I had been so preoccupied with managing the Hwalseong District territory that it had been a long time since I had entered the main palace.
Following the Vice General’s instruction to stabilize the Hwalseong District before starting my duties as the Inner Swords Commander, I had been so absorbed in my work that a whole month had passed by.
The situation in the main palace changed almost daily. And because It’s been a while since I visited Cheongdo Palace, there was much to look over.
Normally, I would have gone first to the residence of my direct superior, the Vice General, but today there was somewhere else I needed to visit first.
If one walked straight in past the vast Imperial Garden spread out behind the main palace, they would come to the Crown Prince’s Palace where Crown Prince Hyeon Woon resided.
He was the only son of Consort An Sa, the main wife of the current emperor Woon Sung.
He was the future emperor who was said to possess the strongest energy of the Heavenly Dragon, and the Crown Prince with the most noble blood in Cheongdo. However, his frail constitution worried those around him.
I was astonished when Crown Prince Hyeon Woon sent a letter to me directly. How could someone in a position to command high officials of the third rank or above call a mere fifth-rank inspector who was struggling to manage a small border territory to the Crown Prince’s Palace?
It was like a chief of staff summoning a battalion commander from a remote unit.…
I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat at the thought, but there was nothing I could do except go.
But I could only speculate. On why the Crown Prince had summoned me.
…. The worst possibility was that he had discovered my involvement with the crown princess consorts.
If that were the case, it would be a disaster, and I would lose my life.
However…. it seemed strange. If he had discovered it, he would not have sent a private letter to summon me to the Crown Prince’s Palace. Instead, the Minister of Justice and the Warrior Commander would have appeared with armed guards from the Red Palace.
While it was possible to assume the situation was not the worst-case scenario, the question of why he summoned me remained.
In the end, the only option was to face it directly.
I took out the letter sent by the Crown Prince and showed it to the guard standing in front of the Crown Prince’s Palace.
“We were informed in advance that the commander would be visiting. I will open the central gate, please proceed inside.”
One good thing about having an official position was that the guards who used to treat me with contempt during my apprentice days had become quite respectful.
When I wandered around the palace without any particular task, I was often questioned about my affiliation and status. However, as an upper fifth rank commander, no one doubted my authority anymore.
As I crossed the central gate and entered the Crown Prince’s Palace, a waiting maid guided me.
When I climbed the large stone steps and entered the main building of the Crown Prince’s Palace, it was not as grand as I had expected. Of course, that made sense.
This palace had been used by Crown Prince Hyeon Woon since his childhood.
Once he became an adult and moved into the main palace, he would start preparing to rule the world from a proper palace, but since he was still too young, he continued to use his original palace.
In fact, it was common to move to the main palace at an earlier age but Hyeon Woon had many shortcomings for handling the affairs of the main palace.
Although he monopolized the emperor’s favor, which kept his position secure, letting time pass without any progress could eventually pose a problem for his standing.
“Your Highness. Commander Seol Tae Pyeong has arrived.”
“Let him in.”
Following the eunuch’s report, I entered the inner chamber of the Crown Prince’s Palace which was decorated here and there with red silk. There, I saw Crown Prince Hyeon Woon seated.
Luxurious silk cushions were laid out like seating pads in front of a folding screen with a large bamboo painting.
Judging by the open books on the low bamboo table, they were of quite advanced level. It seemed the prince had been engrossed in them until just now.
He was dressed casually in a simple robe with little regard for formalities. After all, someone of the Crown Prince’s stature did not need to stand on ceremony for a mere upper fifth rank military officer.
“I have come as summoned.”
I knelt and bowed my head.
Crown Prince Hyeon Woon.
If you look into his eyes, there was only emptiness. Like a vast hollow darkness.
The young prince could not even distinguish colors. To him, white was paper, and black was ink.
If he could distinguish just those two, he could read books, recognize the faces of his subordinates, and read the arrogant letters from officials trying to manipulate him.
“You…. You must be the Inner Swords Commander, whose name has been circulating around the palace lately.”
“Thanks to the Emperor’s boundless mercy, I have received a position beyond my stature.”
“I heard you are from the Huayongseol clan and were once a beggar wandering the outskirts of the capital.”
“That is correct.”
“In that case, working within the palace must not be very comfortable for you. You probably have few people supporting you.”
Recently, Vice General Jeong Seong Tae and Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun have been supporting me.
However, what Crown Prince Hyeon Woon referred to were the high officials occupying the highest ranks.
Although both the Deputy General and the Heavenly Maiden had sky-high authority, neither the Vice General nor the Heavenly Maiden could directly present their opinions to the Emperor at the imperial council. That was the domain of the high officials, and to directly approach the Emperor, they had to submit a memorial which was a cumbersome process.
Every memorial submitted to the Emperor first passed through the eyes of the Under Councilor. This was because he acted like a personal secretary in charge of the imperial family’s “receipts and payments”.
“Have the Chief Councilor or the Under Councilor said anything to you?”
Crown Prince Hyeon Woon suddenly asked.
Indeed, the real power among the palace officials was shared among the Chief Councilor, Central Councilor, and Under Councilor.
Crown Prince Hyeon Woon… must be surrounded by them and moving around like a puppet.
It was only then that I understood why Crown Prince Hyeon Woon had summoned me.
Seol Tae Pyeong, this newly emerging military officer whose name had recently gained attention. Though he was only of the fifth rank and not a high-ranking official, his sudden appearance in the court was enough to draw the eyes of many high officials.
So, whose side are you on?
Was it Chief Councilor In Seon Rok, Central Councilor Chu Beom Seok, Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon, or perhaps the Emperor’s strategist Hwa An?
The palace had already become a political battleground. Any distinguished figure rising to power had to align with a faction.
For those whose allegiance was unclear, advancing beyond a certain level was nearly impossible.
That was…
I understood why Crown Prince Hyeon Woon had summoned someone like me, who was merely of the upper fifth rank, to the prince’s palace.
Those above the fifth rank, whether military or civil officials, were all tied to some faction.
Starting from the high officials of the first rank… all the way down to management positions of the fifth rank… there wasn’t a single person without allegiance.
If you wanted to become a high official on the grand chessboard of this Cheongdo Palace, it was absolutely necessary.
These were individuals who knew the game well.
Crown Prince Hyeon Woon was merely a puppet, swayed by the power struggles of high-ranking officials. Without the Emperor’s favor, he wouldn’t have maintained his position.
Rather than pledging loyalty to someone like him, it was far better to remain loyal to the powerful officials. These were people even the prince himself could not mess with.
And so even if the prince was trying to seek his own supporters….it was too late. The palace had already become the playground of the high officials.
To extend his reach, he had to aim far.
I, a newly appointed commander who had not yet been recruited by any of the three great officials, who was untouched by Strategist Hwa An, and was simply fulfilling my duties on the outskirts of the capital, was now the only option left to the prince.
His situation was so weak that he had to reach out to such a person.
“…….”
Once I understood his intention completely, I felt a complicated mix of emotions.
It was my first time meeting Crown Prince Hyeon Won in person, but it was clear at a glance that he was like a rotten rope.
His voice lacked strength, he had no great aspirations to achieve, no ambition, and he didn’t have control over the palace.
The only thing he could boast about was his noble lineage which was entirely dependent on the emperor’s favor. And that itself could vanish at any moment.
He was an empty shell of a person.
He was the kind of man the Vermilion Princess had once mentioned, the kind she would never want to become.
He was respected as the crown prince … but that respect was all there was.
There was no one in the world who would entrust their future to such a person.
“Your Highness.”
I did not support any of the three high officials.
Perhaps I was the kind of person the Crown Prince Hyeon Won needed most, but recruiting someone of the fifth rank like me would not significantly change his position in the palace.
“I… do not pledge loyalty to any of the high officials.”
I said quietly.
“…Is that so?”
I thought the Crown Prince Hyeon Won would try to recruit me.
Though I was currently in the position of an upper fifth rank officer, I could potentially rise to a higher position in the future.
If he showed kindness now and made people follow him in the future, even if he lost power in the palace for now, he might gain a great ally someday.
People are assets that must be slowly built over time. To reap a bountiful harvest, one must sow the seeds in advance.
I thought he understood this…
“…Yes. People like that must exist in the palace.”
“……”
“Good to know.”
That was all the Crown Prince Hyeon Won said.
From the start, he never intended to recruit anyone. He just lived life as it came.
Was he simply curious? Curious that such a person existed?
His lowered eyes lacked any sign of vitality. Only then did the image of Crown Prince Hyeon Won that I had seen through Seol Ran’s eyes in the Heavenly Dragon Love Story become clear.
“Your Highness.”
I spoke with my head bowed.
“Have you ever seen Cheongdo Palace in late spring?”
“…….”
It was an unexpected question.
Seeing me bowing and asking respectfully, the Crown Prince seemed to ponder how to respond for a moment.
“I have lived in Cheongdo Palace all my life.”
“Then…. you must have seen the beautiful sight of cherry blossom leaves fluttering in Cheongdo Palace many times.”
“That is true, but is that important?”
“No, it is not.”
The Crown Prince who could only discern black and white could hardly appreciate the grandeur of such a splendid sight.
However, there was no one to tell him how beautiful and magnificent the world was.
“May I ask a presumptuous question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Your Highness, why do you live?”
It was an insolent question. Yet I felt I could ask such a question to the Crown Prince.
He… was not someone who would feel offended by such words.
Rather than him being kind, it was closer to him simply feeling nothing at all.
“…….”
Perhaps at a loss for an answer, the Crown Prince just stared at me with his empty eyes.
I spoke while keeping my head bowed.
“Someday… someone will appear to give Your Highness a reason for living.”
“…….”
“When that time comes, I will return of my own accord.”
The Crown Prince was not someone who could keep a warrior like Seol Tae Pyeong close by.
It seemed he was well aware of this fact himself…
The Crown Prince did not try to stop me as I left the palace.
He was like an empty shell of a human being.
So empty that it was almost… sad to see.
Leaving the Crown Prince’s palace and arriving at the Heavenly Dragon Hall didn’t take as long as I had expected.
Certainly, having the Heavenly Dragon tablet made it incredibly convenient to skip all the rituals required to meet the Heavenly Maiden.
In other words, most people without the Heavenly Dragon tablet had to undergo various rituals like purification and prayer which made me wonder how the Heavenly Maiden could meet anyone at all.
It wasn’t my concern…. but from the Heavenly Maiden’s perspective, it must have been quite burdensome.
And so, I arrived at Heavenly Jade Pavillion, a place only those with permission could enter.
It was a mysterious spot set against the backdrop of a refreshing waterfall cascading into a garden.
From afar, I could see the Heavenly Maiden Yeon… no, Ah Hyun, sitting there.
“Your Highness, have you been well? I have been back in the capital for a while but haven’t had much time to visit the palace due to overseeing the Hwalseong District…”
“Oh, Tae Pyeong-ah! It’s good to see you. I’m glad you look healthy. Come, sit down here, Tae Pyeong-ah.”
As soon as she saw me from a distance, Ah Hyun quickly pulled me into the pavilion.
She then pushed the tea prepared by a maid in front of me. And she started wiping the sweat from her forehead as she spoke.
“Tae Pyeong-ah.”
“…Yes?”
“…Listen and don’t misunderstand.”
The end of her luxurious court robe, resembling that of a fairy, swayed gently. She looked graceful but the sight of Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun’s pale face made me think otherwise.
“It seems you need to go to the Azure Dragon Palace immediately…”
“…Yes?”
“Well, you see… the situation has become a bit complicated… things are developing a bit differently from what happened in the Heavenly Dragon’s Love Story… so I tried to handle it in my own way… but I never expected the Azure Princess to move so aggressively…”
“…Wh-what do you mean by that, Your Highness…”
“I’ll explain the details later… right now we need to rescue Maid Seol, who has been kidnapped to the Azure Dragon Palace… at this point, you’re the only one who can stop the Azure Princess… if I get involved, things will only escalate further…”
“Kidnapped? She was kidnapped?”
Touching Seol Ran is like stabbing me in the stomach.
The Azure Dragon Palace kidnapped Seol Ran… what could this possibly mean.
“D-Did something go wrong…?”
“…”
“Your Highness…”
“…”
What on earth does that mean … Your Highness…
“Does the tea suit your taste?”
“Ah, yes… Azure Princess…”
“Here, take these as well. This hairpin is one of my cherished items, but I’ll give it to you. Wearing this will change the way the maids look at you.”
“Th-thank you…”
In the inner chamber of the Azure Dragon Palace.
Seol Ran sat quietly at the tea table in the Azure Princess’s room while being surrounded by all sorts of jewelry boxes.
The tea, called “Little Bili Tea” was the most expensive tea in the Azure Dragon Palace kitchen. It was known for its rare fragrance with each cup valued at a gold coin.
Various precious jewels were also spread out on the table. Each one of them was so valuable that Seol Ran gave up trying to estimate their worth halfway through.
Incense and dyes were given to her as gifts, along with expensive silks for making clothes if there was any spare time. There were also various cosmetics like white powder and rouge that women loved.
A rather expensive-looking mirror was included as a gift, and a bundle embroidered with azure dragons was laid out for packing everything neatly.
“A-Azure Princess… these gifts are too much for me…”
“Don’t refuse; just accept it. Here, this silk feels really nice. It will look pretty at the end of a ribbon.”
“That, that is…”
She took various items from the dressing table in the corner of her room and sat across the tea table with her eyes sparkling.
The way she smiled while covering the lower half of her face with her sleeves almost looked innocent.
Showing up in the Great Prison Hall to whisk Seol Ran away, sitting her down in her inner chamber, and showering her with gifts was one thing.
With each sip of tea that was expensive enough to widen one’s eyes just by hearing its cost, she pressed her nose with her sleeve and looked pleased as she gazed at Seol Ran with eyes full of affection.
If she had outright threatened her to join the Azure Dragon Palace as a maid, Seol Ran could have at least shaken her head and used her principles and integrity as an excuse…
But like this… even Seol Ra who has a heart of steel found her pupils trembling…!
Just force me! So I can resist!
She could only shout this in her heart… that shout was merely echoing into emptiness.
“When I had a fever, didn’t you also help me? I must return the favor as much as I can now.”
“You have already repaid that favor sufficiently…”
“No, no. Just accept everything for now. I assure you there’s no selfish intention behind this…”
With her eyes sparkling and her fresh smile, she looked exactly like she did in her childhood.
Seol Ran… couldn’t refuse…!
How could a mere maid turn down the favor of the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace…!
“I owe much to the two dear Seol siblings, but I rarely get to see you and a debt has built up in my heart.”
“N-no, my help to the Azure Princess was the greatest honor of my life…”
“Indeed. Maid Seol speaks so beautifully… Though we met as maid and crown princess with different positions…. Before you are a maid, you are a person with a very deep heart.”
The Azure Princess glanced around awkwardly, then smiled and whispered to Seol Ran.
“When there are no other maids around… may I call you unnie (big sister) …?”
Save me, Tae Pyeong-ah!!!
Seol Ran screamed internally.
More frightening than coercion was… that childlike innocence as pure as white paper.
“Azure Princess. A guest has arrived in the Azure Dragon Palace.”
“A guest?”
At that moment, the headmaid of the palace entered with her hands clasped into her sleeves and head bowed.
As soon as she heard those words, Seol Ran had a flash of intuition.
It must be.
Her one and only sibling Seol Tae Pyeong who always showed up in a grand fashion to rescue her whenever she was in danger.
This time too, it seemed her sibling had come to find her.
“The Black Princess of the Black Tortoise Palace is here. It seems she heard about what happened in the Great Prison Hall.”
“……”
Seol Ran wiped the cold sweat from her face.
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