Chapter 107: A Growing Obsession

“As soon as the banquet is over and we return, your servant shall consult with the Imperial Physician to prepare medicine for His Highness the Empress.”

“We were already deeply concerned as Your Majesty has yet to produce an heir…”

Gangcheon let the Minister of Rites’ rambling words drift through one ear and out the other.

He simply stared at him, pretending to listen intently.

After babbling for a while, the Minister stole a glance at Gangcheon.

Gangcheon offered him a deep, knowing smile.

He wondered why that man had pushed the Prince of Yeonseo into the position of Empress.

At first, he hadn’t given it much thought because he was too busy, and later, because he had no interest, but now he was genuinely curious.

Hearing that the man was the Noble Consort’s biological grandfather made several pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

Since Haeryeong was the prince of a small nation, the Minister likely assumed he could be easily overlooked even without the Emperor’s favor.

Had he been royalty from a powerful nation like Gangju or Yojin, things would not have passed so quietly.

Those nations would not have desired a conflict with Yeoran, but they certainly would have used the mistreatment of their royalty as a pretext to demand concessions.

Demands such as the return of occupied territories or the withdrawal of troops, for instance.

The Minister likely chose the royalty of a small nation like Yeonseo specifically to avoid such friction.

Gangcheon even suspected that the Minister might have intended to make the Consort the Empress from the very beginning.

However, that part didn’t quite fit when he considered the strained relationship between himself and the man.

If the Minister had intended to side with him, he would have done so from the time of the enthronement.

That was, after all, when he had first brought Sirak to the Emperor’s attention.

Yet, aside from sending Sirak to the ceremony, had he not stayed his hand during the rebellion Gangcheon had orchestrated?

Therefore, it was more accurate to assume he had no intention of making the Consort the Empress initially.

‘Then just what is that wretch’s true motive?’

Gangcheon narrowed his eyes, glaring at the crown of the white-haired Minister’s head.

“Then I suppose I can set aside my worries for the Empress’s health for now.”

“Is that not so, Empress? Especially since the officials are so concerned about the Imperial succession.”

“Now the Empress must also pay more mind to the production of an heir.”

As he leaned closer and touched Haeryeong’s cheek while whispering, the Empress’s eyes drooped.

He clearly found the topic distasteful.

However, that look of distress lasted only a moment; he soon offered a gentle, practiced smile and bowed his head.

“Need you even ask, Your Majesty? I am well aware that continuing the Imperial line is my most vital duty.”

‘At the very least, he is always ready with an answer.’

Gangcheon resisted the urge to pinch those soft, dough-like cheeks.

Under Gangcheon’s lingering gaze, Haeryeong’s expression turned troubled once more.

“Your Majesty, you must bestow the cup…”

“Ah, so I must. I suppose I lost my wits for a moment because the Empress looks so exceptionally beautiful today.”

Turning his head away from Haeryeong, who was currently cursing him with his eyes, Gangcheon laughed heartily and bestowed the cup upon the officials of the Ministry of Rites.

“Minister, you are advanced in years, so take care of your health. You must remain robust to discuss state affairs with Me for a long time to come.”

“Your servant is now old and frail, so it is nearly time for me to retire. I pray Your Majesty appoints many young and talented men so that I may step down in peace.”

“Oh dear. My expectations for the Minister are great. So please, find a bit more strength.”

After an exchange of words that neither man meant, Gangcheon drained his cup first.

Without a change in his expression, the Minister of Rites finished the cup Gangcheon had bestowed and quietly stepped back.

After that, the rest of the six ministries finished their greetings, and it was time for the foreign envoys to present their tributes.

From Gangju, a land of many mountains and active mining, came a jewelry box filled with large diamonds.

Gangcheon bestowed the box of fist-sized diamonds upon the Empress right then and there.

“Your… your grace is boundless.”

The Empress, looking not the least bit pleased as he accepted the box, offered a smile while his lips trembled.

‘Even when I give him the rarest and most valuable gems, he reacts like this; just what must I give him to see a genuine smile?’

Suddenly, Gangcheon felt a desire to see the man laugh properly.

He wanted to see that fresh, vibrant smile he had caught a glimpse of at the Great Hall when the hawk was first brought.

Or even the informal, unbidden laughter he had seen recently.

But he knew that if he asked for a smile, he would only be met with another silent curse from those eyes.

In that regard, the Empress was a truly difficult man to handle.

“Your Majesty.”

‘If you’re going to speak so formally, don’t use such a tender tone.’

While Gangcheon watched him with a crooked look, the Empress leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“Please grant a response to the envoy from Yojin.”

It seemed the tribute from Yojin had already been presented while he was distracted.

‘Have I been staring at the Empress so long that I didn’t even notice the time passing?’

Gangcheon froze for a moment, startled by the realization.

“Your Majesty?”

Had Haeryeong not called for him in bewilderment, he might have stayed frozen like a statue.

But why was this?

Even though he knew Haeryeong was urging him to acknowledge the envoy, his gaze remained fixed on the man’s face.

The way his head tilted in question was truly elegant.

Those deer-like, large, and gentle eyes sparkling black were simply exquisite.

‘Was he always this beautiful?’

Now that he had truly noticed it, he felt a sudden heat rising in his own face.

“What must I do to make you happy?”

Gangcheon asked Haeryeong directly, without even glancing at the Yojin envoy waiting before them.

He felt a sudden impatience, wondering what it would take to make him smile.

And for some reason, he wanted to see a real smile from him right this instant.

A look of distress clouded those round eyes.

Watching the pupils dart up and down as if wondering why the Emperor was acting this way, Gangcheon felt his lips go dry.

When he took the hand that was resting obediently on the armrest, the man’s eyes wavered violently.

“Your Majesty…”

Even at that quiet, troubled whisper, Gangcheon couldn’t stop a laugh from slipping out.

With a wide smile, Gangcheon pulled the man’s hand toward him.

It was obvious that the Empress was at a loss, unable to even pull his hand away.

“What must I do to see you smile?”

Gangcheon pressed his lips to the back of Haeryeong’s hand, which was covered by his long sleeve.

‘Why is it so difficult to catch even a single laugh from you?’

Haeryeong had laughed once or twice while with him recently.

But Gangcheon never quite understood the reason behind it.

“First…”

“Speak your mind.”

Haeryeong, opening his mouth with a look of distress, stole a glance at the Yojin delegation gathered before the banquet table and pulled his hand back.

“Please receive the greetings of the delegation.”

Haeryeong’s voice, whispering so only he could hear, was frail.

Much like when he had called out for him while delirious with fever.

Watching those slightly fluttering lips, Gangcheon licked his own parched lips and nodded.

“I suppose I must. I lost my senses because the Empress is simply too beautiful.”

He felt as though the Empress moved his upper body slightly further away, but he brushed it off as his imagination.

Gangcheon finally tore his eyes away and turned his head toward the Yojin delegation.

“Now then, where were we?”

As he asked with a smile, the man leading the delegation let out a sigh of offense.

“We congratulate Yeoran on its Founding Day and present our King’s letter and tributes.”

The one who spoke in a clipped, staccato voice was the King of Yojin’s cousin.

“What was his name again?”

He had heard it at the welcoming banquet after their arrival, but he had forgotten it out of lack of interest.

‘Was it Count something?’

At the man’s signal toward the rear, two people stepped forward.

One carried a long case, and the other held a rolled-up scroll.

The case was of a size that usually held a sword or a bow.

Sure enough, when the envoy opened the case, a longsword and a dagger with silver-decorated hilts lay side-by-side on red silk.

The white scabbards were also finished in silver, giving the weapons a refined appearance.

Yojin was famous for its master blacksmiths and legendary blades.

The late Crown Prince had also possessed a Yojin sword, a gift from the previous Emperor.

Of course, Gangcheon owned several himself, though most had been purchased with his own funds or seized.

Perhaps because he had lived as a soldier since childhood, his body moved instinctively at the sight of a master blade.

As Gangcheon rose from his seat, the envoy stepped closer and held up the case.

Gangcheon took the longsword and drew it halfway.

“A fine blade indeed.”

One could tell at a glance that the aura of the edge was extraordinary.

Unlike the double-edged swords common in Yeoran, this single-edged blade featured a dragon design etched in silver through an acid-corrosion process.

Gangcheon drew the sword completely and ran his eyes along the length of the steel.

It was a magnificent weapon, one that didn’t even need a direct comparison to his own collection to prove its quality.

While Gangcheon examined the sword, the Yojin envoy puffed out his chest and spoke with pride.

“This blade was forged from meteoric iron. It was crafted by a master artisan who is second to none in our kingdom.”

‘I thought the sound of the draw was unusually light despite the weight; so it is indeed meteoric iron.’

As he gave it a light experimental swing, the sound of the blade cutting through the air was also exceptional.

“Receiving such a fine gift will surely give me a headache as I ponder what to send in return. Tell your King that I shall send word separately in the near future.”

“Our King shall wait with a joyful heart.”

Gangcheon returned the sword to its scabbard with a satisfied expression and waited for the second gift to be opened.

As the man holding the scroll stepped forward, the man untied the string.

He had a vague suspicion, and indeed, exactly the image he expected was revealed.

It was the portrait of a beautiful woman.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

The Cursed Prince and the Fated Mark

Adultdominant MLDrama

Read Now →
Not interested