Chapter 111: Beyond the Palace Walls

Gangcheon found himself uncharacteristically lost in such thoughts, but upon noticing his own somber mood, he clicked his tongue.

Haeryeong, who had been quietly waiting for permission to leave, bowed his head as if he had heard the sound.

Why was his heart so unsettled over such a trifle?

Gangcheon tried to settle his wavering heart as he looked at Haeryeong.

“Instead of that, let us eat breakfast first.”

“I shall command the servants to ensure your preparations are finished without delay.”

“Your servant is grateful.”

‘Can he not just throw that “grateful” away somewhere?’

Gangcheon barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.

He signaled Manchul, who was standing by to serve the meal.

Manchul, quick on the uptake, bowed and addressed Haeryeong.

“I have already sent word, as it seemed you would be later than usual, Your Highness.”

“Staff from the Empress’s Palace will arrive shortly, so please do not worry.”

“The maids here in the private quarters are also quick-handed, so they will assist you with your preparations in time.”

Only then did Haeryeong’s heart seem to ease, and he offered a refined smile as usual.

Throughout the meal, he no longer appeared anxious.

‘Does he mean to say the Chief Eunuch’s word is more reliable than mine?’

Right in the middle of eating, Gangcheon felt a surge of petty irritation.

Gangcheon struggled quite a bit to use his mouth only for eating, though it itched to deliver a scolding.

As the quiet meal neared its end, a eunuch entered from outside to announce that the robes from the Empress’s Palace had arrived.

“See there. Did I not tell you that you would not be late?”

As Gangcheon spoke with a laugh, Haeryeong offered a sheepish smile.

“Your servant has acted too much like a child. I beg Your Imperial Majesty to understand with generosity.”

“Do you truly love hawking that much?”

“Since it is the first hawk hunt of my life, my expectations are great.”

Gangcheon gave a bitter smile at his words.

‘They say the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.’

‘What will you do if it turns out to be nothing special?’

Gangcheon could not understand the man’s heart because he did not know the reason for such intense anticipation.

Thus, when Haeryeong continued, Gangcheon’s eyes widened in slight surprise.

“Since I was young, I have had few opportunities to step outside the palace.”

“Even as a child, I was so curious about what lay beyond the walls that I was scolded countless times for hanging onto them with my younger brother.”

Haeryeong’s eyes curved softly with a nostalgic look, perhaps recalling those childhood days.

“Among my siblings, I was the only Eumin.”

“Unlike my other siblings who were Yangin, I was not permitted to pass through the palace gates.”

“Therefore, the world outside is full of wonder and things I have never seen before… I have acted recklessly.”

Gangcheon, who had roamed the borders and battlefields since his youth, let out a sigh at his words.

“Would you like to go on a secret excursion with We once the Founding Festival is over?”

“It may be difficult to do often, but I shall make arrangements so you can go out for some fresh air a couple of times a month.”

Gangcheon reached out toward Haeryeong, who stared back with eyes wide in shock.

For some reason, he wanted to rub his cheek.

After kneading the cheek of the man who submissively accepted the touch, Gangcheon whispered softly.

“I give you my word. So today, do not leave my side and be careful in everything you do.”

“If you get hurt, the excursion will only be delayed.”

“I shall keep it in mind.”

It was the fastest and most certain response he had heard so far.

Gangcheon burst into a silly laugh, finding the Empress’s prompt reply quite absurd.

Once breakfast was finished, the two completed their preparations in attire much lighter than usual.

Gangcheon wore the black martial robes typically used by the Black Shadow Unit, while Haeryeong wore white martial robes with his hair fully put up and secured with a ribbon embroidered in silver thread.

Gangcheon opted for a simple black band around his forehead, leaving his long hair to hang loose.

Whether it was because of his uncharacteristically excited expression or his attire, Haeryeong looked quite young today.

Looking at his flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, one was reminded anew that he had only just passed his twentieth year.

After mounting their horses in the courtyard of the Great Hall, the two led dozens of Imperial Guards and Black Shadow members as they set off at a slow walk.

As they rode side by side, Haeryeong suddenly asked a question as if it had just occurred to him.

“How are the envoys remaining in the palace being entertained?”

It seemed he was concerned about the siblings he had left behind.

“Usually, a place is prepared for them to gather and enjoy themselves. The Yebinsi will handle the hospitality, so do not worry.”

Even after replying that he understood, Haeryeong still seemed to have his siblings on his mind.

“What worries you so much?”

After staring ahead for a moment, Haeryeong answered cautiously.

“Since Yeonseo is such a small nation, I worried how they would fare among the envoys of the great empires.”

“The Empress continues to forget that your husband is the Emperor of the greatest empire of all. If there are any envoys who act insolently toward your family, I shall deal with them accordingly, so set your worries aside.”

Despite his attempt to reassure him, he was met with a skeptical look.

Haeryeong turned his head away in silence, as he always did.

While Gangcheon debated whether or not to call him out on that reaction, Haeryeong spoke a moment later.

“Even if one shows off their might with the Emperor at their back, is that not merely a fox acting like a king in a cave without a tiger? Yeonseo is not even a fox; it is perhaps a rabbit.”

“Therefore, if feelings are unintentionally hurt, I fear harm may come to Yeonseo later on.”

Gangcheon thought his point was plausible.

He could look after them while they were here, but once they returned and began to speak as nation to nation, it would not be easy for Gangcheon to openly side with Yeonseo alone.

However, hearing Haeryeong’s subsequent sigh, he felt a sudden urge to take his side.

It was a feeling that made him wonder what was coming over him.

“You worry over nothing. From what I saw yesterday, your siblings are much like you.”

“Refined gentlemen will not look down on others just because they have My might at their back. So do not worry, and focus on ensuring your noble body is not injured today.”

No sooner had Gangcheon finished speaking than Nureongi let out a loud snort and stomped his hooves.

In that instant, Haeryeong burst into a small laugh.

Was it because of the bright sunlight and the white clothes he wore? His laughter was strikingly dazzling.

Gangcheon narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

When their eyes met, the flustered Haeryeong immediately turned his head away, but Gangcheon could not.

Why was he so drawn to him?

He couldn’t understand it himself, yet his eyes kept seeking the man out.

Whether their gazes met or not, a sigh seemed to escape him strangely.

They rode slowly and arrived at a low hill where the foot of Mount Eungbong began.

Due to the nature of hawks, which need room to fly, hunting in dense mountain forests was difficult; therefore, most hawk hunting took place on plains or flat ground near streams after the autumn harvest.

However, since the hunt for the Founding Festival took place between spring and summer, it was held at the entrance of mountains where the terrain was not rugged, to avoid damaging crops.

When Gangcheon and Haeryeong arrived, the officials and beaters participating in the hunt were already there and prepared.

After exchanging greetings with those lined up along the hillside, the hawk hunt began in earnest.

While the beaters moved up along the ridge, Haeryeong prepared for the hunt.

He received his hawk and glove from Su-yong and looked around with an excited expression.

Gangcheon received a bow and a guide tube instead of a hawk, slinging them over his back.

He then fastened a quiver containing akisal to his waist.

“Does Your Majesty not participate in the hawk hunt?”

“I had no time to tame a hawk. I intend to watch the Empress and perhaps catch a stray bird or two if any appear.”

Gangcheon decided not to focus on the hunt today to stay alert for the spy.

He figured it was enough for the one who had been looking forward to it to enjoy himself.

Haeryeong looked at the short quiver at his waist and asked with curiosity.

“Is that an aegisal?”

“In Yeonseo, you call it an aegisal? In Yeoran, we call it an akisal.”

“I have only heard that they are difficult to handle… I did not know Your Majesty could use them.”

Gangcheon let out a smirk and reached out a hand toward Seok-hwan.

“I am no divine marksman, but I am proficient enough to hit a target.”

Seok-hwan handed him the meteoric iron sword he had received at the banquet yesterday.

The scabbard, made of white snake skin with shimmering scales, sparkled in the sunlight.

The silver handle and the ornaments on the scabbard were the same.

The glare was enough to make one’s eyes squint.

As he fastened the sword to his belt and looked up, the look in Haeryeong’s eyes was peculiar.

His terror-filled pupils refused to move from the newly received sword.

Seeing his face turn ashen as it had yesterday, Gangcheon spurred his horse closer and asked.

“Empress, are you unwell again?”

While Gangcheon approached, Haeryeong must have pulled the reins, for Nureongi stomped his feet and snorted.

He was a horse that truly hated being pestered.

Haeryeong lowered his head with a flustered expression to soothe the horse.

Even after the horse settled, his refusal to look up felt strange.

He was pretending to focus on a trivial matter to that extent.

In the meantime, the sounds of the beaters grew loud from the mountain.

As the noise drew closer, small birds began to take flight from between the lush trees.

Gangcheon turned his head at the sound, then positioned his horse beside the Empress’s.

“Keep a close watch over there. When a pheasant takes flight, that is when you release the hawk.”

For some reason, Haeryeong swallowed hard with an unsettled expression.

‘Is it nerves?’

Gangcheon intently observed his profile as the man stared fixedly at the spot he had indicated.

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