Three Thousand Court Ladies - Chapter 105

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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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Chapter 105
“What? You’ve already heard about that?”
She had returned from Ungiin-seong yesterday and spent all day today tracking the poisoning incident. Yet the fact that she was also looking into the affairs of the Moon Wolf Band took her aback.
“I heard it in a dream.”
“Oh, then I’ll shamelessly stay put, trusting in you.”
“That’s a good idea.”
When their eyes met, warmth bloomed in her chest. Looking at that face, it was clear she had carried much anguish alone.
What Sam-cheon had said to Yong-yong was sincere.
She would pray with all her might, again and again. Toward a world that loved Sam-cheon.
Yong-yong took a step back, as if to ask whether business was concluded.
“I’ll return to the barracks now. I’m going to get some rest and then head out again.”
“Will you be able to find them?”
“There must be traces left behind. My goal is to pin down whoever’s behind this before deployment and then join up. My apologies for the trouble.”
After Yong-yong left the barracks, her thoughts multiplied once more.
The destination for this campaign was Bonghwa Valley. There were reportedly vagabonds illegally occupying the site where the Bonghwa Tower—long defunct—stood.
Around thirty of them, and her mission was to apprehend or execute them and bring them in.
The Bonghwa Tower held military significance, but the scale hardly warranted Gyeon-hun-gun’s direct involvement.
She couldn’t fathom why the order had been assigned to Gyeon-hun-gun so soon after their return.
What troubled her most was that their designated quarters were at Byeolgung, near Jeong-hyeon-seong.
“It unsettles me.”
[Jeong-hyeon-seong of all places?]
“Yes. If we’d had plenty of time, I’d have sent people ahead to scout the situation.”
But the Great King insisted on urgency, ordering deployment in just three days. Having to rely solely on the written orders unsettled her.
What did the Great King want?
[Who knows what scheme he’s cooking up.]
“There must be an ulterior motive. I’ll have no choice but to respond once we’re there. For now, I intend to focus only on the poisoning incident.”
While everyone was away, trouble could break loose again. So she had to close out the poisoning incident as thoroughly as possible before departure.
[It’s all rather murky. Learning that woman has no children… it weighs on me.]
“Deok-sim seems to have taken quite a shock.”
[She’s always had a tender heart, hasn’t she. Deok-sim.]
“Three years ago, when Young-hwa arrived, Gyeon-hun-gun wasn’t considered a target worth monitoring. Yet there can’t be many people placed as spies without some purpose in mind.”
It seemed more likely they’d been scattered widely, and Gyeon-hun-gun had received one incidentally rather than by deliberate design.
Few commanded the resources to deploy operatives on such a scale. Among those with reach to Gyeon-hun-gun, there were only three: the Great King, the Crown Prince, and Jwapyeong. And the Hae clan, driven by old grudges.
The Great King kept Gye-san in check, yet her fame as the Undefeated General was also a source of his pride. He would hardly pressure her through such means.
The Crown Prince, friendly toward Gye-san, was excluded for the same reason. The Hae clan, their fortunes waning, lacked the resources to mobilize poison on such a scale.
That left only Jwapyeong—but he had no motive.
And there was Buyeo Gyeol, with neither proof nor motive, only suspicion.
Every angle had something loose about it.
[Someone’s coming.]
At I-re’s words, she lifted her head and sensed movement beyond the door.
“It’s Wol-ya.”
“Come in.”
She called out reflexively and rose awkwardly as Wol-ya entered. She’d heard he was returning after his speech, so his presence was unexpected.
“What brings you back?”
“This is why I’ve returned.”
In his hand he held a bottle identical to the Colored Glass Bottle they’d collected as evidence.
Sam-cheon accepted what Wol-ya offered. Liquid sloshed inside, releasing a subtle fragrance.
“It’s a Colored Glass Bottle imported from the Western Regions. They’re primarily used to store expensive perfumes or tonics. The merchant who brought them in is the Maho Merchant Guild.”
“The Maho Merchant Guild?”
“A small operation that established itself in Sabi-seong three years ago. Since they import goods from the Western Regions and the Tang Dynasty, they specialize in high-end luxury items.”
“This bottle alone appears to be quite valuable.”
“Correct. The quantity they brought in was likely limited.”
Sam-cheon turned the Colored Glass Bottle over in her hands.
Deok-sim’s heart was troubled. The moment she’d unpacked her things, she’d learned that someone who’d eaten from the same pot was a spy.
She would have preferred it to be a misunderstanding, but caught red-handed and having infiltrated from the start to extract information—a sigh escaped her.
She didn’t doubt the investigation’s findings. It was simply that she couldn’t bring herself to believe all those days together had been nothing but deception.
“Have some water.”
Kkot-nim held out a cup with a worried expression. Deok-sim accepted the cool water and managed a bitter smile.
“I’ve caused you concern. You’re anxious since I came back all unsettled, aren’t you?”
“Still, it’s fortunate they caught the spy. Someone you worked alongside for three years being a spy—that’s both frightening and sad.”
“The princess must be deeply distressed.”
Kkot-nim asked carefully, concern evident on her face.
“Was the palace attendant really a soldier?”
“She was unusually sharp even as a child.”
“I knew it. She was a palace attendant.”
Kkot-nim nodded with a dreamy expression, eyes sparkling. Deok-sim smiled at her and rose to her feet.
“Rest now. I have something I need to attend to.”
Deok-sim left the barracks and made her way toward where Young-hwa was being held. She knew they wouldn’t let her visit, but she couldn’t sit still.
It was frightening and sad, as Kkot-nim said. But more than that, anger burned in her.
People spoke of their good fortune that nothing had happened. There was a dominant mood of praise for the command that had caught the spy before any incident occurred.
But differently put, everyone could have died. All of them who ate the rice Deok-sim prepared with her own hands.
When Deok-sim reached the detention facility, the guards recognized her and stepped aside.
“You’ve come.”
“May I see Young-hwa?”
“Go ahead. Just don’t get too close.”
She’d expected refusal, but they opened the door without hesitation. Her worry only deepened.
“Won’t you be punished later for this?”
“The princess gave us advance notice. She said if you came, we should let you in. She also asked us to escort you back to your quarters if you were distressed. She’s given it considerable thought despite being preoccupied.”
Even in the midst of chaos, she’d spared a thought for her.
“Thank you.”
Deok-sim offered her thanks and stepped inside. There sat Young-hwa, lost in blank staring.
Her lips were split, her forehead torn. Seeing blood caked on her clothes, tears suddenly welled up.
Approaching Young-hwa, Deok-sim let her emotions pour out.
“What in the world were you thinking, doing such a thing?”
“The princess said to try persuading me.”
“Would she ever ask me to do such a thing?”
Young-hwa, who had been staring at Deok-sim, answered bitterly.
“She would never.”
“How could you try to poison the children you fed with your own hands? How will you ever atone for that sin?”
Young-hwa bit her lower lip.
“Even if you speak to me this way, there’s nothing I can say in return.”
It was not the meek, gentle face she’d always known. The expressionless, cold gaze and toneless voice testified that every action until now had been an act.

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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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