Even If Flowers Bloom on a Broken Branch - Chapter 97

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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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97.
The news that the Queen, blinded by jealousy, had tried to poison Suk-ui Hong Ran spread through the entire palace like wildfire.
Moreover, as the fact that she had even tried to harm the unborn fetus in the womb of the pregnant Grand Princess Consort Lee Yeon came to light, the condemnation toward her spread uncontrollably.
“I actually felt sorry for her.”
The palace attendants raised their voices regarding this matter whenever they gathered in small groups.
“Since His Majesty never visited her, I thought about how lonely she must be, how heartbroken she must be that he took another woman into his arms while leaving her behind, and since her family met such a fate, she had nowhere to rely on and was truly pitiful. That is what I thought.”
As a palace attendant lamented, the person standing next to her nodded in agreement.
“I was the same. I thought her heart must have been completely torn to pieces after experiencing so many incidents in succession as a woman, but to think she plotted such a terrifying thing.”
Instead of just letting her own heart be torn to pieces, she had intended to harm the bodies of others as well.
As if that were not enough, she had also tried to steal the unborn child from the Grand Princess Consort’s womb; just thinking about it was horrific and terrifying.
“His Majesty will certainly not let this matter slide either.”
The palace attendants lowered their voices. They whispered among themselves.
“They say the talk of her deposition is being brought up in earnest at the Royal Court meetings.”
“Is it true that the Saheonbu is also making a move?”
“They say Confucian Scholars from each province and the Royal Court officials are submitting memorials every single day. It is a relief the Confucian Scholars do not know about this yet, but if they find out, this palace might very well be buried under Royal Appeals.”
And that did indeed become a reality.
In response to the Queen’s wickedness and her behavior that abandoned human morality, All Officials shouted every day in front of Geonhwijeon, demanding the deposition of Chae Eun-oh.
“Depose the one who lacks the qualifications of a Queen from the position of the Gungmo.”
“Do not dare allow the daughter of a traitorous criminal to encompass all the people.”
“She is a vicious woman who attempted to sever the heavenly bond. Blinded by jealousy, she laid her hands on what she should not have, so it is only right to take her life.”
Jinpyeong listened to those voices with an expressionless face. Eun-oh, who was being dragged away while struggling, came to his mind.
‘Foolish thing.’
If she had just held her breath and stayed quietly shut away in Daehee Palace, she could have at least preserved her life.
Truthfully, Jinpyeong had no intention of going as far as killing Chae Eun-oh. Since it was an undeniable fact that she was the daughter of a traitorous criminal, memorials to depose her were constantly submitted, but she was a suitable shield to protect Hong Ran from the public eye.
‘Hong Ran’s status is not yet appropriate to raise her to the position of Queen.’
Once Hong Ran became the adopted daughter of Seo Yeo-ro, he intended to bestow her the Cheopji of Soyong at an appropriate time and eventually invest her as the Queen.
Until then, he had planned to keep Chae Eun-oh as a Queen in name only and let her dry up and die day by day, but everything had completely gone awry.
‘To harbor such a heinous thought.’
Whether it was because blood could not lie, it was a thought just as filthy and ugly as her father’s.
“Your Majesty.”
Jinpyeong raised his head.
Sangseon was standing politely with his hands clasped together.
“Lord Seo and the Grand Prince Jinyul have arrived.”
Jinpyeong let out an irritated sigh.
Chae Eun-oh had not been satisfied with the people inside the palace and had even turned her eyes toward Lee Yeon.
‘Furthermore, she asked me if taking the Infertility Drug could abort a seed that was already in the womb.’
Those words confessed by the one called Court Lady Shin brought a massive aftermath.
The fact that the Grand Princess Consort was pregnant being revealed at the banquet was a huge topic of conversation. Yet, with this incident overlapping in the midst of it, resentment toward the Royal Family, as well as the Queen, was growing.
Strictly speaking, a creeping resentment and distrust toward the King, who had kept the Queen in her position instead of deposing her, was rising.
‘An utterly useless thing.’
Jinpyeong twisted his lips.
Therefore, to change the atmosphere and break through this situation, Jinpyeong had personally sent a Letter and gifts to the Grand Princess Consort by Royal Decree.
Stating that this matter was an independent action taken by the Queen, that she would rightfully bear the responsibility for it, and that the Royal Family wished for her safety and peace.
“……Tsk.”
Jinpyeong clicked his tongue briefly.
He had written and sent such a Letter in his own handwriting to none other than Lee Yeon and Jinyul. It was an incident that wounded his pride in more ways than one.
The current visit must be a return visit due to that Letter, or perhaps they had come to lodge a protest.
When Jinyul nodded with irritation, Sangseon gestured toward the eunuch.
“Tell them to enter.”
If she was foolish, she should have just stayed still, but Eun-oh, who had caused trouble by reaching her hands out to every corner, truly sickened him.
Jinpyeong murmured to himself.
‘I should never have brought that bitch into this palace in the first place.’
He meant it.
That was the absolute worst thing among all the actions he had taken.
* * *
While expressing gratitude for Jinpyeong’s Letter and gifts, Seo Yeo-ro and Jinyul requested a definitive punishment for Queen Chae Eun-oh.
“We have confirmed that since Her Highness the Queen has been confined to Yeonghangung, her actual power as the Queen has been completely stripped away.”
“However, this is not a matter that can end simply with confinement. She attempted to harm not just one, but two women of the Royal Family, so her crime is exceedingly grave.”
Jinyul had a rarely angered face. He was extremely enraged that his wife, as well as the child in her womb, had almost been put in danger.
He spoke in a stiff, hardened voice.
“She forced the Infertility Drug upon a Royal Concubine, and did not stop at a single time, attempting to inflict harm multiple times. In this process, she threatened and attempted to murder numerous palace attendants.”
“This is not a mere woman’s jealousy, Your Majesty. It is a grave palace crime equivalent to national treason.”
“Therefore, we implore you to officially proclaim the Queen a Deposed Commoner.”
It was a request to issue a Royal Edict to completely strip her of her Queen status and confiscate her palace title, investiture, clothing, and formal regalia.
Seo Yeo-ro was Lee Yeon’s father and the head of the Saheonbu. His coming forward to this place together also represented the opinion of the Royal Court.
After listening to all of their words, Jinpyeong summoned the three Chief State Councillors to that spot to clearly hear their opinions on the current situation, and finally made his decision.
“Sangseon, take my words and write them down precisely without a single error.”
Line by line, neat and elegant characters were written onto the snow-white paper.
In a space where All Officials were gathered, Jinpyeong spoke.
“Even though Queen Chae Eun-oh was in a position where she ought to embrace all people, she abandoned that duty herself.”
At Jinpyeong’s words, the eunuchs, All Officials, and Jinyul straightened their postures.
“Since she disrupted the peace and order of the Royal Family out of jealousy and personal resentment, and harbored a treacherous plot to harm the womb of a Royal Concubine, this must be a great crime that shakes the foundation of the country.”
Jinpyeong continued speaking expressionlessly.
“Thereby, I depose Queen Chae Eun-oh to make her a commoner, and strip her of the title of Queen, all investitures, formal regalia, and palace titles starting from this day, completely forbidding any entry or exit.”
It meant that the Deposed Queen Chae Eun-oh would not be able to go anywhere and would have to remain locked in Yeonghangung until she died.
Jinpyeong rose from his seat.
“I shall go to deliver this myself. As it is the final warmth for someone who was once the Queen.”
He spoke stiffly as he looked around at his surroundings.
“Let us conclude the matter of Chae Eun-oh like this.”
At those words, the people all bowed their waists and accepted the Royal Decree.
Now, Chae Eun-oh would have to just wait for the day she died. Spending every single day with her heart fluttering in anxiety.
It was the fitting price for her arrogance and foolishness.

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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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