Chapter 2 - I will kill you with my own hands (1/2)
“There was also the Queen Mother.”
As Lee Hak-soo entered Daejeon, he looked at Hong Jungjeon who was sitting by the King’s side. Then he started to smirk and was being sarcastic.
He leaned towards the King and the Queen. Lee Hak-soo opened his mouth.
“Your belly is quite a bit bigger, my Queen. You also look good.”
Then the Queen laughed, hiding the King’s blood on her hands .
“It’s all thanks to Councilor Lee.”
“As you say, I don’t know where to place you. You should have a safe delivery.”
“Yes, I should.”
The queen clenched her teeth. She is aware that the King’s life was like a candle in front of the wind. But she didn’t cry.
The king has offered to demote her and have her leave the palace in order to escape from the Councilor Lee and his followers.
Yet, the Queen refused his offer. She didn’t want to let go of the king’s hand.
‘-I. . I shall choose to die. Even if I get killed, I will die with you, Your Majesty.’
Although they got married politically, they were in love. They deeply trusted and treasured each other very much.
Yoojun, the King, was born as the son of a concubine from Mussoorie, and became the only King’s bloodline in Gwangju, which he viewed as an enemy.
So, the concubine’s son, Yoojun, was appointed as the crown prince and sat on the throne as the King of Joseon who succeeded the late King, Seon Hwang.
His poor background always held him back and there weren’t any support forces.
It was Lee Hak Soo who brought Hong Jungjeon into the palace. Under the pretext of Yoojun’s poor birth, the seat of the throne was easily controlled. Since it was a palace where there is no proper adult, Lee Hak Soo was relieved.
“ -Because you are the King of the unchanging bloodline, the great and small gods are not willing to put you on the seat of the Queen Mother.”
Lee Hak Soo once again talked about the King’s lowly birth, and the Junggung Palace was also organized with his own people. However, as time passed by, the clever and wise Hong Jungjeon turned to the poor King’s side instead of Lee Hak Soo and repeatedly confronted Lee and his company on behalf of the King.
Lee Hak Soo confronted the Queen.
“-You pledged to become my person on the condition of saving you and your family. By the way, how thick can your skin be and you dared to turn your back on me?”
The Queen pleaded.
“You are not on the throne but you’re controlling everything. Please leave the poor King alone. I’m going to live in the palace quietly as if I am dead. Please let me keep the lives of him, me, and my child.”
However, Lee Hak Soo did not leave Hong Jungjeon and Yoojun happy.
Although he had the King under his feet and the jade was already in his hands, the situation changed as his first son Hwi Hyeon, the only King’s blood and flesh, appeared in the outside world.
“-You must establish the dignity of the royal family by proclaiming that you are the only heir to the throne, Prince Hwi Hyeon!”
When it was forgotten, the King’s forces raised their heads and prevented Lee Hak Soo’s greed.
It was in the name of correcting the national text and establishing the discipline of the country. It was enough to threaten the position of Lee Hak Soo, who has held the power for a long time.
And behind it was Hong Jungjeon. Just as Hong Jungjeon revitalized the burning fire, she began to gather forces one by one to defeat Lee Hak Soo’s power and restore the dignity of the royal family.
Taking the lead is the only blood relative, crown prince Hwi Hyeon, Hong Jungjeon brought the hearts of the royal members together. That fact was soon heard by Lee Hak Soo.
“-Kill them. I won’t let anyone stand in my way.”
The day when young Hwi Hyeon was appointed as the crown prince, he got poisoned. He started to scream in agony as his body turned blue.
Poisoning the prince was an open treason but no one was arrested.
Seonggyungwan students also protested to reveal the full extent of the poisoning of the young crown prince, but they had to withdraw cleanly in less than half a day at Lee Hak Soo’s order.
Daeso Shinryo, who was raising an appeal, also quietly shut his mouth at the first stroke of Lee Hak-soo’s sword and remained silent before the death of the prince.
All the Royal members also turned their backs on the King, saying that the actions against Lee Hak Soo were reckless.
As usual on the King’s side, only the Queen stood alone. Also, as always, Lee Hak Soo was standing on top of the King.
“ -How, how could you kill him, Councilor Lee! What is the sin that that little child did?!”
“ -The sin of being born as the son of a fading King. If you are going to act against my will again, the seed of another King in your womb will die.”
“-Councilor!”
“-Don’t bother me. I will stop anyone who is against me.”
Jungjeon grinded her teeth again, recalling Lee Hak Soo on that day. While stroking the child in her womb making small footsteps, Jungjeon strengthened her whole body to avoid distractions.
She wasn’t afraid of Lee Hak Soo who she’s facing anymore.
Even the King of this country will eventually fall into the hands of evil, and soon her life will follow the King to the abyss, but the Queen remains resolute. She has to protect this one child in her womb.
“How is Your Majesty’s condition?”
Lee Hak Soo looked up at the royal doctor who was standing next to the King.
“He is showing signs of improvement.”
“That’s fortunate, Your Majesty. You have to live to see this noble baby like the last lineage of Joseon.”
“What kind of a fool are you, Councilor Lee.”
“Tsk tsk. Since there is no heir, what do you do with this, my Queen ?”
“Don’t tell me. What do you mean by the last blood? There’s no hindsight.”
“Your Majesty, you’re still so strong, don’t you think you should make another heir?”
“Hahahahahaha! My Queen, you are really. That joke is too much.”
Lee Haksoo laughed out loud and glanced at the Queen. However, Jung-jeon kept her firm expression with her eyes down.
Right now, she wanted to cut off the head of the beast, but she couldn’t.
Jungjeon suppressed and repressed her rising anger and maintained her calm.
“How much time left until you’re due, my Queen?”
“Why do you ask, Councilor Lee?”
“The childbirth of the Queen is like a national celebration. All the people, the old and young believers, have been praying for the safe delivery of Jungjeon the Queen. How can I not ask that? Make sure to have a safe delivery.”
As soon as four years after giving birth to a child, that child will be dead.
Whether it’s a prince or a princess, they will never live. So, the death of their child will be the starting point to announce the end of the country, and the beginning of a new history.
The day when Lee Haksoo takes over this royal family, and his son ascends the throne, all the people will bow down to him.
It was his ambition to hold and shake Joseon. At Lee Hak Soo’s mean smile, Jungjeon wrapped her arms around her stomach.
Knowing the hidden meaning behind Lee Hak Soo’s scripture, Jungjeon has no choice but to clench her hands and smile, hiding her inner thoughts like a poisonous flower.
“Yes. According to the wish of Councilor Lee, I will definitely give birth, and I will continue the lineage of Joseon.”
“Thank you for coming a long way, My Queen.”
The chief monk bowed his head as he looked at Sansa Temple, which was quite full.
Jungjeon joined her hands together and stepped carefully into the Sansa Temple.
Jungjeon headed to Sansa with a couple of palace officials in order to pray for a safe delivery. Ju Ji Seung, who was waiting for the Queen, was bickering among the Thasa Royals.
“The monk is still there. Why are you going so far away?”
“Haha. They are all old and weak. My Queen, you don’t look well. Let’s go somewhere warm.”
Ju Ji Seung looked down at the Queen’s round belly with
a kind smile.
“Do you have a name in mind, my Queen? It is a precious person.”
“The King has a name for a pretty princess. But I don’t know if this child will be a princess or a prince.”
Jungjeon smiled shyly and put her cold hands tightly together.
Then, Ju Ji Seung looked up at the Queen, the gentle smile is still hanging on his mouth, and shook his head.
“It will be the last hope for this country. She will be a pretty princess, My Queen.”
“Ah!”
Jungjeon couldn’t hide her joy at the words ‘princess’ and touched her stomach. She looked towards Ji Seung, trying to wipe away her tears.
“Monk, is this child really a princess?”
“Yes. A very pretty and intelligent princess is coming.”
“This child. . then this child, can she live?”
“My Queen.”
“This child! I can’t live without it.”
Ji Seung shook his head quietly, holding the Queen’s cold hands starting to tremble as if excited.
“If you are afraid, the princess will feel it too.”
“Monk!”
“Now, don’t ask about anything, but be sure to take it easy.”
Sitting in front of the warm fire, Ji Seung gave tea to Jungjeon and smiled again. As if it wasn’t the time yet, he comforted and cherished the swaying Queen.
“Ahh! Ahh!”
A scream began to shake the mountain temple, where the deep darkness had settled. A light was soon lit up in the chief monk’s room. Then, he ran to the place where the scream could be heard.
The nine people who came with Jungjeon also started to run out to the Queen’s room.
“My Queen! What am I supposed to do? We have a month left before the birth!”
“What am I going to do about the lack of a midwife?”
“Monk!”
Jungjeon started to scream and rolled around the room. Childbirth has begun. Soon, blood began to form on the hem of the Queen’s dress.
“Gosh! Hurry up, quickly!”
Childbirth started in a deep mountain!