Chapter 16:
The next morning, when Eun Won opened her eyes, she was met with Yu-Jun's eyes, looking down on her with anger. "Oh shit," she thought. "Get ready and receive your punishment," said Yu-Jun. "Punishment for what?" asked Eun Won. "For disobeying my orders," said Yu-Jun. "I didn't do anything," said Eun Won. "You drank 'Smile Drunk', and it is forbidden with my order and can only be used when events are being held." said Yu-Jun.
Everything from last night came back to her. Her drinking four bottles of 'Smile Drunk' on rooftop tiles and singing her out. When she was in thought, Yu-Jun had already left. She got up and took a warm bath. She got dressed in a white dress and let her hair fall down on her back.
On her way there, she took in the scenery. The place was deep in the corner of the palace. She heard of it before. They call it the "hitting ground." Where those how disobey the Emperor order will pay the price by being hit by and Emperor himself chose the amount of hits each individual will receive. Arriving at the "hitting ground," she noticed that it was an abandoned court yard filled with weapons of different kinds. A servant dragged her towards a plank that was put on wooden feet. They laid her down. Eun Won took hold of the plank sides, and they told her to count how many hits she received.
One hit ofter another, she counted. "One, two three," she counted until fifteen hits. The smell of blood was lingering in the air. Her white dress was torn open from the whip, hitting her back, and blood flowed out of the wounds. She started to cough out blood liquid, and it strained the ground dripping from her mouth. When it came to the fifteenth hit, her body was sore, and she could barely stand up when they were done. One of the servants helped her back to her room.
Arriving at her room, Na-Ri came out running towards Eun Won. "Mistress, are you okay?" asked Na-Ri. "I'm fine, Na-Ri. I had worse." said Eun Won. Na-Ri helped her get into her room. Eun Won laid on her stomach because she couldn't not lay on her back because of the pain. "Na-Ri, go get some of the healing cream." said Eun Won. Na-Ri hurried out toward the medical room. When she got back, she started to place the healing cream on her back.
They were interrupted by a voice. "I will do that myself." As she looked up, she saw Yu-Jun. "You may leave," said Yu-Jun towards Na-Ri.
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Yu-Jun's point of view:
I felt guilty for sending her to the 'hitting ground', but she much learned to obey me. I decided to go to her room. Arriving at her room, I saw her on the bed, and her friend Na-Ri was putting on healing cream. "You may leave," I said.
Yu-Jun's point of view stops.
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"Let me help you," said Yu-Jun. Eun Won felt self-conscious about her body. She light nods her head. Her cheeks were slightly tinned with a blush. Her eyebrows frowned slightly at the pain. As the night came, Yu-Jun went back to his chambers. The night was long for Eun Won because she came down with a fever. She was awake most of the night.