.fifteen.
Hajin and Minji had gone into the house where they met up with Chaeryung. Hajin had taken something out of her dress pocket and handed it to her servant, asking for a favor. "I need you to leave this in the fourth prince's room." She explained, placing the object in her hands. It was covered in a handkerchief and as she opened it, she revealed a small silver hair pin. It was simple, yet beautiful, adorned with a butterfly and pink beads. Both Minji and Chaeryung had been confused as to why Hajin wanted that placed in the prince's room. Hajin left them in the dark about where she had gotten it and why she wanted the prince to have it.
Her servant was instantly hesitant, for she knew the consequences of getting caught in that room. For one, a servant wasn't supposed to touch anything in a prince's quarters without the proper authorization. And for another thing, she knew Prince Wang So and she knew he didn't have the best temper. She knew that getting caught in his bedroom wouldn't be good.
"I don't want to." She vehemently refused at first. "He'll kill me if he finds me in his room."
Hajin reassured her with a shake of her head, all the while Minji only stood there watching the whole conversation quietly. "He won't be mad at you, I promise. He probably wants this back." Chaeryung tried to push the pin back into her hands, but Hajin insisted. "Please just place it somewhere he has to look for it."
Minji thought about offering to be the one to hide it, since she was the general's daughter and getting caught in a prince's room probably wouldn't be as bad. But she didn't know the layout of the eighth prince's home, nor did she know which room the fourth prince was staying in. Chaeryung knew it well, since she had been living there and cleaning the house for years. As a servant, Chaeryung also had the advantage that she could easily go unnoticed by the other servants while going into the room.
It hadn't taken too long for her to be convinced--although reluctantly--by Hajin, and the two girls left her to wait for her by the terrace that overlooked the backyard of the house. The two girls had been sitting together, having some tea when they saw a commotion in the yard. Chaeryung was being dragged outside by four other servants which were led by princess Yeonhwa. Hajin shot up form her chair and hurried to the edge of the terrace, squinting her eyes to get a better look. But they were sure that it was her. A concerned sigh escaped Hajin's lips. "Come on, Minji." She tugged on her friend's hand. "We have to go help her."
The general's daughter didn't hesitate and nodded in agreement with her. The two girls then ran into the house, making their way downstairs and towards the doors that led to the backyard.
Hajin was faster than her, perhaps it was the guilt she felt because she suspected that the punishment that was coming was her fault. As the two ran up, Chaeryung had been tied up and was being beaten with a stick while some of the other servants watched. Minji and Hajin looked in horror as they saw the blood stains on her back. Without thinking it further, Hajin stepped in and stopped the servant from giving her friend another blow.
"What did she do for you to hurt her like this?" Hajin demanded, furious.
"I don't need to explain myself to you." Yeonhwa replied arrogantly, nose in the air with pride. It was clear that she didn't like Chaeryung, but she liked Hajin even less. She thought that she was better than her in every way.
Minji tried to ask the same question, hoping that their supposed friendship would make Yeonhwa bend and inform them what was going on. "What's happening, Yeonhwa? Why are you doing this?"
Since it had been Hak Soon who was asking, Yeonhwa explained with a sigh, "This servant was caught in the fourth prince's room, stealing." She lifted a hand to show her friend the object that had been stolen when she was caught. The very same pin that Hajin had given her earlier that day. She silently gestured for the punishment to continue, but Hajin stepped in her way again, shooting her a warning look. Don't you dare, she glared at the other servant. Suddenly afraid, the other servant stepped back wearily.
