‘This household does not seem entirely lacking in compassion, but Master must be as coldhearted as the rumors claim. I should be careful.’

Thinking that, So-ok scrubbed the laundry more vigorously. The middle-aged servant, who had been glancing toward Sehwa, lowered her voice further and said,

“It probably hasn’t even been half a year since Sehwa gave birth to the young master and recovered from the delivery. The poor thing.”

The middle-aged servant’s face was filled with pity. The other servants wore similar expressions. However, one servant named Aesim, a sharp-featured young woman who had silently listened to the conversation until now, seemed displeased by their sympathy for Sehwa. Pouting her small red lips, she remarked curtly,

“So what? Whether she was bedridden or gave birth, a slave ought to get back on her feet immediately. Whenever I think of how much I suffered doing Sehwa’s work for her……”

“Good heavens, girl! You are young, so show some kindness. How can you be so spiteful? Do you think you will never bear a child yourself?”

“Tsk……. Enough! I have finished my share. I am leaving first.”

Aesim glared at them, rose, and stormed away. The middle-aged servant clicked her tongue when she saw Aesim needlessly spit in Sehwa’s direction as she passed.

“That girl……. Whether Sehwa is here or not, someone like her will never catch Master’s eye. Good grief. She will cause serious trouble someday. Wretched creature.”

“It’s not just Aesim who looks at Sehwa with jealousy. Several others envy her so much that it makes them ill. What could possibly be enviable about her situation? They are all far too foolish.”

From their conversation, So-ok had a rough idea why the departing woman had behaved the way she did. As expected, this household also had slave girls who did not know their place and coveted a position in their master’s bedchamber.”

“From the look of you, at least you do not seem like the sort to entertain pointless ambitions.”

“Why would I do something that could get me killed? I would never.”

“Do not look so clever. You are not pretty enough anyway.”

The middle-aged servant teased So-ok after her decisive response. The other servants nearby burst into laughter as they continued scrubbing the laundry. Then one of them, who had been pouring out an entire bucket of water, rolled her half-lidded, vacant eyes and spoke.

“Still, Sehwa is not entirely unfortunate. At least she doesn’t have to live here after having a child with a complete stranger.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“So you haven’t heard. Back when Sehwa was still the young lady of a noble household, rumors were everywhere that she and Master were betrothed……”

When So-ok asked, the woman pouring the water tossed the empty bucket back into the well and began speaking with a shrug. However, she was unable to finish.

A stout woman was approaching the servants by the well from a distance, one hand planted upon her waist and a spiteful expression on her face.

“What are you all finding so entertaining over there?”

“Oh dear. Isn’t that Matron Seo from Huiwoldang? Everyone, hush!”

Matron Seo was one of the women responsible for supervising the servants. She had accompanied Lady Jeong when the latter married into the prince’s household and now resided in Huiwoldang. She was notorious for her vicious temper. At the middle-aged servant’s warning, everyone sealed their lips like clams.

“If you fail to finish today’s work because you were too busy gossiping, you will all be severely punished!”

Reading the situation, So-ok also pretended to concentrate on her work. After glaring at the servants, Matron Seo changed direction.

She headed straight toward Sehwa.

“You, follow me. The Second Lady has summoned you.”

Matron Seo delivered the order as though barking a command. Sehwa rose quietly in obedience. Her hands were swollen, red and split open from constant dampness. Despite the obvious pain, she showed no outward reaction as she dried her hands and stood behind Matron Seo. Matron Seo glared at Sehwa as though she were a criminal and began walking.

“So it’s the Second Lady’s turn this time. Whenever Master leaves the estate, they take turns to torment her mercilessly. Tsk.”

The middle-aged servant clicked her tongue as she watched Sehwa follow Matron Seo. The others likewise shook their heads and stared after her retreating figure.

Having grasped the situation, So-ok once again felt a flicker of sympathy. But there was no way for one slave to help another in the same position.

The servants beside the well soon resumed their laundry in silence. Only the sounds of their paddles striking the cloth and water splashing broke the stillness. Before long, the wellside fell quiet.

***

Slap.

With a vicious crack, a thick hand struck Sehwa across the cheek. Sehwa had been kneeling upright and tried to brace herself, but she soon toppled sideways.

“Sit up straight. At this rate…… Good grief. Who knows when this will end? How tiresome.”

The woman who had ordered Matron Seo to slap Sehwa took a sip of tea, her expression displeased. At her words, Sehwa immediately pushed herself upright and resumed kneeling.

“Forgive me.”

The woman scoffed at Sehwa’s obedient response. The ornaments of jade and gold adorning her elaborately pinned hair jingled at the movement.

“What are you standing there watching for, Matron Seo? Continue.”

The woman set down her teacup as she spoke. Matron Seo raised her hand high once more, her face menacing.

Slap.

Another sharp crack rang out as Sehwa’s cheek was struck. This time, however, she somehow endured the blow without falling.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Slap.

Four more blows followed. Only then did Sehwa’s punishment finally end. Her dry lips, which had barely begun to heal, split open again, and blood trickled from them. The elaborately adorned woman observed her condition briefly before gesturing lightly.

“Matron Seo, step back.”

The woman who dismissed Matron Seo was Lady Jeong of Huiwoldang, whose given name was Hyoyoung.

As the daughter of Jeong Sayoung, the Minister of War, she had entered this household as Hwon’s fifth bride. Nevertheless, like Buyong, she was one of his principal wives. Her noble standing was therefore distinctly superior to that of Hwon’s five concubines, including the banished Lady Yi. She possessed a golden investiture book and was addressed as “Lady” within the household and “Princess Consort” beyond it.

Perhaps that was why Hyoyoung seemed so dignified. She never raised her voice, and she moved with the lightness and grace of a celestial maiden walking on clouds.

But all of this was an act. In truth, she was the most arrogant of all Hwon’s wives. She simply disliked getting her hands dirty, so she hired the vicious Matron Seo to do it for her.

Just look at her now. Behaving with the utmost refinement, Lady Jeong was delighted to have an opportunity to punish the slave girl who had long been a thorn in her side. Her eyes curved into a gentle smile as she parted her beautifully painted, crimson lips.

“You should be grateful to me. It is fortunate that someone as merciful as I am administered your punishment. Imagine if you had been summoned to Cheonghwadang instead.”

As soon as Hwon left the estate, Lady Jeong summoned Sehwa away from her work. This was only possible because Hwon had tacitly allowed it and because Buyong had given her permission.

She disliked having to watch how others reacted before disciplining a mere slave girl. Ultimately, however, knowing there would be no repercussions gave her peace of mind. Above all, she was glad that she, rather than Lady So of Cheonghwadang, had been given this task. She had always had a hostile relationship with Lady So.

“Cheonghwadang would have torn you to shreds. You know what her temper is like. She was born with a fiery temperament and a heart as small as a grain of birdseed. She could never tolerate a slave girl like you. Yet she is merely a concubine herself. How laughable.”

Starting with an open insult against Lady So of Cheonghwadang, Lady Jeong went on at length. Unable to touch her split and bleeding cheeks, Sehwa listened silently to every word.

“Oh, goodness. Come to think of it, I have not told you what offence you committed.”

After quite some time, Lady Jeong clapped her hands as though the matter had only just occurred to her. The rings covering all ten of her fingers clinked together.

“His Highness mentioned that, upon returning from a long absence, he found it inconvenient that a slave had neglected her duty to attend to her master.”

“……”

“I was listening alongside the First Lady, and I cannot begin to describe how ashamed I felt. As you know, supervising the slaves of this household also falls under my authority as one of its principal wives.”

“……”

“His Highness must be exhausted from the battlefield by now. Therefore, I could not overlook this matter as I usually would. I ordered Matron Seo to find out who has been attending to His Highness since his return.”

Although Lady Jeong’s explanation sounded plausible, it was absurd when you considered the truth of the matter. The moment he returned from the battlefield, Hwon dragged Sehwa into his chambers by her hair. For the next several days, he refused to leave his quarters and accepted service only from her. Every member of the household who had gone out to welcome Hwon home was aware of that fact.

“There were several others, but you were the one who looked after him most closely, Sehwa.”

Lady Jeong’s eyes flashed fiercely as she said her name. Stroking her perfectly manicured nails, she slowly rose from her seat. Her garments were beyond comparison with Sehwa’s. Her pale pink silk skirt and long sash, embroidered with cranes, fluttered beautifully with every movement.

“You have already been punished, so I shall not lecture you at length. But from now on, you must conduct yourself properly.”

Standing before Sehwa, Lady Jeong signaled to Matron Seo. Understanding her silent command perfectly, Matron Seo seized Sehwa by the hair and pulled her head back.

“Mmph……!”

“His Highness may summon you frequently, but you must never forget your status.”

Lady Jeong traced Sehwa’s upturned face with her pointed nails before pressing firmly against her swollen red cheek. Then, with a chilling expression, she voiced some of the words she had been holding inside.

“You are nothing more than a lowly slave now. You are no longer the precious only daughter of the illustrious House Yu. Do you understand?”