The Love They Never Had: The Nam Mansion

Chapter 31: Yeoghwa (Backfire)

"Where is the Young Master now?" "Congratulations on becoming concubine, Mistress." "I asked you, where is he? I wanted us to have lunch together." "He came home from the palace..." "Really? Did he come home? Just for me? So where is he then? Where?" "He is having lunch with the cousin and discussing managing the household since she is quite young." "What do you mean?" "Only the bride of the household can fulfil this duty...mistress? Are you ok?" "I have been looking for that book since the moment I moved here, and she got it just like that? The Young Master trusts an orphan for a job like that!" "Mistress, calm down. You have only been promoted to concubine for less than a single day, and you have made too many mistakes in the past. You need to make up for that first." "And I was going to, through managing the household!" "But your errors have been made through that subject, the Young Master will not grant you that duty yet." "So what do you suggest that I do?" "You have to get pregnant first. Isn't that what happened last night?" There was not a single rebuttal that I could come up with for that. Absolutely nobody knew what I had to do last night to get this promotion and I will go to my grave keeping this humiliating secret.
"Mistress, it looks like he has sent some gifts over to you. Oh my he has even given you a brocade dress and shoes to match!" "Really? But hang on a minute, what is this flower they have decorated on it? I think that I have seen it somewhere before..." "this is a morning glory flower, known as 'the face of eventide.' Our previous Young Mistress threw a fit when she saw this flower on her brocade dress." "But why?" This flower blooms only at dawn and it withers the very next day before even seeing the sunlight." "Quiet! You are not allowed to utter such inauspicious words again! This must be the work of the cousin, who is jealous about my new position! How dare she offer me such an expensive dress with ill-fated flowers! Tear it up on the spot and burn it!" "Mistress! It is very expensive! And you know the Nam's like to keep their reputation in tact! If this gets out, it will make you look very bad indeed!" "Are you saying I should wear it instead!" "You should reward it to somebody worthy of it, to show off your generosity." "Very well, gift the entire outfit to her, so it will mark a place in the Young Master's heart forever."

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He wouldn't leave my quarters. Apparently, his father would be returning home tomorrow and he said that we had a lot to discuss. And on top of that, he actually put me to work by making me make lunch for us both instead of just ordering his servants to do it. I only planned to treat him occasionally, but it looked like he really liked my cooking a lot. Although I was pleasantly surprised like this, it didn't take long for the rest of the household to realise that I was also keeping a close eye on the new maids with the Young Master present so nobody could mess up their work. So probably the first time in a while, I was able to experience a peaceful life in a noble home and honestly, it wasn't so bad after all. I could find the time to appreciate the beauty of this home and not find the luxurious and inn-ornate items to be too much.
"Young Mistress, our mistress would like to present you with this brocade outfit with matching shoes." I didn't even have to turn around and look at what she was trying to gift me, I could already tell that she was the superstitious kind a long time ago. So I answered her whilst simultaneously cooking this meal. "I thank your mistress for this gift. But unfortunately, my sign clashes with this particular shu brocade, I can accept the shoes since they will be beneath me, but not the dress." "Not even by my Mistress? Are you trying to shun her?" "Is your Mistress likewise trying to cause me harm by gifting me something that clashes with my name and sign?" "Indeed you are in high favour now, so you will not look at gifts who come from anyone else but the Young Master. Upstanding people should have no fear of spirits, my lady's blessings will also protect you." "Is that so? Then I wonder why by law that it is illegitimate noble woman who become concubines and maids are a personal choice? Now if you please, the Young Master would like to have his lunch soon after a long day at work. You are dismissed."