Rumors spread faster than the guests drank wine at the harvest festival banquet.
The gentle fifth prince spent three years of earnings to buy his wife a heavenly dress.
Park Jin Young's heart feels a happy pain.
Jealousy covered Sang-Hee's heart.
The third prince laughed coldly. His fifth brother was completely entrapped by the beauty and became wasteful.
The emperor thought Taehyung was more unpredictable by the day.
Taehyung was happy he could finally give Seorin a heavenly dress. He didn't care about the disapproving stares from other people in the palace.
Taehyung and Seorin stood dignified in the palace banquet hall and everyone thought they were smiling lovingly at each other.
The light blue hanbok highlighted Seorin's snow-white skin. Moonlight reflected off the tiny gold flower and star jewels embroidered on her dress... everyone thought she changed into a heavenly beauty.
It was the first time Seorin received attention from other people since living in the imperial city. The heavens knew she wanted to be an invisible wall to pass the banquet by eating and drinking. She didn't expect Taehyung would give her a heavenly dress and have everyone's eyes focused on her. Although she was uncomfortable to death by the stares, she maintained her gentle lady image.
"Fifth brother, I haven't seen you for a few days but your face is glowing," Jung Hoseok praised. "Indeed a newly wedded man is a happy man."
Hoseok praised Taehyung, but Hoseok's eyes were looking regretfully at the heavenly beauty he conceded to Taehyung.
"Third brother is right," Taehyung said with a smile.
Seorin wasn't amused by the two brothers' exchange. She turned around to walk to the banquet table, but someone pulled her dress. She looked down and saw a loveable little boy, who resembled a bunny dressed in light gold clothes. The little boy looked about three years old, he had a chubby body and his big round doe eyes were looking at her.
"Rin, Rin," the little boy said.
Seorin was about to ask who the little boy was but a little girl ran to him and fiercely pulled him away from her dress.
"Fat rabbit!" the little girl said. "You dare to run away!"
The little boy fell on his bottom. He didn't hurt his bottom but the little girl's loud scold scared him and he cried.
Taehyung picked up the little boy and consoled the little boy.
"Gukkie, are you alright? what are you doing here?" Taehyung asked with concern.
Oh, God!! Seorin didn't expect the little boy was Taehyung's youngest brother, Jeon Jeongguk.
The last time Seorin visited the palace, she was with the prime minister's whole family and Consort Jeon was pregnant so she didn't see Consort Jeon and Jeongguk.
"Haeyun!" Hoseok called coldly.
"Appa... Third... father," the little girl stammered.
Suddenly Consort Jeon and Hoseok's wife Sooyeon ran toward their children.
Consort Jeon was relieved Jeongguk wasn't hurt. "Jeon Jeongguk, why did you run here? Before weren't you playing with little Haeyunie?"
Consort Jeon and Jeongguk were walking in the palace gardens when they bumped into Sooyeon and Jung Haeyun. So Consort Jeon let Jeongguk play with Haeyun while she gossiped with Sooyeon. After a while, she and Sooyeon couldn't see Jeongguk and Haeyun in the gardens and panicked.
"Hit, Hit!" Jeongguk said and looked at Jung Haeyun.
Jeongguk wanted to say he ran away because Haeyun hit him in the gardens. But he couldn't speak clearly and could only look accusingly at Haeyun. He silently cursed the rotten egg Jung Haeyun who always bullied him.
Haeyun could speak clearer and denied she hit Jeongguk. "Nonsense, I didn't hit you!"
Jeongguk buried his head in Taehyung's chest because Haeyun's tone was too scary.
Seorin wondered why two three or four-year-old children were the same age but were treated differently by their family members. Jeongguk was a prince yet he was fearful of the Third prince's daughter.
Consort Jeon refrained from scolding Haeyun.
Seorin saw Consort Jeon's sad eyes and she realized Consort Jeon felt powerless to protect Jeongguk.
"Jeongguk, stop holding onto your fifth brother and come down," Consort Jeon said.
Jeongguk hugged Taehyung tighter.
"Eomma, it's alright," Taehyung said. "Gukkie still can't speak?"
Consort Jeon nodded her head and her eyes saddened. Jeongguk was three years old but he couldn't say more than two consecutive words. It was rumored Jeon Jeongguk was a foolish prince. The emperor favored Consort Jeon after Jeongguk was born, but Consort Jeon lost the emperor's favor when Jeongguk was slow to speak.
Taehyung stroked Jeongguk's head affectionately. "Eomma, you don't need to worry. Gukkie looks intelligent. He'll be able to speak in the future."
Consort Jeon sighed helplessly.
Seorin looked lovingly at Jeongguk while he sat on Taehyung's shoulders.
Taehyung saw Seorin smiling warmly at Jeongguk and he realized the little tigress loved children.
Seorin looked lovingly at Jeongguk because Jeongguk looked like a loveable little bunny and her heart encouraged her to squish him.
The tree branches in the gardens were decorated with fabrics and lanterns and banquet tables were set in the gardens for guests to view the moon on the night of the harvest festival. Seorin smelt delicious aromas of food and wine. She happily ate fruits, drank wine, and listened to singers. She would have been happier if she wasn't sitting near two people who were staring at her strangely.
Taehyung sat on the left of Seorin, he was talking to a diplomat visiting from another kingdom. On the right of her was Sang-Hee who sat between her and the crown prince.
According to palace protocols, Sang-Hee wasn't allowed to sit next to the crown prince if she wasn't his wife. But the empress said to the emperor, "I haven't seen Sang-Hee for a few days and I miss her. Let her sit here."
Sang-Hee acted reluctant to sit next to the crown prince. Sang-Hee and the crown prince side by side looked like a stunning painting and everyone knew Sang-Hee would become the crown prince's wife.
Unfortunately, Sang-Hee's usual haughtiness wavered a little after sitting next to Seorin. She wore a dress that took days to make, but it wasn't even expensive as half of the dress Seorin wore.
In the past Sang-Hee looked more beautiful than Seorin because Sang-Hee wore beautiful hanboks and makeup. But after Seorin married Taehyung, Seorin was no longer the poor daughter of the prime minister from Daegu.
Sang-Hee was unhappy everyone was admiring Seorin instead of her. She even caught the crown prince staring at Seorin many times.
Sang-Hee was jealous and frustrated but she knew where she was sitting and controlled her tongue.
"Joonie Oppa, eat this fruit," Sang-Hee said.
"Thank you," Kim Namjoon said and looked at Seorin. "Fifth sister, you should eat this fruit too."
Afterward, Namjoon pretended to watch the dancers. But his heart lingered on the image of Seorin adjusting her collar and showed a glimpse of the red mark on her snow-white neck. He felt his heart stung too much.
Seorin sighed happily after Sang-Hee and the crown prince stopped staring at her.
Seorin saw a palace nursemaid was holding Jeongguk's hand while walking around the gardens.
"Rin, Rin," Jeongguk said after he saw Seorin .
Jeongguk let go of his nursemaid's hand and he ran toward Taehyung and Seorin. But he accidentally bumped into Sang-Hee and fell to the ground. He cried, pulled Sang-Hee's dress to stand up and the dirt on his hands stained Sang-Hee's dress.
Sang-Hee wanted to vent her jealousy and frustrations on the rumored foolish prince who dared to stain her dress.
Seorin picked up Jeongguk and consoled him. "Why is a little man like you crying like an old man, your face will come off."
Jeongguk was startled because of Seorin, she had spoken softly but he heard her.
Jeongguk heard Seorin's soft voice. He looked at her, sniffed, and stopped crying.
The palace nursemaid saw Jeongguk holding onto the fifth prince's wife. She quickly walked to them to carry him away but Jeongguk hugged fifth prince's wife's neck tightly.
"It's alright, let the prince play here with me," Seorin said.
Jeongguk wiped his nose on Seorin's dress while she was distracted. She gently pinched him.
Jeongguk retaliated by patting Seorin's dress and spoke in a serious tone by looking at the nursemaid, "No, no."
In between this suddenly a piercing shriek was heard.
"Assassins!" a guest cried out.
Seorin was shocked to see the assassins and the palace guards' swords clashing in front of her and chaos around her.
Jeongguk was scared to death and buried his head into Seorin's chest like a little scared rabbit trying to hide.
There were many assassins in all directions of the gardens. Some assassins were disguised as palace guards. Most of the assassins' target the emperor. But some of them were fighting their way toward Seorin's direction, where there were three princes near her.
Sang-Hee screamed loudly, hid behind Kim Namjoon, and gripped his robe. His face darkened and he grabbed two wine jars. One to shield his chest from an assassin's sword and he used the other to smash the assassin's head. Then he kicked the assassin where the sun doesn't shine.
While another assassin was attacking Taehyung, Seorin hugged Jeongguk tightly.
Taehyung stood in front of Seorin and Jeongguk. He picked up a cup and aimed it at the assassin's face. The assassin's sword struck the cup and the moved sword then aimed at unprotected Sang-Hee.
Sang-Hee screamed and used all her strength to pull Seorin in front of her to shield her from the assassin's sword.
"Rinnie!" Taehyung warned.
Taehyung leaped and kicked the assassin's chest. The assassin's sword sliced the sleeve of Seorin's dress before the assassin fell on the ground.
At that moment Seorin's whole body stiffened from shock and she couldn't stop tears falling down her face.
Taehyung hugged Seorin.
"Don't be scared, I'm here," Taehyung said.
Taehyung's eyes stung, he was scared to death he almost lost Seorin.
Kim Namjoon watched Taehyung hug Seorin for a while. Then he glanced at Sang-Hee, remembered Sang-Hee's reaction and he smiled cryptically.
Taehyung and Seorin were hugging each other tightly after a life and death situation. After their hearts calmed a little they felt something move between them.
Jeongguk raised his head and he exhaled. "No air, no air."
Taehyung and Seorin laughed. Afterward, he hugged both Seorin and Jeongguk tightly. But his eyes looked menacingly at Sang-Hee.
Sang-Hee was shocked by Taehyung who was usually a gentleman because there was a deadly cold aura in his eyes and her body shook uncontrollably.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The palace guards apprehended the assassins.
But the assassins hid poison under their tongues. They swallowed it, blood dripped out of their mouths and they died.
The emperor, Kim Seokjin commanded the palace guards to investigate who was responsible for the assassination attempt. Then the emperor ordered the imperial physicians to follow him to his chamber because Hoseok was injured.
During the banquet, Hoseok wasn't sitting near the emperor but he flew to save the emperor the moment he heard assassins enter the palace. But an assassin's sword stabbed Hoseok's body while he was protecting the emperor.
Inside the emperor's chamber, many imperial physicians surrounded the unconscious Hoseok.
"If anything happens to the Third Prince, I'll bury all of you together with him," the emperor threatened.
Consort Jung stood near the bed and she cried at the sight of her unconscious son.
The empress feigned concern for Hoseok's life. But her heart regretted Hoseok didn't die immediately after being stabbed. It also feared Hoseok would wake up and his bond with the emperor would grow stronger enough for the emperor to make Hoseok the crown prince instead of Namjoon.
Namjoon stood beside his mother and he was also in deep thought about the situation.
Consort Jeon was holding a sleeping Jeongguk in her arms. Jeongguk stirred in his sleep when he heard the emperor's loud voice. Jeongguk raised his head from his mother's chest, he didn't see anyone who wanted to harm him and continued to sleep on his mother's chest.
Taehyung was gauging everyone's expressions. He noticed Jeongguk was startled by the emperor, Jeongguk's head raised, and laid back on Consort Jeon's chest to sleep. Then he looked at the tired Seorin who stood beside him and his heart beckoned Hoseok to wake up so that he and Seorin could go home to sleep.
Taehyung wasn't worried about Hoseok's life. He knew if Hoseok died that easily then he wasn't Hoseok. Also, the assassins that entered the palace that night were strange.
The assassins were too familiar with the palace surroundings and chose a night when the imperial families were gathered and unarmed. It meant the person who hired the assassins was someone who knew the palace surroundings and when was a good opportunity for an ambush attack. Even if he was beaten to death, he wouldn't believe that everyone in the emperor's chamber was innocent.
Taehyung's eyes swept over the emperor, empress, the emperor's consorts, princes, and imperial physicians. But he didn't discover anything unusual about their expressions.
"Third Prince is saved by his ancestor's good deeds," the head imperial physician said. "His body is stable and he'll recover after resting for a period."
The emperor and Consort Jung sighed in relief but the empress smiled coldly.
"Hoseokie is injured, he can stay here while he's recovering," the emperor said.
Everyone was shocked by the emperor's words. When a prince who wasn't the crown prince was allowed to remain in the palace had a significant meaning.
The emperor's eyes swept over everyone in his chamber. Finally, he looked at Seorin and nodded his head. "It's late, everyone can leave."
Under the full moon, Taehyung hugged Seorin inside the horse carriage. She didn't struggle and felt safe being protected by him. His words of reassurance after the attack echoed in her heart, "don't be scared, I'm here."
Seorin wasn't scared as long as she had Taehyung. Whether she was a six-year-old being bullied, a twelve-year-old being chased by a fierce dog, or a twenty-year-old being attacked... as long as he was with her, he would always protect her with his life.
Seorin's eyes stung. She knew clearly the fifth prince who always bullied her was the only one who truly cared about her and was good to her.
"Why are you crying?" Taehyung asked and searched for a handkerchief to wipe Seorin's tears.
Seorin silently wrapped her arms around Taehyung's neck and hugged him tightly.
Seorin startled Taehyung. It was the second time Seorin initiated a hug. The first time was many years ago. That day she was chased by a fierce dog and the moment she saw him she cried and hugged him.
Taehyung gently patted Seorin's back. "Rinnie, what do you want to do by falling on my chest?"
Seorin heard Taehyung's teasing tone and she bit his arm.
Taehyung felt Seorin's teeth and immediately winced in pain profusely. Her teeth let go of his arm, he then looked at her beautiful face under the moonlight that shone through the window and his lips leaned closer to her lips.
Suddenly the horse carriage halted.
"Fifth prince, mistress, you're home," the groomsman said.
Seorin saw the frustration on Taehyung's face and she laughed.
Taehyung sighed after looking at her. "Don't worry, tonight will be a long night."
Seorin immediately stopped laughing.
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