Chapter 123

The emperor's decision was in line with Ruhae's request to abandon his name, but he was still nervous. Deleting his name had plenty of room to be interpreted in many ways.

He tightened his grip on her hands. Lying face down, she didn't move.

There were numerous numbers of cases in his head during that short silence. All the royal family members present in Daejon couldn't think straight, at a loss about how to interpret his ruling.

At that moment the emperor declared, "Carry out their capital punishment as soon as the day breaks tomorrow."

Capital punishment!

Ruhae closed her eyes quickly. The emperor's ruling was clear.

"Your Majesty!"

"Please forgive their sin!"

The three women who came forward to plead for his forgiveness raised their voices, but he ignored their petition. It seemed he never paid attention to their request.

"Tomorrow we're going to celebrate Dohwan Taehwanggun's third birthday and his crowning ceremony as the heir to the next emperor, so carry out my order quickly and secretly."

He looked around Daejeon. And as soon as his gaze turned to a woman, she got up and opened her mouth with a clear voice.

"I'm going to go back to my parents' house outside the palace."

It was Yomin, Ruhae's official wife.

While the three women supported Ruhae and Kyosul, they didn't care about her at all. Although they were begging the emperor to let them leave the palace, they couldn't look at her. In fact, they couldn't afford to think about her.

Although she was forgotten by all, with the man she served as her husband and another woman officially recognized as a couple, she did not seem sad at all.

She was so cool as if she didn't care at all.

She seemed to have already forgotten Prince Ruhae.

"It is Prince Ruhae, not me, who has gone against the moral law of family relationship. And it is also Prince Ruhae, not me, who has ended our relationship as husband and wife."

The emperor nodded and said, "You're right, but you can't leave the palace."

"I don't have any reason to stay at the Imperial Palace as a princess. Please dispose me as a princess."

Even facing the emperor, she spoke clearly without fear, but his reply to her pert request was was totally unexpected.

"I won't dispose you as a princess."

She, who faced him confidently without trembling, wiggled her eyebrows.

She protested as if she could not understand at all, "How can a princess exist without her prince?"

The name of Ruhae was supposed to be deleted from the royal lineage. It made no sense for her to remain as his wife.

"Just like you said, you are not to blame at all for all this. Why should I depose you?"

"I don't want to serve a prince who has betrayed the morality of family relationship. I've given up on him. I'd like to be relieved of my position as a princess for my refusal to serve him. I can't recognize him as my husband."

Yomin looked at Ruhae sharply. After showing her hatred of him for a moment, she begged the emperor.

"I don't care when I will be recorded as a deposed princess. I just want to leave the palace. Please grant my request!"

The emperor looked at her, stroking his chin with the back of his index finger.

"I recognize your strong courage!"

Opening his mouth belatedly, he praised Yomin and issued a brief order.

"I grant your request!"

"I'm so grateful for your decision. Please allow me to leave the palace without observing Dohwan's crowning ceremony. As soon as the day breaks tomorrow morning, I'll leave the palace."

After bowing to the emperor, Yomin sat down again quietly.

In no time, Ruhae's fate was decided. The whole meeting, which lasted less than 15 minutes, was awfully heavy and choking.

Perhaps because they knew the emperor's decision on Yomin, or perhaps because they confirmed her existence that they had forgotten up to then, even those who supported Ruhae and Kyosul didn't open their mouth now. There were none who would come forward to beg the emperor to lessen the punishment. Nobody couldn't do so in front of Yomin.

Silence in Daejon became longer. It was only the emperor who could break the silence.

"I will not talk about the birth of Dohwan anymore. Crown Prince Bipaan will be in charge of Prince Ruhae and the Crown Prince's execution."

He firmly reaffirmed his decision.

The controversy flared up like gust and rocked the imperial family was ended perfectly.