Chapter 50: Amnesia Side Story 4: The Defiant Return to the Old Ways

“Is that… truly the case?”

Ihan asked once more, his face still etched with disbelief. Sitting across from him, sipping tea with composure, was Empress Jaran.

When in doubt, one must seek the truth from the most trusted source. After taking his medicine and sleeping off the lingering physical pain, the Emperor had immediately sought out the Empress’s Palace. There, he had heard the full account of everything that had transpired between him and Yeon Hwaun—and exactly what kind of relationship they shared now.

“Does that… even make sense?” Ihan muttered again. It was more of a question to himself than to Jaran. Seeing his completely stunned reaction, Jaran smiled faintly.

“If you were not going to believe me, Your Majesty, why did you come to ask?”

“No, it’s not… it’s not that I don’t trust you, Empress…”

But you have to say something believable… Ihan grumbled inwardly, stealing glances at her. It was exactly as he thought. Even if it was the Empress, he could only believe what was plausible.

“Then do you believe that Eunuch Oh and I have conspired to tell you the same lie?” Jaran asked pointedly.

Ihan let out a pained groan. She was right. The detailed account Eunuch Oh had given him was identical to the Empress’s story. It was impossible for even one of them to submit to the Yeon family, let alone both. What could they possibly gain by fabricating a story that the Emperor had lost only his memories of Yeon Hwaun?

“How… how could I for Yeon Hwaun…”

Ihan held his head, writhing in self-loathing. Fine, let’s say a miracle happened and Yeon Hwaun truly repented and became a new person. Even so, he could not accept that he had been so enchanted by a mere concubine that he called him his “lover” and handed over the position of Noble Consort in such a short time.

That was the very thing he had vowed to guard against his entire life. He had promoted him to Noble Consort—a rank that could officially threaten the Empress’s power. It was a completely different dimension from simply favoring someone in private.

“And you… you did not oppose me in this, Empress?” This was Ihan’s second question. Jaran was his lifelong companion. He believed that even if he lost his mind momentarily and made a foolish decision, Jaran would be the one to stop him.

Jaran spoke in a gentle, steady voice. “Oppose you? I welcomed it with open arms.”

“Why… how could you…?”

“Your Majesty.” The Empress’s voice, filled with genuine affection for the Emperor, filled the room. Ihan could feel her sincerity. “From the time we were in the Prince’s Manor to entering the Imperial Palace and me becoming Empress—I have never seen you look as happy as you did with him.”

Happy.

Ihan rolled the unfamiliar word around on the tip of his tongue. An Emperor’s happiness is the people’s happiness. One who sits on the throne must not pursue private joy. This had been Ihan’s ironclad rule. Yet here was the Empress, who knew this better than anyone, discussing his personal happiness. It felt like chewing on sand; he wanted to spit it all out.

Jaran continued. “Noble Consort Yeon Hwaun is the only happiness the Son of Heaven possesses. As the Empress who serves you, how could I stop that? Even giving him more than that rank would not be enough.”

“Nonsense… this is all nonsense…” Ihan turned away, cutting her off. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten his mother’s resentment—she who had been miserable even in the most exalted position due to a concubine backed by the Emperor’s favor. He couldn’t have.

“If there is… if there is something wrong, I will use this opportunity to set it right.” Ihan clenched his fists. If he had truly been acting out of madness, perhaps this memory loss was a golden opportunity.

However, the Empress said firmly, “Go meet the Noble Consort, Your Majesty. It will help you organize your thoughts.”

Noble Consort, Yeon Hwaun. Remembering the clear face and those eyes of unmeasurable depth that had stared at him earlier, Ihan felt his chest tighten again. He truly could not understand it.

The joy of hearing the Emperor had woken up was short-lived; the Department of Imperial Ceremonies was thrown into total chaos. The Emperor had suddenly ordered the selection of a concubine’s nameplate for the night.

The Head Eunuch, pale with fright, presented the plates. When the Emperor actually flipped over the plate of Consort Suk (Bi-young), the Eunuch’s hands shook so violently the Emperor scolded him for acting ill.

“What on earth is… what is happening…?” The Head Eunuch wiped his cold sweat only after leaving the room, turning to Eunuch Oh. Eunuch Oh clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“How would I know? What a mess this is…” Eunuch Oh sighed. He knew this decision wasn’t sincere. A man who used to visit the concubines as if it were a chore before he loved Hwaun was now flipping plates purely out of a sense of rebellion against his “forgotten” self.

“Sigh… I must inform Wunhwa Palace at once. Consort Suk will be so shocked…” The Head Eunuch hurried away. Eunuch Oh watched his retreating back and then looked toward the Emperor’s palace with deep concern.

His memory would return eventually. When it did, he would surely regret and blame himself for this choice. Eunuch Oh wondered if he should just lie down on the ground and block the Emperor’s path. It was a night of unprecedented distress for the old eunuch.

While everyone was shocked, the panic in Wunhwa Palace eclipsed them all.

“The Emperor is coming? What kind of nonsense is that!” Consort Suk, Bi-young, nearly screamed. She had been worried about the news of his amnesia, but she never imagined he would come to spend the night with her. Knowing his temperament, he wasn’t the type to seek out a concubine other than the Empress in a situation like this. Something was very wrong.

“Highness, what do we do? Should we prepare a meal?” Her maid, Myung-ju, was frantic. Usually, she would have seen this as a chance to capture the Emperor’s heart, but the current situation was too heavy to handle. Everyone knew how much the Emperor adored Hwaun. To welcome him now was to risk suffering the Emperor’s own wrath once his memory returned tomorrow.

Consort Suk felt the same anxiety. Then, suddenly, she found it hilarious and absurd that an entire palace was trembling in fear because the Emperor decided to visit.

“Highness, are you really laughing right now?” Myung-ju looked ready to cry. Consort Suk took a deep breath to calm herself.

“I might as well laugh. Stop fluttering about and go brew some medicine.”

“Medicine…?”

“Yes. Anything that smells like a bitter herbal decoction. And from now on, I am…” A mischievous look crossed her face, as if she were enjoying the thrill. She lay down on the bed as if she were about to faint. “From this moment, I am so ill I don’t even have the strength to sit up. Understood?”

When else would she ever get the chance to trick the Son of Heaven? Imagining the Emperor’s bewildered face, Bi-young swallowed a laugh. Having followed the Empress for so long, she had become just as bold as her.