Chapter 25
Bite Marks – 3
“Pant, pant. Prince Gyeong! That bastard—chewing him to pieces wouldn’t even be satisfying.”
Through the lavish teal silk canopy, the bare body of Prince Chung could be seen.
Each time Prince Chung thrust his hips roughly, the woman pinned beneath him let out resentful sobs.
“Uuugh… sob, sob.”
Just as he was about to fully vent his filthy mood, a faint presence was felt outside the door.
“How dare you interrupt my pleasant time—are you looking to die?”
“N-no, it’s not that. His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”
“What, elder brother? Tch.”
As Prince Chung hurried out of the bedchamber, Ranhwa appeared holding a windproof cloak. While straightening Prince Chung’s disheveled clothes, she spoke with a sly curl to her lips.
“Your Highness, were you satisfied tonight?”
“Hmph. They said she was the most beautiful among the noble clan women—Miho, was it? To my eyes, she looked uglier than a human woman. In short, she was nothing special.”
“Heh. Then she was useless. I’ll take care of it properly. However, it seems His Highness the Crown Prince has noticed the circumstances of this incident.”
For some reason, the Crown Prince—who usually wrapped his siblings in affection—had treated him like a dog.
Prince Chung knit his brows deeply and bit down hard on his lip.
“Things have gotten damn messy. I’ll have no choice but to appeal to our hot brotherly affection for now.”
Entering the reception room, Prince Chung bowed politely to Crown Prince Mun.
“Brother. What brings you here at such a late hour?”
“Heh heh. Do we really need a reason to visit each other? Judging by your expression, it seems my visit is unwelcome. Come, sit.”
Sitting across from Crown Prince Mun, Prince Chung felt as though his entire body were stripped bare under that sharp gaze.
Just as he was anxiously wondering how much the Crown Prince knew, Crown Prince Mun opened his heavy mouth.
“This time, it was a woman from a noble clan, wasn’t it? I can never quite understand your tastes. At this rate, you wouldn’t even refuse a woman from the Bear Clan.”
“Heh. What can I do when I was born omnivorous? A Bear Clan woman, you say—since Brother is curious, I suppose I should give it a try.”
“Enough with the pointless jokes. Prince Chung, do you remember what Mother once said to us three brothers?”
“‘Do not go against Father’s will,’ she said.”
“Heh heh. More precisely, it was ‘Never covet what belongs to your father.’ Everything in the Great Yuan Empire belongs to Father.”
“So is that why you were going to hand Hyewon over to Prince Gyeong—to please Father? Think of Prince Yewon and Deokon. That can never be allowed.”
Crown Prince Mun silently gazed at Prince Chung, whose face had twisted like crumpled paper.
Under a gaze that seemed to pierce through everything, Prince Chung felt the hair on his body stand on end.
“Heh heh. Prince Gyeong is our brothers’ sworn enemy. Still, it was something Hyewon earnestly wanted.”
“Hah hah. Prince Gyeong’s face really is bewitching. Well, not just Hyewon—Father himself is being toyed with by that wicked Prince Gyeong’s tongue, isn’t he? From the start, such an ominous person should never have been accepted into the Great Yuan Empire.”
“So that’s why you tried to eliminate Prince Gyeong? Did you really think such a shallow scheme would work?”
At Crown Prince Mun’s thunderous roar, Prince Chung slid off his chair and hastily knelt.
“Then is there any other way? Father distances himself from his blood relatives and empowers the military princes instead. His favor toward Prince Gyeong, in particular, goes beyond blood ties. For a mere military prince to seize the financial lifeline of a royal prince and hold it in his grasp—how could I not feel wronged?”
“Heh heh. Do you think anyone feels more wronged than I do? Father sees all his children as rivals. To Father, who grows younger by the day, all his blood kin must look like wolves eyeing the throne. Even I, the Crown Prince destined to inherit the throne, do not act rashly—yet you, Prince Chung, why are you so reckless? Tsk, tsk.”
“I beg your forgiveness, Brother…”
“Still, this time, you did very well.”
At the unexpected praise, a puzzled look crossed Prince Chung’s face.
Smiling faintly, Crown Prince Mun continued.
“Do you know why Father keeps Prince Gyeong close?”
“Isn’t he a hunting dog who brings back rare treasures every time? And with talent in both civil and military affairs, of course Father would value him.”
“How naïve. Father is more greedy and jealous than anyone. The reason he keeps Prince Gyeong close is because Prince Gyeong has a fatal flaw.”
“Could it be… the rumor that he cannot function as a man?”
“Hahaha. That’s not a rumor—it’s true. I heard it directly from Eunuch Gi, so it’s absolutely certain. They say even if hundreds of naked beauties were placed before Prince Gyeong, he’d feel nothing. And yet such a Prince Gyeong supported Consort Gi? This incident must have lodged itself firmly in Father’s heart. You’ve planted a seed of suspicion—someday, it will sprout.”
“Haha. It seems Brother didn’t like Prince Gyeong very much either.”
“How could I? A Prince Gyeong who acts as Father’s hands and feet is quite an annoyance.”
Late at night, past the third watch.
Crown Prince Mun headed toward the imperial palace, escorted by Prince Chung.
As Prince Chung bowed respectfully in farewell, a sinister smile crept onto his lips.
“Heh heh. So we’re supposed to wait until it sprouts? That’s why it won’t do, Brother. Isn’t that right, Ranhwa?”
“Heh heh. Yes, Your Highness. Waiting for opportunities for a thousand or ten thousand years is something only fools do.”
“Indeed. It seems he hasn’t noticed the copper Prince Gyeong siphoned off from the Gwanseo region over the past few years. Truly fortunate.”
“Coincidentally, war has broken out between Wolguk and Chaeguk, so saltpeter and sulfur are being sold cheaply on the black market. The Labna Nashil clan has agreed to assist with the smuggling, so please don’t worry.”
“Uahahaha. Heaven itself must be helping me. On the day the deed succeeds, I’ll behead Prince Gyeong first and hang his head on the Five Gates.”
Pak!
As blue sword light sliced through the dawn air, dense leaves shattered and bent.
Each time the ominous flash tore through the atmosphere, fierce winds surged like a whirlwind.
Holding the blade vertically, a chilling hue surfaced in Heon’s black eyes.
“The Sword of Manghon.”
As Heon recited the sword formula, blue lightning unraveled like threads across his entire body, as if lightning were cutting through rushing water.
The blue gradually deepened into dark green.
Just then, a voice seductively burrowed into Heon’s mind.
“Brother… p-please turn off the light. I’m embarrassed. Please.”
The muscles in Heon’s blood-filled forearm faltered for an instant.
The imperfectly unleashed sword form warped and crackled before scattering into the air.
“How ridiculous.”
With a dry laugh, Heon sheathed his sword.
It had been half a year since he crossed the wall of the Transformation Realm and entered the threshold of the Radiant Realm.
He had maintained his virginity to train supreme martial arts—yet it shattered absurdly in a single moment.
And to think his first experience had been taken by a vulgar tomb-robbing woman.
“Haa… Brother, not there. Ahh…”
The woman’s rough breathing, soaked in pain and pleasure.
The sweet, bud-like blossom of the woman spread invitingly.
Perhaps he needed to place a heavy stone atop his heart—his heart throbbed madly whenever he thought of that woman.
“A man being moved by a flower is only natural. Considering your past merits, plucking a single flower from the imperial palace and offering it wouldn’t be difficult.”
Suddenly, Emperor Gyewon’s voice echoed low in Heon’s ears.
The idea of being given a woman the Emperor had toyed with disgusted him.
No—even if the Emperor claimed he hadn’t touched her—it still repulsed him.
‘Women were nothing but repulsive to me before. What on earth changed?’
In truth, Heon suffered from several serious, secret ailments.
One of them was gynophobia—an aversion to women.
He suspected it had developed after ‘that incident’ in his childhood.
The reason he supported Consort Gi was simply because he happened to overhear a palace maid’s words.
“Your Majesty, it’s not yet a stable period, so you must be careful.”
That was all.
He could have ignored it and walked past—but instinctively, he caught Consort Gi as she was about to collapse.
It was an utterly ridiculous mistake.
‘When did this even start?’
Heon could not bring himself to accept that he had touched a woman’s sleeve of his own accord.
After endless questioning, he reached one conclusion.
It must have been because of that woman, Dan.
That was why he had changed.
“My lord, has the cycle of your madness arrived sooner? Your breathing is more labored than usual.”
With a worried face, Jegal Eon handed Heon a white cloth.
“It’s nothing. How is Chief Steward Ma?”
“Fortunately, it seems most of the eunuch’s lashes missed. After a few days of rest, he should recover, so please don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief. Still, this complicates matters.”
“Yes. Without Chief Steward Ma, who knows the terrain well, there will be many variables. It may be best to postpone observing the border movements between Wolguk and Chaeguk. What should we prepare for the Emperor’s sixtieth birthday? Judging by his order to bring the siphoned copper, he seems to want something more than even a ginseng doll.”
“Forget it. You can’t easily fill the belly of a greed-crazed imugi.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean there’s no need to worry too much. And Mother?”
“Hm. She should be leaving the Buddhist hall by now. It seems she’ll be heading to Nakdodang today.”
“I see. I should pay my respects—it’s been a while.”
“I have medicine to present to the National Lady as well. I’ll accompany you.”
Following behind Heon, Jegal Eon kept glancing at him cautiously.
Even after Emperor Gyewon issued such a fierce warning, Heon remained calm and composed.
Yet somehow, he seemed irritated.
It didn’t appear to be because of the Emperor.
‘Hmm. He’s seemed strange ever since returning from Jemyeongguk… I can’t guess why.’
Jegal Eon’s tangled thoughts were suddenly ripped apart by a sharp female scream.
It was the voice of Kang Min-a, who acted as the mistress of the empty Prince Gyeong’s residence.
“Oh my. Such a flashy outfit. Are you perhaps trying to seduce His Highness Prince Gyeong?”
“Miss Min-a, this is the dress my mother made for my birthday. I just wanted to wear something pretty once…”
“Ho ho. Prince Gyeong’s residence has no need for seductive maids. For sly maids like you, a beating with a stick is the cure. Madam Gye, beat her thoroughly and throw her out.”
This time, a heavily pregnant woman was thrown down before Min-a.
Min-a swept a menacing gaze over the woman and smiled coldly.
“So you really are pregnant. You can wrap your belly with bandages all you want, but you can’t fool my eyes—I’m called the Mysterious and Wise Woman, after all.”
“I-I was wrong. Blinded by Wolbong, I kept delaying what I should have done. Please, spare my child and me.”
“Heh heh. Anyone watching might think I’m bullying a lonely mother and child.”
“Th-then… are you going to let us go like this?”
“Sigh. Personally, I’d like to send you away. The problem is the rumor that would spread—that a promiscuous maid of Prince Gyeong’s residence gave birth to a fatherless child.”
“You can kill me if you wish—just please spare my child.”
