CHAPTER 6
Gyeongbok Palace, Jagyeongjeon Hall.
Secretary Jo stood before the Empress Dowager, looking visibly uneasy. She looked no different from a criminal awaiting judgment.
That was only natural, because ever since she had reported what happened at the hospital earlier that day, the Empress Dowager had remained silent, trimming the branches of a bonsai tree.
Unable to leave or attend to any other duties, Secretary Jo could only stand there like someone awaiting punishment, waiting for the Empress Dowager’s command.
Snip. Snip, snip.
How much time had passed?
As the sound of the shears continued and small branches fell to the floor, Empress Dowager Min finally broke the heavy silence.
“So, the Empress already knew the meaning of the name?”
“…Yes.” “She knew everything.” “She even knew in detail why the character Yeong (榮), meaning ‘flower blossom,’ should never be used in a person’s name.”
“So she knew about forbidden Chinese characters, did she?”
Unless someone had an interest in the study of names and destiny, it was something they would never know.
That was why the Empress Dowager had naturally assumed the Empress knew nothing about the forbidden characters that should not be used in names.
“It seems I didn’t know my daughter-in-law as well as I thought.”
She had always considered her nothing more than a soft-hearted young girl.
If not for the backing of her father, a Senior First Rank elder statesman, she would never have even dreamed of marrying the Emperor.
Still staring coldly at the bonsai before her, Empress Dowager Min continued.
“So, how did you answer her?”
“Pardon?”
“If the Empress already knew the meaning of the character, she must have asked what happened.” “What did you tell her?”
“I… I told Her Majesty that I had mistakenly brought a paper with a different name written on it.” “I feared Your Majesty’s dignity might be damaged…”
The Empress Dowager’s eyebrow twitched as she listened to Secretary Jo.
“What a pitiful excuse.”
It was an embarrassingly poor explanation for someone serving in Jagyeongjeon Hall.
Still, it would be enough.
The Empress would no longer be able to pursue the matter.
After all, it was merely the mistake of a subordinate.
She only had to pretend she knew nothing about it.
“Wasn’t this issue supposed to be discussed at the upcoming Imperial Council meeting?”
At the mention of the Imperial Council, Secretary Jo’s face brightened.
One of the highest-ranking ministers attending the Imperial Council was the Empress’s father.
Surely a man like him would not ignore a matter concerning his own granddaughter.
At the very least, she might be demoted to a provincial post.
At worst, she could even be expelled from the palace.
But since the Empress Dowager herself had mentioned it, Secretary Jo was convinced Her Majesty intended to save her.
Just as that hope filled her heart—
“I don’t know what decision the Imperial Council will make, but I doubt you’ll be serving in this palace any longer.”
The words that left the Empress Dowager’s lips were not the ones Secretary Jo had hoped to hear.
“…Your Majesty?”
“You’ve worked hard all this time.” “I’ll make sure your retirement compensation is generous.”
“Y-Your Majesty…!”
Ignoring Secretary Jo’s desperate gaze, the Empress Dowager turned to another palace attendant.
As though they had been waiting for the signal, several attendants dragged Secretary Jo out of the residence.
As though nothing had happened, the Empress Dowager picked up her shears again and resumed trimming the pine bonsai.
A woman standing quietly beside her stepped forward.
It was Chief Secretary Han, the Empress Dowager’s right-hand woman and the head secretary of Jagyeongjeon Hall.
“What shall we do about the young Princess’s name?” “Shall I prepare a new one and deliver it?”
“After making such a scene, what choice do we have?” “The Empress can name the child herself.”
Even as she spoke, the Empress Dowager clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Tsk. That name was supposed to ensure she would give birth to a son next time.
The Empress had noticed the scheme, ruining everything.
Besides, there was no reason to waste effort choosing a good name for a girl who would never inherit the throne.
The Empress Dowager decided to wash her hands of the Princess’s name.
After all, she still had one more card left to play.
While casually snipping away another branch, she spoke.
“Chief Secretary Han.” “Do you know why I raise bonsai trees?”
“Because depending on which branches I cut, they grow into exactly the shape I desire.”
Only after cutting away the unhealthy sprouts can they become children that suit my tastes.
“I find that incredibly enjoyable.” “It’s deeply rewarding.”
Snip.
Another branch dropped to the floor.
“Prepare the selection for the Royal Nanny Court Lady.”
The corners of the Empress Dowager’s lips curled into a long smile.
Seoul Imperial General Hospital.
The hospital operated by the Imperial Family was one of the primary hospitals used by members of the Korean Empire’s Imperial Household.
Like the other members of the Imperial Family, Suryun had given birth there and was preparing to be discharged.
As she smiled warmly at the baby wrapped in swaddling cloth, countless thoughts she had been postponing flooded her mind now that she would soon be returning to the palace.
My position in that palace is incredibly fragile.
At least while her father was still alive, things had been different.
But two years from now, after her father’s sudden death, her standing would steadily shrink.
An Empress who had neither the favor of the Emperor nor the Empress Dowager, and who had given birth to a Princess instead of an Imperial Prince, had an obvious future awaiting her.
Winning the Empress Dowager’s favor was pointless anyway.
Unless she gave birth to a son, the woman would never truly accept her as a daughter-in-law.
She had no regrets about bringing up the forbidden Chinese characters at the hospital.
But the palace was filled from top to bottom with people loyal to the Empress Dowager.
She needed to replace them, one by one, with people loyal to herself.
But how?
Suryun carefully organized her thoughts.
When was the Royal Nanny Court Lady selected again?
If she remembered correctly, it happened quite some time after she and the Princess had entered the palace.
That was because there were separate Imperial wet nurses who taught the Empress childcare and cared for newborn babies.
The Royal Nanny Court Lady was more like a teacher responsible for the Princess’s upbringing and education after her first one hundred days.
That means I still have about three months.
Before then, she had to find a way to stop Kim Jeong-a from entering the palace.
But what method should she use?
Just then, while Suryun was lost in thought, a voice coming from the television caught her attention.
It was one of those trivial programs that discussed rumors circulating among the public.
“Recently, news that the CEO of the American company T Company is Korean has attracted widespread attention.”
“However, it has now been revealed that this Korean businessman is actually Grand Prince Anwon, who left for the United States thirteen years ago, astonishing the public.”
At the same time, a photograph of Grand Prince Anwon from his days as Crown Prince appeared on the television screen.
With his neatly swept-back hair, he was a strikingly handsome man without a single flaw.
That’s right. He came to Sehee’s funeral that day as well.
On the day of Sehee’s funeral, she had been so overwhelmed by her own tragedy that she could not even properly greet him.
“Rumors also say that when he was Crown Prince, he had once been promised in marriage to the current Empress…”
Click.
Not wanting to hear another word, Suryun turned off the television.
At that very moment, a palace attendant standing outside the hospital room spoke.
“Your Majesty.” “The Duke has come to see you.”
“…Father?”
She remembered the last time she had seen him.
He had been lying in a hospital bed, little more than skin and bones.
After hesitating briefly, Suryun answered,
“Please let him in.”
The moment the order was given, her father, Yoon Sirak, entered the room.
He looked far healthier than the frail man she remembered lying in that hospital bed.
Well, this was before he became ill.
That was only natural.
Suppressing a bitter smile, Suryun asked after his health.
“…Have you been well?”
“Yes.” “I trust Your Majesty has also been in good health.”
It was a rather cold exchange for a father and daughter.
Then again, they had never been especially close.
The fact that he had not visited the hospital even once during her stay said everything.
Still… we weren’t always this distant.
Even after her mother died of cancer, they had maintained a fairly decent father-daughter relationship.
At least until that incident happened.
