The Plum Highness (JIKOOK AU)

CH 1 - Who

The sun is bright and the weather is very nice. In a room, a man is currently reading a book. His face adorns with a slight smile, a sign that the man is in a good mood doing what he did right now.

In front of him, there are various kinds of books, manuals of medicines, anthology of herbs, and some of them are different kinds of ancient books. He seems so passionate about what he is doing. His has single eyelids but still charming on their own. His lips are pink and plump, rosy cheeks, button nose and soft like silk silver hair.

However, there are two things that people deem him as imperfect. He has different eye colour. On his right eye is purple and the other side is blue. He also has silver hair that was an oddity to the people. His name is Jimin, eldest son of Prime Minister Park at Capital City.

Park Jimin was born by Kang Byul, daughter of Kang Soo, leader of Plum Section. Plum Section is an organization that cultivates poison masters. The members of Plum Section are skilful and expert with countless types of poisons.

Their section is highly respected by the royal palace members especially the Emperor. He regarded them as treasures of their country. As a leader of the section, Kang Soo of course passed down his knowledge to his one and only daughter, Kang Byul, making her the sole heir of Plum Section.

When she fell in love with Jimin's father, Kang Soo prepared a grand wedding for his daughter. The Emperor also tips in some of his gifts to the couple. Their wedding is so big that there is no one in the country not known about them. People wished them a blissful marriage and happiness.

Unfortunately, during Kang Byul's fourth month pregnancy, she is caught by an enemy and forced to produce a potent poison for them. To protect her child in her belly, she agreed to make the poison.

However, her trial was failed and they shoved the liquid through her mouth as compensation. Kang Byul was forced to make her body as subject and she had to make the antidote as quickly as she could. She survived with an antidote that she succeeded produced later.

At the same time, the Prime Minister with help from His Majesty the Emperor, providing him with royal armies succeeded in taking down the enemy. All of them had been slaughtered overnight.

Sadly, the poison didn't dissipate entirely from her body and it affected her child in her tummy. Kang Byul was aggrieved but she ran out of way. She never stops finding a cure for her son when she finds out Jimin's different eye colour. Her husband was also working hard to provide materials for his wife to make the antidote.

When Jimin was 10 years old, his mother passed away while trying to concoct the pill. Prime Minister Park was so devastated that he mourned for three years. Prime Minister Park loves his late wife so much that he rejected numerous proposals from other families to give him their daughter as his second wife. He already satisfied having a side consort in his rear that he took in before married to Kang Byul.

At this era, man is allowed to marry a principal wife and two side consort or concubine. Only the Emperor and Princes have authority to marry a wife and take in more than two consorts in their harem.

In those three years, Jimin looked at his poor father and decided to learn about poison and medicine properly so he can continue finding the cure for himself. He has talent, brain and focus that he grew up becoming an outstanding man. Jimin is loved by his father and follows after him quietly.
Although people call him a monster, they can't help admiring him because he is a talented, brilliant and polite man. He is a very wise man and intelligent. He learns well and diligently, there is no doubt that he is worthy to be called the eldest son of the Prime Minister.

Of course Jimin has a sister and a younger brother, born by his father's side consort, Madam Yeon. She is a delicate, warm and virtuous woman. She is very protective over Jimin after Kang Byul's death and often takes care of him when Prime Minister Park was busy to do so. Jimin is so grateful to have her as mother concubine and the relationship between him and his younger sister and brother are very affectionate.
While he is too absorbed reading his book, his loyal servant comes and tells him that he got another letter. He nodded and his slender white hand took the letter from him.