Chapter 9

The arrow aimed at the prey bounding across the field gleamed ominously. The gaze fixed on the prey's neck was as serene as a dawn lake. The golden shaft, having absorbed every ray of sunlight, elongated with the movement of the prey. The prey, initially alert and reactive, gradually approached cautiously as the surroundings grew quiet. Just as the greedy fox opened its mouth to devour the meat, Emperor released the taut bowstring.

Twang! Thud!

The arrow, sharpened to the Emperor's taste, pierced deeply into the fox's neck. The Emperor chuckled gracefully at the sound of the creature's agony, while Prince Yeon Kang, sitting before him, attempted to grasp the Emperor's sleeve, choked with sobs.

However, the sleeves were fastened with cords to ensure comfort during hunting, so Yeon Kang couldn't hold onto the Emperor. Watching Yeon Kang's futile attempt with short arms, the Emperor deliberately didn't yield his arm. Giving up clinging to the Emperor, Yeon Kang covered his eyes with his suddenly grown hands. The Emperor, who had been watching his son's actions with indifference, chuckled and spoke up.

"You won't shut your ears, will you? Just covering your eyes won't make the fox not die, you know."

At the Emperor's light remark, Yeon Kang's hand fell away. In the distance, the fox was being dragged by the attendants. The red blood, drenching the verdant leaves sharply, filled Yeon Kang's vision. The sharp red liquid, hanging from the sharp green leaves, dripped down. The fox writhed in pain, its cries echoing. With every movement of agony, the arrowhead inside the fox tormented it further. Staying still seemed to be the least painful option, but the fox seemed unaware of that.

"I... I can't bear to watch..."

Yeon Kang couldn't bear to witness a life fading away and closed his eyes. The Emperor, observing his audacious 7-year-old son's behavior, instinctively began to stroke his head. Despite the Emperor's affectionate gestures, repeatedly caressing his head, cheeks, and back, Yeon Kang still kept his eyes shut. The fox's cries, reaching his ears, were gradually fading away. It was the sound of a struggling heart nearing its end.

When the sound almost crawled to the ground, Yeon Kang opened his eyes. The fox had its mouth agape, tongue lolling out. Its pain-stricken black eyes met Yeon Kang's gaze. Unable to cry out like the fox in unfamiliar terror, Yeon Kang trembled slightly, gripping the reins tightly. Perplexed by his son's trembling, the Emperor blinked his eyes slowly, contemplating the reason for his son's behavior. Then, he chuckled softly.

"Shall I pluck those eyes out?"

Yeon Kang, warm as a spring breeze but with tears brimming in his soft eyes, burst into sobs. The attendant managing the hunting grounds inwardly sighed at Yeon Kang's crying.

Once again, the Emperor's clumsy affection had made his young son cry. The Emperor never desecrated the dying moment of a living being. He would only order the eyes to be gouged out when flaying the skin, but now, seeing his son startled and sobbing at the sight of the eyes, he offered to pluck them himself.

This wasn't the first or second time. Every time this happened, Yeon Kang would be embarrassed and cling to the Emperor, rolling his feet and begging him not to do so. When he pleaded, trembling, for him not to do it, the Emperor, unaware that his kindness felt like violence to his son, would simply tilt his head in confusion.

"Or should I just kill it now?" The Emperor asked sweetly. Yeon Kang wiped his tears and pleaded softly, "Yes, Abamama." It was the desperate plea of a young child who couldn't bear to witness the fox's painful demise any longer.

The Emperor glanced at the fox with narrowed eyes. Watching the fox in the fleeting moment with eyes devoid of any lingering emotions, he pressed his lips against Yeon Kang's tear-soaked cheek with tenderness. The thin veins of tears touched his lips. In that moment, radiant and euphoric, the Emperor closed his eyes briefly. His son, swallowing his sobs desperately, called out, "Abamama, Abamama…." The Emperor, enchanted by the poignant crying, didn't remove his lips until the fox breathed its last breath.

"How long will you cry like a baby…?" Despite scolding Yeon Kang verbally, he chuckled softly, still smiling. He untied the strap that held the reins and handed it to the attendant. The attendant extended his hand to accept it. After dismounting from the horse, the Emperor slipped his hand into Yeon Kang's armpit, holding him firmly, and lifted him up. The clothes, crafted from a fabric similar to the Emperor's, swayed gently in the wind. Skillfully embracing Yeon Kang with one arm, he allowed Yeon Kang to wrap his arms around his neck. Yeon Kang, without hesitation, made moves that even the Princess would dare not attempt. The Emperor paid no mind.

Placing his foot on the dead fox's head, now buried in the grass, the Emperor pulled out the arrow from its neck in one swift motion. The fox's body trembled faintly, then fell limp. The Emperor's face revealed disgust at the clothes mingled with blood splatter. After the attendant rushed over to clean the blood from his face, the Emperor looked at Yeon Kang with a relaxed expression. Yeon Kang placed both hands on the Emperor's shoulders and looked straight into his eyes. The Emperor smiled, sending an unmistakable gaze of desire. As the Emperor's smile turned openly seductive, Yeon Kang hesitated as if unable to resist, then leaned in and pressed his lips against the Emperor's cheek. A soft sound, like a kiss, echoed. The Emperor laughed brightly with satisfaction, but Yeon Kang blushed with embarrassment and hid his small face on the Emperor's shoulder.

"Ah… the heavens have indeed been gracious." Whispered Taebo, who had been watching them closely with a feather fan covering his mouth. King Jihong, who had been counting the catch of the hunt next to him, chuckled in response. A light shone from his face, reminiscent of his mother with just one smile.

"That's only for the Prince. The Princess would never display such behavior."

Standing at the brink of middle age, Taebo tapped his chin with the fan and spoke up. His eyes, once sharp from roaming the palace, now swept over Yeon Kang.

"Come to think of it, it's been eight years since the Crown Prince ascended to the heavens."

With both the Crown Prince and the Empress deceased, it had been eight years since the Empress's position remained vacant. The Emperor had had four wives, and below them, over ten concubines had come and gone. Whether in the daytime or the night, when the court subtly mentioned the Crown Prince and the Empress, it was only amusing to the Emperor, who responded with laughter and a nod.

Surely, he didn't come out with the intention to make the Prince into the Crown Prince. Taebo thought of the Prince's mother, Lady Borim. Only now had she become a lady, but she was originally just a merchant's daughter. Her background was not to Taebo's liking. He couldn't possibly elevate the daughter of a merchant, attempting to ascend through wealth, to the esteemed position of Empress.

As time passed, Taebo's face took on an eerie transformation. King Jihong, who had been silently observing him, chuckled like the Emperor and said subtly,

"Brother doesn't have such intentions. He clearly distinguishes between politics and personal affairs. No matter how lovely and endearing the Prince may be, he won't make him the Crown Prince."

Having said that, King Jihong turned to look at the Emperor and Yeon Kang. There seemed to be some discord between the previously sweet relationship. Yeon Kang, now sitting hunched over on the ground, covered his face and wept. The Emperor looked at his son's round head as he crouched down.

"You're too much, Abamama. I can't bear to watch. The fox looks so pitiful.... hic, hic...."

"Why are you so displeased about the winter outfit made from fox fur?"

The Emperor chuckled and said, but Yeon Kang shook his head, still covering his face.

"No. I don't like it. I don't like clothes made from that fox!"

The Emperor's face was genuinely puzzled as to why Yeon Kang disliked the outfit made from fox fur. His face was so kind and beautiful that King Jihong, with a hand on his waist, chuckled in disbelief. The Emperor's gaze towards Yeon Kang was incredibly warm.

Perhaps, just perhaps, a sense of dread crept over King Jihong that the Emperor might not be able to distinguish between politics and personal matters.

"...Perhaps the Prince may become the Crown Prince."

Muttering those words, King Jihong glanced at Taebo. Taebo fanned the wind gently, gazing up at the sky. The sky was bright and clear. It was the endless expanse of the sky that ruled over this country. Whether it was through divine intervention or final decisions made by the heavens, one could establish their position, be it Empress or Crown Prince.

"But..."

Taebo, extending his words slightly, met eyes with King Jihong.

"Even if His Majesty were to designate the Prince as the Crown Prince, if the heavens reject it, it would be over, wouldn't it?"

It was as if he desperately wished for it to happen. King Jihong shared the sentiment. He, too, gazed at the sky like Taebo.

"Yes, indeed. If rejected, everything would come to an end."

As their conversation progressed, someone approached from afar, pointing towards the hunting ground. It was one of the Emperor's trusted generals. The general bowed respectfully to King Jihong and Taebo before rushing straight to the Emperor. His face flushed, the general kneeled before the Emperor. The Emperor, who had been cradling Yeon Kang like a baby, frowned slightly as if the sweetness had been interrupted.

"Your Majesty! Princess Jae-rin has passed away before dawn."

"So?"

The Emperor's response was so indifferent that the few officials gathered at the hunting ground, including King Jihong, Taebo, and the general, didn't immediately grasp what they had heard. It wasn't until a slow breeze blew and the news of Princess Jae-rin's death sank in that they understood. Princess Jae-rin had walked the same path as her siblings. King Jihong felt as if he could hear the despair in the consort’s cry from afar, so he touched his ear with his hand as if to confirm.

The general, having delivered the news, was greatly taken aback when the Emperor responded with such calmness. He was so shaken that he couldn't utter a word, a far cry from what one would expect from a well-trained general. The officials, observing the Emperor's solitary happiness while cradling Yeon Kang, were careful not to overstep. They feared that mentioning anything more might endanger their own lives. Taebo, having long withdrawn from politics, observed the Emperor from a distance. He was a guest invited by the Emperor to this gathering, not someone who should intervene.

"Your Majesty, shouldn't you go to your consort?" King Jihong suggested.

"Aren't we currently enjoying the hunt with the child?" The Emperor replied, wiping the moisture off Yeon Kang's cheek with his thumb.

King Jihong gestured with his eyes for the bewildered general to step back. As the general retreated, the officials formed a protective shield around the Emperor.

King Jihong knelt on one knee and raised his hand, his head slightly raised. Although born from the same womb as the Emperor, King Jihong had inherited his mother's gentle demeanor. As the Emperor held out his hand, as if to embrace him, King Jihong summoned the courage to speak.

"Your Majesty, isn't the consort your wife? Perhaps you should go and comfort her..."

"Just because she's upset, should I go and comfort every concubine one by one? If comforting and embracing them is necessary, then why don't you go and do it?"

"Brother!"

King Jihong exclaimed in surprise, then quickly realized his mistake and apologized.

"I've made a grave mistake, Your Majesty. Please forgive me."

The Emperor smiled as if he found it amusing but, being very fond of his younger brother, he gracefully overlooked it. Yeon Kang, taken aback by the conversation between the two, timidly grabbed onto the Emperor's robes, searching for reassurance. Yeon Kang's voice quivered as he addressed the Emperor. The Emperor, with a gentle smile, wiped his own cheek against Yeon Kang's.

"How adorable you are. Hm? You're so cute that I wish I could carry you around in my pocket. Your father can't resist you."

Jae-rin and Yeon Kang were indeed siblings by blood. Even if one were to disregard their positions, lineage, and power, it was natural for a father to have some affection for his deceased child. What father could remain unaffected upon hearing of their child's death? King Jihong, bewildered by his elder brother's strange behavior, continued speaking almost inadvertently.

"Your Majesty, don't you want to see the Princess who has returned to heaven at least once? She may not be as beloved as the Prince, but she is still your child."

King Jihong's voice grew weaker as his tone became increasingly mournful. The Emperor's demeanor was as solid and cold as ice, making it impossible for him to continue. Thoughts of his grieving wife, who had wept sorrowfully while holding their deceased child, crossed King Jihong's mind. She had cried like a wild animal, trying to crawl to their child, only to be restrained by the palace attendants. She had pushed them away and attempted to reach their child, already buried in the darkness.

She denied the truth, crying out, "No! My daughter couldn't have died! No, no...! My baby! My baby!"

The one who comforted her was the Emperor, who witnessed her agony as she mourned their daughter's funeral. The Emperor rushed to her side, embracing her as she cried like a child in the arms of a father who did not love her. The Emperor held her silently, looking as if he were annoyed as he gazed into the empty space.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... Ahhh... Even the heavens are indifferent... Why did they take only this servant’s child so pitifully? If this precious gift was to be given, it should not have been taken away! Why make me realize its value? If you didn't love it at all... if it hadn't been born at all... Your Majesty, Your Majesty...! My child...!"

"Enough."

The Emperor spoke firmly as he looked at the disheveled face of the consort, who had cried so much.

"The child is already dead. Let it go. The heavens must have had a reason to take them."

The consort laughed amidst her tears. Laughter mixed with tears like that of a person afflicted with madness. The laughter turned back into tears afflicted with madness. The Emperor couldn't console her. He realized that the sorrow of losing a child was something that could never be eased, and he stepped back. His gaze remained unchanged. He had never been interested in the first place.

Just thinking about that day brings a slight pain to his heart, but the Emperor showed no signs of it at all. Should he withdraw like this? King Jihong sighed and closed his eyes. He felt deeply sorry for the consort, who was alone in the palace, drowning in her sadness.

"Your Majesty, did Princess Jae-rin return to the heavens?"

Kang, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between King  Jihong and the Emperor, asked. The eyes of King Jihong and the Emperor both shot toward the child-like arrows. Sensing the sharp gaze, Yeon Kang shrunk his shoulders and burrowed into the Emperor's arms. Due to his memories of being scolded in the palace, Yeon Kang was sensitive to sharp gazes.

The Emperor glared at King Jihong. King Jihong bit his lip and lowered his head. He felt uncomfortable being overshadowed by Yeon Kang, but he couldn't rashly step forward because the consort’s situation overlapped with his.

"Did Princess Jae-rin really return to the heavens?" Kang's eyes were moist. His whimpering seemed like it would soon turn into real tears, but Kang held back his tears.

Looking straight into the Emperor's eyes, Kang mumbled, "I hope Abamama is by her side... When your son [1]was sick, it was very comforting when Abamama was there, and Princess Jae-rin would have felt the same."

"Even though Jae-rin has already gone to heaven?"

The emperor mentioned intentionally returning to heaven. Yeon Kang's tender shoulders stiffened. It was always something he felt, but Kang was deeply saddened by death. He was an unnecessarily affectionate child. His temperament, unsuitable for palace life, resembled a young beauty's. Yeon Song, just one year older than Yeon Kang, didn't even blink at death. Suddenly, the emperor recalled a few memories of Yeon Song going hunting, and he chuckled.

"Do I really need to carry you in my pocket?"

"What?"

Yeon Kang asked, widening his already large eyes. The emperor shook his head. The emperor had been looking at King Jihong's back, who had been on the ground all along, and then he moved his body. The emperor seated Yeon Kang on the saddle first, then smoothly mounted behind the child. He held Yeon Kang's small body firmly with his long and strong arms, took the reins, and said,

"We're going to the consort."

"Your Majesty...."

King Jihong lifted his face with a touched expression. Seeing someone grieving over Princess Jae-rin's death now looking so pleased, the emperor narrowed his eyes with a strange feeling. Standing up and looking at King Jihong, who was about to mount, he muttered like a sulking child.

"If anyone sees, they'll think you're Hyeon-bi's husband."

Leaving these words behind, the emperor took Yeon Kang and left the hunting ground. King Jihong scrunched his handsome face at the unfamiliar treatment.

[1] soja

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