Hanseong, Joseon
Late Summer 1837
The letter stayed inside the chamber.
It had been unfolded days ago, its seal already broken, but its meaning still out of reach. The writing stretched cleanly across the page in a foreign script that none of them could read. It had been moved, examined, and guarded, but never understood.
That alone began to weigh on the court.
Rumors were one thing. Reports were another. But this was different.
This was direct.
Someone had written to them.
And they could not answer it.
The translator arrived on the fourth day.
He was brought in quietly, without ceremony. No formal announcement, no unnecessary attention. He passed through the palace halls under escort, his identity checked as thoroughly as possible. He had worked in Qing ports before, dealing with foreign traders, and more importantly, he could understand their language.
That was enough.
He was brought into the chamber without delay.
