TMTISTBH CH 14

Chapter 14

Bun Hoegyeong, having gone to see Prince Eunhun, turned naturally toward the inner courtyard when he found the audience chamber empty.

As expected, Tae Eunhun was reclining leisurely on a rock beside a massive wild boar.

“Your Highness, with Gasari again, I see.”

“You’ve come?”

“It is already past midday.”

“My word, is it that late already? I’ll be along shortly. Rest here.”

As he spoke, he stroked the boar’s back.

Gasari let out a lazy grunt and flopped over onto its side.

Dusting off his robes, the prince rose and walked with Hoegyeong back toward the audience chamber.

While Prince Eunhun looked over some documents, Hoegyeong asked casually,

“I hear you’ve decided to take him in after all.”

“You mean that boy? Mmm… it came to that.”

“Are you certain it’s all right when his status isn’t even clear?”

“Hahaha, you sound just like Jaun. Isn’t he still young?”

Setting the document he had been reading aside, the prince smiled as he recalled his conversation with Inho.

“He shows refined manners and a bearing of dignity. There’s no way he’s a commoner. My guess is he’s a youth with some circumstances.”

“Is that so.”

“In truth, Gasari has taken an interest in him. I only just managed to placate it, for it is eager to see him even now.”

“Weren’t you worrying lately that Gasari seemed to lack energy? That’s good news, then.”

“I’m still wondering when I should introduce them. He’ll likely be startled the first time he sees such a divine beast¹.”

At that, Hoegyeong, seeing the prince’s smile, gave a hearty laugh.

“You seem particularly fond of him — much like when you first saw Jaun.”

“Oh dear, in that case it’s serious. I’ll have no face to show Seojeong and Gajin.”

Though said in jest, it was not a matter easily dismissed.

A faint shadow crossed Hoegyeong’s face.

“At a time when even combined strength may not be enough, they’ve grown so narrow-sighted they cannot judge the weight of matters and squabble among themselves… It is my failing for not training them better. When I think of the children, I’ve no face to meet you with, Your Highness.”

“Aren’t you still young yet? I’m sure you’ll manage well enough.”

Even with the prince’s reassurance, Hoegyeong’s expression did not easily ease.

Swallowing a deep sigh, Hoegyeong suddenly remembered a letter, drew it from his sleeve, and handed it to the prince.

“Ah, a letter came from Jaun today.”

“Has he already arrived in the capital? That was quick.”

Murmuring, the prince unfolded the letter. But his expression hardened after reading the brief note. Closing it as though to put it aside, he spoke in a troubled tone.

“It seems the Grand Lady of the Gyeon household² is in poor health.”

“Is that so… Does Jaun mean to go to the Gyeon residence?”

“Since he sent this letter, most likely so.”

At the prince’s words, Hoegyeong’s expression, too, darkened.

For several days, Inho focused on recovery under the direction of the physicians of Cheongrinwon³.

He knew well that if an injury was not treated properly in time, lingering aftereffects would cause continued discomfort and trouble.

Seol, who had not been badly hurt and so required no treatment, had been sent — thanks to Jeong Ryeom’s consideration — to the Pharmaceutical Hall, where the children of palace personnel studied. She had always wanted to learn to read and study, so Inho was quite content to send her there without worry.

Going to and from Cheongrinwon for treatment, Inho was able to pick up various bits of talk. None of it was particularly important or secret, but with his knowledge being so scarce, even such small information was of great use.

He was especially startled to learn that the official duty of Hwalwon Palace was medicine.

When he had first entered the imperial palace, the Imperial Medical Office (Taeuiwon) under the royal court had full control over medicine, and cultivation of medicinal herbs and research into disease was possible only through the royal family. In the early spring of the sixth year of Jinun⁴, a great plague had spread, which had served as an opportunity to tighten imperial power.

Had they absorbed wholesale the medical arts of the destroyed Hwalwon Palace?

When an emperor ascends the throne, the remaining princes are made daegun and rule over their conferred palaces, each carrying out an assigned state duty (gukyeok). Gwangya Palace handled steel, manufacturing weapons and farm tools; Mokryeon Palace raised silkworms and produced both silk and fine garments; Pungwhan Palace, holding the richest and widest fields, was famed as the empire’s largest granary. Many other palaces also bore their own official roles.

If Hwalwon Palace had survived, after the plague of Jinun Year Six it would have held the greatest power of all…

If that were the case, he thought, he himself would have worked hard to draw Hwalwon Palace into his faction. Would Prince Eunhun have accepted his offer? What would the prince have thought of him back then?

He knew such thoughts were as vain as chasing clouds, yet could not still them.

“You’ve recovered well. Being young, you heal quickly,” murmured the physician as he examined the wound.

Inho, lying face-down, turned his head to ask,

“From today, would it be all right for me to take short walks to stretch my body?”

Information sharing among the palace physicians was remarkably fast.

Only a quarter-hour earlier, he had been treated, yet already a physician passing near the guest quarters had known about it, and even asked if he had been taking the prescribed medicine. It seemed impossible to go about in secret — hence his asking first.

After feeling out the condition of the injury and leg movement, the physician nodded.

“That should be fine at that level. But absolutely no strenuous activity such as horseback riding.”

“I’ll bear it in mind.”

As he was about to step outside after treatment, some of the women of Cheongrinwon stopped him.

“Inho! Finished your treatment?”

He had intended to avoid them, but Sister Gagyeong ran over and grabbed his arm.

“You were going to slip away again, weren’t you?”

“…I was not. And if this is about the cuts on my face, they’ve already healed.”

“If you don’t treat them to the end, they’ll scar. It’ll be quick, so come on.”

It was a daily tussle.

Besides the serious injury to his lower body, there had been a few scratches on his forehead and cheek from the flight out of Jamsongol. Though now healed and painless, the sisters insisted those must not scar, and were determined to apply ointment.

“Unni, Inho says he was trying to sneak away again.”

“I said he doesn’t look the type, but he’s so shy.”

Shy? The idea was laughable. As a prince, being attended to by personal attendants had been an everyday affair.

But while his mind was unchanged, his appearance was that of a youth — and being treated like the youngest brother by girls younger than himself was irksome and intolerable.

Even as he let his displeasure show, their fuss only grew, and he sighed inwardly, closing his eyes as he endured the touch of hands on his face and neck.

“If such a handsome face were to scar, what a shame that would be.”

“Once Inho grows a bit more, he’ll probably break the hearts of half the village girls. He’s already tall, and look at that high nose bridge.”

“Exactly. When he grows a beard later, he’ll be perfect.”

“What?! A beard? No way!”

One physician cried out in disgust, lowering the ointment-laden finger. Others shot shocked looks at the speaker, who only shrugged.

“What’s wrong with a beard? It looks dignified, manly, and strong. Just look at His Highness.”

“His Highness is over forty⁵! Inho’s barely sixteen!”

“Jeong-ae’s right. Personally, I think men should be forbidden beards before the age of thirty. Look at the famous handsome youths in the capital. Actually, you needn’t look that far — just look at Lord Jaun.”

At the mention of Jaun’s name, everyone nodded in agreement.

The beard-favoring physician protested alone, aggrieved.

“That’s unfair! Lord Jaun is one in a thousand — whatever he does suits him. How can you use him as an example?”

“True enough, Lord Jaun is extraordinary. I was shocked when I first saw him. He was so beautiful I thought he wasn’t even human.”

Inho, who had been listening in silence, opened his eyes at that and asked,

“This Lord Jaun — is he staying here at Hwalwon Palace?”

“Of course — oh, Inho, you’ve never met him?”

“He wouldn’t have. Lord Jaun left just as Inho arrived.”

“Ah…”

Only now, several days later, did Inho realize that the person he had glimpsed in his hazy state that day had been no dream, but a real person.

The medical skill of Hwalwon Palace was even greater than he had known.

After moving about for several days feeling markedly better, Inho surveyed his surroundings in satisfaction.

Now, he thought, I can move about more freely.

Leaving Cheongrinwon, he headed first to the stables.

Opening the wooden gate and stepping inside, he found that, sensing his presence from afar, Moonbyeok⁶ was already nickering in greeting.

“How have you been? I’m sorry it took me so long to come see you.”

With a mingled heart of remorse and gratitude, he stroked the horse’s head, and Moonbyeok blinked its coal-black eyes.

This stall in which Moonbyeok stayed was easily twice as large and solid as at Jamsongol. Beside it stayed a dapple-gray horse with black in its coat, whose bearing was extraordinary — likely Prince Eunhun’s own steed. Being kept adjacent to such a mount, Moonbyeok was plainly recognized by the stablehands as a rare and precious horse, and received much affection.

Finding the animal in good condition set his mind at ease.

Feeding Moonbyeok grass and answering the stablehands’ questions about the horse’s habits, Inho then left the stables.

Afterward, he strolled slowly around Hwalwon Palace.

The warm hospitality, the peaceful atmosphere.

How long had it been since he’d seen the lively movements and laughter of people?

The sensation was fresh, and he found his eyes reluctant to leave the scenes before him.

That he himself stood amid such a landscape, which felt as though it belonged only in ideals, was almost beyond belief.

notes:

Divine beast (신수) — In East Asian fantasy contexts, often a rare, sacred, or supernatural animal companion of great power or significance.

Grand Lady of the Gyeon household (견가 대부인) — Likely an elderly noblewoman or matriarch of the Gyeon clan.

Cheongrinwon (청린원) — Literally “Azure Scales Court,” here depicted as a medical facility or infirmary in the palace complex.

Jinun (진운) — A reign era name used for dating years in the fictional empire.

Over forty (불혹) — A classical East Asian idiom for “forty years of age,” from Confucius’s Analects, meaning an age at which one is “free from perplexities.”

Moonbyeok (문벽) — The personal name of Inho’s horse; proper names of animals in Korean historical/fictional settings often carry descriptive or symbolic meaning.