Chapter 50

The Donhu Palace was bustling with preparations to receive the Emperor. Despite it being early evening, lanterns were hung everywhere. Cheerful lanterns adorned not only the interior of Donhu Palace but also the path leading from the nearby Donghwa-won to the palace entrance.

Yechun-gak was equally noisy.

“So-ui Mama, try this one too.”

“And this one.”

Palace servants chattered ceaselessly around Dam So-ui, who was seated in front of a large mirror. Their hands busily held up various hairpins and waist ornaments to Dam So-ui’s hair and waist sash.

“Thank you for your attention.”

Dam Seo-jun was busy preparing to meet the Emperor, who was visiting Donhu Palace after a long time. He wore a long robe made of neung-ra-bi-dan (figured damask silk) that the Emperor had bestowed upon him. Under the pure white robe, layers of thin and thick silks added to his nobility. He wore embroidered leather shoes, and his hair, which the palace servant had carefully tied up, was adorned with various hairpins. Gold, silver, red jade, emerald jade, white jade, coral, amber, and copal.

Among the extravagant decorations, the most prominent was the golden phoenix hairpin (Geum-bong-chae). The end of the golden hairpin was carved with a phoenix head, giving it dignity. The specially commissioned golden phoenix hairpin had dangling gold ornaments by the phoenix’s body, which jingled whenever he moved. The swaying of the gold ornaments looked like the movement of a tail feather.

“Mama, you are so lovely.”

“Indeed!”

“You should dress like this even when you go to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.”

The cute Dam Seo-jun’s face broke into a smile at the palace servant’s remark, which was delivered with a broad grin.

“Lovely? What good is it for a man to be lovely? You all are much prettier.”

At Dam So-ui’s words, the palace servants by his side burst into laughter. He waved his hands at the flattery, but his smile deepened, suggesting he didn’t dislike hearing it.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from beyond the door.

“Dam So-ui.”

“What is the matter?”

“His Majesty is approaching.”

The eunuch standing beyond the door said quickly.

“His Majesty, already?”

Dam So-ui rose. The palace servants attended to him, arranging the trailing hem of his long robe. The palace servants remaining in the room organized the various accessories that had been taken out and checked the arrangement of Yechun-gak again.

“He arrived an hour earlier than the time Wan Taegam informed us.”

“It must be that he missed Mama so much he couldn’t wait!”

The palace servants surrounding and attending to Dam So-ui chattered with affectionate voices.

“Hush, can’t you all be quiet?”

Dam So-ui waved his hand at the palace maid’s strict words. Following his movement, the lavish treasures jingled. It was a luxurious and noble sound.

“It is all right; let them be.”

The generously speaking Dam So-ui knelt and bowed his head in accordance with the etiquette. The palace servants following him also lined up according to their rank and paid their respects.

“The Emperor is arriving!”

After the eunuch’s shout, the main gate of Donhu Palace opened. Dam Seo-jun smiled brightly when he saw Seonjae enter through the opened door. Although the man’s face was expressionless, just seeing his face was a relief.

“Your Majesty.”

The eyes of the palace servants, who were lined up and paying their respects, widened at Dam So-ui’s familiar address to the Emperor.

“Dam So-ui…!”

The palace maid attending right next to him turned pale and hurriedly stopped him. Dam So-ui also realized his mistake immediately after uttering the greeting.

“I greet the Em-Emperor. May Your Majesty enjoy great fortune. I am deeply sorry. This concubine has erred in his etiquette.”

He asked for forgiveness with a tearful expression. Seonjae easily comforted the sorrow that had surfaced on his gentle face.

“It is all right. Rise. Let’s go in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As if he had never been tearful, Dam So-ui smiled brightly and followed the Emperor. Following his gesture to withdraw, the Donhu Palace palace servants gently backed away.

The Emperor, who was walking ahead, turned back to Dam So-ui, patted his arm, and spoke. Pride and admiration flowed across the faces of the palace servants who watched Dam So-ui walk amicably with the Emperor.

“…”

Only the Court Lady watched the scene with concern. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] The Court Lady’s hesitant gaze turned to the side. Wan Taegam was standing there. The Grand Eunuch was observing the Emperor, who was speaking to Dam So-ui, and Dam So-ui, whose lips were curved up in a smile, with an indecipherable expression.

In the Court Lady’s eyes, Dam So-ui’s unfinished attire looked excessive. It was unlikely that the Grand Supervisor would not notice it.

“Grand Eunuch.”

The Court Lady opened her mouth, trying to think of something to defend her master.

“Court Lady Jin, you are working hard.”

Wan Taegam shook his head as if there was no need for explanation.

Dam So-ui, entering Yechun-gak, tried not to let his lips part from the constantly rising laughter. He tried to suppress his expression, but he could not hide the slight crinkling around his eyes.

“Is this newly made?”

The feeling of distress that had bothered him for days vanished like a lie when the Emperor recognized his new robe.

“Yes, it is the neung-ra-bi-dan that Your Majesty bestowed upon me.”

“It suits you well.”

“I am overwhelmingly grateful. I never imagined there would be a day when this concubine would enjoy such luxury. It is all thanks to the grace bestowed by Your Majesty.”

Dam So-ui wanted to convey that he had not forgotten his gratitude to the Emperor.

“That’s enough.”

Seonjae dismissed the formality. The man sat down first, and Dam So-ui sat down next to him, with the tea table between them.

“Your Majesty, you went hunting, didn’t you? How was it?”

“Nothing special.”

“I thought there might be many good things since you hunted for several days. I heard you left suddenly, too…”

Dam So-ui’s voice trailed off as he observed the man’s cool face. Since coming to the Imperial Palace, the Emperor had treated him intimately. So, he had forgotten for a moment. The man was inherently almost expressionless, a difficult person to read emotions from.

“Hunting is just hunting. Is your head not heavy?”

Seonjae cast his gaze upon Dam So-ui’s hair, which had countless elaborate decorations. Now that he looked closely, the ornaments in his hair seemed overly excessive.

“Ah, I couldn’t refuse and let the palace servants have their way. It looks a bit ridiculous, doesn’t it? I apologize. Your Majesty arrived early, and I didn’t have time to tidy up.”

“Do not concern yourself with it.”

The man’s words sounded sincere as he spoke them. But at the same time, they felt completely devoid of sincerity. Dam So-ui, feeling the incomprehensible difficulty building up inside him, spoke after some deliberation.

“I have prepared the medicinal spring water from Donghwa-won, which Your Majesty likes. Should I serve a cup?”

“It’s all right.”

Since entering Donhu Palace, the Emperor had repeatedly refused him. Dam So-ui only realized this belatedly.

“In that case…”

Seonjae shook his head and spoke.

“How is life in the Imperial Palace?”

Dam So-ui’s wandering eyes met the man’s deep eyes that were watching him.

“I am much more accustomed to life in the Imperial Palace these days. [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] Although I still feel nervous when I go to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, I feel that will be the case even after a long time.”

“Is the Empress Dowager frightening?”

“No. Empress Dowager Mama is one of the most beautiful people I have ever seen, and her appearance makes her age difficult to guess. She is not a person without fear, but she is not someone who is deliberately frightening to this concubine or the other concubines. However, recently, she sometimes seems suddenly displeased after appearing to be in a good mood. I do not know why.”

Dam So-ui became increasingly stable as he spoke.

“If the Empress Dowager does not speak to you specifically, just maintain good manners.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“She is a person who, if you approach her clumsily and get caught severely, even I cannot help you.”

Dam So-ui adopted a fearful expression at the Emperor’s warning.

“Yes.”

Seonjae patted Dam Seo-jun’s shoulder as if to reassure him.

“Do you get along well with others?”

“I apologize. I still do not have much interaction.”

“Has there been nothing since then?”

Dam Seo-jun immediately understood what the Emperor meant by ‘since then.’

“Yes. Since then, Consort Gwi-bi has not said anything particular to this concubine. She also sent a thank-you gift after the Investiture Ceremony to this concubine. Ah, perhaps because Consort Hyeok visited Consort Gwi-bi on the day she received the Deungyong-yeon gift, it seems she called Consort Hyeok again the next day to drink tea. She invited Consort Hyeok after returning from his morning respects to the Empress Dowager.”

“It seems Consort Gwi-bi gets along well with Consort Hyeok.”

“It’s not just Consort Hyeok. Consort Hyeok took Du Cheob-yeo when she was invited to Giryung Palace. And today, she seems to have met Neung So-yong while strolling in Seokgeum-won and invited her to Giryung Palace to show her the calligraphy of a famous master. The one who wrote the inscription stone at the entrance of Seokgeum-won…”

Dam So-ui narrowed his eyebrows, trying to recall the memory.

“Gwanhae Wang-chik. It would be difficult to acquire his calligraphy book, as he was a famous calligrapher even two hundred years ago.”

“They say she has two of them. They were called the Gi-yu-jip and the Hui-heon-cheop. Neung So-yong even screamed.”

“Hui-heon-cheop?”

Dam Seo-jun was seeing the Emperor react so intensely to an object for the first time. Recognizing his uncomprehending expression, the Emperor let out a twisted laugh.

“Jun-ah, even if you sold all the accessories on your head and the ones you are wearing right now, you would not be able to buy one character of the Hui-heon-cheop‘s calligraphy. Because the owner would not sell it.”

“It is only a book with calligraphy written in it…”

“Eminent young masters and scholars will become desperately attached to a few written characters more than to gold, silver, and treasure. I will take my leave now.”

Seonjae rose from his seat.

“Pardon?”

Dam So-ui could not hide his confusion. The Emperor had said he would stay at Donhu Palace tonight.

“Rest.”

The man left quickly with long strides.

“Your Majesty…”

Dam So-ui, who finally snapped out of his surprise, followed the departing Emperor, but the man had already left Yechun-gak. Dam Seo-jun unconsciously reached out to try and catch the Emperor, but it was impossible to grab the person so far ahead.

The Court Lady gave him a knowing glance as he stepped out of the hall.

“Mama.”

The Emperor was already leaving Donhu Palace.

“Your Majesty, please take care.”

“Your Majesty, please take care…”

Dam So-ui was swept away by the Court Lady and palace servants who were paying their respects and awkwardly bowed. Even after finishing the bow and rising, he had a bewildered expression.

“Do you know where His Majesty is going?”

At his question, the Court Lady lowered her face and replied.

“He is said to be proceeding to Giryung Palace.”

Dam So-ui and Court Lady Jin’s voices were low, and the conversation only passed between the two of them. Despite not knowing the facts, the palace servants of Donhu Palace held their breath, unable to breathe easily, as they observed the mood of their master, who was probably displeased that the Emperor had left earlier than expected.

Dam So-ui, who had been watching the gate the Emperor had left through, finally returned to the hall after a long time.