Chapter 59

“Who was the last person to see Bong-yeon before the accident? Was it Consort Du?”

“No. She left without separately informing me since it was so early. The last person to see her before the accident was one of my eunuchs.”

“Can I meet him?”

At Yeon-oh’s question, Consort Hyeok gestured and commanded.

“Just in case, I kept the important witnesses separate. The eunuch’s name is Shim Chae-hwan, and I heard he was close to Bong-yeon. The shock was great, so the eunuch speaks a bit slowly.”

The young eunuch, who was led in by the inspection eunuch, was large and still had youthful chubby cheeks.

“I greet the Consort Gwi-bi Mama. May the Consort Gwi-bi enjoy great fortune. I… I was the last person to meet the Lady Bong-yeon before the accident.”

Just as Consort Hyeok said, the eunuch Shim spoke haltingly.

“No need to be nervous. I called you to confirm a few things. When did Bong-yeon leave Seonin-gung this morning?”

“I apologize. I don’t remember well. She left early, early. I think she left right after Ogyung started. It is certain that she left after Sagyung.”

At Eunuch Shim’s words, Consort Hyeok nodded. It seemed there was no difference in the content from what had already been confirmed.

Yeon-oh tilted his head. According to Eunuch Shim, there was a difference of almost half an hour between when Bong-yeon and Yun So-hwa began moving. Even if the Oru Pavilion was far from Yun So-hwa’s quarters, it would not take up to I-gak (two quarters of an hour, 30 minutes). The distance from Seonin-gung to Oru Pavilion, even if walking slowly, would not take up to I-gak, although it might take longer than Il-gak (one quarter of an hour, 15 minutes).

“Did Bong-yeon usually frequent the Oru Pavilion?”

Yeon-oh asked Consort Du, not Eunuch Shim.

“No.”

“…No!”

Eunuch Shim shouted, interrupting, perhaps overly nervous. Consort Du was displeased, and Consort Hyeok was puzzled. Yeon-oh and Consort Hyeok exchanged glances containing a question.

“If Bong-yeon fell from the Oru Pavilion, did anyone go up to the Oru Pavilion?”

“There was nothing there that could serve as evidence.”

Consort Hyeok answered with a regretful face. Yeon-oh stared intently at the crouched Eunuch Shim.

“…”

At Yeon-oh’s gaze, Consort Hyeok mentioned something that had just occurred to her.

“Eunuch Shim was not the first to discover Bong-yeon, but he was one of the people who went to the Oru Pavilion after hearing about the accident. You also said you saw Court Lady Dong nearby, didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes! I definitely saw Court Lady Dong near the Oru Pavilion.”

Eunuch Shim answered without raising his head.

“You saw Court Lady Dong near the Oru Pavilion. When were you at the Oru Pavilion, Eunuch Shim?”

“W-When… Oh, that. People were saying there had been an accident, so I also rushed there. I went mixed in with the crowd, so I don’t know the exact time.”

“If you saw Court Lady Dong, wouldn’t it have been immediately after the accident?”

At Yeon-oh’s question, Eunuch Shim nodded heavily.

“Probably so.”

“Do you remember which direction Court Lady Dong was in?”

“I apologize! I-I saw her from far away, so I don’t remember clearly.”

“How did you recognize her as Court Lady Dong when she was far away? Were you usually acquainted with Court Lady Dong?”

“Eunuch In, who is like a senior brother to me, used to be at Chwiho Palace, so we exchanged greetings in passing. I remembered Court Lady Dong because he has a striking face.”

A striking face meant he was remembered because he was handsome.

“Where were you after Bong-yeon left Seonin-gung?”

Yeon-oh gestured, looking for the tray containing the evidence. An inspection eunuch smoothly moved to his side. The hook of the white gold hairpin on the tray, the side that attaches to clothing or a belt, was slightly warped. It looked like it had been forcibly pulled off. Since the hook shape was not completely destroyed, it was highly likely that the place it was attached to was damaged.

Consort Hyeok also saw what Yeon-oh confirmed.

“Yes…? I stayed in Seonin-gung the entire time after Bong-yeon left!”

“Where in Seonin-gung were you? Is there anyone who saw you there? Why did you push Bong-yeon, the palace servant of Seonin-gung, from the Oru Pavilion?”

“No, you are mistaken! You may not want to believe me, Consort Gwi-bi, but Court Lady Dong was definitely there! The last thing Bong-yeon said was ‘Court Lady Dong’.”

Eunuch Shim burst into tears and shook his head wildly. He looked desperately at his mistress, Consort Du, as if asking her to believe his innocence.

“Do you think Bong-yeon is your friend…? Bong-yeon is a person I brought from my family. Even if you became close, Eunuch Shim, you are not someone who can call her so casually!”

Consort Du focused on the wrong thing in Eunuch Shim’s words.

“Lady Bong-yeon and I became friends. I helped the Lady Bong-yeon, who was unfamiliar with the Imperial Palace, so diligently! Ask the Lady Bong-yeon, we truly became friends!”

Eunuch Shim cried out tragically.

“Find the Eunuch In who was at Chwiho Palace when the Grand Royal Consort Sun was alive. He is the senior brother of Shim Chae-hwan, or a eunuch of similar rank.”

Consort Hyeok commanded the inspection eunuchs. Eunuch Shim, realizing something was wrong, hurriedly got up from his crouched position. Yeon-oh spoke, watching him crawl on his hands and feet, trying to escape.

“Arrest Shim Chae-hwan. Remove his outer garment and check if the ornamental hook or seam is damaged!”

At Yeon-oh’s command, the inspection eunuchs seized Eunuch Shim by his limbs.

“Let go! Let go of me! It wasn’t me! No, I said no… Aaaaack!”

An inspection servant removed Eunuch Shim’s outer garment and checked the ornamental hook. When the servant tried to check the waistband hook, Eunuch Shim twisted his limbs and screamed as if burned.

“The ornamental hook is torn.”

“The clothes are old, that’s why they’re torn!”

Consort Du, watching the resisting eunuch, opened her lips with a blank face.

“Every year as winter ends, my family sends new fabric to be tailored into clothes as gifts for the eunuchs. I already gave new fabric to the eunuchs in my quarters this year. How dare you… how dare you!”

Consort Du stood up and shouted.

“Lady Bong-yeon is the bad one! She acted friendly as if she would date me, made me run errands so much! Now she is going back on her word… She is the bad one!”

“Such a crazy bastard…”

“She was like that, too! She smiled when I held her hand, but when I tried to hug her, she called me a crazy eunuch! Is it okay to hold hands with a eunuch but a big deal to embrace one?”

Thinking the situation would not change, Shim Chae-hwan spoke with a sarcastic, mocking tone.

“You scoundrel! Will you not shut that dirty mouth. Do you think you can mock a woman of the Du family and survive! A eunuch who does not know his place…”

Consort Du tried to swing her hand at Shim Chae-hwan, who was being held by the inspection eunuchs. Yeon-oh barely managed to restrain Consort Du, who was rushing toward Shim Chae-hwan.

“Consort Du, you must bear it. Gag that man’s mouth!”

“If we leave that scoundrel alone, Bong-yeon will…”

“Do not believe everything that man says. It will not be too late to confirm when Lady Bong-yeon wakes up. We do not need to listen to a person who speaks as he pleases just because the other person has collapsed.”

At Yeon-oh’s words, Consort Du pressed her lips together tightly. Cries erupted from between her sealed lips.

“Sob, sob…”

Consort Du’s shoulders heavily convulsed with weeping. Yeon-oh watched Consort Du, who was trying to lean on him, with an expression of mere discomfort.

“If we find Eunuch In and confirm whether he gave the white gold hairpin that appeared as evidence to Shim Chae-hwan, the presence or absence of the crime will be clearer. Besides Eunuch In, we will investigate the matter related to the white gold hairpin with the eunuchs and palace servants who were at Chwiho Palace at the same time.”

Consort Hyeok separated the weeping Consort Du from Yeon-oh and led her away. Yeon-oh, who was at a loss, gestured his thanks with his eyes.

Yeon-oh, watching the two leave, turned back to the inspection eunuchs and palace servants holding the culprit. Their faces were devoid of emotion. However, discomfort was not entirely hidden just because they did not show it.

“My lords. Please do not take the words Consort Du spoke today to heart. Consort Du’s half-sister, whom she brought from her family, is in critical condition. Please understand her with a generous heart. Confine Eunuch Shim as Consort Hyeok commanded, and monitor him closely to prevent him from taking his own life.”

“Yes, Consort Gwi-bi Mama.”

“Thank you all for your hard work.”

At Yeon-oh’s repeated greeting, the eunuchs and palace servants bowed and retreated. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The inside of Seonin-gung, where a commotion had just swept through, was enveloped in an uncanny silence.

It was Consort Bi who broke the silence.

“It seems the situation has been resolved, so we shall retire now. You all clean up the Jade Garden as it was before the guests arrived, and relay our thanks to Consort Hyeok for her hard work.”

Consort Bi tidied up the Jade Garden in place of Consort Hyeok, who had taken Consort Du away.

“We follow your command.”

The Seonin-gung eunuchs and palace servants paid their respects to Consort Bi and the concubines. Consort Bi led the concubines following her and approached Yeon-oh.

“Consort Bi.”

“Consort Gwi-bi Mama, you must have been in a difficult position today, but you handled the matter wisely. The Consort Gwi-bi Mama’s example of caring for her own person will be an inspiration to many.”

“You are too kind. It is thanks to Consort Hyeok and Consort Bi generously accepting my stubbornness that the misunderstanding could be resolved. On behalf of Court Lady Dong, I wish to convey my apology and gratitude.”

Consort Bi returned the bow to Yeon-oh’s greeting.

“My sisters and I will retire now. What will you do, Consort Gwi-bi Mama?”

“I think I will also leave now.”

Consort Bi offered Yeon-oh to walk ahead. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The concubines walked in line, following Yeon-oh as he left the Jade Garden. In front of the corridor of Seonin-gung, which was next to the Jade Garden, Consort Hyeok was paying her respects to someone.

“You have worked hard. Inform me when the guilt is confirmed. I will handle the matter as the Consort wishes to dispose of it.”

At the cool, low voice, Yeon-oh’s steps involuntarily stopped. The man standing in front of Consort Hyeok turned and looked at Yeon-oh.