Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Born as the daughter of a lowborn concubine.
Chapter 101
‘Regency, is it…….’
The Crown Prince—whose name was Ihwa—found his mind in turmoil over the subtle attitude his father had been hinting at for some time now.
It wasn’t as though he didn’t understand his father’s heart.
His father was already weary.
Ever since losing Seongwon several years ago, the exhaustion had etched itself plainly across his father’s face—and from that day forward, he had poured all his strength into refining his one remaining son into a flawless Crown Prince.
As if it were his final duty.
Perhaps it was for this reason that he tolerated the Crown Prince’s refusal to take a Crown Princess.
‘Does Father wish for me to first solidify my own position, and then take a Crown Princess of my choosing?’
Above all else, a Legitimate Consort had to be someone trustworthy. Otherwise, one would spend a lifetime looking anxiously over one’s shoulder.
And so the duties that should have fallen to the Crown Princess were being handled instead by the Queen and the young princess.
As his thoughts reached this point, Ihwa lifted his head without quite meaning to.
Within the Gyujanggak were gathered the young talents the Crown Prince himself had selected. And several of them, like the Crown Prince, had stopped what they were doing and turned their gaze toward the door.
…….
…….
When they suddenly realized their eyes had met the Crown Prince’s, they startled and quickly bent their heads back down, resuming their work.
‘I can’t say I don’t understand it.’
It would soon be Shen Time—three o’clock in the afternoon—and everyone would be growing hungry.
At this hour, an attendant would always bring refreshments, and several times a week they would have something different from the usual fare. And today happened to be one of those days when a special delicacy would arrive.
Watching everyone wait so eagerly for it regardless of age or rank, the Crown Prince found it somewhat amusing to reflect that human nature was really quite simple.
“Your Highness. The princess has brought refreshments.”
What they waited for so eagerly were the refreshments that the princess brought.
The door opened, and Si-a appeared carrying a small serving table, followed by court ladies.
Ordinarily it would be the Crown Princess who saw to such things, so there was a lingering sense of guilt that Si-a was doing so in her stead.
Today’s refreshment was a dish made by wrapping meatballs filled with meat and vegetables in white bread.
‘I asked her to give it a proper name, but she complained it was tedious and suggested we just call it meatball bread, so I refused because the sound of it wasn’t pleasant. She kept grumbling that I was being picky.’
Later, when he asked some of his officials, they had all smiled stiffly and given reactions along the lines of ‘That name is a bit……,’ which meant, the Crown Prince consoled himself, that he wasn’t the one being difficult.
“I told you not to bring things like this, yet you keep insisting on bringing them.”
“Though Your Highness may have no need of them, others surely do. If it displeases you, I shall take back your portion.”
“Now, when did I ever say I had no need?”
Whatever the case, Si-a’s refreshments were delicious.
And above all else, he could eat them without worry—more so than anything brought by anyone else.
In truth, the Crown Prince himself waited for Si-a’s refreshments more eagerly than anyone.
“Your Highness. Since the princess has come, might it not be pleasant to take a brief rest?”
“Breaking the rhythm of work is not ideal.”
“Not at all! She has arrived at precisely the right moment for a rest, so there is no need for such concern!”
They were all blinded by the refreshments.
Though he found it somewhat pitiful, the Crown Prince feigned reluctance and agreed to move to a more comfortable spot with Si-a, as those around him urged.
‘I’ll be more at ease without myself there.’
Now that he thought about it, it was the princess who had suggested such a thing first.
Once they had settled into separate seats across from each other, Si-a—who had even brought along her own portion—began to eat first, naturally launching into a lengthy discourse about the ingredients that went into today’s refreshment.
This girl always ate first as if she were tasting for poison, and he found that habit not entirely to his liking.
The Crown Prince sighed and took a bite of the meatball bread.
‘Delicious.’
Si-a’s food was never unpalatable. Since Si-a herself was the most particular eater of anyone, it could hardly be otherwise.
“How is it? Would more pepper be better?”
“Isn’t this the perfect balance?”
As they carried on with idle talk starting from the subject of food, Si-a opened her mouth.
“Anything troubling you lately?”
“Why?”
“I thought perhaps you were planning another banquet.”
“Not for a while.”
Of course, he hadn’t meant never.
“Hmm.”
“What is it?”
“I saw some of the royal relatives recently, and it seemed like they had grievances with me.”
“Who said so?”
“Yeongcheon-gun.”
“Ah. So it’s Yeongcheon-gun you’re speaking of.”
Yeongcheon-gun still seemed preoccupied with the fact that his own matrimonial arrangement had fallen through because of the young princess. It was an immature attitude.
His nephew’s marriage had suffered from his lack of caution, yet shouldn’t he have been grateful to the princess instead?
Perhaps deciding to air her grievances while she was at it, Si-a continued.
“The Lord of Papyeong seems to have quite a few complaints about me too.”
“Hmm. That’s strange, isn’t it? The Lord shouldn’t have any reason to dislike you. You barely cross paths in the first place.”
“Right? Could there be something I don’t know about?”
“Who can say.”
Now that he thought about it, the people from Seongwon Crown Prince Residence hadn’t been fond of Si-a either.
‘That they don’t particularly favor me is something I can understand, at least.’
If Seongwon Crown Prince had disliked her, that would be one thing, but what possible reason could he have had for despising a powerless concubine’s young daughter so?
‘……Mother must know something about it.’
The Legitimate Consort, who had spent far longer in the Inner Palace than he had, likely knew something, but bringing up the matter now would be strange.
“How are things between you and Father these days?”
“What else could there be? I’m simply a bit concerned—he seems rather delicate in health lately.”
His younger sister surely knew that Father was considering a regency.
If one were to name the person the King favored most in this realm now, it might well be the Princess here rather than the Crown Prince.
Favoritism and succession were different matters, after all.
And the princess was far too young to harbor jealousy over such things, while the Crown Prince was already a man.
Though admittedly, the small princess was already accomplishing much despite her youth.
“Speaking of which, lately there are quite a few of the royal relatives who are being compared to you.”
“Who bothers with such meaningless comparisons?”
“Thanks to you, some are dreaming foolish dreams.”
That young princess does so much, they think—if only the chains of royal blood didn’t bind them, couldn’t they too build their renown?
‘Though the princess herself seems scarcely concerned with reputation.’
Wealth might have been another matter.
But she was pouring that wealth into feeding those with nowhere to go and even creating paths for them to walk, which put her in a different category entirely from such petty royal relatives.
Moreover, his sister was worried about him.
“If you don’t marry soon, some of those relatives might start harboring real delusions. Are you truly all right with this?”
“If such people emerge, we simply nip it in the bud, don’t we?”
“If you keep going like this, relatives with sons might begin nurturing such dreams.”
Truly. To look at her, she seemed like a child, yet her words held no childishness.
Not surprising, given how many matters had begun with the princess.
From applying numbers and charts to the separation of offices and compilation of medical treatises.
When he thought about it, these were unexpectedly significant accomplishments.
‘Perhaps remaining in the palace without leaving is what truly suits this child.’
She herself claimed she had no need for Leaving the Palace and would instead establish herself independently in her own residence—though he doubted that would happen.
“Still, I do pay some attention to such matters.”
“Even if I harbor no ambitions, others will certainly arise to encourage them.”
“Even should I marry and produce no heir, the decision rests not with them but with me.”
Since he didn’t yet hold decision-making power, he was being evasive for now, but he had no intention of being swayed by them—and the princess’s expression grew somewhat easier at these words.
“By the way, I hear Eunhwa-gun’s wife became pregnant recently.”
“Eunhwa-gun? He’s Heunghwa-gun’s son? His wife is pregnant? I hadn’t even heard that yet—you’re well-informed, brother.”
“Well, when you have connections among the officials, you hear things faster. As for the royal family, it’s better to wait until matters are more settled, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes. Is Eunhwa-gun a bit older than you?”
Si-a seemed to be thinking about something.
That was one of the pleasures of conversing with this young sister—poke her small head and something interesting came tumbling out.
“Yes. What are you occupied with these days?”
“Hobbies.”
“Hobbies?”
“Yes. Right, actually, the other day…”
Si-a’s hobbies ranged quite broadly.
She even referred to running Siyeongwon as a hobby.
‘And she does plenty of odd things too.’
Like the food she was eating now, or those strange contraptions she’d claimed to make as punishment devices for children.
It was unfortunate that she wasn’t growing, but when he considered that her freedom to meddle with things was thanks to that very fact, he felt a curious emotion.
‘If Si-a were to grow up and leave the palace, that would be lonely in its own way.’
While he was lost in such thoughts, his sister’s voice continued, tinged with resentment.
“So those swindlers who tried to cheat me—the Podo Bureau couldn’t catch them and let them escape.”
“Ah……. I believe I heard something about that too.”
They likely hadn’t known they were defrauding a princess when they did it, but it was still a major fraud case.
Unfortunately, most of the victims entangled in the scheme denied having fallen for such fraudsters, which delayed catching the culprits. But Si-a reported them outright.
‘Using a Status Tablet for such dubious purposes.’
Si-a’s Status Tablet had been made for her by her father after he learned she’d encountered some disreputable men harassing courtesans on the street. Ordinarily he would have made one for her upon Leaving the Palace, but since no one could predict when that day might come—and Si-a might venture outside the palace again—he’d had it prepared in advance.
It was a jade tablet inscribed with the Three Dragon seal, marking her as direct royal blood. The Podo Bureau commander must have been quite startled upon receiving it.
Whether or not she cared about her own actions, Si-a continued venting her fury at the swindlers. He half suspected this was the real reason she’d come to complain.
“……Such vicious wretches.”
“Yes, I heard. They even kidnapped a child, though mercifully the little one returned safely. But if the Capital City’s security is so lax…….”
“Perhaps it’s time to tighten discipline?”
“The Podo Bureau, you mean.”
“Yes.”
“Mm. That’s sound counsel.”
She wasn’t usually one to voice opinions on such matters so forcefully—but this time, she was genuinely angry.
“You said yourself you hadn’t lost anything. Why are you so upset?”
“Because I never did find the thing I wanted to buy.”
“Something you wanted to purchase?”
“They claimed it was a Goryeo-era antiquity, and I was so excited! But it turned out to be nothing but a forgery!”
“Ah.”
Indeed. Even without actual loss, she felt cheated in spirit.
She’d already amassed no small collection of antiquities, yet her appetite for such things was surprisingly voracious.
“How much more are you planning to accumulate?”
“I haven’t bought that many…….”
The Crown Prince had meant it as mild teasing, but her answer came back softer than he’d expected.
Her lively manner from moments before vanished; her voice suddenly grew subdued. The Crown Prince was so flustered he hastily waved his hand.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“But a limited-edition novel is coming out soon, so I’ll take comfort in that.”
“Ah, yes…….”
“Then, brother, I’ll take my leave.”
Before his outstretched hand could console her, Si-a rose with a smile.
Watching her disappear like wind, Song, the eunuch who’d been attending the Crown Prince, chuckled warmly.
“The young lady is always brimming with vitality.”
“She’s childlike, that’s all.”
Always wandering about with such a bright face—and how terrifying it was on those rare occasions when she fell quiet.
No one else would have known, but he did.
The face of his younger sister as she ate the persimmon laced with poison that day.
If asked to name the most frightening day of his life, he could think of no other than that one.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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