At The Gate and Reception Hall
The next morning Jennie is exhausted from the previous night’s stag chase and the walk back from the glen. However she finds the energy to pack up and get ready for the journey to the palace. As her palanquin arrives at the palace, she sees a finely dressed young man in a maroon silk hanbok being shadowed by two scholars. He looks at her palanquin with interest, says something to the two scholars, and smiles widely. Detective Jennie gets out of the palanquin with the assistance of a footman. The palace steward Mr. Cho is there to greet her. He then turns the young man.
Mr. Cho: Your highness, may I introduce you to the famed detective, Mistress Jennie…
Jennie, assuming the young man is one of the king’s 12 sons, bows.
Jennie: Your highness…
Mr. Cho: Mistress Jennie, this is Prince Yedam…
Prince Yedam: Ah, Detective Jennie…you are as lovely as they say.
Prince Yedam continues by introducing the two scholars with him. They are named Byounggon and Seunghun. Byounggon is a poet and Seunghun is the court composer. Byounggon is fair skinned with generous features that are still balanced on his face. He has a warm smile. Seunghun is more tan with brown hair and has a very charming smile with a small gap between his canines and molars.
Jennie has a short, pleasant conversation with Prince Yedam before he excuses her. Mr. Cho takes her into the palace compound. She is taken to the waiting room in the royal reception hall. She sees other aristocrats waiting to see the king. They stare at her as she enters. She is the only female.
She looks out the window and sees three young men walking by, being shadowed by an entourage. Two men near her whisper to each other.
Man: That was Prince Junkyu, Prince Doyoung, and Crown Prince Hyunsuk!
An hour passes. Jennie tries to keep busy by reviewing her notes. The chamberlain then calls for lunch. The waiting room empties and Jennie is led to a dining hall. On her way back from the dining hall she sees pair of young men walking by with racquets on their way to play shuttlecock.
Man: That was Prince Jaehyuk and Prince, Jihoon!
After lunch, Jennie waits about a half an hour before she gets audience with the king. The king tells her that she will have an apartment in the ladies quarters while she is working on her case and has the head housekeeper, Mrs. Nam take her to her rooms.
King: Take her through the garden, so she can enjoy the view.
The Royal Gardens
Jennie is taken on a tour through the gardens.
Mrs. Nam: The great pond is further down that path…
Suddenly a finely dressed boy comes running past them with a net chasing a butterfly. Another boy follows, almost colliding with them before running past.
Second boy: (Turns back briefly before running off.) Apologies…
The second boy was very tall and exceedingly handsome. They watch as the second boy stumbles as he is trying to avoid a plump woman in a fine hanbok turning the corner down the path.
Woman: Prince Haruto!
Prince Haruto: Sorry, Lady Yuna…
Lady Yuna: (Calling out to someone down the path past Mrs. Nam and Jennie.) Prince Yoshi! Why are you not keeping an eye on your younger brothers?
Mrs. Nam turns to look in the opposite direction, Jennie follows. Down the opposite side of lane is another pair of boys walking slowly towards them. The shorter boy has butterfly net in hand, the taller one has his arm around the younger one’s shoulder. Jennie assumes the taller one is Prince Yoshi. Both have very fair skin.
Lady Yuna: (Continuing, with an air of exasperation.) One of them may turn an ankle running around the garden like that...
As the woman approaches…
Mrs. Nam: (To Jennie.) That is Lady Yuna, one of the royal governesses. She is from one of the oldest family in the capital.
Lady Yuna notices Jennie and Mrs. Nam. Mrs. Nam and Jennie bow towards the governess as she approaches.
Lady Yuna: (Exasperated.) Mrs. Nam…
Mrs. Nam: I’m am escorting young Mistress Jennie to her rooms, my lady.
Lady Yuna: Mistress Jennie: The detective!
Prince Yoshi and his younger brother approach. Prince Yoshi is very handsome-almost as handsome as Prince Haruto, but there is something about Prince Yoshi which makes him more otherworldly.
Prince Yoshi: Apologies, Lady Yuna.
Lady Yuna: Prince Yoshi, I don’t expect you to go running after them…but please try to keep them from getting overly…stimulated.
Prince Yoshi: I will try my best. (Turns to Mrs. Nam and Jennie. Nods.) Mrs. Nam…
Prince Yoshi’s eyes meets Jennie’s. He is very, very handsome.
Mrs. Nam: Your highness, this is Mistress Jennie. She will be staying at the palace for a while.
Prince Yoshi: The famous detective!
Mrs. Nam: Yes. (To Jennie.) This is Prince Yoshi and Prince Junghwan.
Jennie bows to both. Prince Junghwan is the king’s youngest son. He is cute but will obviously grow to be quite handsome.
Prince Junghwan: (Whining.) Hyung…
Prince Yoshi simply hugs his youngest brother and Prince Junghwan lets out a beatific grin.
The two other boys come jogging back. Both are tall for their age as well as handsome. Prince Haruto is almost as tall as Prince Yoshi. The other boy is more tan than the rest of his brothers.
Tan Prince: (Showing his older brother a net with an entrapped butterfly.) Got it!
Mrs. Nam introduces Jennie to the two boys. The tan one is Prince Jeongwoo.
Mrs. Nam and Jennie leave Lady Yuna and the four princes.
Prince Junghwan: She’s pretty…
Prince Yoshi: Uh huh…
Prince Jeongwoo: She’s too old for the both of you.
As Mrs. Nam and Jennie approach the women’s quarters they pass the tea room. Inside they see a pair of cute boys playing chess. One of the boys waves at them, while the other just stares at Jennie with a look of wonder.
Mrs. Nam: That was Prince Mashiho and the other one is Prince Arthur.
ns 15.158.61.16da2
