Surviving as Jang Hee-bin's Child Court Lady - Chapter 38

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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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Chapter 38. It Was Romantic
The morning of the first full moon of the lunar new year.
“Blessings enter through Hwang Bong-bong’s mouth! Ah—here!”
“Ah—”
A wrap of seasoned greens and rice slipped into my mouth.
For some reason, I felt like a baby bird being fed.
“Since the little blessing ate a blessing wrap, she’ll become doubly blessed!”
Mother bird Seol-hyang placed a second blessing wrap into my mouth as she spoke.
It wasn’t just the “blessing wrap”—eating wrapped rice with the meaning of “wrapping up fortune”—that filled the occasion.
This morning’s table groaned under the weight of abundance.
There were wrapping ingredients like cabbage leaves and seasoned greens, five-grain rice, various seasoned vegetables, and sweet rice cakes for dessert.
And plenty of walnuts and fresh chestnuts prepared for the traditional nut-cracking ritual.
It was truly a bountiful Daeboreum celebration.
“Hwang Bong-bong should crack some nuts too, shouldn’t she?”
“I don’t want to!”
“Why?”
“My teeth might hurt….”
To be honest, I’d been incredibly conscious of my teeth lately.
I might have a year or two of grace, but I knew that someday my baby teeth would fall out.
What if I lost a front tooth while cracking nuts!
‘I absolutely cannot endure such humiliation….’
The thought of myself grinning with a missing tooth made my skin crawl.
“Still, it’s the first full moon of the lunar year—you should crack at least one nut. Try just one gently.”
Seol-hyang handed me a chestnut with a thin shell as she spoke.
I carefully bit into the chestnut shell. Fortunately, it cracked easily with a satisfying crunch.
“Well done! Since you’ve cracked the nuts, your teeth will be strong this year!”
I certainly hoped so.
Protect my precious teeth at all costs!
After filling my belly with five-grain rice, I savored a rare moment of peace, happily accepting walnuts that Seol-hyang cracked for me.
In truth, I’d spent a hectic two days.
I’d been preoccupied with how to resolve Yong-hee’s situation.
I’d harbored a small hope that Yong-hee would reveal the truth, but the only answer that came back was silence.
Yong-hee’s rejection of my proposal meant we had become enemies who must fight each other.
Yong-hee on her path, I on mine.
We must aim our arrows at each other to survive.
Knowing this, I moved with sharp alertness over those two days.
The first thing I did was uncover the identity of the palace maid who had met with Yong-hee.
“Seol-hyang.”
“Yes?”
“Among the palace maids in the rear palace, is there someone as large as Sun-rye….”
“It’s Chu Sang-gung. From Bogyeong Hall.”
The answer tumbled out before the question was even finished.
“There’s no other maid in the entire Royal Palace as large-framed as Sun-rye. But why? Did she hit you? Bully you? Curse at you?”
“No, no!”
…Seol-hyang did have a tendency to jump to conclusions rather quickly.
“I just happened to see her passing by. I was curious, that’s all.”
“Getting noticed by that Sang-gung isn’t a good thing.”
“Why?”
“When I first entered the Royal Palace at six years old, Chu Sang-gung hit my cheek hard over something trivial. I still have nightmares about it sometimes.”
Yikes.
It was true that senior maids often disciplined younger palace maids with a rod.
But to strike the cheek? And on a six-year-old child at that….
“Even though she outranks me as a Sang-gung, if she so much as touches you, Hwang Bong-bong, I won’t let it slide.”
Seol-hyang scrutinized me with a suspicious gaze.
“You’re absolutely sure nothing happened?”
“Yes. I really did just happen to see her in passing.”
I told a white lie to calm the agitated Seol-hyang.
It was too early to detonate the bomb.
It had to explode on a much grander stage, not in front of Seol-hyang.
Of course, Yong-hee was likely preparing something as well.
But I possessed a weapon that Yong-hee did not.
The trust of those around me—Jang Hee-bin, the Crown Prince, Seol-hyang.
That would become my greatest weapon.
“Hwang Bong-bong, shall we go pay our respects to Jang Hee-bin?”
“Yes!”
I took Seol-hyang’s hand and headed toward Jang Hee-bin’s Private Chamber.
Now that I thought about it, my schedule today was incredibly packed.
First, I needed to pay my respects to Jang Hee-bin.
After that, there was something I absolutely had to do.
‘I must go to Changdeok Palace Gardens with Jang Hee-bin.’
I had carefully committed to memory every word the King had spoken when I met him last time.
‘Your Majesty, what will you do on Daeboreum?’
‘I’ll receive the officials’ greetings. After that, I’m thinking of taking a stroll through Changdeok Palace Gardens. I plan to walk around Okryucheon.’
So my mission today was this.
‘Drag Jang Hee-bin to Okryucheon!’
These days, I often tagged along on the intimate walks between Jang Hee-bin and the Crown Prince.
But….
‘Crown Prince, I’m sorry, but I absolutely cannot include you today.’
Today’s main characters had to be only two people.
The King and Jang Hee-bin.
Then what am I?
‘Just a side dish, I suppose.’
But how could I manipulate Jang Hee-bin into taking me to Okryucheon?
***
“Jang Hee-bin. I have something to tell you.”
“Very well, Hwang Bong-bong. Speak.”
After offering her a deep bow, I began to set my plan in motion.
Ever since the day of Suk-jeong’s outburst, Jang Hee-bin’s demeanor toward me had grown even warmer.
She would even stroke my cheek with pity, as though wondering how frightened such a small child must have been.
“What will you be doing today, my lady?”
“I’m not certain. The palace maids seem to be preparing various things for Daeboreum, so I thought I might watch the festivities and view the moon.”
“I see….”
As I spoke, I glanced toward the door as though I had somewhere to be.
“But Hwang Bong-bong, why do you keep looking outside?”
“Actually…. I was hoping to visit Okryucheon. Would you permit me to go?”
“Okryucheon? You mean the Okryucheon in the Back Garden?”
“Yes.”
“You wish to go there alone? The terrain around Okryucheon is quite steep. It would be difficult for you to manage by yourself.”
Yes, I knew she would say that.
That’s why I had devised a plausible excuse after much deliberation.
“It’s just that I haven’t seen Geum-deok lately.”
“Geum-deok?”
As expected.
The moment Geum-deok’s name was mentioned, Jang Hee-bin’s eyes began to sparkle.
“Yes. The palace maids said they saw Geum-deok near Okryucheon. So I wanted to search for her….”
At the sight of Jang Hee-bin, whose mind seemed to conjure another’s name at the mere mention of Geum-deok’s, I loaded my final weapon.
Firing the killing blow!
“The King must be searching for Geum-deok as well….”
“Indeed.”
Jang Hee-bin’s response was immediate.
“I shall accompany you. The path is too treacherous for you to walk alone.”
“Truly?”
“Yes. When shall we depart?”
I hastily recalled what the King had said.
He had mentioned that after receiving the courtiers’ greetings, he would visit the Back Garden….
‘It should be about now.’
“Now, my lady! One of the palace maids said she saw Geum-deok in the Back Garden just recently!”
“Very well. Let us go at once.”
Jang Hee-bin rose from her seat readily.
I quickly assessed her appearance.
Jang Hee-bin was already beautifully adorned to receive greetings on Daeboreum.
Her face, with only the faintest touch of rouge, possessed a purity that belied her years.
Everything was prepared to perfection.
“Hurry, my lady! We can’t let Geum-deok run away!”
It was as I rattled off nonsense while stepping out of the Private Chamber with Jang Hee-bin.
“My lady, where are you going so suddenly?”
Han Sang-gung stared at us with a bewildered expression.
“Hwang Bong-bong and I are going to the Back Garden for a moment.”
“The Back Garden? With only Hwang Bong-bong and no other attendants?”
“Yes, that’s how it shall be.”
“Then, allow me to accompany you——”
No! Know when to insert yourself and when to withdraw!
It was then.
“No, it is decided.”
Jang Hee-bin lifted her chin with aristocratic pride, looking down at Han Sang-gung as she spoke.
“Today, Hwang Bong-bong and I shall go alone.”
“But how——”
“Do not protest. Come, Hwang Bong-bong.”
…Jang Hee-bin had clearly already calculated the possibility of encountering the King.
‘A woman who grasps ten truths from a single hint.’
How clever she is.
Truly, she is to my taste.
***
It was romantic.
The temperature, the humidity, the sunlight illuminating Jang Hee-bin—everything was perfect.
The Back Garden, now standing at the threshold of spring, was dazzlingly beautiful.
Three ponds lined the path to Okryucheon, each welcoming us with its own distinct charm.
Buyong Pond, where the fragrance of plum blossoms in full bloom drifted on the breeze.
Aeryeonji Pond, beginning to turn verdant with lily pads—my own Indangsu.
And beyond, Gwanlamji, where Jondeokjeong and Pyeomusa, two pavilions, faced each other across the water.
It was a landscape so exquisite it seemed to have stepped straight from a painting.
Exquisite, and yet….
‘…So this is what they mean by a calamity of one’s own making.’
Amid such breathtaking scenery.
Drenched in sweat, my condition climbing the steep slope toward Okryucheon was far from ideal.
“Jang Hee-bin…. Huff…. Are you…. Pant…. not finding this exhausting…? Wheeze….”
“I’m fine. Shall we rest for a moment?”
When I turned my gaze toward Jang Hee-bin, I received a tremendous shock.
‘How is she not sweating at all?’
It was truly inexplicable.
Moreover, such stamina that her breathing hadn’t even grown rough on this steep incline….
Jang Hee-bin.
What kind of life had this woman lived?
“No. Huff…. Geum-deok mustn’t escape….”
That was when it happened.
From a distance, the sound of trickling water reached my ears—the long-awaited murmur of Okryucheon.
‘Just a bit more. Hold on, Hwang Bong-bong!’
I summoned every last ounce of strength and pushed my trembling legs forward.
And the moment I finally reached Okryucheon, I discovered it.
What?
In the center of Okryucheon, a brilliant crimson dragon robe billowing elegantly.
It was romantic.
The temperature, the humidity, the sunlight illuminating the King and the concubine—everything was perfect.

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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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