The Gentle Couple

Poisoned

Sooya locked herself in her chamber for a day.

Sooya felt it was cruel of Taehyung to punish her to stay in her chamber for a month. She needed to get him to change his decision.

The night sky darkened, Sooya picked up a lantern and stepped to the vanity table.

Sooya pulled the drawer of the vanity table and took out a small chest. Inside it was one white bottle and one blue bottle. She picked up the blue bottle and she was tempted to use it. But she put the blue bottle down, picked up the white bottle and hid the chest inside the drawer.

Taehyung was reading letters he received from his elders and army comrades in Southern Jiang in the calligraphy room. He laughed while reading the list of reasons they wanted him to return to Southern Jiang. They complained the general made everyone eat vegetarian food and didn't allow them to watch performances. Suddenly he heard a loud sob outside the door.

'Let me in,' Sooya said. 'I want to see ninth prince.'

Taehyung frowned. He hid the letters and stepped toward the door. But before he reached the door, Sooya barged into the room.

The night cooled but Sooya wore a thin white dress and thick makeup. Taehyung was angry on the inside, Sooya was supposed to reflect on her bad behaviour in her chamber. Why did she leave her chamber and came running to the calligraphy room? What a troublesome person!

Sooya put a tray of food on a table, knelt in front of Taehyung, held onto his leg and she sobbed loudly. 'Ninth prince, I know I was wrong. Ninth prince, forgive me. I don't dare to commit another wrong. I promise in the future I'll serve you and your wife well.'

Taehyung's heart remembered YN, it tempted him to follow YN's lead and kick. But he was supposed to be gentle ninth prince. He pulled his leg free and stood away from Sooya.

'Stand up and speak,' Taehyung said.

'No, if ninth prince won't forgive me then I won't stand,' Sooya said and looked pitifully at Taehyung.

Sooya refused to stand up and Taehyung spoke in a colder tone. 'Sooya, don't forget your status!'

'Status?' Sooya asked. 'Ninth prince, what is my status? When court official Huang Guo gave me to you, did you forget what he said to you? In the past I wanted to serve you but you always refused. You said I was too young then you said you were heartbroken over Lady rose. Later you said you were busy with duties to let me serve you. But now I'm eighteen years old and you have a wife. Other people think that I'm your woman, but that's not the truth. Ninth prince, what is my status?'

Taehyung didn't want to see Sooya's pitiful face and turned around. He knew he needed to act merciful but in that moment it was hard for him to act merciful. He could only turn around to not show Sooya how much she repulsed him.

Taehyung's silence made Sooya panicked. She thought for a day to think carefully of what to say to him. She remembered he was always gentle. She thought he would pity her, hug her and comfort her like a precious jewel. In the past he wasn't close to women. Since he had a wife, she thought he wanted to eat her but felt he couldn't. But she didn't expect him to react coldly. She didn't know what she did wrong.

Sooya's plan to act pitiful didn't work so she quickly changed tactics.

Sooya stood, picked up a bowl of soup and passed it to Taehyung. 'Even though ninth prince never glanced at me once, I don't resent you. I'm happy to be beside you. Forgive me for my behaviour before. I couldn't control myself. My heart was scared thinking about a month of not serving you... I made you a bowl of soup that you love most. If you drink it, it means you forgive me. Then I'll obediently think about my behaviour and I won't misbehave again.'