At the Mountain Top villa Taehyung, Seorin, and everyone else were amusing themselves.
Some sat in front of the door and relaxed and others were hunting, playing, eating, or sleeping. Seorin was expected to give birth within one and half months.
They only needed to think about what amusements they should plan each day. Their only regret was that they couldn’t stay at Mountain Top villa forever.
On the twelfth day of the fourth month, the sad news was delivered to the Mountain Top villa, Consort Jeon died.
“Taehyung, why did Consort Jeon die this sudden…” Seorin asked in a sad tone.
Taehyung hugged Seorin and asked everyone to pack their belongings.
That day Taehyung, Seorin, and everyone else traveled back to the imperial city.
Inside the horse carriage, Seorin rubbed her big stomach. “Taehyung, Consort Jeon was only ten years older than me…”
“Each person has their own fate,” Taehyung said.
“What about Jeongguk?” Seorin asked. “He’s only a little boy… who will protect him?”
Taehyung thought Jeongguk’s situation was like his own childhood, he didn’t have anyone to protect him either.
“Taehyung…” Seorin said.
“Um?” Taehyung asked.
“Can we bring Jeongguk to our home and protect him?” Seorin asked.
“I want to bring Jeongguk home too but right now our home won’t be safe for Jeongguk,” Taehyung said.
Seorin understood as long as the emperor was alive, Jeongguk’s life in the palace would be pitiful but Jeongguk would stay alive.
“Jeongguk is a pitiful little boy… he’s only five years old,” Seorin said.
“Seorin, it’s good for Jeongguk to experience pain while he’s young… it’ll help him grow stronger and adapt to life in the palace, like me,” Taehyung said in a shaky voice. “If we want to protect Jeongguk then we need to grow stronger until no one can threaten us.”
Seorin held her stomach protectively.
“Winter hibernation is over,” Taehyung said.
Taehyung hugged Seorin.
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Later that day a simple funeral was held for Consort Jeon at the palace. Seorin was pregnant and wasn’t allowed to attend the funeral. She could only watch at a far distance. Jeongguk was too little so she couldn’t see him and had to wait for Taehyung to ask about Jeongguk.
“Jeongguk silently cried,” Taehyung said while tears glistened in his eyes. “I don’t know if Consort Jeon’s death has hurt him mentally but now he can’t say even say two words.”
“Taehyung, please go, console Jeongguk,” Seorin said.
“I want to but he’s surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs,” Taehyung said. “I won’t have an opportunity to talk privately with him.”
Seorin felt helpless.
Taehyung held Seorin’s hand. “In another three days, I’ll take you to visit Jeongguk.”
Seorin worried about Jeongguk. She knew the emperor didn’t favor Consort Jeon because the emperor was angry with Jeongguk since he couldn’t speak properly. So the people in the palace wouldn’t care about Jeon Jeongguk.
“Rinnie, is the little tiger troubling you again?” Taehyung asked.
Taehyung was happy to see Seorin smile. “Rinnie, after little tiger is born let’s have a baby tigress and a baby bear also.”
Seorin was speechless after hearing Taehyung's family plan. Suddenly she heard a noise. “Taehyung, there’s someone else here.”
Taehyung looked at a small hidden spot. “Who’s there? Seventh brother!?”
Jeongguk looked around the room. He didn’t see anyone else and crawled out of his hiding spot.
“Gukkie, why are you here?” Seorin asked. “Where are your palace maids and eunuchs?”
Jeongguk with his teary doe eyes stared at Seorin, it made Seorin’s heartache.
Taehyung knelt in front of Jeongguk. “Gukkie, did you hide here by yourself?”
Jeongguk pointed a finger at Taehyung.
“Gukkie, were you waiting for me?” Taehyung asked.
Jeongguk nodded his head.
“What did you want to tell me, Gukkie?” Taehyung asked.
Jeongguk pulled out a hairpin and gave it to Seorin, it was the golden butterfly hairpin decorated with red gems she didn’t accept from Consort Jeon.
Jeongguk held the hairpin.
Jeongguk remembered his mother’s advice before she died.
“Gukkie, after I die you need to find Fifth brother and Fifth sister,” Consort Jung said. “If they accept this hairpin then you need to be good and listen to them. If they don’t accept it… you need to be careful in the palace. You can’t trust anyone. You have to use a silver needle to test all your food and drinks before you eat and drink… Gukkie, I can’t take care of you anymore.”
Jeongguk was scared that even if he blinked he would have no one left. His mother was gone and if Taehyung and Seorin didn’t accept his mother’s hairpin then he would lose everything.
Taehyung and Seorin’s hearts were torn, Consort Jeon used her life to protect Jeongguk and find a good place for Jeongguk before she died.
Consort Jeon gambled everything on Taehyung’s brotherly love toward Jeongguk and Seorin’s maternal traits. She believed they wouldn’t refuse a mother’s last request.
Seorin wiped her tears. “Gukkie, this is a beautiful hairpin. Hurry and put it on my head.”
Jeongguk’s doe eyes shone and he listened to Seorin.
Jeongguk places his hand on Seorin’s big stomach. “Little brother.”
“Gukkie, this is your nephew,” Seorin said.
Jeongguk looked at Taehyung for help.
“Gukkie, are you saying the child is a boy?” Taehyung asked.
Jeongguk nodded his head.
“Gukkie, how do you know the child is a boy?” Seorin asked.
Jeongguk pouted his lips. He hated girls because for him they are like Haeyun.
Taehyung led Seorin and Jeongguk to the emperor’s chamber.
Consort Jung, Hoseok, and his first wife Sooyeon were waiting for their arrival in the emperor’s chamber. Seorin saw the way they looked at her big stomach with bad intentions and she held onto her stomach.
The emperor’s face shows remorse. Although he didn’t love Consort Jeon, she still faithfully followed him for years. He looked at Seorin and he thought Consort Jeon died too young.
“Third son, next time bring your second wife with you to visit me,” the emperor said. The emperor only wanted to see all his daughters-in-law at the same time. But Sooyeon misunderstood the emperor's plan to elevate the second wife's position. Sooyeon fisted her hands, she wholeheartedly wished to god that Su Ryeon will die a gruesome death.
“Imperial father, I want to make a request,” Taehyung said.
“What is it?” the emperor asked.
“Imperial father, Seventh brother is grieving,” Taehyung said. “I want to bring Seventh brother to my manor for a few days to console him.
Consort Jung and Hoseok didn’t approve. They were worried Taehyung wanted the world to see how much brotherly love Taehyung had toward his brothers. Also, they didn’t want Taehyung and Jeongguk’s bond to grow deeper.
“Fifth son is right,” Consort Jung said. “But perhaps it’s better if I bring the Seventh son to my son’s manor. He’ll have Haeyun to play with. Haeyun misses Seventh son and there are many delicious foods too.”
Jeongguk shook his head. In the past Haeyun tricked him with delicious food that was full of chili powder and hit him too often. He wasn’t fooled by Consort Jung’s words.
“Jeongguk, you don’t want to go with your Third brother?” the emperor asked.
Jeongguk nodded his head.
“Why?” the emperor asked.
“Hit!” Jeongguk said.
The emperor remembered how Jung Haeyun hit Jeongguk and he understood. He was displeased to have such a bad granddaughter. “Gguk, do you want to go with your Fifth brother?”
Jeongguk heard his father’s strange tone so he waited a while before he nodded his head reluctantly.
The emperor was satisfied Jeongguk didn’t agree immediately otherwise it meant Jeongguk was blindly cooperating with Taehyung. “Fifth son, take your Seventh brother to your manor for a few days.”
The emperor agreed because he knew Taehyung would take care of Jeongguk but most importantly he could use Jeongguk to spy on Taehyung.
Seorin was overjoyed the emperor consented to let Jeongguk stay with her and Taehyung. While Consort Jung and Hoseok weren’t pleased.
That evening Seorin prepared a chamber for Jeongguk and stayed with him until he fell asleep.
Seorin returned to her chamber and laid next to Taehyung on the bed.
“Taehyung, are you upset with me for accepting Consort Jeon’s request before discussing it with you?” Seorin asked. “But I didn’t want us to leave Jeongguk in the palace.”
“Seorin, Jeongguk staying with us too soon will be a little more dangerous for us and Jeongguk,” Taehyung said. “But don’t worry, I’ll find a way to protect all of us. Besides, you made your decision in front of me.”
Seorin was relieved Taehyung wasn’t upset with her decision.
“I want you and our child to be safe,” Taehyung said. “I want Jeongguk to be safe too. In the future, all of us need to be more cautious.”
Taehyung’s intuition warned him that he couldn’t hide his real strengths for much longer.
Although Taehyung and the emperor agreed Jeongguk could stay for a few days with Taehyung, their unspoken agreement implied Jeongguk could stay with Taehyung for a long period.
Several days passed, Jeongguk adapted well to life at Taehyung’s manor. The guards, maids, and servants looked after Jeongguk well and played with him. It eased a little of Jeongguk’s pain of losing his mother.
Hoseok was frustrated Taehyung surrounded Taehyung’s manor with more guards and made it harder for Hoseok to spy on Taehyung.
Hoseok also discovered Taehyung’s guards looked ordinary but the guards were strong enough to kill intruders without a trace and they fiercely protected everyone in Taehyung’s manor. Because one of Hoseok’s guards hid at a shop nearby Taehyung’s manor and at night the guard was attacked by a silent sword. If the guard didn’t play dead and crawled back to Hoseok’s manor to show the deep chest wound from one strike then Hoseok wouldn’t have known how strong Taehyung’s guards were. He let his mother know about the whole matter.
After hearing Hoseok's discovery, Consort Jung wondered how Taehyung could afford to raise strong guards. Consort Jung slit her eyes, she was anticipating the emperor’s birthday banquet in three days… it would be a memorable amusing day.
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The emperor’s birthday banquet was held in three days.
Early that morning Seorin felt the day was going to be a dangerous day.
“Taehyung, I’m scared something bad will happen,” Seorin said.
“Don’t worry, we’re prepared,” Taehyung said. “In the palace, I can’t be beside you the whole visit but Yunji will be there. Yunji is Yoongi hyung’s faithful servant, he taught her very well. She’ll be able to detect any poisonous fragrances, food, and drinks. He taught her some martial arts too.”
Taehyung failed to reassure himself and Seorin. He couldn’t get rid of the invisible bad omen himself.
Recently Taehyung and his guards protected Seorin, their child, and Jeongguk well against Hoseok’s guards and spies. Taehyung knew that his father’s birthday banquet was the last opportunity for Hoseok to target Taehyung’s family.
Taehyung didn’t know what Hoseok and Consort Jung’s plan of attack was and it worried Taehyung.
In Yoongi’s chamber, he watched Yunji pack medicine and tools. He was also worried about the emperor’s birthday banquet.
“Be careful in the palace,” Yoongi warned.
“Yes, can I bring a dagger?” Yunji asked.
Yoongi silently looked at the dagger Yunji held.
Yunji said. “I packed a lot of medicine, nutritious food, and herbal drinks for Fifth prince’s wife.”
In the courtyard, Wung was coaxing Jeongguk to speak. After Yoongi examined Jeongguk, Yoongi reassured everyone Jeongguk was intelligent and capable of speaking. It was Jeongguk’s environment in the past that traumatized Jeongguk.
For several days Wung failed to trick Jeongguk to speak even though Jeongguk was happy living at the manor.
“Seventh prince, you can say anything good or bad,” Wung begged on his knees. “What about two words? I made a bet with Dami. I said you will say two words by this morning.”
Jeongguk pitied Wung and patted Wung’s head.
“Be good,” Jeongguk said.
Jeongguk saw Taehyung and Seorin come out of their chamber and he ran to them.
Wung stood and touched his head. “Be good? Why does Seventh prince sound like my grandfather?”
Dami who was standing behind Wung patted his head.
“Be good,” Dami said and ran away.
“Yah! Dami!! Don’t act like my grandfather!” Wung shouted and chased Dami.
Taehyung and Seorin laughed because of the running pair despite the overwhelming tension in their mind, later Taehyung escorted his family and his guards to the palace.
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A/N ~~
Another update guys..... Hope you all will enjoy it..... See you in the next chapter, which will gonna be quite intense... ^_^