III. (1/1)

t h r e e(time leap once again. Also, refer to glossary for honorifics/titles.) --Year 1723 Empress Dowager Jyehyun furrows her eyebrows and sighs in despair. The news of the Queen being sterile is ominous news for the Imperial Palace. Chief State Councillor Kwon Junghyun sits across from the Empress, his last words ringing through the air. “Daebi-mama,” He continues, pressing for a response from the Empress to his suggestion. “It is a shame that the Queen cannot bear a prince for the future of Joseon, but we certainly must bring in a highborn candidate immediately for the King to marry. If the news of the Queen being infertile goes around, it will bring no good to both the King and the Kingdom, daebi-mama.”  The Empress nods slowly after a few seconds, realizing the urgency of what the Chief State had said. “That’s true. Queen Jiyeon has gone through a lot. We should bring in a new noblewoman for the King. Do you have any candidate in mind?”Kwon Junghyun bows his head slightly, “Yes, daebi-mama. I do in fact have someone particular in mind that would meet the demands as expected of a Royal Noble Consort.”“And who is that, councillor?”“Her name is Kwon Yuri, and she is actually my niece,” Junghyun pauses before continuing, “She is highly educated and is also the sister of General Kwon Jiyong.”Empress Jyehyun nods her head again, this time in approval. “I would like to meet her. Invite her to the Palace tomorrow, and we’ll see how things proceed from there.”Kwon Junghyun bows his head again, a smile of triumph on his face. “Yes, daebi-mama.”     “Jungjeon, are you alright?”The Queen snaps out from her thoughts, her gaze falling on the King sitting beside her. Her visit to the Empress Dowager a few hours ago remains fresh in her mind, and as she continues to look at her husband, a feeling of guilt begins to form in her heart. “I’m sorry, jeonha.”Yunho raises a brow. “Why are you apologizing?” The answer dawns on him when Jiyeon stays quiet, her gaze now on the ground. “You shouldn’t feel sorry, jungjeon. This is fate, it’s not as if you’d known…”“Still, I feel sorry for eomeo-mama* and you, jeonha.” Jiyeon sighs. “But it’s okay, I’m sure Lady Kwon will be able to fulfil what I can’t—““Jiyeon,” The Queen immediately stops talking upon hearing her name. Yunho places his hands over hers gently. “It doesn’t matter to me. You’ll still be my wife. And the Queen of Joseon. Nothing’s going to change that.”  “I’ve let everyone down. I hope Lady Kwon will be able to conceive a prince, then everything will be alright,” The Queen smiles weakly, “I met her just now with eomeo-mama, and she seems like a sweet person.”It is Yunho’s turn to sigh. He was informed of the sudden marriage arrangement by the Empress Dowager only just\a few moments ago. He has not even met this Lady Kwon yet and that thought disturbs his conscience. While it is perfectly normal for a King to have multiple consorts, Yunho prefers not to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors, devoting his full love and attention on Jiyeon alone.“Jeonha, are you upset that eomeo-mama did not consult your opinion before arranging the marriage?”There is a slight pause before Yunho replies, “Whatever eomeo-mama has arranged, I will comply.”     Yunho frowns and massages his temple. There are so many things running through his mind that he cannot concentrate on the official documents on his table. He heaves a sigh and noticing that, his loyal and most trusted confidant, Chief Eunuch Kim, glances at him worriedly. “Jeonha, if you're tired, maybe you should rest,” “I’m not tired, sangseon. I’m just…there's too many things running through my mind right now,” Yunho looks away gloomily.“You should not keep your troubles to yourself, jeonha. Do you want to find someone to share your troubles with, jeonha? Maybe Sooyoung-gongju? I can check if gongju-nim is available for you to talk with?”Yunho quickly shakes his head, “No, it’s okay. She’s probably busy with her own things.”Chief Eunuch bows his head and gives no response, pitying the young King for having to go through all his problems alone. Yunho's thoughts wander for a few minutes before a sudden memory invades his mind. Unknowingly, a smile finds its way onto his face as he beams at the memory he once cherished so fondly. “I wonder if she’s alright…” Yunho mumbles, earning a questioning look from his Eunuch. The King looks at the Eunuch that has taken care of him since he was young, and he motions him forward. “Sangseon, I can trust you with anything right?”“Of course, jeonha.”“There is something I want you to do for me quietly,” Yunho smiles slightly as he quickly scribbles something onto an empty piece of paper before folding it into half. “Can you secretly go to the Royal Kitchen, and pass this to a gungnyeo by the name of Kwon BoA?”Chief Eunuch Kim’s eyes widen, but he questions nothing and meekly nods his head. He bows again before taking the paper from the King’s hand.“Do not tell her it’s from me. Maybe you can pass this to another person and ask that person to pass it to her, alright?”“Ye, Jeonha.”     BoA stares at the note she received for the umpteenth time, wondering who the sender was. The gungnyeo who passed the note to her merely shrugged when asked who it was from, saying that another gungnyeo from the sewing department handed it to her, asking her to deliver this note to BoA in the royal kitchen. BoA was bewildered that the note contains just one sentence, asking her to meet at a certain place in the Palace. When she showed the note to Yeonhee, the latter had gasped and speculated that maybe BoA had a secret admirer she never knew of. Yeonhee tried to convince her friend not to go as she would be breaking rules, but to no avail. The stubborn friend of hers had insisted that she would be careful not to get caught. “Choi sanggung-mama will kill you if you were caught, you know that!”“But I have to go, Yeonhee, I am curious. I’ll be extra careful.” The conversation she had with her friend lingers in her mind, and as the meeting time slowly approaches, BoA can feel her heart pounding faster and faster. As she stays hidden behind the pillar of a hut, the sky slowly darkens with each passing second.  It was the soft sound of approaching footsteps that made the gungnyeo peek out from her hiding place, only for her to gasp out loud when her eyes fall upon the distinctive gold-embroidered red robes, worn only by one man in the country. “Jeonha?” Her eyes turn as large as saucers as she slowly pulls herself away from the pillar she has been leaning onto.Yunho’s face breaks into a grin when he sees his old friend.     “I’m sorry, jungjeon-mama, jeonha is not in his residence,” Chief Eunuch Kim informs as he bows respectfully towar