That was something Sansan couldn’t know either. It was probably because his genitals were incomplete. However,
“I, I don’t know. I apologize, Your Majesty.”
He lied, hating the pity. Sansan hated pity. He hated all the relatives who pitied him as inadequate, or as a eunuch, saying he was pitiful in such ways. He wasn’t such an idiot that he couldn’t understand such words, yet they kept pitying him right to his face.
Feeling aggrieved for no reason, Sansan whimpered. As he did so, the imperial hand pressing his thighs finally disappeared. Sansan quickly fastened the lower part of his robe and pressed his legs tightly together.
“From next time, don’t be embarrassed. What fun is there if you just cry from embarrassment?”
It was openly saying he’d strip off his lower garments next time too, but Sansan, who had no capacity to understand it properly, just nodded his head like a fool. He just wanted to escape this place quickly. The Emperor only let out a chuckle even at that rude attitude.
“Though I’ve never seen anyone with paler skin than your sister in my life, even such a Concubine Yoon cannot compare to you.”
“……”
“Your bare skin is white like pear blossoms, so Yeongnyeong Palace seems to suit you even better.”
Though it seemed like teasing words, it was actually words containing the imperial heart. Saying Yeongnyeong Palace suited him more than Yeongnyeong Palace’s mistress was no different from saying he’d keep him in Yeongnyeong Palace. Everyone outside the screen understood this, but this time too, only Sansan didn’t understand.
The Emperor lightly stroked the cheek of Sansan, who couldn’t easily stop sniffling, then commanded.
“Get dressed.”
“……Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Since I have laid eyes on it once, you must not show your lower body to anyone else from now on. Do you understand?”
Though it was clear he didn’t understand, Sansan nodded his head. Laughter kept coming, so the Emperor laughed again this time too. In fact, he wanted to embrace him right here and now, but seeing he clearly knew nothing of adult pleasures, he held back for now. There’d be no fun if he only cried.
“Since Concubine Yoon’s older brother has been unable to marry for such reasons, privately I too am related to him, so my heart is heavy. In any case, since he cannot produce seed, there should be no particular problem with him staying inside Yeongnyeong Palace for a few days, so I will have Yoon Sansan of the Yoon family stay in Yeongnyeong Palace’s Dongbaejeon to allow the two siblings who met after so long to catch up.”
Thus the Emperor’s imperial command was issued. After a moment of silence seemed to flow, soon Sanwol’s voice came over the screen.
“Your grace is as vast as the sea, Your Majesty. This lowly concubine receives your command and will carry it out. Long live His Imperial Majesty the Emperor, long live, long long live.”
Starting with Sanwol, the rest also cried out long live in succession all at once. Only one person, Sansan alone, stood there blankly unable to follow the situation.
“What are you doing?”
“……Yes.”
“I have treated you siblings with virtue, so shouldn’t you properly kneel and offer thanks?”
“……Ah, Your, Your Majesty, your grace is boundless. Long live, long live, long long live.”
Having belatedly received even Sansan’s clumsy thanks as he prostrated himself to accept the honor, the Emperor looked down at Sansan for a while as if reluctant, then reluctantly returned to Geoncheonggung Palace leading Head Eunuch Han covered in blood and his party.
Wondering why he was leaving already, thinking that such a dunce who didn’t even know to whisper sweet nothings would have endless things to teach, but what could be done? Having already laid eyes on even the lower body, until he wanted him, he was already his person. The Emperor thought so. He also believed alone that Sansan must have accepted it that way too.
***
Yoon Yun-gyeom and Lee Ja-yoon, with grins from ear to ear, gathered up the silk the Emperor had bestowed and left the palace on that very path. Just before leaving Yeongnyeong Gate, Lee Ja-yoon didn’t forget to give instructions to the crying Sansan once more.
“What did your mother tell you before entering the palace?”
“Wh-what……”
“Whatever His Majesty wants from you, what must you do? Didn’t your mother tell you?”
“Just close my eyes tight and stay still, doing as he does……”
“Right. Remember those words. If you don’t, not only this mother and father, but even your pregnant sister could be punished. Understand?”
“Yes, ye-es.”
Seeing Sansan nodding repeatedly while crying, Sanwol felt such fury toward her parents that her chest might burst, but since His Majesty had already revealed his imperial heart, there was nothing she could do about it, so she only agonized inwardly.
“Immediately clean Dongbaejeon properly and decorate the interior without any lack.”
Having commanded thus, Sanwol embraced the shoulders of her older brother who was only shedding tears and brought him into her rear hall.
Entering all the way to the western secondary chamber, Sanwol seated Sansan on the arhat bed, dismissed all the palace servants, then drew the curtains.
“Orabeoni.”
“……Ma-Mama.”
“When it’s just the two of us, it’s okay to just call me Wol like before.”
“……Mother said I shouldn’t do that.”
“She’s not here now.”
“……Wol.”
I missed you. Having spoken the words as if crawling out, Sansan shed tears again. The jewel-like large teardrops rolling down the pale glowing cheeks were truly, truly lovely. Sanwol’s chest ached and she frowned. The past days right after entering the palace flashed through Sanwol like a revolving lantern.
Sanwol, who had been selected as a concubine, received the warrant of Noble Lady and entered the palace, was promoted to Court Lady the very day after the night she attended the Emperor’s bedchamber for the third time, and was promoted again to Concubine upon becoming pregnant.
Since it was an unprecedentedly fast promotion in two years, everyone gossiped about the birth of a Noble Consort, but Sanwol didn’t think so. Why didn’t she think so? Absurdly, because she had never felt anything like the Emperor’s sincerity. Actions that couldn’t be done if there was sincerity—the Emperor had perpetrated them on Sanwol several times.
Having an older brother who was a bit different from others, Sanwol had always hoped, if possible, to marry a broad-minded man living nearby. She wanted to share affection harmoniously with a commoner, and also look in on her older brother from time to time, living peacefully like that.
Whether it was a blessing unfortunately not permitted to her, Sanwol couldn’t marry until the concubine selection decree was issued, and in the end was selected as a concubine. She didn’t know how resentful she was toward her parents who had measured this and that, missed all marriage prospects, then acted like they knew nothing.
However, embarrassingly enough for someone who had hated entering the palace as much as death, she lived immersed in sweet dreams for a while after entering as a concubine. The Emperor, who had felt only frightening and difficult because he was a person in too high a place, was actually a tremendous handsome man that even Song Yu and Pan An would cry over.
Originally the Yoon family was renowned for outstanding looks, and even Sanwol, who had been born and raised within it and had no particular impression of others’ appearances, had fallen for the Emperor at first sight. Fortunately, since Sanwol’s appearance was also exceptional, the first attendance at his bedchamber was achieved immediately and there was no time to pine.
The first night she saw his face up close, Sanwol was wrapped in bedding without a single thread on and placed in the Emperor’s bedchamber. There was no such thing as the first night Sanwol had dreamed of—sharing ceremonial wine, covering themselves with one blanket, affectionately caressing each other, and finally becoming one.
The Emperor drank the wine alone, and Sanwol had to stand naked and present her figure front and back to the Emperor. Then, in front of the Emperor, she had to receive a virginity examination from the head court lady.
Only after all such processes were finished could Sanwol serve the Emperor. And that too while she herself must not touch the Emperor’s jade body. That night, Sanwol lay like a doll and just stayed still as the Emperor wanted.
Nevertheless, perhaps because he was the first man to whom she’d permitted her bare skin and secret place, Sanwol fell helplessly for the Emperor. Just thinking of the Emperor’s dragon countenance and imperial voice made her heart flutter meaninglessly and she wanted to see him again. She came to count the nights waiting for the Emperor to call for her.
However, the Emperor was not her husband alone. He was the Son of Heaven above all people, young, with a height as great as Mount Tai and incomparably handsome features—in fact, what woman could not harbor feelings for him? The Emperor was truly one who had women gathering like clouds when he left the east gate.
Though the Empress’s position was vacant, there were countless concubines and male consorts who had given both body and heart to the Emperor beyond counting. Sanwol had to share the husband who had taken her first love with countless others.
While doing so, she gradually became aware of reality. As they say, no flower blooms for ten days—the brief favor that had flowed to her disappeared without a trace before long.
The number of times he called for her gradually decreased until it became difficult to see him even once a month. Even when he did call and she attended his bedchamber, she kept thinking she had performed service alone rather than sharing love.
Footnote:
“No flower blooms for ten days” (화무십일홍/花無十日紅) – Proverb meaning glory doesn’t last
Mount Tai (태산) – Famous mountain, metaphor for great height
Dongbaejeon (동배전) – Eastern annex building of Yeongnyeong Palace
