章節 101: Chapter hundred and one: The little devil
Two years passed, and the fame of Emperor Kang, posthumously titled Daejong was firmly established.
It was just the third year of his reign yet men looked at him as the greatest power of the entire nation. He found all his hopes and wishes realized; but one thing puzzled him, and that was Choi Sang-min's aversion to the mention of political appointment.
Time had so altered that it was now Choi sang-min who stood in awe of the emperor. It was still within his power to rebel against him, but no man living could rob Emperor Kang Soon of the fame and honor that is justly his.
The people adored him, worshipped him and loved him. The nobles loved and respected him and his enemies of course, feared him.
Within few years of his reign, he emancipated slaves, waived taxes and pardoned criminals with light sentences. He became a god in the hearts of majority.
The mention of concubines appointment ceased at last. Palace maids of different varieties; fat, slim, ugly, stunning sent to his bed were disgraced and rejected. Even the official's daughters met with the same fate. The old woman in the backyard stopped her dirty tricks and accepted the number of women in the harem; the empress and the two concubines.
The beautiful princess was the only imperial child born as the emperor never spent the night in the empress or concubines' room.
He went at rare intervals to see his empress. He was kind, considerate and thoughtful; but she, with the quick instinct that belongs to a loving, sensitive kind nature divined his secrets and understood that he was just being polite and respecting their marriage.
In time, the sensitivity of that knowledge killed her. Other and less sensitive women would have made the best of such life, would have enjoyed it's luxuries and kept the dark shadow in the background.
But not so with Eun-hye. She brooded over it in silent melancholy. Nothing could impress her, she was tired of everything except her sweet baby girl.
The idea upon which she dwelt in was that she was an unloved, neglected woman... that marrying him was her fatal mistake. But when she is alone and has no opportunity of throwing off this thoughts, only her little child to whom she could speak to gladdens her heart.
Her Little round face is all that keeps her going.
...
The emperor dressed in full royal regalia stood helplessly as he watched his little daughter looking possessed at him.
Her hair was tied in a princess style, her little princess gown was of pink color with blue designs as background. Her slightly chubby cheeks were crimson contrasting her tiny bright eyes pointed with a black orb.
"I will never speak to you again Dada!", her little voice rang out in a shrill tone.
"What have I done again?", he asked her while looking at his eunuchs for help but saw them striking a pose of ' you created this mess, fix it yourself' and gazes speaking 'Don't drag us into your matter, we are as helpless as you are'.
"You didn't fulfill your promise", she accused him, not minding she's speaking to the emperor. Anyway, emperor and Dada are same thing to her.
"What promise is that my Little beautiful princess". Patiently, he coaxed lovingly. Dealing with his daughter, he has learnt great patience, forcing her to do something against her wish is impossible.
"Piggy back... you promised to piggyback me yesterday!". Her cheated face hardened to a scowl. "Dada is unreliable", she continued in her accusation. Her palace maids looked apologetically at the emperor but he didn't mind at all.
Just because of a little princess change of emotion, an emperor, in his full attire, his domineering attitude gone and his powerful aura reduced to nothingness, piggybacked his daughter from her palace to her grandmother's palace as was instructed amidst the awed stares of bodyguards, palace maids, eunuchs and even few officials he met on the way.
A helpless grin broke out from the dowager's face when her adorable grandchild kept on commanding the emperor, and the emperor like a toothless tiger indulged in all her whims.
'She's probably the only one that could do that', she thought as she watched them silently.
"Is there any other thing her royal highness needs ?", the emperor asked like someone whose officials are not waiting for in the imperial meeting hall.
Satisfied with her father's indulgence, she let him go. "No Dada, that's all for now".
He gave a mock bow . "Thank you your royal highness, now I shall attend to my own needs", but he saw her attention was no longer on him.
The little devil was busy feeding her grandmother the eggs her father peeled for her. Quietly, he left before she remembers there is something left undone.
Once outside, he cursed out at her. "That little devil didn't even bother to offer me anything yet she dared fed her grandmother while I did all the work".
His eunuchs saw him cursing, but his softened gaze betrayed him. While he pretended to be unhappy, he dotes on this child of his. They were also happy but wished the empress also received same treatment.
"Fair as lily but the most mischievous. She doesn't even know her father is the emperor", he complained again.
He stopped suddenly as he questioned his chief eunuch, "Is she a reincarnation of a villain sent especially to torture me?. It has often been a matter of surprise to me that the empress's daughter did not resemble her. The empress is gentle, kind and submissive but she...", he paused, "She's the most troublesome and overbearing kid I have ever seen, is she even a kid?".
"Her royal highness has spirit enough for all the Kangs." said the chief eunuch quietly. " She's bright, full of defiance and animation", he concluded.
"The child has plenty of life", was his pleased comment.
"Do you think she will have all my strong characters?", he asked but his chief eunuch pointed at the hall direction daringly, reminding him of his duties. While he is happy for his master, he dared not allow him slack off.
He hurried up to cover more distance with lots of things bugging him. He longed to ask more questions, but did not want to delay himself on top of his daughter's delay.
...
A young girl bowed before a man that acted as both a mentor and father. The gaze with which she saw him was filled with respect and admiration.
"There is no need for formalities between us. You've done well this few years and I'm quite satisfied with you".
"But may I dare to ask you a question, of all other branches of medicine I taught you why did you take major interest in studying poisons?". He adjusted his sleeves and brought out her progress notes.
Smiling with the elegance of a matured young woman, she replied him eloquently. " The place I'm to reside in, is a place wolfs in sheep clothing are, I studied it to protect myself from every attack".
He nodded in understanding and beamed with pride at her. "It's OK then, I already sent a letter to the capital informing the chief physician of your arrival. Earlier I told him you suddenly fell sick to drive away any suspicion from you".
She curtsied in gratitude. "Master, allow me to cook my final meal for you as a token of gratitude".
He didn't reject but accepted almost immediately. The girl is virtually good in everything. Her cooking skills are superb.
Five hours later nearing dusk, dressed in plain white, she walked slowly as if she's strolling in her backyard in the mountain separating her from the capital.
The grasses shook informing her of intruders but she pretended not to have noticed. Few minutes later and she was still stalked, she got irritated.
"OK guys, that's enough. I can forgive you for not waiting at our meeting point but stalking me... don't you think it's a little bit too much?".
Crude dressed men came out of their hiding palace giggling. "Pretty lady, your sensing ability is top-notched but unfortunately, this brothers will play with you a little", one of the men boasted.
"Bandits", she said under gritted teeth. No wonder their aura was a little bit off and weak.
She ignored them and continued to walk further infuriating the men. They blocked her path threateningly while wondering why the girl's gut is big.
"You dare ignore this royal highnesses!", one made to slap her but stopped when he saw her threatening stare.
"Guys, I'm tired and most especially hungry, and when I'm hungry, I destroy things". They all burst into laughter considering her fragile looks.
Few minutes later, all the men had needles at different strategic areas resembling porcupines. They didn't dare move as each movement sent an excruciating pain round their body.
"I told you not to make me angry as I am very hungry", she told them softly, her deathly gaze replaced with warm ones making her an alluring woman. If it was a normal situation, with that gaze, their little brothers would have stood in full attention.
"Dearest god of death...", one of the men cried.
"What did you call me ?", she asked lazily as she ate one of the wild berries she plucked nearby. "I see it's not painful at all".
"Oh goddess of beauty and mercy, full of goodness and compassion, this mortals have sinned against you and would like to offer offerings to you. Please release us to correct our mistakes and offer an appropriate sacrifice".
She was running out of time hence she quit playing with them. Indolently, she walked to remove all her needles.
"You will still be paralyzed hence I suggest you lie quite still for half an hour. If you disobey, some of you might lose the most functional part of a man". They cowered fearfully when they heard their little men might be affected, hence carefully they laid still while cursing her in their hearts. Even if a lion roars, they wouldn't budge. It's better to be eaten alive than to live like half men.
She placed the needles carefully in her sleeves as she resumed her lazy stroll down the mountain amidst the chant of praise.
"You guys dare to threaten me with r**p You are lucky am in a good mood", she harrumphed as she walked down ever slowly.
Soon she felt the familiar auras. The men detached themselves from the shadows and knelt before her. "Master!", they called.
"Yes, I'm back", she said as she scrutinized the seven fiery arrows she hasn't seen them for a year .
創作者的想法 
Grace_sunshine
Grace_sunshine Who knows a popular saying of tame a wild cat then feed him grass? That's exactly what the emperor is doing to the ex-prime minister. lol.
My dearest Yoona is back! Hurray!!!
This particular chapter is dedicated to Kritiusingh for the constant votes and occasionally comments. (I see you).
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