Chapter 32
Startled, she looked behind her and saw that the sound had only been a cat passing by.
“Phew—.”
Gahwa let out a sigh of relief and carefully tucked the note away.
Once someone entered the mansion, it wasn’t easy to go in and out freely, so she had coordinated this with the master. By leaving the paper here, the master could check it later, and if any new information came in, he would leave a note in return.
Clatter. Gahwa covered the paper with a wooden mat so it wouldn’t be visible and turned her body. The note contained all the information she had gathered over the course of the day.
“How many times will I have to do this before the master can have a reason to come in here?”
Determined to create a pretext as soon as possible, Gahwa glanced at the fence, hoping the information would be delivered safely.
“What was your name again?”
Just as she was starting to get used to the household chores, Gahwa was summoned early in the morning to the inner quarters. She lowered her head deeply and answered, as Lady Kim was watching her over the dressing table.
“I am Nanyeong.”
“Nanyeong, huh? So you weren’t originally of noble birth.”
“Yes, I was sold because of my father’s gambling debts.”
Gahwa recited the information she had memorized about Nanyeong. Lady Kim, quietly observing Gahwa at the dressing table, touched her own head.
“Come and help me with my hair.”
“Yes.”
Gahwa approached from behind and began arranging Lady Kim’s hair. Having dressed as a boy before, she had learned from Cheonghyang how to style hair, which now proved very useful.
First, she combed the hair neatly on both sides of the parting, then gathered it and tied it with a daenggi (ribbon).
She then handed over a red ornamented daenggi and, after placing a hairpin, chose the most ornate one that matched the color of the skirt to secure the hair.
Gahwa had noticed yesterday that Lady Kim liked elaborate things.
The colors of her clothing were vivid and numerous, and the embroidery on her skirt and sleeves was extremely ornate. After securing the topknot one more time, Gahwa removed her hands.
“All done.”
“Better skill than I expected.”
Lady Kim turned her head this way and that to check her hair. It was odd how meticulously she did so, even though she wasn’t going out.
The contrast between her lavishly styled hair and her haggard complexion was also striking. Gahwa, looking at Lady Kim’s face, turned her eyes to the dressing table. It was equally ornate.
Could this be the Mirror of the Mirror Spirit?
Gahwa examined it carefully and concluded it was not—it was far too bulky to carry around.
Lady Kim’s temperament had changed after returning from her paternal home. Rarely would she carry the dressing table on long journeys, so it was unlikely to be that.
Gahwa shifted her gaze slightly around the room. There were no other mirrors inside.
Perhaps it was inside a drawer or the dressing table, but she couldn’t check immediately.
As she pondered how to create an opportunity, Lady Kim rose.
“What is the second son doing?”
“He hasn’t coughed yet.”
At Lady Kim’s question, Cheongju-dae answered. Gahwa glanced at her.
She had originally been Lady Kim’s wet nurse and had raised the sons of the household.
Now that they had all grown, she assisted the second son, Pyo Wol-san, and also looked after his wife.
Yet why she was here so early in the morning was unclear.
Moreover, it was suspicious how easily she had come directly to the inner quarters. The more Gahwa observed, the stranger it seemed.
Just as Gahwa’s suspicions deepened, Cheongju-dae motioned to leave.
“Go and bring the breakfast, quickly.”
“Yes, I’ll hurry.”
Gahwa bowed and was about to leave when she heard a conversation from inside.
“When will they arrive?”
“They sent word they would be coming around this time.”
“I see. We should prepare the lunch in advance, then.”
“In that case, we’ll let them know beforehand.”
‘A visitor in this tightly shut mansion?’
Click, thud. After closing the door, Gahwa didn’t leave but stood there, listening. Focusing, she could clearly make out their quiet voices.
“The items you requested?”
“They arrived at the port this morning by boat. The finest craftsmen in the country worked on these rare stones that only come from Byeokju. They assured me you would want to purchase them immediately upon seeing them.”
“Did they really promise that? I hope they don’t disappoint. Also, ask them to bring the rings; what we have is all plain and unsatisfying.”
“Yes, I’ll let them know.”
Jewels, rings, and craftsmen. Judging from the conversation, the visitor seemed to be a jewelry merchant. Gahwa’s eyes lit up—she had finally found a pretext for the master to enter.
She could disguise him as a merchant and introduce him to Lady Kim.
Since Lady Kim was currently very interested in clothes and jewelry, telling her that a merchant had brought fine items would easily get her to invite the master in. And, if coaxed carefully, perhaps he could even stay in the guest quarters.
Of course, something was needed first: the means to purchase the jewelry and the reputation of the merchant’s guild.
But with the help of the inn run by Yong, that wouldn’t be difficult.
Gahwa walked briskly toward the kitchen, heart racing. Things were off to a good start, and it seemed an opportunity had arrived immediately.
Around the hour of arrival, the long-awaited visitor appeared. Lady Kim canceled the lunch and received the guest.
The merchant immediately displayed rare and extravagant jewelry. As promised, the items were luxurious and expensive.
“These came by boat. Each piece has been meticulously crafted by Byeokju artisans, renowned for their skills. Especially this one! This hairpin cannot be obtained even in Jooan. Do you know how hard I had to persuade to get it for you, Madam?”
From the merchant’s display, he picked up the most expensive-looking hairpin. Made of silver, its end branched out into multiple sections resembling a flowering branch.
The open leaves and half-closed buds, with pearl flowers harmoniously combined, had stamens made of various gems. A silver butterfly ornament perched above, giving the impression of fluttering over the flowers. Its lavish beauty left one speechless.
“What do you think?”
Lady Kim seemed impressed by Gahwa’s eye for detail and showed her the jewelry. Gahwa examined the hairpin carefully.
As the merchant said, the carvings and butterfly ornament were of high quality, appearing vividly hand-engraved by a skilled artisan.
Yet Gahwa focused on the pearl flower decoration. Despite being rare, the pearls were unusually large.
She turned the hairpin, inspecting it closely, and noticed something, handing it back.
“The craftsmanship is indeed high. But this is fake.”
“W-What are you saying?!”
The shocked merchant shouted. Lady Kim also asked Gahwa.
“What do you mean?”
“Nonsense! What could a low-born maid possibly know? She’s only ever touched a jewel once or twice!”
The merchant was furious but stopped at Lady Kim’s gesture. She nodded for Gahwa to continue. Gahwa pointed to the pearl flower on the hairpin, specifically where the gem stamens were embedded.
“You can see it here.”
The pearl had a hole for setting the gem. Gahwa showed it carefully.
“Real pearls form layers gradually, so the holes are clean. But here, the edges are messy. This was artificially made using crushed shells, so it is fake.”
“No, Madam! A fake pearl? I thought it was real too! I’ve been deceived as well!”
The merchant jumped up, banging his chest in frustration. Lady Kim, seeing this, asked Gahwa:
“How do you know this? Even for a low-born servant, it’s rare to see such jewelry.”
Gahwa bowed immediately. Having hidden her identity while moving around markets, she was confident in fabricating stories.
“I once worked briefly in a merchant guild to earn money. I was in charge of cleaning the items so dust wouldn’t accumulate, and a talkative supervisor inadvertently let me overhear a lot.”
“You worked in a merchant guild?”
“Yes. In a rather large one. I saw many precious gems and jewelry, including pearls.”
Lady Kim reacted to the mention of rare gems and jewelry, intrigued. Gahwa deliberately added emphasis to inspire trust.
“Thanks to that, I can distinguish genuine jewels.”
“This morning, I saw how well you chose a hairpin to match the color of clothing.”
“I learned that then.”
Gahwa bowed deeply, embarrassed by the praise. Lady Kim, tapping the dressing table, asked another question.
