Empress

Plan in Effect

Areum didn't have to wait long to put her plan in effect, as Iseul made the first move. Starting with Areum's sister-in-law.

Areum has gotten word that Iseul was bothering the young imperial princess so she went to investigate.

And there she was. Iseul sitting under a gazebo talking her mouth off, with Ji-Hye having an annoyed expression. "Make way for her imperial majesty." Both Ji-Hye and Iseul stood from the table and bowed to Areum's presence.

"We greet the moon that illuminates the empire. Greetings your imperial majesty." Areum smiles to Ji-Hye. "Greetings dear sister." She turns to Iseul. "Lady Kang."

Iseul grits her teeth as she smiles. "Your imperial majesty."

"You two may stand." The two young ladies did so. "I'm just having tea sister. Would you like join me?" Ji-Hye asks. Areum smiles. "I would love too."

Ji-Hye and Areum take their seats at the the table. As Iseul was about to sit Ji-Hye stood her midway. "Lady Kang don't you have somewhere else to be?" Iseul looks to the young imperial princess.

"I don't believe I do princess." Ji-Hye shakes her head. "No I believe you do." She turns to Areum. "Isn't that right your imperial highness."

Areum looks to Iseul and smirks. "Yes I believe you are right sister." Iseul was about to say something with Areum raised her hand to stop her. "Lady Kang don't you have some maids to reprimand? I have gotten word that your maids were in the palace gardens. The imperial princess's gardens."

Areum snaps her fingers. Chaeyoung brings a tray of crushed and bruised blue hydrangeas. Ji-Hye gasped in horror. Those were her hydrangeas from her palace gardens. Ji-Hye's palace was the only garden hydrangeas grew in, so they no doubt came from her.

Iseul's eyes widen at the tray before she scoffs. "And what makes you think it's me? As you said, it was maids. What gives you the right to accuse me because of some maids?"

Areum hums. "I was hoping you would ask that, so..." Areum snaps her fingers again. This time two guards and a maid walked forward, each holding the maid by her arms.

The guards pushed the maid to her knees. Areum looks to Iseul with narrowing eyes. "Is this not your maid? She wears the same color as those over there." Iseul looks to her maids behind her. They were indeed wearing the same color.

"And we found this note in your handwriting." Areum hands the note to Iseul. "Read it out loud." She commanded. Iseul takes the note and scoffs. "I am not-"

"Read it." Areum's eyes glared. Iseul gulps before shakily reading the contents of the note.

"Ruin the flowers. The hydrangeas. But find the certain flower I want. It was a gift from the emperor to his sister but it should be mine. I want it. Do it by nightfall."

Iseul scoffs. "This isn't me! Someone must be impersonating me! Who would do that?! That is treason!"

Areum placed her hands on the table. "Lady Kang I am only asking this once. If you come clean that you sent your maids to the imperial princess's palace I'll let you off with a warning as well as your maids. But if you have been founded guilty the consequences may be severe. More to your maid but it will tarnish your reputation."

The frightened maid look to Iseul and bowed her head to the floor. "Please Lady Kang, have mercy! Tell her imperial majesty the truth! I am sorry your imperial majesty, imperial princess! I was only following my orders from Lady Kang!"

Iseul gasps in horror. "How dare you?!" Iseul grabs a tea cup and throws it to the floor on font of the maid, shattering it.

"I don't know who you are but you are not my maid! How dare you frame me?!"

Areum can see Iseul was starting to sweat a bit.

"I never order for anyone to go into the imperial princess's garden! I never told anyone to ruin the hydrangeas! I never told anyone to get me that orchid!" Iseul exclaims.

Areum smirks. Areum puts on a disappointed look and sighs. "Very well. I'll let you off with a warning this time. Chaeyoung take the maid to the head maid for punishment for breaking in and destroying of private property." "Yes your imperial majesty."

Chaeyoung leads the guards away, along with dragging the screaming maid who begged Iseul for mercy.

Iseul shakily sighs. "My apologies your imperial majesty for my tone. The accusations caused me a fright is all. If it's alright I shall take my leave." Areum nods in acceptance.

Once Iseul and her maids were out of ear Ji-Hye hits the table, making the plates and cups rattle. "How dare she?! She was accused and she acts like it was our fault?!" The imperial princess huffs. "Now if only we can find out who broke into my palace."

"But we did." Ji-Hye looks to Areum confusingly. "What do you mean sister?" Areum snaps her fingers. A maid walks over and places a purple orchid in a vase on the table. "Iseul mentioned something during her rant that I never mentioned."

Ji-Hye looks to the orchid and gasped in realization. "So it was her?! She was lying?! She just sent that maid to a punishment worse than the crime they committed! Why?!"

"To save face." Areum calmly explains. "The orchid was a gift from Yoongi yes? She was jealous and wanted it for herself so she sent her maid to get it. But she didn't realize your gardener would be there."

"Sister she just lied to your imperial majesty. That is a crime punishable by law. You have to bring her in." Ji-Hye tells her sister-in-law. Areum shakes her head. "Not yet. This is just part of a bigger plan I have for Iseul."

Ji-Hue told her head. "Bigger plan?" "I have reason to suspect the Kang family is meddling in state affairs that is punishable by law and can be considered treason, but I don't have enough evidence." Areum explain.

"This was just a stepping block to something bigger I have planned." Areum smirks. "And I tend to get it. No matter the cost."