So Kougyou

**So Kougyou** (蘇紅翹, *****So Kougyou*****?) is the former attendant of Lady Han, now a servant of Yamei Palace. After the death of her mistress, she was transferred to another consort, but eventually had her tongue cut out and was moved to Sen'e House.

## Appearance

Due to the events of her life and spending much time inside the badly maintained Sen'e House, Kougyou looks much older than she actually is. She has a thin body and face, as well as thin white hair. Her skin is dull and wrinkled, causing her to look like an old woman.

## Personality

Kougyou seems to be a loyal, determined and strong-willed woman. Even under the threat of death, she is still determined to tell the truth about what happened to Lady Han to someone so that justice will be served, even having a Sen'e House maid to teach her how to write after her tongue was cut out.

## History

Kougyou comes from a family that ran a small noodle shop. She was not well-educated in reading and writing, so when she was chosen to become an inner palace maid, she was surrounded by maids who came from well-to-do families. She had a difficult time in the inner palace until Lady Han kindly employed her as her handmaid. At some point, Lady Han told her about her fiancé back in her hometown and the jade earrings they both kept to remember each other. She was shocked when she found out that Lady Han gave her jade earring to a crying child to comfort them.

Some time later, the pregnant Magpie Consort, whose palace they lived in, was poisoned by the Empress Dowager. Kougyou witnessed her eunuchs bribing her own attendant with money to plant the poison in Lady Han's room. They threatened to kill Kougyou's family if she didn't keep silent, so she had no choice but to comply. Lady Han was killed by the eunuchs, who made it look like she hung herself after the poison was discovered in her room. After her mistress' death, Kougyou was transferred to another consort. Her attendant was killed to cover the truth up, but it was recorded in the palace women register as death from illness. Since it would be too conspicuous to kill a consort's handmaid, they made up a crime for Kougyou and cut out her tongue so she wouldn't be able to talk. She was subsequently sent to Sen'e House, the place where elderly and criminal palace women were sent to.

Determined to learn how to write so that she would at least be able to expose the truth someday, Kougyou had a Sen'e House maid teach her how to write in secret, knowing that she would be killed if the Empress Dowager's people knew she could write.

## Plot

Kougyou had a fever the day before and is bedridden when Ryuu Jusetsu, Jiujiu, and Onkei visit her room. Jusetsu introduces herself as the Raven Consort and shows her the jade earring, asking if she recognizes it. Kougyou is shocked and terrified when she sees it, and nods when she is asked if it belonged to Lady Han. Seeing that Jusetsu has the earring, she assumes that she is an ally of Lady Han who can help clear her name. Kougyou gestures for paper and brush to write with, but none can be found in Sen'e House. Seeing how determined Kougyou is to tell her story, Jusetsu decides to bring Kougyou to Yamei Palace, her residence, and asks Onkei to carry Kougyou.

At Yamei Palace, Kougyou is placed in an empty room and given writing supplies. She explains how she learned how to write and what will happen to her if it is found out she knows how to write. She tells the truth about who is the true culprit behind the Magpie Consort's death, the murder of Lady Han, and the subsequent coverup by the Empress Dowager's people. She is shocked when she learns that Lady Han's ghost is possessing the jade earring and tells Jusetsu the story behind it, how it is one half of a pair and how Lady Han gave hers away to a crying child. She talks about how kind Lady Han is and how she wants those responsible for her murder punished, even accepting punishment for herself for not helping her. She then faints from the strenuous activity. She later tells Ka Koushun the name of Han's fiance, Kaku Kou.

After recovering from her fever, Jusetsu decides to employ her at Yamei Palace.

## References

1. ↑ Volume 1, The Jade Earring
2. ↑ Volume 1, The Flower Flute