± Unaware, they both arrived at the Empress¡¯s palace. When both of them finally noticed, they faced each other and smiled elegantly. As the prince was a tall man, the Empress had to raise her head to match his sight. ¡°You can go now, my Lord. I¡¯m afraid his Majesty will throw a fit when he finds out that I have kept you here for such a long time.¡± Hee-won bent his head to level with the Empress¡¯s height and gazed at her. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s okay. You are doing well already. Even if you rest for a while, no one would say anything because you deserve to. You know¡­ let loose a little. Besides, you can¡¯t put a bird in a cage and expect it to be happy..¡± Tears welled up in Woo¡¯s eyes at Hee-won¡¯s words. No one told me that every day in the palace was like walking on a tightrope. All of her family and Hee-won too asked the Emperor to treat Woo well. But there was only so much her family could do; they still feared that Woo would eventually slip up and face punishment. It was painful for everyone to see her crying, so she was afraid to make a mistake. With this, even when she was about to fall asleep, would stay in constant fear, anxiety, and tension. Hee-won was the one who tenderly said what she wanted to hear and looked after her heart the best. So when he said those words, she suddenly wanted to cry. She appreciated that Hee-won accepted her, but it made her feel a little weak. ¡°Prince¡ª¡± ¡°I should probably go¡­ I can¡¯t be too late so as to not anger the Emperor.¡± Lee Woo was a bit sad about this goodbye. She was afraid to turn around and have the happiness inside her squeezed out again. After she entered the palace: the pain, suffering, and despair that she felt were kept away from the ears of her family. She knew they would feel restless at their powerlessness if she tried to say anything, so she swallowed all her grievances. She was afraid of the harsh words that would rain on her if she were to complain. In this country ruled by the patriarchy system, a woman¡¯s voice will only be treated as a trivial matter. So she closed her eyes tightly and kept a straight face almost all of the time. Hee-won was the only one who helped her during the times she was feeling troubled. He gave her candy, fed her noodles, and comforted her whenever she cried. And she cried a lot. Since then, he visited Lee Woo from time to time and would always patiently wait for her to finish crying. Hee-won understood the situation better because he, too, experienced it a lot. ¡°Court Lady Park.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a good chrysanthemum tea that came in recently? Take a portion and wait outside His Majesty¡¯s office and give it to Prince Hee-won.¡± At Lee Woo¡¯s command, the Court Lady left the palace. After Court Lady Park left however, Woo felt like crying. The other Court Ladies that were busy combing her hair were all nervous. Since Court Lady Park was often the only one allowed to touch the Empress intimately like this, everyone was extremely afraid that they would do something that could trigger the Empress¡¯ wrath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t punish you for plucking a few strands of my hair.¡± Woo smiled lightly and looked back at the Court Ladies. It was because when she, herself, first entered the palace, it took some time before she got used to the intimidating atmosphere of the Royal Family. Feeling abandoned by her real family, she never had a great time inside the palace, where the laws were strict. The trembling ladies all smiled apologetically despite having nothing to apologize for. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Hee-won is here.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± After he saw Lee Woo off, Hee-won immediately went to the Emperor¡¯s palace. The emperor then welcomed him with warm greetings and pleasantries. Despite being half-brothers, Hee-won never coveted the throne nor had any intention for the position. This alone made the Emperor calm down. ¡°Prince! Why are you so late?¡± The Emperor got up from his seat and smiled at Hee-won. They shook each other¡¯s hand with happy smiles on their faces. The Emperor¡¯s hospitality didn¡¯t end there however, when he invited the Prince for tea. The Emperor was in a situation where there were only a few whom he could call his friends. And Hee-won was one of them. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty¡­ On my way here, I saw the Empress, and we had a little chat.¡± Hee-won smiled. ¡°Oh, you saw the Empress??¡± The emperor replied awkwardly to Hee-won¡¯s words. Because he remembered what he had done. It was even more so, knowing that Hee-won and Woo had a special relationship like a brother and sister, but the emperor couldn¡¯t be more bothered. It was his most trusted brother and friend. ¡°Yes¡­ Speaking of which, are you planning to work until late at night? If you want me to leave, I can go.¡± ¡°The daily appeals are the problem. I¡¯m afraid if I were to avert my eyes even for a bit, the work will start to pile up.¡± The emperor only ever spoke of his tired words to his half-brother. The things I couldn¡¯t say in front of my mother and Noble Consort Song. I used to confide only to my half-brother. He was the only one I could confide in, so I ordered the prince to often come and visit the palace. The brothers spent their time joking around with each other, sharing stories. The emperor¡¯s face, who didn¡¯t mind procrastinating for a bit, looked at ease. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Prince Hee-won also start looking for a wife to start a family with? That way, I, your brother, will come to see you often.¡± The emperor asked Hee-won in a secretive manner. He had already passed the age of marriage. Primarily, members of the royal family get married at the ages of fifteen or sixteen years old. But at that time, there was a factional fight over the crown prince position, so they missed their opportune time for marriage. After becoming an adult, he wandered around, so he was alone until now. ¡°There are so many places I haven¡¯t seen yet.¡± Hee-won laughed softly. And he thought of Woo. Beautiful Woo, I remembered the passionate heart hidden in that calmness. And look at the emperor, he was the one who had it all. Hee-won regretted it. If I had been the Crown Prince. if I had fought hard. If I had become the Emperor, there might have been Woo next to me. It was a place I didn¡¯t want, but when I think of Woo, I keep getting ugly regrets. * ¡°Your Highness. Why did his Majesty not come today?¡± A young court lady with flushed cheeks opened her mouth. The woman beside her looked at the little girl and smiled broadly. As a wide smile graced her pretty face, it shone as if a full moon had risen. She was the kind-hearted Song Sohwa, also called the Noble Consort Song. She was generous to the palace servants, and she was a noble lady who had no greed for wealth. It is said it was outside the palace where the king had fallen head over heels for her, but those who saw the Queen of Song shook their heads at the rumor. She was just an innocent woman who knew nothing. It had only been over a year since I entered the palace, and everything was still difficult and clumsy. Her round eyes, pink cheeks, and plump lips made her look more like a young girl than a sophisticated woman. ¡°I heard that the Prince has come. It¡¯s been a while since the brothers met each other, so I guess he forgot about our plans.¡± The court ladies laughed when they saw Noble Consort Song, who pretended to cry playfully. To them, Noble Consort Song was like family regardless if she was their master. Wearing a pale yellow skirt, she squatted in her garden while watching the flowers bloom. Thanks to the emperor¡¯s care, her garden had the most variety of flowers in all the palaces. Unlike Woo¡¯s garden, which looked lonely in the fall, her garden was vibrant and beautiful as if it had forgotten to change along with the seasons. All of it was a symbol of the emperor¡¯s affection, and the overflowing devotion brought a smile to Noble Consort Song¡¯s face. ¡°They are beautiful, Lee Yeon-ah. I will gather a few for you, and will you bring them to your Majesty? Tell him that the flowers are so beautiful that it would be a pity to see them alone.¡± No one stopped her even when they saw the Noble Consort walking down with her sleeves rolled up and plucking the flowers herself. Her skirt got soiled with dirt, but everyone was too busy trying to figure out which flower was the prettiest. Inside her palace, everyone burst into laughter as they continued to search for the most beautiful flowers. Everyone glanced at Noble Consort Song, which the court ladies were pleased with. She had been left alone in a foreign country, and the princess, who had been previously weeping for her loneliness, was now smiling broadly with the love of the emperor. Seeing their owner happy, they roamed around the garden again and again. In the palace, So-hwa might not be the most beautiful, but she was the most lovable one of them all. * ¡°Are you here now?¡± The Noble Consort, who had been waiting for the emperor for a long time, fell asleep. Not long after, the emperor stepped inside the Noble Consort¡¯s residence. He had come to see the flowers sent by the queen. It was self-evident that if it were not for that, he would probably have spent the night with the prince instead. The emperor carefully went to the side of the bed and looked at the already sleeping princess. He loved this woman so much that in his eyes, everything about her was small and lovely. He wanted to hold her in his arms and give her everything, so within a year her status was elevated for the throne. I didn¡¯t know what her noble position was, and I was happy again at the innocence she has and that she likes me. The emperor stroked the princess¡¯ hair and kissed her forehead.. She said she likes nice and pretty things. So I will do everything, so you only receive what I give. Among the numerous women in the palace, Noble Consort Song was the emperor¡¯s beloved and true love. Exhausted from dealing with the palace appeals, I went to the lake late at night, and happened to meet her crying court lady. It was Song Gubi. I liked her innocence, who thought I was a guard of the palace and treated me without mercy. She cried profusely that she had entered the emperor¡¯s residence, and the sight of her telling me to run away took her heart. It was good that she looked at who I was, not the emperor. ¡°Um, Hee-yoon?¡± The Noble Consort slowly opened her eyes and called out to the emperor. She was the only one who could call the emperor by name. At that call, the emperor smiled and took So-hwa in his arms. The emperor was grateful to have someone in his arms who wouldn¡¯t change even if he offered her everything. Chapter 5 ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s very late. Come on, have a seat here.¡± Court Lady Park told Lee Woo. She couldn¡¯t stand the thought and opened her mouth because her master was suffering from insomnia, and she couldn¡¯t do anything but feel sorry for the Empress. There was a lot of weight on her shoulders already. And the Emperor still found ways to belittle her, regardless of how well she did in her work. Court Lady Park hated this. As soon as the Emperor¡¯s changing heart began, the hierarchy in the palace fell into ruin. And everyone started feeling sorry for the Empress. ¡°Give me a cup of tea. I can¡¯t seem to sleep well today.¡± Woo sighed. The cool breeze of the night left the room with such a pleasant temperature for sleeping. ¡®This is sad.¡¯ She thought. ¡®I met him when I was nine, the first time I entered the palace. He was fourteen at the time and only just had his coronation as the crown prince. I never realized that it was already ten years since that encounter happened. Time sure does fly fast¡­ I remember pledging my whole life to him. I looked at him and only lived for him. However, I feel that my heart¡¯s growing tired as time passes. I¡¯m sad and pained that he has never even once looked at me. My heart was never filled with the love that I wanted.¡¯ ¡®How can he not be aware of the hostility he¡¯s been showing? It was radiating from his very own skin, and it seemed as though he wasn¡¯t even aware of it. The only thing that¡¯s keeping me sane right now, is the fact that the seat next to him is my own. The only downside is that I¡¯m like a doll, only meant to sit on the throne alone and do nothing¡­ His heart already belongs to someone else, but who cares, right?¡¯ Woo tightly closed her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat, preventing the tears from flowing out somehow. * ¡°Your Majesty, this is Court Lady Park. Are you perhaps awake now?¡± It took the court lady five minutes of trying to get her attention when she decided to enter the room without permission. The Empress before her, however, was far from being awake or even well. ¡°¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Last night, the Empress was in a cold sweat and moaning in pain. Likely caused by the cold winds. Court Lady Park called in another handmaiden and told her to call a royal doctor. The court lady sighed as she wiped the sweat off of the Empress. She was not in great shape these days, but they never knew that she would get sick. It was even more sad because the disease of the mind became the disease of the body. ¡°How are you feeling, Your Majesty?¡± Tae-ui told her not to worry, he just did some acupuncture and gave some medicinal herbs for her to drink. He also said that if she took her medicine and rested enough, her recovery would be swift. But Court Lady Park was not satisfied. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too simple of a treatment? Her Majesty is working every single day, so I don¡¯t think a simple rest would suffice! The other concubines only know how to eat and sleep, but her Majesty never rests! So don¡¯t tell me that she only needs a bit of medication and rest. I¡¯m asking you for a favor, sir Tae-ui.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tae-ui, who looked anxious, asked in a whisper. As Court Lady Park whispered in his ears, Tae-ui nodded. After the physician left, Court Lady Park continued to wipe the sweat on Woo¡¯s forehead with a towel. Years have already passed since Woo entered the palace. Court Lady Park witnessed how the harsh hands of time morphed the lively girl into a stone-faced woman. It was often said that the lives of the women in the palace were the same, but she felt extremely sorry for her owner. Court Lady Park sighed. She was so beautiful that her heart didn¡¯t deserve to despair over such a worthless guy. Court Lady Park was saddened by the fact that this lovely woman needed to live like this in the palace. She can hold the world in her hand, but why is she living behind the shadow of the Emperor? ¡°Court Lady Park! The Hyebi is here to greet her Highness. What should we do?¡± Court Lady Park sighed and stood up. ¡°What brings you here, your Highness?¡± ¡°I came to greet her Majesty. Please announce my arrival.¡± Court lady Park looked at her with a troubled face. It was hard to refuse a direct order from the higher-ups so she felt conflicted. ¡°The Empress is busy tending over other matters, your Highness. Please come back next time.¡± Hyebi¡¯s face was contorted with anger. She wasn¡¯t frowning. No, it was not even close. She was looking at the court lady with a cold gaze. It was apparent that Hyebi was born to be served by her subordinates. It was clear that she was not a born leader, but she was born to be a boss. The poor court lady couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in this girl¡¯s head. She was different from Woo, whose attitude was perfect for a leader. This girl¡¯s gaze held no compassion and because of that, the court lady was watching her every step. ¡°Who are you to refuse my humble request, Court Lady Park?¡± Court Lady Park had no choice but to turn around and told her that she would inform the Empress of her request. ¡®I don¡¯t want to wake up a sick patient, but what could I do with my position?¡¯ ¡°Your Majesty, Hyebi is waiting for you.¡± Eventually, the Empress woke up. Court Lady Park politely said that the Hyebi was waiting outside and when the Empress said yes, she went out to tell the lady that the Empress needed to prepare for a little bit. The court lady brushed her sweat-soaked hair and rearranged it in place. Lee-Woo dressed up lightly, but the regal air surrounding her was still visible. Lee Woo was seated on the sofa when she finished preparing, her pale complexion couldn¡¯t be hidden by the make-up she was using. ¡°Court Lady Park, please bring Hyebi in and prepare refreshments.¡± ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡± * ¡°I greet the woman of the Noble Sun, your Majesty, the Empress.¡± Hyebi showed her respect by bowing after her greetings. Her dress was embroidered with a very bright colored thread to emphasize her beauty. If it weren¡¯t for her clothes, she wouldn¡¯t be recognizable especially beside Lee Woo. ¡°Please excuse me. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I made you wait for a long time.¡± Hyebi then proceeded to stare at the Empress. As the court lady said, her complexion really was pale and sweat was glistening on her forehead. The fascinating thing was that her sitting posture and behavior remained as elegant as ever. ¡°I should prepare some medicine for you, Empress.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to bother, but I¡¯m grateful.¡± Seeing the refreshments brought by the court ladies, Hyebi smiled slightly. Everything was her favorite. The Empress really knew each of their preferences and was showing how hands-on she was with her work. The concubine was surprised and nervous at the same time, she didn¡¯t know why but she felt hostility running in the air. ¡°I came here to tell you that I am fit to walk with my feet again, your Majesty. The physician said that I recovered fast enough, and now I¡¯m in optimal health.¡± ¡°I pointed that out last time because I was worried about you. There was no other reason.¡± Hyebi then replied that she knew and was grateful for her concern, but she knew better. She couldn¡¯t tell the Empress that though. ¡®If I was the Empress, I would¡¯ve summoned Noble Consort Song right now and scolded her a lot. If my father was the Prime Minister and my brother was a General, no matter how powerful he was, he would be no match for me.¡¯ The concubine smiled and thought of such things. In these times, power was the most important thing, because love could be discarded at any time. ¡®How was the Empress? She has all of this power in her hands but she¡¯s choosing to be a puppet for the Emperor. She¡¯s a foolish woman who only complains in her thoughts and not with her mouth. I feel like I know her the best in this place.¡¯ ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to greet you in a while. I¡¯m busy recovering and I have been idle these past few days.¡± Hyebi was the only concubine who was constantly hovering over the Empress¡¯ palace. After she became the Empress, all of the concubines visited her steadily in the beginning. However, it was often Hyebi who visited her. ¡°Empress, do you remember?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡± ¡°The time when we first moved in.¡± * Lee Woo remembered crying. It was a time when she¡¯s too young to even be called a girl. During that time, she was afraid of leaving her parents; and was left trembling in an unfamiliar place. It was big and beautiful, but it didn¡¯t feel like home. She remembered several girls weeping and clinging to their nannies, and some were looking for their parents. Lee Woo and Hyebi were some of the many girls that entered the palace that day. Many of them left with the excuse of poor health and deliberately disqualified themselves from the fear of being in the palace. That was before she was ten years old. The unfamiliarity, however, of the palace never went away and still stuck to her to this very day. It stayed as a vivid memory of the unknown inside her heart. There was a girl in ragged attire, seemingly confused as to how she got there. The girl was sobbing uncontrollably, and unlike the other little girls who had maids with them to wipe their tears, the girl only had herself. Lee Woo then took the initiative to get closer to comfort the girl. She patted the girl¡¯s back and smiled with tears streaming on her face. The memory still haunted her from time to time and she was guessing Hyebi had them too. ¡°Is that so? I still remember a child whom I comforted back then. After crying herself out, she laughed like a cute girl, and that made me so happy.¡± Woo unconsciously smiled. Even though the child was eventually sent out of the palace, the simple thought of her made Lee Woo happy for some reason. She couldn¡¯t remember the name, but she remembered her innocent face and gentle nature. The nostalgic feeling was what was haunting her. Hyebi smiled a little as she looked at Woo like that. ¡°Yes, it was. Autumn is here, and it makes me think of the past.¡± * Hyebi left the Empress¡¯s palace. Her own court ladies followed her silently. They couldn¡¯t understand why she was visiting the Empress so often. However, there was also the question of why the Empress was so obedient to the royal family. She obeyed their instructions like she was following an order from her master. Lee Woo could control the politics in the palace if she wanted to, but she was being taken for granted because of her actions. In the history of the palace, there were few instances that an empress was demoted or even removed from her seat. Since it was just a seat, it was easy to take from anyone if given the power to do so. It was very rare for someone to hold onto its power for too long. Even though Noble Consort Song was said to be favored by the Emperor, the position of the Empress and her great family was the true strength of the dynasty. So the Emperor couldn¡¯t treat Lee Woo recklessly even if he wanted to. The royal family could not make an enemy of the Prime Minister and the General. Under the Empress was the Noble Consort, but status speaking, I-ran was much more powerful than the Noble Consort. She was generally regarded as the second in line to the Empress. Hyebi never knew how to suffer. Hence everyone had to suffer for her and her needs. She knew she had great power in her hands, but she was using it only for her own benefit. ¡°It¡¯s funny. I find all this funny.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± The court ladies who followed Hyebi were surprised by her unexpected words, and looked around in surprise. The court lady went to Hyebi¡¯s side and spoke carefully. ¡°What is going on, Lady I-ran?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Empress¡¯s palace supposed to be the second most splendid palace after the Emperor¡¯s residence? She¡¯s ill, but the palace is as quiet as a dead mouse. Isn¡¯t it funny that if it were So-hwa who was sick, the whole palace would be a total mess, but when it¡¯s the Empress, it¡¯s like it¡¯s nothing?¡± She looked back and giggled a little. The court ladies trembled at how she was saying such claims with a straight face. Everyone looked around for unwanted signs of eavesdroppers listening in on the blasphemous words spoken out loud by their owner. To speak with that kind of intent could cost them their lives, and they still wanted to live anyway. ¡°Isn¡¯t it all because she¡¯s not good enough? She¡¯s holding it in her hands already, but she still can¡¯t make the Emperor kneel.¡± The court lady held onto her arms because of surprise. The lady looked at the court lady with cold eyes. In response, the court lady let go of her hand and took three steps back. I-ran sighed while smoothing out the fold that was caused by the court lady. No one spoke a word after that. Chapter 6 After Hyebi left, there was a loud commotion in the empress¡¯s palace. This was because when she tried to stand up, she stumbled and lost consciousness. The physician was brought in again and, when he did a thorough examination on the Empress, the palace only became quiet. The Court Ladies stayed beside the sick Empress. There was still no news from the Emperor¡¯s palace, but they expected to have none. He was informed that his wife was sick, but the stone-faced Emperor never responded. This made Court Lady Park mad. The Emperor¡¯s cold-heartedness was unforgivable. It was dawn when Woo finally opened her weak lashes. Next to her bed, she found Court Lady Park dozing off with a towel in her hand. Lee Woo felt like crying because of the Court Lady¡¯s kindness. Instead, she just giggled silently. ¡°Hey, Court Lady Park.¡± Her voice cracked in the middle but still was as effective as her normal voice for waking up the dozing off Court Lady. The helper then threw the towel aside and helped the Empress sit down. She then hurriedly took clean drinking water from the jug and gave it to the Empress for her to drink. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so go back to your place and relax.¡± The kind Court Lady shook her head at Lee Woo¡¯s words. She thought she didn¡¯t deserve to rest since her master was sick. Despite the Empress¡¯s dissuasion, Court Lady Park insisted that she stay beside the Empress no matter what. Tired and in pain, the Empress fell asleep again. The following morning, the Empress woke up with dizziness and nausea. She knew that she wasn¡¯t completely better, but the sleep really helped alleviate her symptoms. Court Lady Park told her not to overwork herself as much as possible. She even took it upon herself to excuse the Empress from the early greetings, to which Lee Woo was thankful for. All of the Court Ladies helped divide her work into urgent and non-urgent ones. Since they knew that the Empress couldn¡¯t take a day off, they all pitched in and helped lighten her workload. ¡°I¡¯m here to say hi to the Empress¡­ if you don¡¯t mind, can you tell her that I¡¯m here?¡± Hee-won smiled so adorably. Court Lady Park then smiled and led him to the Empress¡¯s workroom. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Hee-won has come to greet you.¡± Court Lady Park told the prince to visit the sick Lee Woo to help her with recovering since the bond between them was good and had no trace of tensioner stress or negativity. ¡°I also greet the Prince for coming here to see me.¡± ¡°I came because I was informed of your illness. Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Do you want anything?¡± Hee-won said. In Hee-won¡¯s eyes, Woo really was sick and had a pale and thin face. Her dry lips and droopy eyes made him sad. But he knew his limitations, there was nothing that he could do. He was a friend, and the only thing that he could help with was by saying comforting words. ¡°I appreciate the concern, my Lord.¡± The Prince sighed. The girl in front of him had this unfamiliar and low voice that was very much concerning for him. Everything felt cruel to him, especially when he was being forced to watch the woman he liked suffer like this. Nevertheless, Hee-won couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bit better whenever Lee Woo was within his sights. He knew that he would be hurt in the process, but it was very calming to know that Woo trusted him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± She said while smiling. Her gaze fell on the Prince, who was very concerned looking at her. But she was notably oblivious that the way the Prince was looking at her was very meaningful. The Prince, however, noticed her indifference, and this broke his heart even more. The Prince composed himself. He then jokingly scolded the Empress, which made Woo a little relieved and scared; because no matter how close they were, their status wouldn¡¯t lie. Hee-won, on the other hand, wore a mask that hid his messed-up feelings. And on the outside, he was still laughing like a prince would. Lee Woo appreciated the sight and paused a little, and with Hee-won noticing the rhythm, soon followed as well. ¡°I should probably go now. My military duty is up soon, and maybe this will be our last meeting with each other¡­ You really made me worry, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Are you leaving already? Can¡¯t you stay a little longer?¡± Lee Woo said with a frown that showed her sadness. This was because the Prince¡¯s visit was not very frequent. It was about twice a year and could go on up to two years when the trip was prolonged. Occasionally, he would send some valuable items and precious gifts, but that didn¡¯t mean the longing disappeared. But on the other hand, Hee-won was a coward. He couldn¡¯t stomach the situation while staying at the Empress¡¯s side. He knew that his growing greed would soon swallow him up and eventually cause an uproar. This was why he needed to go away almost every time. Like a coward that couldn¡¯t do this or that, he would leave far away and then come back. But even if he wanders around all the time, when he couldn¡¯t overcome his longing, he would eventually return to Lee-Woo¡¯s side. ¡°I guess my heart couldn¡¯t settle for one place. I should really go now¡­ Your Majesty, please stay healthy¡­ it¡¯s okay to be a little selfish sometimes and act for yourself¡­ your heart should be only yours.¡± She smiled awkwardly at Hee-won¡¯s sweet words. It was because she knew that her selfishness was for the Emperor only. Her world spun for Emperor Hee-yon only. Both of them knew this fact, so they could only smile at each other awkwardly. When Hee-won left, the Empress cried because of the loneliness and despair that poured in. The only person that understood her and cared for her left for someplace again. Her family was no use either. Their high status and great pride couldn¡¯t help the emptiness in her heart after all. Honestly, it only cost her their relationship because when she became the Empress, she distanced herself from them and them from her. She felt the weight of her position. It was hard to maintain the glory and pride of her seat without someone to lean on. In order to help the Noble Sun, she endured everything for him in hopes that his path would be a little more comfortable and with less hardship needed. She was even ready to sacrifice her life for him! However, the relationship between them was far from being friends and even farther from being lovers. Everyone knew that she was an Empress the moment she entered the palace. She grew up as an empress and learned that the seat next to Hee-yon, who would become an emperor, belonged to her. It was a clear path for the both of them since the beginning. She remembered that the young Hee-yon was very sweet and gentle. Even his slightly shy face was very charming and lovable. Lee Woo smiled as she recalled these things. What happened? What went wrong? Only questions with unknown answers plagued the mind of the Empress. Light and Darkness (1) You always smile at me whenever you want something from me. You take it for granted when I gave up everything and gave you what you wanted. Have you ever really looked at my way? You are my light, my happiness, my hope, and my greater good. And yet you see me as your darkness, your despair, and your evil. You will be happy and grateful for all the sparks and sweet words of love. And I will be here denying my own existence by being your shield from misfortunes. But I know that in the end, I will be left standing by your side. Standing next to you, the best thing that you¡¯ll ever have is me. * ¡°Please ask the Noble Consort Song to meet me, Court Lady Park.¡± After Woo woke up, she immediately headed for breakfast and called Court Lady Park. She left the Empress¡¯s palace with a smile because she thought the Noble Consort would be scolded. ¡°I greet the Empress.¡± ¡°Welcome¡­ I asked for you today since I have something to say.¡± Noble Consort Song was very cautious at the moment. She was trying not to make any mistakes to avoid repercussions. After the greeting, she carefully sat down and also fixed her dress. She was so busy memorizing the laws of the palace that she was surprised when the Empress suddenly called her. ¡°I prepared a simple refreshment because I know you like sweet things.¡± ¡°Thank you for your sincerity.¡± Everything that Woo prepared was based on So-hwa¡¯s preferences. The poor girl hadn¡¯t noticed the efforts of the Empress because of the tension. She couldn¡¯t relax even after drinking and tasting the sweetness on the tip of her tongue. On her right, the Empress¡¯ beauty was incomparable to anything. Her behavior was also very commendable, as well as her voice. Everything, everything was very well prepared and incredible, including the Empress¡¯ clothes which were also simple and frugal in appearance. Of course the Empress was one of the most wealthy women in the Empire, and her fortune cannot and will never be shabby. But compared to the appearance of the other concubines that she visited last time, the attire of the Empress seemed ordinary compared to her position. The room was also well-kept and had a simple touch to it. ¡°I just want to ask the Noble Consort something.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Tell me anything.¡± She smiled bitterly at the appearance of the Noble Consort, who did not let go of the teacup she was holding while answering the question. You¡¯re soft and are often comparedable to flowers. You¡¯re totally different from me. After realizing that, tears were trying to escape her eyes once again. Woo felt the despair building up inside her. ¡°Hmm, why should we stop riding the palanquin that the Emperor gave us? There¡¯s only one reason for that. Originally, the only ones allowed to ride it were the Emperor, his parents, or those who were physically ill. I know that the Emperor gave his own palanquin to you, but I hope that you¡¯ll refrain from using it because the law strictly states that you¡¯re not supposed to ride it.¡± Woo slowly brought the topic up. The Noble Consort¡¯s face was immediately colored by embarrassment as she bowed her burning red face. She had yet to let go of the cup that she was holding, but anyone could tell she was embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about that law, so please forgive me. I won¡¯t ride the sedan chair from now on. I apologize.¡± Woo felt uncomfortable at the sight of So-hwa. Her face, which almost turned the cup upside down, heated up once more. She remembered something. A year after she entered the palace, the Hyebi tripped her. She had no idea on why the Hyebi would do that. She remembered that the Empress covered for her. It was really pathetic that she almost cried. Everyone was muttering hurtful words, and it was really painful. The Emperor¡¯s overproduction was very isolating. She only accepted the palanquin because the Emperor insisted that she use it. She didn¡¯t know there was a bloody fight. And in the middle of it, she was using the Empress as a shield. ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you, of course. Your actions are justifiable if I¡¯m being honest. However, I¡¯m asking you to be here right now because there are a lot of eyes watching you when I don¡¯t want them to. It¡¯s not your fault¡­ Didn¡¯t I say that I hoped and asked for it? I¡¯m not scolding you. I¡¯m asking you for a favor.¡± Woo¡¯s calm and soft tone froze So-hwa. She held out a handkerchief while the lady accepted it with teary eyes and nodded. She waited until the Noble Consort calmed down. While waiting, she drank the tea and kept saying consolidating words. While seeing the true So-hwa, Woo opened her mouth. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. She replied while slightly rubbing her red eyes with her sleeve despite having a handkerchief. It was embarrassing to show her disorderly appearance in front of the noblest woman in the Empire. As a daughter of a fallen noble family, she felt so ugly and worthless. The pit of her stomach hurt as she reminisced about the old times. Chapter 7 ¡°I have a question, would you throw everything away for a person?¡± So-hwa was embarrassed by Woo¡¯s sudden questioning. Her eyes were wide open, and she began to fidget. Woo, however, thought differently, I¡¯m angry at her dazzling purity; it drives me deep into an abyss. I just want to see through Noble Consort Song¡¯s heart. I want to check if her heart really was more precious than my heart which was abandoned terribly. So-hwa couldn¡¯t answer. She couldn¡¯t comprehend the question and the reason behind it. So she couldn¡¯t answer. She suddenly had the urge to change the subject without further repercussions. For her, the Empress was a tough opponent. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask something else¡­ Do you love Emperor Hee-yon?¡± ¡°Yes, I love him. With pure and clean intention.¡± The Noble Consort¡¯s proud answer made Woo¡¯s insides twist. He and this person are in love. I¡¯m only a nuisance to the both of them, then? I can¡¯t cry right now¡­ But my abandoned heart¡­ Woo¡¯s expression became twisted. But in the Noble Consort¡¯s eyes, it was just the same expressionless face of the Empress she knew. ¡°Then¡­ is it the life of everyone in this country or the life of your beloved Hee-yon? What would you do if they made you choose? Will you choose your people or the person you love?¡± For a long time, Song Gwi-bi couldn¡¯t speak. Woo stared at her crying face. ¡°It seems like Noble Consort Song can¡¯t choose. Indeed, how can we choose what is precious for us and what is precious for everyone? Isn¡¯t that right, Noble Consort?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, why do you tell such a scary story? Did I perhaps offend you?¡± The Noble Consort asked. Her voice trembled a little as if she was scared, making the Empress sigh. They weren¡¯t the same after all, because Woo would choose immediately in a heartbeat. ¡°It¡¯d be a lie if I said I wasn¡¯t upset. I¡¯m the person that¡¯s the most upset with your existence in the palace itself¡­ Did you possibly think that I would be happy and wish you both a happy life?! That¡¯s a foolish idea¡­ Anyways, you still haven¡¯t answered my question yet.¡± So-hwa was surprised by Woo¡¯s words; her face burned in embarrassment. This was a new thing for her. The Empress had never shown hostility towards her in the past. She never showed her anger. She always looked down at everything from a distance. Noble Consort Song carefully answered. ¡°I can¡¯t choose, Your Majesty. Isn¡¯t everyone¡¯s life precious?¡± ¡°Is that so? The rumors are true then that the Noble Consort is very kind¡­ but I¡¯m different, So-hwa. I¡¯ll kill everyone. I¡¯ll throw everyone away for him. If he wanted to, I could start a war and kill. That¡¯s why I left you alone, because it was you he desired¡­ isn¡¯t that funny? He¡¯s holding back because of you¡­ how can it be? Leaving the person who can literally burn the world for you for a girl that can¡¯t even choose between her love and people she doesn¡¯t even know.¡± Only at this moment did So-hwa feel that she knew the Empress. She¡¯s always a distant person because she¡¯s observing. I thought her beautiful appearance, like a flower, was generous to everyone but I was wrong. She¡¯s a woman straight out of books and paintings, but she isn¡¯t fair to everyone. I wouldn¡¯t throw everything I have just for him because he doesn¡¯t want that, and I¡¯ll let it stay that way¡­ So-hwa was dismissed after that. Woo was left with her crying and aching heart, and she clenched her fists in anger. Tears flowed from her eyes. She immediately wiped them with a spare handkerchief. Court Lady Park was watching. She was upset that she couldn¡¯t do anything about her weeping master. She knew that Lee Woo was exhausted. I thought I¡¯d see that girl get scolded but in the end¡­ it¡¯s my master who fell. * ¡°Your Highness, are you okay? Empress Lee Woo called, and we thought she called you for something unusual¡­ why won¡¯t you be riding your sedan chair?¡± The young Court Lady asked So-hwa with a worried face. The lady was walking without her palanquin and was only following her with a couple of Court Ladies behind. ¡°It¡¯s better not to use it anymore. Everyone is having problems with it.¡± At that, everyone flinched. I was the only one who didn¡¯t know anything¡­ in the name of loving me, he covered my eyes and ears? Doesn¡¯t he trust me when I showed him my heart? So-hwa sighed and made her Court Ladies even more worried. ¡°Why am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know anything?¡± The Court Ladies watched as the Noble Consort fell into deep thought. They felt that she¡¯s not really worthy of her status. She was not a match for the Emperor and his Concubines. So-hwa was aware, however, and thought, He captured my heart, so somehow, I have to endure everything for that love. ¡°Your Majesty-¡°. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything.¡± The Empress¡¯s palace was as quiet as a dead mouse. No one could smoothly bring up the situation that just happened. Even Court Lady Park couldn¡¯t bear the silence. She tried approaching her, but failed. Court Lady Park thought about the Prince. Desperate times like this needed the Prince to be by the Empress¡¯ side. The only people that could quell the sadness inside the Empress were the Prince and the Emperor. And with the Emperor still acting like trash, Prince Hee-won came to her mind. It hasn¡¯t been long since the Prince left. It was then when a young Court Lady came to the Empress¡¯s palace. The Court Lady of the Emperor¡¯s palace said that the Emperor was looking for Lee Woo. Everyone already knew the reason. Woo left the palace as if she had been waiting in advance. Court Lady Park couldn¡¯t do anything but shake her head. She saw the Empress devoid of emotion once again. Where had the sadness and anger gone to? * ¡°Her Majesty the Empress is here.¡± ¡°Come on in¡±. What Woo saw when she entered the study of the Emperor was Hee-yon¡¯s furious face. And a teacup was thrown at her foot. The crashing sound scratched Woo¡¯s heart. Woo, who had stopped for a moment to avoid the broken glass, moved forward to the Emperor and greeted him elegantly. The Emperor beckoned her to sit down. The annoyed hand gestures, eyes, and just everything pushed Woo away and he didn¡¯t show her even a little side of him. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a joke?¡± ¡°NoÒ»¡± Bang. The Emperor couldn¡¯t take it anymore and punched the desk. Woo looked at him, who stared at her as if he would kill her without caring about the rest of the broken teacup and the ruined desk. The tea table, whose purpose was unknown, was ruined by the Emperor. ¡°No, how can I do that to the Emperor?¡± Woo opened her mouth again. ¡°Right, I¡¯m the Emperor! And you ordered the Noble Consort not to ride the sedan chair? Did I allow it? Tell me. Did I allow that?¡± The voice full of anger threatened Woo. I want to cry. My heart is inevitably anxious. Why am I like this? Why am I like myself? Woo wanted to cry; however, it was not tears but words of apology that came out of her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s already been more than 15 days since I met your Majesty in the palanquin. I thought it was empty. Forgive me.¡± Woo¡¯s calm attitude of asking for forgiveness raised the Emperor¡¯s anger instead. He spoke as if shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t ever see the Noble Consort again! Don¡¯t say anything to her. I will not let it go next time.¡± Everything of the Emperor and Hee-yoon had belonged to Noble Consort Song. His words, thoughts, affection, and actions. There was Noble Consort Song in all of that. Woo bowed her head. As she bowed her head, she saw a ruined skirt. The skirt stained with tea looked as if it were wet with tears. ¡°Your Majesty, just one¡­ There¡¯s only one thing I want to ask you.¡± Hee-yoon, who only noticed Woo¡¯s messiness, was surprised and allowed the question. He was aware of his actions. What I did, losing my reason due to the Noble Consort incident, was pathetic, and I feel somewhat guilty about it. ¡°What is it?¡± Unlike a while ago, his anger subsided a little. ¡°What would you do if So-hwa asked you to die together?¡± At that moment, anger rose again, but the Emperor shook his head. I can¡¯t afford to get angry again, especially since the Empress looks like this. However, he did not understand the Empress who looked at peace while asking such a question. I can¡¯t understand how she asked such a question in front of me, and I don¡¯t want to answer it honestly. ¡°She can¡¯t be like that. Even so, wouldn¡¯t that be the most willing death? To be with someone you love.¡± Lee Woo left the office crying as if she had been kicked out. Court Lady Park was waiting outside. ¡°¡± She was happy to see Woo. It¡¯s because I was worried. The reason why the Emperor called her was obvious, so I had no choice but to wait. That¡¯s why I¡¯m glad to see that face. Fortunately, when she saw the tranquil appearance of Woo, she followed, and the young court lady carefully called Court Lady Park and pointed to the floor. Red marks appeared on every spot where the Empress walked. ¡°Oh, my Empress.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Woo faltered when Court Lady Park held her in surprise. She hurriedly called for a palanquin and helped the Empress in as she bit her lips. It was only then that she could see the skirt of the Empress stained in blood. Aren¡¯t you an Empress? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be the national treasure of this country? How can the Emperor treat you like this? She was angry at the Emperor¡¯s reckless behavior and became sad when she saw Woo. I wonder if you had that peaceful face even after being humiliated like this. She is the Empress and the most precious woman in the Qi Dynasty. Why are you being treated like this? A selfish heart arose. Why did you order Noble Consort Song not to ride a sedan chair? However, Court Lady Park knew. That everything eventually goes the way the Emperor wishes. ¡°Just go. I want to go back and rest.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go.¡± The palanquin was sent away. ¡°How can you walk with these feet?¡± Court Lady Park eventually couldn¡¯t stand it and made a loud stomping noise. Woo held Park¡¯s hand tightly. I¡¯m embarrassed by the shaking and coldness of my hands¡­ She thought. ¡°Court Lady Park, I don¡¯t want to be here anymore.¡± Court Lady Park eventually cried at the mournful words disguised as tranquility from the Empress. I feel guilty about what I¡¯m doing while my master is holding me like this. Court Lady Park held Woo¡¯s arm, which clutched at her as if she had made up her mind, and squatted in front of her. ¡°Get on my back.¡± Woo was on her back without any hesitation. And Court Lady Park made teasing statements about her feet while leaving from the Emperor¡¯s palace. The other court ladies quietly followed suit. Court Lady Park felt her shoulders dampen. Without saying a word of comfort, she hurried to return to the Empress¡¯s palace a little faster. It was such a bitter day.