Rise of an Empress

The Royal Offerings

Concubine Seo is walking in the royal garden barefooted. For a few days she has not been feeling so well, especially in the morning she throws up everything that she eats at night. She always feels constant dizziness. Fortunately, she doesn't have to attend the royal palace to get taught with Prince Yeong for a few days.

Currently, the Chinese Emperor is staying in Goryeo to improve the friendly relationship between the two empires. Prince Yeong is now working with other royal advisors in royal administration to make this visit of the Chinese emperor successful. Queen Mother Gongwon thinks it's an opportunity for him to learn how foreign affairs work. So, Concubine Seo is completely free for a few days.

She is walking while touching leaves and flowers with her fingertips. She is so deep in her thoughts that she isn’t aware of her surroundings. Suddenly while getting turned in another row of the garden, she bumps into a stranger. She gets startled by this sudden incident. She was about to leave, bypassing the stranger, but the stranger's voice stopped her, "Are you from the palace?"

"Yes," Concubine Seo replies shortly. She looks at the new stranger. His dress is indicating he is someone from a higher rank, maybe a royal administrator.

"Royal palace? Are you a royal princess?" The stranger asks again.

"No, I am from the concubines' palace... I am a concubine of the Emperor."

Yun Hee can't understand how to approach this new stranger. Suddenly her fingertip touched a rose thorn when he was touching the leaves of the tree while talking with the stranger.

"Ouch!" she notices a drop of blood on her fingertip. Making her shocked, the stranger touches her hand. But she steps back and says, "I should leave now." 

Saying this, Concubine Seo quickly leaves the garden to the concubines' palace. The stranger keeps standing in that place in sudden surprise. He mumbles to himself, "She is so beautiful!"

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Tonight is the festival night which has been arranged in honor of the Chinese Emperor. All royal family members including the royal Concubines are attending this ceremony. Concubine Seo is sitting in a dimly lit corner, she can't understand what her role should be in this ceremony. Maybe just attending is her duty, nothing else. 

While she was just thinking about what to do, suddenly a stranger offered her drinks. She gets shocked at this, this is the stranger she met in the morning today.

And the stranger is now in a royal blue dress with the symbol of two fire dragons on his royal cloak with the metal belt with precious stones and the crown on his head. Everything is indicating he is an emperor.

Yes, he is the Chinese Emperor Zhu Qizhen!

Concubine Seo is so shocked but she somehow maintains to say while bowing, "Your Imperial Majesty!"

"Would like to take a drink with me, Concubine Seo."

She takes the glass from the Chinese Emperor Zhu's hand and says, "Thank you for your humble generosity."

Qizhen smiles. The more he looks at this foreign concubine, the more attracted he is to her. How can someone be such a beauty with a naturally curvy figure be both innocent and attractive at the same time, without even trying? The beautiful eyes with long eyelashes, the little mole over her very pink lips having a silky texture, and the porcelain skin, everything about her is so perfect!

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At the end of the festival, Goryeo Emperor Sinjong and Chinese Emperor Zhu Qizhen sit face to face while drinking Goryeo's most expensive wine. This is the night they will fix what to offer each other to maintain a strong, friendly alliance with each other.