Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 187

“Just… seeing him made me realize there are people like that. He’s not even half my height.”

Smack.

“Ouch, ouch. I’m sorry.”

My palm struck Cheonho’s thigh for the unnecessary addition, but Cheonho just laughed, saying it hurt.

“I also had a childhood where I ate anything because I was hungry, and rolled around because I was sick.”

“Hmm. You look like you could chew iron.”

“Ahahaha. Well, no matter how strong they look, kids get sick sometimes. Of course, it’s also my fault for not listening and eating whatever I picked up.”

“Eating like that must be why you grew so big.”

I’m honestly a little curious about what he ate to grow so much.

“I can’t deny that. That’s why I thought it was good that there was someone like Ongju. Ah, of course, me being at the scene where Ongju was kidnapped was a coincidence. Don’t misunderstand.”

“Hmm. That happened too.”

It hasn’t been that long, but it already feels like a long time ago.

Wait? Why does it feel like so many incidents and accidents have happened since I met Cheonho?

“Come to think of it, so many things have happened since I met Cheonho. I was kidnapped, and I went to a *gibang* [traditional Korean courtesan house] and almost got kidnapped by Cheonho……”

“No, wait a minute. When did I do that? Please don’t distort my memories.”

While we were joking around, talking about the old days, Cheonho suddenly said,

“Didn’t Maehyang Noona [older sister] say before that it would be nice if there were only people like Ongju in the world?”

“Yeah. She did.”

We were talking about it when we were in Gangwon-do, for sure.

But I wonder when Sehwa and Maehyang became siblings.

“If there were only people like Ongju in the world, it would definitely be peaceful……”

“Hehe. Really?”

“Yes. But there will definitely be no one but Ongju like Ongju.”

“??”

I don’t know what he meant, but Cheonho said that and smiled as if he was satisfied.

“Now, let’s go. Everyone will be waiting for Ongju.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

As a habit, I held out my hand to Cheonho, and Cheonho habitually picked me up.

I thought, ‘Oops,’ but I didn’t care, so I just comfortably entrusted myself to him.

‘This is becoming a habit, this is a big problem.’

“Aren’t you still sleepy?”

“Umm, a little.”

Was it because I poured out my heart? Somehow, I felt a little relieved.

***

It was the end of the year, but the atmosphere inside the palace was a bit chaotic.

It was because Yeongcheon-gun was eventually exiled after all the commotion.

If there hadn’t been news that I was showing improvement with Sehwa’s treatment, it would have been even more like walking on thin ice.

‘I didn’t think he would hate me that much. Shouldn’t I be the one who hates him even if he hates me?’

Yeongcheon-gun was ultimately unable to completely shake off the suspicion that he was behind this incident.

Those who were close to Yeongcheon-gun usually denied knowing anything, and Yeongcheon-gun, who was angry, tried to explode and drag anyone in, which only lengthened the investigation time.

In the end, all Yeongcheon-gun confessed was that he had ordered someone to interfere with finding the Ongju’s medicinal herbs.

Of course, that alone was a big enough crime, but he denied the treason of targeting the Crown Prince, and there was a lack of evidence.

Thanks to that, he was spared beheading.

However, Yeongcheon-gun’s attitude rather angered many people.

In particular, because he tried to involve everyone he knew, a beautiful exposure battle continued…….

Thanks to that, I heard that the *Jongchin* [royal relatives] and those who had friendships with the *Jongchin* were all trembling.

‘Unexpectedly, it’s not really a story that has anything to do with me.’

They send me letters while watching my mood, but unfortunately, I don’t know anything.

‘It’s not good for me to be too deeply involved in politics, so I’m keeping my distance.’

Fortunately, I had the famous excuse that I was not feeling well, so I was managing to get by.

In fact, it wasn’t a lie. It’s a fact that I often slouch because I’m sleepy.

I don’t have time to take care of other people’s business when I don’t have enough time to work because I’m always nodding off like a sick chick because of the medicine.

Especially these days, I was busy because of *Naryehee* [a traditional Korean court banquet] and the female entertainers I brought.

Besides, I’m thinking of performing another play this time.

‘If I repeat the same thing too many times, I’ll get bored, so I’ve done a lot of other plays in the meantime.’

But I’ll still include what I need to include…….

The *Jangakwon* (掌樂院) [Royal Music Institute] summoned the *Yeoaks* (女樂) [female entertainers], and the Crown Prince passed it on to me, so I was just going to take it over…… but since my physical condition was not stable, it was being managed through my subordinates for the time being.

I wanted to manage it more systematically, but there was no time to do so because *Naryehee* was near.

Thanks to this, some of the children from *Siyoungwon* [a type of orphanage or institution for training young girls] who were interested in singing and dancing were secretly jumping in.

I came to *Siyoungwon* after a long time and heard that story, and I was in a complicated mood.

‘I didn’t really intend to send them in that direction.’

In particular, I heard that children, regardless of gender, who were interested were jumping in.

“Is Ayoung there too?”

“Ayoung just says that, but she prefers to watch.”

“Hmm.”

Well, I’m not trying to make them do a lot of things, I’m just managing them, so it’s okay to leave it to them.

Besides, if the *Siyoungwon* kids are involved, they will comfortably report to me when unfair things happen.

Since I’m not really involved in the *Naryehee* preparations, should I just focus on my personal business now?

‘No, actually, I’m not even sure if this is a personal business……?’

When I was building a branch in the countryside, I was designing it to have the functions of *Siyoungwon* and *Siwolgak* [a place for women to gather and socialize], so the story grew to the point where I wondered if I should add a restaurant function, so I secured the site first and started construction.

If this happens, a considerable number of people from the *Siyoungwon* headquarters or experienced people will be dispatched, so that also required some discussion.

However, the more work there is, the more I can’t help but think this.

‘I wish they would just do everything on their own…….’

Everyone is old enough now, shouldn’t they do it on their own?

Anyway, Min Sang-gung knows the children better than I do.

No matter how often I come and go, I’m not the one who directly raises and uses people.

Basically, personnel-related matters were entrusted to the Sang-gung Nains [high-ranking court ladies] and former *Chetamin* [government spies] who had worked at *Siyoungwon* for a long time, and everyone knew each other, so internal recommendations were quick.

‘I feel like it’s too closed off, but it’s convenient because they’re children who have been doing chores since they were young, so I don’t have to teach them separately.’

Even though I make decisions so easily, the fact remains that I, the final decision maker, have to check them.

Still, it seems like the system is starting to take shape now.

It looks relatively smooth because I have a good background, but there have been many ups and downs and trials and errors over the past 8 years, so it can’t be helped that it takes time.

‘There’s also the problem of talent.’

Some children may feel wronged, but the children who are currently dispatched to the provinces are likely to be in charge of the branch. It’s not my taste to force them if they don’t want to, but there was no one suitable to proceed with the work quickly.

Of course, if they succeed in nurturing talent there, the locals may manage it later, but how much time will it take until that happens?

‘No matter how smart they are, if they’re too young, they’ll be looked down on.’

Of course, it’s not that there are no older people in *Siyoungwon*, but many of those people don’t like to go out.

There are people who don’t want to reveal their past or are from the slave class.

Embracing even those people is somewhat of an unsettling factor, but I was accepting them as long as they didn’t cause problems.

I also gathered people who seemed like they would be bad for the children’s emotional education and gave them separate mental education, so there were many things to worry about, which was a bit annoying.

Still, the smart kids are doing at least ten people’s worth of work, even if they can’t do a hundred people’s worth, so I thought it would be okay to entrust them with big things now.

If I’m unlucky, I might get backstabbed, and I might hear that a guy from another region is causing trouble, but it wouldn’t be bad to let them handle the branch-related matters on their own. I should attach an advisor, though.

In fact, age is also a problem, but the fact that there are many girls among the *Siyoungwon* children is also a problem.

After all, there were many guys who rebelled when women went into management positions.

It’s strange to say it’s fortunate, but this is a strict class society, so everyone was at ease because of the atmosphere where everyone couldn’t move if they were told that Ongju sent them.

‘It’s okay because I have a backer…….’

I’m the backer, though.

And if there’s a scammer, well…….

It would be rewarding to catch a big-hearted guy who’s trying to scam Ongju’s money.

One way or another, the independence rate of *Siyoungwon* children is increasing, which is not bad, but the number of things to do is also increasing.

“The smallpox vaccination for the *Siyoungwon* children in the provinces is also progressing well…….”

“Depending on the region, there are still places that have not contacted us, but we are receiving reports that they have been vaccinated in order.”

I accompanied them to Gangwon-do, so I was able to do it on a large scale, even for the slaves, but it was difficult in other regions.

So, for the time being, we were only proceeding with the *Siyoungwon* children and applicants who wanted to be vaccinated in order.

The *Siyoungwon* children…… I heard that there were quite a few people who were surprisingly willing to be vaccinated, whether the influence of the teachers was good.

After all, they were originally highly trusted people, and they showed themselves being vaccinated first, so it seemed more trustworthy.

‘It’s a bit…… it looks like a cult would like to infiltrate, so I’m a bit uneasy.’

But that’s irrelevant for now.

Min Sang-gung reassured me as if I looked worried.

“Jia and the teachers who returned from the provinces took the children who knew about smallpox vaccination, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“Hmm. Okay. They’re smart kids, so they’ll be fine. But I feel like I’m giving Jia and the teachers too many things to do.”

“Smart kids can’t help it. Besides, it’s much better to have smart girls work in *Siyoungwon*-related businesses than to get them jobs anywhere else.”

“In terms of ratio, girls are more outstanding in terms of education.”

The reason why there are many female high-level personnel in *Siyoungwon* is not only because many women originally came in, but also because there was a problem that there were fewer jobs than boys.

In particular, there were many cases where children with talent in martial arts had ambiguous places to show their talents.

Still, they’re being used as escorts here and there. There were also cases where I felt a little sorry for their talents.

“Hmm. Should I appoint them as my escorts later?”

“Are you talking about Ongju’s escorts?”

“Yeah. It wouldn’t be bad to show it off. After all, women are more comfortable than men.”

Besides, maybe other people would follow suit after seeing me taking female escorts around.

‘I’m always unintentionally leading the trend.’

Originally, the royal family leads the trend.

If you emphasize a different kind of dignity, it becomes more splendid, and the nobles want to follow such a royal family, and the commoners want to follow such nobles again.

‘Actually, I’ve been thinking that it would be better to deploy female escort soldiers in the *Junggongjeon* [Queen’s Residence] or *Hukungjeon* [Crown Princess’s Residence], rather than just having court ladies.’

I was still keeping my mouth shut because it was a problem that could become an overreach if I said the wrong thing.

“……There are also children who are applying to *Chetamin*.”

“Yes. It seems to be influenced. They have been developing their skills since they were young, and there is someone right next to them who can train them.”

“I don’t want to make them do anything too dangerous…… but if they want to, I can’t stop them.”

“It’s a job that can make a lot of money as dangerous as it is. Don’t worry too much. The teachers will teach them well.”

“Hmm.”

With a sigh, I finalized the documents and left the room, and the identity of the music and noise that had been heard from outside since earlier came into view.

“…….”

“Is it a little noisy?”

“No, well…… it’s okay.”

In the *Siyoungwon* yard, a group of girls and boys were dancing to the music.

But that music is…… a modern pop-style song that was spread through Maehyang…….

Besides, somehow the kids are doing group dances, so it’s like…….

‘It’s like an idol group…….’

I didn’t intend it.