The Hated Male Concubine

Faced with a rebellion—a situation where he would become the emperor if he succeeded, and if he failed, everyone would die—Yihan called Jaran and spoke in a kind and firm voice. 

“You said you wanted to be an empress of a nation, not my wife. I’ve never shown it, but I really admire you.” 

“Your Highness… Why are you telling me this right before something important happens?” 

“Jaran. You are a strong person. People said a woman’s purity is more important than her life, that a woman has to be dependent and obedient to her husband, and has to share all the joys and sorrows with her husband. You are someone who doesn’t get swayed by those public’s opinions.”

“…” 

“After I leave this place, go to the detached palace. I have prepared other people to escort you, so you can trust them and leave.” 

Yihan on that day was like a person who had prepared for it for a very long time. Like a person who believed that Jaran would accept his offer, unlike an ordinary woman who would never have accepted it.

Ignoring Jaran who gave no answer, Yihan continued on.

“I’ve already sent some guards to the palace as well, so if anyone breaks in there, they will buy you enough time to run away.” 

“Your Highness.”

“So if… If I fail, follow the guards who escort you and run away from the palace.” 

His words made no sense. It was unacceptable for a person who is the crown prince’s wife and would be the future empress to run away alone while her husband walked into a place where he might become a dead body. No, such a thing shouldn’t happen even if she were not a member of the imperial family or just a wife of a commoner. It should never happen. An ordinary woman could have been angry because Yihan’s words were rather insulting to her. 

But Jaran listened to him, and Yihan continued. 

“I have prepared enough money for you to live wherever you go. Although you won’t be able to live holding authority, it’s a much better life for you than being tied to your husband’s life and dying when you do nothing wrong.” 

Yihan said with a smile. Although there was no affection for each other as a man and a woman, they got to know each other and understood each other deeply throughout the years together. Jaran noticed that Yihan’s gaze, sitting there and looking at her, contained feelings for his dear friend, not just a woman. 

If she could fight with a sword, she would have fought. If she could help Yihan a little by taking a risk of jumping into the battle, Jaran would have gone forward without hesitation. Unfortunately, however, this didn’t apply to this battle. Yihan’s life and death had absolutely nothing to do with any action Jaran chose, and the outcome of Yihan’s fate would be determined at the decisive moment whether the rebellion succeeded or failed.

Therefore, even if Jaran said that she would keep her loyalty, all she could do was to wait calmly and die in vain. Jaran didn’t want to die so meaninglessly. 

“Your Highness. I will live.” 

Jaran replied. She didn’t feel guilty about saying that word. 

“I’m going to run away and live.” 

Jaran would not sit still and die in vain. Even if she would die when the moment came, she wanted to die because of the fight she chose. Jaran was going to run away and plan for the future as soon as Yihan’s rebellion failed. She would hide herself and wait for the moment to punish the traitors who dared to take away her empress position and bring her husband to death. 

Even if that moment wouldn’t come. Even if the moment of revenge never came. Jaran would still fight for her life and be the one who would survive to the end.

“And if possible, I’ll take your revenge.” 

Despite the fact that someone might point a finger at her for being brazen and selfish as a wife.

Despite the fact that she could get ridiculed, getting questioned of what kind of plan a mere woman could make.

Jaran said that.

“… I’d rather be relieved if you became the emperor.”

Hearing what Jaran had said, Yihan smiled and said something that no woman in the world would have heard. 

On that day, Yihan and Jaran parted without a special greeting. There were no words of affectionate farewell or even words of encouragement. Yihan turned around with a smile as if he was going out for a short walk, and Jaran headed to the detached palace that Yihan had prepared in advance without looking back. 

And Jaran thought while she was waiting for the news to come to the palace until the night was over. 

Even if she won’t die. Even if she won’t do anything stupid to follow her dead husband to death. If this day ends safely. If Yihan returns safely, rises to the throne, and she becomes the empress.

If so, she will support the emperor as a benevolent empress for the rest of her life, and lead the people.

And, for him who respected her life, which the world sees as a mere woman. For him who acknowledged Jaran as a person, not a woman of a man. She will protect the life of that one person, Sung Yihan as himself, not the emperor.

It was a story of Jaran that even the emperor did not know. 

***

“Did you see His Majesty’s face?”

Even after the emperor returned after a luncheon at the Empress Palace, Jaran sat there for a long time and was lost in thought. Seon, who was standing next to her, heard Jaran’s question, but she didn’t dare to open her mouth and answer because of Jaran’s atmosphere. Jaran continued. 

“Not to mention his dark complexion, why did he look so sad?”

Jaran’s finger tapped on the table. 

Jaran had already heard the news that the emperor recently stopped visiting Jeongan Palace. The emperor, who was so excited as he kept visiting Jeongan Palace every day and made Jaran wonder if he was the emperor she knew, looked sad so clearly as soon as he couldn’t see Yeonbin. She couldn’t pretend to not know even if she wanted to.

She thought the emperor hadn’t realized the problem even though the situation had come this far.

“No. No. Maybe he already knows it.” 

Jaran, who was getting deeper into her thoughts, muttered to herself. The childhood days of the emperor, who grew up without learning about emotions properly in the arms of his unstable mother, the empress dowager who was hungry for her emperor’s love, passed by like the wind. 

“It’s just… he may be afraid to admit it…”

The world doesn’t turn upside down just because the emperor loves a concubine. Even if Yihan cared too much about Yeon Hwawoon and built him a new palace, there was no way that Jaran would be unhappy. The Yeon family was faithful to the emperor. It was rude to compare them to the previous emperor’s noble concubine, who was a great sinner. If Jaran gave birth to a successor, Yeon Juwon would be the one to take the lead and put that child in the crown prince’s position. 

Then what about Jaran? She was not a woman who longed for the emperor’s affection, nor was she a fragile empress who would collapse just because one concubine was supported with the emperor’s love.

So, there is no need for you to be afraid like now, Your Majesty.

Feeling sorry for the man’s feeling that had never sprouted properly in his life, Jaran sat there for a long time and was lost in thought. 

***

“It-it’s an honor to serve you, Your Highness Yeonbin. From now on… From, from now on I will devote my life to… to serve you…!”

Hwawoon looked at the eunuch, who bowed his head and trembled while he stuttered as he greeted him. He sighed without realizing it. Seeing not only his voice but also his hands and arms shaking on the floor, he seemed to have a great fear of ‘Yeonbin’. Hwawoon spoke in a very soft voice in case he was a person who might have been tormented by Yeonbin.

“Did you say your name is Sojeong?” 

“Yes…! Yes, Your Highness.” 

“Have you ever met me before?”

“No, no, Your Highness. I’ve seen you in a palanquin from… from far away, but this is the first time, the first time I’ve met you like this.” 

Looking at the eunuch who curled up more as if he felt more scared when Hwawoon asked a question, Ahjin couldn’t bear to watch it and opened her mouth, frowning.

“Then why are you shaking so much? Are you afraid that His Highness will do something to you? What on earth are you thinking of our master?”

“Ahjin.” 

“Your Highness. The Department of Internal Affairs said that they sent the smartest person, but he dares to act like he’s seeing a ghost when he sees you.” 

It had been a long time since her master changed, and the fact that he saved Sukbi had already spread all over the palace, so Ahjin didn’t like him who still looked at her master like a yaksha. She questioned how could such a tactless and timid eunuch work as the head eunuch of Jeongan Palace? Ahjin was already uneasy because the emperor did not come to Jeongan Palace, but the new person was acting so poorly, so she couldn’t help but feel angry.