Chapter 122 (2/2)

”…Pardon?”

Kyoyoung's face grew dark. It was mixed with fear, anger and contempt.

”As you know, those women who say they like men pretend to be innocent and quiet. You know why? Because they can seduce men more easily when they pretend like that.”

Kyoyoung was silent. Looking at her expression, Oran shook her head with a sigh and clicked her tongue.

”It looks like she doesn't fear anything. How dare she get pregnant and tries to seduce another man?” Oran said.

Though her trust in Kyosul was already broken, even such a little thing shook Kyoyoung's troubled mind violently. Determined that she would check out Kyosul's residence, Kyoyoung began to find out the truth of the rumors about Kyosul.

Blinded by jealousy, Kyoyoung began to dig up everything about her thoroughly.

As she resided in the East Palace like Kyosul, Kyoyoung felt she could check out with her own eyes what's going on in Kyosul's place.

One day, Kyoyoung opened her mouth to Oran with a heavy heart.

”Princess Oran!”

She had been agonized with what she found out for several days before approaching Oran.

But there was only one answer. Now, it was just a matter of when she revealed it to Oran.

Although she opened her mouth, she couldn't speak right away as her heart was pounding hard. But the moment she opened her mouth, or at the moment she called Oran to her residence, she already decided to tell her about it.

”I've confirmed Crown Princess Kyosul's infidelity,” Kyoyoung said, burning with anger.

She added, ”Her partner is Prince Ruhae!”

When she heard the answer she had been waiting for, Oran sympathized with her anger, though she was aware of it all along.

Oran knew Kyoyoung would be boiling with rage when Kyoyoung found out herself that Kyosul's partner was Ruhae. From her point of view, Oran could play a dirty trick without exposing herself to any danger by using Kyoyoung as best she could.

After that, there were more frequent exchanges between them. Kyoyoung even had a solo meeting with Dukwol. She mentioned justice with a hardened expression, but she was scared at the same time. And Dukwol's attitude instigated her further.

”Don't you think we have to establish the discipline of the imperial family more firmly?”

She had no doubt that she was acting out of justice back then.

***

It was none other than Kyoyoung who found out every detail about Kyosul's wrongheaded love with Ruhae and reported it to Dukwol and Oran in the West Palace. Rather, she sold them off.

Right here in Daejon today, when Kyosul and Ruhae bowed to the emperor, begging for his mercy, Kyoyoung realized that she had made a mistake.

She felt deeply ashamed of her behavior.

And she felt all the more bitter because it all was caused by her jealousy of Kyosul.

”… I, Princess Kyoyoung, dare beg you, Your Majesty! Please allow the Crown Prince and the prince to leave the palace! ”

When her tearful voice subdued, another woman came forward and said, ”I, Princess Heyjin, dare beg you, Your Majesty! Please grant his request!”

While watching the situation carefully, she said that, bowing to the emperor.

Her husband Prince Binsung also followed suit, begging the emperor for his forgiveness.

Impressed with her exotic words and deed, Ohyulje never let Heyjn's words in one ear and out the other. Though her voice sounded lazy to others, her speaking with a low voice sounded like a prophecy to him.

Finally, the emperor glanced over all who present in Daejon, with their heads down.

”How foolish you are!”

There was sarcastic smile on his face when he heard them all. They lived in the palace all their lives, but it seemed to him that they still believed in such sentimental words as 'sincerity' or 'love'. They begged for his forgiveness and generosity at the risk of their lives. His gaze on them became icy, and he finally turned his eyes toward Kyosul and Ruhae.

As if there was nothing to hide or fear anymore, they held each other's hands tightly.

Ohyulje closed his eyes silently. He couldn't simply ignore their request. In fact, he sacrificed too many people for his own political interests up to now. He was not a woman in the Imperial Palace who dreamed of the tender word 'lover.' He was a cold-hearted man who took a lot of lives to attain his current position. Accordingly, he had no reservations at all about taking the lives of Ruhae and Kyosul, even if one of them was his most cherished son. He already made up his mind coldly.

With no smile on his hardened face, he stood up from his seat and announced, ”As of today, the name Yuuljin Danmok shall be erased from the imperial family tree.”

Ruhae looked up at him. His eyes did not meet the emperor's. Standing tall, the emperor was just looking ahead.

Erase his name from the royal family tree?