Chapter 10: Another Trap
The mother-in-law fretted all day, changing and reconsidering her plans repeatedly.
At first, she was convinced that the Gok brothers had schemed something and considered locking them in prison. Later, she claimed that the brothers were innocent and that Onyeon herself must have caused the trouble.
Lady Baek, waiting until Onjabo left the government office, finally came up with a plan.
What was certain was that Gye-gu and Onyeon had arranged a secret meeting, but misunderstandings had prevented it from happening. Everything Gye-gu had overheard had been distorted by alcohol.
In any case, since the two young people had genuine feelings and attempted to meet secretly, the On family had no choice but to accept this marriage.
Lady Sobakya, however, disapproved of such unethical methods. Still, seeing her beloved son causing a stir and the mother-in-law insisting so stubbornly made the situation unbearable.
As she pondered how to begin speaking, Serang and Mama Hwang entered.
The long-faced Pa-ja immediately opened her mouth at the sight of Serang.
“It’s this girl right here!”
Serang rolled her eyes.
“Mother, do you run a pleasure boat business? You weren’t given a reward, nor did you rent a boat—how can you be so certain it’s me?”
Pa-ja’s entire body trembled with anger. This girl had insulted her by implying she was a madam!
Mama Hwang stepped in solemnly.
“As the gatekeeper said, our Gonang and Ahwan did not go out yesterday.”
Pa-ja shot back.
“Of course the household’s gatekeeper would side with the master. But who can really know if they went out or not…?”
Before she could finish, Mama Hwang snorted dismissively.
“Perhaps they climbed over the wall?”
She continued in disbelief.
“The person who was a subduer of the princess climbed over a wall? Are you joking? This insults not only our Gonang but the princess herself!”
Pa-ja’s expression, as she exaggerated the trivial matter, was quite striking.
Jo softly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, eyes shining. Wow!
She wanted to applaud Mama Hwang.
Jo didn’t know whether Onyeon could actually climb the wall, but she clearly recognized Mama Hwang’s incredible eloquence. To speak with such strength and sharpness!
Mama Hwang had set the trap and waited for Pa-ja to fall into it, then appeared wielding a club, striking relentlessly. Her expression shifted rapidly—from surprise to anger—in an instant.
Lady Gye noted that servants reflected their master’s character. Just as the demeanor of Mama Hwang influenced Gonang, perhaps she had taught Onyeon etiquette without imposing any stagecraft. Jo suppressed her excitement and composed herself; her training wasn’t complete yet. She needed to be able to feel subtle satisfaction without attracting attention. Later, she planned to learn from Mama Hwang and further cultivate her own talent.
Mama Hwang’s handling was flawless. Lady Sobakya, already reluctantly involved, now found herself in a bind. She exhaled secretly.
The On family refused to acknowledge Onyeon’s outing or her appointment with Gye-gu. There were no witnesses at the ferry to confirm seeing her. Lady Baek’s plan had no chance of success.
The real issue wasn’t whether Onyeon had climbed the wall. Meanwhile, Pa-ja had fallen into the trap. Lady Sobakya, having reached this point, couldn’t leave without saying a word. If she didn’t show even a trace of effort, Pa-ja would certainly report everything to Lady Baek.
After careful consideration, Lady Sobakya spoke reluctantly.
“Anyway, we need an explanation of the situation. Lady Gye and Tongji, please observe. Everyone here belongs to one household; there’s no one from the office, so this isn’t a formal occasion. How about summoning Sam Gonang to explain the circumstances? Can anything harmful really happen to Gonang here in Jangsu Hall?”
Lady Gye narrowed her eyes. Sobakya had stepped back slightly. If they resisted Onyeon’s presence, it would only seem suspicious.
In the past, Lady Gye would have smiled, exchanged polite words, and allowed Onyeon to emerge for the guests. Not today. She was angry to her core and intent on maintaining her dignity. Shaking her head, she pretended not to hear. Onjabo, stroking his beard, also remained silent.
For a moment, the room was silent, leaving Lady Sobakya in a tight spot. As she forced a polite smile, whispering came from behind. Serang, standing behind Mama Hwang, pursed her small lips.
“They came without evidence, yet say they won’t harm Gonang…”
“Does this Ahwan know nothing of the law?”
Pa-ja, overhearing, cursed.
“Is it your turn to speak?”
At that, Lady Sobakya’s heart sank. It was over—another trap had sprung. Pa-ja, accustomed to acting arbitrarily in Lady Baek’s household, wanted revenge for her previous embarrassment. But she had misjudged. Having spent years in the palace, Onyeon’s Mammas and Ahwan were not so easily intimidated. Though young, Ahwan was no fool. Though it wasn’t his turn, he spoke loudly enough to be heard clearly. If this wasn’t a trap, what was?
Sure enough, Mama Hwang leapt up next. Standing tall, her eyes blazing, she spoke in a stern voice.
“Law? This is the Jeongan Residence. Since when did people of Sunpyeong Baekbu teach law? Such interference is excessive!”
“You—!”
Pa-ja raised a hand, pointing at Mama Hwang.
Taking a step forward, Mama Hwang swatted it away.
“I entered the palace at twelve and left last year at fifty-four. During the forty-two years I lived there, through the reigns of the former emperor and the current one, I never overstepped my bounds and have always observed proper protocol! Speaking of which, before the former emperor moved the capital, Sunpyeong Baekbu entered the palace and learned basic etiquette when greeting the noblewomen. Decades have passed—how can so much have changed? Your law is weighed more heavily than that of the palace itself!”
Lady Sobakya clutched her chest. It was the same as before!
The series of actions—springing a trap, chasing, striking, and then asserting authority—was all formulaic. Pa-ja had fallen for it. Before Sobakya could inform the On family, Pa-ja had already assumed the blame of insubordination. With such an “assistant,” Sobakya was truly at a loss.
Taking a deep breath, she rose and bid farewell. Staying any longer would risk further unpredictable outcomes.
Jo, smiling, followed Lady Gye’s instructions to see the guests off. Once the carriage left, she turned to a quiet spot. With only her Ahwan nearby, she finally laughed, shoulders shaking. After laughing, she composed herself and returned to Jangsu Hall.
Onyeon had emerged from the wall and sat beside Lady Gye. Mama Hwang and Serang, having already displayed their talents, had departed.
Seeing Jo enter, Onyeon called cheerfully,
“Aunt Jo!”
Seated, Jo replied,
“Yeonjeo, don’t worry. Those who know nothing of etiquette won’t entangle you anymore!”
Onyeon’s eyes sparkled as she smiled irresistibly.
“Sunpyeong Baekbu insulted my younger siblings and acted without apology. This is their punishment. They fought among themselves, the incident in the water spread as a rumor, and if they caused a disturbance at the office, they’d only bring shame on themselves. Their plan was to involve us! But with you, Grandmother, and Uncle here, Yeonjeo had no worries at all.”
Lady Gye pursed her lips and smiled, her gaze falling on Onyeon’s clasped hands.
“You’ve worked hard today, so you two go ahead. Yeonjeo, eat with this old lady.”
Onjabo responded to Lady Gye, and Jo followed him out but returned briefly from the doorway. In good spirits, she had even forgotten to inquire whether Onyeon had really climbed the wall.
Lady Gye held Onyeon’s hand with a smile and asked,
“So it was punishment?”
“If it wasn’t punishment…” Onyeon replied boldly, “Do you think I climbed over the wall, Grandmother?”
Lady Gye laughed heartily. Of course not! There is no such thing as coincidence. Having lived for decades, she did not believe in “chance.” Onyeon had clearly climbed the wall, devised a plan, and executed it successfully. Even if the On family sought the truth, Mama Hwang and Serang’s verbal sparring ensured no harm came to her. Brilliant!
Onyeon also smiled. Lady Gye needed to recognize her ability and planning. The higher Lady Gye’s expectations, the easier it was for her to act. When the time came, she would return to Gyeongseong naturally. It was a grand stage, perfectly suited for Mama Hwang. Here, her talents were merely wasted.
Lady Sobakya returned despondent, but the office incident had to be handled perfectly.
Onjabo, enlightened by the words of Onyeon and Mama Hwang, brimmed with resolve and would not retreat an inch.
“Gonang has never gone out, yet they claim she climbed the wall! How dare they insult the princess and Mama! With so many witnesses at the ferry, how can Sunpyeong Baekbu embarrass themselves and involve our residence? What do they intend? If they blame Gonagu fighting his cousin and being rescued from the water, would the entire Iman fortress laugh at us? Honestly, the wealthy young master coveted our Gonang. When the feast failed, they struck people at the academy. We didn’t complain, yet they demand the marriage or threaten legal action. How shameless! The son of a landlord, assaulting a common woman—it’s no different than the theater! If the On family weren’t officially recognized, or if I weren’t working at the Iman office, would their scheme succeed? Treating major matters as minor and minor matters as resolved—tell them to forget it! Jeongan Residence will not concede an inch! Since they want to probe the matter, I will first submit a complaint detailing how the Gok brothers struck Onjang and Onmin. We have witnesses and evidence!”
Onjabo’s rare boldness left colleagues stunned and speechless.
Lee Ji-bu, who had called Onjabo to his study, sighed deeply.
“Tell me what the residence is thinking. I need to know so I can advise the Baekbu and prevent both sides from being compromised.”
Onjabo replied,
“Our family must not be involved in the fight between their cousins.”
Lee Ji-bu, puzzled, said,
“Don’t mislead me. Wasn’t your family originally meant to marry into the Baekbu? Or do you intend for your niece to marry into the Gye family because she is inferior to a daughter? Listen to me. Your niece’s marriage is a difficult matter. With her parents dead in prison, arranging the marriage will be challenging. Few families have such members, and leaving them as-is would create enemies. Your family and the Baekbu are comparable; wouldn’t it be better to approve the match…?”
