Page 13 : The Bitter Fact
"As Royal Queen Dowager said to me, I will take care of you and take care of you during this pregnancy. So, every morning, I'll make sure you drink this pregnancy booster tonic in my chamber."
Palace Lady Choi placed the tonic referred to by the Queen on Hong So Ui's serving table.The thick, green liquid is now right in front of Kyu Bok. Kyu Bok stares at the liquid with distasteful and wary eyes. Kyu Bok raised his head and boldly looked Queen Heo straight in the eyes.
"Pardon my impudence, Your Majesty. Why should I drink this booster tonic in your chambers? Why don't you serve it while we are at the Royal Queen Dowager's residence?"
The queen's gaze was drawn to Kyu Bok's bead with suspicion.Inside, Queen Heo wanted to laugh out loud at this suspicion. Even though Queen Heo is in a corner because she has not yet conceived an heir to the throne, of course she is not a stupid woman. Queen Heo is not that stupid to just poison the baby in Kyu Bok's womb. Queen Heo still intends to defend his throne. There are still many things that Queen Heo wants to do for the people with the throne she has now.
"Do you think I'm going to poison your baby?" Queen Heo asked while chuckling, but her eyes were now sparkling sharply.
"Please forgive me if my question offended you, Your Majesty. It's just that I'm asking like this to avoid things like what you mentioned earlier. After all, if this baby I'm carrying has a chance of being born a prince, It's not like that, Your Majesty."
Queen Heo's face now looks cold after hearing Kyu Bok's reply to her. Queen Heo needs to admit that Hong Kyu Bok is the most arrogant and annoying woman she has ever met in his life.
Queen Heo can feel the arrogance and greed coursing through Kyu Bok's veins. Queen Heo realized that Kyu Bok clearly wanted the throne she was sitting on. A cynical laugh sounded from Queen Heo's lips. The woman in front of her didn't even bother to cover up her ambition to get rid of Queen Heo from the Queen's throne and make the most of her pregnancy.
"Aigoo So, Ui, you are too confident. Didn't you hear Queen Dowager's greeting this morning? Expecting too much will make you feel sick when you realize that reality doesn't match your expectations. You can't be too confident about your pregnancy."
Kyu Bok knows that Queen Heo is trying to remind of her current status. Kyu Bok tries to contain her anger at Queen Heo's words to her. she knew she was too quick to judge if her pregnancy was for a son, but it was this pregnancy that made Kyu Bok excited and sure that her dream will come true soon.
Isn't the sky always kind to those who want to assert their rights? Doesn't this imply that Heo Jung Eun stole Kyu Bok's rights?
"I'm sorry if what I said seemed to give you the impression of being too confident. It's just that I want to make sure that everything I eat and drink won't endanger my life, especially since I'm pregnant. Your Majesty.
"You don't need to worry, So Ui. This tonic will not harm your pregnancy. As the Royal Queen Dowager said, as a leader in the palace's harem, of course I have to take care of you. According to harem rules, all the King's children, even those born from a concubine, are the responsibility of the Queen. So, if your son is born as the first prince, he will only be able to become an heir to the throne if I adopt him. Of course you haven't forgotten abot this, So Ui."
Kyu Bok can't hold back her shock. To be honest, Kyu Bok doesn't understand Queen Dowager Min's words during the morning greeting. where Queen Dowager Min says that her son will be Queen Heo's son as well. Now, after getting an explanation from the Queen, Kyu Bok can't hold back her anger. Her hands, which were hidden behind the dangui, were now tightly clenched into fists. How could her child have to be the Queen's child if he wanted to be appointed as an heir to the throne?
"Drink your tonic immediately, So Ui. Dont let the tonic getting cool," Queen Heo said with a smile as sweet as honey, but her black beads glistened sharply. Queen Heo tries to intimidate Kyu Bok with her gaze.
Kyu Bok nodded slowly. Slowly, both hands reached for the cup filled with the dark green liquid. Under Queen Heo's sharp gaze, Hong Kyu Bok was forced to drink up the liquid. Her tongue refused when she tasted the sharp, bitter taste of the tonic. Kyu Bok doesn't like the taste of the tonic. Her forehead wrinkled slightly because of the bitter taste that still lingered on her tongue.
Queen Heo took pleasure in Hong So Ui's expression in front of her. Her slender hands are now reaching for a dry sweet that is also served on the table. With a smile, Queen Heo held out the dried sweets to Kyu Bok. Her eyes motioned for Kyu Bok to accept sweets that she was offered.
"Eat these sweets to reduce the bitter taste on your tongue, So Ui. Let me, as the mother of your baby, take care of you and look after you."
Hong Kyu Bok is forced to accept the dry sweets because she does not want to be seen as lacking in manners in response to the Queen's kindness. even though in her heart, Kyu Bok was furious with Queen Heo's words that the baby in her womb belonged to Queen Heo too.
...
The palace is becoming increasingly stifling with the news of Madam Hong's pregnancy, which has now become So Ui, although it is not yet certain if the pregnancy is a son. King Uiyang kept pressuring me to raise the status of his favorite concubine to that of a So Ui.
In the midst of the tightness that I felt, at least I could breathe a little easier because my relatives and King Uiyang were no longer fighting. King Uiyang kept his promise when Kyu Bok was appointed as a concubine. At least the pawn named Kyu Bok that I use can ease the tension between my husband and my relatives.
However, I realized that danger was stalking me. The threat came from the back palace. I can understand if Royal Queen Dowager Yeongmi of the Park clan is trying so hard to remove me from the throne. Everything is implied so clearly by the words that continue to encircle me and flatter Hong So Ui, who is pregnant. I'm not stupid.
Initially, I had lost hope. The hope is that I can defend the throne for the safety of my family, who are now more aggressive in playing politics. For them, I am their only safe haven.And the only way to ensure their safety is for me to defend the throne. And the words of Queen Dowager Hyoyeon of the Min clan provided an answer to my doubts.
Aren't all the children of a concubine also the children of a queen? Even if one day a son is born, So Ui's son cannot simply become the heir to the throne. The only way that, if one day she is born as a princess, she can become the heir to the throne is for me to adopt the baby. Sounds mean? but this is the palace. If I'm not fated to have my own son, I can borrow Soui's womb, right?