Ok-min didn’t know all the details. He only knew that after Gok-heon went into the prison, it wasn’t long before Seol Ik-jin’s corpse was brought out. He could only guess that the two events were connected.

“You ordered the guard to beat my father. Because of that, his leg was ruined and maggots grew inside the wound.”

“B-but Chancellor Seol didn’t d-die because of his leg…”

“So it was true.”

Because of what Ok-min had whispered in her ear while she was unconscious, Bu-yeong had strongly suspected that Ok-min was behind what happened to her father’s leg. Now, Ok-min had confirmed it herself.

“Fine! I had the guard beat your father! But it was His Majesty who refused to send a physician! Even when you begged, even when he slapped you he still refused to send help! Why am I the only one who has to suffer like this? Please, just kill me! Please…”

With her handless wrists, Ok-min clung to the hem of Bu-yeong’s skirt, begging for mercy. Court Lady Oh kicked her wrist away. Ok-min broke down in sobs.

‘Was that how Father felt too?’

Was he afraid of spending the rest of his life treated as less than a dog, with part of his body gone? Is that why he made such a choice?

“Did you resent suffering alone? Well, there’s no need for that anymore. Earlier today, during the banquet, His Majesty was attacked by the Sui and has passed away.”

Ok-min’s eyes went wide.

“No, it can’t be! His Majesty—!”

She struck the straw on the floor with her wrists, howling like a wild animal. Then, trying to crawl toward the direction of Gwanggeon Palace, she dragged herself forward on her knees.

“Aaah!”

“You truly did love His Majesty, didn’t you?”

Bu-yeong turned and walked away from the stables. The court ladies forced Ok-min back inside, though it was hardly necessary. With knees like her, she could crawl all night and never reach the palace.

As Bu-yeong walked on, she spoke to Court Lady Oh.

“Court Lady Oh , let Go Ok-min live the rest of her life believing His Majesty is dead. That will be a far crueler punishment.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

All the way back to Gwanggeon Palace, Bu-yeong couldn’t shake the image of Ok-min from her mind. And a question surfaced.

‘Did I ever truly love His Majesty?’

That, at least, she could answer with certainty. In the past, Seol Bu-yeong had undoubtedly loved Yeon Gok-heon—so deeply, so completely, she’d been unable to escape it.

‘Then why am I not sad?’

Even though the royal physician said Gok-heon might die tonight—even though she’d been told this was the most critical moment—Bu-yeong didn’t feel like her world was collapsing, as Ok-min did. Her heart simply felt hollow.

Just then, something wet slipped down her face. Court Lady Oh gently wiped her cheeks with a handkerchief.

“Am I… crying?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

Her heart was empty. So why were tears flowing from her eyes? It was then that Bu-yeong realised just how irreparably broken her heart had become.

She staggered the rest of the way to Gwanggeon Palace, where So-cheong was still kneeling in the same spot. Passing him, Bu-yeong continued until she finally reached the bedchamber.

“Your Majesty.”

Royal Physician Yeop, in the middle of folding a bloodstained cloth, bowed deeply to Bu-yeong.

“How is His Majesty’s condition?”

“Heaven has shown us mercy. I believe His Majesty has made it through the worst.”

“Have everyone leave.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Once those who had been standing guard over the bedchamber withdrew, Bu-yeong saw Gok-heon, swathed in bandages, lying unconscious with his eyes closed. She sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Yeon Gok-heon.”

There was no answer, no matter how many times she called his name.

“I truly loved you with everything I had. And that’s why I hate you just as deeply now… Was it the same for you, three years ago?”

Is that why you put me through such unbearable humiliation and pain all those years? Did you hate me as fiercely as you once loved me?

“Is there even a trace of love left in your heart for me? Because I… I don’t have any left.”

Her heart had already been worn thin over those three years. It was broken beyond repair. Even after learning from So-cheong that her father had taken his own life, her heart no longer raced toward Gok-heon.

If only he had sent a physician a little sooner, her father might never have lost his leg. If her father hadn’t lost his leg, he might not have chosen to end his own life. That was the conclusion she had come to.

“I can only be unhappy at Your Majesty’s side.”

Bu-yeong rose slowly from her seat. Then she opened the door and spoke to the chief chamberlain waiting outside.

“Deliver a message to His Majesty.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Tell him… that I will never forgive him.”

At that, the chamberlain gasped for breath.

“But also tell him… I hope he lives a long, long life and brings peace to Jaeul as a wise ruler. Please convey that as well.”

Court Lady Oh hurried after Bu-yeong as she left Gwanggeon Palace, but Bu-yeong would not allow anyone to follow her.

And from that day forward, the Empress of Jaeul vanished without a trace.

♛༺═════༻♛

When the Emperor of Jaeul finally regained consciousness, he immediately asked about his wife. But the Empress had already left.

He was ready to set out after her immediately, but upon hearing the message she had left with the chief chamberlain, he decided to stay at Gwanggeon Palace and focus on regaining his strength instead.

Following the events at the banquet, the Sui were completely subjugated under Jaeul’s rule. The system of chieftains was abolished, with magistrates sent to govern the people directly instead.

The princess of Susa, who had fought on Jaeul’s side, was declared innocent. Furthermore, as all the actions of the Susa delegation had been carried out under the orders of the Crown Princess, she was deposed, and the Second Princess, Seo-oh, took her place. With the Emperor of Jaeul’s blessing, the princess of Susa was finally able to marry her attendant, Paro, in a formal ceremony.

Time flowed swiftly; spring, summer, autumn, and winter each came and went. On a late autumn day, three years after Chancellor Seol Ik-jin’s death, the emperor visited his father-in-law’s grave.

After offering his respects, Gok-heon rose to his feet and caught a faint scent of liquor.

‘Someone’s already been here.’

He brushed his hand over the burial mound and found the soil damp in places—someone must have poured liquor there. Gok-heon turned quickly, scanning his surroundings.

‘Was it you?’

He hadn’t lost all hope. Now that the three-year mourning period had ended, he hoped that he might finally see her again. He had yearned for it all this time, however faintly. But maybe fate simply wouldn’t allow it.

Maybe they were destined never to meet again.

Gok-heon decided never to return to Seol Ik-jin’s grave. He couldn’t bear to show his face there again. He had only come today because it was the third anniversary. He wanted to offer one final cup of liquor.

Just then, the scent of flowers drifted by. The scent of autumn flowers — how strange. Gok-heon turned his head towards the fragrance. There, he saw a woman climbing up the hill with her arms full of something.

When their eyes met, the woman dropped the items she was holding. One of them rolled down to Gok-heon’s feet.

He picked it up. At first glance, it looked like a white flower, but on closer inspection, he saw that it was made of stiff folded paper and sprayed with perfume.

Gok-heon held out the paper flower to the woman in silence. She stood motionless for a long time, then suddenly grabbed the flower, as though taking it by force, and turned to leave the way she had come.

Gok-heon knelt once more and reached for the bottle of liquor. However, his grip slipped, causing the bottle to spill liquor across his thigh. Narrowing his eyes, he struggled to bring the world into focus.

‘Again…’

The poison he had been drinking in his tea for ten days had sunk deeper into his body after he was struck by the jade flute. Now, his vision was almost completely gone. Sometimes he could barely read the petitions brought before him and had to hold the paper right up to his face. At times, he even saw double, causing him to drop the bottle by accident.

He sat waiting for his vision to clear. Suddenly, the scent of flowers drifted by once more. The woman had returned.

Seeing that Gok-heon was still there, she hesitated and took a few steps back. Then, as if she had made a decision, she approached the grave again and placed the flowers by it.

“What was your relationship to the man buried here?”

Gok-heon asked the woman. But she gave no reply.

‘Is she mute?’

Well, wasn’t he just as pitiful, a blind man barely able to see?

“It’s a relief… to see you’ve become a wise ruler.”

At the sound of that gentle voice, Gok-heon jumped up. There was no mistaking it.

“Seol Bu-yeong! Is it really you?”

He seized the woman’s hand as though he were afraid she might disappear at any moment. Yet even though he held her tightly, she did not pull away.

“Have you… have you finally forgiven me?”

Without a word, the woman picked up one of the flowers she had placed by the grave and pressed it into Gok-heon’s hand.

“I’ll forgive you when this flower withered.”

Paper does not withered even after a hundred years. In other words, for as long as she lived, she would never forgive him.

Understanding the meaning, Gok-heon quietly let go of her hand.

“I won’t come to Chancellor Seol’s grave again. Even today, I only came because it’s been three years. So please, don’t be angry that I was here.”

“I am not angry.”

Perhaps, at those words, some faint hope stirred in Gok-heon. He stepped closer to Bu-yeong, but she immediately stepped three paces back, shattering that hope at once.

“Feel free to visit my father’s grave, pour liquor, or whatever you like. Do as you please.”

“Then… then, if we happen to meet by chance, may I greet you?”

Gok-heon asked desperately, as if she might slip away at any moment. The woman was silent for a long time, then finally parted her lips.

“I make one paper flower each day.”

With those final words, she left. Gok-heon wanted to follow, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He no longer had the right—or the courage.

‘One flower a day.’

Remembering Bu-yeong’s words, Gok-heon crouched down, ran his hands along the ground, and counted the paper flowers one by one. When he had finished, he stood up straight.

“Your Majesty, shall we return to the palace?”

The chief chamberlain, who had been waiting below, now walked up through the trees.

“Ten days.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll come again in ten days.”

Gok-heon carefully carried the paper flower that Bu-yeong had given him as he made his way down the hill.

Meanwhile, nine paper flowers blew in the autumn wind on Chancellor Seol’s grave.

⫷⫷⫷End of “ The Abandoned Empress and the Forgotten Emperor” Main Story⫸⫸⫸
We’ll return on a happier day, with the side stories.