Chapter 2
As the Crown Prince’s presence drew closer, something felt strange.
For a moment, all sound seemed to stop, and the air turned cold.
That eerie pressure lingered like a residue even after the procession had passed.
“It seems His Highness went to pay his respects to His Majesty.”
Jahui finally spoke once the Crown Prince’s entourage disappeared without a trace.
“…Though he must still be very unwell to be moving about.”
“He was riding in a palanquin. What’s the problem?”
Shinbi dismissed it lightly.
“Even getting in and out of the palanquin is no small matter—that’s why I worry,”
Jahui clicked her tongue in frustration.
“His Highness is not a robust, healthy man.”
“Why not?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Jahui waved her hand sharply.
“We’ve wasted time. Hurry.”
“You could at least tell me,” Shinbi complained. “That’s unfair.”
“Being late to the royal audience would be unthinkable.”
Cutting off all complaints, Jahui strode ahead. Truly, being at the bottom of the hierarchy was miserable.
Soon, they entered the king’s sleeping chamber.
Someone was already attending to him. Shinbi could recognize the Chief Medical Officer, the Royal Physician, and even a young doctor famous for his handsome looks.
“…Good. It’s a relief that the Crown Prince’s condition is improving, even if slowly.”
the king was saying to them.
“He is young and strong, so despite resisting medicine and pulse checks, there seems to be some improvement.”
“This is far more than we deserve,” the Chief Medical Officer replied nervously.
“Still, find some way to soothe the Crown Prince,” the king ordered sharply.
“Is it reasonable that the physicians will only examine him if the sick child is dragged before the royal court?”
“O-Our deepest apologies.”
“What are the attendants of the Eastern Palace doing if they cannot even properly serve their superior…?”
The king muttered in displeasure. Clearly, there was a problem.
“Enough. Since the Royal Physician has checked my pulse as well—”
Rubbing his palms together, the king turned his gaze toward them.
“…Ah, the standby female physician!”
His greeting was cheerful and unguarded.
“Court physician Jahui pays her respects to Your Majesty.”
Jahui bowed deeply, and Shinbi awkwardly followed suit.
“The rest can leave it to the female physicians.”
The king waved his hand briskly.
“You may all withdraw.”
“But to entrust everything to mere female physicians—”
The Royal Physician seemed hesitant.
“She is no mere female physician. She is a standby court physician, is she not?”
The king cut him off cleanly.
The Royal Physician shot Jahui a displeased look, but she did not react, clearly used to such treatment. Soon, everyone was ushered out at the king’s insistence.
“They’re all so stiff,”
The king sighed once the room grew quiet.
“And terribly nagging. I mentioned my arm was itchy the other night and I couldn’t sleep—next thing I knew, I was scolded endlessly.”
“You have yin deficiency in the skin, so your blood energy rises easily. It’s only natural to worry.”
Jahui said calmly, rolling up the king’s left sleeve.
A faint skin condition was visible.
“You must not scratch, even if it is uncomfortable.”
She immediately noticed the scratch marks.
“Please keep the area from becoming dry.”
She pressed a cloth soaked in milk against the affected area.
“I’m busy enough as it is. How am I supposed to manage all that?”
The king laughed heartily.
“At this rate, you’ll have to take care of me for the rest of my life, Jahui.”
“This is more than I deserve.”
Jahui replied without pride, looking instead uncomfortable.
“…But this one is a face I don’t recognize.”
the king said suddenly.
Though she was bowing, Shinbi felt the weight of his gaze. Curious, she slightly lifted her eyes—quickly enough that she thought he wouldn’t notice.
She was mistaken.
Or perhaps the king was simply skilled enough not to miss even the smallest movement.
Against all propriety, Shinbi’s eyes met the king’s directly.
He was fairly young and notably tall. Generously speaking, he could be called handsome. Combined with his dignified bearing and neatly groomed beard, he looked every bit the ruler.
Yet his gaze did not match his gentle tone. It was not that of a benevolent king. Rather, it was sharp—like a beast’s.
Strangely, instead of feeling afraid, Shinbi found herself looking past the king’s imposing exterior.
And for just a moment, she glimpsed a dangerously fragile emotion he had desperately hidden.
“She is merely a lowly attendant.”
Jahui hurriedly interrupted.
“She only follows behind the court physician. She is of humble birth and lacks proper conduct.”
She nearly pressed her forehead to the floor.
“Please do not be angered.”
“No,”
The king shook his head gently.
“Those of low status usually have dull eyes and are easily frightened…”
To Shinbi’s surprise, a smile appeared on his face.
“But this child’s eyes are alive. Interesting.”
She couldn’t tell whether that was praise or not.
“An attendant physician who fails to gain proper qualifications will never become a full court physician and will instead return to the status of a palace slave.”
the king continued.
“So tell me—what about you?”
He questioned her as if examining a curious object.
“Do you have any special talent?”
Leaning back comfortably, he asked again.
“What are you good at?”
Jahui tried to speak, but the king silenced her with a gesture.
“Well… this lowly one—”
After some thought, Shinbi answered,
“I am good with people, and I do not give up easily.”
Silence followed.
To be precise, the atmosphere grew chilly.
Beside her, Jahui shot Shinbi a look of pure disbelief. Of all the things she could have said—
“Good with people… and doesn’t give up easily?”
the king repeated after a while.
“…Can that really be called a physician’s strength?”
“Healing the heart by continuously approaching the patient is, in my humble opinion, the essence of medical benevolence.”
Shinbi hurriedly added.
“Most patients suffer because of physical illness. But some fall ill because of their hearts. This is called suppressed-anger sickness.”
She lowered her eyes.
“…My own mother suffered from such suppressed emotions and grew ill before passing away.”
She never forgot her mother’s final moments.
No—she tried hard never to forget any part of that process.
“So I resolved to become someone who heals the patient’s heart first.”
“And that is why you chose the arduous path of a physician?”
the king asked, his expression unreadable.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Though in truth, being tempted by the promise of a better life than a palace slave played a large part.
There was also another reason.
Shinbi carried a secret she could never reveal.
For that reason, she had to come to Hanyang. Becoming a physician was the only way for a lowly palace slave to enter the capital.
“…I should praise Jahui,”
the king continued.
“I asked for someone different, and she truly delivered.”
Jahui hesitated, unable to say that His Majesty had simply chosen Shinbi’s name because it amused him.
“Did you see the Crown Prince earlier?”
the king suddenly asked.
Shinbi nodded cautiously.
“…The Crown Prince has been plagued by troubles lately,”
The king sighed.
“The Queen and I reached out to help him many times… but it was useless.”
His voice grew quieter.
“…Could it be that the Crown Prince resembles his mother more than I thought?”
Beside Shinbi, Jahui visibly flinched.
“That is why I began to think he needs a different kind of treatment than before.”
The king’s troubled gaze settled on Shinbi.
“Perhaps…?”
But whatever word he had intended to say, he swallowed it.
“Now then, do you have any other ointment for this itching?”
He said casually, changing the subject.
“If I keep scratching, the Chief Medical Officer might collapse before I do.”
His tone returned to the same cheerfulness as when they first met.
“Of course, Your Majesty,”
Jahui replied, immediately rummaging through the box she had brought.
***
Four days passed.
To Shinbi, who was rolling around at the very bottom of the Royal Medical Office, it was long enough to forget everything completely.
“I will give you an unbelievably good opportunity.”
Yet Jahui presented the offer like a quack peddling miracle medicine. Feeling deeply uneasy, Shinbi tried to escape—but failed.
She was dragged straight to the Eastern Palace.
And so, the story began.
“I don’t need it.”
All sound stopped. The air turned cold.
A man with skin pale as ice and a waist as graceful as a willow branch—
a man as beautiful as a peach branch blooming in soft red.
Yet despite his radiant appearance, his eyes were unnervingly still, and his presence sorrowful.
“Leave.”
Thus, the Crown Prince intruded into Shinbi’s life.
—or perhaps Shinbi intruded into his.
Either way, their paths had crossed.
