So, when I translate this, there are no chapters, only asterisks. So, i will decide if its a chapter or not. This time, it's a continuation of the prologue.
The Eunwoo Gate of Hwangseong Fortress opened slowly, revealing an elderly priest carrying the mandate of heaven, accompanied by soldiers in black military attire and a palanquin adorned with beautiful spring flowers. This palanquin was designated for the joyous queen[1], summoned by the heavens that day. The flowers, crafted with the utmost care, looked so stunning that they seemed ready to flutter away with the gentlest breeze. One of these flowers, a white bloom with a dewdrop, symbolized pure love and was part of Concubine’s four virtues, yet it was known as Concubine’s sorrow.
Being chosen as the emperor's concubine meant a lifetime commitment, starting with the first night after the summoning when she could share the bed with the emperor. However, her fate afterward relied solely on her beauty, character, and allure. Failure to captivate the emperor’s attention meant confinement within the palace until death. Suicide wasn't an option due to the severe consequences: not just her own demise but also the execution of her family, eunuchs, court ladies, and distant relatives.
Observers nearby felt a sense of mourning as they watched the unfamiliar concubine being carried in the palanquin, knowing the hardships she would face.
As the palanquin reached the royal palace to King Yeonghyeon's residence, he immense size of his palace signified the emperor's profound affection for King Yeonghyeon. The elderly priest, holding jade beads in his hands, confirmed the rumors of the king being treated with exceptional value.
"The heaven’s will has arrived."
The gatekeepers prostrated themselves at the sound of the old, hoarse voice, a sign of respect.
"Please rise."
Once the priest carrying the scroll with the emperor's name spoke up, everyone could stand up and open the door. Priests and soldiers entered in succession, quicker than when the Eunwoo gate was opened. Outside, the palanquin came to a halt. After the priest and the soldiers entered, they looked up, surprised at the sight of the flower-adorned palanquin. They couldn't understand why there was such a palanquin, typically reserved for concubines, in this place. After exchanging glances, one of them hesitantly asked:
"Um... Is it true that the Emperor’s beloved son has become Bibin[2]?"
A slightly hunched man hearing this shook his head, finding the idea believable.
"I suppose so. Otherwise, why would the flower palanquin enter the royal palace, right?"
They relaxed, chuckling nervously with relieved smiles. There were several royal decrees made every month for the king. This was the emperor's order to summon King Yeonghyeon. From small matters to troublesome ones, the emperor shared everything with King Yeonghyeon, always by his side. King Yeonghyeon, who faithfully followed the emperor, went to the imperial palace following the emperor's orders, regardless of rain or snow.
Yet, as it was their first time at the temple and seeing the flower palanquin, they were unwittingly nervous. After sighing and closing the royal palace door, the priests and their entourage stepped into the palace hall, passing through the outer garden filled with blossoming trees. Those who worked in King Yeonghyeon's residence widened their eyes, taken aback by the appearance of the elderly priest, reflexively kneeling on the ground. They greeted the priest with respect and restraint as if addressing an emperor they had never seen. Until the priest said, "Raise your heads," they couldn't lift their heads or say a word, so they stayed silent, gazing at the stone floor of the palace. The atmosphere was so tense that even swallowing saliva became difficult.
The priest looked around, searching for the person meant to receive the royal command. However, that person had already left the royal palace and was nowhere in sight. The priest, playing with the golden scroll using his fingertips, finally spoke up:
"Where did His Royal Highness King Yeonghyeon go?"
The elderly priest spoke slowly and ominously, creating an eerie atmosphere. Nobody rushed to respond, almost as if the priest could seize their master, King Yeonghyeon, at any moment if they revealed his whereabouts. Amid the tense silence, Ye Damyeong, the military commander, stepped forward. His eyes appeared indifferent but sharp, swiftly navigating through the palace corridors without hesitation. He rested his hand on his sword's hilt, addressing the priest.
"It seems King Yeonghyeon went hunting."
The priest, with wrinkled eyes, observed Ye Damyeong. Speaking softly and somewhat awkwardly, he hinted at a special bond with King Yeonghyeon, one rooted in friendship rather than the priest's assumptions.
Before he could finish, urgent sounds of approaching horses interrupted. Ye Damyeong turned towards the open door, startled by the intense light flooding in. The brightness soon subsided, revealing a man calmly handling a horse, his presence steadfast and composed.
Dismissing the orderly demeanor of the newcomer, Ye Damyeong recognized the figure—it was King Yeonghyeon himself. The king's appearance, almost unaltered from his youth, caught him off guard.
As King Yeonghyeon approached, dismounting gracefully and interacting with the surroundings, he addressed the priest and Ye Damyeong, adjusting his sleeves adorned with embroidered plum blossoms. He asked the priest the reason behind his visit to the royal palace.
King Yeonghyeon's voice was deep and commanding, cutting through the silence with an air of sophistication. Ye Damyeong, facing his piercing gaze, feigned ignorance and stepped back. Despite his composed exterior, King Yeonghyeon seemed perturbed by something. However, his poise remained impeccable. Ye Damyeong, admiring the king's striking appearance, turned when he heard a heavy sigh.
The priest unfurled a scroll and glanced up at King Yeonghyeon, who, towering over him, maintained a stoic gaze. Slowly, King Yeonghyeon knelt. A gust of wind brushed against his back.
The priest announced, "This is the mandate of heaven.”
Up to this point, the king had remained silent.
"The heavens have chosen you, King Yeonghyeon, to be the emperor's bibin. Henceforth, you shall hold the title of Concubine Hee..."
"What?"
Before the priest could finish, King Yeonghyeon abruptly stood up, his expression tense. The servants behind the priest were taken aback, some gasping or murmuring in surprise.
Nonsense.
The whispers grew louder among the crowd. Without a moment to process, King Yeonghyeon clenched his fists, looked at the priest, and spoke, his voice trembling.
"This can't be true! How can I become Bibin for His Majesty? I am a man, and above all..."
He hesitated to utter the word "son," which lingered unspoken. Suddenly, everything felt heavy. Everyone was shocked, except the soldiers and the elderly priest who had already heard the heaven’s will. King Yeonghyeon was the emperor's son, and this revelation surprised even the nanny who had cared for him. As she stumbled, King Yeonghyeon caught her, and then turned back to the priest.
"Isn't being His Majesty's son enough?"
King Yeonghyeon finally spoke up, looking at Ye Damyeong with eyes filled with uncertainty. The familiar support he usually found in Ye Damyeong felt strangely distant this time. Instead of challenging the statement, Ye Damyeong relayed the royal command: to bring His Highness[3] by any means necessary.
This declaration startled King Yeonghyeon, leaving him pale and weary. As he tried to protest, Ye Damyeong knelt before him, prompting the soldiers to silently encircle their king, now faced with an unfamiliar situation.
This unforeseen order left everyone bewildered. King Yeonghyeon's confusion grew as he looked around. His own men, once allies, now prevented him from leaving, albeit under the guise of protection.
Realizing their changed attitudes, King Yeonghyeon glanced at his nanny, whose expression had transformed into one of concern. Despite his confusion, he made a firm declaration: he'd go by his own means.
However, this was met with insistence for him to travel by palanquin.
Ye Damyeong stood tall, speaking firmly. King Yeonghyeon chuckled, taken aback by his friend's unyielding manner, treating him just as the Emperor's queen would. His laughter slowly faded, almost turning into a sob, as he spoke up.
"I'll go on my own and listen to His Majesty’s words."
"If you refuse the Emperor's order, they'll take our heads. Do you really want us to die?"
Ye Damyeong pushed King Yeonghyeon without flinching an inch. Kang called the nanny’s husband, asking him to take her away, then unfastened his sword from his belt, throwing it to the ground. He passed by the elderly priest, whose face was veiled by a fan, and strode toward Ye Damyeong. Gazing at Ye Damyeong, whose sage-blue eyes mirrored his, King Yeonghyeon suddenly grabbed him by the collar. Squinting at him, as if assessing Ye Damyeong, the King spoke.
"I'll take full responsibility. Wouldn't that be enough?"
Ye Damyeong couldn't bring himself to grab his friend's wrist. Enduring King Yeonghyeon's aggression, he spoke in hushed tones. He was staunchly loyal to the Emperor.
"Even if His Royal Highness takes all the blame, ultimately, we'll be the ones to suffer. Don't you see? His Majesty would never harm the King. We're the ones who always bear the suffering, we, the subordinates."
After saying that much, Ye Damyeong lowered his head and softly whispered into King Yeonghyeon's ear.
"Do you really want to repeat the times of King Jinyeong?"
King Yeonghyeon froze when he mentioned King Jinyeong and couldn't respond. He saw ordinary people desperately clutching the ground, breathless from the pain in their chests. Their faces drained of color. King Yeonghyeon closed his eyes briefly, then slowly opened them and released Ye Damyeong's neck.
Ye Damyeong stepped back, gazing at King Yeonghyeon, now calmer. King Yeonghyeon glanced at the priest, then the soldiers around him, and said firmly,
"But I can't ride in the palanquin."
His words were brief and cold. He swiftly mounted his horse, leading the soldiers away. The Emperor had ordered his return, even by force if necessary, but the soldiers couldn't lay a hand on him. King Yeonghyeon, the Emperor's beloved son, now a Bibin, made it uncertain if military action was allowed. The soldiers, especially under Ye Damyeong's leadership, looked anxious.
"Your Highness, please come with us. It's dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
King Yeonghyeon scoffed briefly, then looked and replied, "I don't know who's putting me in danger, Damyeong."
He spurred the horse, galloping through the gate, dust swirling around them. The elderly priest observed calmly while Ye Damyeong followed suit, understanding the urgency.
"Head back to the palace!"
With that command, his troops loudly followed King Yeonghyeon.
*
This situation is absurd. Even in a country where the queen was determined by heaven's will and even the crown prince was predestined, there was no conceivable way for one's own son to become a bibin. Despite occasional instances of incestuous marriages, societal norms dictated that biological parents and their children shouldn’t marry each other.
King Yeonghyeon raced at great speed from the royal palace to the Cheonggeum Palace. The usually calm streets of the capital were now chaotic. People stumbled due to the galloping horses, and though some even fell, their voices were unheard by King Yeonghyeon.
He was enveloped in the storm raging in his mind, feeling dizzy. Gripping the reins so tightly that his hands turned white when released, he noticed red imprints where the reins had been. King Yeonghyeon clenched his fists, held his breath, and lifted his head to face the sky.
The sky was an intense blue. Its gaze was so hot that King Yeonghyeon couldn't meet it for long. Covering his face with both hands, he exhaled, feeling the warmth of his breath on his palms. Gazing at the Eunwoo gate, adorned with clouds, phoenixes, pines, and wolves, his eyes trembled before he dismounted. Taking the reins, he led his horse toward the gate.
Upon seeing King Yeonghyeon, the Geumgun guarding the Eunwoo gate greeted him with a bow, following protocol.
"Open the gate. It's King Yeonghyeon..."
One of the Geumguns interrupted.
"He's come for an audience with the Heavenly Emperor. Open the gate!"
Their demeanor toward King Yeonghyeon seemed subtly altered, perhaps having heard of Heaven’s will. They avoided eye contact and physical contact. Faced with behavior reminiscent of how they used to treat the royals and others not in positions of power, King Yeonghyeon felt a sense of dizziness. Though he gazed at Geumgun with trembling eyes, they both averted their gazes. Waiting for the gate to open, King Yeonghyeon licked his lips, murmuring so faintly that it was almost inaudible. Realizing his voice didn't reach them, he spoke up clearly.
"Actually... Is the heaven's will true?"
But the Geumgun shuddered at the tremble in King Yeonghyeon's voice as if it might give way at any moment. Their hand holding the spear quivered slightly. Even if he was to fall, there was no one to catch him. King Yeonghyeonwas unmistakably the Emperor's beloved. Now that he was both the Emperor's son and the rainmaker, who dared to challenge his role? Out of prudence, the Geumgun chose to remain silent.
"Please, tell me. Did I truly become my father’s bibin?"
King Yeonghyeon's pale face was a stark contrast to the blank expressions of the Jinguns. Unable to muster laughter or tears, he glanced at the gate, where an inexplicable air of tension prevailed.
While King Yeonghyeon himself remained unchanged, everything around him had transformed into something different. He wondered if his mother was aware of this situation. If she was, would she feel joy or sorrow? Being a fragile individual, she will likely faint.
What would the Emperor’s reaction be? His thoughts raced, but there were no answers. With half-closed eyes, King Yeonghyeon thought of the Emperor.
‘Kang.'
Eight years had passed since Yeonghyeon ascended to become King, yet he always preferred being addressed by his given name rather than his royal title. He possessed a captivating beauty that could make one's legs tremble upon sight, a commanding presence, and a gentle, soothing voice that accentuated his allure. It wasn't unpleasant for the supreme figure of this country, his father, to treat him with affection. No, it felt good. It was a joyful thing for a child to be genuinely loved by their father.
"Come here, my baby. Shouldn't you come closer and give your father a hug? Don't you want to please your father?"
He used to be an emperor who embraced him and called him 'baby'. As he approached him, captivated by his sweet smile, he held him closer than any piece of gold and whispered to him.
"My baby. You look beautiful today too."
I don't think he would have been happy for me to be declared ‘bibin’. Kang clenched his fists.
"Your Highness[4], please come in."
King Yeonghyeon, gazing at the dust-free stone path, lifted his head upon hearing the word "Your Highness" addressing him. When King Yeonghyeon looked at him as if he had lost his mind, the Geumgun was startled and quickly lowered his head. The sound of King Yeonghyeon sighing and struggling to swallow could be heard clearly. The Geumgun waited until peace was restored. Fortunately, Kang quickly regained composure and moved his feet.
Riding horses inside the palace was never permitted, so when the royal king, royal family members, or married princesses arrived, they had to travel in a palanquin. Walking from the outer pavilion to the inner pavilion was challenging, always requiring waiting for the door to open. Usually, when King Yeonghyeon arrived at the palace, he did so in a palanquin, but today he hurriedly arrived on horseback, thus standing there like a lifeless stone, waiting for the palanquin to arrive.
Eight eunuchs came from afar carrying a palanquin. There were even Chinguns[5] alongside. It was natural for an emissary to come, but not the Chinguns. The royal army must protect the emperor. Feeling the emperor's will, his heart ached deeply.
When he realized that he had truly become his father’s bibin, his heart immediately shook. When King Yeonghyeon saw those who greeted him according to protocol, he stepped back. He wanted to flee like that.
He didn't want to be the emperor's bibin. He seriously contemplated riding a horse and escaping to the royal palace. But his worries remained just that—worries—and didn't materialize.
“His Majesty is waiting for you at Cheonggeum Palace, Your Highness.”
In a hurry to proceed, the eunuch, standing before the officials, urged King Yeonghyeon. Upon their eye contact, King Yeonghyeon held his breath, seeking confirmation.
"Have I truly become His Majesty's bibin?"
The eunuch, hands tucked in loose sleeves, bowed.
"Yes. You've become the bibin and granted Yewol Palace from today."
"Yewol...?"
King Yeonghyeon dismissed the idea of such a familiar place.
"That future place... The venture..."
He stumbled, memories flooding his mind. This occurred when he was only 16. Yewol Palace was rebuilt after a tragic incident involving the Empress and her children. Remaining vacant since, as no prince or empress was chosen by the emperor.
The main focus was on Yewol's owner, the empress. The second ruler and a loving figure for the people.
King Yeonghyeon froze, unable to move. It was like his head turned to stone, halting his motion. As sunlight-warmed wind blew, he went into the palanquin. Inside, he sighed deeply, glancing at an aging eunuch.
"It must be crystal clear, the ancestral rites aren't falsified."
When King Yeonghyeon asked, the eunuch replied without a backward glance. His slightly upturned lips seemed to form a smile.
"The offerings made to the heavens and the responses received are always true."
The eunuch turned his head slowly, smiling. Kang, seeing the strange, mask-like smile, furrowed his brow slightly.
"Don't you know that if the offerings to the heavens are false, the country will be ruined?"
King Yeonghyeon bowed his head, making a sound as if distressed, before the eunuch’s steadfast manner. He noticed his leather shoes were stained with dirt and hunting blood. He hadn't had time to bathe due to the rush. Before coming to the imperial palace, he needed to cleanse his body and clear his mind. But the shocking news prevented him from thinking clearly. Happiness seemed covered in dust here and there.
However, drained of energy, King Yeonghyeon remained still, leaning against the palanquin. The pain that started in his head and chest was worsening. He clenched his teeth, enduring what he could in that moment.
Starting from Eunwoo, the palanquin passed through the outer pavilion and entered the inner pavilion through the second gate, Suyeo. Unlike the outer palace where the emperor managed government affairs and conducted business with officials, the inner palace was adorned with various flowers and had a different aroma. There was a strong, sweet floral scent. The smell reminded King Yeonghyeon of the past. He looked at the flower garden with half-open eyes, feeling dazed.
He spent his childhood here with his mother. At that time, his mother was a beautiful woman who shared the same palace with other concubines.
Reflecting back, even as his mother transitioned from common woman to Lady Yeo So-ui, King Yeonghyeon remained the standard. When he was given his royal title as king, the court suggested to the emperor to make his mother the Empress. But the emperor refused vehemently, leaving no title for So-ui and taking no further action. Though she was sometimes treated poorly, she never became the ideal Empress. Kang hinted at the request, but the emperor simply smiled and said nothing.
It was truly amusing. His mother couldn't become a chosen concubine, yet he himself became bibin at the call of the heavens.
"Your Highness."
The eunuch called King Yeonghyeon. Court ladies reached out, but he ignored them and strode into the palace.
"I'll take you to Choseung."
“No, I won't go.”
King Yeonghyeon firmly refused, looking at the court lady and murmuring.
“I have to see His Majesty.”
“I'll prepare a plaque to present to His Majesty.”
The court lady bowed and stepped back. King Yeonghyeon, who had previously visited Yewol Palace with the emperor, entered and reminisced. The broader space was visible. To the left was an area for an audience with the royal family, and further inside the Anhuijeon[6], a space for the Empress to rest. It emanated a vague, cold energy, as if from an ink painting. It felt as if it were sucking the energy out of his body. King Yeonghyeon entered, deliberately avoiding the Shinwoljeon[7] to the right.
There was no dust where the court ladies had gone, as they kept it clean and orderly. The light coming through the open window reached the ceramics brought from abroad. It had a different color from the glaringly blue sky. It wasn't even turquoise but appeared green from another angle. It was genuinely astounding pottery. King Yeonghyeon couldn't contain his awe and attempted to touch it but stopped himself.
None of the items here were from him. Items in Eunwoo do not belong to him. Everything here was for the Empress, so no one was allowed to touch them without permission.
King Yeonghyeon swallowed dry saliva and entered another space through the door held open by the court ladies. There lay a long chair-shaped bed for the Empress. Only then did Kang exhale slowly and gather his thoughts.
‘I don't know if this is reality or a dream, or if I'm dreaming within a dream. My head feels dizzy.’ He closed his eyes and sat down, feeling distant, as if his head were about to explode.
“Your Highness. I brought the plaque.”
A court lady dressed in fine clothes resembling dragonfly wings approached and knelt. King Yeonghyeon, who groaned with his knees on the floor, looked at the court lady with a blank expression. The court lady blushed upon seeing King Yeonghyeon, whose clothes and posture were disheveled and whose face looked on the verge of tears.
With black hair and a pale complexion, King Yeonghyeon's face was still beautiful. As the son of an emperor and Yeo So-ui, famous for her extraordinary beauty, he had a truly beautiful face. It was a face that seemed to have been created by taking only the strengths of his parents.
He even had a good physique and broad shoulders. His hands were fairer and whiter than a woman's. He had calluses from enjoying hunting, but it didn’t diminish the beautiful hands. Because he was so pretty that having calluses made him more of a man. The court lady, distracted by King Yeonghyeon's trembling fingertips, regained her composure only after King Yeonghyeon stood up and picked up the brush.
King Yeonghyeon took his brush. When someone desired a personal audience with the emperor, they all had to write and bring a plaque. King Yeonghyeon, playing with his brush, wrote the words without hesitation. It wasn't joy or sadness. It was clearly written as "King Yeonghyeon." The court lady, seeing this, opened her mouth.
“Your Royal Highness, you wrote it wrong.”
"… "Do you want me to write “Bi[8]” with my own hand?
King Yeonghyeon scoffed and shook his head. He stood up firmly, glaring down at the court lady, who was much shorter than him and spoke clearly.
"I plan to seek confirmation directly from His Majesty, so first bring this plaque. I'll take responsibility."
His voice didn't waver, much like his gaze. King Yeonghyeon seemed to have organized his thoughts to some extent and appeared calmer than when he arrived. The court lady clearly seemed concerned, but King Yeonghyeon was so adamant that she gave up and retreated.
Only after the court lady had left did King Yeonghyeon, who was now free, stand up. There were places to rest here and there, but he never sat. His head was pounding as if it were about to explode, and his chest hurt, but he forced himself to endure it. He tried his hardest to stay composed.
He whispered to himself that it couldn't be like this. Everyone treated him as the emperor's queen, and he truly wanted to see himself that way, but in the end, he had no choice but to deny it. He didn't want to convince himself unless he heard it from the emperor's mouth.
However, even if he received confirmation from the emperor's mouth that it was true, would he really be able to understand it? He doubted it. If he becomes a Bibin, he must treat his mother as a concubine with a lower rank than his. How can he call his mother 'Yeo So-ui'? Just as the emperor was his father, his mother was his mother to the end.
‘Bi.’
It was the day of King Jinyeong's funeral. His mother murmured while holding Kang's hand, saddened by Kang's brother's loss.
‘Kang, you survived, so it's okay. That's enough... I want you to be like King Jinyeong…’
King Jinyeong came to mind. The older brother who had to die in his place. He was a good older brother who loved him in this palace. The face of King Jinyeong, who smiled confidently before competing, was as vivid as if it were yesterday.
‘Kang. I will definitely win the war and be recognized by Father Emperor[9]. It's okay if I am not the crown prince. I want to be recognized as a loyal subject to Father Emperor…’
King Jinyeong held his hand. He could still feel his touch clearly on his skin.
"I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Just like you, I want to become Father Emperor’s beloved son."
But the results were disastrous. He died, but Kang survived.
To begin with, it was astonishing that he survived in such a splendid palace. Countless perished, and only a handful endured. Becoming the crown prince was an inevitable competition, yet the battles among blood relatives often left fatal wounds in the heart, especially for those who loved their kin even after their demise.
"Your Royal Highness, His Majesty the Emperor has arrived."
King Yeonghyeon, immersed in memories, turned at a sound behind him. Though the ancestral rites had concluded, the emperor still donned the 12th-grade robe. His vision was awestruck by the radiant white robe complementing his silver hair. The sound of the emperor's garments skimming the floor gradually drew nearer. The clinking of twelve varieties of jade beads, pearls, and precious stones rang like clear bells.
Stepping back to avoid the approaching, dragon-like gaze of the emperor, King Yeonghyeon backed away. But he was met with the wall, leaving him no room to run. Startled, he lifted his head. The emperor's shadow loomed large. Silhouetted against the sun, the emperor held his head high, looking affectionately at King Yeonghyeon. Regaining his composure, King Yeonghyeon promptly knelt according to protocol and spoke.
"King Yeonghyeon greets Your Majesty the Emperor..."
"Kang."
Before he could finish, the emperor said Kang’s name with laughter. King Yeonghyeon's shoulders quivered. Sweet and melting as it was, it strangely evoked fear, unlike the behavior of a typical father when his son became a bibin. That was the root of the fear.
At some point in the past, he occasionally felt this fear towards the emperor, unable to lift his head due to a vague unease. King Yeonghyeon trembled, his forehead on the ground. Despite his sturdy physique, he felt pitiable before the emperor's scrutiny. The emperor, chuckling while observing his quivering shoulders, back, and hands, burst into laughter.
"Are you afraid?"
"... Yes, Abamama."
King Yeonghyeon replied breathlessly. The emperor blinked in confusion, put his hand to his chin, and muttered.
"The emperor has never scarily treated you, so that's strange, what's so scary, the one who turned into a Bibin?"
The emperor, who was murmuring quietly, slowly bowed. His two hands touched King Yeonghyeon's arm. He applied strength to his hands and lifted King Yeonghyeon immediately. King Yeonghyeon, who had only lifted his upper body hesitantly, looked at the emperor with a little fear.
A face that has a smile like a beautiful picture. King Yeonghyeon was so captivated by that smile that he did not notice.
That the emperor would come to kiss him.
"You shouldn't be afraid just because of that. From now on, you are my concubine and you will give birth to my children."
"Yes...? Your Maj…!"
The emperor pressed his lips in his. Gently but without hesitation he sucked on the delicate flesh. The wet sound of mouth being sucked began to fill the space. King Yeonghyeon, not knowing what was happening to him, opened his eyes in a daze and looked at the emperor.
The emperor smiled as he kissed. His smile was mesmerizing. The tongue entered and caressed King Yeonghyeon's idle tongue. King Yeonghyeon's eyes closed. His shoulders quivered from the strange sensation and his fingertips trembled slightly. Even when the emperor turned his head and stuck his tongue deep in his mouth, he accepted it without resisting. The son's ignorance was enough to satisfy the emperor.
He removed his wet lips against Kang. The saliva was still connected. The emperor cut it off with his tongue and endlessly caressed his son's panting face. It was so precious and so heartbreaking that the emperor's fingertips trembled.
His beloved son.
Every time he sees him, his heart swells at the sight of his beautiful face. There was a time when he thought this was fatherly love and sent Kang to the royal palace, but now that he realized his feelings, he planned to keep him by his side.
"Kang."
"Ah, Abamama...I-I..."
Kang's face turned red when he realized the reality, but he soon paled. He tried to cover his lips as he was kissed by his father.
The emperor did not allow it. The emperor lifted Kang and sat him on the bed. His hand reached into his sleeve and smoothed the white, elastic flesh. Though white as dough, the healthy skin is very smooth. His hand moved along the addictive skin that made him want to touch it more the more he touched it.
As ignorant as he was, Kang was not unaware of the intentions behind these hands. Kang rejected the emperor's hand with a pale face.
"Abamama! Kang, Kang is Abamama’s son, how can Kang become Abamama’s Bibin? There must be something wrong."
Kang fell to the ground and shouted. He received the emperor's order, listened to it, came to the palace in person, and was even kissed by the emperor, but he wanted to hear the answer that it was not.
The emperor, who had grown bored of seeing Kang screaming desperately on the ground, lifted Kang. His hand touched his flushed cheek. The hand that had been playing with his cheek, which still had some redness left, reached down to caress his chin and touched his lower lip, which had become swollen from the kiss. His hand lifted his chin with clear intent.
Kang was forced to raise his head and look at the emperor. The emperor was smiling.
"You said it wrong."
The emperor scolded him politely and now openly touched Kang’s neck. Kang looked at the emperor with anxious eyes and swallowed dry saliva.
He felt as if he was going to be eaten in that mouth. It looked like he would instantly transform into a wolf and commit murder by biting his neck. He was scared. His stomach was numb. Kang's breathing gradually became shaky.
"Please," he muttered with a whimper without realizing it. The emperor, who stepped on it silently, smiled cheerfully and gave an order.
"You shouldn't say you're my son. "From now on, you are my queen."
The emperor saw his son Yeon Kang as a complete joy.
His beautiful joy.
"You are the heavenly Bibin."
The emperor kissed him. Kang’s fingertips trembled and gripped the emperor's shoulders. Futile rebellion entered the emperor's tongue.
[1] This is also another alternative to say bibin. It usually signifies that being chosen by the Heavens is joyous
[2] Bibin – rainmaker. Chosen wife by the heaven’s will..
[3] Ye Damyeong used Honorifics usually for the wife of the emperor, not the honorifics used as the royal son. Thus, from the moment Kang was named as the bibin, he immediately change the way he addresses Kang. So, although in English, he said, ‘Your Highness’, he now usually different honorifics
[4] Again, the honorific used for the wife of the emperor
[5] This was translated as friendly troops but I don’t think that’s exactly it. Although Chingu means friend in English, this word has the last etter of n. As what Ive said in the very first page, there are some Korean words I cannot translate since I don’t know the equivalent English for it. Just note that gun from Geumgun and Chingun means soldier.
[6] Anhui Hall
[7] Shinwol Hall
[8] Rain. concubine
[9] Abamama. I’ll retain the Korean way of saying this to make it seem more intimate for Kang since he always calls the emperor Abamama.
