The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 35

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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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#35. An Extraordinary Child

 

As the nains who couldn’t possibly hear Lady Park’s Ghost’s words simply placed bowls of shaved ice and honey on the refreshment table and left, Lady Park’s Ghost stood behind them clicking her tongue in disapproval.

 

[Those who prepare food being so careless… Honey has a warm nature, so when it meets shaved ice, it causes stomach discomfort! No matter how much the upper quarters request it, how can they serve it so carelessly…]

 

As Eunhye pursed her lips in contemplation, unable to mention Lady Park’s Ghost’s words, suddenly Gwangjo’s voice reached her ears.

 

[Say you’ve seen it in the Library of the Crown Prince’s Palace. There actually is a book called ‘Western Region Flavors’ there, written by interpreters about foods they tasted while traveling to and from the Western Regions.]

 

Eunhye’s eyes sparkled brightly at Gwangjo’s most welcome advice.

 

“Queen Dowager, this was not something I learned, but something I read in a book called ‘Western Region Flavors’ in Crown Prince’s library.”

 

“The Library of the Crown Prince’s Palace? Oh my, I knew our Crown Prince enjoyed reading books on various subjects, but he also has books about food?”

 

Eunhye, who had only heard Gwangjo’s advice but had never actually seen the book, simply smiled bashfully and nodded.

 

“Yes, Queen Dowager.”

 

“Our Princess is truly clever. So, did that book say honey and shaved ice are compatible? Is that why this old woman was worried seeing you eat like that?”

 

Queen Dowager’s eyes grew moist as she looked at Eunhye.

 

The cherry shaved ice, more than half melted, filled the white porcelain bowl abundantly with yellow honey that hadn’t mixed properly and red liquid that had seeped from the preserved cherries.

 

“This Servant.”

 

Queen Dowager, who had briefly glanced at the melted cherry shaved ice, called out to This Servant who was sitting respectfully beside her.

 

“Yes, Queen Dowager.”

 

“Hearing the Princess’s words, from now on prepare warm ginger tea or chrysanthemum tea for dessert instead of shaved ice.”

 

“Yes. Shall I prepare some right now and bring it up?”

 

At This Servant’s inquiry, Queen Dowager looked at Eunhye’s chubby hand still gripping the spoon tightly and answered with a chuckle.

 

“Go and bring back the persimmons I gave to Jipyeong earlier, along with the candied fruits our Princess likes, and shaved ice generously sprinkled with cherry syrup and sugar.”

 

“Yes, Queen Dowager.”

 

This Servant quickly stood up and carefully lifted the refreshment table placed before the upper quarters.

 

“Then I shall quickly prepare and return with them.”

 

After This Servant bowed her head and left the room carrying the table, Queen Dowager turned toward Eunhye and couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“Hahaha! Princess, why are you still holding that spoon?”

 

A small silver spoon was clutched tightly in the center of her curled white, chubby hand.

 

At Queen Dowager’s laughter, Eunhye looked down at her own hand and also smiled bashfully, looking embarrassed.

 

“Haha! Queen Dowager, I don’t know why I’m holding this either.”

 

It was an evening when cheerful laughter overflowed through the quarters where Queen Dowager resided, for the first time in a long while.

 

As dusk had already darkened, eunuchs carrying the palanquin with the young Princess were walking quickly toward Hyesin Palace.

 

Beside and behind the palanquin, Lady Han carrying a wooden tray piled with persimmons bestowed by Queen Dowager, Lady Park watching over Eunhye, and other palace servants of Hyesin Palace were following with quick steps.

 

Just then, the small window on the side of the palanquin opened and the young Princess’s cute face peeked out.

 

“Princess, the night air is cold. You might catch a chill, so please stay inside for just a moment. We’ll arrive at Hyesin Palace soon.”

 

As Lady Park showed worry at the night air that had become much colder than during the day, Eunhye looked up at the sky and smiled cutely.

 

“I wanted to see the moon.”

 

Looking up at the sky at Eunhye’s words, there was a round, pretty moon floating gently.

 

“It seems the full moon is approaching.”

 

The waxing silver moon scattered its gentle light, settling down to caress Eunhye’s face.

 

“Indeed, there isn’t much time left until the Festival of the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month.”

 

At Eunhye’s mention of the Festival of the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month, worry unconsciously settled on Lady Park’s face.

 

Last year’s Dano, that is, during the banquet for the Festival of the Fifth Day of the Fifth Month, Princess Eunhye had returned to Hyesin Palace as if driven away in front of all the royal family members.

 

Princess Eunhye, seated next to Queen Mother away from Crown Prince who sat to His Majesty the King’s left, had kept her head down throughout the banquet, showing extreme fear.

 

Moreover, when a court lady approached with cherry tea, she was so startled that she knocked it away, causing the hot tea to spill on both Princess and Queen Mother.

 

The banquet hall instantly became chaotic, Princess Eunhye burst into tears, and His Majesty the King closed his eyes tightly.

 

Fortunately, no one was burned, but Queen Mother had to leave her seat to change her clothes soaked with the red liquid, and Princess Eunhye received a royal command to return to her quarters and was practically driven from the banquet hall.

 

As Lady Park’s eyes grew sad thinking of that incident, Eunhye stuck her small hand out of the palanquin and waved it back and forth.

 

“What are you worrying about, nanny? I’m fine now. So this Dano will be really, really fun. I’ll make surichui rice cakes with Mother, swing on swings, and… I’ll make fans with Crown Prince too.”

 

Because Queen Dowager Gwangjo is by my side.

 

Eunhye swallowed these words and looked up at the brightly shining moon with a beautiful smile.

 

At that adorable sight, Lady Park quickly wiped her moist eyes and nodded as if in agreement, smiling brightly.

 

“Yes, Princess. This Dano, you will surely do so.”

 

“Yes! I’ll make beautiful fans and give them as gifts to nanny, Lady Han, and all our Hyesin Palace servants.”

 

“Yes, please do give me one. I will treasure it until I die.”

 

“Me too!”

 

Lady Han, who had been walking beside Lady Park, also smiled brightly as she looked at Eunhye.

 

“Yes, I’ll definitely make them beautifully! Nanny, starting tomorrow we need to pick and dry flower petals and pretty leaves. And also…”

 

At the young Princess’s chattering voice as she looked up at the moon in the sky, the eyes of the Hyesin Palace servants following the palanquin curved gently.

 

Our Princess Eunhye has truly changed. Isn’t she completely different from how she was just a short while ago?

 

The little Princess, resting her chin on her hand at the small window of the palanquin, was smiling beautifully while looking at the round moon in the night sky. It was a truly wonderful night as silver silk gently settled on her cheeks that were whiter and plumper than the moon.

 

* * *

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon, who left Jagyeong Palace with a dazed expression, bowed his head as he received a bundle of persimmons from This Servant who had been waiting for him.

 

The fragrant scent of persimmons tickling his nose through the neatly tied knots made Kim Gyo-hyeon even more bewildered.

 

“Please take care on your way.”

 

As This Servant, who had handed over the persimmon bundle, turned around with polite farewell words, Kim Gyo-hyeon looked up at the sky that had already darkened and let out a long sigh.

 

What on earth had happened between Princess Eunhye and his son that he didn’t know about?

 

Why did his elder brother bring Jihoo to the palace without his permission, and what did Princess Eunhye’s words mean?

 

That she received comfort and consolation, that he’s a loyal subject?

 

Sigh… What other incident occurred besides what he heard from Jihoo that made her speak with such a smile?

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon’s deep sigh rose in a long trail into the darkened sky.

 

After sternly telling Jihoo to confine himself to his room, Kim Gyo-hyeon went to find Park Nam-il, the Minister of War, who usually cared for him and Jihoo.

 

Since Park Nam-il was the nation’s royal in-law and Princess Eunhye’s maternal grandfather, he wanted to first confess his son’s rudeness and then seek advice.

 

However, the Minister of War had gone to observe military training at the drill grounds, and it was while sighing deeply and going to find his elder brother Kim Dae-hyeon, who worked as Gyori at Hongmun Hall, that he met the lady-in-waiting from Queen Dowager’s Palace.

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon’s vision went dark when he heard that Queen Dowager was looking for him.

 

Since the palace has eyes and ears even in walls and ceilings, Queen Dowager must already know about his son’s rudeness.

 

Thinking that confessing everything and asking for punishment was the only way, he entered Jagyeong Palace, but as if bewitched by goblins, everything flowed mysteriously.

 

Princess Eunhye said everything was resolved before he could confess his son’s crimes to Queen Dowager and beg for forgiveness.

 

Moreover, not only did she ask him to convey her gratitude to his son, but Queen Dowager even praised him as a loyal subject and bestowed these precious persimmons.

 

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand the young Princess’s incomprehensible words, so Kim Gyo-hyeon left the palace in a daze.

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon returned home with unsteady steps, and as soon as the gate opened, he told the old servant who bowed at the entrance to immediately call Jihoo and entered the courtyard.

 

“You’re just arriving now.”

 

Before he had even taken a few steps, Kim Dae-hyeon’s voice came from afar, and Kim Gyo-hyeon stopped in his tracks.

 

The moment he saw his elder brother leaning against a pillar of the main hall veranda in his usual bold manner, Kim Gyo-hyeon almost threw the persimmons he was holding.

 

No matter that he was his elder brother, how could he enter the palace with his young son without even informing him?

 

Kim Dae-hyeon stepped down below the stone platform, seeing Kim Gyo-hyeon standing firmly in the courtyard with his teeth clenched.

 

“Your departure from court was late. How could my one and only nephew starve all day waiting for his father? Thanks to that, I starved too.”

 

“Elder brother!”

 

An unpleasant voice burst from Kim Gyo-hyeon’s mouth as he looked at Kim Dae-hyeon with intensity in his eyes.

 

“I wanted to share a meal and have a long talk, but today doesn’t seem to be the right day. I’ll come again another day.”

 

Kim Dae-hyeon’s touch as he patted Kim Gyo-hyeon’s shoulder was quite heavy.

 

“Oh, and don’t scold Jihoo too harshly. Since he handled the situation he created well, you should rather praise him.”

 

“Elder brother!”

 

The thick, low voice that burst out again was filled with Kim Gyo-hyeon’s displeasure.

 

But Kim Dae-hyeon paid no mind to his younger brother’s expression, chuckling softly before his eyes lit up at the bundle of imperial oranges Kim Gyo-hyeon was holding.

 

“Oh! You even received precious imperial oranges from the Queen Dowager. May I take just one? Your sister-in-law would be so delighted.”

 

How does he know about what happened at the Queen Dowager’s Palace?

 

Kim Dae-hyeon grinned at Kim Gyo-hyeon and skillfully slipped his large hand into the bundle, plucking out a bright yellow imperial orange.

 

“And our Jihoo has grown up to be quite bold indeed. He takes after his aunt greatly… and since he doesn’t seem like an ordinary child, you should pay him a bit more attention.”

 

“What? What do you mean by that?”

 

At the surprised question, Kim Dae-hyeon smiled and patted Kim Gyo-hyeon’s shoulder before striding across the madang with large steps.

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon withdrew his gaze from his elder brother’s retreating figure, squeezed his eyes shut tight, then opened them and stepped up onto the threshold.

 

Not an ordinary child—what could elder brother mean by such words?

 

Kim Gyo-hyeon’s mind, once again thrown into turmoil by Kim Dae-hyeon’s words, sent the tall leather boots he wore beneath his court robes flying off the threshold to land some distance away.

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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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