Empress Handbook

Chapter Thirty-Five | Heartbeats

Soon, the last day of the year arrives. After filming a greeting video for New Year, Taehyung joins Yeoreum at the Imperial Living Room, where she awkwardly tries to assemble care packs for homeless women with Yunhee.

With the Imperial Media Team constantly taking photos, Park Yunhee strenuously keeps on her affectionate act. However, the coldness that seeps from the corner of her eyes in the camera's blind spot tells Yeoreum otherwise.

"No, refrain from doing intricate ribbons like that. It will slow down the process," Park Yunhee says sternly.

Yeoreum looks over the assembly guideline that contradicts Yunhee's instructions and contemplates for a moment before she obeys Yunhee's directions.

"Yes, Mother. I am sorry."

Yunhee's expression darkens at Yeoreum's obedience. This project was passed down to her by her mother-in-law, who would hit her with a cane every time she made the smallest mistake. Unfortunately, she cannot do the same with Yeoreum with all the cameras around them but allowing her to pass this test easily annoys her enough to want to rip Yeoreum's mouth off her face.

"Good morning, Mother," Taehyung says with a faint smile, interrupting Yunhee's train of thought. "How are we going?"

Seeing Taehyung arrive, Yunhee quickly stands up.

"I have a headache. Please help Empress assemble these care packages if you have the time."

"Yes, Mother," Taehyung says, lowering his head. "Take care."

"Yes, I will, and I hope you will too, Taehyung," Yunhee says, emphasising his name in a strange, pressing tone between loving and menacing.

The servants open the door for her to leave, and Yunhee stalks out the wooden steps with a strand of her dark brown curl escaping her elaborate hairdo.

"I just announced your pregnancy to the nation," Taehyung gushes. The excitement in his voice travels to the doorway.

Without looking back, Yunhee knows that Taehyung embraced Yeoreum despite her warnings against public displays of affection. The urge to turn around and scold them rises to her stuffy chest, but in the end, she walks away before Yeoreum's voice can prick her.

Yunhee walks down the stone path, sludging. She knows every tile that leads her to her palace, or, more accurately, her kneecaps know every tile.

The previous Empress Dowager made her kneel through every inch of the pathway and crawl into the living room when she was pregnant with Namjoon. Thus, the uneven edges and jagged curves that once stabbed her skin feel humiliatingly familiar, even between the rubber bottom of her sole.

Chungin dashes to Yunhee as soon as she reaches Myungbok Palace. She chides him with an icy glare for blatantly waiting outside her palace and signals him to go in as quickly as possible.

Chungin bows. "Your Highness, I have some urgent news to inform you."

"I know," Yunhee hisses. "But you should never be seen outside my palace, even if someone is chasing after you with a knife. I have told you that, Mr Lee."

Lee Chungin's head shudders into a nod. He hurries to follow Park Yunhee into the main palace without another word.

Yunhee sits on her daybed with a sigh. "What is the urgent news?"

"I tried to convince His Majesty to agree with supporting the English's decision, but His Majesty objected very firmly, and I...gave up."

"You just gave up?" Yunhee says. "You couldn't even convince Taehyung."