The Hunting Competition

Geum was so different from Yeon that it was difficult to know where to begin explaining the differences. Among them, the cultural gap Yi-seol now faced concerned the basic accomplishments expected of consorts in Geum.

Having been told that any consort in Geum must know how to embroider, he learned embroidery. Though he still had a long way to go, Yi-seol made the effort. Moreover, despite being a man, he fixed his hair with women’s hairpins and adorned himself with feminine accessories as part of his station. At most, he wore only a jade bracelet and a samjak norigae on his way to the library, but in truth, these were already a great concession for Yi-seol.

In addition, he learned the etiquette women were expected to observe during meals and even relearned his gait, which had previously been deemed faultless. Recently, upon being told he must learn ink wash painting, he stained his gray-white sleeves with black ink as he studied that as well. To endure the long days in the palace, he had taken to caring for the trees in the front and rear gardens as a pastime, but these days there was so much to do that he even forgot to water the newly sprouting seedlings.

Amidst all this, when he was told there was yet another skill to learn, Yi-seol stepped into the front courtyard and stood speechless.

“What in the world is this?”

“Oh, Your Highness, can you not tell just by looking? It’s a horse, a horse!”

Yi-seol was neither an imbecile nor blind. He hadn’t asked because he didn’t recognize the horse before him. He was simply curious as to why the horse was in the front courtyard of his residence.

“Did I not inform you that there is a hunting competition in one month?”

“Yes, I heard that. But what does that have to do with this horse…”

The annual palace hunting competition was to be held in one month. It was an event to celebrate the safe passage of the hottest days of summer before the Ujang Festival began. Starting early in the morning at the foot of Mount Nadeok behind the palace, the hunt would last half a day until sunset. Points were awarded based on the size and number of animals caught, and the one with the highest score won.

Unable to understand hunting for leisure, Yi-seol had shuddered at the words “hunting competition” and let them go in one ear and out the other. But now, with the topic resurfacing, he had no idea why it involved him directly.

Unlike Yi-seol, who couldn’t even approach the horse and stood far away, Hwahong held the reins without any fear and spoke as if frustrated.

“Did I not say that Your Highness must personally ride this horse and hunt?”

“……So you’re saying… I have to ride this horse and hunt personally…?”

“Yes.”

“…I… I am not that kind of man… No, I am a man, that’s true, but why would I hunt…”

Yi-seol strained to hold onto his reeling mind, firmly planting his legs. He didn’t have the mental capacity to both correct his rambling and stand upright at the same time. What he wanted to say was that, though he was indeed a man, since he was living as the Emperor’s consort, why should he personally ride a horse and hunt? Unable to grasp his meaning, Hwahong merely stared blankly at Yi-seol, and Lady Ju stepped forward in her stead.

“In Geum, riding horses and shooting arrows are basic accomplishments that both men and women must possess.”

“…….”

“His Majesty, of course, and all the other consorts participate in the hunting competition. That means you must ride a horse and shoot arrows to hunt. Of course, it’s a symbolic participation; we’re not asking you to aim for victory. However, participation is mandatory.”

Yi-seol covered his gaping mouth with his hand and looked at the horse before him. Confronted with an unbearable reality, he lost his words. The court ladies looked at him with expressions that were utterly incomprehensible to him. Ever since they learned that Yi-seol couldn’t ride a horse, they had all reacted this way.

In Yeon, where flat land was rare and the terrain rugged, horseback riding was not common. Among the royal men, some could ride to some extent, but Yi-seol was different. He had never ridden a horse alone even once. Though it might have happened at least once for most people, Yi-seol truly had never attempted it. As a child, after seeing his eldest cousin seriously injured from a fall, he had been too afraid to even approach a horse until much later.

Still unable to take his eyes off the horse, Yi-seol spoke in a voice that seemed to shrink with shame.

“I cannot ride a horse.”

“We are aware. That is why you must prepare.”

“Prepare…?”

“Riding a horse is not difficult. It’s riding and shooting arrows that is hard. I won’t expect that much. Just manage to get on the horse, Your Highness. As I said, participation is mandatory.”

Though Lady Ju was strict and rigid, imposing numerous duties on Yi-seol, he had never once complained. Even when his right hand pricked his left hand countless times with the needle while embroidering, he felt it was his own fault, not Lady Ju’s, so he never resented her.

But at this moment, Yi-seol let his shoulders droop, sending a look of unmistakable resentment toward Lady Ju. Lady Ju seemed to show a slight reaction but soon regained her composure.

“I have instructed the Office of the Royal Stables to bring the gentlest and most docile horse.”

“Lady Ju, as you can see, I… um…”

“Yes. You cannot even mount a horse alone. There is a long way to go, so you must learn quickly.”

Since Lady Ju was speaking of matters known to everyone in the palace, Yi-seol hid his face in his sleeve, as if his greatest weakness had been exposed. It was embarrassing, but more than that, Yi-seol had no desire whatsoever to ride a horse, which made matters worse. Still, he should be grateful that he wouldn’t have to shoot arrows from horseback. It was a problem that Ki-yeon was the only one looking at him with pity, as if he were about to cry.

“I will teach you with all my heart. Please do not worry too much.”

“……Enough. I don’t know about others, but I will never learn from you, Ki-yeon.”

By the time Yi-seol had barely overcome his fear of horses as a youth, he had started learning horseback riding from Ki-yeon, but the results were disastrous. Ki-yeon could not teach him anything, unable to understand Yi-seol, who couldn’t even put his foot in the stirrup. Feeling that he had made a pitiful spectacle, Yi-seol lowered his head in embarrassment, and Ki-yeon merely fell silent in bewilderment.

“Then who else but me can teach Your Highness horseback riding here?”

“…….”

“Please change clothes and come out quickly. As Lady Ju said, there is a very long way to go.”

He looked around for help, but no one took his side. Even the white horse staring at him with jet-black eyes seemed not to be on his side. It was a lonesome day.

****

“Your Highness, why do you look so weary today? Do you have some worry buried in your heart?”

Hae Do-won, carefully holding a packet of honey cakes wrapped in mulberry paper against his chest, asked while pretending to be an adult. Now visiting daily instead of every other day, Hae Do-won spent increasing time with Yi-seol, and unless Yi-seol personally chased him away, he would stay put. Despite Yi-seol’s admonition not to neglect his studies, the boy had stubbornly persisted for days. Now Yi-seol found it hard to argue with the child, so he just let it be.

Yi-seol was now in his eighth day of facing one of the greatest challenges of his life.

“I’ve been learning horseback riding lately, and it’s not as easy as I thought, so my body is… a bit tired. Don’t worry.”

As Yi-seol stroked Hae Do-won’s head, who had been concerned about his complexion, Hae Do-won started and asked:

“Do you mean to say that Your Highness still does not know how to ride a horse?”

Yi-seol was even more surprised by Hae Do-won’s reaction, as if he had heard that a grown adult couldn’t use chopsticks. But that surprise was brief. The thought that he had been embarrassed again, this time by a mere child, made his face flush red.

If there were any progress in his learning, he could proudly say he was improving. But since he had no talent for lying, he couldn’t tell a falsehood, nor could he tell the truth, so he simply plucked at the grass, tugging it out. Hae Do-won, who was very perceptive for a child, looked quite flustered when he saw Yi-seol instantly become dejected, but for a long while, he couldn’t offer any words of comfort. It was clear that, by the standards of Geum’s noble children, he couldn’t understand how someone of Yi-seol’s age couldn’t ride a horse.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I, too, once struggled for over two days just to mount a horse.”

“…….”

“But now I can even hold the reins while on horseback.”

Listening to Hae Do-won’s words, which seemed both comforting and boastful, Yi-seol felt even more miserable. He had now spent eight days just trying to mount a horse. Seeing no signs of improvement, it seemed he would soon exceed half a month.

“Have I done something wrong? Your Highness’s complexion has worsened even more.”

Seeing Yi-seol bury his face in his arms on his knees and sigh heavily, Hae Do-won fidgeted around him with worry. Yi-seol wanted to confide in someone, but since none of the palace staff, including Ki-yeon, understood him, he wondered if he had unloaded his pent-up frustration on this small child. He reproached himself: even if he had to blame his own incompetence, he should do it alone; why make a child worry? He lifted his head. He tried to smile and say it was fine, but Hae Do-won suddenly thrust his hand forward.

“Though it is a small gift for Your Highness. Please, ease your mind.”

The fair hand unclenched to reveal a golden ring.

“What is this, Won-ah?”

“Isn’t it the price for all the honey cakes I have stolen from Your Highness?”

Smiling shyly, Hae Do-won pushed his hand closer to Yi-seol.