The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 45
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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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#45. Not All Ghosts Are the Same
“Wow, really? If it truly happens as Princess says, how wonderful would that be.”
“Right? So let’s hurry and go see. You’ve rested enough now, haven’t you, nanny? I’ll walk a little slower than before.”
It felt like they had been running for about fifteen minutes. Lady Park, who had been breathing heavily with flared nostrils, spoke to Eunhye as if making a request.
“Princess, please make a promise with this servant.”
“What is it?”
“When you return to Hyesin Palace, you must ride on Lady Han’s back. Do you understand?”
“Well… if it’s not too difficult for Lady Han, then I will.”
“This servant finds it not difficult at all.”
Eunhye smiled cutely at Lady Han, who was looking at her with gentle eyes, then looked toward the Queen’s Palace plaque visible in the distance.
“We’re almost there now. Cheer up, nanny.”
Eunhye nodded her head adorably toward Lady Park and began walking with spirited steps, almost skipping.
‘Is there really a ghost from Miseondo? If there is, did it really come attached to the Hwangam tree? But what if it has a terrifying appearance?’
Whether her heart was pounding from fear of meeting a ghost or from her quick pace, Eunhye swallowed hard as her chest thumped rapidly.
Rustle… rustle…
With each quick step, the flowers and leaves of the nandina tree inside the pink palace pouch hanging from her waist seemed to whisper reassuringly.
And in another palace pouch were her guardian talismans—the Cheongmyeong Mirror and the Divine Tree’s flower. Plus, there was Grandfather Gwangjo, who had the strongest energy in this world.
Eunhye clenched her two fists tightly, resolving not to fear ghosts anymore.
‘Wait for me, Hwangam tree ghost, I’ll definitely help you achieve enlightenment too!’
“Princess, let’s rest just once more here.”
Lady Park, whose face had turned red again, stopped on the small bridge connecting the Queen’s Palace to the garden and spoke.
When the group of people stopped by the pond, curious brocade carp gathered, each opening and closing their large mouths.
“Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Lady Han, you brought fish food earlier, right? Please give me some.”
Eunhye, who had stopped as if she had been waiting for this moment, looked down at the brocade carp gathered in front of her and her eyes sparkled.
“Yes, Princess. Here it is. Please be careful.”
Lady Han had wrapped some leftover noodles from Eunhye’s lunch in oil paper and kept it in her sleeve.
Whenever her young mistress came to the Queen’s Palace, she always enjoyed feeding the fish like this.
Eunhye took a handful of noodle pieces that Lady Han had prepared and scattered them to the carp that were opening and closing their mouths.
“Don’t fight and eat nicely.”
Splash splash splash… splash splash splash…
The large bodies covered in scales jostled against each other frantically, each clamoring to eat.
“Hey, I told you not to fight!”
After dividing the small amount of noodle pieces into three or four portions and scattering them all, Lady Han quickly took out a cotton cloth from her bosom and wiped Eunhye’s hands.
Even though there was nothing more to give, the carp that had tasted the food once didn’t know to leave from under Eunhye’s group.
Eunhye, who had been looking down at the carp with amusement, sniffed and looked up at Lady Park.
“Is it because we’re close to Mother’s garden? There’s such a wonderful flower fragrance.”
At Eunhye’s words, Lady Park nodded in agreement.
“That is correct. Perhaps because it’s spring, the entire palace is filled with flower fragrance.”
“Yes, that’s right. Especially Mother’s garden has so many beautiful flowers.”
Eunhye nodded vigorously and took a deep breath while looking at the Hyang-won Pavilion plaque.
“Lady Park, but hwangam is a fruit that grows in very, very distant lands, right? Was it called Miseondo?”
Lady Park, who had been wiping the sweat from her forehead and face with a cotton cloth from her sleeve, bowed her head and answered.
“Yes, I understand that Miseondo is a place you can only reach by crossing the sea from the farthest edge of Taeshin Kingdom.”
“I see.”
Eunhye nodded her small head, then tilted it again as if finding something strange.
“But I heard that Miseondo is a very hot land? Can a Hwangam tree that grows there also grow here? What was the governor of Miseondo thinking when he sent the sapling? What if it dies?”
Our Princess is so clever. Despite her young age, how can she think of such things.
Lady Park, now smiling broadly, slowly nodded and answered.
“Queen Mother’s greenhouse has walls and ceiling made of a special material called glass brought from the West.”
“Ah, that’s right! Crown Prince told me to be careful because it could break and shatter into pieces if handled roughly.”
“Yes, Princess. They say glass shatters into pieces if hit hard. And because the greenhouse is made of glass, the warm temperature there is similar to Miseondo’s climate.”
“Ah, I see.”
Eunhye nodded as if she understood, then looked up at Lady Park while turning her gaze away from the carp that were still opening and closing their mouths.
“Has everyone rested now? Let’s go.”
Seeing Eunhye firmly grasp her skirt hem again, Lady Park nodded with a determined expression.
“Yes, Princess.”
Above Eunhye, who had already begun running with her adorable steps, the afternoon sunlight fell in long rays.
Hyang-won Pavilion.
It was the garden of the Queen’s Palace, meaning a fragrant courtyard and hill.
Only when she arrived in front of the pavilion leading into the garden did Eunhye stop her hurried steps, with the palace servants of Hyesin Palace lining up behind her.
Unlike her previous puppy-like running, Eunhye straightened her body with a rather dignified manner, and the court ladies and servants who had been tending Hyang-won Pavilion approached and bowed.
“We greet Princess Eunhye.”
Unlike the court ladies and servants who worked inside the palace quarters, they wore aprons and headscarves, presenting a somewhat unfamiliar appearance.
“Very well. You have worked hard. I have come to see the Hwangam tree presented as tribute from Miseondo.”
Among the palace servants who had hurriedly run out and bowed at the Princess’s sudden visit, several spirits were visible.
Queen Dowager!
Eunhye unconsciously called for Gwangjo in her heart while tightly gripping the palace pouch hanging from her waist sash.
The Cheongmyeong Mirror, a sacred artifact inside the palace pouch, was said to have the power to repel all evil and wicked things. So if there were any evil things in Mother’s greenhouse!
While gripping the palace pouch containing the sacred artifact and looking ahead with frightened eyes, Eunhye saw several spirits startle and disappear!
As expected, the sacred artifact is definitely my guardian talisman, isn’t it?
Unlike moments before, Eunhye’s confident expression and subtle smile made the palace servants start whispering in confusion.
Princess Eunhye had visited Hyang-won Pavilion several times before.
Except when she came with Crown Prince, hadn’t she always come alone as if being chased by something, hiding somewhere and then quietly returning?
She had never come accompanied by palace servants like today, so what wind had blown for her to bring all her household members today? Moreover, unlike usual, she was holding her head up and smiling!
Lady Park glared sternly at the murmuring palace servants, and Lady Kim of the Queen’s Palace, who was in charge of Hyang-won Pavilion, coughed softly.
“Princess, this servant will escort you to where the Hwangam tree is located.”
At Lady Kim’s words, Eunhye nodded while still gripping her palace pouch tightly.
“I understand. And the other palace servants should continue with their work.”
At Eunhye’s response, Lady Kim nodded to the palace servants who were standing and bowing. Then the palace servants bowed once more toward Eunhye before returning to their respective areas.
“I shall escort you.”
Lady Kim, who had bowed to Eunhye, stood about half a step ahead and began walking toward the interior.
Tap… tap… tap…
The working palace servants smiled silently at the adorable sight of the young Princess walking through the flower-filled garden in her palm-sized flower shoes.
Could she have become so dignified in just a few days? No, rather than saying she became dignified, Princess Eunhye had definitely changed in some way.
The palace servants exchanged glances and looked at Eunhye with puzzled expressions.
Meanwhile, Eunhye, who had been following Lady Kim toward the greenhouse where the Hwangam tree was located while looking around, finally smiled brightly and looked up somewhere in the distance.
Queen Dowager!
When he had entered, she didn’t know, but Gwangjo was nodding toward Eunhye with his usual benevolent smile.
Only then did Eunhye release the palace pouch she had been gripping tightly with her right hand and breathe a sigh of relief.
[Were you waiting for this old man?]
Nod nod.
Instead of answering aloud lest the palace servants hear, Eunhye nodded, and tears of joy filled her large eyes.
[Ho ho ho ho. Were you worried about this old man? Child, you don’t need to worry about this old man. But there is indeed something here.]
At Gwangjo’s words that there was something here, Eunhye blinked her round eyes tightly.
It must really be the Hwangam tree ghost as This Servant said!
Eunhye swallowed even her dry saliva and looked up at Gwangjo with frightened eyes.
[Why are you so frightened? Child, you are the chosen master of the kingdom’s sacred artifacts. Don’t worry about anything and just follow where your heart leads.]
At Gwangjo’s reassuring encouragement, Eunhye pressed her lips together firmly and nodded.
‘Yes, Queen Dowager. This girl fears nothing as long as you are by my side.’
While listening to Gwangjo’s story, Lady Kim, who had arrived at the greenhouse in the garden, bowed toward Eunhye and spoke.
“Since the Hwangam saplings were planted not long ago, we have raised the temperature of the greenhouse. Therefore, it will be quite hot when you enter inside.”
“Is that so? Why did you raise the greenhouse temperature?”
“Miseondo, where the Hwangam saplings grow, is a very warm place, so this location might be quite cold for the young saplings. Therefore, I heard they raised the temperature through the greenhouse furnace.”
“Ah.”
Eunhye nodded as if she understood, looking at the door of the glass greenhouse that sparkled beautifully in the sunlight, and spoke boldly.
“I understand. Then let’s go inside quickly.”
“Yes, Princess.”
When Lady Kim, who had bowed her head, opened the greenhouse door, hot air rushed out. Eunhye looked up at Gwangjo, who had come to stand beside her, and smiled brightly.
‘Queen Dowager, I will not be afraid.’
Following Lady Kim’s guidance into the greenhouse, Eunhye stretched her neck long to look for the Hwangam tree saplings.
Just then, something swiftly passed by in the distance ahead. Was Eunhye the only one who saw it? Lady Kim from the Queen Mother’s Palace and all the palace servants from Hyesin Palace were just walking silently with their heads half-bowed.
Eunhye looked up at Gwangjo beside her.
‘Did you see it too, Queen Dowager?’
As if hearing Eunhye’s inner thoughts, Gwangjo silently nodded and pointed ahead with his hand.
Looking in the direction Gwangjo pointed, Eunhye saw a woman in clothing she had never seen before in her life, standing behind the largest tree in the greenhouse with her head peeking out.
A ghost… it is.
Even with Grandfather Gwangjo beside her, even while holding the sacred Guardian Talisman, were spirits of the dead still frightening to the living?
Eunhye found herself unconsciously holding her breath as it quickened, widening her small nostrils to take in deep breaths.
But why isn’t that ghost afraid of Queen Dowager Gwangjo and the Cheongmyeong Mirror I have?
The ghosts we saw at the garden entrance earlier all fled desperately as soon as they saw Queen Dowager Gwangjo, so why does the Hwangam tree ghost seem completely unaffected?
Are not all ghosts the same kind of ghost?
Eunhye’s eyes, filled with fear and bewilderment, were fixed on the female ghost who was peeking at her.
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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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