Spring Snow - Chapter 4 Part 4

She remembered how the Emperor had thrown down his sword at her words about her womb hurting. He had carried her into the bedchamber. Eun-hwan sat on the bed, her expression dazed, and watched him. Even after tearing through flesh and bone, the Emperor remained cool and composed.

He was a man who could commit acts like a demon yet remain as serene as a Buddha. Eun-hwan stared at him without blinking, then lay down on the bed under his touch. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was morning. The royal physician, summoned by the Emperor’s order, entered the bedchamber.

Eun-hwan removed her undergarments, which had a faint trace of blood, and handed them to the court lady. The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. The royal physician suggested that the baby in her womb and her uterus had been startled, recommending moxibustion. Instead of going out to hunt tigers, the Emperor sat by Eun-hwan’s side, watching over the baby in her womb as it calmed down.

Originally, the Emperor should have gone to the hunting grounds to catch a tiger. Eun-hwan occasionally opened her eyes and asked him why he wasn’t going hunting. Each time, the Emperor remained silent. And so, the final day of the autumn hunt passed. Since the Emperor did not go hunting, no one could roam the hunting grounds.

Thus, this year, not a single tiger was killed. After that night, Eun-hwan fell into a fever and occasionally opened her eyes to look at the Emperor. There was no particular light in his eyes. He was truly calm. His tightly closed lips were as stubborn as ever, and his thick eyebrows were elegant. Just like when she was alone, the moonlight was serene on the pond. But everything had shattered and lay scattered on the ground.

The Emperor was a man who could take a life with that face. With that peaceful expression, he could sever someone’s fingers and swallow the screams of a man who had pretended to be his brother.

‘Without a single distortion…’

Eun-hwan closed her eyes again. The hand that groped for the baby’s place was affectionate. The day to leave Henan and return to the imperial palace was not far off.

***

Just as they had left in a carriage, they returned in one. Autumn had deepened, and all the leaves had fallen. Eun-hwan’s belly had swollen slightly, but it wasn’t noticeable due to the tight corset she wore. She had been worried about the undergarments that had shown traces of blood. Upon returning to the palace, the first person she met was the royal physician. He assured her that the baby was healthy. Fortunately, only the womb, startled by the mother’s shock, had been slightly affected. The Emperor finally expressed his regret at not having caught a tiger. He lamented that he couldn’t make fur shoes for her and their baby. Eun-hwan replied that she disliked the idea of animals being killed. She didn’t ask what had happened to Prince Gang.

The palace was full of whispers, even if one didn’t ask. Prince Gang had been castrated immediately upon returning from Henan. There was no such law in the palace. So, what would happen if a prince tried to assault a concubine? At the very least, he should have been put on trial, but the Emperor did not forgive his brother for attempting to violate a pregnant concubine. Though his life was spared out of respect for Prince Yeon and the Empress Dowager, he could not avoid being stripped of his princely title after being castrated.

He had lived a life of debauchery. Not only did he have a princess consort, but he also had over ten concubines and several children. Though it seemed he had no reason to regret his life of indulgence, one could never know how the man himself felt.

Eun-hwan, recalling the man she would never see again since her entry into the palace was forbidden, gently stroked her belly. Stripped of his princely title, he could no longer live in the royal residence. His many children, at least seven, would also be unable to inherit the residence. Eventually, they would be pushed out of the capital. Eun-hwan caressed her slightly swollen belly, which rose like a small hill.

Two days after returning from Henan, the Emperor announced the pregnancy. The palace was instantly filled with joy. It was, after all, the Emperor’s first child. The nobles of the capital, as well as local magnates, sent lavish tributes. Eun-hwan found nothing that caught her eye. Hairpins adorned with top-grade black pearls and red jade, intricately carved silver combs, pearl powder and jade powder ground from pearls, eyebrow ink imported from the West, and even precious hair ornaments decorated with coral peonies and delicate butterflies. Looking at the box of jewels made her feel as if she would go blind.

If it were just the jewels, it would have been enough. But there were also rare books, paintings, ornamental shrubs that grew only in rock crevices, parrots with vibrant red and blue feathers treasured by distant sultans, a cat with luxurious fur and noble blue eyes, and even a rare bird with uniquely colored feathers. Precious items beyond description were presented to Eun-hwan every day. Yet, none of it brought her joy. No matter what she looked at, it was the same. Though she was grateful, the growing pile of tributes made her uncomfortable.

‘It’s not as if the Empress is pregnant…’

At best, she was just a concubine. Though favored, the favor of a concubine was as fleeting as a flower’s bloom. Even if the Emperor swore eternity, she wasn’t foolish enough to believe him entirely. She couldn’t help but wonder how the very gifts she accepted with joy might one day tighten around her neck.

For this reason, Eun-hwan sent back some of the overly extravagant tributes. She wrote letters expressing her gratitude but declining the gifts. Lady So, the court lady, warned that returning tributes meant to bless the baby might offend the senders. Eun-hwan understood their intentions.

They were likely calculating the possibility of the child in her womb ascending the throne. After all, it was the Emperor’s first son. If the harem had been filled with concubines, each bearing the Emperor’s children, such attention wouldn’t have been lavished on her. But Eun-hwan was currently the Emperor’s most cherished concubine and the first woman to carry his child. Those blinded by profit would surely be watching the palace’s affairs closely, even from afar.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived.”

Just as Eun-hwan was about to pick up the brush to return some of the jewels she had received that day, Lady So announced in a dignified voice. Eun-hwan rose and neatly folded her hands as the Emperor approached with heavy footsteps.

“Do the tributes not please you?”

The Emperor, who had habitually pulled Eun-hwan into his embrace, asked. He kissed her cheek, then her nose, and finally her lips with practiced ease. Eun-hwan wrapped her arms around his neck and accepted his kisses. The man who had bitten her soft skin now worshipped her pale, slender neck, kissing and sucking it. Eun-hwan closed her eyes, letting out a sweet sigh as she clutched his collar.

“…The baby is startled.”

At her whisper, the man, who had been licking and sucking her neck as if to leave marks, raised his head. His hand caressed her slightly swollen belly.

“Why would the baby fear its father?”

“The baby hasn’t settled properly yet.”

“Wouldn’t the baby be happy to meet its father even in the womb?”

“But the royal physician said…”

“I know.”

Yun-hyeok laughed at Eun-hwan, who blushed and flustered. He looked down at her with eyes overflowing with joy, as if he were beholding the most precious thing in the world. Eun-hwan, too, gazed at him with deep eyes and buried her face in his chest. Yun-hyeok stroked her long, black hair and kissed her forehead.

“When this little one grows a bit more, I’ll be able to hold you, won’t I?”

The Emperor, who had been caressing her lower abdomen, asked her. Eun-hwan, unable to imagine turning her swollen belly, merely moved her lips. But the Emperor seemed quite serious, waiting for her answer.

“Wouldn’t we have to wait until after the birth?”

“The physician said it’s fine once the baby settles.”

“But…”

“I’ll be careful.”

Eun-hwan pressed her lips together. Yun-hyeok smirked and nibbled her earlobe. His warm breath heated her ear. ‘My little shell…’ The nickname he had started calling her echoed in her ear. Eun-hwan, held in his arms, was carried to the bed. The Emperor, who had been nibbling her earlobe, noticed the unfinished letter.

“Do the tributes not please you?”

The Emperor, who had been teasing her earlobe, asked again. Eun-hwan hesitated, unsure how to respond. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate them, but accepting them so readily made her uncomfortable. Moreover, wouldn’t Yu Ga-ran be entering the palace in the spring? With the grand wedding not far off, she needed to be cautious. She absolutely couldn’t be branded as an arrogant concubine trying to rise above the Empress.

“It’s not that…”

“Then why not accept them?”

Eun-hwan, who had been looking at him, lowered her gaze to the floor. She knew that after the incident with Prince Gang, public opinion of her had grown even more turbulent. Moreover, since the punishment had been carried out in front of the Emperor, it had drawn even more attention. Suddenly, she was curious.

“Why didn’t you even hold a trial before punishing him?”

She was curious. The reason for punishing him so severely. Many said the punishment was excessive, even if he had committed a crime. Eun-hwan thought so too. The Emperor didn’t answer, simply looking down at her.

“Your Majesty.”

“Why?”

His tone was dry. The Emperor seemed unwilling to answer. Eun-hwan, feeling awkward, whispered an apology. She tried to get off his lap, but the arm holding her tightened. She looked at him again. The Emperor, who had been staring at her blankly, tilted his head. Eun-hwan gazed at him with distant eyes. Her lips, which had been pressed together, parted.

“I wanted to tear him limb from limb…”

“Your Majesty.”

“But it seems it’s still too early…”

That was the end of it. The man kissed her forehead gently and held her close. Eun-hwan, holding her breath, moved her lips slightly.

***

A little over a month had passed since their return from Henan. The Emperor, seeing Eun-hwan writing a letter to her mother, suddenly suggested visiting her family home. Eun-hwan, startled, turned to look at him. She felt the urge to crumple the letter she was writing and throw it away. Thinking he was joking, she was surprised to see his serious expression. Eun-hwan quickly shook her head, saying her home was no place for the Emperor to visit. But the Emperor, as if his mind was made up—or perhaps he had planned this all along—said he was curious about her home. The house where she was born and raised, her siblings, parents, and household…

“It’s not a place where Your Majesty’s safety can be assured.”

“But aren’t they your family?”

Eun-hwan’s face stiffened. Her father, her mother, her stepmother Lady Shim, and her other stepmother Lady Wang… She thought of her more than ten siblings and the servants who had always looked down on her, and her stomach churned. Whenever she thought of her family, it always gave her a headache.

When she had received the concubine’s seal and been formally appointed as a concubine, the Emperor had once sent a letter and gifts from the palace to her family. Recently, after being promoted to the rank of Gabi, he had also granted her family some servants and a portion of fertile land in the southwest as part of their estate. That was more than enough. It was an excessive honor.

For her father, it was truly enough. Since becoming the Emperor’s concubine, Eun-hwan had never wished for him to bestow gifts on her family. She didn’t desire it, so she never made such requests, and when he did offer gifts, she often refused two or three times out of fear that it might be too much.

Of course, her father’s perspective was different. Born the son of a mere merchant, he had lived his life as a merchant. No matter how wealthy he became, he was still just a merchant. So, the gifts from the Emperor would never satisfy him.

Her father was the type to sell his daughter as a concubine to a prestigious noble family, hoping to secure official positions for his legitimate sons. But even if those sons were truly capable and useful, it wouldn’t matter. Whether legitimate or illegitimate, they were all incompetent and useless.

In short, her father didn’t know his place. He truly had no sense of propriety. Eun-hwan always feared that her father might make a mistake in front of the Emperor, causing harm to the royal family. That was why she never responded to her father’s desperate letters and why she had never invited her family to the capital. Fortunately, the Emperor had never invited her family to the palace. It seemed he had no interest in anyone but Eun-hwan.

But…

“My father is nothing more than a mere merchant. My family home is nothing but a humble household. It is not a place fit for Your Majesty to visit…”

She lowered her gaze and stammered. It was not a place for the Emperor to visit. Perhaps he was imagining a grand, luxurious mansion like the one owned by Yu Ga-ran’s father, a chancellor. But her father was just a slightly wealthier commoner.

Though he was a well-known cloth merchant in the southwest, he couldn’t compare to the owners of the famous merchant guilds in the capital. Eun-hwan unconsciously grimaced.

“So, it is absolutely not a place for Your Majesty to visit.”

Had the Emperor ever seen the home of a commoner? Even if it was Eun-hwan’s family home, she hadn’t grown up in her father’s mansion. Her two older brothers had been born and raised in her father’s spacious estate, but Eun-hwan had grown up in a humble shack away from the main house.

The home she had wanted to visit before giving birth was that shack. It had been too long since she had seen her mother. Over two years had passed, and with the time it would take to give birth and recover, she didn’t know when she would be able to visit again. So, she had wanted to visit before spring. Wouldn’t it be fine if she went alone for a short while? That’s what she had asked, but now it seemed like a mistake to have brought it up.

“I understand.”

Yun-hyeok looked at her intently. He gestured for her to come closer. Eun-hwan, who had been writing a letter to her mother, put down her brush and approached him. Yun-hyeok pulled her into his arms and looked into her uneasy, trembling eyes.

“I just want to see the humble home of my beloved concubine.”

“Your Majesty, it’s a place where even your feet shouldn’t tread.”

She meant it. The place where Eun-hwan had been born and raised… She didn’t want to show him that place. She didn’t want to show him those people. The Emperor, looking at Eun-hwan, asked softly.

“Don’t you want to show me your family?”

“It’s not that…”

Eun-hwan floundered, trailing off. Yun-hyeok looked at her, waiting for an answer.

“Most concubines, after receiving their seals, invite their families to the palace. They beg for more gifts. They beg for official positions and titles for their brothers.”

“My brothers are not talented enough to serve in the court…”

“What I’m asking is why you don’t want to show me your family.”

Eun-hwan bit her lip. The sharpness in Yun-hyeok’s long eyes pierced her heart. She stared at him, unable to speak. Yun-hyeok’s elegant fingers brushed against her cheek. Her pale face was like a white magnolia. He kissed the corner of her eye as she stared at him, unable to respond. In truth, he wasn’t particularly curious about her family. He simply wanted to know everything about Eun-hwan, even her most private matters. So, there should be nothing about her that he didn’t know.

What kind of man was her father? What kind of woman was her mother? The reports from the eunuchs weren’t enough to satisfy him. He wondered who Eun-hwan took after. Who had she inherited her sweetness and loveliness from? Who had made her so bold and charming?

If there was something he could hold onto, he wanted to seize it. She had two older brothers, so he could grant them official positions to keep Eun-hwan tied down. A child alone wasn’t enough. The baby in her womb wasn’t enough to completely possess her.

Perhaps the child was useless. After all, she had tried to end its life. If it wasn’t something she cherished but something she resented, he could discard it at any time. It was something that could allow her to escape from him. He traced her rosy cheek with his long fingers.

Had she mentioned wanting to care for her mother? The eunuch had told him that this lovely woman had once tried to leave the palace with gifts from the Empress Dowager. The price for aborting the child had been no different. Wealth and freedom to care for her mother. The palace maid who had been close to Eun-hwan had also mentioned something.

‘It seems she has always longed for her mother while growing up.’

So, while working in the inner palace, she had saved all her wages without spending them. He recalled Eun-hwan, with tearful eyes in Henan, clinging to him and murmuring. She had the face of someone who believed she was destined for misfortune. She didn’t trust him, and so she didn’t trust his love either. He felt a fear that he might never truly possess her. A woman who could run away at any time. A woman who could abandon him without ever having given him her heart. Though he had expressed anger, as if he had been scorned, it was actually fear.

“I’m curious about the house where you were born and raised.”

He murmured softly. Eun-hwan’s face looked as if it might crumble.

***

It was early spring after a harsh winter. The white plum blossoms piled up like snow. At dawn, you could see the frost-covered plum blossoms. The ice clinging to the ripe flower buds was beautiful. Around that time, Eunhwan went southwest with the emperor. Though the emperor should have been busy preparing for the grand wedding, he showed no sign of haste in front of her. Perhaps it was because the empress’s coronation ceremony was not his responsibility. Maybe it was because all of that was the duty of the empress dowager, allowing him to remain so composed. I don’t know. The emperor, as he had done since last autumn and winter, always doted on Eunhwan. He gifted her things she liked and did things she enjoyed to win her favor.

He wanted to know what she disliked and tried to avoid doing those things. The emperor always acted as if he were her man. Eunhwan sometimes lived as if she had forgotten everything in his embrace. But eventually, she realized she could never forget.

And so, unable to forget anything, she boarded the carriage heading back to her hometown. She recalled the memory of riding alone in a carriage to enter the palace. She had hugged her bundle of belongings as the rain pattered down. That road and this road were no different, yet they felt different. The destination at the end of this road felt like somewhere other than her father’s luxurious mansion.

Perhaps that’s why. Throughout the carriage ride, everything felt like a dream. Her slow-witted, rough father, who treated her like a stone, and the indifferent Lady Shim, the always irritable Lady Wang, and her haughty, jealous daughters. It felt like she was going to meet people who didn’t exist in this world. But as time passed, the place she arrived at was filled with servants and family members who had rushed out to greet the emperor’s procession.

“We are deeply honored by His Majesty’s visit.”

Her father bowed deeply before the emperor. Seeing his body, which had grown fuller than before, she wondered how his knees could support all that weight, but regardless, he managed to creak through the proper etiquette. Eunhwan stood behind her father and looked at the family members bowing just like him. These were people she had never considered family. She had only ever thought of her mother and, at most, her brothers as family. She didn’t know how her brothers truly felt about her.

Eunhwan gazed indifferently at her father, Lady Shim, Lady Wang, and the countless concubines and siblings. She paid close attention to the young girls among those who had pressed their foreheads to the ground. If you didn’t look closely, you couldn’t tell if they were her sisters or her father’s concubines. Except for the familiar maidens, they were likely her father’s concubines. Among them were young women with plump cheeks and youthful faces. They looked even younger than Eunhwan.

“Rise.”

The emperor uttered indifferently. Her father staggered to his feet, exhaled deeply, and smiled. The emperor did not return even a brief smile. Yet, her father, seemingly unfazed, approached him and tried to strike up a conversation.

Eunhwan feared that her father might not recognize the emperor and mistake him for a mere official from the capital. She quickly lowered her head, afraid their eyes might meet. She was terrified that her father might commit some impropriety before the emperor. The fact that she couldn’t stop him made her even more anxious.

“You must have endured much hardship to come all this way. I, your humble servant, and our Eunhwan—”

“Ahem. Minister Jo.”

The eunuch shot a stern look at her father, who was chattering away close to the emperor. Her heart pounded. She felt nauseous. Her father had never met eunuchs, palace maids, or anyone from the palace before. It was possible that a mere servant might dare to scold him or even raise a whip.

If that really happened, it would be better to faint on the spot. No, she absolutely had to faint. It would be better to faint and never wake up than to watch an uneducated merchant, using his daughter as a stepping stone, behave so rudely in the presence of the Son of Heaven.

“How dare you address Her Majesty so casually?”

“Haha. Eunhwan is my daughter. I am her father—”

“Ahem! Minister Jo. You are in the presence of His Majesty. Mind your words.”

This time, the eunuch’s voice carried more firmness. Eunhwan, who had been unable to lift her gaze and had been staring at the ground, bit her lip. Her cheeks burned as if they might burst. Her eyelids trembled violently. Her heart raced so fast she could no longer feel the strong pulse.

“Even if she is your flesh and blood, she is now His Majesty’s concubine and the future mother of the royal heir.”

The eunuch reprimanded him sternly. Eunhwan cautiously lifted her gaze to look at her father. She hadn’t been able to get a proper look at him since getting off the carriage. It was hard to face him. No, to be more precise, meeting her father with the emperor was terrifying.

It was because of the countless improprieties he might commit, the crude words and actions he might display. If she had come alone, it would have been different. No matter what her father said, no matter how he referred to her—whether as “that girl” or “that woman,” or even as someone fit to be thrown into a pigsty to receive the seed of livestock—she wouldn’t have cared at all.

“Ahem, ahem, yes…”

“Be careful.”

“…Yes.”

Her father forced a strained expression as he replied. The eunuch, unsatisfied, continued to glare at him. Eunhwan stared blankly at her father. Her expression was displeased. No, more than displeased, it looked like she wanted to whip the eunuch right then and there. If it had been a servant or Eunhwan, he would have immediately lashed out with a whip. Whether her skin tore or not, he would have continued until his anger subsided. She stared at him with a pale face, then suddenly felt a gaze and turned her head.

The emperor was looking at her. She didn’t know since when… But even when their eyes met, he didn’t look away. Eunhwan looked at him with startled eyes, then quickly turned her head. Her father, having been scolded by the eunuch, led them into the mansion while babbling excuses.

The excuse was that he was overly excited to see his daughter after so long, but the eunuch wasn’t even listening. Eunhwan followed her father into the mansion and rolled her eyes. As a child, the mansion had truly seemed like a whale’s back. Everything her father enjoyed seemed the most precious and valuable in the world. She thought all the good things in the world existed only in this mansion. She believed the walls of this mansion were higher and wider than those of the imperial palace. That was when she had served her father as if he were the emperor. And now…

“Are you happy to be home?”

The emperor asked. Eunhwan looked at him expressionlessly. She hesitated over how to respond. There was no need to hesitate; she could simply say “Yes,” but her tongue wouldn’t obey. The home she wanted to return to wasn’t this place.

The people she missed weren’t from this house either. The emperor, without waiting for her response, embraced her waist and kissed her cheek without hesitation, then walked into the annex her father had prepared as if he owned it. She stared blankly at his retreating figure, then locked eyes with Lady Wang’s daughter.

Suddenly, she realized that more than a few people were watching her. Everyone must have seen. The beautiful emperor so easily, so casually, kissing her cheek, his eyes softening, whispering affectionately…

***

Her father’s mansion was as luxurious as when she had left. But now, it no longer seemed the largest in the world. She no longer thought her father possessed the most precious things in the world. The mansion’s walls were incomparably lower than those of the imperial palace, and the roof tiles and pillars were shabby beyond compare. It wasn’t just in comparison to the imperial palace.

When she had stopped by Henan, she had seen how grand and majestic the city was. Her father was neither royalty nor nobility. He was just a famous cloth merchant in Henan. At best, a commoner. Though he enjoyed some of the privileges of the nobility and owned some of what they possessed, his goods were of far inferior quality compared to the highest-grade items presented to the emperor.

Yet, her father still seemed like the tyrant of this mansion. It felt as though he could still grab her by the hair and throw her to the ground, call her a useless woman worse than a beggar, and lock her in the pigsty to starve her all day.

In truth, he could have done so if not for the emperor. If the emperor hadn’t made Eunhwan his concubine… To her father, Eunhwan was nothing.

“Why does my little clam look like this again?”

It was when she was looking at the fully bloomed plum blossoms outside the round window. Eunhwan, unaware of what her face looked like, turned her gaze from the window to the floor. The red hues of the setting sun caressed the blooming plum blossoms. As the wind blew, white petals scattered onto the hem of her skirt. Eunhwan quietly gazed at the plum blossom petals.

“Why do you look so uncomfortable in your own home?”

Long fingers lifted her chin. Eunhwan only moved her lips slightly. She thought about what to say. He had asked why she looked so uncomfortable in her own home. To her, the palace was more comfortable. She had never considered her father’s mansion her home, so even in her darkest childhood, her father’s house had always been uncomfortable, and his presence had always been a thorn in her side. What about the house where she lived with her mother? Would it be alright to show her mother before the emperor?

“Eunhwan.”

It was a sweet voice. A call from her husband, drawing her into his embrace. Eunhwan, who had been sitting across from him, fiddling with her teacup instead of drinking the flower tea, crossed over to his side and nestled into his arms. Yoonhyeop embraced the beautiful woman, who was like a plum blossom petal scattered by the wind.

He pulled out the hairpins one by one and stroked her flowing hair. The orchid scent embedded in her ebony-like hair wafted to his nose, stirring his desire. His hand caressed her slender body, then slyly grasped her rounded bre*sts.

Eunhwan’s expression was impassive. She had worn this expression since boarding the carriage to her hometown. Then, in front of her father, her face had become as stiff as someone facing death. The face of someone confronting something unbearable. A mix of disillusionment and fear.

“Where was your mother standing?”

It was when she had her head resting on his chest, eyes closed. It was a tender question. Was he looking for her mother? She opened her eyes and lifted her head. Their gazes met.

“I didn’t see a woman who resembled you.”

She stared at him blankly. Her mother… Her tongue stiffened. Her mother was a lowly concubine and couldn’t appear before the emperor. The concubines present were all of higher status. There was no place for her lowly mother.

‘Can I see my mother before I leave?’

Her mother would be confined to that shabby house, unable to come out. If Eunhwan didn’t seek her out, she would leave without ever seeing her. Originally, she had come out to see her mother…

“Eunhwan.”

“My mother is a lowly concubine who cannot appear before Your Majesty, so she was not present.”

She closed her lips as if biting them. She didn’t want to see the expression on the emperor’s face, so she turned her gaze away.

***

Buryong was dressed in a lavish white and red outfit, reminiscent of a red peony. Her hair, adorned with pearl hairpins and amber ornaments, was piled high like a cloud, revealing her pale neck and a hint of her ample chest, which was as full as that of a woman who had nursed a child.

Though she had always been mature, seeing her sitting close to the emperor, pouring wine, evoked a strange feeling. Having known Buryong since childhood made it even more peculiar. She was the eldest daughter of Lady Wang, a concubine, and was the same age as Eunhwan. Unlike Soyong and Soyok, the daughters of Lady Shim, the legal wife, Buryong was exceptionally beautiful, resembling her mother, Lady Wang, who was renowned for her beauty in Hanju. Buryong had been graceful and precocious since she was young.

Though both were concubines, Lady Wang was the daughter of a nobleman’s concubine, while Eunhwan’s mother was a lowly servant. Their treatment was incomparable. Moreover, Lady Wang was a woman who constantly charmed her father with sweet words, keeping him under her spell.

Because of this, Buryong received far more affection from her father than Soyong and Soyok, the daughters of the legal wife, and lived a luxurious life, wearing and eating better than them. If Eunhwan had been as loved as Buryong, she might not have resented her fate as a concubine’s daughter.

“Your Majesty, though it cannot compare to the imperial wine, this wine is also brewed by a famous master in the southwest. It tastes even sweeter when paired with the honey pancakes on the left.”

Buryong whispered to the emperor, sitting close to him as if she might jump into his lap at any moment. The sisters sitting behind Buryong frowned at her behavior. Eunhwan glanced at them.

They seemed to have dressed up more than usual, hoping to catch the emperor’s eye. They must have rummaged through their jewelry boxes, picking out the most precious and beautiful pieces to wear. Eunhwan observed the sisters, dressed in layers of translucent silk, their pale skin barely visible.

They all seemed to want to become the emperor’s concubines. Seeing Eunhwan, who had become his concubine, they might have thought they could do the same. As Eunhwan’s eyes wandered, she noticed her father looking at Buryong with satisfaction.

Did her father want Buryong to become the emperor’s concubine? Was that why he had her serve wine? Buryong was sitting closer to the emperor than Eunhwan. It was for the purpose of serving wine, but it was also close enough that if the emperor reached out, she could easily fall into his arms.

Eunhwan, on the other hand, was seated a bit further away, in a position where she could observe them. It was a seat arranged by her father. She stared at Buryong, who was smiling like a flower at the emperor. Buryong’s elaborate appearance must have been her father and Lady Wang’s doing.

Did they arrange the seating and dress Buryong up like this, thinking she might share the emperor’s bed tonight? Suddenly, she felt a gaze. When she turned her head, the emperor was looking at her. His gaze felt like it had been on her for a while. Eunhwan met his eyes expressionlessly, then turned her head away. How would she feel if Buryong really did share the emperor’s bed? What if Buryong became a concubine, firmly securing a place in the harem?

She didn’t know. In truth, Eunhwan no longer cared. Even with Buryong sitting so close to the emperor, she didn’t feel angry or upset. When Yugaran had served the emperor wine in Henan, she had felt indescribably miserable. But now, even with her sister flirting so openly, she felt nothing.

Buryong picked up a pancake and brought it to the emperor’s lips. The emperor, who had been staring at Eunhwan instead of drinking, slowly turned his gaze to Buryong.

“How old are you compared to Gabi?”

The emperor asked Buryong. Thinking she had finally caught his attention, Buryong’s face brightened. Her father’s face also lit up.

“I am the same age as Her Majesty.”

“Do you know much about Gabi’s childhood?”

“O-of course, Your Majesty. Her Majesty and I were very close. We played together every day, sewing and chatting.”

Her voice was as clear as jade. But Eunhwan blinked expressionlessly. Had she and Buryong been close? She couldn’t remember. They had spent time together, but only because her father had assigned her as Buryong’s maid. She had run errands for Buryong and cleaned up after her every day.

“Is that so, Gabi?”

The emperor turned his gaze back to Eunhwan. She stared at him blankly, then nodded. Yoonhyeop’s eyes narrowed slightly, a strange smile playing on his lips. Just as Buryong was about to slyly embrace his arm, her cheek was struck sharply.

Eunhwan, who had been idly watching the greasy pancake, turned her head at the loud slap. Buryong, holding her reddened cheek, trembled and prostrated herself before the emperor. Lady Shim, Lady Wang, the concubines, and the siblings all rose in shock and bowed deeply.

Eunhwan froze, staring at the emperor. The eunuch outside the pavilion, watching the banquet, clicked his tongue silently as if he had expected this. The emperor, who had slapped Buryong, curled his lips and spoke to her father, who was prostrating himself.

“You’ve raised your daughter like a prostitute from the brothels.”

“Y-Your Majesty… Please, have mercy… My daughter…”

“Though you are a lowly merchant with no education or refinement, I tried to overlook your insolence for Gabi’s sake. But…”

Eunhwan’s heart froze. She took a few shallow breaths to steady her vision and stared at the emperor. Unsure of what to do, she swallowed dryly and rose to bow with her family.

She had expected something like this to happen. Provoking his temper, rushing to him without tact, revealing the depths of a man who knew no tolerance… If only she had been the daughter of a nobleman, it wouldn’t have been so difficult to show her family.

‘This is why I wanted to come alone…’

Her head ached. Just as she was about to kneel to beg for forgiveness, Yoonhyeop glared at her with fierce eyes. Seeing his anger, Eunhwan’s lips twitched.

“Are you going to beg for forgiveness on behalf of your family, Gabi?”

His voice, which had been tenderly caressing her in the afternoon, was now as cold as frost, making her shiver. Eunhwan looked at the man sitting on the high seat, staring at her as if she were a stranger. His face was filled with anger, even toward her. Was he angry at her because of Buryong’s impropriety and her father’s vulgarity?

Did he think she, born from the seed of such a lowly merchant, was also vulgar? Eunhwan looked at him with a calm face and opened her lips.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. My family has never received the Son of Heaven before, so they acted so rudely…”

“Then shouldn’t Gabi appease my anger?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty. Please forgive my sister’s mistake…”

“Do you not know how to appease my anger?”

Just as she was about to bow, the emperor asked softly. Eunhwan held her breath and looked at him. The seat next to the emperor was empty. Eunhwan blinked and looked at him. The emperor, holding a wine cup, let his lips curve slightly. His pupils moved to the left. Eunhwan looked at that seat. It was where Buryong had been sitting, pouring wine with a flirtatious expression. Eunhwan cautiously filled the seat. A large hand familiarly pulled her into an embrace.

“Everyone, rise and show proper respect.”

The eunuch announced in a clear voice. At his words, the prostrate family members rose and returned to their seats. Buryong also returned to her seat beside Lady Wang. Eunhwan glanced at her sister, who was still trembling with her head down, then turned her gaze away.

Long fingers caressed her waist. The emperor’s warm breath touched her earlobe. When she lifted her head, it warmed her nose. A masculine smile played in his eyes. Eunhwan knew those eyes. They were familiar but unwelcome.

Whenever she looked into those eyes, her lower abdomen ached sharply. Eunhwan picked up a honey pancake and brought it to his lips. It was what Buryong had been about to do. The emperor, who had mercilessly slapped her sister’s cheek, opened his mouth like a docile lamb and accepted the pancake.

Then he waited for Eunhwan again. She checked that his cup was empty and refilled it. The emperor gazed at her intently as he drank. His other arm was wrapped around her waist.

“The finest wine of the southwest, poured by the most beautiful woman of the southwest—how could it taste bad?”

The emperor whispered, slyly grasping one of her breasts. Eunhwan blushed slightly at his words, spoken loud enough for others to hear.

“Isn’t that right, Gabi?”

She had nothing to say. Eunhwan silently refilled his cup. The emperor’s left eyebrow twitched, as if expecting more flattery. Eunhwan picked up a lotus root sprinkled with cinnamon and brought it to his lips. The emperor shook his head. Flustered, Eunhwan pressed her chest closer to his side.

The emperor gently pushed her away and glanced at her stomach.

“It seems Gabi doesn’t care for the food at her family’s home.”

“I…”

“You haven’t taken a single bite.”

Eunhwan put down the chopsticks and looked at him.

“My baby is going to starve at her maternal home.”

She lowered her gaze for a moment, thinking. The emperor, who had been sharply questioning her, gently stroked her stomach. Eunhwan lifted her head, pondering what he wanted, then opened her lips.

“Please feed me a honey pancake too.”

At her words, Yoonhyeop chuckled softly. He gladly picked up a pancake and fed it to her. Then he watched intently as she chewed. His eyes were filled with affection. Ignoring the stares, Eunhwan looked at Buryong.

By tomorrow, her pretty face would likely be bruised. The slap had been loud enough to deafen her, so it must still hurt terribly. But for Buryong, the shame seemed to outweigh the pain. Her flushed face and trembling lips showed it. Eunhwan, feeling inexplicably guilty, could no longer look at her.

***

Was his name Jo Woon-cheol? The southwest was one of the wealthiest regions in Wu. Among them, the most powerful and widely renowned merchant was said to be Jo Woon-cheol. He had long sought to establish trade connections in Yangcheon, the imperial capital, so his name must be familiar to the merchants there as well.

But for a merchant so famous that his name reached the imperial capital, he was rather foolish. Yoonhyeop stared at the man with a sour expression. Arrogant, brutal, greedy, and without principles. As expected, his mansion was as large and luxurious as one would expect from a wealthy merchant.

Though it couldn’t compare to the estates of nobles or the imperial palace, it was still lavish enough to make lower-ranking nobles envious. But it didn’t seem like Eunhwan had grown up in comfort. Even as the daughter of such a wealthy man.

Eunhwan didn’t seem to regard the man before her as her father. Yoonhyeop turned his gaze to the woman who was reluctantly chewing on pork. If he hadn’t forced her to eat, Eunhwan wouldn’t have taken a single bite at this table.

Since arriving at this so-called family home, she hadn’t even sipped tea. It seemed she ate better in the imperial palace. She didn’t pick at her food or skip meals. Even when she didn’t feel like eating, she would force herself to eat a little for the baby’s sake. How much did Eunhwan hate this house?

“Does it not suit your taste?”

Yoonhyeop asked Eunhwan, who was chewing the tough pork with a stiff face. She shook her head. Perhaps she had grown accustomed to the food in the imperial palace and found the household’s food unappetizing. Starting tomorrow, he would have the palace chef he brought prepare her meals.

“I brought the palace chef. Starting tomorrow, you’ll eat the same food as in the palace.”

“Please don’t worry about me. Sometimes I just don’t feel like eating.”

Her brows furrowed. Yoonhyeop glanced at her, and Eunhwan lowered her head. He didn’t press her further. He looked at Jo Woon-cheol, who kept trying to push his son into a low-ranking government position. The man was shameless. If not for Eunhwan… If Eunhwan had asked him to kill her father, he would have done so without hesitation.

But Eunhwan…

“I’d like to get up for a bit.”

Eunhwan whispered, staring at the lanterns lighting the pavilion. Yoonhyeop nodded. He ordered the eunuch to summon her ladies-in-waiting. A young palace maid approached to escort her. Eunhwan rose from her seat.

Lady Wang and the concubines’ eyes followed her. Eunhwan ignored them and left the pavilion. Yoonhyeop stared blankly at his wife’s retreating figure. Her attire was simpler than any of the women present. Yet, dressed in a layered white and pale green robe, Eunhwan was breathtakingly beautiful even without elaborate adornments.

After taking a sip of wine, he ordered the eunuch to bring his pipe. Leaning back, he inhaled the smoke, and the irritation gnawing at him eased slightly. He thought of the woman who had left his side. Since becoming pregnant, she had become increasingly humble, insisting on simple attire even in the palace.

He knew what she feared and worried about. But Eunhwan was the woman who would bear the crown prince. His long eyes turned to the plump man. Beside him were men who had taken their seats as her brothers. They were her half-brothers, but Eunhwan didn’t acknowledge them either. Sensing his gaze, the men bowed their heads. Yoonhyeop exhaled smoke and asked softly.

“Are you pleased with this banquet, where your mother has no place? Is that why you didn’t advise your father against his foolish decision?”

At his indifferent words, the two men’s faces turned pale. Jo Woon-cheol’s did as well. He looked at the Jo family with the eyes of someone observing insects in a stable, then exhaled a long stream of smoke.

***

Upon returning to the annex, Eunhwan dismissed the young palace maid and gazed out of the round window. A crescent moon hung high in the sky. She thought of the eunuch and ladies-in-waiting who would be standing guard outside her bedroom, just as they did in the imperial palace, and then her thoughts turned to her mother. Her mother’s home wasn’t far from the mansion.

Lady Shim considered the place where her mother lived to be a filthy, dreadful slum, but the house where Eunhwan and her mother had lived together was close enough for young Eunhwan to walk to her father’s mansion every day to work as a maid.

Yet, even though it was close, once you stepped outside the mansion, the streets were filled with people living in poverty. Eunhwan turned her head and stared at the door. It would take some time for the banquet in the pavilion to end. In the meantime, she could slip out alone. From now on, she would have to accompany the emperor everywhere, so she wouldn’t be able to move freely. If she didn’t go now, she might never see her mother again.

Eunhwan thought of the plum blossoms outside the window. Seeing the spring blossoms made her miss her mother even more. The courtyard of the house where she had lived with her mother also had plum blossoms. By now, her mother would be looking at the blooming plum branches and thinking of her.

How was she doing? Because of Eunhwan’s deep favor with the emperor, her father had received many gifts. In less than a year since Eunhwan had become a concubine, her father had been granted gifts twice.

In addition, the emperor had bestowed numerous small gifts, showcasing his affection for her to the court, so her father’s coffers must be overflowing with wealth. But was her mother the same? Eunhwan, afraid of her father’s wrath, hadn’t dared to write in her letters asking him to take care of her mother.

If she had carelessly mentioned taking care of her mother and sharing the emperor’s gifts with her, her father, in his anger, might have dragged her mother out and whipped her. Even though Seo Daerin had returned to Yangcheon seven years ago and was now by her mother’s side, her mother was still her father’s concubine. In the end, it was someone else’s household matter.

“Your Majesty, why is your face so pale?”

The young palace maid, who had filled the wooden tub with hot water, asked Eunhwan. Eunhwan looked at her with teary eyes but said nothing. The maid tried to lead her to wash, but Eunhwan shook her head.

“I want to go out for a while.”

“But it’s late. If you wish to take a walk, you can do so in the morning.”

“No. I need to go now…”

“Your Majesty.”
“I can go alone.”

“That’s not possible.”

“But this is my home. My family’s home. Young maid.”

“Even so…”

“Please.”

Eunhwan pleaded with her desperately. The maid stared at her blankly. Letting her go out alone was absolutely out of the question. There had already been one incident. Even if it was her family home, it was no different. Moreover, the concubine’s family—her father and his household—were vulgar and treacherous beyond measure. Who knew what might happen in this household? Letting the young concubine, who was like a child let loose by the water, go out alone was unthinkable. And why was she so desperate to take a walk…?

“Are you thinking of visiting your mother in the back quarters?”

The maid asked. Eunhwan looked at her without answering. The maid sighed.

“Why didn’t Minister Jo think to invite your mother to the banquet? Even if she is a lowly concubine, she is still your birth mother. He must have known that you came to your family home while pregnant to see her…”

Eunhwan’s lips twitched. The maid’s face showed resentment. Suddenly, tears threatened to fall. Her nose stung, and she had to bite her lip. She stared at the steaming water in the tub for a long time, then lifted her head.

“But even so, visiting your mother in the back quarters should be done during the day… Your Majesty? Are you crying now…?”

“I want to see my mother. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her…”

Eunhwan wept. The maid, startled, quickly took out a handkerchief and dabbed at the tears under her eyes. But the tears didn’t stop. Since becoming pregnant, she had been crying much more often. She wasn’t usually the type to cry so freely and pitifully.

But after meeting the emperor, she had started crying a lot. It was truly ridiculous. When she had lived under her father’s abuse, she had never cried. She had grown strong and resilient, fueled by her pride and sorrow.

“How about visiting the back quarters with His Majesty during the day? I’m sure His Majesty would also like to see your mother.”

Eunhwan looked at the maid, who referred to the crumbling shack in the slum as the “back quarters” with respect. Would the emperor want to see her mother? She didn’t know. But she didn’t want to show her to him. Showing her family was already overwhelming enough.

“It’s not far from here. I’ll just go quickly, see her face, and come back.”

“But Your Majesty.”

“I’m worried she might have skipped meals. Since I entered the palace, my younger brother has been taking care of her, but today, with the banquet in the pavilion…”

On days when others feasted and enjoyed themselves, her mother went hungry. Before entering the palace, Eunhwan had made sure to stock up on food and firewood for her, but after entering the palace, she couldn’t do that anymore. In the end, her younger brother had taken over looking after her. But on busy days like today, even her younger brother might not have had the time to take care of her.

“Is the back quarters close to here?”

“It’s less than half an hour’s walk.”

“Then let a servant accompany you.”

Eunhwan smiled faintly at her through her tears.

***

The path to the back quarters wasn’t far. The past, when she had run back and forth on this path from dawn to midnight as Buryong’s maid, didn’t seem so distant. And it wasn’t just Buryong. Soyong and Soyok, the daughters of her father’s other concubines—Eunhwan had spent her days cleaning up after them. It was a path she could walk with her eyes closed. But the maid holding the lantern sighed, “How could a young lady have walked such a secluded path?”

Eunhwan listened to her sigh and thought of her childhood. It had been a time when her hands were never dry. The period when she had lived as a proper young lady, no longer a maid, reading books and living in the women’s quarters, had been brief. And even that had only been possible because Seo Daerin had intervened and persuaded her father.

If Seo Daerin hadn’t been a noble of such high status that even her father couldn’t oppose him, she would never have been able to live like that. As Eunhwan walked along the path illuminated by the lantern, a shadow fell over her. The maid tensed and looked up.

“Who goes there?”

A commanding voice rang out. She had brought one of the emperor’s guards for protection, but it was still nerve-wracking. The figure casting the long shadow took another step forward. The maid shielded Eunhwan and shouted, “Halt!” The man, clearly a man, cleared his throat. Suddenly, Eunhwan pushed aside the maid’s arm and stepped forward.

“Brother Hee-seop? Is that you?”

“Eunhwan?”

The night was quiet, save for the occasional chirping of birds. Eunhwan walked toward him, her heart filled with joy. The maid called out from behind, “Your Majesty!” Eunhwan smiled brightly at the man she hadn’t seen in years.

“Brother.”

“Eunhwan.”

“It’s been so, so long.”

“How long has it been?”

Hee-seop gently took Eunhwan’s arm. She looked up at him. She tried to make out his silhouette in the dim light. Comparing the man from years ago to the man before her now, with only the faint light of the lantern, was incredibly difficult.

“What brings you here?”

“I…”

Hee-seop hesitated. His cheeks and the corners of his eyes trembled slightly. Eunhwan stared at him, then parted her lips slightly.

“Don’t tell me… Are you on your way back from checking on Mother?”

Hee-seop didn’t answer. Eunhwan looked at him with tear-filled eyes, and finally, a tear fell. If he wasn’t here to check on her mother, why would the son of the noble Seo Daerin be here at this hour? Eunhwan sniffled and lowered her head. Just as Hee-seop’s hand was about to touch her wet cheek, soft footsteps sounded behind them. The maid and the guard bowed deeply in greeting. A cold aura emanated from the quiet footsteps, and Eunhwan turned around.

“Did you come out for a stroll?”

“Your Majesty?”

Unlike Hee-seop’s blunt figure, the sharp outline of the emperor stood out in the dim night. Eunhwan stared at him. His gaze, filled with a strange intensity, was fixed on the hand holding hers. Eunhwan, half in a daze, stared at him when a low, laughterless voice reached her ears.

“You mischievous little cat.”