The Hated Male Concubine

This time, the emperor’s fingertip grazed over the nameplates in front of him one by one.

Truthfully, Yihan wanted to quickly go to Jeongan Palace. It was not to share a bed with Yeonbin. Yihan simply wanted to go to Jeongan Palace and ask Yeonbin about his scheme. He was on the verge of raging because Yeonbin was now trying to rile him up with this kind of tactic.

When Yeonbin acted annoyingly and used violence, Yihan only needed to get angry and ignore him. Then, as he turned his back and forgot him, he wouldn’t think of Yeonbin again.

However, he couldn’t understand why he was so disturbed by the fact Yeonbin walked out on his own. It was strange. It was really a strange thing for him.

After a while, the emperor’s hand flipped a nameplate. It was the nameplate of the concubine that currently was most loved by the emperor, Sukbi of Hyeon Clan. She was the concubine that Yeonbin envied and hated the most.

“Let’s see if you can continue to hide your true nature this way.”

“Your Majesty?”

Hearing the emperor’s sudden monologue, Officer Wi responded, but Yihan only shook his head. Then, he stared at Officer Wi and said,

“Inform Jeongan Palace that I will go to Sukbi’s residence tonight.”

The eunuch that would bring this news to Jeongan Palace most likely had to swallow down enormous insults, but such things didn’t matter in the emperor’s head now.

***

“You already came back?”

Officer Wi asked as he was very surprised that the eunuch he sent to Jeongan Palace had already returned. 

The eunuch, who barely went to Jeongan Palace with forced steps and frightened face, answered yes with a dazed look. Officer Wi then asked again:

“Did you hurriedly come back because Yeonbin was tossing things around?”

“No, sir.”

“Then, did he get angry and tell you to go back to bring me there?”

“No, sir…”

“D-don’t tell me he is coming here?”

Every time the eunuch answered no while shaking his head like a lost man, Officer Wi’s face gradually turned pale and stiff. He felt like Yeonbin would soon kick open the door and come in. He found Yeonbin to be more difficult than the empress, and  Yeonbin was the concubine he wanted to avoid the most.

The position of Gyeongsa-bang’s officer was a position where power was not particularly conspicuous in this palace. However, as it was a position to manage the emperor’s night affair, and even though the officer couldn’t reject the emperor’s choice, it was a position the concubines tried to have a good relationship with.

People’s choices were always influenced by even the smallest thing. Thus, the emperor’s choice could change following what the officer, who was in charge of presenting the nameplates, said and did.

Therefore, even if they were concubines loved by the emperor, they would always treat Officer Wi politely and kindly. However, such things couldn’t be expected from Yeonbin of Jeongan Palace.

If he didn’t like it, he would insult the eunuchs and even the officer of Gyeongsa-bang loudly and without hesitation. On top of that, if such a thing was heard by the emperor which led him to get scolded, he wouldn’t reflect on himself. Instead, he would act more wicked next time. He was a concubine with a very wicked personality; an audacious concubine that made people not be able to work properly.

In this situation where Yeonbin’s nameplate was taken out, Officer Wi was so nervous about when Yeonbin would harass him. But, this time he even had to inform Jeongan Palace that the emperor visited another residence, the residence of Sukbi, who was hated by Yeonbin to boot. Officer Wi really couldn’t know how his future would turn out because of these things.

However, the eunuch, who was still frustratingly at daze even after hearing Officer Wi’s question, shook his head again and answered:

“About that… His Highness Yeonbin only said alright and…”

“He said alright and slapped your face?”

“No, he only said alright, then…”

“He kicked you?”

“That’s also no…”

“Gosh, look at this dull kid! Can’t you just say it clearly now?!”

Officer Wi shouted as he was frustrated with how the eunuch kept cutting his words, as if he forgot how to speak properly. Only then, the young eunuch stared at Officer Wi with a clueless face and said,

“His Highness Yeonbin… was quiet for a moment after hearing that His Majesty went to Her Highness Sukbi’s residence. Then he said alright and… told me I’ve got it hard to walk this far only to tell the news…”

“……What?” 

“He said that I’ve got it hard and told me to go since it was getting dark. Officer Wi, is this perhaps Yeonbin saying he would kill me at night?”