The Hated Male Concubine

“My, I almost got in trouble.”

“That’s what I’m saying. If it had been His Highness Yeonbin from the past, you would get your face slapped and then dragged to be executed. Get your careless self fixed, please! You’ll get in trouble for sure!”

Seocheon was guarding a gate to the inner palace. He suddenly flinched and turned his gaze when he heard the name that came out of two court ladies’ lips, who were walking in the distance. The court lady, who had been walking with her hand wrapped in a blood-stained handkerchief as if she was wounded, nodded her head hard at her colleague’s scolding and said,

“Okay, okay. I’ll really be more careful from now on. But, will His Highness Yeonbin just forgive me like this? He won’t call me later and scold me more, right?”

“I believe he won’t. I heard it from the girls working in Jeongan Palace, His Highness never hit them ever since he drowned. For real.”

Perhaps in the past, she would never have believed it. She would likely have thought that Yeonbin purposely spread false rumors by using the children of Jeongan Palace. However, instead of doubting what she heard, the court lady looked at the handkerchief wrapped in her hand.

It was His Highness Yeonbin’s handkerchief that he put in her hand. A while ago, while carrying a bowl containing medicinal herbs obtained from the palace physician clinic, she almost bumped into Yeonbin coming out of the door and dropped the bowl. As a result, broken pieces of glass splattered at His Highness’s feet.

As soon as she realized that the person standing in front of her was His Highness Yeonbin, the court lady, who was scared because she thought she was dead, just repeatedly shouted sorry and bowed down in a hurry to pick up the glass pieces before Yeonbin’s feet.

She could feel sharp fragments of glass cutting off her palm, but the court lady was scared enough to not even feel such pain. The one who raised her and took care of her wound was His Highness Yeonbin, whom she thought would punish her immediately.

Without even caring about his hands and clothes getting dirty, Yeonbin carefully examined the wound in her hands with a serious expression. He stopped the bleeding with his precious handkerchief and even scolded her for touching the dangerous glass shards carelessly. His frowning expression seemed like he was genuinely upset about the wounds of the court lady. The two court ladies in front of him forgot to say sorry and just stared at Yeonbin’s face blankly.

Therefore, they couldn’t help but believe the words that they couldn’t believe before.

“Come to think of it, I think His Highness Yeonbin’s face also has completely changed. Don’t you think so?”

“You feel it too? Tell me about it! I don’t know how to explain it, but… well… he looks the same, but strangely, it feels like looking at another person…”

“Let me ask something, Ladies.”

The court ladies, who were thinking of Yeonbin’s beautiful appearance as if they were possessed by something, were suddenly surprised by the voice coming from the side. They turned their eyes away and then blushed when they checked the person talking to them.

“Guard Seocheon…?”

“What brings you, Guard Seocheon…”

The faces slightly looking down with smiles were full of excitement that could not be hidden. The guard Seocheon was by far the most notable handsome man of the many guards. Although he was from the lowest class, there were not one or two court ladies who wanted to talk to him because of his more handsome appearance than any noble family’s children.

In addition, he was silent and serious, and there was a side of him that made people melt, but Seocheon talked to them first. The two court ladies almost wondered if this was a dream because of that. 

Despite such a response, Seocheon continued.

“I didn’t mean to overhear, but I happened to hear the conversation you shared. Is it true that handkerchief was from His Highness Yeonbin?” 

“Sorry? Ah, yes, yes. When I hurt my hand by mistake, His Highness wrapped it around my hand.”

“I see… Thank you for answering such a trivial question.”

“It’s nothing. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!”

They personally wanted to chat with Seocheon here for hours, but they had spent too much time. In addition, they damaged the medicine for the palace, so it was hard to think about taking responsibility for it and getting scolded. Seocheon’s expression subsided deeply as the court ladies hurriedly left while feeling regret.

Only then did a colleague who was guarding the other side speak to Seocheon.

“Why did you ask that all of a sudden?”

He got curious as the one, who had never been interested in other people’s affairs, suddenly talked to court ladies first and asked them about something trivial. However, Seocheon shook his head at his question and left only a short answer, saying, “nothing,” and looking at the path the court ladies had already passed.

After coming to the palace, Seocheon without a doubt also had heard about how vicious and evil Yeonbin was. There were countless unexpected reasons why he punished and hit his subordinates. Hence, there must have been a few who were scolded for breaking the bowl in front of Yeonbin.

If he didn’t hear in person that Yeonbin forgave the court lady, who made the mistake and even stopped the wound by putting on his precious handkerchief, he wouldn’t believe it. 

Seocheon had already heard that Yeonbin changed after having a near-death experience. However, he laughed it off and didn’t believe it every time he heard the story. Yet, whether he believed it or not, it seemed clear that Yeonbin’s reputation in the palace was changing day by day.

The face of the kindest person Seocheon had met in his life lingered over his eyes for a moment. Hawoon was a man who never ignored any of the small wounds of those who stayed with him in the official residence. Hawoon regretted himself for rarely talking and was insensitive because he had been alone for too long without a family, but Hawoon, who Seocheon watched from the side, was more sensitive and friendly than anyone else.

Hence, he wondered if the reason he suddenly thought about Hawoon when he heard about Yeonbin at this moment was simply that Hawoon’s death was related to Yeonbin.

Seocheon’s eyes, which embraced the weight of emotions that could not be resolved, sank deeply.

***

Officer Wi swallowed his dry saliva at the emperor’s reaction of looking only at the documents without pretending to look at the nameplates he was presenting. It had been a long time since the emperor had visited the concubines. Originally, it was not surprising that the emperor rarely shared a bed without any particular reason, or because he had a lot to care about as much as he did these days. However, as the general officer of Gyeongsa-bang, it was inevitable for him to worry about the emperor not visiting his concubines for too long.

But the emperor, who did not care about the officer’s mind, sent back all the concubines’ nameplates by swinging his hands once. Officer Wi then sent a subtle glance to Eunuch Oh, asking for help. However, Eunuch Oh, who usually added some words and guided the emperor to at least go to the Empress Palace, shook his head for some reason, refusing the officer’s gaze.

“Then, I’ll take my leave, Your Majesty.”

Eventually, Officer Wi, who lost his hope, looked sullen and decided to leave, slowly stepping back. Suddenly, the emperor raised his head and looked at the officer, and he opened his mouth.

“Wait.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Officer Wi unknowingly answered with a high voice, wondering if the emperor would finally flip over a nameplate. However, even after calling the officer, the emperor looked into the air for a moment without saying a word, immersed in his thoughts, and said, 

“From now on… put back Yeonbin’s nameplate.”

“Yes… Pardon?”

Officer Wi, who habitually bowed and answered the emperor’s words, belatedly raised his head with a foolish face and asked back. The emperor, Yihan, who looked embarrassed after saying it even though he didn’t need to, unconsciously frowned when Officer Wi tactlessly asked back.

“Go back now.” 

“Ah… Ah, yes! Yes, understood, Your Majesty!”

Only after Eunuch Oh addressed him, did Officer Wi realize he had just been foolish. He bowed again and hastily moved his stopped steps out of the Great Hall. Once he escaped from the emperor’s gaze, a sigh of relief flowed out. After exhaling for a long time, Officer Wi turned his head and looked where His Majesty was.

“He said His Highness Yeonbin’s nameplate would soon be used…”

When he listened to Eunuch Oh’s advice last time, he couldn’t believe it, so he thought the eunuch was wrong this time. However, not long after that, Officer Wi was just dumbfounded after hearing the emperor’s order.

“What’s going on that it becomes like this…” 

The officer thought what if the emperor would really flip over Yeonbin’s nameplate next time. He then got goosebumps for no reason and quickly left after shrugging his shoulders once. The matters in the Imperial Palace were really unpredictable.