"Ahhhhh!!!"
Yoon Ji's scream pierced through the air like a blade, shattering the quiet of her chamber. The heavy fragrance of sandalwood and rose still clung to the air, remnants of her bath, but the sudden explosion of her voice sent a ripple of panic through the household.
The silk curtain at the entrance of her chamber was violently shoved aside as a flood of servants rushed in, their faces pale with dread. They knew their mistress well, knew the storm that brewed in her heart when displeased and some of them couldn't even stand straight as their legs started to tremble.
Dressed in her delicate inner robes, Yoon Ji stood barefoot on the polished wooden floor, her dark hair flow long and loose, reaching her waist, still damp from her bath. Her thin eyes, sharp and filled with fury, darted to her personal handmaiden, who stood beside her with her head bowed so low it almost touched her chest.
"Who workedonmyhands?" Yoon Ji's voice rang through the room, sharp as a whip, as she diverted her gaze to the servants. Her dark eyes, blazing with fury, flickered over each of them, daring, no, challenginganyone to speak, to so much as breathe out of turn.
The air grew suffocating under her scrutiny, the weight of her presence pressing down like an iron hand. No one moved. No one dared to.
Her lips curled into a slow, mocking smirk. "Not one of you?" she taunted, taking deliberate steps forward. Her robes swayed with every movement, the soft rustle amplifying the eerie silence. "Are you all so spineless?"
The servants stiffened, exchanging fearful glances as they instinctively lowered their heads, fear creeping into their bones.Then, after a moment of silence, a frail teenage girl stepped forward, falling to her knees with a soft thud.
"I-I did, Young Mistress." Her voice trembled, her head bowed so low that her forehead nearly touched the floor.
A deadly stillness settled over the room. Yoon Ji's dark eyes, once smooth as polished jade, now burned like smoldering coals. Her delicate fingers curled into a fist, the veins on the back of her hand subtly protruding.
She stepped forward with measured grace, the rustling of her robes the only sound in the suffocating silence.
The girl dared to lift her head slightly, confusion flickering in her fearful gaze. "Young Mistress..., your skin is looking so..."
A loud crack echoed as Yoon Ji's hand lashed out, striking the girl across the face. The force of it sent her tumbling sideways, her small frame hitting the ground with a gasp.
"You wretched thing!" Yoon Ji seethed. She grabbed the girl by her hair, yanking her up to face her. But the girl did not cry out.
That only made Yoon Ji angrier.
"My left arm is whiter than my right!" Yoon Ji spat, her grip tightening in the servant's hair as she shook her violently. "Do you know what that means?!"
Her voice, shrill with fury, echoed through the room, sending a fresh wave of terror through the watching servants.
"I am entering the palace soon!" she continued, her eyes ablaze with rage. "The King's concubines are chosen for their beauty, and unlike those with powerful fathers, I have nothing but my looks to secure my place. My father's position in court is already weak! Do you want me to fail? Is that it? Do you deliberately seek to ruin me?!"
With a sudden burst of strength, she flung the girl to the ground.
The servant gasped as she hit the cold wooden floor, her frail body curling inward from the impact. Desperation clawed at her chest, and she shook her head violently, her lips trembling as she tried to form words.
"N-no, Young Mistress! I..I would never..."
But Yoon Ji wasn't listening.
Tears welled in the girl's wide, terrified eyes, spilling down her cheeks in hot, silent streams.
"You have ruined my skin!" Yoon Ji screeched, her breathing ragged as she stared down at the girl as though she were filth beneath her feet.
The room remained deathly silent, save for the servant's muffled sobs. The other maids stood motionless, afraid to even meet their mistress's gaze, knowing that one wrong glance, one misplaced breath could make them the next target of her wrath.
Blinking rapidly, the servant dared to glance at her mistress's hands, searching desperately for the flaw that had ignited such wrath. But there was nothing. No visible difference. No imperfection.
The other servants saw it too. Their gazes flickered toward one another, silent and stricken, their throats tightening with unspoken fear.
None of them would dare voice the truth.
Their mistress had decided she was flawed, and that was all that mattered.
As Yoon Ji's fingers twitched, as though eager to find another fault, a ripple of panic spread through the room. If she looked into a mirror and convinced herself of another imperfection, who knew what fresh horror would unfold?
Yoon Ji turned to the other servants, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Get me my rod. Hold her down and strip her back."
The girl's breath hitched. "P-please, Young Mistress! I only did as I was told! I mixed it well, I measured the honey... please..."
But her cries fell on deaf ears. Two servants hesitated before moving forward, their hands gripping the girl's arms, forcing her down. Her loose garments slipped from her shoulder, revealing pale, trembling skin.
Just then, the doors of the chamber slid open.
Lady So Ah stepped inside with the quiet grace of a queen, her presence commanding the room without the need for words. Her silk hanbok, embroidered with intricate pink thread, shimmered under the soft glow of the radiance from the sun coming in from the window, each delicate stitch a testament to her wealth and status. The deep purple of her robes, contrasted by the pale ivory of her jeogori, gave her an air of regal authority, untouchable, unshakable.
Her face, as flawless as porcelain, remained unreadable, her sharp features betraying not a hint of concern. Dark, almond-shaped eyes swept over the scene with an eerie calm, calculating and observant, as though she were appraising a fine piece of art rather than witnessing the cruelty unfolding before her. Her lips, painted a deep shade of red, remained pressed together in a serene yet unsettling composure, as if the sight of a servant being punished was nothing more than a trivial household affair.
Her hair, long and ink-black, was styled into an elaborate braided bun adorned with golden hairpins and jade ornaments, each piece carefully chosen to reflect her refined taste. Not a single strand was out of place, a testament to the discipline with which she carried herself.
She did not rush, nor did she hesitate. Every step was deliberate, her embroidered shoes making the softest sound against the polished wooden floor.
As she came to a stop beside her daughter, her gaze flickered over the trembling servant girl, barely acknowledging her existence before settling on Yoon Ji with an almost imperceptible smile.
The servants froze, casting glances at one another. Would she intervene?
Yoon Ji turned, her lips curling into a small smile at the sight of her mother.
"Mother, you're just in time."
"I heard your scream which made me worried." She said in a sharp authoritative tune.
Yoon Ji gestured toward the kneeling girl. "This lowly wretch ruined my skin. She deserves punishment."
So Ah's gaze flickered to the trembling servant, then back to her daughter. For a brief moment, she seemed to consider the situation then, in an almost bored tone then she spoke.
"Then fog her well, my dear. Let this be a lesson to the others."
A chilling silence followed her words. The servants' hearts sank.
Yoon Ji's smile widened, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. "You heard Mother. Hold her down."
The servants hesitated for only a heartbeat before obeying, their trembling hands gripping the girl's arms and forcing her to the ground. She struggled weakly, her breath hitching with panic, but there was no escape.
A servant stepped forward, head bowed, and presented Yoon Ji with a thick bamboo cane. She accepted it with slow, deliberate grace, running her fingers over its smooth surface as if savoring the weight of power it granted her.
Without hesitation, she lifted it high. The room held its breath.
Then crack!
The cane sliced through the air before landing with merciless force against the girl's exposed back. A scream tore from her throat, raw and desperate, echoing off the polished wooden walls.
But Yoon Ji did not stop.
Again, the cane came down. And again. Each strike was measured, each movement precise like an artist perfecting her craft.
The girl's sobs grew ragged, her body convulsing beneath the unrelenting blows, but Yoon Ji remained unmoved. Her breathing was steady, her gaze cold, even as red welts blossomed against the servant's pale skin.
By the door, So Ah moved with effortless grace, the rich silk of her robes rustling softly. She did not flinch at the cries, nor did she avert her gaze. Instead, she observed the scene in silence, her dark eyes lingering on her daughter.
There was no pity in her expression. No concern. Only something dangerously close to pride.
With the faintest tilt of her chin, she turned and glided out of the room, her departure as silent as a shadow.