***

**

Taejong Hall.

Study room.

Knock-knock

“You may come in.”

Chaeyeoung opened the door and bowed to the queen consort. “Joohyun-wangbi, Chief Kim is here to see you”

Joohyun raised her head from the thick mugunghwa book. “Which Chief Kim?”

“Chief Kim Taeyeon.”

“Ah … my beloved advisor.” Joohyun nodded “Did she bring the tteokbokki that I want?”

“Yes, Wangbi. From stall 21, Gwanjang market. Do you want me to prepare them for you now?”

“Thank you Chaeyoung but keep it until Jungjeon-mama is back and please let Chief Kim in.” Joohyun smiled before focusing her attention back on a clause that she deemed important.

A moment later, Kim Taeyeon walked inside and stood in front of the table before bowing. “Greetings to Wangbi.”

The queen consort nodded and raised her brows. “New hair, Chief Kim?”

“Yes, to celebrate Jungjeon-mama’s reign,” Taeyeon smiled proudly at the mention of her new hairstyle. “I even colored my nails royal blue.”

“Oh … nice.”

Such a big enthusiasm but she was not really surprised. Seungwan’s followers even celebrated for 7 nights straight at Ground Zero. On the 3rd night, Joohyun stopped joining them due to the amount of palace work that she had to take care of.

Taeyeon straightened her back. “Before we proceed today. May I say something, Wangbi?”

“What is it?”

Without even hesitating, the young chief said with a loud and clear voice, “I’d like to apologize for my past mistakes.”

“Again? You’ve been apologizing to me every time we meet, Chief Kim, and I already told you each time that you are forgiven.”

“Then … can you consider not making me buy tteokbokki again? Your favorite stall is in a different area from my office and I suffer every time I have to wait in line.”

“No, we agreed that this gonna be your punishment for 3 months. Now, sit please.”

Taeyeon sighed and obediently sat on the chair opposite the queen consort. She still has 2 months of punishment and now, she perfectly memorized the crook and nook of Gwanjang Market, thanks to the young queen’s kindness, at this point, maybe she should open a stall or two there as well.

Seeing her advisor in such a sour mood, Joohyun chuckled inwardly. This punishment is actually not as bad as it may seem. After finishing the amendment of the mugunghwa law, Joohyun wants to rebuild a few traditional market brands, one of which is Gwanjang Market, so making her advisor visit them every three other days to familiarize herself, doesn’t seem bad, right?

What was the saying again? Hitting two birds with one stone. Yeah, that one. The young queen silently praised herself before pointing to the article that she wanted to amend. “Can you explain?”

Section II, Article 12

1. Gojong Hall is appointed as the main hall for the reigned royal and the royal consort.

2. The reigned royal and the royal consort’s chamber is separated.

The east chamber is assigned for the reigned royal and the west chamber is for the royal consort.

3. The other reigned royal’s spouse(s) resides in a separate hall.

“Ah, this one.” Taeyeon hummed in her seat. “In the past, The King have many concubines thus his chamber must be separated from his queen consort. This will allow the concubines to visit him without disturbing the queen consort and guarantee a peaceful relationship between them. King Seungjo followed this practice as he had 3 wives when reigning.”

Without thinking twice, Joohyun crossed out all the clauses she deemed unnecessary. “Jungjeon-mama and I won’t follow this.” She quickly wrote new ones on her tablet. Her pen tablet moved so fast, faster than Taeyeon’s eyes blink. “Here, what do you think?”

Section II, Article 12

1. Gojong Hall is appointed as the main hall for the reigned royal and the royal consort.

2. The reigned royal and the royal consort resides in the east chamber. The west chamber reformed as the queen consort's study room.

“What about the other royal spouses, Wangbi? Where should they stay?” Taeyeon asked in a teasing voice.

“Not necessary. Jungjeon-mama won’t need any other spouse.”

“Still, shouldn’t we keep it here? Just in case.”

“Why? Do you think Jungjeon-mama will consider having other spouses in the future?” Joohyun put down her pen tab as she stared blankly at the young chief. “Is there anything that I don’t know about my wife that you know better?”

Gulping nervously at her own bravery to tease the queen consort that somehow ended as a misunderstanding, thus Taeyeon immediately explained, “No, of course not! I mean it’s a tough job to amend the law every time a new ruler reigned so having a much more general clause is better. Having two or three spouses is a common practice for the royals since the Joseon era. It is acknowledged by the government and is written as a special exemption for the royals, so when we mention royal concubines here in the palace, it now means a legally married partner for the royals.”

Taeyeon added in a whisper, “Just in case the next ruler, obviously not Jungjeon-mama, wants to have more than 1 partner.”

“No. We are not living in the Joseon era anymore! I don’t want to encourage that kind of practice by leaving such a general clause in the mugunghwa law and mind you, my future child will be loyal to one spouse as well!”

“How could the public is only allowed to have one legally married partner and the royals have the leisure to have more than one? That’s unacceptable! I’m very much against it. I will notify The Government office about my concern later.” Joohyun scrutinized her eyes at the young chief who looked impossibly smaller in her seat. “Now, do you have another opinion regarding this matter? if not we shall move on to another clause.”

the queen consort clearly hinted about my palace, my rule.

“Ah no, I understand your concern very well. Now that I think about it, you are right, Wangbi. I apologize for my ignorance regarding this matter. I will send a letter to The Government Office on your behalf before we finalized the law to notify them so they can revoke the written exemption.”

“Alright then, you know what to do, Chief Kim.” Joohyun was pleased and her stare softened. She knew that the young chief meant no harm. It’s indeed the latter’s job to tell her about the reason behind every clause to help her understand the law better. The queen consort cannot change the law as she wants. Everything must be considered thoroughly. The final say is in Seungwan’s hands but Joohyun wants to help her wife and ease her responsibility a little so she works diligently day and night.

“Before we proceed, may I have a question?” Taeyeon’s eyes are gleaming.

“Sure, you may.”

“You mentioned a future child before. Are you thinking of having a child with Mama soon?”

“What?” Joohyun blinked her eyes rapidly. The sudden question about possibly having a child caught her off guard. “I-I mean if I have one,” she stammered her reply and avoided the young chief’s eyes purposely. She actually had read a glimpse of the section about the royal heir but she and Seungwan hadn’t had the talk and she was unsure if she was ready to be a mother anytime soon.

“While it’s encouraged to start thinking about it, you and Jungjeon-mama are still focusing on reforming everything. So, don’t be pressured and take your time, to be a mother, is a big decision after all.” Taeyeon smiled understandingly. After all, the issue of a future heir has always been a concern of every reigned royal. But as Joohyun had said before, they’re no longer living in the Joseon era. Back then, conceiving a future heir is such a big deal. One of the reasons why A King has so many wives is to conceive a son.

The young chief added, “Although it’s not your main concern now, maybe it can help for future reference. There’s this advanced technology called In Vitro Gametogenesis (IVG), where they can create the necessary components for reproduction from a same- couple and combine their DNA to finally form a life. I will send the specialist contact, Dr. Moon, to you so you can talk to her if you’re interested to know more about it.”

“Ah, sure. Thank you.” Joohyun initially thought that she has to think about the matter soon because she knew how important a future heir is to the kingdom so hearing the young chief’s words ease her worries a little.

Taeyeon clasped her hands, now with newfound energy. “Back to Article 12. When will you move to Gojong Hall, Wangbi? I will prepare everything for you so you won’t have to stress yourself with moving in.”

Joohyun contemplated. “Is moving to Gojong Hall mandatory? I mean does every ruler have to move there? Can I make Taejong Hall the main hall? After all, Mama and I don’t need many rooms. Gojong hall is too big for us and I am kind of afraid of umm … ghosts.”

The young chief explained, “It’s not mandatory. In fact, the previous King before King Seungjo resided in Seungmyeon Hall where Hoon-daegam is residing now. You may erase Gojong Hall from the clause, Wangbi. But are you sure you want to stay here in Taejong Hall?”

“Yes. Jungjeon-mama let me choose where I want to stay but of course, if she wants to move to Gojong Hall then I have to prepare myself. I’m not gonna live separately from her.”

“But you said you’re afraid of ghosts.” Taeyeon pointed out.

“Are there really? I mean Chaeyoung heard some rumors before.” Joohyun bit her lips. The Palace was built thousand years ago so some places were famous for their ghost rumors. Meanwhile, Taejong Hall was built especially for Queen Wanhee's residency so it was a new building compared to other halls.

“I’ve never seen one. Not that I want them to haunt me, I'm afraid as well.” Taeyeon shook her head. She too heard some rumors before but since King Seungjo resided there during his reign so she had been a regular guest there. “Gojong Hall is the biggest residence for the royal family and every room there is set up to accommodate the reigned royal’s needs, for example, to hold a small meeting. The kitchen is even integrated with the hall. Meanwhile, Taejong Hall is solely for living daily life. I suggest you sleep in Gojong Hall for a night or two so you can decide. ”

“No, thank you. I’ll convince Jungjeon-mama to stay here. If she wants to work from The Palace, she can just head to Gojong Hall to do her job.” Joohyun shuddered. “Now let’s move to the most important Article for tonight so we can rest soon.”

“What do you think about this, Chief Kim?” Joohyun showed another Article.

Section II, Article 25

1. All the royal members have to follow the consummation tradition on their first wedding night.

2. A necessary measurement will be conducted by the royal doctor and appointed royal maids to make sure that the newlywed royal and their spouse follow the tradition, including to prove all the royal princess’s purity.

3. The reigned royal will give punishment to those who do not abide by the rule.

Taeyeon rubbed her chin as if she grew some beards overnight. “As far as I know, this rule has been followed since the Joseon era. We even have a special unit here in The Palace to ensure the tradition is followed. It consisted of a few high-ranking royal maids.”

“You mean those people who stayed outside the room during my first night with Mama? Those people who stuck their ears closely on the wall to listen to whatever happened inside the room?”

“Yes, them. All the high-ranking maids are serving the queen consort so technically, they are under your command now.”

“Then, can I disperse the unit? I don’t think it’s needed anymore. Those high-ranking maids can work on something else, I’ll think about it.”

“Well, you have to give me a reason as to why you want to disperse it and of course, you’ll need Mama’s approval too.”

“First, it’s discriminating especially for women. Why do we have to prove our purity to the royals? We don’t have any obligation to do that. Are you sure the royals are pure themselves? Second, whether we want to consummate or not depends on us. It doesn’t have to be on the first night, right? Third and the most infuriating one is the undergarment issue. It’s so embarrassing and degrading, what do they actually do with it? Put it under a microscope to find a treasure??”

Taeyeon nodded wholeheartedly. “I agree, Wangbi. We can cross everything out except the first clause. The royal wedding date is set by the royal priest after taking so much consideration. It is usually held on the fifth or ninth full moon because the yin and yang energy is harmoniously high during those nights. The purpose of the first night is actually not only to conceive an heir but also to unite the newlywed's energy. This is important especially for the future ruler because they have to synergize their overflowing energy with their wife to ensure a harmonious marriage life.”

“I see. You know a lot, huh?” the queen consort was impressed.

Taeyeon smiled in return. “I read a lot Wangbi. When I first entered The Palace, I spent most of my time at the royal library, reading all the old records. The royal secretaries' career path is actually to become the ruler’s advisor in the future so we have to educate ourselves.”

“Ah, so you made it now.”

The young chief smiled gratefully. “It’s all because of Mama’s kindness.”

“Your expertness too. Do you think Mama will appoint you to be my advisor if you’re as clueless as me?” Joohyun pursed her lips as she rearranged the words in her tab.

“You’re not clueless, Wangbi. You’re just not trained enough to be a queen consort and it’s very understandable. We actually have a special class for the future queen conducted by the internal affair unit.”

“Right, I’ve heard about that. It’s a regret that I didn’t have much time to attend it but the express class is very useful to set my foundation. But, I’m still lacking in many fields so I have to learn a lot.” Joohyun looked somberly at her mugunghwa bracelet. On the days when she felt low-spirited, she occasionally thought about how she was so unfit to be the queen consort, so when she felt that, she would seek her wife’s comfort. A hug or two during difficult times will replenish her confidence to strive forward.

Taeyeon was a no rookie in royal matters so she understand the queen consort’s worries. It’s a big responsibility to bear, and there are so many things to consider before the latter can decide on something. That’s where an advisor is needed to guide them. An advisor is acting as their head and hands. Choosing an advisor is as important as choosing a department head. That’s why Seungwan didn’t appoint anyone out of her circle to guide Joohyun and Taeyeon is the perfect candidate for the role.

“Don’t worry, Wangbi. I will help you to master everything and we’ll do it at your own pace.” The young chief promised and assured the queen consort at the same time.

A smile blossomed on the queen consort’s lips. “Thank you, Chief Kim. So thoughtful of you, really, but you still have your tteokbokki duty,” she replied cheekily.

“...”

**

By 8.10 PM, Seungwan was back at Taejong Hall with 2 boxes of chocolates in her hand. She was told by Chaeyoung that Joohyun was still working in the study room with Taeyeon, so she opted to take a bath first while waiting for them to be finished.

At 8.30 PM, the door opened and Taeyeon walked out with Joohyun. They found Seungwan sitting on the sofa with her phone in her hand.

“Jungjeon-mama.” Taeyeon bowed respectfully, followed by Joohyun who couldn’t hide her growing smile.

“You’re home early!” she exclaimed as she walked to where Seungwan was sitting.

“Yes. I’ve been working overtime for a month now so I want to take a rest tonight.” Seungwan engulfed Joohyun with a warm hug and caressed her hair. “How’s work today? Are you tired?”

“I’m fine,” Joohyun replied with a sigh. “Chief Kim will send the draft to you tomorrow.”

Seungwan hummed in return before releasing her hug and looking at the young chief. “Just send it to me when everything is done. I’ll read and approve it by then. I trust your advice, Taeyeon.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Anyway, you can take this.” Seungwan lifted a box of chocolate for Taeyeon. “Give it to your wife. I heard she’s back since last week.”

“She has a wife?!” Joohyun was utterly shocked. She didn’t know. “ … Aish, I’m keeping her here until night every day.”

“She even has a daughter,” Seungwan informed her with a smile.

“Daughter?!” Now that is very shocking.

“It’s fine, Wangbi. My wife understands my job,” Taeyeon laughed easily. “I actually got married 3 years ago, she just got back from visiting her father in California.”

“Wow, a foreigner?”

“Uh … Korean-American.”

“I see. That explains how you’re so open-minded.” Joohyun nodded. “Maybe bring your wife and daughter for a meal someday?”

“Sure, Wangbi. I’ll arrange a time soon.”

Just then, the guard outside announced the arrival of Chief Kang.

“Let her in,” Seungwan replied.

Seulgi walked in before bowing to the royals. “Greetings to Jungjeon-mama and Joohyun-wangbi.”

“You’re here every night, Chief Kang. Are you that free?” Joohyun welcomed the latter ‘warmly’.

“I just work efficiently, Wangbi,” Seulgi replied while blinking her eyes.

“Really?” the queen consort was suspicious.

“Yes, really.”

“Wangbi meant that you disturb their quality time every night.“ Taeyeon side-eyed Seulgi while shaking her head. After working closely with the queen consort for a month, she understands the latter very well.

“Well, I have something to discuss with Mama.” Seulgi defended herself.

“Every night??” Joohyun asked.

Since appointed as head of the royal army, Seulgi is no longer residing in the royal guard hall. She moved to a nice apartment near her office.

“Every night,” Seulgi affirmed with a nod.

“You see each other every day in the office, and it’s not like your building is 1 mill away from each other so if you have something to discuss why don't you do it during office hours??”

“Well, I’m still adapting myself to my new role. I usually stand beside Mama 24/7 so I feel restless when I stay away from her for long,” Seulgi said solemnly. Having Seulgi is like having 2 concubines for Joohyun, why are they even competing for Seungwan’s attention these days??

“Then adapt yourself quickly!” The queen consort huffed.

Seungwan who saw the start of their usual nightly banter quickly interjected. “What is it this time, Seul?”

“I’m thinking to send our top guards for joint training with the British royal army next month. They sent an invitation last week. What do you think, Mama?”

“Huh? Haven’t I approved your request this morning?” Seungwan remembered signing a letter of approval for the request.

“You did? I haven’t gotten any notification from my secretary. I’ll call her.”

“It’s not an urgent matter. You can ask her tomorrow, let your secretary rest, will you?” Seungwan advised.

“See! You’re just making an excuse to visit my wife! Joohyun pointed out. Whenever Seulgi visited Seungwan, they'll spend an hour discussing work, so Joohyun felt upset with the ex-royal guard. After office hours, Seungwan is Joohyun’s!

“No, I’m not.”

Taeyeon shook her head. “Chief Kang, why don’t we go outside and have a drink? If you’re feeling lonely, I can be your drinking buddy tonight,” she offered.

“Chief Kim, your wife and daughter are waiting at home.” Joohyun scrutinized her eyes. “Go home now. What are you waiting for?”

“O-oh right,” Taeyeon coughed embarrassedly. Honestly, she stayed because she wanted to see how the nightly drama unfolded. “I will go home … in a moment.”

Something flashed in Seungwan’s mind and she said, “Maybe we should set a blind date for Seulgi so she’ll stop thinking about me all the time.”

“No need, Mama.” “Good idea!”

Seulgi and Joohyun answered at the same time and they looked at each other with an indecipherable stare.

“No, I don’t like going on a blind date,” Seulgi said curtly before adding “I don’t like meeting a complete stranger.”

“Do you want to set a date with one of my friends …” Taeyeon offered. She has some single friends.

“No, I’ve met with some of your friends before. They are weird. Especially that Kwon Yuri.”

“...”

“Then, maybe try to look around our office … “ Seungwan mustered.

“No office love. I despise it.” Seulgi rejected the idea right away.

“At this point, you’re just gonna reject everyone!” Joohyun protested. “Are you having a sister complex or what? So obsessed to stay around my wife.”

“That sounds a bit awkward, Jagi,” Seungwan told her wife, but Seulgi didn’t deny it.

So what if I have a sister complex? The young chief thought.

“Wangbi, do you know someone?” Taeyeon chimed in to ask after looking at the helpless royal queen. “Maybe one of your friends? Chief Kang used to follow you a few times to your office, so I think she’s quite familiar with them.”

Joohyun pondered and said, “I don’t have many friends.”

“How about Miss Joy?” Seulgi suddenly asked.

“Joy? You’re interested in her??” the queen consort widened her eyes.

“*Coughs* Just saying.”

Seulgi acted nonchalantly when everyone in the room could see her reddened cheeks. Meanwhile, Seungwan could only shake her head. Seulgi was not as expressive as her when in love so to see her being shy was actually something. In fact, it was the first time she saw her adopted sister being this interested in a potential love partner.

“Well, if you want to try. I can help you to set a date with Joy.” Joohyun shrugged. She did not oppose the idea.

“No!” Seulgi cleared . “I’ll come to the classic cleaner tomorrow to ask her.”

“Tomorrow?” Joohyun replied. Why is she in a hurry?

“Yes. Is Miss Joy not working in the office tomorrow?”

“As far as I know, she’ll be there tomorrow. I delegated everything to her for the next 3 months.”

Seulgi nodded in satisfaction before straightening her suit. “Then, I’m done with my discussion here. Rest well, Your Majesty.”

After bowing, she walked out while dragging Taeyeon by her neck, leaving the two royals stunned behind her.

“What just happened? Why is she in a hurry to date my friend?” Joohyun asked her wife in wonder.

The royal queen shrugged. “Typical Seulgi. If she wants something, she won’t wait and just go for it.”

“Does it mean that she’s been liking Joy all this time?”

“Probably. I guess she waited until I’m done with my mission. She’s so considerate.” Seungwan smiled fondly before ing Joohyun’s shirt.

“Umm .. excuse me, what are you doing?” the queen consort raised her brows amusedly at her wife.

Seungwan’s fingers stilled as she asked, “Didn’t you chase them out to have fun with me?”

“Your Majesty, your definition of having fun needs to be fixed.” Joohyun brushed off Seungwan’s hands from her shirt and pulled the latter to sit on the sofa.

“But you enjoy it as much as I do.”

“I do.” Joohyun's cheeks reddened. “But I have something to talk about with you. Can we talk first before we do whatever you want to do to me?”

Seungwan’s smile grew bigger at her wife’s promise. “Sure!”

“What do you think of staying here instead of Gojong Hall?”

The royal queen’s eyes swept around her residence. The hall was passed from her mother to her so the building was a little bit old and needed an upgrade in some areas. Meanwhile, Gojong Hall’s last upgrade was 2 years ago so the building was in a better state.

“If you want to stay here, it’s fine with me but we need to upgrade it first, especially our bedroom.”

“Umm … does it mean I have to stay at Gojong Hall during the upgrade?”

“You can stay anywhere in The Palace but Gojong Hall is currently vacant and ready to use compared to other halls. Why? You don’t want to stay there?”

Joohyun laughed awkwardly. “It’s too big and you don’t usually come home until 10 PM. I don’t want to bother Chaeyoung every night to accompany me until you’re home.”

“So, you mean you’re afraid of staying alone there?” Seungwan held her laugh and was ready to wife.

“You can forget to have fun if you dare to tease me.” Joohyun rolled her eyes knowing her wife’s nature.

“Who said I’m gonna tease you?” Seungwan cleared after being exposed. “Let’s proceed with the upgrade after I’m done returning all the smuggled money and lands to The Government. By then, I can go home much earlier, so you won’t be alone there.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.” Joohyun quickly agreed. Then, she remembered something. “Sunhwa unnie called me this morning, she’ll be returning home in a week.”

“Ah .. when is her due again?”

“In 2 months.”

Seungwan nodded in happiness. “Soon, this Palace will be filled with baby’s cries. A much-needed change.”

“You’re right. It’s too quiet her