Chapter 8
Episode 8. The Opportunity of the Two Ears
"But our Hongwi is a noble child destined to be the grandson, the Crown Prince, and the King." Who dares to strike his head and fail to show him respect!”
Queen Soheon's voice became firm.
“Queen!”
“Grandmother!”
Consort Shin, Lady Yun, and Prince Dowon prostrated themselves.
“The sin of not attending to the young Hyundong is great, so strike the Royal Ladies and Palace Ladies who attended him that day with twenty lashes each. It is the crime of daring to insult the grandson!”
“···We obey your command.”
Madam Yun, prostrating herself, received the Queen's command.
That her own Palace Servants were to receive lashes because of the grandson's matter was no different than striking Hyundong.
And it was also a declaration to the world.
'That the grandson, the future Crown Prince, is Hongwi, not Hyundong, the royal family's first grandchild.'
Lady Yun, who had received favor from superiors through the extensive wealth of her maternal family and earned fearful respect from those below her, could not believe the situation had come to this because of a few words from a lowly Palace Lady.
'Her name was Kwon Ga, the maid. You will soon be crawling before me, begging for your life like a dog.'
It was the moment when wariness and resentment towards Yunseo deepened in Lady Yun's heart.
“Consort Shin, it is the same for you. Tell Prince Damyang to show proper respect to the grandson, and have the Palace Ladies who attended Prince Damyang that day whipped.”
“Yes, Queen. I shall do so.”
“Was your name Kwon Ga?”
Queen Soheon called out to Yunseo.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Come forward.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yunseo, still prostrate, moved closer to where the Queen and King Sejong were.
“Lift your head.”
Yunseo lifted her head.
Queen Soheon, exuding noble dignity, sat Hongwi on her lap and looked down at Yunseo with eyes whose intentions were difficult to fathom.
Her gaze was not cruel, the kind that would strike and kill inferiors on a whim.
“Well done, Kwon Ga, the maid. You have taken good care of our Hongwi's hurt heart.”
Fortunately, it was praise.
Sigh. Yunseo let out a breath of relief without realizing it and bowed her head deeply.
“I am deeply grateful.”
“I hope you will continue to assist our Hongwi well. Guards, Chief Consort Choi.”
“Yes, Queen.”
Chief Consort Choi of the Queen's Palace, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward and bowed.
“Grant this commendable Kwon Ga, the maid, twenty bolts of silk as a reward. And raise her monthly stipend to that of a wet nurse Royal Lady and pay it accordingly.”
“Yes, Queen.”
“Thank you, Queen.”
“Hongwi, go back with Kwon Ga, the maid. Grandmother will call for you again.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
Hongwi, his face much brighter, bowed charmingly and ran to Yunseo.
On this day, everyone gathered in the Queen's Palace clearly understood.
While the Queen doted on her first grandson Hyundong, she would never forgive anyone who dared to covet the authority of His Highness the Grandson, no matter who they were.
It was the moment everyone clearly imprinted the existence of the grandson, who had lived as if nonexistent in Noble Lady Yang's Yanghwadang, and began to pay extraordinary attention to the existence of Kwon Ga, the maid, who protected the grandson.
It was when Yunseo was about to leave the audience chamber, holding the grandson's hand.
“Kwon Ga.”
King Sejong called out to Yunseo.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yunseo prostrated herself again with the grandson.
Just hearing King Sejong's voice made her heart pound and her mind reel.
“I wish to hear in detail sometime about the correlation between age, lies, and cognitive ability that you mentioned earlier.”
They said he had a great thirst for knowledge, and it was indeed true.
Yunseo replied with all her heart, her voice trembling.
“Yes, Your Majesty. If you summon me, I will tell you all that I know.”
“Yes, yes. And Hongwi.”
King Sejong called out affectionately to their Hongwi.
“Come to Cheonsu Hall with Kwon Ga, the maid. Grandfather has something to show our grandson.”
“······!”
“······!!”
“······!!!!”
Gyotaejeon was once again engulfed in a shocked silence.
Cheonsu Hall was a pavilion attached to Sajongjeon, used by King Sejong as his private study and research room.
It was a place he used for solitary concentration, so only the Crown Prince Yi Ha was summoned to enter; even other Grand Princes rarely entered more than once or twice a year.
The attendants who served tea, ground ink on the inkstone, and washed brushes were even hired as mute deaf-mutes, so thoroughly was it used by King Sejong for his solitude.
'To summon that maid and the grandson to a place I cannot even enter.'
Consort Shin's beautiful eyes trembled.
'To a place my Hyundong has never entered, why summon that impudent brat.'
Lady Yun, the wife of Grand Prince Suyang, gritted her teeth anew and piled resentment towards Kwon Ga, the maid, as high as a mountain.
“Summon our Princess Jeongui then, Your Majesty. Kwon Ga, the maid's knowledge seems to be of great help in raising children.”
Queen Soheon, noticing how Hongwi, despite being a noble grandson, had become quite confident, subtly supported King Sejong's words.
“!”
“!”
“!!”
As things unfolded this way, everyone in Gyotaejeon now strained their eyes to clearly imprint Kwon Ga's face.
For where the Royal Intention reached, promotion and wealth followed. While contemplating whether to align with Kwon Ga, the maid, or eliminate her,
Noble Lady Yang smiled radiantly, her lips stretching to her cheekbones.
'I've secured a sure connection! I don't know how that child, who was so dull until the other day, became so intelligent!'
As everyone looked at Yunseo with their own calculations and resentments,
“Yes, Grandfather. I will go with the maid.”
Only Hongwi, with a cheerful bounce, bowed and got up, taking Yunseo's hand.
\\\
As they descended the stairs after leaving Gyotaejeon, four of the Crown Prince's concubines were waiting.
'They are all as beautiful as flowers.'
Yunseo quickly put down Hongwi, whom she had been holding.
Then, the beautiful women, adorned in splendid silk robes of pink, light green, sky blue, and deep purple, bowed towards the grandson.
“We greet His Highness the Grandson. Have you been well?”
“I have been well. Are you well?”
Hongwi received their greetings with composure, showing no sign of having cried moments before.
“Oh my, our little Highness speaks so well.”
“He is exceptionally intelligent, just like our Prince.”
“And how lovely he is!”
The four concubines vied to praise the grandson.
At the same time, they did not forget to scrutinize Yunseo fiercely.
'What fierce flowers they are.'
Yunseo marveled.
“Kwon Ga, the maid, His Highness the Grandson must have his Royal Meal, so please escort him to his pavilion.”
Noble Lady Yang, who had emerged from Gyotaejeon a step later, called out to Yunseo and led the way.
Hongwi, perhaps feeling burdened by the four concubines' attention, tugged at Yunseo's hand, urging her to go quickly.
Yunseo picked up Hongwi and followed Noble Lady Yang.
“You all step back twenty paces. Only Madam Heo, come here.”
As they exited Gyotaejeon, Noble Lady Yang motioned the eunuch and Palace Ladies following behind to step back, and summoned her closest Royal Lady.
“Later, I mean.”
Noble Lady Yang glanced at Yunseo, who was holding the grandson, and gave an order to Madam Heo, who served her.
\\*
After lunch that day.
An attendant eunuch from the Royal Secretariat, delivering the Crown Prince's message, escorted His Highness the Grandson to the East Palace.
“Kwon Ga, the maid, I have immediate business for her. Your Highness, for now, this Kwon Ga, the maid, will attend you instead.”
Originally, Yunseo was supposed to go along, but Noble Lady Yang prevented it.
“Bye-bye, bye-bye.”
Hongwi whimpered, but perhaps the joy of seeing his father, Yi Ha, was greater, so he was eventually carried on Eomchiji's back and left for the East Palace first.
'Hongwi has no loyalty. He should have insisted on taking me to the end.'
Yunseo, feeling uneasy about Noble Lady Yang's scheme, watched Hongwi's receding back with regret.
Then, Noble Lady Yang's voice reached Yunseo's ears.
“Guards!”
At that, five robust female Palace Ladies grabbed Yunseo's arms and legs and dragged her somewhere.
“What are you doing? Why are you doing this? Noble Lady! Noble Lady Yang! I know a way to save you and your children!”
Despite her struggles and writhing, the five Palace Ladies dragged Yunseo to a secluded spot at the end of the pavilion and roughly pushed her in.
With a splash, bathwater filled with spring blossoms greeted Yunseo.
This, this is a scene I've seen before. Could it be!
After this, she'll be rolled up in a blanket...!
'But, well, I'm confident I can persuade Yi Ha, so I should enjoy it.'
Since coming to Joseon, Yunseo had felt frustrated by washing in a cramped wooden tub in Park Sanggung's quarters.
So she had earnestly dreamed of earning money quickly to buy a house outside the palace like Madam Park Sanggung and building a spacious bathhouse first.
And now, sitting with her legs stretched out in a bath infused with agarwood, being washed by five Palace Ladies.
Thinking of the five Palace Ladies as scrub nurses, she felt no particular shame.
Yunseo closed her eyes and surrendered herself to the moment.
The five Palace Ladies scrubbed Yunseo's body thoroughly with grain soap.
'Grain soap!'
When Yunseo opened her eyes, she saw that the grain soap, mixed with mung bean and foxtail millet powder, had poor cleansing power, and more importantly, the fishy smell of mung beans was too bothersome.
'Oh ho! I've found a way to secure a house as soon as possible!'
Making soap.
While working at a counseling center, she had used aromatherapy, applying rose oil, lavender oil, frankincense oil, etc., to clients suffering from depression and insomnia.
Because it had a good effect on the mind and was a natural scent, Yunseo had learned from an aromatherapist how to boil vegetable oils, add various oils to make natural soap and lotion, and how to make Jaun-go by infusing various medicinal herbs.
She thought she could make soap using vegetable oils, salt, and ash available in Joseon, and also make Jaun-go, which has excellent healing effects, by infusing various medicinal herbs and boiling them with beeswax and lard.
'This is why people must learn everything. Like King Sejong earlier.'
If she started using it in the palace, marketing to influential families would be certain.
While the Palace Ladies washed her hair multiple times and then styled it with silver osmanthus hair oil to make it lustrous, Yunseo dozed off leisurely, dreaming of sweeping up the wealth of Joseon.
After washing thoroughly and coming out, Noble Lady Yang spoke.
“The Queen was very pleased with you earlier. His Majesty also took notice.”
“Yes!?”
Could it be, me, to King Sejong!
“No, Your Ladyship! Noble Lady Yang!”
Yunseo cried out, her face pale, but Noble Lady Yang, without listening, called out to Madam Heo.
“Madam Heo. Don't you have that maid's outfit I wore before? Not the baggy one, but one with a beautifully tailored silhouette.”
At Noble Lady Yang's words, Madam Heo rushed off and returned with a maid's outfit that, even after twenty years, had not faded and looked to be of very high quality.
“Dress her in that and attach a scent pouch containing musk. Her skin is clean, so just a touch of lipstick will suffice.”
“I cannot serve His Majesty! I am the wet nurse Palace Lady for His Highness the Grandson!”
To serve King Sejong! One shows respect from afar with one's gaze, not with one's body!
Yunseo, flustered and bewildered, refused with her whole being, but Noble Lady Yang paid no heed.
“Your eyes were dull before, making your beautiful face look quite plain. What is your secret to having such bright, star-filled eyes?”
Noble Lady Yang stood on tiptoe and examined Yunseo's face from all angles.
---------------------------------------
