Unmasking Souls

The Evil Prince Asks For You

Warning: mild angst

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Curiosity was the kind of thirst that must be immediately satiated.

After coming home from the lake, Min Ho sent Jo Yeong to gather information about Kim Go Eun. The man came back shortly after sunset and briefed his master about the girl. Kim Go Eun seemed to be an exemplary girl and daughter. She's taught to read by her own father and was urged to have keen interest in reading. She grew up to be very well-educated. Her form of speech was very intellectual and rich due to reading poetries for years. She even could write it too. She read Confucius since she was twelve, learned calligraphy from one of the best teachers in the city, and had been reading all the books and scriptures her younger brother got from the Sungkyunkwan university.

Her flaw was that she was a stubborn girl. Once, her purse was stolen at the market and though her maid already chased the culprit, she followed behind, and ended up lecturing the man afterwards, yet refused to press any charges. It caused much distress for her parents, but she said why couldn't she defend her own possession? Her mother then punished Lady Go Eun's maid named Sung Kyung, who was considered unable to protect her from harm by slapping her.

Lady Go Eun was so shocked that she fell ill of fever and was seen trying to kneel down to her maid to apologize, to the horror of several maids who witnessed. She also refused to eat anything until her mother promised her that "such inhuman violence will never happen again in their household."

Lady Go Eun also enjoyed learning music and had great interest in playing gayageum and singing.

The Kim family was good friends with The Park family. Park Dong Ho was the current teacher for the royal family and his son, Park Jin Young, had been betrothed to Lady Go Eun by their parents since they were infants.

That was all the information Jo Yeong could find in the span of such a short time and he had to wait for some time until his master spoke again.

When Prince Min Ho moved, he took his pen, dipped it in ink, and swiftly wrote a note.

"Run to my brother and give this to him. Tell him I need an immediate answer."

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Jo Yeong had the skill to enter highly-guarded places safely and quickly. The emperor was not surprised at all to see him in his study as it was their habit of communication for many years. He gave the note to Jung Jae and expressed the need of an immediate answer.

Jung Jae froze for a moment after he read the hastily written note, before he wrote an answer, doubtless and definite.

"Here. Tell my brother I am looking forward to hear about the matter personally, whenever he set the date of his next visit."

Jo Yeong bowed low before disappearing again into the night and arrived back in his master's palace.

Reading the answer, Min Ho smiled a triumphant smile.

"Take a short rest, Yeong-ah. After that I need you to find several things which must be ready at sunrise."

"I need no rest, Dae Goon"

Min Ho raised his eyebrows in amusement. He seemed to be in a good mood.

His bodyguard's serious expression assured him, so he continued to recite the five things he needed.

After Jo Yeong left for the second time that night, Min Ho reread the written paper in his hand.

Hyeong, as the payment of my loyalty to you, can I make whomever I choose as my wife without the intervention of anyone from the imperial palace?