Later at night, Lady Baek sets out to carry out her mistress's orders. The fist letter she delivers is the prince's letter. "Your highness." She bows and sits before him.
"I heard my mom sent some words to me through you." The prince whispers with a lot of excitement and interest.
"Yes." Lady Baek dips her hand in her blouse and pulls out a letter handing it to the prince. "Here you go your highness."
Yeoning hurriedly collects the letter and his eyes runs through the content without a break until he is done. "Is she doing fine?" He asks and drops the letter.
"Yes your highness. She asked me to tell you to always get adequate sleep and never skip any meals."
The prince nods with a smile. "I won't, do you have any idea when the house arrest will come to an end?"
"It's coming to an end tomorrow your highness, once the queen dowager is out of the palace."
"I can't wait to see her."
"You will get to see her tomorrow." Lady Baek says with a smile. The next set of people
to receive the letter is the lady investigators. "Suk-bin her majesty asked me to give this to you." Lady Baek whispers as she hands over the letter to the chief madam lady investigator."
"Thank you." Lady Yu quickly collects the letter and opens it to read. As soon as she is done reading, she folds the letter and faces Lady Baek. "When is she getting off her house arrest?"
"As soon as the queen dowager leaves the palace, tomorrow."
"I can't wait for us to start investigating the prince, but we surely can't do it alone." Lady Yu whispers sounding a little heartbroken. "We can never be allowed to investigate the prince, even if we are giving the opportunity to, we have to work hand in hand with the tribunal."
"I am aware of that too." Lady Baek says and sighs. "But you know who Suk-bin her majesty is, she will do whatever she sets her mind on. Let's just prepare and awaits her orders."
"I am yet to get over Seol IM's death, it is so difficult to do that. But I am sure I will get over it once that good for nothing prince is being punished."
"We have to the use this opportunity to get every possible thing we want now, the queen dowager will be out for a while."
"For a while?" Lady Yu asks surprises cutting the other lady off. "What do you mean by that?"
"Do you think the queen dowager will be out of the place for long?" Lady Baek asks too.
"This is so unfair!" Lady Yu exclaims. "Why is it that she never gets punished?"
"Because she is the queen dowager, the mother of the king."
"Poor Suk-bin, I wonder how she always feel to see the queen dowager walks so happily and bravely around the palace."
"She is a very brave woman, a warrior." Lady Baek whispers.
"I can't wait for the day prince Yeoning will become crown prince, I pray I love long to see that day." Lady Yu whispers.
"I will die a fulfilled woman if prince Yeoning becomes the next king."
"With our help, I believe we can do this together." Lady Yu adds.
********
Outside the palace, the entire southern ministers had gathered on hearing words that Suk-bin Choi wants to pass a message to them. They sit in one of the minister's house and awaits the arrival of the messenger.
"I wonder what she wants to tell us that made her summon us out this terrible night." Lord Kang rants in annoyance, his sitting position reveals that he is the eldest in the room, the entire ministers are in his room waiting for the arrival of the anonymous message.
A servant comes in from outside and bows to the ministers. "My lords, a woman from Suk-bin her majesty's chambers is here to see you."
"Let her in!" Lord Kang orders sounding very unpleased.
"Yes, my lord." The servant bows and walks out.
Lady Baek walks in and bows. "I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting." She says and hands over the letter to lord Kang. "This is the letter from Suk-bin her majesty."
Lord Kang clears his throat and collects the letter. He reads the content and scoffs them reads it aloud sarcastically for the rest of the ministers to hear. "Our time is here, we mustn't let it slip away. We have waited long enough for this golden moment, and here it is. Thus, we have to use this opportunity to achieve all we can. I need you all to ask the king to make my son the crown prince as soon as the queen dowager leaves the palace for the temple. As you all know, if my son becomes crown prince, it is all for our own good and benefits. The southern faction will lead and rule the nation." After reading the letter, he drops it and faces the rest of the ministers and asks. "what do you all think?"
"How does she expect us to support her when she has betrayed us in the first place?" Lord Shim asks directing his question to no one in particular.
"Betrayed you?" Lady Baek asks a little confused.
"Yes." Lord Kang answers. "Suk-bin her majesty betrayed us the moment she decided to pick her future daughter in law form the northern faction."
"What?" Lady Baek asks again.
"Go back and tell Suk-bin her majesty that we are not going to give her any support whatsoever until she cancels the marriage proposal with lord Jang's daughter." Another Minister bargains.
"So, you are turning your back on her majesty now?" Lady Baek asks annoyingly.
"We never said that, but as long as she chooses Lord Jang's daughter to be her daughter in law. We will stop giving her any political supports." Lord Shim replies.
"Lord Shim!" Lady Baek calls to caution.
"Go back and deliver our message to Suk-bin her majesty." Lord Kang says with a tone of order on his voice.