Min-jun had seldom felt such panic. Once, Su-jin had gotten so ill that she’d fainted in the middle of the town market. Second, he’d found out that Haneul was on his deathbed and his second love had faded just as quickly as his first. And long before that, long before his life had been turned on its head, it had been the King who had first prompted such a terrible feeling in him. The day he’d realized that the King, the boy he’d loved, had not been lying about leaving. By the time he’d reached their usual meeting place, all traces of him had vanished.
Not this time. I won’t let you.
Calm down, Min-jun told himself. The King had always bragged about his immunity. Even if he had been poisoned, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. So, Min-jun steeled himself and continued forward.
“Where?”
“The Queen’s Quarters,” the maid said.
“How is his condition?” Min-jun asked, calmly, though he’d already begun walking at a pace that suggested he was quite unsettled. The maid quickly caught up with him. Court Maid Hae Soo-yun followed him closely.
“He has a high fever,” said the maid. “He doesn’t respond when the Queen tries to call him, and his pulse is very erratic.”
“Have you called the doctor?” As much as he would like to be made aware of the King’s ailment, Min-jun had little medical knowledge. Although, where poison was involved, he might be more useful.
“Yes, Dr. Myeong-suk is on his way.”
“Then why did you come to me as well?” The Queen had made it clear that she hated him. Min-jun couldn’t imagine that woman sending someone for him.
Through the dim lantern light, Min-jun could see the blush on the maid’s face. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the cold or something else.
“Please do not be too cross with her, Your Highness.”
“Out with it, then.”
“The Queen was given a drink to, erm, reignite the passion in their relationship,” said the maid.
“Passion?” Min-jun repeated. “She gave him an aphrodisiac?” Or at least, that’s what she thought she’d given him. But no aphrodisiac would leave the drinker delirious with fever unless they drank a large quantity, which Min-jun gathered the King would’ve noticed.
What sort of poison is this?
“Let’s make haste.”
. . .
The Queen’s quarters smelled of magnolias and melting wax. Although the servants seemed surprised by his appearance in their mistress’ abode, they allowed him to pass through the doors to her chambers without a fuss. The first thing Min-jun noticed was the dining table, which held a number of dishes, although he noted the absence of any of the King’s favorites. Not even a single plate of yakgwa. The Queen didn’t seem to know her husband very well.
Min-jun picked up one of the cups and brought it to his nose. He couldn’t detect any poison in it. And if the King had drunk it, it must’ve passed the silver test as well. Tch, he could hardly believe that the Queen had managed in a matter of weeks what he could not accomplish in months. That was to poison the King and actually bring him to the brink of death. Perhaps the King was right in saying Min-jun was a terrible assassin.
The Queen had hidden the King behind the curtain, where the luxurious bedding was spread out across the floor. The King’s face was flushed red. The Queen was seated beside him, teary-eyed, her anxiety almost palpable. She looked like little more than a scared girl then, and even her Queen’s robes couldn’t hide her vulnerability.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Qtb ujnf la ab sbe?” Zlc-pec jrxfv. Lf tjv cb alwf ab kjraf bc qifjrjcaglfr. Ktfs cffvfv ab mjamt atf meiqgla. Lf vbeyafv atfs kfgf jmalcu jibcf.
Ktf Heffc ogbhf, jcv atfc, jaafwqalcu ab gfujlc rbwf rfwyijcmf bo mbwqbregf, rtf ragjlutafcfv tfg yjmx jcv iloafv tfg mtlc. “Olc-j, ktja lr atf wfjclcu bo atlr?”
She was speaking to the freckled maid who had gone to find him. The girl gripped the front of her maid’s uniform, trembling.
“I-I thought His Highness might be able to help.”
“I only sent for Dr. Myeong-suk,” the Queen said. “How dare you –”
“Who gave you the poison?” Min-jun asked, louder this time. The Queen pursed her lips, refusing to speak. Min-jun’s temper flared. “You really value your pride over the life of the King you’re so besotted with?”
“I don’t recall you having any medical experience, Consort Hui.” In using his title, she attempted to remind him of his place, but Min-jun cared not for petty titles. Fine, if he couldn’t get anything from her. He’d figure it out on his own. He was an investigator, after all.
It must’ve been someone close to the Queen if they’d managed to manipulate her to such an extent. A female servant, most likely, and someone who wouldn’t appear to be overstepping their boundaries when speaking of bed matters. The Queen didn’t seem particularly close with any of her maids. In fact, they all seemed to fear her as much as they respected her.
All but one. That elderly court lady. The one with the scar. I knew she looked familiar.
“Sun!”
The guard appeared beside him. “I’m right here, Your Highness.”
“Do you remember that court lady with a scar on her face?” Min-jun asked.
“I do, Your Highness.”
“Bring her to me.”
“No!” The Queen stood up, abruptly. “She has nothing to do with this. She didn’t know what she was doing –”
Sun had already disappeared, disregarding the Queen entirely. Min-jun turned to face her again. “So it was her, then?”
“That woman basically raised the King. She was the former Queen’s closest court lady.” The Queen appeared adamant in her defense of the woman. Perhaps it was true what she said, but that didn’t change the fact that the old court lady now served another master.
“So?” Min-jun sat down next to the King. He placed his hand on the King’s cheek. It was warm to the touch. He walked over and began opening the windows one by one. “Clearly, she has ties to someone dangerous. We can’t let our emotions rule us in these situations.”
The Queen watched him, uneasy. “What are you doing?”
“Cooling him down,” Min-jun replied. “His fever isn’t getting any lower. Are you going to help or not?”
“Shouldn’t we wait for the doctor to arrive?”
Min-jun shook his head. “There are three, no, four types of poison that might’ve been used. All of them include symptoms of nausea, fever, tremors, and eventually, death. They’re also often used in aphrodisiacs in small amounts to induce feverishness. Bringing down the patient’s temperature gradually is often the first line of treatment in these cases.”
“How do you know all this?” the Queen asked.
He glanced at her. The truth would only alienate her further. A half-truth would do. “The life of a Kisaeng isn’t easy, my Queen.”
“Oh my,” she replied, quietly.
“Have them fetch cold water and towels,” Min-jun said, as he untied the ribbon of the King’s jacket. “We need to keep his temperature down.”
For once, the Queen did not protest. She turned to her maids and ordered them to do as Min-jun had asked. It did not take long after that for Dr. Myeong-suk to also arrive, his robes haphazardly tied around him and his hat lying crooked on his head. He held a medicine bag in his hand.
“I came as fast as I could,” he said, heaving. “How is His Majesty?”
“Better,” Min-jun told him. “But he’s still not waking up.”
“I see, I see. Oh dear, the King’s never been poisoned before. What a terrible omen,” Dr. Myeong-suk muttered to himself, sitting down next to Min-jun. He took the King’s hand in his and checked his pulse at the wrist. “He is not in danger of dying. But if we do not act quickly and find what ails him, he will surely perish. His body cannot fight this on its own.”
Although he had figured as much, Min-jun’s shoulders still relaxed, as if he had been holding onto a great burden.
“May I see the beverage that the King was poisoned with?” asked Dr. Myeong-suk. Min-jun turned to the Queen, who stood to get the tea cup from the dining table. She seemed reluctant to follow orders, but after getting them into this mess in the first place, she could no longer keep up her self-righteous attitude.
“Black cherry root?” Dr. Myeong-suk murmured, bringing the teacup to his nose. It was a common poison. Min-jun had considered it himself, although he couldn’t imagine how something so common could bring the King to such a feverish state. “Or perhaps a tincture of mintrind?”
Min-jun shook his head. “Mintrind leaves the drinker’s tongue green after a few minutes. The King has no such symptoms.” And no self-respecting assassin would choose a poison so easily identified. “It’s probably a mixture of several components.” Min-jun glanced toward the Queen. “It’s a white tea, is it not?”
“Lotus flower tea from the finest gardens in the Northern Empire, with notes of persimmon leaves,” the Queen said. “It’s a delicate flavor.”
“Lotus flower,” Min-jun murmured. “Persimmon.” He took the cup from the doctor’s hand and stood up. He paced for a moment, before stopping in front of the window, where the full moon hung in the sky, perfectly framed. A cool breeze passed through, bringing with it an earthy scent that reminded him of the King and chased away the overwhelming scent of magnolias. Min-jun sighed, tipping the cup in his hand, watching the dregs slide along the bottom of the porcelain.
Are you testing me again, Mother? She should know his answer by now. Perhaps he should make it more transparent, so there was no chance she’d misunderstand. I’m betraying you.
He also knew what was at stake. The same old threat. What of Su-jin’s life? But they both knew that if she lost Su-jin, she’d have nothing left to control Min-jun with. Mother was too smart to let Su-jin die. Better to keep her alive.
This lack of fear was a strange feeling, but Min-jun thought he could get used to it.
“It’s pomegranate root,” Min-jun replied. “Mixed with geuneul extract. One is a harmless aphrodisiac, the other a medicine for irregular heartbeat, but together –”
“They can cause delirium and fever,” said Dr. Myeong-suk, rubbing his chin. “What a complicated way to poison someone.”
“Really?” Min-jun asked. It was quite simple. Mother had taught much more complex combinations in the past. “Can you cure him?”
Dr. Myeong-suk nodded. “Since we know what was in the poison, there should be no further complications. I shall return to the clinic and work on the antidote immediately. Ah, Shin, you stay here and help the Queen and Royal Consort Hae keep the King stable.”
Shin, a straight-faced young medic, nodded once. Dr. Myeong-suk patted him on the shoulder and then put both his hands out to accept the King’s cup from Min-jun. Dr. Myeong-suk must’ve seen something in Min-jun’s eyes because he assured him that everything would be well.
Now Min-jun was left only with Shin and the Queen, who had not left her place by the King’s side.
“You said that the person who gave you the poison had once taken care of the King. What did you mean by that?”
For a moment, the Queen would not speak, her face blank, illuminated by the candlelight. Then, she smiled, but the smile was bitter and resentful. “Is this really the time for interrogation, Consort Hae?”
“The best time for interrogation is when the victim can still remember the incident clearly,” Min-jun repeated the words as if he’d heard his mother repeat them just yesterday. “I’m impressed. I’d always thought I was the most shameless one in this Palace, but here you are, snapping at me after you nearly killed the King.”
“Are all Kisaeng so forgetful of their station?”
“Is station all you care about?” Min-jun said. “What sort of Queen will you be if you can’t even see beyond such petty boundaries? I’m starting to think I should’ve let the King divorce you when he’d asked.”
“What?” the Queen said, shocked. She quickly composed herself. “What sort of lies are you spewing now?”
“Lies? Did you think he’s keeping you around because he cares about you? If it weren’t for me, he would’ve sent you away the day you hit me.”
The Queen’s hand clenched the fabric of her skirt. “I don’t believe it. Why would you?”
“I’m not sure myself anymore,” Min-jun replied, haughtily. “Because you loved him, too? Because I thought you’d put any petty squabbles behind for his sake? Clearly, I was wrong to think that. An aphrodisiac? Have you gone mad? Why would you do such a thing to him –”
“Is it not what you did?”
“Me?” Min-jun scoffed, crossing his arms. “I prefer my partners clear-headed.”
“As if I’d believe that.”
“Why would you ask if you’re not going to believe me?” Min-jun sighed, kneeling on the ground across from the Queen. “I must say I don’t think I’ll ever understand you, Your Highness.”
It was then that Sun made his reappearance, announcing that he’d found the court lady with the scar on her face. Min-jun left the Queen with the King, advising her to find him again if something should change in the King’s condition. With that, he readied himself for another confrontation with one of Mother’s minions.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please leave a comment down below. Thank you for reading!
hope the message this time was loud and clear!!
Cheol was very trusting of the scar faced lady too🤔. But if she was his mother’s court lady, doesn’t that mean she was in the palace the same time Mother and her weirdo son were there? It looks like they’re using the Ok-jeong to get to the king. Are they maybe planning to put Mother’s son on the throne 😳?