Chapter 3

Sookbi (1)

There is a strange person living near Baekseon Palace.

Such rumors were circulating among the maids of the harem.

'Baekseon Palace...?'

Seolran, who was wringing out the linen cloth at the laundry area, overheard the conversation of the maids gathered on the opposite side.

There were various eyewitness accounts among the maids who had gone to the outer palace on errands for the Crown Princess.

Recently, there was a rumor that the person had been wandering around the palace covered in wild boar blood.

There had been many unusual sightings before that.

– 'Hehe... Hahaha... I can make a lot of soy sauce and bean paste...'

One time, the person was spotted near the kitchen where the eunuchs' meals were prepared, carrying a dozen stinky soybeans and walking down the road with a sinister smile.

– 'Hahaha... Deer antler, ginseng, rehmannia, and angelica... What a valuable tonic... It's a whole different level from cheap health supplements...'

Another time, the person was seen sitting near the medicine room of the outer palace, boiling various herbs to make a health tonic.

It looked as if they were making poison, sitting alone in a corner of the wall, fanning a fire.

– 'Hahahaha... So refreshing!!!!'

– 'L-O-V-E... Is it a hateful butterfly!!!!'

One morning, there was even a sighting of the person rubbing their body with dried herbs in the Jungheon Stream in front of the palace, without their upper garment.

According to the testimony, they were singing a strange song happily.

'Taepyeong... Please...'

Seolran, who was washing the linen cloth for bandaging, covered her face with her hands.

The cherished wish to find a partner for her only precious younger sister in the harem seemed so distant.

*

"I need to check the defensive formations in the harem area. Taepyeong, you go and take a look."

"Me, sir?"

"Yes. If you feel uncomfortable going alone, take Yeonri with you. Ugh... This old man finds it too salty. Next time, make it a bit lighter."

"But last time, you said this level of saltiness was just right..."

"You're being too talkative. Can't you even cater to an old man's whims? You're so energetic..."

The elderly Baekseon, sitting across the old dining table, was chewing on rice and picking up a few pieces of stir-fried pork.

With deep wrinkles and a short, stocky build, he looked even more diminutive due to his bent back.

Baekseon Lee Cheolwoon of Cheongdo Palace.

Though it's not my place to say, he was one of the most eccentric people I had met in Cheongdo Palace.

I heard he was a long-time companion of the late emperor, having met on the battlefield.

He was said to be a rather arrogant Taoist in his prime, but now he introduced himself as just an old man in the back room.

Baekseon is the title given to the elder who advises on all matters related to Taoist practices in Cheongdo Palace.

His role is so important that he was given an entire building, Baekseon Palace.

He has at least six guards and five maids, and up to a dozen each if needed. His treatment was almost on par with a high-ranking official of the third rank.

However, Baekseon refused all the lavish treatment and settled with just a maid, a novice guard, a eunuch, and a secretary.

All four were personally chosen by him.

"Still, it's more palatable when eaten with rice. You're better at cooking than Yeonri, Taepyeong."

"Oh, sir, you're always nagging."

The palace ladies would give him specially tailored robes to maintain his dignity, but he found them troublesome and always wore shabby clothes.

The meals prepared for him were not as grand as the imperial feast, but they were still quite elaborate. However, he refused them and ate wild plants and herbs found inside and outside the palace.

Still, sometimes he seemed to miss the palace food... and would come to the kitchen to take my meals. Like today.

Looking at him, he was a completely unpredictable old man.

Still, his skills as a Taoist seemed to be solid.

"The formations set up in the palace seem to be quite disrupted lately. The fact that wild boars and other wild animals are roaming around... and the illness of Sookbi, the lady of Cheongryong Palace..."

"Indeed, the palace seems a bit chaotic. If there's a problem with the formations, isn't it your responsibility, sir? I'm worried..."

I finished the last of my soup.

At first, it was uncomfortable to share a meal with a high-ranking official like Baekseon, but I had become somewhat accustomed to his straightforward attitude.

"Still, wouldn't it be better if you went to check it out yourself, sir? I'm not particularly skilled in Taoist or alchemical arts."

"You've been taught the basics of Taoist techniques. That's enough. Just take a rough look at the state of the formations and come back."

"..."

No matter what, isn't it unreasonable to ask me to act on behalf of the palace's Baekseon?

Especially in the harem. If there's a problem with the formations in the place where the Crown Princess resides, it could be a serious issue.

"I need to deal with that fox in the main palace."

"...I see."

Only then did I understand why he was sending me. He was going to see Hwawan, a civil official in the main palace.

Hwawan, known as a cunning and sinister strategist, had the nickname of a 'demon fox' for living in the main palace.

He tried to resolve everything casually, and his words and actions were completely unpredictable, making him the complete opposite of the straightforward Baekseon.

There must be some issue on the main palace side. Otherwise, someone like Hwawan wouldn't personally seek out Baekseon.

"And considering the state of Sookbi, who is said to be ill... you might be more helpful than I am."

"...Pardon?"

"It's just a simple guess, but you'll see when you get there."

Saying that, Baekseon put a few pieces of meat in his mouth and chewed.

*clunk*

"Oh, Baekseon sir, you're here! If you had let us know in advance, it would have been better!"

Yeonri, who had finished the laundry, entered the kitchen with a small basket. Inside were various cleaning tools.

"I'm cleaning the room now. Should I tidy it up right away?"

"No, it's fine. After I finish eating, I'll take a walk on Baeksak Mountain."

Baeksak Mountain was a large mountain behind Cheongdo Palace.

Even a strong man would take a whole day to climb, but this Taoist treated it like a casual stroll.

Because of this, the times he entered and left the palace varied, making it quite a challenge for Yeonri, who was in charge of cleaning.

"Yeonri, you should eat now. Before sunset, you and Taepyeong need to go to the harem."

"The harem? Because of the formations?"

"Yes, sending a boy into the harem alone would be too harsh."

Yeonri nodded and placed the basket next to the hearth.

Then she looked at the food on the wooden table with disgust.

"...I'd rather starve."

"Complaining about the food again? You brat."

"Beef, or soup, or fried pork. Do you even remember how many months we've been eating this?!"

'The men of Baekseon Palace have no idea what fine dining is.'

This was what Yeonri always lamented.

It seemed that the food here was quite harsh for Yeonri, the only woman in Baekseon Palace.

I often prepared meals according to Baekseon's preferences, usually beef, soup, or fried pork as a special treat.

It was strange...

Baekseon and the eunuch always ate without complaint...

"Complaining about the food is one thing, but we've been eating the same menu for almost four months! I even told you I'd cook myself if you left the ingredients!"

"Ah, here we go again. You know how luxurious it is to eat meat so often, so why are you complaining? You're so full."

I said this while serving rice and pork broth into the dishes.

"And how is the menu always the same? Bean sprout soup, radish soup, potato soup, spinach soup, water dropwort soup, bracken soup, garlic chives soup, zucchini soup, mugwort soup, bamboo shoot soup, and now pork soup... Even high-ranking officials in the main palace don't get such a varied menu, so please stop being picky."

"Your way of thinking, Taepyeong, is the scariest thing."

*

There are only three cases when a man can enter the harem, a restricted area.

The first is when the man is a member of the royal family.

The second is when the man is a eunuch who handles specialized tasks within the harem.

The third is when a guard must visit for security reasons.

Castration weakens a man's yang energy, makes his personality more gentle, and increases his appetite, leading to weight gain.

It's impossible to make guards, who handle war and security, like that, and it's also impossible to neglect the security of the harem... so it was a necessary measure.

Because of this, when harem maids had romantic feelings, their partners were often guards.

Even for official purposes, guards had to be somewhat cautious when entering the harem.

If they were misunderstood, they could fall from their hard-earned position in Cheongdo Palace.

Therefore, when guards entered, it was customary to bring one or two women from the outer palace. A man alone would be too noticeable.

This was why Baekseon had assigned Yeonri to me.

"The maid Seol in the harem will be happy to see you."

"I doubt it. I don't think we'll run into each other."

The harem is where my sister, Seolran, is stationed.

The early part of the romantic fantasy novel 'Cheongryong Yeonja' focuses on the intrigue among the Crown Princesses and the love stories that blossom between them.

As a guard from Baekseon Palace, it's difficult for me to observe the situation, as I'm physically separated from it.

Still, I'm sure the determined Seolran will handle it well.

Yeonri, leading the way, tilted her head.

"By the way, I heard that Sookbi of Cheongryong Palace is suffering from an illness... Is it related to the problem with the formations?"

"..."

I was lost in thought.

If the problem with the formations surrounding the harem was causing Sookbi's illness, Baekseon should have come himself.

Yet, why did he send a mere novice guard like me?

I couldn't help but be concerned. Despite his seemingly frivolous nature, he was always sharp when it came to important matters.

Looking up, I saw the entrance to the harem.

The guard on duty, who had been informed in advance by Baekseon, greeted us as soon as he saw us.

"Are you here to check on Sookbi's condition?"

"Excuse me? I'm a guard from Baekseon Palace, here to check the formations."

"Ah, yes... I heard that, but I was also told that you would check on Sookbi's condition as well."

"..."

Who is Sookbi? She is not someone a mere novice guard from Baekseon Palace can 'check on.'

The Crown Prince of Cheongdo usually has four consorts, in addition to his concubines.

They are usually chosen from suitable young girls from a young age, and the selection process is long and complex, often taking more than half a year to choose one consort.

Once chosen, the four consorts each take charge of one of the inner chambers within the vast harem walls and begin their education as Crown Princesses.

Hyunbi, who oversees Hyunmu Palace in the north of the harem.

Gwi, who oversees Jujak Palace in the south.

Sookbi, who oversees Cheongryong Palace in the east.

Deokbi, who oversees Baekho Palace in the west.

And, in the center of the harem, the Cheondo Gongnyeo, who oversees Cheongryong Pavilion.

Indeed, if one were to choose the most noble and exalted woman in the palace, it would be the Cheondo Gongnyeo, who has the harem under her control.

Even the emperor purifies himself before entering Cheongryong Pavilion, as it is the place of the shaman who serves the will of the Blue Dragon.

Though her authority may be less than the emperor's, the emperor must still show respect to the Cheondo Gongnyeo as the mistress of the harem.

Roughly, it's like the relationship between a battalion commander and a company commander.

The position of Cheondo Gongnyeo, revered by all in the palace except the emperor.

Indeed.

It was the position that Seolran would eventually occupy.