Taeyeon had quite a reputation from his group of friends. The Gallant Taeyeon, they used to say. Shindong put him an even more outrageous title. The Bastard Flower Prince. All in all because Taeyeon was not seen spending so much time in brothels like them all. But that was a lie. Taeyeon liked brothels. For a very uncommon reason.

It was the only place where bathing wouldn’t be a hassle.

Taeyeon was born in a brothel. And under the care of Lady Boshi, Taeyeon had learned how a brothel functionally works. Before leaving Ironstow to the capital city, Lady Boshi’s words to Taeyeon were: “Brothels will protect you. So, anytime you need a bath of your own, seek for one.”

Taeyeon quickly understood the value of that message. It wasn’t only because the always needed to have a good bath before and after a service. Or because their routines used essence and oils that make their skin pale and smoother. Or because the fee to use their bath lodge was generally cheaper than the common public bath houses.

It was because Taeyeon was no different from those ladies that men seek their services for. They were all poor. They were all bastards. And they were all women.

And being a woman was Taeyeon’s sin.

A sin no man would understand. Only other women.

Bathing time in brothels was the time Taeyeon could find peace within self. When she didn’t need to hear the countless conversations of men about , eunuchs, and fights.

She could close her eyes and just relax.

“Not everyone knows about our bathing lodges.” Min Hee, one of the of the place spoke up, smiling, getting closer to Taeyeon. The movement made little waves on the stream, engulfing Taeyeon’s s in hot water. “Or feels comfortable enough to use it…”

“I was born in a brothel.” Taeyeon said, opening up her eyes. The hot stream hardened her s and turned them a light shade of red due to the temperature of the water. “ have been taking care of my baths for as long as I can remember.”

“Is that why you have such perfect skin?” Taeyeon could pick a tone of mischievousness in her voice.

“Maybe.” Taeyeon replied. “Or maybe it comes from my mother’s. Or my father’s. I would never know, I’ve never met them both. But I can’t lie…” She continued. “Your essence and oils help a little bit.”

The woman chuckled in glee. “So did you start dressing up as a man to escape your brothel house?”

“No. My brothel house did more for me than I could ever ask for. Lady Boshi took good care of me, till Master Kim came along and took me as his child.”

“Was he one of those erted men?” The woman made an ugly face, not liking that this man randomly picked up that girl as his child.

“No!” Taeyeon denied. “Master Kim was an honourable man. He had no ill intentions when he came to the brothel looking for me. He raised me as if I were his real child.” She recalled.

“Why did a Master Lord decide to raise a bastard girl born in a brothel as his child?”

“I don’t know either. It was his duty, he used to say.”

“And where is your Master now?”

“Dead.” She said, unbothered. “You don’t need to feel bad. He had a good life.” Taeyeon quickly added, not giving time for the lady to feel guilty about her own question. “And lived what he had to live. Before dying, he asked me to go to the Sacred City.”

“The Sacred City?” Her voice went a pitch higher in excitement. “You are going to Hanyang?”

Taeyeon nodded. “And I promised him I would. He taught me everything I needed to know. He gave me a proper life, and proper care. I would walk through the ends of Hell for Master Kim.”

“What a filial daughter you are.”

“And before my journey to the capital city, Lady Boshi advised me to disguise myself as a man. For my protection.”

“Wise woman.”

“She was.” Taeyeon nodded her head. “So I avoid public bath houses or my true gender would be revealed. If I need to be seen as a boy, then I must do my best to not shatter the illusion.”

The young lady chuckled, amused.

“So every time I need to have a bath...” Taeyeon continued. “I come to find brothels and pay for your bathing services.”

“So you only come to brothels for our hot streams?”

“Yep.” Taeyeon closed her eyes, sinking her body deeper in hot water. “And for your oils and essences.”

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