Rise of an Empress

The Concubine Who Embarrassed The Moon

Concubine Seo was made ready by the maids to meet Queen Mother Gongwon in evening tea time. Yun Hee was escorted by maids to the Queen Mother's palace and then to the Queen Mother's hall room.

Concubine Seo bows to show her respect to the Queen Mother.  Queen Mother Gongwon smiles and tells her to sit down to have tea with her. A table on one side of the room is decorated with delicious rice cakes and chestnuts. Gorgeous teacups are waiting to serve tea.

Queen Mother is amazed to see Concubine Seo's beauty. She heard this concubine is beautiful. But she thought it was just the affection of the local people of Yongsan province to their wise ruler's family. She first met Concubine Seo Yun Hee while she became sick from birth control soup. Back then she could not get a proper view of this concubine because of the rosy rashes.

This marriage is mostly based on political issues. The known reason for this marriage is that Emperor Sinjong will provide protection to Yongsan from notorious rogues and will get the ruling power of this independent province. But the unknown reason is Sinjong has another plan depending on the Yongsan area to enforce his naval department. Yongsan is a coastal area, and the people of this province are mostly fishermen. They have known the pros and cons of the rivers and seas since childhood.

It's a distant area so no one in the capital can ever measure these people's value. When they needed help, for the first time Sinjong’s clever ministry group gave him the idea that they could use these people to strengthen their navy. Although Sinjong has one of the largest and strong armies, the navy department is relatively weak. The coastal area is becoming harder to guard day by day. This marriage with the daughter of Yongsan's ruler has made him a popular figure among the people. They will attend the navy for the emperor without any hesitation now. Sometimes emotional ruling wins over a strong harsh order-based ruling. 

Concubine Seo is nothing to them. But the Queen Mother was amazed while her younger son Prince Wang Yeong was continuously praising Concubine Seo. It's acceptable to her as Prince Yeong is now attentive to study. Queen Mother wants to keep him as an important powerful advisor to Emperor Sinjong. Emperor Sinjong's birth name is Wang Ryung, he takes the name 'Sinjong' beside his title while ascending to the throne.

Although Emperor Sinjong and Prince Yeong both are her sons, she remains always afraid. In royal tradition, blood relationships were always considered more threatening than other strong relationships. A prince's life except for the crown prince always hangs on a thread.

A crown prince always remains in the boundary of protection. Even his household protects him from any unnecessary touch. If any prince from another household seems to rise, it's the crown prince's household duty to remove the threatening prince from the way of the crown. A palace is for only one prince of one generation, that's the crown prince. After being king or emperor every prince from high rank to low rank household is sent to a distant palace. It's like they’re exiled from royal life. The suspicion of treason is enough to kill them and bury them under the darkness of night.

Crown Prince Wang Ryung has always been protected in such a way since childhood. After he became emperor, he sent all of his stepbrothers to distant islands. The only prince staying in the palace is Yeong now. Although the emperor is so affectionate to his only younger brother, who can say what will happen in the future. Establishing Prince Yeong as a powerful advisor in the ministry of Sinjong is now the only concern for Queen Mother Gongwon.

"It's nice to hear that you have recovered from your sickness. If you weren't sick, our meeting would be held earlier, Concubine Seo," Queen Mother says with her royal gravity-filled smile.

"Your Highness, it's my luck that I have received such an opportunity to meet you. Thank you for your kindness." Yun Hee says while bowing to the Queen Mother.