Chapter 38
Episode 38. Madam Yun, wife of Grand Prince Suyang
“Grandmother, I pay my respects.”
“Mother, have you been well? A servant who accompanied the Ming envoy brought back fine silks, and I brought a few types that I thought would suit you well.”
The dignified Prince Dowon, wearing a deep blue robe and a black headband adorned with gold leaf, and Madam Yun, resplendent in a purple silk dangui embroidered with a magnificent plum blossom pattern, bowed towards the Queen.
Yunseo gathered her papers and retreated to a corner, while Hongwi had already run to the Queen and was sitting on her lap, kicking his legs.
It had been just over a month since we saw Prince Dowon at Noble Lady Yang's pavilion.
Back then, our Hongwi would stiffen just seeing Prince Dowon, but today he was full of ease, his eyes wide as he leaned against the Queen.
“His Highness the Grandson, have you been well?”
Madam Yun also paid her respects to Hongwi.
“Are you well too, Grandmama?”
As he spoke with his lisp, Prince Dowon chuckled and mimicked, “Are you well too, Grandmama?” and then added,
“I heard there will be a ceremony soon. Will you speak with such a lisp then too, Your Highness?”
He lectured him politely.
At his words, Hongwi flinched and glanced at Yunseo.
Yunseo smiled slightly and nodded.
Then, Hongwi leaned back against the Queen, kicking his short legs, and replied indifferently.
“Gwonga, the maid, said so. I am still a baby, so if I am too, too smart, my pronunciation will be perfect, and I won’t be a cute baby.”
Hahahaha.
The Queen, who usually only managed a slight upturn of her lips, if anything, burst into peals of laughter, her shoulders shaking.
“Yes, yes. Kwon Ga is right. Our Hongwi is exceptionally intelligent, like His Majesty, so if his pronunciation were perfect, he wouldn’t seem like a baby. Hyundong, your concern is lovely, but do not worry too much. You were like this at this age too.”
“···Yes, Grandmother.”
Prince Dowon replied with a displeased expression, and Madam Yun’s eyes briefly swept over Yunseo with a sharp gaze.
As their eyes met, Yunseo’s heart sank as she witnessed the immense hatred and murderous intent contained within that look.
It was because of such tenacious ambition that she had spurred Grand Prince Suyang to stage a coup, and later, before the body of her son, King Yejong, had even cooled, she had established Seongjong as king and decided on regency.
One needed such eyes to walk such a heartless and cruel path.
In other words, Yunseo would soon have to harbor such venom herself.
Thinking of Nietzsche’s famous quote, “And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you,” Yunseo felt a chill run down her spine.
However, Madam Yun turned her head and instantly adopted a soft and gentle expression, saying to the Queen,
“Hyundong missed you dearly, Mother. As soon as he saw the Hangzhou silk today, he said, ‘This, this, this would suit Grandmother well,’ and urged me to show it to you, so I came to show you a few samples, Mother.”
“Oh my, what a sweet thought. Our Hyundong, come to Grandma. Let me hold my first grandson for a while.”
Then, Prince Dowon rose and went towards the Queen.
Hongwi twisted his body, slid off the Queen’s lap, and sat beside her, stretching his legs out.
After patting Prince Dowon’s upper body a few times, the Queen met his eyes and asked,
“What are you learning these days?”
“I am learning the Sohak, Your Majesty. Also, my father says that while studies are important, a man must cultivate a noble spirit, so he is teaching me horseback riding and archery.”
“Oh my, that is right. One must have a strong body from a young age to be healthy for life.”
“Yes, Grandmother. I will train diligently and grow into a man who resembles my great-grandfather, like my father.”
Prince Dowon replied with dignity and sat to the side.
Then, Hongwi naturally reclaimed his spot on the Queen’s lap.
Seeing how he had grown so fond of his grandmother after spending an hour with her every day for the past few days made Yunseo’s heart swell with pride.
“Mother, I have three types of summer silks. Would you like to see them?”
“Since you chose them, I’m sure they are excellent, but let’s take a look.”
Madam Yun called out behind her, “Jo Jeon-eon.”
Then, Jo Jeon-eon, who had entered with Madam Yun and had been lying by the door, brought forward a square bundle of crimson and blue silk, meticulously wrapped with red silk tassels, and laid it before the Queen.
Inside the bundle were silks of a beautiful deep purple, dark red, and azure blue, which were evident even to Yunseo, who knew nothing about silk.
Madam Yun, who had sat down with Jo Jeon-eon, began to explain as she unfolded them one by one.
“This is a double-happiness-and-butterfly-patterned silk. It will be very cool if you make a dangui with it, Mother. I have found a seamstress with very skilled hands, so if you like it, I will make a dangui for you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Kwon Ga, come here and look too. Silks this fine are rarely seen even in the Palace.”
The Queen, perhaps concerned about Yunseo sitting in the corner as if she were invisible, beckoned her.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Although she did not want to approach Madam Yun, who exuded such a terrifying aura, Yunseo politely approached as the Queen called her and sat a step behind Madam Yun.
Madam Yun still completely ignored Yunseo.
“Mother, what do you think of this azure blue silk? It is very thin yet strong, and the pattern is beautiful. If you make it into a long jeogori, it will be easier to endure the sweltering heat on very hot days.”
“Yes, I suppose so. However, you should take the silk and wear it only within the Palace. His Majesty has instructed us not to be overly extravagant. How can the Queen wear it within the Palace?”
“Ah, my thoughts were shallow. I apologize, Mother.”
“It is not that your thoughts were shallow, but rather that your heart to care for this mother is so deep. Is that not so, Kwon Ga?”
The Queen asked Yunseo again.
“Yes, I believe so too.”
Then, Madam Yun slightly turned her head and scanned Yunseo, who was sitting behind her, with a cold gaze.
Her displeasure was evident, as if to say, “What do you know to butt in?”
“Princess Jeongui will be here soon. Shall we wait with some refreshments? Hyundong, Hongwi, what would you like to eat?”
“For this grandson, seeing Grandmother is enough.”
“I want jeonggwa. And yeongeun jeonggwa and yakgwa too.”
Prince Dowon politely declined, while our Hongwi wriggled his bottom and pointed to what he wanted to eat.
Seeing this, Madam Yun tilted her head and said coldly to Yunseo,
“How do you normally serve His Highness that he has so many things he wants to eat?”
Yunseo, who had been controlling Hongwi’s snacks because she feared he would get cavities due to the excessive honey and syrup in the Palace’s sweets, felt wronged but merely bowed her head and said, “I apologize.”
She could not come to the East Palace and interfere directly, and she did not want to be tired by an unnecessary argument.
“Grandmother, Hongwi wants to eat colorful fish and play fishing.”
(Grandmother, Hongwi wants to eat colorful fish and play fishing.)
Perhaps disliking Madam Yun’s frightening gaze that swept over him from moment to moment, Hongwi pleaded to go out and play fishing.
“I will take His Highness out to play,” said Yunseo.
The Queen shook her head and asked Hongwi,
“Hongwi, can you play with Jaseon? Kwon Ga and I need to talk with your aunt a little longer here.”
No, no, Your Majesty.
I don’t want to be face-to-face with Madam Yun here either, just like Hongwi.
Yunseo cried out inwardly and looked at Hongwi with pleading eyes.
‘Hongwi. Please tell them you can’t do without Gwonga the maid!’
However, the heartless Hongwi exclaimed, “Yes!” with spirit, got up, and first said to Prince Dowon,
“Brother, shall we go fishing too?”
My goodness.
Our Hongwi has changed so much!
Hongwi, who used to be timid and could barely meet Prince Dowon’s gaze, is now so confident!
Yunseo’s heart swelled with pride, almost to the point of tears, but as Hongwi left with Prince Dowon, he turned around and shouted.
“Gwonga, the maid! If anyone hits me, tell Jaseon!”
“!”
“!”
Yunseo’s face turned red, and she bowed her head. The Queen once again shook her shoulders and burst into laughter, while Madam Yun’s face turned red with anger.
This was because Yunseo had always instructed Hongwi, “Your Highness, if anyone hits you, tell me immediately. I will not let anyone who dares to lay a finger on His Highness the Grandson go! If I’m not around, tell Jaseon!”
“Oh my, our Hongwi has become quite the rascal. It is a good thing that he has become so cheerfully bright after always being so subdued. New bride, do not worry about it at all.”
The Queen, seeing Madam Yun’s face, comforted her belatedly.
Just then, maids carrying refreshments entered.
A small table was placed before the Queen, Madam Yun, Yunseo, and Jo Jeon-eon.
“Let’s eat. Fortunately, good peaches have arrived from Sarwon. It has been dry, so the fruits are sweet, but I am truly worried about the harvest. The Crown Prince has been abstaining from meat lately and preparing for a rain ritual with a vegetarian diet. Kwon Ga, please take good care of our Hyangyi.”
“···Yes, Your Majesty.”
Five days ago, after asking her to wait at Bihyeon Pavilion, Lee Hyang had kept his distance from Yunseo.
The day he summoned her to Bihyeon Pavilion to ask detailed questions about the Imjin War and the Byeongja Horan of Joseon was only one day, and even then, Lee Hyang was so busy writing down what Yunseo said with a fine brush behind his usual desk that he barely looked at her.
For the remaining days, he sent word through Eom Sangjeon that he was busy with state affairs and asked her to write her thoughts down.
So, Yunseo filled the papers with her clumsy handwriting, writing down whatever came to mind about Joseon’s wise kings, foolish kings, and tyrannical kings. She also wrote down what she knew about historical figures from Japan and China, such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Hong Taiji.
She regretted not having studied history more thoroughly, thinking, “If I had known I would be teaching Munjong history after coming to Joseon,” but she was relieved that she knew a lot about the great achievements of Admiral Yi Sun-sin of the Deoksu Yi clan.
As she wrote down whatever she thought might be useful to Lee Hyang without regard for time, she was reminded of writing love letters to the boy she had a crush on in high school, and her heart fluttered.
The only chance she had to see his face was during the evening royal meal.
Lee Hyang rarely ate in the East Palace, as he usually attended to His Majesty’s evening meal, but lately, due to the severe drought, he had been having a vegetarian meal (soseon) in the East Palace with Hongwi.
Perhaps because he couldn’t eat meat, Lee Hyang’s features became sharper day by day, making him even more handsome. Yunseo, while attending to Hongwi’s meal, would find herself staring at Lee Hyang as if entranced.
As she gazed at him, she would recall that night, firm and hot, and her face would flush. And it was only then that their eyes would meet.
Then, Lee Hyang, as if he had also been thinking of the same thing, would look at Yunseo and smile meaningfully in a low voice, forcing Yunseo to bury her face in her hands, her cheeks burning.
When Lee Hyang smiled, Hongwi would say, “Mother, what’s so funny? Hoi wants to know too,” making Lee Hyang laugh even louder.
Therefore, the Palace Ladies of the East Palace would whisper amongst themselves with schadenfreude, “She only received Royal Favor once and couldn’t serve His Highness any further. She’s not a good cake to eat, just good to look at,” but they also fiercely envied and jealously hated her for being the only one to receive the Crown Prince’s laughter.
Thinking of Lee Hyang, her heart fluttered softly, and her face automatically flushed.
Then, Madam Yun, who had been watching her with a cold gaze, threw in a remark.
“Kwon Ga, the maid, only received Royal Favor once and could not serve His Highness any further. How can she ensure the Crown Prince’s well-being, Your Majesty? My husband, Grand Prince Suyang, has also been purifying himself lately with vegetarian meals, so I have been carefully cooking various vegetables for him. I will send the recipes through Hong Seung-hwi. How about asking the skilled Hong Seung-hwi to take care of His Highness’s well-being?”
“Is that so, Kwon Ga?”
Queen Soheon looked at Yunseo with surprised eyes, as if it were unexpected.
