Chapter 14
1314 Words
Kana touched the small letter he prepared in his hand, he passed it secretly to Lili, because of her petite body, Lili manage to sneak on the guards and reach the dragon throne where Crown Prince Sunwoo was sitting.
Gladly no guards are behind him, so Lili easily slip there and handed the note to the Crown Prince and like what her master said to her, she smiled to the crown prince.
Prince Sunwoo read the note after the servant of Kana left.
'My Leige, would you mind if I will use your sword for my performance?'
?
Instead of writing a name, Kana put his symbol on it, the sunflower.
Crown Prince Sunwoo caught Kana's eyes and nodded at him as approval.
Kana felt delighted when he saw that Lili successfully gave the note to him.
He tap Lili's shoulder for a job well done, gladly RM made some strong medicine that made her recovery fast.
Kana rembered well on what happened that night and it always makes him feel mad.
"My lady," Sheen whispered.
"I'm sorry for asking this question. Why you are treating Lili really good?"
Lady Han smiled at his trusted servant.
There's no hint of jealousy in her voice just plain curiosity.
"Let's say that Lili can be off use in the future. She's beautiful yeah? And you know I am a man, taking her as a concubine won't be bad for the Future Emperor." He whispered those words so no one can hear.
"If I ask you dear Sheen Sheen the same favor, would you agree?"
Sheen's eyes widened.
Her? As an Imperial concubine? Fear filled her whole being.
"No my Lady. Take my life if you must but I don't want to."
"Then don't ask questions Sheen Sheen, sleep now."
The competition started and everyone has good talents. Kana didn't even feel some sort of chill. Someone recite a poem, someone sings, dance, play the guqin, zither, and Lady Park who played a flute.
Kana inwardly laugh, the last time he played it he was praised, does this mean Lady Park wanted to be praise as well?
Two words to describe her, a
Pathetic b***h.
"The next performer will be, number 08." the head Eunuch announces.
Kana look at the number on his hand, looks like it's his turn.
The entire hall became silent Kana stood up in the middle.
"Your Highnesses, May I call on someone to play a zither for me?"
"Go ahead, Lady Han." The Emperor agreed but everyone went silent when the Crown Prince stand up, and walk on the middle.
"I will play it for you. Here take this." He removed his sword on his sheath, causing the crowd to make a buzz on their whispers.
Kana bowed to him.
"It's an honor for me, My Leige."
Everyone went silent upon hearing how the Lady of the Han family addresses the crown prince.
My Leige is a form of promise that he will only follow and protect the crown prince, it also can be understood as a way of submission and alliance.
Some people in that hall cannot deny the overbearing chemistry the pair in front of them, they look good together.
The perfect combination of a dragon and phoenix.
Consort Mia wanted to stop them because this is a competition but the Emperor stopped her.
"There's no rules that Lady Han broke, allow her to do what she want." He said and the crowd went silent.
Crown Prince Sunwoo went to take the zither while Kana removed his outer robe, leaving the beautiful red lace hanbok, it is embroided with Phoenix and he looks really magical, his hair flown by the wind when he started following the strum of the zither.
Kana started by swinging the sword above his head, then he bowed for a start, lifting his feet on one side, while his hands movements contrast on each other. Every strum, his hands moves along with it, his other free hand moves with his feet, his body sways along with the swing of the sword.
His entire persona while dancing screams authority that he is not just an ordinary "lady" but also a fighter.
The entire hall went silent for the crowd was too stunned to even praise, it's like they are watching some heavenly deity who graced the Earth and danced for them.
Even the Crown Prince who's playing the zither almost lost a string when his eyes watch the person he adored, dancing like a goddess.
Kana took a final turn, swing and sway, before he finish his dance prod.
The Emperor recovered first from the beautiful performance.
"It's great! You are amazing Lady Han, my fearless General Han! You are always in the battlefield I am not even sure why you hide this daughter of yours!" Emperor Jong clapped in glee.
General Han himself got stunned on how his son manage to do that. Is this really the same Kana that they had?
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Kana bowed in kowtow, before he stood up and gave the sword to the crown prince.
He hold the handle and the blade, and offer it to the Prince.
"Thank you, My Leige."
"All for you, Kana'er."
The people in the hall had mix reactions when they saw the encounter, some of them said that Lady Han has been flirting Prince Sunwoo that's why they look close together and some of them pitied the other ladies who did not even have an encounter with the crown prince and some of them admits that Lady Han had the qualities of a a perfect Empress.
There are two performances after Lady Han but it all went dull and bland after him.
Kana felt slightly bad for the two performer, he stole the whole show.
After that, drinks and foods followed then the final announcement of the Consorts by ranks is announced.
The Emperor stood up, holding five scrolls.
"Written here is the overall result of the Consort Selection." he then open the first scroll.
Everyone waited and fell silent.
"Seeing your kindness and beauty, I called you Princess Consort of the Fifth Rank, Lady Hyun Lian."
The lady get up and bowed, Kana notice that she's the daughter of the Minister of the Health. Not bad.
The next called was the daughter of the Minister of Merchantry.
The third one is the daughter of Minister of Education.
"Seeing your grace, skills and overbearing beauty, I named you, Princess Consort of the second rank, Lady Park Mianhe."
Lady Park get up and bowed. But deep inside she's enrage. She deserves to be on first rank!
"Seeing your benevolence, intelligence, upstanding skills and a beauty that can launch a thousand ships, I named you as the Princess Consort of the first rank, Lady Han Kana."
Kana smiled and bowed, he's a step closer to the throne, he just need to be pregnant so he will be move to be the Empress. A step closer on removing the grasses that has been destroying the Empire.
"Accept the decree of heaven and pledge your loyalty to the future Emperor of Siam."
"We accept and pledge our royalty Your Majesty." The five ladies said in unison.
The five remaining ladies was named as well as Princess Consort of Prince Haii and Prince Tong.
They don't need to held another competition, for the ladies are equally talented and skilled.
But the Emperor isn't done yet, he opened another decree.
"The three Princes will go to the borders to stop the raging rebellion formed there, and when they come back, we will crown our new Emperor, Prince Sunwoo.. This is very sudden I know, but my health is failing and I think this is the right time for me to abdicate my throne."
Consort Mia hide a loopsided smile.
'That is, if the crown prince will come back. ALIVE."
- Writer
