Chapter 3
As the sun rose on the third day of the consort selection, Beom Haewon woke up by the sound of her handmaid, Yijin, bustling around the room.
"My lady, it's time to get up," Yijin said, pulling back the thin curtains to let the sunlight in. "The second round of the consort selection will start in a few hours, and you must be dressed pleasantly for it."
Beom Haewon groaned and sat up, rubbing the remnants of sleep from her eyes. She pulled up an all-nighter in preparation for demonstrating talents and skills in front of the examiner and the other ladies.
She took a deep breath and stood up, determined to do her best and be as tedious as possible to the head eunuch. She knew this was her chance to escape the consort selection and pursue her dreams.
Her heart pounded as she thought about the day ahead. She sighed and turned to face Yijin, who helped her wash up, and put on a hanbok, a long and flowing dress made of silk. Yijin pinned her hair and added a delicate hairpin with a small jade stone.
Beom Haewon looked at herself in the mirror, then watched her handmaid's reflection. "Yijin, I have no extraordinary talents or abilities, and my charm is lacking at best. My brother and father often criticize me for being too unrefined—"
Yijin turned to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, my lady," she said. "You are more than enough. You are strong-willed and… erm, intelligent in a unique way. Those qualities make you shine, my lady."
Beom Haewon went silent for a minute. She wasn't feeling sorrowful about her lack of things or her differences from the other ladies. Instead, she was grateful for what she did possess, but the selection had yet to see them.
And she knew if they had seen the real her, they would have eliminated her right away. That was precisely what she desired. "You know what, Yijin," she said, sitting up. "I'll give it my all and see where it takes me."
She and Yijin worked together to select the appropriate attire and accessories. Beom Haewon practiced her routine last night, determined to perform a 'unique' performance among the other ladies. When the time came, she walked confidently into the competition with her game-changing tool for her routine in hand.
"I'm delighted to see you change your perspective on the selection, my lady," Yijin expressed.
Beom Haewon offered a cunning grin and responded, "I just want to ensure I 'shine' in this competition." She clutched her weapon tightly, covered in a red silk fabric, looking as if she was ready for a fight in a battle.
Yijin looked at her skeptically but decided not to push the matter further. She knew that her mistress was a lady of strong will and stubbornness, and it was best to support her in whatever she decided.
Together, Beom Haewon and Yijin made their way to the place where the second round of the selection would be held. As they arrived, the square at the palace's outer court was filled with young ladies of different backgrounds, all vying for the chance to become the emperor's consort.
It was the same venue as the first round, but there were differences this time. The setting was bustling as the candidates gathered in front of the two platforms. The first platform was a stage where the ladies could demonstrate their talents and skills; the other, a higher platform raised area, was reserved for the examiner.
Shortly later, the head eunuch stepped onto the higher platform and called for silence. "Greetings, and welcome to the second round of the consort selection," he announced. "Today, we shall assess your talents and skills. You will have the opportunity to exhibit your talents in music, dance, poetry, and other areas of the arts with the emperor as your audience."
"H, His Majesty?" one of the ladies from the front row stuttered.
"Oh no, I should've prepared more!" another lady from the middle line exclaimed in panic.
The candidates anxiously filled the square while waiting for the emperor's arrival. When the emperor finally appeared, he was dressed in luxurious robes of the finest materials, detailed embroidery and embellishments, and a curtain hat covering his face.
The long clothes he wore reached down to his feet, with wide sleeves that billowed in the breeze. His hat's curtain was made of layers of flowing black fabric that hung down over his face, hiding his features from view. Despite being concealed, the emperor exuded an air of confidence and authority, commanding respect and attention from those around him.
He walked up to the platform where the head eunuch was standing and took his seat on the chair fit for his superiority. He proceeded to survey the young ladies in the consort selection. The ladies watched in awe as the head eunuch presented the emperor, bowing deeply. They all mimicked his actions, showing their respect.
Meanwhile, after the deep bows, Yijin asked Beom Haewon, "Are you going to dance, my lady?"
Beom Haewon faced her and smiled. "Yes, I am. I'll be dancing with this." She pulled the cloth wrapped on the thing she brought and held up a sheathed sword.
"What are you doing, my lady?!" Yijin gasped, her eyes widening in shock. With frantic hands, she reached out to grab the revealed weapon, but Haewon quickly pulled the sword from her grasp.
Beom Haewon chuckled at her reaction and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, Yijin. I'm not going to hurt anyone. I'm only breaking a few rules," she said with a smirk. "I will not allow anyone to take away my freedom. I'll decide my journey."
While they were talking, the head eunuch called in the background. "Is there anyone who would like to go first?"
Yijin hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. "Please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt while trying to get eliminated from the selection."
Beom Haewon nodded and looked around at the other ladies. Earlier, they were confident, but when the head eunuch announced the emperor's presence, they hesitated to perform.
But then Jang Soojeong stepped forward, breaking the silence and the spell that held them back. She strode confidently to the front of the crowd, making her way from the middle row.
Jang Soojeong had no particular talent that she could show off, but she knew that if she didn't volunteer, the head eunuch would likely call her upon anyway at some point. Bracing herself, she cleared her throat and took a deep breath before saying, "I would like to volunteer to read a poem."
The head eunuch raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Very well," he said, "proceed."
