Jin-Ri scoffed at the suggestion, "You know I can't do that, I'm too busy right now with..." She paused for a while. "With collecting and storing...Yong's things. Jin-Ri started to cry at the mere thought that Young-Sik was no longer with her
Yeng embraced her friend tightly. "Hey, come on, stop crying now. If the prince is here right now, I know he would not like to see you cry."
"Yeng is right, if there is one thing he hates, it is to see you cry." Mun-He reminded Jin-Ri
"How? How could I not cry? When he died in my arms, I held him while he was dying, and I was helpless to do anything," Jin-Ri explained in between sobs
Upon hearing Jin-Ri cry, Young-Ju quickly got out of the water and ran towards her. The young princess sat beside Jin-Ri and started to stroke her hair. "Aunt Jin-Ri, please don't cry; Uncle Young-Sik will cry too if he sees you crying."
Despite sobbing, Jin-Ri smiled at the little princess's innocence in death and loss. "I know he'll be sad, but I just can't stop being sad, because he is no longer here with us," He delicately explained to the little girl
"Uncle Young-Sik is here with us," Young-Ju boldly declared; the group was so startled by her revelation that they all glanced at the princess. "Uncle Young-Sik is here..."
Jin-Ri embraced the princess tightly, unsure how she would explain that her dear uncle was no longer with them. "I mean, Uncle Young-Sik is here." She then touched Jin-Ri's heart.
Jin-Ri smiled at the princess's gesture. "You're right, little princess, we all carry him here in our hearts, and as long as we remember him, then he is truly with us always," she reminded Young-Ju
Kwan, Mun-He, and Yeng all nodded their heads in agreement. The Lady-in-waiting and the eunuch approached the princess and said, "Your Majesty, it's time for your afternoon lessons. Your teacher is waiting by the pavilion, We should hurry now."
"Okay," Young-Ju replied, before leaving. she hugged her aunt Jin-Ri tightly and reminded her, "Stop crying now, Aunt Jin-Ri, so Uncle Young-Sik will be happy whenever he sees you." The princess let go of Jin-Ri and waved goodbye as her entourage led her towards the pavilion.
"We should get going too, it's about to rain," Yeng said, looking up at the black rain clouds that appeared out of nowhere.
The four stood up from the grassy patch they were all sitting in. Jin-Ri was dusting herself when she saw a figure from the other side of the lake. A soldier limping away from them, a sense of familiarity washed over her, and without warning, she quickly ran towards the bridge. "Jin-Ri? Where the heck are you going?" Kwan asked, befuddled at her sudden action.
Even as she crossed the bridge, Jin-Ri kept her gaze locked on the limping soldier as he went to some tall trees. After crossing the bridge, she lost sight of the figure when she cleared some tall hedges. She ran to the place where she had last seen the limping soldier, but she saw no one. She grabbed her hair as she looked in all directions. Her three friends came running after her. "What is it? What did you see?" Kwan asked on alert, his hand on his sword, ready to draw.
"What's wrong, Jin-Ri? Why did you suddenly take off like that?" Yeng asked with the utmost concern for her friend.
"He was here, I saw him!" Jin-Ri exclaimed
"Here? Who was here?" Mun-He asked
"Yong...Yong was here, I saw him," Jin-Ri said, her breathing became rapid as she kept turning in all directions, hoping to get a glimpse of the mysterious limping soldier. "He was limping, he was in pain, I saw him, please believe me."
"What did you see exactly?" Kwan asked, clarifying what Jin-Ri saw, "Explain to us what you saw."
"He was here, I saw him here, he was limping, he had his back turned, he was walking away, but I know it was him," Jin-Ri kept repeating over and over.
"There is no one here, Jin-Ri, the rain is beginning, we should go," Mun-He gently reminded her.
"No!" Jin-Ri exclaimed, "I saw him, I saw him right here." She insisted, clutching her chest because of the pain of losing him. She leaned over a nearby tree, only to drop to her knees as the rain tried to mask the tears cascading from her eyes. "Where are you, Yong? Why did you leave me? You said you'll never leave me."
Yeng and Mun-He's hearts broke for their friend. They wanted to comfort her, but they just didn't know how. Kwan helped Jin-Ri to her feet, and the three supported her in leaving that area.
The rain raged for the entire night. She wanted to stay alone, but Yeng didn't let her. While Yeng slept soundly, Jin-Ri was outside sitting on the roof, the same place where she saw Young-Sik sit more than one year ago. Her chin rested on her knees, huddled near her chest, while her arms wrapped around her legs.
She just stared off into the distance, not minding the cold rain that was showering her. Jin-Ri was startled when, all of a sudden, she was struck by a parasol that was carried by the wind. "Yong, did you give me this umbrella so I won't get soaked by the rain?" She placed it above her head, and it stopped the raindrops from reaching her. "Too late, my tears already did that," she said. She stood up from where she was sitting and went inside the prince's residence.
The next day, she and Yeng were busy collecting Young-Sik's possessions, placing them in storage crates to be cataloged by the royal treasury. "How many things does the prince own? I thought he had only a meager number of possessions," Yeng complained at how many the prince used to own.
"I mean, I don't think this is the definition of meager, all of his things alone could fill a marketplace for at least a week," Yeng said, continuing her ramblings, only to notice that Jin-Ri was not listening to her.
She slowly crept behind Jin-Ri, and when she was near enough, Yeng knocked on her friend's head. "Hello, Chiongsun to Jin-Ri, is there anybody home?"
Yeng looked over Jin-Ri's shoulder to see what she was staring at; she was surprised that it was a blue book, written in a language she did not understand. She sat beside Jin-Ri and looked at the drawing on the page she was staring at. "She's beautiful," Yeng pointed out, referring to a drawing of Cinderella. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Cinderella," Jin-Ri replied. "She's a court maiden like me. Like me, she also found her prince, but her prince did not leave her, her prince did not die, and they lived happily ever after," She explained to Yeng.
"Where's my prince? Where is my happily ever after?" She began to ask Yeng, "He used to read these stories to me every night...now who is going to read them to me?"
Before Yeng could answer, a court maiden called their attention. "Lady Jin-Ri? The King and Queen would like to have an audience with you," she relayed to her.
"Did the King say why?" She asked the court maiden
"No, my Lady. They just told me to summon you right away," the young court maiden explained while bowing her head at Jin-Ri.
Jin-Ri gently laid the book on the bed and stood up. "Can you stay here? I'll be back," she said to Yeng. She then addressed the young court maiden, "Stop bowing to me, don't call me lady, and let's go." She allowed the court maiden to lead her to the King and Queen.
Jin-Ri stepped into the courtroom, and she caught sight of Young-Sik's sword framed and encased in glass on the wall behind the King's throne, almost like it was guarding the royal Family and keeping watch over everything.
She scanned the area, King Seo-Joon, Queen Ha-Rin, and Empress Pai were all in attendance to witness, placing the sword to rest. She dropped to her knees and bowed deeply to the Royal Family. "Rise, Lady Jin-Ri," The King said, his voice echoed compassion and authority
"You have summoned me, your Highness? What can your lowly servant do for you?" She humbly asked
"Enough of the formalities, Jin-Ri, we think of you as the wife of the prince, and that makes you family," Ha-Rin expressed
A sweet smile emerged from Jin-Ri's lips; her heart filled with the warmth of welcome from the royal family. Empress Pai addresses her, "Do you still remember me, Lady Jin-Ri?"
Jin-Ri bows to the empress. "Of course, Your Majesty. No one can ever forget your beauty and kind heart," she eloquently replies. The empress blushed, discreetly smiling at Jin-Ri's words.
"The reason we have summoned you here is to ask you for a favor," Min-Jae said to her
"Tell me, Your Highness, and your will shall be done," She quickly replied
"As you know, the former magistrate of Nyuong gum was elevated to Minister of War, and the King has elected a new magistrate," Queen Ha-Rin informed Jin-Ri. "The new magistrate asked for someone who could help in the daily activities of managing the province."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You want me to be the magistrate's assistant? I'm totally out of my depth here!" Jin-Ri said, her voice rising in alarm. "Is that even legal?" she wondered aloud, her puzzled face making the court maidens snicker.
Jin-Ri shot daggers at the new court maidens; her gaze more piercing than a hawk's. The young maidens quickly stifled their chuckles. "You could use that look," Queen Ha-Rin said, nodding toward Jin-Ri.
"Your Majesty, you asked me to assist the magistrate, not give him nightmares!" Jin-Ri quickly clarified. "Besides, the prince's possessions are still in disarray. I can't leave his residence in such a state," she said in a sad voice.
"The prince's possessions will be well taken care of, and his residence will remain as pristine as if you had kept it yourself," The King promised Jin-Ri
Jin-Ri bowed her head to the royal family. "Thank you for trusting me with such a task..."
"But?" Empress Pai asked
"But my heart is still in mourning for Yong, I don't think I can do anything else for a while, except mourn for him," Jin-Ri explained, her voice laced with painful sorrow
"One day," The King suddenly said, everyone set their eyes on Min-Jae. "One day is all I ask. If, after one day, you still feel you cannot do this duty, then I will grant you a time for reprieve and mourning," He offered her
Jin-Ri smiled and with an honest voice said, "There will be no need for that, Your Highness, I will do what you ask of me."
"Do you require anything for your transfer to Nyuong gum?" Queen Ha-Rin asked earnestly
Jin-Ri paused for a moment, her eyes sparkling with hope. "Your Majesty, what if I could ask for my mother and father to join me?" she suggested eagerly.
"Already taken care of!" Queen Ha-Rin chimed in with a bright smile.
"Wait, what? Excuse me? How is that possible?" Jin-Ri asked, her confusion evident since she had just made the request moments ago.
"The new magistrate is quite perceptive and anticipated your wish to have your parents with you. He's already arranged for them to stay at Nyuong gum," the King explained. "Plus, he's found them employment! Your father will be the provincial blacksmith, and your mother will be the head cook at the magistrate's office," he grinned.
"My mother as the head cook? Has he tasted the travesty she makes?" Jin-Ri asked, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"Will there be anything else that you would require?" Min-Jae asked her
Jin-Ri shook her head. "None, your Highness. When will you need me to be in Nyuong gum?"
"The Empress and her entourage will be leaving today." Queen Ha-Rin informed Jin-Ri, "Your caravan will leave early tomorrow morning so that you will arrive before sunset at Nyuong gum." She added
"I will do as instructed." Jin-Ri graciously accepted the task assigned to her by the royal couple. "I will prepare for my journey." She bowed to the King and Queen and took her leave to prepare herself for the journey ahead.
As she headed back to the prince's residence, a lot of thoughts weighed in her head. One thought in particular has set roots in her mind: "Why me? What do I know about government affairs?"