Rise of an Empress

The Stranger With Black Hat

Concubine Seo is walking on a narrow road passing through a forest. She has escaped from the palace. It wasn't easy to make up a plan overnight. The court lady dress helped her that she took from the royal sewers for one of her kitchen ladies as a gift.

Once she bumped into that lady with a soup tray on hand. She couldn't give the dress to the lady, but she had no way except it. The gate pass given by Emperor Sinjong was the source of confidence to leave the palace.

She tries to memorize the map. Keeping a map in her brain is a bit difficult. So she has kept the names of the main ports and cities in her mind to be precise. She doesn't have any crazy plans to go back to Yongsan right now. She has taken the complete opposite way according to the map.

Right now, her destination is Sujeong-Dong, where one of her cousins, Seo Kyung Mi lives as the wife of a merchant. The merchant's family can help her send secret messages to her family in Yongsan. No one expects Concubine Seo to go there, as Kyung Mi left home at such an early age after falling in love with that merchant named Moon Ban Ryu. No one thinks of her as part of the family anymore. But this is the only way for Concubine Seo right now. She knows Kyung Mi will help her as much as she can.

Concubine Seo knows what she is doing is crazy, but she has to. She has no other way left for her to take. She already changed her dress into a simple one. She is disguised as a young female merchant right now. Wandering in court lady dress can achieve more attention from others.

Concubine Seo comes back to reality as an arrow just passes in so much speed about half an inch away in front of her from the left side of the forest. She stops thinking the arrow could’ve hit her head if she was just half an inch ahead. She is frozen still as her brain cannot decide what to do right now.

Right then, a stranger with a black hat pulls her suddenly from the right side of the forest. Was he there from the beginning? She didn't notice a man until this happened. 

The stranger drags her behind a large tree and throws her on the ground of wild grass. Concubine Seo tries to understand what's happening. Hopefully, her belly was not hit by anything, but she does feel that her ankle has gotten hurt as she moves her legs. She tries to stand up, but her sprained ankle, from being thrown on the ground by the stranger, doesn’t let her put any weight on it.

Concubine Seo thinks that escaping right now won't be a wise decision, as arrows are coming from the left side of the forest constantly. The stranger with a black hat does not seem like an enemy. Although half of his face is hidden under his hat. He is also throwing an arrow using a bow from behind the tree.

________________________

"Are you okay?" The stranger asks after the arrow fight stops. It seems like the opponents from the other side have lost this fight.

"I am okay. But mister, an arrow has hit your arm," Concubine Seo says in a fearful voice. It's awkward to talk with a stranger with half his face hidden by his hat. An arrow is now stuck in the stranger's left arm. But still, he has shown amazing skill of archery during the fight.

"Who are you? One of them?" The stranger asks in a husky voice indicating the other opponents with his right hand.

"I am a young merchant. Do you think I am one of them? Then why did you drag me here? I still don't know what I just observed. But you are amazing. If you thought I liked them, why didn't you let me go on my way?" Concubine Seo tries to be confident. Right now only talking can take her fear away.

"So-called young merchants like you sell beauty to nobles, pretty. So, I need to clarify what news you can give me with your beauty. Here on grass? Or in a nearby inn? Where do you want to go?" The stranger's cold voice sends a chilling sensation running through her spine. The stranger is thinking she is a prostitute who sells local news.

"Let me be on my way, sir. I am not what you are thinking of me," Concubine Seo tries not to give any chance for the stranger to talk anymore. She tries to walk quickly, but her sprained ankle doesn't support her. When a sudden wave of pain shoots up her sprained ankle, she begins to fall, but the stranger holds her by keeping a hand on her waist.

"You are not a merchant. You are suspicious, pretty," the stranger chuckles.

"What's wrong if I am suspicious, huh? You have no right to stop a young merchant on her way and force her to listen to cock and bull stories," Concubine Seo says in a disinterested tone.

"Such an attitude, girl! You haven't yet thanked me for saving your life."

"Okay, thank you for saving my life, sir. I will take care of your wound to express my gratitude. Then I will go, okay?"

"Do you know how to take care of wounds?" The stranger says in a surprised voice.

"I swear you are going to like it."

_________________________

Concubine Seo cleans the wound after removing the arrow from the well-sculpted, strong muscle of the stranger's arm. She applies freshly smashed wild grass to the wound. The juice from smashed wild grass will help to stop the bleeding. Then she uses a cloth, torn from the inner part of her robe, as bandages for the wound.

The stranger remains silent until Concubine Seo finishes taking care of the wound while sitting on a large stone beside the road.

"Mister, it will stop your bleeding until you reach the city. Buy some medicinal herbs from the city then, okay? You can use wild grass too. But change it at least twice a day. Change the bandages daily. I hope it will heal soon. Stay safe on the rest of your way," She steps towards the road without waiting for a reply from the stranger.

"Where are you going, Concubine Seo? I wonder how you escaped from the palace and what are you doing here?" The stranger holds her hand tightly.

"What? I am not what you are saying? Let me go," Concubine Seo tries to release her hand from the stranger's grip.

The stranger fixes his hat a bit. Most of his face is now visible. She gasps looking at his face. She can recognise this person right now. This tanned person with a small scar on his forehead is the one and only General Lee Jong In, Concubine Park Seung Deok's secret lover.

*************************