My Ultimate Ambition

The ruggedman stood before the empress with his head bowed down, crystal the size of his arm glittering in his hands. With her interest undeniably piqued, she smiled from her throne and nodded at the court eunuch to examine the sparkling jewel he had brought. Listening intently as he explained there were millions more like it in the cave of the land being fought for, she realized the war would be more brutal than she hoped.

With a nod of her head, she ordered food and money be bestowed on the man as an offering to feed his family while the jewel was taken to the treasury room. She turned to the courtiers and demanded they send in more troops to protect Daejong and the land housing these minerals as it was a fortune the country couldn't afford to lose.

Deliberations and suggestions went on among them as she stared down at them from the throne. While it was greed centered, she was much more obliged to listen to anything that would protect her husband, at the moment, she wouldn't mind putting the treasure in their hand so long they voted to send troop but, West faction; especially Minister Choi vehemently opposed the idea as the capital would be without defense.

He wouldn't have the woman do immensely well in ruling as a proxy. While it may be fortunate to have her run the country, she was also amassing political power and influence that would stabilize and solidify her position in the future making any prospects of new empress futile. He wouldn't have his daughter remain concubine for a long time as the phoenix should roost at the nest made for it.

Yoona knew very well how much he hated her existence and guts, empress position intensified the hatred and she knew, but she would rather remove him from his position than watch his caricature display of loyalty to a nation he doesn't like it's ruler, thereby discouraging other ministers whose interest were pure.

"Minister Choi should desists from bringing disunity at this turbulent time or have himself removed from the court!"

Her order was lucidly soft but thunderous the men were shocked. As someone always soft spoken, her bark was felt and the warning understood. Her outward appearance may be delicate, but her personality and confidence are strong. Accepting ruling by proxy was because she had the power to incite positivity and loyalty in those she encounters and she would garner more support for her husband. This passionate powerhouse embodies the notion of not judging a book by it's cover.

Minister Choi chuckled silently as he made his rebuttal. "If the emperor threatened us in such manner each time we made dissatisfactory opinions against his wish, I'm sure there would be no nation!"

"What?!" She banged her hands on the throne in anger as she stood up. "How dare you utter such blasphemous utterances?"

He fell to his knees to kowtow as he made a treasonous statement which could cause him his life. He only prayed the woman would overlook it and not pursue the matter.

"This nation belongs to her people not the aristocrats or royalty alone. We all partake in the possession of this country!"

He sighed in relief as it seem she wouldn't blow it out of proportion, but her statement still tugged at him. What? The nation belonged to all of them? Is she retarded or ignorant?

Yoona suspended him temporarily till Daejong's safe return and also got the courts unwavering support to send more troops to the frontline. 

Back at Seo-yun's palace, she splashed her tea on the floor with it's cups shattering to the ground.

"What? She suspended my father from politics? How dare her mess with my father after taking what rightfully belongs to me!"

Her courtmaid tried assuaging her anger but ended up getting a hateful earful. 

"Write me a letter to him!"

"Minister Choi is arriving!" A voice announced from the entrance. She elegantly stood up to meet him at the door as her impatience got ahold of her.

"Father? What did she do to you?" She curtsied elegantly as he bowed as custom demands.

"Calm down, your highness. This is actually a good thing. " He sat down on the seat lying across hers.

"What do you mean?" She disbelieved his suspension was a good thing.

"I'll use this opportunity to prove to the world she's nothing and can never compare to your wits and intelligence!"

She beamed at the prospect of this new plan brewing of success. "What's the plan?"

He stood up to whisper to her but found her red from shock.

"Don't hurt the emperor, father!" She gasped out.

"I wouldn't dare. We still need him" he looked over her shoulders to admire the oil painting of field of flowers.

"My first ambition has always been to admire the phoenix painting lying right behind you, and I've never given up on it." He took from the maid a tea cup as he took a sip. "I want to watch my grandchildren playing around my feet and in the future visit my boy at his dragon palace," he smiled wistfully at her lost in thought.

"Have you already given up, your highness?"

"Never, father. I'm almost running out of patience so don't take too long!"

Minister Choi rummaged his mind on restoring his dream and future of grand opulence with his daughter as empress and his grandson as crown prince and apparent heir to the throne. Therefore, Daejong must stay alive, but he can't say the same for the bitch. As long as there's no heir from her, the plan would be easier to accomplish. Well, everyone has been expecting news of a pregnancy not forthcoming as the emperor slept with her alone, but it seemed her w.o.m.b was too cold to geminate a seed. That was a speculation though, but he hoped it was a truth.

"Your highness, a courtmaid from the empres' palace is here to bring lord Choi with her!"

Seo-yun's eyes dimmed at the notion of what the empress still wants from her father but felt her father's reassuring gaze on her.

"What does she still want, father?"

Minister Choi arose from his seat and slightly bowed, straightening out his sleeves, he smiled at his daughter.

"Probably a warning of some sorts, nothing too big."

He left with the maid to meet her. Moments later found him lowering himself to a deep bow in reverence to her presence.

"Minister Choi, hope you've been well?" She asked so softly he felt his heart pounding, in fear!

He kowtowed on the ground but heard her softer voice urging him to stop and have a seat.

"Serve him the best meal and wines from my palace," he heard her command and watched streams of dishes laid before his table.

"What's the meaning of these?" He asked as she had no reason to treat him well as bad blood flowed between them.

"Meaning? Meaning you ask?" She seemed to mull over some thoughts as she mused.

"Minister Choi has to be healthy and live a long time to witness all my achievements. What better revenge is there except watching your enemy become that which you hoped for your child?"

He fell to his knees to resume his kowtows, "Leave Seo-yun out of this, just kill me and end it all!" but her bark was as strong as her anger.

"I hold nothing against Consort Suk so long she doesn't fight me and death is too sweet for you. I can't let you die and I'll make sure you're at your optimal health for a very long time."

Chopsticks and spoons were handed down by the servants as he sat down to the meal. "Then, I shall obey your highness and enjoy this meal as you've promised to leave my daughter out of our matter."

He took a spoon first to unhesitantly scoop a large portion of the chicken soup. 

She interrupted, "You're not afraid it could be poisoned?"

"No matter how much you hate me or have courage, you wouldn't dare kill me in your palace in broad daylight." He scooped rice into his mouth , "The food is truly delicious, thank you for your grace, your majesty!"

Yoona chuckled softly and watched him silently devour the food, meats and whatever there in. 

...

A report arrived a base bearing situational report of the war state. News came into the capital of the victory but the emperor wouldn't withdraw his troops. 

News reaching him from his spies was of a suspecting foul play or strategy he was yet to understand which gave him sleepless nights and troublesome thinking.

He too felt the war was strange as the Kigals and their allies were quite strong but had lost the war right before it started. They intensely waged war for a month but fled when it was obvious they were about to win? He reorganized his thoughts to realize they wanted something else, not the land they declared interest in, but what was it?

Daejong whom sat with his war generals contemplated there was more to the war as the Kigals might have employed a strategy of distraction, or that they planted a seed of success in their mind so as to attack them when their guards were down.

Hastily, a letter was sent to the empress of his delayed arrival as the war still raged on as he would only arrive when the Kigals fled to their barren lands.

On a sunny day, secret missives came in for Yoona about an inflock of business men whose identity was questionable. It was also gathered they had been arriving right after her wedding but the population of their businesses was alarming.

Yoona felt it was fortunate their country thrived on businesses as their economy stabilized but when she employed her spies to find out their background, it was found their identities were really questionable, then it clicked!

"Bring me paper and brush!" She screamed out with voice trembling in fear.

She wondered how she could have missed that. How could she have doubted the authenticity of the emperor's concern and brushed it off? Kigals, the bastards were not really after their borderline, they were after the heart of the city; the capital! And it might already be too late to defend against their attacks.

No wonder they pretended to run from their borderlands not knowing they had already implanted themselves in their city!