Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 68

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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 as the daughter of a mere concubine.
Episode 68
Most of those swept out by the spark I had set some time ago were low-ranking officials.
I heard that those with ambition to climb higher were diligent about stamping the attendance log, and the more promising the department, the heavier the workload.
In any case, among those dismissed were people from the households of meritorious subjects who had distinguished themselves during the rebellion, so there were those who voiced some discontent, or so I was told.
When several ministers began to grumble about this, my father subtly shifted the conversation to discussions of the Nungong Haengsang—the now-settled matter of rewards for those who had contributed to the rebellion.
When a rebellion is suppressed, the traitors’ assets are confiscated.
And when rewards are given to meritorious subjects who played a role in quelling the rebellion, those confiscated assets are distributed among them—such was the custom.
The King granted rewards to the meritorious subjects, and consulted with his ministers about extending grace to the descendants of these subjects, exempting them from dismissal for this one time. Since there were not that many meritorious subjects, the number of dismissed meritorious subjects’ descendants was not large either.
As a result, disputes broke out between the meritorious subjects and the other ministers.
In the end, they reached a compromise of withholding stipends for half a year, and the matter was settled with assurances that checks would be stricter going forward. From there, the discussion flowed into opinions that low-ranking officials need not attend daily and work for five to six hours, and suggestions that surplus personnel could be reduced from idle departments.
And as everyone focused on that topic, the matter of slaves usually distributed as rewards to the meritorious subjects passed without particular mention or objection.
In Joseon, if one is caught plotting rebellion, one’s three familial lines are exterminated.
The three lines refer to the maternal side, the paternal side, and the wife’s side, measured from the individual in question—typically the men are executed, while the women and children become slaves.
Originally, these would be distributed as rewards to the meritorious subjects, but this time they were not given slaves, so they all essentially became state slaves instead. Along with the slaves that the rebel faction’s households had kept.
‘Since it was discovered before the rebellion was formally launched, there weren’t that many meritorious subjects anyway.’
And from what I knew, my father was a man opposed to increasing the number of private slaves any further.
But state slaves ultimately needed to be employed by the nation, and since things were running smoothly with the existing personnel, adding extra workers was rather bothersome.
“What do you think would be best done with these slaves?”
“It would seem most proper to employ them where the state has need, Your Highness.”
The two of them—facing the pudding I had brought, or rather the dessert that had been renamed Yeonrango due to the Crown Prince’s objection—spoke in serious tones.
Many had become slaves due to treason, but many among them were also unsuitable for military service.
Regarding the pudding sadly, which still retained its original appearance from when it first arrived, I threw out a remark carelessly when the conversation between the two of them lapsed.
It was because memories of an earlier discussion about professional soldiers had surfaced.
“Would it not be suitable to allow the existing state slaves, should they complete military service for a set period, to achieve Myunjeon? And could not their places be filled with the new slaves?”
“Hmm.”
“If they were told that extending the period several more years would allow their families to achieve Myunjeon as well, it would not seem undesirable, Your Highness.”
Rolling through several years like that, and they become professional soldiers.
Good for convincing grandfather and the other greybeards about the Myunjeon matter too.
“Or would it not be possible to simply employ them in Noyeok?”
“Noyeok, you say—do you know what Noyeok is?”
“For public works projects, mines, salt ponds, and places like that—surely new positions could be created even if there are none currently available?”
Even as I spoke, why did it all sound like they’d be whipped.
“Yes, mines indeed.”
“……?”
“You are truly clever, Si-a.”
“I am humbled, Father.”
Later, according to what I heard from the Crown Prince, my father had liked my first suggestion so much that he supplemented it more logically and implemented it as policy.
And the second suggestion, which I thought had been overlooked, was also accepted in a different form later on.
In addition to the existing mines, places suspected of having ore deposits were developed and miners were recruited. Though the work is arduous, beggars from the relief houses that had opened around the same time as mine were employed first before searching among the common people, or so I heard.
Seeing that they intended to search for ore deposits and expand the scale, it seemed they meant to reduce the number of unemployed in this opportunity.
Mine development had been attempted several times in the past, but the ministers had opposed it, saying that the existing mines were sufficient and that expansion could encourage extravagance.
‘Well, thinking about how everything was stripped away during the late Joseon and the Japanese colonial period, it seems better to just extract and use what’s here now.’
Not knowing how the future will unfold, it seems wiser to contribute to the nation’s finances now rather than to hoard.
And it seemed that the development of silver mines and the Lead-Silver Separation Method had not been abandoned but had continued through the generations.
‘Ah, perhaps that’s why the monetary economy developed more than I expected.’
Fortunately, it seemed to be well maintained as a state secret, though one never knew who might leak it to Japan. Since they seem to regard it as important, it will likely last longer than before.
In any case, I thought that matter would pass without further mention, but my father soon bestowed an unexpected reward upon me.
“To Siyoungwon?”
“Yes, Princess.”
He granted me some of those newly enslaved to work at Siyoungwon, it was said.
To me……?
What on earth……? Why……?
To my bewilderment, the answer came back that I had rendered service in winning the hearts of the people.
‘What……. How could that be?’
Normally when word of a rebellion spreads, people’s morale is shaken and the atmosphere becomes ominous, but it so happened that at a timely moment I cared for beggars and the atmosphere became warm instead, or so it was said.
Moreover, through sending Chanhap, past events came to light, and it seemed the atmosphere toward both me and the King had not been unfavorable.
In any case, that was the reason given.
The building demolition for my future residence had not yet begun, and since I spent my days only in the palace, I already had plenty of court ladies attending me, so I had no particular need for slaves.
So this, it seemed, meant I should use them as labor at Siyoungwon.
‘Free labor sounds good on paper, but something about it still bothers me.’
I’d heard there were many women, children, and elderly among them, which made me wonder if I was being handed the short end of the stick. But thinking it over, keeping them here felt easier on my conscience than letting them scatter to other households.
When I returned to the Residence and announced it, Ga-i, who managed my household affairs, made a slightly weary face but accepted the slave roster without complaint.
“It seems many of them were wives and young ladies from yangban families.”
“Mm.”
For a moment I wondered whether it would have been fine even if Ji-hwa hadn’t run away, but I quickly dismissed the thought—there was no guarantee she’d have become my slave anyway.
Besides, if her official status were openly that of a slave born to a member of the Rebellion faction, it would complicate matters considerably with the Crown Prince.
This novel wasn’t that sort of genre.
Probably.
“These yangban ladies—they must know their letters?”
“It’s rare to find yangban women with high learning, though I’ve heard such cases do exist. Still, it would be best not to expect too much, I’d say.”
“Even Hangul, though? They should know that much?”
“That much, yes.”
“Then let’s start by going there ourselves and sorting them out.”
“Pardon?”
And so once again I found myself sneaking out of the palace.
I justified it by saying that once the Residence was completed we’d be going back and forth anyway, so what did it matter—but Ga-i looked unamused. Seong Yoon, who accompanied me this time, merely chuckled.
“What’s the mood like?”
“Everyone’s bewildered. When would people like us ever have supervised slaves before?”
Just as Seong Yoon said, they were all at a loss with these suddenly acquired servants.
The children felt the same way, apparently—they were keeping awkward distance from each other, bowing nervously and only tending to their tasks.
“At least Min Sanggung is there. That’s a blessing.”
“An experienced manager makes all the difference.”
Among them all, only Min Sanggung was bustling about, assigning lodgings and duties to the newcomers.
It was gratifying to pay her wages.
“No, I should do this myself…”
“Ah, no. I’ll handle it.”
“Can’t I just do it myself?”
When I arrived at Siyoungwon, the scene before me reflected that same awkwardness perfectly.
One fair-skinned slave, recently yangban, and a child still bearing the dust of the streets was squabbling over laundry—each insisting awkwardly that they should do the washing.
‘Better than fighting or being cruel to each other, at least.’
I smiled and stepped between them.
“The children need to learn housework. There’s no need to do everything for them.”
“…!”
Startled by my sudden voice, those who jumped to their feet were the slaves; those whose faces brightened were the children who’d lived here before.
“The house mistress!”
That title still held strong, it seemed.
Even those who didn’t know who I was caught on quickly when they saw Min Sanggung bow to me, and a look of tension crossed their faces.
“Young mistress. You’ve come.”
“Yes. The sudden influx must have caught you off guard.”
I had the newcomers brought before me. Min Sanggung would have already taken inventory, so I didn’t need to verify that myself.
I had no desire to treat them harshly just because they’d become government slaves, and seeing their fear and trembling, I had Ga-i offer them reassurance.
Not me—Ga-i.
“Life here may be harder than what you knew before, but the Princess has no intention of treating you unjustly, so there is no need to be so afraid.”
“We are merely grateful for the Princess’s mercy.”
They answered as one, as if they’d rehearsed it, and bowed their heads.
It might have sounded like lip service, but the truth was, being under me was far easier on body and mind than going to another household.
Especially if they went to a house they knew—how terrifying that would be. A peer who suddenly becomes your master, and who knows what might happen to you then.
By comparison, serving a young member of the royal family wasn’t so bad at all.
‘They’re all trembling so much, I feel like I’ve done something wrong.’
No wonder they were frightened—they’d likely been dragged through the Uigeumbu before coming here.
I’d heard that some couldn’t adjust to their sudden fall into the mud and showed resistance, but apparently those around them had convinced them well enough.
It was unfortunate, but I couldn’t free them right away either.
‘They have nowhere to go.’
Their estates had been confiscated, and their acquaintances would hardly want to risk being tainted by association with the Rebellion faction, so taking refuge elsewhere would be difficult.
‘Later, when Ji-hwa appears and the charges of treason are reinvestigated and false charges are cleared, some of them might be released.’
For now, it was better that I protect them. Besides, I genuinely needed more hands.
Ga-i set about surveying their skills, as I’d instructed beforehand.
Not all yangban women were helpless—many had practical abilities. Even wives of prominent families understood the recipes for the dishes offered at ancestral rites.
It would be wasteful not to put skilled workers to their best use.
“Those who can read and write in Korean and Chinese, raise your hands.”
“Does anyone have embroidery as a special skill?”
“Who here is skilled at needlework?”
“Is there anyone confident in cooking?”
Since she’d given them notice beforehand, Ga-i and Min Sanggung sorted through those who raised their hands and wrote down their names.
Of course there were overlapping skills, so they decided to confirm later who excelled most in each area, or redirect them toward wherever extra hands were needed.
And perhaps it was to be expected—but regrettably, there were some who had no particular talent to speak of.
They hung their heads, their faces a mixture of embarrassment and indignation at having nothing to offer, but truthfully it hardly mattered. Everyone could read and write in Korean, and there was plenty of work that didn’t require any special skill.
Still, just in case, she decided to give those without experience a chance to learn.
This wasn’t an opportunity limited to the servants alone—it was extended commonly to everyone in Siyoungwon.
What if someone learned but still had no talent?
‘If there’s nothing else you can do, you make do with your hands and back.’
No matter how lacking in skill, anyone could gather firewood, do laundry and wash dishes, pick up a crying child and soothe them.
Besides, there were quite a few who were ill in this place, so people to care for them were needed too.
But unexpectedly, among the children who’d nearly been marked as hopeless, there was one with remarkable nerve.
A girl who looked to be in her late teens suddenly shot her hand up.

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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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