Chapter 73 — Where She Once Fell
The palace had not yet settled after the storm.
With the Third Prince's guilt confirmed and his exile decreed, the King finally gave the long-awaited order—The Crown Prince was to be released.
To make amends, and perhaps to ease his own conscience, the King declared a grand banquet. A celebration of innocence. A public acknowledgment of the injustice that had been done.
It was to be held in two weeks' time.
And just like that, preparations were made in the palace, servants rushed back and forth, ministers prepared their words of praise.
Everything was loud.
Everything was bright.
And yet, within it all, the Crown Prince, Mo Tian, felt none of it.
Though the doors of his confinement had opened, something else had not.
By order of the Queen, he was not allowed outside until the banquet ended.
He stood beneath the high palace ceilings, dressed in robes befitting his title, surrounded by people who now smiled at him as if nothing had happened.
But to him, It felt no different, it was like a prison without chains.
His thoughts drifted, again and again, to only one person.
Minwha.
The only one who had ever made those quiet nights feel… less empty.
And now he had not seen her.
Not once. Not since everything began.
"Damn it… he missed her."
"He missed her more than he cared to admit." He thought and couldn't help but let out a quiet, frustrated sigh.
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Meanwhile within a single day, the news of the Third Prince's deeds spread like wildfire across Great Liang.
From the palace… to the markets… to the quietest corners of the capital—
And finally— Into Hansheng Ge.
Inside Hansheng Ge, the atmosphere was anything but quiet.
The gisaengs gathered in the dressing room, preparing as they always did—adjusting silks, fixing hair, applying powder with practiced ease.
Jianhe sat among them.
Like every other day, she was getting ready.
Because in her mind, he would come.
The Third Prince had never missed a day before so why would today be any different?
But whispers had already begun to spread.
Soft at first. Then louder.
Until one voice, sharp with hidden malice, finally cut through the room—
"Have you heard?"
The others paused.
"The Third Prince has been exiled."
A beat.
Then, with deliberate cruelty—
"For treason."
The room stilled. All eyes shifted—slowly, carefully—toward Jianhe.
Watching. Expecting her to break, to cry.
But instead—Jianhe turned and asked,
"what did you say?"
The girl repeated herself, thinking Jianhe hadn't heard her.
"The third prince has been exiled, and stripped off all power"
The room stilled , nothing happened at first.
Then, suddenly Jianhe laughed.
Loudly.
So suddenly that it startled everyone in the room.
The laughter didn't stop.
It grew.
Echoing against the walls, sharp and unrestrained, completely out of place in the suffocating silence.
Some of the girls exchanged uneasy glances.
Others simply stared.
And then— Tears began to fall.
Streaming down her face as she laughed harder, her shoulders shaking, her breath uneven.
Again and again, she repeated—
"The heavens finally heard my prayers"
"I'm free…"
Her voice cracked.
"I'm finally free."
No one spoke. No one dared to.
Because in that moment It didn't sound like madness.
It sounded like the truth.
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While jianhe was going through her episode, Madam's office felt unusually quiet.
Earlier, she had already sent word—Minwha was to be summoned.
This time, it was to fulfill the promise she made.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Madam said.
Minwha entered calmly, closing the door behind her. She did not speak, only stepped forward and sat when permission was given.
For a moment, Madam simply watched her.
Then she spoke.
"I called you here to fulfill my end of the deal."
Her voice was steady, measured.
"What you told me… was the truth."
A brief pause.
"And for that—on behalf of the Queen—this is your reward."
She slid a paper across the table toward Minwha. It stopped just in front of her.
Minwha did not reach for it immediately, instead, she lifted her gaze.
"What is this?"
Madam's lips curved faintly.
"An invitation," she said. "To the Crown Prince's banquet."
Minwha's eyes flickered—just slightly.
"As a performer," Madam continued. "Only a select few are permitted into the palace to dance before the King."
She leaned back.
"This year, Hansheng Ge has been invited. And as a token of appreciation… the Queen has chosen you to lead the group."
A pause.
"And since you are still… untouched, it is even more fitting."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Only pure girls are allowed into the palace."
The meaning was clear.
Minwha lowered her eyes slightly.
"I understand, Madam."
"Good," Madam replied. "Then understand this as well."
Her tone grew colder—firmer.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It can either take you beyond this place… into a much larger world—"
She tapped the table lightly.
"—or you will remain here. Forever."
Silence settled between them. Minwha did not respond immediately.
Inside her mind, Vira's voice sounded, uneasy.
"Host… don't tell me you're actually going to accept this. If you do… you won't be able to be with the Crown Prince."
Minwha's gaze remained fixed on the paper.
Then—
"Then I suppose," she replied inwardly, calm and unshaken, "in this life… we were never meant to be."
Only then did she reach forward and take it.
"I understand," Minwha said aloud. "And I won't disappoint you."
Madam studied her for a moment, then nodded.
"Good. You may leave."
Minwha stood, turning toward the door.
But just as her hand reached for it—
"Oh, and Minwha."
Minwha paused.
Madam's voice came again, softer—but far more dangerous.
"When you get there…"
A slight pause.
"Remember who you belong to."
Minwha did not turn back.
"…Yes, Madam."
Minhwa replied and then she left.
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After Minwha left, Madam remained seated in silence. For a long moment, she did not move.
Then, slowly—her gaze lowered, and her thoughts drifted back.
Back to eight years ago, back to the time when Ji Yunluo was alive, before minwha was brought to Hanshen Ge.
This opportunity…
It was never meant for Minwha. It was specially prepared for Ji Yunluo.
A faint crease formed between her brows.
Otherwise, why would the daughter of the Left Prime Minister—even if illegitimate—be sent to learn dance in a place like Hansheng Ge—a place of prostitution.
There had always been a purpose behind it.
A future carefully arranged plan.
But before it could unfold… Yunluo died.
And now that same opportunity had found a new owner.
Minwha.
Madam exhaled slowly, her fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.
"Well I guess this is also a way for yunluo to repay her, since she helped destroy her killer after all, even if it unknowingly." She thought.
"Minwha…" she murmured under her breath,
I hope… I'm not wrong about you.
The room fell silent once more.
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Meanwhile, After leaving Madam's office, Minwha did not return to her room. Instead, she went straight to Master Du.
She informed him of everything.
Of the opportunity given to her.
And from that very day another training began.
But this time it was different.
Minwha did not choose elegance, nor purity.
Nor the soft, distant grace she had once been known for.
No.
This time she chose seduction.
A completely different theme.
One that did not simply attract the eye but captured the mind.
Master Du personally guided her, holding nothing back. Every movement, every glance, every breath—he taught her the art of drawing someone in… and never letting them go.
Even Vira,who wanted to help, tried playing little foreign seductive dances for Minwha to learn from.
Although minwha was shocked that she could even learn dance from that thing called YouTube, she soon got used to it as it's was not the first time she saw something like that anyway.
It was this 'YouTube' that had helped her before, with paint performance after all.
And so from morning until night— Minwha trained.
Relentlessly.
Days passed. Then week
The other backup dancers would stop to rest by afternoon, their bodies exhausted.
But Minwha did not. She would not.
She continued.
Again and again.
Without pause. Because she understood something they did not.
This opportunity was hers alone.
And she could not afford to lose it.
Not even by mistake.
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The day of the banquet finally arrived.
Though the celebration would not begin until evening, preparations had started long before.
By early morning, Minwha and the other dancers were already ready to depart.
But before she left, there was one thing she could not ignore.
Dunluo.
Minwha found her just outside the courtyard.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Without a word, they stepped into each other's arms.
Tightly.
As if trying to hold onto something that was already slipping away.
Dunluo's grip trembled.
"Minwha…" her voice broke slightly.
Minwha said nothing. She only held her closer.
And then— The tears came.
Quietly at first, then harder.
Neither of them tried to stop it, because they both understood, this might be their last time together.
Slowly, reluctantly, they pulled apart.
Dunluo wiped at her tears, forcing a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Don't do anything reckless," she said softly. "And… take care of yourself. Just stay alive"
Minwha looked at her. For a brief moment, something softened in her gaze.
"I will." She said
It wasn't a promise—but it was enough
Without turning back again, she walked away.
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Outside Hanshen Ge.
The carriage was already waiting.
Elegant, quiet, and prepared.
A direct arrangement from the Queen herself.
The other dancers had already gathered, their expressions a mix of excitement and unease.
Minwha stepped inside without hesitation.
The moment she sat down, the carriage doors closed.
And soon— It began to move.
On this very day— Minwha finally stepped foot into the palace.
A place that had once been her home. A place that had also become her grave.
But this time— She did not return as the crown prince mistress.
This time she returned as something else entirely.
A performer.
And perhaps— Something far more dangerous.