Chapter 70: The Weight of the Empress’s Crown

Haeryeong sighed as he chewed over the Consort’s answer.

The closer he grew to the Emperor, the more difficult his position became.

From the Consort’s perspective, it was as if his favor had been stolen overnight, so how could he not be distressed?

Haeryeong understood that heart well, for he too had spent long days in solitary sorrow when the Emperor had no interest in him.

The position of Empress was a truly difficult one.

Only now did he realize how complacent he had been during his time in that seat.

After being pushed into a state marriage, Haeryeong had felt no desire to oversee the Internal Court, using the Emperor’s lack of interest as an excuse.

He had thought there was no point in interfering when the Consort’s influence was so absolute.

Thus, in his previous life, he had done nothing but breathe to sustain his existence.

‘I should not have done that.’

Only now, after everything had happened, did he feel that way.

If he had come to his senses and properly fulfilled his duties as Empress in his past life, perhaps the Emperor would not have sliced through his chest so easily.

Perhaps he had felt no hesitation in killing him because he was an utterly useless Empress.

This train of thought was not born of a desire to understand the Emperor.

It was born of a desire to protect his own position.

If he were useful in some way and became too valuable to discard, his life would be that much safer.

Since he never knew when the Emperor’s favor might vanish, he could not simply remain at ease.

He had to establish at least a minimum level of utility for himself.

Even if it turned out to be a futile struggle, he believed it was far better than sitting idly by and waiting for death.

However, the tasks Haeryeong could perform immediately were, in truth, quite limited.

At most, he could check the records of his Privy Purse to examine the budget of the Empress’s Palace or handle the affairs with the Bureau of Food as the Emperor had commanded.

He wondered which he should prioritize.

It was also important to move in a way that did not offend the Emperor’s eyes.

Since the Emperor had given the command, he felt it best to focus his efforts on the banquet preparations first.

However, as he had never once paid attention to the budget of the Empress’s Palace, he needed to look into that as well.

The Emperor was quite generous with the Privy Purse, so even when Haeryeong was an Empress in name only, the budget for his palace had been quite ample.

It was more than enough to live in luxury with fine clothes and abundant food.

If Haeryeong had wished, he could have likely purchased a significant amount of jewelry as well.

He simply had no interest in it because there was no one to admire him even if he did dress up.

Consequently, at the end of each year, a significant amount remained in the Privy Purse.

Rather than spending that money on frivolous things, Haeryeong had kept it aside and used it for the people during the Founding Festival, or when floods and droughts struck the following year.

Though his involvement was limited to directing the purchase and distribution of grain.

After performing such deeds a few times, he had heard that the people often referred to him as “Our Dear Empress.”

So, he had become complacent.

He had satisfied himself with the thought that he was, at the very least, doing his job.

“Iryeon-ah.”

Haeryeong barely managed to stand up from the bed and called for Iryeon outside.

“Bring me some warm tea. And bring the ledger for the Privy Purse.”

The door opened shortly, and Iryeon appeared.

She bowed politely and asked.

“What kind of tea shall I prepare, Your Highness?”

“Make it Huangshan Maofeng.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I shall serve it immediately.”

Iryeon instructed another court lady to prepare the tea before entering the room to help him into his long robe.

“I shall assist with your grooming.”

“That is fine; just comb my hair. I intend to lie down again after checking the ledger.”

“Then I shall only comb your hair, Your Highness. How is your noble body faring?”

“The heat cycle is approaching, so I feel quite languid.”

Iryeon brought a comb and began to slowly brush Haeryeong’s hair, speaking in a worried tone.

“Since you skipped breakfast as well, I shall ask them to bring some refreshments.”

“I have no appetite, so I ask for something refreshing.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I shall convey your wish to the Royal Confectionery Bureau.”

Iryeon stepped out briefly and then returned to finish combing his hair.

Her gentle movements seemed to represent just how much she cherished Haeryeong.

Haeryeong felt a pang of pity for her devotion and let out a quiet sigh.

“You truly go through much trouble.”

“Why do you say such a thing? Trouble? It is our blessing to serve Your Highness.”

“How can serving a master who knows nothing be purely a blessing? I am well aware of the hardships you and the other girls endure.”

Iryeon, who usually would have backed down by now, uncharacteristically held her ground.

“If you continue to speak of it as trouble, I shall be quite hurt, Your Highness.”

Eventually, Haeryeong was the one to yield with a light laugh.

“Very well. Then let us say it is my blessing to have met you all. Will that suffice?”

Amidst the harmonious atmosphere, Mok-i entered carrying the ledger.

Upon seeing Haeryeong’s smile, Mok-i began to chatter as if she were even more excited than him.

“Your Highness, have you heard the news?”

“What news do you mean?”

“I heard from a friend in the Great Hall that an Imperial envoy has departed for Yeonseo.”

Haeryeong felt his heart drop in shock.

‘Has some misfortune occurred?’

‘Nothing happened during this time in my previous life, so why has the Emperor sent an envoy to Yeonseo?’

“Are you saying… His Majesty has sent an envoy to Yeonseo?”

Unaware of Haeryeong’s turmoil, Mok-i replied with a bright smile.

“Yes, Your Highness. I heard His Majesty sent a messenger to invite the Grand Lady of the State for the Founding Festival.”

Haeryeong blinked his wide eyes rapidly.

“My mother?”

Mok-i let out a small giggle and took the comb from Iryeon.

“Was His Majesty not with you when the letter arrived? He must have been concerned because Your Highness seemed to miss the Grand Lady so dearly at that time.”

Haeryeong was so stunned he lost his words.

To think the Emperor would invite his mother for his sake.

It felt like a dream, and the reality of it failed to sink in.

Seeing Haeryeong fail to react, Mok-i asked him curiously.

“Are you not happy, Your Highness?”

“It is so unexpected that I am simply dazed.”

If asked if he was happy, the answer was obviously yes.

It had been seven years for Haeryeong since he had last seen his mother.

While he was searching for words to express this feeling, Iryeon gave Mok-i a quiet scolding.

“His Majesty surely intended to tell His Highness personally, so why do you act so thoughtlessly?”

“Oh dear. Have I spoken out of turn, Head Court Lady?”

At Mok-i’s playful response, Haeryeong finally managed a faint laugh.

“I suppose I should pretend not to know and act surprised when His Majesty tells me.”

‘Though the Emperor will likely receive a report of this very conversation anyway.’

“More than that, I do not know how to properly express my gratitude to His Majesty.”

In one corner of his heart, he still suspected the Emperor’s motives and remained in a state of bewilderment.

‘Surely he hasn’t sent people all the way to Yeonseo with some hidden scheme.’

Still, it was the most joyful and surprising thing the Emperor had ever bestowed upon him, so he felt a desire to offer a proper word of thanks this time.

Seeing Haeryeong’s look of contemplation, Iryeon and Mok-i began to worry along with him as if it were their own problem.

“His Majesty will surely understand your heart through a simple word of thanks, but how about preparing a gift to show your gratitude?”

“A gift…”

“How about making something yourself, Your Highness?”

Iryeon’s suggestion seemed plausible, yet it left him in a dilemma.

“I am not very skilled with my hands.”

Though he had learned enough to imitate the basics, Haeryeong was never particularly gifted in embroidery or painting.

His nature was meticulous, and he had tried his best, but the results were rarely good.

His mother, who had personally taught him embroidery, had told him that his over-meticulousness was actually his downfall.

‘Just as in all human affairs, moderation is key, not just in embroidery.’

‘If you stitch too closely out of a desire for perfection, the needle holes will widen or the fabric will pucker.’

‘It is the same with pulling the thread. Your heart that checks it over and over is good, but because you pull too hard, the holes end up stretching like this.’

Despite receiving such critiques every time, Haeryeong’s habits never improved.

Eventually, his mother had told him that everyone has a calling suited to them and stopped him from embroidering further.

‘Let us find a study that can highlight your strengths.’

‘There is no need to hold onto something you cannot do for a long time. Is that not how life is?’

‘There is no such thing as a task that must be done, and there are things one must give up even if they wish to do them. So, find what you are good at.’

She had added that if he still wanted to learn embroidery, he didn’t necessarily have to be good at it and could learn as much as he liked.

Haeryeong had preferred reading books to embroidery, so with his mother’s permission, he had given up the needle and lived with books instead.

‘Would it have been better if I had asked to learn horsemanship or martial arts instead?’

But to have such a desire was a bit excessive.

His mother would not have opposed it, but there certainly would have been gossip about what an Eumin was doing learning martial arts.

Recalling the past made him miss his mother even more, and a sigh escaped him.

The joy felt even greater because he had never expected the day to come when they would truly meet again.

Haeryeong pondered a gift for the Emperor while opening the ledger Mok-i had brought.

Since nothing came to mind immediately, he decided to take his time thinking about the gift.

But did he truly have anything to give to an Emperor who possessed the whole world?

Did the Emperor truly have anything he wanted to gain from him?

No matter how much he thought, the answer was obvious, so he halfway gave up on the idea.

After Mok-i left to put away the combs, Haeryeong had Iryeon sit across from him.

Since she managed the ledgers of the Empress’s Palace, he intended to ask her anything he was curious about.

“The amount of the Privy Purse is quite significant.”

When he asked as if he didn’t know, Iryeon nodded.

“The budget is set at the beginning of each year. I heard His Majesty gave instructions from the very start to allocate an ample budget for the Empress’s Palace.”

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