Blooming even in the mud - Chapter 82

Eulsu had subtly slipped money to the Ajeon, claiming he wanted to appreciate the splendid penmanship of the nobility. He had even set conditions, saying that even discarded scraps of paper were fine, and that the elegant handwriting of noblewomen would be especially wonderful.
Since Eulsu had acquired literacy, it was not a bad excuse.
The Ajeon mocked him, saying a lowly wretch who did nothing but boat work was imitating the nobility by collecting fine calligraphy, but they did not refuse the money. That was how Yoo Seo-hwa’s letters, which had been troublesome to dispose of, were passed along to Eulsu.

Gyeong Won-yeong read Yoo Seo-hwa’s letters when times were hard, read them when she was happy, read them when she needed comfort, and read them whenever she had a spare moment. To the point where she memorized the contents over and over again.
“…….”
Listening to Gyeong Won-yeong’s story as told by Gyeong Won-ui, Yoo Seo-hwa lightly toyed with the letters. Upon the paper, smooth and shiny from being handled so often, her long-awaited longing finally came to rest.
“Thank you, Your Highness. You allowed Won-yeong to survive without dying.”
“……I, too, truly wanted to die. But whenever I thought of the two people who must be in Ganam Province, I simply couldn’t…….”
“Won-yeong worried a great deal as well. She said that although you did not show it in the letters, your handwriting was losing strength and collapsing as time went on, making her wonder if Your Highness had fallen ill.”
“I was ill. From an illness that will not be fully cured until I die.”
Yoo Seo-hwa raised her head and blinked. The turbulence inside her chest would not easily settle.
“That is why I tried to die. Finding no further meaning to go on living, I sought to hang myself and follow you…….”
“…….”
“In the end, I failed to die. Because I didn’t die sooner, I have only suffered agonies I should never have experienced……. I am…….”
“Your Highness.”
Gyeong Won-ui gently brought his hand to Yoo Seo-hwa’s fingertips. Her fingertips flinched once, but she did not pull away. Emboldened, he enveloped her hand.
He softly pressed a kiss to the back of Yoo Seo-hwa’s slender, trembling hand. With the utmost respect, and with profound, earnest devotion and gratitude.
“Thank you.”
The back of her hand shook with a start. Gyeong Won-ui whispered as if engraving every single syllable, every single piece of his heart.
“Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for giving comfort to my sister.”
“…….”
“Thank you for not dying, and for staying alive.”
Over Yoo Seo-hwa’s tightly closed eyes, a transparent sorrow rolled down her cheek.
Just as Gyeong Won-ui had left his time in the Imperial Prison five years ago, Yoo Seo-hwa’s time remained frozen on the night she had tried to hang herself. The misery of barely holding on because she could not die had shackled her time.
Along with the washing tide of sorrow, time flowed forward from the past and became one with her life.
Only now did Yoo Seo-hwa’s life finally stand upright.

* * *

It had been a very long time since he woke to a dawn where mental fatigue did not weigh down his body. It was a pleasant start to the day.
When he took breakfast, another good thing occurred. There was a plate neatly piled with delicious-looking oiseon.
Although it was a dish he enjoyed, the season was early, meaning it required special preparation. Of course, Gyeong Won-ui had never once requested a separate dish for himself from the Banbitgan.
Just as a faint suspicion crossed his mind, the maidservant bowed.
“The young lady explicitly requested it to be served, saying that the master likes it.”
“…….”
The corners of his mouth crept upward. The taste of the sour oiseon, which stimulated his appetite with its crisp crunch, was exceptionally wonderful.
After finishing his meal with relish, he called Mang-a.
“How is the young lady today?”
“She is not aching anywhere.”
“If there is any anomaly in the young lady’s well-being, you must tell me immediately. Also, please convey to the young lady that thanks to her, I thoroughly enjoyed my morning meal.”
“Understood.”
“Right. How have you been faring lately? The environment must be quite different from when you were on the mountain.”
“Uh, m-me?”
With a flustered expression, Mang-a hesitated and lowered his head deeply.
“The young lady is a good person, so she treats me well. I like it better than when I was on the mountain.”
“I will count on you to look after the young lady in the future as well.”
“……Yes.”
For some reason, Mang-a’s face looked complicated as he gave his answer and turned away.
‘I should meet with him separately later.’
Since there was Han Gak’s request and the boy was also Yoo Seo-hwa’s page, he naturally drew more of his attention.
Hesitating before his attendance at court, Gyeong Won-ui walked over to Yoo Seo-hwa’s quarters. Though he had sent word through Mang-a, he still wanted to see her face in person.
“Did you have a peaceful night?”
“Yes. Did you sleep well too, Young Master?”
“Thanks to your thoughtfulness, I thoroughly enjoyed my breakfast.”
“I have just finished my meal as well.”
She did not welcome him with a radiant smile like in the old days, but at least a corner of her gaze held his figure.
Whether because she had shed tears last night, her eyes were somewhat red and swollen. Since she showed no other signs of discomfort or illness, he felt relieved.
“I merely dropped by briefly before heading to court, so I shall be on my way.”
Even as he gave his parting greeting, he did not expect much.
He had only intended to catch a final glimpse of Yoo Seo-hwa’s face, but Yoo Seo-hwa tilted her head slightly and returned the gesture.
“Safe travels.”
“……I shall return.”
A simple, completely unsmiling farewell gripped his heart tightly. Feeling the heat rise all the way to the nape of his neck, Gyeong Won-ui hurriedly retreated.

“You seem to have something good going on today.”
“That is not the case.”
“Hmph. To my eyes, it looks as though your heart is walking not through the Imperial Palace, but through the Heavenly Realm above the clouds.”
“You misunderstand, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor teased Gyeong Won-ui, who was feigning ignorance even though it was glaringly obvious that his expression was far more relaxed and elated.
After briefly refreshing the atmosphere, the Emperor brought back the topic they had paused.
“If Cui Shecheng’s testimony is true, a great chaos will break out. Will that man’s safety be secure?”
“Since even the Jinwu cannot be fully trusted, I am protecting him separately in secret.”
“Well done. Is the information he brought reliable as well?”
“I cross-referenced the handwriting, and it is certain.”
The evidence that Cui Shecheng had separately disclosed was none other than letters indicating that Chu Se-gu shared a close relationship with the White Head Sect.

He said he judged that because it was right before they gathered everything to burn it and the attendants had briefly stepped away, they wouldn’t easily notice its disappearance. He had stolen it with the intention of holding it over Chu Se-gu as a weakness to blackmail him.
When he returned and checked it, it was an immense piece of evidence far beyond his imagination.

Even while on the run, it was evidence he had kept tightly wrapped in oil paper. It was truly a stroke of heavenly luck that he had not lost it while drifting at sea.
“However, since it lacks the Minister of State’s hand-signature, there is a risk he might feign innocence and claim he is being framed. I intend to dig deeper into his surroundings.”
“By all means, proceed with caution.”
The Emperor’s expression was equally grave.
If this matter could be successfully resolved, he could avenge the grievance of Gyeong Won-ui, his cherished loyal official. Not only that, but taking Chu Se-gu’s false accusation case as an opportunity, he could review various imperial trials that had been rampant during the reign of Emperor Xuanwen, thereby firmly consolidating the imperial power.
Naturally, the Emperor’s personal desire for revenge against the deceased Emperor Xuanwen would also be satisfied.
“I shall not spare any support.”
“Your benevolence is boundless, Your Majesty.”