The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 3

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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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#3. To Hell with Rumors

“Ow ow ow…!”

Eunhye rubbed her shoulder and forehead that had been hurt from falling onto the pile of flowers, then quickly got her small body up.

Then she looked up at the window frame that had closed again as soon as she escaped and pressed her lips together firmly.

“Nanny, sorry. I’ll come back in just a little bit!”

Since she said she was a Royal Kitchen nain, she must be in the kitchen now, right? Now I can’t go to the Royal Kitchen anymore.

Eunhye’s small face filled with disappointment as she let out a deep sigh.

There were three places in the palace where Eunhye could hide from the ghosts.

The flower garden at Gyotaejeon in the Queen Mother’s Palace, the Crown Prince’s Library belonging to her older brother Crown Prince, and the Royal Kitchen at Hyesin Palace where Eunhye currently resided.

For some unknown reason, these three places had almost no ghosts, and even when there were any, unlike other ghosts, they paid almost no attention to Eunhye. So Eunhye often fled to those places to escape from the ghosts.

But of all places, a ghost-possessed nain had come to the Royal Kitchen at Hyesin Palace, which was her most favorite place…

Eunhye let out a deep sigh and shook her head while hiding in the pile of yellow plum blossoms, looking toward the kitchen.

‘For now, I should go to brother’s library.’

Though not many, among the palace people occasionally passing by in front of Hyesin Palace, no one noticed the five-year-old little princess stuck among the crimson yellow plum blossoms. They were all just busily going their own ways.

Eunhye, who had been waiting for a chance to run out, brought her tiny hand to her stinging chin.

“Ow ow, it hurts a little?”

Perhaps she had scraped against flower branches when falling into the flower garden, as there were small scratches on her round chin and rice cake-like cheeks in several places.

Feeling the slight stinging sensation, Eunhye fumbled her face with her tiny hands, then finally looked toward the now quiet front yard of Hyesin Palace with bright eyes and muttered.

“Should I go now? Please, let me not meet anyone or anything.”

Eunhye’s muttering, hoping not to encounter anything or anyone while going to the Crown Prince’s Library, seeped sadly among the pearl-yellow flowers.

A moment later, Eunhye clenched her small chubby hands with a tense expression, popped out of the flower garden, and started running quickly toward the back gate of Hyesin Palace.

If I just get through that gate, it connects directly to the path leading to the Crown Prince’s Palace!

The little princess running with all her might in a green jacket with a beautifully embroidered round flower ornament on her shoulder and a bright pink silk skirt.

Unlike Eunhye’s desperate feelings, from a distance, she looked as cute as an upside-down azalea flower bobbing along.

* * *

“Princess! Princess Eunhye!”

“Princess Eunhye! Where are you!”

“Your Highness Princess!”

The Inner Palace, located in the innermost part of the nine-fold palace, was in an uproar.

Princess Eunhye, who had said she would rest for a while, had disappeared without a trace.

Lady Park along with Lady Han and all the palace people of Hyesin Palace were frantically searching around the Inner Palace to find the little princess.

“Oh my, this is already the umpteenth time.”

Three nains with tired faces were gathered standing under the wall of Hyesin Palace. Among them was This Servant who had been assigned here this morning.

“Does this happen often?”

Lady Kang, whose face was full of freckles, stuck out her lips and grumbled toward This Servant who asked cautiously.

“It’s an everyday occurrence, everyday. They say she was so clever as a baby, but now, how can anyone believe that, how can they.”

This Servant asked cautiously toward Lady Kang who was pouting her thick lips with a spiteful face.

“How is she now?”

At This Servant’s question, another nain nearby chuckled and brushed off her skirt.

“You’ll find out if you stay. Seeing that you’re already suffering like this right after coming from the Queen Mother’s Palace, your future won’t be easy.”

This Servant tilted her head, recalling Princess Eunhye who had received her greeting this morning.

Princess Eunhye had spoken clearly with a doll-like pretty appearance. But somehow she didn’t look comfortable.

She herself had hesitated for a moment before leaving the room at that sight, but wasn’t she a young princess child?

The rumors about Princess she had occasionally heard even when at the Queen Mother’s Palace were all nonsensical stories.

How could a princess who was only five years old talk with ghosts and wander around the palace every night?

While This Servant was recalling the truly pretty Princess Eunhye she had seen this morning, Lady Kang lifted one corner of her lips and smiled mischievously.

“Hey, did anything happen when you went to see Princess this morning?”

“What kind of thing?”

Lady Kang and Another Maid were also looking with curious eyes at This Servant who was looking at her with clear eyes as if not understanding the intention of the question.

“Well, like screaming, or sniffling, or suddenly getting scared and bowing her head…?”

This Servant blinked her eyes while listening to Lady Kang’s words and muttered as if talking to herself.

“Come to think of it, she did seem to bow her head as soon as she saw me…”

Then Lady Kang giggled mischievously, raised both her hands and waved them while making strange sounds imitating ghost cries.

“Ehehehehehehe, This Servant, you must have a ghost attached to you!”

“What?”

When This Servant frowned slightly and squinted her eyes, Lady Kang continued talking while giggling as if it was fun.

“Didn’t you know? Our Princess Eunhye can see ghosts. That’s why she became a half-wit. She keeps saying she sees ghosts and only looks at the ground!”

This Servant frowned at Lady Kang’s words. Though she hadn’t been in the palace for many years, the palace was a place where countless rumors circulated, so if she believed those words readily, she would surely be in trouble.

This Servant slowly shook her head and said.

“But Lady Kang, I don’t think you should speak so carelessly about Princess Eunhye… If you spread around things that aren’t even true, you’ll be in big trouble.”

Then Another Maid nearby poked Lady Kang’s side.

“Right, stop it. If Lady Han catches you doing that, you could die.”

“What did I say wrong! Is there anyone in the palace, especially in the Inner Palace, who doesn’t know that Princess Eunhye became a half-wit?”

Lady Kang, upset at the mention of Lady Han, opened her already narrow eyes even more fiercely.

“And what’s Lady Han! She’s the same 9th rank subject, what does she think she is! Hey, they say she even curses the king when he’s not around. The rumor that Princess Eunhye is a half-wit is already widespread in the palace, so what wrong did I say?”

That’s when it happened.

Another Maid who had been looking at Lady Kang raising her voice with spit flying had her eyes grow as big as plates.

“Ah… La, Lady Han, that’s…”

Just as Lady Kang, who had been calling Princess Eunhye a half-wit, was about to turn her head with a suddenly frightened expression,

“Aaaaah!”

Lady Kang screamed while raising one hand to her left ear that was being mercilessly grabbed and twisted.

“My ear! Aah! Ear, ear!”

A frosty voice heard amid the pain as if her ear would fall off.

“Well, look at this bitch whose tongue should be pulled out and fried in shit water. Where do you get off running your mouth!”

This Servant, who came to Hyesingun Confectionery for the first time today, looked with wide eyes at Lady Han who was twisting Lady Kang’s ear with all her might.

Pull out what and fry it in what water?

How could such rough words come out so naturally from that pretty face and mouth?

This Servant, who was so surprised that even her nostrils were flaring, seemed to be of no concern, as Lady Han, whom she had seen at Princess Eunhye’s quarters this morning, spoke coldly toward Lady Kang who was screaming in pain.

“Hey, what? What did you just spout?”

Lady Han, who was a head taller than Lady Kang, twisted her lips while gripping the twisted ear even tighter.

“Aah! Let go! What! What did I do? Won’t you let go?”

When Lady Kang, whose face had turned bright red from the ear-tearing pain, screamed and struggled, Lady Han laughed as if it was ridiculous and twisted the ear she was holding even harder.

“Aaaaah! I’m going to tell all the head court ladies about this! You crazy bitch with only strength!”

“Ha, this is what a torn mouth does, just running off at the mouth carelessly, huh? I told you to find Princess Eunhye, but you’re gathered here just flapping your damn mouths?”

Another Maid who had been chattering together was also just watching nervously with her head bowed in a frightened face.

Who was Lady Han, that is, the nain named Hansong?

Wasn’t she the nain who had been caring for and serving Princess Eunhye closely with the wet nurse Lady Park from the very moment Princess Eunhye was born?

Moreover, despite her pretty appearance that earned her the praise of “flower-moon beauty” throughout the palace, her way of speaking was famously as rough and crude as street ruffians.

Especially toward people who spoke ill of or pointed fingers at Princess Eunhye, her superior, she would light fires in both eyes and curse without restraint, not caring about consequences, making her more fearsome than a demon according to widespread rumors.

And despite her slender frame, she was incredibly strong – it was questionable whether even two or three inspector nains could defeat her…

Such Lady Han, hearing gossip directly from a nain of Hyesin Palace who served Princess Eunhye, it was only natural that her eyes would roll.

Lady Han began spitting out words with a vicious expression while twisting Lady Kang’s ear up in front of This Servant who had been newly assigned to Hyesin Palace from the Queen Mother’s Palace today.

“Should I smear bean paste on this bitch’s rotten head and stuff it in a jar? How dare you call someone a half-wit! Should I pull out that carelessly wagging tongue and use it as a clothesline? Huh?”

“Ahhh! My ear, ear ear!”

Lady Han twisted Lady Kang’s ear up once more firmly, then slammed the screaming Lady Kang down to the ground.

“You uneducated bitch! From the moment you were assigned to Princess Eunhye’s palace! Don’t you know your master is Princess Eunhye? How dare you wag your tongue about your own master! And in front of This Servant who just came from the Queen Mother’s Palace today!”

Lady Kang, who had been lying face down on the ground covering one ear with her hand, looked up at Lady Han with a tearful face.

What does it matter if she’s Princess Eunhye’s personal maid? What right does she have to treat me so rudely?

Lady Kang glared with all her might at Lady Han, who was treating her so carelessly in front of This Servant who had just arrived today.

So what if she’s the only legitimate princess born to His Majesty and the Queen Mother?

Everyone in the palace knows that it’s already been over two years since she fell ill with smallpox, and she’s become a half-wit who can’t speak to people or even make eye contact!

Moreover, she keeps disappearing and hiding somewhere like today, so aren’t we the ones who always get scolded?

Lady Kang, her lips twitching and eyes blazing with indignation, lifted her face toward Lady Han and shouted.

“Hey, Lady Han! Are you a senior court lady or something? You’re just a court maid like me, yet you’re showing off because you serve Princess Eunhye a little closer? You and I are both the same court maids, so why are you acting so high and mighty!”

Smack!

“Ahhh!”

Lady Han’s palm struck Lady Kang’s face with a sharp sound, and her head whipped around.

“The same! Don’t! Make me laugh. If Princess Eunhye is your master! You should defend her when other girls gossip about her to be the same as me, but how can someone who takes the lead in badmouthing her own master be the same as me? If you feel wronged about getting hit, go tell on me, you fool.”

Lady Kang, covering her swelling cheek and ear with both hands from Lady Han’s fierce energy, burst into tears.

“Waaah! Why are you only mean to me! Everyone talks bad about Princess Eunhye, so why only me!”

“Even if everyone in the palace talks badly about her! We who serve her must protect her! That’s what makes us family!”

Lady Han glared fiercely at Lady Kang, who had collapsed and was crying loudly, then whipped her head toward Another Maid who was cowering nearby and twisted her lips.

“You’re worse, you bitch. You’ve been serving Princess Eunhye since she was a baby, yet you go along with that girl’s words?”

“N-no, I was just… Lady Kang was…”

“Shut up, you bad girl! Close that disgusting mouth and hurry up and go find Princess Eunhye!”

Then she glared at Lady Kang, who was still crying, and spoke in a voice as cold as frost.

“Try running your filthy mouth about Princess Eunhye one more time. Then I’ll! Rip that mouth of yours wide open while you’re sleeping. Got it!”

At Lady Han’s furious momentum as she actually mimicked tearing a mouth apart with her hands, Lady Kang, who had moved her hand from covering her ear and cheek to her mouth, made a terrified sound.

“Hup!”

“Remember this. I’ll always be watching and listening closely!”

Lady Han, who had been staring at the teary-eyed Lady Kang with frightening eyes for several seconds, whirled around to look at the terrified This Servant and Another Maid and shouted.

“What are you doing! Are you going to keep standing there like idiots? Hurry up and find Princess!”

At Lady Han’s scolding, This Servant and Another Maid helped up Lady Kang, who had been sitting on the ground, then fled like they were running away.

Lady Han’s eyes, watching their retreating figures, had somehow become moist.

“Ugh, those bad girls. Becoming mad dogs that bite their own master… Sigh, our Princess is such a brilliant person, how dare they!”

Lady Han, whose nose had become stuffy, rubbed it with her index finger, then threw her head back to look up at the sky.

“Heaven! Those ghosts that keep coming to find our Princess, couldn’t you please sweep them all away? Huh? Or at least let me see them!”

Lady Han, who had even raised her fist toward the sky, glared around the area with fierce eyes.

“Those things badmouthing our Princess, just let me catch them. I’ll stomp on them so thoroughly they’ll be crushed.”

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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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