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The letter that arrives is far too full of worried words for it not to have been read by the Emperor already.
The Crown Prince of the Yu Clan, the hope and glory of their people, has written to her in great concern.
And he hasn’t even tried to hide the fact that he’s worried that the Emperor is neglecting her.
The Joseon Consort is frequently visited by the Emperor.
She is favoured by him.
He spends many late nights in her palace.
But, she has born no children.
And that alone worries the heir of her maiden clan.
When the Empress visits the Joseon Consort the next day she knows that there is a discussion to be had.
The Empress is heavily pregnant with her second child but has made the journey to visit anyway.
This is important then.
“I know his letter wasn’t respectful.”
The Empress sips her tea in response.
“The heir just worries about… my situation here.”
The Empress seems to take an assessing look at the Joseon Consort.
“I spend enough time with the Emperor anyway. And I know that’s not how one begets royal heirs but-“
“Would you like to have a child?”
The question is asked surprisingly gently.
“I…. Not if it will cause trouble.”
“Why would it cause trouble?”
“People will scheme; both here and there as well. I don’t want to cause trouble, not for the Emperor or for….”
“You treat the heir of the Yu Clan as if he were your son.”
She looks down at the floor.
She has nothing to say to that.
“If he were to gain an ally, a Royal Duke perhaps, wouldn’t that bolster his position?”
“And then people would try to calculate them both.”
“You are a Consort to the Son of Heaven; many people will try to manipulate you for their own advantage.”
She looks at the Empress then, unsure of where this conversation is going.
“All I ask is for you to consider; would it bring you happiness to have a child?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sure it would bring the Emperor great happiness too if you could bear him a son.”
“But you will have-“
“A daughter. I need two daughters first to consolidate our great alliance with Mongolia of course.”
“And then a Crown Prince later?”
“A Crown Prince who will need strong allies like an ambassador to the Yu Clan.”
The Empress says it with such confidence that the Joseon Consort can’t even think to question that declaration until much later.
When she is summoned to serve in bed that night; formally, properly, and not the way that she usually spends late nights with the Emperor, it feels strange.
Lying under the covers she waits nervously.
The Emperor sits down on the bed and reaches for her hand under the covers.
“If you’d prefer we can go comb your cats instead?”
He’s as nervous as she is.
She smiles and shakes her head.
“Ah, I see.”
But he’s smiling as well.