My Ultimate Ambition

She was returning to her duty when she was informed of a visitor. The eventful meeting she had with the southerners was fulfilling and much more gratifying than she thought, their only benefit was more power in government while she had more to gain .

Changing her route to meet the person as there was no time to lose, she stumbled upon Hiroshi ajusshi who looked dashing and well-premed in his palace uniform.

"My lady, he's waiting for you at the royal pharmacy," was his information as he saluted dutifully.

"Who is that?" she inquired about the identity of the man.

"Just a middle-aged man, judging from his uniform he seems to be a politician," he supplied as they nearly arrived.

Politician? South faction?

She quickly recalled the absence of the south faction leader and wondered if he came to find her in the palace. But, what could be so urgent to make him find her in the open?

Her still breath was exhaled as she opened the door, she shook her head at Hiroshi who attempted to go in with her and nodded that he should wait.

Preparing herself well, she walked in to find him.

"My Lord, what could be so important to find me in the palace?" she said softly as the red mould of a man came to her vision. The man slowly dropped the herb he was checking out of boredom to find the owner of the sonorous voice. She bowed low before him to show her respect and create good impression.

"So you are the one?" was his question. A question so ambiguous it could imply anything.

"Yes , I'm the one," she smiled happily as she raised her head, but froze when she saw his face.

In fact, both froze at each others identity.

"So you are really the one?" he growled. This time around, the question was explicit and easy to understand. The voice had a low warning underlaid which was accusing too.

"I wondered which wench charmed the emperor and it turned out to be a tenacious wench I failed to eliminate many a time!"

Myung OK felt her blood running dry, her lips quivered so badly she barely kept them clammed. She took few steps back to put more distance between them but he edged closer towards her.

"You should have run far away when you survived my attacks, you should have hidden yourself at the end of the world and breath like you're not alive!"

She went dead pale immediately. Hot tears rose into her eyes and her lips quivered.

It was really him! Her nightmare, her nemesis and her karma!

She had prepared herself all these years to face him, yet her body was reacting differently.

'What's wrong with me!'

'I have prepared for this day, rehearsed my speech and prepared my expressions, Yet I'm still scared of him. I still look like that little girl who died the moment he whipped me with rod.'

She held the hem of her coat and controlled the fear that surged through her heart. Then, with a false courage, she looked squarely at him. It's been years she last saw him but his face looked almost the same. His face still had evil glint beneath. There were silver strands in his black hairs. He still had the face of a high-born patrician but the troubled shadow in his eyes showed a mind with grief and loss.

"My lord, it's been a while!" She said with a summoned courage.

"You wench!" he said, but paled at her smile.

"Oh yes, this wench has come to take what belongs to her!" She saw him stiffen and smiled.

"My lord, do you wonder why I'm still alive?" she challenged. "It's because I couldn't die in peace while you lived your life happily. "

For the first time he became scared. The little girl he had tortured and wanted dead was back to life, possibly with vengeance. The rage in her eyes was real, her words were loud and clear, and filled with boldness. He remembered his daughter who would be her rival and drowned in fear of her future.

"My lord, I couldn't let my tears run in vain. My blood was spilled unjustly, I lost my friends and the feeling of security. I totally lost what it meant being a child and adolescent. How could I have died in peace?"

She stepped forward with a menacing gaze, "I will never hide from you again. I will take from you as much as you took from me , and you shall live in fear as I have!"

He chuckled suddenly which made him cough a little.

"How can you not hide from me with your fake identity? Myung OK? are you kidding me?"

Myung OK paused a little but didn't say anything further, she had nothing to fear as her family name was not changed. In Shu, people had right to change their first name if they so choose, the only problem is that her grandfather bought her the identity of a missing girl who had same family name with them.

There would be no problem until it is found out. And it shouldn't be found out or Choi sang-min would use it against her.

"I like Myung OK, the girl called Yoona is dead," she said unperturbed. The glint in her eyes were being revived by her boldness but she still feared him, maybe it's an old fear resurfacing by itself.

Hiroshi felt she was taking too long and barged in with his sword drawn. The atmosphere he felt was chilly, hence he went in front to protect her.

"My lady, I shall be escorting you out now," he said, hands on his sword, eyes trained on Choi sang-min and his senses searching for any hidden danger.

Myung OK was grateful for his timely intervention, she never felt more relieved in her entire life than that moment.

He didn't try to stop them, neither did he say anything but the moment the door was closed , his trembling hands clenched together into a fist.

"Witch!" he slammed the fist on the herb shelf.

Regaining his composure, he went out and to his daughter's palace.

"Your highness, this is no time for tea," he said to her when she ordered the servants for it.

"Your coronation might not happen!" he dropped the news which scared her senseless.

"Father, what's the meaning of that, are you jinxing me?" her shrill voice shrieked.

"Of course not, I only meant to say maybe we should forget the empress' seat for now!"

Seo-yun banged her fists on the table, her pretty face almost turned red.

"What are you blabbering right now!"

"Your highness, calm down and listen to me. Our main priority is to get a son, give birth to a crown prince and the seat will belong to you naturally."

She stood up angrily and shrieked at her father. "Give birth to a crown prince as a concubine? My crown prince will only be born to an empress not a concubine! My son will have the purest lineage and shall have no stigma of being addressed as the son of a concubine!"

Choi sang-min wanted to slap her for being stupid. Judging from Daejong's character he would make the wench his empress and his military is too strong to plan for a coup. The only way to secure the seat is to give birth to his first-born prince and all other things will fall in place. How could his foolish daughter not understand the simple logic?

"You are up against a very strong opponent," he helplessly said.

"I have no opponent!" she boasted."If you are talking about the courtmaid who he's flinging with, then don't bother yourself. She's just a plaything which he will overgrow with time."

He decided not to dampen her spirit by telling her Daejong's woman is none other than his first love, the exact one he has been trying to eliminate. He knew he wasn't aware he's made several attempts on her life as his own life was still intact, but will know soon if he continues.

"Never you underestimate anyone, Seo-yun," he finally said and stood to leave.

Hearing him mention her name for the first time since her title in the palace, she was tempted to tell her father the real reason she wants the crown. Daejong is not in love with her and will never copulate with her so there was no hope of getting a prince soon.

The only method that might bring them close and present an opportunity to her is if she's his empress.

Choi sang-min hurriedly left, hovering over the palace will do him no good , he needs to organize his thoughts and plan well.