The road to Anju took several days.

  The embassy set out immediately after the New Year celebrations. They did not hurry, but neither did they stop to linger in every town along the way. Yi Hyun did his best to delay the day when he would have to part with the regent at the border. The gisaeng he had taken from the palace danced and sang diligently, the cooks prepared the finest dishes, and his face already ached from endless polite smiles. But day followed day, and Prince Rui did not so much as mention the matter of succession. The farther north they traveled, the emptier and more snowbound the roads became, despite the coming of spring, and twice they had to wait out snowstorms directly on the road.

  They entered Anju at sunset, and by the time the carts were driven into the courtyard of the magistrate’s office and the belongings unloaded, night had fully fallen. Fortunately, the hospitable magistrate of Anju had arranged dinner in advance, and the guests only had to settle themselves in the heated hall.

  Yi Hyun and “Envoy Zhao” took the places of greatest honor. Magistrate Kwon, stumbling over his words, began to deliver a solemn welcoming speech… It seemed that the appearance of an actual prince had greatly agitated the plump, elderly official. As usual, the interpreter translated for the regent, while the regent once again adopted his familiar manner of address and exchanged friendly winks now with the magistrate’s wife, now with one of the gisaeng.

  That gisaeng, incidentally, was already known to Yi Hyun. She was Jade Butterfly herself, the one who had helped him during the memorable escape from Incheon. Several days after his return to the palace, Yi Hyun had found her with the help of the Wangwisa Commander and offered her his protection.

  Unfortunately, he had no power to restore the good name of her family, once accused of treason. Instead, the prince helped her join the palace troupe. Entertaining the king and his guests with dances was far preferable to smiling at an endless stream of visitors to a capital gibang.

  And now, when he needed reliable people to accompany a high-ranking guest, Commander Yeong had suggested taking Jade Butterfly along without hesitation. Yi Hyun considered it sound advice and agreed. Thus the young beauty suddenly found herself in his retinue in distant, snowbound Anju.

  The magistrate had just finished his speech, and Prince Rui appeared to have rubbed his eyelid off while winking at the giggling wife of the magistrate, when noise came from the courtyard. A moment later, the alarmed steward ran into the hall and whispered something into the magistrate’s ear. The magistrate sprang up, but did not manage to do anything more.

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  Yi Yun himself stepped into the hall. Behind him hurried a bent, inconspicuous eunuch, clutching a bundle with their belongings.

  “What a splendid evening!” Yi Yun declared in a loud voice and, extending his palms before him, indicated a bow toward the regent. “I have come to Anju in connection with an investigation and thought it would be courteous to greet you.”

  “What a pleasant surprise,” the regent smiled broadly at him. “Join our meal, Great Prince.”

  Yi Yun walked up to Yi Hyun’s table and looked down at him coldly.

  “Hyun,” he addressed his brother. “You should yield your place to me.”

  Yi Hyun felt the blood rush to his face. Of course, he was supposed to yield his seat to his elder brother. He had simply been taken aback by his sudden appearance and hesitated for a moment. Why was it necessary to reprimand him in front of everyone?

  The prince hurried to rise and bowed.

  “Please, take a seat, Elder Brother,” he said, trying to catch Yi Yun’s gaze and understand what was happening. But Yi Yun had already settled onto the cushions and, as if nothing were amiss, began exchanging courtesies with the regent, speaking of snowdrifts at the city gates.

  “Since you are both gathered here,” Prince Rui declared some time later, “let us become better acquainted. I did not manage to speak properly with Great Prince Seojin while I was staying in the capital, and I did not have time to form an opinion of him to report to the emperor.”

  While they were in public, the regent continued to pretend to be an envoy. Yi Hyun always found this awkward, but he had to play along.

  “I was following my father’s order and conducting an investigation that could not be delayed,” Yi Yun nodded. “Much as I would have liked to spend more time in your pleasant company, as a dutiful son I could not do otherwise. I hope the reception offered to you by Great Prince Dojun was sufficient. I know that my younger brother can sometimes be awkward, and I offer my apologies for this.”

  “I was satisfied,” the regent smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

  Yi Hyun bit his lip. It seemed his brother had decided to demonstrate their rivalry and therefore behaved so provocatively. They had played out this performance before at court, and Yi Hyun was prepared to support it. But was it wise to do so in front of the regent? What did he truly expect from the two princes?

  “I also apologize that the reception was poor,” Yi Hyun added his excuses. “I regret that I have very little experience in such matters.”

  “It is good that you acknowledge this, younger brother,” Yi Yun’s voice was sharp enough to cut. “No one is born knowing Confucius by heart. The noble man learns throughout his life, and skill comes to him with experience. Such is the established order of things: water flows from the mountain downward, and the elder is wiser than the younger. Undoubtedly, the envoy possesses wisdom that I myself still lack. I would be glad to hear his guidance.”

  Yi Hyun cast an interested glance at his brother. He had not suspected that Yi Yun could shape his words so elegantly, even if it was for the sake of wounding him.