Chapter 12
“Tsk.”
Prince Gongchin clicked his tongue irritably at the way things were unfolding.
Perhaps because the old man had openly expressed his displeasure, Prince Sunheung, who had been the last to interrupt, rolled his eyes around nervously and stammered.
“I-I only said that because you mentioned following precedent earlier.”
“Why on earth is a member of the Imperial Family who isn’t even part of the Association of Royal Relatives disrupting the proceedings however he pleases?”
At his words, Prince Sunheung immediately faltered and backed down.
Prince Sunheung was also a son of Prince Yeonchin, but he didn’t have the nerve to challenge his much older elder brother.
Even though someone had stepped forward on his behalf only to receive an unnecessary scolding, Grand Prince Uigoo didn’t intervene.
He simply crossed his arms and appeared to observe the situation.
“Didn’t I already tell you? This was ordered by His Majesty the Emperor.”
Prince Gongchin spoke coldly.
Perhaps he found it ridiculous that people were throwing themselves at him like moths to a flame despite the fact that the order had explicitly come from the Emperor.
“You fools have been acting recklessly for years, but don’t dare treat an Imperial command as a joke.”
“Brother, you really are—”
Prince Sunheung lowered his gaze and protested weakly.
To them, an aging Emperor and Prince Gongchin were no longer people they needed to fear.
Even so, they couldn’t be completely shameless when standing directly before them.
“Don’t interfere unnecessarily. If you’re willing to participate in the directorates and serve as members of the Imperial Family, then raise your hands.”
Several people raised their hands under Prince Gongchin’s piercing gaze.
It was easy to distinguish between those who had volunteered and those who had been reluctantly pushed forward by their expressions.
From the end of the table, Seon quietly observed the actions of the members of the Imperial Family.
Their factions had been divided long ago, but when they were pushed into a situation this extreme, the divisions became even more obvious.
Grand Prince Uijeong had suddenly been given a position of authority over the national funeral.
Grand Prince Uigoo clearly disliked the very fact that his younger brother had been mentioned here, while the members of the Imperial Family desperately tried to placate him.
The whole scene was absurd.
Now I understand why Father kept refusing to come.
Seon sat quietly and thought.
Grand Prince Uijeong was a gentle-hearted man.
There was a considerable age gap between him and his older brothers, so he had never had much to be ambitious about in the first place. On top of that, his natural personality simply wasn’t suited to excessive ambition.
When the important position of Chief Commissioner of the National Funeral Directorate was given to Grand Prince Uijeong instead of Grand Prince Uigoo, the emotion Grand Prince Uijeong had felt was fear.
He had protested to Seon that his second older brother wasn’t that bad of a person, yet he hadn’t been able to hide how frightened he was of him.
Even today, it was the same.
It would have been nice if her father had come to the Association of Royal Relatives with her and put Grand Prince Uigoo in his place.
Instead, her father had refused to attend, making all sorts of excuses.
It wasn’t as though avoiding the meeting for one day meant he would never have to see Grand Prince Uigoo again.
“Now. Let’s move on to the next agenda item.”
The meeting continued regardless of Grand Prince Uigoo’s mood.
The members of the Imperial Family who would join the Three Directorates and assist with the funeral procedures were selected, and the schedule for taking turns mourning at the Crown Prince’s Funeral Palace was determined.
When it came time to choose the members of the Imperial Family who would represent them in receiving state guests from other countries once the Crown Prince’s funeral began, Grand Prince Uigoo, who had remained silent until then, also raised his hand.
But…
“Ah. His Majesty has already decided this matter. Yeongpyeong Dojeong will receive the state guests as the representative, and when necessary, Lady Cheongyang and Prince Gyeongan will assist him in rotation.”
Even that opportunity had been taken away from him.
Perhaps because his own son had been mentioned, he didn’t become openly angry, but the trembling of his clenched fist was clearly visible even from a distance.
At that moment, one of Grand Prince Uigoo’s loyal lackeys raised an objection on his behalf.
He happened to be one of Dong’s cousins.
“No. Isn’t Yeongpyeong Dojeong rather lacking in stature for such a position?”
Dong, who had suddenly been attacked while sitting quietly, widened his eyes.
Before he could even turn and glare at his cousin, Prince Gongchin cut in.
“What do you mean by ‘lacking in stature’?”
“I only thought that since this is the first national funeral in a long time, shouldn’t we carefully choose the faces we’ll show to the state guests?”
“So you’re saying His Majesty deliberately chose Yeongpyeong Dojeong because he’s somehow inadequate?”
Faced with the words of Prince Gongchin, an elder uncle who was practically his grandfather, the man immediately shut his mouth.
“I’m sure Yeongpyeong Dojeong, who has a higher rank and actually studied abroad, is preferable to you, Yeongsun Bujeong, who can barely speak English beyond ‘Hi.’”
“Uncle, how could you say something like that…!”
“We gathered here to respectfully see the Crown Prince through the final moments of his life. Are you seriously saying something this rude with a sound mind?”
Prince Gongchin thundered.
Perhaps Yeongsun Bujeong hadn’t completely lost his senses, because he quickly shut his mouth.
“Did you teach him this bad habit of refusing to follow decisions made by His Majesty?”
Prince Gongchin’s gaze now fell upon Ikheung-gun, the father of Yeongpung Bujeong.
He avoided his elder brother’s eyes and urgently grabbed his son’s forearm.
“Good grief. Please, let’s just proceed with the meeting.”
“Exactly. Are you all going to interrupt over every little thing?”
Complaints erupted not only from the senior members loyal to the Emperor, but also from those who had been quietly observing the situation.
Their numbers were insignificant compared to Grand Prince Uigoo’s faction, but they were by no means negligible.
Those who wanted the meeting to continue clashed with those cautiously watching Grand Prince Uigoo’s reaction.
The only person who could mediate between them was Grand Prince Uigoo himself.
Under the gazes of Prince Gongchin and the other elders, he reluctantly opened his mouth.
“Yes. We shouldn’t interfere with the proceedings. This is something Father personally decided, after all.”
At his single remark, the members of Grand Prince Uigoo’s faction who had been loudly protesting and causing disruptions moments earlier began to fall silent.
They can be this obedient?
Seeing even those who had never clearly revealed their faction aligning themselves among that group, Seon could roughly tell which way the wind was blowing.
Even among the elders, she could hear voices clicking their tongues and criticizing Grand Prince Uigoo.
Encouraged by this, Prince Gongchin resumed the meeting.
Everyone focused intently on his words, eyes gleaming at the possibility that some benefit might eventually fall their way.
“And His Majesty the Emperor…”
Prince Gongchin ran his finger along the paper as he read the edge of the document.
He had undoubtedly discussed the agenda with the Emperor beforehand, yet he continued to struggle to read the writing from beginning to end.
The sound of his halting reading, the sighs that escaped whenever the desired subject failed to appear, and the occasional moments when members of the Association of Royal Relatives raised their hands to offer their opinions repeated again and again.
Several hours passed that way.
Finally, Prince Gongchin declared the meeting adjourned, his face looking far more exhausted than before.
Grand Prince Uigoo, who had repeatedly grown hopeful only to be disappointed, could no longer restrain himself.
He raised one corner of his mouth and shot his hand into the air.
“Was there something else we needed to decide?”
Prince Gongchin began flipping through the papers.
Grand Prince Uigoo shook his head.
The mechanical way his head creaked as it turned made Seon feel a chill rise along her forearms.
Grand Prince Uigoo asked in a slow, clear voice.
“Did His Majesty not say anything about me?”
“About the Grand Prince?”
Prince Gongchin immediately frowned as though he were hearing it for the first time in his life.
“What was he supposed to say?”
“Wasn’t this meeting convened to prepare for the national funeral? If so, surely there must be a role for me as well.”
He paused before continuing.
“It’s unfortunate, but I am next in line after His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Well, I don’t believe he said anything in particular.”
“Hah.”
At Prince Gongchin’s immediate answer, Grand Prince Uigoo let out an irritated breath.
Even though they were cousins, showing such blatant disrespect toward someone more than ten years his senior was hardly proper.
Grand Prince Uigoo ran a hand through his hair and sighed once again.
The more displeased he appeared, the more members of the Imperial Family became frightened or started watching his reactions.
“I’m currently unable to even see Father because both Their Majesties are said to be in poor health. Haven’t you met with Father, Prince Gongchin?”
Grand Prince Uigoo snapped the words out as though he were jealous.
Prince Gongchin stretched out his neck and looked at him over his glasses.
His gaze was far too cold and severe to be that of an older cousin looking at a younger cousin.
“It would be wonderful if children always grew up exactly as their parents wished. But they inevitably stray a little from time to time. Usually, we call that an individual’s personal trait.”
“What does that…”
“But there are also times when they cross the line, to the point that it can no longer be dismissed as merely a trait. Do you think my father ever imagined that his children would disregard his wishes like this?”
He paused.
“Well, you’ve raised children yourself, Grand Prince Uigoo. I’m sure you understand.”
The children of Prince Yeonchin exchanged uneasy glances and lowered their heads.
Of course, among them were also those who straightened their shoulders as though they had nothing to bow their heads for.
Prince Gongchin continued speaking without paying the slightest attention to whatever expressions his younger brothers made or how they behaved.
“Still, children should at least be capable of considering their parents’ feelings a little. Otherwise, what’s the point of having children at all?”
“Are you saying that I am failing to consider His Majesty’s wishes?”
“Is that how you interpreted it?”
After saying that, Prince Gongchin raised his thin wrist and swung the gavel.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The sound of the gavel striking the table echoed noisily throughout the now-silent meeting hall.
“Ah. His Majesty did say one thing.”
Prince Gongchin’s voice turned cold.
“He asked that, if at all possible, the members of the Imperial Family be prevented from visiting Daejojeon.”
He finished speaking in an icy tone.
“If you truly know how to worry about your parent, you should be able to understand what he really meant by that.”
