Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 79

“What the…”

I don’t know, it’s scary.

Why is that person here?

Perhaps my reaction was odd, as Jia asked with a puzzled look.

“Do you know him?”

“I don’t know him well…”

I heard his name earlier. But I can’t say I know someone just because I know their name and face.

‘Surely, he didn’t follow me all the way here?’

This can’t be…

“A stalker…?”

“Pardon?”

Realizing that my anachronistic muttering had slipped out, I shut my mouth.

‘What do they call stalkers in this era? But really, he didn’t follow me, did he?’

Perhaps I looked quite uncomfortable, as Jia quickly stepped in front of me.

“Someone who doesn’t seem to have business in a place like this. What brings you to Siyoung House?”

“I came to see the young lady here on business.”

I have no business.

But I didn’t want to cause a commotion, so I sent the murmuring people back to their work and had Jia bring tea.

“Why all this fuss?”

“But she’s a really pretty older sister!”

“It’s Maehyang. Don’t you know Maehyang, young lady?”

The young children seemed happy that a pretty person had come, and the older ones seemed to know who Maehyang was.

Having nothing else to do, I managed to pry off the children who were clinging to me, promising to bring them something tasty later, and sat down next to Maehyang.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“It seems you are the cause of that trouble. How did you follow me all the way here?”

“I managed to follow you after inquiring around, so don’t be too wary. I simply have something I wish to ask you, young lady.”

“I told you, I don’t know anything.”

“I haven’t even said what it is yet.”

“Whatever it is, I don’t know anything. I can’t answer anything.”

As I desperately refused, Maehyang asked with a picturesque smile.

“Is it because I am a gisaeng [female entertainer]?”

“If that were the case, I would have chased you away instead of sitting you next to me and serving tea, wouldn’t I?”

“…”

Perhaps my words were unexpected, as Maehyang was silent for a moment. Just then, Jia brought the tea.

“Siyoung House does not turn away visitors, but you haven’t come here to take refuge, have you?”

“That is correct.”

“Then, while you’re here, play with the children. They all like you so much; they might cry if you just leave.”

“Yes, I will, young lady.”

She’s being too agreeable; that’s a bit unsettling.

In any case, I had to take care of the business I had at Siyoung House today.

As I stepped back, the children, who had been watching cautiously, swarmed around Maehyang. I thought she might be picky, but she was surprisingly skilled at talking to the children.

‘I don’t know if it’s acting or her personality.’

Thanks to the children, Jia, who was no longer alone with Maehyang, came to me and whispered.

“Don’t you know Maehyang, young lady?”

“Who is she?”

“She’s a famous gisaeng known for her singing. Noblemen are sending cartloads of money to have Maehyang sing at their banquets.”

“That’s probably an exaggeration…”

If they’re sending cartloads, wouldn’t it be better to send paper money (楮貨: paper money used at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty and the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty. Originally disappeared in the mid-Joseon Dynasty, but here it is set to be in use)?

“But she’s really, really famous.”

“Okay, okay.”

It has nothing to do with me.

“Anyway, it seems like that person will play with the children, so I should talk about work first.”

“Work?”

“Yeah. Are there any kids in Siyoung House who are busy with urgent work right now?”

“No.”

“Then, for now, call the kids who have finished learning the Thousand Character Classic and are studying the intermediate course.”

I turned away from the piercing gaze that was looking at me and went inside.

‘I already sent a written message to Court Lady Min, so she probably already told them.’

For now, I put aside national policies and complicated stories and called the people who were studying reasonably well. Whether they were slaves or beggars, it didn’t matter.

“Actually, I’m thinking of training doctors. Is there anyone here who is interested in medicine?”

“Are you talking about us?”

The people who had been summoned from their work looked puzzled but showed interest in my words.

“Of course, it would be good to have doctors in Siyoung House, but I think there should be many female doctors in the private sector as well. So, the more people who want to learn, the better. Of course, I’m not just talking about women.”

Among the slaves I had received, there were several young boys who were originally from noble families. Perhaps because of the subtle pressure from their mothers, who couldn’t stand their children falling behind the other children in their studies, they were quite good at studying.

Of course, the path to the civil service examination was blocked for those children, but it wouldn’t be bad if they could be raised as doctors.

Unlike the slaves, who were buzzing with complicated thoughts, the commoner children asked questions without hesitation.

“Isn’t it difficult to become a doctor?”

“Of course, it’s difficult. There are many things to memorize, many things to learn, and you have to take many exams. But it’s about dealing with people’s lives, so it has to be difficult, right?”

“…”

Everyone fell silent after I spoke heavily. It’s not something to start with a light heart.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about whether they would really want to become doctors.

But the children here had all been studying for the past few years, and they were children who knew to some extent that they were smart.

It meant that they wouldn’t want to waste their abilities due to social and gender discrimination and end up as mere woodcutters or slaves.

“Instead, if you become a doctor, you won’t have to worry about making a living in the future. Besides, you’ve been studying hard until now, and there aren’t many ways to make use of that, right? It’s also a way to gain fame with your own strength, regardless of gender or status.”

“Um, but is it possible for us to become doctors?”

After all, the children from noble families who had learned to write before becoming slaves learned faster than the other children.

But as much as that was true, they were well aware of their situation, so they were even more passive.

Of course, it wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about this.

“If you become doctors, you will work at the clinic established by the Princess Consort [the speaker]. So, you don’t have to worry about your status. Oh, of course, you will be paid, and if you want to save money and become independent later, that’s your freedom.”

“!”

The Princess Consort title is quite useful.

If there is a powerful owner, they will not dare to oppress the slaves.

The people who had felt this fact firsthand over the past few years changed their expressions as soon as they confirmed that I, the Princess Consort, would protect them, and shouted as if they would pounce.

“I’ll do it! Please let me do it!!”

“I want to learn too!”

“Me too!”

And some of the children raised their hands, swept away by the atmosphere.

‘There will probably be many who drop out along the way anyway.’

Now or then, whether it’s Korean medicine or Western medicine, there were many things to memorize and many things to practice.

From a personal point of view, you also need to have a strong stomach.

“Well, I’m glad you’re all so motivated. First, we’ll start by strengthening your basic academic skills. And character education too.”

In fact, you can say that the basics have already been laid to some extent.

The basic curriculum will follow the education of female doctors at the Hyeminseo [a Joseon Dynasty medical institution], but I also need someone to properly educate them.

I thought of that ‘doctor sister’ I had been talking to Jia about earlier.

“Jia, come here for a second.”

“Yes?”

When I called Jia, who had a serious face as if she was worried about learning medicine, she came to me in a fluster.

“What was that doctor’s name again? Was it Heo Seong-ji?”

“Yes, that’s right. Why are you suddenly looking for her?”

“I need a doctor or female doctor to teach the children, and I was wondering if she would be suitable.”

There would be many people who would scoff and ignore the fact that they were teaching children who were slaves or beggars, so the character of the person teaching them was important.

“Well, we don’t really know her well either.”

“You don’t?”

“Yes.”

“She often came to Siyoung House. Don’t you know her very well?”

“We only talked about the children’s illnesses, and we didn’t really talk about personal things.”

I thought she would be close to the children, but I didn’t think I would have met her very often.

“I heard that her parents passed away and she lives with her uncle. I heard that house is her relative’s house. I think that uncle is a doctor.”

“That’s about as much as you need to know.”

“You have to know how many spoons are in that house to say you know them well.”

“Umm.”

Is that… so?

‘Could it be that I didn’t recognize these children’s aptitude?’

I don’t know what to do with the aptitude for collecting information.

Anyway, seeing how she had been taking care of the children since before, I knew she was a good person.

Besides, I heard that her medical skills were considerable.

‘Umm. Could she be a role model for the children? It would be easier for both the person teaching and the children if the person teaching was familiar to the children. And I can trust her character.’

Should I visit her later?

I went out to the yard with that thought.

‘It’s not that I haven’t heard the sound since earlier, but it’s definitely different.’

In the yard, a voice like a crane among chickens echoed among the children’s clear voices.

Same song, different feeling?

Jia, who was next to me, seemed to have a similar impression, as she blankly stared in a daze before smiling awkwardly as if embarrassed.

“She sings well. Definitely.”

“I know.”

She’s a master singer, so she’s different.

‘My ears are refreshed, very much so.’

But I didn’t feel comfortable because the song she was singing now seemed to be a song that I had illegally distributed.

Especially in Siyoung House, the songs that I had carelessly spread were spreading among the children, and I was worried that the children were becoming more familiar with these songs than folk songs or chants.

For that reason, I didn’t really want to face Maehyang, so I called Soi and decided to slip away in another direction.

Jia, who was seeing me off on top of Red Hare [a famous horse], looked puzzled, but I couldn’t be bothered to explain.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s not that, I’m just a little annoyed. Oh, by the way, I’m going to visit that doctor’s house.”

“I’ll guide you if you come.”

“You have to study too. Come to think of it, are you interested in medicine?”

“I don’t know.”

Jia shook her head. It was natural to be careful in choosing a career path.

“Okay. There are still many options, so don’t be impatient…”

“Young lady?!”

“Let’s go quickly!”

I urged Soi at Maehyang’s voice, who had found me.