🎭 A Thin Red Thread
The morning that followed came. Seo Ju donned his outing clothes and quietly departed the lodge near the palace. His destination was Gaeseong—but not for politics, nor for duty. It was for a gift. After retrieving the gift and flowers he had carefully prepared, he turned to look at the inn one last time, his gaze heavy with thought.
Yun Yuhua, unaware, stepped out for a brief visit to the market. As she disappeared into the crowd, Seo Ju lowered the brim of his gat, letting its shadow conceal his face. His eyes lingered until she was completely out of sight.
"Let's go," he murmured. Jinji, waiting nearby, nodded silently.
Together, they left the village behind and climbed a secluded mountain path, just high enough to overlook the rooftops of Gaeseong. There, amid the rustling pine trees, stood a solitary tombstone. Seo Ju knelt and placed the flowers before it.
The tombstone stood alone at the crest of a quiet hill, where the wind whispered through pine trees like a mourning song. Hewn from pale granite, the stone was tall and dignified, its edges softened by time, yet still bearing the careful marks of royal craftsmanship. At its top, a carved lotus unfurled toward the sky—symbol of purity, rebirth, and a life cut short before its bloom.
Inscribed in delicate, weather-worn brushstrokes of Hanja, the epitaph told the story that silence could not:
"Crown Princess of the Left Palace, Lady Min of Gaeseong.
A flower of virtue, born of noble lineage, betrothed to the son of Heaven.
On the night when joy turned to mourning, she departed this world, leaving behind the echo of an unfinished vow.
The phoenix robe remained untouched; the bridal chambers wept in her stead.
Let her soul rest among the hills of her birth, where the cherry blossoms remember her name."
"Seong-hwa… you would have turned eighteen this year. I've come too late. Even after your passing… my heart stirred again. If you had known… what would you have said to me?" Seo Ju said solemnly on her tombstone. The late Crown Princess that died. He sighed as he sat beside it, reminiscing the memories of Seong-hwa. The smiles, laughters, and lovely moments with her that brought peace and warmth inside of him. Slowly to the shattered painful memories of seeing her vomit blood before him. Seo Ju trembled just by the mere thought of it.
Meanwhile, Yun Yuhua had just completed her errands at the market when a gentle tap brushed her shoulder. She turned. Standing there was a frail-looking maid, newly of age, her gaze lowered respectfully.
"Excuse me, seongnyeo… may I trouble you to help carry this to the temple up ahead?" the maid asked softly, holding out a small woven basket.
Yun Yuhua glanced at the load, then offered a warm smile. "Of course."
With light steps, she led the way along the narrow path toward the outskirts of Gaeseong. The maid walked ahead, then pointed toward a bend in the road. "This way, please."
Yun Yuhua nodded and followed—but a sudden rustle behind her stilled her steps. She turned. Steel flashed before her eyes. A blade came sweeping toward her from behind. Instinct seized her body—she caught the attacker's wrist with both hands, her voice sharp.
"Who are you?"
The masked figure only smirked.
Before she could react further, the maid lunged from the side—her trembling hands now holding a hidden dagger—and drove it into Yun Yuhua's left side. Pain lanced through her abdomen. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked upon the girl she had helped. With a furious cry, Yun Yuhua kicked the assassin aside, snatched the bloodied dagger from the maid's grip, and in one swift stroke, slashed across her neck. The maid collapsed, blood pooling on the ground.
The first attacker charged once more, but Yun Yuhua narrowly evaded the strike. Blood trailing from her wound, she turned and ran—her breaths shallow, her vision dimming—as fast as her legs could carry her back to Gaeseong.
"I must return… They will worry… Ma," Yun Yuhua pressed on, her steps unsteady yet determined. The dagger was clutched tightly in her hand as though her very life depended on it, her palm applying pressure to her wound. Blood trailed behind her, staining the earth with each desperate stride.
As she moved forward, a familiar figure appeared—his family body and gat unmistakable.
Seo Ju.
Yun Yuhua's steps faltered, but she pushed herself closer. Seo Ju turned, his gaze falling upon her.
"Yun Yuhua…?" he called, his voice low, almost in disbelief. But as his eyes swept down to her blood-soaked hanbok, his body froze.
He couldn't move.
Before he could react, Yun Yuhua crumpled to the ground in front of him. Her body hit the earth, and Seo Ju's hands instinctively reached out to catch her, trembling with the weight of what he saw. The sight of her bleeding tore at his soul—images of his wedding night flooded his mind, where he had held Seong-hwa's poisoned body in his arms. Yun Yuhua trembled in his hold, her strength rapidly fading.
"Help…" she whispered faintly, the words leaving her lips in barely more than a breath. Fear surged within Seo Ju, but as he held her close, it swiftly turned into something fiercer—anger. He could not lose her.
"Jinji!" he commanded, his voice hard and urgent. Jinji, who had been waiting nearby, swiftly stepped forward.
"Yes, Your Highness?" Jinji replied with a bow, his face a mask of concern. Seo Ju's gaze hardened as he followed the trail of blood that marred the path ahead. His voice was icy.
"Find them. Find whoever is responsible for this!" Seo Ju's words cut through the air like a blade. Jinji nodded sharply, his expression grim. Without a moment's hesitation, he unsheathed his sword and surged forward, heading straight for the blood-streaked path, intent on finding the one who had harmed Yun Yuhua.
Seo Ju held her tightly in his arms as he ran toward the back of the inn, each step heavy with dread. One breath too late, and she might slip beyond his reach forever—before he could utter a single word of apology for all the things left unsaid. Her skin, once warm, was now paling fast. Red blood soaked through her hanbok, trickling ceaselessly with every hurried stride. As he reached the inn's rear entrance, Ae-shim caught sight of them and rushed forward.
"Why are you—?" Her words halted as her gaze fell upon the girl in his arms. "Yuyu!" she gasped, her voice cracking.
"Run. Bring the physician!" Seo Ju ordered, his tone sharp with urgency. Ae-shim, pale and trembling, gave a swift nod, eyes never leaving Yun Yuhua's bloodied form. She turned and fled.
Moments later, Tian Ke and Cheng Yi stormed through the doorway, their faces carved with fear.
"Yuyu!" Tian Ke's voice rang out, a mixture of desperation and disbelief. Seo Ju applied pressure to Yun Yuhua's wound as hard as possible with his bare hands. She let out a faint groan, barely conscious.
Tian Ke dropped beside the bed, pulling open the medicine basket with shaking hands. Without a word, he pressed clean bandages to her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. Cheng Yi stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. Blood stained Seo Ju's trembling hands, Yun Yuhua's robes, and the bedding beneath her. The scent of iron hung thick in the air—raw, bitter, and terrifying.
Soon, the doctor ran in with Qian'ai and Ae-shim. Their faces were flushed from running around. The doctor immediately treated Yun Yuhua's injury. Qian'ai grabbed Seo Ju.
"What happened?!" he asked. Seo Ju couldn't stop staring at Yun Yuhua until he felt like she was secured. Cheng Yi glared at Seo Ju, but Tian Ke patted Qian'ai's shoulder to calm him down.
"She… I just saw her bleeding…" Seo Ju mumbled. Qian'ai was lost. He released Seo Ju, but the statement still confused him.
"What do you mean? Are you saying someone just attacked her for fun?" he angrily asked. Seo Ju couldn't think of what to say.
Was it because of him that she got attacked? Was it because she was a descendant of the missing Crown Princess? There were many possibilities, but it all made him feel like it was his fault, regardless. He should have been by her side, so that she wouldn't get hurt. The moment he took his eyes off her, she got injured.
Cheng Yi wanted to rage at Seo Ju, but then he remembered that day. The day Yun Yuhua stormed out of the inn. The man who stood behind her crept closer and closer to her with a handkerchief in his hand. He looked like he was ready to take her away. Cheng Yi groaned in frustration about why he didn't prevent it.
Soon, the doctor finished applying a new bandage on Yun Yuhua, and he turned to look at everyone else. Tian Ke looked at him urgently.
"So..?" Tian Ke asked. The doctor sighed.
"She has lost much of her vitality, and the blood that has escaped will take time to replenish. As she sleeps and her body rests, it is important that she not exert herself. Her body must have time to heal and regain its strength," he paused. He looked at Yun Yuhua and shook his head. "You must keep her comfortable and at ease, with warmth and plenty of hydration to restore her strength. The herbs from the local healer might also help revitalize her blood. It will be several days, perhaps even weeks, before her strength returns."
"And…?" Qian'ai paused.
"She should not carry heavy burdens, physically or mentally. Her heart and mind must be at peace. Any stress or strain will hinder her recovery, and she may face further weakness. Let her rest for a full month—no exertion. She may gradually regain strength after that time, but it will depend on her resilience and the care she receives," the doctor finished. Tian Ke nodded.
"Ae-shim, see the doctor out," Tian Ke said, his voice steady but full of concern. Ae-shim nodded and quickly led the doctor out of the inn. A heavy silence filled the room. Seo Ju's hands, still stained with Yun Yuhua's blood, trembled slightly as he stood there, lost in his thoughts. Tian Ke turned to him, his expression softening. There was no royal facade now; it was just pure worry for Yun Yuhua.
"Seo Ju… Go wash your hands," Tian Ke said, his tone calm but firm. Seo Ju snapped out of his daze and looked at him, confusion flashing across his face.
"Huh?"
"Go clean yourself up… I'll take care of her from here. Thank you for bringing her here," Tian Ke added, his voice still even, though heavy with unspoken weight. Seo Ju nodded silently, the meaning of Tian Ke's words sinking in. Without a word, he stepped outside to wash his hands, Cheng Yi following him closely, his gaze still burning with fury.
Once inside, as Seo Ju finished washing the blood off his hands, Cheng Yi grabbed him by the collar.
"What are you doing around her?" Cheng Yi demanded, his voice low but filled with venom. Seo Ju stood frozen, rattled by the events, his world feeling like it was crumbling apart.
"What—"
"Tell me why the Crowned Prince of Joseon is here! Did you not cause this? Do you not know how important she is to me?" Cheng Yi shouted, his anger boiling over. His eyes blazed with fury. Seo Ju's breath caught in his throat. The words struck harder than he expected. A sudden realization hit him: Cheng Yi wasn't just protective of Yun Yuhua—he was in love with her. Seo Ju's shock morphed quickly into defensive pride, the trauma he was feeling buried beneath a mask of cold indifference.
"What makes you think you can grab the Crowned Prince of Joseon by the collar?" he snapped, his voice dripping with forced nonchalance, though the storm of emotions inside him was anything but calm.