The Heart of the Cruel Emperor
5. Part of the past

How did the village elder explain to his granddaughter if I had already left?

The village of Nil Nana has been looking for ryeon all day even asked her aunt Hana and Uncle Han. And they welcomed him with a ring of ignorance.

it's weird not usually he doesn't see ryeon even if it's just a glance. Where'd he go? asaan's decision enveloped Nana.

he went home to report to his grandfather - the village chief.

Hiks. her tears are not blocked anymore.

"grandfather" Nana immediately approached the village elder to complain, while the village elder looked at him sadly .he understood very well to his granddaughter who had harbored a sense of ryeon since childhood.

And now how will he explain that ryeon is a female figure just like Nana. he will not be able to say it especially he has promised Physician Han and Lady Hana to keep the identity of Ryeon.

"Why are you crying grandchild?"

"Grandfather, I can't find ryeon all day . I've even visited aunt Hana and Uncle Han to meet her. But, they say they don't know where Ryeon .hiks is"

"already, don't ever look for ryeon again"

hearing that made Nana immediately look at her grandfather angrily. "what does grandfather mean? does grandpa know where Ryeon went?"

Nana looked for Dimata's grandfather's answer, while the village elder looked at him sadly.

"grandfather, please say something," Nana said.

huft took a heavy breath of the village elder sign that he was going to say something.

"ryeon has gone with her pregnant lover to live together. And that grandfather, healer Han and mistress Hana kept the Nile a secret so as not to become a problem for you"

"WHAT!!! THERE'S NO WAY GRANDPA WOULD LIE!"

Nana screamed hysterically hearing this from her grandfather.

...**************...

Hachu.

Hani sneezed Because the river air is so cold . moreover it is still very dark to say morning.

Slowly, but surely, hani's hand opened something given by his mother. Curiosity can not be weathered anymore when he saw a letter and a wooden hair skewer that looks beautiful.

He could see clearly how the shape of the dragon-shaped tip. It is white in color and there are also small holes in certain areas. Like a flute but mixed with hairpicks.

'My eyesight didn't see it wrong, did it? This is very beautiful' inner hani while fingering the hair skewer.

Hani forgot something. He had to read the letter his mother gave him. He drew himself closer to the small torch he was carrying.

Now he seemed to focus on staring at the letter from his mother in the silence on the bank of the river.

For Hani

Pardon,

new mom can give you your tau now.

Pardon,

I was too afraid of the harsh reality that had happened to your father and brother.

And sorry, though,

I lied to you about your father being a soldier. That's not true.

Your father was not a soldier who died on the battlefield. Unless he is a commander. About his whereabouts now Mother never knew.whether he was still alive or had left mother far away at this time.

The last day I saw him was 17 years ago.Your father told your mother, uncle and brother, Ryeon. to leave the palace because of the rebels who attacked the palace suddenly.

With the compulsion of my mother to go with your uncle and brother to leave her alone at a very difficult time.

And also, your father promised to pick up mom soon when the war was over.  But God wants something else. A few days later your uncle heard that the war was over with the rebel victory. It was sad news for your mother, uncle and brother.

I felt so bad until you were born. I feel like your father is back when I see you.

Your ocean-like blue eyes remind you of your father. I am determined to rise from the fall. I have to take care of you because you are the last memory of him.

But, a few months later. The thing that you fear is coming back. Rebels came to destroy the village that my mother lived in.

They know your mother, uncle and brother. There was a fight at that time. Especially brother.

He's a very good boy. Mother loves him. He sacrificed willingly to be a hindrance to mother running away with your dying uncle.

He's a very good boy. And mother was a very stupid person at that time.by obeying her words to run away.

Mother still remembers her saying to mother that time for the last time "Mommy saved my sister, take care of her for me and dad. I love him so much. And this is for him". He gave the hairpin to his mother before he beat the rebels with his small body. And then mom was unconscious.

When my mother is conscious. Mother had been at the home of Junzi's grandmother - a healer from the Nile village we live in today.

He helped your mother and uncle who were dying at the time. And he also has given us a proper place to live until now.

Your mother and uncle feel very indebted to him. Until he breathed his last 3 years later.

He advised that your mother and uncle take good care of his home of medicine because it is a hereditary home of medicine.

I can't refuse it. Because maybe this way you can avenge the goodness of grandma junzi all this time. And no heirs because Junzi's grandmother lived alone.

Now there's nothing else I'm keeping secret to. About your disguise as a mother's male figure in disguise from the rebels who are after you.

They spread your pictures with the lure of gold coins, from where they got your picture as a baby.

Forgive me for making you not a real woman all this time. Excuse me.

Be careful at the palace. Because it's not the peaceful place it used to be.

I still do not know how the current state of the palace is. All you can hear is the crown prince who has returned. The rest of the mother does not know anything because of the distance and time that is far enough.

Take good care of yourself there. As much as possible, don't show who you are. If hani can, I want to ask Hani for help. Find out more about your father and brother's whereabouts, despite the grave expressions that mom may have later.

I begged hani.

And your father's name is Han shin.

                           Salutations

            Your mother sinned

Unstoppable are already tears. He already knows everything. A secret that his mother always kept tight shut from him.

It turned out that his mother had been harboring a lot of grief and pain all along. Without him knowing.

" Mother is innocent.it is only her who is guilty because she does not understand the state of motherhood. Forgive hani. Hani promised to look for the existence of father and brother" hani's determination was unanimous. Now he knew what his purpose was to go to the palace other than to be a servant.

'I have a sister. Ryeon. Yeah, he's called ryeon. Even if my sister where. Slalu's mother missed her sister through her call to me. My pseudonym all along, Ryeon' inward hani. He only realized if his pseudonym to be a male figure is the name of his brother so far.

The sun is almost shining. Hani immediately wiped his tears. He immediately kept his brother's hairpin behind the clothes he was wearing.

'Hani you're not weak.you're strong. Why am I crying lately? Not as usual' her inner.

Sometimes he exhales to neutralize his feelings after crying.

Hani Picked up the torch and immediately passed from the river. He did not want the soldiers to be suspicious of him for cleaning up too early.