Chapter 129: Kang Nam-Kyu/Kim Chun-Ae

"Has he retuned back to the palace yet?" I asked as I dressed myself after yet another pleasurable night with my new servant, bought fresh from the marketplace that very same week. "He has returned...but not to the palace." "Oh really? That girl...Yeon or whoever, she sounds exactly how my sister Da-In described her to be when sh was obsessed with that half-breed. She must really be a vixen if someone who just returned to war would much rather be with her than fulfilling all his long awaited fantasies in a gibang instead...don't you agree cousin?" "Believe me Nam-Kyu, you have no idea what you are up against with this girl. She has him under a spell since they knew each other since that happened to his mother" "oh really? Well, she will not be a match for me, don't you worry Chun-Ae. I got you out of the gibang that bitch of a sister was thrown into so I can get some information on the next army general...oh to see the look on Da-In's face when she witnesses the plea of marriage I made to the King and the Queen." "Still...you may have the Queen on your side as a distant relative but she has the princes from the first Queen and the King via Seon-Ho on her side."

I was quiet for a moment; what kind of girl had the power to unite two never-ending feuding princes to her side? On a whim? I was only beginning to understand the power the Nam son wielded over the King but her? Was she the one responsible for disturbing my precious gifts to mere place maids? Not to mention how her brother had come into power as Bang-Won's man for a while now...exactly what kind of family were the Seo's? And how did they manage to tie themselves to an army general in the making? I didn't obsess over his every move like my sister would. But I didn't dare let let my lowly cousin catch onto my doubts "women always hold the power over men. The current Queen is the longest lasting relationship he has had with a women. He caters to her every whim, her every need...he even treats her sons better than his previous children. I'm the daughter that didn't tarnish her family's image...in fact my survival story will only make the Royal family have enough pity for me to take my request seriously...honey I'm working now. Ill see you again tonight in bed" I made out with my new toy before I sent him on his way "But love...your plans..." "Do not worry, the marriage is revenge against my sister...and the girl who drive her crazy. I'm not chasing after the half-breed for myself. And I will take you along with me don't you worry. I need a real legitimate man to keep me company" I winked at him before turning to face my cousin, who I had taken in under my wing as my lady-in-waiting. After what happened to my parents...well I won't get into that. But my father luckily left me his businesses and properties...since our younger brother was far too incompetent to handle business of any kind since he only cared about women and getting into the army. Nam-Kong had no head for money, he spent it as soon as he got it.

Despite my rage against my sister; I did miss the good old days. Despite me being the eldest King child, it was always Da-In that was always my parent's favourite. She always distracted them along with my brother when I needed so I had free time to indulge in my own luxurious hobbies...until he racked up a gambling debt a lot more than it was worth...and she ran away to find this half-breed only to end up in a gibang! A gibing of all places! My parents were absolutely humiliated! My mother suddenly had fainting spells whilst being unable to show her face in the village or anywhere else we used to travel and my father...well he suffered a stroke not long after she ended up in that hole. But what my baby sister did to them in person was far worse...I will never forgive her for murdering our parents in cold blood like that, to leave her siblings as orphans before marriage! Sh ruined our prospects...so now I was going to ruin hers with my greedy brother in tow. I would make Nam Seon-Ho mine, and get rid of the bitch who deluded her even more as one last gift to the person my sister used to be...before she turned into a high class whore.

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Despite her semi-justified rant I had a hard time keeping my emotions in check. It took me a lot to get where I was; working for my cousins the Kang's alongside the love of my life who threw me out the minute that little hissy finally made the decision to stop playing around with him and finally take him seriously now that he had gained the promotion he was born for. I had gotten rid of her delusional sister Da-In years ago...now for me to once again be at the beck and call of her elder sister and her good-for-nothing brother...it was a hard pill to swallow. At leats I still had that mindless Hyo-Sonn at my side to make things easier.

The minute Seon-Ho made the mistake of throwing me into the gibang for speaking the truth I knew Yeon had gotten so far into his head that he wouldn't see anything or anyone apart from her. I knew then that I couldn't just sit around and wait for him to notice me; when I was myself he didn't look at me, despite myself dressing in the same rags Yeon once wore. I was so desperate for a better future I know the young master could provide for me...and his love if he only looked at me. And when I tried...tried to copy her he just looked at me as if I had lost my mind. Nothing I did work and I wasn't getting any younger. I was a year or so older than Seon-Ho but I thought that if he was fond of me enough that he wouldn't mind the age gap at all.

Fortunately...or unfortunately I found my other cousin Nam-Kong in the Ihwaru gibang of all places. He was so drunk he barely recognised me. I heard what had happened to his parents, so we had no choice for his big sister to pick him up directly. And when she recognised me...well we hardly got on any better than myself and Da-In, who I knew through old connections was going in the wrong direction looking for Seon-Ho. But as soon as I 'offered my condolences' and mentioned how Seon-Ho and Yeon were she got me out of there quickly when she realised I was working for him. I found him when I could in the palace with the promotion I was waiting for...but I was too late for the day I had been waiting for, for so many years. I knew Yeon manipulated him but...but I never imagined that the first thing he would ask for upon his promotion was to marry that bitch! I was so stunned my mind went blank for a long time...until I saw her emerge from a corner somewhere...putting her clothes back on. It was all because of her! If he had paid any attention to me throughout the years he could have raised my social status so I could be someone important enough to marry him just like he did to her...but she stole my only wish, the only man I wanted to be with after I went through...she stole my future from me. So now I was going to return the favour.