Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 18

A vast, countless crowd filled the space before the Grand Hall.

A blue silk carpet, symbolizing the dragon, lay down the center aisle where only the Emperor could walk, and armed soldiers stood on either side. Behind the armed soldiers, courtiers and palace servants stood facing the Grand Hall where the Emperor would be.

The Imperial family was no exception, but the difference was that they would be inside the Grand Hall with the Emperor for the coronation ceremony. Unlike the Yeomnokgung, the Emperor’s private quarters, the Grand Hall, used for state affairs, was empty except for the throne and the large beams that supported the roof. Hundreds of officials often discussed state affairs here, but now only the Emperor, the Imperial family, and the officials and servants who would witness the coronation were present.

Among them was Mohyun, the martial arts director of the Hyunjingwan. The document proclaiming the new Emperor required the imperial seal held by the former Emperor and the seal of the Hyunjingwan, the institution representing the will of the Dragon God. Therefore, in front of the throne where the Emperor would sit, stood the former Emperor and Empress, now the retired Emperor and Empress Dowager, the Empress, who had been the Crown Princess, and right behind them, Mohyun. Gamyoung and other members of the Imperial family stood on either side, and behind them, the ministers stood in line, waiting for the new Emperor to enter.

Normally, he would have exchanged casual conversation with the other princes, but today was the Emperor’s coronation day. Gamyoung turned his head to look at the throne amongst his equally nervous brothers. Atop the large, bed-like throne, a large dragon was carved into the wall, as if it were alive and moving. It wasn’t as elaborate as the design he saw in the Hall of the Returning Hour, but it was large enough to cover the entire seat where the Emperor would sit. He was quietly looking at the engraving when a small voice suddenly came from behind him.

“That is the seat where His Majesty, the new Emperor, will soon sit. It would be best to avert your gaze.”

He didn’t need to hear the rest of the sentence, lest it be seen as a flaw. Gamyoung turned his head and looked back. Even he, who had not a shred of interest in power, knew who the old man, as old as the former Emperor, was. He was the governor of Hyungju, whom Kyungrak had personally recommended as his partner for the Gangmu.

Just then, news arrived that the Emperor, fully prepared, had arrived.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, arrives!”

At the same time, Kyungrak, dressed in the Emperor’s robes, emerged from a room attached to the Grand Hall, though he was still called the Crown Prince. The deep navy blue, symbolizing the Emperor, was so dark that it seemed to absorb all light. However, with each step, a subtle blue sheen shimmered on the fabric, embroidered with bright, light blue embroidery that was almost silver. The writhing dragon design, as if alive, could only be embroidered on garments worn by the Emperor.

Kyungrak’s eyes, directed towards the throne, did not waver. He knew his place, like the dragon robe he wore, as if he had been destined for it from the beginning. No one dared to not bow their head before him. Gamyoung bowed and prostrated himself before Kyungrak as he passed.

Now, he would no longer be able to casually address him as “brother” or “hyungnim.” They would no longer put their arms around each other’s shoulders, or get scolded by their teachers for jumping over the walls as they did in their childhood. Though they shared the same blood, the Emperor’s ability to wield the dragon’s power was different. So, his days of fraternizing with Kyungrak were over.

As he prostrated himself, Kyungrak’s feet moved further and further away. Soon, Kyungrak’s voice, seated on the throne, fell upon him.

“Raise your heads.”

Only then did those who were prostrated on the floor rise. Gamyoung also rose and looked at Kyungrak. Kyungrak was sitting on the throne where their father had sat just a short while ago. His demeanor, completely devoid of awkwardness, as if he had always been the owner of that seat, was truly imperial, dignified, and full of majesty. A court servant attending to Kyungrak at his side exclaimed,

“The Imperial Seal will be presented.”

Then, the Imperial Seal, prepared by the servants, was placed before the former Emperor. The large Imperial Seal, which took both hands to lift, was stamped in the middle of the declaration proclaiming the 12th Emperor of Won’guk. As the former Emperor stepped back, a court servant next to the Emperor continued,

“Representing the will of the Dragon God, the Director of Martial Arts, stamp the seal.”

Mohyun picked up the seal next to the Imperial Seal. The seal representing the dragon, passed down through generations in the Hyunjingwan, was only used for matters chosen by the dragon, such as the Emperor’s coronation or imperial decrees. The seal, engraved with the dragon design that adorned the Emperor’s robes, was stamped directly below the Imperial Seal. With this, all the formal documents required for the Emperor’s coronation ceremony were complete. With that, the former Emperor exclaimed,

“In accordance with the will of the Dragon God, I abdicate the throne and proclaim the Crown Prince as the 12th Emperor of Won’guk.”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the Grand Hall knelt and shouted, “Long live the Emperor!” Kyungrak slowly rose from his seat. The shouts of “Long live the Emperor!” from the officials and servants filling the area from outside the Grand Hall to the Janginmun Gate, the main gate of the palace, could be heard inside the Grand Hall.

Gamyoung, still prostrated, looked at the Emperor’s passing feet once again. Even the straps that bound his ankles were embroidered with dragon designs. Kyungrak’s feet slowly disappeared from his view. Finally, the large doors of the Grand Hall swung open, and the intense sunlight poured in. At the same time, the shouts of “Long live the Emperor!” from beyond the doors surged in like a wave. The sound of everyone prostrated, celebrating the coronation, continued endlessly. And the new Emperor, who received all this praise, stood majestically in front of them.

It was Kyungrak, the 12th Emperor of Won’guk, Emperor Gangyrung.

˖°⛩️⋆˙️

For a while, the palace was bustling, welcoming the new Emperor. Among the policies of the former Emperor’s reign, the good ones were kept, and those that needed reform were quickly amended. The Privy Council meetings, held every day since the coronation, involved in-depth discussions on the current state of the nation and the situation in the border regions.

However, the “Ordinance Edict,” the foundation of these policies, had yet to be announced. The ministers expressed their concerns and hinted that the Ordinance Edict should be announced, but Kyungrak merely laughed each time.

“Why should we be in such a hurry amongst ourselves? The feudal lords will come when the Gangmu is held anyway, so wouldn’t it be better to announce it all at once?”

The ministers had no choice but to bow their heads. Kyungrak had a boisterous and cheerful personality, but at the same time, he did not readily reveal his inner thoughts, as if even that personality was concealing his true nature. There was a reason why the third prince was appointed Crown Prince, despite having older brothers. Some praised him, saying that he was a suitable ruler for Won’guk, a country that was originally boisterous, while others thought that such a temperament would lead to disaster, but they were not foolish enough to utter such words carelessly. In any case, with the coronation of a new Emperor, there was always a mixture of anticipation and anxiety about the new world that would unfold.

Meanwhile, preparations for the Gangmu, the first event after the coronation, were steadily underway. This Gangmu was more important than a simple hunting ritual. Not only officials residing in the capital or on assignments but also feudal lords governing their territories and even local nobles from small regions would attend. While ostensibly a hunt to test the mettle of the generals, it was an occasion for the feudal lords and local nobles, who were less easily managed than those in the capital, to pledge their loyalty. Therefore, announcing the Ordinance Edict at this event meant a major reform would be implemented. The fact that he had already begun to fill the positions of senior officials with his own people, despite having only recently ascended the throne, was the beginning of this.

Even Gamyoung, who had little interest in all this, could not avoid the Gangmu. He had planned to leave the palace immediately after Kyungrak’s coronation and live outside, but even though he had no desire for power, he couldn’t miss such an event as a younger brother and subject. Moreover, since Kyungrak had personally asked him, he couldn’t refuse the Emperor’s command. He wasn’t particularly fond of hunting, but he wasn’t incapable of it either, so participating itself was not a problem.

The problem was the person who would be paired with him for the Gangmu.

Of course, Kyungrak had recommended the son of the Hyungju governor, but strangely, he wasn’t enthusiastic about it. There was no doubt about the governor of Hyungju’s conduct or his son’s skills. Otherwise, Kyungrak wouldn’t have recommended him as a partner in the first place. However, he was worried that this might be seen as him showing interest in imperial power. Even if Kyungrak pretended not to notice and wanted to give him a position, conflicts were bound to arise if a brother other than the Emperor got close to power.

But aside from all that, the biggest reason was that he didn’t want to entrust his back to someone he didn’t know. He couldn’t imagine the person recommended by the new Emperor stabbing him in the back, but he wondered if they could protect each other if a dangerous situation arose where their lives were at stake. Of course, as the new Emperor’s first hunting ritual, no dangerous beasts would be released, but there was always the possibility of unforeseen circumstances.

However, now was not the time to dwell on such thoughts. Gamyoung tightly clenched the pass he had finally regained. Since no one in the royal family could leave during the coronation preparations, the first thing he sought after the lifting of the confinement order was the pass that allowed him to freely enter and exit the palace. It had been so long. Gamyoung, who had been confined to the palace for almost two months, quickly finished preparing to go outside.

While he was in the palace, he missed the children at the training hall, the elders at the fabric shop, and the merchants, but the person he missed the most was Hongyo. Gamyoung looked outside the palace, fully prepared. Anticipation and a faint sense of anxiety arose. He was more than anything looking forward to seeing his friend again, but he was bothered by the fact that he had disappeared without a word. It was something he hadn’t anticipated either, and perhaps he was more concerned because the last time he saw him wasn’t pleasant.

‘I wonder if that guy even worried about me.’

Still, since he had missed him during their time apart, wouldn’t Hongyo feel the same way, even a little? He hoped so…. At that moment, Gamyoung suddenly came to his senses. What was this embarrassing behavior, being sentimental about being apart from another guy? No matter how special Hongyo was compared to others, he would be doing fine.

Besides, lately, it had been Hongyo who had been showing signs of distancing himself, talking about official positions and marriage. So, even if he suddenly disappeared one day, Hongyo might just think he had left early. Still….

‘I don’t like that….’

Never mind. Thinking about it wasn’t going to give him any answers. Gamyoung stepped outside for the first time in a while. The slightly chilly wind blew in through his sleeves. Gamyoung tightened his collar. But once again, thoughts of Hongyo flashed through his mind.

That Hongyo, the weather is getting cold, has he put on his rabbit fur clothes? I should buy some meat to take with me.