Chapter 75
At words close to a command, Mu-yeong hardened his expression and answered.
“Your Majesty, the Hongui tribe, who consider the eyes a secret place, have a custom of showing their entire face only to the husband who spent the first night with them. That’s why Sahwa had no choice but to avoid the gathering yesterday.”
Kim Seon didn’t hide his displeasure.
“Are you saying the trading company’s customs are more important than the king’s command?”
Mu-yeong furrowed his brow as if this was a tiresome nerve war.
“The fate of a Hongui tribe woman who shows her face to a man other than her husband is suicide, Your Majesty.”
Kim Seon closed his lips as if at a loss for words. The atmosphere that had loosened a bit instantly froze again.
Mu-yeong, who had been watching the floor, began watching Kim Seon with only his gaze raised. When Kim Seon hesitated at the fierce look like a beast, Meisa threw out a joke to melt the atmosphere.
“Then Hongui tribe men wouldn’t know even if their wives were switched on the wedding night.”
The ministers who had been reading the mood and put down their chopsticks laughed aloud as if filling the silence. Mu-yeong lowered his gaze again as if nothing had happened.
Meisa, feeling enthusiastic response, looked at Mu-yeong again. Soon she spoke to him as if trying to properly assess what kind of person he was.
“But I’m curious whether Lord Mu-yeong has seen Sahwa’s face.”
It was a roundabout expression for asking if they had spent nights together. Mu-yeong bit his teeth, displeased with Meisa’s bold momentum.
“I haven’t seen it yet, but I know it will be beautiful.”
Kim Seon’s interest, who had always protected Meisa in the palace, was focused on Yuseol.
“If that piece of cloth were removed, I think I might see a face resembling a woman I know.”
Kim Seon revealed his thought that he hadn’t dismissed his suspicion that Sahwa was Yuseol, then observed Mu-yeong’s reaction. However, Mu-yeong answered calmly without changing his complexion at all.
“Your Majesty must also know beautiful women. If something is beautiful, wouldn’t it originally look similar?”
It was words close to brainwashing, saying that Yuseol and Sahwa felt similar because they were both beautiful. Kim Seon narrowed his eyes, then relaxed them and answered as if talking to himself.
“Sometimes she was such a woman.”
Chilly air descended on the banquet hall again. There was no one who didn’t know that Yuseol had been drawn in Kim Seon’s mind, even if briefly.
The shadow of Yuseol, who had been sitting quietly, flickered on the floor like a specter for a moment.
***
Time always flows. No matter how heavy time might be, it couldn’t go against providence.
The precarious time in the banquet hall also passed safely. After finishing the banquet without incident and returning to her room, Yuseol curled up in a corner of the bedroom and sought sleep.
Afternoon came like that.
Kwon Ujin brought unwelcome news. It was notification that Kim Seon would appreciate the camellia tree, Museolwon’s sacred object, this evening. Additionally, he had proposed dining with Sahwa once again.
Mu-yeong tried to refuse the proposal, openly showing his annoyance. However, Yuseol’s thoughts were a little different. The more they avoided Kim Seon, the more they would arouse unnecessary suspicion. If she were really Sahwa, there would be no reason to avoid him.
Mu-yeong accepted Kim Seon’s proposal. Court ladies moved busily to prepare the evening meal.
Yuseol began styling with help from Yanghui and Myeongi like yesterday.
Today Myeongi had prepared new clothes. They were new clothes that the village women had each contributed, altered to fit Yuseol’s body.
For that reason, even though she must have spent a busy day, Myeongi looked pleased. Yanghui, who had approached makeup like an artist over Yuseol’s face, also looked extremely proud.
Yuseol recalled the question she had asked herself recently. What was the reason for living while knowing that one would die someday…. She had a premonition that she was beginning to find that answer.
She spoke gently.
“I’ll definitely finish safely and return.”
She felt like she was connected to people through invisible power. That’s why Yuseol was afraid that if she fell into the abyss, she might take them along with her.
As soon as all preparations were finished, she resolutely met Myoyeon and headed to the banquet location. There was a hill path behind the inner house. Countless stone steps welcomed Yuseol.
Myoyeon looked up at the quiet quarters near the end of the steps.
“You also came to this place a few days ago, didn’t you, my lady?”
Yuseol’s gaze, which had been following Myoyeon, suddenly stopped. She recalled the incident from recently, at dawn, when she had chased Haneul and encountered Mu-yeong.
“Yes? Yes….”
She felt the illusion that his rough breathing from that time was covering her nape again. She urgently grasped her neck with her hand as if protecting it.
Myoyeon watched that sight carefully.
“Is your throat uncomfortable because of the mint leaves?”
Yuseol was startled and shook her head.
“No. It’s not that—I was just surprised by the wind for a moment.”
Yes, it must be because of the wind. There should be no other reason.
Yuseol calmed her excited mood and looked toward the end of the stairs.
“We’re going to the place with the sacred tree now, right?”
“Yes. That’s right. Lord Mu-yeong went up first.”
She felt a strange feeling. She didn’t know why she felt a little reassured when going to the place where that man was.
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