Eun Seol, who got off the palanquin and entered Soon Young’s house, saw servants peeking from a distance.

Her unfamiliar appearance, which they had ignored and treated with contempt, would be strange and make them cautious about treating her carelessly.

When the servant reported her visit to the inner room, Soon Young’s weak voice was heard.

“Tell her to wait here for a moment.”

She entered the room, leaving Eom Sang Gung behind.

Soon Young saw her come in and sat up.

She seemed fine from what could be seen.

“Your mother is dying, and you come only now? You low-born thing, you’re even cruel.”

“What exactly is wrong with you?”

“Why, would you like it if I were dead from illness?”

Soon Young untied the band wrapped around her head, threw it aside, and clicked her tongue with a frown.

Soon Young’s lips twisted as she looked Eun Seol up and down.

“I can’t understand the Grand Prince. I don’t know what’s so good about this thing that he keeps her around. Whether he’s tired of other women or his tastes have changed, or maybe he likes how she serves him in bed.”

“Don’t speak so carelessly. Mother, you’re not someone who should speak so rudely. Was your illness a lie?”

“I called you because there’s something I need you to look into. It seems your father is keeping Min Ah. That bitch has been wagging her tail at your father since she came to this house, and now she’s caused this trouble.”

Surprised by Soon Young’s words, she froze, at a loss for words.

So it was her father who had taken Min Ah as a concubine. A chill ran down her spine.

“That bitch Min Ah has been wagging her tail at your father so much that he doesn’t even come home. Out of all the women, a maid… As they say, a dog can’t change its habits. It’s infuriating.”

“So, what do you want me to find out?”

“I want you to send someone to find out where that bitch Min Ah is.”

“You do it, Mother. I don’t have anyone to ask, and don’t call me for things like this again.”

“If I send the servants here and rumors spread, will you take responsibility? What if rumors spread that your father is crazy about a maid? Will our Eun Joo be able to get married? Will she?”

Unable to contain her anger, Soon Young glared at her fiercely.

Her hands, which seemed about to rise at any moment, were only trembling on her knees.

She wasn’t afraid. She wouldn’t run away either.

She didn’t want to return to her former weak and powerless self ever again.

Displeased with her sitting upright without showing any signs of intimidation, Soon Young struck the writing desk with her fist and shouted.

“If you don’t want to see me die, find out secretly without the Grand Prince knowing. Understood!”

“What do you plan to do once you find Min Ah?”

“What else? I’ll tear her to pieces. How dare a slave look above her station? She goes crazy over every man who visits the house, but you can’t hide your true nature. Dirty, low-born bitch.”

“Father won’t stand by and do nothing.”

“You think I can just sit back and watch? If that bitch deliberately seduces your father, who knows what will happen to me or our Eun Joo? Unlike some, I absolutely cannot bear to see that.”

Soon Young glared at her with contemptuous eyes. Her hands trembled uncontrollably with anger.

People always think of their own position first.

They don’t care about the pain or hurt they cause others, only angered and feeling wronged by the pain they receive.

That’s how Soon Young was now. Her words about not being able to bear it unlike someone else felt like a collapsing wall.

She wanted to ask if Soon Young remembered the cruelty she had committed to take that very position.

Unable to sit any longer, she said she would look into it once and stood up.

“I won’t be driven out so pathetically like your mother!”

She stopped in her tracks and looked at Soon Young. Her expression was too blatant to have misheard.

“What did you just say? My mother wasn’t driven out, but left on her own and died?”

“Whether she left on her own and died or was driven out and died, what does it matter? Your mother was destined to be driven out even if it wasn’t me. Your father said he shuddered at the mere thought of that bitch.”

“So… she was unjustly driven out, right? Tell me. Was my mother driven out by your hands!”

She had vaguely thought so.

From a very young age, everyone said her mother had left on her own and taken her life, so she believed it.

When she heard rumors later that her mother had been driven out, she didn’t believe it.

She only thought her mother had left on her own and ended her harsh life because she couldn’t bear her unfortunate circumstances.

How could people be so cruel? Tears came to her eyes.

“Have you never felt sorry for my mother even once? Not even for a moment… were you not sorry!”

“Where do you get the nerve to raise your voice? You think you can act up because you have the Grand Prince’s backing? Don’t get cocky and get out. I did nothing wrong. If you want to blame someone, blame your foolish mother.”

“Mother!”

“How inadequate must she have been to be driven out without even receiving love from her husband? I would have taken my life too if I were her.”

“Is it true that my mother took her own life? Or perhaps…”

“Shut up. I want to rest, so get out.”

She watched Soon Young, who had turned away and lain down, for a long time before weakly coming outside. Eom Sang Gung supported her as she stumbled into the courtyard.

“My lady, are you alright?”

She couldn’t hear anything. My mother was driven out of this house after giving birth to me.

How lonely and heartbroken must my mother have been, driven out without even nursing her child once?

How unjust must every step have felt? Perhaps that’s why she let go of her harsh life.

She prayed earnestly. That her mother had been at least a little happy because of her in her womb.

Tears welled up, blurring her vision. In the hazy sight, a young girl was crying while looking at her in the distance.

The child, like a mirage, turned and ran to the annex. She followed the child into the annex without even thinking to wipe away her flowing tears.

Shaking off Eom Sang Gung’s hand, she searched for the child. The child standing under the plum tree was still crying.

Choked with emotion, her voice wouldn’t come out.

The child was crying and trembling in fear. She slowly approached and called out to the child.

“Eun Seol, don’t cry. Don’t be afraid or lonely. If you wait and endure just a little longer, a good person will come for you. So don’t cry and wait until then. Okay?”

The child wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked at her. Then she smiled brightly and disappeared.

“Don’t cry… If you wait with a smile like that, someone will surely come for you. So… don’t cry.”

Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes.

She left the annex, vowing never, ever to come to this place again.

* * *

For several days after visiting home, her emotions were in turmoil.

She didn’t show it because she didn’t want to worry others, but the depression that came over her from time to time was difficult.

At those times, Eom Sang Gung would cheer her up with food.

For lunch, Eom Sang Gung brought abalone porridge. As she came out after finishing her meal, Seo Yeom called out to her.

“My lady, a letter from the Grand Prince.”

“A letter from the Grand Prince? Has he gone somewhere far?”

“He’s in the men’s quarters.”

To her question about why a letter when he was in the men’s quarters, Seo Yeom’s gruff voice flew in.

“Even when I told him to give it to you directly, he said he was busy and insisted I deliver it.”

Eom Sang Gung, who was beside her, shook her head in disbelief.

“He must have sent a love letter, which doesn’t suit him.”

“A love letter?”

“Well then, we’ll take our leave so you can read the love, letter, sent by the Grand Prince.”

Eom Sang Gung emphasized the words “love letter”, then cast a playful glance before quickly leaving.

Watching Eom Sang Gung and Seo Yeom walk away, she unfolded the letter and read it.

−Wife. The full moon rises tonight. If you wish to see the moonlight of Biyeonru where we shared our secret love, come to the front of the men’s quarters at the hour of the dog (9-11 PM). I’ll be waiting.

Her face burned as if on fire after reading the letter.

He could have just asked her to go together in person, but to send a letter… Imagining the Grand Prince writing this at his desk made her chuckle.

The embarrassment was brief, and his one letter lifted her gloomy mood.

Perhaps he sent it to make her smile like this.

That thought energized her more than eating the abalone porridge.

* * *

She quietly went to the front of the men’s quarters, wearing a thick outer garment in the rather chilly night air.

The scenery of the front yard of the men’s quarters under the full moon had a different atmosphere than during the day.

Everything she saw was beautiful, but the most beautiful thing was the man before her eyes.

Eun Seol gazed entranced at Lee Woon in his formal attire.

With his back to the moonlight, he approached her and whispered in a gentle voice.

“You’ve come. Shall we go to Biyeonru now?”

Her slow steps felt dreamy, cozy and light. This time with him was exciting and happy.

Upon arriving at Biyeonru, he carefully lifted her in his arms and climbed up to the pavilion.

The full moon reflected in the pond sparkled like gold dust sprinkled on the rippling water.

The two lay side by side on the pavilion, gazing at the full moon peeking through the curtains.

Lee Woon turned on his side, cupped her face with one hand, and gave her a brief kiss.

His eyes approached seductively. He whispered as he lightly kissed her lips.

“It’s a perfect night for secret lovemaking, but we should refrain, shouldn’t we?”

A faint smile spread across his lips.

Intoxicated by the moonlight, Eun Seol wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she looked at him with hazy eyes as she gave him an awkward kiss.

“This much should be alright, shouldn’t it?”

“Wife, if you keep doing this, it’ll be difficult. Why don’t you understand that this tortures me even more?”

He embraced her body and stroked her back, trying to control his aroused emotions.

“Do you dislike it?”

“When did I say I disliked it? At times like this, you really are like a fox, wife.”

The hand that had been caressing her hair stopped, and after thinking for a moment, he spoke in a somewhat excited voice.

“If we have a child, let’s name him Young if it’s a boy, and Yeon if it’s a girl. What do you think?”

“Lee Young. Lee Yeon. Those are good names.”

“I want to be a father who is always by their side. I want to make sure they’re never lonely.”

“You will be a good father, my lord.”

“I really want to be. I’ll be a father who does everything together from the start. We’ll study together, go hunting together, have many conversations, and I’ll always be with the child.”

The desire not to leave them alone and lonely was the same for her.

Knowing how frightening loneliness can be, she didn’t want her child to know that feeling.

Just as she had struggled with loneliness from a young age, this man seems to have been very lonely too.

With a bitter heart, she looked up at the sky.

As the full moon, momentarily hidden by clouds, revealed itself, moonlight poured onto the pavilion.

“For that, shouldn’t we conceive a child first?”

Just as she heard a low, mischievous voice, Lee Woon’s hand was already grasping the tie of her clothes.

“Still, not here. Once was enough in this place.”

She glanced at him and lightly held his hand.

“That’s your thought, but it’s not enough for me.”

“My, my lord!”

The shadows of the two struggling soon tilted.