Chapter 97

Mo-hwa was startled by the unexpected sensation. The girl was even more surprised, as if she had seen a ghost, when she confirmed the face of the person who had lightly caught her.

Yeon-oh spoke toward the pale face.

“Are you alright?”

He handed the seized Mo-hwa over to So-ha, who was following behind.

“Gwi, Gwi, Gwi-bi Mama…”

So-ha, who had been in the Imperial Palace for a long time, had hands as strong as a man’s. She held tightly onto Mo-hwa, who was struggling to instinctively run away.

“Th-This…”

Wang Hak, who had pushed Mo-hwa but then noticed the people gathering around, could not utter a coherent word. He hurriedly tried to turn around but hesitated upon seeing the Giryung Palace eunuchs blocking the path. There was no visible opening to escape.

Swish.

Just then, a firm force snatched the tail of Wang Hak’s neck cloth. The eunuch was pulled along and fell. The face that was always clear and elegant, like a being from a painting, was now looking down at the sprawled Wang Hak.

“Gyo Gwi-bi, Gwi-bi Mama… This humble person, this humble person…”

Wang Hak knelt, stuttering. He tried to conjure up any excuse. But the moment he tried to open his mouth, a firm hand struck his cheek.

Smack!

A sound like skin tearing rang out.

“…!”

Wang Hak only blinked from the shock of the fierce blow to his cheek. Smack, a straight, firm hand struck the opposite cheek again. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Wang Hak’s cheeks were turned left and right in succession.

Smack! Smack!

Wang Hak was not the only one startled by the loud and violent noise. All the court personnel belonging to the Giryung Palace were astonished, their eyes practically popping out. The one hitting Wang Hak’s cheek was none other than Gyo Yeon-oh, who was reputed to be the most innocent in the Giryung Palace.

“Wang Hak, a eunuch belonging to the Inner Palace administration.”

“…Yes, yes.”

“You are very diligent. You came to my palace, which is under construction, even before dawn. Did you come to inspect the construction site?”

Yeon-oh said, wiping away the foreign matter on his hand.

“Ye-Yes, yes, that is correct…”

In Yeon-oh’s hand, after discarding the handkerchief, a short rod was held. The short rod, about the length from his fingertips to his elbow, seemed to be a scroll mounting stick. The end of the scroll stick, adorned with fancy decorations, lifted Wang Hak’s chin.

Wang Hak’s face was a mess, with his lips and eyes torn and swollen from Yeon-oh’s blows.

“If this Consort hurts his hand, your life will be in danger. Your neck might be sliced.”

“…P-Please spare my life.”

“Eunuch Wang, your crimes are not just one or two. Although you claim it was for your duty, you entered the Giryung Palace arbitrarily without this Consort’s permission. You meet the young girl maid of the Giryung Palace in private and try to lay a hand on the maid. Even if you are a eunuch, approaching a maid disrespectfully can be a problem. Furthermore, the other party is a young girl, is she not? What kind of shameless act is this?”

Wang Hak tried to shake his head in protest. However, the ornate decoration of the scroll stick pressed against his Adam’s apple, making it impossible for him to move.

“It was fortunate that this Consort’s maid was quick-acting and avoided an improper entanglement with the eunuch. But Eunuch Wang, why did you feed poison to the maid of this Consort’s chamber?”

“…”

Wang Hak could only move his torn lips, unable to do anything else.

“Does Eunuch Wang have a hobby of feeding people poison and taking their lives? The eunuch who manages this Consort’s chamber was a very dangerous person. Take him away, and find out the source of the poison, the method by which it was brought into the palace, and the distribution method within the consort palace.”

Yeon-oh commanded, withdrawing the scroll stick that had been pressing Wang Hak down.

“Yes, Gwi-bi Mama.”

“Yes, Gwi-bi Mama.”

The Giryung Palace eunuchs dragged Wang Hak away, bowing deeply. They appeared to be using more force than ever.

Yeon-oh tossed the scroll stick he was holding onto the discarded handkerchief.

“Burn it.”

He took a handkerchief from his sleeve, wrapped it around his hand that had been used, and headed toward the pavilion.

*****

The Handan Palace was strangely stirring, unlike usual. So-mok, a court maid from the Handan Palace, who had left in the morning, had not returned by evening. Consort Bi was also worried upon hearing that the court maid had gone out and not returned.

“Are you looking for So-mok?”

“Yes, Mama. We are looking everywhere, but she is nowhere to be seen. She is nowhere to be found.”

” Consort Bi Mama, Consort Jin (Jin Mi-in) requests an audience.”

Consort Bi Consort Bi was not particularly pleased by the words coming from outside. However, as there was no specific reason to refuse the visit, she nodded.

After Yun So-hwa’s eunuch ran into trouble, Jin Mi-in’s breast guard came out as evidence, causing Jin Mi-in to show hostility toward Consort Bi.

Consort Neung (Neung So-yong) also kept her distance with Jin Mi-in for a while. Though she did not show hostility like Jin Mi-in, she conspicuously avoided Consort Bi. Recently, Consort Neung has resumed visiting, and Jin Mi-in also comes and goes with her, but the atmosphere is much more awkward than before.

“Let her in.”

She thought things would return to normal over time. Consort Bi’s permission was given, and Jin Mi-in hurriedly entered through the open door.

“Consort Bi Mama!”

Jin Mi-in approached with an urgent expression.

“Did you arrive? Is something urgent happening?”

“I heard the Handan Palace maid So-mok disappeared? It seems So-mok is being held in the Giryung Palace. Your younger sister went to pay respects to Gyo Gwi-bi, but she said the Gwi-bi was not meeting anyone today. Because of the recent misfortunes, the Giryung Palace, where guests are rare, turned away all visitors, which was strange, so I looked around briefly and heard So-mok’s voice.”

Jin Mi-in whispered in a low voice.

“Come to think of it, while tracing her whereabouts, many said they saw So-mok heading toward the westernmost corridor. I thought she had gone to the Seokgeum Garden, but she might have gone to the Giryung Palace.”

“How did Consort Jin recognize So-mok’s voice?”

“…I apologize. I faintly heard that So-mok seemed to be crying. She said, ‘Please forgive me just once,’ ‘It’s a misunderstanding,’ and ‘I have sinned.’ Those words overlapped with what So-mok said when she was begging for forgiveness for two days in the Handan Palace courtyard last year…”

Jin Mi-in resided in the same Handan Palace as Consort Bi. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] She was the person who knew the court maids close to Consort Bi and the maids she had punished better than anyone.

“Ah, that happened. Send word that this Consort wishes to greet Gyo Gwi-bi in the Giryung Palace. Consort Jin, please tell Consort Hyeok, Consort Neung, and Dam So-ui to come to the Handan Palace.”

“I will do so, Mama. But what do you plan to do?”

“I must visit the Giryung Palace.”

Jin Mi-in properly saw off the departing Consort Bi.

“Please be careful on your visit.”

Consort Bi affectionately patted Jin Mi-in, who was seeing her off with a worried face, and left the pavilion.

Jin Mi-in also moved, her face thoughtful as she returned to her own pavilion.

She understood why Consort Bi was calling Consort Neung and her. However, she found the summons for Consort Hyeok and Dam So-ui puzzling. Perhaps she expected Consort Hyeok, whose nature was gentle, to help her. But calling Dam So-ui was strange no matter how she thought about it.

“I can’t predict how this will end. Well, it doesn’t matter who suffers a misfortune among the two. Would it be better if both suffer a misfortune?”

A subtle smile crossed Jin Mi-in’s face as she emerged from her thoughts.

Gyo Gwi-bi readily let Consort Bi into the Giryung Palace. Contrary to expectations that the atmosphere would be ominous due to the complete cessation of outside visitors, the Giryung Palace atmosphere was elegant and tidy.

All the court personnel and eunuchs were wearing newly made clothes with a noticeable seasonal feel. Unlike a place where unfortunate events had occurred one after another, everyone’s expressions seemed relaxed.

Those doing their assigned tasks, and those standing by the pavilion door, moved leisurely and courteously.

“Please enter.”

So-ha opened the door leading to the inner chamber. Consort Bi expressed her thanks with a nod and stepped inside.

“I pay my respects to Gyo Gwi-bi Ma…”

Consort Bi, who had arrived in front of the seat of honor with her eyes lowered, stopped her prepared greeting mid-sentence at the bewildering sight.

An incomprehensible scene unfolded below Yeon-oh, who was seated in the seat of honor. So-mok and Wang Hak were kneeling side-by-side, their hands tightly clasped. So-mok’s face was tear-stained, and Wang Hak’s lips and eyes were bruised and split, as if he had been beaten.

In front of the two, evidence proving they were lovers was abundantly displayed.

Scent pouches with identical embroidery. A pair of rings that seemed to match.

A handkerchief that appeared to belong to a man was embroidered with the design of the earrings So-mok was wearing, and a handkerchief that appeared to belong to a woman was embroidered with the strokes of Wang Hak’s name.

There was one more thing that made the Gwi-bi pause.

“S-sob, hic…”

In one corner of the inner chamber, Mo-hwa, the Giryung Palace maid, was sobbing with her hands raised.