CH 14.1

The emperor strengthened his grip on the armrests as he was now fuming. Meanwhile, Eunuch Oh, who turned anxious, calmly spoke to him.

“Your Majesty, would His Highness Yeonbin really do all of this to get under your skin?”

“Yeah, I’m sure of it. I know him too well.”

Yihan sent a fiery gaze in the air as if Yeonbin was in front of him, and soon rose up from his seat because he couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Alright. I’ll fall for your brilliant scheme this once.”

His stride was so fast that Eunuch Oh was made to nearly run only to follow him. 

“We-we will go to Jeongan Palace! Hurry up and prepare the palanquin!”

Eunuch Oh’s voice resonated loudly in front of Cheonggeon Hall. Meanwhile, the emperor already walked far enough as if waiting for the palanquin was frustrating.

I see that you’re doing everything you can since you know I won’t visit you in a normal way. Yihan bit his lips while sneering at Yeonbin inside. 

The emperor made up his mind to take off Yeonbin’s absurd mask for sure today. 

***

“The flowers are blooming beautifully.”

A radiant smile was shown on Hwawoon’s face. It was thanks to the colorful flowers that filled the garden in Jeongan Palace. Hwawoon, who felt uncomfortable to come out ever since the Suhwawon’s incident, was taking a stroll while looking at the garden inside Jeongan Palace. 

Although the emperor stopped visiting Jeongan Palace because it became Yeonbin’s residence for now, in the past, this palace was specially built for the favored male concubine by the reigning emperor at that time. Not to mention the grandeur of the size, every corner of it was remarkably beautiful. It was such a feasible thing to guess how much the emperor’s affection for the concubine at that time was.

The male concubine, who got such a grand affection, died from a disease because he had a weak body and left the emperor earlier. Nevertheless, the emperor didn’t bestow this palace to other concubines because he couldn’t forget him until his last day. Not only that, in his last moment, he even left a special meaning to this place through a will that this palace could only be given to male concubines.

Even now, there was a saying that this palace was the only thing that the other concubines coveted from Yeonbin, so there was no need to discuss more about the excellence of Jeongan Palace.

In addition, this time was a moment when spring was at its peak. All kinds of flowers and trees in Jeongan Palace’s garden were boasting their appearance. This showed how deep the heart of the emperor of that time was dedicated to the one called his lover.

“All of you managed this place nicely.”

Said Hwawoon, while taking a look at the court ladies around him. 

The young court ladies dared not to raise their heads to look at their master. The elegance that emanated from his voice, which they never felt even once, made them anxious of whether they should be afraid or not.

“This one… what kind of flower is this?”

“Th-that is purple magnolia, Your Highness…”

“Ah… I see it is named purple magnolia because of its color…”

Hwawoon had known about white magnolia since he often saw it in spring, but this was the first time he knew there was magnolia with this kind of color. 

How come this has such a beautiful color when no one would have colored this? He was so fascinated that he stared at its petals for a long time. Then, he lowered his head a bit to smell the scent of purple magnolia that bloomed from a short branch, and touched the tip of his nose to its petal.

At that moment, the court ladies unconsciously raised their heads because they were so surprised with how their master stood near them without reserve and nonchalantly asked them questions.  Then, gasps flowed out of their mouths.

The face of the one who was standing under the purple magnolia that bloomed splendidly—closing his eyes elegantly while flashing a gentle smile—to smell the scent of the flower was evoking an emotion that was hard to describe.

Which one was the flower and which one was the human? The beautiful person was in front of them, but they couldn’t believe he was their master that harassed them all this time and treated them harshly. They could only silently watch their master’s face while holding their breath because they couldn’t know how they should express this alien yet entrancing feeling they felt now. 

At the same time, 

“Now I see that you’re really enjoying this.”

A sharp voice broke the peaceful atmosphere. Hwawoon turned his head because he was so surprised, and there,

“Here comes His Majesty the Emperor!”

along with a late shout from Eunuch Oh, stood the emperor.

***

TN: Purple magnolia = Magnolia liliiflora. I used purple only to match the next sentence.