Jinyoung groaned as he stirred, his body feeling like it was being weighed down by a thousand sandbags. From what felt like a million miles away, he could hear the sound of waves lapping against wood, and after a few moments of sluggish thinking, his half working mind realized that he was still on the ship. The wood below his fingertips was still,  meaning that the ship was still moored to the dock as it had been when he had first boarded. Swallowing hard, Jinyoung forced his eyes open ever so slightly and saw that he was leaning against the wall of the room he had been in earlier. Thick rope chafed against his wrists, telling the young prince that he was bound tight to something behind him. The door opened as he sat there sluggishly recalling what had happened in the moments before he had out, and Jinyoung lifted his heavy gaze to see the shipowner stepping into the room.

 

“Oh?” The older man noted as he saw Jinyoung looking up at him, “You woke up faster than I imagined.” Jinyoung’s hands clenched slightly into fists as he summoned the little strength he had to speak.

 

“Just who are you?” He gasped, “Why did you capture me? Could it be...you really are a descendant of the old Jin ruling family?” The shipowner scoffed and leaned down to look at Jinyoung. After gazing at the young prince for a long moment, he reached out and took the young man by the chin, turning his head left and right and studying him as if he was a specimen.

 

“You seem like a regular scholar.” He commented, “But you are definitely an intelligent boy. It is no wonder the empress took a liking to you.” His eyes narrowed as he leaned closer to Jinyoung.

 

“But sometimes, Prince Consort, it is not a good thing for a member of the royal family to be too smart.” He sneered, “And this is one of those circumstances.” 

 

“You still haven’t told me who you are.” Jinyoung growled, forcing himself to remain calm despite the circumstances. The man scoffed lightly and let go of Jinyoung.

 

“I am not a member of the Jin imperial family.” He said at last, “But I owe my life to the final prince of that family. On his deathbed, he made me swear to get vengeance for the pain that his family suffered at the hands of the Yuan imperial family, and I promised that I would fulfill his wish.” 

 

“And so?” Jinyoung pressed, “Because of a promise that could never come true, you sold your services to a traitor of the imperial family? Trading firepowder from the imperial merchants with the rebels...there is no way you could have done all of this by yourself. Just who is instructing you from behind?” The shipowner scoffed as he crouched down so he was eye level with Jinyoung.

 

“You guessed right.” He said, “I did sell the firepowder to the rebels. I couldn’t wait for the day when the rebels would use it to blow the entire imperial army to pieces, and that meddling empress along with it.”

 

“Well unfortunately for you, Soyoung is alive and well.” Jinyoung growled, “Your plan hasn’t succeeded.” The shipowner chuckled.

 

“What a naive boy.” He said, “Don’t you realize that your life is more important to her than the entire war?” Jinyoung felt his throat go dry as he realized where this conversation was going.

 

“Killing me won’t give the Jin their land and empire back.” He answered firmly, fighting to keep the tremble from his voice.

 

“It won’t.” The shipowner agreed, “But at the very least, the Empress will feel the same pain that my masters did when they lost their entire empire in the hands of the Mongol army.” Jinyoung gulped as the man patted him on the cheek.

 

“But do not be afraid, little prince.” He said, “I will not kill you just yet. My orders were to wait until the empress returned, and then take your life in front of her very eyes. Only then will she know what it means to feel the pain of losing something worth more than her own life.” 

 

“You are a fool if you think you can have the empress controlled in the palm of your hand.” Jinyoung growled, “There are reasons why she has held onto the throne for so many years already.” The shipowner smirked.

 

“You are correct.” He agreed, “But little prince, you have no idea who you are even up again. The person who is giving me orders has more power than you can ever imagine. And once you are finished, then all the pieces will begin falling into where they should have been long ago.” The man’s laughter echoed in Jinyoung’s ears as he sauntered out, leaving no time for the young prince to retort before the door slammed behind him. Jinyoung blew out his breath and leaned his head back against the pole he was tied to.

 

Soyoung...oh Soyoung...where are you right now?

 

__________________________________________________________________________

Two weeks later

 

“The Empress has returned!” Soyoung barely heard the loud shouts heralding her return to Khanbaliq as she swept through the city gates, barely pausing to even look at the guards bowing to her. In order to make it home as soon as possible, Soyoung had moved on ahead of her military, leaving Yeojin and her generals to wrap up matters in Jin and take the rest of the soldiers home. She had barely slept a wink during the two week rushed journey, had ended up exhausting three horses in her rush to get home, and her own exhausted body was still covered in half healed wounds, but Soyoung could care less. All that mattered to her now was getting home and making sure her husband and son were safe and sound. Soyoung leapt off her horse and tossed the reins to a stablehand as she entered the palace gates, barely skipping a beat before asking the servants about the whereabouts of her small family. The servants directed her to the Royal Infirmary, and there Soyoung found her young son watching curiously as his uncle ground herbs with a mortar and pestle. 

 

“Jinwoo.” Soyoung breathed, relieved to see the little boy safe and sound. Jinwoo turned at the sound of his mother’s voice, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the young empress.

 

“Mama!” He exclaimed, a smile lighting up his adorable face as he rushed into her arms. Soyoung let out a deep sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms around Jinwoo’s tiny frame and took in his familiar baby scent. 

 

“Mama dirty,” Jinwoo’s voice grumbled in her ear, likely taking note of the smell of sweat mixed with hot sunshine. Soyoung laughed softly at the boy’s straightforward observation.

 

“Mm.” She answered, “Mama came to see you as soon as I returned. Are you happy?” Jinwoo giggled and tightened his grasp around Soyoung.

 

“Jinoo miss Mama.” He declared, his tongue still struggling to pronounce his name. Soyoung chuckled and gently pinched her son’s cheek.

 

“Mama missed you too.” She said softly, “Have you been a good boy?” Jinwoo nodded eagerly and pointed to Eunseong, who was watching the little reunion with a smile on his face, barely fazed at all by his sister’s sudden reappearance.

 

“Jinoo good.” He declared, “Papa said stay with Uncle, Jinoo stay with Uncle.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow and looked over at her twin brother.

 

“Jinyoung said that?” She asked. Eunseong nodded.

 

“I’m not sure what was going on,” He said, “But two weeks ago, Jinyoung came and told me to keep an eye on Jinwoo. No matter what, I had to keep Jinwoo in my sight. He seemed so serious, I decided it was better not to ask why.” Soyoung frowned, her heart beginning to sink as she realized the implications of what Eunseong was saying.

 

“If Jinwoo is still here...then that means…” Her voice trailed off, but Eunseong guessed where she was going.

 

“Brother-in-law hasn’t returned.” He said quietly. Soyoung felt her heart drop, her body freezing as her mind immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion. 

 

“Have you sent anyone to look for him?” She demanded. Eunseong swallowed hard and nodded.

 

“There’s no sign of where he went.” He answered, “The eunuch serving him and the guards assigned to him that day went missing as well. Soyoung felt go dry, and before she knew what she was doing, she had already let go of Jinwoo and had walked brusquely to the door. 

 

“Soyoung.” Eunseong’s hand on her shoulder stopped her in her tracks, “If you intend to look for him, do you even know where to begin?” 

 

“Then do you expect me to sit here and just wait?” Soyoung demanded. It didn’t surprise her that Eunseong had guessed where she was going; her twin brother always had a good guess as to what she intended to do. At the same time though, she didn’t even want to begin imagining what had happened to Jinyoung. The only thing she wanted now was to have him home, in her arms, safe and sound. Eunseong sighed and scooped up Jinwoo in one arm and took Soyoung’s wrist with the other. 

 

“If you’re going to look for him, the least I can do is stop you from running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” He answered. Soyoung spluttered in protest at her brother’s analogy, but Eunseong simply led Soyoung to the part of the library that Jinyoung typically used.

 

“Here.” He said, “These are the documents Brother-in-law was looking at the day he disappeared.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow as she looked over the documents.

 

“Ship records?” She observed, realizing Jinyoung had been reading over receipts. Eunseong nodded.

 

“He was trying to find out who had sold the firepowder to the rebel army.” He said, “The guards at the gate said they saw him heading for the pier the day he disappeared.” Soyoung sighed.

 

“That dummy.” She muttered, “I didn’t need him to do that.”

 

“He was just trying to shoulder some of your burdens for you.” Eunseong reminded her gently, “That is what your husband is supposed to do.” Soyoung sighed again.

 

“Did you send anyone to look for him?” She demanded, “It has already been two weeks! What if…” Eunseong shook his head.

 

“I didn’t want to startle whoever captured him, so I had some soldiers go undercover to search.” He answered, “All of them reported that nothing was out of the ordinary. I had them continue making rounds on the pier since then, but everything has stayed the same. I didn’t dare to make any other moves before you returned.” Soyoung swallowed hard as she steadied her thoughts.

 

“If they wanted to do something to Jinyoung, they already would have.” She decided, “Besides, whoever took Jinyoung took him in order to attack me. If they had touched Jinyoung, they surely would have sent some sort of sign of it by now. If the soldiers haven’t noticed a thing, then it’s clear that Jinyoung is still alive.” 

 

But then, the question is...where did his captors take him?

 

If he had gone to the pier then…

 

Soyoung tapped her hand against the desk with a definitive thump.

 

“Eunseong, get me the entry and departure records for the trading ships from the past two weeks.” She said, “I think I can figure out where Jinyoung is.” 

 

Library servants rushed to get Soyoung the records she wanted, and before long, Soyoung had her answer. 

 

“I should have guessed.” she growled as she tapped her finger against the sheet of paper in her hand, “A Jin ship.” 

 

It seems I was too lenient on them.

 

“Eunseong.” Soyoung said, “Send word of my imperial order as soon as the sun rises tomorrow. In two days time, all merchants and students of Jin descent are driven from the capital. They are to return to their own land, and none may hold any public office or trading post without my direct permission. The war is over, and there is no reason to keep members of a defeated rebellious nation in the capital city.” 

 

“Understood.” Eunseong replied, “But why tomorrow morning? There is still plenty of time to announce it today.” Soyoung smiled mysteriously.

 

“Because tonight, I have something more important to do.” She answered, “And before the Jin people are driven from the capital, I must do this one thing.”

___________________________________________________________________________

As night fell and silence descended on the capital city, a lone figure slipped out from the palace and into the quiet city. Soft padded footsteps moved along the paved streets until the figure reached the quiet trading pier at the edge of the city. Soyoung lifted her head and gazed up at the moon hanging brilliantly in the sky and steeled herself for a moment before heading forward. She didn’t have much time to locate Jinyoung; when she was in the palace, she had given orders to a group of elite soldiers to reach the pier at a particular hour of the night to serve as her backup. Before that hour arrived, she would have to get to Jinyoung without drawing attention and take down the men who were surely waiting for her. Timing was everything, and although she had scoped out which ship was the one from Jin, there was no guarantee that the kidnappers hadn’t used a different one to hide their tracks.

 

Jinyoung, wait for me.

 

__________________________________________________________________________

Jinyoung sighed as he failed yet again to make any progress in untying the thick knotted ropes from around his wrists, the rough edges of the coarse material chafing painfully against his skin. Grumbling under his breath, Jinyoung swore that he’d ask Soyoung to teach him a few simple survival skills as soon as she got back from the battlefield. 

 

“Don’t bother.” The shipman keeping guard over him scoffed as he noticed Jinyoung’s futile attempt, “Even if you got free, where would you go, little prince?” Jinyoung simply huffed and didn’t bother giving an answer to the thinly veiled taunt. He knew the other man had a point. It was the middle of the night and he was stuck on a ship with men who were far stronger and skilled at fighting than he was. Even if he got loose, he wouldn’t make it more than a few steps before he got captured again. Still, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try.

 

“You’ll be glad to hear that the empress was spotted returning to the capital today.” The shipman commented casually, “You should be able to see her soon.” He sneered as he leaned closer to Jinyoung.

 

“Of course, right after you see her, you’ll be sent off to the underworld.” He sneered, “So make sure you enjoy your last meeting with your wife!” Jinyoung merely turned his head away, anger bubbling up in him as the man’s taunting laugh filled the room. Truth be told, he wanted to smack the arrogant look off the other man’s face, but the scholarly side of him reminded the prince that it wasn’t worth it to lower himself to the kidnapper’s level. Instead, Jinyoung turned his head up towards the little ocean facing window that let in moonlight into his makeshift prison, his thoughts slowly turning to other things.

 

If Soyoung had returned to the capital, then she definitely would be searching for him, and immediately at that. 

 

And if she was searching for him at nighttime…

 

“You.” Jinyoung’s voice cracked slightly, his lips slightly cracked from the stale air in the room, but he drew out the most prince-like authority he could muster. The shipman turned slightly towards him.

 

“Me?” He repeated. Jinyoung scoffed, imagining how Soyoung would speak in a situation like this.

 

“Yes you.” He answered, “Open that window a bit, won’t you? It’s so stuffy in this room.” The shipman rolled his eyes.

 

“Do you think you are in the palace right now, little prince?” He scoffed. Jinyoung huffed.

 

“I said, it’s stuffy.” He repeated, “Your master told you to capture me, but not to suffocate me. The air is so awful in here it’s making it hard to breathe.” As the man hesitated, Jinyoung pushed him a little further. 

 

“It’s small, I won’t be able to escape through it even if I did get out of these ropes.” He needled, “Just open it enough to catch a little breeze.” At last, the man sighed.

 

“Don’t think of trying anything sneaky.” He warned as he went and opened the window slightly. Jinyoung smiled innocently.

 

“Of course not.” He answered. As the man returned to his post, Jinyoung tilted his head up again and let the cool sea breeze waft over his face.

 

Soyoung...please come soon.

 

Will you understand the hint I have left you?

 

____________________________________________________________________________

For a couple hours, nothing changed. 

 

The moon continued on its peaceful passage across the night sky, and Jinyoung fell in and out of a restless slumber as he waited for morning to come. 

 

Then, Jinyoung was jolted awake by the sound of a loud crash coming from outside his prison, followed by the loud sound of a firecracker exploding into the night sky. The guard next to him stiffened immediately, his hand gripping his sword anxiously. The sound of men shouting and fighting grew louder, drawing ever the more closer to the door. 

 

Then, with a loud crash, one of the shipworkers was thrown into the room, straight through the door and shattering it to pieces of broken wood with the force of his impact. Jinyoung’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the groaning man on the floor. 

 

Who…?

 

Jinyoung’s gaze slipped up to the stairs leading down to his room, and at last, he understood what was going on. 

 

The figure walking down the steps was tall and slender, each footstep taken steadily and methodically despite clearly having just engaged in a fight with several men up on the ship’s deck. A sleek sword was gripped in her hand, it’s unblemished undrawn sheath signaling that the men on the dock hadn’t even been close to a match for her fighting abilities. The moonlight bathed the young woman in a silver glow and emphasized the cold, steely eyes that peeked out from under the cloth mask covering the rest of her face, one look enough to send a shiver down Jinyoung’s back. There was no doubting it; this woman was not going to show mercy tonight.

 

Ryu Soojin.

 

After a long disappearance, the young renegade had come for him. 

 

And yet, there was something in the young woman’s sharp gaze that reminded Jinyoung of another woman, one that he held close to his heart.

 

What is with this sense of familiarity?

 

“Y-you…! Who are you?” Jinyoung’s guard stammered, attempting to put up a brave front but failing to do so. A light scoff came from under the silk mask. 

 

“And here I was, wondering who dared to capture the prince consort of the empire.” Ryu Soojin said, “I seem to have overestimated your abilities.” As she took another step forward, Jinyoung spotted a shadow appear behind the young woman.

 

“Look out!” He cried, but it was too late. Ryu Soojin stumbled as the shipowner slashed at her back from behind with a long sword. Soojin and the man exchanged a few blows before the shipowner stopped near Jinyoung and placed the edge of his sword at Jinyoung’s neck, forcing Soojin to stop in her tracks. The edge of the girl’s mask blew up slightly in the breeze, revealing red painted lips lightly turned up in an amused smirk.

 

“Jin style martial arts.” She mused, “As I expected, you are more than a mere shipowner wanting to do trade with this empire. A mere merchant wouldn’t have the need to learn the Jin imperial family’s martial arts, much less have the chance to learn it.” 

 

“Cut the nonsense.” The man growled, “Another word out of your mouth, and I will kill the prince in front of your very eyes! Then you will be the one with a bounty on your head, Ryu Soojin!” The words were meant to intimidate the young renegade, but to Jinyoung’s surprise, he heard a scoffing laugh from beneath the mask instead.

 

“Oh?” The moonlit eyes narrowed dangerously, a clear warning that the man had overstepped his boundaries. Despite the threat hanging in the air, the blood dripping down her arm, and the other man gathering behind her, the young woman seemed barely fazed. 

 

Then, the pitch of her voice changed, and Jinyoung felt his heart skip a beat.

 

“I’d like to see who dares to hurt a hair on my man’s head.” An authoritative voice rang out into the night air, challenging, confident, and tinged with arrogance at the same time. Jinyoung swallowed hard as his heart hammered in his chest.

 

He would recognize that voice anywhere.

 

Soyoung!

 

But a few seconds ago, he had been certain it was Ryu Soojin who had come for him.

 

So...why…?

 

What is going on?

 

Could it be…?

 

The men gathering behind Ryu Soojin charged, but this time, she was ready. With a flick of her hand, she sent her sheathed sword spinning through the air behind her and slamming into the men’s chests to force them backwards, her body following swiftly behind it to knock the men off their feet before they could even catch their breath from the initial blow. Before anyone could blink, she had snatched a bow and arrow away from one of the shipworkers and aimed it at Jinyoung’s captor. 

 

“What do you think is faster, Ryu Soojin?” The shipowner taunted, “Your arrows or my sword that is pressed against the prince’s neck?” The wind blew up the corner of Ryu Soojin’s mask slightly, revealing yet another amused smirk. 

 

“Remember this well, traitor.” She said calmly, “Whoever dares to threaten me will have to pay a very heavy price.” A sharp whistle slipped out from beneath the mask, followed a moment later by the sharp hiss of an arrow through the air. Jinyoung’s eyes widened as his guard was suddenly hit by an arrow from behind, sending him sprawling onto the ground. As the shipowner stood in shock, completely taken off guard, Ryu Soojin’s slender fingers released the arrow she was holding. The weapon whistled cleanly through the air before burrowing it’s sharp tip into the shipowner’s arm at the same time that another arrow shot through the open window and landed in the man’s back. The man howled in pain, the sharp sword immediately dropping to the ground. Barely missing a beat, Soojin darted forward, cut the ropes binding Jinyoung and took his hand. 

 

“Let’s go home.” She said softly. Jinyoung swallowed hard, his searching eyes gazing at the woman in front of him. Standing there bathed in the moonlight, her slender frame illuminated in silver in the dark night, she really did resemble a goddess. 

 

His goddess.

 

“Yes.” Jinyoung answered softly at last, his hand tightening around the smaller hand holding his. As the pair emerged onto the deck, Jinyoung spotted several men dressed in dark blue robes decorated with silver swirls dealing with the remaining Jin shipworkers, and at that moment, he knew that his thoughts were going in the right direction.

Those men are the Empress’ personally trained elite guard. No one can order them to do anything besides her.

 

Which can only mean one thing…

 

Ryu Soojin led him quickly through the darkened city streets without a moment of hesitation, the many nights she had spent traveling through the city to help the poor no doubt having etched the layout into her mind. Before long, the imperial palace rose up before them, but instead of going through the main door, Jinyoung found that they were heading for the west wall of the palace instead. 

 

“So-” The young woman clamped a hand over Jinyoung’s mouth before he could finish his sentence.

 

“Later.” She whispered softly, her voice barely audible over the night breeze. The young renegade leapt nimbly onto the lower wall as if she had done it a hundred times before reaching down and pulling Jinyoung up behind her. They landed on the other side without any issues, but Soojin stumbled as they took another step, her footsteps faltering as her legs gave out with a groan. 

 

“What’s wrong?” Jinyoung asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. Something wet coated his fingertips, and when he looked down at his hand, Jinyoung saw red sticky fluid coating his fingertips, its bright color emphasized by the moonlight. 

 

That wound!

 

Jinyoung blew out his breath slowly as he thought about what to do. Sitting here was not going to help the situation; if any imperial guards saw them right now, regardless of whether Soojin was the person he thought she was, that would spell trouble for both of them. 

 

“Excuse me.” He murmured softly before slipping one arm under the young woman’s legs and sweeping her into his embrace with his other hand. 

 

“What in the world are you doing?” Ryu Soojin hissed, “Put me down!” 

 

“If you’d like to get discovered, then by all means.” Jinyoung answered, “But I’m not going to get saved by you only to run into palace guards in the corner of the palace in the middle of the night like a thief. You cannot possibly walk around like this, both you and I know that.” The young woman hesitated for a moment before sighing and leaning slightly against him.

 

“Very well, little poet.” She said softly. 

 

Little poet.

 

It was two simple words, but it was enough to make Jinyoung’s heart feel like it had grown wings. 

 

You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say those words again.

 

“Let’s go.” He murmured softly, lightly adjusting his grip on Soojin before heading down the darkened palace pathways. With the young woman’s guidance, Jinyoung managed to avoid the guards and quickly returned to the imperial couple’s chambers. Eunseong was already waiting there, his boyish features marred with worry as he looked up at the sound of the door opening. 

 

“Jie!” He exclaimed, “You’re both finally back!” Jinyoung carefully eased the young woman in his arms onto the bed before taking a look at her back. His breath caught in his throat as he finally saw the full extent of the gash from earlier. The assailant’s sword had cut cleanly through the simple silk dress she was wearing, leaving a gash that went all the way from her shoulder to her waist, dying the green cloth a dull rusty red. Although she made no sound, the young woman’s hands were clenched tightly in pain, her face pale and slick with a cold sweat. 

 

His face looking pale at the extent of the injuries, Eunseong finally snapped out of his daze.

 

“I’ll be right back.” He declared before hurrying out the door, likely to gather medicinal supplies. Swallowing hard, Jinyoung reached out and carefully clasped his hands on either side of the young woman’s face.

 

“May I?” He asked softly. For a long moment, the young renegade gazed at him as she seemed to ponder over how to answer. Then, with a soft sigh, she closed her eyes, a silent signal of acquiescence. His heart pounding in his chest, Jinyoung carefully unhooked the silk mask from the young woman’s face and let it slip slowly from his fingers, uncovering a familiar face a little at a time. At last, the mask slipped to the ground unattended, and Jinyoung let his eyes rest on the face of his beloved for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

 

“Soyoung.” He breathed, a rush of emotions welling up in his chest, “It really is you.” A pair of dark eyes, worn with exhaustion, opened slowly at the sound of his voice, and red painted lips turned up in a tiny smile.

 

“Jinyoung.” The empress of Yuan answered softly, “I’m home.” Jinyoung barely let his wife say another word before he yanked her to him, his lips closing onto hers in a fierce kiss. A soft muffled chuckle brushed against his lips as Soyoung laughed before returning the kiss, her arms wrapping around him. Thousands of emotions welled up in Jinyoung’s body, his yearning for his wife rearing up in full force now that she was here, back in his arms once again after nearly a full year away at war. The young prince had dreamed of this moment countless times over the long months when she was away from him, and now at last, Soyoung was finally home. He wanted to hold her tight and never let go again, wrap her in his arms and never let anyone lay another finger on his precious empress again.

 

“I missed you.” The thought somehow made its way to his tongue and bumbled its way through his kiss swollen lips. The words were barely audible, but Soyoung heard him all the same.

 

“Little poet.” She murmured softly, “I missed you every second I was away.”

 

 The imperial couple kissed until Jinyoung’s hand strayed across the still open wound on Soyoung’s back, causing the young empress to pull away with a hiss. 

 

“Sorry!” Jinyoung exclaimed, but Soyoung shook her head.

 

“This is nothing compared to what I experienced on the battlefield.” She assured him, although her weak tone suggested that it was more painful than she was letting on. The empress and prince consort jumped slightly as they heard someone clear their throat before Eunseong’s voice came from the doorway.

 

“Sister, if you are done...um...with your reunion, shall we turn our attention back to the main task at hand?” Eunseong commented, pointing one finger at Soyoung’s wound. Another hand was tucked behind him, and as he moved slightly, Jinyoung spotted a tiny figure tucked behind the Grand Prince. 

 

“Certainly, Brother-in-law.” He answered, slightly flustered at having been caught. Soyoung tsked slightly in approval as she saw Jinwoo trot in after his uncle. 

 

“Eunseong, you shouldn’t be bringing Jinwoo here.” She scolded, “He is only a child.” 

 

“He is the first prince of the empire.” Eunseong answered calmly as he put down his medicinal chest and began taking out several items, “Seeing a little blood won’t hurt.” Soyoung sighed, but before she could say another word, little Jinwoo walked over and wrapped his tiny hands around Soyoung’s hand.

 

“Mama ouchie.” He said solemnly, his eyes b with tears. Soyoung smiled faintly and lightly patted her son’s cheek.

 

“Mama is alright.” She said softly, “I-” Her voice cut off in a gasp as Eunseong slipped off her robes and placed the first wad of crushed medicine onto the cut on her back.

 

“Eunseong, can’t you give me a warning first?” Soyoung chided breathlessly, her free hand clenched tightly into a fist. 

 

“Just hold it for a little longer.” Eunseong answered calmly, “It’ll be done soon.” Jinwoo’s eyes brimmed with tears, one fat droplet running down his round cheek. 

 

“Mama ouchie!” He whimpered, looking over at Jinyoung, “Papa, Mama ouchie!” Jinyoung felt his heart break as he looked at his son’s worried face before carefully reaching out and balancing the toddler on his knee. Truth be told, he was worried about Soyoung too; every time she so much as let out a tiny whimper, Jinyoung felt his heart shatter into a million pieces, and he wished he could take even just a little bit of pain from her. Still, Jinyoung knew that he had to put up a strong front for Jinwoo, even if just for a little while. 

 

“Jinwoo, what does Mama do when you’re sick?” He asked. Jinwoo thought for a moment before answering.

 

“Hug Jinwoo.” He answered after a few moments. Jinyoung nodded.

 

“Then, will you hold Mama’s hand while Uncle Eunseong takes care of her?” He asked, “Papa will hold the other hand.” Jinwoo gazed up at him with wide eyes still shining with tears.

 

“Make Mama feel better?” He asked. Jinyoung smiled and nodded.

 

“Of course, little one.” He murmured softly, pressing a reassuring kiss to the boy’s little head, “That will be enough.” Jinwoo nodded and wrapped his tiny hands tighter around his mother’s hand.

 

“Jinwoo help Mama!” He declared firmly with a little sniffle. Soyoung smiled warmly as she took in her son’s bravery and lightly cupped his cheek in her palm before intertwining her fingers with Jinyoung’s.

 

“My son is a brave boy.” She said softly. Eunseong worked methodically, barely batting an eyelash as his movement revealed more wounds stretching across the young empress’ body. Most were from the battlefield, haphazardly wrapped and barely even beginning to close. Jinyoung in his breath and Eunseong tsked as he saw that each was worse than the prior one.

 

“Sister, how could you let yourself get like this?” He scolded. 

 

“I was in a hurry.” Soyoung replied calmly through gritted teeth, “And besides, I have you to take care of me, right?” She yelped as Eunseong tugged tighter on a bandage he had wrapped around her torso.

 

“That doesn’t mean you can act like this!” He said firmly, “What if these wounds had gotten infected? And to think you ran off to rescue the prince without even letting me see these!” 

 

“You wouldn’t have let me go if you knew.” Soyoung replied simply, “And besides…” Her hand tightened around Jinyoung’s.

 

“When it comes to Park Jinyoung, there will be no compromises.” She said quietly. Despite the seriousness of the current situation, Jinyoung felt a small smile cross his face at her words.

 

“Soyoung…” He murmured softly, pressing a soft kiss to her fingers. Eunseong sighed as he draped Soyoung’s robe back around her shoulders and washed his hands in the pan of water he had placed by the bed, shaking his head at the sight of the two love birds. 

 

“Your Majesty.” A voice unfamiliar to Jinyoung spoke from outside the room, but Soyoung was calm as she looked towards the door. Just beyond the paper and wood surface, Jinyoung could see the outline of a man standing outside.

 

“Speak.” She answered. 

 

“The criminals have all been captured and are ready for your interrogation.” The voice continued, “What will be your order?” 

 

“Excellent.” Soyoung said, “I will go and interrogate them immediately.” Eunseong grabbed her arm as the young empress rose from her seat and immediately wavered, her footsteps unsteady and unsure. 

 

“You’re on strict bed rest until I say you can return to work.” The Grand Prince ordered. Soyoung opened to protest, but Eunseong was firm.

 

“This is my order as your personal doctor.” He said, “You can interrogate them after you’ve recovered.” Soyoung sighed and looked over at Jinyoung, who nodded. 

 

“He’s right, Soyoung.” He answered, “You can’t interrogate the criminals when you can barely take a step forward. What will everyone say when they see an empress who is so injured she can barely walk?” Eunseong carried over a tray of medicine and handed the bowl to Soyoung.

 

“Drink this and get some proper rest.” He ordered. Soyoung looked at the bowl and sighed.

 

“Keep the criminals in the imperial prison for now.” She said, “Keep an eye on them and do not let any of them commit suicide before a single word has been pulled out of them.” 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The voice from outside the door said, and with a soft flutter of movement, the figure outside the door was gone. 

 

“Are you satisfied now, my personal doctor?” Soyoung scowled as she looked up at her twin brother. Eunseong simply pushed the bowl of medicine towards her, and Soyoung sighed before gulping down what was surely a bitter bowl of herbal medication. 

 

“Disgusting as always.” She grumbled, shoving the bowl back at her brother. Eunseong chuckled and looked over at Jinyoung.

 

“Brother-in-law, I’ll leave my sister in your care.” He said, “Don’t let her get out of bed, got it?” Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“Don’t worry,” He answered, “I’ll make sure she gets plenty of rest.” Eunseong nodded in approval and shot Soyoung another warning look before leaving the room, taking a protesting Jinwoo with him. Soyoung waited until Eunseong’s footsteps had faded into the distance before rising from the bed again.

 

“Hold it!” Jinyoung grasped her wrist and pulled her gently down into his lap, locking one arm protectively around her waist.

 

“Where do you think you’re going, little renegade?” He asked, wrapping his hand around hers, “Eunseong told you to stay put.” Soyoung frowned.

 

“Since when did I have another nickname?” She huffed. Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“I’m only speaking the truth, Wife.” He said, rubbing one finger over her knuckles, “Or should I say, Ryu Soojin?” Soyoung sighed softly.

 

“You’re not mad at me for keeping that a secret from you?” She asked. Jinyoung smiled and shook his head.

 

“I was taken a little off guard.” He admitted, “But I’m not angry. My wife is not only the wise empress of this nation, but also the renegade who helps the poor commoners at night and helps maintain peace in the capital. Not only that, my beloved has been personally protecting me even when I’m outside of the palace. Why should I be mad? Instead, I’m quite proud to have such an accomplished wife.” Soyoung gazed at him for a long moment before smiling faintly in relief.

 

“And here I was wondering how I’d explain everything to you.” She admitted softly. Jinyoung chuckled and gently kissed her on the lips.

 

“We have been through so many things together, Soyoung.” He murmured softly, “I’d be an unreasonably petty man if I got mad over something so trivial. Besides, when would you have had a chance to tell me you were Ryu Soojin besides today?” Soyoung’s smile broadened and she sighed as she wrapped her arms around Jinyoung’s neck and lay her head against his shoulder.

 

“The heavens have blessed me with a better husband than I could ever ask for.” She murmured softly, “I’m so grateful I could come back to you alive.” Jinyoung carefully tightened his grasp around Soyoung and nuzzled her cheek gently. 

 

“As am I, beloved.” He murmured, “Thank you for coming home alive.” Soyoung soon fell asleep in his arms, and Jinyoung carefully tucked his wife into bed, his fingers lingering slightly on her cheek. 

 

Rest well, my love. You’ve earned it.

____________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later, Soyoung stirred from her sleep, her eyes fluttering open slowly as her vision was filled with the darkness of the room. Guessing that it was the middle of the night, Soyoung turned her head slowly as she felt a gentle hand on her hip and smiled faintly as she saw Jinyoung fast asleep by her side. After taking an experimental breath to test the extent of her injuries, Soyoung carefully moved Jinyoung’s hand away from her and slipped out of bed. A soft hiss of pain escaped her lips as her feet touched the ground, but Soyoung continued moving and slipped a cloak over her shoulders. In her current condition, Soyoung was well aware that it was better to stay in bed for the next few days, but Soyoung also knew the risks of leaving the criminals alone in their prison cells. Earlier in her reign, Soyoung had lost one too many criminals due to her negligence about who could get in and assassinate criminals she had captured before she got a single word out of them. Since then, she had made it a habit to interrogate criminals as soon as she captured them unless she physically could not possibly move a step to the imperial prisons. Jinyoung would certainly scold her later, but for now, Soyoung knew it was better to risk her husband’s ire. 

 

A flicker of movement breezed near Soyoung’s ear as she walked down the quiet stone lined path, and she turned to see one of her elite guards standing nearby. The man bowed as his master turned her attention to him.

 

“Did you find anything?” Soyoung asked, holding out her hand. The guard placed a wooden box and a stack of papers into her hand in response.

 

“This box was hidden under his bunk in the ship.” He answered, “These papers appear to be receipts he was keeping for transactions involving the firepowder that injured you and a large part of the army during the war.” Soyoung raised the lid of the box ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the glimmering edge of silver ingots peeking out from inside the box.

 

“Just as I expected.” Soyoung murmured, shutting the lid with a light tap of her hand, “Good job, you are dismissed.” 

 

“Your Majesty, you are going to interrogate the criminal alone at this late hour?” The man asked.

 

“I’ll be fine.” Soyoung answered, “Go and keep an eye on my husband.” The guard bowed.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He answered before disappearing into the night. 

 

The prison guards were startled to see the empress appear in the dead of night, but rushed to open the doors the minute Soyoung shot them a glare. The shipowner was yanked from his sleep and brought to where Soyoung was waiting, her long fingers tapping lightly on a box placed on the jailkeeper’s table. Despite the abrupt visit, the shipowner laughed as he saw who had come to see him.

 

“Your Majesty.” He sneered mockingly, “To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” Soyoung scoffed.

 

“You talk big for someone in your current situation.” She answered calmly, “You should know very well what I have come here to do.” The man smirked.

 

“Do you see the whip marks on my body, Your Majesty?” He answered, “Your men tortured me all night but I still haven’t said a word. Do you think your questions will result in anything different?” Soyoung smiled faintly, her fingers deftly unlocking the box sitting next to her and pulling out a silver ingot. The man’s face paled slightly as he saw the money in her hand.

 

“You can choose not to answer, that’s true.” She agreed calmly, “But all of your belongings have been brought directly to me, including the money that you kept hidden. With this in hand, do you really think I can’t find anything?” The shipowner scoffed, although the tone sounded less confident than it had before.

 

“Empress, is it a crime to have some money stored up for a rainy day?” He asked, “What can you find out of that?” Soyoung smiled ever so slightly.

 

“Indeed, there is no crime in storing up money.” She answered, “But if you received this stored up money in return for taking actions harmful to the imperial army and to my life, thus putting the entire empire at risk, then that would be treason.” The man’s face paled again, but still he refused to give in.

 

“Your Majesty doesn’t have evidence!” He shouted, “Do you think you can frame me just because you are the sovereign ruler?” Soyoung sighed and tapped her hand lightly against the table again.

 

“Enough of this.” She said, her smile fading from her lips, “I’m tired and don’t have the time to waste on you anymore.” Crossing her arms, Soyoung leaned closer towards the prisoner.

 

“The person who gave you this money already told me everything.” She lied, her face kept carefully calm to hide it, “Everything that has happened so far, from supplying firepowder to the enemy army to placing a soldier to ruin my army’s firepowder, everything was your doing.” A small smirk turned up the corner of one lip. 

 

“Selling weapons to the enemy is already an act of treason.” She noted, “What do you think happens to someone who dares to plot against the life of the empress?” The man’s expression paled again as he took in her words.

 

“He...he wouldn’t!” He stammered, “We treated each other as brothers! He wouldn’t sell me out like this!” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“But the truth is right in front of you.” She answered simply, “Why would I need to lie to you?” In fact, she was indeed lying to the shipowner, but there was no need for him to know that. She had ideas of who was behind all of this of course, but Soyoung had no intention of making any moves before she had evidence in her hands.

 

Then, the shipowner laughed. 

 

“If you really talked to that man, then you should know very well you can’t touch him or do anything about this.” He sneered, “There’s more than enough power sitting behind that man. Even if you get rid of him, there is only more trouble waiting for you!” A crazed look entered his eyes as he continued.

 

“Jang Soyoung, your days on the throne will soon end!” He yelled, a crazed laugh echoing through the prison chamber.

 

“How insolent.” Soyoung felt a warm hand touch her shoulder gently, and she turned to see Jinyoung standing next to her, his eyes narrowed angrily. 

 

“Take him away.” He ordered the prison guard, motioning at the shipowner. 

 

“You are finished, Jang Soyoung!” The man’s shouts continued to echo down the hallway even as he was taken away, “Finished!” Soyoung sighed as she closed her eyes. The sound of the man’s shouting had triggered a headache, and each echo of his shouts sent another pang through her head. Jinyoung looped his arm gently around her waist.

 

“Let’s go back.” He said softly. Soyoung shook her head.

 

“Your rebel students still need to be interrogated.” She protested. Jinyoung sighed.

 

“Soyoung…” He began, then stopped as Soyoung squeezed his hand reassuringly and gazed at her husband firmly.

 

“I know my limits.” She said softly. Jinyoung gazed at her for another moment before sighing.

 

“Fine.” He grumbled, “But if you feel like you are going to faint, then you have to stop immediately, understand?” Soyoung chuckled and kissed Jinyoung’s cheek lightly.

 

“Husband, don’t you know your wife well enough by now?” She asked, “I am not the type of woman who faints like a dainty flower.” Jinyoung blinked as he pressed a hand to his cheek, then chuckled softly.

“I just can’t beat you, Wife.” He answered with a shake of his head.

 

The interrogation of Jinyoung’s students proved to be just as unfruitful as the interrogation of the shipowner; the young men were even more stubborn than the shipowner had been, their desire for rebellion firmly keeping their lips shut. Soyoung sighed as she and Jinyoung made their way back to their rooms.

 

“Not surprisingly, none of them were willing to reveal their master, even when I said they had already been betrayed.” She mused, “Their loyalty is stronger than I thought.” A small smirk turned up the corner of her lip as they entered their chambers together.

 

“Regardless of that, they’d be fools to think I can’t find out the truth if they don’t open their mouths.” She said confidently.

 

“But of course!” Jinyoung agreed, “You have me by your side.” Soyoung laughed softly and squeezed his hand.

 

“Husband, you have gotten more confident while I was gone.” She teased. Jinyoung beamed.

 

“Of course.” He murmured as they sat down on the bed, “I’m your husband after all. Isn’t there the saying that one must learn from the one they marry?” Soyoung scoffed and hit him lightly on the chest.

 

“You’re talking nonsense again.” She grumbled. Jinyoung grinned before leaning down and kissing her softly.

 

“I speak only the truth, Wife.” He answered playfully. Soyoung shoved him lightly as he leaned in for a deeper kiss, mindful of the bruises on him from being kidnapped. 

 

“Focus, Park Jinyoung.” She said warningly. Jinyoung pouted slightly but leaned back as she requested. Soyoung reached out and tapped his pouting lip teasingly.

 

“So, little poet.” She said softly, “If you are so confident, then tell me, what would you say is our main clue to finding out the truth?” Jinyoung thought for a moment, then snuck in a kiss on Soyoung’s finger before grasping her hand in his. 

 

“I would say it is the silver that was found in both the shipowner and the students’ possessions.” He said, “If they were working with someone in the capital, then the money would have been made near the city. As long as we can find where the money came from, then it wouldn’t take too long to find our way to the person who is pulling the strings from the shadows. And besides…” A slight sparkle entered Jinyoung’s eye.

 

“You already have someone in mind, don’t you?” He asked. Soyoung smiled faintly.

 

“There aren’t that many people with enough power to start an entire war.” She answered simply. Soyoung didn’t name any names, but the unspoken answer hung in the air between the royal couple.

 

Jang Jaewon.

 

“But how will we find where the silver is from if they are unmarked?” Soyoung asked, recalling what she had noticed when she had picked up an ingot earlier, “Gold and silver made from the approved facilities are all marked with a unique symbol so everyone can tell which silversmith made it. But if there’s nothing on these then it can only mean that these ingots came from the black market.” Jinyoung thought for a moment before smiling mysteriously.

 

“Wife.” He mused, “Do you know what major ingredients are required to make silver?” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“Husband, do you know those things as well?” She asked, a mildly impressed expression mixed with amusement crossing her face. Jinyoung chuckled.

 

“Besides ore, there must be copious amounts of water.” He answered, “And in order for there to be enough readily accessible water, then each forge is usually located next to a river, is it not?” Soyoung thought for a moment before realizing that Jinyoung was right. Every time an application came across her desk for approving a forge, whether it be for gold or silver, was always next to a sizable river. In short, as long as she searched along the rivers near the capital city, she was bound to find what she was looking for. Soyoung reached out and snapped her fingers, and a few moments later, there was a light thump outside the door as one of her elite guards arrived.

 

“Go and search every silversmith in the city, and search along the river for any large forges.” Soyoung ordered, “Make sure to make as big of a fuss over the matter as possible. Send someone to keep an eye on my uncle’s manor as well.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The man outside answered before disappearing into the night. Jinyoung looked at his wife curiously.

 

“Shouldn’t it be a secretive search instead?” He asked, “What if the culprit hears of this and destroys the evidence before your men find it?” Soyoung smirked and patted Jinyoung on the cheek.

 

“There’s no need to worry about that, dear husband.” She answered with a smile, “That is exactly what I want that person to try and do.”

____________________________________________________________________________

One week later

 

“Master, master!” Jang Jaewon slammed his ink brush down as his servant came running in again.

 

“What is it?” He demanded. 

 

“Her Majesty the Empress has already searched every silversmith in the entire capital city!” The servant said in a panic, “It won’t take long before her men go outside of the city to actually look at the forges!”  Jang Jaewon stormed around his desk and grabbed the servant’s shoulders tightly.

 

“And she will find my private forge all the sooner if you don’t stop panicking!” He growled, “How many times do I have to say it? As long as everyone keeps silent, she won’t be able to draw the connections! You’ve already gotten rid of the ship owner, haven’t you?” The man stammered as he nodded in fear. 

 

I did, My Lord!” He stammered, “But what if-!” 

 

“There are no what ifs!” Jang Jaewon snarled as he slapped the man across the cheek so hard the servant was sent sprawling, “Get a grip, you useless thing! Get out and do your job as if nothing is happening!” The man crawled to his knees and bowed before scurrying out of the room. Jang Jaewon sighed in exasperation as he sat back down at his desk. 

 

“What a foolish man.” He growled, “He’s capable enough when he has a mission but panics when my niece catches onto something. As soon as I take the throne, he will be the first to be executed!” 

__________________________________________________________________________

As night fell, a figure slipped out of the Grand Preceptor’s manor and hurried down the darkened streets. Jang Jaewon’s butler, the servant who had just received a beating from his master earlier in the day, cast a few nervous glances over his shoulder before continuing on his way. The man successfully made his way to the city gates, tossing a bag of coins at the guards on the night shift to open the doors before running out into the grassy plain surrounding the capital city. The man continued on his way for a few miles out of the city before arriving at a large paper making facility near the largest river outside of the city. He nervously knocked on the door, each hit growing more anxious than the last. At last, the sound of footsteps came from inside, and the door opened by a slight crack.

 

“Who is it?” Another man’s voice hissed from inside.

 

“It’s me!” The butler hissed in return, “Hurry and open the door!” The two men quickly went deeper into the facility, each step taking them further in before they entered a hidden passageway that led into a hidden part of the papermaking facility that had been converted into a forge. Despite the late hour, several other men were still hard at work at the forge, the rhythmic sound of metallic pounding against unshaped silver echoing through the darkened forge.

 

“Everything is still on schedule.” The second man assured the butler, “Is his lordship in urgent need of money?” 

 

“Of course not.” The butler answered, “Hurry and take whatever silver has already been produced and move it elsewhere. We need to destroy this entire facility immediately!” The second man’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“But sir, we cannot simply do that all in one night!” He protested, “There is too much ongoing work!”

 

“Shut up and just do as I say!” The butler hissed as he grabbed some papers and began tossing them into the fire, “You’ve heard of Her Majesty’s search of all silversmiths in the city, haven’t you? If we don’t destroy this facility soon, then-”

 

“Then what?” A sharp female’s voice cut through the darkness, and the two men turned in horror as they heard the dull sound of footsteps pounding down the stone stairs. A tall imposing figure appeared in their vision, flanked by a large group of armed soldiers. The soldiers fanned out and grabbed the men working at the forge before Jang Jaewon’s butler could react. Letting out a curse, the butler grabbed another stack of papers and shoved them desperately towards the burning flame, but a soldier snatched the papers in time before they could be fully burned. The butler was shoved to his knees as the papers were handed to the empress. A tiny smirk turned up the corner of Jang Soyoung’s lips as she flipped over the papers.

 

“What meticulous records.” She commented, “If I looked further, do you think I would find evidence of business deals with the Jin rebels?” The butler scoffed despite his situation.

 

“Your Majesty, you may be the empress, but you cannot frame an honest man for something he hasn’t done!” He snapped. Soyoung laughed as she leaned down and patted the sheets of paper against his face.

 

“Is that so?” She answered, “Well, perhaps your master forgot to remind you that running a silver forge without permission from the imperial palace is already a crime worth a long prison sentence. And if any of these records indicate that you were using the money in illegal ways, that sentence will only be extended.” A tiny smile turned up her red painted lips as she gazed down at the man.

 

“Of course, if you took the initiative to tell me everything first, perhaps I could reconsider that sentence.” She added. Before waiting for the man to answer, Soyoung flicked her hand for the soldiers to take him away along with the other men who had been working at the secret forge. 

 

“Jinyoung.” She called, waving a hand to her husband as she flipped through the papers that the butler had attempted to destroy, “Do you recognize anything here?” Jinyoung’s brow furrowed as he flipped slowly through the stack of papers before pausing on one, his fingers lightly tapping one corner where a particular symbol had been drawn. 

 

“This symbol again…” He mused, “It was on the shipowner who abducted me.” Soyoung frowned as she looked at the symbol he was pointing at and recognized the dark swirling symbol drawn on the corner. From the day she had taken the throne and even in Goryeo, countless troubles that had come across her path involved someone carrying that symbol. Now that it had appeared here, it could only mean one thing: her suspicions about her uncle had long been correct. 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

Before long, the sound of men running down the darkened streets of the capital filled the air as Soyoung led her men to the Grand Preceptor’s manor. The doors were kicked open with a loud bang, sending servants scurrying for cover. Jang Jaewon rushed outside at the sound of the commotion, brief confusion flitting over his face before his features fell into his usual mask of calm.

 

“Your Majesty.” He greeted, “What brings you here at this late hour?” Soyoung waved a hand, and one of her soldiers shoved his butler forward.

 

“Uncle, would you care to tell me why your butler was trying to destroy your personal illegal forge?” She asked, “And while you’re at it, perhaps you can explain why you made such a forge in the first place.”  Jang Jaewon’s eyes widened ever so slightly at the sight of his butler before he merely smiled.

 

“Is that where you found this man, Your Majesty?” He asked, “And what would make you think that forge was mine? This useless slave must have acted on his own and now wants to push the blame onto me!” Soyoung scoffed. She had to give him some credit for his acting; if she didn’t know better, she might have actually believed him.

 

“Uncle.” She said calmly as she crossed her arms, “Do you think I’m a child? How could a high ranked servant from your manor create something as large as a hidden forge without your permission? As for the purpose of the silver…” Soyoung smirked ever so slightly before continuing.

 

“Your faithful servant decided it would be better to leave records of all that was going on.” She said, “It won’t take long before I find all that I need to know.” Jang Jaewon’s face paled as he shot the butler a look, but the other man only hung his head in shame. Soyoung raised her voice so that she could be heard throughout the entire manor.

 

“Let it be decreed that starting today, the Grand Preceptor is stripped of his titles for creating counterfeit silver for illegal purposes!” She declared, “He is furthermore to be kept under house arrest on suspicion of collaborating with rebel forces. No one is allowed to see him until the investigation is over!” 

 

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The soldiers bowed in response to her order. Soyoung smiled as she looked back over at Jang Jaewon.

 

“You’ve worked hard, Uncle.” She said calmly, “It’s time you take a rest.” 

____________________________________________________________________________

 

As the night drew on, Jang Jaewon paced endlessly in his study. 

 

“That foolish bastard!” He growled, “I told him not to act rashly, and instead he led Soyoung straight to the forge!” With this one mistake, Jang Jaewon was not only losing an old servant to the empress; if he lost the forge, he lost a large source of income he had been using to fund his personal armies across the country. If he lost that, then he would never be able to take the throne. 

 

“My lord, you wanted to see me?” A new voice spoke as another high ranked servant arrived. 

 

“Find a way to contact our spy in Soyoung’s quarters.” Jang Jaewon ordered, “She’s left me with no choice but to make a direct move for the throne.” 

 

“Yes, my lord.” The servant replied before disappearing into the night. Jang Jaewon growled as he slammed his fist onto his desk.

 

Jang Soyoung, you are finished!

____________________________________________________________________________

A few days later

 

“Your Majesty.” Soyoung’s attention was drawn away from her papers as an elite guard appeared at the entrance to her study.

 

“Enter.” She answered, and the man strode briskly in before giving a sharp bow.

 

“As you expected, Your Majesty, an attempt was made to take the butler’s life a few hours ago.” He reported, “The guards were able to stop the attempt but the assassin was able to get away.” Soyoung sighed.

 

“Don’t worry about the assassin, it’s not difficult to guess who sent him.” She replied, “Has the man been moved elsewhere?” 

 

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Her guard replied, “But he has also requested to speak with you.” Soyoung raised an eyebrow.

 

“With me?” She repeated. The guard nodded.

 

“He said that he had something important to relay to Your Majesty.” He added, “And to the Prince Consort as well.” Soyoung thought for a moment before nodding. If the man was choosing to speak now, then it likely meant that he truly feared for his life and was now looking for a new master to save him. And in return, he was likely willing to give her valuable information.

 

“Go and bring Jinyoung to the royal prison.” She ordered, “I’d like to see what the butler has to report to me.”

____________________________________________________________________________

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Prince Consort!” The butler fell to his knees as Soyoung and Jinyoung arrived, his head bowed in a sign of utmost respect. Soyoung scoffed lightly at the display.

 

“I believe this is the first time you have shown me such respect, butler.” She noted dryly. The man’s face paled slightly.

 

“I dare not, Your Majesty.” He answered. Soyoung exchanged an amused glance with Jinyoung before continuing.

 

“Let’s cut to the chase then.” She said, “What is it you have to tell me?” The butler swallowed hard.

 

“Before I say anything, can Your Majesty promise to keep me safe?” He asked. 

 

“How dare you ask for something from the Empress!” One of the guards snapped, but Soyoung raised her hand and waved him off.

 

“I expected as much.” She said, “Very well, I will place guards around you and send you out of the capital as soon as I know that what you are about to say is true.” The butler gulped, then began to speak nervously.

 

“As Your Majesty suspected, I was the one who sold firepowder to the Jin rebels.” He said, “And the one who was behind that…was the Grand Preceptor. The transactions were all funded by the forge where you caught me. The Grand Preceptor has been running that forge for several years already. But if you look at any of the records, I was the only one who was doing all the transactions, so you won’t be able to find any traces of the Grand Preceptor’s involvement.” Soyoung crossed her arms and leaned in closer.

 

“If that is the case, why should I believe you?” She asked, “While I have my suspicions, as one of my uncle’s highly ranked servants, you should know very well that I can’t pull him down based on your words alone. In the end, you’ll be the only one to take the fall. My uncle isn’t one to hold back when it comes to throwing his servants to take the blame for him.” The butler nodded earnestly.

 

“I know, Your Majesty.” He replied, “I am willing to write and sign a testimony swearing to what I have said here today. But besides that, I am willing to offer more information to prove that my word can be trusted.” 

 

“Oh? And what is that?” Soyoung asked, genuinely curious. The butler looked up bravely into her eyes. 

 

“The hidden truth behind the previous emperor’s death.” He answered.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's note: Hello! It's me, the author! Yes, after a lot of personal life crazies and a long run of writer's block, I'm back! I hope I can wrap up this story before long and write a lot more other fun stories for everyone can enjoy. Please stay tuned!