Jade Hope (Seulrene Historical au)

Nothing else to lose

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If you have nothing else to lose, will you even have something left to give?

CHAPTER 7:

Nothing else to lose

PREVIOUSLY: "You will act as you have these past three days, pretend that the Crown Prince is sick, and not let anybody enter this chamber. Do you understand?" The Head Eunuch finally let go of the younger Eunuch, he would help conceal the missing presence of the Crown Prince.

"Yes, Head Eunuch,"

Satisfied with Eunuch Cha's response, Head Eunuch Nam turned, fixing his robes to appear composed, moving to go from the empty chambers of the Crown Prince and leave to go to his King.

The dull walls of the Royal Palace suddenly came to life as King Seunji announced a Royal Banquet. Court officials, nobles, and servants alike were taken aback with the sudden announcement of the reigning monarch, even more so that a Banquet would be held right this evening and another one in the morning; a dinner and lunch banquet.

This gave little time for the servants of the palace to prepare the grand hall and their kitchens. The messengers of the empire were also scrambling to deliver the news to all invited nobles, to ensure that the nobles and court officials would arrive on time at the capital as to not disappoint the King.

The guards were being spread thin across the grounds of the palace to ensure the safety and order, readying themselves to receive numerous aristocrats and control the commoners, who upon learning of the royal banquet had become festive, eager to know the reason as to why the King is holding what essentially is a party. Will the King announce a new wife? or maybe a prince's engagement? will he appoint a new minister?

Many thoughts ran through the minds of the subjects of the King. All asking themselves why there would be a banquet this sudden, what is the reason?

However, all of their suspicions and assumptions are wrong, for there was only one reason why the King had suddenly announced a banquet, calling all prominent nobles to attendance, which was to hide the absence of the Crown Prince.

Right after Head Eunuch Nam had learned of the disappearance of Seulki, the Head Eunuch ran to inform his King. Also, to decide on the best course of action, because a missing Crown Prince is not a small matter, add in the fact that said Crown Prince was actually a princess, well it's a disaster waiting to unfold should they be unable to contain the situation.

Fortunately for Head Eunuch Nam, the King hadn't thrown a tantrum upon learning that her daughter disguised son had gone out of the palace and seemed to still be sober from his vices. With an opportunity to actually talk to a mentally present Seunji, both servant and monarch had agreed that having a banquet would be the best way to ensure that no other court official or noble would see Seulki. They thought that since they did not know Seulki's whereabouts or who the Crown Prince was with, that occupying the nobles and court officials of the land would remove any risk of them identifying the monarch should Kim Jungsuh and Seulki happen to be seen by people who knew them as the Crown Prince and Court Maid.

Holding a banquet would also remove the court officials and other monarchs' attention on the 'sick' Crown Prince towards the King. A perfect distraction to ensure that Seulki's absence would remain unnoticed.

Deciding that two banquets would suffice to busy the people—it would also serve to buy Head Eunuch Nam more time to search for the Crown Prince should Jungsuh and Seulki not return as promised this noon.