Page 10 : 2nd Rank Junior Concubine Hong

The Royal Queen Dowager Park couldn't keep a big smile from her face. The old woman was so happy to hear the news that a maid at her residence had just delivered. A news report stating that the first step of her plan had succeeded. Her arthritic hand reached for the cup of omija tea served by Palace Lady Jung.

The old woman sipped slowly at the tea. Enjoying the warm current that now fills her throat. The joy of visiting Royal Queen Dowager Park is indescribable. The old woman in the back palace was so happy. Now, Royal Queen Dowager Park only needs to supervise and ensure that the woman of her choice conceives an heir to the throne first.

...

Queen Heo stared coldly at the woman who was wearing wonsam—a royal gown for the coronation—complete with tteoguji—a large wooden hair ornament—and walking slowly toward her. Queen Heo sat on her throne, carefully watching the women who approached him. Queen Heo needs to admit that the woman who will soon be included in the royal family is a beautiful woman.

Her body movements are flawless.The smile on his face was polite. The expression on her face was unable to hide her happiness. Needless to say, Queen Heo knew very well that her heart was bursting with joy.

Queen Heo got up from her seat, realizing that the woman had arrived at the place that had been prepared. Her black eyes swept over the woman, named Hong Kyu Bok, sharply. After thoroughly inspecting Kyu Bok from head to toe, Queen Heo turned her gaze to a senior palace lady on his right.

"Let's start the procession," ordered Queen Heo.

The senior palace lady who received the order nodded. Immediately, the palace lady stepped forward and unfolded the decree scroll she had been holding. Meanwhile, Hong Kyu Bok, with the help of two other palace lady who had been helping her earlier, is now being helped to kneel right in front of Queen Heo.

"Today is the eighth day of the seventh month of the year. The Queen of the Heo Clan gives orders to Miss Kyu Bok of the Hong Clan to enter the palace as Suk Ui, a second-rank junior concubine. With this decree, Miss Kyu Bok of the Hong clan will receive orders and carry out her duties as part of the royal family."

After reading the decree, the palace lady rolled it up again and handed it to Queen Heo. Queen Heo accepts the decree and passes it on to Kyu Bok. There was no smile etched on Queen Heo's face when she gave Kyu Bok the decree that she received with both hands. Queen Heo's dark eyes returned to their original focus on Kyu Bok.Queen Heo once again judged Hong Kyu Bok based on her demeanor in front of her.

"Hong Suk Ui, today you officially become part of the royal family. As a new member of the royal family, you must follow all the rules that apply to the princess of the palace. I expect great support from you as a part of the inner court," Queen Heo ordered.

The head of Kyu Bok, who was wearing a tteoguji hair ornament, nodded stiffly. Kyu Bok tries to look obedient in front of the young queen, even though inside her heart, Kyu Bok is growling angrily. Furious because she had to bow to a woman much younger than her. Even so, Kyu Bok managed to manipulate the expression on her pretty face. An expression full of respect and obedience towards the woman who had the title of Empress in front of her.

"Your Majesty, I will remember your message as well as I can."

Right after saying this, Hong Kyu Bok returned to pay her respects to Queen Heo. Kyu Bok tries to quell the anger and humiliation boiling in her heart. This is just the first step towards achieving her wish. Kyu Bok calmed herself down. At least now she was one step closer to her wish.

"Congratulations to you, Madam Hong."

As soon as the procession for appointing Kyu Bok as concubine is declared complete, congratulations fill the courtyard in the middle palace, where the procession is being carried out. Hong Kyu Bok received congratulations from palace maids and several ministers and their families who attended the process of appointing him as a concubine.

Even though the procession was declared finished, Kyu Bok could not rest like Queen Heo, who had now left the venue. Hong Kyu Bok must greet the royal family for the first time. Hong Kyu Bok had to introduce himself and her new title as Hong Suk Ui in the palace.

...

Royal Queen Dowager Park couldn't hold back a big smile on her face when Hong Kyu Bok came to give her an introduction. The old woman nodded her head. The happy expression on Royal Queen Dowager Park's face contrasted with Queen Dowager's. The Queen Dowager had dark expression on her face. His lips were tightly closed. The Queen Dowager's eyes stared coldly at the new member of the royal family.

"Aigoo, heaven brought a beautiful flower into the royal family. What do you think, Queen Dowager? Isn't Hong Suk Ui so beautiful wearing the wonsam?"

The Royal Queen Dowager Park looked at Queen Dowager Min. A smile full of satisfaction was plastered on Royal Queen Dowager Park's face when she saw Queen Dowager Min put on an expression of disapproval towards Kyu Bok. Royal Queen Dowager Park is getting impatient to win the battle for power with Queen Dowager Min.

"Hong Suk Ui is indeed a beautiful woman, Your Highness. Anyone would have praised her beauty. But if it hadn't been for The Queen, who was so generous in showing off as a concubine, I'm sure Hong Suk Ui wouldn't have had the opportunity to wear the beautiful wonsam like this," Queen Dowager Min replied calmly and coldly.

The Queen Dowager Min distracted her by grabbing her cup of tea. At a glance, the corner of Queen Dowager's eye saw the twitch and irritated expression on Royal Queen Dowager Park's face at her reply. Queen Dowager sipped her tea slowly, trying to hide her smug grin at having irritated Royal Queen Dowager Park with her response. At least seeing the irritated expression on Royal Queen Dowager Park's face was able to relieve a bit of the anger burning in Queen Dowager's chest.

"Ah, of course, our Queen always does her best. Although she always does a good act, It seems she still has a deficiency as a queen. How could she possibly make an old lady like me wait so long for an heir to the throne, Queen Dowager?"

The Queen Dowager Min put down the cup of tea a bit roughly. The royal lady glared at Royal Queen Dowager Park, who was now smiling at Kyu Bok. Queen Dowager Min decided to leave the Royal Queen Dowager Park residence because the atmosphere in the room was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Your Highness, if you don't mind, I will take my leave. I want to rest because I'm not feeling well."

"Please. I will not keep you here much longer, Queen Dowager. Get some rest, you must be feeling very tired," said Royal Queen Dowager Park, showing off her sweetest smile again.

The Queen Dowager Min rose from her seat. Her head nodded slowly before finally leaving the Royal Queen Dowager Park room. The palace lady couldn't bear to listen to the praises that the old woman gave to Kyu Bok. Her blood seemed to boil when she heard Royal Queen Dowager Park again mention Queen Heo's weakness in not giving an heir to the throne.

Royal Queen Dowager Park can now freely express her happiness now that Queen Dowager has left.The old woman even laughed loudly to show her pleasure at making the Queen Dowager uncomfortable.

"You look so happy today, Your Highness?"

After remaining silent and listening to the cold war between Royal Queen Dowager Park and Queen Dowager, Kyu Bok finally spoke. A smile appeared on Kyu Bok's face.

"All of this is thanks to you, Kyu Bok-a. I'm so happy today that I managed to make that annoying woman put on a sour face. Can't you hear that she seems very annoyed with what I said?"

Royal Queen Dowager Park laughed once more. Kyu Bok also smiled when he heard what Royal Queen Dowager Park said to him. Even though Kyu Bok had been silent since earlier, from the corner of his eye, Kyu Bok understood that Queen Dowager didn't seem to like her very much.