The door closed as swiftly as it had opened, and the tall woman disappeared, plunging the room into darkness once more. Seung wasn't certain what Kim Da Bom said to her Father, but Kim Seo Jun seemed satisfied and withdrew, her muted words clearly diffusing what could have erupted into disaster.

Kim Da Bom returned with a fierce glare at Seung, admonished Woo Sari for her carelessness, and warned Minjae to keep her affairs restricted to daylight hours. "Ganghwa is not as it once was. The guardians of chastity patrol the streets," Kim da Bom said, her gaze fixed on Seung. "I cannot permit you to stay here, Commander Lee," Kim Da Bom added with finality.

After a tense exchange between the sisters, the matter was grudgingly settled. Seung was allowed to stay and speak with Minjae for a short while longer, though Woo Sari was to chaperone them.

"I'm preparing tea for everyone. Minjae, fetch it in ten minutes," Kim Da Bom said and left after one last glare at Seung.

As much as Seung hated to admit it, Kim Da Bom terrified him.

Minjae insisted on checking one more time to ensure he was not hurt. He wasn't - unless she counted the battering he had taken to his ego. Woo Sari had now retreated to a shadowed corner, almost out of sight, though Seung kept a wary eye on the little menace.

With dawn approaching, time was running out. Seung reached into his hanbok and retrieved two books.

Minjae's face broke into a rapturous smile. A tendril of rosebuds wrapped itself around Seung's heart at the sight.

"I am allowed to keep them?" Minjae asked in wonder.

Woo Sari chimed in from her corner, her thickly accented words tumbling out in an excited jumble that Seung had no prayer of discerning, barring a few words that didn't make sense anyway. His ears caught the word "Eomoni', at least that's what he thought it was, but of course, it couldn't be.

However, Minjae seemed to understand it. "I will tell him," she said. Turning to Seung, she explained: "Woo Sari wants to thank you for bringing me a gift."

He gave a nod of acknowledgement, though he wasn't truly feeling charitable toward the woman. His scalp still tingled from her abuse.

Minjae flipped through the first book eagerly, then gave the same attention to the second one. Her brows furrowed slightly, a shadow crossing her face, her mouth taking a distinct droop of disappointment. She flipped through them again, this time slowly.

"Are you looking for something?" Seung asked, his eyes tracking the delicate movements of Minjae's fingers as they traced the edges of the pages.

"That sketch with these books?" Minjae asked with an odd tone.

"Did you want it? Do you know the woman in that drawing?" Seung asked.

"It was very pretty," she shrugged. "I will fetch the tea. You are not feeling nauseous, are you?"

Minjae was still worried. "I am perfectly fine, Minjae. I am not the kind of scholar you normally treat for wounds," he chuckled.

She frowned at him but didn't reply. Instead, she rose and left the room, closely followed by Woo Sari.

Seung sighed in contentment, leaning back until his head touched the cool, rough surface of the mud-plastered wall. A fragile sense of peace settled over him for the first time in weeks. Some tea with Minjae was just what he needed.

In his mind, he could see Minjae selecting the tea leaves, her nose scrunching in that delectable way it always did whenever she was engrossed in something.

She poured the water into tiny cups, the rising steam irradiating her.

They were in a vast, sunlit field of tall, leafy grass. She swayed towards him...bright yellow hanbok...a delicate blue mokkpan daenggi adorning her neatly parted hair....

Minjae was so graceful, always so graceful.

"Marry me," Seung whispered.

Her sweet, throaty laughter rang out. "But I have always been your wife," Minjae said. Then, the field twisted into a red, bloody fog that dissolved her.

"Don't go!" Seung screamed. He stumbled forward, feet dragging through as if through mud, something unseen and terrible breathing down his neck. Minjae reappeared, and then her image warped, growing taller and morphing into Choi Jina. "Let me serve you," she said as bodies piled at his feet, a yellow blur slipping away around the corner, this time on the body of the young boy, no girl..... his eyes grew heavy, an unseen force pinning him down, holding him in its grip...

A voice called from somewhere distant, growing louder and more frantic....

He felt several taps on his cheek before his eyes snapped open. Jerking upright, his chest heaved with rapid breaths, his eyes darting around the dimly lit room, uncomprehending. He shifted and realised a blanket had been draped over him, its warmth still clinging to his skin. Confusion flickered through his disoriented mind as he stared into the liquid pool of Minjae's eyes, her palm soft against his cheek.

"Are you all right, Dari? Did you have a nightmare?" Minjae asked. She was hunched before him, her warm brown eyes brimming with concern.

Minjae. She was here, with him.

Seung pulled her close, his arms tightening around her, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. 'Just a nightmare,' Minjae whispered. From the periphery of his eyes, he saw Woo Sari rise and leave, closing the door quietly behind her.

Seung's arms encircled her tremblingly, inhaling her, burrowing his head in her neck. Minjae sat still, a hand soothingly patting his back.

"I slept," he stated the obvious, looking at the window. The grey pallor of dawn had started seeping in through the hanji curtains.

She gently disentangled herself from his embrace and handed him a cup of tea. Seung lifted the cup to his lips, the warmth seeping into his hands. The first sip settled him, its delicate flavour calming the tension coiled in his chest as Minjae quietly urged him to leave before her Father awoke.

Realising the wisdom in her words, he stood and pulled her into his arms one last time. "Meet me tonight?"

Minjae leaned in, her head resting against his chest. Seung’s voice was soft. “Come home with me. Under my protection.” His chin brushed her hair..

“I’ll think about it,” Minjae said just as the sliding door parted, separating them.

Woo Sari entered, speaking animatedly, while Minjae listened closely.

"Did she give a name or say what she wants?" Minjae asked.

Woo Sari shook her head and continued her broken yet somehow comprehensible speech to Minjae.

"Is Aboji awake?" Minjae's brows furrowed.

Again, Woo Sari responded in a way Seung couldn't decipher.

"All right, take her to the back room of the apothecary and wait for me there," Minjae instructed.

"You need to be careful with who Woo Sari meets, Minjae."

"People who can recognise her don't visit this part of the town," Minjae said. "And she is smart enough to hide from people if they do."

Seung let out a sigh, rubbing his head as the phantom ache pulsed through it. "She is smart, alright. I'm impressed that Woo Sari is speaking more and that you understand her so well," Seung remarked. "I only caught two words—'noble' and 'new'."

"There's a noblewoman who wants to see me right away. Woo Sari's never seen her, so she must be new to the apothecary." Minjae's lips tightened. "Some of these noble ladies are so inconsiderate. Her knock woke Aboji, so you must leave through the back door."

Seung playfully flicked the tip of her nose. "Don't worry about me. I'm quite good at being stealthy," he grinned. "Which reminds me, did you find any other hidden notes?"

Minjae shook her head.

"Who else has access to your room?"

Her eyelids lowered halfway, giving her a distant, introspective look. "Anyone could have come in. Our house is never locked. Because of the apothecary, no one keeps track either."

"Were you able to place that woman we heard in the woods?"

Absent-mindedly, her fingers played with the ribbon securing her braid while her gaze dropped to the floor, her eyes moving as if following the invisible thread of her thoughts. "No, but it has been bothering me."

Seung tilted his head and clasped her hand in his large one, stilling her restless movements. "Don't worry. We will find her," he said gently. "Just be aware it could be someone most unexpected. We are monitoring the old King closely."

Seung didn't tell her that they were very close to making an arrest. He didn't want to spook her.

Minjae raised her worried eyes. "Also, Dari, you promised my Brother-in-law will be released and will be home. Is he still being detained?"

Seung shook his head. "He is in the clear. We are not pursuing the smuggling of Jeson men, but he did accept that your - I mean real Minjae's - husband was sold as a slave to some Barbarian. I should warn you, though, he might be in bad shape, but he will recover."

Seung had no trouble slipping out of Minjae's house unnoticed. But as he rounded the corner of the narrow path behind her home, heading toward the main road, he came to an abrupt halt. His family's palanquin was stationed in front of the house, with his head gama-bu standing at attention beside it.

Seung's mind raced—was his mother all right? Had Minjae summoned it? Or had Gil-ae come to fetch Minjae?

A bead of sweat formed on his brow. Just as he was about to step forward and announce himself, he saw Minjae's Father emerge and speak with the gama-bu.

With no other choice, Seung reluctantly returned home. To his utter relief, he found his mother resting and quietly sat beside her.

Lady Ryu's eyes fluttered open, and upon seeing her son, she smiled before falling back into a peaceful slumber.

Seung was suddenly struck by how little he had seen his mother smile lately. Guilt gnawed at him as he stayed by her side until it was time to leave for work.

A broad smile greeted Seung as he presented himself before Sim Junho.

"The verbal contact was made," Sim Junho began. The 'rescued' woman had arrived on the island, escorted by two trusted undercover agents who had intercepted messages aboard Captain Park's ship.

That morning, the order to arrest Nam Dami had been issued.

"She was the obvious choice, wasn't she?" Sim Junho mused. "Ah, why didn’t I see it sooner? She’s the one with direct access to Kim Minjae’s quarters." Noticing Seung's expression tighten, he asked, "Do you have doubts?"

Seung glanced at his mentor, a shadow of unease settling across his brow. "Did the conduit send any messages to the infiltrators? Why change their pattern now? No one made physical contact until this."

Sim Junho leaned back, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the table. "I’ve trained you well, Lee Seung. They want us to take the bait."

"And we will," Seung said, completing the thought. "It will unsettle them."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Sim Junho gave a slow nod. "Han is protecting someone of significance. If it isn’t someone within Minjae’s circle, who else could it be?"

"We can’t rule out the possibility that it is," Seung replied. "But what could drive them to conspire against the state here in Ganghwa?"

"It’s unquestionably tied to sedition," Sim Junho said, his voice lowering. "Forces are moving to overthrow His Majesty. The Crown Prince may have the people’s hearts, but his allies are scarce in the Court."

Seung tilted his head, his eyes taking on a distant, calculating gleam. "So it could be anyone from the opposing factions. The muddy flats of Ganghwa may not hold the Manchus this time. They already know too much. Even if we round up the conspirators, it might be too late to contain the damage."

"Finding that woman is the key to securing the royal entourage," Sim Junho said. "I know you disapprove, but I’m bringing in Han's slave. The man hasn’t uttered a word, even when threatened with becoming a eunuch."

Seung swallowed, a bitter taste rising in his throat, and looked away. "I owe him a debt. Let me speak with him one more time."

Half an hour later, a messenger arrived with the news they had dreaded. The Garrison Commander had caught wind of Han's arrest and secured his release. They could do little without revealing the deeper reasons for his detention. Prince Bongrim flew into a rage, but Sim Junho managed to calm the young royal enough.

Taking Nam Dami into public custody would only endanger others, who, even remotely connected, would be hauled away by the Royal Investigation Bureau and tortured. All they had was conjecture to defend them. But privately, they might learn something. Seung hoped it would be enough to lead them in the right direction—and away from Kim Minjae.

Seung followed Sim Junho out of the Palace, their faces identically taut, with flared nostrils, the muscles around their mouth rigid.

"I wish they kept their noses out of our business!" Sim Junho said.

Seung's lips tightened further, as his eyes took on a glint familiar to Junho. "What are you thinking, Lee Seung?" he asked.

"Allow me to bring Han's slave in. No one on this island will be in a hurry to secure her release except one man," Seung said.

A slow smile spread across Sim Junho’s face, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Clever," he murmured.

∞

The dawn sky blushed with the faintest hints of rose and lavender as Minjae made her way to the backroom of the apothecary, totally unprepared for the person waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?" Minjae asked.

Soo Hyun turned to face her and gave her a nod of greeting. "I need your advice," Soo Hyun said without preamble.

Minjae folded her arms across her chest, her face unreadable.

The woman had the grace to flush. "It's urgent. We are invited for a meal with Royal Inspector Bong Hee and Kim I-On," she said, an underlying tone of defiance evident in her voice.

Minjae's eyes narrowed. No wonder. Soo Hyun was afraid of being outed. Picking up a small snouted water can, Minjae tended to a small potted plant on a table crowded with many such tiny pots holding hardy winter herbs.

"So?" Minjae snipped off a tiny brown leaf.

"Dari insists I must go," Soo Hyun said. "How close were you to Kim I-On? Will she know?"

"It's been a very long time. It's hard to tell," Minjae lifted an uninterested shoulder.

"Perhaps you should meet her and explain the situation," Soo Hyun said.

"Hmnn. And why should I do that?" Minjae pulled another little pot to tend.

"It is in your interest, too, that she does not raise an alarm," Soo Hyun said, her eyes narrowed slightly, the wily gleam in her eyes unmistakable.

Minjae gave a dry laugh. "I would not be so confident if I were you."

"I have reasons to be confident. Dari is not as immune to my charms as you would want to think, Physician Kim," Soo Hyun drawled, her emphasis on the last two words grating on Minjae's ears. "He is a man, and he has needs. I excel in providing them," she ran her tongue over her upper lip suggestively. "Yesterday night, we had some, err, interesting time after you left." A sly grin crept across Soo Hyun's face, her eyes lingering on Minjae’s heightened colour with a look of satisfaction.

Minjae struggled to maintain her composure; Seung's words about trying to fulfil his duties as a husband festered in Minjae's chest, a wound opened by the thought of this imposter's claim on him. Could he grow closer to Soo Hyun?

But he spent the night with you, reason whispered, trying to unwrap the ribbons of doubt throttling her heart.

Minjae picked up a pot and held it against the light. "Not all herbs can grow in the winter," she said conversationally, keeping the tempest roaring inside her at bay. "But they do. This unassuming little plant can eliminate the most persistent itches, including pox. Did you know skin ailments are the hardest to get rid of? Many mistakenly think applying balms on the surface can cure them. However, they can only provide temporary relief. The ailment itself can only be cured if the root cause from the inside is treated."

Minjae gently lowered the pot, satisfaction curling inside her at Soo Hyun's sharp intake of breath at the insult. Minjae leaned back slightly, her expression one of quiet, knowing amusement. "Worry about yourself, Soo Hyun. I am afraid your morning trip was wasted."

Soo Hyun assessed Minjae carefully. Minjae, as Choi Jina, had been lauded for her virtue, strict duty, obedience, and filial piety—traits Soo Hyun had worked tirelessly to emulate with various levels of success. But they had overlooked her most important trait - her intellect. Soo Hyun would never be able to rival Minjae's brilliance, nor would she be a fool to doubt for one moment that Minjae was playing a long game. Minjae had been unlucky in many things, but she was lucky in one thing that counted above all - Lee Seung. But then, Soo Hyun had clawed her way through the world with her craftiness. Whether Minjae understood or not, they needed each other at this moment, and no one cut deals like Soo Hyun.

"I have a proposition for you, Lady Choi," Soo Hyun said, hiding a smirk at the swift look of shock on Minjae's face at her address before she shuttered it.

"I am not interested," Minjae said.

"Your mother-in-law has somehow figured us out, and she doesn't want you," Soo Hyun smiled, the quick flash of despair in Minjae's eyes confirming her suspicion. Few would back Minjae's claim if Lady Ryu rejected her, but none would matter once Lee Seung knew the truth.

"There are two options that can benefit us both," Soo Hyun pressed ahead, taking Minjae's silence as consent. "Give me a herb or something to get Dari to sleep with me once, and I am with a child. Just once. In return, I will remove myself from your way."

Incredulous, Minjae stared at her, folding her arms across her chest. "Once?" She scoffed. "Do you think I have a magic potion? You don't need me. You need a shaman."

"You don't understand. All I need is Lord Lee to give my child his name," Soo Hyun said.

Realisation dawned. "You plan to pass on someone else's child as his," Minjae was so incensed she could hardly get the words out. "Have you no shame?" Minjae stared her down.

"If you had not come back into his life, I might have ended up having a good marriage with him!" Soo Hyun said.

"Hardly. My Lord can't have forgiven an easy wife who deserted him and shamed his family!" Minjae said.

"That's not true! He's trying. Though he despised me at first, he's been courteous and kind now," Soo Hyun said, her voice carrying a confident edge as she leaned in slightly, her eyes flashing with satisfaction. "And I’d say, certainly more receptive to my intimate presence."

Minjae caught the subtle ardour in Soo Hyun's tone, a warmth that hadn’t been there before.

Minjae closed her eyes, chastising herself for how wrong she had been. But then, Soo Hyun was not Choi Jina. Seung's reaction to Minjae would have nowhere been close to what it was to Soo Hyun. It could have been worse—or perhaps even better. Seung was already taking Soo Hyun to meet his friends and spend time with her. Soo Hyun could be much closer to a typical marriage than Minjae had imagined. What a fool she had been! Minjae forced her mind to stay focused on the present.

"Do you have feelings for Lord Lee?" Her gaze searched Soo Hyun's face, needing the answer more than she wanted to admit.

"I have never met anyone like him before. He is.....special," Soo Hyun's features softened. "I can’t fathom why your Father would choose a slave like me, known for her experience with men, to impersonate his daughter. He also ensured those completely fabricated rumours reached Dari, using his mother to spread them. And your stepmother was the one who carried that news, all while making sure everyone else saw you as a paragon of virtue. I think they intended for Lord Lee to be cruel to Choi Jina. They must hate you so. I guess I’m fortunate that they turned out to be kind. So yes, I like Lord Lee, but I also know his feelings towards you. I will convince Lady Ryu to accept you once I am pregnant and out of your way. It is your best option to be with Lord Lee. A perfect plan!"

A tiny stem snapped. Minjae unseeingly looked at the hardy piece of wood between her thumb and forefinger.

A perfect plan. Why had Minjae not seen it before? Her Father needed a child out of her union with Seung for something - those letters? So, Lord Choi selected a cunning woman who could convincingly pose as an imposter and deceive Seung if necessary. He then manipulated Seung and Lady Ryu into believing Choi Jina was promiscuous, keeping Seung emotionally and physically distant from Soo Hyun and reducing the chance of the lie being exposed. Meanwhile, Lord Choi relied on Soo Hyun's experience with men, confident that Seung would be easily influenced by someone like her.

The real Choi Jina would never have agreed to any such thing. The imposter would do anything on his bidding.

It also meant someone was blackmailing Lord Choi. Someone powerful, looking out for Lord Lee and his family and possibly anonymous, in possession of those letters.

"And your second option?" Minjae asked, buying time to organise her thoughts more than to actually listen to another asinine plot.

Soo Hyun's second plan was simple. Minjae would accept Lee Seung's proposal to become his concubine. Again, Soo Hyun would convince Lady Ryu, she added magnanimously. Once a child was born, Soo Hyun would adopt the baby and present them as her own to Lord Choi. In exchange, Soo Hyun would relinquish all claims on Seung and aid Minjae in continuing her healing work.

Soo Hyun’s eyes narrowed, searching Minjae’s face for any sign of capitulation. 'It’s a grand idea, don’t you think?' she pressed, her voice laced with false sweetness. "I am being very generous, you must admit. You can take some time to think over it," she suggested airily.

Birds chirped outside as the day emboldened its reach. "So, in the first one, I help you deceive Lord Lee, someone you profess to like. In the second, I let you steal my name and my child,' Minjae said, her voice steely, "and in return, you don’t claim rights that were never yours to begin with."

The silence was thick with malice; neither woman was willing to back down.

"You forget, Physician Kim, I already have your name. Your family is out to kill you, and it might not be too difficult to foresee a future where I could have children with Dari," Soo Hyun shrugged. It was doubtful, but Minjae didn't need to know that.

"Then you have nothing to fear," Minjae replied, her tone betraying nothing of the cold terror Soo Hyun's words caused.

"Your arrogance is astounding," Soo Hyun said. "I can bring Lord Lee around, you know. Consider yourself lucky that I am short on time. I could have paid you to leave Ganghwa, but that won't resolve Lord Lee's feelings for you either."

Minjae’s pulse quickened, anger and fear battling within her, but she couldn’t let them show. She couldn’t afford to let this woman win, to let her Father’s twisted plans succeed.

"What would you have done if my Father had not forced you to take my place? Continued to rob gullible men of their money?" Minjae asked.

A flush of embarrassment and anger warmed Soo Hyun's cheeks. Memories of her past exploits flashed through her mind. She clenched her fists subtly, pushing back the shame that threatened to surface. Minjae didn't understand. She could never understand what it was like to fight for every scrap. "I did what I had to do to survive. I was young, foolish and desperate, and I didn't think it could lead me to someone like your Father!"

"You had amassed enough money. So why did you keep targeting people? You walked into this trap by targeting my brother!" Minjae said. The anger Minjae first felt when Kang Do revealed Soo Hyun's past surged within her once again.

"It was not enough! I wanted to be free of that life too!" Soo Hyun retorted. "And don't give me that gratuitous attitude! You are living a lie, too, as much a culprit of deceiving Lord Lee as I am!"

Minjae stilled. Even though her reasons were noble, were Minjae's actions truly that different from Soo Hyun's? They were both pawns in her Father’s cruel game, both struggling to survive in a world where their lives were dictated by a man who saw them as tools rather than people. It was even more critical to correct the course.

A plan was beginning to form in the recesses of her mind. Minjae carefully placed the last pot in its row and turned to Soo Hyun.

"What was in the letter that my father sent you two weeks ago?" Minjae cut to the chase.

Soo Hyun's heart stopped for a second. For the first time, she paused, wondering what could have been the reason for a father being so cruel to a daughter he had birthed. She studied Minjae, realising she couldn’t be coerced. Had Minjae wanted, she could have harmed Soo Hyun many times over. Deep down, Soo Hyun no longer wanted to play this game. Lord Lee wasn’t swayed by her charms, and the reins of control over her life were slipping from her hands faster than she could tighten her grip. The past day had shown how easily her fragile safety could unravel. Nothing good ever came from holding onto misplaced pride.

"If I don't present him with the news of a child in the next two months, he will have his men remove me from Lord Lee's place," Soo Hyun said.

Despite everything, despite the lies and manipulations, there was a genuine fear in Soo Hyun’s voice—a fear Minjae recognised all too well.

Two months. It meant Lord Choi S-wan was in a hurry over something, Minjae thought.

Moving closer to the table Minjae leaned against, Soo Hyun picked up a pot with the small herb. Its bark was rough to the touch, with tiny cracks like scars etched by the cold, yet the herb thrived, exuding a faint, earthy scent that hinted at its resilience. "You were right, Lady Choi; few can be a source of strength to others despite enduring the harshest life themselves," Soo Hyun said, her mouth twitching downward. Seeking help from the very woman whose existence threatened hers was like stitching a wound with thorns. Painful, but the only way to stem the bleeding. "Truth is, I don't want this life any more than I wanted the one before. I... need a way out, and—" her voice wavered—"I need your help."

Mainjae raised a brow. "How can this lowly physician possibly help?"

Soo Hyun's face crumpled, stripped of all guile for the first time. "I must fulfil your father's wish," she said, abandoning all pretence. "I lied to you. Lord Lee won't touch me. Not when sober, nor when intoxicated. I have worked too hard and come too far. I can't die now."

Minjae drew a shaky breath. How much lower could her Father sink?

"It does not make sense. Even if you were to sleep with others to bring this preposterous scheme to fruition, how can my Father be sure you could carry a child?"

Soo Hyun looked away, a miserable look shadowing her face. "I carried a child once. She was born too early."

As Soo Hyun’s voice quivered with the memory of her lost child, Minjae felt a pang of empathy so sharp it almost took her breath away. All her anger and resentment for this woman dissipated for a fleeting moment, replaced by a deep, instinctive compassion. She could feel the weight of that loss, the sorrow that no mother should ever have to endure.

But Minjae couldn’t afford to let that compassion show. Not now. She steeled herself, forcing the pity to the back of her mind. There was too much at stake—her own future, Seung’s future, even the fate of the child she might one day bear. Compassion would have to wait.

"The only thing I ever wanted was to be my own mistress," Soo Hyun continued. "I had vowed if I ever had children, I would provide for them so they would never lack anything. I wanted to be a merchant."

"You can still be," Minjae said softly.

Soo Hyun's eyes snapped to her. "What do you mean?"

"I have a counter-proposal for you," Minjae said, her eyes as steady on Soo Hyun as her hands shaky under her sleeves.