Chapter 40
Within the given three days the evidence against the Dowager was gathered through Wook and Wohee's hard work. There was a witness to testimony that the Dowager was behind Soo's kidnapping and the person had also letter from the Dowager as evidence.
Now they only need to bring those evidence to the royal court and then the dowager would have to pay her price. On their way the people split up in two groups, knowing that walking in a big group would only leave them at disadvantage.
Wook reached the palace first, things was going just as planning with a smooth sailing wind.
"Are you ready for this?" Wook asked the lady next to him.
The lady hid her face underneath the hoodie of her purple colored cape. Grabbing the hem of her cape, she let out a finale exhale before looking up to him to answer.
"Yes I am."
The two people walked up to the court about to enter the palace as suddenly a group of guards rushed out from the palace's gate and surrounded them. In an instant Wook protective pulled the lady behind his back while he with the hand touched the handle of his sword.
"I'm here to report a case to the court," Wook said, his eyes searching for the person executing these guards, as if knowing they were sent out to stop him.
Light footsteps came in his direction. Immediately the guard opened their formation and parted in two lines, letting a generous amount of space for the icy princess to make her entrance.
"Yeonhwa?" Wook said, his eyes narrowed at the familiar figure of his own sister.
"Orabeoni," Yeonhwa said with a triumphant smile playing in her eyes. Yeonhwa's eyes glanced at the figure hidden behind Wook, a menacing smile no inferior to the fire in her eyes spread across her delicate lips.
"I didn't expect to see you here?" Yeonhwa faked a friendly tone.
"Order your men to let us in," Wook ordered. "I need to report something to his majesty."
Disbelief caused the princess to break out in a short laugh. Of course her brother would expect her corporation. Sadly, Yeonhwa didn't share the same thought as Wook.
"Men catch the person behind his highness!" Following her orders the men caught the person behind Wook and also him in the progress.
"Yeonhwa! What is this supposed to mean?!"
"Haven't you heard the emperor's edict? Anyone who find the traitorous consort would get a wish granted by his Majesty. It means that I soon will take back what is rightfully mine."
Yeonhwa was too proud of herself to even notice her brother's bad acting. She was too arrogant to notice her own mistake. Had she been a little more observant, then maybe she wouldn't miss the smirk of the consort underneath the purple cape.
.
.
.
Just as the royal court was about to dismiss, Princess Yeonhwa entered with her guards and halted the closing.
"Your majesty, I have something to propose," Yeonhwa said as she went to her knees and greeted the emperor.
The ministers looked at each other with confused stares, surprised by the unexpected guest who had just entered.
"Princess Yeonhwa, you think this is just place you can enter as you please?"
"If not this was an important matter, Yeonhwa wouldn't dare make such a scene,"
The emeperor remained unchanged. The mask he wore kept his expression concealed from the court.
"You may speak." He ordered after a pause which lasted longer than what was comfortable.
"I've caught the consort," as Yeonhwa said those words the men of hers were signalled to take in the supposed consort, while Yeonhwa has kept Wook away to protect her brother.
Upon the view the crowd started murmuring with one another. Their eyes went back and forth from the emperor and the lady in purple cape. Unlike the rest the emperor remained unchanged with the empty expression he usually had.
A flame of hope lit up in Yeonhwa's heart as she saw the cold expression on the emperor's face.
I might still have a chance to win him back.
Just as Yeonhwa was about to remind the emperor about his given edict, the empress barged and interrupted the already messed court meeting.
"She is an imposer! She is not the real consort." The dowager empress shouted as she walked towards the throne.
Yeonhwa was fuelled with anger by the accusation of her capturing a fake consort. If this wasn't the wanted consort, then who in the world would this be. The same face, same hair, same eyes....
It was then that Yeonhwa noticed the venom smirk cracking at the corner of the girl's lips. In rush Yeonhwa rushed up to the supposed consort and pulled away her hoodie. The long black hair was exposed, the long lashes on the familiar face and even the way she blinked. Yet, there was something different. The glint in the girl's eyes held a stronger fire than what Yeonhwa was used. There was a certain confidence emitting from this girl which Yeonhwa wasn't familiar with.
Indeed, the girl Yeonhwa caught was not Soo, it was Seol.
Although knowing she had caught the wrong person, Yeonhwa couldn't accept this. She was so close to getting her goal of becoming the emperor's wife. She could nearly smell the victory, which was only a single step away. It was impossible for her to give up just like that.
"What proof does her dowager have to say those words?" Yeonhwa brazenly asked, pretending to be the rightful person.
"Let me tell you," An arrogant smirk threatened to crack on the scarlet lips of the Dowager as she motioned for her guards to come.
Not even Yeonhwa could keep on the nonchalant facade as the Empress dowager's guard dragged the delicate consort in. Fast as a fire the room was suddenly filled with confused gasping as there were now two consorts?
Even Seol couldn't conceal the surprised expression as another girl stepped inside the room in the hand of the guards. Seol was not alone in the reaction. Even the emperor was taken aback by the sudden appearance of his missed lover.
Yet, instead of looking at Soo the emperor was taking in the image of the two guards holding her. His glare told that holding his consort was the last thing these hands were going to hold.
Moon...
Although Yeonhwa didn't want to admit it, she also knew this was Soo. The girl she had caught might look like Soo, but is a complete different person. Those minister's might not know, but for Yeonhwa, who had lived under the same roof with Soo, was no longer in doubt.
Seeing everyone's surprised expression the Empress dowager couldn't help but smile at her own victory. She felt the satisfaction of seeing the emperor trying to conceal his emotion as he dug his finger against the handle of the throne. Finally she had seized the chance to take the emperor down and make Jung the ruler.
"Empress dowager, what is this supposed to mean? Why did you bring in an imposter?" Yeonhwa argued. Keeping her mask to the end.
"Well, soon enough we will know who the real imposer is," The Empress dowager replied. The dowager walked her way to Soo and removed the cloth she had in her mouth.
"Well, my child, how about you tell everyone what this is about?" The Empress Dowager leaned closer to Soo and whispered words only she was able to hear.
"You know what will happen if you don't speak, right?"
Soo knew very well. If she didn't do according to what the Empress Dowager said, then everyone inside this room would die by the revolt of Yoo. The third prince had gathered an army and was ready to storm the palace's walls any minute.
Forgetting his existence was her biggest mistake. When executing this plan, they had only taking Jung as a threat, completely forgetting that Yoo as well was an evident threat. When sneaking into the palace, Wohee and Soo had taken the measurement of how to avoid Jung's men, but never did they knew that Yoo had already planted his men inside this palace. He was lurking in every corner, waiting for the right time to ambush the emperor.
If she didn't admit to all the crime caused by the empress, then everyone inside this room might not be able to see tomorrow's daylight.
"I...." Soo uttered, unable to form her sentence. She glanced around in this room, over a twenty pairs of eyes were laying on her. In the blink of an eye those people could turn into lifeless corpse.
"I... I have something to confess." Soo spoke in trembling voice.
A/N: sorry for he grammatical errors, and thanks for reading ^^