It would be his home from now on; a look around would do no harm. In time the strangeness would fade, and familiarity would settle in its place. Once Hui-seo settled into his new palace, Hui-won would stop worrying — and he would be no burden to the Crown Prince either.
"Forgive my presumption, my lady, but it would be best to look around another time."
The eunuch bowed his head.
"You must go and pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress, mistress of the inner palace."
Hui-seo let out a short sigh.
Having entered the palace, it was only proper to pay his respects to the Empress, mistress of the inner palace. The eunuch—
Had it not been pointed out to him, he would have committed a grave discourtesy.
"…Quite so."
Swallowing dryly, Hui-seo turned away. Sae-yeong, who had been watching him, unsure what to do, followed after him.
Oddly reassured by the presence he felt at his back, he glanced back and smiled briefly.
Startled by it, Sae-yeong's bashful manner was so like Su-a's that Hui-seo was able to let the tension gripping his feet drain away and set out.
With every step he took, his palms — which he kept clenching and unclenching — grew damp. If he looked in a mirror, his face would surely be pale beyond compare.
"Mama, are you all right?"
Sae-yeong, who had been trailing along beside him, glanced sidelong at the eunuch walking ahead and whispered, lowering her voice as far as it would go.
"I'm all right."
Wondering if his nerves showed that plainly even to the child, Hui-seo rubbed his cheek for no reason and lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Yeees."
It was not exactly a convinced expression, but Sae-yeong did not press him.
At Sae-yeong's words, at any rate, Hui-seo composed his face. He did not think his tense appearance would look well to others.
His palms were still damp, though.
Past the high encircling wall, the great main gate rose into view — pillars lacquered red, dark-blue roof tiles resting upon them, and dancheong in verdigris besides.
Overawed by its splendor, Hui-seo halted at the threshold and lifted his gaze to the hanging plaque.
Yeongnyeonggung.
It felt altogether different from when he had first set foot in Cheongu-dang.
"Yangje-mama, you have come."
As he steadied his heart, which threatened to grow anxious again, the eunuch who had been watching them suddenly turned and bowed toward someone.
Unlike Hui-seo, who had brought only Sae-yeong, the one approaching with at least six attendants trailing like a tail — he knew who she was.
Jeong Hye-eon. She had been destined to be the Crown Prince's consort, but had become a concubine instead.
'When the young master enters the palace, the youngest young lady of the minister's house will also receive her appointment and enter as a concubine alongside you.' The Sang-gong who had been drilling him in palace etiquette these past few days had dropped him the hint. So he had expected they might meet once inside the palace — no, he had guessed he would see her once he came to Yeongnyeonggung — but he had not expected to run into her before even hearing of it.
"Yangje-mama."
Hui-seo, who had been reckoning their ranks in his head, put his hands together and bowed politely.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
She who had been destined to become the Crown Princess had become a concubine instead. Embarrassingly contrary to his guess that she might show him hostility, her bearing was quite gentle and favorable.
"…Yes."
"I never thought we'd meet again like this — what a curious thing fate is. But why were you standing out here instead of going in?"
"I was just straightening my disheveled clothes before going in."
"Ah."
She looked Hui-seo up and down.
"You look neat enough."
"………"
"Hwanghu-mama will be waiting. She does not like to be kept waiting long, so you'd best stop fussing with your clothes and go in."
"Yes, Mama."
As he lowered his gaze and stepped back, Jeong Hye-eon naturally took the lead.
Hui-seo followed behind her.
Yeongnyeonggung, blazing bright with ornate lanterns set everywhere, was orderly and serene, as befitted the Empress's residence.
Amid this splendid order, Hui-seo soon read the atmosphere. The palace servants, so warm to Jeong Hye-eon, merely dipped their heads and stepped aside whenever their eyes happened to meet his.
That alone told him to whom the mistress of this palace showed her favor.
It was not hard to understand.
The Empress had earmarked her own niece for Crown Princess, but in the end had to settle for bringing her in as a concubine — no doubt because of the Crown Prince, who had insisted on Hui-seo.
"Hwanghu-mama. Yangje-mama and Seunghwi-mama request an audience."
The Sang-gong raised her voice. Hui-seo swallowed dryly and glanced sidelong at Jeong Hye-eon. She was perfectly composed, without a trace of nerves — even at the moment the doors opened.
"Come in, Seunghwi."
Catching Hui-seo's eye, Jeong Hye-eon stepped lightly over the threshold.
Inside, women sat arranged to the left and right with the Empress at the center.
The moment their eyes met, a hush fell, as if the very current of time had stopped for an instant.
"Summoned, I have entered the palace. I, Jeong Hye-eon of the Jeong family, pay my respects to Hwanghu-mama. May you enjoy heavenly blessings."
It was Jeong Hye-eon who broke the silence. Stepping forward first, she offered her greeting with perfect form. Even to him, ignorant of imperial etiquette, it looked flawless, without a single fault.
"Rise."
As Jeong Hye-eon straightened, the Empress gestured at once. Jeong Hye-eon stepped familiarly to her side.
"Well. Does Yeonghadang please you?"
"Mama looked after it herself — how could it fail to please me?"
"And how did you know I tended it myself?"
"Everything that meets the eye and the hand is so refined — I could hardly fail to know Mama's hand had touched it."
The Empress chatted on with only Jeong Hye-eon at her side, as if Hui-seo were invisible. Having missed his moment, Hui-seo could only stand at a distance and watch them converse.
"Mama, Yangje is truly thoughtful."
"You flatter me, Hyebi-mama."
"To possess the virtue of modesty as well — it is all His Highness the Crown Prince's good fortune."
"…When even Yeongbin-mama says so, this concubine is quite abashed…."
The Emperor's concubines seated on either side, reading the Empress's mood, pointedly ignored Hui-seo and sang Jeong Hye-eon's praises.
Jeong Hye-eon let out a small bashful sound at the compliments and turned to the Empress, who stroked her niece's cheek with an affectionate hand.
"Why wouldn't they be? But…"
The Empress's gaze soon fell on Hui-seo.
It was so sharp that Hui-seo thought, if looks could wound, he would already have been stabbed countless times and left drenched in blood.
"I did not tell you to attend upon me in this fashion."
Those were the words the Empress had spoken to him when they met at Geumwon. The vague goodwill that had existed even then had vanished without a trace.
"So you look this way?"
"……I greet Hwanghu-mama. May you enjoy heavenly blessings."
Hui-seo, hovering quietly at the edges like a stranger, let the hostility aimed at him slide off and hurriedly offered his greeting.
"Tsk."
The Empress clicked her tongue. She said neither rise, nor lift your head.
"I heard the Crown Prince personally sent a disciplinary Sang-gong for Seunghwi…"
"…….."
"It seems that Sang-gong's competence was lacking. Had I known it would come to this, I would have seen to it myself."
Her voice, never raised, was calm — and cut like a dagger for it.
"Seollan."
The Sang-gong standing at a distance approached.
"Tell the Palace Administration to dock a hundred days' wages from the Sang-gong who trained Seunghwi."
"As you command."
"Rather…"
Would it not be more just to punish him than the Sang-gong? Hui-seo lifted his head.
"Seunghwi. I have not permitted you to raise your head!"
Her wrath fell like driving frost. Biting his lip, he could do nothing but bow his head again.
"Might Seunghwi not have done it from nerves? I beg Mama to be merciful."
The one who came to the aid of Hui-seo — enduring this stretch of time with his hands pressed to the floor, the cold seeping up through it — was Jeong Hye-eon.
"All right… Yangje."
"Yes? Mama."
"…Yes, yes. How could I ever prevail against you?"
At the coquettish words, the Empress's voice softened a notch.
"Rise."
The Empress watched Woo Hui-seo with a displeased eye as he slowly raised his head.
Born and raised the cherished youngest daughter of an eminent house of the Eight Great Families, she had seen beautiful things beyond counting in all the years until she sat where she sat now — truly enough to weary her.
Why, Hye-eon beside her, the very image of her elder sister — famed as the greatest beauty of Sangyang in her maiden days — was truly lovely.
But Woo Hui-seo…
"…….."
How to put it?
He made all the beautiful things she had seen beyond counting seem faded.
Cheeks white as white jade; long lashes shading beneath his eyes with every blink; below them the soft curve of his nose, and his red lips.
His flawless looks were so perfect that no rhetoric could easily adorn them.
Sure as she was that the Crown Prince had taken the Woo family's second son as a concubine with some design in mind, she still caught herself idly wondering whether it was that beauty which had broken through the Crown Prince's indifference.
"Hwanghu-mama?"
Jeong Hye-eon, noticing the Empress gazing only at Woo Hui-seo for a long while, called to her carefully. Only then could the Empress tear her gaze away.
"…Both of you, listen."
The Empress cleared her throat and straightened her posture. As the gaze that had been cutting into him faded, Hui-seo finally breathed.
"You now belong to the Inner Court. So guard your every word and deed, serve the Crown Prince with a concubine's duty, and strive to continue the royal line."
"We shall bear it in mind."
"Moreover, with the Crown Princess's seat vacant, the highest in the Crown Prince's palace is Yangje. Seunghwi, keep that ever in mind and obey."
"Yes, Mama. I shall engrave it deeply."
He answered each of the pouring words meekly, but the Empress clicked her tongue softly, as if even that displeased her. No one failed to know at whom it was aimed. Hui-seo nearly flinched but barely kept himself upright.
"…I am weary. The morning greetings have gone on long enough — all but Yangje, withdraw."
Rubbing her temples, the Empress waved a light hand. At the dismissal, all the concubines rose.
Hui-seo too sighed quietly to himself and stepped back.
Then his eyes met Jeong Hye-eon's as she went to sit beside the Empress. She mouthed silently: Come by often.
Nodding before he knew it, Hui-seo watched Jeong Hye-eon give a faint smile and turn to the Empress as if nothing had happened. The Empress's gaze upon Jeong Hye-eon was most tender. Taking that as his last sight, Hui-seo backed away, step by step.
As he came out kneading his chilled fingertips, Sae-yeong, who had been waiting outside, approached.
"Mama……."
"Let's go. We were going to look around the residence."
His cheeks drained white; seeing the worry in the young servant's eyes, Hui-seo smiled sheepishly and forced strength into his legs.
***
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