# Chapter 5: Fingernail Marks
The King’s day passed busily, no different from yesterday.
A thin scab had formed over the Queen’s fingernail marks, and her left shoulder, where bite marks remained, occasionally itched.
*’I wonder if the Queen’s wounds are also healing?’*
Even if the bruises had healed, the emotional bruises imprinted on his heart would surely grow darker.
—
After finishing morning court and visiting Hyusimdang, he held an audience with local officials being dispatched to the provinces.
He made them recite the Seven Duties of Local Governors and urged them to govern the people well, and by then the sun had begun to set.
He wanted to postpone today’s evening lecture and briefly meet the Queen, but upon hearing that the elderly ministers had already gathered in the lecture hall, he could not delay.
“The Queen is said to be unwell, so I shall stop by the Junggungjeon briefly.”
Taegang deliberately sent the royal palanquin to the lecture hall first, then went to see the Queen. Seeing her gaunt face lying ill, last night’s events vividly came to mind, and he fell silent.
After the Head Court Lady and the wet nurse withdrew to the lower room, leaving only the two of them, he sat beside the Queen.
“Are you alright?”
The Queen lay still with her eyes closed.
He wanted to hold her delicate hand, apologize, and beg forgiveness, but seeing the greenish bruises on her slender neck, he clenched his teeth with guilt.
“Queen… last night, truly…”
As he couldn’t continue and let out a sigh, the Queen turned over onto her side. This had never happened before.
“I’m sorry…”
Afraid that if he stayed longer he would grasp her shoulder, Taegang rose.
He instructed the wet nurse and Senior Court Lady Jeong.
“The Queen has a severe cold, so forbid visits to the Dowager Queen’s residence for four days.”
“I shall obey Your Majesty’s command.”
He separately called the royal physician and commanded:
“The Queen… is in pain. A lot. Because of me. So do not trouble her with pulse diagnosis, just prepare medicinal decoctions that aid colds and deep sleep. The Queen must be put to sleep.”
“I shall keep that in mind.”
As he walked from Junggungjeon to the lecture hall, his mind was entirely consumed with worry for the Queen, but no proper solution came to mind.
In the lecture hall courtyard, Hong Sangseon waited and cautiously reported:
“Your Majesty, marital quarrels are like cutting water with a knife. Her Majesty the Queen will soon understand Your Majesty’s hardships.”
“Time is the medicine?”
“Yes. I shall find an auspicious day for the consummation in one month.”
“That’s too long. Make it ten days later. No… five days later.”
Hong Sangseon hid his surprise and bowed his head.
—
As announced, Taegang did not visit the Dowager Queen’s residence for evening greetings that day. The fingernail marks on his neck were still clearly visible.
He wrapped his neck with a cloth lest the Dowager Queen’s court ladies see. Worrying about the Queen made his whole body ache, as if he had caught a cold.
—
Hwayeon had a brief nightmare early in the evening, but thanks to the medicinal decoction, she slept soundly until dawn without waking.
Dawn broke, and the bruises on her body had faded somewhat, but her emotional wounds had deepened.
The royal physician came and offered medicinal decoction, but Hwayeon frowned and waved her hand to refuse. This was unprecedented, so the physician was flustered but soon withdrew.
She substituted morning meals with pine nut porridge and was drinking ginseng and jujube tea when Hong Sangseon came to Junggungjeon and prostrated himself.
“Your Majesty the Queen, I have something urgent to report.”
After dismissing all the court ladies, leaving only the wet nurse and Head Court Lady, he spoke.
“Your Majesty, I have separately investigated last night’s incident. It seems someone put a drug in the consummation wine.”
“A drug…?”
“It appears to be a mild aphrodisiac.”
The King’s rough and cruel actions that day vividly came to mind.
The King had realized it was an aphrodisiac and told her to escape. He had also told her to tie his hands.
“Who committed such an atrocity? Who exactly?”
“I am currently investigating in utmost secrecy.”
“The Dowager Queen must not be informed. If she finds out, court ladies from both the Daejeon and Junggungjeon will be killed.”
The Sangseon’s face was also filled with tension and fear.
“I cannot simply cover this up, but… right after His Majesty the late King’s national funeral, I cannot cause bloodshed in the palace.”
“Are you saying we should cover everything up?”
“The only one who saw my body is the wet nurse. We can treat it as if it never happened.”
“I shall obey Your Majesty’s command.”
After the Sangseon left, Hwayeon dismissed everyone and sat alone in contemplation.
*’It wasn’t poison… why an aphrodisiac of all things?’*
Since that night, the King was no longer the affectionate husband to Hwayeon, but a cruel tyrant.
Her tall, sturdy, handsome husband had been like a hellish yaksha consumed by lust. But it turned out he too had been drugged and transformed into a yaksha.
*’An aphrodisiac used by gisaengs, put into the King and Queen’s consummation wine? Who would dare?’*
Since assassins and poisons didn’t work, they were now targeting the King with aphrodisiacs.
Taegang had been targeted by assassins since his days as Crown Prince. That was why his martial arts skills were so exceptional.
Even with thousands of royal guards protecting him, it was difficult to fend off even one assassin. In the end, he had no choice but to train his own martial arts.
His archery was impeccable, and he enjoyed polo with the inner palace guards while never neglecting his horseback riding training. Thanks to this, the King’s martial prowess had become so formidable that even the inner palace guards marveled at it.
—
Taegang entered the Dowager Queen’s residence early in the evening to offer his greetings. Fortunately, the Dowager Queen did not pay much attention to the cloth wrapped around his neck.
“I hear the Queen is unwell?”
“Yes, it seems she has caught a cold.”
“Oh dear. I was about to set another auspicious date for the consummation, hoping to see a grandchild, but now the Queen has fallen ill.”
The Dowager Queen clicked her tongue at length.
“Oh, by the way, the steward of the Sagga family has returned from Ganghwa and says the public sentiment is not good.”
“The ginseng harvest should be fine this year since there was no major flooding, correct?”
“Rumors are circulating that the Ganghwa magistrate received bribes from ginseng merchants.”
“It must be hearsay.”
It seemed the Jo brothers, trusting in the Dowager Queen, had begun to entangle the Queen’s older brother in bribery charges.
He withdrew from the Dowager Queen’s residence and commanded the internal inspector:
“Go to Ganghwa immediately and protect Park Gyu-ho. Also find out who he meets and what he discusses.”
After the internal inspector withdrew, he asked Hong Sangseon:
“How is the Queen doing?”
“I heard she took her medicine and fell asleep.”
After handling urgent reports, he headed toward Junggungjeon.
He had issued a royal command to put sleeping agents in the Queen’s medicine, and indeed she had been asleep since early evening. When one’s mind is troubled and exhausted, sleep is the best medicine.
After dismissing the wet nurse and court ladies, he quietly entered her sleeping chamber.
He ordered the Head Court Lady to lay out his sleeping mat and lay his weary body beside the sleeping Queen.
He kissed the sleeping Hwayeon’s beautiful forehead, but she did not wake.
He took the Queen’s hand and placed it on his chest.
“I was wrong… Please forget everything about that night. Do not suffer because of this foolish king.”
Perhaps she heard his voice in her sleep. The Queen’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
After kissing the Queen’s cheek, Taegang tightly held her delicate hand and closed his eyes. Yesterday he had tossed and turned all night, but feeling the Queen’s warmth and scent, he fell asleep almost instantly.
—
Hwayeon woke in her sleep to the sensation of someone stroking her hand.
There is only one person in the world who could touch the Queen’s hand like this. The King was sound asleep beside her.
The man who had rampaged on the night of consummation seemed tired and somewhat thinner.
*’He must have blamed himself greatly. It was because of the consummation wine, yet I resented His Majesty the entire time.’*
She tried to release her husband’s tightly gripped hand but left it there.
Rolling up the sleeve of her sleeping garment, she saw bruises. The bruises on her neck had faded slightly, but she still needed to be careful when visiting the Dowager Queen.
*’I should try rubbing raw egg on it as the wet nurse suggested.’*
That night, unable to endure it, she had scratched the King’s neck and left fingernail marks. Hwayeon carefully parted the collar of Taegang’s inner garment and checked the fingernail marks. Two thin red lines of scratches were clearly visible.
“Your scent is truly lovely.”
The King smiled with his eyes still closed.
“The scab has formed, so it should disappear in a day or two.”
“I am… sorry.”
“The apology is mine to make.”
He opened his eyes and caressed Hwayeon’s cheek.
“You suffered, didn’t you? I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
“I heard there was an aphrodisiac in the consummation wine?”
“I’m investigating it. Someone put an aphrodisiac rather than poison in the wine—the brewer’s greed was excessive.”
“Why would a merchant risk his life over an aphrodisiac?”
“Because it yields great profit. But don’t believe everything the merchant says.”
Hwayeon sighed involuntarily.
The King seemed about to say something but held his tongue.
“Would you show me your legs?”
“Your Majesty?”
Taegang carefully lifted her underskirt and examined her straight legs and smooth thighs. Then he pressed his lips to the bruises on her thighs and knees.
Each time his warm lips touched, it felt as if the bruises were disappearing.
His lips traveled from her thighs up to her waist, chest, and neck, finally covering her lips.
It was not a deep kiss. But Hwayeon found his kisses of apology and begging forgiveness more thrilling and sweeter than when she had been the Crown Princess.
“I was afraid you would turn away from me.”
“That night… you were like a yaksha.”
“I never want to touch alcohol again.”
To the King, who said he would quit his beloved drinking, Hwayeon smiled.
“Are you forgiving me?”
“Only this once.”
“Thank you.”
He carefully embraced her and let out a contented sigh.
Time passed, the watchtower drums sounded, and the palace grew busy once more.
“I will have this morning’s meal with the Queen.”
Finally, in Junggungjeon, which had been like thin ice yesterday, the court ladies chattered, and laughter from the kitchen maids could be heard.
The King, who had cleaned his plate of the red-cooked pork and beef soup served at the morning meal, waited until Hwayeon finished her pine nut porridge before they had tea together.
Taegang slightly furrowed his brow upon seeing the remaining bruises on her neck.
“I will see you in the afternoon.”
“Your Majesty, I am fine, so you need not visit so often.”
The King reluctantly nodded and left Junggungjeon.
The wet nurse and Head Court Lady escorted the King out with bright faces.
