Chapter 32: Laid Bare!

It was a matter of shame, but more importantly, he feared that if they noticed, they would immediately rush to inform the Emperor.

With trembling hands, Haeryeong barely managed to cast off his outer robes before crawling into the bed as if collapsing.

He pulled the quilt over his head and curled into a ball, struggling to steady his jagged breaths.

Had the Emperor not demanded this heat cycle, he would have taken his medicine in advance.

Until now, Haeryeong had relied on pills that, while unable to perfectly suppress the cycle, managed to alleviate the symptoms.

Since the Emperor always left without fully relieving the heat of the cycle, Haeryeong had no choice but to use them to endure the remaining time.

Back then, it felt piteous to survive on medicine, yet now he felt piteous because he couldn’t take it.

Why was the Emperor acting like such a contrary tree frog, refusing to grant him even this small mercy?

Haeryeong squeezed his eyes shut against the intensifying heat and tried to endure the itching sensations rising within him.

Every time he twisted his body in a muffled struggle, his rear grew wet and the space between his thighs became swollen and heavy.

He clenched his teeth so hard to keep from moaning that a small, grinding sound escaped.

No matter how he tried to contain it, his scent was leaking out of its own accord.

An intense, throbbing sensation—one he couldn’t distinguish as either an itch or a sting—pulsed relentlessly inside him.

Haeryeong did not want to accept the reality of the situation; he burrowed deeper into the quilt and curled his body as tightly as possible.

He knew it was a foolish endeavor, but he wanted to delay the Emperor’s arrival for as long as possible.

Thus, unable to even breathe comfortably in the quilt that had quickly grown hot, Haeryeong kept his eyes shut tight.

He harbored the foolish hope that if he could just fall asleep, the pain might become somewhat bearable.

****

Gangcheon spent the day reading reports with an air of indifference while waiting for word from the Black Shadow Unit.

There were two specific pieces of news he was anticipating, and one arrived ahead of the other.

[Your Majesty, the Minister of Rites has visited the Consort’s Palace again today.]

At Seok-hwan’s telepathic report, Gangcheon’s eyes narrowed subtly.

“Manchul. Bring me some tea. I must rest for a moment.”

Gangcheon signaled the Right Vice-Director, who had brought the reports, to leave.

The official prostrated himself in greeting and backed out of the Great Hall.

While Manchul prepared the tea, Gangcheon reclined leisurely on the dragon throne and pressed Seok-hwan for more details.

[Tell me more. What was he doing before he left?]

[It is reported that it was no different from his recent visits. He drank tea while the Consort played the zither… and then he departed. There was reportedly very little conversation.]

“Mmm.”

Gangcheon let out a soft hum and rested his chin on the back of his hand.

He was aware that a certain bond existed between them, as it was the Minister of Rites who had recommended Sirak for the enthronement banquet.

However, it was strange that the Minister, who had ignored Sirak when he was first receiving Gangcheon’s favor, was now frequenting the Consort’s Palace so persistently.

How was he to interpret this?

He did not suspect an affair.

Above all, the age gap was significant, and the Minister’s household was famously guarded by a wife as fierce as a tiger.

As the daughter of the Emperor before the last—making her Gangcheon’s aunt—rumors were widespread that she had dominated her husband even before their marriage, back when he was a third-rank official.

Minister Yun Hyeon-pyeong was famous for being kept on a tight leash and was known to have no other concubines.

Thus, it was unlikely he would commit an act of infidelity with the Consort now that he was old and gray.

Then, why was he seeking out the Consort’s Palace at a time like this?

Especially now, when rumors were spreading that the Consort had fallen out of favor.

[Is the Vice Minister of War still coming and going as well?]

[He visits roughly once every two days.]

Gangcheon tilted his head deeper into his hand upon hearing Seok-hwan’s answer.

Since he was technically the foster father, the Vice Minister’s visits were understandable, but the Minister of Rites’ behavior was grating on his nerves.

Just then, Manchul brought the tea, and Gangcheon took the cup with a bored expression.

Taking a sip of the clear liquid, he sent a telepathic message to Seok-hwan.

[Place men at the Minister of Rites’ private estate. Station plenty of them and tell them to report every detail meticulously.]

[Yes, Your Majesty. It shall be done as you command.]

[Report every word of the conversations between the Vice Minister of War and the Consort as well. I must know what my little bird is plotting.]

Sirak’s recent behavior had been unsatisfactory, which only heightened Gangcheon’s suspicion.

He wondered what the man was thinking after whispering so much about wanting the Empress’s seat.

He had given him a stern warning just the other day, yet according to Sang-hyo’s report, his studies were still at a standstill, which was even more baffling.

Gangcheon’s eyes sharpened as he tilted the cup and sipped his tea.

‘Did I dote on him too much? I should have kept a firmer rein on him.’

The Consort was one thing, but the Minister of Rites was more bothersome.

‘Should I have just killed them all back then?’

Gangcheon clicked his tongue inwardly as he thought of the officials he had spared just in case.

Keeping several men from the Ministry of Rites—who had been close confidants of the previous Emperor—had always left a bad taste in his mouth, and the recent developments only made him more uneasy.

Gangcheon cast a hazy gaze toward the doors of the Great Hall, sipping his tea, before sending another message to Seok-hwan.

[Did the Empress visit the stables?]

[Yes, Your Majesty. It is reported that he chose a Blood-sweating Horse.]

‘Oho. One of the few Blood-sweating Horses among nearly a thousand animals?’

[It seems he has a discerning eye.]

Gangcheon chuckled as he finished his tea.

He wondered if the man was simply lucky or if he truly had an eye for horses.

The unexpected sides the Empress showed were proving to be more enjoyable than he had anticipated.

[What is he doing now?]

[It is said he returned from the stables and is currently taking an afternoon nap.]

‘Has the heat cycle begun? If so, he should have sent word.’

He truly didn’t know what to do with a spouse who possessed neither intuition nor charm.

“Manchul. I shall go to the Empress’s Palace in one sijin. Tell them to prepare for my arrival.”

He was curious to see what kind of preparations were being made.

At most, a virtuous man like him would do little more than wash, but Gangcheon intended to savor the pleasure of anticipation.

The remaining hour was not as enjoyable as Gangcheon had hoped, as he was busy rushing through the rest of his duties so he could spend the cycle with the Empress.

Still, a constant smile played on his lips as he rode the palanquin toward the Empress’s Palace.

The moment he stepped into the building, he could sense the man’s scent heavily in the air.

As he walked down the corridor, the thickening scent of hinoki cypress intoxicated him, and heat began to pool within his own body.

Exhaling a long breath, Gangcheon entered the bedchamber and licked his lips at the sound of stifled, gasping breaths.

“Empress.”

Gangcheon approached the bed and pulled back the hanging canopy, only to freeze in his tracks.

‘What is this?’

Gangcheon blinked blankly at the sight of white, rounded buttocks raised in the middle of the wide bed.

Haeryeong was waiting for him, his white, naked body flushed red in patches.

However, because it was not the position he had expected, a laugh escaped the Emperor in sheer disbelief.

He had thought the man would be shyly wrapped in a quilt.

Instead, through the raised buttocks, his private gate—drenched in fluid—was laid bare for all to see.

“Haeryeong-ah.”

Gangcheon sat on the bed and stealthily caressed the buttocks that had yet to gain much flesh.

“Ugh… ah…”

Haeryeong, who had been burying his head against the silk quilt while gripping it tightly, heaved his body and shivered.

Stroking the violently trembling skin, Gangcheon pressed himself close to Haeryeong’s side.

“I was expecting to see what kind of preparations you would make.”

Gangcheon whispered near the scattered hair and lightly traced Haeryeong’s private gate with a finger.

The area, completely soaked and sticky, was pulsing rapidly the moment his finger touched it.

“Just how far did you prepare? Hmm?”

As he pushed a single finger into the opening, the firm, not-yet-relaxed muscles twitched as if sucking the finger in.

When he lightly rubbed the inner walls near the entrance, Haeryeong let out a gasping breath.

Gangcheon pushed his index finger in to the root, slowly stirring the hot inner walls before pulling it out.

With a wet, squelching sound, the fingertip emerged with a viscous trail of fluid.

He brought the wet finger to his lips and licked it, the Empress’s scent spreading through his mouth.

Unable to contain the grin spreading across his face, Gangcheon let out a laugh.

As Gangcheon gradually released his own scent, the raised buttocks began to shift more noticeably, and Haeryeong’s breathing grew even shallower.

“Haeryeong-ah.”

Gangcheon pulled Haeryeong’s buried shoulders into his embrace.

The sight of the long, black, silk-like hair scattered over his beet-red face was quite suggestive.

The sight of the tear-moistened eyes hidden beneath that hair also caused a tightness in Gangcheon’s lower abdomen.

“Your face is flushed because you were hunched over like that.”

Brushing the hair aside, he pressed his lips to the burning forehead, prompting Haeryeong to whisper in a voice that sounded as though he were about to faint.

“I am… sorry…”

It was a voice thick with the threat of tears.

Gangcheon let out a small laugh, pulled the man’s chin forward, and kissed him.

The inside of Haeryeong’s mouth was even hotter than usual.

As he wetted and delved across the burning, dry membranes—just as he had when the man first fell ill—a groan vibrated deep in Haeryeong’s throat.

Tears began to overflow from his eyes, and Haeryeong twisted his heat-flushed body, clinging to the Emperor’s collar.

For some reason, the weight of the man made Gangcheon laugh again.

‘He usually acts so stiff; I suppose he really was desperate.’

Every time he licked the inside of his mouth, the Empress’s lips parted wider.

As he licked the cavern, which had widened as if begging for it to be penetrated, he let out a moan mixed with a sob.