Jinyoung

 

In the days that followed their argument, Jinyoung felt like an iron wall had been built between him and his wife. He barely saw any sign of Soyoung, and when he did, he barely managed to get a simple greeting in before she walked away from him silently. Most of the time, she kept herself closed up in her personal library until late hours, only returning after Jinyoung had fallen asleep. When Jinyoung inquired with the servants about what she was so busy with, they would either shake their heads silently or simply respond that it wasn’t their place to talk about the Empress’ matters. And so, Jinyoung had to make do with either spending time with Jia’er outside the palace or talking about the classics with Hyeyoung. Despite her punishment, the younger princess seemed to be in good spirits, and often tried to persuade Jinyoung to make up with Soyoung rather than blaming her. She truly was a warm and understanding girl, the complete opposite of the Empress. 

 

Still, even with Hyeyoung’s gentle pleading, Jinyoung couldn’t help but feel increasingly irritated the longer Soyoung kept her back to him.

 

“I just cannot take it anymore!” Jinyoung finally exploded one day when he was outside with Jia’er, hot tea splashing onto the table as he slammed his cup down. His loud outburst drew the attention of the other teahouse patrons, causing Jia’er to clap a hand over Jinyoung’s mouth.

 

“Not so loud!” His friend hissed, “Do you want the entire city to know the empress and her husband are having a cold war?” Jinyoung shoved Jia’er’s hand away in irritation.

 

“I’m only speaking the truth!” He insisted, “I said what I said with good intentions! What use would there be if Soyoung and her sister ruined their relationship over a mere dog figurine? She’s still a guest, at the end of the day, and a member of the royal family. And I simply cannot understand why Soyoung is so fixated on what people said about Sister-in-law in the past. Can’t she see that things have changed now?” Jia’er sighed and poured another cup of tea for Jinyoung.

 

“Jinyoung, have you ever considered the matter from her point of view?” He asked. Jinyoung frowned.

 

“What do you mean?” He asked.

 

“Think about it.” Jia’er replied, “I know you pity Princess Hyeyoung, but think about it from the Empress’ point of view. Just like how you spoke that way out of good intentions, she lashed out at the princess with her own good intentions. And those good intentions…” Jia’er raised a finger and pointed it at Jinyoung.

 

“Were precisely focused on protecting you.” He said, “You and your reputation, to be exact. Your father may have kept you out of palace politics in Goryeo, but surely even you understand how important reputation and accomplishments are, particularly for members of the royal family. Just like before when she barely told you anything, this time, she was acting preemptively to protect you.” Jinyoung was silent for a long moment as he turned his friend’s words over in his mind. He had to admit Jia’er had a point. In that moment, he had become carried away by what he thought was right and spoken before he’d properly considered matters from Soyoung’s point of view.

 

“But surely that doesn’t mean I should only lower my head and allow her to do whatever she wants!” He protested. Jia’er shook his head.

 

“You two are husband and wife.” He said, “Which means there should be a give and take, a sense of compromise. You should understand her position, and she should understand yours. When it becomes necessary to question her actions, then go ahead. But if I am hearing you right, your words did not merely question what she did, but in fact challenged her head on. And that, in my opinion, is what made her that angry. Jinyoung, there are many ways to say the same thing, and I think this time, you chose the wrong one. And besides, she is not only your wife, but the ruling sovereign of this nation. You cannot challenge her head on like that and expect her to have no reaction whatsoever.” Jinyoung sighed.

 

“You mean...she’s angry because I didn’t take her side this time, when she was only acting for my benefit?” He asked. Jia’er nodded with a knowing smile on his lips.

 

“Not only that, but you also chose another woman’s side over your own wife.” He added, “A woman that your wife isn’t particularly fond of.” Jinyoung tapped his fingers on the table for a few seconds before letting out another deep sigh.

 

“Then I should apologize first?” He asked. Jia’er gave him a knowing look.

 

“As a man, sometimes softening your stance first and apologizing is not necessarily a bad thing.” He replied. Jinyoung groaned.

 

“Why does marital life have to be so difficult?” He muttered, lowering his head to the table. Jia’er chuckled.

 

“Navigating the ways of a woman’s heart is not an easy thing.” Jia’er replied, patting JInyoung on the shoulder, “But with me here, you will definitely learn properly. However…” Jinyoung frowned slightly as he saw an amused grin light up Jia’er’s face.

 

“However what?” He asked suspiciously. Jia’er grinned.

 

“Seeing how much her anger is getting to you, it looks like you’re starting to care a lot about the Empress.” He noted, “Or else, why would you care?” There was a curious glint in Jia’er’s eye as he leaned closer to Jinyoung.

 

“Have you fallen in love with your wife?” He teased. Jinyoung blinked and shook his head furiously, his cheeks growing hot.

 

“What are you talking about?” He replied, flustered, “There is nothing of that sort going on.” Jia’er smirked.

 

“You could lie to me, but you cannot lie to your heart.” He replied, “Don’t try and convince me a husband who became so jealous that he turned possessive out of nowhere when a love rival was around feels absolutely nothing for his lawfully wedded wife.” Jinyoung gulped.

 

“That...I...I mean...I don’t know!” He spluttered. His hands trembling with sudden nerves, Jinyoung grabbed his cup of tea, gulped it down despite the heat, and stood up abruptly.

 

“I’ll be going back now!” He declared. Jia’er’s chuckle wafted through the air behind Jinyoung as he rushed for the door.

 

“Don’t forget to apologize!” He called after him, “And do it properly!”

 

“I know!” Jinyoung tossed over his shoulder. As he wandered down the streets, Jinyoung pondered carefully over what he was going to do once he returned. Now that Jia’er explained the matter to him, he did suppose he had overstepped his boundaries, which would explain Soyoung’s reaction to him. But still, how was he going to apologize? A gift? Jinyoung’s gaze wandered down various stalls selling hairpins and embroidered handkerchiefs, but shook his head at all of them. 

 

No, not those.

 

Soyoung wasn’t a materialistic woman, and besides, her focus had never been on little trinkets like hairpins. But what would she like? It wasn’t like Jinyoung could just buy her a weapon to match her warrior background. Soyoung’s sword had been made by one of the finest craftsmen in the entire empire, and even her bow had been a gift from one of the tribal chiefs in the grassland. No, that wouldn’t work either. 

 

Then, Jinyoung’s gaze fell on a stall selling sweet snacks. The different colored rice cakes laid out on the wooden counter glimmered invitingly in the sun, drawing the attention of young and old alike. 

 

That’s it!

 

Jinyoung had heard the maids saying that Soyoung’s appetite had been poor lately, but she had taken a sudden liking to sweets, particularly soft and chewy sweets. Even if she managed to eat other foods, she always kept a plate of sweet rice cakes on the table. Jinyoung grinned as an idea came to mind.

 

I’ll bet she hasn’t tried rice cakes from Goryeo before!

 

Snapping his fingers, Jinyoung hurried off towards the palace. He was so busy planning how to surprise his wife though, that he didn’t notice another taller man walking nearby until he crashed directly into the other person. Stumbling back with a yelp, Jinyoung began to apologize profusely before he saw who had run into. 

 

“Physician Yu?” He said in surprise, “What are you doing outside the palace at this hour?” The older man looked flustered to have been caught outside by the prince.

 

“Your Highness.” He murmured with a bow, “My apologies for running into you.” Jinyoung’s gaze fell on the medicinal packets in the older man’s hand.

 

“Are you feeling unwell?” He noted, “Why did you come out to buy herbs yourself?” Physician Yu cleared his throat and averted his gaze.

 

“I feel more assured if I buy it myself.” He replied. Jinyoung raised an eyebrow. Everything about the man’s body language told him that something else was going on, but at the moment, Jinyoung didn’t have the time to interrogate him. Figuring that the older man likely had a mistress of sorts outside the palace, Jinyoung decided not to ask any further and continued on his way with a quick bow to Physician Yu. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Soyoung

 

As Jinyoung was hurrying excitedly home, another storm was brewing within the royal palace. Although the lords of the court were usually home by the time the afternoon hours rolled around, today had become an exception. The air in Mentality Hall was thick with tension, the court officials standing with their heads bowed as Soyoung glared at the man who had been singled out and stood at the very front of the gathered officials. 

 

“Lord Tsend.” Soyoung growled, “You mean to tell me that multiple caravans which had been packed to the brim with money and supplies before being sent to the towns ravaged by the flood, somehow, mysteriously turned into mixtures of sand and stone by the time they arrived at those towns?” Lord Tsend gulped and bowed his head.

 

“I am incompetent, Your Majesty!” He wailed, “I do not know why such a thing happened!” The court officials jumped as Soyoung slammed her hand on the table. 

 

“What use is there for you to admit your incompetence?” She growled, “Even if you gave up your life, that won’t change what has happened!” Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the groveling man.

 

“I do not want to hear ‘I don’t know.’” She said firmly, “What I want is answers. I will give you one more chance to properly send supplies to the disaster area. If I hear that something went wrong again…” She pointed a finger sharply at Lord Tsend.

 

“I will surely hold you fully accountable.” She growled, “And the next time you appear in court, I expect you to have answers to what happened last time.” The older man paled at her words, his body trembling as he bowed deeply so his head was touching the floor.

 

“Please spare my life, Your Majesty!” He cried. Soyoung sighed deeply and rested her forehead against her hand for a long moment. This sudden meeting had stretched on for a good part of the afternoon, much longer than she had expected when she had summoned all the court officials back to Mentality Hall. The man’s groveling and plaintive cries were starting to grate terribly on her nerves, spurring a rare sense of irritation in her chest. For some reason, louder sounds had begun to irritate Soyoung more in recent weeks, to the point that she had snapped at Eunseong one day while he was using a mortar and pestle to grind herbs to make nourishing medication for her. It also wasn’t helping that she was starting to feel hungry again, even though it hadn’t been that long since the afternoon meal had been served. Soyoung was feeling a distinct craving for sweet rice cakes again, as she had the day before and the entire week before that.

 

“Enough!” She finally snapped, raising her gaze ever so slightly to glare again at Lord Tsend, “Go back to your position and shut your mouth!” The man gulped and did as he was ordered. Soyoung saw the other court officials exchange confused glances at the Empress’ open irritation, but they were all smart enough to know better than to ask. Soyoung sighed deeply again.

 

“Is there anything else to report while you are all gathered here?” She asked. The court officials exchanged glances before bowing in unison.

 

“No, Your Majesty.” They intoned. 

 

“Then you are all dismissed.” Soyoung said simply. She rose from her throne in one fluid movement and walked out of the room with a flick of her skirts. As she strode down the private hallway leading away from the meeting room, Soyoung felt her steps falter as the world spun briefly in what had by now become a familiar sense of dizziness. 

 

“Your Majesty!” Hyojun’s hand on her shoulder quickly steadied her as she stumbled, “Are you alright? Shall I call for a physician?” Soyoung took a deep breath as she steadied herself and shook her head.

 

“I’m fine.” She replied, “Just a little worn out.” Hyojun sighed.

 

“Your Majesty, you always work too hard.” He chided. Soyoung sighed wearily.

 

“How can I not when I have fools like those in official positions?” She replied, tilting her head in the direction of the main hall where the soft murmurs of the court officials could still be heard. 

 

“If I relax too much, it is the people who will suffer.” She added, “And I cannot let that happen.” Hyojun was quiet for a short while as they continued on their way.

 

“Your Majesty, do you really trust Lord Tsend to ship the supplies successfully this time?” He asked. Soyoung smirked wryly and shook her head.

 

“No, in fact I do not.” She replied. Hyojun frowned. 

 

“Then, why…?” He asked in confusion. 

 

“Think about it.” Soyoung answered as she turned and looked up at her guard, “The supplies set for delivery were not small in number. And yet, somehow, it was all switched out for useless sand and stone by the time it arrived at the flooding area. Usually, that only means one of two things. One, bandits stole the food and money somewhere along the way. However, no one reported bandits appearing lately, neither on the delivery path or otherwise. Which means…”

 

“Your Majesty thinks someone at court embezzled the money for private use?” Hyojun finished the thought. Soyoung nodded.

 

“It wouldn’t be the first time, and it won’t be the last time.” She replied, “In many dynasties past, countless court officials have grown wealthy by embezzling official funds for personal use. This time should be no different.” 

 

“Your Majesty, I can capture Lord Tsend to interrogate him.” Hyojun offered, “If he will not answer, I will capture his family as well.” Soyoung sighed and hit Hyojun lightly on the arm.

 

“Im Hyojun.” She scolded, “How many times have I told you? I do not approve of tactics like that, so I will not use them unless there is absolutely nothing else I can do to get what I need. And besides, Lord Tsend is merely a small player in this entire mess.” 

 

“How can Your Majesty be so sure?” Hyojun replied. Soyoung smirked.

 

“Lord Tsend only got to where he was by bribing his way up the ranks.” She answered, “He likely wouldn’t have even passed the scholarly exams if he hadn’t paid his way through. Hyojun, do you think a person like that would be capable of setting up elaborate checkpoints all the way from here to the flooded area, slowly switching out food and money for stone and sand until there was nothing usable left?” Hyojun nodded slowly, seeming to pick up on what Soyoung had in mind.

 

“Then, Your Majesty is planning to…” His voice trailed off as Soyoung clapped a hand over his mouth, her gaze carefully taking in their surroundings as she noted that they had left the secrecy of her private area and stepped onto the stone paths leading away from Mentality Hall.

 

“It is enough if you understand.” She warned. Hyojun nodded and bowed his head in acquiescence. 

 

“Ah, that’s right.” Soyoung noted, “Did you receive anything from the messengers I sent to Hyeyoung’s home?” Hyojun hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.

 

“There has been no communication from them at all.” He replied, “They should have reached Xanadu by now, but there still has been nothing. Shall I send soldiers to search for them?” Although the news left a bad feeling in her chest, Soyoung shook her head.

 

“Not yet, that would draw too much attention.” She replied, “Send another set of messengers. If they lose contact as well, then we can send soldiers.” Hyojun nodded.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then, I will Your Majesty back to your rooms to rest.” He offered. Soyoung shook her head.

 

“I am going to the Royal Kitchens.” She answered. Hyojun frowned.

 

“Your Majesty is hungry again?” He asked, looking perplexed, “It hasn’t been that long since the afternoon meal.” Soyoung shot him a glare.

 

“Is there a problem with that?” She demanded, raising an eyebrow. Hyojun blinked in surprise at her reaction and then dipped his head.

 

“Of course not, Your Majesty.” He answered, “If you’d like, I could ask the servants to bring you food. You don’t need to go there yourself.” Soyoung shook her head.

 

“That would take too long.” She replied, “I’d rather not wait. You can go back to your quarters, I will go there myself.” Hyojun opened his mouth to protest, but Soyoung’s firm expression silenced whatever he was going to say. 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He said, then bowed before walking away. Soyoung waited until Hyojun disappeared around the corner, then began walking towards the kitchens. 

 

I wonder how long it will take for the cooks to make rice cakes…

 

As she neared the kitchens, Soyoung noticed that something was different. Although she usually stayed away from the Royal Kitchens, she had been there enough times to know it was usually filled with maids and eunuchs running around in a rush to prepare various meals and dishes for the many inhabitants of the royal palace. But today, the Royal Kitchens were oddly silent, the only sign of ongoing work the steam rising towards the sky from one of the rooms. Soyoung paused for a moment, frowning in confusion. Where had all the servants gone? 

 

On the other hand, what caught Soyoung’s attention even more was the delicious smell wafting from inside the only currently occupied room. It was sweet and warm, as if something was being steamed inside. As Soyoung drew closer, she heard the sound of voices speaking inside.

 

“It’s alright, I can do it myself.” It was Jinyoung’s voice.

 

“Let me help you.” A female voice insisted, “You know that I am a good cook. You tried my cooking last time, after all.” Soyoung frowned as she recognized Hyeyoung’s voice. 

What is she doing here?

 

“I did, but that was different.” Jinyoung insisted, “It won’t be sincere enough if I had someone help me.”

 

“Royal Sister will not have to know.” Hyeyoung replied, “Take it as a thank you for the gift you gave me last time.” 

 

“The hairpin itself was already a thank you gift!” Jinyoung protested, “There is no need to thank me again.” Deciding she had heard enough, Soyoung pushed open the doors to the room and leveled her gaze at the two startled figures inside.

 

“It appears you two are having fun.” She noted coolly, a light hint of sarcasm tinting her voice. 

 

“Soyoung!” Jinyoung exclaimed, “What are you doing here?” 

 

“That, I believe is what I should be asking you.” Soyoung retorted before switching her gaze to Hyeyoung.

 

“And you, Sister, appear finished reflecting on what you’ve done.” She added. Hyeyoung carefully wiped the startled expression from her face and bowed politely.

 

“Yes, I have.” She replied, “I will not speak so rashly again in the future.” 

 

“Excellent.” Soyoung replied, “Then you may go back and copy the sutras of Bodhisattva one hundred times over. Specifically, the portion speaking of a married woman’s virtues.” Hyeyoung’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“But Royal Sister, what have I done wrong?” She asked in confusion.

 

“Wipe that wronged expression off your face.” Soyoung said coolly, “And do not make me repeat myself.” Hyeyoung looked over at Jinyoung, who only shook his head. Finally, she curtseyed in acquiescence to Soyoung’s order.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” She replied, “I will take my leave.” Soyoung waited until Hyeyoung disappeared into the distance, then shut the door firmly behind her and turned to glare at her husband, her arms crossed over her chest.

 

“Now, don’t you believe you owe me an explanation as to why my husband and sister were together playing house in the imperial kitchens?” She asked coolly. Jinyoung blinked.

 

“What are you talking about?” He asked, “I was here cooking by myself, but then she suddenly appeared and said she wanted to help me. I was trying to send her away, but that was when you arrived.” He motioned around the otherwise empty room.

 

“Look, I even sent away all the servants so no one would bother me.” He added, “I don’t know why Sister-in-law suddenly arrived.” Soyoung frowned slightly as she recalled hearing Jinyoung say exactly that when she had first arrived outside. 

 

“Very well, I believe you.” She nodded, “Then, what was that about a gift?” Jinyoung thought for a moment before smiling.

 

“I bought her a little hairpin at one of the stalls on the street when I took her outside recently.” He replied, “She made food that day, so I thought I would buy her something in return. It is only proper to return a gift with a gift.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow, irritation flaring in her chest anew as she listened to Jinyoung explain. The feeling wrapped around her chest and tightened around her heart, oddly similar to how she had felt when she had seen Jinyoung dancing with the grassland girls back at the winter hunt. 

 

A simple gift? He sure makes it sound like it is nothing.

 

In what is soon to become a year of marriage, he hasn’t even given me anything yet! And here he is, casually telling his wife that he gave his sister-in-law a gift?

 

“Soyoung?” Jinyoung waved a flour covered hand in front of her, “Are you alright? You don’t look so good.” Soyoung swallowed hard, fighting down a sudden wave of nausea stirring in her stomach. 

 

“Why?” She asked, her voice edged with barely suppressed anger.

 

“Why what?” Jinyoung asked in confusion, “Why I gave her a gift? That is what the scholars have taught since many years ago. In fact, not only the scholars, but also my father, and my grandfather before him. They always said-”

 

“I don’t care!” Soyoung’s voice rose angrily, cutting off Jinyoung’s response, “I don’t care what your grand scholars of old have said, Park Jinyoung! Don’t you even see what the problem is?” Jinyoung frowned and shook his head, and Soyoung sighed in exasperation.

 

“A man only is supposed to give gifts to a woman he has feelings for!” She finally said, “Do I have to put it in any clearer terms? Or do you intend to marry my sister as a concubine? Have you forgotten she’s married? And you ate the food she cooked as well? Park Jinyoung, are you a fool?” Jinyoung froze at her words, an embarrassed look coming over his face as he understood what she was saying. Soyoung sighed again and turned around as she ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. She knew she was being petty; why was she getting so worked up over a simple hairpin? 

 

“I don’t even know why I’m so angry!” She finally exclaimed with an irritated huff. Soyoung had always been a person good at controlling her temper and overall emotions, but recently, she had found herself lashing out more often, her moods rising to the surface quicker than they previously had. Finally, she heard the click of the steamer opening briefly, followed by the sound of soft footsteps shuffling forward. An arm wrapped gently around her waist, followed by the warmth of Jinyoung’s head resting on her shoulder. 

 

“Open your mouth.” Jinyoung’s warm voice sounded in her ear.

 

“No.” Soyoung replied with an annoyed huff, “Let go of me, you’re dirty right now!” Jinyoung chuckled softly.

 

“Aren’t you hungry?” He asked, “Open your mouth.” Soyoung felt a light blush roll across her cheeks as her stomach grumbled at the exact moment Jinyoung finished speaking. Grudgingly, she opened slightly.

 

If he thinks changing the topic will do anything, then-! 

 

Her thoughts cut off abruptly as Jinyoung gently pushed something into . A gentle sweet flavor filled Soyoung’s mouth, light, but enough to satisfy her desire for sweet food. The food was soft and chewy, and Soyoung quickly recognized the taste of slightly crushed red beans. Blinking in confusion, she turned and looked at Jinyoung, perplexed. An amused smile crossed her husband’s face.

 

“How is the taste?” He asked, picking up a plate he had lifted from the steamer not long ago, “There’s more if you like it.” Soyoung’s mouth watered as she realized that Jinyoung was holding a plate of freshly steamed rice cakes. They were nothing like what she had seen before. The ones on the plate were small and round, bite sized and covered in different colored powder. Although her stomach craved for more, she huffed and turned her head away.

 

“It’s just alright.” She replied grudgingly. Jinyoung chuckled, seeming to pick up on her half hearted answer. 

 

“Here, try this one.” He said, holding out a black sesame covered rice cake, “Black sesame is always a popular flavor.” Soyoung hesitated for a moment before her hunger won over and she took the treat from Jinyoung’s hand. Before she knew it, she had gone through the entire plate that Jinyoung had been holding. These rice cakes were chewier than the ones usually made by the imperial chefs, filled with different flavors that Soyoung hadn’t tried before. In fact, she felt like she liked these more than the simple red bean paste rice cakes the imperial chefs usually made. Soyoung blinked as Jinyoung pushed another plate full of rice cakes in front of her.

 

“Have some more?” He offered. Soyoung frowned.

 

“I am not a glutton.” She replied with a huff. Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“I know you’re not.” He replied, “But if you liked my tteok that much, then that must  mean my cooking ability isn’t that bad.” Soyoung frowned at the unfamiliar word.

 

“Tteok?” She repeated, “You made this?” Jinyoung laughed and held up his flour covered hands.

 

“Was it not obvious?” He replied cheekily, “These are Goryeo style rice cakes.” Soyoung sighed, her fingers wandering slightly towards the plate of offered food before she resisted. 

 

“Tell me.” She said, “What is the meaning of all of this? Surely, you did not make all of this just because you were bored.” Jinyoung sighed softly.

 

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly, “I was wrong.” Soyoung gazed at him for a long moment.

 

“How were you wrong?” She asked. Jinyoung bit his lip.

 

“I shouldn’t have spoken against you like that when you were punishing Sister-in-law.” He said softly, “I didn’t consider your position well enough before I spoke. For that, I apologize.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“That’s it?” She asked, “I think you’re forgetting something.” Jinyoung thought for a moment before sighing.

 

“I should have thought more before giving her a gift.” He added, “Jia’er warned me that day, but I didn’t listen. I didn’t think you would react like that to a hairpin, because I didn’t understand the meaning underlying a gift.” He sighed softly.

 

“Will you forgive me, Wife?” He asked, “It feels terrible when you are angry at me.” As Soyoung gazed at him silently, Jinyoung picked up the new plate of rice cakes.

 

“At least look upon this apology gift I spent so much time making?” He said, “Each one is filled with my sincerity.” Soyoung gazed at him for another long moment before sighing. Truth be told, she didn’t like being angry at her husband. In addition to the nausea and dizziness that had become almost regular occurrences, keeping her distance from Jinyoung made her chest hurt. It was almost like Jinyoung had become an irreplaceable constant presence in her life, one that she couldn’t spend her day peacefully without. Finally, she reached out and plucked a rice cake from the plate.

 

“From now on, I only want to eat the ones you make.” She said, “That’s an imperial decree.” Jinyoung stared at her in confusion for a moment before finally smiling cautiously.

 

“Then, that means…?” He said hopefully. 

 

“If this happens again, then it will take more than a plate of rice cakes to earn my forgiveness.” Soyoung said grudgingly, nibbling on the rice cake in her hand. Jinyoung beamed, his warm laughter warming Soyoung’s heart.

 

“Thank you, Wife.” He said with a grin. Soyoung frowned and poked him in the chest.

 

“So from now on, do you dare to eat food made by another woman?” She asked, “Or give another woman gifts? Whose man are you?” Jinyoung chuckled and shook his head. 

 

“I’m your man.” He replied simply. The statement was simple, so simple, but for whatever reason it was more than enough to make Soyoung’s heart flutter. She sighed and reached out to pinch his cheek lightly.

 

“Husband, you are always so kind.” She said, “What am I going to do with you? One of these days, someone is going to take advantage of your kindness.” Jinyoung grinned and shook his head, taking her hand in his.

 

“No, that will not happen.” He replied, “Because I have you by my side.” Soyoung sighed as she looked over at her husband.

 

“I cannot be by your side at all hours of the day.” She reminded him, “You must learn to see more than what people hold themselves out to be on the surface. Otherwise, you will be tricked eventually.”

 

“I know, I know.” Jinyoung replied, “I will definitely be careful, so do not worry about me. As for me, I understand what my role is and who Sister-in-law is. Princess Hyeyoung will always just be your sister, and you will always be my wife. That is the way things have been, and the way things will continue to be.” 

 

“Who said I was worried?” Soyoung muttered, a tiny smile playing at the corner of her lips nonetheless, “I just...want to make sure there’s someone to make rice cakes for me.” Jinyoung laughed.

 

“Whatever you say, Wife.” He replied with a light twinkle in his eyes, “But…” Soyoung blinked as Jinyoung reached out and poked at her stomach lightly.

 

“You might want to avoid eating too many sweets.” He said teasingly, “Your stomach feels bigger.” Soyoung frowned, then hit Jinyoung lightly on the shoulder.

 

“Are you calling me fat?” She demanded, one hand unconsciously poking at her belly. She hadn’t noticed it much before, but now that Jinyoung had brought it up, her abdomen did feel rounder than it did before. 

 

Did I put on some weight from all the sweets I’ve been having lately?

 

“No, no.” Jinyoung shook his head, “I think it’s better for a woman to have a little bit more weight on her.” 

 

“Park Jinyoung!” Soyoung snapped, “That’s the same thing!” She raised a finger at Jinyoung, who had begun to back away.

 

“Come here, I’m going to have to punish you.” She said. Jinyoung shook his head as he continued backing away.

 

“Come here!” Soyoung said warningly, “Park Jinyoung!” The sound of warm laughter floated out from the kitchen a few moments later, mixed with the delicious scents of steamed sweet rice cakes. Outside, Jang Hyeyoung grit her teeth in irritation and clenched her hand tightly as she heard the couple’s amused laughter coming from inside. 

 

“How dare she laugh that happily.” Hyeyoung growled under her breath, “How dare she receive such affection from her husband when she has taken away everything that should be mine!” Hyeyoung had planned carefully to obtain the prince’s pity and good feelings, even taking steps to cause herself to be punished so as to create a poor image of the Empress in Park Jinyoung’s eyes. Her opening moves had all worked perfectly; the Prince Consort and the Empress clearly had different ideas about proper punishment and what was allowed in the palace. Where Jinyoung was kindhearted and tolerant, Soyoung was well experienced in the intricate relationships among those who lived in the palace and endless factors to consider as a royal, and so was far less lenient than Jinyoung was. Hyeyoung had planned to push on that divide further, but Park Jinyoung had given in quicker this time than Hyeyoung had imagined.

 

“It seems that I have underestimated the hold that my sister has on her husband.” She muttered.

 

“My Lady, what should we do next?” Her maid whispered, “Her Majesty has already made up with the Prince Consort!” 

 

“Do not fret.” Hyeyoung replied, “There are still many things to come. Jang Soyoung, we’ll see how long you can continue laughing!” Hyeyoung hadn’t forgotten what Jang Jaewon had tasked her to do since before she had arrived at the capitol. 

 

Remove Park Jinyoung’s presence from Jang Soyoung’s side. He is too helpful to her to keep around. Make good use of his kind personality and inexperienced background, and do whatever you can to break the tie between the prince and the Empress. Crush Soyoung if you have to. If Soyoung loses the prince, then her longstanding good relationship with Goryeo will weaken. And when that happens, Goryeo will be far less likely to grant Soyoung their support if something were to happen to the country. And if Soyoung falls, then so will the strength of this country. In the end, all we need to do is sit by the side and reap the benefits of the chaos.

 

Hyeyoung laid a hand lightly on her stomach, her fingers lightly caressing the slightly rounded surface. The child was still small, Hyeyoung’s pregnancy well hidden below the layers of fine cloth that the princess was wearing. Besides Jang Jaewon and those who worked closest to him, no one had noticed the tiny life blooming inside Hyeyoung’s womb. But small as the child was, Hyeyoung knew that it could be her strongest helper in their entire plan.

 

“Zhen Zhu.” She said, “What is the most important thing to a woman, besides marrying a good husband?” 

 

“Of course, it would be to bear children.” Zhen Zhu, her maid replied. Hyeyoung smirked.

 

“Exactly.” She said, “Whether it is the Empress who sits at the highest position in this country, or the lowest commoner in the empire, that will always hold true.”

 

“My Lady, then you want to…?” Zhen Zhu looked at her mistress curiously, who smirked again and nodded.

 

“Exactly.” She replied, “It looks like I will have to make good use of my child. Find me Physician Yu. I’m sure he will have what I want.” Zhen Zhu dipped in a curtsey.

 

“Yes, My Lady.” She replied. The young maid hesitated for a moment before she spoke again.

 

“My Lady.” She said softly, lowering her voice cautiously, “A message was sent to your chambers this morning. That person was seen entering the capitol this morning.” Hyeyoung froze for a moment, a frown furrowing her brow as she stared at the maid in alarm. 

 

“Are you sure?” She asked. Zhen Zhu nodded. 

 

“Certain.” She replied, “What should we do, My Lady? If that person somehow makes his way to the palace, then…” Her gaze flickered slightly to Hyeyoung’s stomach before looking away again. Hyeyoung sighed deeply.

 

“I will send a message to Royal Uncle asking him to get rid of that person.” She replied, “I’ve stepped too far into this to back away now. I cannot let that person threaten me.”

 

“Yes, My Lady.” Zhen Zhu replied. Hyeyoung began to step away, then paused.

 

“Actually,” she said, “Instead, send a message to Royal Uncle asking for some funds.” Zhen Zhu looked at her mistress in confusion.

 

“What do you need money for, My Lady?” She asked. Soyoung’s amused laughter floated out from the kitchen area again, and Hyeyoung grit her teeth in irritation. In her entire life, Jang Soyoung had never been one to be happy. Born to a mother unable to provide backing to her place in the palace and forced to enter the harsh imperial military from a young age, Jang Soyoung had been long known for her strict and serious nature rather than her smiles. Smiling didn’t fit the woman dubbed as the warrior empress, much less laughing. 

 

“I’m going to cause a scene.” Hyeyoung replied simply.

____________________________________________________________________________

Nighttime

 

As night fell and the moon rose high in the sky, Jang Soyoung slipped free from Jinyoung’s warm embrace and leapt neatly out one of the back windows for her periodic visit around the city. The night was warm and comfortable, the scent of spring in the air as Soyoung leapt soundlessly from one building to another. As she always did, Soyoung spent the first two hours of her nightly visits as Soojin, dealing with small requests for help that had been left for her by the commonfolk under the large willow tree near the edge of the capitol city. With the devastating flooding that had occurred and the continuous delay in getting supplies over to those areas, refugees from the flooded areas had begun arriving in the capitol looking for food and shelter, creating havoc around the city. There wasn’t too much Soyoung could do for them under her identity as Soojin besides dealing with the refugees stirring up violence and committing thievery around the city, but she had made arrangements with a local baker to provide food for the refugees who had nowhere else to go besides sleeping on the streets at night. It was small, but at least those people had at least one guaranteed meal every day. Overseeing those efforts meant Soyoung had even less time to sleep than normal, and she was already beginning to feel the strain on her tired body, but she knew she couldn’t just leave the issue untouched. Stil, Soyoung knew merely providing food for some refugees wouldn’t be a viable long term plan; she had to address the overall issue quickly before more issues arose.

 

But today, that wasn’t all that Soyoung had to do.

 

She had granted Lord Tsend permission to retrieve more funds and supplies from the Royal Treasury that day, and knowing him, he would likely move to see his supporter sooner rather than later. He wouldn’t go during the day, because that would be too obvious. Instead, Soyoung had a suspicion that it would be during late night, during the darkest hours of the day. And, as Soyoung arrived near Lord Tsend’s manor and hid carefully within a nearby darkened alley, she found that she was right. Although the moon was high in the sky, and it was late into the night, it wasn’t long before the doors to Lord Tsend’s manor opened, and the older man hurried out in a rush. There were no servants following to attend him; a sole horse stood waiting for him at the entrance, which he mounted and quickly hurried off on. Soyoung followed him carefully from a safe distance in the air, her silent footsteps on the rooftops giving him no indication that he was being followed. Eventually, Lord Tsend stopped in front of another large mansion on the west side of the city, known for serving as living quarters for the higher ranked members of the imperial military. Soyoung’s gaze focused carefully on the large sign hanging at the front of the mansion, announcing whose home Lord Tsend had arrived at. A deep frown pursed her lips as she read the sign.

 

Khuu Manor.

 

Lord Tsend had gone to see Khuu Batuhan, the chief commander of the imperial palace guards.

 

Soyoung’s brow furrowed in confusion. Khuu Batuhan had served her and her father before she had ascended the throne, racking up numerous military accolades and titles over his years of service. He had more than enough money to live well and leave enough for his descendants after him. None of Soyoung’s sources around the city had noted anything amiss in Khuu Manor that would indicate he had come into possession of a large amount of money recently. So what was Lord Tsend doing here at this hour of the night?

 

There’s only one way to find out.

 

Soyoung slipped over to a more unguarded side of the manor, then vaulted neatly over the wall before leaping onto the green tiled rooftops of the large mansion. Her gaze carefully followed Lord Tsend, who walked quickly behind a servant who led the way through the mansion. Although it was late night, the servant appeared to have been expecting Lord Tsend’s arrival, his certain steps making it clear that he knew where he was going. Soyoung watched as Lord Tsend bypassed the main room and entered a room at the end of multiple intersecting hallways before shutting the doors behind him. After the servant had left, Soyoung leapt lightly onto the roof of the room that Lord Tsend had entered and silently picked up one green tile off the roof, leaving behind a little window into the well lit room beneath.

 

“Are you out of your mind?” Khuu Batuhan hissed as Lord Tsend entered the room, “Her Majesty was furious in court just this morning and you came to my manor tonight?” 

 

“I had to come!” Lord Tsend replied, his eyes darting back and forth around the room in fear, “What are we going to do? Her Majesty already approved another set of supplies, but if this set disappears too…” Khuu Batuhan scoffed.

 

“So what if it does?” He said, “As long as we hide it well, Her Majesty will not even notice. The commoner who dared to report to the capitol has already been silenced. No one else will dare to bring up the issue again, and you and I will both be safe.”

 

“Have there been further orders from the Master?” Lord Tsend asked anxiously. Khuu Batuhan shook his head. 

 

“There hasn’t, and there is no need for any.” He replied, “Do you think the Master is as cowardly as you, who panics when one thing goes wrong? Her Majesty doesn’t even know who took the last set of supplies and money or where they went! All we have to do is follow the Master’s previous orders. The head of the imperial treasury will take care of getting you all you need.” Soyoung frowned.

 

“Master?” Who are they talking about? To have the power to command the leader of the imperial guards and divert supplies from the Royal Treasury, this master certainly is no small player in court.

 

“The supplies will be shipped out next week.” Lord Tsend said, “What should we do then? I’m sure there will be many eyes watching what we do now. It won’t be easy to move the supplies and money away.” 

 

“My men will be prepared to act at the first resting point outside the city.” Khuu Batuhan replied, “Just move along as normal, and don’t let anyone catch on to something amiss. When all is said and done, you will be compensated and the Empress will find no reason to punish you.” He gave Lord Tsend a light shove.

 

“Now get going before anyone sees you here and reports to the Empress.” He said urgently, “If Her Majesty finds evidence that we are the ones directly siphoning off money and supplies, even the Master won’t be able to save either of us.” Lord Tsend nodded and quickly left the mansion, returning the way he had come. Soyoung stayed at her perch for a little while longer, but there was no more movement from Khuu Batuhan besides retiring to his chambers to rest. Her mind whirling with what she had seen that night, Soyoung returned to the royal palace, hopping the wall as she always did and slipping silently back into her chambers. Jinyoung was still fast asleep, oblivious to the little trip his wife had taken that night. Sighing softly, Soyoung slipped into Jinyoung’s warm embrace, closing her eyes in a futile attempt to sleep. 

 

It looks like I’ll have to take another trip out in a week’s time.

 

__________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

The next day, Jinyoung found Soyoung sitting at her desk silently, her forehead resting against her hands, her eyes closed, deep in thought. 

 

“Soyoung?” He called softly, putting down the tray of medicine he was carrying, “You look troubled. What’s wrong?” Soyoung sighed softly and opened her eyes.

 

“Nothing.” She said softly, “Don’t worry about it.” Jinyoung frowned and pulled up a chair next to his wife.

 

“Soyoung.” He said softly, “Didn’t we promise not to keep secrets from each other? You’re supposed to let me help you.” Soyoung chuckled wearily.

 

“You help out enough already.” She replied, “I don’t want to burden you with more.” Jinyoung shook his head.

“Tell me.” He insisted, “Perhaps I can give you some ideas.” Soyoung sighed again.

 

“I need a way to get supplies to the areas ravaged by the floods.” She said, “Usually I would send supplies directly from the imperial treasury, but there have been too many instances of court officials taking the money for themselves. I have some leads about where it’s all going, but it will take some time to investigate. In the meantime, I still have to get supplies out there. It’s the worst flooding event that has happened in years, I cannot leave the people out there without any help at all.” Soyoung swallowed hard.

 

“And on top of that, there’s already refugees coming into the capitol and creating trouble there.” She added, “If I don’t do something soon, the capitol will be overrun with them. They’re so desperate, but I’m just sitting here with my hands tied because these ridiculous officials are all too greedy for their own good!” Jinyoung felt his heart clench as he saw the frustrated expression on Soyoung’s face. He had already heard of the dilemma that Soyoung was facing in court; corrupt officials were taking relief funds for their own use, leaving the poor to suffer without any help by the time the supplies were supposed to arrive. Whenever he went around the city, he had noticed more bedraggled people wandering about, often sitting on the side of the streets to beg for money. Disasters happened periodically, and Jinyoung was sure there were no emperors in the history of the country who had been able to avoid facing these issues. But when there were corrupt officials in court, that made the  matter much  more difficult. Jinyoung recalled his brother Jaebeom telling him when they were younger about the time their father had undertaken a purge of sorts of the royal court in order to clear out all corrupt officials. One official had been tied to another, eventually leading to a wave of replacements and shifts in the Goryeo court. It didn’t seem like Soyoung intended to do the same just yet, but it was obvious that she would have to tread carefully. 

 

“Have you considered putting up official stands to provide food for the refugees in the capitol?” He asked, “For example, like a congee shop.” Soyoung sighed and shook her head.

 

“I have, but it won’t work as a long term plan.” She replied, “In the end, the way to end those people’s suffering and get those flooded areas back on their feet is to send supplies directly there. If I stepped forward and officially ordered that food be given to those people as their ruler, news would eventually spread and only attract more refugees here, which would bring more trouble to the city.”

 

“Isn’t there anyone in court that you could entrust with this task?” Jinyoung asked, “Surely there is at least one.” Soyoung frowned.

 

“I want to send Yeojin.” She replied, “I know for sure that she is not the greedy type who will swallow all the supplies instead of  bringing them to the refugees. But the problem then, is where I can get the supplies from. I cannot trust the head of the treasury anymore, but if I remove him now, that will only startle those he is working with.” Jinyoung rose to his feet and walked over to the window, clasping his hands behind his back as he thought of what Soyoung could do. He could see why the problem was troubling Soyoung so much; his wife was a ruler who truly cared for the people, but because of these corrupt officials combined with many other interlacing factors, she had her hands tied no matter what direction she tried to go. Then, he grinned and snapped his fingers as an idea came to mind.

 

“Soyoung.” He said as he turned around, “Who said supplies had to come from the official imperial treasury?”

_______________________________________________________________________

One week later

 

The idea that Jinyoung had proposed to Soyoung was simple; if supplies couldn’t come from the imperial treasury without risking that they would be stolen by corrupt officials, then why not get the supplies from other people who had it? In essence, Soyoung could skip over the court officials and go directly to the wealthy merchants and nobles who had grown rich doing business in the capitol, asking them to donate supplies to the flooded areas. In return, Soyoung would agree to cut their taxes that year by half. And because she wasn’t getting it from the court officials, she wouldn’t even need to discuss the matter with them beforehand. As long as Soyoung wasn’t obvious about it, it was a viable strategy. After all, merchants and businessmen were all people who acted based on profit margins and monetary benefits. Even if they had to give up some of their stored up goods and food, they would still save money because of their lowered taxes. And if Soyoung spoke with them directly and framed her words just right, there was little chance that they would refuse.

 

Unfortunately, that also meant that in the week before Lord Tsend was supposed to begin delivering the official supplies, Soyoung found herself so busy she barely had any time to spend with her husband. Usually her days were busy enough, but now after morning court and sword practice, she would take Hyojun and secretly slip out of the palace to meet with the various noble families in the capitol. By the time she arrived back at the palace, there were other tasks waiting for her to finish, often taking until late night to complete, long after Jinyoung had fallen asleep. Although he missed his wife’s presence, Jinyoung knew better than to complain. It had been his idea, after all, and it was all for the benefit of the country. He tried to help visit noble families in Soyoung’s place whenever he could, but in the end, Soyoung was in the best position to convince them to donate supplies. And so, Jinyoung had to make do with entertaining himself with his books and chatting with Hyeyoung or Jia’er. 

 

The week passed by quickly, and on the day Lord Tsend’s supplies were scheduled to leave the capitol, Soyoung and Hyojun followed closely behind while keeping hidden among the trees surrounding the path. The plan was simple; the first resting point wasn’t too far from the capitol, and that was where Khuu Batuhan had supposedly prepared to take action. Once certain supplies had been taken away from the main group, Soyoung and Hyojun would follow and see where the money and supplies were taken. If they were delivered directly to the mysterious master, then Hyojun would go bring imperial soldiers to capture the mastermind behind the corrupt officials. Although Soyoung knew Hyojun found it odd that she was doing all of this herself instead of sending high ranked soldiers to take care of it, he didn’t ask for more details. Soyoung had always appreciated that about her personal guard; aside from a few exceptional cases, Hyojun rarely questioned her decisions. It was a symbol of his trust in her decisionmaking, of his unwavering belief that his mistress knew what she was doing. 

 

The journey passed with little fanfare, and soon Lord Tsend’s men had already passed the first resting point. As she watched the men continue on, Soyoung was beginning to wonder if she had misheard Khuu Batuhan’s plan when the sound of an arrow whizzing through the air caught her attention. On instinct, Hyojun quickly pushed Soyoung down so that they were lying flat against the ground, hidden from view behind a thick bush. As Soyoung watched, she realized the sound she had heard was from a volley of flaming arrows that had been shot out from another part of the forest, aimed directly for the traveling caravans on the road. The horses pulling the caravans reared in fright and men shouted in alarm as the arrows found their mark, immediately igniting small fires all around the traveling group before masked men dressed in black clothing leapt down and began attacking. 

 

“My Lady, should we intervene?” Hyojun asked under his breath, “Those bandits are beginning to take away some of the supplies.” Soyoung shook her head.

 

“Those aren’t ordinary bandits.” She replied, “It’s all the ruse that Khuu Batuhan set up.” Sure enough, as Soyoung watched, the masked men were indeed taking away supplies. But at the same time, in the midst of all the chaos, others had slipped among the flurry of men and placed other bags onto the wagons where the imperial supplies had been placed, likely filled with sand and stone rather than food. Besides knowing that a ruse had been set into place, there was another thing that tipped Soyoung off upon looking closer.  Although the supposed bandits made it look like they were stealing the bags of supplies and the guards made it look like they were fighting back, there were barely any injuries to be seen beyond what would later become bruises and red marks. The bandits held swords but didn’t use the blade, arrows were shot but they were aimed at the wagons rather than the soldiers themselves. After the soldiers had been “beaten” to the ground, the bandits took off with their stolen goods. 

 

“After them.” Soyoung whispered, and she and Hyojun hurried off after the black clothed men. As Soyoung had expected, the men switched back into civilian clothing not long after they had taken away part of the supplies and money before taking the stolen goods and returning to the city. Soyoung and Hyojun followed closely behind, expecting to see the final destination of the goods, or at least reveal another player in the intricate web of bribery and corrupt behavior that was surfacing in the Yuan court. 

 

But instead, what Soyoung saw made her more confused. 

 

When the men finally stopped moving and arrived at their final destination, Soyoung’s gaze rose to the sign hanging over the door, sure that she had seen wrong. Soyoung ran her gaze carefully over the finely crafted sign multiple times, certain that she had seen wrong. But, no matter how many times she looked, the name stayed the same.

 

Khuu Mansion.

 

In the end, the men had made a large circle and brought the goods right back to Khuu Batuhan instead of the master standing hidden in the shadows. 

 

“My Lady, should I bring the guards?” Hyojun whispered softly. Soyoung shook her head.

 

“Not yet.” She replied, “Let me figure out what is happening first.” Her mind raced with the possibilities of what was happening. Khuu Batuhan couldn’t possibly be the person who was behind all of this; high ranked as he was, there was no way even the top ranked general could pull off a feat like this, much less the head of the imperial guard. In that case, there were only two other possibilities. One, Khuu Batuhan had chosen to betray their master, attempting to take the goods and money for his own use instead. Or two, Khuu Batuhan intended to hold onto the supplies temporarily for now instead of sending it directly to his master. But why? No matter how Soyoung thought about it, it made no sense. Finally, she sighed and turned to Hyojun.

 

“Pick some of your most trusted men and have them watch Khuu Batuhan’s mansion starting today.” She ordered, “Also, have some men follow Lord Tsend’s caravan. It looks like this matter isn’t going to come to a close today.” Hyojun dipped his head in acquiescence. 

 

“Yes, My Lady.” He replied, “Then, shall we return to the palace now?” Soyoung shook her head.

 

“I’m going to watch here for a little while longer.” She said, “You can go back first.” Hyojun hesitated, then nodded.

 

“Very well.” He said, “Be careful, My Lady.” Soyoung nodded and turned her attention back to the mansion. No matter how she thought about it, it simply made no sense. 

 

Just what is going on?

 

___________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung

 

At the same time that Soyoung was trying to track down where the stolen supplies were being taken, Jinyoung was walking along the busy streets at the center of the capitol. He had been talking with Jia’er earlier, but his friend had left early to hold an extra session of his self defense teaching sessions for the local children. And so, Jinyoung had been left to his own devices, and he had chosen to walk for a little around the city before returning to the palace. As he wandered along, he saw a large crowd gathered up ahead and decided to go see what was happening. As it turned out, the large crowd was a long line of bedraggled commoners waiting for food. A long table had been placed at the front of the crowd, large barrels of congee and little meat dishes covering its wooden surface.

 

“Please stand carefully in line, everyone will receive a share!” Jinyoung blinked in surprise as he recognized the voice speaking, and he looked further down the table to see Hyeyoung standing there doling out congee to those that had reached the front of the line. Unlike her usual elegant clothing, today Hyeyoung was wearing more simple robes with an apron over them, her sleeves rolled up to keep them away from her hands. 

 

“My Lady, you are too kind!” An old woman exclaimed, grasping Hyeyoung’s hands, “You do not know how hard it has been for our people!” Hyeyoung smiled warmly.

 

“You should thank Her Majesty.” She replied, “This was all her idea.” Jinyoung smiled and watched for a few more moments before calling out to her.

 

“Sister-in-law!” Hyeyoung looked up at the sound of his voice, a bright smile crossing her face as she saw him.

 

“Brother-in-law!” She exclaimed, “What brings you here?” Jinyoung chuckled as he walked over to her.

 

“I always spend one day per week outside of the palace.” He replied, “While I was heading back, I saw a lot of people gathering here and was wondering what was going on.” Hyeyoung grinned.

 

“I heard that many refugees have gathered in the capitol and wanted to help out my sister.” She said, “There’s not that much I can do, but the least I could do is provide food for those who are here.” Jinyoung smiled.

 

“You have such a kind heart.” He replied, “Soyoung was just telling me about how troubled she was about the flooding and refugee crisis. If you could alleviate her troubles even just a little, I’m sure she would appreciate it.” Hyeyoung smiled.

 

“I’m glad to hear that.” She replied, “It seems that my sister has many misunderstandings about me, and I hope my actions could help change them.” Jinyoung was about to respond when a voice shouted out over the low murmurs of the refugees lined up for food.

 

“Hyeyoung!” Jinyoung turned in confusion at the sound of the voice and frowned at what he saw. A tall young man was pushing his way through the crowd, his gaze fixated on the young princess standing next to Jinyoung. Unlike the bedraggled refugees, this man was clearly a well off nobleman, his clean clothes clearly made of fine material shimmering in the sunlight. At last, he made his way through the crowd and reached the front, shoving aside the maids that tried to stand in front of Hyeyoung.

 

“At last, I have found you!” He exclaimed, grabbing Hyeyoung by the wrist, “Do you know how hard I searched for you?” Hyeyoung attempted to wriggle out of his grasp, her eyes wide in alarm.

 

“Who are you?” She demanded, “I don’t know who you are!” 

 

“Jang Hyeyoung, how could you do this to me?” The man demanded, “We once swore our love to each other, promising to be together for the rest of our lives, even if we had to run away to do it!” 

 

“I don’t know who you are!” Hyeyoung wailed, “Let me go!” Jinyoung reached out and grabbed the man’s hand. 

 

“Sir, I don’t know who you are, but you are hurting the lady.” He said, “Please let her go, and we can speak cordially.” The man shot a glare at Jinyoung and shoved him aside.

 

“This has nothing to do with you!” He growled, “Get lost, if you value your life!” Hyeyoung let out a cry of alarm as Jinyoung was shoved against one of the tables and knocked to the ground, plates falling to the ground and shattering in the process.

 

“Just what do you want?” Hyeyoung wailed, “I don’t even know you!” 

 

“Don’t you know how much I missed you?” The man asked, “Now that I’ve finally found you again, we can finally be together forever!” As the mysterious man struggled to pull Hyeyoung away, Jinyoung remembered that imperial guards were always nearby whenever he went out of the palace, even without Soyoung’s orders. 

 

“Guards!” He shouted, “Is there anyone nearby? Get that man away from my Sister-in-law!” There was a flicker of movement from out of the corner of his eye, and the mysterious man soon found himself yanked away from Hyeyoung and shoved to the ground by two imperial guards. Hyeyoung quickly ran over to Jinyoung’s side and ducked behind him, her trembling hands clenching Jinyoung’s sleeve tightly. Although he found himself trembling slightly as well from the gravity of the situation, Jinyoung took a deep breath and imagined how Jaebeom would speak in this situation. At the moment, Hyeyoung was the one who needed protection, and as her brother-in-law, he felt that he had a duty to help her.

 

“Listen carefully.” He said, “I don’t care who you are or what you want, but this woman is a princess of the imperial family. If you dare to lay your hands on her, you are asking for death! This place is an official area set aside to help those who are in need, not a place for you to throw a fit! Now get lost, and don’t ever appear in front of her again!” He flicked his head slightly, and the imperial guards dragged the man to his feet. 

 

“Hyeyoung, how could you do this to me?” The man shouted over his shoulder as he was dragged away, “Is that your new lover now? Is that why you don’t want me anymore? We spent so many intimate nights together, how could you do this to me?” Hyeyoung clapped her hands over her ears and ducked against Jinyoung’s shoulder, her body trembling. At last, the man’s shouts faded into the distance, and Jinyoung blew out his breath slowly. 

 

“Alright, everything is over now.” He announced, clapping his hands, “Everyone can get back into line and wait for food!” As the refugees shuffled back into place, Jinyoung turned and looked down at Hyeyoung. The young princess was clearly shaken by the encounter, her face as white as a sheet. 

 

“Why don’t we go home?” He suggested, “You’re not in the proper state to be outside like this right now.” Hyeyoung nodded, and Jinyoung carefully led her back to the palace. Soyoung hadn’t returned yet by the time they made it back, so Jinyoung walked Hyeyoung back to her room instead. When she had settled down, he turned to leave but was stopped by a hand grasping his sleeve.

 

“Brother-in-law, won’t you stay for a little longer?” Hyeyoung begged, “Just sit with me for a little longer. I’m still afraid.” Jinyoung knew it would be improper to stay in another woman’s room for so long, but looking at the terrified look in his sister-in-law’s eyes, he knew he couldn’t refuse. The look in Hyeyoung’s eyes was just begging for someone to stay with her, stirring up protective emotions that Jinyoung had never felt before.

 

“Very well.” He said, “Why don’t you have a cup of tea, and I’ll stay until you calm down some more.” Hyeyoung smiled in relief and motioned to her maid, Zhen Zhu to get tea. 

 

“Sister-in-law, who was that man?” Jinyoung asked, “He seemed to know you pretty well, but you told him you didn’t know him. If you tell me who it is, perhaps Soyoung could get him out of the capitol.” Hyeyoung swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as she grasped an empty cup.

 

“He is a young nobleman from Xanadu.” She replied at last, “His family runs a large cloth shop in the city, so he is very rich. I liked their shop’s merchandise, so I often visited his store to buy cloth to make clothes for my husband. One day, when I was visiting, this young man saw me and claimed he fell in love with me at first sight. I tried to tell him I was already married and started shopping at other stores to avoid him, but he simply wouldn’t give up.” Her eyes were wide as she looked up at Jinyoung.

 

“He is delusional, Brother-in-law!” She said firmly, “Nothing has ever happened between us, and yet he makes claims that will ruin my reputation! Brother-in-law, you must believe me!” Jinyoung nodded.

 

“Don’t worry, of course I believe you.” He replied, “I haven’t known you for too long, but I can tell that you aren’t the type to do something like what that man has implied. I will ask Soyoung to put out an order to remove him from the capitol.” Hyeyoung shook her head.

 

“No, I don’t want to aggravate him any further.” She said, “He is a pitiful man, at the end of the day, one who was driven to delusions out of love for me. I will simply avoid leaving the palace for some time.” Jinyoung sighed.

 

“You are too kindhearted, Sister-in-law.” He said. Hyeyoung smiled faintly.

 

“The scholars have always taught that we should be magnanimous, even against those who are against us.” She said, “I think that mindset is even more important for a member of the imperial family.” Zhen Zhu returned with tea at that moment, and Jinyoung took the cup the maid offered to him.

 

“Then, I will drink this cup of tea to your magnanimity.” He said, “I think that is very admirable of you, Sister-in-law.” Hyeyoung smiled and they sipped at their tea together. After the tea was finished, Jinyoung rose to his feet.

 

“I should be taking my leave now.” He said, “I have stayed for too long, and I-” His voice cut off and Jinyoung’s steps faltered as the world suddenly began to spin around him. His vision grew hazy, and he suddenly felt like someone had stuffed cotton into his ears.

 

“What…?” His own voice sounded slurred, his body growing heavier with each passing second. 

 

“Brother-in-law? What’s wrong?” Hyeyoung’s voice reached his ears, concerned, but…

 

Am I imagining things?

 

For a moment, Jinyoung felt like he could hear a snide tone in Hyeyoung’s voice, as if she knew exactly what was happening to him but was simply asking for show. Then, the ground rushed up to him as darkness closed in on Jinyoung’s consciousness, and then everything fell away into the darkness.

___________________________________________________________________________

Hyeyoung watched as the young Goryeo prince stumbled, faltered, and then toppled over onto the ground, completely unconscious. Chuckling softly, she tapped a finger against the flask that Zhen Zhu had used to pour tea for Jinyoung.

 

“So the rumors were true.” She murmured, “The little Prince Consort cannot take more than a little alcohol.” 

 

“My Lady, this flask is indeed excellent.” Zhen Zhu noted, “The prince had no idea that there were two sides inside the flask.” Hyeyoung smirked.

 

“Its perfection is exactly why I used it.” She replied, “Now, get him over to my bed.” Soon enough, Jinyoung was lying splayed out on Hyeyoung’s bed, still completely knocked out. Hyeyoung sat down next to the unconscious prince and ran a finger down the side of his face. 

 

“Such an innocent face, this one.” She cooed, “I never imagined my sister would fall in love with someone so pure, so easy to trick. They are simply complete opposites, and yet…” She sighed and shook her head as she untied the top layer of Jinyoung’s robes.

 

“My perfect, well adored sister,” She mused, “I wonder, will you still favor this innocent little husband of yours when everyone believes that he has become my man?” She reached up and began pulling away her own clothing, and was about to pull off the top layer when a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly. Hyeyoung turned in surprise and her eyes fell on a young man standing next to her, his hand tightly wrapped around her wrist.

 

“What are you doing?” She demanded. 

 

“That, Your Highness, is what I should be asking you.” The man replied, “What have you done to the Prince Consort?” Hyeyoung smirked.

 

“I don’t see why I have to explain it to you.” She replied, “Everything is for Royal Uncle’s plan, and the goal of putting me on the throne. He already said I could do whatever I wanted, as long as it gets this prince away from my sister’s side.” Her eyes narrowed.

 

“Do you intend to interfere with your own master’s plan?” She asked, “Imperial Guard Im Hyojun.” The fading afternoon sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the familiar face of the Empress’ personal guard. Im Hyojun’s gaze was sharp, his expression alternating between irritation and hesitation.

 

“Of course not.” He answered at last, “But even in the course of Master’s plan, there are some lines that cannot be crossed. And you, Your Highness, are about to cross that line.”