She recalled what Kyoyoung said to her first when they met, ‘How good-hearted you are!’

And Kyosul recalled her face, who let out a sigh of relief while saying so.

She thought she wouldn’t care about the distinction between her status as Bipaan’s official wife and her status as his second wife. Looking back, that was her silly illusion.

Kyoyoung was a faithful and bold woman. Kyosul was determined that she would take cue from Kyoyoung as a woman of determination. She wanted to stay with her and depend on her for a long time.

Then, this woman, who she liked, trusted and relied on, left Kyosul.

Kyosul had no choice but to let her go, too

That’s why she told Kyoyoung, calming down her troubled emotions, “It’s just because I had intestinal pain.”

It was an acute gastrointestinal disease caused by food poisoning and diarrhea.

“Princess Kyoyoung!”

An unwelcome guest visited the Dongbin Palace, Kyoyoung’s residence. As soon as she heard her voice, Kyoyoung frowned. Although she showed her displeasure openly, her visitor did not care at all.

The unexpected visitor was none other than Oran, Prince Dukwol’s wife.

“Don’t you remember I told you so the other day? I was sure that I could build a close friendship with you.”

Oran moved to the upper cushion occupied by Kyoyoung confidently. Kyoyoung inevitably got up to yield her seat to her.

“You are awesome! I’ve come to respect your guts. ”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think you know very well what I’m trying to say.”

Oran smiled at Kyoyoung’s blunt response. Oran’s eyes turned sharp while looking at her for a while. Though she had a smile on her lips, her eyes glared like the viper looking for prey.

Oran leaned forward and whispered.

“She couldn’t have stomach pain with mung bean powder only.”

Though her voice was so low that it was hardly audible, it rang in her ears sharply. Her eyes trembled. For a while, a heavy silence filled the room.

Everyone in the Imperial Palace knew that Kyosul had intestinal pain. But what she ate and exactly what happened in the Dongbi Palace was unknown. It seemed that the chief royal doctor imposed a gag order on all the court ladies.

But Oran already understood the whole situation. Kyoyoung really wanted to hide it from her, but she was obviously caught by Oran, too, who she wanted to keep her distance from all the time.

“… Please leave,” Kyouyoung said, dropping her head.

“Wow, how smart you are! How can you keep your place here in the Dongbin Palace when you caused such an incident? It seems like the Crown Princess likes you very much.”

“Get out. Get out right now!”

As she couldn’t stand it anymore, Kyoyoung shouted at her. She jumped out of her seat and raised her finger toward the door.

“I don’t want to see even your shadow here again!”

“When you and I are in the same boat, how can you be so mean to me?” Oran said, laughing at her sneeringly. Kyoyoung’s face was turning more and more red.

“Ahhh!”

She screamed while standing upright. Despite her creepy screaming, Oran did not bat an eye and kept her smile on her face.

Kyoyoung close her eyes, clenching her fists, with all the muscles of her face distorted.

The joints of her fists holding on the hem of her dress were swollen, and the hem was crumpled like a piece of paper.

“Ahhh!” She screamed sharply again.

***

Time passed quickly.

It was one day at the end of the summer when the haze was swelling up.

There was a baby’s loud cry from the Imperial Palace.

Kyosul finally gave birth to a baby.

It was a baby boy, Taehwanggun.

When the news of his birth came, there were mixed feelings among the palace people. Some jumped with joy, but others looked gloomy. As soon as the baby was born, he caused a huge political wind in the Imperial Palace.

At present, the power of the Mok Kingdom was divided into two major political forces.

One of them was an orthodox faction that supported Bipaan, the Queen’s son, and the other was the faction that supported Prince Dukwol, the eldest son of the emperor and his concubine.

Bipaan had enough qualities, but the problem was that he had no child.

Dukwol already had son Mu, but as he was a child of the emperor’s concubine, there was a problem with legitimacy. As they had comparative strength and weakness, they were maintaining peace and stability between them.

Accordingly, they showed mixed reactions when they heard about Kyosul’s birth of a baby boy. The supporters of Bipaan cheered for the birth of TaeHwanggun. They quickly moved to absorb all the pro-Bipaan politicians who were on the fence up to now. On the other hand, those who supported Prince Dukwol plunged into chaos and frustration, though they didn’t express their feelings openly.

The birth of Taehwanggun further strengthened Bipaan’s position. Bipaan truly became the next emperor after Ohyulje as he had a son.

The palace was full of gold straw ropes and red cloth.

***

Although it was the center of the happy events of the palace, the East Palace was as quiet as ever.

Somehow, Bipaan was sitting in his room, not in the library. He sat across from Ruhae with a refreshment tray in between them. The two sipped tea without saying anything. Taking his teacup from his mouth, Ruhae opened his mouth first.

“Congratulations!”

While closing his eyes, Bipaan was enjoying the fragrance of the tea.

“How happy you are as you have a baby boy!”

“You know it well, Ruhae.”

Finally, Bipaan opened his eyes. He put down the teacup on the tray. And he stroke his jaw line with his long, white fingers. While looking at Ruhae with a keen and cold gaze, he closed his eyes again.

“Give a name to the baby boy.”

Ruhae looked at Bipaan in surprise, but his eyes were still closed. Even though he opened his eyes, Ruhae would not be able to read his mind anyway, but it was even harder to read his intention as he closed his eyes.

“The baby is my flesh, he is going to be my prince and when he grows up, he will be appointed as the next emperor. So, give a name to him.”

“…Your Majesty!”

“Originally, I wanted to appoint you as my successor after I become the emperor, but as I have a son now, I can’t, so I want you to give my son a name as I would like to soothe your troubled mind.”

Ruhae could not say anything.

Bipaan was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed. He didn’t even move as if he didn’t breathe. His long eyelashes stretched long over his closed eyelids.

He looked so relaxed. Having said that, Bipaan didn’t seem to be troubled at all.

Ruhae, sitting with his hands on the floor and sticking out his upper body, felt a bitter sense of defeat deep inside.

Bipaan was a man he could hardly expect to beat.

In fact, he didn’t even want to beat him from the beginning.

Bipaan knew already the baby’s biological father was Ruhae. Despite that, how could he remain so peaceful and detached?

Besides, he’s ordering his biological father to coin a name for his son.

He tightened his grip on the floor. His fists, holding on to the edge of the cushion, which reflected his anger, fear, guilt and compassion, trembled for a moment.

His face was distorted.

‘How can he do this to me?’

In fact, the sin he has committed against Bipaan was kind of lese-majeste, which could not be redeemed by any punishment. Nevertheless, Bipaan ordered him to give the name to Taehwanggun.

“Let me give you ten days to give the name. I was ordered by the emperor several months ago to name Taehwanggun in consideration of his birth time and his destiny, but how can I compare it to the name Ruhae has yet to give over the next ten days? Yes, within the next ten days or on the tenth day, when the naming ceremony takes place, give me the baby boy’s name.”

Still with his eyes closed, Bipaan reached out and gently shook his hand, suggesting that he could leave.

Biting his lip, Ruhae left the room after formally saying goodbye to him.

Bipaan was left alone in the room, sitting on the cushion with his back against the chair. The fragrance of hot tea was still there, but it got cold soon. The cold mug contained pale yellow water in it.

Returning to the South Palace, Ruhae couldn’t wait until the court ladies to open the door, so he opened it roughly with his hands.

His heart was beating, and he felt hot all over his body. He couldn’t do it. As the Crown Prince, he couldn’t do it. Ruhae couldn’t understand at all. How come Bipaan ordered him to name his baby? What was his motivation?