Summer arrived swiftly in Joseon.The trees were full and green, the air thick with the scent of plum blossoms, and the Kang household buzzed with excitement.For them, it could only mean one thing: the annual Summer Banquet—a grand event for nobles and merchants alike.
Servants rushed everywhere, polishing floors, arranging tables, and decorating the courtyard with golden lanterns.
"Eun-bi! Align the spoons properly!" the head maid barked. "If even one is crooked, I'll throw this ladle at you!"
"Yes, ma'am! Permission to use a ruler?"
"A what?"
"Uh—never mind."
By evening, the courtyard shimmered under the glow of dozens of lanterns.Guests began to arrive, their hanboks flowing like watercolor paintings under the night sky.
Eun-bi stood among the servants, clutching a serving tray, wide-eyed."This is insane," she whispered. "It's like I'm inside a drama scene—but without the paycheck."
Meanwhile, in the servants' quarters, gossip spread like wildfire.
"Did you hear? The young master defended that clumsy maid during the royal envoy's visit!""Really? If Lady Oh Hwa-jin finds out, she'll explode!"
And right on cue, Lady Oh Hwa-jin appeared—elegant, composed, the picture of nobility.Her lavender hanbok shimmered with delicate embroidery, her hair pinned in perfect style. Every step she took commanded attention.
Her gaze, however, found one person in particular—Han Eun-bi, who was nervously fixing a flower vase near the tables.
The smile on Hwa-jin's lips was polite.But her eyes were as sharp as a blade.
The banquet began with laughter and music.Kang Jun-yeol sat beside his father and several high-ranking guests, perfectly poised, while Lady Hwa-jin sat gracefully near him, the image of elegance.
Eun-bi, in contrast, was running around trying not to trip over her own feet.
"Relax," one of the maids whispered. "You look like you're fighting for your life."
"I am fighting for my life," Eun-bi hissed back. "If I spill anything on those nobles, I'm toast!"
Later, as the guests dined, Lady Hwa-jin delicately lifted her cup of tea—then frowned."This tea is bitter," she said, her voice soft but cutting. "Who brewed this?"
Every servant froze.All eyes turned toward one person.
Eun-bi swallowed hard. "…Me, my lady."
"Ah." Hwa-jin smiled faintly. "Of course. You always appear at the most... interesting moments."
She extended the cup toward Eun-bi. "Taste it yourself. Tell me if this bitterness is fit for noble lips."
Eun-bi hesitated, then took a tiny sip—and instantly made a face."Oh my—! Who mixed mugwort into jasmine tea?!"
Gasps filled the room. The head maid looked horrified."I swear, we never—"
"Enough," Jun-yeol's calm voice cut through the tension."It's just tea. Not a matter of life and death."
Everyone fell silent.
He stood slowly, his tone firm but even."Small mistakes don't need to be turned into spectacles. Some people here seem more eager to find fault than to work properly."
Hwa-jin blinked, caught off guard. Then she smiled again—too sweetly."Of course, Young Master. I only wanted everything to be perfect."
"Perfection doesn't mean crushing those beneath you," Jun-yeol replied quietly.
The room went utterly still.
Then, with an elegant bow, Hwa-jin said, "My apologies. Perhaps I was too strict."She turned away gracefully, though her eyes flashed with irritation as they brushed over Eun-bi.
Hours later, after the banquet ended, Eun-bi slumped in the kitchen, face buried in her hands."I nearly died... again. Over a cup of tea!"
Seo Mi-sun patted her back. "At least the young master defended you."
"Don't say that too loud!" Eun-bi whispered frantically. "One rumor and I'll be accused of seducing nobility with bitter tea!"
Mi-sun chuckled. "In a house like this, gossip travels faster than the wind. But relax—Master Jun-yeol isn't the type to care about servants."
"Thank goodness," Eun-bi said, sighing in relief. "If he did, I'd be doomed."
Elsewhere, in her private chambers, Oh Hwa-jin stood before the mirror, her expression unreadable.Slowly, she set her untouched teacup down and whispered,
"You may have won his attention for now, Han Eun-bi... but the game has only just begun."