Chapter 168

The concubine of the Cheon-ja.

Among them, there existed a palace where the lower-ranked consorts resided. It was called Gyotae Palace.

When the Cheon-ja had a large number of concubines, sometimes two concubines would share one wing, but if not, they would live in luxurious solitude, owning an entire building to themselves.

Their life was one of abundance, free from any worry of livelihood.

But there was only one desire among those who resided or had resided here.

It was to attend to the Cheon-ja frequently.

Of course, this was true for the concubines of other royals as well, but the concubines of the Cheon-ja had an even stronger attachment, as their treatment depended on how often the Cheon-ja visited them. Their lives were solely focused on one man.

And if the Cheon-ja neither visited nor called for them?

They would wither away like neglected flowers. Frankly speaking, they were worse off than flowers—flowers at least had someone to admire them. For the isolated concubine, even that did not exist.

…

‘How much longer will His Majesty call for me?’

One of Cheon-ja Tang Yeon-cheol’s concubines, named So Eunghwa, sighed.

With a slender figure, skin white as snow, and red lips, she was still beautiful, though her expression carried a faint shadow.

So Eunghwa had become a consort when the current Cheon-ja was newly enthroned as Crown Prince, entering his inner chambers by happenstance. Before becoming Tang Yeon-cheol’s concubine, she had been a low-ranking court lady, born to a courtesan mother and a minor courier father.

She had made her way into the inner palace solely on the strength of her beauty.

Until a few years ago, So Eunghwa had been beloved by Tang Yeon-cheol.

But good times were fleeting.

For the past few years, even catching a glimpse of Tang Yeon-cheol had become difficult.

Had she done something to incur his displeasure?

Frankly, she had. Three years ago, she had sent a gift to ‘Anais,’ the daughter of Crown Princess Tang Yeon-hwa and Tang Yeon-cheol’s maternal niece.

Though Britania may be weaker than Chinguk, it was still a formidable empire. The Western Kingdoms, while accepting the nominal title of feudal lords, traded with Chinguk, but Britania Empire maintained an equal diplomatic relationship. At that time, Anais could have become the Empress.

So Eunghwa had wanted to establish relations early, but it ended up backfiring.

The atmosphere had noticeably chilled when Tang Yeon-cheol learned about it, signifying how much he hated the Empress.

‘Who could have guessed he would hate his niece as well?’

So Eunghwa had tried her best to make up for her mistake.

But it was exceedingly difficult to hold on to his affections with mere sincerity. Originally, Tang Yeon-cheol preferred martial arts training and meditation over indulging in women’s company. Meanwhile, a younger concubine from a powerful clan had joined the harem, and time had passed relentlessly.

‘I’m going to lose my mind.’

So Eunghwa sighed in despair at her situation.

She could already foresee her future, which filled her with dread. A concubine who bore no children but only grew older—a pitiful fate.

For now, with few concubines around, there was no need to tread carefully, but within a year, she would likely be ridiculed by the younger competitors entering the palace. Palace maidens might even mock her. If she managed to survive in the back quarters until His Majesty passed, she would be dismissed from court without a second thought.

If only she had a son, she could plan for the future. Even a daughter would make her old age less miserable.

Whatever could she do to regain the Cheon-ja’s attention?

So Eunghwa had racked her brain, but no solutions came forth.

Due to her humble origins, she couldn’t bribe the Cheon-ja’s inner circle, the Taegams or the commanding generals. Flirting was impossible when even seeing him was difficult. Rushing into his bedchamber uninvited would surely make her appear mad.

“Haaah.”

She was lost in despair, sighing repeatedly, when suddenly—

“A servant from Qinghua Hall sent us a letter. They said they were sent to deliver this to you.”

One of the palace maidens handed her an intricately folded paper.

“A letter?”

So Eunghwa opened it listlessly. She thought it would contain trivial content. Probably just a squabble among those working in the palace seeking her alliance, sending this letter hoping for her support.

“Hm?”

However, the contents were unexpectedly unusual.

[As you instructed, Gan Inhyun’s assistant magistrate is selling Guanghonsan to the common folk. His daughter got addicted first, and in an attempt to cover up the issue, he ended up colluding with the Foes’ minions and came under their control. Although he claims he’s under duress, he’s still generating massive profits. If you leverage this information to demand a bribe, he’ll willingly pay silver.]

It was a whistleblower letter.

The target of the accusation was the assistant magistrate of a small county.

An assistant magistrate, his rank was not high.

But this assistant magistrate was the deputy leader of a county with anywhere between three to ten thousand households—no trifling matter.

Could it be true that he was selling Guanghonsan, that dangerous substance? Just possessing it could result in the extermination of one’s entire clan.

This was no ordinary matter.

‘But why send this information to me? And what does “demanding a bribe” mean?’

As the deathly chill seeped in, So Eunghwa trembled in her hands.

Yet fear was short-lived.

Perhaps this was not a crisis, but rather an opportunity.

Guanghonsan, the drug personally named by the Cheon-ja.

The drug that had turned countless martial arts masters in Yongbong Society into cripples or worse. At the palace, everyone only talked about Guanghonsan or Alan Medoff, its creator. Many had died, directly or indirectly, due to Guanghonsan.

‘The Lord holds this as the most important issue.’

If used wisely, it could be an opportunity.

So Eunghwa steeled her resolve and called her most trusted palace maiden.

“Chwiya, there’s a task we need to carry out.”

“Yes…?”

“I’ve received a whistleblower letter regarding Guanghonsan. Or rather, it was thrown my way. The content is detailed enough that it seems truthful. Passing this onto His Majesty would likely result in the deaths of hundreds more.”

“How could you…!”

“I’ve thought about reporting it myself…”

“You cannot do that! It could be a trap!”

True. So Eunghwa agreed that she couldn’t.

A lowly-consort of humble origin suddenly showing political acumen and securing information on Guanghonsan? Who would believe that? Worse, she might be suspected as an underling of Alan Medoff, leading to her execution. The Cheon-ja had already wiped out two major families, South Palace and Huangbo. A mere consort would be no exception.

But there was another way.

She swallowed hard, passed the letter to her palace maiden, and gave instructions.

“Hide this in Lady Gang’s chambers.”

“…”

Lady Gang.

She had been favored by Tang Yeon-cheol since two years ago.

Even during the time when the Cheon-ja had served as Regent Crown Prince, attending to the former emperor’s medical needs, Lord Gang was one of the few whom His Majesty had visited to rest. Even now, while not neglecting the Empress, Lord Gang was frequently called upon.

‘What a slut, that woman.’

So Eunghwa intended to use this whistleblower letter to bring down Lady Gang.

It was thanks to the contents that this was possible. The letter mentioned that the assistant magistrate of Gan Inhyun County could be coerced into making a silver payment.

If Lady Gang or her family were accused of extorting money from corrupt officials selling drugs, the case could stick. Lady Gang’s father was an official after all.

Of course, this was a false accusation against an innocent person.

But…

“Think about it, Chwiya. The last time His Majesty visited me was last year. He didn’t even spend the night then. This is our chance.”

“Is this whistleblower letter the chance you speak of? Perhaps discarding it would be better.”

“Then I die. You said it yourself—it could be a trap.”

“…”

“Do as I say. Conceal this letter secretly. I’ll take care of the rest.”

So Eunghwa didn’t have the luxury of scruples. She needed to eliminate Lady Gang, and gain the Cheon-ja’s smallest attention through the favor. Once she saw the Lord again, her rank would rise, and she could bear a child. Even her closest confidant seemed to understand her urgency.

“I understand.”

With that, the risky plan commenced.

…

“It’s hidden.”

After cleverly stashing the letter,

“To those who monitor concubines, it appears Lady Gang has suspicious behavior. She’s been exchanging letters secretly. I think you should inform the Cheon-ja about this matter, but I’ll leave it to your discretion.”

She gently but subtly informed the eunuch of the palace affairs office responsible for monitoring concubines.

So Eunghwa’s role ended here.

‘All that’s left is to wait.’

Anxious, she spent the night awake.

Indeed, slander among concubines was just another day in the palace.

Back in the day, So Eunghwa had been entangled in various insidious schemes, but more often she was the victim. She had been slapped unjustly by the aged Crown Princess. But if this plan failed, it wouldn’t end with a slap.

Either that wretched Lady Gang would die.

Or So Eunghwa herself would meet her end.

“Please let that woman perish…”

She fervently prayed for Lady Gang’s downfall with her hands clasped together.

…

Did the heavens hear her fervent prayer?

A few hours later,

News arrived: Lady Gang’s quarters had been raided by members of Dongchang and palace officials.

Although it appeared on paper to be authorized by the Empress, it was, in fact, initiated by the Cheon-ja.

So Eunghwa rushed to spectate, pretending to be shocked.

“Aaaahhh!”

“Arrest them all!”

She observed Lady Gang and her confidants dragged off by force. The sight was so satisfying it was hard to control her expression.

The removal of her rival was a joyous event.

**

So Eunghwa, the neglected concubine, had sacrificed a regional distributor of drugs.

“Lord Alan?”

The result was that an unintended concubine faced hardship.

The distributor I sacrificed was a local official who feared dismemberment and began protecting himself.

As he was selling fentanyl and methadone under our directives, if investigated properly, clear evidence would surface. The Cheon-ja would undoubtedly devastate this official, the slandered concubine, and the entire county.

Of course, this is merely the beginning.

Now, having confirmed it may be utilized, it is time to begin the actual operation.

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