Royal Coup d'État - Chapter 50

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 50
“This is breaking news that will air tomorrow morning.”
An aide slipped quietly into the darkened room and held out a Tablet.
Yi Gu Dae-gun, who had been fidgeting with a Go stone in the thin orange light, lifted his head. His eyes, clouded with fatigue, soon caught the bright glow of the screen.
The neatly arranged document contained a pixelated photograph of Gwang Pyeong-jeong.
Yi Gu Dae-gun set down the black stone he’d been holding onto the Go board and accepted the Tablet. The way he crossed his legs and languidly swiped through the screen bespoke a world-weary indifference.
“What of Gwang Pyeong-jeong?”
“He’s planning to stay overseas for a while. He departed for the airport with Kim Chan-wi just a moment ago.”
Yi Gu Dae-gun nodded. His cold eyes fixed themselves on the screen.
[The Emperor’s youngest son. Eccentric behavior that goes beyond mere excess!]
The headline was the sort you’d expect from third-rate tabloid press, but that only made it all the more sensational.
[Was his romance with the rising star a colossal hoax? A tragic love affair with a would-be imperial traitor—and the hidden fruit of their union!]
The subheading that followed was equally arresting.
There was even a pixelated confession from some member of the royal family. The content was intense enough to make anyone, no matter how indifferent to imperial affairs, do a double-take.
All of this was meant to tarnish. The more sensational, the better. Yi Gu Dae-gun’s mouth twisted into a smile.
“Ha. Our youngest will have quite the morning because of his daughter. Never thought I’d use this card after keeping it so long.”
Despite Yi Gu Dae-gun’s hearty laughter, his aide Cha remained silent at his post.
He was far more useful than those brothers An Heung-gun and Sun Heung-gun—talkative fellows always scrambling to curry favor. This one simply did his work quietly and without fuss.
Yi Gu Dae-gun’s mood, which had been edgy since the press conference, gradually began to settle.
“I trust we made a good show for the journalists?”
Yi Gu Dae-gun scrolled carefully through the article before handing the Tablet back to his aide. The man received it with a respectful gesture and replied.
“Yes. We sent material to Gwang Pyeong-jeong’s side, and our people photographed the delivery as well.”
“Good. If necessary, we can always cut Gwang Pyeong-jeong loose. Not a bad insurance policy.”
Gwang Pyeong-jeong, who had joined Yi Gu Dae-gun’s circle only recently, was expendable enough.
They hadn’t worked together long enough to verify his loyalty, and Yi Gu Dae-gun despised the kind of opportunists who flew toward power like bats seeking the scent of victory.
“Such tedious complications.”
Yi Gu Dae-gun clicked his tongue and blew on his nails. They gleamed in the orange light, perfectly manicured.
He had never imagined his youngest brother could become an obstacle. He still didn’t.
From childhood, the boy had trembled at the sight of dead animals; on days when his older brothers raised their voices, he would burst into tears. A fragile, delicate creature.
Yi Gu Dae-gun had left his youngest brother untouched for one reason alone: he wasn’t worth the effort.
A soft clicking sound escaped his lips.
But if the boy threatened the greater cause, then even a beloved youngest brother would have to be expendable.
Besides, if Yi Jeong Dae-gun was manageable, his daughter was something else entirely.
“I know Yi Jeong Dae-gun well enough, but Cheong Yang Hyun-ju—I still can’t quite read her.”
Yi Gu Dae-gun murmured aloud. When had the niece he’d known as obedient, albeit with a defiant glint, become this changed?
A girl ranked lower than Gyeong An-gun should have had no means of making a move, yet he’d clearly seen the spark of ambition kindling in her eyes.
The Cheong Yang Hyun-ju he’d glimpsed at the press conference, so assured and commanding, bore no resemblance to the girl he’d known.
But what of it? If a seedling was beginning to sprout, he would simply crush it before it could take root.
“Just to be safe, make contact with Dae Dong-hoe.”
“I’ll have them ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice.”
The quick response lightened Yi Gu Dae-gun’s mood. Days of worry seemed to evaporate in an instant.
A low hum drifted from Yi Gu Dae-gun, eager for dawn to break as quickly as possible. The sound of stones being moved across the Go board once more, and the faint trace of the figure who had been listening at the door, quietly vanished.
* * *
Seven o’clock in the morning. The perfect hour to catch a YouTube video or a news headline on the commute to work.
The breaking news that began with one third-rate tabloid spread faster than the Imperial Household Department could contain it.
“What the hell? You’re saying Yi Jeong Dae-gun and his wife’s whole love-match marriage was a lie?”
“So there was no Cinderella story after all?”
“And they kept seeing each other after getting married? Is this for real?”
Sensational headlines, as always, moved people’s fingers faster than facts ever could. And with an interview from a member of the royal family included to boot, the rumors spread at a pace no one could hope to contain—faster than any subway crowd could carry them.
[Imperial scandal: The existence of a hidden illegitimate child?]
Within minutes, Yi Jeong Dae-gun’s name was plastered across every portal site. Related articles mushroomed by the dozen, and broadcast networks began considering emergency programming.
It didn’t take long for Cheong Yang Hyun-ju to realize the world was in an uproar.
Unlike the well-trained court ladies of Deokyudang, the Imperial Palace Security who stood watch at Moo Deok Gate had loose tongues.
“Wow. If this is real, things are going to get messy for a while.”
“Right? According to this article, the Dae-gun was romantically involved with the daughter of someone convicted of treason?”
No matter how thoroughly those in the Imperial Household Department received their education, no matter how fervently they swore to serve the throne—not everyone could hold the same convictions. Like a certain attendant seeking new footholds before the aging Emperor’s passing, everyone moved according to their own interests.
The Imperial Palace Security, though technically subordinate to the Imperial Household Department, officially remained on loan from the Police Department. They spoke far more freely than the court ladies or attendants of other palaces.
Yet on a walk taken to ease her troubled mind, such talk was hardly welcome.
“Is that why Cheong Yang Hyun-ju stays here? Because she knew this story was going to break?”
“Things have been chaotic with the Imperial Succession lately. I saw online that Cheong Yang Hyun-ju might actually be a contender?”
The security guards had no idea that Cheong Yang Hyun-ju was nearby, their hushed conversation continuing unabated.
“Could she have leaked this to get into the Imperial Palace?”
“What? What good does it do her to expose that her father has an illegitimate child? Her mother’s honor is already dragged through the mud.”
“She can win sympathy! And getting into the Imperial Palace means she has solid footing in the imperial family.”
Their conversation had crossed from ripe speculation into outright disrespect. Just as Cheong Yang Hyun-ju’s eyebrow began to rise, Ju stepped forward.
“Excuse me!”
Ju’s sharp reprimand made the security guards jump and spin around. The moment they spotted Cheong Yang Hyun-ju standing right behind them, their faces drained of all color.
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju regarded them with a glacial stare. Her insides roiled. The casual way they spun lies without hesitation infuriated her.
What would Halba Mama have done? What face should I show?
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju clenched her fists. This had to be different from how she’d handled the attendants at Daejeon. He belonged to the Imperial Household Department, but these men nominally served the Police Department.
A familiar face flickered through her mind unbidden—a man whose face she would never have expected to find useful in a moment like this.
“I’ll file an official complaint with the Police Department about this.”
“Y-yes?”
“Surely our country still has laws against insulting royalty?”
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju answered with measured calm, turning back to face them.
Yes. Think it through clearly, and it was simple enough to handle.
The Republic of Korea was a constitutional monarchy, and the emperor existed beneath the law like anyone else. So let the law resolve it. There was no need to waste energy on such matters.
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju was far too occupied to squander time on anger. There was thinking to do, preparations to make—mountains of it stacked before her.
Zing—
She had taken perhaps four steps from the Moo Deok Gate in the direction of Deokyudang when the cellphone in the pocket of her loosely draped jacket began to ring.
Tae-o?
The thought came unbidden as she slipped her hand into her pocket. The phone continued its insistent vibration even as her palm closed around it, refusing to stop until she glanced at the screen.
“Cho.”
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju pressed the answer button and named her caller.
―Your voice doesn’t sound well. It seems my call was unwelcome.
Cho’s insolent tone flowed through the receiver.
Unwelcome? Had she made it that obvious?
If she looked at her call history, it was always the same people: family, Cho, Young Pyeong Do-jeong. Then just one more name had been added—Tae-o—so why had her mind turned to him so naturally?
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju let out a hollow laugh and felt irritated with herself.
That man had given her crucial information, and the world learned of it within two days. Wasn’t that reason enough?
If Tae-o had been even slightly later, she would have encountered the news of her father’s infidelity and the illegitimate child completely unprepared. It wasn’t a sin to have recalled his face out of gratitude—yet here she was, inventing excuses for herself, and that felt strange.
Cheong Yang Hyun-ju threw out words carelessly.
“How talkative the busy Cho has become. Get to the point.”
―His Majesty has ordered you to move your residence to Changdeok Palace.
“What?”
This was entirely unexpected.
Residing in the secondary palace Gyeonghuigung was a different matter entirely from moving into Changdeok Palace where the Emperor lived. It meant the day when she would be officially recognized as successor was not far off.
As Cheong Yang Hyun-ju exhaled slowly, Cho continued.
―And right now, Yi Jeong Dae-gun and his wife are en route to Gyeonghuigung. His Majesty has ordered you to stay out of the way for the time being. So if you’d rather not meet them now….
Cho’s call was a considerable courtesy. Right now, in this state of mind, she absolutely did not want to face her parents.
But heaven’s consideration only went so far.
Urgent footsteps sounded from behind her.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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