"I shall take my leave then, Lady Jin-Ri, Your Highness." Kwan bowed as he closed the doors behind him.
"What will you be wearing?" Young-Sik asked the court maiden with a sparkle of curiosity in his eyes.
"Um... the peach and green court maiden robes?" Jin-Ri replied, a hint of uncertainty lacing her words.
"Ehhhh! Wrong answer," Young-Sik said, his face lighting up with a broad smile. He strolled over to a hidden door, swinging it open to unveil a stunning blue and silver top coat, adorned with delicate golden trims that danced along the shoulders and sleeves. The skirt featured two layers: a vibrant blue outer layer embellished with exquisite floral patterns at the hem, and a soft silver inner layer that mirrored the same lovely designs. Next to it lay a pair of elegant black shoes.
Jin-Ri felt an irresistible pull towards the enchanting dress, her fingers gliding over the luxurious fabric, leaving her breathless. "Is this what I'll be wearing?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion at the prince's thoughtful surprise.
"Not just that," The prince said tenderly, "This, as well."
Curious to see what the prince was talking about, Jin-Ri turned around just in time to see the prince open a red box. She peered inside to see a small but ornate headdress made from gold and silver, and right beside it was a jade hairpin.
Jin-Ri reached out, her fingers hovering over the exquisite jewelry, but she hesitated, pulling back just before they made contact. With a heavy heart, she lowered her gaze, whispering, "I can't wear these, Yong. I'm just your court maiden, not a princess. What will everyone think of me?"
"Let them say what they will; it won't change how truly wonderful you are," he replied, his voice warm and reassuring. "No one understands the depth of my feelings for you. What matters is how you see yourself." Gently, he lifted her chin, their eyes locking. "You may not be a princess yet, but in my heart, you always will be."
Young-Sik knelt before her, taking her hand in his. "Yong, what are you doing? Please, get up. You're making me nervous."
"Hong Jin-Ri, will you be my princess for all our days to come, starting now?" he asked earnestly, his eyes sparkling with hope.
With tears of joy glistening in her eyes and a radiant smile lighting up her face, Jin-Ri replied, "Yes! Yes! A million times, yes!"
Young-Sik slipped into Jin-Ri's ring finger a jade ring with gold feather ornaments attached to the entirety of the ring. "You already said yes, so no backsies." The couple chuckled and shared an intimate kiss. "So, will you wear this for the banquet later?" he asked the court maiden
"I'll do that to keep away any girls foolish enough to hang around you," Jin-Ri said with a playful glint in her eyes, teasing the prince gently.
Young-Sik raised an eyebrow and replied, "Oh really? Perhaps I should stick by your side all night to ensure no other boys come near you."
They shared a lighthearted laugh, but soon a sweet silence fell over them, their foreheads softly resting against each other.
That night, the banquet begins, and the emperor sits atop his throne with the empress seated at his right-hand side. They watched the lively gathering of visitors and delegates, all wishing him prosperity and long life.
A eunuch stood gracefully at the entrance of the imperial garden, heralding the arrival of delegates as they came to pay their respects to the emperor. Jin-Ri felt a flutter of anxiety in her chest; she had never attended such grand festivities as a guest before. "Yong, I'm feeling so nervous. Maybe I should just slip back into my court maiden uniform. They haven't called for us yet, and there's still time. I promise I'll be back before you even notice!"
Young-Sik tenderly took her hands in his, reassuring her, "You'll be just fine, just breathe, keep your eyes forward, and don't let anything distract you, alright?"
"Are you really sure? Because I could change my outfit in an instant," Jin-Ri pressed, her uncertainty lingered.
"*The delegates from the Kingdom of Chiongsun,*" the eunuch announced, drawing Jin-Ri's attention.
"It's our turn," Young-Sik said softly, offering his arm for her to hold on to.
Though her heart raced, Jin-Ri grasped the prince's arm and inhaled deeply. As the curtains parted, Young-Sik began to stride forward, and she walked right beside him. "*Prince Kim Young-Sik of Chiongsun, accompanied by Lady Hong Jin-Ri,*" the announcer proclaimed.
Young-Sik walked with a commanding presence, his posture upright and shoulders slightly elevated, his head held high as he focused intently on a single point. The prince's hands, slightly curled, swayed confidently by his side.
In stark contrast, Jin-Ri moved with short, purposeful steps, gliding gracefully as if she were weightless. Her hands were gently clasped just below her waist, and her ethereal beauty showed with her hair kept up, captivating the attention of many, particularly the male attendees.
Six soldiers, divided into pairs, trailed behind the couple, each pair carrying large treasure chests. Captain Gi was no slouch in his military uniform and followed the treasure bearers closely. Upon reaching the emperor's pedestal, Young-Sik and Jin-Ri graciously bowed to him. They then moved aside to give way to the three chests.
"*I bring gifts and tidings from King Lee Man-Ju and Queen Lim Ji-Hye, your Highness. They regret that they could not be present on this momentous occasion, for there are matters that need their personal attention. *" Young-Sik said in the Guiong tongue. He motioned to Captain Gi to open the chests one by one: "*Gold, Our finest silks, and Wild Ginseng*" The room was filled with awe at the revealing of the contents of the final chest. Wild ginseng was a rare commodity within Guiong.
The emperor nodded to the prince and motioned to his eunuchs to receive the gifts brought by the Chiongsun prince. "*I welcome the great prince who led the Chiongsun nation to victory over the neighboring invaders,*" The emperor said, much to the dismay of the Aranese envoys.
Young-Sik glanced discreetly at the Aranese delegation, who seemed to have flinched at the mere presence of Prince Young-Sik. "*Your words are kind and uplifting, Your Highness*" he replied to the emperor.
Young-Sik and his entourage all bowed to the emperor and moved to their designated area. The Imperial family was seated at the head of the garden. On the right side were the Chiongsun prince and his envoys, while on the left, the Aranese envoy occupied the said seats. The rest of the delegates and visitors were seated at tables positioned throughout the garden.
The emperor stood from his throne and began to address his guests, "* The Imperial family of Guiong is delighted to see so many respected nation leaders in attendance to celebrate my birth.*" The Emperor raised his cup, and everyone in attendance followed suit. "* To our never-ending peace and alliance with one another*" The Emperor then drank the liquor from his cup, followed by everyone.
The festivities went on with traditional musicians playing lovely music for the Guiong traditional dancers to entertain the delegates. As the night deepened, Young-Sik saw that the crowd was getting drunk, with some even being rowdy. "I think it is best that we go," Young-Sik suggested. Jin-Ri and Captain both agreed. They were about to leave the celebration when a eunuch approached the prince, "* Forgive my impudence, Prince Young-Sik, but the Emperor and Empress seek a brief audience with you*"
Young-Sik nodded to the eunuch, after which he turned to Kwan, "Captain Gi, see to our group and collect them, have them head back to the mansion." he then turned to Jin-Ri, "Please wait for me here, this won't take long."
"Alright, I will wait for you here," Jin-Ri softly responds.
After the eunuch led the prince toward the emperor, and Captain Gi left to inform their party, Captain Xun Ju saw that Jin-Ri was alone. He drank his entire glass filled with liquor before making his way to where the court maiden was seated.
Young-Sik was brought to the Emperor and Empress having a conversation. The prince bowed to show respect for the Guiong monarchs. This prompted the emperor to stand up and walk towards the prince. "*Prince Young-Sik, it has been a long time, how fares Chiongsun? *" he asked the prince
Young-Sik quickly responded, "* All is well within the kingdom, Your Highness*"
"* Walk with me*" The emperor told Young-Sik, and as the two walked away from the festivities, the Empress followed them.
"*To be frank, I was caught off guard when Empress Pai informed me that you were the King's envoy. I honestly believed the royal family would be too busy dealing with the war's aftermath. So, enlighten me... what's the status of your country? *" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Young-Sik recognized the hidden question, suspecting the emperor was probing for weaknesses. *"Our losses were considerable, but not enough to jeopardize ChiongSun's security, Your Highness, *" he replied cautiously.
The emperor nodded; his expression serious. "*Let's get straight to the matter at hand. Eunuch Fei mentioned your questions regarding the committee investigating how the Aranese obtained Guiong's weapons. *" He stopped to face the prince directly. "* Are our efforts not sufficient for the hero of the Chiongsun-Aranese war? *"
"Classic Yuan Ling," the prince thought to himself. "He's trying to intimidate so he could control the conversation." Young-Sik then replied calmly, "* Not at all, Emperor Yuan. I was merely curious if the committee already had a name that could shed light on this unfortunate incident. *" He eloquently responded to the emperor.
"* Let me assure you, Prince Young-Sik, that the committee is trying its best to uncover this conspiracy against Chiongsun *" The Emperor assured Young-Sik, which somehow did not quell the suspicion in the prince's heart.
"* I am grateful for your continuing support for my country, Emperor Yuan *" Young-Sik replied to the emperor.
"* I saw you and your party were getting ready to leave, why don't you stay for a while and drink *" The emperor suggested
"* I do apologize for that, Your Highness. I was merely ensuring that my people were rested for our travel back, *" Young-Sik explained to the emperor.
"* Your Highness, let the prince and his party rest if they are tired, they are, after all, going to travel a great distance back to Chiongsun*" The empress reminded her husband
The emperor sighed "* Very well, my dear *" he then shifted his gaze to Young-Sik *" It was a pleasure having you here to celebrate this occasion with me, safe travel on your journey back*" The Emperor told Young-Sik before tapping the prince on the shoulder and leaving, prompting Young-Sik to bow.
"It was nice seeing you again, my dear cousin," Empress Pai told Young-Sik with a genuine smile and an even genuine voice.