Whatever else, he was a royal of a nation. And as the king’s brother — when the late king lived, he’d been a proper prince. In nobility of status alone, he was beyond the two crown princesses, daughters of nobles.
“If anything untoward happens, it could well spark conflict between nations. Of course, Hye’s forces are paltry compared to Juwon’s, but right now Gwonryong sits between Juwon and Hye.”
If things went wrong and Hye allied with Gwonryong, it’d be a great blow to Juwon.
“The prince knows this too, so he won’t act rashly against me.”
“Brother.”
“Besides, wasn’t it their imperial house that proposed this marriage first. I hear the first wife was the Empress’s will — then she’ll surely protect my safety somehow.”
“No. No.”
Huimin grabbed Huian’s hand with a face about to cry.
“Listen to me. Don’t go. You mustn’t go.”
“Brother.”
“Call it crown princess, but you’re effectively a talisman. And what power does the Empress have to protect you. By that logic, the previous two crown princesses were also women the Empress chose. But they too lost their lives young.”
Huimin was right. The two who died first were likely ladies the Empress had chosen. That they’d ended as talismans meant he couldn’t rule out the same fate.
But he couldn’t say he wouldn’t go now. From the start, refusal wasn’t a word allowed in this proposal. For Hye, and for Huian. When Huigeon himself wanted it, how could he say “I can’t go.”
“Brother, I…”
Huian was at a loss. He wanted to say something to ease Huimin’s mind, but nothing came. For all the years Huimin had comforted him, seeing Huimin grieve, he couldn’t offer even a proper word of comfort. Blaming his own tongue-tied self, he hesitantly took Huimin’s clutching hand—
“Your Highness, the royal secretary has come.”
At Wiryang’s voice from outside, Huimin looked up startled.
“The secretary? At this hour?”
Huian was equally puzzled. But they couldn’t just sit there.
“Let him in.”
The door opened and the secretary entered. Bowing to the two princes, he said,
“His Majesty’s command. The painter Yu Han arrives tomorrow afternoon; Prince Jinhyeon is to finish dressing and wait.”
“The painter, suddenly why…”
Huimin, murmuring with a flustered face, soon shut his mouth. He’d realized it was to paint the portrait for Juwon.
“Yu Han is the most skilled among the palace painters, isn’t he.”
The moment the secretary left, Wiryang said with sparkling eyes,
“Painting a new portrait? Then will you wear the official hat? His Majesty said to dress personally, so I can bring the silver hair ornaments?”
Seeing Wiryang chattering excitedly, unaware of his master’s situation, Huimin’s face darkened further.
“No need.”
Huian said, picking up the cooled teacup.
“When the painter comes tomorrow, send him back on the spot. Say I’ll handle the portrait myself.”
At Huian’s words, Wiryang quickly grew glum and said yes.
“Why?”
The moment Wiryang left, Huimin asked.
“I’ll pick a usable one from previously painted portraits.”
They weren’t taking him for his looks anyway. The portrait was mere formality; any semblance would do.
“But His Majesty specially called the painter…”
“His Majesty called the painter but won’t check the finished portrait.”
At Huian’s firm words, Huimin hummed. He seemed to agree Huigeon wouldn’t check. Huimin wore a look of deep thought, then said to Huian,
“No. When Painter Yu comes tomorrow, don’t just send him back — call me.”
At Huimin’s abrupt words, Huian looked up with a “what?” Before he could ask why, Huimin grabbed his hand and said,
“You don’t have to go to Juwon. I’ll make it so.”
“Brother… by what means?”
Huian asked, flustered. But Huimin only wore a confident look instead of answering.
“Leave this to me.”
***
“Demigod means literally half-divine.”
Saying so, Yu Yeong picked up one of the books he’d brought. Opening to the marked page, he began reading aloud the recorded traits of the Ikhwan demigods.
“They have red-plumed looks, and can conceive even in a male body. On their backs are large red wings, and they can fly a hundred li without rest. Like other birds, their feathers bear an oil that repels water, and the oil is said to smell good. The scent deepens in adulthood. And… some can occasionally commune with birds.”
“Isn’t that a half-beast?”
Lee Chi, sitting opposite, frowned. Among the Gakdan tribe, some had horns on their foreheads or hooves on their feet. For their hideous looks they were called half-beasts and treated worse than peasants.
“We call them half-beasts, but they call them demigods, it seems.”
Igang said, propping an arm on the low desk.
“Correct.”
Yu Yeong nodded at once.
“By their myth, the bong was originally a great red bird housing both sexes in one body. When the celestial descended to earth, they say it rode this bong.”
One day, the bong that bore the celestial to earth laid an egg, and from it a winged person was born. Unlike the bong, they each had one sex, distinguished male and female, called bong and hwang respectively.
“But the bong and hwang only played together ever after, neglecting to serve the celestial. At last the angered celestial stripped their wings and cast them to earth. Still unrepentant, still tangled in promiscuity, the celestial finally moved to annihilate the hwang.”
“What sloppy punishment…”
Lee Chi muttered, horrified. Yu Yeong pretended not to hear and continued.
“As the tribe faced extinction, one called Hongnip led the people to the forest where Myeongrimseong now stands, and gazing at the eastern sky, offered rites to the celestial. After three days and nights without eating or sleeping, light suddenly poured from the sky, and wings sprouted from the backs of those gathered, their hair turning red. Especially from Hongnip’s wings rose an extraordinary radiance, and at the auspiciousness, the people—”
“…and they came to serve him as king.”
“So he’s Surim, founder of the Hong dynasty.”
At Igang’s words, Yu Yeong said, “Indeed.”
“Since then, those with red plumage continued to be born, and by their power of conception the tribe was maintained. People call them demigods, saying they’re close to the bong’s form housing both sexes in one body, and revere them as sacred and noble.”
Having explained that much, Yu Yeong closed the booklet and carefully held it out to Igang. Igang flipped through it with an indifferent face, muttering to himself. Demigod.
“Then the visible difference is just hair and wings.”
“Correct. It’s not quite hermaphroditic — they don’t have both sets, so outwardly they’re just perfectly ordinary men.”
At Yu Yeong’s words, Igang closed the booklet and pushed it aside carelessly.
“Then even the wedding night won’t differ from male love.”
“Ah, as for that part—”
Yu Yeong picked a palm-sized book from the pile on the table and quickly handed it to Attendant Song standing by.
“Attendant Song will explain in detail.”
Handed the booklet suddenly, Attendant Song fumbled but quickly opened it.
“Well, that is to say, Your Highness…”
Licking his finger to turn the pages diligently, Attendant Song’s face flushed bright red.
“It, probably… if you try… um, probably, that is…”
What on earth was written, his face reddened more with each page turned.
“Th-that, if Your Highness experiences it yourself, th-that, um… different from an ordinary man’s body, d-different… you’ll learn it’s different.”
Shouting it out, Attendant Song finally snapped the book shut. Then, quickly returning it to Yu Yeong, he fanned his face repeatedly with a grim expression. Seeing him, Yu Yeong took the booklet as if he had no choice.
“Then I have no choice.”
“Say it where I’m not present!”
Lee Chi, horrified, slammed shut the book in Yu Yeong’s hand. Then, as if to prevent questions, he scowled and took his hand off the book. Igang said to him,
“It seems Lee Chi has no experience with male love.”
“Of course.”
Lee Chi said sternly, then, belatedly realizing he might have been rude, said in a much more careful tone,
“Your Highness has experience…?”
“A few times during the war, I lay with men. Not bad, but not particularly good, as I recall.”
At Igang’s matter-of-fact words, Attendant Song chimed in, “Doesn’t Your Highness always say that, no matter what woman you hold.”
“Because it’s true.”
Igang said in a calm tone.
“But if I must rank them, holding a woman feels much better.”
“Of course.”
Lee Chi quickly agreed. Glancing at Yu Yeong beside him, he trailed off, “As for Secretary Yu…” Yu Yeong gazed at him soulfully and said,
“Want to know?”
While Igang wondered if he was gone, Lee Chi answered firmly,
“I don’t want to know, so never tell me for life.”
“Come to my quarters tonight and I’ll tell you in detail.”
“No, I’ll never go! I’m not curious at all, so never, never tell me till I die!”
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