Surviving as the Dang Clan’s Handmaiden

Chapter 4

“I do not know who my parents are.”

When I shook my head, Lady Jin looked sadly at me.

“You cannot fool me. Why, you look just like Ryeon. You have her eyes. Your mother was the most beautiful woman in Chengdu.”

That explained my pretty face.

I guess this girl owes her good looks to her mother.

“I had no idea you were alive. If I’d known you were nearby, I would’ve looked after you much sooner…” she lamented.

Her hands fumbled all over my face and arms, seemingly searching for any signs of intoxication or sickness.

“Look at your chapped hands. You don’t belong here, my sweet child. Oh, how cruel our master is.”

Feeling the backs of my hands, Lady Jin grieved over my rough skin. I stood there awkwardly, confused. Seeing as how she had just done a one-eighty on me just because she knew my mother, it seemed that networking—whether through school, family, or homeland—mattered a great deal in the martial arts world as well. Of course, that wasn’t to say it was a bad thing for me.

Lady Jin was in charge of all the handmaidens. The more she looked with favor on me, the easier my life here would be. That was how the world worked.

Mother, I have no idea who you are, but thank you.

I silently expressed my gratitude and looked down.

“Have you been eating well? Your face is gaunt.”

“Yes.”

“And your quarters? Is it comfortable enough? Oh, never mind. I will go and see for myself.”

After asking me a barrage of questions for some time, Lady Jin prompted me to take her to my room.

I have no idea where it is, though.

It took a few wrong turns here and there before I finally arrived at the place where Songji and I were sleeping in.

“How could he put his own kin in such a place…?”

Lady Jin looked thoroughly shocked upon seeing my room. She seemed angry as well. Her fervent reaction made me feel a little sheepish. The room that Songji and I shared was bigger than the studio apartment I lived in back in the modern world. The room was by no means small for two people, but Lady Jin seemed to think otherwise.

“It will be difficult to arrange new quarters for you right away, but be patient, my child. You will be moved within ten days,” Lady Jin said resolutely.

She squeezed her arms tightly around me before she finally left. Watching her walk away, I reflected on what she’d said. Just who was this Choryeon? Based on Lady Jin’s reaction and the fact that Choryeon was the greatest beauty in Chengdu, I got the feeling that my mother was a noble lady.

When Lady Jin disappeared completely from view, Songji came out of her hiding place and hurried over to me.

“Hey! What was Lady Jin doing here? What kind of trouble did you get yourself into?”

“I have no idea,” I replied half-heartedly.

Resentment crept up inside me. I couldn’t believe she was feigning ignorance about the poisoned laundry.

“Songji, why didn’t you tell me?” I asked pointedly.

“Tell you what?”

“About the poison.”

“Poison? What are you— Oh, you mean the laundry? But you said it was okay, that no poison affects you.”

“I did?”

Did I really say that?

Songji shot me a glare, angry at my accusatory tone.

“Yes, you did. You’re the one who told me that no poison has ever affected you since you were little. That’s why you were fine with washing those clothes. I was going to report Simyang and her girls to Lady Lee for bullying you. But now here you are, spouting malarkey. Are you blaming me?” she snapped back, clearly annoyed.

She made a fist and bonked me on the head. The area her knuckles struck throbbed with pain.

Hey, you didn’t have to hit me!

Teary-eyed, I looked up at Songji. According to her, Sohye, whose body I was in, knew that she was resistant to poison.

Is that why she thought washing poison-stained clothes was okay?

The poison could have been something very lethal, like Death in Seven Steps or a bone-dissolving acid that could instantly melt dead bodies into a puddle. Then again, if that had been the case, the stained robes would’ve melted. Normally, people wouldn’t like dealing with poisons even if they were resistant. This Sohye was quite something—she would rather scrub poison than fight back against her bullies.

Watching various emotions flicker on my face, Songji’s expression softened.

“So that’s why you went to see Lady Jin? Good. It’s about time they got punished for their actions. Anyway, let’s go get dinner.”

With a relieved giggle, Songji looped her arm around mine.

I made a mental note that I had been resistant to poison since I was little. I stroked the wooden box inside my pocket. I decided to keep the antidote safe and carry it around just in case. Hopefully, I would never have to use it.

* * *

After Lady Jin’s visit, my days of cleaning tainted clothes were over. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the bullies from giving me more hell.

“Starting today, you’re in charge of cleaning the training grounds, since you have a lot more time on your hands without laundry duties.”

They were telling me to clean the training grounds right after the martial artists finished their training.

I snorted and replied, “No, thanks. You all clean it.”

“What?”

Their faces crumpled, startled by my refusal. Instead of shrinking back, I glared daggers at them.

What? Try me. I dare you. I double dare you.

Had the training grounds been like other normal training grounds, I would’ve agreed to do it, assuming that all I had to do was sweep the dust off the marble flooring a few times. But the training grounds at Dang Manor were far from ordinary. Both sandy and cobalt-colored poisonous powder filled the air above. Working there would almost certainly lead to death. It was ridiculous, and I wasn’t going to give in to these girls’ tricks.

“What?” a weasel-faced girl said. “Are you out of your mind? How dare you talk back to us?”

“No. I’ll handle her.”

Someone stopped the weasel-faced girl and stepped forward. It was Simyang, the leader of the annoying bunch. Her specialty was screwing people over while playing innocent. Unfortunately, no one dared stand up to her. It had to do with the fact that her mother was a distant relative of the Dang family or something like that. That didn’t make her a Dang, nor did it matter that her mother was distantly one, but it appeared to indicate status among the people who served the clan.

Simyang talked to me like she was comforting a child.

“I understand you’re hesitant to clean the training grounds, Sohye. But you have stronger resistance to poison than the rest of us. It’s too dangerous for us to enter the area.”

Although her voice was sweet like honey, her words were anything but.

In other words, she’s throwing me to the wolves because she doesn’t wanna get poisoned and die.

“Why do you say that? You and I are both trained to become resistant to poison. Also, if it’s that unsafe, maybe we shouldn’t be cleaning there in the first place.”

I knew we had both regularly taken the so-called herbal medicine and rolled around in agony afterward—not that I remembered being in such pain, but I had a point.

When I rebutted one argument at a time, Simyang sighed with pity.

“I suppose that leaves us with no other choice but to send Songji instead. Her resistance isn’t very strong, but what else can we do? She’s the only other person fit for the job besides you, Sohye.”

Her bald-faced lie made me fume. The revelation came quick. Simyang had been influencing and threatening me all this time with Songji—there was no doubt about it. After all, she was Sohye’s only companion since she had no friends or family.

Huffing and puffing in anger, I glared at Simyang.

“Where are the training grounds?”

Fine, I’ll let you have your way this time. But there won’t be a next time.

When I declared my surrender, Simyang broke out into a smile.

Oh, how I’d like to kick her right in that annoying face!

* * *

An hour later, I was given a broom and an entry pass into the inner palace. Letting out one sigh after another, I stared at the gate into the exclusive space inside. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of poison awaited me today.

Damn it. I wanna go home.

“So are you going in or not?” the gatekeeper asked irritably when I lingered for a while. He wanted me to stop loitering and be on my way.

I had no choice but to show him my entry pass.

“You may enter.”

After a fleeting glance at the pass, the gatekeeper let me in. I wanted to ask him for directions, but he looked like he was going to throw a fit if I so much as said another word to him. Careful not to irritate him again, I adjusted my grip on the broom and walked inside.

The inner palace was much bigger than I expected. A wide road stretched before me. It was lined with tall traditional halls and many aesthetically decorated gardens in between. According to Songji, only the direct descendants and important members of the Dang family resided in the inner palace. Distant relatives and servants like me lived in the outer palace. It was safe to say that all the residents in this private space were members of the Dang Clan.

I’d heard that the inner palace could fit an entire village inside, but seeing was believing. To think that this huge manor was dedicated for the Dang Clan’s exclusive use—their wealth was simply staggering. The buildings and the halls inside were painted elegantly but not extravagantly, showcasing exactly what kind of style the family preferred. Being effortlessly elegant was a huge challenge, but the Dangs pulled it off well. Every roof tile and flooring was dripping with wealth. My jaw dropped like a country bumpkin who was visiting the big city for the first time.

Then, an issue dawned on me. How was I supposed to find the training grounds?

I probably should’ve asked the gatekeeper even if he gave me crap for it.

I ruefully turned back, but the gatekeeper was now only a speck in the distance. I had walked too far already.

If only someone would magically appear and lead me to the training grounds… or if they popped up somehow.

With a sigh, I began wandering around and searching.

About half an hour or so passed in this manner. After winding through various paths both wide and narrow, I finally arrived at a large pond. It was surrounded by wispy willow trees and red plum blossoms. They were the first flowers I had seen as of late. The scent of plum blossoms wafted through the cold air and tickled my nose. I was strangely compelled to walk toward the pond, which I did.

Intoxicated by the dizzying smell of plum blossoms, I reached out to touch them. But before I could, someone thundered, “Who goes there?”

“Eek!”

I jumped. Startled, I stepped back and slipped on a pebble. I lost my balance and fell toward the pond.

Ahhh! I’m falling, I’m falling!

There was no way to stop the fall. Bracing myself for the freezing water, I clenched my eyes shut. But at that moment, someone wrapped their arm around my waist.

“You again? Have you lost your way this time too?”