Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Born as the daughter of a concubine of the lowest rank.
Chapter 103
Hanyang’s dense population meant no shortage of courtesans either.
Probably.
I say “probably” because, having been raised delicately within the palace, I wasn’t particularly well-versed in such matters.
But from what I’d heard in passing, they were concentrated near Yukjo-geori, in Byeokjang-dong, and in Dabang-gol.
‘That time, they definitely said Dabang-gol… a Gisaeng House.’
Geographically, it made sense. Yukjo-geori aside, Byeokjang-dong wasn’t far from the east of Gwanghwamun, so one would want to feel a bit more distant, psychologically speaking.
Since officials frequented those areas, one couldn’t say Dabang-gol was far either, but it was more a matter of feeling.
Gisaeng Houses were supposedly visited more by lower-ranking officials and military men than by high-ranking ones, while the nobility typically summoned courtesans to their homes. Perhaps this drama’s setting is modeled after historical accounts of high-ranking officials gathering there.
What little I knew about Gisaeng Houses came largely from being acquainted with courtesans like Maehyang and Song Hwa.
I wasn’t sure which house exactly, but I’d heard there weren’t many places large enough to be called a Gisaeng House proper.
At least they’d specified the district, which was fortunate.
‘I suppose I could try going there…’
Though I was rather worried about whether I should.
And sure enough, when I broached the subject, I met with resistance.
It wasn’t just Seong Gyeom-sabok—So-i’s opposition was formidable. Yeong-seon, who had originally been a yangban lady, simply didn’t know what to make of the mention of a Gisaeng House.
“But surely, my lady, such a place is not somewhere you ought to visit.”
“I’ll just dress plainly and no one will think it odd.”
“That is not the issue, my lady.”
“You think they’ll mistake me for a child courtesan?”
“Well, that is to say…”
“I’ll only go briefly during the day to see how many Gisaeng Houses there are in Dabang-gol and where they’re located. Who knows? There might be another clue.”
“Goodness, my lady.”
Pressing the matter insistently, I managed to bring both So-i and Seong Gyeom-sabok along to Dabang-gol.
Yeong-seon looked as though she wanted to follow, but since returning to the palace took precedence if it grew late, I had her stay home in case she alone needed to return to Sa-ga.
If something went wrong, someone had to be there to relay word to others.
‘Hmm… Dabang-gol is near Bosingak, across the Cheonggyecheon. In the modern era, was it Dadong or Mugyo-dong? I think there were many restaurants there.’
It seemed to be a place where people gathered, whether past or present. In any case, I always felt something strange whenever passing near Cheonggyecheon.
At any rate, I decided to focus on the present rather than a future that had become the past.
For having imagined a disreputable neighborhood, it was relatively ordinary. Though musical strains and singing could be heard here and there.
‘Come to think of it, I heard Maehyang’s house was in Dabang-gol too.’
If I said I was going to a Gisaeng House, everyone would jump back in shock, so I’d need some pretext. Should I say I was going to see Maehyang?
And it was there that I learned one rather shocking fact.
“There’s only one Gisaeng House here?”
“Ah, how provincial… ahem. In Dabang-gol, there’s only that one Gisaeng House worthy of the name—the one where that famous Maehyang is.”
I’d only asked for directions, but thanks to this gentleman’s effusive praise of Maehyang’s singing—how she was the best and rivaled even the courtesans of Songdo—I had to endure an entire treatise on famous courtesans from other provinces.
‘He’s like some idol fan bragging about their hometown group.’
I pretended not to hear and discreetly clung to So-i.
It seemed that large, well-established Gisaeng Houses with multiple courtesans, the kind you’d see in historical dramas, were quite rare.
“I’m thoroughly confused…”
“I am also not entirely certain…”
“Neither am I…”
When I tilted my head in bewilderment, both So-i and Seong Gyeom-sabok wore expressions equally baffled as my own.
For now, I looked around and tugged at both their sleeves, suggesting we head to the Dabang-gol Gisaeng House the gentleman had pointed out.
There was only one Gisaeng House, it seemed, but during the day, people going about their work weren’t scarce, so we didn’t stand out particularly. Apparently, there were quite a few nobi and servants running errands related to the establishment in this district.
Of course, there were also early customers arriving at the Gisaeng House.
As I glanced around, I spotted a familiar face.
“Ah?”
“What is it, my lady?”
“Shh.”
I pulled So-i’s sleeve and hid behind a mud wall, carefully observing the man passing by.
So-i, sensing something amiss, crouched beside me and we exchanged wordless glances.
‘It’s that kidnapper from before.’
‘It is that kidnapper from before, my lady.’
Despite our sudden movements, Seong Gyeom-sabok showed no outward change, though his gaze was directed toward the same point as ours.
Where the man was headed became clear almost immediately.
A building distinctly larger and more ornate than others on the street, decorated with Five-Colored Lanterns, was unmistakably the Gisaeng House we’d been seeking.
Seeing the kidnapper enter the Gisaeng House, I felt a slight indignation rising and wanted to cry out.
‘Eighteen days, you said!’
If I thought about it coldly, the schedule could change at any moment. Besides, I’d only caught fragments of the conversation, so I couldn’t be certain I’d heard it correctly.
That was why the timeframe had seemed oddly generous.
In truth, I had no idea what had kept me from crossing paths with him that day, so running into him here was genuinely fortunate.
I couldn’t let an opportunity like this slip away.
“I need to get inside the Gisaeng House.”
“No, that won’t do……!”
It was then that So-i grabbed my arm and held me back as I tried to slip in after him.
“Hahahaha.”
A loud burst of laughter rang out, and a cluster of men came streaming toward us. Among them was someone whose face I knew.
“Huh?”
It was Eunhwa-gun, the son of Heunghwa-gun—the same man who’d come up in my recent conversation with the Crown Prince.
‘I managed to hide myself just now, but what’s he doing here?’
Surely his wife was expecting. Surely he wouldn’t—?
I watched Eunhwa-gun with eyes drained of all charity.
Everyone around him was fawning and scrambling to please him.
“How delighted you must be, with your lady wife expecting a child.”
“Surely today Eunhwa-gun has offered to treat us all, as he promised?”
From what I could gather of the conversation, I had a fairly good idea what was going on…….
‘Mm.’
If he wanted to celebrate good news, he could do it at my restaurant—but he’d chosen a Gisaeng House instead. These were men with blackened hearts.
Though, admittedly, my establishment had become rather expensive and difficult to book these days.
‘Maybe I should open a new one catering to commoners.’
As I entertained that entirely irrelevant thought about opening a second location in another district, I slipped free from So-i’s grip.
“I’ll be back in just a moment.”
“What?”
Since Heunghwa-gun was my uncle, Eunhwa-gun and I were of the same generation.
So the proper form of address was…….
“Older brother!”
“……?”
Whether Eunhwa-gun—who had no younger sister—was startled or not, I threw my arms around him enthusiastically and waved my hand in greeting.
“Ha, you must have the wrong per—?! Eh??”
“Older brother, what are you doing here?”
“I, uh, th, wh, wha……— rather, what are you doing here?”
He’d recognized who I was, but Eunhwa-gun fumbled to find the proper way to address me in public.
Since my appearance hadn’t changed in years, it would have been strange if he didn’t recognize me—but at this distance, it was difficult for a member of the Royal Relatives Clan to fail to know my face.
Those accompanying him looked at Eunhwa-gun’s bewildered response with confusion.
“What is the matter?”
“A……relation. A younger sister from the family.”
Eunhwa-gun, looking as if he’d bitten off more than he could chew, stammered out a hastily improvised excuse.
And with trembling eyes, he turned to me and asked:
“How on earth…… are you…… in a place like this……?”
It was a fair question, but I simply smiled blithely and tugged at the hem of his robe.
“I saw you and followed you. Are you here to have fun?”
“I, well, that must be it……?”
“Do you have fun here?”
“Ah? Well, yes, there’s a singer here who performs beautifully!”
“Really? Then your uncle must know you come here to enjoy yourself, older brother??”
“…….”
“…….”
Suddenly, every man in his entourage fell silent.
Even in families less strict about such matters, one typically refrained when a wife was expecting.
Especially in the early stages of pregnancy—a delicate time requiring rest.
And having given such an excuse to a child, the consequences would fall squarely on his shoulders.
“If it’s fun, I’ll come along.”
“I…… ha, haha. This is not a place for a young lady to visit.”
“But you just said…… didn’t you say it wasn’t worth going into?”
Eunhwa-gun habitually began to use formal speech toward me, then glanced around and barely managed to trail off vaguely.
“Then, would it be alright if I told your uncle about this?”
“…….”
“I, well, what would it matter? It’s not as if we’re going anywhere disreputable.”
“Ahem. Quite so. We merely wish to enjoy conversation accompanied by music, nothing more.”
“I want to hear the music too.”
“Well… that is to say… I mean… truly, it’s not as though… what. Yes, it’s not as if I mean to do anything shameful. That’s correct, isn’t it?”
For a long moment Eunhwa-gun avoided my gaze, his eyes wandering, until at last he seemed to steel himself and spoke those words, his eyes sweeping across those gathered around us.
The message was clear: if anyone here did anything shameful, he would not let it pass.
“Hmm, hmm.”
“Since it’s still daylight, there’s no harm in leaving early. Besides, there won’t be many people about now, so we needn’t worry about drunken rabble.”
Thus the matter was rationalized away.
As we suddenly found ourselves with a piece of luggage to bring along—which gave everyone present rather complicated expressions—Eunhwa-gun nodded with surprising brightness.
“Well then. So you all agree to bring this… child along with us.”
“Since you wish it, sir, what choice do we have?”
“Ahem.”
It seemed they were all deferring to him, likely because Eunhwa-gun was the one paying for everything.
“But will it be acceptable to bring the child inside the Gisaeng House itself?”
“They’ll likely turn us away at the entrance, I suspect.”
“Hmm, but the child is so small. If she stands among us, she won’t be noticed at all.”
“Perhaps you’re right. This is quite an unusual experience, I must admit.”
With murmured conversation, they then positioned me carefully in their midst, as if by prior arrangement, and slipped inside without drawing notice.
Seong Gyeom-sabok and So-i watched me enter the Gisaeng House with bewildered expressions, but what could be done?
I made a gesture for them to wait a moment, then clutched the hem of Eunhwa-gun’s dopo as we entered together.
Concealed by the folds of his garment, no one seemed to notice my presence at all.
Inside the Gisaeng House, the interior proved far more spacious than I had expected, and I found myself marveling slightly at its extent.
Of course, from my perspective of having lived in the palace, I could hardly call it large.
In any case, whether they had made a reservation or not, Eunhwa-gun’s party was promptly shown to a private room in the inner quarters.
A drinking table had already been partially prepared.
Soon the feast was properly arranged, and from beyond the paper door came the sound of women’s voices.
When the door opened, I saw faces I recognized.
The moment Maehyang and Song Hwa spotted me, their eyes went wide. I brought my index finger to my lips and closed one eye in a conspiratorial wink.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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