69novels Chapter 18: The White Immortal Palace (3)
Chapter 18: The White Immortal Palace (3)
These were the words of Shim Sang Gon, the Under Councilor who played an important role in placing her at the helm of the Black Tortoise Palace.
The “Under Councilor” was one of the three closest aides to Emperor Woon Seong, responsible for managing the Emperor’s decrees up close and deliberating on various policies.
Because it was a position that could be considered one of the highest positions a civil servant could hold, his voice carried considerable weight within the Cheongdo Palace, and gradually, his influence began to extend even to the selection process of the crown princess consort.
But he recommended a common woman from who knows where for the position of the Black Princess. She didn’t have any connections to powerful political clans or any particularly outstanding qualities.
To think that someone with no significant background could be selected to be a crown princess consort, a position that takes nearly nine months of rigorous selection processes to fill.
At first, the Chief Councilor and the Central Secretariat both stood up in opposition to his proposal.
However, after spending about an hour in conversation with Lady Po Hwa Ryeong, whom he had brought along, both officials eventually agreed that she was indeed fit to sit as the Black Princess.
She possessed no spiritual powers or anything of the sort
But Po Hwa Ryeong seemed to have perfectly read the hearts of the two high officials as if she could literally see into them.
***
“Ah, what a lovely day!”
The scent of spring has a way of uplifting spirits.
For the first time in a while, Seol Ran stepped out of the inner palace. The weather was so nice that she found herself humming a tune.
Since her serious injury during the last birthday ceremony, opportunities to go outside the palace have been too few. Now, being outside again, even the familiar sights of Cheongdo Palace felt more exhilarating than usual.
Seol Ran knows best just how beautiful the Cheongdo Palace looks with its cherry blossoms in bloom.
Perhaps that’s why, walking towards the outer palace with the cool breeze against her, she felt more special than ever before.
Truth be told, life as a maid in the inner palace wasn’t particularly joyful.
Though being chosen to serve the mistresses of the Four Great Palaces or the Heavenly Dragon Hall was considered the highest honor among the maids, Seol Ran has never been one to chase after such honors.
The only upside was that you get a private room, albeit a shabby and cramped one, and you get a slightly higher salary.
For Seol Ran, whose main goal was to see her brother Tae Pyeong married off, the opportunity to save some money was indeed a welcome advantage.
But for someone like Seol Ran who enjoyed venturing outside, being confined to the Heavenly Dragon Hall all day felt incredibly stifling.
On her way back from delivering messages to the main palace kitchen, she planned to stop by the White Immortal Palace to catch a glimpse of Tae Pyeong, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.
After the birthday ceremony, Seol Ran had been bedridden for a considerable period of time, and the year-end events kept her from leaving the inner palace much thereafter.
While busy working in the Heavenly Dragon Hall, she heard a rumor that a young warrior in the White Immortal Palace had slain hundreds of demonic spirits overnight.
Immediately realizing the story was about Tae Pyeong, she worried he might have been injured but also felt a surge of joy at the news he had been promoted to a full-fledged warrior as a reward.
As his sister, she felt an undeniable urge to celebrate his achievement.
Although it had been a couple of months since Tae Pyeong’s promotion, Seol Ran couldn’t just overlook it as if it were a trivial matter.
So, she seized the opportunity to leave the inner palace under the guise of running an errand.
“I’m on my way to inform the outer palace kitchen about a mix-up in the delivery of ingredients from the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”
“Understood. Make sure you return to the inner palace before sunset.”
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”
After reporting this to a Red Palace warrior who was standing guard in the inner palace, she left the outer palace and walked through the warm spring afternoon.
With the help of her fellow court ladies, she packed a flower crown and some delicious snacks into her bundle.
She planned to surprise Tae Pyeong at the White Immortal Palace with a grand reveal, applaud his achievements, pat him on the back, and check for any remaining injuries on his body.
At the time, she was genuinely scared and started fearing the worst for Tae Pyeong…. possibly even execution.
Worried sick, she had a maid inquire about the situation with maid Yeon from the White Immortal Palace, and thankfully, a letter came back saying that everything had been resolved.
The senior maid Yeon Ri of the White Immortal Palace held the trust of the White Immortal himself and seemed competent at first glance, so there seemed little need for concern.
With these thoughts, Seol Ran hummed a tune as she walked along the path of the outer palace.
***
“The Vermilion Princess and the Azure Princess are currently at the White Immortal Palace.”
Yeon Ri’s face was ashen.
Seol Ran’s face turned pale in response.
They were standing in front of the main gate of the White Immortal Palace.
“What do you mean… Maid Yeon …”
“The Azure Princess came to learn some Taoist magic from the White Immortal, and the Vermilion Princess came to have a sword match with Tae Pyeong.”
“The Azure Princess coming here is one thing, but the Vermilion Princess coming all the way to the White Immortal Palace to see Tae Pyeong is just too strange.”
For the Vermilion Princess to visit the White Immortal Palace just to see a young warrior like Tae Pyeong was unheard of. It would have made more sense for her to summon Seol Tae Pyeong to the Vermilion Bird Palace if a sword match was what she wanted.
Why would a princess consort make such a long journey just to see the face of a warrior while bringing her maids along?
However, what’s done is done.
Seol Ran saw beyond the main gate to the porch of the White Immortal Palace.
There, two figures of the Headmaid rank were present. These were people whom Seol Ran wouldn’t dare to speak to within the inner palace.
One was Hui Yin, the headmaid of the Azure Dragon Palace, and the other was Hyeon Dang, the headmaid of the Vermilion Bird Palace.
Though the maids of the outer palace might not know, among the maids of the inner palace, these two were almost like higher beings from above the clouds.
They held the power to decide the fates of the palace maids and were capable of banishing any court lady to the outer palace with just a word.
“You should probably head back for today, court lady Seol.”
“Wh-What about Tae Pyeong?”
“The Vermilion Princess has called him out for a private talk.”
“Where in the world is there a low-ranking warrior who gets a private talk with the Vermilion Princess!!!!!!”
“I don’t know either!!! I really want to know how this even happened!!!”
The two of them were sitting opposite each other in a corner of the main gate and sweating profusely for a long while.
“You mentioned in your letter last time that the issues involving the Azure Princess seemed to be resolving…”
“I thought so… but…”
Yeon Ri spoke slowly before swallowing dryly.
“Do you know the saying, ‘trying to get rid of a lump only to end up with another’?”
“…What?”
What do you mean….Maid Yeon…?
When Seol Ran asked that, Yeon Ri looked around to make sure no one was listening before she lowered her voice and continued.
“The look in the Vermilion Princess’s eyes when she looks at Tae Pyeong… I just caught a glimpse and it doesn’t feel right.”
“What on earth do you mean!!!!”
“I know it sounds utterly ridiculous even as I say it!!!!”
Hearing Yeon Ri’s story, it seems that during the last birthday ceremony, Tae Pyeong might have gone through a life and death situation with the Vermilion Princess.
From this, one could easily imagine a forbidden love story between a low-ranking warrior from the outer palace and the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace.
Seol Tae Pyeong, though he had a fair face resembling his sister’s, was neither particularly intelligent nor refined in his actions. It seemed implausible that he would capture the heart of the Vermilion Princess from the Vermilion Bird Palace.
But no one was there to answer her musings.
“At first, the Vermilion Princess said she would help Tae Pyeong. I thought, if it was the Vermilion Princess, she could be trusted. She would handle the Azure Princess well and stop her feelings from getting out of control….”
“And then…?”
“Ah… if only you’ve seen the expression the Vermilion Princess wore when she summoned Tae Pyeong at the White Immortal Palace today…”
Yeon Ri had never imagined the Vermilion Princess possessing such a girlish aspect.
What kind of woman was the Vermilion Princess? She was always dignified, she stood at the center of attention wherever she went, and wasn’t she a person who stood so tall that even speaking out of turn in her presence felt like a sin?
“As, as for Tae Pyeong… perhaps… the likelihood of him being given a death sentence might have just doubled…”
“Tae Pyeong-ah… this isn’t right… what are you getting yourself into…”
“Clear the way.”
As they were exchanging these words, a heavy masculine voice echoed from behind them.
Yeon Ri and Seol Ran were startled by the voice before they trembled and quickly turned around.
The warrior commander of the Red Palace, Jang Rae, stood in front of the main gate while dusting off his martial uniform. He had two warriors from the Red Palace on each of his side.
“Eeeek.”
He was a handsome man with a jawline that softly tapered down making him look manly.
Jang Rae observed Yeon Ri and Seol Ran who were trembling in his path with his sharp gaze.
Then when he turned his eyes towards Seol Ran, she flinched and shuddered.
“You… I’ve seen you before, along the stone wall path behind the White Immortal Palace.”
“Ah…ah! Yes, I didn’t expect you to remember me.”
Yeon Ri and Seol Ran quickly bowed their heads and spoke.
“Fo-Forgive us, Jang Rae-nim. There’s a distinguished guest in the White Immortal Palace at the moment… Could you please inform us of the purpose of your visit?”
“A distinguished guest…?”
“Well, it’s just that…”
Yeon Ri stammered.
They were hesitant to spread the news that two princess consorts had entered the White Immortal Palace at the same time. Moreover, the fact that Seol Tae Pyeong was directly involved made the situation even more delicate, especially when the person in question was Jang Rae, the one in charge of the palace guards.
If Jang Rae who was known for his loyalty were to learn of this unscrupulous situation, no one could predict where the information might end up.
“So…. someone from the harem is here.”
“From the way you speak, it seems they must be quite high-ranking.”
There were few among the outer palace warriors who ranked higher than the Commander Warrior of the Red Palace.
One would almost have to be of a general’s rank to be considered superior, and if one’s identity was kept secret, it often meant they were close to the Emperor himself.
At that point, Jang Rae usually refrained from asking too many questions.
“I need to enter the White Immortal Palace.”
“Wha… What for…?”
“A decree has been issued from the main palace. Each palace is to dispatch one soldier for a joint
“Ve-Vermilion Princess…”
As he sharpened his sword in the training grounds in the outskirts of the Vermilion Bird Palace, Seol Tae Pyeong spoke in a hushed tone.
“Perhaps… even now, my lifespan might be decreasing….?”
“Yo-Your concern is valid, but…”
Though it wasn’t her intention, the Vermilion Princess ended up bringing Seol Tae Pyeong along almost as if she had kidnapped him.
It was a decision made partly in the heat of the moment, which she somewhat regretted, but what was done could not be undone.
“I… have made a promise, and I can’t just stand by idly…”
“…….”
“And… please, don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say. Listen carefully, it’s a matter of great importance…”
With the maids dismissed, Vermilion Princess spoke in a gentle and serious manner.
“Seriously, don’t take this the wrong way. You must listen exactly as I say. This concerns your life. And… from my side… it takes a great deal of courage for me to say this.”
Seol Tae Pyeong swallowed hard and nodded his head. He was preparing himself to take in every word with the utmost seriousness.
“I-I spoke with such certainty before, I am really sorry. I… am currently looking for a way to manage the situation but…”
“……”
“Perhaps, I may have developed some sort of false feeling towards you. For… for your sake… I feel I must tell you this in advance…”
It was, in essence, a declaration of intent to kill him.