Woo Hee

It has been a couple of days, not even been a week since she entered the Gyobang as a new dancing giseang. She misses her people already but she knew what she was doing, no what she plan on doing was all for her family. To take revenge for her family as well as her people. The ones that she could not protect from being made slaves or losing their land.

"Woo Hee-ah," turning to face her fellow dancing girl, who had just ran up to where she was sitting near her room. "Woo Hee, you were requested. Apparently someone from court specially requested you to serve him tonight. The head court lady said it was someone with great influential in the royal court. So come on, we have to get you ready."

Before she knew it, Woo Hee, the Princess were dressed up like a giseang. No, she could not think of it like that, she had now become a giseang. Her purity did not matter if she could stay here until it was time that she could face the King to deal out her revenge. Though who knew about her being here, she was a just a new presence at the Gyobang. It must be Park, that traitor, he did not want anyone to know his true nature. That person, the ones that she used to call Uncle disgust her so much that she did not even know how she had ever thought him to be a good person. She secretly sneak in her knifes into her hanbok sleeve, just in case.

She was silently walking behind the head court lady of Gyobang, dressed in a transparent black bodice with plum flowers on top of a dark plum purple shirt. Her hair dressed in an elaborate styled bun. They were going to one of the private rooms in Gyobang that had large rooms and there was no one around in the corridors. Up ahead she could see that one of the rooms had a light, and right outside there was a servant standing. The servant did not wear rugs, rather he had on a rather comfortable cotton hanbok and the way he was walking from what Woo Hee could pick up he was nervous but he was not scared. Perhaps it was the first time for this servant to be at the Gyobang.

"Jae Hee-ssi," the head court lady spoke and the servant, Jae Hee, turns towards them. "I have brought the girl requested."

"Thank you." Then Jae Hee turns towards her as he silently opens the door behind him and gestures her in. With a bow towards the servant as well as the sauggeung, Woo Hee crosses the threshold into the room. Hopefully it is just Park. For the voices of her mother and her sisters cautioning her about men and the importance of her purity as an unmarried woman kept on being repeated in her head.

The room was large. That Woo Hee knew beforehand. She heard the door close behind her and then a lock. A lock was applied. It truly was a cage now what with the sound of fading footsteps, Jae Hee the servant was gone. Now it was only her, and the mysterious man who had requested her. In the middle of the room, there was a large table full of food and alcohol. Then set right besides the table on the floor were swords. Two swords within easy reach from anyone sitting at the table. As she look around a bit more, she finally saw the man. No more like she saw his back. A strong back, likely a warrior with a tamed but unbound hair.

"Greetings, my name is Woo Hee," she bows towards his back, and she sees that he had gestured for her to sit down at the table with his hand. Silently feeling for her hidden knives, she walks towards the table, and sit down at a position that she was close to one of the swords on the ground.

"Woo Hee." The man seemed to carefully pronounce her name then he finally turns around. His cheeks still had a bit of softness to it, so he was perhaps just a few years older than her. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Woo Hee of Hubaekje." He knew her identity, she didn't think. She pick up the sword of the floor, undrawn it from its scabbard, and points the sword to the man. A man that did not look even a little surprised at the threatening gesture.

"Who are you? How do you know that title?"

"A man who does not wish for you to be manipulated. A man that hopes that a Princess would not have to shed blood." Shed blood, he knew about the plan. But how unless she had been betrayed, nonetheless it was more reason to kill him. "I do not wish for someone who so cares about her people to be consumed by hatred. Hatred towards a King who did what he did for his nation, to fulfill his dreams. I serve him as my King, Princess. But I know that he is a flawed man who made terrible mistakes. That seat that he holds is his prison, and he is already serving his sentence. You do not need to kill him, Princess. What will happen to your people, Princess? When Goryeo learns that the assassin of the King was a princess of Hubaekje? Even the ones who are living a decent life right now, even they will be taken in as slaves. Do you wish for your people to suffer, so that your grudge, your revenge will be fulfilled? Revenge against Emperor Taejo, that too at the direction of the traitor Minister Park."

This man. This man that she did not even know and could only see half of his face. He knew her. He knew her motives. But he also knew the truths of this world. A wise young man, as her father said. A man who knew the individual as well as the masses. And what he said about the retaliation against her people were true. What guarantee did she have that her people will be safe afterwards? She did not know enough about the succession of Goryeo throne to be sure.

This man in front of her was still casually staring at her even with the weapon pointed at him. He had made no threatening gesture towards her, and she knew that he had more to say. She lowers the sword and sit directly opposite this man. She will silently listen to him, then she will decide what to do.

"Who are you? That you know so much about me? I can tell that you have connections to the King if you know about the mistakes of that man. The way the head court lady was trying to not be nervous as she walked her, not to mention Jae Hee, you servant."

"You are observant, Princess." The man picks up his chopsticks and starts to eat. Just how much at home did he feel in this strained situation? "But I will disclose my identity later, first eat up Princess." Since the man seems to be fine after eating the food, she also picks up her chopsticks and starts to take small bites from the side dishes.

"I am not a good man. I don't relate well to people, but people's motives that is something I can understand. Above all I hate traitors and spies the most. And I have a personal grudge against Minister Park. I may look tamed, but I have been told that I have a crazy temper of a dog. Park is someone that could hurt my people and may have been involved in hurting them already. Princess, I know that you care about your people. How much you have already sacrificed to reach here. A week ago, I received a letter from someone who I didn't even know but he is one of the people that I failed to protect. That person's last wish was for you, Princess, to be free from the shackles of revenge. Here is his letter, I think he would have liked you to read it."

Silently she accepted the three rolls. Opening the first one, she did not need to know more. Woo Hee knew, this was her Uncle Hui. Her Uncle Hui's handwriting. He was alive like she had thought. So he got of Hubaekje, but now he had passed away. Seol-halmoni. She remember her Uncle sometimes telling stories about her. Though rather than the King and the court lady, she loved the tale of the musician and the dancer more. Her Uncle Hui had helped the Goryeo royals because of the tale of his ancestors. He had seen Seol-halmoni. He had even parted with the treasured rings and hanbok by giving them to the 4th prince and his wife. Uncle Hui had wanted to see her as a bride. See her getting married, and not think of revenge.

Looking up at the man in front of her, she notices a ring. A ring on his right ring finger. The wedding ring belonging to Uncle Hui's family. This man in front of her was a prince. A prince of Goryeo. The 4th prince who had been cast aside till recently. Who had married just recently in a wedding that involved slaves and commoners. Here he was, sneaking into Gyobang, knowing what it will do to his reputation as a good husband that was slowly gaining him a more favourable reputation, just to fulfill the wish of a man, an unknown man that had helped him just once.

"Your Highness," as soon as she said his title, a soft smile appeared on his lips. "Why have you not killed me? By killing a potential assassin to the King, you will gain the favor of the King."

"Princess, I do not wish nor desire the throne. What I wish for is simply to have enough power that will keep my family safe. As Uncle Hui asked me to take care you, you are like a sister to me. A sister who I want to protect, and a sister that I know that my buin will love." A sister. So according to him, she now had a brother with a fearsome reputation.

"I know that you are conflicted. Your desire for revenge. The wishes of your uncle. So I will give you time. I am leaving with my wife and younger brothers to visit Silla and Hubaekje soon, If you accept me as your brother, please come to the river where the musuri work tomorrow night. Jae Hee will be waiting for you."

Next Evening

Woo Hee had thought all night and day. What she should do? Should she put her trust in this prince? Or follow through with what she knew and was familiar with? Which will be the best for her people? She had discreetly mentioned the name of Minister Park, 3rd prince, 9th prince and 4th prince to those in Gyobang.

3rd prince was just what people expected of a prince, cold and calculating. 9th prince was obsessed with wealth, had many silver and was generally self-saving. The 4th prince was just like she had heard scary and ruthless but apparently he did take good care of his wife. Many of the musuri and giseangs were jealous of an orphan who somehow got the favor of even the King, as many people have witnessed that Lady Hae frequently had tea together with the King, not to mention how much the younger princes loved her. Apparently in front of her younger brothers-in-laws, Lady Soo was not even allowed to climb up and down the stairs without an . Majority of the princes did not want her to be hurt. Not to mention Lady Soo was close to the Grand General's daughter. The Crown Prince also favoured the 4th prince and his wife.

Based on all the intel she had gathered it seems like it was the 4th Prince that had the connections that could secure the future of her people. The fact that not even once he had threatened her with exposure or death because of what she had been planning, not to mention her wise Uncle Hui personally saving his life. The 4th Prince Wang So was the person to trust. That's why she had packed her belongings and dressed in a more manly fashion suited for travel, she walks towards the river where even from afar she could see a man with a lantern waiting at the banks.

It was Jae Hee the servant like the 4th Prince had said. She walks towards him and notice the sigh of relief, and the nervousness he had displayed yesterday night was not present in his form. Now he was a confident man. Silently he gestures for her to follow him.

"Jae Hee-ssh, why were you nervous?"

"Agashi, let me tell you everyone that works at the 4th Prince's residence, Byul, loves Lady Hae. She is a mistress that we all are proud to serve. Not to mention we witness how much our master cares about his wife and let her do as she pleases. So yesterday I was terrified. The Lady will not know but her husband will be secretly spending a night with someone else. I did not wish to see the pain in Soo-buin's eyes but who am I to question a Prince's actions. I did what I was told. But when the Prince came out of the room so quickly last night, I was relieved that he will not spend the night away from my mistress, even if the prince was not loyal to her. But I learnt after reaching the residence last night, that Agasshi was a soul-sister to the Prince. I am happy that you have now left the Gyobang and are staying with your brother. I can assure you that your sister-in-law is looking forward to meeting you."

A servant caring so much about his mistress. She could not wait to meet a person that inspire such loyalty, not to mention how easily it seems for the 4th prince to refer to her, a daughter of a nation that had surrendered to his father, so easily as his sister that too without any hesitation. In a way it was good that they will be going to travel soon, Woo Hee knew from her experience that the true character of a man will be revealed when he is away from his home, not under watch of their parents and elders. Before they knew it, they had passed through a forest and there was a wall in front of them. A wall with a side door through which Jae Hee told her was one of the many courtyards of the 4th prince's residence, Byul.

Now it will be her new residence, and a hiding spot as she knew that soon Minister Park will look for her at the Gyobang. She wonder just what her life will be now on. A Hubaekje Princess that is now the adopted sister of Goryeo 4th Imperial Prince Wang So, and a former Gyobang dancing girl.