THE CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINAGE

Shin Ji waited for a while until eventually Seunghyeonjeong appeared breathing heavily.

"What happened young Master?" Shin Ji asked our of the deepest concern.

"Nothing much, we'd better get going back home." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"What about the things that we had to buy today?" Shin Ji asked.

"Forget it, this Royal Prince fever is starting to have a toll on me, if it is not the Crown Prince one way or another it is the Grand Prince." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"But I thought that at least you had feelings for the Grand Prince." Shin Ji said.

"May be I was confused or may be it was something else, me being involved with one Prince can only make trouble for another." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"Then what is it that we are going to do young Master?" Shin Ji asked.

"I can not come out of the Manor anymore, that is as Seunghyeonjeong, if the Crown Prince has people following me, very soon it might be the Grand Prince." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"So what exactly are you planning on doing young Master?" Shin Ji asked.

"I won't lie to you at all about anything but until father comes I must be ready to tell him, starting from tomorrow, we shall have the traders coming home." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"But if they are both Princes of the Kingdom and they want you, how can you refuse them?" Shin Ji asked.

"We'll get around it somehow." Seunghyeonjeong said.

The two of them abandoned their shopping ideas and then walked the way they had come from as they headed back to the Han Manor.

The Grand Prince in his carriage on his way to Cheoncheugung palace was lost in thought as he partly recalled everything that had happened earlier on in the day.

First it was the words that the mysterious girl had spoken to him, from a particular point of view he was unhappy about how unwilling the girl had been to reveal his face.

"How could he have looked like?" The Grand Prince asked himself as he tried to put together that childhood face from years ago and mentally convert it into an adult one.

That halved family Jade pendant was all crystal clear in his head, he had seen it and one way or another he had tried to find out whom it belonged to, even if it was a family, that was enough.

"This is a common Jade pendant and it can belong to any member of the nobility, many noble families could by chance share the same patterns but there are always some ancestral names engraved on the pendants." The Royal Goldsmith said.

"What about this one?" The Grand Prince had asked.

"This one is quite unique since the one half of it is a part that doesn't bear the name, it is possible that the other half bears the name or if it doesn't, a nameless pendant tends to belong to those nobles descended from the Royal bloodline.

There could either have been a Royal Prince or the King's legitimate Princess who could have married into that family." The Royal Goldsmith had replied.

The constant thoughts and memories on the issue of the pendant were only giving the Grand Prince a headache as he arrived at his brother's residence in a short while.

The carriage stopped and The Grand Prince stepped out.

"Your Highness." One of the Eunuchs said.

"Your brother is expecting you." He added.

"Sure, take me to him." The Grand Prince said.

The eunuch led Prince Gyeongseongmun further into the palace as they approached the backyard that was filled with some of the most beautiful flowers.

The Crown Prince was surveying what looked to be a flower planting session in which some of the rarest flowers from the kingdom had been brought, lilies and begonias alike.

"This is unbelievable." The Grand Prince thought as he looked at how serious his brother was.

"I want to see some of those winter begonias planted here in between the garden and as for the lotus flowers in need of more water shall be grown around the pond." The Crown Prince ordered.

Prince Gyeongseongmun watched for a while and was marvelled at how his brother was doing things, at first he was unable to even move around supervising some of the activities that took place in his own household.

There he was, just standing and telling people what to do and where to plant flowers.

Something was not right in a positive way that it drew Prince Gyeongseongmun's attention.

The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong who while looking around eventually caught sight of his brother standing there and looking at him.

"You came." Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Of course brother." Prince Gyeongseongmun replied as he came close.

"This is so not you, are you alright?" Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"I am more than alright, I am very happy that eventually I might have found someone I wish to get married again too." Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Who is the lucky one?" Prince Gyeongseongmun asked his brother.

"He is extra ordinary, he is a very kind, very loving, very caring, modest and respectful, he has the most beautiful eyes that I have ever seen and he is an angel." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"He really sounds so enchanting." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"You should really have seen how his eyes sparkle when you look at him, there is just that warmth that surrounds him Everytime.

He might be very quiet most of the time but even still, there is that special aura around him that always feels so lively." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"I really wish it was the same story for me." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"Why, what happened?" The Crown Prince asked.

"On two occasions I happened to meet them." Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"Meet them who?" The Crown Prince asked.

"That child that came to the palace seven years ago." The Grand Prince replied.

"I thought you told me that you were only curious about that boy?" The Crown Prince said.

"May be I was just reluctant to accept my feelings towards him but Everytime there is in my life that I meet them, I dream and always think about them constantly." The Grand Prince replied.

"Do you know who that boy is?" The Crown Prince asked his brother.

"That is the very funny part of it, I am nolonger even sure if it is a boy or a girl, I happened to meet him or her today dressed in a simple pink and white hanbok." The Grand Prince said.

"It could have been a boy in disguise." The Crown Prince said.

Prince Gyeongseongmun tried to remember something.

"Come to think about it, he fights like a man and his martial arts is good, secondly, his voice may be soft but not that much.

He rides a horse that first and has a very strong grip of everything in his reach, it is without a doubt that he is a boy because even I remember very well when I was young, the intruder that I happened to fight was clearly a boy." Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

The Crown Prince thought.

"If only I could get to know exactly who he was looking for at the palace then I might have a clue on finding out who that boy really is." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"May be that is it." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said as an idea popped into his head.

"What is it brother?" Prince Gyeongseongmun asked.

"I will help you find who that boy was." Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"How?" The Grand Prince asked his brother.

"The boy that time said that he wanted to see the King because of his father and judging from the halved Jade pendant in your possession you very well knew it belonged to someone of the nobility." Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Yes." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"I shall have someone get me the records of which Prince or Minister it was that father could have either contacted or apprehended at the time.

There and then, I might confirm who exactly that boy was after knowing the family that he is from." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong said.

"Thank you brother." Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

"It is the least I can do since you have been there for me throughout and you chose to stand by me even if it is against our father." The Crown Prince Gyeongjeong replied.

"I always will be brother, there is nothing that can ever come between the both of us ever." The Grand Prince Gyeongseongmun said.

Seunghyeonjeong and Shin Ji arrived home and the sooner that they were inside, they continued further into Seunghyeonjeong's room without stopping.

Mr. Song who noticed that something was not right followed the two to Seunghyeonjeong's private Chambers and he walked in on them before they could even settle down.

"Is there anything wrong young Master?" Mr. Song asked.

"I can not get out of the manor anymore, I am tired and exhausted and I am not feeling well." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"You aren't feeling well?" Mr. Song asked.

"Yes." Shin Ji replied before Seunghyeonjeong would even say a word.

"Why, what's the matter, should I have the family doctor called for?" Mr. Song asked.

"No need, just sufficient rest will do." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

"If there is anything wrong and if you are sick, when your father returns I shall be held accountable for it." Mr. Song said.

"I understand that I might put you in a very tough position Mr. Song and for that I ask you to please forgive me even for my shortcomings.

But I beg of you not to say a word to my father and everyone else, it is the day after tomorrow that father will return from Haeji.

I shall be alright but in the mean time I need to be alone and Shin Ji is here to take care of me, I have never complained with him around.

I realised that I need to practice some music scores before the Lantern festival as well and that is only seven days from now.

Father had said some important people will visit and I know that includes even some of the most prestigious scholars in the Kingdom and the capital.

I can not have myself making any flaws even in the music and the whole ceremony as both planning it and sustaining it rests on my shoulders.

I am sure that you understand." Seunghyeonjeong spoke up in a much better mood.

"I see your concern young Master and I shall leave you to it, if there is something that you need from me then feel free to inform me." Mr. Song said.

"Yes I will." Seunghyeonjeong replied.

With those words, Mr. Song bowed his head and then turned around to leave the two in some privacy.

Once the two of them were sure he was far away and there was no one around, they both sighed simultaneously.

"That was a close call." Shin Ji said.

"Just keep what we discussed in mind, to avoid the two Princes in the time being is what we must do for our own good." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"But for how long young Master?" Shin Ji asked.

"As long as it takes, most probably until we are certain that they have forgotten about us." Seunghyeonjeong said.

"Very well then young Master." Shin Ji said.

The three main ministers from the office of special advisors were going through a list of all the proposed candidates for the post of the Yangje.

NOTE: "THE YANGJE IS THE FIRST AND ELDEST CONCUBINE OF THE CROWN PRINCE."

Amongst the three ministers was Minister Suk Hwan who was in charge of the entire event while the others Minister Yang and Minister Lee only assisted.

"The following were the prospective candidates whose names were brought fourth in secret and their families." Minister Yang said as he handed over the list.

"I am supposing that you know every single one of these." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"Of course, if they are highly respected nobles then that means I must know them, I have at least seen almost all the children of the legitimate nobility and I know them by name." Minister Yang replied.

"Then I'll read them out and the both of you can give your opinions and we'll make a final verdict after that." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"Yes." the two Ministers replied in unison.

"Hwa Yi Jeong, the eldest daughter of Minister Hwa, the Minister of taxation. He is known to be a morally upright man and all his children are, he has a clean criminal record and has never been suspected for any corruption, embezzlement or treason." Minister Suk Hwan read.

"I know this girl, she is beautiful and very calm, she is also smart and she knows the household duties, to cook and to spin, the palace rules won't be that difficult for her to learn.

Her personality is brilliant and she is also modest, she'd know best to be politically neutral as it calls for her duty so she is a good enough candidate." Minister Yang said.

"Sure," Minister Lee said, "her father is also a staunch supporter of the King." Minister Lee added.

"Then we'll both go ahead with her." Minister Suk Hwan said.

They went on until eventually, they reached the eighth candidate whom unlike the other seven five girls and two boys he was the only one from the family of Han.

"Who is this Han Seunghyeonjeong?" Minister Suk Hwan said.

"Han what?" The other ministers looked so dumbfounded the moment that name was mentioned.

"Han, Seung?" Minister Lee said.

"You seem to all know very much about either the boy or his family." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"Eliminate him at once." Minister Yang said.

"We can say he hasn't gone through the screening but at least I deserve to know some information about him that could crucially caution me." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"How do we even start." Minister Lee said.

"The King as you are aware doesn't want a Han to get married to any of his children and let us say Minister Han isn't one of those close Han friends of the King." Minister Yang said.

"I have heard of Minister Han, the Minister in Charge of the Office of the Inspector General, is it him?" Minister Suk Hwan asked.

"Yes." The others said in unison.

"But I happened to have heard that he is the only Han the King trusts the most." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"The King trusts no man, every one even his guards know that, if he says he trusts someone he is only suspicious of them.

Minister Han's ancestor was once the King of the Kingdom of Han during the period when Geosan our heavenly Kingdom was a land of three Crowns.

It is in that period of the three Kingdoms when his ancestor happened to give birth to the father of Queen Yheonjae King Jungjae and after that war with the Royal Han dynasty, that pure bloodline survived.

Apparently, one of his other ancestors married the Princess Yheonjyeon and that means that if there was ever a restoration movement in which the Hans would assert a claim to the throne, he is the best possible candidate who would overthrow the King." Minister Lee said.

Seven years ago, there was a treason plot that was discovered by the King and in this plot it was rumoured that Minister Han took part in it.

After that the King had it announced that Minister Han was innocent and without any strong evidence to prove his involvement, the Minister was set free and even rewarded by the King.

Most members of the Royal Clan however are still suspicious of him so to prevent this entire political chaos and a civil war within the Royalty, any Han at least can do the job but not Minister Han Seung Yoo.

Many believe he didn't cut off all his roots and given that he is a very famous trader and he owns lands along with the biggest private army, he has a whole lot of royalists against him." Minister Yang said.

"And what about this son of his?" Minister Suk Hwan asked.

"The King wouldn't even want to hear that name, it wasn't only rumoured but it was known and it is most likely to have been forgotten but some of us especially in this office tend to keep an account on most things that happen in the Kingdom.

The day that boy Han Seunghyeonjeong was born, it was prophesied that that boy would hold some absolute powers and because of him this Kingdom will barely find peace as the land will be baptized with blood.

This child some believe that as was the prophecy of him bringing instability and insurgency, he should be watched for it is the reason why his father took the initiative to raise him in an effeminate way." Minister Lee said.

"Some of those prophecies never come to pass so let us take this chance to inform our beloved King." Minister Suk Hwan said.

"We have picked candidates for concubinage and also why is it that amongst those who were forwarded, there had to be the third son of Minister Han Seung Yoo?" Minister Suk Hwan added.