The two ladies of the Chengs went back with a worried look on their face to report to their father the news that Cheng Mi was missing and they couldn't find her
"Paa, paaa" Cheng Hee shouted as she barged into the room where her dad was discussing with the butler
"Oh, you are back so early, didn't you enjoy yourselves?" The father asked
"Cheng Mi is missing " Cheng Hee shouted while trying to catch her breath
"What!!!" He shouted
"How did this happen " he asked
"The market suddenly became crowded and there we lost space with her, we looked for her but couldn't find her, could something have happened to her?" Cheng Hee asked worried
"What if she's dead, after all we may never know" Cheng Ji said with a wiery smile
"Nonsense, she can't be dead" he said
"Mr Lee " he called out to the butler
"Master" he responded
"Send people to search for her immediately!!" He shouted as he left the room with the butler
It started raining heavily. Hours went but still no news of Cheng Mi, by now it was already midnight
"Sire!!!" The butler shouted as he stormed in
"Any news??" Mr Cheng asked
"We couldn't find her" he said in a worried tone
"How can this be, what really happened to her " he said worriedly
"Sire" another servant stormed in
" whats wrong " we found this peace of clothing with blood stains, it was dropped by the door by someone unknown" he explained
"It belongs to Cheng Mi " Cheng Hee said
"Cheng Mi...." Mr Cheng called as he fell to his chair. Everyone else has a sobbing look on their faces except for Cheng Ji who was giving q wiery smile with her head low
THE THREE DAYS LATER
A burial ceremony was held for Cheng Mi, she was regarded as dead already, the whole household were mourning in white. A lot of people came to pay their respect. Someone in black cloak came but didn't enter the household, the black cloak person just observed from the outside and left.
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THE ENTRY INTO THE PALACE
YEARS LATER
The news of the palace recruiting new maids for the imperial birthday which would be coming up in a weeks time spread through the city of Gyeongdong. The news got to the ears of kim soyeon a common villager in Gyeongdong
"They have started recruiting new maids, this is an opportunity to enter the palace " soyeon thought to herself as she went home to meet her friend whom she took as a sister
"Sister you are back" soo-bin ran towards soyeon
"Yes" she replied
"I'll carry that" soo-bin said as she carried the grocery bag bought by soyeon
"I'll be going to the palace tomorrow " soyeon said
"What!! What for??" Soo-bin asked
"I heard they are recruiting new people, I will participate " she replied
"Noo you can't!" Soo-bin exclaimed
"Why?" Soyeon asked
"Sister, the palace isn't a good place at all, its not safe, you are the only one I have, you can't leave me" soo-bin said with tears in her eyes
"If you want to go then you will let me tag along with you!" She exclaimed
"But you just said it isn't safe" soyeon said
"I will go wherever you go" soo-bin said as she clenched her fist with soyeon
"OK, then we will set out tomorrow " soyeon agreed with a smile
"OK thats good, after eating i will start packing our bags" she said as she went to continue her cooking. The smile on soyeon face faded away within a second
"Going to the palace with you would really be dangerous for you, I'll make sure to protect you well" soyeon thought to herself
*******************************************
THE NEXT DAY
They set out for the palace early in the morning upon arriving they met a lot of beautiful girls who were also participating
"Woow, Sister a lot of people are participating, do you think we would be able to make it?" Soo-bin asked
"We will" soyeon replied as she pulled soo-bin away
"Sister whats wrong?" Soo-bin asked
"Rub this rouge on your face" soyeon said as she brought out a white powder
"Sister whats it for?" She asked
"Just rub it" soyeon instructed as she also gave her a scarf to cover her face
"Sister i don't understand what you are doing " soo-bin said
"I'll explain later" she said as she pulled soo-bin back to join the others. Few minutes later a steward came to pave way for them to enter the palace and meet the concubine incharge of the recruit.
"My lady, the new recruits are here already" a maid informed
"Let them in" she said as they all came in
"Sure enough its Cheng Ji " soyeon said to herself. By now Cheng Hee and Cheng Ji had already entered the palace as the prince concubine
"You all should line up and raise your heads" the steward instructed as they followed suit. Cheng Ji walked up to the first girl, she was fat
"We don't need fat people to come here and only know how to eat, you may leave" she rudely said to the girl. Then she walked up to the second girl
"Not bad, but the problem here is...you are too beautiful to be a servant, your face is not needed, you may leave " she said to the girl. She got to the third girl
"You are too skinny, you may leave" she said. On getting to the fourth girl which was soyeon
"Why is your face covered?" She asked
"My lady" soyeon said with her head low
"May face has been disfigured right from when I was a kid, so I often put on the scarf to cover it" she explained
"Remove it, I want to see your face myself" she said, soyeon removed the scarf from her face. Sure enough there was a red disfigured mark on her face, but still Cheng Ji wasn't convinced buy it
"Wipe ur face with this white handkerchief" she said as she handed it to soyeon. As she was about to wipe it a maid quickly rushed in
"My lady" she called panting
"Whats it how dare you barge in" she said
"The ....the prince is on his way her" the maid explained
"What, really " she asked
"Yes my lady" the maud replied
"You all are dismissed " she said as she dismissed the participants
"Ha yoon" she called. Ha yoon is her person maid
"Yes my lady" the maid replied
"Help me comb my hair" she said. By then all the participants left. On the way they met the prince.
"My prince" they greeted as they bowed
"You may rise" he said as he walked passed them almost brushing away soyeon scarf.