Rise of an Empress

Guilt

Concubine Park is afraid to enter Concubine Seo's room, she takes a deep breath. As she enters she finds Yun Hee lying on the bed and surrounded by a few maids. As she steps towards Yun Hee's bed, she stretches her hand to Concubine Park. 

Seung Deok hesitates for a few moments, what will Yun Hee do, when she will know it was her who made her eat poison. She holds Yun Hee's hand.

"Seung, I am so afraid. The baby will be okay, right?" Yun Hee sobs.

"Yeah, the baby will be okay," Seung Deok says in a trembling voice.

"Where's the royal physician?" Seung Deok asks the maids.

"He is on his way. Maids were sent at the same time to both you & the royal physician."

Her condition gets worse when suddenly Yun Hee notices blood trickling down her thighs.

She starts to bleed profusely.

Seung Deok walks out of the room. Her whole body is trembling. She doesn't know why tears are falling from her eyes.

___________________________

Royal Physician Shin is treating Concubine Seo inside. But still, her condition hasn't improved a bit.

As the Physician walks out, Concubine Park asks, hiding her fear inside, "How is she?"

"I am trying my best, Your Highness. Her body is showing signs of mercury poisoning. It seems like someone has poisoned her to kill her."

"To kill her? Someone has poisoned her to kill her!" Suddenly Concubine Park feels her legs become so weak.

"Mercury is stronger than any usual poison. I think the enemy has imported it from China. In several parts of China, it's used in small amounts for abortion. But in this case, the enemy has used it for both abortion and murder," Physician Shin sighs.

Concubine Park leans on the wall to support herself. She can't believe she was being used to murder Concubine Seo.

"What to do now?"

"There's only one place where the precious antidote can be found in the whole Goryeo. Near the emperor's physician," Physician Shin replies. 

The emperor's physician only has the power to reserve all antidotes so that he can treat the emperor immediately if anyone tries to harm the emperor with any poison.

Concubine Park sends maids to the emperor's royal assembly to get permission to let his physician treat Concubine Seo.

____________________________

But the maids come back with the news that the emperor himself didn't let any issues from concubines' palace be presented in the royal assembly.

"There are several issues to deal with in the royal assembly, but issues from concubines' palace are not even worth presenting or solving here. Concubines are nothing but trash, they are not even worth dealing with."

It was a stab on Concubine Seo's heart when she heard the emperor had returned the maids. She already knows she has lost her baby. She has also accepted the fate to die.

__________________________

As Concubine Park suddenly comes to Consort Kim's room, Myeon Hye sends her maids outside the room.

"How could you do that, sister Myeon Hye?"

"What do you mean by me? You did it too, Seung Deok," Myeon Hye remains cool.

"It was about the baby. But why does it need to kill her?"

"When was there any mention of a baby or Concubine Seo or both? And isn't it better to remove both at the same time?"

"I will tell everything to the emperor," Seung Deok threatens Myeon Hye.

Myeon Hye laughs, "What will you say? And what did the court lady say? What if she says she knows only you, you made her do it? What if there's no proof about me? Go ahead. Dig your own grave."

Suddenly Seung Deok understands that she was so foolish to fall into such a trap. She clenches her fist and says, "I won't let Yun Hee die." 

__________________________

Concubine Park forcefully enters into the royal assembly. No palace guards dare to stop an angry and desperate Concubine Park on her way. After all, she is from the famous Miryang Park clan and not enlisted as a harmful person to the emperor.

"Seung Deok, you are not allowed to enter like this. You are disrespecting the royal assembly," Emperor Sinjong says with anger.

"I sent maids for this, but you returned them," Seung Deok says, looking at Sinjong's eyes.

"Is this royal assembly a joke for you?"

"What are you doing so far great right now other than saving a life? What to offer the Chinese princess for marriage? How to arrange the marriage? Are these more important than saving a life? I know that you are not that cruel, Your Majesty. Please don't let Concubine Seo die, Your Majesty," Seung Deok sobs while bowing towards the emperor.

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