Rise of an Empress

The Chinese Princess

The palace guards escort Concubine Seo to Queen Mother Gongwon's hall room. Concubine Seo enters and bows to show respect. The queen mother signals her to sit down.

"How is your health, Concubine Seo? I asked a royal physician to take care of you on my behalf."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I am completely okay now," Concubine Seo tries to hide her sigh. There's a rumor in every corner of the palace that the Queen Mother and emperor Sinjong fought for his unnecessary attention to low-rank Concubine Seo.

"The court lady who poisoned you was from notorious rogues around Yongsan. They wanted to take revenge on the Seo family's decision to seek help from the royal family. The court lady committed suicide by falling from a cliff while getting chased by palace guards. The emperor is going to be more strict regarding rules on rogues. You will get justice. Just keep yourself always prepared to serve the emperor."

Concubine Seo doesn't want justice or to punish anyone. She only wants her baby back. But that's not possible. She just nods while trying to hold her sobs.

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"Concubine Seo, are you feeling well now? I wanted to meet you soon...but.." Prince Yeong says with concern while meeting her in the east wing.

(Flashback starts)

Concubine Seo's news was kept hidden inside the palace, even Yeong didn't know until he found out the emperor was not attending the royal assembly for 2 days. Then the news was revealed to him. When he went to the concubines' palace, he found Sinjong holding unconscious Yun Hee's hand. Yeong discovered something different that he had never seen before in his brother. His brother was broken.

"Hyung?"

"I couldn't save our baby. I don't know what I will say to her. I sent the maid back when she sought help from me to save them. What if her sleep never breaks? I can never forgive myself."

"Nothing will happen to her, Ryung Hyung." Yeong tried to console his brother.

(Flashback ends) 

"I am well, Prince Yeong. Thank you for visiting me with the Chinese Princess," Concubine Seo tries to smile. Prince Yeong knew this was her usual smile.

_________________________

"You like Concubine Seo," Princess Wei Ling says to Prince Yeong who is preparing to sleep.

"Concubine Seo is such a kind person that none can hate her," Yeong replies.

"Oh really? That's why someone poisoned her."

"That's revenge from the enemy of the Seo family. Not from someone who hates her."

"I think her fellow concubines have poisoned her. That's so common in the palace. Among others, concubine Seo is of low rank but was pregnant. That's why maybe."

"Why will others poison her? Concubine Park even shares a friendly relationship with her like a best friend. She cried a lot when Concubine Seo was sick. And sister-in-law Myeonhye can't even hurt a fly."

"Then the emperor's spy has poisoned her."

"Are you mad? Why will Ryung Hyung poison her? He was broken after losing the baby. Even he has a fight with Mother about it. As it was the Queen Mother’s palace's responsibility to protect the baby."

"But it's a bit different. I was in the Queen Mother's palace today when the royal investigators came. There was something like the eyewash of others. The Queen Mother’s palace isn't interested in digging more about it. Just the court lady's suicide can't be the end of it, right? Behind the court lady, there must be someone. The Queen Mother was annoyed when investigators were giving reports. She just passed it off," Wei Ling says. She is thinking so deeply.

"Don't say anything when you don't know. Do you know notorious rogues around here? They are so huge, they are enemies of Goryeo. And stop talking gibberish. This type of talking is enough to slit your throat before you see the next morning."

"Yes, that's possible if I have to sleep with a snake every day who will not let me talk freely even with a closed door," Wei Ling pouts.

"You have such a small brain, Chinese Princess," Yeong feels annoyed to Wei Ling who has started to give him a headache since the first day of marriage by talking and talking non-stop.

"And you don't have a brain, Goryeo Prince."

"Will you stop now and let me sleep?" Yeong lays in bed.

"You love concubine Seo. That's why the emperor poisoned her."

"Yah! What's wrong with you?" Yeong throws a pillow at Wei Ling.

"Nothing... Just telling the truth before having beauty sleep. We are now close people to each other. You can talk about yourself too."

Yeong throws another pillow towards her, being annoyed.

She catches the pillow this time.

"That's why your brother has sent you out of China," Yeong covers his ears with his palms.

"Did you and Concubine Seo do anything with each other?" Wei Ling doesn't lose her patience.

"Did what?" Yeong behaves like he can't understand. Has he married a talking witch? How does she talk so straightly and logically? How did she catch his love for Concubine Seo in just one day? Yeong wished he could do that with someone like Concubine Seo reading those books on sexual knowledge.

"What couples do," Wei Ling says with curiosity.

"Concubine Seo and I are not a couple. You and I are a couple. What did we do?"

"You are not fun," Wei Ling loses her curiosity and lays in bed.

"You are full of fun," Yeong rolls his eyes.

"Do you have any sexual experience?" Prince Yeong asks, suddenly making Wei Ling shocked.

"Mentally or physically?" her answer makes Yeong more shocked.

"Physically? " 

"Hmm...You?..."

"The same answer," Yeong lays down while blushing.

"Mentally too?" Wei Ling asks again after a few times of silence.

"What do you mean by mentally?" Yeong asks with confusion.

"You didn't do anything even in your imagination?"

"I imagined sometimes," Yeong feels like he is also going to be like this lady beside him. He has started telling the truth.

"With whom? Concubine Seo?" Wei Ling feels a bit upset.

"No, but someone like her," Yeong replies timidly.

Wei Ling remains completely silent. Then he asks, "What about you?"

"No."

"With whom you did?" Yeong feels jealous suddenly.

"You...," Wei Ling pulls a pillow overhead.

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