Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 104

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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 the daughter of a concubine of the lowest rank.
Episode 104
Among the courtesans, including Maehyang and Songhwa, there were a few who knew my face.
They seemed momentarily stunned by the fact that I had appeared somewhere I shouldn’t be, but they quickly recovered their composure.
“My goodness, I never would have guessed a lovely young lady would visit a place like this.”
“She’s a cousin of mine. Don’t be disrespectful.”
“How could we ever dare show disrespect to a young lady of her standing, my lord?”
The thought of someone odd enough to bring a child to a gisaeng house was difficult to imagine, so Eunhwa-gun and his companions seemed to believe the courtesans had simply been startled upon seeing me.
Soon music played by the courtesans filled the air, and everyone began enjoying the gathering while paying me a bit of attention.
Of course, Eunhwa-gun didn’t so much as taste the alcohol.
“Well now, a young lady from a yangban household visiting a gisaeng house? That’s a first for me.”
“Ha ha ha. But isn’t your sister adorable? Eunhwa-gun, if the young lady hasn’t yet found a match, how about one of our cousins?”
Watching his companions fawn over me moderately, Eunhwa-gun shook his head with an expression as though he might faint.
“…She was raised as a treasured daughter in a noble household. Don’t go speaking so carelessly.”
Whether because Eunhwa-gun’s expression had grown rigid, or because they’d realized he was a member of the Royal Clan, everyone began to read the room carefully.
They were likely spinning theories that, as a relative of the clan, I must be the daughter of some royal house.
And truthfully, that wasn’t incorrect.
I approached the courtesans, leaving the stiffened men behind.
Maehyang’s face brightened when our eyes met.
Even courtesans accustomed to difficult customers found the current situation somewhat bewildering, but among them, only Maehyang maintained her composure.
“What songs do you ladies perform?”
“What song would you like us to sing for you, young lady?”
“Which song do you do best?”
The courtesans paid no attention to the men, only beaming at me.
Maehyang’s eyes had shown initial concern, but then she realized Eunhwa-gun was watching me, and she laughed melodiously, singing the song that I had half-taught her and she had completed herself.
“Your singing is excellent.”
“You honor me with such praise, young lady. I scarcely know what to do with myself.”
As I clapped and offered my compliments, the courtesans laughed brightly and bowed their heads before me.
The men’s expressions had turned rather bitter.
“I never knew you ladies were so fond of young children.”
“How could we not adore such a lovely young lady who takes such pleasure in our humble performance? Ho ho.”
With the mood shifted, the courtesans finished their song, then discreetly pretended not to see the men and came to my side, feeding me and chattering merrily.
“Please, do have these sanjuk I’m offering you.”
“And do try one of these honey rice cakes I’ve brought.”
“My, young lady, surely your throat must be parched? Here, do taste this sikhye.”
“I prefer sujeongkwa to sikhye.”
“Oh my, I didn’t know! You there, hurry and fetch a bucket of sujeongkwa.”
“Yes, sister.”
I was enjoying myself, but this felt somehow… like the main character had switched places?
‘What is this? It’s not exactly the Pleasure Pavilion of Kings.’
Drinking sikhye and sujeongkwa instead of wine, accepting food from the hands of beautiful courtesans—it was beginning to feel like I’d become a rather comfortable piece of trash.
And watching me, the men were caught in an internal struggle.
It seemed as though I hadn’t done anything particularly wrong, but they were uncertain whether to express the vague dissatisfaction of having something about the situation feel not quite right.
Not that it was my concern.
“Surely, how can she be so familiar with the courtesans like that…”
“Hush, enough of that.”
“But—”
“I said that’s enough.”
And whenever someone tried to say something about my carefree behavior, Eunhwa-gun desperately tried to stop them.
In the meantime, I had begun engaging in some rather improper mischief.
“Mm, you ladies sing so well. What are your names?”
“I am called Maehyang, young lady.”
“I am called Songhwa, young lady.”
Though we already knew each other, they both dropped the pretense and introduced themselves as if meeting for the first time. I played along as well.
“Well, I like you both. How about coming to my house?”
“My goodness!”
At my words, the courtesans gasped delightedly, placing their hands over their chests.
“What?! What on earth—!!”
In contrast to the startled courtesans, Eunhwa-gun looked alarmed, but I suppressed my laughter. And seeing me, the courtesans likewise held back their own.
But I couldn’t keep this up much longer.
Of course there’s some entertainment value in it, but that’s not why I came to the Gisaeng House in the first place.
“Oh!”
“My goodness.”
I reached for the sikhye, then deliberately knocked over the wine bottle as if by accident. As the spilled wine soaked my clothes, quick-witted Maehyang rushed over and caught me in her arms.
“Oh dear. Your clothes are soaked.”
“It’s fine. I was planning to head home anyway.”
At my words, the faces of the men in the room brightened considerably.
“We shall see you out, miss.”
“Mm.”
Maehyang and Songhwa said we should borrow some clothes to change into before I left, so I wouldn’t catch cold in wet garments.
As the two of them each took my hand and led me out, their expressions seemed to darken again.
I held both their hands as we left the room, offering Eunhwa-gun a parting bow.
“I’ve had a lovely time, brother. I really should head home before it gets dark.”
“Ah, yes, of course. You mustn’t return late, but… are you sure you’ll be alright going alon—”
“I have someone waiting outside anyway. They’ll see me at least to the entrance. You will take me that far, won’t you?”
“Of course, miss.”
Eunhwa-gun seemed to realize I wouldn’t be traveling alone, and he readily let me go, even making me promise to return if I somehow couldn’t find my escort.
Though of course I had no intention of doing so.
“But miss, what brings you to a place like this?”
“This is hardly a place where a young lady such as yourself should be.”
The two women who had been laughing happily moments before began lecturing me the moment we were away from the main room—though I knew their concern came from genuine worry.
As I was being changed into different clothes more or less against my will, I debated how much to tell them.
“Well… you see…”
I described the appearance of the man who had kidnapped me, asking if he came to the Gisaeng House often.
“We’ve never seen anyone like that.”
Maehyang said it was rare for someone to spend enough money to call for both her and Songhwa, so he might be a customer at another establishment.
Even as she spoke, both women called over the servant girls working at the house and asked various questions, and thanks to their efforts, I found the answer more easily than expected.
“It sounds like he might be among the people who gather separately in the Separate Building.”
“Then I need to check there.”
Both Maehyang and Songhwa looked worried at my words.
“What sort of person is this?”
“Someone who tried to cheat me.”
“Ah.”
Why did they suddenly look so understanding?
The word “cheat” seemed too light, so I added a bit more—though I couldn’t quite bring myself to mention that he’d actually kidnapped me.
“But he might be involved in something dangerous. You know how it is—people who run schemes like that sometimes have connections to dangerous people.”
“Surely you’re not planning to do anything risky, are you?”
“We should go instead.”
But I shook my head.
“No. I need to see him myself to know for certain it’s the right person.”
Besides, even if I was discovered eavesdropping, it would be safer for me to slip away quietly while appearing to be just another child, rather than sending them in.
The two women seemed to understand, but they didn’t back down.
“But it would be better if we went with you. That way, less attention would fall on you, wouldn’t you say?”
“Hmm.”
‘It’s still broad daylight, and there are plenty of people in the house. It shouldn’t be too dangerous.’
Agreeing with Maehyang, I borrowed a servant girl’s clothes to cover the wine incident, and followed her to the Separate Building in the guise of her attendant, positioning myself behind her to observe who came and went.
The guests in the Separate Building were flustered yet delighted to see Maehyang arrive uninvited, uncertain how to react.
And then I saw someone unexpected.
‘Wait… isn’t that…?’
One of Yeongbin’s relatives.
He had a distinctive face with a large mole beside his nose, so I remembered him—he’d certainly been coming here even before Yeongbin fell from grace.
‘Though he never seemed particularly close to her.’
Even when Yeongbin was at her height, he hadn’t visited her or Gyeongeon-gun very often.
But then why was I seeing him instead of the person I was actually looking for?
In any case, now that I’d come all the way to the Separate Building, I couldn’t just leave empty-handed.
Maehyang explained to the men that the servant girl must have misdelivered the message, and since she was here now, she’d give them a performance before the expected guest arrived—and at that, even those who’d been about to refuse fell silent.
As promised with Maehyang, I slipped quietly out of sight and wandered around the outside of the building. Though there weren’t many people immediately nearby, I could see workers scattered in the distance, so my presence didn’t seem out of place.
As I casually surveyed the surroundings, I spotted some men whispering behind the building.
‘That man… could he be…?’
Clutching the small tray I’d brought as an excuse to be running errands, I lingered near them and caught fragments of their conversation.
“But isn’t that far too dangerous?”
“You know it is. We need the funds.”
Had I only heard the words, there would have been nothing strange about the exchange. But the moment I recognized those voices, my blood ran cold.
The man from that hut—the one who’d tried to harm me, the one who’d abducted me—his voice was unmistakable.
“If we hadn’t gotten caught with the counterfeit currency, we could’ve made real money by now…….”
“The Crown Prince ordered the Podo-cheong to conduct a thorough investigation, so it’s not easy to slip away right now. You’d better lay low for a while. The Capital City’s too risky—from now on, we’ll meet at the tavern near Seohwalinso instead, not here.”
“Damn that useless Crown Prince, claiming he has no interest in women……!”
Our Crown Prince is useless?
Even as my reputation was crumbling in the strangest of directions, I crouched behind the tree, straining to catch every word. The shadows ought to keep me hidden from view.
“About the Crown Prince’s reputation…….”
“What if we……?”
“That’s too risky. But…….”
Whatever dangerous scheme they were discussing, they’d lowered their voices further.
‘If only I were a little closer…….’
I was crouching lower, pressing my ear forward, when it happened.
Crack—
“……!”
I’d stepped on something—a branch, perhaps—and it snapped. My balance shattered with it, and I tumbled forward.
“Who’s there?!”
Both men’s eyes swung toward me at once.

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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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