After a lackluster and perfunctory intimacy with Lady Yeo, the Emperor moved to the Yakryejeon[1]. As he lifted the bejeweled curtain hanging at the entrance, he stopped in his tracks, seeing someone already waiting for him inside. Silently smiling, he turned his head. His silver hair, tied and draped over his shoulder, swayed with the graceful movement, reminiscent of the moonlight shimmering on a night lake. The Emperor commanded the attendants who followed him to leave. Bowing their heads and sweating nervously, they reluctantly retreated, fully aware that the Emperor should never be left alone.
However, the Emperor's sharp, frosty glare made them retreat slowly, revealing their reluctance. The Emperor chuckled at their hesitant withdrawal, a dry laugh that dissolved into the soft rustle of his robes.
"It has been a while," he said softly.
Before the Emperor knelt King Jihong, the Grand Physician, the High Priest, and a Westerner. They prostrated themselves and greeted him with loud reverence.
"Greetings to the Heavenly Emperor."
The Emperor, finding their formal greeting tiresome, sat on his chair and slammed the armrest. The Yakryejeon fell silent instantly, a silence broken only by the Emperor himself. Leaning back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, he gazed at the trembling figures and spoke.
"Let’s get straight to the point. I’m in a good mood, having just finished an important matter."
King Jihong, kneeling on the far left, was the first to raise his head. With a steady hand, he pointed to the Westerner he had brought from afar.
"Your Majesty, this is Galasius, a renowned physician from the West. I brought him because he claims to have invented a potion capable of allowing men to conceive."
"This better not be a lie," the Emperor said, his previously languid eyes now focused sharply on the Westerner. Galasius shivered under the Emperor’s intense scrutiny. Sensing the need for reassurance, King Jihong spoke to the Westerner in his native tongue.
[The Emperor seeks confirmation that this is not a lie. Show him what you have brought.]
[Understood.]
Stripped of all belongings and weapons, Galasius was keenly aware of the tense atmosphere in Yakryejeon. He had seen the unusually well-built people of Yeon, but the Emperor was the most imposing among them. Despite his ethereal face, which seemed almost otherworldly, his physique was striking. His broad, well-defined shoulders, long limbs, and large hands were fitting for one who had inherited the superior blood of a wolf. The rumors of him transforming into a beast as large as a tiger were not hard to believe. Though the Emperor had no visible weapons, Galasius could not feel at ease.
The Emperor himself was a weapon. A single bite in his wolf form, and it would all be over. Had he not torn his own kin to pieces as a wolf? Galasius, recalling the terrifying tales of the Emperor even in the West, cautiously retrieved an herb from his bosom. This herb, only available in his homeland, could make even a man conceive by creating a uterus inside him.
[If this herb is consumed continuously for three to four years, a uterus will form. To be safe, you should administer it once a day until conception. Once the first child is conceived, the uterus will have formed properly, and implantation will have occurred, so you can be assured.]
King Jihong translated these words verbatim for the Emperor. The Emperor gestured toward the Grand Physician with a nod of his chin.
"He already understands. Explain the details to the Grand Physician—how to brew it, the proper dosage. That’s his job."
King Jihong nodded. The Emperor, appearing bored, took a delicately prepared tobacco and lit it. The smoke spread thickly through Yakryejeon, creating a hazy cloud. The smoke gently brushed against the Emperor’s long eyelashes. As the cloud dissipated, leaving only a lingering trail, King Jihong finished speaking with a satisfied smile.
However, the Grand Physician’s face was filled with confusion, and his body trembled slightly. He couldn’t understand why they were discussing a man’s ability to conceive. The Emperor had never shown interest in men; he was completely enamored with women.
Why was the Emperor going to such lengths, spending three to four years creating a uterus in a man, even bringing someone from the distant West? Moreover, there was no man the Emperor loved. The Grand Physician’s mind was a whirlwind of questions, and he felt a surge of confusion so intense it made him nauseous. His wrinkled lips quivered as he spoke.
"Your Majesty, may I speak with Your Majesty?"
The Emperor slowly turned his eyes to the Grand Physician. Setting down the tobacco, his lips curled into a strange smile—joyful, wistful, or perhaps longing. The peculiar smile made the Grand Physician’s eyes waver.
"Who is the man Your Majesty desires? And why do you wish to impregnate him with your seed? I cannot understand. Administering this herb to someone whose name and face we do not even know to induce pregnancy…."
"You know him well. Do not worry."
The Emperor shrugged lightly, smiling.
"It is the son of this Emperor, Kang."
"King Yeonghyeon, Your Majesty?"
The Grand Physician’s face reflected utter bewilderment. He turned his head to look at King Jihong and the Westerner. The Westerner, not understanding Yeon language, only blinked blankly. King Jihong, who was in on the plan, remained indifferent. The Grand Physician, frowning at King Jihong's composure, turned back to the Emperor, lips moving wordlessly. The Emperor, predicting the confusion enveloping the Grand Physician, half-closed his eyes and interlocked his fingers.
Secrets are no longer secrets once shared by another’s lips. Inevitably, the truth would come to light. If so, letting one or two trusted individuals know in advance was of no consequence.
This matter would be recorded by history anyway. Resolving his internal conflict quickly, the Emperor straightened his posture and gazed at the Grand Physician. The Grand Physician swallowed hard, awed by the Emperor’s dignified bearing. His actions revealed no pretense; every movement reflected his true intent.
"The Son of Heaven is in love with his son."
"Your Majesty…!"
The Grand Physician's voice cracked with despair. Memories of the young Kang flickered before his eyes. He remembered watching Kang walk slowly, holding the Emperor’s large hand, with the Emperor looking back fondly. In those moments, the Emperor seemed like any other father. When he adjusted his pace to match his son’s and smiled gently at Kang, the atmosphere was sweet, like a cat’s swaying tail.
But now, he couldn’t comprehend how things had come to this. Overwhelmed by the unexpected truth, the Grand Physician found himself in a state of utter despair as the Emperor approached. The shadow cast by the Emperor’s towering figure enveloped him, but he couldn’t blink or move. It was as if his mind had abandoned him.
The Emperor knelt on one knee, the other raised, and without hesitation, struck the Grand Physician across his aged cheek. The blow brought the old man back to his senses, blood trickling from his mouth. But the Emperor didn’t stop. He struck again, and blood flowed freely from both corners of the Grand Physician’s mouth like rivers. Only when the Grand Physician, subdued by the violence, seemed fully conscious did the Emperor smile.
"Get a grip. Do you wish to lose your head in this palace? It wouldn’t matter if it were just your life, but what about your daughters? Your sons? If you want to see them dismembered before your eyes, go ahead and lose your mind. But know this: the moment you lose control and act recklessly, you will watch your children die in agony before you meet the same fate."
"S-spare me… Please, Your Majesty. I, Wu Hyangju, have lived solely for you all these years!"
"Then continue to place your trust in the Son of Heaven. Listen to his words, watch only him, and follow only his commands."
The Emperor’s words were absolute. The Grand Physician, trembling and bloodied, nodded fervently. The Emperor’s gaze was cold and unyielding, a stark contrast to the warmth he showed his son. It was clear: the Son of Heaven’s will was law, and defiance was not an option.
The Emperor gently caressed the Grand Physician's cheek, a stark contrast to the harsh blows that had nearly shattered his spirit moments ago. It was hard to believe that the same person who had awakened him from near oblivion could now show such tenderness. The Grand Physician recalled the habits he had honed over the years living in the palace—never showing fear, always meeting the Emperor's gaze directly. The Emperor, pleased that the Grand Physician did not reject him despite his initial fear, smiled warmly and settled back into his chair.
Tapping his chin lightly, the Emperor spoke with a fresh and sweet voice, "Three or four years... it's the perfect time. Kang is sixteen now, so in four years, he will be of age. That should be suitable for his inauguration. Don't you think so?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," the Grand Physician replied through gritted teeth. This matter concerned not only himself but also his family—his grandson born of his daughter-in-law, the grandson his son had fathered... Thinking of their faces, the Grand Physician couldn't hold back tears. At the end of it all, Kang remained.
"Bring the medicine," the Emperor said, looking at the Grand Physician with a bright smile.
"Until Kang safely bears a child, this secret is to be shared only between you and the Son of Heaven. If this secret leaks out and Kang finds out and escapes..."
The Emperor let out a laugh and playfully tapped his own head with his index finger before sliding down to point at his throat.
"Be wise."
His hand seemed to convey a clear message: if you don't want to die. Trembling with fear, the Grand Physician swallowed hard and pledged his loyalty. The Emperor sighed satisfactorily and glanced at the herbs. How many months had been spent acquiring this medicine... but the fruit it bore was sweet indeed.
The emperor looked down at his hands, realizing how precious and valuable the fruit he had truly gained was. Countless times, he had already envisioned this moment in his mind. Kang's stomach never seemed to subside; its fullness was not for the child but for the emperor himself. Despite expressing pain, when the emperor embraced him, Kang came and kissed the emperor's lips gracefully. He closed the open gap where the seed was spilling out, gently covering it with his palm. Feeling it was a pity, he took some seeds directly and placed them inside.
"Abamama, enough now..."
He pitifully stopped the pleading lips with his own.
"This is troublesome. Delusions are getting worse."
The sighing emperor looked at the swelling penis and smiled bitterly. It seemed impossible to continue embracing Kang as lovingly as he truly wished in this situation.
He will have to wait until those priests tell him he will be a concubine. The Emperor was very patient. He frowned and touched the armrest with his index finger.
It troubled him deeply that Gyeonghye didn't die. He should have ensured his death…The issue lay in Kang’s discovery of this. He never thought they'd find him near King Yeonghyeon's palace. With a cold expression, the Emperor contemplated his thoughts.
So, should he try to kill the remaining children in another way? There were countless ways. He thought of the empress, whom he had killed first with his own hands. The Empress Dowager brought her as her daughter-in-law, saying she liked her, but then she became greedy and stupid, surpassing her greed. The Empress was his[2], the Emperor could not be the Empress's[3], but she considered the Emperor as his own man[4]. It was then that the Emperor decided to kill her. He conspired with the Empress Dowager to kill his beloved concubine and her son.
The Emperor poisoned the Empress so that the Empress Dowager could no longer use her hands. Then, he burned down the palace where she lived. He also had the child follow the same path as the mother, so that she wouldn't be lonely. Now, the Emperor, thinking about the child who had completely disappeared from his memories, looked at King Jihong with a smiling face.
"We need to build a new central palace worthy of Kang."
"We should prioritize hiring laborers, shouldn't we?"
"Time doesn't matter. We need to build the most beautiful palace befitting Kang. Additionally, since Kang likes animals, we should build a nearby garden and a separate flower garden for him. If a child is born, there will need to be a place for them to play as well."
Since he would not be able to leave anyway once he becomes the Empress, he planned to create a beautiful and small world as a gift. Kang would live inside there for his entire life, with the Emperor and the child the Emperor would have with him.
King Jihong let out a bitter laugh as he imagined Kang being locked away in the most luxurious and comfortable prison in the entire Yeon Kingdom. His heart ached as the young nephew's life began to feel strange, but he paid no mind.
[1] Medicinal Hall
[2] The Empress becomes his property
[3] The empress cannot have the emperor solely
[4] This means that she considers him as her own, being possessive about it, I think
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Poor, poor Kang.