Chapter 64: A Body That Betrays the Heart

Suyong’s voice became urgent, as if he had been caught off guard by a sudden shock.

“What do you mean by that? His Majesty will surely be delighted and grant his permission.”

“Even so…”

“I shall run and ask him immediately. Your Highness, please rest your heart and remain at ease.”

Before Haeryeong could even respond, Su-yong’s shadow beyond the bed vanished.

Haeryeong debated whether to call him back but ultimately decided to simply collapse back onto the bed.

Strangely, his entire body felt quite languid.

It was exactly the sensation of an approaching heat cycle.

He had been feeling safe knowing there were still about ten days left, yet he felt a strange heat humming through his limbs.

Haeryeong eventually forced himself up and called for the court ladies waiting outside.

“Is anyone there?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Mok is here.”

“Go and summon the Imperial Physician.”

Mok opened the door slightly and peeked inside with a startled face.

“I shall run and fetch the Imperial Physician at once. Is there anything else you require, Your Highness?”

“Nothing else is needed.”

“Then your servant shall return in a flash. Please lie back down and rest a little longer.”

Haeryeong offered her a faint smile and shook his head.

“I wish to remain up. It is raining outside, so ensure you take your rain gear. Also, I wish to wash, so if there is anyone else outside, have them enter and assist me.”

“Then I shall help you. Jongseon, go and bring the Imperial Physician.”

Mok sent Jongseon to the Bureau of Medicine and entered the inner chamber, closing the door behind her.

Soon, a basin of water for washing was placed before Haeryeong as he sat at the table.

When he extended his hands, Mok rolled up his sleeves.

As he dipped his hands into the lukewarm water, it felt colder than usual, likely due to his slight fever.

Once Haeryeong finished wiping his face, the waiting Mok handed him a stiffly folded cotton cloth.

“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Haeryeong folded the towel she gave him and wiped the moisture from his hands and face, answering casually.

“I simply feel a bit of heat in my body, so do not cause a fuss for no reason.”

“You must have caught too much of a chill while dining outside yesterday. I worry that you may have contracted a cold.”

“It is only a bit of languor, so it should be nothing serious. Just comb my hair.”

“Please wait just a moment.”

Mok cleared away the water and towel, then brought one of the jewelry boxes the Emperor had sent yesterday.

“Since you are not feeling well, I shall use a small hairpin to tie your hair up lightly today.”

“Please do so.”

It was a jewelry box he hadn’t fully explored yesterday, filled with small decorative hairpins rather than the usual functional ones.

Mok brought over a jade comb and whispered as she carefully brushed through the hair disheveled from sleep.

“This is a comb His Majesty bestowed yesterday. The carving is so delicate; though I have spent many years in the palace and thought I had seen every fine thing there is to see, I have never seen anything quite this beautiful.”

“Is it truly that lovely?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Would you like to take a look?”

Mok paused her combing and placed the comb in Haeryeong’s hand.

The crescent-shaped comb had rounded, finely carved teeth, but the true masterpiece was the engraving on the handle.

Within that tiny space, figures of deer, pine trees, butterflies, and plum blossoms were intricately detailed.

“It is indeed delicate and beautiful.”

“They say the jade of Changryeo is harder than other jade, making it much more difficult to carve. I heard it often breaks during the process, so this must have been crafted by a master artisan.”

Taking the comb back, Mok chirped away like a lark as she continued to brush his hair.

Haeryeong simply smiled quietly at her behavior, which was a stark contrast to her usual reserved self.

In the Imperial Court, serving a master who held the Emperor’s favor was the source of a court lady’s power.

Since Haeryeong understood the hardships of his subordinates, he decided to let them enjoy this moment for a while.

How difficult it must have been for them under a powerless Empress for them to be this delighted, their complexions practically blooming with joy.

While Mok was meticulously combing his hair, Su-yong’s voice reached his ears.

Haeryeong’s eyes went wide at the voice that felt as if it were drilling into his head, but he quickly realized it was a telepathic message and let out a light sigh.

[Your Highness. His Majesty says it will be difficult to join you for lunch, so he shall arrive in time for breakfast instead.]

“I understand.”

When Haeryeong suddenly blurted out these words, a startled Mok asked, “Pardon?”

Haeryeong gave her no further explanation, only informing her of the Emperor’s visit.

“His Majesty is coming for breakfast, so inform the Bureau of Food Service. Tell them to pay extra attention to the side dishes.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I shall send word as soon as I have finished your hair.”

Once she finished combing, she gathered the top half of his hair and tied it high, then braided the length of it.

Matching the color of the thin silk ribbon used to tie it, she wove the braid with thick silk and coiled it up, securing it firmly with a couple of decorative hairpins.

It was a different style than his usual one, and he liked it best for how comfortable his scalp felt.

Mok held up the mirror from the jewelry box for Haeryeong and beamed.

“How does it look, Your Highness?”

“It is lovely. You worked hard.”

The gold chains dangling from the decorative hairpins and the small gems at their ends jingled at the tips of his ears whenever he moved his head.

Watching them sparkle and sway seemed to slightly lift his dampened mood.

Haeryeong looked into the mirror and stretched his lips into a smile.

He couldn’t tell if he was smiling or crying; it only looked awkward.

‘It must be my imagination.’

Since there was nothing to be sad about, he believed he was smiling as well as he usually did.

Iryeon entered just as Mok returned from sending a servant to the Bureau of Food Service.

“Your Highness, would it not be better to rest from horsemanship training today?”

She asked with concern, having likely heard about his fever.

Haeryeong pondered for a moment before nodding.

“Let us decide after the Imperial Physician has checked my pulse.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

She bowed silently and then ordered the court ladies to bring a change of clothes for Haeryeong.

As Haeryeong stood, two court ladies worked together to remove his sleeping tunic.

After changing into a semi-transparent inner jacket and trousers, three layers of long-sleeved robes were draped over him in succession.

Haeryeong stood with his arms spread like a scarecrow while the court ladies tidied the inside of his sleeves.

Soon, the announcement of the physician’s arrival was heard from outside.

The sliding doors opened smoothly as Haeryeong took his seat at the table.

The grey hair of the elderly Imperial Physician soon came into view.

“Your Highness, Imperial Physician Gong has arrived.”

“Welcome.”

The physician approached and knelt beside Haeryeong.

When Haeryeong offered his hand, the man checked his pulse and asked cautiously.

“What are your symptoms, Your Highness?”

“I feel a heat deep within my body.”

“I am hesitant to say this, but I feel no sign of a fever in your hands. May I check your pulse once more?”

Haeryeong nodded lightly and offered his arm again.

As Iryeon rolled up the long, trailing sleeve, the physician checked the pulse once more, tilting his head.

“Imperial Physician, what is the matter?”

At Iryeon’s question, the physician let out an indiscernible groan and pulled his hand away from Haeryeong’s arm.

“I am deeply sorry, but in my humble opinion, your heat cycle appears to be beginning.”

Haeryeong asked him with a look of bewilderment.

“But my heat cycle always occurs around the middle of the month. The date has never once wavered.”

The physician bowed his head with an uncertain expression.

“It is likely that you are reacting to His Imperial Majesty’s Yang-in energy.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Since His Majesty has been continuously providing you with his energy recently, it seems your heat cycle has accelerated. Originally, an Eumin’s energy triggers a Yang-in’s heat, but the reverse can also occur. In the case of an Eumin who has excessive contact with a Yang-in’s energy, the body may hurry its preparations for conception. Since His Majesty’s energy is significantly more powerful than others, this seems quite plausible.”

Haeryeong let out a deep sigh.

‘What a coincidence.’

“Then what must be done?”

“The cycle will likely begin in a day or two, so I shall submit a formal report to His Majesty.”

Haeryeong fell into deep thought.

He had heard that the man’s busy affairs had reached a conclusion, but even so, to have to face another heat cycle with the Emperor.

It was truly a joke.

He thought he found the prospect terrifying and loathsome, yet his body was already wanting pregnancy of its own accord.

‘Will I be able to gain more of the Emperor’s favor through this? Should I ask him to spend the heat cycle with me?’

The internal debate did not end easily.

Even if they spent the cycle together, would the Emperor actually share his semen?

Recalling the Emperor who had stubbornly refused to ejaculate inside him during the last heat cycle, Haeryeong instinctively squeezed his eyes shut.

‘Must I engage in that humiliating act once more?’

The usual sexual encounters were far better.

At least then, he could maintain some semblance of his reason.

Even if the shame was the same, at least the man would spray his semen inside him then.

Thinking of the sensation he felt every time the man’s penis withdrew from his body at the moment of ejaculation made his frame shiver.

Haeryeong had intended to ask for medicine to suppress the heat, but he quickly changed his mind.

He recalled the Emperor’s words from last night, clearly stating he was looking forward to the upcoming heat cycle.

He had only just managed to close the distance between them; he could not risk the Emperor’s wrath by taking medicine of his own volition.

It was truly lamentable to be in a position where he could not even decide such a thing for himself.

But what else could he do?

Appeasing the Emperor was his top priority.

‘Just until I have built enough favor that no harm will come to Yeonseo.’

Haeryeong quietly lowered his eyes and made that vow.

‘Just a little more… let us endure.’

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