Chapter Three

The King's Order

Yifan sipped on his tea as he listened to Luhan's words.

"She is four years younger than you, Your Majesty. She is also of a noble bloodline, being the Chief Scholar’s only daughter."

"Chief Scholar?" the young Emperor asked.

"That's right, Your Majesty. The Chief Scholar, Han Deoksoo."

"And her mother?"

"Died during childbirth, Your Majesty. Han Yeonhwa now lives with her father and a student of his, in his residence. As far as I'm concerned, she is not married, but... she is betrothed to someone." 

Yifan frowned at this. He did not expect the beautiful young maiden to be engaged to someone. He did not like the idea of her being in some other man's arms. In fact, he loathed it. He felt his anger threatening to burst just at the thought of it. He only wanted to make her his, and what he wanted, he always got.

"Who is this man she is betrothed to? Is he royalty? Does she love him?" he asked, a bit too abruptly. Luhan looked at him weirdly before clearing his throat.

"She is betrothed to the Chief Scholar's student, who is also an official here in the palace. As for your next question... Forgive me, Your Majesty, for I do not know the matters of Han Yeonhwa's heart." answered Luhan.

Yifan's eyes widened as he realized how desperate he sounded, and he almost had to hide his reddened cheeks in embarrassment. He cleared his throat and dismissed Luhan, thanking him for his work. Before Luhan left the Emperor's chambers, he turned to him and looked at him curiously.

"Forgive me for asking, Your Majesty, but may I ask why you're so interested in this young maiden?" he asked, looking at the Emperor with his doe-eyes. 

Yifan looked up at his royal advisor, who was also his closest friend, and smirked.

"Isn't it obvious, Lu? I want to return her book." Yifan replied.

Luhan tilted his head in confusion. If he wanted to do that, he could always ask someone else to pass the book to the girl. However, what the Emperor said to him next threw him off the ground.

"I also want to make her my bride."

-

The King of Korea laughed merrily as he told a joke to Yifan, who just smiled at the other Royal. Yifan had come to Korea to strengthen the diplomatic bonds between the two countries, but it was always nice to see the young King. Park Chanyeol, took the throne around the same time as Yifan rose as Emperor, so they often relied on each other for advice, especially considering their young ages to be ruling a country.

Chanyeol looked different than he did the last time Yifan had visited him. Yifan noticed that he was less tense, and that he significantly looked happier. Yifan concluded that this change had something to do with the Queen, who Chanyeol had married a few years back. The thought of marriage made him think of Han Yeonhwa, who to him, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The thought of her warmed his heart and he caught himself smiling.

What would she be like as my Empress?

"Wu Yifan, if you're not going to listen to me, you might as well not come here at all." Chanyeol pouted, snapping Yifan out of his reverie. 

"I am here for official affairs, not to listen to your lame jokes, Chanyeol." Yifan smirked.

"For your information, my Queen loves my jokes, she genuinely laughs at them every time." Chanyeol retorted, earning a snort from the other.

"Maybe she's just being nice." Yifan replied.

The two royals continued