Born As The Daughter of a Lowly Concubine - Chapter 16

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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 the daughter of a minor concubine.
16
On the path toward our Quarters—or rather, toward what I could call our home—my biological father and I encountered an unexpected figure.
‘What is Young Bin doing lurking about here?’
We weren’t close enough that she’d visit at this hour without reason.
Young Bin noticed us as well and quickly lowered her head.
“Your Majesty. What brings you here?”
“Young Bin, what brings you to this place? Have you come to visit So Un?”
The King visits a concubine’s quarters and asks why she’s here? Is he joking?
Young Bin appeared momentarily flustered, but upon seeing me nestled in the King’s arms, she seemed to grasp the situation and bowed quietly once more.
Displeasure flickered across her features, though she was skilled enough not to show it openly.
‘But what is this really about?’
The King shared my bewilderment.
The moment Young Bin, unable to avoid an explanation, opened her mouth, another unexpected voice reached us.
“Your Majesty.”
“Seon Bin?”
Like Young Bin, Seon Bin had her attendants trailing behind her in a line.
Though I hadn’t seen her in some time, her complexion remained poor.
‘She shouldn’t be wandering about at this hour.’
And strangely, between Young Bin and Seon Bin, there hung an unusual tension.
Unease began creeping over me—something had clearly transpired.
‘Has something happened with Gyeong Won and Gyeong Eon?’
Though I hadn’t lived here long, the Seon Bin I’d observed thus far was someone who rarely stepped forward, never openly offended anyone, and carefully guarded her position.
Unless it involved her biological son, Gyeong Won.
And my suspicion proved accurate.
“Brother did this, did he not?”
“How dare you slander me.”
“Then what was that lying at your feet?”
“How should I know what was already there?”
My foreboding had not led me astray—Gyeong Won and Gyeong Eon now stood glowering at each other.
‘Why would they be confronting each other in front of someone else’s home(?)’
And what entered my sight necessarily entered the sight of the biological father of these three Lee siblings.
“What in the world are all of you doing here?”
“Your Majesty.”
The two youths, who had been oblivious until this large entourage drew near, hastily bowed their heads, and my mother and her attendants hurried to show their respects as well.
And so the particulars of the matter came to light.
In summary: Gyeong Won, having learned that animal carcasses had been found repeatedly near our Quarters, sought the King’s leave to investigate the surrounding area beforehand.
‘Could it be related to my sudden walk at a late hour?’
No one except the culprit would wish to see a young child stumble upon such things, so he must have meant to check the area while I was away.
Now that I thought of it, So Un had seemed rather odd earlier.
In any case, while inspecting the vicinity for this reason, Gyeong Won discovered Gyeong Eon near our Quarters, with an animal carcass lying at his feet.
Upon hearing of the animal carcass for the first time, deep furrows naturally formed across the King’s brow.
“Is this true, So Un?”
“I beg your pardon. All of this stems from my inadequacy.”
The King shook his head at the victim’s self-reproach.
I’d worried he might seize upon some pretext for blame, but fortunately he seemed to harbor no such intention.
“Why was Gyeong Eon in this place?”
“I came because I wished to see my sister. The young one dislikes it when I draw near, so I intended merely to catch a glimpse from afar, but it seems Gyeong Won has misunderstood the situation.”
As Gyeong Eon delivered his brazen response, Gyeong Won’s face flooded with indignation.
In truth, everyone present could all but certainly identify the culprit, yet without the means to record evidence as in some distant age, proof remained elusive.
‘And even if there were witnesses, they would hardly come forward.’
The fact that Gyeong Won had pressed the matter suggested he’d likely witnessed the scene firsthand. And given that Gyeong Won hadn’t traveled alone, his attendants must have seen it too—yet he produced no witnesses. A prince caught in such a position could scarcely protest an injustice, so what hope had mere attendants?
If even a prince held his tongue, how could servants risk stepping forward?
‘Judging by his silence, he’s concluded that speaking would be futile.’
While I sat lost in thought, the situation drew swiftly to a close.
The supreme authority to render judgment was standing before us.
“Gyeong Won. I commend your concern for your younger brother, yet you must not harbor suspicion without solid proof. Moreover, is Gyeong Eon not your elder?”
“I beg your pardon.”
He offered the apology, but Gyeong Won’s expression betrayed no genuine acceptance.
Meanwhile, Gyeong Eon watched him with a self-satisfied smirk playing at his lips.
Gyeong Won’s throat tightened, and he opened his mouth as if to say more, but when Seon Bin grabbed his arm, he had no choice but to close it again and bow his head.
The King’s brow twitched as he watched.
“Is there something more you wish to say?”
“No, Your Majesty. How would I dare…….”
“Uh-uh!”
Seeing the King’s displeasure, I panicked and squirmed, reaching out my arms.
‘I don’t have many people to worry about me, so I should look after Father.’
“Now, now, why are you doing this? You’re upset because I scolded your brother?”
“Yes!”
As I kept trying to cover my mouth, the King’s stern expression softened into a helpless smile, and he adjusted his hold on me.
“It seems Gyeong Won has been quite attentive in caring for his sister all this time. Following your brother more than your father—is that it?”
“……I am lacking in virtue and have caused Your Majesty such concern. I can only apologize.”
“Gyeong Won, I understand your care for your sister, but you must not let it exceed proper bounds. Apologize to your brother.”
“I caused a commotion through misunderstanding my brother. I beseech you to forgive me with a generous heart, my brother.”
“I do not deny that Gyeong Won lacks wisdom, but you must be more careful going forward.”
The King’s gaze fell upon Gyeong Eon, who was grinning with sparkling eyes at the rebuke directed at his younger brother, and it was far from warm. Gyeong Eon, catching none of this, wore a startled expression as the next arrow turned toward him.
“However, Gyeong Eon, you are in no position to censure your brother either. Though it is said you have not yet come of age, how is it that you secretly spied upon a consort’s quarters? As the saying goes: In the melon field, adjust not thy shoe; beneath the plum tree, straighten not thy crown. Your conduct appears suspicious—was it not your own actions that invited your brother’s misunderstanding?”
“……!”
Gyeong Eon’s body flinched at the rebuke.
“Hereafter, as a prince of this realm, you must mind your conduct.”
“I beg your forgiveness.”
Still a child, Gyeong Eon failed to compose his expression, his face flushing red and pale by turns as he bowed his head.
“Do you have objections?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
Young Bin bowed her head first, and Gyeong Eon had no choice but to follow suit.
“Both of you shall remain in confinement at your quarters for a time, to reflect upon yourselves.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“……Yes, Your Majesty.”
Gyeong Won, his face stern, and Gyeong Eon, his reluctant expression barely concealed, bowed their heads.
“And to think such sinister incidents have continued at the Respected Consort’s quarters—we cannot leave this unattended, even if it be coincidence.”
I had suspicions enough, but evidence was scarce.
Could the King truly be unaware of this?
Yet the King, whose intentions remained opaque, first commanded the guards to strengthen the perimeter around the quarters.
At least for a time, Gyeong Eon would not be able to approach so easily—we’d have some safety. The brief glimpse of Gyeong Eon’s expression was full of resentment.
I waved my hand toward Gyeong Won.
‘Thank you.’
The little one was admirable, truly.
Though Gyeong Won’s expression was not bright as he received the King’s admonishment and was led away by his mother Seon Bin, he still managed a small smile when he saw me.
Thanks to this, I wouldn’t have to see animal corpses for a while.
Meanwhile, Young Bin and Gyeong Eon were glaring at me with terrifying eyes.
Was it that I’d defended only Gyeong Won, or was it my timing—appearing alongside the King—that angered them?
Either way, it was unjust from my perspective, though I doubted they’d see it that way.
‘Am I going to end up murdered at this rate?’
A sinister premonition washed over me—as if all that resentment and malice was about to be poured upon my innocent head.
But that suspicion was somewhat mistaken.
That resentment and malice would instead be directed at my mother, an easy target, rather than at the princess who enjoyed the King’s favor and could not be easily touched.
“Is it not the case that you have tried to draw the King’s attention by exploiting his recent favor toward the young lady?”
“It is merely that the young lady happens to encounter His Majesty by chance.”
“How dare you contradict the words of your superior?”
“I beg your pardon.”
Young Bin had taken to visiting frequently of late, picking quarrels in this manner. And whenever my mother denied it, Young Bin would rage at her for daring to talk back, so all we could do was bow our heads and acquiesce.
“If what the Respected Consort says is true, how is it that the young lady appears so often in the very path the King takes? And how can you allow such a small child to wander about alone?”
“I beg your pardon.”
“The Consort must attend more carefully to the young princess. We must not have such needless disturbances arise, you understand.”
With a sigh, she emphasized this point.
“With the Queen’s Palace vacant, see how the Inner Palace has lost all decorum and discipline.”
What could I do about it?
Surely she wasn’t hoping that by griping this way, my mother would petition the King to fill the Queen’s position quickly?
Though it was unjust, my powerless mother had no choice but to bow her head silently until Young Bin departed.
‘Can’t resign, can’t divorce, this place is truly a nightmare.’
Young Bin disappeared, and after the palace attendants finally released me, I rushed straight to my sister.
“Sniff.”
“Are you worried about me? I’m all right.”
When I made a worried face, she smiled and said I needn’t fret—but anyone could see she was far from well.
And as Young Bin’s harassment only intensified, naturally my visits to Seon Bin became more frequent.
“How could His Highness take so lightly the royal command to remain in confinement? He refuses to even see me.”
“Your Highness is troubled only for my sake and the young master’s—I am mortified that things have come to this.”
“What have you to be mortified about, Yoon?”
When I came to Gyeong Won’s Quarters, only Seon Bin was there to greet us, Gyeong Won himself being absent. She spoke those words gently.
I had little reason to linger, and so I excused myself while the two talked, taking a piece of the pale Baekseolgi from the dessert table and slipping away.
The palace attendants would follow me regardless, so the two made only a token show of calling me back before letting me go freely.
‘I wonder where Gyeong Won is.’
The King had commanded him to confine himself to his Quarters, and true to his dutiful nature, he seemed to be accepting his punishment without complaint. Who could stop a prince from obeying such an order?
‘Then they won’t stop me from going either.’
As expected, the palace attendants in Gyeong Won’s service—familiar faces from my earlier visits—made no move to hinder me.
‘Perhaps Seon Bin said something to them beforehand.’
As I walked, I heard the sound of someone reading aloud.
How many in the palace would be at leisure to read? There was no need to ask—it was unmistakably Gyeong Won’s voice.
Without hesitation, I headed toward the sound.
Creak—
And I opened the door without knocking.
“Who dares presume—Si Ah?”
“Oh.”
Gyeong Won had opened his mouth to scold whoever had entered unbidden, but seeing me, he fell silent.
It had been his own decision to keep even the door attendants away.
“Did you come with the royal consort?”
“Mm.”
At the same moment, I popped a piece of Baekseolgi into his mouth.
“Huh? You see your brother and immediately—”
And I patted his shoulder gently.
‘Such a dutiful child.’
Fighting with Gyeong Eon would do Gyeong Won no good whatsoever. To have borne such torment and then to make an enemy of Gyeong Eon on my account—
Perhaps he understood what I was thinking, for Gyeong Won looked away, flustered.
“Hmph. I didn’t do it for your sake. The palace is rife with such unseemly goings-on—how could I simply pretend not to see?”
“Mm-hm.”
There, there—you’re a good boy.
I reached up with my short arms to ruffle his hair, and he rolled his eyes as though it were absurd before finally giving in, tilting his head toward me. The boy sucked on the Baekseolgi and murmured in a low, gruff voice.
“Mother was angry, but… I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Mm.”
He didn’t show it in front of me, but he likely believed that Seon Bin’s anger had been needless.
‘From her perspective, it’s an understandable concern.’
The boy, watchful and guarded as he had been, had not ignored his younger sister.
Speaking to himself like this, Gyeong Won’s voice caught, and suddenly he pulled me into a tight embrace, his shoulders shaking.
“I didn’t do anything wrong…”
To believe he had done nothing wrong and yet to fear that Father might hate him—that must be terrifying for a child.
‘He didn’t seem angry to me.’
But perhaps that’s not how it looked to the boy’s eyes.
I hesitated for a moment. There are things that cannot be conveyed by merely patting a shoulder.
“…It’s okay.”
“…?!”
At these first words I had spoken, the boy’s eyes grew wide as saucers.
“You… you could speak?”
“Keep it secret.”
As I whispered this and brought my index finger to my lips, Gyeong Won burst out laughing in disbelief.
Yes, the child should laugh.
Unlike me, still young enough that most things were excused, this boy might find the palace to be a far more frightening place than he showed.
And perhaps before long, that same fear would apply to me as well.

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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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