Chapter 21
Chapter 21
- Guests of the Five Great Families
After many twists and turns, the first day of the Five Great Families gathering dawned.
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and tied my hair up in a bun.
It wasn't my favorite hairstyle, but I had no choice. To be less conspicuous, I had to look similar to the other maids.
Why do these girls wear their hair in buns? Is it a trend?
As I grumbled and fiddled with the green hair tie, Songji urged me.
"Hey, are you ready yet? We need to hurry."
"Ugh, I know."
Groaning like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, I reluctantly prepared to leave.
I had been able to avoid work by using Dang Jung's name, but I couldn't skip out on a day like today when there was a shortage of hands.
They were so busy they needed even the smallest hands, and if I disappeared, I would earn their resentment.
To blend in with the crowd, I had to show my face, even if only for a short while.
As I stepped outside the residence, I saw servants bustling about under the dim morning sky.
White smoke billowed from the kitchen where the cooks were working. They must have already started preparing the meal.
"Hey, this way."
Songji grabbed me as I was distracted. I followed Songji without much thought, but suddenly felt something was off.
I thought we were going to the warehouse to move banquet supplies, but we were now in front of the inner castle.
"Sister, where are we going?"
"To the banquet hall. Madam Jin has called for you separately."
What? I stopped dead in my tracks, flustered.
"Huh?! Why?"
"They say there aren't enough maids to attend to the guests. Since you're pretty, she must want to put you in that position."
What are you talking about? Just let me carry things. I can't be seen by people.
As my face turned pale, Songji chuckled and tugged at my sleeve.
"Oh, come on. Why are you so nervous? Madam Jin is thinking of you. Think of it positively. If you're lucky, you might marry a handsome Young Master!"
Songji's carefree words gave me a headache.
I don't need a handsome Young Master. And if I leave the Tang Clan, my Four limbs and meridians will be in danger.
Damn it. What should I do?
I wanted to run away, but that would get Songji in trouble.
But if I went to the banquet hall, I could already picture my bastard father looking at me like I was a bug.
I could ignore Dang Mu-hyeok's gaze. But if my identity was revealed in front of the Five Great Families guests, I would be on a one-way roller coaster to hell.
Will anyone recognize me? I'm wearing the same bun hairstyle and maid's uniform as everyone else, so maybe not? Should I run away now?
When I didn't move, Songji urged me again.
"It'll be fine, I'm telling you. Hey, stop standing there and let's go. Madam Jin will be waiting."
"Um, Sister. Wouldn't it be better if you went instead of me? I've only ever done cleaning and laundry. I've never worked as a maid before, what if I make a mistake?"
Songji shrugged as if I was worrying about nothing.
"It's nothing much. Just stand next to the guests and make sure their teacups don't stay empty. You're good at serving Dang Jung, why are you making such a fuss? Let's go."
Then she grabbed my arm. I was dragged to my doom by Songji's hand.
I'm going crazy.
* * *
The banquet hall was ready in every way. The seats prepared for the number of guests had been polished since the early hours of the morning.
Silk flower arrangements were placed on the tables, and silver cutlery was laid out next to them.
The silver cutlery was meant to show that the Tang Clan was treating the guests as honored guests.
In other words, it was a way of saying, "Don't worry, we didn't poison your food."
The fact that they went to the trouble of providing silver cutlery showed what the Tang Clan's image was like to the outside world.
There were also many other fascinating things, such as lanterns carved into the shape of dragons. As I looked around the banquet hall, someone spoke to me.
"Madam Jin is over there."
"Ah, thank you."
I must have looked like I was looking for Madam Jin. When I turned my head, I saw Madam Jin giving instructions to Sim-yang.
With her hair neatly styled, Madam Jin was walking around the banquet hall, checking to see if there were any shortcomings in the preparations.
When Madam Jin saw me, she pointed to a seat by the left window.
"So-hye, you will attend to the Moyong Family guests. You can serve them from this seat."
"Yes."
I bowed respectfully and raised my head, but Madam Jin had already left to give other instructions. Sim-yang was standing in Madam Jin's place, glaring at me.
What? Why is she glaring at me?
When I didn't avoid her gaze and stared back, Sim-yang bit her lip and turned her head away.
I wondered why she was acting like that, but I didn't have time to worry about Sim-yang's mood. I had to find a position where I could avoid my bastard father's eyes.
I glanced at the seat where Dang Mu-hyeok would be sitting and tried to figure out the angle where I would be hidden.
If I stand around here, I will be less noticeable. I should probably stand behind the pillar.
About half an hour later, people began to gather in the banquet hall one by one.
Dang-un, who had arrived early, smiled at me and passed by.
He didn't acknowledge me in any special way, so he must know that hiding our friendship is better for me.
As Dang-un sat down, a beauty in a red Palace dress snuggled up to his side.
"Brother Dang-un. How did you manage to come all the way here? Are you feeling any better?"
"I'm better thanks to Ju-hee's concern."
"Oh, Brother. Haha."
So that woman is Ju-hee.
I glanced at my half-sister, whom I was seeing for the first time.
Dang Ju-hee didn't resemble Dang-un or me at all. Of course, that was to be expected since we all had different mothers.
She had eyes that were sharp like Dang Mu-hyeok, but she didn't have the same cold feeling as my bastard father. She was more like a spoiled Young Miss with a bad personality.
Dang Ju-hee, who was sitting next to Dang-un, chattered non-stop. She seemed to like her half-brother a lot.
I looked away from the sight of the close siblings.
Now was not the time to be distracted. Guests were pouring in.
As I rubbed the sweat that had gathered on my palms due to nervousness, someone tugged at my sleeve.
"Sister. Can I sit here?"
When I looked down at the youthful voice, I saw a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.
I quickly pulled out a chair so the child could sit down.
"Yes. Young Miss. Please sit here."
"Thank you, Sister."
The child nodded and came over to sit on the chair by herself. Her short legs, which didn't reach the ground, dangled in the air.
I couldn't help but smile at her spirited appearance. But I wasn't the only one who thought the child was admirable.
"Yes, yes. Why don't you accept your father's help?"
"Father. I'm eight years old. Eight-year-olds can sit on chairs by themselves."
"Yes, yes. This father was wrong to think that. Ye-ye is old enough to sit on a chair by herself. Of course."
A middle-aged man was standing in front of the child with honey dripping from his eyes. I held back my laughter.
Is she a late child? Or an only child?
Unlike the child's sparkling blonde hair, the middle-aged man's hair was black. But the jewel-like eyes were the same color, proving that the two were father and daughter.
The Moyong Family has mixed blood from foreigners, so children with blonde hair and blue eyes are often born. This child must be one of those cases.
The child, pouting at the middle-aged man's words, said primly.
"Sister. Can you tell my father that my name isn't Ye-ye, but Moyong So-ye?"
Huh? Me?
As I rolled my eyes, Moyong So-ye shone her blue eyes and said again.
"Quickly. Tell him it's Moyong So-ye, not Ye-ye."
"Um... Young Miss Moyong So-ye says so."
"Ye-ye. Do you hate this father calling you by your childhood name so much?"
"Yes. I hate it. This isn't home. What will people think of Father? They'll call you a fool for your daughter."
Little girl, do you even know what a fool for your daughter is? She's so articulate.
The middle-aged man's eyebrows drooped at his daughter's firm expression. I had to pinch my thigh to hold back my laughter.
I heard that the middle-aged man was Moyong-gi, the Young Patriarch of the Moyong Family. He dotes on his only daughter, whom he had late in life.
Perhaps that's why I could feel his affection for his daughter in all of Moyong-gi's words and actions.
That's how parents should be. Unlike someone else.
After cursing my biological bastard father, I turned my gaze to the entrance.
Namgung Hwi, who was entering with the Namgung Family, discovered me and waved happily. He smiled brightly and tried to approach me.
Hey. Don't acknowledge me. No.
When I shook my head urgently, Namgung Hwi flinched and stopped. He stepped back and sat down in the seat prepared for the Namgung Family.
I was relieved that he was quick-witted.
With my hands respectfully folded, I looked around the banquet hall. There were hardly any empty seats left now.
All the guests were seated except for two seats for the Hapuk Paeng Family and one seat for the Tang Clan.
As I wondered who the owners of the empty seats were, I realized that Dang Jung was nowhere to be seen.
Isn't the Elder coming?
As I glanced at the entrance, I made eye contact with Dang Jung, who had arrived late.
Dang Jung frowned when he saw me.
I could tell without hearing him. His eyes were saying, "What are you doing here?"
It wasn't my will, Elder.
[Why are you here again? You never listen to your grandfather.]
No sooner had I made excuses in my mind than Dang Jung's gruff voice was planted in my ear. I trembled slightly. It felt like someone was hammering thoughts into my head.
When I widened my eyes in surprise, Dang Jung said again.
[This is Telepathic transmission. Don't answer, just stay still. So-hye, stay in that spot until the end of the banquet. Don't let Mu-hyuk see you.]
Wow. So this is what Telepathic transmission is like.
I fiddled with my ear and nodded slightly. It was amazing that we could communicate without speaking.
[I told you not to answer.]
Yes. I know, so stop talking to me, Elder.
At that moment, Moyong So-ye, who had slammed the table, jumped up from her seat.
The child, standing on the chair, declared.
"Father. I want to get married."
Moyong-gi tilted his head at the sudden words.
"Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden, Ye-ye?"
"I want to marry that Dang Clan brother."
A moment of silence followed. Everyone stared in the direction Moyong So-ye was pointing with dumbfounded expressions.
At the end of Moyong So-ye's index finger stood Dang Jung with his hands behind his back.
Dang Jung raised an eyebrow, feeling the attention focused on him.
……Huh?
