“A decrease?”

Impossible.

“Yes your highness.” 

“Are you sure?”

Joshua hid a grin and cleared his throat. The court wouldn’t call for such frivolous conduct. Woozi, the 6th king of the Lee Dynasty, knew as well. “Yes your majesty. The head of the Harem’s granary is very adept at managing his affairs.”

Exclamations and mutterings rose amongst the nobility at court.

“By starving the consorts of his highness?” Seo Hyunsik, a minister of court, wealthy nobleman of the southern district, asked. Jihoon sighed. It wasn’t any secret that two of the esteemed ministers' daughters were consorts. Any decision Jisoo made in his duties as the High Warden of the Palace rubbed him the wrong way. Though this time he was much more impassioned than normal. Clearly his daughters must have spoken to him. Maybe even iven the daft minister some words he should use.

“I do not believe that is his intent.” Joshua replied.

Jihoon wouldn’t have had that kind of patience in his place. In fact even in the king’s place, he had vocally expressed dreams of telling the stuffy ministers to go and fall off a cliff. But his father had beaten it out of him.

“But that was what happened!” The next emphasized. And quite emphatically one should add. Quite the performance in Jihoon’s eyes.

“I can produce him in front of court if you demand it and he can explain it himself if the court refuses to believe me.”

The court froze. Normally Jihoon would be privy to the secret, but all of a sudden, he felt left out of the group. One too many voices reached his ears.

“He?”

“Could it be?”

“No!”

Jihoon turned to Seungcheol. The prime minister was Jihoon's friend and counsel. In fact, this man had more knowledge and eligibility to sit on the throne than Jihoon did. Sadly he denounced it to live what he deemed was his path in life. He was always by Jihoon’s side and especially in this situation, very useful.

“He is talking about royal consort Kwon.” Seungcheol muttered.

The name wasn’t familiar. And when had he taken a man as a royal consort? Perhaps someone failed to mention this to him? But everyone, even in court, seemed to have known of this elusive figure in the palace.

“Who-”

“Produce him before us Jisoo-ssi! The court demands answers. I am sure the King won’t object!”

Jihoon froze in his question and feigned knowledge (What else could he do?)

“Bring Royal Consort Kwon to the court!”

Jisoo turned to the doorway. He seemed to judge the time.

“I request the court to please wait for some time. It is high noon and the consort has a prior appointment.”

“Dancing no doubt.” A minister snorted.

Jihoon shot him a look that meant to say ‘don’t talk like that’. The message however was received by everyone in court.

“I shall send for his servant who will later bring Soon-The Consort.” Jisoo said excitedly. Jihoon frowned. It had been a long time since Jisoo had been this happy at anyone’s arrival.

“Very well. We shall wait. Until then, summon the accountant of the palace. And let us adjourn the matter of Hoshi for tomorrow.” Jihoon announced.

Curiosity had brewed in him throughout the proceeding. Who was this Consort Kwon?

Seungcheol wasn’t letting anything slip either. In fact he didn’t even make eye contact, choosing to stick close to Jeonghan.

The court was well engaged with gossip of the accountant by now and Jihoon was sorely disappointed and a tad bored.

A man entered the court casually and stood in the centre. Not only had he dared to barge in without the order of the king, he had not been stopped either.No one seemed to pay attention and he also looked around as if searching for someone. Jihoon leaned forward, more curious than he would admit. This man didn’t seem like an assassin. He had a royal bearing and was virtually unarmed. Jihoon took in this odd man’s appearance. Black hair that was tied in a high pony framed a face that was well rounded and slightly flushed. His eyes were dark and lined with thin eyeliner that made them seem more streamlined than they were. There were signs of wiped sweat as if he were back after a spar.

Apparently, this man could feel Jihoon’s eyes on him and made eye contact. And instantly the eyes across Jihoon lit up happily and he was on the receiving end of a broad grin. As if seeing something he was fond of. Jihoon furrowed his eyebrows. He hadn’t even seen this man before and yet it turned out this man was searching for him?

“Royal Consort Kwon greets your highness.” The youth called out in a proud voice as he sat down on his knees.

The ministers of court seemed genuinely spooked and Jihoon couldn’t help but laugh. It was fun to see that one annoying minister of defense disarmed and jaw ajar. Jihoon turned his attention to the bowing man. So this is Royal Consort Kwon. He seems interesting.

“Rise.” he intoned.

Kwon raised his hand and smiled brightly. It was too bright for Jihoon’s taste, but he ignored it for the time being.

“Jisoo-ssi told me you wanted to see me. I rushed as fast as I could.” He seemed earnest. A little too earnest for court. But it didn’t matter. Jihoon met eyes with his consort and he nodded.

“I called with regards to the Granary. I believe you are the head of the Harem’s Granary and its dispensation to the various consorts under Lord Jisoo’s order?”

Kwon wilted. And seemed not unlike a kicked cur on the side of the street. 

“Oh. Yes.”

Wonwoo took a sharp breath near him. Something wrong?

“What does this court wish to know?” 

Jihoon cleared thoughts. He could ask Wonwoo later. He turned to the man at the centre of the court to find his face sad.

“There has been a reduction of the amount of food used by the Harem. This comes after years of increase. How?”

“Yes there has been a decrease Your Highness-

“So you have been starving the consorts!” Seo Hyunsik interjected again.

“This is unacceptable, your Majesty! There are foreign princesses and nobility. They must be treated better! This man-”

“As of this moment, I am still a consort, Minister Kim. Must I not be treated with respect when you address me?” Kwon asked, smiling at the minister.

Jihoon got goosebumps. That too bright smile now seemed a little unsettling.

“You-”

“You just called me ‘this man’. Regardless of the matter at hand, I believe that is deserving of prison.”

Kwon had caught the minister. Hook, Line and Sinker. With so many witnesses Jihoon couldn’t deliberate or dismiss it. Jihoon pursed his lips, he needed the alliance of that minister he couldn’t just-

“However I am benevolent. Hopefully you can apologize to me later and we can move this matter along. I believe your daughter’s appointment was for today as she requested something of me.”

The minister gritted his teeth and nodded. Jihoon was a tad impressed.

“I look forward to seeing you as you come to apologise with your daughter.” Kwon said, again beaming. He turned back to the front. Jihoon nodded to Kwon to move the proceedings further. He was just grateful he didn’t have to depose that minister. Many a consort had come to him and brought complaints against his ministers. It was quite unseemly but he had denied all of them.

“Thank you Your Highness. As to the reduction, it is partly because of the cap placed by Jisoo-ssi, under your approval, on the number of servants consorts are entitled to. With exceptions of course.”

“And you would be one of those exceptions correct?” Bae Jisoo, a rather dedicated minister in Jihoon’s opinion, spewed. Jihoon hummed at the new piece of information. This woman he had believed,was incapable of such vitriol. Clearly he was wrong. Kwon turned to her and retrieved a scroll from the folds of his sleeves. Unravelling it, he perused through it.

 “No Minister. I believe I have three. Which is very much below the limit. Your sister, Consort Bae however had exceeded the ten limit by almost double. Hyunsik-ssi’s daughters were fifteen each. And stored food for more.”

Kwon turned to the accountant and handed over the scroll.

“This brings us to the second cause, my policy that you must not store rations of more than a week in your own part of the harem.”

There were angry mutterings running around.

“T-That would c-cause the re-reduction seen, y-your highness.” The accountant, poor fellow, was not immune to the tension in court.

“Why should they stick to only one week? This is what I was trying to show you Your Highness! Such deceit! And such cruelty is involved when you cut the food for your very wives!”

“And husband. But that is something this court has not acknowledged that for the past two years I have been here and I don’t expect it to start anytime soon.” Kwon said, his face twisted into a scowl, as if the minister's very breath spewed a stink unbearable to his nose.

“You-

“Anyway, that prevents rot and wastage, as the accountant will tell you, hoarding at every level will only lead to waste of grain for the palace. The palace has ample storage that is constantly replenished. Any problems, they can take it from there. If they take it from personal hoarding, the grain the palace granary will rot, if they take it from the granary, the personal hoarding will rot. It is quite complicated. The accountant would have a better grasp of the concept.”

The accountant blushed furiously but it passed Jihoon’s notice. He was impressed. This consort seemed rather intelligent. Jihoon had spent time talking with women from the Harem as well as his minister’s husbands and wives. None seemed as level headed as this man.

“How did you know this?” Jihoon asked. He had to know. He was truly fascinated. But the question, that would bring a smile blooming on the most reticent of consorts brought a frown on Consort Kwon. Seungcheol and Jeonghan gave him quizzical looks. Had he missed anything?

“Y-You purchased me from the Kwon Clan of the West that specialises in rice planting, storage in distribution.”

I did?

Jihoon didn’t recall. Maybe he had a proxy obtain all the things from there and bring it to the palace. He shook his head, unable to remember the time he had seen this man in the Kwon Clan’s feast as well. He turned to the man to see his face wilt once more. He felt a little guilty, but what could he do? The ministers also seemed to notice his problem and snickered amongst themselves. Kwon reddened and so did Jihoon.

“Oh? Impressive. I am sure your parents will be proud.”

“Yes.” Kwon was curt. He avoided Jihoon’s eyes, increasing the stab of guilt. “Am I dismissed?”

“Oh...Um...Y-Yes.”

Stuttering? Idiot!

Just like that, Royal Consort Kwon turned and fled. Jihoon wanted to stop him and apologize. But pride is a strong chain that wraps not only around one’s own neck, but around the necks of ones near you as well....

~~~~~~~~From the records of the Royal Court of the 6th South East King, Woozi~~~~~