757 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

Being constantly massaged by changing attendants, now that's a luxury beyond compare. Yet Qing finds herself bored. Utterly bored. Confined within the walls of the palace. Even what little scenery she can see is barren. A seven-foot wall encircles the palace, with the ground paved so seamlessly with stone that you can't see a single grain of earth—an utterly desolate view. This isn't unique to the palace she resides in; most palaces share the same bleakness. The Forbidden City was designed for desolation. In fact, excluding the purposefully designed garden in that one far-off corner, there are no trees within the Forbidden City. Because intruders might take pleasure in the shade they provide. And architecturally, an edifice devoid of natural elements offers a sense of artificial wonder and imposing grandeur. Yet for Qing, this just adds to her boredom. Since she's inherently susceptible to boredom. Hmm, being invited here for this? Sure, the hospitality feels lavish, but it's hard to tell if they truly mean well or if they're almost mocking her. Then, an elderly palace maid enters, presenting her neatly combed crown as she kneels. "My Lady, have any of the attendants particularly caught your eye? They are all unowned and will serve you with boundless joy. Speak without hesitation, and I shall see to it." Ah, so that's how this system works. No wonder they all came in, made idle chat, and were then swapped out. It was a chance for self-promotion, a "Pick me" moment. Is there some special incentive, like extra pay, for serving guests? Or is the regular work really so hard that serving guests is like a sweet gig? Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so eager, eagerly flattering while diligently massaging out every ounce of tension. They wouldn't do all that just for a guest. Officially, Qing is the only one who thinks of herself as a guest; to the palace maids, she is the likely Crown Princess. Whether she'll officially become the Crown Princess or merely a noble lady is yet undecided, but it’s no doubt a prestigious honor given that the Crown Prince himself fell for her and offered his abode. The maids, for whom discretion is a virtue, have shared such information as part of their self-promotion strategy. "Then, how about someone named Gabiya?" "Gabiya... you mean that child?" The elder maid's expression dims. "Your Majesty, Gabiya is a woman from India. She lacks in understanding palace etiquette, has a narrow social circle, and struggles with courtly manners, accompanied by some unfavorable rumors..." In palace terms, this is practically a vulgar insult. Lacks palace etiquette, often causes trouble. Narrow social circle, poor communication skills. Courtly manners—the girl is quite insolent. Unfavorable rumors. Unfavorable rumors. "Still, wouldn't she be fine?" But Qing is not of the palace. Was she simply a maid lacking in skill? So what? It's not like I've always had maids. And she's bored to death, how could she resist the intrigue? Thus, Gabiya, the self-proclaimed Kama Sutra master from India, greeted Qing with a mischievous smile. "Fufu, it is a triple lifetime honor to be called again by a heavenly maiden, My Lady. Does this mean you're intrigued by the study of love and pleasure?" "Not exactly interested, just curious?" "Fufu, please lower your speech." She keeps 'fufu'-ing, suspiciously. To others, Gabiya might seem seductive, radiant with allure. Yet to Qing, hmm, this may sound unfair... She's trying to be dangerously seductive. Qing already has in her circle the epitome of lust, a human manifestation of lasciviousness who exudes flirtation and charm naturally without conscious effort. Ximen Surin's allure is a genuine fragment of intrinsic character. Even without consciously crafting a sensuous smile or winding her body to assert a deadly air. She is the perfect embodiment of seduction itself. So Gabiya's attempts at seductiveness? Laughable. Mmm, she's trying hard... it's rather pitiful. Unaware of Qing's thoughts, Gabiya continues smiling provocatively. "My Lady, there's no shame in being interested in such delights. Studying the art of pleasure is a profound journey toward nirvana through the joy of union, opening a thousand wheels (Sahasrara Chakra) to communicate freely with the cosmos." "Ooh, sounds plausible." "Handling such ecstasy isn't easy, so today, I'll offer a simple introduction." "You don't need to make it simple." "Fufu, don't be impatient? We've plenty of time together." Gabiya's seductive smile deepens. To Qing, it’s a smile desperate to seem deadly alluring. --- South of Seon-Yu Palace are luxurious residences and a large central palace, known as the Janyeong Palace Compound. Directly north of this is Suan Palace. The crown prince's destination. Upon entering Suan Palace, an elegantly aged noblewoman humbly greeted him. "Dukseong Madam, have you been well?" "Yes, Your Highness. It's been some time." enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013M09wMVFUdkdvQjAyUWd4UkV6elFZUWRjcDlhemN4MUtnRlV6Z3ZvOEhNOA "Forgive me, I should have visited more often," "What is there to forgive, Your Highness? Yet, what brings you here suddenly?" "Well, that's-" The crown prince began to speak, but was cut off. "Oh! Look at my mind. You came without even offering tea. Would you wait a moment?" "No, wait—" Though he posed it as a question, Lady Dukseong promptly sprang to her feet and scuttled off briskly, making 'please wait' more an order than a request. The crown prince, left standing awkwardly, lowered his outstretched hand. And then, after a while... As if perfectly timed, the doors slid open left and right, and four palace maids brought in an enormous arrangement of food. "Lady, you spoke of refreshments..." "How can you be so thin? Despite the noble burden of the crown prince learning the ways of Taishan and aiding in the governance of the state, you should always have hearty meals. Your cheeks look so sunken, what in the world are the servants at the palace doing? I must report this to the Empress and ensure they face severe punishment." "But I am eating well—" "Come now, eat. You've become so gaunt. I'm not knowledgeable about state affairs, but I know you cannot tackle anything on an empty stomach." The lady kept firmly pushing food into the prince's mouth. The prince helplessly gobbled it all down. "Lady, why are you peeling the fruit?" "Isn't fruit meant to aid in digestion after meals? These peaches are exceptionally ripe this year. First, take this plum." "But I'm stuffed, I can't—" "Oh, I should have started with watermelon. It freshens you up like a drink." "I haven't even had a meal, so why this—" "Hey! How much longer for the fruit punch!" In truth, no matter how well-aged the lady might be, it’s disrespectful to show such a demeanor before the crown prince. Yet the prince refrained from resisting this treatment, calling into question how Lady Dukseong could act so audaciously. "Lady Nurse." "Eat, my prince, eat to live." Because she was his wet nurse! Born of humble origins and sold to the palace, she had risen to the point of receiving a splendid title from the Emperor and possessing a grand palace in the Forbidden City all to herself. A true success story from the Central Plains. Thus, the crown prince, belly full, had to loosen his golden belt as he sighed deeply. "Phew... I can't eat any more." "How do you plan to endure the severe affairs of state with such a small appetite? Oh dear, I'm truly worried, what should I do?" "No, well, the reason I came—" "Oh, look at me. With you visiting personally, surely there's something you wish to discuss. What is it?" "Well, surely you are aware, aren't you? Since Princess Yeon-Sul fell ill, Her Majesty has been somewhat, ahem, unstable in mind." "What a disgraceful thing to say, Your Highness." "The thing is, Yeon-Sul—I'm talking about Yeon-Sul!" At this, Lady Dukseong's visage turned grim. Since Princess Yeon-Sul recovered from the plague, the Empress's affection had waned. Ignoring the threat of infection, the Empress had diligently cared for the princess, yet afterward, she rarely summoned her and didn't wish to see her. Even when asked, her answers were odd—it was as if she didn't see Yeon-Sul as Yeon-Sul and accused the nurse of noticing something strange. But that was in the past. The Empress had been on extended retreats for her devotions, and with Buddha's grace, or perhaps having cleared her mind, she sometimes summons Yeon-Sul again, drinking tea with her and strolling through the gardens. For those unaware, the Empress appeared to be adopting the fundamental strategy of keeping a closer watch on her enemies, bringing a sense of relief to onlookers. "Recently, she seemed well. Now, you say her lunacy has worsened?" "Lunacy? Why speak like that, Your Highness?" "It's because of that woman, Heavenly Sword Flower." "What?" Lady Dukseong blinked in confusion. Why suddenly mention Heavenly Sword Flower? The Heavenly Sword Flower was a woman about whom the crown prince reportedly fell head over heels, despite his ministers' prolonged objection, supposedly hiding her deep within the residence. Geared towards fine-tuning arrangements for a future heir, wasn't she? "You see, this Heavenly Sword Flower deceived my mother—pretending to be Yeon-Sul, confusing the Empress's perception. Now she believes Heavenly Sword Flower to be the real Yeon-Sul, and I intend to reveal the truth and punish such a grave offense..." As the prince continued, Lady Dukseong was aghast. How on earth could such a thing happen? The idea that the prince has succumbed to lunacy left her speechless. Even if she couldn’t speak much due to her status as a mere foster mother rather than a blood relative, this son born in her heart believed in such absurd delusions—truly the heavens were unkind! Such talk was mad to anyone’s ears. What mother would suddenly trust a stranger proclaiming to be her child? Not to mention, with Yeon-Sul's distinctive beauty and presence, how could anyone resemble her? And was the Empress, of all the martial artists in the Central Plains, so entranced by a mere swordswoman known as Heavenly Sword Flower—a lowly, infamous butcher, as the rumors claim? And how could an ordinary swordswoman possibly understand palace intricacies well enough to craft such deceptions? Even the foolish would hesitate to commit such an impious crime against the royal family. It's beyond nonsensical. "My Lady? I'm perfectly sound. Please don’t look at me with such pity." "Fear not, for if you must leave the palace, I'll accompany and serve you. Even if you go to Yunnan or Qinghai, or beyond to India or the Western Regions, I'll be there." "Lady Nurse, I'm telling you!" "Oh heavens, you should have come to me if you were struggling. How negligent I've been. If you did not visit, I should have come to you. Alas, such neglect on my part." "Please, enough!" Thus, the prince began to explain once more, slowly and carefully. In hopes that the nurse would investigate Heavenly Sword Flower. In the eyes of his mother, he continually appears as the troublesome brother in constant conflict with Yeon-Sul, and thus she dismisses him, asking, "What do you know?" "Your Highness, you should speak accurately. You say conflict? You've always been the one taking the blows. Isn't a fight usually when both parties engage?" "Tsk, I was letting her win! Should I have truly used my full strength against my younger sister?" "Even back then, the princess was already more robust—" "Enough! Say 'robust' one more time, and she'll become Xiang Yu!" "Ahem, regardless. Listen." Please, nurse, just take a look. You nurtured Yeon-Sul from infancy, so surely you can distinguish the real one from an imposter. And if you were to inform my mother, surely she would listen to you. Once she begins to doubt, she will quickly realize she's been deceived, wouldn't she? "If that’s what Your Highness believes, then it's time I serve a new mistress." Though the nurse's sympathetic gaze at the prince remained unchanged. There simmered a more dangerous intent beneath it all. "For if it turns out to be true, then it is a grave crime deserving utter annihilation of their lineage, the desecration of their ancestral graves, and hanging their heads in the marketplace."