.fifty three.
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"I was just wondering if that baby really is yours, or is it Jung's?"
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Eun's hand balled up into a fist and he was tempted to reply with sharp words how he didn't want them anywhere near him, his wife, or his child. But he knew Minji would disapprove, as she had asked him to behave at the party. He also knew that with the way they all seemed to dislike the general's daughter now, they would probably blame her for his changed attitude. But he had only changed because he saw the way they mistreated her and he wanted them to stop. He hated seeing his wife mistreated. It was why he hadn't visited the palace since he got married to her.
It took him a minute before he spoke, but when he did, he first sucked in a deep breath. "We were going to announce it at the party." He lowered his head and his eyes, keeping his voice steady, but Minji could feel that he was brooding. He was fighting so hard not to reply with some remark that the king would definitely dislike. His eyes darkened in annoyance and even resentment. His father had never worried about him before. His most loved son had always been Mu, and from there he hardly paid attention to the others. Eun just wanted him to go back to that--to ignoring him like he had done his whole life. Why was he suddenly so interested in Eun and his married life? He forced a smile onto his lips as he lifted his head to look at the king. "You beat us to the announcement, your majesty." He lied as convincingly as he could.
The king smiled warmly at him, yet a part of him knew it was all lies. He knew about the two making the announcement to their other family, and no one from the palace was invited. But he wouldn't press it any further. "Well, congratulations my dear son. To you and your wife."
Minji was disgusted by the amount of hypocrisy and lies at the palace. Eun had lied to protect them, that much she knew, because she felt the same. But the King definitely didn't feel happy for them. The hypocrisies continued as Yo spoke up, raising his glass of alcohol.
"I think this calls for a toast." The third prince said with the fakest smile. "To our beloved little brother Eun, and his lovely wife. I just wish Han and Soon Deok could be here too, to congratulate you as well." Minji was surprised that he said Han and Soon Deok hadn't attended. Han was on good terms with most of his brothers, although he didn't talk to Yo or Won for the most part. She assumed that if they hadn't gone to the party, it was in solidarity to her and Eun. Perhaps he thought the two would not be attending either.
The others agreed and everyone raised their glasses. Eun did so reluctantly, rolling his eyes at the fact that they all pretended like they were a big and happy family.
Just as the first prince was going to take his drink, he stopped short and announced that he would rather have tea instead. Everyone paused in their celebration and had one of the maids bring the crown prince tea. When they did, it was Hajin who brought it out to him. And just as she had filled his cup, So stood up, and went to his brother's side. "I would also like to make a toast to my brother." And he took the cup from him.
Everyone watched in surprise as he brought the cup to his lips and dropped it, the cup shattering into a thousand pieces. Hajin quickly reassured him that she would clean it up and served him another cup.
So drank as everyone had their own drinks in honor of the young couple and the crown prince. So had decided to drink three cups in his honor and quickly excused himself, leaving the room. Yeon Hwa's eyes widened in surprise that he had done such a thing and asked for some tea in order to drink to Eun and Minji's honor. But when she did, she didn't drink the tea and instead bit the insides of her cheeks to produce blood. She pretended to feel faint and her brother Wook rushed to her side.
