Empress Handbook

Chapter Five | The Wedding

Daesu Meori: Hairstyle where a headgear known as daesu is worn. It is reserved for the royal consorts (Empresses and Crown Princesses) for special ceremonies such as weddings and is commonly worn with a lavish decoration known as jeokui.

Gwanbok: The traditional government officials' business attire.

Myeonryu Gwan: Coronet with strings of beads. The number of beads determines the wearer's status (an Emperor will have twelve strings of beads).

Garye: Celebratory rites performed for weddings.

———

"I now pronounce Song Yeoreum to be the Empress Consort of the Empire of Korea."

Following Yunhee's voice, a blinding wave of flashlights dazzles Yeoreum's vision.

Yeoreum bows down and accepts the hefty scroll from Yunhee. The weight of her hwarot and daesu meori hairdo pushes her forward. She feels as if someone is viciously tugging her with invisible ropes.

Yeoreum uses all her strength to fix her posture as seamlessly as possible to ensure that the cameras set on her do not capture anything ungraceful. Every part of the wedding is live-streamed through multiple platforms—the Imperial Family Livestream application, television broadcasting stations, domestic video websites, international video websites, and news outlets. The smallest mistake could turn into a worldwide joke.

Jaehwan is dressed in a lavish sea-blue gwanbok. He delivers a Promise of Respect to Yeoreum, his legs trembling to his dying voice. Yeoreum fixes her eyes on the concrete ground, too embarrassed to even witness the saturation of anxiety on her father's face.

Yeoreum heaves a sigh of relief as Taehyung leads her to the main room. Through the twelve strings of glass beads swaying from Taehyung's myeonryu gwan, Yeoreum spots his gentle smile that could only be seen by her.

Taehyung wraps his arm around Yeoreum for the reporters to capture a good image of them being intimate. Yeoreum's cheeks grow warm, but she lets Taehyung accelerate the pace of her heartbeat.

A mandarin duck swathed in red ribbons is placed on the side of the main room. According to ancient myths, this wooden sculpture can bring good wishes to the union. Yeoreum doesn't know if it's effective, but the thought of having a happy marriage with the man beside her draws a smile to her lips.

Taehyung and Yeoreum bow to the door to deliver their respect for the sky and earth before bowing at Yunhee. After Yunhee nods at them, signifying her approval of the union, they turn to each other to promise the respect they will hold for each other.

After a round of applause, a servant approaches them with a full wooden tray. There were jujubes, longans, peanuts, lotus seeds and two silver cups of alcohol, all significant treats that make up a homophone saying they'll have a precious baby soon.

Taehyung and Yeoreum wrap their arms around each other, each holding a cup of rice wine. They chug the alcohol in one shot and feed each other a slice of jujube.

Yunhee stops to allow the reporters to take some photos before she guides the newly-wed couple into the room next door. The camera staff hastily tags along.

Ms Kim gestures for Taehyung and Yeoreum to kneel on the two cushions in front of a large tray of jujubes and chestnuts.

Yunhee sits down with a smile. "Being a happily married couple doesn't only mean being a pair of happy lovers. You two will also need to be happy friends and happy family members," she says. "With the important duties of Emperor and Empress, you two will also have to be happy work partners. Challenges may come and cause harm but do not fear them. You two should fix the damage together with a sturdier material and steer along the journey."