“It seems the imperial family still harbors a deep grudge regarding your grandmother.”
“My grandmother…?”
Song Wongyeong’s grandmother was famed more for her beauty than her clan or name, known to the world as Lady Mi. She was also the woman upon whom the reigning emperor of that time—the grandfather of Seomun Cheon—had set his eyes.
The tragedy began when Lady Mi rejected the emperor’s advances and fell in love with Song Wongyeong’s grandfather.
“Wongyeong. Do you know the last will left by the grand-former emperor?”
“How could I, who am not even of imperial blood, know such a thing?”
Song Wonmun’s face contorted as he said with a bitter, resentful expression:
“‘Have no dealings whatsoever with the Sanggwan Song clan.’”
Song Wongyeong clicked his tongue inwardly.
For an emperor’s final words, how petty and futile.
To think that the very last words he uttered while dying were nothing more than proof that he was blinded by jealousy.
It seemed the grand-former emperor harbored a massive grudge against Lady Mi for daring to dump him and choose another man.
“That is why we had to fold most of our businesses that required state approval.”
“Don’t tell me the reason we stopped the salt trade and only sell rice is…?”
“Yes. It is because of that will. However, that didn’t mean they could completely cast aside our family, as we are key officials.”
Song Wongyeong’s grandfather had served as the Minister of the Secretariat, a high third rank, and his son, Song Wonmun, held the vital position of Vice Minister of the Chancellery. Furthermore, both were talented men who had passed the civil service examinations to enter government service.
Because of this, the late emperor was caught in a dilemma!
To the grand-former emperor, Lady Mi might have been his first love whom he pined for until death, but to the late emperor, wasn’t she merely a stranger he had heard about until his ears bled?
“In the end, isn’t that last will be useless? The emperor has changed, our clan remains intact, and you survived, Father.”
“Did you listen with your rear when I said we have no money?”
Song Wonmun cuffed Song Wongyeong on the head.
“It is all debt! Do you have any idea how many fields and paddies we’ve already sold? At this rate, all our household goods will be seized!”
The estate of the Sanggwan Song clan was vast and grand, matching its prestige. There were well over a dozen rooms for guests to stay in, and it was famous for being decorated in an understated yet antique fashion so as not to be looked down upon for their merchant origins. Naturally, the highest-grade materials were used for all of it.
And yet, all of it was on the verge of being handed over to debt?
“Father! What about your official salary?!”
“I’m using that to pay off the debt too!”
Song Wonmun, who had been cuffing his eldest son’s head, cleared his throat with a dry cough and called Song Wongyeong politely.
“That is why I am telling you this. You must enter the inner palace as a concubine.”
“Father!”
“If we send the eldest son into the inner palace, wouldn’t the imperial court stop this petty… ahem, revenge? In the past, there were those who sent their daughters just to get into the imperial court’s good graces.”
“Those were daughters! Am I not a son?!”
Indeed. Song Wongyeong was a handsome man with tall stature and slender legs. He was the kind of handsome man where women would line up just to steal glances at him when he walked down the street.
To tell such a Song Wongyeong to become the emperor’s concubine!
“I would rather die! And why must it be me? What about Wontae?”
“That child must carry on our family line. You know full well that your talents fall short of your younger brother’s.”
“…”
He had nothing to say.
If Song Wongyeong’s talent was barely enough to become a military officer, his younger brother, Song Wontae, was a gifted individual accomplished in both arts and martial skills.
Even though Wontae had not yet found his footing and preferred playing around in the market, that did not diminish the difference in their talents.
Although primogeniture was the norm in the Gyeong Empire, it was not uncommon for the second son or daughter to be named heir if they possessed extraordinary talent.
Especially in a situation like this where the disparity in talent was vast and the family fortunes were declining!
Even so, you’re telling me to become a concubine?
To be born a man only to become another man’s concubine!
Faced with an option he had never once considered in his life, Song Wongyeong refused immediately.
“I will pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“Wongyeong. It’s not as if I have any other choice!”
“Then adopt a son or something!”
“If I do that, far from showing a sincere apology, it will be nothing short of deceiving the imperial court!”
In a situation where they were bowing their heads to the imperial family, to send an adopted son whose distant lineage was completely unknown?
If that adopted son caused trouble, it would be a major disaster… but regardless, Song Wongyeong had no intention of becoming a concubine.
“No matter what you say, I’m not going!”
“Even if our family goes ruined?”
“My own life is about to be ruined first!”
Song Wonmun sighed. Seeing that his father seemed to sympathize with his words even by a grain of rice, Song Wongyeong felt relieved.
However, that was merely taking one step back to gain greater momentum.
“There is no helping it. Come in!”
Song Wonmun slammed his hand onto the table. Suddenly, the door to the tea room burst open, and servants swarmed inside.
Every single one of them had a physique sturdier than Song Wongyeong’s. Panicked by the sight of roughly ten men, Song Wongyeong was flabbergasted!
“F-Father?”
“It would have been better if you had said you’d go quietly. Seize him!”
At their master’s command, the servants rushed to Song Wongyeong.
“Aaargh! Let go! Won’t you let go of me?!”
Although Song Wongyeong was a fairly sturdy man himself, he stood no chance against ten opponents. Looking at his captured son, Song Wonmun gave a cold instruction.
“Lock him in the annex until he says he will go to the imperial palace on his own two feet. Oh, and do not feed him any meals in the meantime.”
“Father!”
“If you refuse to work for the sake of the family, you shouldn’t eat what the family earns either.”
In the end, Song Wongyeong surrendered after three weeks.
“Brighten up your face. Why such a sour expression on such a good day?”
Time passed, and on the day Song Wongyeong was set to head to the inner palace, Song Wonmun scolded his son. But Song Wongyeong had his own grievances to air.
“Do I look like I’m in a position to wipe off my anger right now? Look at the state I’m in!”
Indeed, Song Wongyeong’s appearance was utterly ridiculous. Draped in clothes meant for women despite his tall, slender, yet sturdy physique, he was nothing short of a laughingstock.
And what about his face? Upon a countenance that was distinctly masculine and sharp, white powder had been slathered on, topped off with red rouge makeup. Song Wonmun marvelled at the sight.
“Well now…”
It was an atrocity against the clothes, but Song Wonmun changed the subject.
“Ahem, all the preparation over this time was well worth it.”
“In this state?”
Song Wongyeong flared his broad sleeves demonstratively and spun around on the spot. The extravagant hem, embroidered with silver thread, wrapped awkwardly around his sturdy limbs due to the momentum.
Ignoring the seam of the garment that tore in the process, Song Wonmun cleared his throat.
“Since you were entering the inner palace, I did my absolute best despite our meager means. You should be grateful to your mother.”
Song Wongyeong’s mother had not left her room since the day it was decided he would enter the inner palace.
She simply could not accept the fact that her fully grown son—and the eldest son at that—was being sent off as the emperor’s male concubine.
“She acts like that now, but one day she will come to realize today’s choice was for the best. How could a woman understand the noble cause of a man’s work?”
After chiding his absent wife, Song Wonmun firmly grabbed his son’s shoulder.
“Keep this in mind, Wongyeong. You must never give your heart to the emperor.”
Even though it was irritating, Song Wongyeong tried to listen seriously as it was his father’s final advice, but he nearly jumped out of his skin.
“Have I lost my mind? The sky could split in two and I would still never fall for a man!”
“The opponent is none other than the emperor. Renowned for his beauty…”
“So what if he’s the emperor? Does he have flowers hanging between his legs or something?”
Song Wongyeong snorted mockingly, but Song Wonmun looked ready to faint.
“I am terrified you will speak like that even after entering the palace! Do not forget that all our lives depend on every single word you speak!”
“If you are that worried, ask them to withdraw the concubine selection right now.”
“You unfilial brute…! Gasp!”
Song Wonmun grabbed his own neck and tottered as if he were about to collapse at any moment. Yet, for a sick man, his complexion was far too lively.
It was the usual act of illness he put on whenever the Song brothers caused trouble. Normally, Song Wongyeong would have rushed over and dropped to his knees immediately, but today, even he could not stomach it.
“Then this unfilial brute shall take his leave.”
“You, you, you! Song Wongyeong!”
Whether Song Wonmun shouted or not, Song Wongyeong stepped outside.
Waiting there was a person sent from the imperial palace to escort the concubine. The eunuch flinched for a moment upon seeing Song Wongyeong, but quickly composed himself and treated him with an impassive face.
“I have come to escort the precious esteemed one. Please step into the palanquin.”
“Right. Let us go.”
Song Wongyeong followed the eunuch with bold, confident strides.
Outside the house, a grand palanquin was already waiting. Song Wongyeong took the eunuch’s hand and climbed inside.
Just you wait and see, I’m going to live large and prosper in the imperial palace!
Three years since then.
Contrary to the vow he had made on the day he entered the palace, living in the imperial palace was no easy task.
The emperor had no empress, nor did he possess much interest in his concubines.
There was no need to even mention the situation of Song Wongyeong, who was the sole male among them.
Conversely, the business of the Sanggwan Song family ran smoothly. While it hadn’t recovered immensely, it wasn’t going under any further either.
The public’s assessment of this was as follows:
– It was indeed worth offering their eldest son to the emperor.
It was a widespread rumor that even reached the ears of Song Wongyeong, residing deep within the concubines’ quarters.
“And here I am, drying up in the corner of this inner palace…”
Located deep within the imperial palace, a single day in the concubines’ quarters felt like a thousand years. Song Wongyeong let out a deep sigh.
“To think that only three years have passed. What am I supposed to do from now on?”
