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Seyeon's POV
"So this is it?" I asked Taeheong while looking at the vial.
"Yes!" He replied.
"Your highness, its time for the wedding!" I heard Yakran's voice from outside the room.
I quickly opened the vial and drank the liquid inside it.
"Your highness, are you ready?!" Yakran asked again.
"Best of luck!" Taeheong sighed and I nodded.
"Your highness, can you make sure that this letter reaches Jeemin!" I gave him the letter where I mentioned about the black hole.
Prince Taeheong took it and nodded. I pulled down my veil and opened the door.
"Wow! You look beautiful!" Yakran complimented and I was already feeling a bit dizzy.
I made my way towards the wedding venue followed by Yakran an the other maids.
Once I reached the courtyard, music started to play and I recognized the sound of the flute at once. The courtyard was crowded with many people. Across me was standing the emperor and his servants.
"Bow to each other!" The royal priest said.
By now, I was losing my balance...my head was spinning.
"Your highness, are you ok?!" Yakran grabbed my arm and I nodded weakly. Yakran helped me to bow at him three times. The emperor bowed his head once and sat down.
"Now raise your cups!" The royal priest said.
The emperor's servant held the wine cup in front of his mouth and he took a tiny sip from it. After that, Yakran took the cup in front of me and approached me but everything in front of my eyes started to become blurry.
"YOUR HIGHNESS??!!!!" That was the last thing I heard before I closed my eyes.
3RD person POV,
"What happened to her?!" The emperor rushed towards Seyeon's side and asked.
"Y-your imperial Majesty, her body is burning. I think she is having a high fever!" Yakran panicked.
The emperor approached to check Seyeon but withdrew his hands.
"Take her to her room and call the physician!" He ordered.
"Yes, your imperial Majesty!" The court maids bowed and carried Seyeon to her room.
"But your Majesty, the wedding?" The royal priest asked.
"Her health is more important. And we are already married! We already went through all the traditions!"
"But your imperial Majesty, she didn't drink the wine to seal the marital bond. Drinking wine is the most important part of the wedding!"
"It doesn't matter. The marriage is now official anyways! And you want her to drink wine? I'll make her drink it!" He said and left.
In Seyeon's room,
The physician checked her nerves and replied, "Its just a normal fever. Give her this medicine and she will be fine within an hour!" The physician gave Yakran the medicine and left.
Yakran pulled down Seyeon's chin gently and poured the medicine in her mouth carefully.
On the other hand,
"Taeheong hyungnim, she will be ok, right? It was really a dangerous attempt!" Jeongguk asked while pacing around.
"Don't worry! She'll be fine within an hour!" Taeheong put his hand on Jeongguk's shoulder and reassured him.
"I should be the one worrying here. You kids always are pulling these kind of dangerous stunts! Aish...what do I do with you three!" Seongjin rubbed his temples.
Outside Seyeon's room,
"The physician said that she will be fine within an hour!" Yakran bowed in front of the emperor.
"Ok! That's good news! Tell her that I'll come again tonight and for the time being, here are some gifts! Keep them inside her room so that she can see them as soon as she wakes up!" The emperor ordered Yakran.
"Yes, your Majesty!" She bowed and the emperor left. Yakran opened the door of Seyeon's room and let all the servants in so that they could place the gifts in her room. After the gifts were placed, the servants left. Yakran went towards Seyeon and stroked her hair, "Get well soon, your highness!" She sniffed and went out of the room after closing the door behind her.
After sometime,
Seyeon's POV
I regained my consciousness and found myself in my room, "So I was able to avoid the marriage...cool!" I smirked at myself. Suddenly my eyes fell on the expensive jewels and clothes in my room. I got up from the bed and went near them, "Looks like these are the wedding gifts from the emperor."
That's when an idea popped up inside my head. I went near the door and slightly opened it to see all my court maids including Yakran were sleeping in front of the door while waiting for me. I shut the door again and quickly changed into a shabby outfit, picked some of the very expensive jewels and silks and put them inside a bag.
"Lets go and find Jeongguk now!" I threw the bag on my shoulder and jumped out of the window. I landed right on the grass on my one knee. I checked here and there and made sure that no one was near. I sneaked out of the internal court and found Jeongguk. Jeonnguk rushed towards me and hugged me tightly as soon as he spotted me.
"Are you ok?" He asked, there was genuine fear in his eyes. I smiled at him and nodded.
"Don't do such things ever again!" He frowned.
"It was necessary to avoid the marriage! Anyways lets sneak out of the palace!" I smirked at him and he raised a brow.
I opened the bag and showed him, "The emperor gave me all these and I want to distribute them to the poor!"
He took out a jewel from the bag, checked it out and replied, "Then what are we waiting for? Lets go." He smiled.
We both sneaked out of the palace and went to a nearby village. As we entered the village, we saw that it was in a chaos.
"PLEASE...PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY CHILD!" A woman grabbed one of the soldier's leg and begged.
The soldier kicked her in the gut and replied, "This is the emperor's command! You failed to pay the taxes hence we have to take your child!"
"NO....PLEASE.." The woman cried for help but everyone was too scared to help her.
"MOTHER!!" The little child cried as the soldiers dragged him with them.
I covered my face with a veil and yelled, "HALT!"
"Don't interfere, lady!"
"I'll pay on behalf of her!" I said
"And you are?"
"That's none of your business!" I took out a jewel from my bag and offered him, "Here...is this enough or you want more?!"
The soldier looked at the jewel and took it, "Thank you, lady! This will save this child from physical torture!" He smirked.
"Yaa enough of your bullshit! Release the child right now!" Jeongguk came forward and said in a threatening tone. Jeongguk's face was hidden too because of his hat.
"Or else what will you do?" The soldier took a step towards us but Jeongguk kicked him right on his face and the next moment, he was on the ground...his lips were bleeding.
"Aish...you disrespectful punks!" Jeongguk pointed his sword at the other soldiers.
The soldiers and Jeongguk soon got engaged into a fight and the child took this opportunity to run towards his mother.
Suddenly one of the soldiers grabbed me out of nowhere.
"HEY YOU JERK! STOP RIGHT NOW ELSE THIS LADY WILL LOSE HER LIFE!" He pointed his sword at me and yelled at Jeongguk.
"Aish...really?" I rolled my eyes.
"Hah! Have fun trying to do that!" Jeongguk smirked and continued to fight with the others.
"WHAT? HE DOESN'T BELIEVE ME? DOES HE? Seems like you will die, lady!" He smirked, I rolled my eyes again, grabbed his wrist tightly and quickly twisted it. The sword fell from his hand and I hit him in his gut with my elbow. It all happened too quickly for him to even react.
"Ughhh.." He fell on the ground holding his stomach.
"COWARDS!!" Jeonnguk yelled at the soldiers as they all ran away.
"Young master and young lady!! Thank you so much!!!" The woman came forward with her child and bowed in front of us.
"It has been quite long since the emperor has been taking our children for our inability to pay him the taxes." They cried, "Thank you so much!"
"Why are you unable to pay the taxes?" Jeongguk asked.
"The emperor takes very less tax from the nobles but he has imposed huge amount of taxes on us. It is not possible for us to pay taxes that is higher than our earning!" An old man explained.
The emperor indeed is a hoe. He is only good to me!
I sighed and replied, "We're here to donate some things to you. Hope this will improve your lives!" I opened the bag and the villagers became curious.
"Please come forward and take as many as you want!" Jeongguk welcomed them with a smile.
Jeongguk helped me to distribute all the silk and jewels. The villagers praised us and wished for our long lives. After that, we sneaked back into the palace.
"Seyeon-ah, beware tonight! Ok?" Jeongguk gave me a worried look.
"Don't worry! I have many backup plans ready. If one fails, another will definitely work!"
"Don't pull out dangerous stunts!" He kissed on my forehead.
"Ok! I promise!" I kissed on his cheeks and went inside the internal court. I climbed up the wall and entered into my room.
"But sir, why can't we enter the room?" I heard Yakran.
"Because.....her highness is taking rest!" I heard Taeheong.
"Oh shit! I better change my outfit!" I quickly changed my outfit and opened the door.
"Why are you people making a chaos here?!" I asked and heard Teaheong sighing with relief.
"YOUR HIGHNESS! ARE YOU OK?" Yakran asked and I nodded.
"I was so worried about you. It is already evening and you didn't wake up. Taiyo sir was not even letting me in!" Yakran whined.
"Don't worry I am completely ok!"
Later that night, the emperor visited me. It was the first 'wedding night' even though I wasn't married to him.
"How are you feeling now, my lady?" He asked.
"Much better!" I bowed and he nodded.
"Bring in!" The emperor clapped twice and a servant brought in wine.
"You may leave!" The emperor ordered the servant and he bowed and left after placing the wine on the table.
The emperor opened the bottle and poured the wine in two glasses and offered me one, "My lady, please accept this!"
I took the glass and looked at his smiling face.
Fucking hoe! Are you trying to make me drunk so that you can try things with me?
"Please drink, my lady. I specially prepared it for you!" He said while taking a sip from his glass.
I'm damn sure he has mixed something it it!
"Your Majesty!"
He looked at me as I put down my glass.
"I wanted to know how much power do I hold as your imperial noble consort?!" I tried to change the topic.
"Your power is just below the empress! But since the empress takes no part in the matters of internal court, so you are in charge of the internal court from now onwards as well!" He explained.
That means all the court maids and servants will have to listen to me. Things and people coming inside and going outside the internal court will be under my supervision! Good thing! This is an useful power!
I was lost in my thoughts when he spoke again.
"And....its just a matter of time, my lady. I'll make you the official empress soon!" He smiled at me while sipping his wine.
Ok! Now that's awkward! I don't know what to say here.
"My lady, Why aren't you drinking the wine?"
"I don't like to drink!"
I heard him sigh!
"Ok! I won't force you." He took my glass and drank it.
Maybe I was wrong...he didn't mix anything in it!
"How were the gifts? Did you like them?" He asked.
"Oh? Yes!" I nodded.
"And me? Do you like me?" He asked staring into my eyes.
I broke the eye contact and replied, "Your Majesty, my heart belongs to someone else!"
"Tell me his name and I shall kill him!" He put the wine glass on the table with a loud noise.
And I looked up at him with my brows furrowed.
"My lady, we are married..."
"I know! But I can't stop loving the person whom I love, can I?"
"Ok fine! I'll try even harder to get you!" He rose up and left the room.
"Aish...this is so stressful!" I sighed.
"Your highness, do you need anything?" I heard Yakran speaking from outside.
"No! I will sleep now. Make sure nobody enters the room!"
"Yes, your highness!"
"Now I need to go to Jeongguk!" I stood up with a smile and sneaked out of my room again.
I found him near the abandoned cottage that we burnt down the first day. He was practicing sword fight and was looking so hot.
"Are you going to keep staring at me?" Suddenly he spoke and looked at my direction.
"Ahh well...." I scratched the back of my head while blushing and he laughed.
"Here....lets practice!" He threw a sword towards my direction and I caught it.
I unsheathed the sword and pointed at him, "Lets get it!"
We both got engaged in a friendly fight. But him being the jerk he is, loosened his hanbok to reveal his chest in order to distract me. He got me...I indeed got distracted and he attacked me.
"This is cheating, Jeongguk!" I blocked his attack and frowned at him. He was on his one knee.
"'Everything is fair in love and war'...isn't that what your friend Jeemin mentioned once?!" He smirked and placed his hand on my cheek and with the other he pushed his sword towards me. It was becoming difficult for me to block his attack.
"Never thought my husband paid attention to Jeemin's words...." I smirked at him, placed my right leg on his knee and lifted up the hanbok over my thighs. His eyes widened and I took the opportunity and attacked him with my full force.
As the sword fell from his hand, I pointed the sword at him, "I won!" I smirked.
"Not so soon, my dear wife!" He smirked and grabbed my leg that was on his knee.
"Jeongguk don't-aAhh.."
The next thing I knew, I was on top of Jeongguk and we both were on the ground. I looked into his eyes and hit him on his chest playfully, "You are a jerk!"
"But you love this jerk!" He smirked and wrapped his arms around me. I placed my head on his chest and replied, "I do because I am an idiot!" He giggled in response.
As we both were enjoying each other's company, we heard a faint shrill cry.
"Jeongguk, did you hear that?"
"Yes! Lets go find out what is happening!"
We both stood up and followed the shrill cry until it got louder and clearer.
"Ugh...what is this place? It smells disgusting and why is it so dark?" I looked around the place and didn't feel good.
"Its the dungeons!" Jeongguk said getting alerted.
I grabbed his arm, "We won't run into a ghost that has been tortured here for decades, right?"
"Not ghosts....but the concubines!" He said and opened a door.
"What?!" I looked inside the room. It was dark but I could still see all the concubines tied up there. Jeongguk walked in and the concubines cried, "P-please save us!"
But the emperor said he dismissed all the concubines....what on earth is going on?
"Why are you all here?" Jeongguk asked them.
"The consorts and the concubines who had powerful clans, were dismissed but we were tied up here and were left to rot! Please save us!" One of them explained.
"It'll be hard for us to sneak you all out of the palace!" I walked inside and said.
"We know a secret passage that leads outside the palace! The passage is near the abandoned cottage." Few of them said in unision.
I looked at Jeongguk and nodded. For the next few minutes, we both helped the concubines sneak out of the palace safely.
This emperor is dangerous! He is only pretending to be good in front of me. I must stay 1000% more alert from now on!