The Hated Male Concubine

“Did you say you’re heading to Jeongan Palace, Your Majesty?”

“Yeah. I’ll stop by there before lunchtime.”

“But Your Majesty…”

Seon opened her mouth with a face full of hesitation, which was not like the usual herself who rarely objected to the empress’s order. The empress, Jaran, quietly stared at Seon and smiled.

“What is it?”

“That… Your Majesty, it’s not the first time Yeonbin has been making a fuss about being sick, so is there any reason for you to go?”

“Erm…”

“It must be a trick to bait His Majesty, so will he welcome you if you go there?”

Seon’s voice was still full of deep distrust toward Yeonbin.

If she was asked if there was any court lady directly serving the concubines that didn’t have bad feelings toward Yeonbin, Seon was confident that no one in any palace would be displeased with Yeonbin as much as she was. 

What is an empress? The empress was the mother of all people, the only emperor’s proud wife, and the head of the internal court. She was a noble person who should not have been disrespected even by the son of a meritorious person.

So, how was Yeonbin’s attitude to the empress? Far from treating the empress with respect and dignity, he did not know his place and dared to go against her; he betrayed the tolerance and mercy the empress showed him. His ego pierced up to the sky.

The Empress seemed to see him differently due to the changes Yeonbin had shown in recent days, but Seon still thought he could not be trusted. 

“Then, isn’t this a good thing?”

Seon, who tried to dissuade the empress once more because no matter how much she thought about it, she didn’t want the Empress to go to Jeongan Palace herself, was blocked by the Empress’ words that flowed a little earlier. As Seon asked back, confused by the unreadable meaning, “pardon?”, the Empress continued, raising her body in an elegant manner as usual.

“Since I can check how Yeonbin will treat me, the unwelcome guest.”

Seon, who was looking at the eyes of the empress, which were distant like a waterway whose depth was completely unknown, soon bent down.

Those who did not know used to say that Jaran was too soft for an empress. She was quiet and honest, so she was lucky to be in charge of the internal court at a time of peace. If it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have been able to spread her influence because she lost to the favored concubines. However, it could only be said by those who didn’t know, and everyone in the internal court, who faced the empress up close, knew how frightening Jaran really was.

If Yihan was like the sun, Jaran was like a vast ocean. The sea was originally vast and deep even when there was no storm, and just like how it was always a scary and difficult object for all sailors, Jaran was also someone, whom people had no choice but to bow down in awe even if she was calm at the moment.

“Prepare herbs that are good for recovery. I’ll bring it in person to Jeongan Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

What does the Empress have in mind about Yeonbin now? Seon, who could not fully estimate it due to her humble nature, only answered with her head down.

***

It was a time when he deeply realized what it felt like when the time had stopped forever. As he was an emperor, he knew that there was nothing he could put before the nation, but even while discussing important political situations with his ministers, vain thoughts flowed in through a very small gap.

When he took a breath for a moment. When he closed his eyes deeply because he was tired. When the wind blew and he suddenly looked out of the window. When those happened.

At those times, Yihan thought about Hwawoon. Yeon Hwawoon, who had shown a different side since he survived from the brink of death. Yeon Hwawoon, who treated his subordinates with a gentle expression, calmly endured everyone’s rejection and returned the emperor’s contempt with kind concern.

Also, Yeon Hwawoon who was sick at this time. Yihan kept being reminded about Yeon Hwawoon. 

The unrivaled Sung Yihan had another thought while doing the morning assembly? Everyone who knew Yihan wouldn’t believe it.

“Is there no other news from Jeongan Palace?”

“There’s no other news coming, Your Majesty.”

“… Let’s go.”

The emperor’s steps leaving Cheonggeon Hall were in a rush. In fact, Yihan wanted to run to Jeongan Palace. He rather felt like riding a horse. He was restless because the time to get on the already prepared palanquin was frustrating.

“Hurry up!”

Eunuch Oh, who recognized the emperor’s mind, raised his voice so much, but since many people were carrying the palanquin on their shoulders, they couldn’t go as fast as running. Yihan nervously bit his lips and grabbed the armrest several times to soothe his desire to jump right away.

It didn’t even occur to him that it was a strange feeling. Even though he knew that he couldn’t understand this feeling and action because he had never experienced it before, he was busy thinking about Yeon Hwawoon, who was sick, so he had no chance to argue about it.

He felt like he had to check Yeonbin’s bluff with his own eyes right away. He thought he could be relieved only when he saw with his eyes that he had made a trick to bait the emperor by collapsing for something trivial.

Then suddenly, Yihan realized that he was hoping that this commotion from Yeon Hwawoon better be a bluff as before. He got chills on his spine. Yeon Hwawoon’s act of making up for the pain by taking medicine to lead Yihan to Jeongan Palace was one of the acts Yihan most despised. How many times did he turn around and get angry at Hwawoon for that?

But now, rather than him being sick for real, he hoped he was lying to him like in the past. 

Without any warning or sound, Yihan’s world was turning upside down. It was a very quiet disaster. 

***

The Empress, Jaran, was sitting on Hwawoon’s bed and staring at the still unconscious Hwawoon. Tears were gathering around Hwawoon’s eyes, as though he was sick or perhaps having a bad dream while he was fainted.

“What makes you so sad…” 

Jaran’s voice was low and heavy, and the emotion behind it couldn’t be easily known. She seemed to be nonchalant, but also sympathetic to Hwawoon, and seemed curious and wary at the same time.

Hwawoon, who was lying with a pale face, looked like the weakest person in the world and seemed to be able to evoke a desire to protect from anyone. Jaran was thinking that was the power held by Hwawoon’s fragility.

Their emperor was a soft-hearted man. He was a strong man to the strong, but infinitely weak to the weak, and despite being the noblest in the world from the moment he was born, he knew how to look after the lowest place in the world.

She came to think of this now. If only Yeonbin of the past had been a little clever in front of the emperor and naturally showed him his inherent weakness. Even if it wasn’t love, the emperor might have at least not kept him afar and completely cut him off.

Therefore, Jaran was looking at Yeon Hwawoon now. She was wondering if Yeonbin realized what she had known a long time ago. She wondered if he was lying down and crying with such a pallid face was all planned. 

“…”

Tears gathered around Hwawoon’s eyes and then flowed down his cheeks. Jaran, who was looking down at his pitiful appearance, soon slowly took her hand to Hwawoon’s cheek. 

Whether he truly meant to change or not. Fake or not. Either way, Hwawoon had now changed, and the Emperor looked at the changing Yeon Hwawoon. She wondered how would the emperor, who was no different from a young boy in regard to the feelings of love, accept such a fragile, one-sided, and reckless romantic emotion. How would he understand it? How would he handle it?

Also, she wondered what she could gain through him. 

Jaran’s finger wiped Yeonbin’s tears that slowly flowed down. Yeonbin’s skin felt cold and soft. When Jaran slowly touched where the tear she wiped once again,

“… Empress.”

A voice rang behind her back. It was Yihan, their emperor. 

***

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Get up.” 

When the Emperor entered inside, the Empress immediately left Hwawoon’s bed, kneeled down, and greeted him. The Empress’s voice was low and careful, as though she worried Hwawoon would wake up. The Emperor’s gaze soon moved behind the Empress to Hwawoon, who was still closing his eyes. 

Lying down with a pale complexion while being covered in a blanket, Hwawoon looked like a person who was not even breathing.

“You’ve worked hard since the morning.”

“It’s nothing, Your Majesty. It’s natural for me to take care of the concubines as the empress.” 

Responding, the empress saw the emperor’s gaze slowly moving from Hwawoon to her fingertips. It was her hand that was sweeping Hwawoon’s cheek a while ago. The emperor slowly approached the bed and then spoke in a careful voice.