The rest of the trip to Yuan went rather uneventfully. Up until the last day of traveling, Jang Soyoung’s warning went unexplained, and for the time being, Jinyoung decided he didn’t need to know more. In time, he would find a chance to observe them for himself once he settled in at Yuan. For now, he would make do with learning what he could from the materials Soyoung had given him. 

And besides...there were other things he had to wonder about before he could even think about court officials.

For example, his upcoming wedding to the woman sitting across from him who he had just met. 

Jinyoung shook his head as he imagined the wedding that he knew he couldn’t avoid, barely able to suppress the sigh rising in his chest. He directed his attention instead to the scenery outside the carriage they were sitting in, and noticed they were arriving at the city gates. His heart skipped a beat as he realized they were arriving at his new home. Seeming to realize the same thing, Jang Soyoung put down the documents she was reading and pulled back the flap covering the front of the carriage.

“Hyojun.” She called. Im Hyojun turned from his place at the front of the procession, and without another word held out the reins to the riderless horse that was walking alongside him. In one fluid motion, the empress leapt from the carriage and landed neatly on the horse, slipping the reins into her hands as she did so. Jinyoung stared at her in shock as the entire procession continued towards the city gates. 

How…?

Somehow, she had managed to do all of that in one fluid motion, without even calling the procession to a stop! Jinyoung sighed and shook his head, deciding it was better not to ask. It seemed there were still plenty of tricks his fiance had in store. 

“Should I take a horse too?” Jinyoung called, pulling open the carriage flap. 

“No need.” Jang Soyoung replied, turning her head ever so slightly to look back at him, “You only need to open the window slightly so the people can see you.” Slightly confused, Jinyoung nodded.

“Okay.” He replied. As the procession passed the gate checkpoint and entered the main street, Jinyoung heard the sound of delighted cries rising on the street.

“The Empress has returned!”

“Your Majesty!”

Jinyoung peeked out of the window curiously, wondering what was happening. His eyes widened as he saw people lined up and down the street, waving in delight at Soyoung as she rode by. Soyoung kept a soft warm smile on her face as she waved back, and for a moment Jiyoung found himself mesmerized by the young ruler. There, in the warm sunlight, she looked every inch the ruler that she was, tall and elegant, her long hair blowing in the wind, the receiver of adoration from her people. She may be just a woman, but Jinyoung could already tell that she had held the throne better than many other men before her. It was rare to receive such open adoration; it was clear the empire had been thriving under her rule. 

Some of the people looked curiously at Jinyoung as they passed by, and he hesitated for a moment before offering a tiny smile to the people looking at him, half hidden behind the curtain covering the window. The people would be curious about him for sure; what kind of man had the adored female ruler chosen for her prince consort? Was he a warrior, just like she was? Would he be helpful to her in court, or a useless stone that would drag her down? Was he worthy to take her hand in marriage? Those questions, and more were certainly running through everyone’s mind at the moment. 

In this new, foreign place, Jinyoung would have to prove his worth. He wasn’t sure how he would have to do it, but he had a feeling trials would come and find him without him even trying.

When they arrived at the palace gates, the carriage came to a stop, and Soyoung pulled open the flap covering the carriage.

“Come on.” She said, holding a hand out to Jinyoung, “We’re going to walk in.” Jinyoung peeked his head out curiously at the gates in front of him. The gates were made of plain red stone, dotted by straight black lines perfectly spaced out from each other. It was a bland door at best, but Jinyoung had a sinking feeling that it was deceptively simple. There was no guessing what lay beyond those doors, in both splendor and the messy net of relationships that surely were waiting for him as soon as he stepped inside. He sighed softly.

Grin and bear it, Park Jinyoung.

He looked over at Soyoung’s hand, hesitating as he wondered if he should take it or not. He didn’t want to look weaker than necessary in front of everyone; Jang Soyoung’s dominance was clear enough as it was. But the carriages they used in Yuan were different from the ones used in Goryeo; the ones in Yuan were lifted much higher than the ones he was used to, because they were pulled by horses rather than by people. It made things easier for the servants of course, but that also meant the distance from the carriage to the ground was much bigger than Jinyoung was used to. Jinyoung sighed, then took Soyoung’s hand before jumping to the ground below. Soyoung waved a hand at the doors, and soldiers quickly rushed to open up the brick red gates. Jinyoung’s eyes widened as he followed Soyoung into the lavish Yuan palace. The royal palace had to be at least double the size of the Goryeo palace, with structures spreading on his left and right as far as the eye could see. At the far end of the grand courtyard they had walked into, Jinyoung saw a long flight of stairs leading up to a glittering golden building. Above the long set of doors leading into the building, Jinyoung spotted three Chinese characters etched into a polished wooden plaque.

Harmony Hall.

It was the place where the emperor usually held audiences with his ministers in the morning. And before long, that was where Jinyoung would be sitting at Soyoung’s side every morning. Soyoung paused and let Jinyoung take in the sight of the Yuan palace.

“From now on, this will be your home.” She said, “I will have servants take you to your rooms.” 

“My rooms?” Jinyoung asked, “But where are you going? Where exactly are my rooms?” Jang Soyoung paused midstep from where she had been walking away, and then turned to smile teasingly at him.

“Don’t worry.” She replied, “They are only temporary quarters. You will move into my quarters after our wedding, naturally.” Jinyoung felt his cheeks grow hot at the statement.

“That’s not what I was asking about!” He protested. Jang Soyoung took one look at the expression on his face and then laughed. Shaking her head, she turned back and continued on her way.

Jinyoung sighed, and turned to the small army of servants that had appeared by his side.

“Lead the way.” He said, and followed them off.

____________________________________________________________________________

The rooms that had been prepared for Jinyoung were large and elaborately decorated, far larger than what he had ever lived in at Goryeo. 

“The Empress’s rooms are just across the courtyard in that direction.” A maid said helpfully, pointing out the door. Jinyoung sighed. At the moment, he could care less where her rooms were, but he appreciated the sentiment.

“Very well.” He said, “You are dismissed.”

The servants left him alone, and Jinyoung took to exploring his temporary rooms. It was so fascinating; all of a sudden, all the things that he had only ever seen in books were all in front of him. The soft and elaborate curtains that hung from the archways leading into each new part of the chambers, the tall four post bed that sat perfectly made on the far end of the room, the elegant porcelain cups that sat waiting for use on the small table by the bed. Jinyoung marveled at each of them in turn. He wasn’t sure how long he wandered around marveling at this new world he was to be living in, but he was drawn back to the present as he heard someone clear his throat. Turning sharply, Jinyoung felt his cheeks flush at being caught exploring the room like a child. His gaze fell on a young man standing behind him, gazing at Jinyoung curiously. The newcomer was a willowy youth dressed in long white robes that were belted at the waist, his clothes decorated with light silver thread that had been clearly hand-stitched to form a complicated array of patterns.  Although it was warm outside, Jinyoung spotted the edges of a fur lined collar at the top of his clothes that perfectly covered the young man’s neck. It was a deceptively simple outfit, but Jinyoung knew better than to think this was a regular person. The young man gave off an aura of grace and elegance, signaling his high status in the palace. Still, unlike many other nobles Jinyoung had met in his life, the young man had a warm welcoming smile on his face.

“You must be Park Jinyoung, the Fifth Prince of Goryeo.” The young man said, “My future brother-in-law.” Jinyoung paused for a moment as he tried to place who the young man was.

Ah.

Jang Eun-seong.

Jinyoung had long heard that the Empress had a younger twin brother that she doted on deeply. He had been born with a weak body, and so had been kept from practicing martial arts like his siblings during childhood. When the fight for the throne had broken out between the elder brothers, Royal Consort Hua had taken the twins and fled the palace out of fear for their safety. When the fighting had ended, Eun-seong was the only son left, and Soyoung was the eldest unmarried daughter. Because of Eun-seong’s weak body, Soyoung had instead been placed on the throne, thus resulting in the near impossible result that was a female ruler on the Mongol throne. Eun-seong, who had been taught medicinal arts since childhood, had instead become a royal physician, and the Empress’s unofficial personal physician.

“You are...Grand Prince Eun-seong?” He asked hesitantly. The young man’s face lit up, and he grinned as he bowed politely.

“Yes, I am Eun-seong.” He said cheerfully, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Brother-In-Law!” Jinyoung chuckled softly. The boy was Soyoung’s brother, but he was completely different from his sister. Although he looked every inch the prince he was, Eun-seong was less hardened from the daily political battles that his sister had been facing for years. He still had a slight boyish air to him behind the dignified princely look, and bright curious eyes that told Jinyoung he didn’t have to keep his guard up around him.

“You can call me Jinyoung.” He replied, patting a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder. Eun-seong looked up, his eyes wide.

“No, I cannot do that.” He said, “That would be far too rude! Instead...may I call you ge?” Jinyoung hesitated as he turned over the unfamiliar word in his mind, then smiled as he realized what Eun-seong was asking about. The Mongols had long adopted the Chinese language; in their language, ge was the same as hyung in Goryeo. 

“Of course.” He replied, “You can call me whatever you like.” Eun-seong beamed at Jinyoung’s response. 

“I can see why my royal sister chose you!” He declared, “You’re so kind and observant. I’ve heard you are quite the scholar as well.” Jinyoung laughed and bowed politely at the comment.

“You are too kind, Your Highness.” He said, “I have just been a lover of books since childhood.” Eun-seong grinned and shook his head.

“Please call me Eun-seong.” He said, “We will soon be family after all.” Jinyoung could barely suppress a grimace at the words. The other young man was right; before long they would be one family, although Jinyoung still didn’t know how he was going to handle it.

“You are so different from your sister.” He said, steering the topic lightly away from marriage, “It is hard to believe you are siblings.” Eun-seong laughed softly at his comment.

“I have heard that many times in the past before.” He said, “My sister has been likened to a goddess of war, a strong ruler and strict ruler who punishes and rewards fairly. She is the complete opposite of the gentle and demure woman that most people expect to see, even in Mongolia.” A light cheeky grin lit up Eun-seong’s face as he looked around carefully and leaned closer to Jinyoung.

“But in reality, my sister has a gentle side to her too!” He whispered, “Not demure, but there’s times when she’s kind and warm too. She’s just really good at suppressing it around people. But as her brother, I see it all the time!” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

“Really?” He said, looking at the other young man skeptically. As far as he had seen, Jang Soyoung was anything but kind and warm. Eun-seong laughed at the expression on Jinyoung’s face.

“You’ll see in good time, ge.” He said, clapping a hand on Jinyoung’s shoulder, “There will be plenty of time for you to see that the strict ruler side of my sister is not all that lies in her.” Jinyoung laughed dryly.

“Yes, I do hope you’re right.” He replied.

____________________________________________________________________________

While Jinyoung was meeting his future brother-in-law, Soyoung was sitting in her library facing her ministers. The elder men were standing in four rows in front of her, with an aisle left in the middle for anyone who wished to step forward and address the empress. She had just announced her choice for prince consort to the gathered ministers, and from the looks on their faces, Soyoung could tell that they were less than thrilled.

“Your Majesty…” Finally, Minister Sou stepped forward, keeping his body half bowed respectfully, “If I may be frank?” Soyoung motioned for him to continue, although she already had an idea what he was going to say next. Minister Sou hesitated for a moment before continuing. 

“Your Majesty...while we have all heard of the Fifth Prince’s intellect, I am worried whether he is a good match for you.” He said, “Fifth Prince Jinyoung is nothing like our Mongol men. He is more suited to be indoors, reading and writing as he wishes. Your Majesty’s husband should be a powerful player in the Goryeo court, and someone who can lead warriors at your side, should he not?” Soyoung saw many of the other court officials nodding in approval, and bit back a sigh.

Superficial fools. They only ever know to look at the things on the surface. 

“Park Jinyoung is the second son of the former Queen of Goryeo.” She stated firmly, “He is by far one of the most favored princes in the entire court. With his position as my husband, there will certainly be the peace and support of both countries that we want. And besides, what I need is someone with his intellect to help me deal with the daily affairs of running the court. What is wrong with that? I do not need a warrior for a husband who only knows how to fight and do little else.” The ministers looked at each other briefly before Minister Han stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, you may approve of his intellect, but the Fifth Prince has spent his life either hidden behind books or writing works of poetry. He has little to no experience in court.” He stated, “If he comes to court and makes a fool of himself-”

“He will not.” Soyoung replied firmly, directly cutting the older man off, “It is precisely because he is a learned scholar that he would think of things differently from everyone else. I will not ask him to attend court every day, but when I do, I am certain he will do well. Whatever he does not understand, he will learn ahead of time.” 

And it is precisely because he has spent so much time among the common people that he knows what they want best.

“But Your Majesty…” Minister Han said hesitantly, “What about your future heirs?” Soyoung gazed at the older man coldly for a long moment as she pondered over how to respond. It was clear what he was referring to; the descendants of Yuan were expected to be warriors, particularly the men. If Soyoung and Jinyoung had children, they would surely be expected to be strong fighters capable of leading the country to victory on the battlefield. Perhaps for a daughter it would be alright if she didn’t have a natural aptitude for martial arts, but for a boy, the expectations would be high. 

“Your worry is that our children will all be scholarly and gentle rather than fierce warriors, and then there would be no heir who is suitable to hold tightly onto the Yuan throne.” She stated, raising an eyebrow. Minister Han gulped before bowing.

“Your Majesty, I simply wish for the best for our future rulers and descendants.” He replied. Soyoung crossed her arms and leveled a cold gaze on the older man, making him squirmy.

“The ability to fight will come from the child’s mother, and the intellect will come from the child’s father.” She stated, “It would be the perfect balance.”

“But Your Majesty-” Minister Han began again, then cut off as Soyoung slammed her hand against her desk.

“That’s enough!” She growled, “Or are you trying to tell me that you all, the revered ministers of the Yuan court, have the power to control which man is worthy to stand by my side and put a child in my womb?” The ministers’ soft murmurs fell silent, and they quickly fell to their knees.

“We do not dare to, Your Majesty!” They chorused together. Soyoung glared down at the elder men as she let her anger stew over them for a long moment. That was exactly what they wanted to control, of course. They wanted to put a man they thought worthy by her side, not one of her own choosing, and if one thing was to be sure, Soyoung knew it was the prince they chose would not be to her liking. They wanted a man that was strong, that could turn around and indirectly control her. But when she blatantly put it that way, no one would dare to say it out loud. 

If you would like to make things difficult, then I will play this game with you all until the end.

Soyoung tapped a finger against her desk for a long moment before speaking.

“I chose the Fifth Prince after careful consideration and in front of the entire Goryeo court.” She stated firmly, “I will not send him back for reasons as ridiculous as the quality of children he would give me. That would be a slap to Goryeo’s face that you all know very well I will not give. And in any event, I am not choosing a man to marry simply for producing heirs.” Soyoung fixed her gaze slowly on each minister, challenging them to say more.

“I trust that I will not hear anymore of such talk.” She stated firmly.  

“Your Majesty, we will listen to your wishes.” Soyoung was startled at the first voice to speak in affirmation of her decision, although she kept her face calm as she turned her gaze over to where her Uncle stood. Up until now, he had said nothing, either for or against her marriage to Park Jinyoung. And now, he was suddenly voicing his implicit affirmation for the Fifth Prince. One who didn’t know better might have thought the Grand Preceptor was on his niece’s side. 

But Soyoung knew better than to come to that conclusion.

Jang Jaewon was a crafty and careful man, one who only acted after taking into account all the factors and weighing which would be to his greatest personal benefit. Instead of voicing his opposition against Jinyoung outright, it was clear he would be watching the future prince consort’s every move, calculating until the timing was just perfect to make his move. If Jinyoung proved to be a great asset to Soyoung, then he would get rid of him within a short period of time. If Jinyoung turned out to be as weak as the court ministers feared, then he would let the young prince live. After all, any shame would be on Soyoung and the reputation her reign left behind. 

For now, Soyoung would play along.

She pressed a thin smile to her lips as she looked at her uncle.

“I thank you, Grand Preceptor, for your support.” Soyoung said. Her uncle smiled and bowed to her.

“I will always support Your Majesty.” He replied. Both niece and uncle smiled at each other, but Soyoung knew better than to believe him entirely. When her father was young, Royal Uncle Jaewon had been his greatest competitor for the throne. If Mongol law hadn’t allowed for a daughter to take the throne, Soyoung knew he would’ve snatched it for himself long before she had been found and returned to the palace. Ever since she had taken the throne, Soyoung knew that more than one of many incidents that had occurred had been instigated by her uncle. But in the end, he always had a perfect scapegoat to escape taking the blame for the matter, and her attention had always been pulled to solidifying her grip on the throne and stabilizing the Yuan borders, leaving little time to push the matters further. In the days after her wedding, Soyoung knew she had to keep a close eye on her uncle, just like how he would be keeping a close eye on Jinyoung.

The other ministers, seeing that the de facto second most powerful person in the country had seemingly acquiesced to the marriage, dipped their heads and said nothing more. Sensing that the conversation had temporarily come to a close, Soyoung rose to her feet.

“You are all dismissed.” She said firmly. Then, without waiting for another word more from her ministers, Soyoung strode out from the royal library and into the bright welcoming sunlight.

____________________________________________________________________________

In the days following Jinyoung’s arrival in Yuan, he rarely got the chance to see Soyoung, save for the few times she came to check on him and see what he was doing. She was always busy catching up on the work she had set aside while visiting Yuan or meeting with her ministers. Not that he minded; he had no idea what to make of his future wife, and it was easier for him to acclimate to being in Yuan without having her around him at all times. He spent most of his time in the massive Yuan library, spending hours pouring over whatever books he could find to learn as much as he could about the country he was about to marry into. For the rest of the time, he divided the time among the many court officials that had begun inviting him to their homes for a visit. Jinyoung had originally been against the idea; he preferred to do as he wanted, rather than smile and put on an act before different court ministers like what Crown Prince Jaebeom had to do on a daily basis. In the end, it was Eun-seong who talked him into accepting the invitations. Perhaps he wouldn’t like it, the Yuan prince had said, but there would be plenty more of such situations in the future. It was better to get used to it early on rather than push it off until later. And besides, it was part of Jinyoung’s duty as Soyoung’s future husband to impress as many court officials as possible, so as to keep their complaining mouths silent. 

And so, Jinyoung went and visited each minister that invited him.

It was difficult at first, for sure. Jinyoug found the whole matter rather awkward; the ministers were overly polite to him, but at the same time he could tell that his every move was being judged. Over time though, Jinyoung began learning how to charm them with his knowledge and stories of Goryeo, and his opinions about the old classics. Before long, news was spreading throughout the capital that the Empress had picked a prince consort that was both kind and well-taught, a person that you could hold hours of conversation with without even noticing.

Then, two weeks before the auspicious date picked for the wedding, Soyoung gave orders to Jinyoung’s servants to dress him in casual clothes and meet her at the palace’s front gates. When he arrived, Jinyoung was surprised to find the Empress dressed in casual clothing men’s clothing. A small smile turned up the corner of her lips as she saw him approach.

“Not bad.” Soyoung commented, “The clothes I chose fit you well.” Jinyoung squirmed slightly as he tugged at the sleeves of the Yuan attire he had been dressed in. Soyoung had chosen an outfit made of deep purple fabric trimmed with simple gold designs. The inner shirt was made of deep blue fabric, creating an overall image of elegance but short of royal extravagance. Unlike the broad sweeping sleeves of casual Goryeo attire, the sleeves clasped loosely around Jinyoung’s wrists, causing him to tug at them uncomfortably. Soyoung reached out and lightly pulled his right hand away from where it was tugging at the left cuff.

“You are not used to it.” She noted. Jinyoung sighed softly.

“It is my first time wearing Yuan clothing. Would you be used to Goryeo clothing, if you were suddenly ordered to switch?” He replied. Soyoung gazed at him for a long moment, and Jinyoung wondered if he had said too much. Then, she smiled faintly and nodded in agreement.

“Fair point.” She replied, “Come on, let’s go.” Jinyoung looked at her curiously as she turned to go.

“Where are we going?” He asked. Jang Soyoung turned and beckoned to him.

“We’re going to the marketplace.” She replied.

__________________________________________________________________________

The marketplace was as teeming with people as the day Jinyoung had arrived in Yuan, the loud sounds of sellers calling out their wares mingling in the air with the scents of fresh food being cooked. Jinyoung’s gaze roamed around the busy streets excitedly, taking in the lively sights. He had often passed by the marketplace on the way to visit various ministers, but had been unable to properly take in the sights from the carriage he traveled in. Soyoung strode calmly along the streets as if she had been there a million times, stopping here and there to buy a snack or chat with the stallkeepers. Jinyoung watched as she leaned in to speak with a waiter at a little tea shop, chuckling softly before she handed the  man a couple coins. 

“What are you talking to them about?” He asked curiously, “You’ve been doing that all day.” Soyoung smiled mysteriously as she sipped on a cup of tea.

“Obtaining news.” She replied simply, “The Second Young Master of the Lin family has been frequenting the brothels again.” Jinyoung frowned in confusion.

“Why does that matter to you?” He replied. Soyoung laughed softly and shook her head.

“The Lin family is one of the most powerful families in the nation.” She replied, “Their second son is a known womanizer, unlike the far more stable eldest son. He is always creating trouble around the city, throwing out his family’s status as a shield if anything goes wrong. But if something does go wrong, it would be a shame on the family and create trouble in court.” Jinyoung thought for a long moment as he caught onto what the Empress was saying.

“Then...before something goes terribly wrong, you receive news of it and step in before it becomes public knowledge and matters spiral out of control?” He guessed. Soyoung smiled and nodded.

“Or prevent something bad from happening in the first place.” She added, “As expected, you caught on quickly, Park Jinyoung.” Jinyoung’s heart skipped a beat at her praise.

“Then...surely the antics of a rich second young master are certainly not all you keep an eye on.” He said. Soyoung shook her head.

“Of course not.” She replied, “Whichever minister or his family has been acting unusually lately, which merchant has been doing business in matters he usually never touches, even small things like which nobleman has been mistreating his wife...those matters are what reaches the common people first. And in the end, I hear of it.” Jinyoung stared at her in amazement.

“How many eyes and ears do you have in the city?” He asked. Soyoung smiled wryly.

“I set up an information network soon after I took the throne.” She replied, “It was the only way to suppress any rebels and solidify my hold on the throne. In the end, I made use of it to maintain peace in the nation. If the people have done nothing against their conscience, there is nothing to worry about. But if they have, they will receive the proper treatment they deserve.” 

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Jinyoung asked curiously. Soyoung smiled slightly.

“You are the man who will be my husband.” She responded, “I hope you can make good use of this information network as well. Once every two months, I come outside and see what information I can gather, and make sure the capital is doing well. You would be surprised what things the court officials will try to hide from me, and what the common people will tell you for a few extra coins.” Jinyoung raised an eyebrow.

Incredible. 

That was all he could think of to describe the woman sitting next to him. She was just a woman, but at the same time, she was no ordinary woman. Her hold on the throne, and the tactics she had successfully used, had worked far better than many other men who had tried the same thing. It was no wonder the country was doing so well. The waiter reappeared and placed a dish on the table in front of them.

“Please enjoy.” He said before disappearing again. Jinyoung peered curiously at the dish in front of him. The shape resembled the pancake sweets that he had eaten in Goryeo, but this was slightly flatter and covered on the top with a brown colored sauce with something else sprinkled on top.

“What’s this?” He asked, looking at Soyoung curiously. She smiled and pushed the dish towards him.

“This is called gambir.” She replied, “It is a pancake sweet made with butter and sugar and covered with a sweet sauce. I thought you’d like it.” Jinyoung poked at the stack of pancakes in front of him cautiously before picking one up and biting into it. His eyes widened as the sweet coated the inside of his mouth, the soft crunch of nuts adding to the pancake’s chewy texture.

Delicious!

Soyoung laughed softly at the look on his face.

“I knew you’d like it.” She said, “This is your reward for learning well during these past few weeks. I heard all about your visits with the court ministers.” Jinyoung pouted slightly at the comment.

“I am not a puppy.” He grumbled, but continued nibbling on the sweet anyway. Soyoung laughed again in amusement, but her smile faded away quickly as she saw someone approach Hyojun, who had been following them closely during the course of their trip. The newcomer whispered something to Hyojun, and Jinyoung frowned as he saw Hyojun’s expression darken.

“What is it?” Soyoung asked as the man left. Hyojun hesitated for a moment before responding.

“We must return to the palace immediately.” He said, “Minister Han has been killed.” Soyoung’s eyes widened.

“What did you just say?” She demanded. Hyojun nodded solemnly.

“That’s not all.” He said, “Prince Jinyoung has been named the primary suspect.”