[The news of Queen’s Hunjung and Baek-Ah’s adultery and their child has reached to the palace, including Queen Hunae/Hwangbo Su, Kim Chi-Yang, and Seongjong/Wang Chi. Hwangbo Su argues with the king about her sister’s death, angered with his indifferent response.]

The funeral for Hwangbo Seol proceeded as everyone in Silla mourned for her. Baek-Ah stood silent in tears, embracing his son. Queen Sinseong and Lady Nak-Rang closed their eyes, blinking their tears back. Ju and Seol stood with Jung who were comforting his brother.

As the funeral was over, Queen Hunjung was buried in the hill close to Palace Bo-Hwa. Ju saw Baek-Ah’s skinnier appearance, concerned that tragedies might have affected him. Seeing that, Seol approached to Queen Sinseong.

“Your majesty…until uncle Baek-Ah fully recover, I want to ask your permission to let us stay in Silla.”

Luckily, the mother queen gratefully agreed, thanking for her concern.

The death of Queen Hunjung, Hwangbo Seol reached to Song-Ak. Queen Hunae who had heard the news, mournfully wailed as Chi-Yang comforted her, forming the same despaired expression. But Seongjong, Wang Chi, remained neutral even when his sister died. It was because of another news; the child born under the adultery between Baek-Ah and his youngest sister brought a disgrace to his family, irritating him.

“Queen Hunae has arrived.” Choi Ji-Mong said.

The door opened, revealing the dismayed Queen Hunae stomping forward. Chi-Yang tried to stop her, but she was here to confront the king who she called brother once.

“Your majesty, how can you be so heartless? Our sister is dead, aren’t you despaired? Can’t you at least let her rest in peace with other queens from the past?”

Wang Chi furrowed his eyes.

“She brought a disgrace to Hwangbo family by cavorting with fallen kingdom’s prince. Every life has its own limits.” He replied in cold tone.

Hwangbo Su gritted her teeth.

“So that’s what it is…we were nothing but hostage to bring Seol back…,” Hwangbo Su muttered bitterly, “you forced us to marry previous king…to break her.”

Chi winced at her accusation. It was no lie since he did sent his sisters as a hostage to King Gyeongjong so he could have the second queen all to himself and still, he has a lingering feelings for daughter of Wang So. Glaring at his sister, Chi put his scrolls down, looking at her eyes directly.

“Your infatuation will end. Stay away from her and my nephew,” Su warned, “or the heavens will condemn you for your sin of trying to take her away from her freedom and her mother who’s done nothing but gave birth to a greatest mother of kingdom.”

Queen Hunae bowed to excuse herself and marched away from the throne room, leaving Wang Chi stood fuming, then remembering the memories of Yoo Seol.

“Ji-Mong.”

The astronomer bowed slightly.

“Send me a horse,” Chi spoke in grave tone, “I’ve got some ‘visiting’ to do at Silla.”

His voice sent a shiver down to Ji-Mong’s spine who wishes luck to Baek-Ah.

Back in Silla, Ju and Seol went outside to provide the toys for Wang Soon. They have purchased small ones and went to the market to take a rest until they heard couple of merchants speaking the gossips of palace, while gambling.

“I heard the king kept Queen Hunae forbade her to attend her sister’s funeral.” one merchant spoke in sympathy.

“What kind of king who does not care of his sister’s death?” the elder one spoke in distaste.

Ju and Seol frowned at that. Wang Chi has become an intelligent politician as a king, but he showed no sign of compassion for his family. Seol misses her friend Su who was kept in Chun Chu palace as a widower with her son, the crown prince Wang Song.

Seol approached to them.

“the fourth queen passed away?” Seol asked in order to find out the information of palace.

The merchants looked at her.

“Yes…died in such young age…she died after gave birth to child.” The third merchant said sighed in melancholy.

“But I don’t think we have time to mourn,” the grumpy-looking man chimed in, “who knows that bastard Chi-Yang will be up to something.”

Ju and Seol furrowed their eyes. Kim Chi-Yang. He was a noble man, come from Queen Sinseong’s family. And also he was Hwangbo Su’s distant relative. Seol met him several times and he was seen with Su almost everyday but spent of his other days at the Buddhist temple as monk’s apprentice. Curious of the man even more Seol listened.

“Who’s that?”

All merchants stared at her, flabbergasted at her question as one of them spoke up.

“You don’t know ‘the’ Chi-Yang?!” The third merchant asked.

“He is a nobleman who bewitched Queen Hunae.” The first man answered.

Seol squinted her eyebrows.

“Listen, my lady,” the grumpy-looking man said, “before he went to the palace he was a one sly fox, worse than Daji*. He dishonoured the name of Buddha’s loyal followers. My wife’s friends were completely ready to carry him under their skirt.”

Ju remembered the first time he met Chi-Yang. He was sent to the palace in a task to “chase away” the apparitions of Wang Yo, Wang Won, and others who haunted Seol from her dreams. Due to the lad’s vulpine yet irresistibly handsome face, he even won the majority of court ladies’ heart. The young man was intelligent no doubt and was friendly to anyone who are Hwangbo Su’s good friends.

Even though Seol doesn’t fully know anything about Kim Chi-Yang, she always had an ominous aura she felt around him. One time she saw Chi-Yang showering Wang Song with affection, she had grown suspicious of their relationship.

“But there’s more urgent news.”

Seol and Ju looked towards the old man.

“What do you mean urgent?” One merchant asked.

The old man looked grim, as if bad omen will come. He looked a bit hesitant to reply, but nonetheless, he finally confessed.

“The king, Seongjong, is coming here. At Silla.”

Note:
Daji* was the favorite consort of Emperor Zhou, the last ruler of the Shang dynasty from ancient China. She was portrayed as a femme fatale for her sins caused the downfall of empire. In this fic, Kim Chi-Yang is portrayed as Homme Fatale of Goryeo.