"Who?"
Eh?
Yoon Ji blinked.
A strange flutter stirred in her chest, a flicker of something close to joy. The King's voice, low and disinterested, had carried no recognition. She had always known the King didn't know her but what truly shocked her was that he didn't know Song Yeon either.
That single word -Who?- was more satisfying than any compliment.
So it was true. The King, raised in the still solitude of court life, was famously sheltered. He didn't mingle. He didn't memorize names outside of duty. His world was tight and controlled when he was the Crown Prince, and Song Yeon, for all her efforts to charm and coo in the Queen Dowager's shadow, hadn't even earned a dent in his memory.
What almost made Yoon Ji laugh, truly laugh was the King's expression as he looked in their direction. Blank. Cold. A fleeting glance with no warmth, like a breeze through a closed window. And when Yoon Ji shifted her gaze to Song Yeon, she caught it, that tiny hesitation, that subtle tightening of her smile. Song Yeon was clearly rattled, caught between her beauty not being acknowledged and her efforts not yielding the attention she'd hoped for.
For a brief, glorious moment, Yoon Ji felt level with her. No amount of cozying up to the Queen Dowager had swayed the King's indifference.
Still, she held her composure, waiting, hoping, for the Queen Dowager to introduce them, for the King to see her, know her
"The Prime Minister's daughter, Song Yeon," the Queen Dowager said calmly, then paused, her gaze shifting toward Yoon Ji.
Yoon Ji's breath hitched. A frown tugged faintly at the Queen Dowager's brow, hesitation. She didn't remember her.
Yoon Ji stepped forward slightly and bowed with grace. "I am Tae Yoon Ji, daughter of Minister Tae So of the Ministry of the Environment."
For a moment, the courtyard seemed to still. Even the birds nearby quieted, as if the world was listening.
When she looked up again, the King's expression hadn't changed. Still bored. Still distant. Then, without a word, he rose to his full height, taller than she expected, towering above the seated Queen Dowager, like a mountain casting shadow.
His robe of crimson shifted with his movement, and as he passed by them, his strides long and deliberate, the air around him seemed to part. He didn't so much as glance back, brushing past with the effortless indifference of someone who had already forgotten they were there.
He exited the pavilion in silence, leaving behind only the faint rustle of his robe and the weight of a presence that disappeared too quickly.
Yoon Ji remained frozen in place, her heart trembling, not with disappointment, but something more dangerous. Desire, not for the man, but for the moment that had slipped away before it had even begun.
"Song Yeon, my dear child, come sit by me."
The Queen Dowager's voice rang out like a bell, clear, commanding, and impossible to ignore. She didn't look at Yoon Ji as she spoke, her gaze fixed on Song Yeon with an unreadable smile that managed to be both affectionate and calculated.
Yoon Ji blinked, momentarily thrown. Her back stiffened. Of course, she favors her. Of course, she would. It was one thing to suspect it, but another to have it displayed so blatantly before her, no less. She couldn't hope to measure up to the Queen Dowager, not yet. But one day, she told herself. One day, she would.
At the moment, she stood awkwardly, caught in hesitation, unsure whether to sit or continue waiting. The thought of being dismissed, of being humiliated in front of Song Yeon, made her chest tighten. She couldn't bear the idea of sulking in her room for days, nursing wounded pride, while Song Yeon sat comfortably in her home, basking in quiet triumph.
"Daughter of Tae So, you may also sit."
The Queen Dowager didn't even glance her way as she spoke, but the weight of the words fell like stone. Yoon Ji straightened at once, then dipped into a deep, practiced bow, every movement laced with the grace her mother had drilled into her.
"Yes, Mama. I thank you for your grace."
She moved to sit beside Song Yeon, careful to keep her hands folded and her posture dignified, even though her bladder begged for relief. She had no way to excuse herself.
She glanced at the table, uncertain of what was expected of her. Her eyes settled on the teapot, hands itching to reach for it, to show the Queen Dowager just how perfectly she had mastered the art of tea serving. But she hesitated. The idea of pouring for Song Yeon as well made her chest tighten with quiet resistance. So instead, she turned her gaze to her rival, silently conceding the role of hostess. Let her lead. I'll watch. I'll learn.
The table was elegantly arranged with an assortment of fruits, each meticulously carved into an array of intricate and beautiful shapes - delicate flower patterns, spirals, and fan-like slices that showcased the skill of the palace chefs. The fruits were placed in fine porcelain bowls, each one unique, some adorned with golden rims and others painted with delicate floral designs. Despite the elaborate presentation, the display remained untouched, making it evident that neither the King nor the Queen Dowager had taken a single bite.
Yoon Ji couldn't help but wonder if she and Song Yeon had accidentally disrupted a rare moment of mother and son bonding over fruit. Yet, the Queen Dowager showed no signs of irritation at their presence. She made no move to stop the King either, suggesting that their unexpected visit was not unwelcome.
Song Yeon gently broke the silence. "I brought the sweet melons you asked for, Mother. I had the kitchen select only the freshest ones from the orchard."
Yoon Ji's eyes darted to the Queen Dowager at the word "Mother." Not because it was unusual, court ladies often used the term, but because it was intentional. Calculated. Song Yeon's voice was sweet as syrup, but there was a glint of steel beneath it. She didn't need to say it, but she did. And the Queen Dowager? She merely smiled. Not warmly, not coldly. It was the smile of a woman who always knew exactly where the balance of power stood.
"The maids have already placed them in the ice storage, Mama. I trust they will be properly chilled to your liking," Song Yeon said with a graceful bow of her head.
"That is good." the Queen Dowager replied with a slow nod.
Then, after a pause, she spoke again, her tone leisurely, yet pointed.
"It has been some time since I last saw Lord Song Joo."
Since the court assembly was attended by all ministers nearly every morning, it meant the Prime Minister had surely been present each time, yet he hadn't paid the Queen Dowager a single visit.
Yoon Ji felt the weight of the realization settle in her mind. It wasn't just a passing detail. It was something worth remembering.
"Yes, Mama," Song Yeon replied with practiced elegance. "He departed on state business. My father is ever striving to serve our great nation."
The Queen Dowager nodded with approval, then turned her gaze, sharp and unexpected, to Yoon Ji.
"And Tae So? I have not seen your father in some time either."
Yoon Ji's heart fluttered in her chest. She hadn't expected to be addressed directly. She'd prepared for silence, maybe a simple test of etiquette, not an open question. Her mind scrambled.
Yoon Ji found herself at a loss for words. All she knew was that her father had once mentioned to her mother that he was headed to Jo's Town, a lavish place whose reputation was quickly rising. Her mother had simply told him to enjoy himself at the House of Stories, and that had been the end of it. Yoon Ji, never one to pry, hadn't thought to ask why he was going or what business took him there. He had departed in a hurry with a few guards, and since then, no word had come. The last time she'd asked her mother about his whereabouts, she had been dismissed with a vague wave of the hand. Now, sitting under the sharp gaze of the Queen Dowager, she was cornered, trapped by her own lack of curiosity and unsure of how to respond.
"The Minister of the Environment accompanied him, Mama," Song Yeon said smoothly, rescuing the moment.
Yoon Ji's jaw tightened ever so slightly. Of course she knew. Of course she had details Yoon Ji didn't. Her father, fraternizing with the Song family? Was he a fool?
And yet Song Yeon had revealed just enough, not too much, not too little. She knew how to speak, how to protect and impress without revealing cards. Yoon Ji felt the sting of inadequacy. No. Not inadequacy. Caution. She would learn to speak better than that.
The Queen Dowager sipped her tea. "And Kim Ji Hwan? How fares your grandfather?"
Yoon Ji straightened, thankful for the shift. Her grandfather held one of the highest positions among the ministers of Jeong, and though he was an elderly man respected by many, the Queen Dowager referred to him by name without hesitation. It wasn't entirely unexpected, but in that moment, Yoon Ji truly grasped the weight of power and how effortlessly it could command even the most revered names and that explained that the Queen Dowager seemed to favour the Song family.
"He is well, Mama. He has taken to gardening these days. Most recently, he's begun growing oleanders. He finds them quite beautiful." Yoon Ji said as she bowed slightly in respect.
A pause.
The Queen Dowager raised a single, elegant brow. "So he has taken a liking to poisonous flowers. Interesting."
Yoon Ji froze. Her throat bobbed in a hard swallow. Poisonous? She hadn't known. Had she just implied something dangerous, something rebellious without meaning to?
She dared not speak further. That hadn't been a question. It had been a verdict, wrapped in silk.
The tension in the air shifted only when a court lady entered with a low bow, her voice clear and formal:
"Mama, the Royal Physician has arrived for your appointment."
The Queen Dowager stood with effortless grace, her presence sweeping upward like a tidal wave. Song Yeon and Yoon Ji rose instantly, bowing deeply.
"I have duties to attend to. You may stay and enjoy the fruit. Do not wait for me."
Her words were final, dismissive but not cruel and she did not look back as she glided out of the pavilion with the court lady in tow.
Only once the silken rustle of her robes had disappeared did Yoon Ji exhale quietly. She sat slowly, the pressure in her chest easing only slightly.
Song Yeon reached for the teapot and began to pour. Her expression was unreadable, her movements practiced.
Yoon Ji watched Song Yeon in silence, her expression unreadable. She had no intention of sitting down to play nice or exchange hollow pleasantries. There was no warmth between them, and both knew it. Yoon Ji was certain Song Yeon understood exactly where they stood, on opposite sides of the same ambition. They were both reaching for a single crown, and only one hand could grasp it.
Their relationship had always been carefully balanced, civil, restrained, and distant. Since childhood, their interactions had never gone beyond the bare minimum of politeness. Yoon Ji had no desire to change that now. With quiet decisiveness, she stood and looked Song Yeon straight in the eye. The other girl appeared caught off guard, her brow slightly furrowed in confusion.
"Let us eat. I will taste the fruits," Song Yeon offered, her tone composed.
Yoon Ji nearly scoffed aloud. How noble. The daughter of the Prime Minister playing the dignified court lady, as if tasting for poison was a duty she was born to bear. What if the fruit truly was laced? Would she faint in dramatic fashion, only for the palace guards to storm in and would probably drag her away as the only person that was fine and still standing. She won't let her plan succeed.
"I only came to pay my respects to the Queen Dowager," Yoon Ji said smoothly. "And I have a history lesson shortly. I must take my leave."
It was a deliberate lie. Yoon Ji had no history tutor, nor did she ever intend to find one. But she said it in a tone that made it obvious, obvious enough that if Song Yeon tried to verify it, she'd know Yoon Ji had meant for her to notice.
"Then I should also..."
"No," Yoon Ji cut in swiftly. "You should sit and eat. The Queen Dowager wouldn't want us to leave the food untouched."
She wasn't going to stroll out with Song Yeon like they were friends. Let the court watchers and whispering maids think what they liked, she wouldn't give them the image of unity where there was none.
As she turned her gaze to the fruit, she knew the Queen Dowager would never ask who stayed to eat or who didn't. Still, it was enough of a reason to keep Song Yeon in her seat for a little longer. Whether she stayed or not after Yoon Ji left was no concern of hers.
"Perhaps we'll meet again at the next girls' gathering," Yoon Ji added lightly, another lie tossed like a silk fan. She had no intention of attending - or organizing - another of those tedious affairs.
"Yes…" Song Yeon replied, her voice uncertain.
Yoon Ji didn't wait for more. She swept out with practiced grace, her expression cool, her footsteps steady. She didn't look back.