Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Though unfamiliar with such conflict situations, her tightly clenched fists trembled, but she seemed determined not to back down.

“Only Riser gets hurt! Bad rumors spread! Honestly, if Namgung Yeonhwa hadn’t started it, there wouldn’t have been any reason to be locked in Noeok!”

“Uh, um, wait. Lin.”

“Stay quiet, Riser! You’re too kind and just get taken advantage of like a fool!”

Eck. Who said I was too kind?

Riser was bewildered by this evaluation she was hearing for the first time in her life.

‘I just didn’t say anything, but I’ve been taking care of myself plenty.’

Riser, who had generously filled her pockets at Yakwang-jeon under the pretext of replenishing medicinal ingredients consumed during antidote development, felt a pang of conscience.

“D-do you know what will happen if this just gets swept under the rug? Only the fact that Namgung Yeonhwa was poisoned and that the poison was from the Sichuan Dang Family will remain. Then what will everyone think? Won’t they assume that Riser tried to poison Namgung Yeonhwa but failed and was released due to lack of evidence?”

“Th-that’s…”

“…”

Moyong Hye seemed at a loss for words, apparently not having thought that far ahead.

For now, it was just a disturbance among the prospective concubines staying at Cheonryeon Palace, but if these rumors reached the Palace of the Concubines, it could have a devastating impact on Riser’s reputation.

“But… but then what about Yeonhwa? If the truth comes out, everyone at Cheonryeon Palace will ostracize Yeonhwa. Gossiping behind her back and mocking her to her face… how could she endure such humiliation? What if she can’t bear it and has dark thoughts?”

“Stop it, Hye.”

Namgung Yeonhwa tugged at Moyong Hye’s sleeve.

Having made up her mind, she wore a calm yet resolute expression.

“Yeonhwa.”

“Thank you for protecting me. But… I want to stop causing trouble for Riser now.”

Moyong Hye’s usually mature face turned tearful.

“Are you really going to be okay?”

Namgung Yeonhwa forced a smile and spoke reassuringly.

“Yes. A daughter of the Great Namgung Family doesn’t run away or hide. And frankly, it’s not like false rumors are spreading. At least it’s not unfair, right?”

Seeing Namgung Yeonhwa accept the situation with a more dignified and mature attitude than expected, Jegal Lin lowered her gaze, seemingly feeling guilty.

“…”

She had stood up for her friend and believed it was the right thing to do, but the future that awaited Namgung Yeonhwa would be dark and heavy.

‘Is this really the only way?’

Just as Riser was letting out a long sigh, feeling bitter about the situation where she could neither do this nor that.

“Oh my! Young ladies, you were all gathered here.”

The servant in charge of Riser and Jegal Lin’s lodging spotted the two and spoke with a pleased expression.

“It’s past dinner time and you weren’t there, so I searched everywhere for you.”

“Has it already gotten that late?”

She hadn’t realized because she had no appetite, but it was already dinner time.

Eating in such a gloomy atmosphere would probably give her indigestion… but they couldn’t keep staying like this.

“Yeonhwa, you need to eat.”

“Mm…”

When Riser looked after Namgung Yeonhwa, the other two reluctantly got up from their seats.

Seeing this, the servant smiled warmly and whispered to Namgung Yeonhwa.

“How wonderful. Young lady. The gift you prepared seems to have been effective.”

“…? What are you talking about?”

“Hehe. Actually, I saw everything.”

The servant seemed to be struggling to hold back laughter, her lips twitching, then she shrugged her shoulders and spoke.

“You secretly put a gift in that young lady’s chest, didn’t you?”

“…!”

“Wait a moment. Did you see it directly?”

“Of course. You were even reciting poetry, saying you were curious about her expression when she found the gift.”

“Aaah! You heard that?!”

Namgung Yeonhwa’s face turned red at the thought that the servant had discovered her terrible poetry skills.

“Hey! Is that the problem right now?”

Moyong Hye grabbed the servant’s wrist with sharp eyes.

“Exactly what scene did you witness? Do you remember the poetry content?”

“I don’t really remember the content…”

“Phew.”

“But I do remember the last verse. Ah, how fearsome! Even I dare to fear my own schemes!”

“Kyaaah! Don’t say it!”

‘Huh? If it’s to this extent…’

At that moment, Riser and Moyong Hye’s gazes met perfectly.

‘Could it work?’

‘It might work.’

No further explanation was needed. The two, who had instantly understood each other, quickly and naturally closed the door and windows.

“Huh? Young ladies…?”

“Please sit over here.”

Surprisingly, Jegal Lin seemed to have the same thought, as she grabbed the servant’s shoulders and seated her in a chair.

“What? What’s going on?”

Namgung Yeonhwa, who alone didn’t understand, looked bewildered, but it was fine. After all, there was someone else conducting this situation.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Moyong Hye smiled elegantly yet somehow ominously.

“It’s a very simple matter – just tell us exactly what you saw with your own two eyes.”

* * *

“Did you guys hear about that? The Namgung Yeonhwa attempted poisoning incident. They say it was an accident!”

At those words, a young girl who was bringing a teacup to her lips narrowed her eyes and retorted.

“Say something that makes sense. How could it be an accident when poison from the Sichuan Dang Family was involved?”

“Right. They’re probably trying to cover it up because it’s so scandalous.”

“Let’s hear it first before judging.”

The girl who first brought up the rumor seemed frustrated as she slapped her knee and leaned forward.

“The poison was indeed from the Sichuan Dang Family, but it seems the Dang young lady didn’t do anything. On the contrary, Namgung Yeonhwa went into the Dang young lady’s quarters and got poisoned by herself!”

“Why would Namgung Yeonhwa enter someone else’s bedroom?”

At that question, another girl who had been trimming her nails snorted and put down her silk handkerchief.

“I can tell exactly what happened. Namgung Yeonhwa has a nasty personality. She probably snuck in to cause trouble and got what she deserved instead. It’s divine punishment, divine punishment.”

“That’s not it – they say she went to secretly give a gift. Because she wanted to become friends.”

At this absurd answer, the girl holding the teacup burst into hollow laughter.

“You believe that? Are you stupid?”

Despite the critical tone, the girl spreading the rumor shook her head with a confident expression.

“I didn’t believe it at first either. But there was a witness. A servant who has worked at Cheonryeon Palace for a long time saw it directly. Just to be sure, they even gave her truth serum, and it was real.”

“Hard to believe. Namgung Yeonhwa and the Dang young lady didn’t get along well.”

The girls who had been sneering just moments before now rested their chins on their hands with suspicious looks.

“That’s exactly why she gave a gift. If you don’t get along, you’d need to give a gift to reconcile, right?”

“Still strange. Why did she suddenly want to reconcile? Frankly, what did Namgung Yeonhwa have to gain?”

At her friends’ still unconvinced reactions, the girl who brought up the rumor lowered her voice as if revealing a crucial secret.

“I think… it was because of the song the Dang young lady sang at the banquet. That shocking Sichuan folk song. She had looked down on her as a country bumpkin but was deeply moved.”

At those words, a strange silence fell over the pavilion. The girl holding the teacup looked toward the distant mountains with a disgusted expression and muttered quietly.

“Really unique taste. Am I too conservative?”

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