Like the First Snow

The next day starts with an early breakfast. Director Hong arrives and eats all of Soyong’s favorite pastries before she has a chance to taste them. She wonders how upset Cheoljong would be if she hurts his best friend.

Prince Yeongpyeong and Hwa Jin arrive shortly and it is just the rescue she needs. She almost cheers every time the prince scolds Director Hong. And Hwa Jin occupies her with discussion of her participation in Soyong’s projects. Her former enemy is excited to share her ideas as they talk about the importance of developing creativity among children. Even if they are commoners, they could have fun dancing or painting.

In this chorus of chatter and laughter, Cheoljong finds them. Everyone goes quiet when Court Lady Choi announces his arrival and the doors slide open. He looks dashing in his black hanbok, an outfit reserved for covert missions. Soyong forgets how to breathe for a moment, but then she sees the hurt in his eyes and remembers their last conversation. He sits beside her, and she feels uneasy as she wonders what to say.

“Let’s begin,” the King says, breaking the silence. “Who wants to start?”

Hong raises his hand:

“I arrived first, so I’ll start if no one minds. I talked with the monks in the temple the Queen visited, and one of them indeed visited Queen Dowager Jo. A little bit of push and he confessed delivering her envelopes to the temple. He never opens them though. All he has to do is leave them in one place and take the response from the same place when it appears.”

“Who took those letters?” Soyong eagerly asks, moving forward.

“That is when my luck ended, Your Highness,” Hong says, adding a dramatic sigh. “The monk doesn’t know, and there weren’t any letters in the past two weeks.”

“They stopped communicating after the failed assassination attempt,” the King surmises. “Did you search Queen Dowager Jo’s residence for any letters?”

“I did, since you gave me permission to do anything to find the truth.” Hong proudly smiles, but it fades when he continues: “But I found nothing. She probably got rid of them.”

“We need proof,” Soyong says, frustration mounting within her. “That raccoon never liked me!” Laughter fills the room when the others hear her nickname for the Queen Dowager.

“We will deal with it later,” Cheoljong concludes. He didn’t laugh, but Soyong isn’t fooled: the corners of his lips twitched a bit before he returned to his serious appearance. “I need your help with the conspiracy. The Queen and I visited Kim Jwa Geun and he told us the Parks were caught smuggling. And Yul Mu apparently continued that family tradition.”

“And what exactly do you want me to do?” Hong tenses. He hates being overworked; everyone knows that. Soyong usually feels sorry for him because Wonbeom often asks for a lot, as he himself loves working. But Director Hong ate all her pastries today and she wants vengeance.

“You will teach the Queen how to pick a lock.” Soyong turns to face the King, surprised to hear him mentioning her. Has he already come up with a plan? “She will steal the map and we will attack their secret camp. I assume Yul Mu has recruited a lot of men, so a sudden attack will be our advantage.”

“I’m a fast learner,” Soyong assures Hong, seeing him trying to protest. “But I need an excuse to go back… I need to meet Seo Hwi: he’s Yul Mu’s right hand. He has a soft spot for me and I can go back to their estate as a maid.”

“Absolutely not!” Cheoljong bursts out. “Continuing to befriend the enemy is too dangerous.”

“He’s not my enemy, Your Majesty,” Soyong says firmly, looking at him in frustration.

“He is,” Cheoljong emphasizes the last word. “He’s involved in the conspiracy against your husband!”

“I believe he may choose the right side. He just follows Yul Mu out of gratitude for saving his life,” Soyong reasons.

“You trust people too easily!” He doesn’t look at her when he says this, which makes her even angrier. She had wanted to apologize for yesterday, but now he is irritating her to no end.

“What is bad in trying to see beyond the surface? Your Majesty must remember to not rush to judgment about people you don’t understand.” Soyong says coldly, reminding him about his past mistakes. “I am not a fool, Your Majesty. Of course I understand that I can’t open up to him and risk our mission. But I do wish to first know whether Seo Hwi really shares his master’s beliefs or if it is just a duty for him.”

“Your Majesty,” Prince Yeongpyeong suddenly interrupts. “Her Highness is right. She needs an excuse to visit Yul Mu’s estate. We have to trust her in this as she knows the situation inside better than we do.”

Prince Yeongpyeong usually isn’t someone she likes, but today he wins one point after another in her personal ranking. Smiling to her sudden ally, she nods in gratitude.

“Can I suggest another idea?” Hwa Jin raises her voice. “What if I visit Yul Mee again to continue our conversation, and my new maid…” she gestures towards Soyong with both hands, “…could accompany me.”

“Absolutely not!” Prince Yeongpyeong protests. “It’s too dangerous!”

“Now you understand me, hyeongnim¹Hyeongnim – male addressing to the brother.,” Wonbeom says mockingly.

“I’m happy I’m not married,” Hong scoffs, looking particularly smug and amused. “I can’t believe I envied you two.”

Four pairs of eyes look his way with contempt.

“Why do you want to go back there?” Soyong narrows her eyes, recalling that Hwa Jin had mentioned wanting to share something about her conversation with Yul Mee.

“It may be nothing.” Hwa Jin suddenly hesitates. “Just a bad feeling… But when I spoke with her about the palace she showed no interest in Your Highness. After His Majesty, Your Highness is the most powerful figure for the rest of the consorts. It’s strange not to ask about you.”

“She probably believes the rumors about my illness,” Soyong suggests.

“That is what she implied, yes, but she acted as if she knew for sure.” Hwa Jin lets outs a sigh. “Maybe I read too much into it.”

Soyong wonders if Hwa Jin’s hunch may have some merit. She knows the Parks despise her entire clan and once wanted revenge on her family. However, since the King already banished all the corrupt ministers, they couldn’t fulfill their plans. Maybe a Queen from the Kim clan still bothers them, especially considering the marriage talks between their families in the past.

Yul Mu has focused on Cheoljong, knowing that the fall of the King will mean the fall of his Queen too. Meanwhile Yul Mee could get her revenge by taking the position of Queen from her. However, it is all speculation, and without any proof Yul Mee can’t be accused of the assassination attempt.

They wrap up their discussion, agreeing to Hwa Jin’s idea. Soyong reluctantly admits that it’s the best plan because she is uncertain if she would be able to secure work as a maid there again, and it may be too risky to try. If they do not accept her back and she later returns to their house with Hwa Jin it would look too suspicious.

They decide to go there as guests tomorrow because Yul Mu usually has meetings in Oktajeong²Oktajeong is a kisaeng house. on that day of the week. Hwa Jin will pretend she wants revenge on the Queen and share more information with Yul Mee, while Soyong will sneak into Yul Mu’s cabinet and steal the map.

For now Soyong must learn how to pick a lock and for that she visits Director Hong’s office. Cheoljong and Yeongpyeong are also there, but they are busy filling in their men about the plans.

“So, Your Highness.” Hong walks around her, looking appraisingly at her, and then goes to the wall, towards something covered with a blanket. “Tell me, what kind of lock are we going to work with…” He takes the blanket and theatrically yanks it away, revealing a grid with many different locks attached to it. Soyong’s eyes go wide: she hadn’t expected so many different locks to even exist!

Soyong takes a close look at the various locks and points out one similar to the one she saw in Yul Mu’s chambers. Hong takes it off and they sit at his table to start her lesson. He explains how the lock works and what she must do with a pin to get it open. He demonstrates how it’s done, and the lock opens with a quiet click after a few seconds of his efforts.

He locks it back in place and hands it over to Soyong to try.

“Gentle, Your Highness. You don’t want to break the pin inside and ruin all your efforts,” Hong notes when he sees she’s using too much force.

It looked so easy in Director Hong’s hands, but Soyong struggles to open it. He gives her instructions to not push too far and to rotate a bit…

“It’s harder than it looks, right? I developed that skill over the last two years, so it might look easy. I don’t understand how His Majesty could think anyone could learn it in one day…” he laughs smugly, until he hears a click and sees the open lock in Soyong’s hands.

“Done.” She places it back on the table gracefully. She got the idea pretty quickly and just needed more time to adjust. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

“You are indeed a quick learner, Your Highness.” He gives a faint smile after collecting himself from shock. Soyong smirks; she was listening to all his bragging but decides not to tease him about it.

Since she finishes her practice so quickly, even after opening the lock a few more times, Soyong has time to look around. Director’s Hong room is very simple, with military books and various maps stored against the walls. The adjacent room, a bigger one, has training equipment, but she really doubts he ever uses it. Cheoljong’s men are likely trained here, but today they spend time outdoors.

Soyong hears her husband’s voice, giving orders to others, and she wants to see what they are doing. She opens the door a bit and peeks outside. In the inner yard, Cheoljong’s men are fighting each other in close combat. She had heard them practice with swords earlier, the metal sound distracting her a bit from Hong’s ramblings about locks.

Soyong spots Wonbeom fighting with not one but three opponents. His moves look like a well-coordinated dance. He gracefully blocks various attacks and strikes back, forcing his opponents to step back. He gives them some tips and they start all over again.

Now they surround him, prowling cautiously, seeking the right moment for an attack.

Wonbeom moves first. One of his opponents dodges his hand, but Wonbeom anticipates it and hits him with a knee to the stomach. The two other men try to attack him from behind and Wonbeom moves quickly to the side. They exchange a series of hits where Wonbeom has to pay attention to both men at the same time. He is so immersed in fighting them he does not notice the third man finally stepping back into the match.

“Look out!” Soyong shouts, trying to warn him, but instead Wonbeom gets distracted by her voice and earns a solid strike to the head.

They cease their practice, and the King shakes his head slightly, clearing his senses. Soyong is weighed down by guilt as he comes up to her.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty.” Soyong reaches to caress the site of the hit, near his ear. “I wanted to help, but did the opposite. Does it hurt?”

“It’s nothing,” he says but frowns under her touch. “Did you finish with Du Il?”

Soyong surmises he is probably still upset about yesterday, as he has been unusually distant with her all day. She once asked for space between them for so long, and now when she gets it, she hates it. She pulls her hand away, not wanting to cause him more pain.

“We did, some time ago,” she says in a formal tone. “I became curious and sneaked out. I apologize again, Your Majesty.”

“It’s time to get back to the royal villa. The sun is going down soon,” Wonbeom says, looking up towards the sky. It has already grown darker because of the presence of heavy clouds, and rain will likely follow shortly. Soyong feels uneasy, as if the weather is foreshadowing darker days for her family.

They ride back to the villa in silence. After so many rides in the preceding days, Soyong has overcome her aversion to horseback riding, and she wants to learn how to ride on her own. She wonders if she can still ask Wonbeom to teach her.

When they arrive, she starts walking up the hill but soon notices she’s walking alone. Soyong turns around to see Wonbeom staying rooted to the spot.

“Your Majesty is not coming?” She raises her eyebrows: she had thought he would stay here for the night.

“We have many guests at the villa. I’m afraid there’s no place for a King anymore,” he jokes, but his eyes are still as sad as they have been all day.

They do have more people here, but surely they can find a spare chamber for the King. It is his villa after all!

You can sleep in my chamber. She wants it so desperately, but does not voice it out loud. It would be too strange between them if she invites him. But she misses their late-night conversations.

Brainstorming with everyone is interesting, but nothing feels as good as bonding with Wonbeom. She loves hearing his thoughts and seeing his eyes twinkle with excitement. When Wonbeom is consumed by his ideas, his voice raises without him noticing, and all formalities drop between them. Soyong wishes to see and hear him like that again.

“Do not worry, my Queen. I am already using one of the nearby hanoks meant for the guards. It’s closer to the gates, and if anyone crosses the perimeter I will be there quickly,” he explains. “You should take a rest, my Queen. Tomorrow is a very important day.”

“At least visit us later to see Hyun-ki, Your Majesty,” Soyong suggests, hoping she doesn’t sound too desperate.

“I will, my Queen, before I go to sleep.” A fleeting smile appears on his lips but disappears too quickly.

However, hours pass and there is no sight of him. Soyong sings the lullaby to their son and watches him sleep as she waits for Wonbeom, but he doesn’t come. Upset about the whole situation, she leaves to her chamber to prepare for sleep. She changes into her sleeping wear and starts her evening routine, gently applying a night serum to her skin.

Soon after, she lies in bed reading a novel, but she cannot seem to absorb a single word. Her mind drifts to thoughts of the King, and she feels restless as she waits for him to come by.

“Yeon-ah,” Soyong calls out for her maid. “I will sleep in Hyun-ki’s chamber,” she says to her, getting onto her feet. “Please, prepare everything.”

Wonbeom might still be upset with her, but he can’t ignore his son. He will visit him even if it’s going to be in the middle of the night. She won’t miss him if she sleeps there.

“It is too bad you and His Majesty missed each other,” Hong Yeon says with a shy smile.

“What? His Majesty visited the prince?” Soyong faces her friend. “When did that happen? The prince’s chamber is next to mine. Surely I would hear him!”

“His Majesty was very quiet. I only noticed His Majesty leaving because I was in the corridor,” Hong Yeon explains. “Did you fight again?”

“Yeon-ah, I need my jangot³Jangot – the clothes piece to cover the head. On the show, SY used one when she and the King had a day out in Hanyang. And on the episode where she came to confront him about plotting an assassination attempt on her dad, she used that as a robe instead of covering her head.,” Soyong commands without answering. “And my shoes…”

She can’t go to sleep until she speaks to him. Their lives are at stake so she can’t let them go on their mission in their current state of mind. They must talk it out. And if the King doesn’t come to her, she will go to him.

Author’s notes

I must add, that Soyong trying to remind her friends about Bong Hwan isn’t her trying to pretend to be him. As I wrote, she does something they would agree to do together. It’s not a pretense if she also means it.

Also, I doubt BH would agree about sharing his recipes. On the show, he was ready to share them just to save Man-bok from losing his head, literally. So I think BH would object to sharing his knowledge in peaceful times lol So it’s Soyong’s decision really because she’s so kind.

The grid with locks is my small reference to one of my fav detective shows: “Elementary”, a modern Sherlock Holmes version. Sherlock had a grid with locks on it and teach Watson to pick them.

• 1
  Hyeongnim – male addressing to the brother.
• 2
  Oktajeong is a kisaeng house.
• 3
  Jangot – the clothes piece to cover the head. On the show, SY used one when she and the King had a day out in Hanyang. And on the episode where she came to confront him about plotting an assassination attempt on her dad, she used that as a robe instead of covering her head.