After the banquet, everyone retired to their respective chambers to rest. Tomorrow, they would have to travel back to Hanyang again and it was going to be another long and tiring journey.

In his room, Yi Sung has been pacing back and forth for quite a while now. He never had a proper conversation with the queen the whole day and earlier at the banquet, his uncle even left with his wife, so he had no choice but to keep talking to the ministers and officials. Well, he enjoyed their praises, alright. Definitely, it boosted his pride. But the Kim Jisoo had been silent all the time and the only chance he got to hear her voice was when she reacted for their aunt-in-law.

"Was something the matter?" He was about to storm out of his room when Sun Hae appeared before him.

"Sun Sugui, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Jeonha, please allow me to serve you some azalea wine," Sun Hae said with an alluring tone. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any effect on Yi Sung.

"It's already late. Just leave it in a corner and go back to get some rest," Yi Sung said awkwardly. He was good in avoiding women, but he wasn't really good in interacting with them. Sun Hae entered the room and settled the tray of wine and cups on the table.

"Too bad, I forgot to serve this for everyone to taste earlier. It's a tradition to drink azalea wine during Samjinal though, right Jeonha?"

Yi Sung felt really awkward being in the same room as the woman. Wanting to get over the situation immediately, he grabbed a cup and poured himself a drink.

"Thank you," he said as he downed the cup of wine. "Now, please excuse me—"

Yi Sung could instantly tell there was something different in his body. He just drank a cup of wine, and his alcohol tolerance was high so why does he feel really hot all over? Spring had just begun and the air outside is chilly, so why does he feel like he's burning?

Before he could even hold onto the pillar, Sun Hae was quick to support him up.

"Jeonha, what's wrong?"

Yi Sung didn't answer but Sun Hae became more aggressive. She wrapped her arms around the King and buried her face in his chest, knowing how potent the drug that she used was.

"Jeonha..."

"Sun Sugui, what are you doing?" Yi Sung's mind was against it but why does her embrace felt good to him? It shouldn't be this way! Since he only drank a cup, things were still clear in his head.

"What did you put in the drink?" Yi Sung angrily snarled but Sun Hae just keep hugging him, pushing him onto the mattress.

"Jeonha... Don't you want me?"

Want??? Yi Sung cringed at the woman. Sun Hae was pretty and had a body any woman would envy but just the mere fact that she was someone from Minister Kim's faction was already detestable for him. If there's something he wanted, it was to push the woman away!

But while he was trying his best to get away from the seductress before him, his body was already reacting to the aphrodisiac. He shut his eyes as Sun Hae started stripping off her outer robes before grabbing his hand, allowing him to touch her.

"Stop!" Yi Sung said, withdrawing his hand and balling it into fists but Sun Hae was stubborn. How was she supposed to stop now when she already gambled her everything for this?

Suddenly, a soft and delicate voice from the outside was heard. Yi Sung recognized it immediately. It was the queen!

Yi Sung wanted to cry. How could such a bad luck fall onto him. He was just about to see the queen but now that the queen arrived, another woman was in his chamber, trying to seduce him.

 "Jeonha..." The queen spoke once more. Earlier, she noticed the wounds on the King's hands and she worried they were because of the hunt so she brought some medicine to apply on his injuries.

"Jeonha?" she said, wondering why he wasn't answering when she was sure he was inside. Did he fall asleep already? She was about to retreat when suddenly, she heard a loud thud from the inside. Worrying for His Majesty, she slid the door open but what welcomed her view was enough to send the medicine she was holding falling on the floor and shattering into pieces.

It shattered her heart as well.

In front of her, the King was pushing the half Sun Hae down the mattress.

As a woman who was aware of her limits, Kim Jisoo stepped back and bowed before finally leaving. Her feet were heavy but surprisingly, she was still able to drag herself out of the residence. When she was out side, however, her knees gave out sending her stumbling onto the ground. Soon her eyes were filled with tears. She willed herself to stand up and when she was on her feet once more, she ran as fast as she could back to her room.

She understood such thing was inevitable. They were three women in the hugung, of course, the King was free to choose which he would want to serve him in bed. But why does she have to see it before her eyes? Soon she heard some footsteps outside which only stopped when it reached the door to her room. She wiped her tears and took a deep breath.

"Jungjeon," it was the King. His voice was deep and full of concern. Kim Jisoo suddenly didn't know what to do, so she blew off the lamps and pretended she was sleeping.

Yi Sung sighed. How could the queen misunderstand? He pushed Sun Hae down and pinned her to bed so he could stand up and run away from her. What kind of misfortune is this? Yi Sung had never felt this frustrated in his entire life, and to think this matter was about women!

This is even more frustrating than dealing with his stubborn uncle!

"Jungjeon..." he called again as he scratched his head. The weird feeling in his body was really a bother but he's more bothered about the queen to even think about the discomfort in his lower region. Thank goodness he only drank a cup!

"Jungjeon, I know you're still awake. Open the door and let me in,"

"I understood my mistake, Jeonha," Kim Jisoo finally retorted. "I'll take my punishment tomorrow for barging into your chamber. Please go back—"

Kim Jisoo hasn't finished her words yet when Yi Sung suddenly entered the room. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. It was too dark in her room and the only source of light was from the faint gleam of the moon on her window.

She scooted to the corner of her bed, afraid that the King would find her but Yi Sung finally sensed her movement and went directly to her.

"Jungjeon, don't..." Yi Sung sighed as he sat down knowing the queen was near beside him. He didn't know what to tell her too. Moving closer, he found her in a corner and without a word he pulled her in his arms. Soon the room was filled with the queen's sobs.

"Don't cry... It was a misunderstanding," Yi Sung cooed, combing her long hair while patting her back. "She offered me some wine and wanting to get over with it, I took a shot but I felt there was something wrong. The wine was drugged but..."

Kim Jisoo wondered why he was explaining at first but when she heard that the wine was drugged, she immediately pulled away. "Jeonha... Are you sure?"

"When I drank the wine, I suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable," The king confessed making the queen gasp.

It must be her father's doing! Since she refused to do it, he made Sun Hae do it instead! Kim Jisoo was furious. She couldn't imagine her father would resort to such thing.

"Do you understand now?" Yi Sung asked. Kim Jisoo only nodded and wiped her tears.

"You don't have to explain anything to me."

"Still, I want to. I knew you misunderstood. Just think about this... How could I bed another woman when I haven't even