The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 46

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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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#46. The Hwangam Tree Has No Hwangam

 

“Princess, this is a sapling of the Hwangam Tree.”

 

Walking while being conscious of the unfamiliar female ghost, before she knew it they had arrived. Lady Kim, who had been guiding Eunhye’s group, stopped in front of sparsely planted trees and reported.

 

At Lady Kim’s voice, Eunhye turned her eyes away from the female ghost who was still observing her and looked at the young trees before her.

 

Huh? This is a Hwangam Tree?

 

Eunhye blinked her eyes at the unexpected appearance of the Hwangam saplings, momentarily forgetting even the ghost in the distance.

 

“Can… Hwangam fruit grow from here? How can Hwangam fruit grow from something so small?”

 

The Hwangam saplings looked small and cute, only reaching up to Eunhye’s waist.

 

The shiny dark green color looked very vibrant, but no matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like it would bear Hwangam fruit.

 

At Eunhye’s incredulous question, Lady Kim and the eunuch managing the Hwangam saplings smiled gently and bowed their heads.

 

“I humbly report that these saplings will not bear fruit immediately this year.”

 

“Then?”

 

Still looking skeptical, Eunhye furrowed her delicate brow and looked down at the Hwangam saplings that were much shorter than herself.

 

“These saplings were brought from Miseondo after growing there for about a year and planted here. Therefore, these saplings need to grow well for about two more years before they bear their first fruit.”

 

At the eunuch’s kind explanation, Eunhye nodded while pouting her lower lip.

 

“So that’s why they’re planted so sparsely?”

 

“Yes, Princess. If they grow well, they become taller than ordinary adult men, so we planted them with distances of more than five cheok (about 1.5 meters) in advance.”

 

“I see. Then when will the Hwangam fruit hang in clusters?”

 

She can’t see Hwangam fruit this year…

 

At Eunhye’s adorable disappointed appearance, the eunuch suppressed his laughter and bowed his head.

 

“I don’t know well since I’ve never grown them directly myself, but I hear that after about five years of planting, they can produce quite a lot of Hwangam fruit.”

 

At the eunuch’s words, Eunhye folded her chubby fingers one by one.

 

“Then since I’m five years old now, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! I have to be ten years old before Hwangam fruit grows?”

 

[Heh heh heh, indeed that’s right. To think she has to wait such a long time, what shall our princess do being so disappointed.]

 

At such an adorable sight, Gwangjo burst into laughter, while the palace servants who dared not laugh in front of Princess Eunhye’s noble countenance had to bite the inside of their lips to suppress their laughter.

 

“Princess, all fruit-bearing trees are like that. A sapling that’s like a young child cannot bear fruit.”

 

Even at Lady Park’s comforting words, Eunhye looked very disappointed, drooping her cute lips into the shape of the character eight .

 

“I see. I thought when they said a Hwangam Tree was coming up from Miseondo, a tree this big would come.”

 

Looking at the Hwangam sapling with a deeply hurt expression, Eunhye suddenly opened her eyes wide. She saw the female ghost in strange clothing that she had seen when entering the greenhouse!

 

Looking terrified, she was hiding behind a large tree in the distance, carefully observing her.

 

Eunhye checked on Gwangjo standing beside her, then focused her eyes.

 

Then she turned toward Lady Park and Lady Han, who were still smiling gently, and the various palace servants.

 

“Since it’s been a while since I came, I want to look around the greenhouse alone. So everyone go out and wait.”

 

At the sudden order to leave, Lady Park and Lady Han looked up in surprise.

 

“Pardon? Are you speaking to us as well?”

 

“Yes. Lady Park and Lady Han, everyone go out. I need time alone.”

 

“But, but… how…”

 

Toward Lady Park who was flustered and even stammering, Eunhye frowned her delicate brow and said.

 

“Look, there are only flowers and trees here, right? Is this place dangerous?”

 

Princess Eunhye was smaller than the flowering trees planted in the greenhouse. Even with only flowers and trees, they absolutely could not let her stay alone – with this firm resolve, Lady Park and Lady Han’s nostrils flared.

 

“That is absolutely unacceptable, Princess. Please allow at least me to stay by your side and serve you.”

 

“Me too!”

 

Toward Lady Park and Lady Han who bowed and spoke in desperate voices, Eunhye spoke firmly once again.

 

“I said I want to be alone, didn’t I? I’ll call for you after half a shichen (one hour), so come then.”

 

“But, but Princess.”

 

“Hmph! It’s an order.”

 

At Eunhye’s too-stubborn words, Lady Park made an expression as if she might cry. Seeing this, Eunhye’s heart softened and she looked at Lady Park with gentle eyes.

 

“I won’t do anything dangerous, so don’t worry. Understand? I really want to be alone.”

 

Unable to do this or that, Lady Park inwardly swallowed a deep sigh at the sight of the Queen’s Palace servants who looked even more surprised than herself. If she continued to confront Princess Eunhye here, who knew what words might spread among the lower servants.

 

As if having made up her mind, Lady Park turned toward the Queen’s Palace servants and slowly opened her mouth.

 

“Our Princess Eunhye loves flowers and trees very much. You must also know that the Princess sometimes comes here alone.”

 

At Lady Park’s words, several servants nodded. Seeing this, Lady Park took a short breath as if resolved and looked at the Queen’s Palace servants as she spoke.

 

“Though she is young in years, the Princess enjoys contemplating alone. Today too, she seems to want to contemplate while looking at flowers and trees, so it seems right to step aside for a while.”

 

Watching Eunhye nod with a pleased expression as if agreeing, Lady Park inwardly made a tearful face.

 

“So everyone go outside the greenhouse. I will also go out shortly.”

 

These were the words of the wet nurse who served the legitimate princess closely. Though the Queen’s Palace was somewhat higher than the Princess’s Quarters, the other party was the wet nurse serving Princess Eunhye.

 

Lady Kim, who was in charge of overall garden management, and the Queen’s Palace nain each bowed toward Eunhye with understanding expressions.

 

“Princess Eunhye, then we will be doing our assigned work in the garden outside the greenhouse.”

 

“Yes, do that.”

 

After all the palace servants working in the greenhouse went outside, the Princess’s Quarters servants also headed outside the greenhouse one by one.

 

Lady Han, who stood at the back of the servants, showed a dissatisfied expression toward Lady Park before finally crossing the greenhouse threshold, and at last only Eunhye and Lady Park remained in the greenhouse.

 

“Princess, if by any chance the greenhouse glass breaks, you could be seriously injured, so please promise to be very careful.”

 

“Yes! That absolutely won’t happen.”

 

“Also, don’t touch strange flowers carelessly, and even if there are pretty butterflies, don’t touch them carelessly either.”

 

“I understand. I’ll really be well-behaved, wet nurse.”

 

Even with Eunhye’s assurance, Lady Park looked resentfully at the greenhouse door in the distance, her mind not at ease.

 

Why were the Hwangam saplings planted so far from the door?

 

“Princess, I will stay right outside the greenhouse door. So though it’s unlikely, if anything happens, please call out loudly.”

 

“Oh my, don’t worry. I’m not even alone, so why worry so much… Ah!”

 

Stopping mid-sentence, Eunhye hurriedly put her palm to her mouth.

 

‘Ah, I almost told Lady Park about Queen Dowager Gwangjo without thinking!’

 

But Lady Park, who had already learned about the late Emperor by Princess Eunhye’s side in front of Seongsucheong, quietly bowed her head toward Eunhye’s side.

 

Please watch over our Princess Eunhye, Your Late Majesty!

 

At Lady Park’s bowing figure, Gwangjo laughed heartily and nodded as if to say not to worry. But Lady Park, who couldn’t see this, still looked at Eunhye with a worried expression.

 

“Then I will really go out now.”

 

Then Eunhye clapped her hands like white mushrooms together and pointed at the door while lifting her chin.

 

“Yes! Really don’t worry and go wait outside, then come in after about half a shichen.”

 

Lady Park went outside, turning back to look twice.

 

Now, only Eunhye remained alone in the greenhouse filled with fragrant flower scents. No, strictly speaking, there were Eunhye and Gwangjo, and the Hwangam Tree ghost – two ghosts and one person.

 

“Now that everyone has left, come forward.”

 

It was an unexpectedly confident voice from a child who had been trembling with fear of ghosts just a few days ago.

 

Eunhye looked up at Gwangjo standing beside her once more, then spoke loudly again toward the ghost hiding its spirit behind the tree.

 

“Come out quickly, will you? As you felt, I can see you and hear your voice too.”

 

After a moment, from behind a tree with large leaves, a female ghost with a frightened expression in strange clothing slowly revealed herself.

 

She wore a loose, coarse-textured light jade-colored jeogori with sleeves that only reached her elbows, and a short yellowish-brown layered skirt that only came to just below her knees above her ankles. Moreover, she even had an unfamiliar flower stuck behind her ear.

 

Though she had a rather pretty face, her whole body and hair were covered in dirt as if she had been rolling around in rough places – she appeared to be a girl of about sixteen or seventeen.

 

No, she was a ghost girl.

 

A flower ornament that didn’t match her dirt-covered face with grime flowing down it.

 

Was she a mad ghost?

 

As if reading Eunhye’s thoughts, Gwangjo’s chuckling laughter could be heard.

 

[Heh heh heh, she doesn’t seem to be mad. But she seems to have some story, so let’s hear that child’s tale.]

 

At Gwangjo’s advice, Eunhye bit her lower lip as if resolved and nodded.

 

“Since you won’t come, I have no choice. I’ll come to you, so stay there.”

 

Toward the ghost girl with frightened eyes – it was the first time she’d seen a ghost look scared – Eunhye walked step by step.

 

But the closer she got, the more frightened the ghost’s face became as she pressed closer behind the large tree.

 

“Sigh… Queen Dowager, this is the first time I’ve seen a ghost that fears people.”

 

At Eunhye’s quietly muttered words, Gwangjo grinned broadly.

 

[That child is not afraid of people, but fears those of high status.]

 

“Pardon?”

 

Eunhye tilted her head upward as if she didn’t quite understand what Gwangjo was saying.

 

[Looking at that child’s clothing, she must be a jamnyeo from Miseondo. Although jamnyeo are considered commoners by status, the nobles greatly looked down upon these women because they wore body-revealing clothes and dove for sea products in the ocean.]

 

At Gwangjo’s explanation about jamnyeo, Eunhye recalled what she had read in the Crown Prince’s library.

 

Miseondo, the southernmost territory of Taeshin Kingdom, was named after its fan-like shape.

 

It was characterized by warm weather year-round, frequent rain, and fierce winds.

 

However, because the land was barren and difficult to cultivate for farming, men mainly engaged in fishing while women either worked the poor farmland or primarily dove for sea products.

 

Women who dove deep into the sea to collect seafood like abalone and sea cucumber were called jamnyeo.

 

Eunhye looked with sad eyes at the still frightened-looking girl of about ten years old.

 

But if she’s a jamnyeo who dives for sea products, why is her whole body covered in dirt like that?

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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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