A sycophant.
It was a term for those petty figures who cloud the judgment of the ruler. They were busy currying favor and pursuing their own selfish interests.
Many who came to Cheongdo Palace aspiring to embark on a career as officials began with noble intentions. How many could have entered this path from the start with the intent of becoming sycophants?
No matter how cold the world may be, it was rare to find someone who stepped into the palace already filled with vile ambitions and shameful intentions.
Most simply tried to survive each day, resigning themselves to reality. Over time, like clothes soaked in a steady drizzle, they unwittingly embrace hollow talk and petty schemes.
It was no simple task to offer honest counsel to the ruler.
How could one dare to voice dissent and speak bluntly to the person who held the very thread of their life in their hands?
The higher one climbed in rank, the more natural it became to abandon one’s convictions.
As such, most would lower their heads in silence before an enraged ruler and comply with their will.
“It’s been some time since I last entered the main palace, and now I even get to see the Vice General.”
“Have you been well?”
“As you can see.”
The buildings of the main palace were all grand and magnificent, no matter which one they were.
Among them was the Jade Tiger Palace which served as an annex to the Crown Prince’s palace. It was there that I was granted a private audience with the Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won, who seemed to grow larger and more imposing every time I saw him, now fully possessed the dignified aura of royalty.
The passage of time was evident compared to the first time I saw him at his birthday ceremony.
I had come here to deliver a frank appeal.
To convince the ruler, who had grown utterly weary of the behavior of high officials during his childhood years, that there were times when he needed to respect their intentions.
More specifically…
I had to persuade him to accept the crown princess consorts chosen by the officials. They were truly remarkable individuals, and I needed him to take them in.
“I heard that you’ve had a hard time because you’re from the Huayongseol clan. Although the cruel deeds of the Huayongseol clan will forever be a stain on the history of Cheongdo Palace, there’s no reason for someone like you, an illegitimate child and someone who has lived without ties to the Huayongseol clan, to bear this burden.”
It seemed he was trying to gauge the hardships I faced while living in the palace.
I lowered my head and politely expressed my gratitude for his grace.
“I don’t hold much prejudice against your clan background. If you’ve gone so far as to request a private audience, it seems you have something to say. Speak freely without holding back.”
Power truly was a remarkable thing.
Being Seol Ran’s sibling probably helped my standing, but ultimately, my position as the third-ranking military officer in Cheongdo Palace held its own weight.
The mere fact that I could dare to request a private audience with the Crown Prince was proof that I had secured some footing within Cheongdo Palace.
“I heard the Vice General is coming, so I told them to bring out my finest liquor.”
His welcoming demeanor, paired with a satisfied expression, made me feel almost burdened by the hospitality.
Of course, I had bowed to Crown Prince Hyeon Won since the days when he was tortured by high-ranking officials without any ulterior political motives.
And, as someone who couldn’t even pretend to get along with the officials, I likely seemed quite favorable from the Crown Prince’s perspective.
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. Here, take this. It’s called Seolju, and it’s distilled four or five times in a region that endures harsh winters. It’s an extraordinary liquor that smells of fruit even though no fruit is added. It’s a bit strong, but I figured a warrior like you who has even endured the blood of demonic spirits could handle it. Haha.”
With the simply prepared drinks between us, the Crown Prince and I clinked our glasses.
After politely holding the cup with both hands and downing its contents in one go, I quickly placed it back down and spoke quietly.
“I heard your birthday ceremony is approaching. They say that once it is over, you will formally begin your studies as a ruler and prepare to move to the main palace.”
“That’s right. But what meaning does it really hold? With His Majesty in such good health, any pretense of seeking power would only draw disapproving looks.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won took a sip of his drink with a satisfied smile before speaking.
“Do you know why His Majesty favors me? It’s because I live as if I’m already dead.”
“……”
“By living as though I’m dead, as though I neither exist nor don’t, I avoid causing him any trouble. I never overstep my boundaries, and that is the secret to how I’ve managed to hold onto the position of Crown Prince all these years.”
“That’s…”
“It must be hard for you to respond. I understand.”
To my eyes, he looked like nothing more than a young man.
Yet despite that, Hyeon Won gazed out with the eyes of someone who seemed to have already grasped the essence of the world.
“Still, isn’t it wonderful? All I have to do is remain still, and I can live as the Crown Prince with the entire land at my feet. Truly… truly, it’s a lucky and blessed life, isn’t it?”
“What you’re saying doesn’t quite sound that way to me.”
“Ah, you’re perceptive.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won closed his eyes quietly. As if he was reflecting on his life.
The Crown Prince’s specialty was “doing nothing”.
No one could sit in his chair and stare blankly into space better than he could.
How could one be “good” at doing nothing? Some might ask such a question.
But remaining still was akin to torture in some ways.
There were countless days when he spent entire hours simply staring into the void, letting the time pass aimlessly.
No one forced him to do so. If he had wanted to read, he could have read. If he had wanted to recite poetry, he could have done that too.
But Hyeon Won chose to sit quietly and let time slip by. Like an empty shell of a man.
Because his life was devoid of meaning, he found no purpose in the life he was born into as the Crown Prince of Cheongdo Empire.
He never sought to do anything. Whenever he tried, it usually led to undesirable outcomes.
And so, by confining himself in this prison of his own making, he ensured he could never escape on his own.
The hardest prison to escape from in the world is a prison without bars.
To grasp it, one had no choice but to break free from it entirely. Yet the world was filled with people who went their entire lives without ever realizing this paradox.
“Once, I was sitting idly in the tea room, and your sister Seol Ran walked in and was utterly startled. It must have been last spring.”
Even without asking for the details, I knew exactly what had happened.
– My goodness… Your Highness the Crown Prince… Have you been sitting here like this ever since lunch?
It was an uneventful holiday.
The Crown Prince who was not interested in eating had dismissed the meal and entered the tea room alone.
There was no sign of movement inside. Seol Ran was driven by a faint sense of fear and decided to enter without permission.
Even as a special attendant maid, disobeying the Crown Prince’s orders was an act of disrespect. Such a violation could escalate into a grave crime. But Seol Ran paid no heed to such concerns.
Instead, what struck her was the unnerving tension in the tea room, evoked by the Crown Prince’s solitary figure.
A man staring blankly into the void.
On the low tea table before him sat a single teacup, left by a maid after lunch.
It seemed untouched, as a small insect hovered over the cold tea inside.
One might have expected him to light a lantern as night fell, but even in the gathering darkness, Crown Prince Hyeon Won remained seated in place. He looked more like a lifeless doll than a man.
If startled into speaking, he would respond eventually.
– Who gave you permission to enter?
– Your… Your Highness…
– Leave.
Usually, this was where anyone would suppress their shudders, discreetly retreat, and later whisper among the maids. The Crown Prince seemed strange, and even broken somehow.
On the surface, he appeared perfectly fine, yet somewhere deep inside, there was a noticeable fracture.
The gossip would circulate for a while, but the maids would eventually settle back into their quiet lives of servitude.
But Seol Ran was no ordinary maid. She was the protagonist of the “Heavenly Dragon Love Story”.
She may seem ordinary and simple at a glance, but she was someone who acted in ways that others could not in crucial moments.
Such extraordinary qualities revealed themselves when least expected.
– Bang!
Seol Ran grabbed the hem of Crown Prince Hyeon Won’s sleeve, pulled him to his feet, and flung open the window.
For a moment, it looked like she might actually throw him out. But instead, she climbed onto the beam that supported the ceiling, stepped deftly up, and disappeared onto the tiled roof above.
Then, she turned and gestured for Hyeon Won to follow her.
Before him, the cold wind rushed in through the open window, framing an empty night sky.
The boy, who had never experienced even the slightest act of rebellion in his life, hesitated. But Seol Ran dragged him along. She insisted until she finally succeeded in leading him to the top of the tiled roof.
“It was the view of Cheongdo Palace under the moonlight, with cherry blossoms blooming below.”
That day, in a world covered in shades of gray, he became aware of color for the first time.
The world, to which Hyeon Won had never been able to attach even a fragment of affection, appeared beautiful to him for the first time.
Under the pale moonlight, the girl waved her arms energetically as she spoke.
– Your Highness… I-I’m so sorry… But I simply had to show you this. This is the view I come to see whenever I feel a little sad or have a hard time
– ….
– When there’s nothing else to do, how about looking at the world instead?
Her smile bloomed like flowers in spring.
– Surprisingly, when you take the time to watch, the world can be quite beautiful.
Clink.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won put down his wine glass and smiled faintly. This rare ease softened the expression on his face.
“She made such a fuss about wanting to be sent to the Heavenly Dragon Hall. So, is she doing well over there?”
“Y-You mean Ran-noonim?”
“Yes. It’s been some time since I last saw her face. Suddenly, I find myself missing her.”
“.….”
I swallowed hard and clutched my liquor cup tightly.
“Y-Yes, of course. As always, she’s lively and working diligently…”
And now, I was expected to tell him to direct some of that affection toward the crown princess consorts of the Four Palaces?
They say that speaking honestly is the hallmark of a loyal subject.
But I… had no desire to court death.
“When the matter is settled, I’d like you to deliver a message: Tell her to return to the Crown Prince’s palace as a special maid. Since you requested this private meeting, I thought it would be appropriate for you to deliver the message. When such things come out of the mouths of officials, needless rumors tend to arise.”
“If… if that is your wish, I will make sure to deliver it.”
“Good. You are truly reliable, Vice General. Even in this main palace which is full of treacherous officials, you stand out as a rare example of loyalty.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won was not one to say such things lightly.
Though it was comforting to be regarded so highly, I couldn’t deny that it felt like sitting on a bed of thorns.
Still… I, Seol Tae-pyeong, am not one to back down once I’ve set my mind to something.
“Your Highness… after the birthday ceremony is over, your coming-of-age ceremony will also take place, right…?”
“Yes. The commotion over the matter of me entering the inner palace has been giving me a headache. You were just in the meeting, so you’re well aware of the situation.”
Hyeon Won sighed as he took a drink. His voice was heavy with frustration.
“There are too many poisonous snakes in the palace. What should I do with these snakes that are so eager to satisfy their own greed?”
How should I respond to this?
Even the smooth-talking merchants famed for their silver tongues would find it difficult to navigate such a moment with honest advice.
If only I had some sort of justification to lean on…
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, a lifeline descended from the heavens.
From beyond the paper door, a maid lowered her head and cautiously raised her voice.
“The Vermilion Princess has come to see you.”
“….…”
Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon…!
At the mention of her name, I felt my ears perk up involuntarily.
As to be expected from the most authoritative crown princess consorts, she was the first to act in fulfilling her duties.
Yes… I knew I could rely on her. Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon.
Judging by the timing, she must have heard I was meeting with the Crown Prince and came out of concern.
Now that it’s come to this, wouldn’t it be wise to step forward, offer a gift, and engage in some pleasant conversation to make a favorable impression?
No matter how biased Crown Prince Hyeon Won might have been, anyone who spoke with Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon even a few times would quickly recognize the depth of her character.
“Tell her I have no intention of meeting her.”
However, Crown Prince Hyeon Won intended to send the Vermilion Princess, who had come all the way to the Jade Tiger Palace, back without granting her an audience.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but swallow dryly.
“She dares to call herself my partner while sitting in the seat that was given to her by the Jeongseon clan? Nothing good will come from meeting her.
His sharp gaze turned cold in an instant, leaving the hapless maids around him frozen in their expressions.
I thought to myself that this was not a chance to let slip away, and so I quickly raised my voice.
“Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon, the mistress of the Vermilion Palace, is not someone who would indulge in vanity or become intoxicated by the power she holds.”
“……..”
“I think it wouldn’t hurt to meet with her just this once.”
Even as I spoke, I couldn’t help but feel anxious. I was afraid I would be reprimanded for overstepping my boundaries.
And indeed, it was an intrusion that exceeded my place.
But instead of exploding in anger, Crown Prince Hyeon Won spoke to me in a calmer tone.
“Vice General, it’s not that I doubt your judgment, but I urge you to reconsider. No one survives for years in the political landscape of Cheongdo Palace without harboring a snake in their belly.”
“You’re right, Your Highness. But…”
“There are no ‘buts’. I’ve heard enough about what kind of person the Vermilion Princess is. I’ve seen her on stage several times during the birthday ceremony. It is true that her elegant appearance, reminiscent of the Vermilion Bird itself, may have the power to captivate people, but… it is precisely because of that that I felt even more deeply unsettled.”
Everyone in Cheongdo Palace was, without exception, a snake hiding their true intentions.
The impact of childhood memories on a person was greater than one might think.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won who had an unfortunate childhood couldn’t help but be consumed by such thoughts.
“Vice General, you understand this too, don’t you? Do you truly believe there exists anyone in this detestable political landscape of Cheongdo who holds their position solely through steadfast resolve and loyal righteousness?”
“……”
“Even you, Vice General, who speak like this, cannot be an empty shell with no understanding of the political world. That is why I find the noble and unapproachable facade of the crown princess consorts all the more disgusting”.
Even those who ascend to lofty positions cannot be guaranteed to have darkness in their hearts.
I wanted to say as much, but I couldn’t bring myself to voice it.
Because if it were anyone else, perhaps I might argue, but with Crown Prince Hyeon Won… I could understand why he carried such blind distrust.
The childhood he spent alone in the Crown Prince’s Palace, placed under the calculating gazes of high officials, was a nightmare that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
“I find pure clarity and innocence… far more moving.”
In a way, that might explain why the crown prince was so drawn to Seol Ran, who was just a maid.
“Did you say Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon? I have no intention of meeting that sly fox.”
“……”
“Like all the members of the Jeongseon clan, she must harbor hypocrisy in her heart while pretending to be a noble Vermilion Bird. I have no desire to engage in the folly of diving into the pit of poisonous snakes. Meeting her would only give her an opportunity. The mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace is surely no different from the other poisonous members of the Jeongseon clan.”
With that, he downed his drink in one gulp.
No matter what counsel I offered, he seemed resolute and shook his head firmly.
To push the matter further would be stubbornness on my part.
Worse, it would only provoke the crown prince and back me into a corner.
However.
“That might be… a shortsighted view, Your Highness.”
At those words, the nearby maids froze in place.
Though the words were spoken with respect, they were undeniably bold and bordering on insolence.
Though I ranked third in the military hierarchy, questioning the insight of the Crown Prince of a country was not something a mere military officer should do.
There was nothing to gain from it, and it was the kind of situation where anyone would have urged me to stop.
Yet the words left my mouth before I could restrain them.
“Not everyone from the Jeongseon clan is of the same caliber. A person’s origins do not fully define who they are, so it is the individual themselves who must be judged.”
“You’ve grown quite presumptuous.”
“I only wished to speak frankly, Your Highness.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won, who was slightly drunk, furrowed his brow.
Even so, I sat there calmly, not moving an inch.
It was nothing more than an act of defiance, bringing no political benefit whatsoever.
Any official who saw this scene would have clicked their tongue in disapproval.
“Well, your thoughts are far too naïve. Was it not Seol Lee Moon who killed In Chang Seok, the most renowned general of the Jeongseon clan? Do you think the people of Jeongseon regard someone like you with favor?”
“That, I cannot know.”
“Your origins hold far more influence than you think. That In Ha Yeon you speak of surely harbors resentment toward you in her heart. It’s only that your position is too lofty for her to openly express it.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won poured himself another drink and chuckled.
“Anyone holding a rank of Upper Third Rank or higher carries poison like a snake. If you want to survive in Cheongdo Palace, you’d better remember that.”
“Those words are certainly true. But there are always exceptions to the rule.”
With that, I stepped back from the table, bowed my head, and offered a formal salute.
“Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon is a woman of value who has not lost her dignity despite her noble position. As someone who has long served as the Inner Palace Inspector, I can assure you of this.”
“.…..”
“I understand how justified Your Highness’s suspicions are. However, despite that, could you consider lowering your guard against her just this once?”
At the very least, Crown Prince Hyeon Won trusted me.
Because of that, I had to take my chance here.
Even if it meant risking being disrespectful, I had to make my move.
I fervently hoped he would recognize my sincerity.
“.…..”
Nevertheless, Crown Prince Hyeon Won closed his eyes slowly and shook his head.
“You still possess some purity within you. Yes, that is why I trust you.”
“Your Highness.”
“Leave at once. I have no intention of meeting privately with the foxes of the Inner Palace.”
His heart had already drifted entirely to Seol Ran.
The way he looked at the princess consorts assigned to him by political calculations had grown as cold as if he were staring at insects.
Slide.
As soon as I opened the paper door and stepped out, I couldn’t help but shudder.
Standing there while holding a large Great Star sword as if it were a gift…. was the Vermilion Princess. Our eyes met.
It was then that I understood why the maids’ faces had looked so pale.
The Vermilion Princess had already made her way into the corridor and had been waiting. Considering she was the crown princess consort of the country, no one would have dared to stop her.
Still, at this rate, she wouldn’t even be able to see the Crown Prince’s face and would face rejection at the door.
“…….”
I wondered if she had overheard the conversation that had taken place behind the paper door, but at this point, what would it matter?
I gave her a silent nod of courtesy and quickly walked away from the Jade Tiger Palace. Stirring up any unnecessary fuss here would serve no purpose.
The sharp gaze of the Vermilion Princess, who seemed to be startled when she saw my retreating figure, pricked at me… but leaving the scene seemed to be the wisest choice for now.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won… does not appear to be the incarnation of the Plague Demonic Spirit….
Throughout our conversation, I had never once felt anything amiss.
As I sorted through my thoughts, I turned my steps toward the Main Palace.
I had already checked on Crown Prince Hyeon Won… Now I had to check on the Emperor.
However, no matter how high my position as Vice General was, having a private audience with Emperor Woon Sung would not be an easy task.
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