Inside her room, Soo Jin was in daze. She was looking blankly looking at nothing until she heard a voice speak to her.
"Young mistress, are you sure you want to change on your own" ask Jin Ae worriedly.
"Yes please Jin Ae, I am okay on my own. I will call you if I need you, until then take a break okay" said Soo Jin as she smiled weakly at personal maid.
Now alone in her room, Soo Jin began to sob silently. She couldn't believe that her happiness was being stripped away from her. The more she thought about separating from her family, the sadder she became. Her tears flowed endlessly.
Soo Jin went to the window near her favourite orchid plant and looked into the clear afternoon sky with the shining sun in the sky. She stood there and thought of her future life in the palace.
'Will I be able to wear the veil in the palace' she thought as she touched her veil. The veil was an accessory that her parent said she had to wear from the age of 3 until the age of 13.
Her parents went to the temple every year to pray, one day they took a year old Soo Jin and one monk saw her and told them: ' this child of yours has a great birth chart with endless good luck, she will possess qualities that no other woman has ever possessed in the next century.' the monk came closer to the child who held tight into her mother's skirt closely observing before saying ' however, you must protect her, she has this beautiful shine on her face that needs hidden from the world for at least a decade.' The monk did not wait for the Han's to query about what he had just said and left.
Madam Han has always been superstitious, she followed the words of the Monk and had her daughter wear the until her 13th birthday. When people used to come to the Han household, they used ask why the young mistress wore a veil and her family used never give an answer. People came up with answers to their own questions. Some believed she was born ugly, some thought she has half animal and others thought her beauty was out of this world and needed to be concealed.
When it was time to remove the veil, Soo Jin insisted on wearing it as it became of who she was. She enjoyed being mysterious and unknown to the outside world. She could imagine a life with her veil.
Bang!
"I am sorry young Miss, I did not mean to startle you." said Jin Ae who dropped the empty washbasin in her hand.
" Its okay. Since you are here Jin Ae, help me change please" Soo Jin said as she pushed her thoughts aside.
" Yes, right away Young Miss" Jin Ae said as she helped her young mistress change into her training gear.
1 hour after training, Soo Jin made her way into her father's study and found her brothers present too. They seemed to be in a deep discussion that they did not notice her approach, she walked closer and cleared her throat.
" Father, I have something to discuss with you." Soo Jin spoke up. All the parties present and looked at her lovingly.
" Do you need us to leave?" asked Han Hyun. Soo Jin shook her head and took a seat.
"I would like you all here" she replied.
"What you like to discuss with us Jin'a?" her father queried.
" I have a couple of propositions i would like accepted by the king before i get married to crown prince." So Jin replied.
Everyone in the room was silent and looking at. No-one was saying anything, it seemed like they forgot to breathe.
Soo Jin started to speak again " I don't mind asking the king myself, the things i want are things that we will make my life in the palace more comfortable."
"Go ahead, lets hear them" urged her father.
"Well, I would like to keep my veil on if that's okay. Also I would like take Yumo (wet nurse), Jin Ae and Yoo Jung with. The reason for this the palace is a cruel place and I need people I can trust around." Soo Jin continue.
Her father and brothers looked and each other and smiled. " I will ask the king on your behalf, I doubt he will refuse." Her father replied smiling.
' I thought her requests would be more dandy, i definitely underestimated her smart she is' Great general thought as he suppressed his chuckle.