Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 122

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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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I was born the daughter of a minor concubine.
122
‘What exactly is she…….’
Seong Gyeom-sabok had seemed suspicious too, but at least he’d been a civil servant of sorts, so his background was vouched for to some degree. But her—I didn’t know anything about her, which made her seem even more suspicious.
‘I know it’s awkward to say this when I’ve been helped by her, but still, I ought to be at least a little cautious…….’
She wasn’t constantly at the Crown Prince’s side, so it wasn’t a major concern, but the fact that he’d permitted me such generous access to the palace—allowing me to come and go freely—made me wary.
While I was turning my head with these thoughts, Cheon Ho smiled at me, utterly oblivious to what I was thinking.
Looking at his face, he reminded me of a large dog who trusted people easily—which made me feel a little guilty.
“What do you do on days when I don’t call for you?”
“I train, study, and learn the layout of Hanyang.”
Cheon Ho only attended me when I went out. He’d received permission to enter the palace, but ultimately required my approval each time.
The Crown Prince had summoned Cheon Ho after the chaos within the palace had settled somewhat.
During that time, confined to my Residence in a state of semi-imprisonment, I’d occasionally called Cheon Ho out and given him sweets while we chatted about trivial things.
Since we weren’t quite that close, I was reluctant to summon him every day—perhaps once every few days instead.
‘Come to think of it, this is a bit like how it was with Seong Gyeom-sabok.’
Though seeing someone occasionally didn’t necessarily mean you knew them well.
Otherwise, when I went out like today, I’d give him notice beforehand, and he’d come find me and accompany me.
He seemed to have become close to the children of Siyeongwon quickly, and his warm nature probably helped.
“So you’re having fun?”
“Ha ha. Well, I’m a country person, so Hanyang is too chaotic for me to get used to it easily.”
“It is complicated, true. Hmm. The Siyeongwon children would know the layout of Hanyang better than I would.”
“You seem to have a deep connection with the children.”
Can you really call this a deep connection?
“Well, it’s been eight years already, so quite a long time.”
“Eight years…… that is quite a long time, isn’t it?”
“It passed so quickly I’ve never given it much thought, but yes, it’s been a while. Same with Seong Gyeom-sabok.”
Now that I think about it, I’d met those children not long after I’d met Seong Gyeom-sabok.
Since I didn’t have much reason to leave the palace, it was perhaps natural enough.
‘Come to think of it, everything traces back to that Fourth Month Buddha’s Birthday.’
I never imagined things would grow to this scale back then…….
“I didn’t intend any of it, but somehow things just kept expanding. It’s all just about giving them a place to shelter from the rain, really.”
“……Because you can’t bear to see children in danger? You have quite an expansive heart.”
“I don’t want to hear that from someone who came chasing after me saying an unknown child was kidnapped.”
“And I don’t want to hear it from someone who’s feeding unknown children.”
I wanted to pinch him for being so annoying.
Since his face was out of reach, I grabbed his hair instead, the soft strands flowing through my fingers.
“Ow ow ow. Why are you doing this?”
“Because it’s the perfect size to grab.”
His height made it convenient.
“……Come to think of it.”
“Yes?”
“Jeok-a isn’t avoiding you?”
“……?”
I called out to Seong Gyeom-sabok, who was walking a little distance away from us.
“Look, look. When Seong Gyeom-sabok comes close like this…….”
“He avoids you.”
When Cheon Ho saw that Jeok-a was avoiding Seong Gyeom-sabok and reached out his hand, Jeok-a unexpectedly didn’t avoid it and accepted his touch.
“……I thought he was a horse that was well-disposed to people.”
“He’s a bad horse who discriminates.”
Seong Gyeom-sabok retreated slowly again, his face full of betrayal.
Snort.
Why did it feel like Jeok-a was laughing at Seong Gyeom-sabok?
“Does he know that Cheon Ho is younger than he looks?”
“I’m not sure…….”
Cheon Ho laughed, as if charmed by the mystery.
After we left Siyeongwon, we went to the academy that had been built near it. And naturally, there was a Clinic next to the academy.
‘Since I’m out, I should stop by.’
I usually made it a point to visit this place from time to time.
We frequently discussed the children’s educational philosophy and curriculum.
‘Come to think of it…… I suppose I’m the superintendent of this school…….’
The academy never received an official name, but everyone simply calls it the Siyeong Academy.
Well, a name hardly matters.
The curriculum split into two tracks—one teaching the children liberal arts, the other medicine—though the medical program naturally demanded more frequent deliberation.
Students in the medical program had to complete the liberal arts coursework as well, naturally.
For reference, foundational education mostly takes place within Siyeongwon itself. Space constraints, you understand.
‘More and more children want to pursue advanced studies. Should we expand the facilities?’
In practice, the two physicians Heo Yeon-tae and his niece Heo Seong-ji served as the academy’s de facto directors.
Since classes were still in session, we decided to enter quietly so as not to disturb them.
Without sending word ahead, we slipped into the office, where Heo Yeon-tae was organizing documents. The moment he saw me, he flinched, his whole body going rigid before he quickly bowed.
‘This man never changes.’
Though truthfully, he looked more startled that someone had burst in unannounced than by my presence specifically.
“Welcome.”
“How are things progressing of late?”
“Smoothly, I assure you.”
According to Heo Seong-ji, ever since Heo Yeon-tae began teaching the children, he’d stopped drinking heavily and had actually become more steadfast.
Surprisingly, he proved to be an excellent physician and teacher both.
‘Clearly he carried some painful past with him.’
If holding a teaching position eased his mind more than fieldwork, then so be it—perhaps it was his true calling.
Not every physician could treat every patient, and one’s mental fortitude mattered greatly. Even with skill, if a person couldn’t endure the weight of it, such a path was hardly the wrong choice.
I had no intention of prying into the man’s private wounds, and when Heo Seong-ji returned after a brief absence, we discussed several operational matters.
“We do need more physicians. People often study fields they’re unfamiliar with, which requires additional instruction.”
“And the time spent creating teaching materials alone has grown considerable.”
Since physicians of this era hadn’t earned state credentials, some possessed unconventional treatments; midwives especially often knew little beyond childbirth.
The children had originally studied from existing medical texts, but as content accumulated, someone suggested creating new teaching materials, and now everyone was struggling with the task.
The Royal Medical Office was working on medical texts too, but we couldn’t afford to wait for their completion.
“Strange. I could have sworn there were more people before. Now the numbers have dropped.”
“We’ve had our share of quarrels and departures.”
The structure here was genuinely complex. Since midwives had long performed much of what female physicians did, they offered many opinions, yet disagreements arose frequently, causing hurt feelings. Physicians, being proud folk, sometimes left when hierarchies weren’t formally established like in the Royal Medical Office.
We couldn’t force anyone to stay—they’d come voluntarily—so holding them proved impossible. The physicians would fight and leave.
The midwives, feeling dismissed by the physicians, couldn’t last long either and would eventually depart, asking to be called again when needed.
The ones remaining now worked in a complementary fashion, which was fortunate, though Heo Seong-ji had certainly borne much of the burden.
“You’re not planning to recruit people yourself, are you?”
“Then who should I bring in…?”
The remaining staff, having undergone a systematization process, now served as both instructors and physicians.
With so many people living in Siyeongwon, illnesses naturally arose; word had spread, and patients sought out the clinic of their own accord.
“You seem to be taking on too much work. Are you certain you can manage?”
“I do this because I love it.”
As Heo Yeon-tae watched Heo Seong-ji with concern, he turned to me when she wasn’t looking and made an unexpected request.
“My niece possesses such boundless enthusiasm that I worry it may overwhelm her. Would you consider encouraging her to rest a little?”
“That’s hardly a difficult favor. And don’t call me that.”
“…Yes.”
Yet his eyes held that peculiar gleam whenever he looked at me.
If I spent enough time here, I’d surely see many children. Could someone truly resemble me?
Having been in the palace, I’d likely seen my half-sisters many times without ever realizing it.
‘Hmm. But I take after my sister and mother, not Father so much.’
The question spilled out before I’d fully considered it.
“Do I happen to resemble someone you know?”
“I—pardon?”
“Why the shock? Every time Physician Heo looks at me, his manner grows odd. That’s why I’m asking.”
“No, no, that’s not—”
Heo Seong-ji came in then, and the conversation ended, though something still felt unresolved.
‘Hmm… I think I’ll suggest something spicy for dinner tonight.’
It was a mercy that chili powder existed in this era.
With such thoughts, I dragged Heo Seong-ji along with me.
“By the way, do you still visit Hye Minser often?”
“Of course. I watch the aspiring physicians trembling in terror at Hye Minser.”
The clinic was far more demanding than here, exposing students to far more varied ailments, so everyone experienced a bout of panic once they went there.
“It really would be good if people had specialized fields.”
“But wouldn’t that require many more physicians?”

More physicians means greater financial burden.
Though I suppose this is a revenue enterprise as well.
The salary structure, personal protection, and various other conditions aren’t unfavorable, so many find it appealing—yet some physicians bristle at being ranked equally with female physicians.
On the other hand, there are cases like Heo Seong-ji, where women with physicians as fathers show interest,
though if parents truly intended to raise their daughters as physicians, they’d likely have had them take the examination instead of coming here.
Still, the perception that this is a stable place for women has spread quite widely, drawing all manner of people.
“I feel bad about giving Seong-ji so much work. I never planned to burden her like this.”
“Not at all, miss. Thanks to you, I’m able to do things I never imagined I would.”
“You look tired. Why don’t you rest a bit? Speaking of which, the flower shadow play started recently, didn’t it? Have you seen it?”
“Ah… I’ve been too busy to see it yet.”
It was a play I’d conceived, but while I was confined to the palace and couldn’t leave, others carried it forward through correspondence, so I could only confirm its progress by letter.
The last time I came to Siyeongwon the weather was poor, so I left without seeing it.
And here Seong-ji, working right nearby, hasn’t managed to see it either.
“I hear the reception has been good. Some of the students who came to watch have mentioned it, and patients all seem to know about it too.”
“That’s fortunate.”
‘Se-hwa had some involvement in the adaptation as well, if I recall.’
If the original author had been involved, wouldn’t that soften some of the complaints from the original fans?
According to Seong-ji, from what people around here say, it’s gained a certain popularity, but the core fans of the original work apparently aren’t pleased.
Still, in terms of mass appeal, it seems the book sales that had slowed have started to rise again, so it’s worked out well enough.
As soon as the topic came up, I pulled Seong-ji along to go see it, and Heo Yeon-tae, the physician, pushed gently on her back, saying he’d handle the remaining work and that she should accompany me.
The play is being performed at our playground, not far from Siyeongwon and the academy.
People naturally gather where people gather.

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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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