Life in the Eastern Palace (2)(Revised)
Court dining etiquette was extremely strict.
First, the head court lady in charge of the meal would present a folded paper booklet called a chanpum danja, listing all the dishes for the day.
Once Hongwi read the list and nodded, the court ladies would each taste a small portion of every dish.
After waiting a short while—if no one died from poisoning—the one who had tasted the food would sit beside Hongwi and arrange each dish in bite-sized portions.
Meanwhile, the other inner court ladies on duty had to remain prostrated before her while she ate.
To Yunseo, it was a baffling custom. But then again, even the way they traveled short distances in swaying palanquins, accompanied by a whole entourage of court ladies, maids, and eunuchs, made little sense to her—so she simply accepted it.
Lee Hyang preferred simplicity, so only one court lady who tasted the food and served him, along with two inner court ladies, were required to remain prostrated.
Following his example, Hongwi had Yunseo taste the food during dinner, while only Court Lady Choi—on duty with her—remained bowed.
Sitting beside Hongwi, Yunseo first sampled the dishes: a bite of vegetables, fish, and meat; a spoonful of soups, broths, and porridge.
Thanks to that, she got to enjoy the delicacies of the royal kitchen.
After some time had passed, Yunseo gently spoke:
"Little one, please eat."
Hongwi then straightened her back and began eating with a silver spoon.
Even now, her movements were so elegant that one could hardly believe she was still a child—it truly showed the difference of royal blood.
However, she still couldn't use chopsticks, so Yunseo would pick up fish and vegetables with silver chopsticks and feed her.
As Hongwi opened her small mouth and chewed quietly, Yunseo felt like a mother bird feeding her chick.
On the third day that Lee Hyang and Hongwi shared dinner, the Crown Prince's night-duty court lady and Court Lady Choi remained prostrated, while Yunseo and an elderly court lady performed the tasting.
Lee Hyang wore a loose, milky-white ramie garment, with a long red robe draped over it without a belt—giving him a languid, slightly disheveled air. Yet his posture remained perfectly upright.
Yunseo found herself unable to stop glancing at him—and felt it terribly improper.
Royal etiquette dictated that no one speak during meals.
So both Lee Hyang and Hongwi ate in silence.
With court ladies prostrated before them, conversation would have seemed even stranger.
Once the meal ended, Lee Hyang quietly instructed the court lady beside him:
"Leave Hongwi and Gwon here. Everyone else may withdraw. Bring tea for me and Gwon, and sweet rice drink for Hongwi."
"!"
At once, every gaze in the room fell on Yunseo before quickly retreating.
After the table was cleared, the windows opened for ventilation, and a neat tea setting was brought in, Lee Hyang lifted Hongwi onto his lap and spoke softly.
"You've mastered the Thousand Character Classic? Your teacher praised you greatly."
At the mention of Seong Sammun's praise, Hongwi smiled shyly and looked at Yunseo—as if asking, "I did well, didn't I?"
Yunseo, sitting near the doorway and still unsure why she had been asked to remain, nervously sipped her tea. The tea tastes good, she thought—it was the same one Chief Eunuch Eom had given her before.
But seeing Hongwi seek approval, Yunseo smiled and nodded.
Lee Hyang noticed this, then gently stroked Hongwi's head and said:
"In the royal family, once one has mastered a text, there is something called baegang—reciting and answering passages before your grandfather, grandmother, father, your teacher Seong Sammun, and your uncles. I did it, and your grandfather did as well. But not at such a young age as you. What do you think? Shall we do it when you turn four?"
He seemed torn—wanting to proudly display his son's brilliance to the world, yet worried it might burden him too early.
"I know more too! I memorized it all, Father!"
Hongwi wriggled proudly in his lap.
Seeing that, Yunseo felt her chest tighten and lowered her head.
Such a young father and such a small child, sharing such warmth—and yet, in history…
"Shall we invite your sister as well? Hongwi, don't you miss her?"
The Princess—now called Princess Pyeongchang—was currently being raised in the household of the official Jo Yuryu.
At the mention of her sister, Hongwi's eyes sparkled brightly.
"I miss her! I want to see her! When she comes, we'll go to Gyeonghoeru and play fishing together!"
"At Gyeonghoeru… fishing?"
Lee Hyang asked, turning his gaze toward Yunseo.
His look carried a subtle reprimand—had they been playing dangerously in those deep waters?
Yunseo was about to explain, but Hongwi, nestled comfortably in his arms, didn't notice his expression and continued chirping like a sparrow:
"We went yesterday! There were lots of fish! Court Lady Gwon said she can swim in water like a fish! I want to swim too!"
"?"
"!"
Lee Hyang raised his brows, clearly asking what this meant.
Yunseo shut her eyes tightly. Oh no…
"Gwon, what is this about?"
"Well…"
After dinner, Hongwi would normally review the Thousand Character Classic she had learned during the day.
But Yunseo knew how important physical play was for a child's development—physically, mentally, emotionally, and for lifelong health—so she had decided they would go outside to play or take walks instead of studying.
Just the day before, Yunseo, Court Lady Choi, Maegum, and a young eunuch named Jaseon had taken Hongwi for a walk past Daejojeon to Gyeonghoeru, where they played at fishing.
At that time, Gyeonghoeru's waters were not the dull, stagnant green seen in modern times, but clear and transparent, with the bottom visible.
Water flowed down from the valleys of Bugaksan, passing through Gyeonghoeru, Hyangwonjeong, and under Geumcheongyo Bridge, eventually reaching Cheonggyecheon.
In modern times, Yunseo had been a long-distance runner—running 6 km three times a week and half-marathons on weekends—and an exercise enthusiast who enjoyed swimming in the calm upper streams near Chuncheon Dam after running.
After her soul fell into Joseon and she lost the chance to exercise, she had grown depressed. So when she saw Gyeonghoeru, it reminded her of the Bukhan River where she used to swim—and she had casually demonstrated swimming motions to Hongwi.
That was what led to this situation.
"Isn't that dangerous?"
Lee Hyang asked in a chillingly calm voice.
"In case it might be dangerous, I tied a belt around the little one's waist and fastened it to mine, so she would be secure. Lately, she's been very fond of fishing, and we heard there were many fish at Gyeonghoeru, so we went."
"That's not what I mean. This 'swimming'."
Please don't ask that…
Yunseo hesitated, unsure how to explain. She didn't even know if swimming existed in Joseon, or who practiced it.
In the end, she decided to be honest.
"When I was young, I learned how to play in water—so I can swim. Even in deep water, I can swim well, so I mentioned to the little one that such a thing was possible…"
"Do you not realize that children will try whatever they hear? What if Hongwi, hearing your words, suddenly jumps into the water?"
Lee Hyang's voice turned firm as he reprimanded her.
At that, Hongwi quietly pulled away and looked up into his eyes.
"Father, are you angry?"
"…No. No, Hongwi. I am speaking to Court Lady Gwon."
"Then speak kindly, kindly."
Just as Yunseo had taught her, Hongwi said it directly to Lee Hyang.
The day before, they had been playing at fishing again in the rear garden pond of the Eastern Palace, when Geuma—Hong Seunghwi's daughter—came running over and kept trying to snatch Hongwi's fishing rod.
Annoyed, Hongwi shoved her hard, and Yunseo had said:
— Little one, you should speak kindly. If you get rough and use your hands like that, you'll start getting angry easily, and later you'll become someone who only gets angry.
And now, Hongwi was repeating those very words to Lee Hyang.
"Speak kindly? To Court Lady Gwon?"
"Yes, Father. Or you'll become an 'angry person.'"
"…Very well. You're right. One must not become such a person. Our Hongwi has grown so much."
Though he stroked Hongwi's head with pride, Lee Hyang turned a stern gaze toward Yunseo.
"I will be more careful, Your Highness."
If Maegum was with them, Hongwi was never in danger.
Whenever Yunseo and Hongwi were together, Maegum—whose duty was to protect Hongwi—was so quick that she once caught bird droppings in her palm just before they landed on Hongwi's head!
But Yunseo couldn't exactly say that, so she bowed her head deeply in apology.
After watching her silently for a moment, Lee Hyang spoke curtly:
"His Majesty will summon you soon."
"!"
King Sejong himself!
With a trembling heart, Yunseo bowed even deeper.
"I had you remain so I could tell you this—when you stand before him, you must not speak as you do to me."
"…Yes, Your Highness."
"Especially—anything regarding my brothers—you must absolutely, absolutely not mention it."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"If asked about your literacy, say that Princess Jeongui taught you. I have already informed her."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Her back felt chilled, her palms drenched in sweat.
Only now did Yunseo truly understand what it meant for the Crown Prince to grow serious and angered.
"Hongwi, Court Lady Gwon says she learned how to swim from a young age, so she can play in water. But you have not learned such things, so you must never—never—enter the water."
"Yes, Father."
"Will you promise me?"
"Yes… but I want to learn too."
"..."
"I want to play like a fish."
"..."
Lee Hyang looked at Yunseo as if asking, What are we to do about this?
"…."
They say you can't even drink hot porridge in front of children—this was exactly that kind of situation.
Teaching her wouldn't be difficult. But in 15th-century Joseon, in a strictly Neo-Confucian society—where in the world could one teach swimming?
And yet, Gyeonghoeru's pond truly looked perfect for swimming.
So much so that Yunseo wanted to sneak there at night and just float in the water.
Used to releasing the emotional weight of her counseling work through exercise, Yunseo now felt a deep craving—to run, to move.
"Court Lady Gwon… I want to learn."
"…When you grow older, little one. When you're much older, I'll teach you."
Please, just forget about it by then…
But could a child who had already mastered the Thousand Character Classic at three really forget anything?
"Hongwi, Father must go attend to work. Let us dine together again another time."
Fortunately, Lee Hyang gave the signal for Hongwi to be taken away.
Relieved to no longer be under his piercing gaze, Yunseo quickly lifted Hongwi and left the east room.
Watching her retreating figure for a long time, Lee Hyang let out a quiet sigh.
Since Court Lady Gwon had changed, Hongwi had become noticeably brighter, more confident, more composed.
It wasn't just her intelligence—her body and mind were growing strong as well, and for that, he was grateful.
But Court Lady Gwon is too bold.
His Majesty was generous—but extremely sensitive when it came to checking the ambitions of Suyang and Anpyeong.
Lee Hyang had tried to temper Yunseo's boldness in advance, fearing she might unwittingly provoke the King.
And yet—
Seeing her withdraw so meekly now only unsettled him further.
The next day, after finishing her night duty, Yunseo did not go to Bansongbang, uncertain when King Sejong might summon her.
Two days earlier, she had visited and given Nosan-dae a list of items to procure:
Perilla oil, camellia oil, and oil from the tallow tree for lamps.
She had thought of the tallow oil after reading that, in places like North Korea where petroleum was scarce, it had been promoted as a biofuel due to its high oil yield.
Also beeswax, and rendered pork fat—boiled thoroughly and strained through fine cotton cloth.
For medicinal ingredients: lithospermum root, angelica, sophora root, honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, angelica dahurica, forsythia, licorice, peony, bitter orange, and elm bark—whatever could be obtained, but lithospermum and angelica were essential.
Salt, bittern, and glasswort from the tidal flats of Ganghwa Island.
And most importantly, a high-quality distillation apparatus for making refined alcohol.
Her original plan had been to go that day—infuse the oils with herbs, meet Maehyang (Nosan-dae's adopted daughter), and return.
But she couldn't risk leaving in case the King summoned her.
Instead, Maegum went to Bansongbang and then to Daewongak to cancel the appointment.
Yet the King still had not called for her—
And instead, unexpectedly, Hong Seunghwi sent a court lady, summoning Yunseo to her quarters.