Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 90

I was born as the daughter of a low-ranking concubine. (90)

Actually, that was the most important issue right now.

“We need to verify that.”

“Yes, it’s something we must confirm.”

“Oh, perhaps someone impersonated him.”

Next to Hwacheon-gun [a noble title], who clenched his fist and nodded at the Crown Prince’s words, Yeongcheon-gun tried to rationalize, glancing around at everyone’s reactions.

While some were indulging in wishful thinking, this matter was no longer something that could be resolved within the women’s quarters.

After my statement, everyone tried to change the subject to ease the tense atmosphere, but it was obvious what they were all thinking.

***

That day, the royal relatives hurried away with darkened expressions, and a few days later, news arrived that wasn’t much different from what I had expected.

Hwacheon-gun mobilized his servants to investigate his prospective son-in-law, and true to his nature, he was caught entering a *gibang* [a house of courtesans] again, witnessed firsthand by Hwacheon-gun’s family members.

Even in an era when men were generally lenient about visiting courtesans, no family would want to marry their daughter off to a reckless fellow who was already frequenting *gibangs* before the wedding and shamelessly flirting with *gisaengs* [female entertainers] in public.

Even nobles with questionable reputations maintained decorum in public, but he was flirting with *gisaengs* in plain sight, even while marriage talks were ongoing.

Moreover, the fact that his attitude towards the young Ongju [a princess] was extremely rude, even if he claimed ignorance, meant that the King and the Crown Prince would not look kindly upon him.

Forming a marriage alliance with a royal relative meant he had no chance of advancing his career.

He met the conditions that any normal parent would avoid when considering a match for their daughter.

‘Goodbye…’

I didn’t expect things to go this far either.

Why would you behave like that when marriage talks were underway?

A few days later, Hwacheon-gun and his wife visited the Junggung Palace [the Queen’s residence] again.

I was summoned to sit with them.

Hwacheon-gun said that his son had accidentally witnessed the guy entering a *gibang*, chased after him, and grabbed him, causing a commotion out of anger, and they came to apologize for that.

‘Fortunately, that family’s son seems to care about his sister. Although, it’s something to be angry about even if that weren’t the case.’

In fact, coming all the way to the Queen’s presence to talk about it meant the marriage was as good as off.

In other words, it was a situation they couldn’t possibly be unaware of.

But behaving so carelessly could easily be seen as disrespecting the woman’s family.

“We thought he was a promising young man and were considering accepting the marriage proposal, but we never expected this to happen.”

“You can know ten fathoms of water, but not one fathom of a man’s heart. It’s fortunate that we found out before the marriage was finalized.”

“Your Majesty’s words are wise.”

Hwacheon-gun, looking relieved, smiled faintly and greeted me.

“We owe Ongju a great debt this time.”

“I simply conveyed what I experienced. Rather, I’m sorry for stirring up so many people’s minds with unnecessary words.”

“No, wouldn’t we have remained completely ignorant if it weren’t for Ongju?”

“I’m glad you see it that way. I’m also relieved that my sister won’t marry someone scary.”

I hope they don’t have some kind of connection with that family and were trying to arrange the marriage, but it got cut off because of me, so they resent me…?

I was a little worried about whether they genuinely disliked him or were just pretending in front of the Queen.

‘But whatever that old man thinks, it’s not the daughter’s fault.’

I don’t know about that old man, but his daughter, Song-an, was an ordinary, innocent, and kind child. She wasn’t cruel, so if she married such a guy, she wouldn’t be able to complain to anyone and would only suffer in silence.

He’s not good enough for her.

And her parents probably know that better than I do. If they’re decent parents, that is.

“Now that things have turned out this way, it would be better to discuss the marriage more carefully.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“How could the Vice Minister of the Military have such a grandson?”

“I heard he’s the youngest son, born late in life. I also heard that after this incident spread, he was so ashamed that he sent him down to the main family in Gyeongsang Province.”

It seems like a case of a grandson ruining the family that his grandfather built by passing the civil service exam.

The Hwacheon-gun couple chatted appropriately with the Queen, but repeatedly thanked me.

“The fact that Ongju was involved in this matter must not be known.”

“We will keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”

The Queen reminded the Hwacheon-gun couple once again, as she had emphasized on the day I first spoke up.

It was because she didn’t want me to be the subject of gossip over unnecessary matters.

Although there might already be people who harbored resentment towards me.

‘Hmm, I probably already earned the resentment of people like Gyeong-eon-gun and the family of the fallen Chief State Councilor… Hong Sang-jo.’

Fortunately, this time, they quickly dealt with it as a family disgrace before I could even feel that anxiety.

The son was sent to the countryside early on, but it happened in a place where there were so many eyes, and it was easy to infer that such guys usually don’t just cause one incident, and the reason the son could cause such incidents was because his reliable father and grandfather were taking care of the aftermath.

Thanks to this, memorials from the censors regarding the father and son poured in, and the Deputy Minister of Personnel eventually couldn’t withstand it, submitted his resignation, and stepped down, thinking it was better than being dismissed.

Actually, I thought I would be scolded for this, but unexpectedly, the King and the Crown Prince, whom I met a while later, looked relieved.

“He was one of those who had been building power recently since Grand Scholar Hong Sang-jo, but I didn’t expect things to turn out this way.”

“I didn’t know he would step down from his position because of that.”

“Well, wouldn’t it be embarrassing?”

A son is of no help to a politician… Was that a saying that also applied in the Joseon Dynasty?

“To be precise, it’s not him but his in-law, the Minister of War, who has been building power lately… But aren’t marriage alliances made for that very reason?”

“Hmm.”

“Hwacheon-gun wasn’t very enthusiastic from the beginning, but it was his younger brother, Yeongcheon-gun, who actively pushed for the marriage. I hope this incident doesn’t damage the brothers’ friendship.”

Hmm. That old man already doesn’t like me.

‘That old man is strangely not compatible with me.’

In my previous life, I didn’t have much interaction with relatives after my parents passed away, but here, I had too many relatives, which was annoying.

Does he have some kind of ulterior motive?

Originally, once you get married, you can’t escape when planning something, so it’s easy to get dragged in.

Anyway, as that one axis crumbled, the Crown Prince side filled the vacant position with someone else.

And the newly appointed person was a rising force who had passed the civil service exam, so it seemed good for the Crown Prince to nurture him.

‘Well, whatever…’

Good things are good. This wasn’t something I should get deeply involved in.

This time, things just happened that way by chance; if that guy’s usual behavior had been discreet, it wouldn’t have happened.

In the first place, if you think of it as a civil service exam student enjoying drinking and entertainment with his parents’ money and bringing shame to his family, wouldn’t the parents want to strangle him?

Of course, they’re the ones who raised him that way.

***

A while later, the Crown Prince visited me and lamented, telling me various news.

“Things like this happen when you go out once, so I’m scared to let you out.”

“How is that my fault?”

“So, from now on, travel in a palanquin [a covered litter carried on poles]. Isn’t it because you’re just a child riding a single horse that they look down on you and treat you carelessly?”

It was a golden spoon family’s statement, saying they would buy me a car with a driver and let me ride around.

“Palanquins are stuffy. Besides, Jeok-ah hates being cooped up. I can’t let him run in the prairies, but I have to let him ride sometimes when I go out.”

But my beloved horse is waiting for me!

The Crown Prince, well aware of the fact that I cherished Jeok-ah, sighed and shook his head.

“So, is that the gift that the Lady of Hwacheon (縣夫人: a title given to the wife of a Jong2 rank royal relative, here referring to Hwacheon-gun’s wife) brought as a token of gratitude?”

“Yes, yes. Isn’t it pretty? It’s a relic from the Goryeo Dynasty.”

Some time after that day, Hwacheon-gun’s wife brought her daughter, Song-an, again, saying she wanted to express her gratitude once more and brought gifts, and what she brought then were this celadon and relics from the Goryeo Dynasty.

In particular, the ceramics and incense burners with beautiful jade colors were national treasures or treasures no matter how you looked at them.

“It’s certainly a rare item. It’s like you prevented them from bringing in the wrong son-in-law, so how could they not be grateful? It seems they found out what you like and searched for it.”

“Yes. I was surprised when they suddenly said they would visit me. They said they wanted to express their gratitude properly.”

“Even for a royal relative, it wouldn’t have been easy to obtain suddenly. He’s not interested in this kind of thing.”

“So, I baked cookies and sent them as a reply.”

“That’s enough.”

“But it feels a bit insincere since I’m sending them to other people who send gifts too.”

“If they expect something great as a reply to a gift from a young child like you, then their hearts are even more wicked.”

…That’s true.

I quickly understood and carefully wiped the incense burner I received with a cloth. No matter how I looked at it, it was an item with the quality of something I’d only seen in a museum.

“Can’t they make something like this again now?”

“They could make it, but such splendid ceramics…”

“I’m going to keep it as a personal collection.”

“…Wouldn’t it be possible to have them made through the Saongwon [a government-run workshop]?”

It was a bold statement from a person in power who thought everything would be done if they just ordered it, but it wasn’t wrong.

“I felt a bit uneasy when receiving other gifts, but this one makes me feel a little more comfortable.”

“It’s probably a gift given out of genuine gratitude, so why don’t you just be happy about it? Besides, haven’t you been receiving other things well so far?”

“That’s true… But honestly, it’s a bit annoying to make and send egg milk cakes or Yeonlan-go [a type of Korean sweet] as a reply.”

Even among the royal relatives and ministers, there were quite a few people who donated to Siyoungwon [an organization she runs] instead of ambiguous gifts or bribes.

It was because it was good for showing off in many ways.

They could appeal to me and also show off that they were doing good deeds.

Thanks to this, I had to write a separate donation ledger, and it sometimes felt like a bribe, so I felt a bit ambiguous.

‘I can’t really tell them not to send it.’

It was also true that it helped with the operation of Siyoungwon.

I was also a bit worried because the fact that the *gisaengs* performed recently had spread, and people kept loitering around, so I felt like I had created another unnecessary incident.

I also actively explained why the *gisaengs* performed at Siyoungwon, and the rumor that someone’s son had his engagement broken because of it spread, so every noble family was busy cracking down on their sons.

It’s a big deal for families raising sons…

They should have cracked down on their sons properly, just like they crack down on their daughters. Who told them to raise them so freely?

‘But I’m a bit worried because there are many boys in Siyoungwon too.’

Of course, I know that they were raised quite docilely thanks to Minister Min’s efforts. Even if they cause trouble, the former Chetamin [a palace guard] can subdue the children at a reasonable level.

But it was still difficult to make grown boys docile.

‘Because there are many kids who are dissatisfied with the world.’

Unfortunately, there were also kids who became more resentful after learning to read.

At least, very rarely, there would be talk of wanting to adopt outstanding kids, but such children were not common. If they were to take the military officer exam, it wasn’t something anyone could take.

If they had that much talent, I would have heard about it.

Siyoungwon had many problems because there were so many people, and the stories that came to me were just the tip of the iceberg.

And a while later, as if waiting for it, I heard that boys from Siyoungwon had caused trouble.

Well, well.