Chapter 216: Chapter 211: Kang Nam-Kyu/ Seo Yeon
I couldn't believe how much that bitch was getting away with and no one stood up to her! In fact, they all loved her and lorded over her bastard children! No matter what I tried I couldn't get in touch with my husband, leaving me all alone to sort out this banquet without knowing the official guest list. I was in over my head and I was so sure for something important as this I should have my husband by my side to help me but it was like he didn't even care!
My husband had a higher status than when I first came to know him; I could have ended up getting the best foods and materials in the markets but I would just have to make do with what we had but I couldn't stop panicking. My mind couldn't stop wandering back to the time I 'worked' for the Queen; her tastes in decoration, foods, servants, and so on were something only my husband could afford. I was truly horrified at the levels of seduction in which that tramp would keep him away from his duties! But I couldn't lose sight of what this banquet was going to be about; I was going to put him back on the path that his father had mapped out for him and bring him back to me where he belonged. If I could make him see that I was the one he was supposed to take as his main wife we could practically own this town and more provinces and have just as much equal power as the royal families themselves. I just could fathom how an intelligent man like him couldn't see that or even start accumulating his own power and wealth already for anything other than the royal family themselves.
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The day of the banquet had arrived as well as the day my brother would finally freed himself from Prince Bang-Won. Despite my fears for all of the children, we all intended on attending. I dressed them in their best attire that I knew Nam-Kyu would certainly not be pleased with. We all left with plenty of bodyguards; Hyuk still wasn't happy and hadn't really spoken to us since the incident in the market occurred which I knew was really upsetting Seon-Ho; he had even taken a break from studying which was not like him at all. But hopefully, we could make it up to our children tonight and show them that everything we did was for them. I even had to take Hwan with us, Seon-Ho knew I hated exposing our children to these things and would rather keep them at home. I knew he felt the same but he just kept reassuring me that all the children would be protected and that he would not let anything happen to them at all. He held onto our children tightly and held Hwan for a while with a fearful look on his face. We both held each other, praying that this would work out. But one way or another she was going to be out of our lives for good.
We made our way towards the banquet table with our children in tow whilst Nam-Kyu has gotten 'delayed' in last-minute arrangements. I took up the main seat next to my husband whist my bother's family took the place where her 'vip guests' were supposed to. Little did anyone knew they were still with the kisaeng girls; drunk, oversexed, and late. Nam-Kyu was running around handling everything on her own and failing miserably; she was so used to people doing things for her that she had no sense of command, no organisational skills, and her taste was all over the place trying to match with the Queen's standards.
The King was in no fit state to move so the official guests of honour would be the Queen herself and her children as well as Prince Bang-Won. This would be the first time my brother and husband would be seen in public together presenting a united front, sending the prince a message of their rescinded partnership. I felt a huge sigh of relief to my poor brother, he had only kept being his right-hand man in order to protect Seon-Ho and our family, despite him prospering quite grandly; owning properties and sell businesses. And if all went according to my plan, he would rather forget their 'friendship' than plan to retaliate against us.
The time of the banquet had arrived and Nam-Kyu was still nowhere to be found. The Queen was rather surprised and irked to see me and my family in Nam-Kyu's place but before she could say anything about it I welcomed all the guests and still gave Nam-Kyu credit before ordering the festivities to start; dancers, meals, performers and a good selection of drinks were all taking place in front of our eyes, even the twins and my nephews were having a good time. After an hour or two she finally managed to show up looking disheveled, her face swollen from crying, looking for her supposed palace support who were still nowhere to be found; even the Queen who had a stoic look on her face all night even raised her eyebrows in disgust. Nam-Kyu looked like she was on the verge of a mental breakdown...and looked like she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep lately. I stood up in my seat and scolded her for the first time, asking why the host of the banquet was late and the whereabouts of her support who was supposed to welcome the royal family from the gate.
The Queen slammed her hands on the table in anger as we all just sat back and watched; holding onto all the children so they didn't get scared. She started scolding Nam-Kyu in front of everyone until she couldn't take it anymore; directing all her anger on her, rather than my husband. She started sputtering and crying but before she could say anything in her defence the Queen stormed off in rage taking her children with her. 'Unfortunately' the nearest fire torch went out, causing Hanna's friend to 'trip over a wine barrel' in the dark. Her family scrambled to pick her up and relight the torch, although my family stayed planted in their seats. But when the torch was lit up again, the Queen herself gasped in shock as she saw the stolen gold with her stamp on it pour out from the barrel...as well as the anti-contraceptive prescriptions with all the client's details stamped for the world to see; from her concubines to some of her own maids who had dalliances with the King. She shot Nam-Kyu a murderous look and called the guards to arrest her before she fainted in front of the whole crowd. But before she could scream to her people to cover up the mess Prince Bang-Won had already seen evidence of the Queen's treason and brandished his sword to anyone that came close to the evidence he could use to finally have her deposed.
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