The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 53

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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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#53. The Happiest Smile in the World

 

“Your Highness! Please walk a little slower!”

 

The breathless voice of Gyeong-hwan, the eunuch of the Crown Prince’s Palace, could be heard from behind Lee-hwan who was walking briskly. However, Lee-hwan continued walking with large strides, paying no heed to his plea.

 

“Huff, huff, Your Highness! We’ve already sent word to the Office of the Royal Stables, so Ma-ui must already be taking care of Hwanggu!”

 

Gyeong-hwan’s voice was full of resentment toward his master as he desperately moved his legs without being able to straighten his back properly.

 

“Does Your Highness worry more about Hwanggu than about me! I suppose it doesn’t matter to you whether I’m gasping for breath or not!”

 

Then a chuckle burst out from Lee-hwan who was walking ahead.

 

“Ha! How can you say such things after seeing the look in Prince Chung-in’s eyes when he was facing our Princess earlier! How frightened that young child must have been.”

 

At Lee-hwan’s words thrown out while walking quickly without looking back, Gyeong-hwan’s eyes widened.

 

“Ha! Wh-what? Who? Princess Eunhye? From what I saw, she could have steamed Prince Chung-in and still had energy left over!”

 

“What? Who steamed what?”

 

Lee-hwan finally stopped walking and turned to look at Gyeong-hwan, who had also stopped while breathing heavily.

 

“Well, didn’t Your Highness see it too? She said something like ‘If a gentleman is not something or other’ and ‘Prince Chung-in is not a gentleman!’ Just like that.”

 

At Gyeong-hwan’s response, Lee-hwan also tilted his head slightly to the side and looked up at the sky.

 

“Well, it’s not because she’s my sister, but that child resembles me and is quite intelligent, isn’t she.”

 

Then Gyeong-hwan stretched his lips into a figure-eight shape and frowned as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have.

 

“Did you see Prince Chung-in’s face then? He couldn’t even open his mouth at that young Princess’s words and turned completely red, didn’t he? Haha.”

 

Lee-hwan’s handsome face, carved like jade, was filled with a pleasant smile as if just thinking about it made him proud and delighted.

 

Then Gyeong-hwan tilted his head as if something was strange and opened his mouth.

 

“But Your Highness, hasn’t Princess Eunhye suddenly changed completely?”

 

“What?”

 

Lee-hwan frowned slightly as if he didn’t like Gyeong-hwan’s words.

 

“No, really, Your Highness, the Palace has been buzzing with rumors about Princess Eunhye for the past day or two.”

 

“Rumors?”

 

“Yes! Things like Princess Eunhye, who was half-wit— Oops! I mean, who was unwell, has finally shaken off all her ailments, or that she’s become much more intelligent than before she had smallpox.”

 

Gyeong-hwan, who had almost said “half-wit Princess,” slapped his mouth with his palm and spoke carefully while watching Crown Prince Lee-hwan’s reaction.

 

At Gyeong-hwan’s words, Lee-hwan also let out a small laugh and recalled Eunhye, who had firmly scolded Prince Chung-in just moments ago.

 

“It is said that if a gentleman is not grave, he will not be respected, and if he is not learned, he will not be firm! A gentleman must have weight in his words and actions to receive respect from those around him, and if he acts lightly, he will not establish dignity. Moreover, such a person’s learning will also be easily shaken!”

 

When had that young child come to understand Confucius’s words from the Analects so perfectly? Moreover, to stand up to Prince Chung-in’s fierce momentum without being intimidated at all, speaking in a scolding tone despite his much larger build! And that wasn’t all!

 

“If one is not benevolent, what is the use of ritual? If one is not benevolent, what is the use of music! What use is it for an unvirtuous person to learn ritual, and what use is it for an unvirtuous person to learn music!”

 

Hadn’t she rendered Prince Chung-in, who had laid hands on Lady Park, completely speechless with that passage?

 

‘Even if he is His Majesty the King’s son, he is not a gentleman? Hahaha, how bold.’

 

Lee-hwan recalled Eunhye, who had confronted Prince Chung-in with quite fierce momentum just moments ago, and couldn’t help but laugh with pride.

 

When had his sister, whom he thought was just a baby, grown up so much?

 

“Let’s go. I’ve wasted time having pointless conversation with you.”

 

Behind Lee-hwan, who was once again striding ahead, Gyeong-hwan’s wailing could be heard again as he sighed deeply and shook his head.

 

“Oh my, Your Highness! Please walk slowly! Gyeong-hwan is dying!”

 

Crown Prince Lee-hwan was so tall and large in build that he couldn’t be considered a mere twelve-year-old.

 

Seeing the Crown Prince’s body grow significantly after he turned seven, Queen Dowager Jeong often said he was the spitting image of King Sejo, the 16th ruler.

 

When such a Lee-hwan strode forward with large steps, eunuch Gyeong-hwan, who was much smaller than his peers despite being sixteen, had to run desperately.

 

Lee-hwan, who was entering the gates of the Crown Prince’s Palace while dragging the wailing Gyeong-hwan, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

 

“Isn’t that person Ma-ui?”

 

“Huff, huff, yes, that’s correct. He must have already treated all of Hwanggu’s wounds.”

 

“But what makes him so happy that he’s grinning as he comes?”

 

Indeed, Ma-ui Jeong Chan-bo, who was walking from a distance, had his lips curved in a smile.

 

Jeong Chan-bo, who discovered Lee-hwan standing with furrowed brows looking at him, was startled and ran over to bow.

 

“Crown Prince!”

 

As he had said he came running right after receiving the urgent message, Jeong Chan-bo’s clothes and shoes were covered with mud and various excrement, as if he had come straight from work.

 

“Are you on your way back from examining Hwanggu?”

 

Hiding his inner thoughts about why he was grinning so much, Lee-hwan asked in an indifferent tone.

 

“Yes, that is correct.”

 

“Well, how was his condition?”

 

“I regret to say that the flesh around his neck was chafed and slightly gouged, so I shaved the fur and disinfected and treated it.”

 

Looking at Jeong Chan-bo, who had completely erased his earlier smile and bowed with a proper expression, Lee-hwan slowly nodded.

 

Lee-hwan had a favorable view of Ma-ui Jeong Chan-bo’s warm nature as he cared for the small animals in Byeolchuk as well as the livestock within the Palace.

 

“Well, you’ve worked hard. But is there some happy occasion? You were smiling the whole way here.”

 

This was Lee-hwan’s inner thoughts that finally burst out.

 

You must have met the Princess who would have been with Hwanggu—did something happen? His question was full of such sentiment.

 

Then Jeong Chan-bo opened his mouth with a gentle smile returning to his face.

 

“It is not that, but I entered the Palace seven years ago and today was the first time I met Princess Eunhye.”

 

“And so?”

 

Was he pleased to have first met his young sister who was rumored to be half-witted? Or did it mean that the child no longer avoided people and they had pleasant conversation?

 

Lee-hwan, who had shown a worried expression for a brief moment, immediately changed to a calm expression thinking of Jeong Chan-bo’s warm nature and asked.

 

“Well, did the Princess perhaps… say anything?”

 

At Crown Prince Lee-hwan’s careful inquiry, a smile naturally bloomed on Jeong Chan-bo’s face.

 

“It was nothing special, but she was truly an intelligent and warm Princess Eunhye.”

 

Only then did a smile mixed with relief and joy begin to appear on Lee-hwan’s face.

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Yes, her touch as she petted Hwanggu was so warm. Moreover, she even said thank you to this humble person.”

 

Looking at Jeong Chan-bo, who bowed shyly with a grateful expression, Lee-hwan also smiled gently.

 

“I see, that’s how it was. You’ve worked hard. Go ahead now.”

 

“Yes, Crown Prince. I will come again in two days to tend to Hwanggu’s wounds.”

 

Jeong Chan-bo, who bowed deeply, walked away with hurried steps.

 

Lee-hwan, who had been watching him for a moment, turned to look at Gyeong-hwan, who was blinking beside him.

 

“Why are you spacing out?”

 

“See that, Your Highness. Princess Eunhye has completely changed, I tell you!”

 

“Tsk, nonsense. It was an ailment that would naturally heal with time anyway!”

 

Lee-hwan scolded Gyeong-hwan with a stern voice and entered the gates of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

 

“Let’s go. Since there’s no evening lecture today, I’ll have dinner with the Princess at Jaseondang. Go tell them to prepare.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Gyeong-hwan, who pouted his lower lip, bowed and turned toward the direction of the Kitchen.

 

“No, really, it’s true that Princess Eunhye has changed, so why won’t you acknowledge it? The Princess who couldn’t even look at my face properly smiled at a Ma-ui she’d never seen before and even said thank you—is this an ordinary matter?”

 

Lee-hwan watched with a heavy expression as Gyeong-hwan grumbled while running toward the Kitchen.

 

Really, were the rumors circulating in the Palace true? Had all the strange ailments that had been tormenting the Princess been cured?

 

Lee-hwan, who let out a deep sigh through his teeth, shook his head as if to dispel his idle thoughts and began walking with large strides.

 

Jaseondang is the building directly visible when you enter the outer gate of the Crown Prince’s Palace and cross the neat front courtyard. And if you go around its left side, there are the Library and Ganghakchung, which are single-story but have high ceilings.

 

Lee-hwan, who was walking toward the Library, stopped in his tracks at the sound of Eunhye’s laughter and Hwanggu’s barking carried on the wind.

 

When was the last time he had heard his young sister’s laughter? So the Princess was a child who laughed with such a bright and lovely sound.

 

In the distance, under the large zelkova tree in front of the Library of the Crown Prince’s Palace, there was a Nain being dragged around while holding Hwanggu’s leash, and a young sister running around with clear laughter.

 

The young Princess in a yellow court dress running around adorably in the setting sun, and Hwanggu bouncing along behind her… It was a beautiful sight like a painting.

 

“Hehe, hahaha! Really… she’s completely recovered. My sister, our Eunhye has shaken it all off.”

 

Lee-hwan’s eyes, making sounds too mature for his twelve years, began to redden.

 

Just a few days ago, his young sister couldn’t even hold her head up properly, but now she was making clear laughter like rolling silver bells with a face brighter than sunlight.

 

“Your Highness, what I’m seeing right now isn’t a dream, is it?”

 

Having apparently visited the kitchen at some point, Gyeong-hwan who had come to stand beside him also rubbed his eyes with his hands and blinked repeatedly.

 

“Wow! Really, our Princess Eunhye, you’re completely recovered, completely recovered!”

 

At Gyeong-hwan’s voice that was almost an exclamation, Lee-hwan smiled broadly without a sound and looked up at the fresh blue spring sky.

 

I knew this day would come!

 

I knew long ago that this child would shake everything off and rise up!

 

Just then, Hwanggu, who spotted his master before Eunhye did, barked loudly and jumped up, causing Lady Han who lost her grip on the leash to scream “Ahhh!”

 

Behind Hwanggu who was bounding toward him with his large tail spinning round and round, his young sister was also running while waving her hand with a bright smile.

 

The two women dressed in green dangui and jeogori were running behind them with terrified faces, worried that the young princess might fall, and Lee-hwan’s face as he ran toward them was filled with the most radiant happy smile in the world.

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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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