The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 48
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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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Chapter 48
“Halt! Inspection.”
A gate guard holding a spear blocked their path.
The carriage door opened and Yehui stepped out.
She took out a gold-plated invitation from her bosom and handed it to the gate guard.
“The youngest lady of the Jinryong Clan has come at His Majesty’s summons.”
The gate guard took the invitation and alternately looked over the inside of the carriage and Yehui.
Suspicion and greed flickered in his eyes.
“For a procession of the Jinryong Clan, there’s only one guard?”
“It was His Majesty’s command. Moreover, I am also a maid assigned to guard the young lady.”
Yehui answered calmly, but with a pointed tone.
Hadn’t the Emperor already set the condition of allowing only one carriage and one attendant under the pretext of ‘maintaining order within the palace’?
Jin Saheon had been furious at that rude notification, but Moa herself had been calm about it.
She had even comforted him, saying, ‘The uncles would just suffer waiting anyway, so Moa is fine!’
‘The young lady is so kind, yet the Emperor is truly petty today as well!’
At the sight of him giving orders then having the gatekeeper detain them, Yehui’s fist clenched tightly inside her sleeve.
“Hmm? What kind of guard can a woman be?”
The gate guard looked over Yehui’s beautiful features with a fishy smile.
“The invitation seems genuine, but this is troubling. Just a child and a woman – procedurally, I need to verify this isn’t impersonation.”
The gate guard deliberately played dumb and stalled for time.
Though it was the renowned Jinryong Clan, what stood before him was just a frail maid and a child.
Usually, noble ladies would panic in such situations and slip him money or flounder helplessly.
Of course, if that were all, he wouldn’t have dared to stop the Jinryong Clan’s carriage.
‘His Majesty told me to break her spirit, so I’m just doing as ordered.’
The Emperor had deliberately instructed him to crush the child’s spirit.
Delay their entry, and if necessary, make them wait for hours.
The gate guard was using that command as an excuse to dream of a tidy side income from dealing with great nobles.
“Move the carriage over there and wait. You cannot enter until confirmation from above comes down.”
“Confirmation? This is already the appointed time.”
“That’s the law of the Imperial Palace! How dare a mere maid argue!”
Yehui’s eyebrows twitched.
“Well, since this is my responsibility here, if there were this, I might be able to… expedite the procedure a bit.”
The gate guard subtly made a coin shape with his thumb and index finger.
He wasn’t even saying he’d let them in immediately if given money, just that he’d expedite the procedure.
Yehui looked at the man with contemptuous eyes, then entered the carriage to explain the situation to Moa.
“Young lady, I presented the invitation but they won’t let us in.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Well, they only say that if we give money, the inspection procedure might go a bit faster.”
Moa tilted her head.
“Why does it go faster if we give money?”
“They’re trying to take a bribe. Even if we actually gave money, I don’t think they’d let us in right away.”
At the mention of taking bribes, Moa’s small face scrunched up seriously.
Moa knew what bribes were. That was something only bad guys did.
She also remembered the older girls at the orphanage coming back crying that they’d been ‘shaken down.’
“Hey, does someone stronger than His Majesty the Emperor live here separately?”
“That’s impossible.”
“Then why is that uncle’s subordinate blocking us?”
Even after presenting the invitation, being blocked was something Moa couldn’t understand with her common sense.
Moa fell deep in thought.
[Moa, if you act weak here… you know, right?]
Somi advised to help Moa make her decision.
In the animal world, being weak meant death.
That’s why Somi hoped Moa wouldn’t act like a weak kitten anywhere.
‘If I give money like they’re asking?’
Moa recalled the allowance pouch she’d received from Jaseonghwa, rubbing her deeply furrowed brow with her finger.
She was upset that her plan to buy something delicious at the market and return home to surprise everyone with “Ta-da!” was ruined.
The gate guard would be happy to earn money, and next time when carriages with Dad or her brothers came, he might shake them down again too.
With that thought, Moa’s eyes made a decision and became calm.
“Let’s go home! I’ll go home and say that the Emperor called but we couldn’t go because someone blocked us, so now I won’t go.”
She meant to say she thought it meant she didn’t need to come to the Imperial Palace anymore.
The Emperor had only wanted to slightly suppress Moa’s spirit, so he hadn’t expected the child to make such a decisive move – it was a surprise attack.
The Emperor she’d met last time was fully intent on somehow entrusting Goseol to Moa, so he would probably try to bring Moa even if it meant pleading.
Though she didn’t understand politics, Moa was confident that would create a better outcome.
“An excellent decision, young lady.”
Yehui, who had been curious about what decision the child would make, smiled warmly in praise, then stuck just her head out of the carriage and shouted.
“Since you blocked us even though His Majesty personally summoned her, the young lady says she’ll return home, understanding it’s no longer needed.”
At those words, the guard who had been watching with inner resentment but couldn’t act without his master Moa’s permission, readily turned his horse around.
“Wh-what is this?”
The flustered gate guard waved his hands and tried to stop them, but the coachman had already turned the carriage around according to Moa’s will.
Following Yehui’s tip, the carriage began leisurely moving like on a sightseeing tour, slowly retracing the path they had come.
“Damn it! You, go report this situation to the higher-ups!”
The gate guard ordered the gate guard beside him to go report this situation.
***
‘There was some mistake. We’re so sorry for disappointing the precious young lady.’
‘His Majesty ordered us to prepare a luxurious and fine palace as waiting quarters for the young lady, so please at least take a look.’
‘We’ll bring mountains of delicious and precious things. So please…!’
This was what the palace servant said desperately as he stopped the carriage that had been leisurely leaving the capital city.
The gate guard just followed along, bowing his head in apology.
Having received sufficient apologies, Moa and Yehui entered the palace in good spirits.
Hearing that the Emperor was waiting, Moa headed to the Imperial Audience Hall with Yehui.
As she walked energetically, showing off the graceful gait she’d been specially trained in, Yehui smiled with satisfaction.
“Your Majesty, Miss Jin Moa of the Jinryong Clan has arrived.”
“Let her enter.”
Arriving at a large place different from where she’d met the Emperor before, Moa’s eyes rolled around.
This time there were many other people inside as well.
This was because the Emperor, unable to abandon his desire to torment the child, had deliberately summoned her during official business to let her taste intimidation.
Yehui, who had received her token after deciding to return as a spy but wasn’t of status to meet the Emperor, saw Moa off from outside the door.
The Emperor’s gaze collided with such Yehui.
‘Does he recognize me?’
For a moment Yehui was frightened, but when the Emperor’s gaze passed by indifferently, she stepped aside in relief.
“Ministers, this is the child recently adopted into the Jinryong Clan. Isn’t she quite adorable?”
“She is truly a lovely and cute talented girl.”
“She’s been well educated. Her walking posture is dignified.”
While walking to the front of the Emperor, Moa had to endure the sharp evaluating gazes of the officials.
[That bad guy deliberately called you to this kind of place to break your spirit!]
Somi fumed with anger on Moa’s behalf.
“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
But Moa herself didn’t mind and focused on bowing prettily.
Moa had a natural stage presence.
Instead of being upset that the elderly adults were evaluating her, she considered it meeting a stage to show the effects of her special training.
“It’s been a while, little one. How have you been?”
“Um… I was sad because I wasn’t feeling well.”
Moa answered glumly.
She had already been educated that she must absolutely hide the fact that she had visited the Haejeo Family.
“Oh my. Are you feeling a bit better now?”
“Yes. I’ve gotten much better, so I thought it would be best to come see His Majesty quickly.”
“Though you’re still young, you’re a loyal subject. I shall bestow a packet of good medicinal herbs to the Jinryong Clan.”
The Emperor pretended to be pleased as he offered to grant medicine.
[He says he’ll send medicine that’s good for your body.]
Understanding the meaning through Somi’s explanation, Moa spoke with a still gloomy face.
“It’s okay, Your Majesty.”
“Why do you refuse? It’s proper etiquette to graciously accept what an elder gives you.”
“But Your Majesty, I just found out that the Imperial Palace has no money.”
At Moa’s bombshell statement, the ministers instantly looked around at each other and murmured.
Though it would be difficult to apply charges of lese-majeste to a five-year-old child, it was certain that the Emperor’s mood would be ruined.
“Haha! However did you come to think such a thing? Does this Imperial Palace not seem luxurious to you?”
The Emperor actually burst into hearty laughter, pretending to be magnanimous.
He was actually excited at the thought of finding fault with the child’s slip of tongue.
If she answered that their house was better, he planned to use it to ask whether the Jinryong Clan dared build a palace to mock the Imperial Court.
“This place is truly luxurious. But earlier, the gatekeeper uncle said…”
Moa answered with a sad face, fidgeting with her fingers.
“He said he could let me in faster if I gave him money. How badly must he need money to do that? Since Your Majesty wouldn’t deliberately give less money to torment him, you must not have money, right?”
Moa reported the Gate Guard’s corruption with a face that seemed upset.
Whether it was because he wasn’t paid his salary properly, or it was individual misconduct.
Since a young child had spoken as if worrying about the country in the Imperial Audience Hall, the Emperor had been greatly embarrassed in front of the ministers.
“That couldn’t be. He probably did it to tease you since you’re a child. I will scold the Gate Guard.”
“Please make sure he never teases anyone again. I was really very worried.”
After even receiving a promise, Moa received an imperial command from the rapidly exhausted Emperor to go out and tend to Goseol.
Coming out the door, Moa covered her mouth with her fist to hold back laughter, as if the savory scent of sesame salt was coming from her mouth.
She had practiced with Somi to get back at the Gate Guard and Emperor, and it really worked well.
It was killing two birds with one stone since she also got to stop seeing the Emperor’s detestable face early.
“Now I’m going to see Goseol. Sister Yehui, Goseol is gentle but doesn’t really like other people.”
“I’ll be tactfully careful.”
Moa headed to the garden to meet Goseol, accompanied by Yehui and the palace servants.
Heading to the beautiful Imperial Palace garden, Moa saw Goseol with a better complexion than before and ran over happily.
“I’m here, Goseol!”
As soon as Goseol heard Moa’s voice, he raised his head and showed joy enough to make his chains jingle.
-Kiiiii!
Moa giggled as she approached Goseol.
However, she tried hard not to make eye contact, fearing she might turn into a cat.
The palace servant removed the sealing tool as Moa requested, then quickly fled toward the entrance.
Once his body was freed, Goseol flapped his wings and stretched.
“You know, I have a favor to ask of Goseol.”
Embraced by the black crow spirit beast, Moa clasped her hands together and spoke in an earnest voice.
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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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Mara55
I love this little girl so much. She’s doing so well.