She tries not to think about her husband’s whereabouts all the time. She knows his time is best spent helping Jeong Do Jeon with his cause. More so, she tries to pretend that he’s often with Moo Hyul.

Da-Gyeong’s not blind. She sees everyone with her mind. Her heart has no say in any matter, except survival. Boon-Yi has done nothing to arouse her ire. And she does not intent on letting it bother her now.

The news of Lady Kang’s arrival reaches to Min Da-Gyeong, as she closes yet another book written on politics. Gab-Boon excuses herself, as the message is passed to Da-Gyeong.

She leaves her room, scours for her husband. Since her marriage to Yi Bang-Won, she’s yet to meet Lady Kang. This will be a fine opportunity. To gauge her mother-in-law.

She finds them four – her husband, his tall bodyguard, Boon-Yi and a face she can’t place – in the courtyard. Whispers are exchanged, urgency rings through every muscle in their bodies. She could tell, by the tense expression everyone wears.

Part of her ponders if her husband would run off with the ragtag gang to carry on Sam Bong’s bidding. His familial responsibilities all forgotten as he chases another lead. Or will it be that he’d pay his respects first? Blood is thicker than water.

Boon-Yi unsurprisingly notices her presence first. The rest turns to look at her direction.

“What brings you here, wife?”

“Gagyeong Mother has come back. Preparations have been done, so let’s go and give her our greetings.”

He does not hesitate and says, “I see. I’ll be back.”

Her lips curl into a small but victorious smile, on its own accord. She smiles for courtesy’s sake. She is still a woman with manners. And maybe, she smiles victoriously. One aimed at the Ga Byeol Cho girl.

-

Husband and wife bow their respects. To the lady behind the General. The one who wields and drives the support her father-in-law requires to be taken seriously in the city and the political court.

And take their respective seats across from her. Her mother-in-law is all poised in grace, even as she’s seated down. Not an ounce of softness that Da-Gyeong often sees in her own mother.

“Bang-Seok needed to recuperate some more, but you had to hurriedly come here because of my message,” her husband opens, sounding apologetic.

“Not at all. If we make medicine out of walnuts, and he takes it long-term, he will get better soon,” replies her mother-in-law. Her lips pressed into a thin line that quirks slightly upwards.

“At times like this, I need to be by your father’s side,” she adds firmly.

“Yes. Since you know Gagyeong better, please be supportive of my father.”

“Child. Do you know of Noble Gathering?” Lady Kang directs a question at Da-Gyeong. Her gaze is steel. Da-Gyeong sees ambition swirling in those black eyes. It sends chills down Da-Gyeong’s spine. That feeling aftereffect of one looking into the mirror.

The end of Da-Gyeong’s lips twitches into a smile, “Yes. I haven’t been to one, but I have heard of it. It’s where noblewomen gather at Hwa Sa Dan to cultivate friendship.”

“Now that you have also become a part of the Yi Family of Jeon Joo, you should come with me.”

Da-Gyeong’s still the same young girl who remembers her own mother’s sigh and her father’s laugh over her embroidery, “But I’m still not used to going into a place like Hwa Sa Dan—”

Lady Kang cuts her down easily, that confident thin smile intact on her lips, “The next meeting is on the fifth of next month. Keep that in mind.”

-

The days come and go. The fifth of ‘next’ month is upon her. Min Da-Gyeong takes a step she had not given a thought since she become a married woman. Along with Lady Kang, she enters to Hwa Sa Dan and greets the other married noble ladies.

The ladies scrutinise her – it doesn’t escape Da-Gyeong’s sight – with empty flattery. The way their lips twitch into a mocking smirk disguised as an encouraging smile. Their fingers pointing at the loose stitches, the jagged lines, the crooked shapes or the wrong hue the thread she uses.

She’s surrounded by ladies left and right. All are like her – married to high officials and men with considerable power. They exchange stories (Da-Gyeong often finds the content empty, nothing worth bearing thought to) between each other.

Once or twice, her ears pique in interest. Inside secrets shared in discretion. Something worth committing to her memory. Still, it’s nothing like the discussion she used to have with the Haedong Gapjok.

She doesn’t admit it. She misses her father. Her clan too. And she’d give up a limb to be in the company of Myo-Sang and Gab-Boon. It’s indeed a strange notion. And it’s the truth.

-

She finds herself staring at the hideous embroidery. The result of her weaving fingers. Pricked and bloodied fingers. It’s not a look she liked to see on her fingers.

The unsightly needlework staring back at her, mocking the one thing she failed to conquer. There is only one thing to do with it. Min Da-Gyeong’s about to burn her failure from existence.

“What’s this?” chimes a voice that nearly runs her blood cold.

hangs wide open, not a sound forming. Her eyes meets the curious gaze of Yi Bang-Won. He plucks the handkerchief from her hands. Brings it close to his eyes, examines it with careful scrutiny.

Heat creeps up along Da-Gyeong’s neck. Her cheeks burns, (no doubt) brightly red of embarrassment. runs dry. Her knees would have unbuckled, had she not been sitting down the entire time. Her hand hangs in the air, balls into a fist and drops back to her side.

“Ah, you went to Hwa Sa Dan with Gagyeong mother,” he murmurs, saving her from responding.

Then he shifts his sight from the handkerchief to her, “How was it, wife? Did you enjoy it?”

“I rather not say, husband.” She stops herself from snapping, it’s horrible and I am not meant for this. Instead, she forces herself to hold that fearless and strained smile on her face. Her eyes narrow at the abomination created during the noble gathering.

“I suppose you will not join the gathering again next month?” Bang-Won’s brow arches questioningly. His glance settling briefly on her bandaged fingers.

She’s tempted to decline the gathering, but Gagyeong mother is a force to be reckoned with. She’s after all the lady in charge of the Yi Family household. Da-Gyeong is just a daughter-in-law to General Yi’s fifth son.

“Gagyeong mother will not be pleased if I am missing for the gathering,” she sighs.

“That would be the wisest move,” is all he replies, eyes still set on the handkerchief. Then the silence takes a hold. Da-Gyeong’s hand itches to snatch the dreadful handkerchief away from Bang-Won.

She could only afford to stare at his hands going over the rough threads on the handkerchief. After what feels like a lifetime, he finally breaks the ringing silence, “Your brilliant mind is what makes you the most attractive, wife.”

Bang-Won folds the handkerchief, tucks it into his hanbok. About to leave their chambers. With her hand-made handkerchief.

“Wait, what are you doing with that? I need to burn it,” tumbles loosely from her lips. She covers , willing (hoping) that she will not dig a grave for her death by embarrassment.

Her husband pulls the handkerchief out, waves it high enough for her to see. “This? Burn it? No, I’m keeping this.” His thick red lips split into a small grin. His eyes crinkle into crescent smile. At that moment, he looks young, like a teasing little boy.

She doesn’t voices the ‘why’, but he picks up the unspoken question. He answers, “I like it. No reason than that.”

She suspects he keeps it, to humour her. Da-Gyeong doesn’t buy it. Still, she finds the motivation to stitch a better needlepoint building up within. To replace the hideous one she had created.

Perhaps Myo-Sang could help her. Or even Gab-Boon. Either way, Min Da-Gyeong is finally going to master embroidery.

When she wakes up the next morning, to the sound of Bang-Won’s soft snoring and to dark skies slowly turning fair. On the table in front of their bed, are bandages and potions for injured fingers sit. Next to it, written in his handwriting, is a note with only two words; brilliant mind.