Chapter 126: The Secret Meeting
The meeting was arranged by a woman I had never met—Lady Yun, head of a house that had been quietly resisting the Emperor's consolidation. She was old, sharp, and clearly unafraid.
"You've made a powerful enemy," she said, as we sat in a hidden chamber beneath the palace. "The Emperor does not forget those who refuse his gifts."
"We're not here to make enemies," Woo‑jin said. "We're here to find allies."
Lady Yun smiled—a thin, knowing smile. "Then you've come to the right place. There are many who are unhappy with the Emperor's rule. Who remember what the North was, and what it could be again."
"We're not seeking rebellion," I said quickly. "We want peace. Stability. The freedom to build our lives without interference."
"Peace is a luxury," Lady Yun said. "One that the Emperor does not grant freely. If you want to keep what you've built, you may have to fight for it."
The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning.
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Chapter 127: The Celebration
The celebration was held in the Imperial Palace, in a hall so vast it seemed to swallow the thousands of guests who filled it. I wore a hwarot of deep green—the color of my fields, my greenhouses, my life. Woo‑jin wore the formal robes of the Northern Duke, his presence commanding, his eyes never leaving mine.
The Emperor received us in the throne room, his smile as cold as I remembered. Beside him stood a woman I did not recognize—a tall, severe figure in the grey robes of the Imperial Inquisition. Her eyes, when they met mine, were sharp with interest.
"Duke Baek. Duchess Han." The Emperor's voice carried through the hall. "How good of you to come."
"Your Majesty," Woo‑jin said, bowing. "We are honored by the invitation."
The Emperor's smile widened. "I trust you enjoyed your journey?"
"The stars were kind," I said, keeping my voice steady.
His eyes moved to me, and I saw the calculation behind them. "The Duchess has become something of a legend in your absence. The woman who made a garden in the ice. The healer who cured the incurable." He paused. "I have been most eager to meet her again."
I felt Woo‑jin's hand brush mine, a silent reassurance. "I am flattered, Your Majesty."
"Flattery is not my intention." He leaned forward, his voice dropping so only we could hear. "I have questions, Duchess. Questions about your methods. Your techniques. The forbidden rituals that some say you used."
My heart was steady, my voice calm. "I used nothing forbidden, Your Majesty. Only the gift I was given, and the knowledge I earned."
He studied me for a long moment. Then he laughed—a cold, practiced sound. "We shall see."
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Chapter 128: The Inquisitor
The woman in grey approached me after the formal audience, her steps measured, her eyes never leaving mine.
"Duchess Han," she said, her voice low. "I am Inquisitor Seo. I have been tasked with investigating certain… irregularities in your methods."
"Irregularities?"
"Claims of forbidden techniques. Unauthorized use of Celestial Ki. The healing of a curse that was meant to be permanent." She smiled, and it did not reach her eyes. "I would very much like to discuss these matters with you."
I met her gaze. "I am happy to answer any questions you have, Inquisitor. But I warn you: my methods are my own, and I have broken no laws."
"We shall see," she said, echoing the Emperor's words.
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Chapter 129: The Interrogation
The interrogation took place the next day, in a small chamber deep within the palace. Woo‑jin was not permitted to attend. I went alone.
Inquisitor Seo was waiting for me, a data slate in her hands, her expression professionally neutral. "Duchess. Thank you for coming."
"I didn't have much choice."
She smiled faintly. "No. You didn't."
The questions began. They were detailed, probing, designed to catch me in contradictions. How had I healed the Duke? What role had my Ki played? Had I consulted any texts on forbidden rituals? Had I visited the Forbidden Planet?
I answered as I had trained myself to answer: honestly, but carefully. I described the treatments, the techniques, the gradual healing. I admitted to visiting the Forbidden Planet—the records would show it anyway—but described it as a search for medicinal plants, nothing more.
"And the Star Flower?" Inquisitor Seo asked. "Did you find it?"
I hesitated. This was the moment. "I found a flower. Whether it was the Star Flower of legend, I cannot say. But it helped in the healing."
Her eyes sharpened. "You used it in a treatment."
"Yes."
"A treatment that involved channeling Ki between you and the Duke."
"Yes."
"That is forbidden, Duchess. The transfer of Ki between individuals is prohibited by imperial law."
I met her gaze. "I did not transfer Ki. I shared it. There is a difference."
She was silent for a long moment. Then she set down her data slate. "The Inquisition will review your testimony. In the meantime, you are not to leave the capital."
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Chapter 130: The Prisoner
I was not imprisoned—not technically. But I was confined to my quarters, guards at my door, my every move watched.
Woo‑jin was not permitted to see me. The Emperor had separated us, isolating me, hoping to break me.
I did not break.
I spent my days in meditation, centering my Ki, preparing for whatever came next. I wrote letters to Scholar Choi, to my apprentices, to the people who depended on me. I reminded myself of what I had built, what I had survived, what I was capable of.
And at night, I lay alone in the strange bed and thought of Woo‑jin's warmth.
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Chapter 131: The Witness
After a week of isolation, I was summoned to a formal hearing.
The room was filled with officials—members of the Inquisition, representatives of the noble houses, observers from the Imperial Academy. The Emperor sat at the head of the room, his expression unreadable.
Inquisitor Seo presented her case. She laid out the evidence: my visit to the Forbidden Planet, the flower I had harvested, the treatment that had healed Woo‑jin. She called witnesses, presented documents, built a narrative of forbidden rituals and illegal Ki transfer.
Then it was my turn.
I stood before them, my hands steady, my voice clear. "I am a farmer," I said. "I grow things. That is my gift, and that is what I have done on Bukseong. I have healed the land, fed the hungry, brought life where there was only death. If that is a crime, then I am guilty."
There was murmuring in the room. The Emperor's expression did not change.
"The question," Inquisitor Seo said, "is not whether you have done good. The question is whether you have used forbidden means to do it."
"I have used the means that were given to me," I replied. "My Ki, my knowledge, my will to help. If that is forbidden, then the law is wrong."
The room went silent. I had said something that could be interpreted as treason.
The Emperor leaned forward. "You would defy imperial law, Duchess?"
I met his gaze. "I would ask you to consider what the law is for. Is it to protect the Empire? Or is it to protect the power of those who make the laws?"
His eyes narrowed. I had pushed too far.
But before he could respond, a voice spoke from the back of the room. "Your Majesty. If I may."
It was Scholar Choi.
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Chapter 132: The Scholar's Testimony
Scholar Choi walked to the center of the room, her data slate in her hand, her face calm. She had traveled to the capital without my knowledge, had somehow gained entry to the hearing.
"I have been the Duchess's apprentice for two years," she said. "I have documented her methods, her techniques, her work. I have seen nothing—nothing—that violates imperial law."
Inquisitor Seo frowned. "You are her apprentice. Your testimony is biased."
"My testimony is factual." Scholar Choi held up her data slate. "I have records of every treatment, every harvest, every technique the Duchess has used. They are available for review by any member of the Inquisition. They will show that the Duchess has broken no laws."
The Inquisitor took the data slate, scanning its contents. Her expression shifted, almost imperceptibly.
"This is… comprehensive," she said.
"It is complete," Scholar Choi replied. "The Duchess has nothing to hide. And the North has nothing to fear from an honest investigation."
The Emperor was watching, his face unreadable. After a long moment, he spoke.
"The Inquisition will review this evidence. The Duchess will remain in the capital until the review is complete." He rose, signaling the end of the hearing. "That is all."
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Chapter 133: The Waiting
The waiting was the hardest part.
Days turned into weeks. I was confined to my quarters, allowed no visitors except Scholar Choi, who brought me news of the outside world. The Inquisition was reviewing her evidence. The noble houses were watching. The Emperor was… waiting.
"He's trying to break you," Scholar Choi said one evening, as we sat together in my chambers. "He wants you to admit to something. Anything."
"I won't."
"I know." She smiled, tired but determined. "That's why he's frustrated. You're not giving him anything to use."
I looked out the window at the capital's glittering lights. "How is Woo‑jin?"
"He's… managing. He's been meeting with the allied houses, building support. Lady Yun has been helpful. There are many who see the Emperor's treatment of you as an overreach."
"And if they don't?"
She was quiet for a moment. Then: "Then we find another way."
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Chapter 134: The Verdict
The verdict came on a grey morning, delivered by Inquisitor Seo herself.
"The Inquisition has reviewed the evidence," she said, her voice neutral. "We have found no proof of forbidden rituals. No evidence of illegal Ki transfer. The Duchess's methods, while unconventional, do not violate imperial law."
I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.
"However," she continued, "the Inquisition has concerns about the long‑term implications of the Duchess's work. We recommend that she be monitored closely, and that her techniques be reviewed regularly by imperial scholars."
"Monitored," I said flatly.
"It is a precaution, Duchess. Nothing more." She met my eyes. "His Majesty has approved the recommendation."
I nodded slowly. "I understand."
She left, and I sat alone in my chambers, the weight of the verdict pressing down on me. I was free, but I was not free. The Emperor would always be watching.
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Chapter 135: The Reunion
Woo‑jin was waiting for me when I was released from my confinement.
He stood in the corridor outside my chambers, his face pale, his eyes bright. When he saw me, he crossed the distance between us in three strides and pulled me into his arms.
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice rough. "I should have protected you."
"You did." I held him tight, feeling the warmth of him, the solid reality of him. "You kept me safe."
"I couldn't—" He stopped, and I felt him trembling. "I couldn't see you. Couldn't speak to you. Couldn't—"
I pulled back, cupping his face in my hands. "I'm here. I'm fine. We're fine."
He kissed me then, fierce and desperate, and I kissed him back, and for a moment, the Emperor and his Inquisition and the weight of the world fell away.