Eps 12 : The Flower Throne

The Royal Queen Dowager Shin laughed disdainfully after seeing the various military tools prepared in the courtyard of the Gyeonghaeru pavilion. The corners of his lips curled into a sinister smile that was cast at Queen Dowager Park. The look in his eyes really showed a real mockery of Queen Dowager Park.

"Seeing that military equipment was brought to the queen's selection made me even more convinced that the Queen Dowager was not very competent to carry out the queen's selection. Your Majesty, do you still want to make this old woman not oversee your queen selection?" asked Royal Queen Dowager Shin, complete with disdain.

A slight smirk appeared on Yi Baek's face when he heard Royal Queen Dowager Shin trying to insult Queen Dowager Park in front of him. Yi Baek glanced at Queen Dowager Park, who was still standing where he was, though his face was bright red from holding back emotions.

"I'm just wondering why the Royal Queen Dowager insists on overseeing my queen selection. Don't you understand that I don't want you to get involved in the queen selection because I don't trust you?"

"Your Majesty!"

Queen Dowager Park immediately interrupted after hearing her stepson's rude reply to Royal Queen Dowager Shin. This was definitely not a good thing as the candidates witnessed King Yeongan and Royal Queen Dowager Shin's debate.

Queen Dowager Park took a step forward and tried to block the cold stare war between King Yeongan and Royal Queen Dowager Shin. Queen Dowager Park repeatedly turned to Yi Baek and Royal Queen Dowager Shin, who then focused her attention on Royal Queen Dowager Shin. Queen Dowager Park was forced to apologize to Royal Queen Dowager Shin in order to save her stepson's dignity in front of the candidates.

"Royal Queen Dowager Your Highness, I apologize for my negligence for forgetting to tell you. This time, Your Majesty proposed a special condition, namely wanting to find a strong and independent woman, as evidenced by using several military tools," explained Queen Dowager Park.

Royal Queen Dowager Shin chuckled, then chuckled mockingly. His brown irises were now fixed on Queen Dowager Park's face.

"A girl who can wield military equipment? What do you really expect from this election, Queen Dowager?" She asked with squinting eyes, trying to figure out the intent and purpose of Queen Dowager Park.

"I don't mean to change the tradition, Royal Queen Dowager Your Highness. However, this time your Majesty will be the one who will judge the performance of the girls' talent, namely by their archery skills, so that they...."

"What can be expected from a queen who can do archery? Can it make the palace harem better? The palace harem doesn't need a queen who is good at archery! The palace harem needs someone who is worthy of being the leader and able to oversee and manage the activities of the palace household!" Royal Dowager Shin scowled.

Royal Queen Dowager Shin laughed heartily at the sneer that was cast by Royal Queen Dowager Shin on the special conditions she put forward. Royal Dowager Shin gave Royal Queen Dowager Yi Baek a sharp and disdainful look. Seeing the arrogance that manifests in his step-grandmother's face makes Yi Baek sick of playing. It felt like I couldn't wait to get rid of and destroy Royal Queen Dowager Shin from the palace. and that determination burned even more in Yi Baek.

"There's a special reason why I want a queen who can do archery," said Yi Baek, who then walked over to the table where some bows and arrows had been prepared.

Yi Baek took out a bow and arrow. The man, who was wearing a navy blue military robe with gold dragon ornaments on his chest and back, seemed to play with his arrows for a moment and again cast his sharp gaze on the Royal Queen Dowager Shin, who was watching him.

"The Queen's throne is a chair that is right next to mine. Her position symbolizes that a queen is a balancer in a king's reign. Because as a counterweight, so many people want to shake her," Yi Baek pauses and begins preparing to aim his bow and arrows at the target board. which was five meters from where he was now.

"Since many want to take advantage and destabilize her position in the future, I want a queen who is good at strategizing. Even though she is a woman, I still want her to be good at reading the situation on the battlefield. Because a queen's battlefield is certainly different from mine. Harem the palace is her battlefield."

"Hah! Nonsense! Even if she is good at strategizing, all will be meaningless if she can't properly manage and supervise the palace harem, Your Majesty. After all, a queen shouldn't interfere in political matters." Royal Queen Dowager Shin sneered.

Royal Queen Dowager Shin released his arrow before turning to face the Royal Queen. His jaw clenched as if he was holding back the outburst of emotion within him at the unconscious old woman.

Isn't that old lady also playing politics? And now she mentions if it's all taboo? What a joke!

"I'm sure she can manage the palace well. She only needs to understand the basics of household activities; the rest she can leave to the palace maids. Why does this palace have so many maid palaces if not to serve and help her, Your Highness? Besides, the politics I mean here is to maintain and defend her position. Not only that, she also has to be smart in strategizing because the continuity of the heir to the throne is in her hands. My Queen must be able to overcome and secure herself from various kinds of real threats. "

Royal Queen Dowager Shin's jaw twitched at the philosophy King Yeongan gave regarding the special conditions he proposed. King Yeongan's harsh words could only be tightly clenched between his lips without being able to reply to King Yeongan's harsh words.

Seeing Royal Queen Dowager Shin unable to move, made a triumphant smile appear on Queen Dowager Park's face. It was very relieved to see the old woman slapped through the words her stepson chose. In her heart, Queen Dowager Park is increasingly convinced that in the future, King Yeongan will hold her hand even tighter.

"What do you think, Royal Queen Dowager? Doesn't the philosophy I convey fit in with the throne of the queen that these candidates will occupy?" He challenged Royal Queen Dowager while showing off his grin.

"Since there's nothing else you need to do, nor about your prohibition against participating in the queen selection process, there's nothing more you need to do here, Royal Queen Dowager. "Please wait quietly in your pavilion," said Yi Baek, now smiling crookedly.

"Your Majesty..." Royal Dowager Shin hissed, unable to say anything else.

"Court Lady Nam, please escort and escort the Royal Queen Dowager to the back palace. "And make sure that the Royal Queen Dowager doesn't leave her room until the queen selection process is complete," Yi Baek ordered.

Royal Queen Dowager Shin's hands trembled violently from the exploding emotions in his chest. This was the first time he had been publicly humiliated by King Yeongan. Moreover, King Yeongan also kicked him out of the selection place today. Truly, this was such a humiliating humiliation for the Royal Queen Dowager Shin.

Without saying anything, Royal Queen Dowager Shin turned to leave, followed by his entourage of maids. The two women's hands seemed to be shaking as they gripped the chima tightly. The woman vowed to avenge the insults King Yeongan had inflicted on her. Royal Queen Dowager Shin walked away from the Gyeonghaeru pavilion, his heart filled with rage.

Seeing that Royal Queen Dowager Shin had left, Queen Dowager Park then cast a glance at the additional candidate that Royal Queen Dowager Shin had brought before. The girl was now only able to bow her head with a trembling body of fear. With a sharp glance, Queen Dowager Park gave Court Lady Park a code to summon the girl.

"Miss from the Kang family, please come forward."

The girl wearing a bright pink hanbok stepped forward as instructed. Her steps looked doubtful and scared at the same time. The girl could only lower her head even more once she was right in front of Queen Dowager Park.

"I've crossed you from the list of candidates who qualified for today's final. But, how dare you step your foot back here? For your arrogant behavior, I make sure you, Kang Mi-Young, will never set foot in the palace," said Queen Dowager Park. in a cold voice.

Kang Mi-Young fell to the ground. The girl begged for mercy while sobbing at Queen Dowager Park. However, Queen Dowager Park had no intention of listening to her plead. The girl was immediately dragged away before the Queen Dowager.

Regardless of Kang Mi-Young's pleas for mercy, Queen Dowager Park gave the order to continue the selection by aptitude test. No one noticed the resentful, determined flash of hatred from Kang Mi-Young as she was dragged away from the courtyard of the Gyeonghaeru pavilion this morning.

...

While trembling with fear, the second candidate for today's queen selection grabbed the bow that was lying on the table. A few beads of sweat as big as corn appeared to adorn her forehead, not to mention her pale face. The girl was really scared.

Meanwhile, sitting on the chair provided, Yi Baek chuckled impatiently at the attitude of the second girl, who was so hesitant. This clearly made Yi Baek bored and annoyed. This is why he doesn't want a woman in his life. They are too weak, easy to manipulate, too exploited.

"Have none of them ever touched a bow and arrow?" asked Yi Baek in a lazy tone while watching the movements of the second girl, who seemed to be being poisoned while holding a bow and shooting arrows.

"Have a little patience, Your Majesty. I'm sure a girl of your liking will attend," Queen Dowager Park responded with a meaningful smile.

Yi Baek chuckled and got up from his seat. The man really couldn't stand the sight of two of the three candidates who looked as if they were about to be put to death by him because his talent show was archery. Yi Baek pointed his body towards where the girls would show off their archery talent.

"Aren't any of you good at archery?" Yi Baek asked in an unusually cold tone.

The girls could only be silent while lowering their heads to hear King Yeongan's sarcasm. None of them dared to answer or make a sound under King Yeongan's intense gaze and cold aura.

"If the last girl also doesn't show sufficient archery talent as a girl, Then, I suggest you bury it deep—in your dreams of being a queen. Because I still want a queen who can shoot. At least she knows how to aim for her future goal as a queen. in the future."

After speak like that, Yi Baek stepped aside and allowed the third girl to come forward to show her talent. because they are not enthusiastic about participating in the selection process. The blue-robed man stared lazily at the third girl, who was now preparing to aim at the target board. Until....

In the next second, Yi Baek is taken aback by the third girl's archery skills. Over and over again, Yi Baek looked at the location of the arrow that the third girl had released. right on target.

Immediately, Yi Baek approached the girl and gave her a sharp look. I'm trying to find out who this girl is.

"What's your name?"

The girl didn't answer right away. He put down his bow and bowed respectfully in front of Yi Baek. With her head down, the girl gave her answer.

"Let me introduce myself to you, Your Majesty. I am Jung Yeon-Hee."

"Show me your face," Yi Baek ordered firmly.

Slowly, the girl lifted her face and aimed her cold hazel irises at Yi Baek's two dark beads. The girl named Jung Yeon-Hee seemed not to be afraid when the dark beads of Yi Baek's figure stared back at her.

"I'm Jung Yeon-Hee, Your Majesty," repeated Yeon Hee, looking at Yi Baek.

Yi Baek was stunned and his body swayed slightly when he saw the cold and sharp gaze that Jung Yeon-Hee gave him. The man even took a few steps back when he recognized the gaze. That cold and sharp gaze was exactly like the girl he had met years ago.