Chapter 70

Though he stepped back, Bipaan could see their eye signals. Though she was bold enough to challenge him a moment ago, she turned white while Ruhae was looking at her with a worried expression.

Bipaan looked at them silently and said, “Lady Yuon!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Without even turning his head, Bipaan called her. Leaning against the wall, the nanny cautiously approached him, with her head lowered.

While he was staring at Kyosul, he closed his eyes and turned around. Walking out of the room with a stern expression on his face, he said, “Have the Crown Princess’s dress readied. It’s been ten days since Princess Heyjin gave birth to the baby.”

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In fact, Bipaan made a sudden visit to Kyosul because of Heyjin’s deliverance of baby. As he came to know that, Ruhae didn’t feel wary about Bipaan anymore.

The tenth day from a royal member’s deliverance of a baby was meaningful according to the customs of the Mok Kingdom.

Ruhae forgot about it. He didn’t pay much attention to the royal events as he focused on deepening his relationship with Kyosul.

“Your Majesty, let me head out first.”

With quick greetings like that, Ruhae tried to get out of the room as soon as possible. As a member of the royal family, he had to prepare for the happy event at the North Palace. He was about to leave the room when Bipaan called him suddenly, “Prince Ruhae!”

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Ruhae stopped and looked at him.

“You have to call my wife by the right official title from now on. It is your wife alone whom you can call a wife at all.”

“Let me leave now.”

Bipaan bugged him to the end. Without giving him a clear answer, though, Ruhae briefly bowed to him and left.

In no time, the situation was back to normal. There were only Bipaan and Kyosul left in the room. As she was bold enough to challenge him with her provocative words a moment ago, she was so embarrassed. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to care about it.

After giving the nanny that order, he left the room quickly.

Coming into the room quickly, the nanny and court ladies began to prepare her for the happy event at the North Palace.

Kyosul put on a yellow and green dress with simple ornaments for her hair. With a plain but elegant aura, she tried to show proper courtesy to the royal family members.

When she was escorted to the porch by the nanny, the court ladies serving Bipaan waited in a row under the stylobate. When she put on the shoes and went down, Bipaan approached her.

He extended his hand to her. As he waved his hand at her several times up to now, she got a bit tense and nervous, but he didn’t pull or hold her with his hand this time. She looked at him with a curious expression.

“Hold my hand.”

“Pardon?”

As his words were so unexpected, she was embarrassed.

But as usual, he said carelessly, “Just hold my arm. You look unwell.”

“Thank you.”

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She put her hands on his cautiously. Her heart began to beat faster when she felt the unfamiliar touch of his hand. He helped her, holding her hand, when she staggered, which she also found awkward. Though she felt awkward, she followed as instructed. His arm was pretty strong.

Though it was raining outside, the rain was falling lighter now. As Bipaan was helping her, only one eunuch followed them, holding a big umbrella, and a large group of court ladies headed for the North Palace. As they had to walk in step with Kyosul, they moved slowly.

Arriving at the North Palace, they went further to the north instead of heading for Heyjin’s place. On both sides of the road were hung tasseled cords of straw to drive out evil spirits as well as red cloth. They soon arrived at the maternity center of the North Palace.

When Heyjin was pregnant for five months, a maternity center was set up at the Central Palace, along with another one at the North Palace.

The nightmare incident that took place at the North Palace didn’t harm anyone. Both Heyijin and her baby were safe and well. As soon as she recovered from the incident, she was moved to the main maternity at the Central Palace. After spending some time out there, she gave birth to a baby recently and moved to the maternity center at the North Palace.

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There were traditional customs related to the deliverance of a baby in the Mok Kingdom. According to legend, on the tenth day after deliverance, evil spirits followed the scent of the blood that a woman bled when delivering a baby and harm the baby. Such a story spread widely because babies often died even before turning one. So, the mother had to be moved to another place, along with the baby, ten days after her deliverance.

After she spent twenty-one days in the new place, they were supposed to set up the tasseled cord of straw and red cloth, move to another place, and repeat the same ritual. Accordingly, they needed three different houses for the mother. It was costly, so this practice was only observed by noble families.

On the tenth day, family members gathered together to pray for the health of the mother,the good health and long life of the baby, and gave a name to the baby. That’s why all the royal members were heading for the North Palace.

Fortunately, the rain fell lighter on the tenth day. Heyjin greeted the royal guests and showed her baby to them for the first time, the second grandson of the Mok Kingdom where there were few descendants. The court ladies of the North Palace quickly moved around to prepare for the happy event. It was the first great happy event of the North Palace. They were busy with serving Princess Heyjin and her baby and bringing blue pine needles and charcoal to drive out evil spirits. They had to replace the burnt pine needles and charcoal with new ones immediately to keep their fragrant scent around the maternity center. Otherwise, they would be severely punished. The members of the royal families of the Mok Kingdom gathered at the maternity center of the North Palace where the straw ropes to drive out evil spirits hung around everywhere. The court ladies accompanying them were not allowed inside the maternity center, so they stood on standby outside.

Soon, they blew a little trumpet for the new-born baby three times, and Emperor Ohyuje appeared. Behind him followed the Queen and his two concubines. As it was a sacred place, the Queen left behind the white weasel she always carried on her back. Except for Princess Heyjin who had yet to fully recover from deliverance, everybody there bent their knees to show courtesy to the emperor.

“Long live the Emperor and the Queen! We’re honored to see you!”

When Ohyulje waved at them in return, they raised themselves and stood on both sides of Heyjin’s bed. Ohyulje and the Queen approached it and looked at Heyjin.

“As you gave birth to a precious baby for the Mok Kingdom, I would like to appreciate your efforts,” he said.

“I’m so honored to hear that, Your Majesty.”

Though she was not fully recovered, her voice was loud enough and clear. As the baby looked healthy, the Queen smiled and nodded. She spoke to Ohyulje, “Your Majesty, it’s time you gave a name to the baby.”

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“Oh, you’re right.”

And then he cast a glance to the baby lying next to Heyjin.

In fact, she delivered a girl.

As Prince Dukwol already had a baby boy, the Queen said it was good to have a baby girl in the royal family, but Ohyulje couldn’t hide his disappointment. However, as she added a baby to the royal family that had so few descendants, he also praised her from the bottom of his heart.

The baby girl had red spots on her body as she was born only ten days ago. He thought her skin would be light brown just like the mother’s, but it was a lighter brown as if she also took after the father. When the baby opened her eyes after blinking several times, her blue eyes sparkled. Ohyulje smiled at that.

“I already see the stunning beauty of this baby, the fruit of the reconciliation of the Mok Kingdom and Jingsung Kingdom. Obviously, she will grow up as the most beautiful woman. What name can I give her?”

Stroking his long beads, he thought about her name, but Prince Binsung, who stood next to the emperor, lowered his head and moved one step closer to him, saying, “In fact, I’ve got a favor to ask of you, Your Majesty.”

“What is that?”

“I’ve been thinking about the baby’s name for a long time. Can I give her the name I created on my own?”

Not hiding his delight at the birth of the baby at the age of 18, Binsung spoke in a trembling voice. Even before she was born several months ago, he met Ruhae and earnestly asked him to create a name for her.