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Join the ServerHuiyeon looked at the Cold Palace with fresh eyes, seeing how it had changed beyond recognition only three days after Jeongcheon’s visit.
Although it was called a Cold Palace used to confine sinners, it was still a royal residence, so its scale was not particularly small.
Since Lady Go had been sweeping and mopping such a place alone all this time, there was no way it could have been properly maintained.
The worn and dilapidated Cold Palace was gradually becoming organized under skillful hands.
“Ugh! These d*mn weeds, why are there so many? It hasn’t even rained, so what are they eating to grow like this?”
Huiyeon, who was heading toward the backyard, reflexively hid herself at the sudden sound of a voice.
As she pressed her back against the exterior wall, the long shadow of the building swallowed her own.
She knew there was no particular reason to hide, but her body had moved first.
Peeking her head out slightly to check, she saw two palace maids sitting with their backs turned, pulling weeds that grew densely in the backyard.
“I wish it would just rain heavily for once.”
“They said they’re preparing for a rain ritual, so it’ll probably fall soon.”
“Goodness, do you think the dragon’s departed power will return just because of that? The cause lies elsewhere.”
While tilling the soil around the weeds with a hand hoe, the maid muttered irritably.
“What do you mean by that? That the cause lies elsewhere?”
“My, you’ve been in the palace for years…… and you still don’t know?”
Tsking her tongue, the maid whispered softly.
“They say that because the Lady of the Cold Palace was born, the dragon’s power held by the late King weakened, and our Taeseong Kingdom began to suffer from drought. And there are even rumors that the current King can’t use the dragon’s power at all because he was born as a twin…….”
It was then.
“Who do you think might hear you, talking so carelessly?”
A voice came from a spot invisible from where Huiyeon stood, indicating they weren’t the only ones there.
Startled by the reprimand, the two maids stretched their necks and looked around to see if anyone had overheard.
Fortunately, they did not discover Huiyeon, who was hidden in the shadows.
“You two, did you forget what happened recently? The heads of ministers were cut off just for suggesting His Majesty had lost the dragon’s power.”
“Wasn’t that…… just a rumor?”
“What do you mean rumor? More than ten people died that day. So watch your mouths. And I heard that even if his power is weak, he can still make it rain. If not, how could he have sat on the throne?”
The invisible maid threatened them, asking if mere palace maids like them could survive when even high-ranking nobles had their heads cut off in an instant.
Only then did the two realize how dangerous their words were, and they shut their mouths, focusing intently on pulling weeds.
As the chatter vanished, the backyard was enveloped in a chilling silence.
Huiyeon, who had been staring at them quietly, moved her steps silently and left the backyard.
She hurried toward her room, afraid someone might see her face, which was pale enough to look like she might faint at any moment.
Fortunately, she returned to her room without encountering anyone, and as soon as she closed the door, the strength left her legs and she collapsed to the floor.
‘It was because of me. Because I lived instead of dying…….’
She had thought Jeongcheon was busy because of his sudden enthronement.
While that was surely a reason, the biggest reason was clearly her.
To think she had asked when she could leave the Cold Palace, completely unaware of that truth.
The image of Jeongcheon rubbing his eyebrows in distress came to mind.
“Who is the one who should truly be sorry……”
People said twins brought misfortune to a family, and it seemed the words were not wrong.
Joo Ha Yul, the founder of the Taeseong Kingdom, received the blessing of a dragon.
Thanks to that, it was said Joo Ha Yul could use the power to call rain clouds, one of the powers held by dragons.
The blessing received by Joo Ha Yul was passed down through generations.
However, not all descendants could use the power; only one per generation.
Only the one fit for the throne could use the power to call the rain.
Huiyeon had naturally assumed Jeongcheon possessed that power, so she had never even questioned it.
But to think that because they were born as twins, Jeongcheon did not properly possess the power he should have rightfully had…….
Biting her lip, Huiyeon fought back tears. This was no time to be crying.
This was likely not the only thing she was unaware of.
There was no way to know stories of the outside world except through Jeongcheon, since Lady Go was also unable to leave.
“I have to get information.”
Having organized her thoughts, Huiyeon’s eyes shone with resolve.
“You may leave now.”
“A-Are you truly going to keep this a secret?”
“Yes. Do not worry.”
After the trembling maid fled the room, Huiyeon collapsed onto her side on the bed.
For the past few days, Huiyeon had done things that were unlike her.
Complaining that the tea water was too hot or too cold.
Saying the hair brushing was painful.
Asking if they intended to kill her by tightening her waist belt so much.
She had shamelessly spouted words that made her face flush just thinking about them, driving away the maids who came to serve her.
Though she didn’t know for sure, insults about her were likely spreading throughout the Cold Palace…… no, every corner of the royal palace.
She worried that Jeongcheon might be harmed by her ruined reputation.
But there was no other way.
“Yes. If I hadn’t done this, I would have never known anything. You did well, Joo Huiyeon!”
Sitting up, Huiyeon comforted herself.
The reason she chose to behave that way, knowing it would ruin her reputation, was to naturally meet the maid who had just left the room.
The maid’s name was ‘Choyong.’
She was one of the three maids in the backyard a few days ago, the one who had kept the other two in line.
It took a long time to find her using only the voice she heard then, but Huiyeon eventually found the person she wanted.
Huiyeon hinted to Choyong that she had overheard their conversation that day and threatened to tell Jeongcheon if necessary.
In truth, she had no intention of saying a word.
But for Huiyeon, who had neither power nor wealth, mentioning Jeongcheon was her best option.
Since there was no one in the palace who didn’t know how much Jeongcheon cherished her, Choyong immediately poured out everything she knew.
And Choyong knew more than expected.
“As I thought…… the problem is the dragon’s power.”
After the sudden passing of the late King, Jeongcheon, who was the Crown Prince, inherited the throne, but not all subjects supported him.
A King who did not possess the dragon’s power.
Jeongcheon’s position was extremely precarious. It might have been fine if there were no other heirs besides Jeongcheon.
After the death of their mother, Queen ‘Oh Ga Yun,’ the late King had taken a new Queen, ‘Ki Seol Yeong.’
Seol Yeong, who had now become the Queen Dowager, had given birth to a son, ‘Joo Oh Gyeong,’ with the late King.
Though he was only six years old, behind Oh Gyeong and Seol Yeong stood Chancellor ‘Ki Tae Joon,’ who possessed immense wealth and power.
The subjects who followed the Chancellor supported the King’s brother, ‘Oh Gyeong,’ rather than Jeongcheon.
If neither of them possessed the dragon’s power anyway, it would be easier to control royal authority if they placed Oh Gyeong on the throne and let Seol Yeong rule as regent.
Thus, they spread rumors everywhere that the dragon’s power had vanished because the current King was born a twin and his other half was still alive.
Combined with the fact that Jeongcheon had never once called the rain using the dragon’s power, and since the Taeseong Kingdom had long avoided twins, the rumors spread rapidly beyond control.
While the late King was alive, her existence hadn’t been revealed to the outside, so it was fine, but that was no longer the case.
Those who heard the rumors demanded that Huiyeon be killed immediately or that Jeongcheon step down from the throne.
But Jeongcheon maintained a firm stance that he could fulfill neither of those demands.
“If only I could receive the dragon’s blessing again…… my brother’s position wouldn’t be so precarious……”
To receive a dragon’s blessing, one obviously had to meet a dragon. However, dragons that have ascended reside in the heavenly realm.
While they rarely stay in the human realm, it was said that the dragon’s dwelling was in a place where no ordinary human could find it.
‘Still, it’s not like there’s no way at all…….’
Huiyeon began to write a letter to send to Jeongcheon.
“I cannot allow it!”
Not long after receiving her letter, Jeongcheon came to the Cold Palace, filled with rage.
“Just who told you such things? No, there’s no need to ask. It must have been one of the maids who recently entered the Cold Palace.”
Jeongcheon acted as if he would capture every maid who set foot in the Cold Palace and have them beheaded this instant.
“Brother! Does it matter who said it? It was bound to reach my ears eventually.”
“No, I would have kept it from you forever.”
“If that was your intention, you should have prevented anyone from entering or leaving the Cold Palace, just as Father did.”
Therefore, this was not the fault of the maid who delivered the rumors, but his own fault for letting people into the Cold Palace. Jeongcheon could say nothing to Huiyeon’s reproach.
He simply wanted his sister to be a little more comfortable. Jeongcheon likely never expected that his actions would backfire like this. And Huiyeon also never imagined she would use it in such a way.
As Jeongcheon’s expression darkened, Huiyeon’s heart grew even heavier.
Biting his lip, Jeongcheon frowned and let out a long, heavy sigh.
From his slightly softened expression, Huiyeon realized he would not seek out and punish the maid right away.
However, seeing his eyes still sharp and firm, it seemed he had no intention of accepting Huiyeon’s request.
But she also had no intention of backing down.
“Send a marriage proposal to the Hoye Kingdom, Brother.”
Huiyeon stated her intention once more.
A few years ago, rain began to fall in the Hoye Kingdom, where the ground had been so cracked that dry sand used to fly in the wind.
Grass and trees began to grow on the moist earth. Just like the Taeseong Kingdom long ago when it received the dragon’s blessing.
She didn’t know if it was the same dragon that blessed their ancestor Joo Ha Yul, but it was certain that a dragon was involved in the transformation of the Hoye Kingdom.
Otherwise, the country couldn’t have become so fertile in such a short period.
While listening to Choyong’s story, Huiyeon became convinced that a dragon was staying in the Hoye Kingdom.
She had no way of knowing why, but she felt it instinctively. That he was there.
“Do you know how many countries have thought like you and sent marriage proposals because of the rumors that a dragon is in Hoye? Even if they cannot meet the dragon, everyone is thinking of borrowing power from the King of Hoye.”
Jeongcheon sighed, his face showing that he knew exactly what she was thinking.
“I know. But we can’t just do nothing. He hasn’t taken a Queen yet, so there is still a chance for me.”
Huiyeon looked at Jeongcheon with a stubborn face. The same expression was mirrored on a face that looked just like hers.
“How can you not know that those who are clamoring for your immediate death would never let you go peacefully to the Hoye Kingdom?”
“But they will have no choice, since they will know there is no other candidate for Queen of the Hoye Kingdom but me.”
“In any case, the answer is no. I will handle it, so Huiyeon, you……”
“……You said you would.”
She hadn’t intended to say it like this, but Huiyeon finally played her last card.
“You said you would let me leave the Cold Palace once you became King. So…… keep that promise.”
“……”
“I don’t want to be trapped here anymore, Brother.”
At Huiyeon’s plea, Jeongcheon’s face crumbled painfully.
You’ve got to see this next! There Is a Monster in The Imperial Palace will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : There Is a Monster in The Imperial Palace
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