Chapter 63
Meisa seemed to agree with those words but didn’t show it.
“He certainly was a man who gave off a mysterious feeling. But that’s probably because we don’t know much about him. There’s no reason for Your Majesty, who holds the world, to think deeply about it.”
Meisa looked around Museolwon as if there was something even stranger.
“But where did all the Choi family members disappear to?”
Kim Seon, who had crossed his arms, made a pondering face.
“There are records that the Choi family found royal life uncomfortable. Therefore, they disappeared after handing over the throne. This is my intuition, but judging from records that my father requested political funds from this Mu-yeong fellow, the Choi family’s wealth seems to be held by this man called Mu-yeong, who is an agent.”
Meisa’s enchanting eyes narrowed.
“No owners, only guests… It’s a strange affair. Is it because the owners who dislike being tied down left their house? Well, I think it’s a good thing either way.”
Meisa carefully examined the flower buds on the tree branches. Petals just before blooming were clustered like fruit. Soon she ruthlessly crushed the flower buds between her thumb and index finger, smelling the fragrance as she spoke.
“Then if we discover rebellious intentions from this man called Mu-yeong during this opportunity, it would actually be a good thing. Wouldn’t it become a chance to find the Choi family’s enormous wealth and recover it to the national treasury? Your Majesty would only need to appease the angry scholars with those funds and focus on stabilizing people’s livelihood.”
Considering the private soldiers of the Choi family throughout the eight provinces, it was a naive scheme. However, if the justification was properly established, it wasn’t impossible. A dizzying smile appeared on Kim Seon’s face, which was particularly dark against the backlighting.
***
Three days passed slowly like winter.
During that time, Yuseol lived holding her breath in Mu-yeong’s study. She ate the food Myoyeon brought and observed the outside situation through the windows.
Kim Seon appeared from time to time. He seemed sensitive to the unfamiliar environment but appeared to have leisure to enjoy the scenery.
That was incomprehensible.
How could he give poison to someone who had stayed by his side for a long time and be fine? If he committed even worse acts, would he continue to live well? Was he also prepared to find and execute the surviving Han family members and her sister? Yuseol’s heart boiled endlessly then grew cold.
Today was particularly quiet. She leaned against the bedroom window wall and only listened to sounds seeping through the door gap. Every time the men’s unrestrained footsteps grew louder, she felt the illusion that the dark study was collapsing.
How long had she suffered like that?
Signs of presence sounded from the study door. Yuseol, who was in the bedroom attached to the study, urgently crawled to examine the door gap. A man’s shadow was cast on the changho door painted with plum blossoms. When Yuseol heard her heart pounding as if it would burst, the door opened.
Myoyeon entered. From him came a clean and peaceful atmosphere like other days.
Yuseol wiped the cold sweat beaded on her forehead with her sleeve and let out a sigh of relief. The soul that had escaped through her teeth was returning.
“Ahh….”
Myoyeon slightly opened the bedroom door and entered, then quickly closed it and whispered.
“My lady, I’ve prepared some food.”
He placed the bowls he had brought on the meal tray and spread out a silk wrapping cloth. Along with the savory smell of sesame oil, two small rice balls were placed in the bowl.
“I put beef and dried radish inside. It digests well and will whet your appetite.”
Yuseol held chopsticks with hands that had grown thin over the past few days and began eating the rice balls. Her mouth was dry, making it hard to swallow, but she wanted to endure even if she had to struggle.
“Smelling the sesame oil makes me feel better. The taste is really good too.”
Myoyeon looked at Yuseol with satisfaction, then used a stick to remove the kettle that had been boiling on the brazier. Then he poured tea into a teacup and calmly watched the rising steam.
“Seeing you eat well makes me feel good. Actually, I was a bit depressed because I couldn’t come here often. During those times, I spent time caring for Yeon that you entrusted to me.”
Myoyeon’s kind eyes became gloomy as if they had lost their joy.
After finishing her meal, Yuseol looked unfocusedly at Myoyeon’s large hands that made the teacup look extremely small.
“Thank you. For someone like me who is nothing…. Thanks to you, Lord Myoyeon, I’m living well like this.”
Myoyeon pressed down his gat to cover his gradually reddening ears and smiled vaguely.
When the short tea time ended, he placed the used tray and bowls in the storage attached next to the bedroom. Since there was an emergency staircase connecting to the outside, a servant would secretly come up around dawn to take them.
“I must go back. I’ll come again depending on the situation.”
Yuseol’s hands trembled weakly as she nodded calmly. Myoyeon, who had been looking pitifully at her bloodless fingernails, slightly bent his knees to meet Yuseol’s eyes and said.
“I’ll try harder so that you won’t get hurt, my lady. His Majesty won’t be able to stay here long, so please endure just a little longer.”
He added the reason she had to endure.
“The soldiers from the palace are searching the mountains under the pretext of training, but they’re growing tired from finding nothing. Probably His Majesty will also turn his steps away soon.”
Yuseol nodded while seeing Myoyeon’s sincere eyes sparkle. However, the Kim Seon she had known was someone who could act impulsively if he had conviction, so she couldn’t let her guard down.
“Yes. I’ll try hard too.”
When Myoyeon left the room, she sat leaning against the window again. The candle that had reached the end of its life went out futilely. She raised her head resolutely as if confronting the day that was gradually losing its light.
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