For a Peaceful and Warm Daily Life, Struggle!
"Your Majesty, recently the famine has grown severe, and the starving people are easily falling ill. I have heard that there are many patients at Hyeminseo. With my humble skills, I can make soap and an ointment called Jawoongo to help prevent the spread of disease."
It was only natural, given his consistent character, to expect that King Sejong would ultimately try to protect Prince Suyang and his other sons.
If King Taejong—cold and ruthless—had slaughtered both the Min clan, his in-laws who helped him ascend the throne, and the Kang clan of his stepmother, and had even purged meritorious officials like Yi Sukbeon and the overly powerful Sim clan to firmly establish Joseon—
Then how could Sejong, a benevolent ruler who deeply loved his people—who even created a new script for them and ensured one hundred days of maternity leave for female slaves—possibly cast out his own sons?
So Sejong would do what Sejong must do, and I must do what I must do!
Yunseo, painfully recognizing this chilling truth, turned her thoughts toward what needed to be done.
To prevent history from unfolding as it originally did, above all, Lee Hyang must live long. Only then can our Hongwi grow up and ascend the throne.
For Lee Hyang to live long, the development of a treatment for boils is urgently needed.
Yunseo pondered how to develop a more potent ointment that enhanced the antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties of Jawoongo, and how to apply the developed medicine in clinical settings.
Ah! There is!
A place where both honor and practical benefit can be pursued.
"Your Majesty, please grant permission for me to go to Hyeminseo under the name of the Crown Prince and the Eastern Palace to care for the sick."
"…Hyeminseo?"
As he asked, Sejong recalled the soap he had used two days ago.
Indeed, his body had been cleaned thoroughly, and the itching and rash he had felt had noticeably subsided.
Moreover, when he applied something called Jawoongo, even small pimples disappeared quickly.
"Very well! Aside from a few officials, most of the work there is currently handled by shamans or monks. It would be good for the royal family to take part."
True to his nature as a benevolent ruler, His Majesty readily granted permission.
Then he added one more remark.
"Go together with Prince Suyang!"
"…Pardon?"
What kind of absurd command is this?!
As Yunseo struggled to grasp the royal intent, His Majesty spoke in a meaningful tone.
"You are clever, so you will understand my intentions well."
"…Yes, I will do my utmost to find ways to prevent epidemics and save the people."
Having resolved to do what she must, Yunseo respectfully accepted the royal command.
"I told you, didn't I, that you should have accepted a concubine rank?"
When Yunseo returned to the Eastern Palace and explained what had happened at Cheonchujeon, Head Court Lady Eom frowned and scolded her.
"Because you are merely a court lady, His Majesty ordered that a royal prince like Prince Suyang be attached to you."
"Hmph, if our Kwon had become a concubine, would she have been able to go outside the palace and act so freely? It's precisely because she's a court lady that she can step forward and do such things."
Court Lady Park, who was extremely satisfied that Yunseo's note pouch had allowed her to replace the court ladies she had disliked, shook her head.
"And if she were a concubine, she couldn't attend to our little Royal Grandson. For our Kwon—and for us—the Crown Prince and the Royal Grandson are the most important!"
"What you say is true, but it still upsets me. Why must His Majesty love all his sons so equally? Those princes are already outstanding, yet he openly entrusts them with official duties as well. Sigh… It's fine now while His Majesty is still strong, but later…"
Head Court Lady Eom poured out her long-held frustrations.
"Just look at how decisively King Taejong handled that matter. Thanks to that, our current king can now govern with such peace of mind."
Indeed, Eom Jachi, who had risen from the lowest ranks to become the chief court official of the Eastern Palace, already sensed the tragedy that would unfold in history.
"Because he is so full of affection, he can accomplish great things for the people. We just need to carry out our own duties meticulously."
At Yunseo's words of comfort, both Court Lady Eom and Court Lady Park looked at her with expressions that seemed to say, "Oh my, our Kwon is always positive—too positive!"
"Very well. Let us be satisfied with having removed Prince Suyang's agents from the Eastern Palace this time. Now then, what should we do to manage the patients at Hyeminseo?"
"There is something called the concept of hygiene, Your Ladyships."
Yunseo briefly explained the basic concept of hygiene from the modern world.
Using boiled water for drinking, washing hands and feet frequently, and creating high-proof alcohol as a substitute for disinfectants.
"Oh ho, that would be good to apply within the palace as well. I shall go to Bihyeongak to attend to His Highness."
After Head Court Lady Eom left, only Court Lady Park and Yunseo remained.
Then Court Lady Park glanced around as if out of habit and lowered her voice.
"Thanks to you, Her Majesty the Queen has greatly recovered from the bouts of sudden depression she used to suffer. And tomorrow, she is summoning both Lady Yun and you together?"
"Yes, Court Lady Choi sent word that I am to enter the Queen's Palace tomorrow."
"This is a good opportunity to drive out that Yun woman who used money to manipulate people, planted spies in the Eastern Palace, and incited Hong Seunghwi—no, now Court Lady Hong. Is she the only one with money? When it comes to money, I can also—hmm?"
Yunseo shook her head at Court Lady Park, who was truly earnest about accumulating wealth.
"She has shown affection for so long—how could she cut it off overnight? If she were that cold and heartless, then even if she favors me today, I could not trust that she would favor me tomorrow. Such is human nature, Your Ladyship."
"Oh dear, a Buddha has appeared, a Buddha indeed. So that's why that annoying Hong Seunghwi—no, Court Lady Hong—asked to continue raising Baby Geuma?"
"Babies have done nothing wrong. And for so long…"
Each time she saw children hurt because of adults, an overwhelming pity welled up inside her, choking her throat. Yunseo swallowed the surge of sorrow with difficulty.
Watching her, Court Lady Park clicked her tongue and began scolding again.
"You're too soft-hearted for no reason."
"And you—working for His Highness is all well and good, but you have far too much on your plate. Just look. Hm? From late afternoon, you feed the young prince, play with him, lull him to sleep, then spend half a sijin talking with His Highness at Bihyeongak. You should at least rest during the day, but instead you're off doing something with Princess Jeongui, and now you're saying you have to go to Cheonchujeon again. On top of that, Hyeminseo too! Ha! You even opened a large shop selling premium soap and fine salt toothpaste. No matter how capable Old Man Nossan is and how thoroughly he produces the goods, shouldn't you at least check in from time to time?!"
"Making money is your specialty, Your Ladyship. I'll focus on creating new products, so you and Old Man Nossan can handle selling them. We're splitting the profits anyway."
"…I even put up all the money. Sigh. Still, those products really are something. Truly. Maehyang is already handing out small pieces of soap and powdered toothpaste to the gisaeng and even to the noblemen who visit them, so orders will soon flood in."
Thinking about how the soap—worth two bolts of cotton cloth per palm-sized bar—and the roasted salt toothpaste packed in bamboo tubes would soon sell out, Court Lady Park smiled with satisfaction. Then, suddenly frowning, she lowered her voice again and asked secretly,
"But His Highness really hasn't even touched you, not even your fingertips? I know he's abstaining because of the rain ritual, but men aren't known for such restraint. Has His Highness gone back to being that ascetic man he used to be?"
"Then that's even better for you, isn't it, Your Ladyship? From nurse court lady to senior nurse court lady—and when our young prince becomes king in the future, you'll rise even higher. And thanks to that, you and I will accumulate even more wealth."
At Yunseo's teasing, Court Lady Park replied weakly, her expression complicated.
"That would be the best, yes… but then I think about how you received such grand royal favor just once, only to live the rest of your life neglected, and it makes my heart ache. Ah, Kwon, because of you my heart is always so troubled."
"That's what it means to have a mother's heart toward a daughter."
Smiling, Yunseo hugged Court Lady Park.
Though she grumbled that it was bothersome, Court Lady Park did not push her away.
"Everyone withdraw. You too, Court Lady Han."
That evening at the royal meal, the Crown Prince, after ordering an additional set of utensils and another bowl of rice and soup, dismissed all the attendants—including the tasting court lady.
Even Court Lady Han, who had initially protested that it violated protocol, eventually left. In the warm ondol room of Jaseondang, only Lee Hyang, Hongwi, and Yunseo remained.
"Yunseo, come eat with us."
"…Your Highness. I've already eaten earlier."
"Still, eat. You had a hard day, didn't you?"
As Lee Hyang gently comforted her about what had happened at Cheonchujeon, Hongwi climbed onto Yunseo's lap and chimed in.
"Gaga Nain, eat! Let's eat together! Abam-ma, can I eat together tomorrow too?"
"Do you want to eat together tomorrow as well?"
"Yes, Abam-ma. I want to eat with Gaga Nain."
"No, we cannot, Your Highness. Since it has turned out this way today, I will eat, but from tomorrow onward, we must not. Word must not spread outside that the Eastern Palace disregards court protocol."
Hearing earlier that the King had ordered her to handle the affairs of Hyeminseo together with Prince Suyang, Yunseo realized something.
The position of Crown Prince was far more delicate and precarious than it appeared.
If the king were to suddenly lose his reason and depose a perfectly sound Crown Prince in favor of another capable prince, there would, in principle, be no one to stop him.
There had even been kings cruel enough to lock someone in a rice chest and starve them to death for eight days.
Although His Majesty would never act so, and Lee Hyang was steadily consolidating his authority, there was no need to create unnecessary faults that could invite criticism.
"I gratefully accept your kindness in comforting me, Your Highness. Thank you."
At her words, Lee Hyang silently nodded.
It was a gesture of quiet apology—he would protect her to the end, but could not shield her from every minor injustice.
That evening's meal felt like that of an ordinary family—warm, lively, and full of affection.
Hongwi stretched out both arms wide, saying that earlier the Queen had put a carp this big into the pond for him, and his eyes sparkled as he spoke of how, in three days, when his older sister Princess Pyeongchang arrived, they would go fishing together at Gyeonghoeru Pond with the Queen.
"I'll fly a kite with Nuna too, Gaga!"
He even asked in advance for two kites with long red tails to be made.
Lee Hyang quietly removed the fish bones from Hongwi's portion—clumsily—and placed the cleaned fish onto both Hongwi's and Yunseo's rice, while he himself ate pan-fried tofu, braised lotus root, and various vegetable side dishes.
It really feels like we've become a family.
A family—people who share meals together.
For the sake of such peaceful and warm daily life, Yunseo thought, her throat tightening again and again, it was worth risking her life to struggle.
And the next day, at the Queen's Palace.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE-https://beastnovels.com