Chapter 35

How to Fully Understand a Ruler's Heart (1)

"Kwon, rise."

Her Majesty the Queen Consort told Yunseo, who was prostrated on the bare ground, to stand.

Yunseo rose lightly and first looked for Hongwi.

Their Hongwi was completely absorbed in playing fishing with Jaseon.

The Queen, too, watched Kwon.

She saw how the tension on her face—whether her request would be granted—softened, and how she immediately turned her gaze toward Hongwi with deep affection.

"The young royal grandson truly has an excellent nursemaid, Your Majesty."

Chief Court Lady Choi, who had entered the palace from the Cheongsong Sim clan household and spent her entire life by the Queen's side, subtly affirmed the Queen's judgment.

"Have you informed the Royal Medical Office?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I have instructed them to visit the Eastern Palace within a few days, examine Nursemaid Kwon's pulse, and prepare a medicinal decoction."

"Did you hear that?"

The Queen asked Yunseo.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you. I will prepare it with sincerity and take it."

"And you would take it without even knowing what kind of medicine it is?"

"...!"

What kind of medicine?

A list of ominous potions she had seen in countless historical dramas flashed through Yunseo's mind.

Could it be…?

Startled, she turned her head to look at the Queen.

Then, for the first time, the Queen smiled brightly at her and said:

"I heard you were exhausted last night. It is medicine prepared so your body will not be harmed—so take it well."

"!"

Good heavens.

Yunseo's face flushed instantly.

The Queen's eyes sparkled again as she continued:

"Hyang is completely captivated by you right now. He wants to give you everything good and precious in the world. If he could pluck the moon from the sky, he would do so just to give it to you."

"…Yes…"

"Then what should you do, Kwon? When the future ruler cherishes you too much and insists on elevating you unreasonably to the position of Crown Princess, what should you do?"

"…I should say it goes against proper law and ask him to withdraw—"

"You are wrong."

"…Pardon?"

"Do you not understand what it means to reject what a ruler wishes to give you by invoking propriety?"

"I am foolish and do not understand. Please teach me."

"..."

The Queen gazed at Yunseo for a moment before speaking.

"Because your sincerity toward Hongwi is true, I will teach you—as one who has lived as a royal daughter-in-law, and as a Queen who has endured tragedy. Kwon, a ruler is one who becomes angered. Standing above all others, possessing immense authority, he becomes angered when what he believes he can give is refused, angered when he is asked to grant what he cannot give, and above all—"

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

"He is most angered by those who do not strive to understand his heart and serve it with care."

"!"

"If you wish to remain by Hongwi's side, you must carefully discern the Crown Prince's heart and make your request accordingly. Do you understand?"

Lee Hyang's heart.

His desire to make Yunseo his woman.

A realization struck her suddenly—that any words spoken by others in her place could easily provoke his anger.

"…Your Majesty, I am sincerely grateful for your advice."

"Very well. You must make the request yourself to the Crown Prince. At present, he will not heed the words of anyone else."

With that, the Queen approached Hongwi and began to play fishing with him.

Watching the once-strict Queen's face soften with maternal warmth as she looked at Hongwi, Yunseo resolved that when she later taught him letters, she should have Hongwi come along and learn as well.

Just then, a lively young woman's voice rang out from behind:

"Mother! Oh—our young royal grandson!"

It was Princess Jeongui, who had entered the palace with her eldest son, An Yeodal.

Six-year-old Yeodal saw Hongwi and immediately shouted, "Young royal grandson! Let's fish together!" as he ran toward him.

Princess Jeongui watched her son's back with affectionate eyes, then turned her gaze to Yunseo.

"Has the princess arrived?"

Yunseo bowed deeply in greeting, and Princess Jeongui took her hand and lifted her up, teasingly saying:

"I'm not sure what I should call you now."

…Sigh. Now even the princess who enters the palace knows.

As Yunseo flushed with embarrassment, Princess Jeongui leaned close and whispered:

"Who would have thought my brother could be so passionate? It's truly unbelievable."

"..."

There really is no such thing as privacy in the palace. Honestly.

That day, Hongwi played excitedly with Yeodal until the afternoon, while Yunseo spoke with Princess Jeongui about how to structure a childcare book.

Then, leaving Hongwi—who had fallen asleep quickly after playing all day—it was time for her to face Lee Hyang.

Lady Eom, who had come to inform her that she could have an audience with him at Bihyeongak, mentioned that Lord Kim Jongseo and Lord Jeong In had just left.

"But those two ministers took off their official robes and carried them in their hands, returning in light inner garments. Ah… His Highness declared that once his daytime official duties are over, he will always wash and change into loose, light clothing—and it seems the ministers are following suit, no longer enduring the heat."

"Sigh, what is the world coming to?" she clicked her tongue.

…That's actually a good thing.

If the layered official robes—so cumbersome they require attendants—disappear, fewer servants will be needed just for clothing. That could change how people are employed in daily life.

With that thought, Yunseo took up a lantern and quietly made her way toward Bihyeongak.

Her heart was no longer pounding as wildly as it had when she went to confess that she was a soul from the future—but she was tense in a different way.

It would be their first meeting since the heated night that lasted until dawn.

But Yunseo had already formed a plan.

Following the Queen's advice—to carefully understand Lee Hyang's heart and make her request accordingly—she had drawn on everything she had read in historical records about him.

"My lord, Nursemaid Kwon has arrived."

"Let her enter."

As the eunuch pushed the door open, Lee Hyang was already standing at the entrance.

Perhaps because of the mention that he would suddenly die from an abscess, he had now even removed his outer robe, wearing only a thin undergarment loosely draped.

…So His Highness is a collarbone beauty.

Not knowing where to look, Yunseo lowered her head, her face reddening.

"Feeling shy now, my lady? After teasing me so passionately last night?"

Every gesture of Lee Hyang—playfully teasing yet gentle—was filled with the confidence of a man certain that the woman before him now wholly belonged to him.

Now, it was time for her to act—carefully and thoughtfully—so as to live up to that belief.

Yunseo recalled that, according to the records, Lady Kwon—her ancestor—had issued selection edicts two or three times to choose a new Crown Princess, yet there was no record that a royal marriage had ultimately taken place. From this, she concluded that Lee Hyang had never truly been interested in filling the position of Crown Princess.

Thus, she reasoned that his excessive insistence on appointing her as Crown Princess was merely a smokescreen—to justify granting her a higher rank than Seunghwi (Senior 4th rank), perhaps elevating her to Yangwon (Junior 3rd rank) or even Yangje (Junior 2nd rank).

Furthermore, judging from his strict command the previous night forbidding even the mention of those who had supported Grand Prince Suyang's coup, she inferred that Lee Hyang, like King Sejong, was a ruler who deeply cherished talented individuals—and would therefore greatly covet her modern knowledge.

Based on this careful analysis, Yunseo planned to present herself as the kind of exceptional talent that the future wise king Lee Hyang would value most.

But…

Lee Hyang's hand was already creeping toward the ties of her clothing.

Yunseo firmly pushed his hand away and shook her head.

"Your Highness, tonight is truly not possible."

In response, Lee Hyang effortlessly lifted her and sat down on a cushioned chair—one that seemed to have been prepared beforehand—holding her as he spoke calmly:

"I know, my lady. I will only touch you a little."

"..."

So he truly is the son of a king who loves both learning and pleasure.

"Your Highness, I have something very important to say, so please focus."

"I resemble my royal father—I remember almost everything I read or hear once. So speak freely, my lady."

"..."

Fine, whatever.

Ignoring the large hand slipping inside her clothes, Yunseo continued:

"Your Highness… would you not wish to possess a truly versatile talent?"

"Outstanding talent is always a ruler's delight."

"I have studied across many fields—for nearly twenty-five years—from basic education like village schools to advanced institutions like Seonggyungwan."

"Oh? So that is why you claimed you could place first in the state examination."

"With such exceptional talent… would it not be a waste to let it wither away in the harem…?"

"!"

The hand that had been roaming her body suddenly stopped.

Lee Hyang pulled her tightly into his arms, then pressed his lips close to her ear and asked in a cold tone:

"My lady, did I not please you last night?"

"No! I was very pleased!"

"Then why would you reject a man more handsome than anyone in your dreams—and skilled in bed?"

"That's not it. If I become a concubine, I will be assigned a separate residence and have to leave Seowondol. Then I won't be able to see Your Highness freely as I do now—"

"Hmm, so that is the reason… It seems you like me far more than I expected."

Apparently pleased with her answer, Lee Hyang chuckled, his chest rising and falling, before resuming his wandering touch.

"Go on, my lady. Aside from being a woman who likes her husband too much to leave his side, what kind of versatile talent do you wish to become?"

"..."

Who on earth wrote in the historical records that King Munjong was dignified, composed, and distant from women?!

He's completely sly!

Still, she had safely passed the first hurdle.

Now for the second.

"I… possess extensive knowledge in many fields. In particular, I understand well how Joseon developed—and how it declined."

"Then tell me something besides what you said about currency before."

"Your Highness, has His Majesty implemented the Yeonbun Gugdeungbeop, the land tax system based on surveying farmland?"

"!"

Once again, Lee Hyang's hand stopped—but this time for a different reason.

For the first time, he seemed to seriously consider what impact Yunseo's fragmented knowledge might have on the people's lives and the future of Joseon.

Holding her tightly without moving, he remained deep in thought for a long moment before suddenly rising.

Then, still holding her, he sat behind a large work desk, picked up a brush with one hand, and commanded:

"My lady, speak about the historical changes in Joseon's taxation system—jo, yong, jo."

Unlike the cushioned chair from before, the work chair was barely large enough for one person, making it difficult to sit steadily.

So Yunseo wrapped her arms firmly around his neck to avoid falling and began speaking as thoughts came to her.

"Sejong—His Majesty will later be known by the temple name King Sejong—created the Yeonbun Gugdeungbeop with great care for the people. However, despite its noble intent, it did not prove very effective in practice due to difficulties in implementation."

"What kind of practical difficulties?"

"According to the records, dividing land into nine grades was overly complicated. The fertility of land could change over time, harvests varied each year depending on weather, and most importantly, there was no objective standard for evaluation—so bribery often led to land being rated at lower grades."

"Hmm… It was originally planned to be implemented next year based on a proposal by Jeong Inji…"

Murmuring to himself, Lee Hyang swiftly wrote down everything Yunseo had said in elegant Chinese characters—then asked again.