Sohwa entered the palace when she was fourteen.
Her father was a clerk in Hyeon's household. His stipend was so small that the family was always struggling, and her mother made ends meet with sewing work. Sohwa had two younger brothers. There were five mouths to feed, but only one and a half incomes.
When word came that the palace was selecting palace maids, her mother cried. Her father did not. Instead, he stroked Sohwa's hair once and turned away.
"They say that if you go to the palace, you'll be able to send money home."
Sohwa nodded. Fourteen-year-old Sohwa did not fully understand what that meant. She only knew that her younger brothers would not have to go hungry.
On her first day in the palace, Sohwa was assigned to the Palace Laundry. The senior palace maid told her,
"Wash laundry here. Speak as little as possible, do as you're told, and don't attract attention."
Sohwa followed those instructions. For three years.
Today was the day to return the laundry to each residence.
The palace maids at the Palace Laundry usually placed the laundry in baskets and handed it over to the junior palace maids from each residence. But today, no maid from the Noble Consort's residence came to collect it. The senior palace maid called Sohwa over.
"Sohwa, you take it to the Noble Consort's residence."
"Yes."
Sohwa picked up the laundry basket and left the Palace Laundry. Changchun Hall, the Noble Consort's residence, was deep inside the Inner Palace. It was somewhere Sohwa had never been before. It was rare for a palace maid from the Palace Laundry to enter so far into the Inner Palace.
She walked along the corridor. The spring sunlight was warm. Cradling the basket in her arms, Sohwa looked around. It was different from the scenery around the Palace Laundry. The roof tiles were clean, the trees were neatly tended, and there was not a single weed on the ground.
When she arrived in front of Changchun Hall, voices drifted out from inside.
"Your Ladyship, they say a maid attendant from Consort Suk's residence went to the Imperial Medical Office."
"Is that so? Did you find out what medicine was prescribed?"
"Not yet. I will look into it."
Sohwa stopped in front of the door. Pretending she had not heard the conversation inside, she tried to set down the basket. At that moment, the door opened. Chae-ran, a maid attendant, stepped out.
"Who are you?"
"I am Sohwa, a palace maid from the Palace Laundry. I've brought the laundry."
Chae-ran looked Sohwa up and down. Her coarse cotton clothes, cracked hands, and plain face. The interest vanished from Chae-ran's eyes.
"Leave it here."
Sohwa set down the basket and bowed her head. She was about to turn away when the scent of incense drifted out from inside. It was the same fragrance she had smelled on the laundry. Without thinking, Sohwa stole a glance inside.
It was a spacious room. A silk folding screen, jade ornaments, golden candlesticks. The room was filled with things Sohwa could not afford even after working for a month. And seated at the back of the room was a woman. It was the Noble Consort. It was the first time Sohwa had seen her face.
She was beautiful. And frightening. Sohwa did not know why. The woman was smiling, yet she was frightening.
Sohwa quickly lowered her head and turned away.
As she walked back along the corridor, her heart pounded. She did not know why. The Noble Consort had done nothing to Sohwa. She had not even met her eyes. And yet Sohwa's back felt cold.
When she returned to the Palace Laundry, Yeon-i asked,
"What was Changchun Hall like?"
"I don't know. I just left the laundry there."
"Did you see the Noble Consort?"
Sohwa hesitated for a moment.
"From a distance. Just for a moment."
"They say she's beautiful. The most beautiful woman in the palace."
"Yeah."
Sohwa said no more. Instead, she plunged her hands into the water and began washing laundry. The cold water soaked her fingertips. The sensation erased the chill from her back.
That evening, in the Palace Maid Quarters.
Sohwa spread out her bedding in the cramped room. Three palace maids who shared the room were already lying down. Chun-i, lying with her back to the wall, spoke.
"There'll be a lot of laundry tomorrow. They say a big load is coming down from Consort Suk's residence."
"Okay, unni."
"And, Sohwa."
"Yeah?"
"I heard you went to Changchun Hall today."
"Yeah. The senior palace maid unni told me to."
Chun-i turned to look at Sohwa. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Don't go near Changchun Hall. A palace maid who worked near the Noble Consort's residence was driven out last year. I don't know what she saw, but she disappeared overnight."
Sohwa pulled the blanket up to her chin.
"I only took the laundry there."
"Right. All we have to do is laundry. All we have to do is laundry."
Chun-i turned back toward the wall. Sohwa stared up at the ceiling. In the darkness, the Noble Consort's smile rose before her eyes. A frightening face, even while smiling.
Sohwa closed her eyes.
It has nothing to do with me. All I have to do is laundry.
She wanted to believe that.