.seventy six.

-

"I know you got my husband drunk so that he'd sleep with you. And even then he never touched you because he's not interested."

-

Baek-ah stayed a bit longer to play with the children in the leaves a few feet off while his brother and his wife talked. He also played little tunes for them on his instrument that he had brought with him while Eun rushed to his wife's side and pulled her into his embrace. Jinki was between them and the two year old giggled with delight upon seeing Eun so close up. It was the first time he had ever seen his father so happy, so happy while being around him. The child didn't realize that his happiness wasn't about him, but he was still glad to get any attention or love from him. As he pulled away from her, he planted a joyful kiss on her lips.

"Jagi, I have wonderful news." He said to her, eyes beaming with an excitement she remembered in him when he was a seventeen year old boy who only cared about having fun. 

She smiled warmly at him, balancing the toddler on her knee when he began to get restless. She could not see the way he held out his chubby little arms, begging for Eun to hold him. The tenth prince had to this day never held his third child. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He felt that he would be a hypocrite if he did, since he still held a bit of resentment in his heart. It was far less now, since Minji had lived and was recovering. But he would never forget the way he had almost lost her because she had chosen to let the baby live. 

"What is it, love? You sound like this is something that will brighten up our whole day." She wondered happily.

"That's right, jagi. Baek-ah has just saved me from having to do something I really didn't want to do." He gave her some vague information first and when he saw her cock her eyebrow at him in question, he continued. "Remember I told you about that girl from the village?" He stopped and only continued when she nodded her head. Her smile had dropped clean off her lovely face and she was suddenly in not so good of a mood. But he thought that talking about it would be worth it in the end because he had good news for her. "My brother has just come to tell me that a girl in the village approached him, thinking him a commoner, and offered him money to get her pregnant."

Minji gasped at that. It had to be the same girl they had both encountered. But why was she so desperate to marry Eun when he had no interest in her? What would she gain from all of it?

"She told him that she and I never got intimate, and that she wanted to get pregnant so that she could pin her child on me and force me to marry her." As he got the words out, he was once again filled with relief. Relief that he didn't take another woman while being drunk. He knew he could never do that when his Hak Soon was all he wanted. She was all he needed, and he would never need anyone else. 

From the moment he realized that he was in love with her, he decided that there would be no one else for him. She was the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was the woman he wanted to love for a hundred years.

Minji also found herself full of relief. She knew that in those days, it was quite common for a man, especially a prince, to have more than one wife. But she had never been keen on the idea of sharing her husband with any other women. What was better was that Eun felt the same. He didn't have any interest in taking another woman as his second wife. That was why she had found it strange and even hurtful upon finding out that he had gone out and slept with someone else. Eun would never do that to her. But she also understood that the mentality in those days was different and she tried to understand him. It was why she had been so supportive when she found out.

Tears started spilling from her eyes as she spoke. "That's wonderful news, love."

Her husband nodded his head in agreement. "It really is, jagi."

-

Unaware that the prince already knew the truth, Princess Jangmi didn't go to look for him at his home until about two months after the events with Baek-ah happened in the village. By this time, she had not found a man she thought was handsome enough to take to bed and bear his child, not since that boy she had talked to on the balcony. Not yet pregnant, yet determined to get the tenth prince to marry her, she went to his house with more lies to tell him. She was determined to make him believe them by any means necessary.

She had been given clearance with the guards at the entrance, with an official permission signed by King Taejo that allowed her into any royal building she wished. Jangmi strolled through the property like she owned it, at least she felt like she would one day own it. It was a grand home with several beautiful houses on the property. It was said all throughout Goryeo that it was a shame that Eun and Han were tenth and eleventh in line for the throne. They would never be king, but they were sons to the wealthiest and most prominent family in Goryeo. There were murmurs through the village that if Eun wanted to, and with his family's support, he could easily take the throne.  

Jangmi was already thinking ahead, but she thought that if she could marry him, she would surely convince him to go for the throne. The people admired his grandfather as he was a beloved public figure. Surely they would want his grandson to be the king of Goryeo. But she was getting ahead of herself. She had to first convince the tenth prince that she was pregnant, and that he had to marry her.

She made her way to his house, which was secluded from the main house where his grandfather and mother lived. Jangmi knew exactly how to get there and the front door was open, as was a custom for Eun and Minji. They lived on a heavily guarded property. The servants, as well as the family were constantly going in and out of the house. For that reason, they always had the front door wide open in the day time. They would only close it at night, when the children had been put to bed, and the servants were done with their work for the day and had retired to their sleeping quarters.

As she entered the house, she saw the prince's wife sitting down on the floor of the living room. There were three children sitting with her. Two of them were building a tower with colorful cubed blocks, while the smaller one was playing with a little wooden toy that looked like something Jangmi had never seen before. It was like a horse drawn wagon, but the design was far more advanced than anything she had seen. It had been a present from Ji Mong, and he had explained to Eun that it was called a car, and it was a device that would not be required to be pulled by horses. Minji had known exactly what he was talking about, but she pretended not to, so as not to mess with the natural order of things. But she was certain that Ji Mong was most likely from another life, just like she was.

Minji turned her head towards the door, where she had heard footsteps coming in. It didn't sound like it was Eun. The footsteps were lighter and dainty. It also didn't sound like any of the maids whose tired feet were a bit louder.

"Can I help you?" Minji called out, at the same time beckoning for the twins to come to her side.

They ran to her, upon seeing a stranger entering the house, and she pushed them behind her small frame protectively. Jangmi was quiet for a moment and she looked around the house. It was decent for the family of five that was living in it. But she would have him build her a grander house when they got married. This was a rather simple house for a prince, fit for the general's daughter. But Jangmi deserved nothing less than a palace for her and their new family. 

"I'm here to see my husband." Jangmi announced confidently. Her eyes locked for a moment with the two children hiding behind their mother. A little boy who looked just like her mother, and a little boy who was the living image of his father. They were cute, no doubt. But her children with the tenth prince would be better. And she would make sure that he would love them more too. She would make him forget that he had any children before they got married. Everything that belonged to Park Hak Soon would be hers. "I have news for him."

"Mommy, who's that?" Eunbi whispered a question into her ear, tiny voice full of fear.

Minji turned to her for a second and shushed her before turning back towards the princess. "My husband and I know all about your lies." She informed her. "If he wanted to take you as his wife, I wouldn't be against him because I love him and only want his happiness. But he doesn't want you. Isn't it pathetic to be forcing yourself on someone who isn't interested? You must lack self confidence and respect for yourself. I truly pity you." Despite her words, they were not full of venom. Instead, she genuinely sounded like she felt bad for the princess, and she truly did. Jangmi was trying to force herself onto a man who didn't even give her the time of day. 

Jangmi snarled at her in anger. "Shut up. You don't know anything."

"I know you got my husband drunk so that he'd sleep with you." Minji pointed out, voice still remaining calm. She knew she had nothing to fear because she wasn't the one who was wrong. It was Jangmi who was there, trying to steal Minji's husband from her. "And even then he never touched you because he's not interested. We also know that you tried to pay off his brother so that he'd get you pregnant because you wanted to pin it on Eun."

The princess' eyes widened in shock. "That boy from the village...he was Eun's brother?"

From the doorway, a voice spoke up, and both girls turned in the direction of the voice. Eun was there with his younger brother Han. They had just gotten back from their physical conditioning training. Both were sweaty, tired, and out of breath. But the tenth prince would defend his wife from any threat with all the energy left in his body. 

"That's right." Eun said, words full of venom. He didn't appreciate anyone coming into his home and threatening his wife, or trying to break their relationship apart. "My younger brother Baek-ah said you approached him in the village and told him everything. Your plans have fallen apart. I will not marry you. Not now, not ever. The only woman I have ever loved is my Hak Soon."

From behind him, Han said, "You should probably go now."

The princess felt her eyes pooling up with tears because her plans were foiled once again. It was like the universe was against her. All she wanted was to marry the tenth prince and he was not cooperating. She bit down on her lip hard as it started to quiver because she thought it was a sign of weakness and she didn't want them to see that it affected her that much. Shooting him a glare that could kill, she stomped out of the house, pushing the tenth prince and his brother aside on the way out.

The moment she was gone, Eun cut the distance between him and Minji. He knelt by her side and pulled her into his arms. "I'm here, jagi. Are you okay?"

Minji gave a nod of her head to reassure him. "We're fine, love. I was just scared at first because I was alone with the children and I didn't recognize her footsteps. If anything were to happen to them, I would absolutely die."

Han waited by the doorway a few minutes, making sure the princess wasn't coming back. When he was sure the coast was clear, he said goodbye to the family and headed for his own house. The twins went around their mother and joined them for their embrace. Eun heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed that since Yo and the king had passed, things had been more peaceful in the kingdom. Jangmi had been a minor problem, but they were all living their days in peace. 

He could only hope that things would continue that way for them.

-

i've been inspired with this story lately. so i have another update for you all. i think there will be one more chapter of conflict, and then im going to do another time jump in the story. 

so after the next chapter, some time will pass. please stay tuned for that.

thank you all for reading.

-clary