Chapter 06
“What’s the problem?”
Scratching my head, I looked down at the dark red blood soaking the front of my clothes.
Moving my qi had been a success. The formless sensation—cold yet hot at the same time—was still vividly present.
As the energy traveled up my spine, reached the crown of my head, then flowed down the front of my body to my abdomen, I became aware of the existence of my dantian.
Just as I thought I had succeeded, something suddenly slammed into the flow of qi and forced it back, making me spit out blood.
“Qi deviation?”
The first possibility that came to mind was immediately ruled out. I had only vomited blood—my body felt perfectly fine otherwise. I didn’t feel strange or unwell at all.
More than anything, it felt like something was blocked. But what on earth was it?
“…I have no idea.”
I should just sleep.
“…I’ll have to do laundry too.”
I could throw away the jacket, but I needed to wash the blood out of the bedding. It would be troublesome if someone saw it and misunderstood.
Ah, how I missed washing machines.
Time passed quickly at the Sim Prince’s Residence, and the day of departure for Daedo arrived.
In the meantime, I failed qi circulation and regulation two more times and threw away two sets of clothes. At least I hadn’t stained the bedding again.
Instead, I familiarized myself with the feel of the horn bow used here. Thankfully, there was a small archery range abandoned in one corner of the residence.
“My luggage is all packed. As for the rest… should I ask Seo Anhwa?”
There was hardly anything to pack. All I owned were Gwak Jagyu’s belongings. As a maid, I should have helped prepare Wang Seonhwa’s luggage, but that wasn’t my responsibility.
Using the excuse of having lost my memory was incredibly convenient—it let me avoid all sorts of complicated matters. There had been another maid besides me, but unfortunately, she had died during the ambush.
So the task of attending to Wang Seonhwa was taken over by Seo Anhwa, a maid from the Sim Prince’s Residence—the same maid who had brought me rice gruel on the day I woke up.
Wang Seonhwa seemed to like her and wanted to take her on as a new maid, and the Sim Prince readily gave her to his grandniece.
“She’s probably near the carriages.”
I muttered as I stretched, then prepared to leave the room.
‘Once you reach Daedo, make contact with … and send word.’
There weren’t supposed to be any men in the Hall of Myriad Nations. I quietly crept closer to the wall and pressed my ear against it.
‘May I request an audience?’
The male voice was unfamiliar, but I knew exactly who this other voice belonged to.
It was Seo Anhwa.
‘If you wait, they’ll come to you.’
‘Please also pass along news of my elder brother.’
‘Yes, to the Wonyun—’
‘Go on ahead.’
The man rudely cut her off and left without listening. Someone of high rank, perhaps? Even so, how could he be so discourteous when someone was speaking?
While frowning, I soon realized who the man must be.
In the Sim Prince’s Residence, the only person who would be called “Wonyun” would be the Sim Prince’s nephew. Then was the “elder brother” the Sim Prince’s son, the one said to be serving as a Kheshig officer in Daedo?
“Hm.”
I didn’t know—and it probably had nothing to do with me.
The journey to Daedo was uneventful. No ambushes—there weren’t even any people to be seen. Whenever our carriage entered a city, people stepped aside, knowing it carried someone of high status.
During the day, I learned from Seo Anhwa about the duties and etiquette required of a concubine’s maid.
At first, she found it strange that I asked so many questions, but when I explained that I had lost my memory due to shock, she kindly taught me everything in detail.
At night, I read the Baeksan Divine Skill until I practically memorized it. Since I shared a room with Seo Anhwa, I couldn’t attempt qi circulation again.
I was also a bit scared of coughing up blood again.
Then, one morning—
“Do you sleepwalk?”
“Me?”
“Who else would I be talking to?”
Seo Anhwa replied bluntly.
“No, I don’t.”
Well, I did when I was very young. According to the monk, I once wandered out while asleep and nearly fell off a mountain cliff. But it stopped once I grew up.
“Then why did you get up last night and stare at me?”
“I did?”
“When I opened my eyes, you were sitting by my pillow, looking down at me. Do you know how terrifying that was?”
“I—I’m sorry. I don’t remember.”
I hadn’t gotten up at all, but I apologized anyway. Anyone would be frightened if someone was staring at them in the middle of the night.
“Fix it before we enter the palace.”
“I’m sorry. Did I cause any other trouble?”
“Other than staring at me, suddenly getting up, and jumping out the window? I was shocked. But after about half a shichen, you came back in and slept like nothing happened.”
Jumped out the window? I was horrified. The room we stayed in last night was on the third floor. It was a miracle I hadn’t broken anything.
“Anyway, do something about it.”
“Alright. Thanks for telling me.”
“I’m only telling you so I don’t end up seeing something horrible in my sleep.”
Her tone was annoyed, but I felt even more apologetic. She must have been terrified.
Thankfully, the same thing didn’t happen again before we arrived in Daedo.
On the night before entering the palace, I couldn’t fall asleep at all. It wasn’t because of the possible sleepwalking.
Thinking that I wouldn’t be able to let my guard down from the moment I stepped into the imperial palace kept my body tense.
The most splendid and noble place in this vast Central Plains—and also a place where as much blood flowed as gold.
If I couldn’t return to my original world, I would have to live in a place like that for most of my life. There was no way I wouldn’t be afraid.
Of course, I had no intention of living there until I died. The moment an opportunity arose, I would leave.
…Though the outside world wasn’t necessarily safer. It might even be more dangerous than the palace.
This era was not a good world to live in.
Unless you were part of the ruling Mongol class or the Semu people, life was harsh in every way. The people of Garin belonged to the Han, the third-ranked class.
Was it fortunate that they weren’t the lowest-ranked Southerners? Even so, the Han weren’t much different from the former Southern Song people.
You could be beaten to death by a Mongol official on the street and still have no right to protest.
“Damn it.”
How did I end up living in such a world?
If it weren’t for the hope called the Baeksan Divine Skill, it would have been utterly hopeless.
It was both a clue to returning to my original world and the only means by which I could protect myself.
Come to think of it, even if I did return, I’d have to give up this evaluation match, wouldn’t I?
After all, I’d need time to recover from the arrow wound in my back…
Thinking about what I would do first once I returned, I eventually fell asleep. Perhaps because I had been thinking about the evaluation match, in my dream I was wearing an Olympic gold medal around my neck.
Chapter 2: People of the Imperial Palace
Wang Seonhwa’s formal entry into the palace was complete.
Since she was a concubine, there was no wedding ceremony. She simply wore the ceremonial robes and attended the investiture.
Wang Seonhwa received the title of Yeongbi (Royal Concubine) and was assigned the Seolmae Palace (Snow Plum Palace) as her residence.
It was exactly as I had heard from the informants I knew.
No sooner had she arrived at Seolmae Palace and changed her clothes than someone came to see her.
“Ma’am, someone is here from Sundeok Hall,” said Seo Anhwa.
Wang Seonhwa’s brows knitted. Sundeok Hall—that’s where the Emperor is, isn’t it?
When she stepped into the myeonggan (main hall), a man in green clothes standing in the courtyard caught her eye. More noticeable than his clothes, however, was the sword at his waist.
In the imperial palace, very few were allowed to carry weapons. Without the Emperor’s permission, possessing a weapon was strictly forbidden.
The man knelt on one knee before Wang Seonhwa. When she sat on the chair, the eunuch bowed to him and said something.
“Gyeopseol Officer, Cho Jinrae, greets Royal Concubine Ma’am.”
Ah, he must be from the Emperor’s personal guard, which explains the sword. Wait a minute—sending a Gyeopseol officer for such a simple errand?
Gyeopseol wasn’t just any personal guard. They were treated specially by the Hwon dynasty. As the number of vassal states grew, some vassal royals were included in their ranks, much like the sons of lesser kings.
Judging by his fairly handsome face, Cho Jinrae might also come from a prestigious family.
And yet this remarkable man had been sent just to convey that the Emperor wished to have a snack with a concubine. What a waste of talent.
Still, the Emperor’s command was the Emperor’s command. There was no avoiding it.
When Wang Seonhwa stood up, Cho Jinrae also rose and stepped aside.
“His Majesty has specially sent a nanyeo (imperial palanquin) for you.”
Wow—he sent the Emperor’s own palanquin? Even before seeing her face, his favor was evident.
No wonder in the original story, Moyong Biyeon was so wary of her and eventually got cornered into a life-threatening situation.
Regardless, Wang Seonhwa didn’t seem particularly impressed. I quickly followed her, hiding my own astonishment.
As I passed in front of Cho Jinrae, our eyes naturally met.
“Hic.”
For some reason, my skin prickled and my breath caught—I hiccupped. He was handsome, but his gaze was sharp.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Yes, Ma’am,” I replied.
Wang Seonhwa asked casually, but her eyes were full of concern. I gave a sheepish smile—it was nothing serious, yet I had caused worry.
Glancing sideways as I passed, I almost hiccupped again. Cho Jinrae frowned at me, staring intently.
I hadn’t done anything! I just made eye contact and hiccupped, and he’s glaring at me? My heart was pounding like crazy.
Inside Sundeok Hall, there were guests. Cho Jinrae listened to the eunuch blocking the way, then turned to us with a surprised expression.
“Please wait a moment.”
After Cho Jinrae entered, a hearty laugh echoed. Mixed within the laughter was a pleasant, soft voice.
