Chapter 46
Episode 46. Yunseo and Our Hongwi
Although Yunseo met Lady Yun's threat with defiance, her steps returning to the East Palace were heavy.
A selection decree could be issued!
The mere thought that a selection decree could suddenly be issued and a 'proper lady from a reputable family' could be chosen as Crown Princess made her chest tighten, making it impossible to breathe.
Her usual pride, that she was more than enough as Yi Ha's consort for saving Hongwi and warning of Yi Ha's premature death, diminished relatively as her feelings for Yi Ha grew.
Yunseo thought this was a side effect of days passing where she could do neither – run to clear her thoughts nor write them down.
So, whenever Hongwi ran to her, shouting, "Gwonga, Nayingya!" and hugged her, Yunseo would hug him back tightly and say,
"Let's fly kites, little princess. The Lord of Pyeongchang is coming the day after tomorrow, and you have to teach him how to fly kites."
She would seize the opportunity for kite-flying, disguised as running, to blow away her negative worries.
That evening, the Royal Meal was served to Hongwi alone in the ondol room.
Yi Ha sent word through Eom Sangjeon that he would be dining with Your Majesty and discussing the scale of relief supplies to be sent across the country, and specifically, who to dispatch as an inspector to rescue the displaced people wandering in large groups in the north and return them to their original regions.
It felt like an ill omen that Yi Ha was absent on the very day Lady Yun had spoken of 'Crown Princess selection,' making her mood even heavier.
Hongwi, eager to fly the red long-tailed shield kite that he, Yunseo, Maegeumi, and the eunuch Jaseon had made, was restless and not interested in eating.
"Noona's tail is long."
Hongwi said, his mouth open like a baby swallow's, as he took a piece of fish.
"Noona likes tails that wiggle like a snake."
Ever since he saw a water snake in the grass by Gyeonghoeru Pavilion a while ago, Hongwi had been dragging ropes around, playing, "It's a snake, a big snake!"
Even though he liked things that fluttered like a snake, Hongwi had become so sensible that he yielded the red kite, which had a longer tail, to his older sister.
'He needs a playmate.'
His affection for his older sister was not just an instinctive bond with a sibling, but also proof that he needed a playmate his own age.
Lately, he had been playing with Princess Jeongui's sons in the Queen's Palace courtyard and was very fond of six-year-old Yeodali. Next year, when he is appointed Crown Prince and has a group of peers as his companions, he will grow into an even more spirited and lively young boy.
He was no longer a baby who would whimper "I don't know" and cling to her skirt, but a proper young boy who would explore the world with his peers and then return to Yunseo's embrace to confirm his love and support.
And he would grow into someone who would feel the gap between being a friend and reigning as a monarch, blossoming into the qualities of a future ruler.
"Okay, eat just three more spoonfuls, and then we'll go out and play."
Yunseo put a mushroom into Hongwi's mouth, who was opening it again without properly chewing in his haste, and felt a prickle in her nose.
It was a moment of pity for the young prince, whose innocent and joyful childhood would be too short.
So, that day, Yunseo herself took a kite and ran, demonstrating how to fly it.
"Little princess, when there's no wind like now, you do this: hold the string short, run hard until the kite rises to this point, then release the string and keep running."
Following Yunseo's demonstration, Hongwi also tried to fly his kite, running with his short legs.
But it was too much for his three-head-tall legs.
"It's too hard."
Hongwi whimpered, panting in the arms of the eunuch Jaseon, who caught him as he stumbled while running.
"Jaseon-ah, it's too hard, the kite won't fly."
Seeing Hongwi whimpering, burying his head in Jaseon's chest, upset that he couldn't run as fast as Yunseo, Yunseo's heart ached again.
Hongwi, remarkably intelligent, was already learning to treat people around him differently.
Jaseon, a loyal eunuch who would always assist her; Queen, a grandmother who could offer warm love and solid support; Yi Ha, a role model he wanted to emulate and be recognized by, and a somewhat formidable father.
And Yunseo.
"Gwanga, I don't know, I don't know."
Hongwi reeled in the kite and extended his arms towards Yunseo, who was approaching.
Hongwi had imprinted Yunseo as an absolute haven, a place he could always return to and be embraced after exploring the world with excitement.
For Yunseo, who needed to run for an hour without rest, except for a water break every twenty minutes, to feel the effects of exercise, the time spent running with the kite was less than an hour.
Her body hadn't even warmed up for running yet, but Yunseo put the kite down and hugged Hongwi tightly.
"Noona, I can't teach you how to fly a kite."
Hongwi pouted and whimpered, disappointed.
Breathing in the warm embrace and the unique scent of a child damp with sweat, Yunseo suddenly thought.
'Unless I'm reborn, I can never become a 'proper lady from a reputable family,' but I've already become a good nanny for our Hongwi.'
Our Hongwi will surely grow into a strong young man and become a long-reigning king!
"Little princess, kites don't fly well without wind. Remember how much wind there was on the first day we flew kites?"
"Yes. The wind blew 'hing hing'."
"It will be hot and windless like this for a while, so even if you teach the Lord of Pyeongchang perfectly, it will be difficult to fly. So, for now, let's make the tail longer and drag it like a snake."
Then Hongwi's face lit up instantly.
"Like a snake, flutter flutter?"
"Yes, I'll make a longer tail with red cloth and attach it. Then, if you float it on the pond and pull it, it will swim beautifully like a big-headed water snake in the water instead of the sky."
"Big-headed water snake! Big-headed water snake! Noona likes it too!"
Hongwi, his still-black eyes moist, excitedly wriggled his bottom.
Yunseo gave up on running, took Hongwi's hand, and returned to Jaseon Hall, where she bathed him with soap, washed his hair, and dried him with a towel.
Then, leaving Hongwi with the newly arrived Sim-ga for a moment, Yunseo also washed, changed into comfortable clothes, tied her hair back in a ponytail instead of braiding it, and went to Jaseon Hall.
Hongwi had already spread out his bedding and was ready to sleep in a thin sleeping robe.
"Little princess, shall we play the book ceremony game again today? Instead of using sticks, I'll flip through this book and ask you questions, and you can answer."
Hongwi was not particularly concerned about the book ceremony, but seeing his teacher, Seong Sammun, looking very nervous, Yunseo had promised to ask him two or three questions before bed to prepare him.
Then, Yi Ha had created a commentary edition of the Thousand Character Classic for Yunseo, who was illiterate in Chinese characters, and bound it like a book.
So, Yunseo was currently teaching him through play-learning, closing her eyes, opening to any page, and asking Hongwi questions.
"Yes, ask me anything."
Hongwi, sitting on Yunseo's lap and kicking his legs, said confidently.
Just then.
"Hongwi, are you asleep?"
As the question was asked, the door opened, and Yi Ha entered.
Yi Ha was still fully dressed in his red Dragon Robe and Ikseongwan.
"Father!"
Hongwi jumped up from Yunseo's lap and ran to Yi Ha, hugging him tightly.
"Father, let's play the Thousand Character Classic game."
"Thousand Character Classic game?"
"Yes, if Gwanga closes her eyes and asks, I will answer."
Yi Ha, tossing Hongwi up and down a few times, looked at Yunseo.
Yunseo, wearing a thin sky-blue skirt and jeogori for comfortable sleep and her hair loosely tied up, felt her face flush as she stood before Yi Ha, who was fully dressed.
"......"
Yunseo blushed and lowered her head.
She had been exhausted from dealing with Lady Yun that day, and the words 'proper lady from a reputable family' had deeply lodged in her heart, so she had no intention of going to Bihyeon Pavilion.
She had come to the ondol room in comfortable clothes, planning to sleep next to Hongwi after putting him to bed.
"Then, shall Father ask a few questions?"
Yi Ha asked, sitting down with Hongwi in his arms.
"Yes. Ask me."
Hongwi sat on Yi Ha's lap, kicking his legs, and answered confidently.
Yi Ha embraced Hongwi from the front, letting him lean against his chest, and rested his chin on Hongwi's shoulder while looking at Yunseo.
"Your Highness, I should get dressed properly..."
"It's fine. It's hot, just stay as you are."
"No, still..."
As Yunseo tried to move, Yi Ha shook his head and teased,
"I've already seen it all."
"!"
Hongwi didn't understand the conversation between the two, but seeing Yunseo blush and lower her head, and Yi Ha resting his chin on his shoulder and laughing heartily, he widened his eyes and turned his head to look at Yi Ha, asking,
"Father, are you teasing Gwanga?"
"No. Teasing? Gwonga, the Palace Lady, worked hard to take care of you, so I told her to be comfortable."
Then, Hongwi, who trusted Yi Ha's words one hundred and twenty percent, felt relieved and leaned his back against his chest again, saying,
"Ask me."Hmm, what is 'Goru Gwamu (lonely and ignorant), Umong Deungcho (foolish and ignorant)?""
"Goru-ul go, deoreoul nu, goru-ul gwa, deureul mun, eoriseogeul u, eoril mong, buri deung, kkujideul cho. It means that if what one has seen and learned is insufficient, one is foolish and ignorant, and will be rebuked like others."
(Golu, solitary; Lu, crude; Gwa, solitary; Mun, to hear. U, foolish; Mong, ignorant; Deung, to be equal to; Cho, to rebuke. It means that if what one has seen and learned is insufficient, one is foolish and ignorant, and will be rebuked like others.)
"Do you know where this phrase comes from?"
"Yes, Father. From the Records of..."
Oh.
Every time Yunseo heard Hongwi recite and explain the Thousand Character Classic, she truly felt she was witnessing the genius bloodline, passed down from King Sejong to Yi Ha, and then to Hongwi.
Strangely, Hongwi not only memorized it but also understood the context and could apply it appropriately.
Yi Ha, who had been resting his chin on Hongwi's shoulder while looking at Yunseo, now had a serious expression and was easily explaining to his son the context from the chapter on learning in the Records of Rites, warning against insufficient learning.
Hongwi, kicking his legs, gradually began to feel his eyelids grow heavy.
His legs slowly relaxed on Yi Ha's lap, his breathing slowed, and he began to snore softly before falling into a deep sleep.
"...Your Highness."
Yi Ha, finally realizing Hongwi had fallen asleep at Yunseo's call, said, "Oh dear, our Hongwi must have been tired," and carried him to the cushion to lie down.
As if by habit, Hongwi sought out Yunseo's skirt hem and clutched it tightly.
"Your Highness, I am also tired today and plan to sleep early."
Yunseo whispered softly, and Yi Ha nodded.
However, Yi Ha, who Yunseo expected to leave the room and cross to the heated room, sat beside Yunseo, gazing intently at her face, and asked in a small voice,
"What is it? Why is your face so dark?"
"!"
"Are you worried about meeting Suyang at the Royal Pharmacy the day after tomorrow? Don't worry. I'll send Eom Sangjeon with you."
"No!"
Hmph, Grand Prince Suyang and the like!
"Instead of Eom Sangjeon, please assign a skilled physician to me. I plan to try treating the boils by making a poultice with various medicinal herbs, and I will also try to create a cure for other infectious diseases, so I need a physician to collaborate with me on experimenting with the properties of the herbs."
"A physician. Hmm... But Yunseo, it doesn't seem to be about a physician. What is it? What is it that you're not saying what's on your mind, unlike yourself?"
Yi Ha whispered in a low voice, as if genuinely concerned.
"......"
Until now, she had been smug, believing Yi Ha loved her much more.
But it turned out she was the one who was far more disadvantaged, even with conditions.
Even in modern times, such a lopsided relationship would lead to her receiving a thick envelope and being told to leave, or having a glass of water thrown at her, fueling her sense of inferiority.
Ah.
I need to run.
This is all due to exercise deficiency depression, caused by only receiving negative energy and not expelling it through panting breaths and sweat.
It's the stress of living confined within the narrow palace walls!
Yunseo's face grew darker.
"Yunseo!"
Yi Ha's voice dropped to a dangerous level.
