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Chapter 08
The Ja-gyeong-jeon, with its hipped-and-gabled roof, spread its wings like a phoenix guarding the palace.
The tips of the roof, lifted at each corner, stood upright toward the ridge, and the blue tiles covering them radiated an almost piercing authority.
The red and blue dancheong, carefully painted to repel evil spirits and pray for the royal family’s peace and prosperity, seemed to exude sacred energy even with the gentlest breeze, as if protecting the palace itself.
The mistress of this place was Grand Queen Dowager Jeong.
She had entered the palace as Crown Princess at fifteen and had become Grand Queen Dowager past sixty, thus becoming the highest-ranking woman in the Tae-shin Kingdom palace.
Even when she had been in the middle palace, accustomed to the countless footsteps crossing the threshold, the flow of visitors gradually thinned over time, and she could feel the fleeting nature of life. Yet today, her nephew and his wife had come to visit.
“So, our Yujin is getting married?”
Having finished an early lunch of delicacies instead of her usual simple meal, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong asked with a warm smile.
“Yes, Aunt. The child who used to insist on living with you in the palace has now found a match and will be married,” replied her nephew Hyo-eun, who held the second-rank official post of Pan-yun in the capital. Pride shone on his face, making Grand Queen Dowager Jeong nod in delight.
“Ah, indeed. She even used to say that she would one day marry our Crown Prince. That always made us laugh so much.”
His wife, Madam Lee, sitting modestly beside him, covered her mouth with one hand and smiled faintly.
“When did that mischievous little girl grow up so fast? I haven’t seen Yujin in a while. She didn’t come along today…”
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong, slightly furrowing her brows in regret, looked at Madam Lee, who bowed her head and explained,
“She is still inexperienced and busy preparing for the wedding. She isn’t skilled in learning, cooking, or sewing, so we worry she might be a burden at the home of the Grand Scholar after marriage.”
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong, smiling kindly at her niece-in-law’s modesty, thought of her granddaughter, three years older than Crown Prince Lee Hwan.
“Yujin inherited not only your beauty but also your skill in martial arts, didn’t she? Before the smallpox epidemic, she even trained with the Crown Prince using wooden swords, didn’t she? I’ve heard she still handles sword and bow quite well…”
Pan-yun nodded with an awkward yet proud smile, while Madam Lee’s delicate brows creased slightly with worry.
Observing this, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong spoke gently to her niece-in-law,
“Do not worry so much. Though I once regretted that she was not born a boy to be a great general, she is wise and intelligent, taking after both you and Pan-yun. She will live well.”
Relieved, the niece-in-law finally smiled faintly.
“And this is a gift from Grandma for our Yujin.”
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong carefully opened a cabinet beside the writing desk with her wrinkled hands and took out a long, narrow mother-of-pearl box. Surprised, Pan-yun and his wife looked at it with astonishment.
“Sending her home with gifts was already more than enough. What else do you wish to give?”
“This is different. This comes directly from Grandma. The Grand Scholar may have given a valuable wedding gift, but he does not know Yujin as well as I do.”
Pan-yun carefully opened the mother-of-pearl box, which was divided into two long compartments. Inside were a beautifully crafted leather scabbard holding a dagger and a cloisonné-decorated peacock hairpin.
“Ah…!”
Madam Lee gasped in surprise and quickly covered her mouth, looking up at Grand Queen Dowager Jeong. Surely, there must be a profound meaning in giving a hairpin and dagger to her granddaughter who was getting married.
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong smiled kindly and explained,
“Do not worry, niece-in-law. You know that in the Tae-shin Kingdom, martial skill is honored regardless of gender. A woman skilled in martial arts is not flawed. She can protect herself and her family, and contribute greatly to the country. That is why…”
She paused briefly, lifted the dagger from the box, and showed it to them. The well-tamed dark brown leather scabbard bore delicate crane patterns imbued with the artisan’s spirit, almost like a divine bird soaring into the sky. Thin silver threads outlined the wings, shining nobly against the dark leather, while the meticulous stitching along the edges symbolized the owner’s courage and spirit.
Holding the dagger smoothly, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong addressed her niece and nephew,
“This is a gift from me, acknowledging how Yujin did not succumb to the objections of the elders who opposed her martial training, nor did she settle as a common woman of the Ban family. The young master of the Grand Scholar’s household, unlike his father, is a powerful officer in the Royal Guard, so he will not begrudge a wife skilled in martial arts.”
Pan-yun’s eyes deepened with understanding. Indeed, the current queen herself had been personally instructed in martial arts by General Park Nam-il, even while her father was Crown Prince, and had trained alongside him.
Acknowledging this, Pan-yun bowed deeply to Grand Queen Dowager Jeong.
“I understand, Aunt. The future husband of Yujin is upright and principled, and he will be a strong support for the Crown Prince.”
Satisfied, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong smiled, returned the dagger to its scabbard, and then picked up the elegant peacock hairpin from the adjacent compartment.
“This hairpin was made from stones brought from the Western Regions on my sixty-somethingth birthday by His Majesty. Yujin is strong and steadfast enough to spar with the Crown Prince, so this peacock hairpin will suit her perfectly.”
It truly was a magnificent hairpin. Golden feathers of the peacock were adorned with colorful jade and lapis lazuli, fanning out beautifully, while the tail’s tip featured inlaid gold and jade bells, adding a noble elegance that immediately drew the eye.
Madam Lee, staring at the hairpin in awe, quickly composed herself and bowed to the Grand Queen Dowager’s smiling face.
“We are deeply honored, Grand Queen Dowager, to receive such a precious gift for our humble daughter.”
“Giving something precious to someone precious is only natural. Remember that Yujin and her future husband are invaluable to this country and the Crown Prince.”
“Indeed, we shall remember and cherish it always.”
As she watched the loyal pledge from her niece and nephew, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong suddenly asked another question.
“By the way, is it certain that the hunting grounds His Majesty ordered to be built ten li outside the capital have been canceled?”
Pan-yun nodded affirmatively.
“Yes, Grand Queen Dowager. His Majesty said it would be wrong to forcefully evict people from their homes to make hunting grounds and instructed the ministers to halt the project.”
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong nodded with satisfaction, her thoughts drifting to her granddaughter, Eun-hye.
How she wished that Yujin had never contracted smallpox—or had recovered more swiftly and safely. She had once been a bright, clever child who would chatter like a little bird and come running into her grandmother’s arms. The Crown Prince brought endless joy with his maturity, and the princess had always been lively and sharp-witted.
But after smallpox, her granddaughter rarely came to Ja-gyeong-jeon. The once bright and clever princess would frequently faint or hide somewhere, unable to meet even a familiar gaze. Knowing this, the Grand Queen Dowager would clutch her chest and cry silently. Since then, even though she longed to see her granddaughter, she could not summon her freely.
At least, Eun-hye would visit the Grand Queen Dowager three times in a week to pay her respects—one of the few opportunities to see her.
Today, she especially longed to see her granddaughter, Eun-hye, as bright as a little yellow chick. Even the discussion about the hunting grounds had originated from the young girl’s mind.
“Grandma, where will the people living there go if His Majesty makes a hunting ground?”
“I taught you, my child, that His Majesty is like the parent of the people. Would it not break the heart of a parent to drive away their children?”
“If the hunting grounds are made to celebrate your birthday, will the evicted people blame His Majesty or you? I truly do not know,” the little girl had asked months earlier during morning greetings, her bright expression unusually cheerful.
Grand Queen Dowager Jeong had invited the two children to breakfast with her. After a brief glance around, Eun-hye nodded.
Finally, after nearly half a year, she could enjoy breakfast with her grandchildren. Delighting in serving them fish and meat, she watched their little mouths chew happily.
Then, while enjoying the skewered meat, the princess brought up the topic of the hunting grounds. Grand Queen Dowager Jeong had never considered this issue before, so she was somewhat startled. What surprised her even more was that this thought came from a little five-year-old princess, not the Crown Prince.
“In my view,” the young princess said, “it is better to hunt the wild boars and crows that frighten the people and damage crops, rather than making them sad by creating a hunting ground to celebrate your birthday.”
The next morning, Grand Queen Dowager relayed the story of the hunting competition to His Majesty and Empress, choosing to present it as her own idea to avoid the emperor feeling corrected by a child.
His Majesty nodded enthusiastically and said he would discuss it with the ministers. In the end, the hunting contest was held near the capital among the villagers, exactly as the little princess had suggested.
Recalling her granddaughter’s cleverness, Grand Queen Dowager Jeong could not help but smile. At that moment, she heard the voice of her nephew, Pan-yun, beside her.
“Grand Queen Dowager, does the princess still faint often?”
The Grand Queen Dowager, who had been resting her hand idly on the mother-of-pearl box containing the peacock hairpin and dagger, slowly lifted her head.
“What did you say?”
Her previously gentle voice had vanished, replaced with a terrifyingly stern tone.
“Has anyone dared say such things about what our princess does outside the palace?”
Pan-yun and his wife drew in a sharp breath and lowered their bodies completely, sensing the overwhelming authority and wrath in Grand Queen Dowager Jeong’s gaze.
