Chapter Four

Since Wu Yong suddenly showed that he remembered her she thought it would be a fun idea to show up unannounced. She walked over just in time to hear Jung Hwan's comment and smiled at the eunuch who was about to announce her arrival.

He did just that and it went silent on the other side of the door. The doors opened slowly; she stepped in and bowed, "Your Highness."

The three looked at her and felt that something was odd with her greeting. Wu Yong cleared his throat, "Consort Wang?"

She smiled at him and walked towards his desk. She nodded at Dong Woo and Jung Hwan who were frowning.

"Can I help Consort Wang with anything?" Wu Yong asked slightly alert.

She nodded with a beaming smile, "Your Highness, I accidentally broke my ink brush and was hoping you had a spare one to give me."

Wu Yong looked at her, "Is that why you came?"

She nodded, "Yes, I would also like five empty parchment books and ink blocks."

Wu Yong looked at Chushan for a moment then nodded. Opening the door at his desk, he took out a wooden box and pulled a drawer open taking out an ink brush with a jade handle.

He stood up from the chair and walked over to a shelf against the wall and flipped through a few books, pulling out three. He turned to look at her.

His brows knitted, she was looking outside the window behind his desk with a smile on her face and her hands behind her back. Coughing, he cleared his throat and walked back to his desk standing in front of her.

He picked the wooden box up and placed the three books on top of it, placing the jade brush on top of the books. He turned to her, "I only have three empty books, and I'll send the other two to your palace later."

Chushan bowed slightly taking the stuff from him, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Wu Yong pulled back his hands quickly looking down at her. She looked up at him with a questioning gaze, "Your Highness?"

"Where're your servants, you can't hold these by yourself," he said.

She looked at him with a frown saying, "They are running errands for me, I came alone."

"Yoo Kyung?" he called out. Yoo Kyung came in and bowed. Wu Yong handed her the supplies, "Take these to Consort Wang's palace."

She bowed and left. Chushan bowed thanking him again and as she was about to leave he called her, "Consort Wang."

She whipped her head back looking at him, "Your Highness?"

Wu Yong looked at her irritated frown and was taken aback. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's almost lunchtime – let's have lunch together."

Chushan stood there looking at him with a 'Are you serious' look making the three men feel awkward. She sighed inwardly and nodded her head. Stepping back into his study she held her hands behind her back and looked down at the wooden floor.

Wu Yong felt lost looking at her. He didn't intend to invite her to lunch it's just something that slipped out. He looked toward Jung Hwan who looked equally lost. Sighing he said, "Have a seat."

She thanked him and took the furthest seat away from his desk. Right in the corner between two bookshelves.

She looked down at hands with a smile tugged on her lips. Wu Yong bit the inside of his cheeks and walked towards the door. He told the attendants that he'd be having lunch in the pavilion and secretly ordered Jung Hwan to prepare a present for her then kicked Dong Woo out of his study.

Sitting behind his desk he looked over at her sighing. He didn't know how to handle this situation he was in.

The two sat in uncomfortable silence while Wu Yong tried thinking up excuses and trying to do his work. Seeming to not be able to handle this anymore, he put the book away that he'd been writing in and looked at her, "Why did you say that I shouldn't worry about you?"

She smiled bitterly and shook her head, "I will no longer bother His Highness so please focus on my sisters and the kingdom."

He raised a brow and clenched his hands into fists, "Since when do I take orders from you?"

She continued to look at her hands, "It's not about taking orders, it'll be less burdensome if I stay out of your way."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." He ordered. Her head rose slowly as she shot back at him, "Are you ordering me as my husband or the crown prince."

He narrowed his eyes, "I'm speaking to you as your husband."

"I want a divorce!" she said as she looked into his eyes.

Wu Yong was stunned unable to say anything nor think due to her words and look. Gulping he said, "I ask you to look at me and you ask me for a divorce."

"I asked you, are you ordering me as my husband or the crown prince and you answered husband so that is my response."

"Consort Wang!" he gritted through his teeth.

"Yes, Your Highness?" she said looking back down at her hands.

"Is this because I forgot your birthday?" he asked swallowing back the strange feeling bubbling in his heart.

She shrugged and looked at him. Sitting back in the chair she smiled, "Is that the only thing you did wrong?"

Wu Yong looked at Chushan feeling lost. This was the first time that she's questioned him. He could see that she was irritated by him. He said nothing and they stared at each other for a while.

He closed his eyes and sat back in his chair as his mind raced. Never in these seven years did he think that this would happen – Chushan being tired of him.

They sat in silence with Dong Woo and Jung Hyun beside them. The two of them could sense that the atmosphere was not right and tried asking Wu Yong but he shook his head. Chushan didn't touch her food or tea.

"Consort Wang, are you not going to eat?" Dong Woo asked.

She raised her head to look at him and smiled, "I don't like Chef Kim's food."

Wu Yong frowned, "Then why did you agree to have lunch with me?"

"You said I must join you for lunch, now I'm here, you didn't ask me what do I want to eat," she retorted then looked back down at her hands.

"But Chef Kim's food is the best," said Jung Hwan in disbelief.

"Says who?" she asked him making his words choke in his throat.

Dong Woo look at her in disbelief, what in the world happened while they were gone. Trying to ease the tension he said, "Consort Wang, I know that we missed your birthday, but we still got you presents," he says as he pulls out the gifts.

Chushan looked at him with a slight smile and nothing else.

She looked at the presents in his hand thinking, 'What meaningless gifts did they get?'

She took the gifts from him and placed it beside her. Dong Woo asked her if she was going to open them but just shook her head with a smile.

Wu Yong looked at her, "You really know how to spoil everyone's day."

She turned to look at him and beamed, "Thank you, it's a gift."

The three men looked at her stunned, has she gone mad?