The Untold Story

S3.13_Crown Prince

Somehow, Soo managed to convince the Emperor to meet his mother. It seemed ironic that it even was the case. When did the family bond turn that slim, that Wang So would feign ignorance to his own mother? Maybe he had seen her real nature, that the woman couldn't love anyone beside the selective love for her two sons and husband. Then, even though the old Wang So knew that, he even embraced that ugly side.

Soo knew better than putting her spectaculation on the table, and simply obeyed when the Emperor told her to reside behind the walls made of Long paintings. She would rather give the two space and leave but dare not go against his instructions.Which she later deeply regretted.

The Dowager was to enter, behind her was a couple of maids attending her as decoration for her glamorous image. It wasn't impossible to take a glimpse of the Royal mother-in-law if Soo had the intent to. Their distance wasn't quite much but Soo decided to not pamper her curiosity.

"Mother, what brings you here in the late hour?" The emperor asked. His tone not curious as all. Contrary the emperor's calm expression, the Dowager was masking a tensed face, like she was holding back a storm of emotions that would explode in no given time.

"How dare you appoint the next crown prince without asking my content?" The Dowager spoke refined, as if that would keep her dignified image unstained.

"If I was to ask mother for every decision, I'll no longer be the emperor." His tone hard, not pretentious but of real, to the point Soo was perplexed by its coldness.

"You dare speak to me like that?" Her tone in disbelief.

"After getting a little taste of power you think you are that great? Now you are on the top of the nation, you think you can abandon your family? We are nothing but your sacrifices to the throne?" Speaking of family, the emperor couldn't help but laugh. When did the Dowager ever connected him with such heartwarming phrase.

"Had I really forgotten the tie of blood, I wouldn't have given Jung the position in the army."

"You speak as if your act was of care, but betrays your family with your action! If family really meant that much how could you appoint Baekah for the position of the crown prince?! What is Jung for? Decorations?! He's is your blood-related brother! But you discard him for a half-breaded Prince?"

"BaekAh will step down on that position when an heir is born." The emperor stated.

"What about Jung?!?" 

"He would be a loyal subject under my rule."

"Bastard!!" The mere sound of a hard slap, was enough to cause Soo's hair raise. A wave of shock ran in her veins and she just barely managed to made her gasp inaudible. Soo knew she was entering the area she didn't want, was about to hear the things she wasn't ought to hear.

"You stab your brother to get the throne and now even use your brother as a dog fighting your wars?! You think you'll be anything if it wasn't for your family? You are only loathing and feeding on your family's blood," The Dowager paused, putting on a smirk of malice.

Soo wishes she could disappear. More precise she felt uncomfortable knowing the Emperor was aware that she had heard every single word.

"An heir? Even the consorts fear you, your  mere shadows makes them hold their breath. You think anyone is willing to see you beside me? I'm your mother, the only one that cares about you, if you turn your back at me you'll have no one else to rely on."

The Dowager spotted the change in his eyes, knowing her words had somehow an affect. If she just pressed on the right bottoms, maybe it would work.

"Do as I say son, I'm doing this for your sake, make Jung the Crown prince and he would be loyal to you for the rest of his life."

Her words was sugared, her smile with deceiving warmth. Didn't the emperor know better he would be fooled by those words.

"I'll consider my decisions,"

Though the result wasn't living up to her expectation the Dowager has at least put some sense into the Emperor's mind, or so she thought.

"You must be tired from the load of works, I'll visit you tomorrow and see how things has turned. Rest at ease your majesty."

As the dowager left the Emperor was as an empty shell. He sat at the table grabbing his pencil and paper, seemingly writing an edict. Afraid that the emperor would yield to his mother demands Soo run to his side and grabbed his pencil. She knew his throne would be swept away with the storm of rebellion of he ever let Jung as the crown prince.

The emperor was surprised by the sudden contact, indeed he never thought the consort would willingly approach him not to mention touch him.

"Your majesty please don't listen to royal mother," Soo said, near begging.

"Mother?" The emperor said cynically.

"I don't have one. I was abandoned long time ago." Maybe she was delusional, but she sensed a hidden pain between those words.

"Seemed like consort was right. The Dowager really had important matter to propose." His words was as accusing but Soo didn't blame him. Rather she felt guilt for even be the reason to make him face such reality.

"What important matter do you have to proose?" His tone was as though nothing had occurred. As of the dowager hasn't spoken those hurtful words, not compelling to his weakness and used them against him. The emperor remained strong, unaffected by her manipulative words. As if he already was immune to those sugarcoated lies.

The emperor's eyes grabbed her back to reality, his gesture of waiting urged her to express her purpose.

"Do your majesty hate me?" Soo nervously asked. It was as those words had a strength of it own. It made the Emperor surprised, inflicting emotions in his eyes that long had gone dead.

"No," the emperor answered. The word assured her a little reliance so she could continue with her next sentence.

"Though no hates doesn't equal trust I still hope you'll consider my advice without harbouring ill feelings." Soo paused.

"I don't want to make a rift in your majesty's relation with the royal family, but please don't make Prince Jung the crown prince."

"Give me one reason to trust your words." His words seemed to expose his weakness, as if it was really hard for him to really find one he could really trust. As a bird afraid to fly due to the memories of a broken wing. More than anything could Soo related to this. The fear of taken another step outside the sphere of safety.

She felt something. It was no longer the threat of Jung being a crown prince that made her speak those words. No she was genuinely concerned about the Emperor. The person everyone kept their distance to.

It wasn't of the duty of knowing the future, of the fear of a bloody history. She wasn't Ha Jin. No she didn't want to change the history. She just wanted to change the world for one person. Whoever caused the rift in his heart didn't matter, she simply want to help him which wasn't due to pure sympathy. Soo had come to care. She had noticed the loneliness in the emperor who was feared by everyone.

"I'll do whatever it takes to gain that trust."

A/N: Why it took so long was because I had to rewrite the draft after I read the helpful feedbacks ^^ since I couldn't post earlier as promised I intended to compensate with double updates, hope you like it! 😊