The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 57

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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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#57. The Golden Plaque and Its Secret Power

The cool night breeze blew across the front courtyard of the Crown Prince’s Palace, which had grown dark as evening fell.

A palanquin for Eunhye to ride had been placed in front of Jaseondang at some point, with four eunuchs standing quietly at attention.

“Princess, today must have been another exhausting day for you, so go back now and rest well.”

The Queen Mother looked down at Eunhye, who was holding her hand tightly, and smiled with loving eyes.

The waiting eunuchs knelt down at the front and back of the palanquin, and Lady Han lifted the silk curtain at the entrance of the charming palanquin.

“Please get in, Princess.”

At Lady Park’s encouraging words as she bowed, Eunhye looked up at the Queen Mother with regret.

“Mother, please make delicious food again. I want to eat together with Mother again.”

Seeing the changed appearance of the princess, who just two or three days ago couldn’t look at her properly, the Queen Mother felt her throat tighten with emotion again.

“Let’s do that. I promise you, I’ll make delicious dishes for you again soon. So for today, go back to your quarters and rest well.”

“Yes, I understand, Mother. But you really promise, don’t you?”

Facing Eunhye who asked again, the Queen Mother lowered herself to meet her eyes.

“Princess, are you certain now that this mother is no longer frightening to you?”

Nod nod, nod nod.

The Queen Mother smiled brightly at the adorable sight of her nodding so vigorously that her ribbon slipped down, and gently opened her arms to embrace Eunhye deeply.

“Could there be such joyful news? Truly the gods and spirits of heaven and earth have helped us. Our princess has shaken off her illness so completely – how admirable, how truly admirable.”

The fragrant embrace of Mother felt so wonderful that Eunhye took a deep breath and smiled brightly.

‘The scary grandmother ghost who was always beside Mother is no longer here. So I’m not scared anymore.’

“Now, really get into the palanquin. We’ve delayed too long.”

The Queen Mother patted Eunhye’s back gently, then separated her from her embrace with a kind smile.

“This mother will arrange an occasion soon, so let’s all dine together with His Majesty the King.”

“Yes!”

Everyone watching formed big smiles on their faces.

Eunhye, who had gotten into the palanquin with Lady Park’s help, opened the small sliding window beside her and poked out her cute face.

“Oh right, Crown Prince! Earlier Ma-ui tied Hwanggu’s leash around his chest, so don’t untie it and put it back around his neck. Hwanggu’s neck got hurt because of Prince Chung-in earlier. You understand, right?”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for letting me know and taking care of Hwanggu.”

It was a night when the silver moon floating above everyone’s heads showered gentle light on the heartwarming scene of the loving siblings.

“Are you really okay with it? Leaving Yongho-yeong to become the Princess’s Quarters’ guard?”

“I’m fine with it. Who else but such a reliable uncle should our niece’s protection be entrusted to?”

“I have no face to show Father.”

“Oh, what does that make me then, Your Majesty? I volunteered for this!”

Late at night, the Queen Mother and Park Jeong-bin stood side by side at Yeonhwaji, where bright moonlight poured down.

“Don’t worry about anything. This younger brother will protect her.”

The Queen Mother’s gaze, which had been looking at the moonlight filling Yeonhwaji, turned to her younger brother who somehow resembled their father.

Hadn’t they said he was a distant relative? But why did he feel so familiar?

“Thank you. I won’t forget your heart.”

“You say such unnecessary things.”

Watching Park Jeong-bin smile quite handsomely with just the corners of his mouth raised, the Queen Mother laughed as if absurd.

“When did you grow up so much to have such manly bearing? You should get married soon too.”

“If Your Majesty chooses the lady, I’d marry even an ugly woman.”

“What? Hahahaha! Would I really choose an ugly woman for you?”

The Queen Mother’s clear laughter spread beautifully over the closed lotus flowers on Yeonhwaji.

“Our brother-in-law seems to be making the Queen Mother quite happy.”

At the suddenly heard royal voice, the Queen Mother and Park Jeong-bin bowed their heads in surprise.

“Your Majesty!”

Park Jeong-bin quickly stepped aside and bowed even lower before King Lee-shin.

“I thought I might not see you since state affairs ended late, but this worked out well. So, did you exchange greetings with the Princess?”

Lee-shin looked at Park Jeong-bin with a pleased expression.

“Yes, the Princess welcomed me so enthusiastically that I was very delighted.”

“Hahahaha! Welcomed you enthusiastically? I can picture it clearly without seeing it – how amusing. I wish I could have been there too…”

Queen Consort Park Ji-hee smiled beautifully at Lee-shin, who was laughing and joking casually with her younger brother, and spoke up.

“Indeed. Your subject, today I learned for the first time that our Princess could fly so high and fast.”

“Haha! Fly? Did our Princess really do that?”

Lee-shin, who had been hearing about the young princess’s bold actions since the day before yesterday, asked Park Ji-hee with a truly amazed expression.

“Yes, Your Majesty. When Instructor Park approached with open arms saying he was glad to see her, the Princess who was sitting in my embrace suddenly jumped up and hung around my neck.”

“Hahahaha! How regrettable. If I had been there, she would have jumped into this father’s arms.”

Light wrinkles formed on Lee-shin’s brow as he sighed softly with genuine regret.

“Your Majesty, have you had your evening meal? I heard the debate over Miseondo matters went on for a long time.”

Queen Mother Park Ji-hee looked at Lee-shin’s haggard face with pity.

“Yes, Queen Mother, I had a light meal.”

“Was an agreement reached to send troops to Miseondo?”

At Park Ji-hee’s question, Lee-shin’s forehead wrinkled again.

“The remnants of Haeyong Kingdom, which maintained its lineage for hundreds of years, are conspiring with the Japanese across the sea to stage an uprising? How can we send troops based only on such absurd reports? Moreover, we can’t spare the troops guarding the borders, so we’d have to send the central army protecting the capital…”

Lee-shin frowned slightly as if his head was throbbing just thinking about it again.

“Don’t listen to the Ministry of War and their faction, and do as Your Majesty wishes. Your subject will support you.”

Park Ji-hee, whose father was General Park Nam-il who once commanded battlefields, was more interested in martial arts and military affairs, contrary to her beautiful appearance that resembled her mother.

So even when she was at Saga, she read more military strategy books, martial arts manuals, and Taeshin Kingdom geography rather than the Three Bonds and Five Relations or Instructions for Women that women usually read.

How else could she have trained and sparred together with Lee-shin when he was Prince Gyeongbok…

Lee-shin looked at Park Ji-hee’s eyes, filled with upright spirit, with a smiling face and slowly nodded.

“Yes, I’ll do as the Queen Mother advises. By the way, did our Eunhye’s illness truly seem completely cured? I wanted to visit the Crown Prince’s Palace myself but couldn’t, which was truly regrettable.”

At Lee-shin’s question, calling her by name rather than title, Park Ji-hee’s eyes grew moist.

“Yes, Your Majesty. From what I could see, our Eunhye’s illness seemed completely cured.”

Her voice was full of moisture as she nodded and answered.

“Truly fortunate, Queen Mother. Truly fortunate. More than any news that has come up these past days, the stories about the Princess that I’ve been hearing have been the most welcome.”

Lee-shin, who had been nodding while looking at Park Ji-hee’s eyes that had grown moist with tears, raised his head toward the bright night sky.

“I clearly remember the night that child was born.”

Park Ji-hee and Park Jeong-bin, who raised their heads following Lee-shin, found the brightly shining North Star and smiled softly.

“On that pitch-black night, one small star beside the North Star shone so mysteriously bright. Along with that small star’s radiance came such a resounding cry that I thought another prince had been born, hahahaha.”

At Lee-shin’s hearty laughter, Park Ji-hee and Park Jeong-bin also laughed softly and looked at each other.

“I too clearly heard our Eunhye’s crying voice in that confused moment.”

“Hahahaha! Yes. That crying voice truly had the makings of a general.”

Lee-shin, who had lowered his gaze from the sky, gently placed his hand on Park Jeong-bin’s shoulder, who was now bowing his head.

“Brother-in-law, thank you. I entrust our children to your care.”

“Your grace is overwhelming, Your Majesty. I, Park Jeong-bin, will protect His Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Eunhye even at the cost of my life.”

Lee-shin, who had gently patted Park Jeong-bin’s shoulder, nodded toward Sang-seon who was beside him.

Then Sang-seon took out a golden plaque with red tassels from his sleeve and held it up with both hands toward Lee-shin.

Lee-shin held out the golden plaque toward Park Jeong-bin, who was bowing his head.

“Take it.”

“Your Majesty! This is…!”

Toward Park Jeong-bin, whose eyes widened in surprise, Lee-shin spoke in a solemn voice.

“This is a golden plaque that allows you to have a private audience with me at any time. It also has the power of a royal decree that allows passage through any gate of Taeshin Palace at will, and can requisition soldiers from the Five Armies of the Capital.”

Overwhelmed by the truly tremendous power contained in the golden plaque, Park Jeong-bin knelt and prostrated himself, pressing his forehead to the ground as he cried out.

“I, Park Jeong-bin, accept His Majesty the King’s will and pledge my loyalty until the day this life ends.”

Lee-shin, who had been looking down at him with a pleased smile, turned to Queen Mother Park Ji-hee.

‘Queen Mother, does this put your mind at ease now?’

A gentle smile spread softly across Park Ji-hee’s face as she lightly nodded to Lee-shin who was looking at her.

The golden plaque with the power to freely mobilize even the central five armies was proof that His Majesty also knew that as the Crown Prince and Princess grew older, they would face more threats to their lives.

It is a secret power granted by commanding the most trustworthy person to protect the princes and princesses.

“Now rise.”

At His Majesty the King’s command, Park Jeong-bin, who had been prostrating, rose to his feet, carefully tucked the golden plaque in his hand into his robes, then bowed his head.

“The night has grown deep, so I, Park Jeong-bin, shall now take my leave.”

“Do so. When you enter the Palace tomorrow, go directly to the Princess’s quarters.”

At Park Ji-hee’s encouraging words, Park Jeong-bin smiled brightly.

“Yes, Queen Mother. The Office of Ceremonial Attire has already sent the court robes for tomorrow to my home.”

“Hohoho, is that so? If you came wearing a cheollik and belt like today, our Princess would surely dislike it very much, so I did command them to hurry and make it.”

At Park Ji-hee’s words mixed with laughter, Park Jeong-bin gave a thumbs up with his right hand and showed a mischievous smile.

“Then Your Majesty, and Queen Mother, I shall now take my leave.”

“Go safely, brother-in-law. From tomorrow, please take good care of our Eunhye.”

His Majesty the King also gave a playful farewell, even raising one hand to wave.

It was a night when the bright full moon soaked its entire body in Yeonheuiji, rippling pleasantly.

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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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