Chapter 44
Chapter 44. For a Peaceful and Warm Daily Life, Struggle!
“Your Majesty, I heard that the famine is severe recently, and starving people easily fall ill, resulting in many sick people at the Royal Pharmacy. With my humble talent, I can help prevent the spread of disease by making soap and an ointment called Jaun-go.”
It is predictable in terms of consistency of character that King Sejong would ultimately wish to protect Grand Prince Suyang or his other sons.
If the cold and ruthless King Taejong, who slaughtered his maternal family, the Min clan, and his stepmother’s Kang clan, who helped him ascend the throne, had placed Joseon on a solid foundation by ruthlessly purging the Shim clan, his daughter-in-law’s family, whose power had grown too great, and meritorious subjects like Yi Suk-beon, who showed signs of manipulating state affairs.
How could a meticulous, benevolent monarch who deeply loved his young people, even created a new script, and granted female servants a hundred days of maternity leave, possibly banish his own son?
Therefore, King Sejong will do King Sejong’s work, and I can only do my work!
Yunseo, painfully realizing the cold truth, racked her brain about what she should do.
To prevent history from flowing as it originally did, it is absolutely essential for Lee Hyang to live a long life above all else. Only then can our Hongwi grow up and ascend the throne.
For Lee Hyang to live a long life, the development of a treatment for boils is urgently needed.
Yunseo pondered the development of a stronger medicinal paste with enhanced antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties for Jaun-go, and ways to apply the developed medicine in clinical trials.
Ah! I have it!
A place where both prestige and practical benefit can be pursued.
“Your Majesty, I request your permission to visit the Royal Pharmacy to care for the sick, in the name of His Highness the Crown Prince and the East Palace.”
“…The Royal Pharmacy?”
As he asked again, King Sejong recalled the soap he had tried two days prior.
Indeed, his body was cleaned well, and the itching, incipient rash had significantly lessened.
And after applying something called Jaun-go, small pimples indeed disappeared quickly.
“Good! Currently, aside from a few officials, the work is mainly handled by shamans and monks, so it is good for the royal family to take the initiative.”
As a benevolent monarch, His Majesty readily granted permission.
And he added one more thing.
“Do it with Grand Prince Suyang!”
“What?”
What kind of absurd command is this!
As Yunseo was frantically trying to fathom His Majesty’s intentions, His Majesty spoke in a meaningful tone.
“As you are intelligent, you will surely understand my intentions well.”
“…Yes, I will do my utmost to find ways to prevent infectious diseases and save the people.”
Since Yunseo had decided to do her work, she politely accepted His Majesty’s royal order for now.
“I told you I should have received a concubine’s rank.”
Upon returning to the East Palace and recounting the events at Cheonsu Hall to Eom Sangjeon and Park Sanggung, Eom Sangjeon frowned and chided her.
“Because you are merely a Palace Lady, an order was given to assign a member of the royal family, like Grand Prince Suyang, to you.”
“Hmph, if our Gwonga had become a concubine, could she have acted so freely outside the Palace? It is because she is a Palace Lady that she can step out and do such things.”
Park Sanggung, who was extremely satisfied that Yunseo’s small pouch had led to a complete reshuffling of the Palace Ladies she disliked, shook her head.
“Besides, if she were a concubine, she wouldn’t be able to attend our His Highness the Grandson. For our Gwonga, and for us, the Crown Prince and His Highness the Grandson are the most important!”
“That is true, but I am upset. How can His Majesty love his sons so equally and impartially? Not only that, but he openly assigns official duties to the already outstanding Grand Princes. Sigh, it is fine now because His Majesty is healthy, but later…”
Eom Sangjeon poured out all her long-held grievances.
“Frankly, how strictly did King Taejong manage that aspect? Thanks to that, our current King His Majesty can carry out his benevolent rule with peace of mind.”
Indeed, Eom Sangjeon, who had gradually gained power from the lower ranks to her current position as the head eunuch of the East Palace, already foresaw the tragedy that would occur in the original history.
“It is because he is so compassionate that he can accomplish great things for the people. We just need to do our work meticulously.”
When Yunseo comforted her, Eom Sangjeon and Park Sanggung looked at Yunseo with eyes that said, “Oh, our Gwonga is so positive about everything, excessively positive!”
“Yes. For now, be satisfied with having dealt with Grand Prince Suyang’s lackeys within the East Palace. Now then, what should we do in the East Palace to manage the sick at the Royal Pharmacy?”
“There is the concept of hygiene, my lady. Your Highness.”
Yunseo briefly explained the concept of hygiene, a basic common sense in the modern world.
It included using boiled water as drinking water, washing hands and feet frequently, and making very high-proof alcohol to use for disinfection instead of alcohol.
“Ho, that would be good to apply within the Palace normally. I will go to Bihyeon Pavilion to attend to His Highness.”
Eom Sangjeon left, and only Park Sanggung and Yunseo remained.
Then, as if by habit, Park Sanggung looked around and lowered her voice.
“Thanks to you, Queen Mother has considerably recovered from the occasional bouts of depression she used to have, and tomorrow she is summoning you and Lady Yun together?”
“Yes, Chief Consort Choi sent word that I should go to the Queen’s Palace tomorrow.”
“This is a good opportunity to get rid of that Lady Yun, who uses money to employ people, plants spies in the East Palace, and incites Hong Seung-hwi, no, now Hong Sang-gung. Does she think she’s the only one with money? I have money too, you know?”
Yunseo shook her head, watching Park Sanggung, who was truly serious about accumulating wealth.
“After giving her affection for so long, how can she suddenly cut ties? If she were such an unfeeling and ruthless person, I could not trust her to favor me tomorrow even if she favors me today. That is how all human affairs are, my lady!”
“Oh my, a Buddha has been born, a Buddha has been born. So, that hateful Hong Seung-hwi, no, Royal Concubine Hong, asked to continue raising Princess Geum-ah?”
“The child is not at fault. And for so long…”
Yunseo’s throat tightened with the overwhelming pity she felt whenever she saw children hurt by adults, and she forced down the rising sadness.
Watching Yunseo like that, Park Sanggung clicked her tongue and started nagging again, “Oh my, you just have too much useless affection.”
“And you, it’s good that you are working for His Highness, but you have too much work. Look now. Huh? From late afternoon, you feed and play with the infant, soothe her to sleep, and then talk with His Highness at Bihyeon Pavilion for half an hour. You should be resting comfortably during the day, but then you have to do something with Princess Jeongui, and then go to Cheonsu Hall for something else. On top of that, the Royal Pharmacy! Ha! You’ve opened a large store selling high-quality soap and toothpaste made with fine salt. Even if Nosandae has good business acumen and makes products thoroughly, don’t you need to check on them occasionally!”
“Making money is your specialty, my lady. I will focus on making new products, so you handle the selling with old man Nosandae. We split the profits equally anyway.”
“…I funded all the money. Sigh. Well, those products are indeed something. Absolutely. Maehyang is distributing small pieces of soap and powdered toothpaste to the gisaengs and the refined gentlemen who visit there, so orders will surely flood in soon.”
Park Sanggung, who was smiling contentedly at the thought of the fist-sized soap, which cost two bolts of cotton cloth, and the toothpaste made of salt powder baked in a bamboo tube, selling out so quickly, suddenly frowned and asked discreetly again.
“But His Highness really doesn’t touch you at all? Even if he is refraining from physical contact due to the rain ritual, men supposedly cannot endure it like that. Has His Highness returned to being that ascetic man from before?”
“Then it’s even better for you, my lady. From wet nurse Palace Lady to wet nurse Royal Lady, and if our infant eventually becomes king, you will rise even higher. Thanks to that, we will accumulate more wealth.”
Yunseo teased, and Park Sanggung replied weakly with a complicated expression.
“That is indeed the best, but thinking that you might be snubbed for life after receiving such a dramatic royal favor just once also pains my heart. Ah, because of you, Gwonga, I am always so troubled.”
“That is precisely a mother’s heart looking at her daughter.”
Yunseo said with a smile and hugged Park Sanggung.
Park Sanggung grumbled about it being disgusting but did not push her away.
“All of you, withdraw. Han Sang-gung, you too.”
That evening, during the royal meal, the Crown Prince, who had ordered a set of chopsticks and spoons and one more bowl of rice and soup to be brought, dismissed all the Palace Ladies and Gimi Sang-gung attending to the meal.
After Han Sang-gung, who had resisted because it was against protocol, also left, only Lee Hyang, Hongwi, and Yunseo remained in the ondol room of Jaseon Hall.
“Yunseo, you eat with us too.”
“…Your Highness. I already ate earlier.”
“Still, let’s eat. You had a hard day, didn’t you?”
Lee Hyang said kindly, comforting her about meeting His Majesty at Cheonsu Hall, and Hongwi, sitting on Yunseo’s lap, chimed in.
“Gwa-ga na-ing-ya, eat. Eat together! A-ba-ma, can I eat together tomorrow too?”
“Do you want to eat together tomorrow too?”
“Yes, A-ba-ma. I want to eat with Gwa-ga na-ing.”
“No. It is not allowed, Your Highness. Since it has become this way today, I will eat, but not from tomorrow. We must not let word spread that the East Palace is disregarding the Palace’s laws carelessly.”
Hearing His Majesty’s order today to handle the Royal Pharmacy matters with Grand Prince Suyang, Yunseo realized.
The status of the Crown Prince is truly subtle and, contrary to appearances, precarious.
If the King suddenly went mad and deposed a healthy Crown Prince to enthrone another capable prince, there would be no one to stop him in principle.
There are kings who would lock someone in a rice chest and starve them to death, kings who are ruthless and barbaric.
Although His Majesty would never do such a thing, and Lee Hyang is steadily gaining control of the court, there is no need to create unnecessary flaws and become the subject of gossip.
“I gratefully accept your kind intention to comfort me, Your Highness. Thank you.”
As Yunseo spoke, Lee Hyang nodded silently.
It was a gesture of apology stemming from the fact that he would protect Yunseo to the end but could not shield her from every minor injustice.
That evening’s royal meal was as chatty and affectionate as a family in a common household.
Hongwi spread his arms wide, saying that the Queen Mother had put a carp this big into the pond today, and then his eyes sparkled as he mentioned that in three days, when his sister, Lord of Pyeongchang, finally arrives, they would go fishing in the Gyeonghoeru Pond with the Queen Mother.
“Noo-na also play together, Gwa-ga-ya.”
He also asked for two long kites with red tails to be made in advance.
Lee Hyang silently and clumsily picked the fish bones from the fish placed in front of Hongwi and put them on Hongwi’s and Yunseo’s rice, while he himself ate pan-fried tofu, braised lotus root, and various vegetable side dishes.
‘It really feels like we’ve become family.’
Family, those who eat together.
Yunseo, with a lump in her throat, thought that for such a peaceful and warm daily life, it was worth risking her life to fight.
And the next day, the Queen’s Palace.
