A large group of girls had been brought in from the market, specially selected for the heir to the throne. Gyeong Su, the eldest prince, was 34 years old and still had neither a wife nor an heir. He had been presented with numerous girls over the years, but none had captured his heart.

The Emperor had appointed his eldest son, Gyeong Su, as the heir to the throne, while his younger son, Tae Ji, who was 26 years old, had been given the position of commander of the army. Tae Ji was a skilled warrior, known for his strength and military prowess, which had earned him the respect of the people through his many victories. In contrast, Gyeong Su was often seen as arrogant and distant.

The girls were brought into the palace, where they sat on their knees with their heads bowed, their clothes torn and soiled. They were quiet, waiting for whatever fate awaited them. Gyeong Su turned to Tae Ji.

"All of these girls will become my concubines," he said coldly. "Then, I will choose one to be my wife."

Tae Ji examined each girl carefully, lifting their chins to study their faces. They were all beautiful, yet their eyes were hollow, staring into nothingness. However, when Tae Ji lifted the chin of the girl sitting in the center, she looked directly into his eyes. For a moment, Tae Ji couldn't tear his gaze away from her face and the intensity of her eyes, which seemed to hold a secret, a spark of life he hadn’t expected to find in this sea of empty stares.