– Have you heard the rumor about Mistress Seol of Vermilion Bird Palace? They say His Highness the Crown Prince personally chose her.
– They say he appointed her to the position despite the objections of all the high officials. She’s apparently someone who has the full protection of His Highness.
– Wow… just imagining it already makes me think the inner palace is going to be thrown into chaos.
The rumors spread that the new mistress of Vermilion Bird Palace, following the highly admired In Ha Yeon was none other than a former maid and the illegitimate daughter of the Huayongseol clan.
The fact that someone of such humble origins entered the palace as the successor to the most noble woman in the inner palace made it nearly impossible for her to avoid becoming a topic of gossip.
Fortunately, Seol Ran herself had been known for her excellent character and thoughtful care for others since her days as a maid, so she wasn’t looked down upon by the other maids.
On the contrary, she became a symbol of a “success story”. She became the proof that even someone of unremarkable background could rise to such a lofty position.
However, gaining the trust of subordinates alone wasn’t enough to secure one’s place in the inner palace.
There was a reason why, in the history of the Cheongdo Empire, the mistresses of the Four Great Palaces had never once maintained harmonious relationships with one another.
When a powerful figure who was fully backed by the Crown Prince’s favor emerged, others would inevitably rush to undermine, criticize, and find fault with that person.
To survive in the inner palace, refining oneself wasn’t enough.
One also needed to know how to drag others down when necessary.
And yet… Vermilion Princess Seol, the new mistress of Vermilion Bird Palace, was an exceptionally unusual figure.
“As you all know, I’m still lacking and have much to learn. Being placed in this position so suddenly, I haven’t even had time to properly take care of everything.”
After Seol Tae Pyeong had withdrawn, no one at the gathering dared to openly challenge Vermilion Princess Seol’s words.
Looking at her with her hair pinned to the back of her head and the splendid collar of her court robe hanging down, it was hard to believe that she had just recently ascended to the position of a crown princess consort.
Even her manner of speaking exuded a distinct elegance, which was a result of the years she had spent as a maid, observing and absorbing the behavior and speech of the crown princess consorts.
She now looked every bit the perfect crown princess consort, someone who would not seem out of place no matter where she was presented.
No one could even imagine that she was a maid who had been a drifter who wandered the streets.
“Still, I am relieved that the Inner Palace Inspector has been reinstated, so I can receive a lot of help. Lady Headmaid… oh, no.”
Yet, there were moments when traces of her past habits slipped into her words.
The current Headmaid of the Vermilion Bird Palace Hyeon Dang was no longer her superior. Seol Ran reminded herself of this once more and brushed the edge of her sleeve against her lips with a faintly awkward smile.
“I’ll need a lot of help from Headmaid Hyeon Dang as well, of course. And I’ll also need to seek the understanding of the other palace mistresses. That’s why this tea gathering seems like the perfect opportunity, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Y-Yes, it is… Ahaha…”
The only one who managed to respond, albeit with some difficulty, was the most sociable girl. It was the Black Princess.
No matter how renowned someone might be, how could they ever hope to rival the legendary reputation of In Ha Yeon?
Even she hadn’t been able to completely dominate the tea gatherings of the inner palace, yet Seol Ran’s very presence left the other crown princess consorts breaking into cold sweats.
Why was that?
Because she had great spirit? Because of her direct words? Because she had a mysterious ability to see through people?
No, it was none of those things.
It was because she was Seol Tae Pyeong’s biological sister.
The person sweating the most profusely at that moment was Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang.
Her past with Seol Ran painted an awkward picture. Back when Seol Ran was still a maid, Jin Cheong Lang had tried to manipulate her, drag her around, and even used her Taoist magic on her during the White Demonic Spirit incident; she nearly attacked her outright.
Now, Seol Ran had become someone far too powerful to subdue with mere authority. If Seol Ran were to utter even a single word of criticism about Jin Cheong Lang to Seol Tae Pyeong, there would be no way to stop the fallout.
It would be tantamount to receiving a death sentence.
Th-This is bad… When Vermilion Princess Seol was just a maid in the Heavenly Dragon Hall, I made far too many mistakes…
Of course, the Azure Princess wasn’t the only one harboring such thoughts.
The Black Princess and the White Princess also found it difficult to openly oppose the new Vermilion Princess.
As a result, Seol Ran who had just ascended to the position of Vermilion Princess was able to effortlessly dominate the tea gathering of the inner palace.
Even the maids who witnessed the scene couldn’t help but swallow nervously.
They’re all… much quieter than I expected.
Only Seol Ran, who was seated at the center of the gathering, murmured innocently to herself.
Well, first meetings are always a bit awkward. I just hope I haven’t said anything out of place….
She hadn’t yet realized she was the one commanding the entire atmosphere of the gathering.
***
The new Vermilion Princess was a walking disaster.
Under the dual protection of the Crown Prince and the Vice General, she had reached a point where, aside from the Emperor himself, there was no one in the inner palace capable of obstructing her path.
Even after the tea gathering ended, Seol Ran made numerous efforts to naturally blend into the dynamics of the inner palace.
One day, she decided to visit the Azure Princess at the Azure Dragon Palace with a gift in hand. She was hoping to develop a closer relationship with someone who still seemed uneasy around her.
– Azure Princess… the Vermilion Princess of the Vermilion Bird Palace has brought a gift and is here to see you.
– Th-The Vermilion Princess herself…! Aah!
As soon as the Vermilion Princess entered the palace gates, the Azure Princess rushed out barefoot. Then she bowed deeply and repeatedly invited her in, and led her to the warmest room in the palace.
Throughout the tea session, the Azure Princess visibly trembled as she nodded along with every word Seol Ran said. She often covered her face with her sleeve as she anxiously replayed everything to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake.
Her darting eyes and profuse cold sweat were pitiful to behold.
– It’s such a pleasure to meet you again, not as a maid of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, but as fellow members of the inner palace. I wanted to ask if I ever made any mistakes in the past and also have a conversation with you, woman to woman.
– M-Mistakes! Oh, absolutely not! Wh-What mistakes could there be…! On the contrary, you were absolutely perfect as a maid, and now to meet as equals in the Four Great Palaces and share this conversation…it’s such a d-delight! By the way, this might be unrelated, but I was wondering if you’ve had any discussions with Inner Palace Inspector Seol Tae Pyeong about me…?
– Hmm? Tae Pyeong-ah… oh, I mean General Seol? Don’t worry. How could I carelessly discuss palace matters with someone outside the inner palace? Since my days as a senior maid, I’ve always strictly adhered to principles like that.
– I-I see….
The sight of the Azure Princess sweating profusely and matching Seol Ran’s words was shocking to see. The Azure Princess who always acted on her own terms without caring about others, seemed utterly out of character.
From a distance, Headmaid Hui Yin who was observing the scene found it a jaw-dropping sight. She wondered if this was what people meant by “instilling manners”.
It seems the Azure Princess is terribly worried I might have said something bad about her to Tae Pyeong….
Seol Ran, not one to miss such things, had a vague understanding of why the Azure Princess felt so cornered.
After all, Seol Ran had worked in the Heavenly Dragon Hall and was fully aware of the various inappropriate incidents Jin Cheong Lang had caused in her past as the Heavenly Maiden.
Essentially, Seol Ran held a firm grasp on the Azure Princess’s weaknesses. In most cases, such leverage would be used to manipulate her. For someone to have the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace tread carefully around them carried enormous political advantages.
However, Seol Ran addressed the Azure Princess without any pretense.
– If you’re worried that I’ve said something to Tae Pyeong about you, you can put those concerns to rest. I’m not the kind of foolish woman who airs others’ dirty laundry carelessly. At the time, my only concern was to calm the Azure Princess, who was under the White Demonic Spirit’s spell.
– Is… is that so…?”
– Yes! I promise you with all my heart. How could I, as a fellow woman, ever think of selling out your mistakes for my gain?
Seol Ran clasped the Azure Princess’s hands tightly and beamed a radiant smile.
– Please, trust me, Azure Princess!
– Ve… Vermilion Princess …
The Azure Princess stared at Seol Ran’s brilliantly glowing face and finally spoke with tears of gratitude welling in her eyes.
– When we’re alone, can I call you Unnie?
– …Huh?
“And that’s how I became sisters with the Azure Princess….”
“……”
Inside the tea room of the Vermilion Bird Palace.
Seol Ran recounted her story to me. She was still hesitantly glancing around as if she wasn’t yet accustomed to her sudden rise in status. With a shy gesture, she straightened her posture and continued.
Although the maids were all dismissed, her careful examination of the room showed that traces of her days as a maid still lingered.
“It hasn’t even been three days since you were seated as the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace….”
“Tae Pyeong-ah, your older sister is quite the friendly person. Besides, the Azure Princess wanted to befriend me ever since my days working as a maid….”
“……”
“Alright… I’ll admit it. If I get unnecessarily close to the Azure Princess, it might put you in a difficult position. But listen, Tae Pyeong-ah… after spending a lot of time with the Azure Princess, I’ve realized she’s not such a bad person. Sometimes, the way she earnestly thinks about you is truly touching….”
In these times when Seol Ran was reigning supreme in the inner palace, she carried a weight to every word she uttered.
What might once have been dismissed as the fanciful musings of a mere maid now took on a different meaning when uttered by the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace.
“Someone like the Azure Princess… she might actually make a suitable partner. She’s so pure, and she’s skilled in Taoist arts, too….”
“N-No, Noonim… the Azure Princess is already betrothed to His Highness, the Crown Prince….”
“Well, the Crown Prince doesn’t even pay attention to his other consorts, does he? Tae Pyeong-ah… just hear me out, alright? Don’t misunderstand me….”
Seol Ran fidgeted awkwardly. She wiped the sweat from her brow as she continued.
“I just think… having a younger sister like the Azure Princess wouldn’t be so bad either….”
“Ran-noonim….”
“And, well, since she’s only holding the Heavenly Maiden position temporarily… and if the previous Vermilion Princess easily left the inner palace, the Azure Princess might be a matter of time… perhaps this might open up new possibilities we hadn’t even considered before… don’t you think?”
After taking several deep breaths to calm myself, I spoke up.
“Didn’t you say not long ago that building a life with In Ha Yeon wouldn’t be so bad…?”
“Yes, but I’ve been thinking… Tae Pyeong-ah, listen carefully. Someone like the Azure Princess might be a good lifelong partner. I could even speak to His Highness the Crown Prince on your behalf…”
“Noonim….”
As I stared at her with narrowed eyes, Seol Ran quickly averted her gaze and fumbled for words.
“F-Fine! I admit it! I’m being ridiculous! Deciding on a partner is something you should do for yourself, Tae Pyeong, but… as family, I can at least give you some advice, can’t I?”
“Of course you can, but the fact that the Crown Princess is on the chopping block… this isn’t a normal situation, is it?!”
“N-No… it’s just that when I twist and turn things in my head, it feels like there might be a way out, so… my greed got the better of me….”
Seol Ran put down her teacup and took a deep breath before continuing.
“Now that the situation has settled, my original goal came back to me, that’s all.”
“Y-Your original goal?”
“To find you a suitable partner and get you married off, Tae Pyeong. While you were tangled up with the princess consorts and constantly hovering between life and death, I ended up forgetting the most fundamental goal.”
“I-I told you I’d handle that myself, didn’t I, Noonim? Just because you’ve taken the position of Vermilion Princess doesn’t mean you can act recklessly like this. It could lead to big trouble!”
“B-But! There are so many wonderful women who seem perfect to be your partner scattered everywhere! How can you expect me to stay calm?!”
“Please, calm down, Noonim!”
“Tae Pyeong-ah! Do you think your prime years will last forever? Right now, when your value is at its peak, you need to snatch up a good woman and get married quickly! Got it?”
I hurriedly clamped my hand over Seol Ran’s mouth and glanced nervously outside the paper door again.
If anyone passing by overheard this, the heavens would turn upside down.
Seol Ran who was muffled by my hand struggled for a moment before realizing she’d been too agitated. She sighed deeply and took another breath to compose herself.
“That’s… true… they say that when your position changes, so does your perspective… Tae Pyeong, it seems power has corrupted me. This Noonim of yours… this is the extent of my lowly self….”
“…….”
“Ah, the sweetness of power… so many heroes of history who plunged to rock bottom must have felt just like this. The allure of power is a devilish force. Power… that distant yet intoxicating poison….”
“Ran-noonim, you’re overthinking this.”
“N-No… Tae Pyeong-ah, right now, I feel like I could marry you off to anyone. I have that kind of power. I am the very center of this world! Tae Pyeong-ah! Who do you want to marry? Just tell me everything; you can confide in this Noonim of yours without holding back!”
“Please stop wasting your energy on nonsense and focus on solidifying your position as the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace first.”
It took over half a day to bring the greedy Seol Ran back to her usual self.
When she finally regained her composure, Seol Ran sat quietly in a corner of the tea room and started swallowing dryly several times.
It was what people might call a moment of self-reflection.
***
“Vermilion Princes… no, Lady In Ha Yeon. The Patriarch has returned.”
The title of Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon had now faded into history.
She returned to her identity as In Ha Yeon, the daughter of the Jeongseon clan, and spent her days buried in the family library, immersed in books.
She was someone who had abruptly thrown away her position as the Vermilion Princess and left the palace. And so , she had become an enigma even within the Jeongseon clan.
She had upheld her place as the Vermilion Princess her entire life. And she had elevated the prestige of the Jeongseon clan by several degrees.
Yet, no one could easily question why she had made such a one-sided decision, so the members of the family had no choice but to leave her be.
Perhaps she needed time to organize her thoughts after leaving the palace.
With that in mind, they allowed her to remain in the library for three days, until her father In Seon Rok came to see her.
Creak.
“Ha Yeon-ah. Have you sorted through your thoughts?”
In Seon Rok, who seemed to have no intention of reproaching her, decided it was finally time to ask for her true intentions.
“Yes, Father.”
“Good. Don’t mind what the other officials of the Jeongseon clan are saying. So, what do you plan to do now?”
“…Although I’ve left the palace, I’m still part of the Jeongseon clan. It’s only right that I dedicate my life and time to the family.”
Revealing any doubts about the family would do her no good.
In Ha Yeon shook her head, rose from her seat, and made a request to In Seon Rok.
“I plan to go to the Hwalseong District. Please grant me permission….”
The Hwalseong District was a place where the Inbong clan and the Jeongseon clan were fiercely competing in a development race.
For a daughter of the Jeongseon clan to personally roll up her sleeves and step into the fray carried great implications.
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