Chapter 35: Iseul – A Crane Among Wolves

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Detailed Summary

The chapter opens with Iseul frantically searching for her sister, Suyeon, among the hundreds of women who have been brought to the Royal Academy. She has been scanning faces since entering, and by dawn she is exhausted and still unable to find Suyeon. When the intoxicated king is assisted from his throne, the women are led outside into the dark streets during curfew. Iseul continues searching but sees no sign of her sister.

Inside Wongaksa Temple, a young girl named Cheonbi approaches Iseul. Cheonbi is the same girl Iseul previously saved from Scabbed Cheek’s arrest. Iseul asks if Cheonbi knows a woman named Jonggeum. Cheonbi does, and she leads Iseul through several courtyards, chattering about palace duties and how she wishes she worked in the royal kitchen or dyeing silks instead of sewing. They arrive at a bustling infirmary. Cheonbi reveals that Jonggeum has been there ever since her last summons by the king.

Iseul enters and finds Suyeon sitting at the far end, arms wrapped around her knees, staring blankly. Suyeon does not recognize her at first. Iseul writes the word 반정 (banjeong) —righteous rebellion—on Suyeon’s palm. This sparks a faint flicker of life in her sister’s eyes. Suyeon murmurs that she hopes Iseul is not really there, that this is a nightmare. Iseul reassures her that the rebellion will happen tomorrow night and that Suyeon can scold her for the rest of their lives.

Suyeon confesses she has not slept for days. Whenever she closes her eyes, she sees “them.” Iseul holds her, stroking her nose as their mother used to do, and Suyeon eventually drifts off. While Suyeon rests, Iseul reads a letter from Prince Daehyun about the Dead Garden case. The letter describes three key points: a woman was buried in her backyard, her husband—a former royal guard—was accused; the victim was a companion of Lady Shin, the king’s grandmother; and a golden hairpin found at the scene belonged to Deposed Queen Yun. Daehyun adds that the victim’s son, Nam Seungmin, had mocked the king for weeping over Queen Yun’s robe, which led to the extravagant apology gift from Lady Shin. Iseul realizes the Dead Garden case and the Nameless Flower case are connected, though she is unsure how Wonsik made the final link. She suspects Royal Guard Crow holds the missing secret.

As Iseul glances back at Suyeon, she sees her sister awake with a single tear on her cheek. Suyeon tells a horrifying story: she helped a courtesan friend give birth while both were captive. The king killed the mother and the newborn child, and the ojakin (corpse disposers) carried away both bodies. Suyeon says the king will depart for Kaesong City tomorrow, and all the women must go. If the rebellion does not happen by then, she fears what she might do to herself. Iseul grips her hand and insists it will happen.

Key Events

Iseul continues to search for Suyeon after the king leaves the Royal Academy.
Cheonbi leads Iseul to the infirmary, where she finds Suyeon catatonic.
Iseul writes “banjeong” on Suyeon’s palm, reviving her sister’s awareness.
Suyeon admits she has not slept and is haunted by what she witnessed.
Iseul reads Daehyun’s letter and connects the Dead Garden and Nameless Flower cases.
Suyeon reveals the king’s murder of a courtesan and infant.
Suyeon tells Iseul she will be taken to Kaesong tomorrow and threatens self-harm if the rebellion fails.

Character Development

Iseul: Her determination to find Suyeon is matched by her growing emotional maturity. She resists the urge to scold Suyeon for voicing suicidal thoughts, understanding that she has no right to judge what her sister has endured. Iseul’s reading of the letter shows her analytical side and her persistence in solving the Nameless Flower mystery.
Suyeon: Once a strict, rule-following older sister, she is now a traumatized shell of her former self. The chapter reveals the depth of her suffering: she has witnessed the king’s atrocities firsthand and feels hopeless. Her brief revival at the word “banjeong” suggests that the hope of rebellion still flickers within her.
Cheonbi: A small but memorable presence, she remains practical and focused on palace life. Her help is crucial in reuniting the sisters.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Sisterhood: The bond between Iseul and Suyeon is the emotional core. Iseul’s search, her touch, and her silent comfort all reinforce the idea that family ties can endure even the worst trauma.
Trauma and Silence: Suyeon’s catatonia and her vague mentions of “them” and the courtesan’s death illustrate how unspeakable violence can break a person’s spirit. The rule among the women not to probe into others’ nightmares underscores the pervasive silence.
Hope vs. Despair: The word “banjeong” acts as a lifeline. Iseul’s promise that the rebellion will happen stands against Suyeon’s threat to harm herself. The tension between these two forces drives the chapter.
Secrets as Clues: The letter from Daehyun reveals hidden links between the Dead Garden case and the Nameless Flower case. The hairpin, the beatings, and the mystery of Royal Guard Crow all point to a larger conspiracy still unfolding.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point on two fronts. Emotionally, Iseul finally reunites with Suyeon, but the reunion is bittersweet because Suyeon is deeply traumatized. The chapter raises the stakes: Suyeon’s survival depends on the success of the rebellion, which now must happen before the king departs for Kaesong. Plot-wise, Iseul assembles crucial evidence connecting the Dead Garden and Nameless Flower cases. The link through Lady Shin and Deposed Queen Yun’s hairpin reveals that the king’s cruelty has a longer history. The reader is left to wonder what final secret Royal Guard Crow might hold and how it will affect the impending rebellion.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Iseul write the word “banjeong” on Suyeon’s palm?
Iseul hopes the word—meaning a righteous rebellion—will spark Suyeon’s awareness and remind her of the plan to overthrow the king. The strategy works, as Suyeon’s eyes regain a faint light.
What connection does Iseul discover between the Dead Garden case and the Nameless Flower case?
The victim in the Dead Garden case was a companion of Lady Shin, King Yeonsan’s grandmother. Lady Shin gave the victim a yongjam (hairpin) that belonged to Deposed Queen Yun as an apology gift. The gift was meant to compensate for the beating the victim’s son received after he mocked the king for weeping over Queen Yun’s robe. The same hairpin appears in the Nameless Flower case, linking the two investigations.
How does Suyeon’s revelation about the courtesan and her newborn affect the urgency of the rebellion?
Suyeon’s story shows that the king not only murders adult women but also kills innocent infants. The king’s impending departure for Kaesong means that Suyeon and the other captured women will be taken away. Suyeon’s threat to harm herself if the rebellion fails makes the need for immediate action desperate.