𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚'𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗙𝗘 (CURRENTLY EDITING)

5장: The Selection (Edited)

Prince Yi Yung stirred as the light of dawn crept through the lattice windows of his bedchamber. The warm rays spilled across his face, intensifying the pounding in his head. He groaned softly, shielding his eyes with the back of his hand, the events of the night before clouded in a haze of blurred memories and the sharp sting of regret.

The silence was broken by the creak of the door as Eunuch Song stepped inside, followed by a palace servant carrying a lacquered tray of tea. The young man bowed deeply, placing the tray gently on the low table before retreating.

"Your Highness, you're finally awake," Eunuch Song said gently, his voice filled with both relief and concern. "You must drink this tea. It will ease your headache."

Yi Yung sat up slowly, accepting the cup with trembling hands. His movements were sluggish, his thoughts still muddled. "What happened last night...? How did I get back here?"

Eunuch Song hesitated, then spoke carefully. "You returned to the palace late in the evening, heavily intoxicated. You could barely walk, and you kept calling out a name... 'Yewon.'" He paused. "Thankfully, no one else heard you. The King remains unaware that you ever left the palace."

Yi Yung froze, the name clawing at his chest like thorns. And then-like a broken dam-memories rushed in.

Yewon. Her tear-stained face.

The desperate look in her eyes.

The way she pushed him away and ran into the night.

He set the cup down with a trembling hand and let out a harsh sigh, burying his face in his palms. "What have I done..."

---

Meanwhile, in the Min household, the air was filled with tension and noise. The usually serene courtyard buzzed with activity as servants hurried about carrying boxes of silk garments, polished ornaments, and glimmering jewels.

The sound of rustling fabric, urgent instructions, and the clinking of fine accessories echoed through the halls.

Lady Min stood in the center, directing the preparations with stern efficiency. Every item was to be perfect. After all, it wasn't just any occasion-it was the Royal Selection.

On the 30th day of the seventh month, a royal edict had been issued. Every noble household with eligible daughters was to submit their names for consideration.

The process was meticulous: records of lineage were required, detailing fathers, grandfathers, and even great-grandfathers-both paternal and maternal.

It was not merely a search for beauty but for noble blood, a Queen worthy of ruling Joseon beside the Crown Prince.

Yewon sat quietly in her room, her gaze distant, her heart heavy. Her name had been sent.

Without her consent.

Without her voice.

She rose abruptly and rushed to her father's study. Lord Min was seated, freshly returned from court, his brush already poised above the selection parchment. "Father!" she cried, unable to contain her desperation.

He didn't look up. "Yewon, not now."

"Please," she begged. "I don't want to enter the selection. I'm not meant for the palace, for the Crown-please withdraw my name!"

Lord Min set down his brush and looked at her sharply. "Do not speak such nonsense."

Tears welled in her eyes. "I beg of you-"

"As a subject, one does not defy the will of the throne," he said coldly. "Your name will be submitted. You were born into a duty far greater than your feelings. I raised you for this very moment-not to dream childish dreams, but to become Queen."