Episode 8
Dangerous Merit
“Poisonous herb?”
At Danseol’s words, all the court ladies turned their gaze toward the spot she pointed at. A pile of greens was prepared there, ready to be served as dinner side dishes.
“That’s not poison—it’s an edible wild herb.”
“No, if you look closely…”
“Are you trying to kill us all?! Talking about poison in a kitchen? Don’t be ridiculous!”
At the mention of poison, the expressions of the kitchen maids turned instantly hostile.
If Danseol was right and that really was poisonous, everyone involved in preparing the food could face death. After all, the greens had been carefully inspected and even came as regional tributes. There was no reason to suspect they were anything but safe.
And yet, some lowly maid from the laundry room had the nerve to claim otherwise? Their anger surged.
“Please believe me!”
“As a fellow court lady, I’ll let it go this time. But you’d better get out now!”
They didn’t listen any further and began pushing Danseol out. As she was being dragged away, she cried out desperately:
“The poisonous ones have tiny serrated edges on the leaves, unlike the smooth-edged edible kind!”
But the court ladies were more focused on forcing her out of the kitchen than listening to her.
“If you touch the back of the leaf, the safe ones are smooth, but the poisonous ones have tiny bumps you can feel!”
“Enough nonsense! Go back to the laundry room!”
Just then—
“Huh? Wait a second… she’s right?”
A soft voice from behind brought everything to a sudden halt.
“…What did you say?”
“There’s one in here that looks exactly like she described. Same as the poisonous herb!”
The maids all froze, then rushed back into the kitchen. Panic spread as they frantically searched through the baskets of greens.
“She’s right! This one has serrated edges and bumpy backs!”
“Over here too!”
“They look so similar that we would’ve never noticed without being told!”
If not for Danseol’s warning, they truly would have overlooked it. The poisonous plant looked nearly identical to the edible one—only someone who knew exactly what to look for could tell them apart.
“This particular poison isn’t well known. Even those who inspected the greens likely didn’t recognize it.”
Had Danseol not studied herbs, she wouldn’t have known either.
“It’s highly toxic—just a small amount can be deadly.”
Which meant someone had deliberately slipped the poison into the batch.
“Report this to Her Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager immediately!”
In an instant, chaos erupted in Hwayoungje.
—
“The moonlight is especially bright tonight.”
“Perhaps even the heavens knew Your Majesty would take a stroll tonight,” said Gyeonji, the handmaid.
Empress Ihwa let out a soft, elegant laugh.
“You speak well tonight.”
“I am honored, Your Majesty.”
Ihwa walked gracefully through the rear garden. Only Gyeonji accompanied her—she had served Ihwa since before she became Empress and was the one Ihwa trusted most.
“The sky is so clear. Dying under such a beautiful moon must be a blessing.”
“Surely, Her Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager would be grateful as well.”
“Of course, she should be.”
Ihwa looked at the moonlight reflected on the pond with satisfaction. Though the season was too early for lotus flowers and the foliage hadn’t fully bloomed, it looked beautiful to her.
‘It’s a shame that old fox has to die on such a lovely night, but I’ll consider it a final favor.’
The one who had mixed the poisonous herb into the food—was none other than Ihwa herself.
She had always resented the Grand Empress Dowager.
“Your Majesty, you must take a concubine from among the noble daughters,” the Grand Empress Dowager had urged Emperor Gyeom a few years after Ihwa became Empress.
“Her Majesty has yet to bear an heir. It is only proper to take in a concubine.”
It was true. Ihwa had never conceived.
But how could she, when Gyeom had never once shared a bed with her?
“I hear His Majesty didn’t visit again tonight.”
“Poor Empress…”
No matter how many auspicious dates were chosen, no matter how much she begged, Gyeom never came to her.
Ihwa held the highest position in the land but had a heart torn to pieces.
“Your Majesty! What is it about me that displeases you?!”
She had once confronted him in desperation.
“What a disgraceful sight. Go back at once.”
“I am the woman chosen to be your Empress! Why…?”
“It’s because you are Ihwa.”
Those words shattered her completely.
She came to her senses sitting on the ground in tears, humiliated beyond belief.
There’s nothing more worthless than a woman rejected by her own husband.
‘I was never meant to be the true Empress.’
Though she had claimed to be chosen by the heavens, it was all a lie.
Her father, Cheon Tae-yeom, had carved a fake divine mark on her body to make her seem destined for the throne.
She knew it was wrong—but she loved Gyeom. She obeyed her father to become his Empress.
But the result was devastating.
Her sincere love was trampled on before it was even seen.
And with that, the sweet and naive Ihwa died.
‘I will make him kneel at my feet.’
It was Gyeom who ignited the flames of hatred in her heart.
And from then on, Ihwa was no longer gentle and obedient—she became the cruel Empress Cheon.
—
“Your Majesty!”
Ihwa was pulled from her thoughts by a palace maid rushing into the garden.
“How dare you make such noise here!”
Gyeonji scolded her sharply on Ihwa’s behalf.
“I beg your pardon, but…!”
Despite the scolding, the maid dropped to her knees and gasped out her report.
“There’s been a major incident at Hwangseon!”
“Hwangseon…?”
Ihwa and Gyeonji exchanged glances.
That was where the Grand Empress Dowager resided.
A major incident could mean only one thing—her death.
“Well? Speak.”
Just as a sinister smile crept across Ihwa’s lips—
“Someone tried to assassinate Her Majesty by hiding poison in her food! But it was discovered just in time, and she survived!”
“…What did you say?”
Her voice turned icy.
“The food prepared for the Grand Empress Dowager contained poison, but…”
“And?”
“It—it was caught in time, so Her Majesty survived…”
SMACK—!
Before the maid could finish, Ihwa slapped her across the face. The girl clutched her reddening cheek, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Say it again.”
“Her Majesty… survived…”
SMACK—!
Blood formed on her lips, and her face began to swell.
“Again!”
“She… survived…”
SMACK—!
The sound of slaps echoed throughout the quiet garden.
Eventually, the poor maid collapsed from the pain and lost consciousness.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Now get that filthy thing out of my sight.”
Ihwa clenched her throbbing right hand. Striking the maid had done nothing to calm her fury. She had missed the perfect opportunity.
“I will find the person who exposed the poison and take care of them quietly.”
“Leave it.”
Gyeonji paused.
“If we move now, we may draw suspicion.”
The palace was in chaos, desperate to find who tried to poison the Grand Empress Dowager. It was best to stay quiet for now.
‘I’ll pay them back—twice—when the time is right.’
Ihwa turned coldly and left the garden.
—
After the discovery of the poison, chaos erupted at Hwangseon, and Danseol quietly returned to the laundry quarters.
“You slacking off again as usual, huh?”
The head maid was already waiting for her with furious eyes. She clearly thought Danseol had been off playing instead of running errands.
“That’s not it…”
“There’s a limit to how much I’ll tolerate. Today, I’m fixing that attitude of yours for good.”
She stormed toward Danseol, raising a hand—
“Wait, court lady!”
A sharp voice called out.
A middle-aged eunuch rushed in.
“What brings you here at this hour?”
“I was sent to bring a certain court lady—fair and pale in appearance—from the laundry room.”
At his words, the head maid turned toward Danseol.
“That’s her, sir!”
A maid behind him pointed.
The eunuch approached Danseol and bowed respectfully.
“By order of Her Majesty the Grand Empress Dowager, please come with me to Hwangseon.”
