Chapter 34 ….
“How can you speak of Concubine Gye? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to welcome a new Crown Princess instead?”
Hong-a also wished that the King or the Crown Prince would take a new consort and establish a proper royal matron.
But the King preferred to elevate one of the existing concubines to Crown Princess rather than risk appointing a completely new one. The dangers of selecting a new Crown Princess were too great.
“The fact that the royal family has only one heir could itself become a reason to attack the Grand Heir. To welcome a new consort and solidify the succession is necessary both for him and for the dynasty itself.”
“Do you not understand what that means, Mother?”
The sharp words slipped out before she could stop them. Normally, to maintain the appearance of a child, Hong-a thought carefully before speaking, but now she had no time for caution.
“What if the new consort bears a son? He could become a threat to the Grand Heir. No matter that he is Father’s legitimate firstborn—whether his mother lives or is dead makes a world of difference, does it not?”
She could not say it aloud, but Hong-a knew of a most fitting example.
King Injong and King Myeongjong. Queen Janggyeong had died giving birth to Injong, and Queen Munjeong, who raised him, turned her back on him mercilessly once her own son, Myeongjong, was born.
The new consort could easily become Hong-wi’s enemy. That was why, despite considering Concubine Gye, Hong-a had not actively pursued the matter.
“At a time when Hong-wi already lacks allies, why would you increase the number of his enemies?”
The words burst out in anger. Hong-a quickly realized she had spoken too far ahead, but fortunately, her mother did not seize on them.
“Human greed has no end, so yes, she might become an enemy. But one cannot judge so simply. Did you not say you saw in your dreams that the Grand Heir would be killed without a royal matron to protect him? Concubine Gye could serve as the justification to prevent that death.”
“Wouldn’t it be enough to simply fill the Queen’s seat?”
At Hong-a’s words, her mother gave a weary smile.
“Even if you hadn’t dreamed it, I know full well how precarious the Queen’s condition is. She lives only because the Great Lady of the Three Hans still survives. Without her, the Queen would have long since lost the will to live.”
“Then shouldn’t that position be filled? The higher the authority of the royal matron, the better it will be, will it not?”
It was a profound conversation to have with a ten-year-old, but her mother voiced no suspicion. On the contrary, she spoke even more gently.
“His Highness carries a great debt toward the Queen. During his reign, he will never be able to clear the name of her father, the deposed Duke. How guilty he must feel. No matter how many children he begets with his concubines, none can compare to his heart toward the Queen.”
“I do not understand.”
“What I mean is that even if the Queen passes away and His Highness still has years ahead of him, he will not take a new queen. The only thing he can protect for her is the Queen’s seat itself.”
Hong-a looked up at the ceiling and sighed. Despite her rudeness, her mother did not scold her.
Instead, in a solemn voice, she called her daughter’s name.
“That is why the only thing we can do is bring in Concubine Gye. Hong-a, listen to your mother and help me.”
“What?”
Her mother glanced around, then beckoned her closer, too heavy with child to move easily. When Hong-a slid over beside her, she bent her head and lowered her voice.
“They say Hong Seunghwi will give birth a little later than I.”
“Yes, I’ve heard the same.”
Hong Seunghwi’s pregnancy had been announced a few weeks after her mother’s.
But Hong-a already knew her child would not be a boy—and would die young. It meant little to her. Before the towering mountain of problems looming ahead, the brief life of a half-sibling hardly mattered.
“When I give birth and die immediately after, someone must take over the Crown Princess’s duties. Since His Highness favors Hong Seunghwi, the role would likely fall to her. But as she is also near her time, she won’t be able to fulfill the duties right away.”
“That makes sense.”
“If by chance Hong Seunghwi gives birth to a son, she must not be allowed to assume those duties.”
Her mother’s voice was sharper and fiercer than ever. She held no personal grudge against Hong Seunghwi—it was simply the desperate instinct of a mother fighting for her child’s survival.
“If a new consort bears a prince just a year or two younger than the Grand Heir, it may not matter. But if they are the same age, that is dangerous. After all, how common is it for infants to die suddenly? And remember, Hong Seunghwi is the niece of Grand Prince Suyang’s wife. Even if they don’t appear close now, there is no reason not to be wary.”
“Indeed, you are right.”
Hong-a agreed. Hong Seunghwi had long been the Crown Prince’s most favored concubine. She was later even called “the Inner Palace” and received special treatment.
Yet she had not stood by King Danjong’s side. Whatever her reasons, that was the undeniable truth.
“In any case, someone must act in the Crown Princess’s stead. Of the long-standing concubines, only Lady Jeong Seunghwi remains, so it must fall to her. But His Highness does not truly trust her, so it won’t last long. In that gap, a petition must be raised to appoint a new Crown Princess.”
“From me?”
“Yes. Without a petition, His Highness will never take Concubine Gye.”
Her mother spoke of her own impending death calmly, even tenderly. There was no trace of regret or desperation in her voice. That only made Hong-a unbearably sad.
“Even if I petition, would Father listen?”
“In truth, I’ve already been petitioning.”
Since when had she been so forceful?
Her mother, looking almost shy as she admitted it, made Hong-a’s tears dry up in surprise.
“Since I had that dream, it has weighed on me. I told him, just in case, that he must accept a consort to protect the succession. But he only replied, ‘If a son is born, there will be no need for a consort.’ He was firm.”
“Father…”
“I do not dismiss his pain either. He has already failed twice. But how can such a decision be left to personal feelings? Even if he wishes it, the seat of consort cannot be left empty. That is why you must petition. Urge him to bring in a new Crown Princess for the sake of the dynasty.”
Her mother’s voice brimmed with conviction, carried by a belief that she was right.
But Hong-a was still unsure if Concubine Gye was the right choice. She feared it might be a landmine that could destroy their whole family if misstepped. Her mother, though, was steadfast.
“Even if Father dotes on me, he does not grant every wish.”
Hong-a spoke anxiously.
The Crown Prince was a politician. Even if he adored his daughter, his decisions were weighed with political judgment. He had been the same when bringing Yi San into his household. She could not be certain he would comply so easily this time.
“Yes, His Highness will not move unless he deems it rational.”
Her mother agreed, which only tangled Hong-a’s thoughts further.
“But he is still your father. Sometimes he yields. And he listens to your voice more closely than mine. That gives us hope, does it not?”
Even her mother’s trusting words could not reassure her.
Her mother was right: a new Crown Princess was necessary. But the Crown Prince would not easily accept one. Even with Hong Seunghwi, he had called her “the Inner Palace” but had been in no hurry to elevate her as queen.
Convincing him was among the hardest tasks imaginable. Hong-a had no confidence. The Crown Prince was as much a scholar as he was a politician—she could not out-argue him.
“There is still one thing that weighs on my mind,” her mother said just as Hong-a fell into deep thought. She lifted her head, puzzled.
“The three-year mourning.”
“Ah.”
That, too, had troubled Hong-a. There would be some time between her mother’s passing and the Queen’s death, but not much. In that span, she herself would likely be married, which meant the matter of a new Crown Princess would surely be postponed.
“The more it is delayed, the less likely His Highness will be to take Concubine Gye.”
“I worry about that as well.”
“Is there no way to shorten the three-year mourning?”
Her mother asked her with disarming innocence.
For a moment, Hong-a thought it cruel to ask such a question of a child. But then she remembered her mother was still young herself, and it made sense. Hong-a sighed and explained the possibilities.
“Since you are not a concubine but the principal wife, it will not be easy. Grandfather himself established the strict three-year mourning; opposition will be fierce. But in Goryeo, they once practiced dan-sang-je, counting one day as a month. That custom came from the Han dynasty.”
“With that calculation, the mourning could end in a month.”
“Yes, but a month is unlikely.”
It was indeed a difficult matter.
The King placed great importance on filial piety. He had codified the twenty-seven months of mourning. To break that now, while he still lived, would be seen as defying the King himself.
“There is also the precedent that if the father survives the mother, only one year of mourning is required. We might argue on that basis—but it will not be easy.”
Listening to her daughter’s serious reply, her mother stroked her head with pride.
Hong-a suddenly realized she was speaking far too maturely. Because her mother never treated her as a child, she had grown comfortable speaking without restraint.
“How could such a clever child have come from my womb?”
Her mother sighed in wonder.
“Our brilliant Hong-a… she must live long, no matter what.”
Her voice turned bitter. Hong-a’s heart grew heavy. The thought that they would not have many more conversations like this emptied her mind of everything.
“I hope Hong-wi becomes a wise king. I hope Hong-yeon lives long and free of illness.”
The words sounded like a final testament. Hong-a’s vision turned white. She had known this was coming, but facing it now was unbearable.
“What use is any of that if you are not here, Mother?”
The feelings she had suppressed burst forth.
From the moment she learned her mother was Queen Hyeondeok, she had swallowed these emotions, never daring to reveal them. She had thought it was her burden alone to carry, part of the inevitable suffering of remembering a past life.
But now the truth spilled out uncontrollably, reaching her mother at last.
“My Hong-a is always so grown-up.”
“I am angry right now. How can this be called grown-up, or virtuous?”
Her sharp voice rang out. A moment ago, they had been calmly speaking of the future; now it all felt like a dream. The cruel reality overwhelmed her reason.
Yet her mother still spoke with gentle warmth.
“Even as I speak of death, you worry for me. Since you were an infant, you always worried for your mother. To have such a wise child as my daughter has made me the happiest of women.”
“Please… do not speak as if this is the end.”
“You are a clever child, Hong-a. I trust you will look after your younger brothers. Even if I leave this world, do not blame them. I know you are not the kind of child to do so, but you are still young, and I fear your heart may be hurt.”
At some point, her mother’s face had become wet with tears. She looked more like a child herself.
Seeing that tear-stained face, Hong-a’s own tears broke free at last.
Her mother embraced her tightly. Though her swollen belly made the position awkward, the embrace was hotter and more desperate than any before.
“Hong-a, forgive me. I am placing this burden on you. I am sorry. I am so sorry, my child.”
“Mother, I will protect them. I will protect my brothers, I swear it.”
Her mother’s apologies and Hong-a’s vow mingled together in tears. The one who knew her death was near and the one who foresaw it wept as one. Neither wished to lose the other.
But sadly, such wishes were not enough to change fate.
