The Secret of the Moonlit Hair

The Emperor raised his bow, aiming at the distant target draped in red cloth. He pulled the bowstring taut, his chest expanding wide.

He held his breath for a moment, took aim, and released the string without hesitation. The arrow traced a wide arc before striking dead center.

The courtiers beside him smiled and clapped, but the Emperor had already lowered his bow and turned away before the arrow even hit. His sharp gaze pierced Cha-ran’s face, just as the arrow had pierced the center of the target. As always, Cha-ran showed no reaction.

“You missed three out of twenty shots, Your Majesty. Is there something troubling your mind?”

The words sounded polite on the surface, but to the Emperor, they were clearly a provocation. He waved away the court lady who tried to wipe his sweat and accepted only a water bottle.

“I’m not pleased with the target. If I hung up that bastard Bi Cha-ran’s neck instead, perhaps I’d find it more interesting.”

“If Your Majesty wishes, I’ll offer it up countless times.”

“I’ll cut out your tongue first.”

The Emperor handed the empty water bottle back to the court lady and tapped Cha-ran’s lips with the arrowhead. The gesture was no different from a threat, and it carried plenty of killing intent. Yet Cha-ran’s face remained unchanged; he stood perfectly still.

After finishing his archery practice without changing clothes, the Emperor headed straight to Euijeongjeon. When he signaled for Eunuch Yoon, who was following closely behind, to stay back, Cha-ran drew near.

“Do you think I sent Eunuch Yoon back so I could walk side by side with you?”

“I have something to say.”

“The import tariffs on autumn trade are being handled according to precedent. Do not heed the words of the southwestern lords.”

“It is about His Highness, Consort Ru.”

The Emperor, who had just entered Euijeongjeon, faltered in his step and glanced sidelong at Cha-ran. Why was he bringing that person up again after several quiet days? The face he had forgotten for a while resurfaced in his mind.

Bi Cha-ran, acting without orders, closed the doors of Euijeongjeon to prevent other courtiers from entering. Although the Emperor found his behavior insufferable, he did not point it out and took his seat. Without being told to speak, Cha-ran opened his mouth.

“A rumor that Your Majesty is neglecting your fated one, Consort Ru, is spreading not only throughout the palace but also in the capital, Ju-an.”

“So what of it?”

“Your true love is ordained by heaven, but Your Majesty’s affection is your own. I dare not meddle.”

“……”

“However, as Your Majesty said, he is a useful piece for you. Having a reputation for neglect will bring no benefit to Your Majesty.”

Cha-ran’s face was calm as always, seeming to conceal his true intentions while ultimately saying everything he wanted. The Emperor slowly tapped his fingers on the phoenix eye carved into the armrest of his throne, chewing over Cha-ran’s words. He didn’t need to think long to reach a conclusion. Cha-ran was right. Considering the political weight he had placed on Yi-seol, his own attitude had been far too cold. With the palace being so quick to spread rumors, everyone was aware of the fact. It certainly wasn’t beneficial to his plans.

“You don’t have to raise his rank immediately. It’s enough to show that there is a possibility of such an outcome.”

As the Emperor remained silent, Cha-ran added:

“Then Son Jo-ik won’t act rashly for now. That would mean he breaks his promise with Your Majesty first.”

“Because I didn’t take that Ru as my Empress, the promise was already broken by me first.”

“Your Majesty’s promise was not to continue the legitimate imperial line through an Empress—by using Consort Ru as the instrument for that purpose.”

Cha-ran paused for a moment, then finished speaking in a reluctant tone. It was clear he didn’t like the words he had used. And well he might. It was the Emperor’s own words—that he would not continue the imperial line through an Empress, using Consort Ru instead. Every single word had come from the Emperor’s mouth.

Although Bi Cha-ran had an unusually meddlesome and compassionate side, the Emperor felt that his concern for Yi-seol was especially excessive. Then, a fact he had forgotten suddenly came to mind.

“I recall your mother was from Yeon. Is my memory correct?”

“……Why do you suddenly ask that?” Cha-ran asked back with suspicious eyes, clearly displeased that the Emperor had changed the subject.

“Just answer the question.”

“Yes. I heard she was a niece of the previous King of Yeon. She would be a distant cousin of Consort Ru.” The relationship is too distant to even count the degrees of kinship, he added in a low voice, not that it mattered much.

“Did your mother’s hair look like that too?”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that.”

“I mean, was it a hazy gray-white, like lowering clouds before a downpour?”

At the Emperor’s specific description, Cha-ran pictured it clearly and let out a small scoff of disbelief.

“No. Now that she’s aged, it has turned white, but before that, it was definitely black. Your Majesty has seen her several times as well.”

Right. The mistress of the Bigaran merchant guild had black hair. It wasn’t as deep a black as his own, but the Emperor remembered it wasn’t the color of lowering clouds.

While the Emperor was silent, Cha-ran guessed what he was pondering and spoke.

“You cannot compare her to the legitimate bloodline of the Yeon royal family, like Consort Ru. My mother was of such humble status that she could barely call herself royalty. That’s why she married into a merchant guild.”

“So, all the other legitimate descendants besides that one have hair like that?”

“There are slight differences, but most seem similar to Consort Ru. I heard that the closer to the royal bloodline, the brighter the silver-gray, but there aren’t many offspring in a generation, so there’s no real basis for comparison.”

“So, that Ru is not particularly special?”

“In terms of hair color alone, he is an extremely average Yeon royal.”

Even after hearing all his answers, the Emperor did not look satisfied. So that’s it. The words he murmured to himself were not meant to be answered, but for Cha-ran, it was different.

“But why do you ask that?”

“……”

“You haven’t picked a fight with Consort Ru over his hair, have you? I heard you visited Nokyeom Pavilion the other day and met him. By the way, why did you suddenly go to Nokyeom Pavilion? Didn’t you detest the scent of flowers in full bloom there?”

“Be quiet. Are you interrogating me now?”

“You suddenly ask about irrelevant things, so I’m curious. You didn’t even bother with a common greeting. Did something happen at Nokyeom Pavilion? Is that why you insulted His Highness so much at Tanyeongdang?”

“Both Nokyeom Pavilion and Tanyeongdang were places where you weren’t present. Where the hell have you planted your ears?”

However he heard it, it wasn’t a compliment. Instead of being intimidated by the Emperor’s raised voice, Cha-ran smiled contentedly and shrugged.

“Your Majesty yourself said that nothing in this palace should escape my knowledge.”

That’s right, he had said that. Cha-ran was faithfully carrying out that duty, even if it was one of the reasons the Emperor found him so tiresome.

“But truly, why did you ask about the hair?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Just in case, I’ll say this—”

“……I don’t want to hear it. Don’t say anything.”

The Emperor had completely forgotten how much better it was when Bi Cha-ran had been away from his side, busy with matters at Gwangheungchang. Cha-ran simply didn’t know the meaning of moderation when it came to speaking.

“You must not pick a fight with Consort Ru about his hair.”

“Are you telling me to watch my words with that guy?”

“I’m just advising you to be careful.”

“Tell me why I should do that. If you give a plausible answer, I won’t kill you today.”

Even with such threats, Cha-ran listened as if it were nothing. Was it because he truly didn’t think the Emperor would harm him? The Emperor’s talk of cutting off Cha-ran’s neck was indeed a joke, but he sometimes thought cutting off a useless little finger would be quite fair. The Emperor was sincere about that.

“To the Yeon royal family, hair is like a nameplate that allows them to return to their ancestors’ land. It is also proof that they are descendants of those ancestors.”

The Emperor, who had been completely without a smile, let out a snort at Cha-ran’s words and swept his own hair back. Both what Cha-ran said and his serious expression were utterly ridiculous.

“Aren’t the ancestors of the Yeon people the Hoseolje tribe that came down from Mansseolji? Are you saying that hair is so precious they need it to prove they are descendants of barbarians? And returning to Mansseolji? Who in their right mind would do such a thing?”

Mansseolji was a vast plain beyond the Oak Mountains, north of Yeon. Covered in snow and ice all year round, it was uninhabitable. A few barbarian tribes lived there, but they had been driven to the frontier and had no choice; no one deliberately settled there. As the Emperor said, no sane person would do such a thing.

Even with the Emperor’s sneer, Cha-ran’s voice remained serious.

“That is just speculation. The people of Yeon do not think that way.”

“Then, who do they think their ancestors are?”

“……They say it is Sang-ah.”

“……”

“The moon fairy, known to us in Geum as Hang-ah.”

The Emperor was so dumbfounded he felt Cha-ran was mocking him. Why was he even listening to such nonsense? Thinking about it, it seemed to be because he had uselessly brought up Yi-seol’s hair.

He knew that although the frequency had decreased, he was still having disturbing dreams, losing sleep, and suffering from occasional uncontrollable mood swings that made him unusually irritable. He was not of a gentle nature, but he was not ferocious or violent either. He was simply indifferent to everything. So why had he asked so many questions, subjecting himself to such absurd drivel?

In the end, he decided it was his own fault and was about to order Cha-ran to leave. If Cha-ran disobeyed this time, he might actually have to prepare for a broken leg.

Just as the Emperor was about to call Heukyeong…

“I hear that proof is hair that shines under moonlight.”