Translator: Nox

Chapter 50

Episode 50. Grand Prince Suyang Meets Gwonga (2)

"Now, finally, I see His Highness the Grand Prince!"

As Gwonga said this with a broad smile, the hatred and murderous intent that had flashed for a moment disappeared without a trace, leaving only a captivating beauty in an instant.

However, those eyes!

Unlike the smile on her lips, which revealed charming white teeth, her cold gaze, devoid of any trace of mirth, seemed to pierce through him, as if to say, 'Do you think I don't know your dark heart?'

Gwonga's gaze sharply stimulated Grand Prince Suyang's frustration, as he had long dreamed of becoming king, only to be forcibly compelled to give up hope by the birth of that damned grandson.

Grand Prince Suyang inwardly prided himself on resembling his Father, King Taejong, particularly closely. Taejong, who had helped his great-grandfather, King Taejo, found Joseon, had shed blood to clear all obstacles and placed the Joseon royal family on a solid foundation.

'And I have allies who wish to establish me and pursue economic benefits together.'

My noble elder brother believes that if he practices benevolent rule according to the teachings of the sages, the people will naturally follow. How naive he is.

Politics is, in the end, a community of interest for those who wish to achieve wealth, glory, and advancement by uniting their wills to achieve their goals.

Currently, Princess Jeonghyeon's husband, Yun Saro, who is Joseon's richest man, is a sixth cousin to my father-in-law, Yun Beon, and my father-in-law's son, Yun Sagyun, is also the richest man of the era.

Furthermore, Jeong Inji, the wealthiest among the ministers, is also favorably disposed towards me because he concealed and did not report ominous information when Hongwi was born and his burial site was being determined.

Also, my sister-in-law's husband is Han Gyemi, and Han Gyemi's clan, Han Hwak, is so intertwined with the Ming imperial family through marriage that even Your Majesty cannot easily cross them.

These individuals would all seek to establish me as king to realize greater political and economic benefits, rather than my principled elder brother, who strictly enforces the law and seeks to abolish the tribute system that forms the basis of their economic interests.

All I need is an opportunity.

Just as King Taejong achieved his great work by killing Jeong Mong-ju at Seonjukgyo and killing Yi Bang-seok in Gyeongbok Palace, I too only need to seize the decisive opportunity to remove obstacles!

This was the belief Grand Prince Suyang harbored inwardly.

But today, coming to the Royal Pharmacy, I saw that gaze from Gwonga!

Gwonga's eyes, shining coldly while her mouth smiled broadly, seemed to pierce through Grand Prince Suyang's long-held secret ambition, as if to mock him and declare that such a thing would never happen.

That was the cause of Grand Prince Suyang's intense anger.

And naturally, Yunseo had seen through Grand Prince Suyang's ambition.

The night before her first visit to the Royal Pharmacy, Yunseo, after bathing, had spread white paper on a writing desk in the side room of the ondol and picked up a brush to analyze Grand Prince Suyang's psychology.

She gazed at Hongwi's plump cheeks, sleeping soundly, instead of looking at the dark night sky through the small window facing north.

Thus, it was an analysis based on ardent maternal love, which could never be completely objective.

[Grand Prince Suyang's psychological motive is]

Having written this far, Yunseo carefully reviewed the stories she had heard from Lee Hyang, Park Sanggung, and Eom Sangjeon, and the history that unfolded later, then picked up her brush again.

{Grand Prince Suyang's psychological motive is a complex.

It is the self-deprecation of not measuring up to his elder brother, the Crown Prince, who possessed both academic achievement and outstanding looks, and the inferiority complex of not measuring up to the artistic achievements of his younger brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong Yi Yong, who absorbed the scholars of the era like a sponge.

And above all, the implicit sense of alienation and sorrow he must have felt as a child, growing up as a Grand Prince in the Palace with his siblings, while he alone was fostered in a private residence until the age of eight.}

Having written this far, Yunseo looked at Hongwi's long eyelashes, deeply shadowed in the darkness.

'That child, later...'

Before she could even finish the thought, Yunseo put down her brush and clutched her heart.

Her heart ached physically, as if it were being squeezed.

Despite professionally witnessing the various darknesses of human psychology, she felt her heart shrink with fear every time she thought of Hongwi's potential future fate in this strange, foreign land.

"After giving birth, I am so afraid of what will happen to this child. So sometimes I cry and pray. I pray that our Hyeonho will live longer than me. It is the greatest filial piety and a duty that must be fulfilled for a child to live longer than their parents."

Yunseo only understood the meaning of her college friend's words after meeting Hongwi.

Tears, shed reflexively whenever she thought of Hongwi in history, blurred the paper.

Yunseo blew her nose loudly and picked up her brush again.

[While blood feuds are common in royal families, Grand Prince Suyang's coup had the characteristic of being a personal settling of scores driven by personal complexes rather than political ambition, thus it inevitably possessed a parricidal nature, ruthlessly killing talented individuals and shamelessly distributing the wives and daughters of yesterday's colleagues as sexual playthings.]

As a result, Joseon lost its healthy spirit from the nation's founding and degenerated into a 'hell Joseon' that shamelessly and overtly pursued only the interests of its own faction.

[Therefore, protecting my Hongwi is ultimately protecting Joseon!]

Having written this far, Yunseo underlined 'Joseon' with her brush.

[Now, this Joseon is also my Joseon. My space to live and tread upon.

So, what kind of Joseon should my Joseon be? What kind of Joseon do I want to live in?]

Humans gain the drive to live proactively when they have goals.

If until now the goal was to protect Hongwi and a sliver of dignity, now that I, as Lee Hyang's woman, have decided to be buried in this Joseon.

[What should Joseon be like for me, Lee Hyang, and Hongwi? It is time to start contemplating that as well. Because I did not run away.]

Holding the paper where she had organized her thoughts, Yunseo went to Bihyeon Pavilion.

Behind Lee Hyang's desk in Bihyeon Pavilion, a steel chest, which could never be opened without a key, had been created specifically for Yunseo.

When Yunseo, who needed to write down her thoughts to live well, showed the design for the steel safe with a slot on top like a ballot box for inserting paper, Lee Hyang teased her, saying, "My future wife, who holds many secrets," but

"Your Highness has forbidden me to speak of people, so I must organize my thoughts about people and my innermost feelings like this."

At Yunseo's earnest request, he readily built the chest as designed and placed it in his office so that no one would dare to open it carelessly.

---

'So, Grand Prince Suyang Yi! If you dare to touch even a single hair on my Hongwi's head, I will surely kill you!'

This was the hidden meaning behind Yunseo's broad smile during their first meeting at the Royal Pharmacy.

Grand Prince Suyang was enraged by Gwonga's eyes, which seemed to see right through him, but he skillfully concealed his inner feelings as he always did before his Father and naturally began with praise.

"Royal Lady Gwonga, you are indeed talented and have worked very hard. The other day, when Your Majesty entrusted you with the Royal Pharmacy, you gave me the Jaun-go you made, and I was greatly impressed."

"I am overwhelmed by such praise for my humble talent."

On the surface, it was a harmonious conversation that King Sejong would have been pleased to witness.

The chief official of the Royal Pharmacy, the medical professor, and all the officials, who had been anxiously worried about subtle friction between the Royal Lady of the East Palace and Grand Prince Suyang, breathed a sigh of relief.

They were reassured that there would be no trouble for those below, as power struggles above often led to the death of those caught in the middle, but their Royal Pharmacy would be spared.

"We have matters to discuss regarding future plans, so you may all withdraw now."

Grand Prince Suyang dismissed the others.

Now, only Grand Prince Suyang and Yunseo remained in the office, seated across from each other at a conference table, along with Kang In-gu, the eunuch assisting Yunseo, and Maegeumi, disguised as a eunuch.

Yunseo glanced through the open door towards the separate building located at the innermost part of the Royal Pharmacy and looked at Maegeumi.

Maegeumi nodded at Yunseo and retreated to the inner desk where Jeon Sun-ui primarily mixed medicinal ingredients. Yunseo's assistant eunuch, Kang In-gu, followed Maegeumi.

Grand Prince Suyang felt quite uncomfortable sitting face-to-face with a woman, so he took a sip of tea and, intending to get along reasonably well, began with an apology.

"It seems my wife has inadvertently made several mistakes in her dealings with you and matters within the East Palace. She regrets it greatly. I apologize as well."

"!"

Yunseo looked at Grand Prince Suyang and mulled over Lee Hyang's words about 'self-fulfilling prophecy.'

Just as she had argued to Eom Sangjeon that those who believed the broken candlestick at the Grand Audience Hall when Hongwi was born was an ill omen were the ones bringing about Hongwi's misfortune, Lee Hyang had warned that Yunseo's belief that he would stage a coup could push them onto the path of the original history.

'Will treating him differently make a difference?'

Yunseo asked herself.

The prevailing view in psychology is that human temperament does not change easily.

Especially for ambition and the lust for power driven by complexes, they are rarely satisfied by anything other than achieving the desired goal.

Therefore, Grand Prince Suyang's desire to become a king superior to his brother will continue to simmer within him like a dormant volcano, ready to erupt at any moment until he achieves his goal.

'But as Lee Hyang said, it is strange to condemn someone for something that has not yet happened. And King Sejong will not stand by and let such condemnation occur. He said he would kill anyone who endangered Suyang, who endangered his son!'

So, Yunseo, as a form of 'courtesy to one's spouse,' decided to test whether she could trust Grand Prince Suyang for now and responded politely to his apology.

"I, too, am still unaccustomed to Palace etiquette, so I may have caused offense to Madam. Please convey my request for your generous understanding."

"Haha, my Father said you might become an important woman to our Crown Prince. Indeed. You are both polite and very intelligent."

"You are too kind."

The two exchanged apologies and compliments.

Then, Maegeumi, who was standing nearby, as if unable to listen any longer, stomped over, gently shook Yunseo's shoulder, and pointed towards the separate building.

Grand Prince Suyang frowned at the impudent behavior of the young eunuch who had suddenly intervened.

"What is it?"

"Your Highness, the real reason I was so eager for you to come is separate. Would you care to examine the patient in that separate building with me?"

Grand Prince Suyang glanced in the direction Yunseo indicated.

"The separate building? Isn't that where people of higher status stay and receive treatment? But you, despite receiving the Crown Prince's favor, why do you wish to inspect a place where men are treated?"

Grand Prince Suyang chided her gently, pretending to be concerned for Gwonga.

"Yes, but... You will understand when you see."

As Yunseo politely replied and stood up first, Grand Prince Suyang tilted his head, wondering if the cold smile he had seen earlier was truly his imagination, and stood up as well.

This was because Gwonga's tone and demeanor were friendly enough while maintaining an appropriate distance.

The separate building, set aside for treating distinguished patients, was located at the innermost part of the Royal Pharmacy, a quiet space where outside noise was almost inaudible.

As they reached the single gate leading into the separate building,

"!"

Grand Prince Suyang's face suddenly stiffened.

He could hear hushed voices and the sound of secretive, flirtatious laughter from inside.

"W-what is this?"

Yunseo asked calmly to the bewildered Grand Prince Suyang.

"Yes, Your Highness. Did you know about this situation?"

"Ah, no, I..."

Grand Prince Suyang did not know. Or rather, he had not wanted to know.

He had heard rumors of the female physicians at the Royal Pharmacy being dissolute, but he never imagined it would reach this extent even in broad daylight when a Grand Prince was visiting.

The Royal Pharmacy not only provided treatment to commoners but also served to select and educate physicians and female physicians.

However, these female physicians were selected from among intelligent and attractive female servants of local government offices. Even if they acquired medical knowledge, their status remained that of commoners. They were also often mobilized as entertainers alongside courtesans at state events.

Therefore, male patients treated at the Royal Pharmacy frequently harassed the female physicians, and the female physicians themselves, rather than enduring harsh treatment and being treated disrespectfully, often wished to become concubines to wealthy yangban and thus seduced men.

Having grasped this situation, Yunseo planned to dismiss the licentious female physicians, select and train new young female physicians, and cultivate them as one of the organizations she would command in the future.

And Grand Prince Suyang had a role to play in achieving that plan.

"Grand Prince Suyang, would you please expel those depraved individuals from this Royal Pharmacy?"

Yunseo demanded.

Just then, the chief official of the Royal Pharmacy, a sixth-rank official, the medical professor, a sixth-rank official, and a seventh-rank registrar, their faces pale, rushed over, having heard the commotion from somewhere.

"Y-Your Highness, th-this!"

The chief official and the medical professor tried to explain, but it was useless.

Grand Prince Suyang was as strict as his elder brother, Lee Hyang, when it came to licentious behavior.

"Guards! Drag out those filthy people inside!"

Grand Prince Suyang's angry command was issued.

Then, the servants employed by the Royal Pharmacy rushed into the separate building.

Soon, the doors behind the wooden floor were flung open, and several fake patients and their accompanying female physicians, who had been engaged in lewd revelry inside, were roughly dragged out.

However.

"!"

Grand Prince Suyang's eyes widened in astonishment.

< Episode 50. Grand Prince Suyang Meets Gwonga (2) > End

ⓒ Yoon In-soo