Chapter 303: Bijeom (Boiling Point)

was really ready right there and then to summon my servants and rip the entire room to shreds, no matter who it belonged to. But when I saw how…playful they were even when they got upset, I really couldn't move, to the point where my feet were frozen on the spot. I was in complete shock; only a few minutes ago, Seon-Ho had Yeon kneeling on the floor in front of him and was even willing to let me punish her. And now, even as angry as she clearly was at him, they were both…play fighting with each other using cushions, pillows and even curtains as if they were children. Seon-Ho kept playful running around the room and trying to catch Yeon in his arms, who looked torn between fury and playfulness herself. I had never seen anything like it before. Did such innocence still exist in this world? Where father's set themselves against their son's? Where best friends betrayed each other for power? And sister's consistently compelled each other for power, wealth and a suitable marriage? I…i cannot even remember when I was on such friendly terms with my family, never mind… In fact, I didn't know a single person in all of the people I had been forced to interact with, no-one from the noble class had a carefree childhood like these lowborn did. Even Seon-Ho himself, who I originally thought I had a lot more in common with that I realised seemed to have what I didn't…

"May I help you, My Lady? My Lady?" "Well well, I see that The Lord Nam has indeed gifted you with quite heavy fabric for someone of your status. I an unaware of the tricks you use to seduce him, but it seems to have worked out quite well for you…" "Forgive me, My Lady, but seduction isn't the only method to attain one's wishes and needs. It is because of out prior friendship that…" "How dare you talk back to me in such an informal tone of voice! Servants! Come and slap her!" "I…" "And just what do you think you will achieve in my presence?" "I will do anything I want to since I do have a much higher social status than yours…" "Do not even think about it." "Or what?" "Or I will personally inform your family of these so-called 'aids' that you have who all come from lower backgrounds that Yeon herself does. And yet I bet they are living much more luxurious lives that Yeon ever will. Yet." "And what is that 'yet' supposed to mean?" "So you can have aids, but I cannot have Yeon by my side. And if I do end up having a noble marriage, you can bet that I will take in a concubine." 'A concubine.' Not 'concubines,' as in the plural meaning. So he already had his eyes on…a lowborn? And not an illegitimate daughter of a noble family with immense power to help him climb up the ranks in the palace? Was this his idea of a joke or something?

"This little girl that you insist on keeping as your pet is extremely crafty and cunning as it is to have survived under the palace for this long with her head firmly planted onto her neck. Not even The Third Prince's political allies have lasted longer than this one has. She isn't worth your efforts; her background isn't enough to help achieve your lifelong goals in the palace…" "Believe you me, she is far more capable than your entire kisaeng family put together." That statement really took both of us women aback, just what the hell was that supposed to mean? Her mother came from unknown origins and her famous father died two decades ago, so what power did a penniless nobody hold over a family as prominent as mine did? Was he drunk?

"I ask your Ladyship to stop hurling insults in a home that was never wiling to house you. Stop clinging onto me and shaming your reputation for a man who will not marry you even if we were the only two people left. You leeche onto the accomplishments of others to bully her way into other people's homes. This is quite unfitting behaviour for someone of your stature and upbringing." "How dare you? How dare you insult me like this! For her! Very well, I have done everything I could possibly think of to remind you of who you are. But if you still do no realise it, then you will not see me again after the doctor's test tomorrow! And I would veery much like to see how you can possibly survive in the place without my favour!" "I will only marry one woman, and I can promise you that it will never be you. Farewell, My Lady…"

"Young Mistress Seo? Please come with us as you have been summoned by The Companion Choi." "Has something happened?" "Several people in the palace have filed a complaint against you for committing a rather scandalous act in the palace. Do you admit to your crime?" I thought that I would never feel happiness again, but witnessing Seo Yeon being dragged off to face her superiors for once in her life, even if it meant saying The Lord Nam looking distressed as he was unable to enter the harem. "My lady, what exactly am i being accused of? In the absence of my brother?" "Seo Yeon, you have been accused of having an illicit affair with an unmarried man here in the palace and getting pregnant out of wedlock. So, do you admit to your crime?" "My Lady, i shall never admit to anything that i haven't done, even less so when there is no proof to back up such claims." "Very well, let us all see this particular evidence that you wish to hide in your chambers that i have allotted you, shall we?"

Finally, i was going to see Yeon being punished without the meddling of her saviour, The Lord Nam, so that I could finally expel her from the palace and have her shame her brother, bringing her down off of her high horse once and for all…

...or so i thought, until i came across The Mistress Nam of all people slumped onto the ground in such an usual manner that it was almost as if she had died or something. I was so panicked by this scene that i had tried to wake her up, not knowing that it would be the end of me.

"Mistress Nam? What on earth are you doing here? Why are you…" "Sister-in-law? Didn't i ask you to pick up something for me in my quarters to hand over to The Concubine Park? What on earth happened to you? Did somebody hurt you?" "Yeon….somebody hurt me…i just went limp when i came here and...i didn't know...i don't know…" "MistressHan, isn't that your servant over there in the corner? What on earth is she ding in my chambers uninvited? Unless she...came here to steal from me? Wasn't she the one who gave my servant some of my jewellery so that you could frame me for having an affair only yesterday?" "Nonsense! you were reported to have stayed the night at Lord Nam's chambers already, so you framed my servant..." "Your servant? Are you under the impression that my servants are yours, Mistress Han?" "No, Companion Choi, forgive me! i just..." "My Lady, i was alone in his quarters when you consistently summoned hm over to your quarters late a night because you fell ill, isn't that so? We can interrogate The Lord Nam's servants for proof, can we not?" "Seo Yeon! What is going on? And what is that smell? It is very different to your usual scents that you like to make by hand..." "Moon-bok! I really have no idea myself…you know that i do not like such strong smells like this! Can you possibly identify this after you have helped The Mistress Nam?"

"Young Mistress Seo, this seems to be an aphrodisiac incense, but some f these ingredients… you should have longed kept your distance from them, since it can flair up your epilepsy at any time." "Are you sure, Moon-bok?" "Absolutely, so, if this servant isn't here to steal anything, then..." "...Then she must be here to set up Seo Yeon, just like she has been doing since she set foot in the palace." "Concubine Park? what on earth are you doing here?"

"I was just going to ask Moon-bok the same question as it happens..?" "My Lady, I was instructed on her brother's behalf to check on her, as i have been asked in the past, only to witness that servant girl knock out The Mistress Nam! I only left these quarters to see if there was anyone else around to help me…" "Are you implying that the guards mysteriously disappeared from The Companion Choi's palace? How unusual…" "Concubine Park! what exactly are you implying here?" "My Lady, there are 3 kinds of wounds on this servant that she received from myself and nobody else; on the top of the neck, there is a fresh wound left by the top of the Mistress Nam's hair pin that she used in self-defence. The second set of wounds are from being hit by the broken flower vase over there and the last wound is a green-ish swelling that came about when she fell onto the floor when she fell down. What more do we need to speculate about? Seo Yeon is obviously being set up here…" "Mistress Nam? Did you see the servant plant this in my quarters?" "I did..and i tried to stop her..." "Enough of this! The Mistress Han has displayed her blatant disrespect in the harem over and over again, not to mention helping to frame the lower-ranked concubines with bribes taken from your mistress over here. She has also lawful confiscated possessions, exterminated family members by imprisonment or banishment, in collusion with a certain senior scholar…" "No! This isn't fair! i only did what was instructed to me by my Mistress! You! Seo Yeon! You have always snatched away everything that i have cherished! Why does she get to stay in the palace like this! After making my life a living hell! Why doesn't she ever get punished!" "Mistress Han! I have never taken away anything from you that was yours!" "No! you still had an affair with The Lord Nam and i can prove it! Because you are currently pregnant, are you not! That is why you have been feeling il this spring the by constantly throwing up and changing your clothes size! Isn't that right, Seo Yeon!"