Chapter 459: Something Called the Heart

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Southeast of the imperial palace, the rear garden of a separate hall.

Under dazzling sunlight, it was a small garden entirely buried in fully bloomed flowers on all sides.

Cho-hui sat alone on a rock beside a small pond with her head bowed, her slender shoulders heaving up and down.

“Sob…… Sob Sob……”

It was an utterly mournful weeping.

In the atmosphere quiet as a mouse, that sorrowful crying showed no sign of stopping.

The birds perched on various trees also merely occasionally nodded their tiny heads, making no chirping sounds.

As if understanding the sad heart of Cho-hui, the owner of this place……

Thus she wept for a long while with her sleeve covering her jade countenance, not even realizing her voice had gone hoarse, then suddenly raised her head gently.

Then with her deer-like pupils she scanned the beautiful garden scenery full of colorful flowers in bloom.

‘Bai Chu……’

Though he was not here…… No, though he had departed to a place where they could no longer meet, traces that recalled the days of his life were settled in various places.

Immediately, the flower trees flourishing profusely throughout this rear garden were exactly that.

She once had a conversation with Bai Chu.

-My, are you planting flower trees here again?

-Why, are you getting a bit tired of it?

-Absolutely not. Tired? I was asking because whenever you have time, you work so passionately. I get strange jealousy watching you handle them so carefully. As if you were losing your heart to another woman instead of me.

-Hahat. Was I? Whatever it is, I feel strangely good that you say you’re jealous? Actually…… The reason I do this is special.

-Yes?

-It’s to erase my scent by planting many flower trees here and there.

-Hmmm? What do you mean by your scent, Bai?

-The blood scent of battle.

-Ah…… Wh-what…… No. I’ve never smelled blood scent from you, Bai?

-I know. It’s just…… I feel that way myself. Whenever I finish a life-or-death battle, I always get that feeling. No matter how much I wash off the blood, that smell seems soaked deep in my body and won’t go away…… Going further, it feels like it’s transferring even to you living with me……

-Bai Chu……

-So I wanted you to live smelling only flower fragrance. Hut, am I being too sappy?

-Ho-hot. So what if it’s sappy? It’s enough if I feel good hearing it. That’s touching. Your caring heart……

-I’m glad you say so.

-I’m a flower too. One that blooms only for you…… Someday I’ll stay beside you and cleanly erase your blood scent with the fragrance I have.

-You’re especially cute today. Hmmm, this won’t do. Let me set aside the work and go into the room.

-Why?

-As if you don’t know. Isn’t it the perfect weather for taking off clothes and rolling around in bed?

-Eek! Oh my! Let go! In bright daylight……

-Yet your eyes seem like they like it, am I mistaken?

-Ah…… Was I caught? Te-hee-hee.

That memory again stimulated the inside of Cho-hui’s heart.

ULKEOK.

Her vision, quickly filling with water, swayed back and forth with transparent waves.

It was by all means ripened spring, yet the warm breeze grazing her deathly pale cheeks only felt cold to her.

It was bitterly cold, so to speak.

Both body and heart.

Having so suddenly sent Bai Chu away, she felt the sorrow as if abandoned alone in the world, to the point of wanting to die like this.

With a face covered in tears, she called and called again the name of her beloved, two characters.

Even knowing her voice wouldn’t reach him.

“Sob……! Bai Chu! Sob Sob, Sob…… If I’d known this would happen……!”

She newly lamented not having held the wedding earlier.

It was because Bai Chu in his lifetime had said he wanted to hold a ceremony full of blessings after all the fighting was over, so they had deliberately postponed it……

Unable to overcome the sorrow piercing her heart, Cho-hui finally untied her sash, tied it like a noose to a thick tree branch, and without hesitation put her own neck in to attempt suicide.

Thus to meet her beloved Bai Chu again through death.

Right then, a figure appeared.

“What is this madness!”

It was Huan Hou who had rushed into the rear garden.

He who drew his sword and cut the tree branch quickly caught Cho-hui’s delicate body and shouted again.

“Miss Cho, Please come to your senses! The sorrow of sending him off hasn’t even settled yet, But I don’t want to lose another precious person!”

“Ahhh Sob…… Ahh Sob Sob…… Let me go! I…… I truly…… Don’t want to live anymore!”

“Still…… Those who live must live! My heart is no different from yours, miss! Of course, it’s true we’d grown distant recently, but…… Now that things are like this, I regret it terribly! If my death could turn back time, I’d want to do even that……! Don’t you know? The words I said like a habit……! That the only existence under this sky who can stand beside me is Bai Chu, more precious than blood family……

“Sob…… Let me go! What use is all that now! He has already gone to that distant sky……!”

“Please…… Please calm down! Hu-huub……!”

The two people, who had struggled as if wrestling against each other, soon embraced and wailed loudly together.

How much time had passed?

Cho-hui, having finally stopped her tears, moved her parched lips and spoke with a mournful expression.

“Please…… Prepare a Grand memorial Ceremony for Bai Chu. So that the deep friendship between you two will once again be carved into the minds of all people…… So that his Great name will be called on this land for a long time……”

“Of course. From one to ten, with the finest courtesies…… I’ll soothe the spirit of my precious close friend.”

* * *

A little over two years later.

That time, which some would call long and others would call short, passed like flowing water.

In the meanwhile, much had changed.

Starting with Gwan-deok, commander of Huan Hou’s royal guard Leopard Tiger, ascending to the position of second Grand Marshal, a large-scale reform of military positions was carried out, and two-thirds of the major civil officials were also replaced.

Cho-hui until then hadn’t left the palace and always wore mourning clothes.

She had intended to live with the mindset of mourning the Bai Chu who had departed from this world for at least three years.

Of course, Emperor Huan Hou had also permitted that from early on, and he had even given special instructions to his subordinate officials.

-Everyone, when you see her, treat her as deferentially as you would treat an empress. Anyone who carelessly violates this will face extreme punishment equivalent to treason regardless of reason, so engrave it in your bones.

Thus Huan Hou cared for Cho-hui with utmost devotion every single day.

He allocated all his daily time except for running state affairs to her, and even placed the courtesans of the same tavern origin in salaried positions, showing consideration so they could live together.

Since his attitude was like that… No less than a nation’s emperor… The high and low officials below him naturally had no choice but to show courtesies befitting an empress.

Then one day, talk about the emperor’s marriage among the court officials began to emerge bit by bit.

Thus Cho-hui was mentioned as a candidate to become Emperor Huan Hou’s consort, and soon it settled as the consensus.

In truth, all the ministers knew.

That all the behavior Huan Hou had shown over the past two-plus years was due to courtship.

Naturally.

No matter that she was his close friend Bai Chu’s lover, there was no way he would bestow such special treatment if he didn’t have love in his heart.

The tyranny that had been carried out at some point was clear evidence.

Huan Hou sharpened his blade toward ministers who didn’t please him, and sometimes exploded in anger, not even hesitating to demote meritorious founding vassals, freezing the palace atmosphere.

In other words, because his frustration had gradually accumulated from Cho-hui’s single-hearted pure love that gave his affections no room to enter, he had vented on his subordinates.

Yet he also kept his mouth shut so that it wouldn’t reach the ears of Cho-hui, who was secluded and mourning.

An early summer evening.

Huan Hou, as always, finished his government affairs and visited Cho-hui’s quarters.

“You’ve come.”

When Cho-hui emerged to the yard connected to the main gate and greeted him courteously, Huan Hou asked with a faint smile.

“Yes, have you eaten?”

“Not yet. I was waiting to eat together once you arrived.”

“Oho, What’s the occasion?”

“While eating…… There’s something important I must tell you. That meal will probably be our last.”

Huan Hou’s complexion, hearing those words, noticeably hardened.

“You intend to leave this place?”

“Yes…… Actually, I happened to hear the talk circulating in the Palace about marriage. Hence, I don’t want to create any more awkward situation……”

Huan Hou’s angry shout burst out and cut off Cho-hui’s words.

“What! Awkward? What is awkward! Do I displease you that much! How else could I treat you better! When I’ve done this much, you should also understand this love a little!”

The women of courtesan origin came rushing out to the yard in alarm at his fiery temper.

“Y-your majesty……!”

“Please calm down!”

But Huan Hou became even more enraged and shouted.

“Shut up! This is not a place for you to butt in!”

Right then, Cho-hui, having adjusted her clothes, spoke again with a resolute expression.

“Why do you love me? You know well. In my heart, there’s still him……”

At that moment, Huan Hou let out an icy voice.

“So you’ve heard that story too. That since last year I’ve been ousting the founding vassals.”

“Is it because of me…… That you vented on those innocent people?”

“About half. Shall I tell you the other half of the reason? It was to erase the traces that damned Bai Chu left behind. As you know, most of the founding vassals followed the late Bai Chu closely. Their hearts are the same as yours. They don’t give a speck of thought to this body, still pining for that dead man.”

Cho-hui spoke haltingly, aghast.

“Ah…… H-how…… C-could you…… Say such things……!”

“I plan to soon carry out a purge and place new people in all key positions of the palace. All those demoted, all those remaining here, beheaded…… Must be sent to Bai Chu’s side.”

“……!”

Cho-hui instantly felt a strong suspicion that perhaps Bai Chu’s death was connected to Huan Hou.

Did he instinctively sense that?

Huan Hou’s gaze and voice sank even more coldly.

“Why, do you think I deliberately drove him to his death?”

Thereupon Cho-hui clenched both fists tight and mustered the courage to ask back quietly.

“Did…… You?”

Huan Hou gave no answer.

Only a single thin smile rose to his lips, delivering a chill-inducing sensation.

Cho-hui realized that was a wordless answer.

The words hiding within that smile.

Yes, I did it.

The one responsible for his death is none other than this body.

From now on, I’ll do things even more terrible to tie your feet to this place.

Right then, there was one general who hurriedly opened the main gate and entered.

“Y-your majesty……!”

It was Military Guard General Choi Oh-eop, the head of the royal guard.

Simultaneously, Huan Hou reacted irritably.

“Gal! I told you not to enter rashly!”

“I’m sorry! It’s that…… It’s such an important matter……”

“What is it? Speak!”

“Ah…… It’s a bit difficult here……”

“Don’t dither and speak up quickly!”

When Huan Hou glared and pressed, Choi Oh-eop cautiously began to speak while wearing a flustered expression.

“Right now at the Gate outside the capital…… General Bai, who we thought was dead, has arrived, they say.”