In a place where the Eunwoo Gate stood, the face of the highest-hung King of Man Country swayed in the wind, battered by rain until it resembled shoddy leather. His eyes had long been pecked away by birds. One ear was torn and ragged, either eaten by beasts or torn off by soldiers. His gray hair, hanging down like corn silk, had lost its vitality and turned brittle. Yet, perhaps fearing the king's loneliness, the Emperor had severed parts of the heads and bodies of the servants corresponding to the king's rank and hung them around his head. Since it was a custom in Yeon, the people had no choice but to accept the sight of severed heads or body parts without fear. They shrugged their shoulders, accepting the Emperor's cruelty as greatness. Violence was power, and those trampled under power were mere losers, so it was more natural to laugh at them.
Kang felt uneasy at the sight. His eyes showed incomprehension at the cruelty inflicted upon the corpses, whose souls had long departed. Perhaps fearing that Kang would be frightened, the Emperor watched from the side, ready to cover Kang's eyes with his hand and hold him close to his chest when his face turned pale. It was a gesture that said Kang didn't need to see, and Kang seemed to have waited for that, relaxing his body and staying still. His pounding heart was soothed by the Emperor's hand.
But today, Kang was different. He remained composed even when faced with the corpses. He showed no reaction as he watched the Man-guk’s[1] people being dragged out from under the awning as if they were prey. Kang, who would have embraced them under normal circumstances, felt a subtle disappointment at the change in Kang's demeanor in just one day. The Emperor quietly admired the slightly shorter sleeves of his usual attire. He couldn't believe how the innocent child who used to cry in fear at the sight of prey during hunts had grown up to be like this.
The Emperor's gaze fell on Kang. Kang, who would have smiled brightly at the Emperor in the past, now simply looked ahead or gave a curt greeting to the Emperor. It was a strange greeting. A deep valley formed between the Emperor's eyebrows, and a low chuckle escaped his twisted lips.
When the Emperor, who usually enjoyed hunting, revealed his discomfort with a poker face, even the surrounding concubines looked around cautiously. Gyeonghye’s mother the Emperor somewhat favored, gently struck up a conversation with the Emperor, casting a meaningful glance.
"Your Majesty, today is a very auspicious day. The sun is warm, and the breeze is refreshing. Isn't it a blessing from the heavens on Your Majesty's birthday?"
"Perhaps it is."
The Emperor pushed away the concubine's hand forcefully and stood up. The concubine took a step back, slightly frightened, and stood behind the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, is there something wrong with event today? It seems that you're more agitated than usual..."
"Don't bother me with trivial matters."
The Emperor finally looked down at the concubine, his voice chilling. A crack appeared in his normally composed face. Although he occasionally scolded the concubine, it was usually in private. In front of others, the Emperor always forced himself to smile, considering the concubine's dignity.
But today, the Emperor openly displayed his irritation. Lately, the concubine who frequently visited the Emperor's bed cautiously approached, but even she flinched at the Emperor's irritated gaze. She hesitantly muttered, "I-I can't do it. I'm sorry, I just can't," and walked towards the area where more than twenty concubines were gathered. Yeo Soo-eui was there. The concubine looked embarrassed.
"Younger sister."
"Yes, Sister."
As they were both serving the same husband, the two who had formed a close bond spoke in hushed voices. The concubine cautiously expressed her apologies. Se reached down and took the hand of Yeo Soo-eui wearing a ring and whispered in her ear.
"I'm sorry, but how about making a request to King Yeonghyeon? His Majesty seems to be in a bad mood. If he goes and embrace him once, perhaps His Majesty's anger will subside."
"My son, King Yeonghyeon, is not His Majesty's concubine."
When she managed to barely suppress her discomfort and pushed that last sentence deep down, a thunderous scream erupted. Yeo Soo-eui’s pale face turned towards the source of the sound. There lay a concubine who received the Emperor's love. She was nothing more than a concubine, but she had borne the Emperor's child. Perhaps she had approached with confidence that she could control the Emperor, but the result was a complete failure. The Emperor forcefully pushed away the concubine who approached him for comfort, causing her to fall to the ground.
"Your Majesty!"
The woman's chin hit the ground, and her beautifully made-up face twisted in agony as she looked at the Emperor. She had been about to provoke the Emperor, but now her lips were tightly sealed. Blood was dripping from the Emperor's cheek. It was very thin, but definitely blood. The woman slowly lowered her face and brushed her fingertips against it. The Emperor's blood stained her slightly long nails.
The Emperor's hand moved slowly to wipe away the blood. Like the woman, the Emperor checked the wound and then smiled subtly. His face changed as quickly as if he had put on a mask, but his eyes remained dark and ominous like a deep cave in the forest. Trembling sweetly, the woman prostrated herself on the ground under the Emperor's wrathful gaze.
"How dare you injure the Emperor?"
Only the sound of birds flapping their wings was heard in the vast hunting ground where there were over a hundred people. The Emperor's anger grew stronger as the wind blew. Whoever shed the Emperor's blood, regardless of their status, faced death. She had to pay for her crime with her life.
She knew it was futile, yet she tried to move her lips to ask for forgiveness. But when she saw the Emperor's hand moving on the hilt of his sword, she trembled in fear like a person afflicted with a plague, her face turning pale and her lips trembling purple. Watching her, Kang furrowed his brow.
Her crime was so obvious that there was no point in defending her.
"You dare to stand here arrogantly, just looking at the Emperor's wrath? Look here! Bring the daughter of this woman here!"
Kang reflexively looked at the Emperor. The Emperor was genuinely furious. Kang knew why he was angry, but this went too far.
"Oppa!"
A small voice flew into his ear like a dart. Kang turned his head. Hwayeong, her younger sister, was clinging to Kang's clothes.
[1] Guk. Meaning country, nation