Chapter 5
2241 Words
Min Eun Bi
I keep on walking back in forth after we came back from Hyangwonjeong pavilion. The queen seems to be trying to bait us altogether.
“Young lady, are you okay?”
“Do I look like okay, Kang Min? Did you see what kind of woman we face a while ago? She must have heard the heresies and she suddenly call everyone for a tea?”
“She said that it’s because she wanted to have time with everyone, young lady.”
“Have time? I don’t believe that. There is something that made me wonder about her presence at that time. She’s like a different person.”-I said.
“Young lady…”
“I want to see my aunt. I need to talk to her.”
“Understood, young lady. I will talk to the queen dowager court lady.”
“No need. I’ll go there now.”-I said and went out. She followed me as soon as I went out on my room.
“Young lady, we need to inform lady Jang before—”
“Close your mouth. If you’re afraid to go there then I can do it myself.”
A little while, we are now on the queen dowagers’ chamber. The court ladies and other servants bow on me as I’m rushing out inside.
“Royal consort Lee, what are you doing here?”
“I want to talk to my aunt.”-I said.
“She is busy.”
“Let her in, lady Jang.”
“Yes, queen dowager.”-she said. The door opens and I sit down after I bow down to my aunt.
“Aunt, I mean queen mother. I need to talk to you about something.”
“Is this about the tea party that the queen held earlier ago?”-she said.
“Yes. I’m just worried because I have felt that the queen, I meet is someone that I can’t read at all.”
“You also notice that. Two days after she woke up, I summon her up here and talk to her. I also feel the same way.”-she said. They serve us tea. She drinks some and look at me.
“I feel the same way. The way she looks on us, she’s like testing us and read us for some reason. Don’t you think she’s having any idea about it?”
“The one who is watching her reports me that she had never leave her chamber for the past months and she’s recuperating after what happen to her.”
“Aunt, we need to make sure that she won’t get pregnant at all. I want to bear for the next ruler in our kingdom.”-I said. She smiled and take a sip.
“That’s our plan. We can hold the whole kingdom once that you’ll bear the crown prince. Give time.”
“I understand aunt. I’m sorry.”-I said and sip my tea.
Lee Sun Jin
I sneak in her room through the window. She must have known that I’ll come. She’s sitting there and sipping her tea. She looks at me.
“Your skilled, huh?”
“I’ll just take that as a compliment.”-I said. He jus smile a bit. I was staring on her beautiful face. Wearing the queen’s clothes somehow suited her.
“What is it?”-she said. I shook my head and sit down.
“You should be ready. Tomorrow will be the next court meeting. You need to get ready.”
“I know. I’m just thinking about something. I can’t believe I need to act like a king and its nerve wrecking and hard to do. I wish tomorrow I’ll wake up on my unit in Seoul.”
“The good side is, you can have every beauty here because you’re the king and you can even have 365 concubines.”-she said. I took her cup and drink on the same spot where she drinks.
“My queen is enough for me.”-I said and wink at her. She just gives me a blank expression. I chuckled.
“Whoa. My goodness. You’re the most interesting woman that I meet. No emotions and challenging. I like it though.”-I said and give her a honey gaze.
“You want to die?”-she said in a plain tone.
“Let’s drop about that for the meantime. I’m here because we have a problem in Hwanghae and Jeolla. Because of the famine and corruption, they’re facing.”
“Follow me.”-she said. I just look at her. We went out and she twist a statue between these bunch of flowers and grasses. The ground opens and she took a torch and we entered in that place.
“How did you know about this place?”
“I remembered about the secret chamber that queen Hye Sun made this place to ease her loneliness from being the queen and force to have a political marriage.”
“Ohh…I feel bad about the women in this timeline. Either they’re slaves or stuck on being housewives. There are like a robot who needs to fulfill their duties or else they can be throw away like garbage’s.”
“Wow. Big word from a man who plays women in his hands and bed.”-she said. She opens the door. I chuckled and step closer to her and bit her ear softly. She drops the torch. I took it.
“Don’t be judgmental. I just love mingling to women and I may look like friendly to every beauty but I’m not bringing girls in my bed. I still believe in showing respect. I have a mom and a sister. I respect women as much as I do to them.”
“Respect? Then why did you do that?”-she said and hold my wrist tightly. As if she’ll break my bones.
“I hope you loosen your grip. This body needs to face enemies in his time.”-I said. She sighs and push the door. She took the torch and light up the room.
My eyes widened when I saw what the room looks like. What the heck is happening here?
“My goodness!”-I said. It feels like she brings the cold case meeting room in this time. She made a criminal board. I look at her.
“Did you make this? Well, wrong question. Whoa. I’m impressed. Your like solving a case here.”—I said and stare on the names that she writes off.
“We need to be wary in every official and learn who is the real allies and serves the people. We also need to protect the citizens from the Japanese people. They need to cross Joseon to reach China which is their real target. Joseon face great dangers because it feels like we’re just a battlefield ground in those two countries.”
“I know what you meant. The royal concubine Min Eun Bin, we need to be wary to her as well as the queen dowager. The grand queen dowager isn’t here yet because she went to Jeju to pray. He might come home in two days just like what eunuch Jang said.
“Eunuch Jang and court lady Jang are cousins and you need to keep an eye on him. If I’m not mistaken and if I remember it right, king Lee Sun had a swordsman whom he trusts the most. There are also rumors that he is his lover. They’re close and that man keep on declining to get married.”
“No! I won’t definitely. No.”-I said. She chuckled and I saw how crisp and true it is. She’s shining as of the moment. She’s beautiful when she laughs like that.
“What is it?”-she said. I shook my head.
“Nothing. I just want to savor my moment with you. Let’s continue instead.”-I said. She nodded.
“Are you trying to flirt with me chief inspector Lee Sun Jin?”-she said and cross her arms. I nodded without denying it. She sighs.
“Wow. I though your even try to deny it even just a façade. Anyway, you need to control the ministry of defense and taxation first. Those are important offices in Joseon dynasty.”
“I got what you meant. I will make a research about the head of that two-government body. Anyway, you need to be careful when the grand queen dowager came back from Jeju.”-I said. She nodded.
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle the inner court. Yours is to handle the outside court.”
“I understand. I feel less lonely that I have you here while I’m stuck in this dream or time slip whatsoever situation.”-I said.
“No problem. I got your back, your majesty.”
“Tss. Don’t try to call me that when it’s just the two of us. Your making me shiver.”-I said. We both laugh. I can tell that the two of us can make be good partners even in this kind of situation. Later on, I saw her lying her face on the table and sleeping. I caress her cheeks and laugh when she’s snoring a bit. She’s still cute.
Ahn Shin Hye
When I open my eyes, I’m already in my bed. I woke up and yawn. I thought I was just dreaming but maybe he indeed carried me back in my room. Today is his big day. The first time that he’ll attend in a king’s court meeting. I think I should try learning how to cook dishes that can help him to have appetite.
“Lady Han.”-I said.
“Yes, your highness?”-she said and open the door.
“Help me to get dress. I want to cook something for his majesty.”-I said.
“Yes?”-she said in surprise. I just smile and soak my body in this bath tub. I knew he’ll be all right. He’s Lee Sun Jin. He seems to be mischievous but he’s a cunning person when it comes to his work. I started to slice some of the vegetables.
“I’m happy that grandma taught me some local dishes that exist in this time.”-I mumbled to myself. Everyone is here watching me. Good thing that I heard some court ladies gossiping this queen. They said she is good in cooking when she’s still in her family’s home. The bad side is, I shouldn’t cook dishes that will be invented in 19th to 20th century. We might distort to much of the history if we really fall into time slip.
“Lady Han, can you wash the cucumber for me?”
“I will, your highness.”-she said. I smiled on her and continue to make this jeongol hot pot. He needs to have some warm soup to eat.
A moment later, I smiled when I saw the food, I prepare on the gazebo of this place garden. I send someone to ask if the king can come over. I knew the court meeting is done already. By stirring the jealousy of the concubine and the two past queens’ pride, I’m sure they’ll make rush decisions that will help us to see how many enemies we have inside the court officials.
“The king is here!”-eunuch Jang. I smiled and put my hands underneath these clothes. We bow on him.
“Greetings to his majesty.”-I said.
“You may arise. Everyone, leave us.”-he said.
“Yes, your majesty.”-they said and leave us.”
“You may take your seat, my queen.”-he said in teasing tone. I shook my head and do what he says. He looks on the food in the table.
“Whoa. Don’t tell me you cook these?”
“I did. Good thing I heard that queen Hye Sun are good in cooking while she’s still in their home. I can’t cook Korean dishes because we can make changes on history too much. Let the food stay the same.”
“But how come that you know how to cook these?”
“My grandma is very strict and she told me to learn about cooking our traditional dishes. Well, thanks to her. It came these handy.”
“Let’s eat then. I’m already hungry. I will tell you about what happen later on.”-he said and eat.
- Writer
