The Dragon Family’s Beloved Baby Cat - Chapter 73

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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 73

Capital City, a secluded inn outside the Four Gates.

A woman approached a corner table in the inn.

There, a woman dressed in palace servant attire was anxiously biting her nails.

“You came? I was so nervous thinking you’d be late.”

“I got scolded for making excuses about running errands for my mistress. But why did you want to meet so urgently?”

Before her friend, who worked as a maid in a noble household, could even sit down, the palace servant burst into tears.

“I’m so scared I can’t stay there anymore. The palace isn’t a place for humans to live. Even beasts would be treated more humanely.”

“I thought you were doing well. What’s wrong? How hard can palace work be?”

“I, I’m really struggling…”

The palace servant trembled and sobbed. Her friend was inwardly puzzled.

The work of palace servants and maids wasn’t that different.

Naturally, it was physically demanding, and sometimes they had to endure humiliation.

Sometimes it was depressing, but they endured it with pride in serving noble people and better monthly wages than other jobs.

“I feel so guilty… I can’t live like this anymore…”

“Huh…?”

At the mention of guilt, her friend’s face became even more puzzled.

“The person I serve… is Crown Prince.

“Oh my.”

At the story of the younger brother whom the Emperor cherished greatly, curiosity suddenly gleamed in her friend’s eyes.

She could subtly feel the attention of those around them too.

Though secluded in location, this inn was mainly frequented by messengers and errand runners.

They all had to be sensitive to rumors.

‘News about Crown Prince!’

The Crown Prince was an imperial family member whose everything was kept secret, except that the Emperor cherished him dearly.

He was so thoroughly hidden that no one even knew who his close associates were.

‘Should I tell her to change the subject?’

Even in a mere minister’s household, speaking carelessly about the master would bring severe punishment.

The palace was an even harsher place.

After briefly contemplating, her friend succumbed to curiosity and kept her mouth shut.

Meanwhile, the palace servant pulled out a crumpled cloth bundle from her bosom and threw it on the table.

A moldy, rancid lump of barley rice rolled out.

“This was served on Crown Prince’s meal table today. Even street dogs would eat better than this.”

“Good heavens… Doesn’t His Majesty know about this? Who would do such a terrible thing…”

“Of course he knows! The eunuchs deliberately watch to make sure no good food goes out, all while reading the Emperor’s mood!”

“What?”

“Instead of an older brother caring for his younger brother, he’s determined to starve him to death! And how often they use poison-like things that cause stomach aches.”

As the palace servant’s voice grew louder, her friend hurriedly covered her mouth.

But the palace servant’s eyes already gleamed as if she had nothing left to lose.

“He’s the younger brother that Late Emperor had in his old age. The people believe His Majesty is a wise and benevolent ruler, but in reality, he’s blinded by jealousy and slowly killing his own blood! If this isn’t deserving of divine punishment, what is?”

Then she wailed, saying she could no longer work due to overwhelming guilt.

‘Oh my…! Should I tell my mistress about this?’

While comforting the crying palace servant, her friend thought this to herself.

Knowing her friend’s loose tongue, the palace servant’s face contorted grotesquely while keeping her head down.

Eventually, that night, the words spread from the inn’s mouth became thousands of branches within days.

Soon, the rumor devoured the imperial capital like wildfire riding the spring wind.

At every noble ladies’ tea gathering, stories about the ‘heartless older brother’ became topics of conversation.

“Oh my, have you heard? His Majesty has confined Crown Prince in a place like a beast’s cage.”

“With such lack of brotherly affection, really. How ridiculous that someone who can’t even care for his own blood calls himself the father of all people.”

“Could that really be true? The usurpation…”

“Madam, that’s rather dangerous talk. But well…”

The rumors grew flesh and were embellished, with all sorts of stories circulating that the Emperor had beaten Danhwi or tried to poison him.

The imperial dignity fell to the ground, and voices questioning the Emperor’s magnanimity and qualifications began to be heard even beyond the palace walls.

“Damn it! Which bastard dares to speak ill of the sovereign!”

The Emperor threw his inkstone and raged furiously. The eunuchs prostrated on the floor didn’t even dare breathe loudly.

“Your, Your Majesty. Please calm yourself.”

“Calm? Do I look like I can be calm right now!”

“These are just words of ignorant commoners. At this rate, your sacred body will be affected by anger.”

“Do you think I don’t know that even the court ministers are all saying this at home!”

What the Emperor feared most was indeed suspicion about usurping the throne.

Since it was the truth, the Emperor had wanted to somehow pretend that his virtue reached the heavens.

But having become an older brother who jealously and petty tormented a much younger sibling, everything had become completely ruined.

“How can we resolve this situation? Hm?”

“Then indeed… we have no choice but to move Crown Prince’s quarters to a splendid and proper place, and expose him frequently.”

“Grr, grrrrr…”

The Emperor hadn’t asked because he didn’t know.

He knew it was unavoidable if he wanted to resolve things, but he was very upset about having to do something that would benefit Danhwi.

However, there really was no other way.

“Move that damn place immediately! To the most splendid and proper location! And summon the greatest scholars of our time to attend him, and arrange for him to frequently invite peers!”

He couldn’t let the people see the Emperor as a petty person who would devour his own younger brother.

Eventually, the Emperor decided to continue acting like a loving older brother while seething with anger.

Feeling like he might have a stroke, he slumped onto the throne, his eyes gleaming coldly like a snake’s.

“And.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Have you found the wretch who wagged their tongue wrongly?”

“…Yes. It was a servant from the kitchen.”

It wasn’t even someone connected to Danhwi.

The Emperor twisted his lips and gave a cold command.

“Deal with her. She dared to violate imperial protocol and spread fabricated stories. Make her an example so this never happens again.”

***

A few days later, in Rin’s study.

Rin read through the short report placed on the table.

The report contained news that Danhwi had moved his residence to the Separate Palace and been assigned a tutor from Taehaksa.

From now on, Danhwi would also have the right to invite peers of his age for tea gatherings.

Additionally, news that the servant who had made the internal report had been secretly executed.

Rin finished reading the entire report and held it over the candlelight to burn it.

The girl’s expression showed no movement whatsoever.

That servant already knew she was on a path to death.

She was someone who had made a major mistake with food meant for the Emperor and had no chance of survival anyway.

Knowing this, Rin had deliberately approached her.

Because using connections she knew might lead to being tracked.

The servant received enough money for her family to live comfortably for life in exchange for her life.

In this process, not a single mention was made of Rin and Saryeom House, or Moa and Jinryong Clan.

No one would be able to discover that Rin had briefly become Danhwi’s backer.

The deal was completed, and the result was perfect.

“Hehe.”

She completely crushed the remaining paper fragments and dusted off her hands.

When she dipped her fingertips into the water in the bowl beside her and stirred, the water became faintly murky.

Now all that remained was to devise excuses to meet Moa frequently.

‘Indeed, it would be best to show the results directly with my own eyes.’

That excuse also came to mind naturally.

‘Now it’s your turn to keep your promise.’

To heal Baeksa and eliminate this deadly cold blood disease.

Rin began writing a letter with her now clean hands.

***

“Oh! This! A letter came for me?”

Moa’s eyes widened as she looked at the invitation Sehui had brought her.

On the front was a seal with the character ‘hwi’ meaning ‘to shine.’

“Who sent this…?”

Moa tilted her head in confusion.

Then Sehui kindly explained.

“This character is ‘hwi’ from ‘to shine.'”

“Hwi…? Hwi… Brother Danhwi!”

Moa finally recognized the sender and jumped up from her spot.

‘Oh my, young miss…’

Officially, Moa and Danhwi had never met before.

But forgetting this fact, Moa excitedly called Danhwi ‘brother’ and bounced around happily.

Sehui’s face darkened slightly for a moment.

If Yehui hadn’t explained the situation to the adults around Moa, they would have just passed it off as strange.

Yehui had informed Jin Saheon, Jaseonghwa, and even Sehui about the situation so they could step in for Moa if needed.

Though she had served Moa first, rather than feeling jealous, she was glad that Moa had opened her heart to Yehui at least.

‘I should pretend not to know, really.’

So that Moa could continue to trust and rely on Yehui, all the adults agreed to keep secret that they knew about the situation.

“It’s a letter from the Crown Prince. But you called him Brother Danhwi, young miss?”

“Huh? Oh, well, that’s… The Crown Prince is older than me. His name is Danhwi too. Right?”

But this much teasing should be fine.

Sehui smiled inwardly as she watched Moa ramble through her excuses with amusement.

“Here, let me read what it says for you.”

Sehui unfolded the letter.

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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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