Chapter 8. Lady Yang's Opportunity

"But our Hongwei is a noble child destined to become the third son, the crown prince, and the king. Who dares to strike his head and show no respect?"

Queen Sohyeon's voice became firm.

"Your Majesty!"

"Grandmother!"

Lady Shin, Lady Yun, and Prince Dowon prostrated themselves.

"Since I failed to assist the young Hongwei, the palace ladies and servants who were with him that day shall each receive twenty strokes of the cane. This is for daring to mock the heir!"

"…We will carry out your command."

Lady Yun, who had prostrated herself, received the Queen's order.

For the heir to receive the cane, it was as if Hongwei had been struck himself. It was also a declaration to the world.

'The heir, the future of the royal family, is not Hongwei, the first grandson of the Hongwei royal family.'

Lady Yun, who had received immense favor from the royal family and respect tinged with fear from the lower ranks due to her family's formidable wealth, could not believe that she had come to this because of a few words from a lowly servant.

'They said she was a Kwon lady. You will soon beg for your life before me like a dog.'

At that moment, Lady Yun's heart was filled with deep suspicion and resentment towards Kwon Seo.

"Lady Shin, it's the same for you. Instruct Prince Damyang to show proper respect to the heir, and have the servants who were with him that day receive the cane."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so."

"Is she called Kwon?"

Queen Sohyeon called Kwon Seo.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Come forward."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Kwon Seo prostrated herself and approached the place where Queen Sohyeon and King Sejong were seated.

"Raise your head."

Kwon Seo raised her head. Queen Sohyeon, who exuded a regal presence, looked down at Kwon Seo with an inscrutable gaze while holding Hongwei on her lap.

Her gaze was not cruel, as if she would strike and kill anyone at will.

"Well done, Kwon lady. You have taken good care of our Hongwei's pain."

Fortunately, it was a compliment.

Phew. Kwon Seo, without realizing it, let out a sigh of relief and bowed deeply.

"I am honored."

"I hope you will continue to assist our Hongwei well. Lady Choi."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lady Choi, the chief palace lady of the Inner Palace, who had been standing by the door, stepped forward and bowed.

"Reward the clever Kwon lady with twenty bolts of silk. And raise her monthly salary to that of a chief palace lady."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Hongwei, go back with Kwon lady. Your grandmother will call you again."

"Yes, Grandmother."

Hongwei, looking more spirited, bowed cutely and ran to Kwon Seo.

That day, those gathered in the Inner Palace realized clearly:

While the Queen greatly doted on her first grandson, Hongwei, she would never forgive anyone who dared to challenge the authority of the heir, no matter who they were.

It was a moment when everyone firmly imprinted the existence of the heir, who had been living quietly in Lady Yang's Yanghwadang, and became intensely interested in Kwon Seo, who protected the heir.

Just as Kwon Seo was about to leave the audience hall with the heir,

"Kwon."

King Sejong called Kwon Seo.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Kwon Seo prostrated herself again with the heir.

Just hearing King Sejong's voice made her heart race and her mind go blank.

"I want to hear in detail about the relationship between age, lying, and reasoning ability that you mentioned earlier."

He was indeed as passionate about learning as they said.

Kwon Seo, with a trembling voice, answered sincerely.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will tell you everything I know if you call me."

"Yes, yes. And Hongwei."

King Sejong called Hongwei affectionately.

"Come to Cheonchu Hall with Kwon lady. Your grandfather has something to show you."

"…!"

"…!!"

"…!!!!"

The Inner Palace was once again enveloped in a stunned silence.

Cheonchu Hall was a pavilion attached to Jeongjeon, where King Sejong used it as his personal study and laboratory.

It was a place where only the crown prince, Yi Hyang, could enter when called, and even other princes rarely visited more than once or twice a year.

It was a space where King Sejong could focus alone, so much so that he even hired mute servants to prepare tea, grind ink, and clean brushes.

'To call a mere servant and the heir to a place I can't even enter…'

Lady Shin's beautiful eyes trembled.

'Our Hongwei has never been there, so why that insolent brat?'

Lady Yun, the wife of Prince Suyang, clenched her teeth and her resentment towards Kwon Seo grew like a mountain.

"Your Majesty, call Princess Jeongui as well. Kwon lady's knowledge could be very helpful in raising children."

Queen Sohyeon, who had noticed Hongwei's newfound confidence, subtly supported King Sejong's words.

"!"

"!"

"!!"

As the situation unfolded, everyone in the Inner Palace opened their eyes wide to remember Kwon's face clearly.

Where the heart goes, success and wealth follow. While pondering whether to align with Kwon or eliminate her,

Lady Yang smiled brightly, her lips curling up to her cheekbones.

'She has secured a strong connection! I don't know how that dull child became so clever, but…'

As everyone looked at Kwon with various calculations and resentments,

"Yes, Grandfather. Let's go, Kwon lady."

Hongwei, lively as ever, lifted his bottom and bowed, then took Kwon's hand.

******

As they descended the steps from the Inner Palace, the four concubines of the crown prince were waiting.

'They are all as beautiful as flowers.'

Kwon Seo quickly put down Hongwei.

Then, the beautiful women, dressed in splendid silk robes of pink, light green, sky blue, and purple, bowed to the heir.

"We greet the heir. Has he been well?"

"I have been well. Have you been well?"

The heir, showing no signs of his earlier tears, received the greetings composedly.

"Oh, how well-spoken our young master is."

"Our young master is as clever as his father."

"How could he be so handsome?"

The four concubines vied to praise the heir.

At the same time, they did not miss the opportunity to scrutinize Kwon Seo.

'They are fierce flowers.'

As Kwon Seo marveled,

"Kwon lady, the heir needs to have his morning meal. Please take him to the pavilion."

Lady Yang, who had come out of the Inner Palace a bit later, called Kwon Seo and led the way.

Perhaps feeling the pressure from the four concubines, Hongwei also pulled Kwon Seo's hand, urging her to hurry.

Kwon Seo carried Hongwei and followed Lady Yang.

"Step back twenty paces. Only Lady Huh, come here."

When they left the Inner Palace, Lady Yang dismissed the following eunuchs and servants and called her closest chief palace lady.

"Later."

Lady Yang, while carrying the heir, glanced at Kwon Seo and gave some instructions to Lady Huh.

*****

After lunch that day,

Eunuch Eom Jachin, who delivered the crown prince's orders, took the heir to the Eastern Palace.

"Kwon lady, I have something for you to do immediately. Young master, Lady Han will take care of you for now."

Originally, Kwon Seo was supposed to go with them, but Lady Yang stopped her.

"Bye, bye."

Hongwei, though on the verge of tears, seemed more excited to see his father, Yi Hyang, and eventually left on Eom Jachin's back.

'No loyalty, our Hongwei. He should have insisted on taking me with him.'

Kwon Seo, feeling uneasy about Lady Yang's intentions, watched Hongwei's retreating back with regret.

Then, Lady Yang's voice reached Kwon Seo's ears.

"Look!"

Suddenly, five strong female servants grabbed Kwon Seo's arms and legs and dragged her somewhere.

"Why are you doing this? Why? Lady Yang! Lady Yang! I know how to save you and your children!"

Despite her struggles, the five servants dragged Kwon Seo to a secluded corner of the pavilion and pushed her in.

With a splash, the spring water, filled with blooming flowers, greeted Kwon Seo.

This, this is a familiar scene. Could it be?

Next, they will wrap me in a blanket…!

'But, I have confidence in persuading Yi Hyang. I might as well enjoy it.'

After coming to Joseon, Kwon Seo had been frustrated with the cramped wooden tub in Lady Park's quarters where she had to squat to bathe.

So, she began to dream of earning money to buy a house outside the palace and building a spacious bath first.

Now, sitting in a fragrant bath, with five servants washing her,

Thinking of the five servants as Aunt Seo, the masseuse, there was no need to feel embarrassed.

Kwon Seo closed her eyes and relaxed.

The five servants scrubbed Kwon Seo's body with grain soap.

'Grain soap!'

When Kwon Seo opened her eyes, she saw that the grain soap, made from mung beans and green powder, had poor cleansing power and a strong, unpleasant smell.

'Ah! I have found a way to quickly secure a house.'

Making soap.

While working at a psychological counseling center, she had used aromatherapy, diffusing rose oil, lavender oil, and frankincense oil to help clients with depression and insomnia.

The effects on psychology were good, and the natural scents were less likely to cause rejection. Kwon Seo had learned from an aromatherapist how to boil plant oils, add various oils, and make natural soaps, lotions, and medicinal plasters.

In Joseon, using plant oils, salt, and ash available here, she could make soap. By boiling various medicinal herbs with beeswax and lard, she could also make medicinal plasters with excellent healing properties.

'This is why one must learn everything, as King Sejong did.'

If she started using them in the palace, the marketing to the nobility would definitely be successful.

While the servants washed her hair several times and combed it with silver combs to make it shine, Kwon Seo dreamed ambitiously of amassing wealth in Joseon and dozed off.

After a thorough bath, Lady Yang said,

"Just now, Her Majesty was very pleased with you. His Majesty also took notice."

"Yes!?"

Surely, to King Sejong!

"No, Your Majesty! Lady Yang!"

Kwon Seo, pale with fear, cried out, but Lady Yang ignored her and called to Lady Huh.

"Lady Huh, do you have the servant's robe I wore before? Not the stiff one, but the one with a beautiful, well-fitted cut."

Lady Huh, at Lady Yang's command, hurriedly brought a servant's robe that, despite being twenty years old, had not faded and was made of very fine fabric.

"Put it on her and give her a sachet with musk. Her skin is clean, so just apply some rouge to her lips."

"I cannot serve His Majesty! I am the nurse of our heir!"

To serve King Sejong. Such a person should only show respect from a distance, not with physical service!

As Kwon Seo, flustered and bewildered, resisted with her whole body, Lady Yang ignored her completely.

"For a while, your eyes were dull, making your beautiful face look unattractive. What is your secret? How did you make your eyes shine so clearly, like stars?"

Lady Yang, standing on tiptoe, examined Kwon Seo's face closely.