Chapter 4
2224 Words
Lee Sun Jin
It’s been two days but I’m still in this situation. No matter how I hurt myself to make sure that I’m not dreaming but the result is still the same.
“Summon Ahn Shin Hye.”-I said. My personal eunuch is staring on me. I realize that Ahn Shin Hye didn’t exist in this world. I sigh.
“Never mind. I’ll go to her myself.”-I said. They followed me and I knew they’re surprise that I’m heading to the queen’s chamber in Gyotaejeon hall.
“Your majesty!”-her servants bow on me. They look at me. I cleared my throat.
“Where is Hye Sun? I mean my queen?”-I ask.
“She—her highness is being summoned by the queen dowager, your majesty.”-she said.
“What?!”-I said. I rush out to this place and decided to go in the queen dowagers’ chamber. I always heard to my sister that queen dowagers are mostly evils.
“Your majesty, please take it easy.”
“If all of you can’t make my pace then be left behind.”
We’re almost there when I meet them halfway. The queen dowager looks at me. She’s surprise to see me.
“Lee Sun Jin? Ah, your majesty.”-she said.
“Greetings to royal mother.”-I said and bow on her.
“Greetings to his majesty.”-they said.
“Is there anything you need, your majesty?”
“I just heard that royal mother summons up the queen. I visit her in Gyotaejeon and I decided to follow her here.”-I sad.
“Is that so? You must be worried, hmm?”
“I just thought that the two of you is not finish talking to each other. I’m just thinking of joining the two of you in drinking some tea.”
“Don’t worry, I just wanted to have some moment with her highness.”
“I understand royal mother. We will get back then. I’ll visit you some other time.”-I said. She nodded and smile. We went back to her chamber.
“All of you, leave us.”-I said.
“Yes, your majesty.”-they said. They step back and close the door. I look at her. She sits down and I saw that she’s frustrated as well.
“That queen dowager. She’s like a lawyer of human rights who wants to question us or sue us.”
“Good thing that you know how to handle her.”
“I did. But she’s trying to test me. I think this queen and her had a sneaky agreement.”
“Agreement? There is a chance that they’re accomplice.”-I said. She nodded.
“This year is the reign of king Lee Sun. Eunuch Han told me that I’m just 19 years old which mean I just sit the throne for over a year.”-I said.
“My father is the chief state councilor of Joseon.”
“Which means our marriage is for political purpose. Political power in Joseon is much crazier than the future.”-I said. She snaps her finger in front of me.
“Did you even read history? Did you forgot that the Ahn and Lee’s are sworn enemies? It was just the father of king Lee Sun decides to use the princess consort selection to make sure that they’ll hold the Ahn’s neck?”-she said. I sigh.
“Come to think of it, I always sit and sleep during history period.”-I said. She smacks me in my arm.
“My goodness. We need to come up with a plan how to solve this problem. We need to adapt for the meantime. I wish one of these days I woke from this chaos.”
“Tell me briefly about what you remember in Lee Sun’s reign. What surprises me is this, we still have the same face. Don’t tell me this is our past life?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. Just listen then. I’ll tell you what I remember about King Lee Sun’s reign.”
I listen to her. I’m surprised that she’s knowledgeable about our history. I suddenly feel useless. Now I know that the queen dowager is the past kings’ favorite consort.
“Did you know how to write in Chinese characters? I ask eunuch Jang when will be the next memorial meeting inside the political court and he said it will be in 25 days. I need to learn to copy this man’s writings. I can read Chinese characters. And I have too much papers in the table that I need to read and write some information.”
“Okay. Let’s meet from time to time. We also need to fix some problem of this king’s reign. We need to destroy the disturbing chaos underneath the peaceful façade of this kingdom.”
“If we help them, we can get the chance to go back.”
“You must remember to ask the eunuchs and court ladies about things between your favorite woman. That is the royal consort.”-she said. I just shrug my shoulder. I will investigate further. I have remembered some of the details about this king’s reign. He is the faceless king. Most of the court decisions are being controlled by the left and right chancellor. Good thing that I didn’t came here alone.
“The main cause of the courts problem is the Japanese isn’t it?”
“Yes. At this era, the Japanese are rampantly exceeding their territories from here to China.”
“I suddenly remember how closed China years back. The Japanese empire is the one that is aggressive when it comes to colonizing. Their citizens are suffering in hunger because the imperial’s money is being spent in the army.”-I said. She sighs.
“We need to investigate regarding that matter.”
“China is now more aggressive while Japan stays silent. I find it laughable. And now, Joseon splits into two.”
Ahn Shin Hye
I use the stick to smack his hand when he’s not making it right. He gives me a pissed off expression.
“I can’t believe I need to learn Chinese characters. Ah, my goodness!”-he said and close his eyes.
“You need to learn it. Until we’re still here, we need to adapt in this timeline.”
“That jerk. I’ll be happy if he died after I shoot him.”-he said. I sat down and look at him.
“We need to save much lives in this time. Now, we need to deal about the authorities that holds the kings’ neck. But first, you need to learn Chinese characters soon and remember something about history. You hear me?”-I said. He took a deep sigh and straighten his back and starts to write again. I just watch him. He’s much attractive when he gets serious.
“Who could be the real problem in this king’s reign?”
“As far as I remember, this king always suspects my family that they want the Lee’s to kick on the throne that’s why this woman is sitting on the throne as the queen. You know very well that in this dynasty, the queen’s most roles are to bear the next king of the kingdom.”-I said.
“You said that king Lee Sun is known for being powerless because of the left and right councilor.”
“Yes. This queen’s father will die in five months because he will be framed up about the death of the governor of a certain province. I forgot what province it is. That’s when the king learn that this queen is bearing his heir. They’re speculations that he put her in house arrest until she gave birth.”
“In five months? If today is the first spring, then it is April. It will be in October and if the next king is born in March 1713…”
“Yes. The baby will be conceived around June.”
“Whoa. We to act faster. If we can settle the problems and give this king a stable and controlled throne then it will be better.”
“If I guess it right, if these two are our past life… They must have regrets and if we can fix it. Who know? We might go back in our own timeline.”
“If that’s the case. What could be these king’s regrets?”-he said.
“I think it’s about how things turn wrong on the first years of him as a king. He lost true people who is serving the kingdom in honesty. If I’m not mistaken, he had held the thrones true power after 10 years.”
“If that’s the case, our first job is to make sure that your father will be save.”
“Yes. I will try to deal with the queen dowager, the great queen dowager and even the concubine. What you need to do is to read the ministers works and background. Deal with the bad ones and let them see that you no longer the king who will agree every time.”
“Whoa. I’m really impressed how good you are.”
“Just so-so. Anyway, continue.”-I said. He nodded. He keeps on practicing and he always come in my chamber for two weeks until I heard some of the court ladies’ gossips. The consorts are being jealous.
“Lady Han, I want you to pass a verdict. I want the concubines to have a tea with me in Hyangwonjeong pavilion. Tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, your highness.”-she said. I took a sip on the tea and look on the cherry blossom inside my chamber’s garden. I have remembered about the secret chamber. I remember that this queen made that for a certain reason. I made a new lock and key for that. No one can take the key because I always wear it in my neck.
And tomorrow came. I’m already waiting on the pavilion and they’re surprise to see that I came first even if they came in much earlier time than what is written on the verdict.
“Greetings to her highness.”-they said. I nodded and signed them to take a sit.
“You may have your sit.”-I said. They did. Their court ladies pour their tea. I just pour mine which surprises them again. I just smile on them.
“If I’m not mistaken, everyone had been busy.”
“Yes?”-they said. They must have realized what I mean. I just smile and put back the tea cup.
“I’m not blaming everyone if o one had dare to visit me even if I’m sick for couple of days. I’m happy that everyone spares their time to see me.”
“We’re sorry if we didn’t dare to visit you, your highness. You are right, we have been busy for our family problems for the past weeks. Most of us went home for a certain reason.”-Min Eun Bi.
“Ohh? If that’s the case, I’m happy if your family is okay now. I just ask the three of you to have tea with me because I wanted us to mingle much better. I know that everyone is lonely since we leave each of our family. I hope that from now on, we can share loneliness because we are now family here.”
“Thank you for considering us as a family, your highness.”-Gong Yu Mi.
“Of course, we are all now in the same boat. Let’s have tea instead and enjoy these foods. Be at ease, I didn’t call everyone here for a certain reason.”
After having some tea time. I open the secret chamber and starts to tally my observations about the three concubines.
“Min Eun Bi is someone that I should be wary the most. I can smell something wrong about that girl. I can tell that.”-I mumbled. I made an investigation board in this room. I will make sure that we can save what we need to. May be in that way, we can go back in our timeline. This is not my time and I still have issues and problems in Seoul. I can’t stay here forever.
- Writer
