Mianji's Allure and the Gratitude Envoys
It had been several days since the Gratitude Envoys departed. As Princess Jeongui finished washing her face with biru in her private chambers, a maidservant took out a thick white sheet from a jar and handed it to her.
"Is this to be placed on my face?"
"His Highness commanded it, Your Ladyship."
The princess touched it with her finger and sniffed. A sweet fragrance wafted up. When she applied it to her face, it felt cool. The maidservant spread it evenly over Princess Jeongui's face. In the mirror, her visage resembled a porcelain mask. After about a quarter of an hour, the princess grew anxious about what would happen once it set. Would it peel off, or must it be washed away with water? She wondered.
How on earth does my brother create such things?
Recalling the savory braised dog meat from the royal banquet, she decided to trust Munjong. In truth, Princess Jeongui had never once doubted him.
"It won't turn me into a monster, will it?"
The maidservant barely stifled a laugh. It was then that the voice of an Iryeowon servant rang out from the courtyard.
"You must wait a quarter of an hour, milady. Rice water and mung bean flour brighten the skin, angelica and astragalus add a healthy glow, cornus and rubus refine the texture, and pearl powder imparts radiance. It is blended with milk, camellia oil, and honey."
After the quarter hour passed, the princess peeled off the mianji and washed her face with water. She peered at her reflection in the vanity mirror. The maidservant, unable to contain her curiosity, leaned in from behind. Both fell silent for a long moment.
"Made at the Iryeowon on my brother's orders, by Suyang himself? I heard Suyang is soon departing as a Gratitude Envoy."
The princess turned from the mirror and spoke.
"When the Ming court ladies see this, there'll be pandemonium. Ignorant of true gems, they'll fight over who gets to use it first."
She summoned a palace eunuch.
"Inform the Minister of Works: biru and mianji must be included among the tribute to Ming. And tell him I shall personally craft instructions for delivery to the consorts."
Princess Jeongui continued.
"And bring twenty—no, thirty more sheets of mianji."
"Milady, whom do you intend to distribute the thirty sheets to?"
Dashing the maidservant's faint hopes, the princess replied.
"Distribute? I'll use them all myself."
She gazed into the mirror once more, touched her face with her hands, and examined it closely. Her thoughtful expression gradually hardened.
"Lighter than silk, and the scent lingers."
She murmured to herself, then broke into a smile.
"This is no mere object—it's luxury. And luxury never asks its price."
That evening in Bukchon, Suyang returned to his residence early, overcome by fatigue. He had spent two nights at the office producing biru for Hwanghaedo. Just recently, his brother had mentioned building a trade post in Japan, so he had drafted detailed plans for producing pollock roe white sauce there, along with ample supplies of red ginseng and biru, and presented them to Munjong. At that meeting, he received orders to produce mianji as well.
The recipe was straightforward: blend rice water, mung bean flour, angelica, astragalus, cornus, rubus, pearl powder, and the like; soak agar sheets hardened like paper in the mixture; and store the jars in a well to keep them cool.
My brother is testing even my stamina.
In Suyang's view, though Munjong had grown healthier, he himself held the edge in physical prowess—honed by martial arts and hunting. Among Hanseong's elite, his endurance was unmatched, or so he believed.
The problem was that now his sister had joined in. She wasn't as intimidating as his brother, merely tenacious.
Brother trusts only me. Deokyangjeong is clever but frail. Sending my nephew to Japan is for his convalescence, with the gisaeng Choyo-gaeng to attend him. I shall prove my capabilities and stamina to Brother.
As he entered the inner quarters, he handed one sheet of mianji to Yoon-ssi.
"Place this on your face and remove it after a quarter hour. It's newly made at the Iryeowon."
"From you, my lord?"
"A gift from the king."
That night, Yoon-ssi pulled out her diary and chronicled the day.
The Grand Prince made something called mianji. No, my lord made it. My skin has become refined. This is good. But it is also not good. What use is refined skin if my lord does not look upon me?
Overcome with frustration, Yoon-ssi stepped out to the main hall and gazed at the moon. Unlike her own blemished reflection, the moon in the sky was nearly full. Her lord had not looked at her today either. Unconsciously, she brushed her cheek with her hand. In that moment, a snippet she'd overheard from a servant that day resurfaced.
The court ladies say the Inner Hospital is brewing something called hwaryeok-tang.
Hwaryeok-tang. Yoon-ssi mulled over the name for a long while. Her eyes gleamed like starlight.
*****
It was Thursday, July 23. Professor Yi Dong-hui from Inse Hospital had reached out.
"Do-yun, a spot just opened at Johns Hopkins. It's a hybrid position—75% research, 25% clinical. Sounds like a great fit. I spoke with the director; it'll officially post in two weeks, so prep your documents and apply."
"Thank you, Professor."
"It's not a sure thing, so get help from the O-san Hospital faculty on your research proposal."
That was Professor Yi's advice.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He knew it wasn't guaranteed. But given the professor's international renown, his odds had skyrocketed.
Another worry arose. He hadn't told his parents, Seo-yeon, or Munjong yet.
His parents would understand readily. His father, a teacher, had never discouraged study; his mother seemed resigned to him forgoing the now-butterflied Cheonan Foods due to the butterfly effect.
Seo-yeon would likely understand too. He'd half-proposed already, and their parents had met. They'd agreed to marry after his specialist training—so this was just adding a study abroad. Still, courtesy demanded telling her before applying, not after acceptance.
Munjong posed the biggest challenge. He viewed Do-yun as a physician studying abroad for Joseon's sake. Explaining another departure would seem odd. Above all, there was no guarantee Gatong would stay connected overseas.
Just then, after two weeks, a Gatong message arrived from Munjong.
The message carried a weight of resolve. It had arisen from discussions on funding naval expansion with tribute rice.
Tribute goods would include red ginseng, Eojeonghwan, biru, and mianji alongside regular offerings. Pollock roe white sauce sprang to mind.
Was Munjong remarkable, or Suyang? Things progressed smoothly now.
One key item was missing.
Do-yun chuckled. Newlywed eagerness before remarriage was understandable.
After closing Gatong, he opened the annals.
Suyang Daegun Yi Yu was appointed Gratitude Envoy, with Pan Jungchuwon-sa Han Hwak as Vice Envoy, to proceed to Beijing.
Princess Jeongui petitioned to assist the tribute officers in managing Joseon Jeongpum, and the king approved.
A splendid lineup. Munjong's second brother, Suyang as Iryeowon Minister, would lead the delegation, aided by his sister and Han Hwak, whose sister served as Ming consort. Sejong's eldest daughter had died young, making Jeongui—his de facto eldest sister—Munjong's closest female kin. Rumors held her the sharpest woman in the royal family, even involved in compiling the Hunminjeongeum preface; she would prove invaluable.
As he moved to close the annals, an entry below the Gratitude Envoy record caught his eye. Absent from the original Danjong Annals.
"Yi Hu-pyeong, fourth son of Yanghogong Yi Jong-mu, was dispatched to condole with Tsushima lord Jong Jeong-seong."
Yi Hu-pyeong, son of Yi Jong-mu—the hero of the Gihae Eastern Campaign—appeared out of nowhere. No mere condolence, it seemed. Munjong placed people with uncanny precision.
Yi U-ryang and Choyo-gaeng to Hirado; Suyang and Han Hwak to Ming; Yi Hu-pyeong to Tsushima.
Is Munjong sending people in three directions? Or blades?
Only Munjong knew the answer.