Imagine my shock when I woke up to my Uncle had his men waited for me outside of our damp home that was still almost falling on top of our heads. My brother had already started building us a home in our father's village that his people created in his name so I had started packing up our things already. It had been about 2 weeks since I left that village, my man was still in war and my workshop was going well, although there had been a few mishaps here and there. I clearly had made enemies since my workshop kept being targeted by people who liked to set fires, poison my workers and tear up my materials even though I made sure to counter these acts long ago when I set up my business with my man. Chief Park had more than a few contacts that not only knew of my circumstances but also agreed to help me out as my uncle had made more than a few enemies in his stolen business. I attended as many business meetings as I could along with the my brother who was finally home for more than two months and we made many contacts and investors who were more than willing to help me set up a shop that I wanted in my father's village to provide the people there with ample work. I also wanted to move the workshop there; now that my brother had made his riches with the prince he had his own small handful of weaponry shops and he funded Chief Park's military training classes which had now turned into a small academy. But from the looks of things now, it looked like my plans would have to be put on hold.
I had a furious Uncle and an outraged cousin in front of me; so by the looks of their faces and demeanour it looked like they finally found out who their secret top selling embroider was, and they were not happy about it. I couldn't help but to laugh a little initially at the reaction I had been hoping and praying to see for so long before trying to calm myself as I noticed Hui-Jee making her way over to me slowly. I kept everyone's focus on me as I also spotted Hwa-Wol who quickly turned around to get my brother who was close by in the market place. I asked them what they wanted and they made to attempt to hide how angry they were that I had managed to dupe them. My cousin started hurling insults at me, to which I gave her own reply in the form of a few slaps until she hit the ground and stated screaming. But nobody could have predicted that my uncle who was dressed like a nobleman could have set his men on her. I barely got to her in time with the weapons my father had left behind and I managed to take down a few men much to everyone's horror before somebody hit mw on the back of my head and I blacked out.
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I had waited for this day for over a month; I had endured beatings, starvation and other inhume sufferings at the hands of the mad family who would stop at nothing in their attempts to pose as noble people even if it cost them their lives. They ran their medium sized home that they tried to pass of as a 'smaller nobler home' similar to the rumours of how maids were treated at the palace itself. We all had unattractive heavy costumes, we were not allowed to wear any cosmetic products at all, we had to keep our eyes to the floor in case the mistress thought that we wanted to seduce her overnight husband or equally overweight son for non-existent power that she claimed to hold onto in the home. They barely were able to hold onto any work for longer than a few weeks so thy barely had any provisions for themselves, never mind us. We were lucky enough to find food in rubbish if we had to, and we had no days off at all. As for the men of of the house…well they certainly took their rights in their home seriously, and everything else in it, including us maids. And if we didn't comply, then we were as good as sold onto god know's what, but at least by staying in this home, I could catch glimpses of the young master every now and again…even though he was still always with her.
I had completely lost all hope of ever seeing my Young Master again until I had started seeing them at these really well-known dinner parties. To this day I had no idea what work my employers held, but they were forever sending their maids for work at function like these to get some kind of recognition from noble people. I tired to get the young master's attention with everything I could think of, but even if the King himself was in front of him, he wouldn't tear his eyes off of the lowborn with who put a spell on him. But if I didn't have a lowborn bitch on my back, then I had a slut who ran a gibang like she was a man. I tried and risked everything, even my own life and well-being to send any messages through their door until it was evident that they had all moved away! Without even telling me or bringing me back! It must have all been that bitch's fault, she must have not only gotten rid of my messages before he had a chance to read them, but she must have also taken him away before she gave him a chance to look for me. Who else was going to take care of him like I was? I wouldn't be surmised if he wasn't have starved and on the brink of death in her care. And as for my half-sister Ae-Cha well, who cares? She was deemed mad now and had been killed in prison long ago for upsetting the other criminals there.
It was very lucky for me that I happened to be following my Masters into the market place when that whole debacle took place with the Seo's and another young woman that I didn't recognise at all, but she looked to be a noble-woman. I gathered as much information as I could about her from the other servants that I worked with, and when I found out that she was in fact a cousin of the Seo's I already was starting to plan my escape from here and back to the young master Seon-Ho where I belonged.
There was another dinner party going on in Kim Aerum's home and fate seemed to be on my side when I was sent there to work. Her absence of late had been noted ever since she was humiliated so I found en excuse to serve her food in her bedroom which was almost the same size as the young masters accommodation. I did my job…as well as inform her of my 'relationship' with Seo Yeon, which had seemed to hit a nerve in her. She demanded as much information about the Seo's that I could give her, and I told her that I would gladly provide her with my services…as long as she cut me a little deal and set me free from the hands of my employers and even terminate my indenture. And now here I was, a free woman who stuck by the side of the noblewomen Kim Aerum who was out for Seo Yeon's blood as much as I was, with even more intent after herself and her father were let out of prison. Her mother on the other hand, was a different story as she was fund guilty of finding the ghost music and going against the Emperor's laws. This one act of hers to help her daughter cost her life and now the Kims were on the hunt for revenge. I just wanted the Young Master for myself and I would be at his manor in the other village waiting for him. And if he dared to turn me down again, then his so-called woman's fate was in his hands.
I still couldn't stop thinking about him as we made our way over to the next village. I wanted him to look at me how he looked at this pitiful girl that he made the mistake of leaving on her own. That was something that I just wouldn't understand about these new age females who insisted on staying independent without marriage or children. They could barely defend themselves or look after themselves, whereas I was going to be the lucky one who would be settled with a might fan man and a good marriage with an official in the palace. He would raise my social status, I would give him children, he would provide me with wealth and a comfortable home where I would have servants of boss around and we could travel. I overhead him talking to that girl about all the places that he was going to take her 'after he had made it big in the palace' and how he was going to spoil her. Even I could tell that she didn't really believe him at all, so why? Why choose a girl who doesn't support your dreams despite all of the special care that he lavished on her and turned down many opportunities to have mistresses and concubines? How could one girl be so jealous and possessive over a man that she didn't even want. What sort of magic spell did she cast on him to make him so infatuated with her?
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Step one of the plan had now been initiated as soon as Yeon was kidnapped to be sold to someone who would appreciate her…abilities even more than Seon-Ho ever could, and I wasn't talking about her bedroom ones that had the man wrapped around her little finger despite being so…innocent and inferior in status to everyone else. Seo Yeon was rising in the ranks far too quickly in under a year after her release in the Nam Mansion and she was setting the bar rather high for everyone else who would like the same chance and was not a person of nobility. My first set of plans had been thwarted a month ago and my belly was still growing fast. I was about to enter my second trimester without any support at all and barely a home with furnishing to comfort me. I was beginning to regret a lot of things now, including how I had treated Seon-Ho. He had a magnificent yangban already set up and I had let my petty jealousy get the better of me. All of those luxuries were in his home that I had planned to take over as soon as he returned from the war and get all of these pawns out of the way before he had even realised what I had just achieved. I wasn't going to underestimate him again and leave crumbs for him to find. I was going to be just as sophisticated as Yeon, if not even better. I was going to emulate her if that was what it took for me to motive him just as Yeon did for him to reach the top of his game in the palace so that I could reap the rewards of it…and my child. Our child.