Secret of the Red Lotus Flower (빨간 연꽃의 비밀)

Chapter 40

Soo-yun paced back and forth inside her rooms. It had been three weeks since the ambush and she was going stir-crazy being alone in her quarters for so long. Ironically, Soo-yun used to love solitude and the freedom to work on her paintings or poetry. However, after everything that had happened to her in the last month, she found herself unable to focus on those things anymore and her brush had sat unused for days.

Normally, she would have Yeo-jin to keep her company at times like this. Soo-yun didn't always join in the conversations, but hearing the maid ramble about the things she did had always been a high point of her days. She didn't have that distraction anymore because her friend had taken her promise of becoming a gungnyeo seriously and spent every waking hour learning the ins and outs of the duties her new position would entail. Yeo-jin would come by in the morning to bring her breakfast and then disappear until nightfall when the exhausted young woman would say goodbye before staggering off to her bed.

Even going out to the gardens was not an option anymore because of the stares she got from all of the servants. For the first two weeks of their return to the palace, Ha-neul had been locked away in the Crown Prince's quarters. Dr. Yun was very strict on who could visit her husband and at what times. Neither she nor even the king could see Ha-neul without the doctor's permission. The only exception was Yeong-ja.

The sanggung was the only person that was allowed to freely drop in on Ha-neul without advanced notice. The uinyeo knew to let Yeong-ja freely come and go from the Crown Prince's quarters. Having learned her husband's secret, Soo-yun finally understood the true scope of the other woman's duties. There were things that only she could do for the Crown Prince at times like this, like helping Ha-neul get dressed or bathed.

Unfortunately, to the rest of the court, it appeared as though the Crown Prince, on death's door, had scorned his bride in favor of his mistress. Whenever Soo-yun left her rooms, she would sometimes overhear servants gossiping about the scandal and the 'poor Crown Princess.' As soon as they realized she was there, all conversation died and she received pitying looks from them. She found it easier to retreat to her rooms than try and correct their misunderstanding. Besides, Soo-yun didn't even know what she could possibly say without revealing Ha-neul's secret.

A week ago, Dr. Yun visited her and informed her that Ha-neul had pushed through the worst and her husband could see guests and family now. He cautioned that Ha-neul was still recovering, so she should wait until she was sent for. As the days passed and she didn't hear from anyone, she grew increasingly frustrated with the situation. She was the one who said that staying in this marriage was her decision and that she wanted to discover what the future held for them. Granted, she hadn't spoken that last part aloud but surely her husband should have picked up on the implications and requested for her to come visit by now.

With a boldness born of annoyance and isolation, Soo-yun decided that she was no longer going to wait for Ha-neul's summons. Gathering up her skirts, she threw open the doors and stepped out into the hallway, startling the gungnyeo weeping the hallways. Seeing the look of determination on the Crown Princess's face, they quickly scattered. Soo-yun's drive to see Ha-neul almost faltered by the need to apologize to the servants for scaring them but she pushed it aside for now. She promised herself to make it up to them later.

The two nurses were still standing vigil in front of the Crown Prince's door. They looked identical to the nurses she saw in the palace courtyard all those weeks ago, although she assumed these were different ones on rotation. As she drew closer, they stepped in front of the door to block her.

"The Crown Prince is resting, your Royal Highness," one of them said. "The doctor said that he will call for you when he is feeling better."

"That was a week ago," Soo-yun protested. "Dr. Yun said Ha-neul was no longer in any danger. I don't see why I can't visit my husband."