The poisons master

Chapitre 6

Spring came back and the cherry trees in the dispensary's front yard started to blossom. It was a beautiful sight, and after finishing her working day, Yi-Seo liked to sit under them to rest before walking back home. There were more and more patients coming to the dispensary and she really felt like she belonged there. Being useful was enough for her and she thought that seasons would unfold quietly like this, until the day she'd die. But it wasn't meant to be this way.

- What did you say ? Asked Yi-seo.
The young woman blemished. Her father and her were having breakfast but she suddenly lost her appetite.
- The King is ill. From time to time, he feels feverish and weak for several hours and then, he's fine again. He's been given medicine that seems to help him regaining some strength, but as the royal physicians don't know what illness afflict him, he can't be treated properly.
- How is that possible ?
Her father shook his head and replied :
- Nobody knows. The Queen Dowager and the ministers are all very concerned as the King has no heir.
- He's young and healthy and may recover by himself. Is there a reason why you seem so worried?
- The King's mother was poisoned and I can't help but wonder if he hasn't been poisoned too. I asked a few questions around but I've found nothing suspicious so far. All the King's meals are tested, and so is the tea he drinks with the Queen every day.

Yi-seo knew from her father that the King never visited his wife's quarters. Whenever the ministers would express their concern about it, he'd agree to go then make up an excuse at the last minute. What could have changed ?

- The King has tea with the Queen every day ? She asked, with a hint of disbelief in her voice.
- Yes. For a little more than a month now. It was the Queen Dowager's idea. She hoped that it would help them grow closer. I'm afraid she'll be disappointed once again. But the strange thing is that the first episode of fever happened a couple of weeks after he started going to the Queen's quarters. I'm sure it's not a coincidence so I went to the Royal Investigation Bureau and asked them to investigate secretly.
- If it's a poison, I may find something helpful in my notes. Everything I've learnt from Seol-geum is in there : how to make medecine but also poisons.
- Why did she teach you about poisons ? Bang Jae-cheon asked, surprised.
- She thought that I needed to know how to make poisons so I can be able to make their antidotes ... But I think the real reason was something she told me a few weeks before I left Chungcheon Province. She believed that my skin disease had been caused by a poison.
- What are you talking about ?
- She said that I probably put on my face some poisoned powder or ointment. As it caused this awful reaction, I stopped using it. But if I hadn't, it would have slowly killed me ... I think it was this beauty powder I took from mother.
- Which beauty powder ?
- You probably don't remember, it's a woman thing. Mother had this porcelain pot with beauty powder in it. I borrowed it and put some on that day, before going to the market ...

Bang Jae-cheon's face froze.

- I remember it. Your mother showed it to me. She was so happy and said it'd made her even more beautiful than she already was. I can't believe it killed her instead ... It's so wicked ...
- That's what Seol-geum believes, but we can't know for sure.
- It would make sense though, and explain what happened to you and to your mother.

He looked so sad that Yi-seo felt sorry for him. Digging theses memories out was painful for both of them.

- Father, do you know how she got this pot ?
- Lady Jeong gave it to her.

Lord Bang then told his daughter everything about the tensions that were tearing the court apart twelve years ago. Park Chi-gook was the Minister of Taxation then and always put his own interests before the nation's needs and Bang Jae-cheon couldn't stand it. So they fought constantly and it had only ended after Bang Jae-cheon's departure. Now that he was back at the palace, their fighting had resumed and he warned his daughter to stay away from the Left State Councilor and his allies as his old foe wouldn't hesitate to use the same filthy methods to harm him or his family.