From the moment Seon-ho threw me down, The Mistress Han instantly had her little cronies hold onto me as if I were some criminals. I had always gotten away with saving myself in front of Seon-Ho, but it was always with my words. There was no way that I could expose my physical strength now, it simply wasn't the right time. I was still dripping wet and I was freezing cold now to the point where I was shaking under the servants pinched fingers. I knew I had all eyes on me at the moment as all of the minds who served Seon-Ho had crowded around our room to watch this drama. But I couldn't care about the risks too much when I looked straight past The Mistress Han and I set my eyes on Seon-Ho who looked torn, until he caught me looking at him and the only help I got from him was him mouthing the words 'beg me.'
"You whore! Not only do you dare not to greet our Mistress when you see her, you have not taken the initiative to learn the rules and etiquette of being a guest in a noble home! The punishment of disregarding such rules is punishable by death! But as we are also guests of this manor, we can only flog you until you see sense and recognise your master! And that will teach you to stop overestimating yourself in front of your superiors and enjoying a fortune and luxury that surpasses your rank! Greediness and coveting what does not belong to you is a sin in itself! Not to mention seducing your master for such glory! Men! Take Seo Yeon away and flog her to death!"
Fine, if this was the game that Seon-Ho wanted to play then I should surrender to him. But in the predicament he was in with all of these other woman, there was no way on earth that I could fully surrender to him and let him think he could puppeteer me just like his father did to him and how he treated everyone else in our lives.
"What…what are you laughing at?" "The Mistress Han who isn't even a member of the Imperial Royal Family, goes out of her way to exert herself as her Mistress's equal, how pathetic is that? No, forgive me, I am wrong, you cannot compete with her and this is why you are running after her ex-lover's best friend to take us down." "You…what nonsense!" "I even heard throughout the entire village that your first encounter with the Young master Mas to pretend to drown in the river nearby and shout for help when you were in the shallow end." "What are you talking about? I never did that with the young master Nam! I did that with…!" If her servant hadn't of nudged her in time, then her secret would have been exposed right there and then. Even Seon-Ho himself looked confused, but I didn't stop there. In between my jobs as washer woman and a maid, I had found out a lot about The Mistress Han, who was now the new topic of gossip amongst all the families in the village despite their ranks.
"What are you talking about Yeon? Do you know something?" "Have you not heard, Young Master, that to keep herself in the loop about the family who has disowned her, she has kept private aids in her home as pets? To do with them as she pleases? We have a friendship over a decade long, and yet the Lady Min does not spare to always bring up the fact that I am seducing you when she herself as all of these tricks up her own sleeve."
I didn't even need to look at her to realise that her face had probably turned white in shock from the way that her servants instantly let go of me. But before I could make my escape, Seon-Ho had almost picked me up with both arms and instantly snatched a towel fromThe Mistress Han's hands and wrapped me in it before puling me into his embrace for the world to see so I could stop shaking from the cold. Bu before she had the chance to deny it, Seon-Ho's father came by and Seon-Ho instantly instructed Dal to take me back to my quarters as quickly as he possibly could before I got into trouble again.
As soon as I set foot into my quarters that now had a brand new charcoal fire heater and some gifts that couples usually exchanged when courting with each other. But how? When did Seon-Ho have the time to do this? Or was him asking me what he did was already a premeditated move? That goddamned jerk, he really did think everything through before even making his move, even with the love knot that he gifted me along with the poem 'The paired knots on our sashes will tie our hearts together as we dream.' But what dream was he talking about? His dream? My dream? Or the dream that we both dreamed of lovers? Why was he so obsessed with this marriage between us coming into fruition? Did he really love me? Enough to let me coincide with his ambitions? And let me raise a family in peace? His children? But could i really get pregnant agin? It wasn't that long ago that I already was...
I was so lost in my thoughts that i didn't even realise that my future sister-in-law had been waiting for me n my chambers and sobbing her heart out of the humiliation that she had endured tonight. "Be at ease sister, The Concubine Choi will not go unpunished for tonight's antics. Did you see how The Third Prince just left after telling her to just go to bed? All of her corrupt efforts were to become The Step Empress at the very least, but all she did was embarrass herself to the point of no return, she has even lost her authority to manager her husband's harem." "But sister! We are not musical entertainment for sale! We are not brothel ladies! We both have distinctive titles and…." "Titles in this world are meaningless unless you know how to protect them, that is the game to noble folk who inherit their class rather than work for it." i winced, trying to massage my knees just as one of Seon-ho's servants walked in unannounced to hand me over some medicine to heal my knees.
"I'm sorry, wha did you just say?" "I just think that he treats you too kindly, especially after breaking of your so-called relationship. He even traveled thousands of miles just to see you again…" "Wait a minute, are you saying that you knew where he was all along? For this past month?" "We do keep in touch and al i know was that he was away with your brother, but he wouldn't tell me why." "I do not believe this..." "But by his character, appearance, demeanour and erudition, he is doing everything for a reason, even if you do not know about it. Even now, he is appropriating boundaries for you and avoiding bringing on a disaster…" "He is a fool for caring about someone who will never surrender to him, not anymore, and doing senseless things that others wouldn't." "You shouldn't say hat Yeon, not without knowing what he has done for you." "What do you mean?" "Don't you remember how ill you were after coming out of confinement? You had such a high fever and even icy towels couldn't bring it down. So he lay down in the snow with only light clothes on to chill your body with his own. It was only after several rounds of this that your fever finally broke, and that is why he went away, so he could be treated without you worrying for him excessively." "But…." "My Ladies, the servant of The Companion Choi has sent you a gift for last night's act…"
The tears for my sister-in-law started all over again as i was left in confusion over her words. "Companion Choi? She must have been demoted from her station…but still! What right does she still have to treat us like this! This jade pendant is obviously a fake to taut us even further! Does she think we are singing geisha's! So what if she has a good family! It is natural for her to gain and loose favour! She always talks excessively and is unpleasant through and though! And she never lets up n the man who is using her to control The Concubine Park! And she dares t look down on us!" "But favour and status in he palace are decided by family background no matter what, so what is the point of being liked without power and status? Be angry if you must, but there may be more consequences for you if you break this 'Imperial Gift. And stop crying ,for your voice is no well and we need to tend to the Royal Children today. Here, have some water…." "Forgive my bitter words today sister, especially after i let you be humiliated alongside me today. if it weren't for you, I do not know here i shall be right now…" "No matter how much her husband despises her, he has no choice but to rust in her brother in my own brother's absence. This makes her pleased with herself with no boundaries. But for the sake of the turbulent border situation, he cannot rip up her face too much and keep up appearances with her." "I hope he falls inti the pit of hell along with his damned sister s that we never have to deal with her again." "Nothing can be done until her brother falls for the same trap of stupidity that his sister has fallen into."
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"well? Did you hand them the gift, Mistress Han?" "Of course i did." "How did they look when hey left my quarters?" "They kept their composure quite well, to be honest. And just as agreed, The Young Master Nam engaged with The Young Mistress Seo all night long." "Good, the further away she is from my own husband, the better. I know her temperament; she is not easily irritable, and the same goes for Concubine Park. But i never thought that The Mistress Nam would be bale to bear it due to her less than humble beginnings. It seems that i have been less observant, which caused me to fall into Seo Yeon's trap and become demoted like this, even though i bore a damned daughter for my husband. Seo Yeon in urn it arrogant and wilful and does not hesitate to talk back to her elders until she humiliates them. In the end, she will be humiliated by her closest people…and what about my brother? Did he manage to actually speak to her at all?" "They did converse a little at dinner before he had to leave abruptly…" "Well? What did he say to her?" "he warned her about not knowing her place in front of you and using her favours to displease you. He said that even if your husband does no interfere with her arrogant behaviour, that he will not let her live in ease."
"Very good, but now i have to deal with Concubine Park…" "As long as she keeps these 2 women closer to her, she will always gain favour for even the smallest of things. And my husband..." "You must let him vent out his anger, calm down and then you will be able to regain your favour, Mistress. You must still do everything in your power to manage these flowers in your husband's harem rather than constantly trimming them down into a bare plant. And you cannot harm any more heirs after your demotion. A lack of Imperial Heirs will reflect on your lack of virtue…" "So I must just sit by and watch the other women get pregnant one after another and be able to endure it? Never, I must be at the top of this palace hierarchy, no matter what it will cost me."