The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 59

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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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#59. Kitchen Grandmother Ghost

“Princess, it’s already the fourth hour (9 AM to 11 AM). Are you not going to the kitchen?”

Lady Park’s voice, gently inquiring, reached Eunhye’s ears as she was groaning over her worries about Gwangjo.

“Kitchen?”

Eunhye, who had been resting her chin on both hands, only lifted her eyes to look at Lady Park.

“Yes, didn’t you say you would go see them making cherry preserves and cherry syrup today?”

“Ah, right. I did, didn’t I?”

Only then did Eunhye remove her hands from supporting her chin and lift her head brightly, looking at Park Jeong-bin who had been continuously eating the honey cookies and wheat cookies from the refreshment table.

“Uncle, did you come without even having breakfast?”

Then Park Jeong-bin, with cookie crumbs all over his lips, gulped down the cold tea in one go and smiled broadly.

“I ate like an ox before coming. I am deeply grateful that my dear niece worries about her uncle so much. Well then, shall this uncle escort you to the kitchen?”

Park Jeong-bin jumped up from his seat and strode over to stand in front of the door. Watching him with an exasperated look, Lady Park shook her head from side to side as Eunhye also stood up.

“Nanny, we’ll have to put up with him for a long time, so let’s be patient.”

“Yes, Princess. Those are very wise words.”

Watching this scene, Park Jeong-bin’s lips curved into a wide arc as he waited for Eunhye at the door.

The palace was a complete flower paradise with spring blossoms blooming everywhere, walls lined with trees in full bloom, and the flower fragrance carried by the wind seemed to fill the entire world.

“Mmm, it really smells wonderful!”

Eunhye, having her feet put into cute flower shoes with Lady Han’s assistance, closed both eyes and fluttered her small nostrils.

Park Jeong-bin, who stuck close to Eunhye’s side despite receiving Lady Park’s glare, took a deep breath and asked curiously.

“But Princess Eunhye, does the palace always make cherry preserves and such things every year? I’ve always only been in and out of the training grounds and Geumgun-cheong, so I’ve never smelled such wonderful aromas.”

Eunhye, having put on both shoes and hopped down below the threshold, nodded at Park Jeong-bin’s question and looked up at Lady Park.

“I’m also going to see it for the first time today so I don’t know well, but probably they do this every year, right? Right, Nanny?”

“Yes, Princess. The kitchen makes preserved foods with different fruits, flowers, and various plants every year, every season.”

At Lady Park’s words, Eunhye nodded cutely, then tilted her head up toward the warm spring sunlight and closed both eyes.

Yellow sunlight, as if finely ground and sprinkled, settled all over her white, fair face.

Eunhye shook her head a couple of times as if shaking off the scary dream from last night, then opened her eyes brightly and smiled softly.

Right, Queen Dowager Gwangjo is incredibly strong and good at fighting, so she’ll be fine.

Eunhye, recalling together the wailing appearance of Haeyongguk’s shrine maiden from last night’s dream and Gwangjo, slowly nodded and bit her lower lip tightly.

Queen Dowager is much stronger than that shrine maiden!

Having finished her thoughts, Eunhye lifted her small chin and spoke as if shouting spiritedly.

“Well then, shall we go to the kitchen?”

“Yes, Princess, let’s go quickly.”

At the sight of Park Jeong-bin standing firmly planted right next to Eunhye, Lady Park pursed her lips in displeasure, then took a big step forward and scolded him.

“Instructor Park, you are currently not in the position of the Princess’s uncle but as a guard, so it would be proper for you to stand one step behind.”

Then Park Jeong-bin, opening his eyes wide as if it were absurd, quickly came to stand next to Eunhye again.

“In this dangerous palace, protecting the Princess is most important, so where exactly is right and wrong in this?”

“Sigh… Instructor Park, please maintain dignity as Princess Eunhye’s uncle.”

Eunhye, watching Lady Park and her uncle bickering over the spot next to her, shook her head and grabbed Lady Han’s hand, running quickly while shouting.

“You two just come together nicely. I’m going ahead with Lady Han!”

“Oh my, Princess!”

Behind Eunhye and Lady Han, the alarmed cries of Lady Park and Park Jeong-bin followed.

The feast of spring flowers blooming beautifully throughout the palace and the sweet cherry fragrance wafting thickly from the kitchen danced gracefully in rhythm with Eunhye’s running steps as she laughed merrily.

“Princess Eunhye is coming?”

“Yes, earlier Lady Park from Hyesin Palace came and told our Lady Eom.”

Two court ladies chattered as they transferred cleanly washed cherries from a basket into a large wooden bowl, mixing them with sugar.

“It’s her first time, isn’t it? Coming directly to the kitchen?”

When a young maid with drooping eyes asked, Lady Cheon lifted her sugar-covered index finger close to her lips and said quietly.

“It’s the first time she’s made an official visit, but she used to often hide behind that pile of baskets by the stove over there.”

“Princess Eunhye did? Why?”

Was the questioning voice too loud at Lady Cheon’s words? The head court lady of the kitchen approached with stern, glaring eyes.

“What have you been doing all this time? Chattering like this makes the work late! The Princess will arrive soon – are you going to show her such a messy sight?”

“We’re sorry!”

The two startled court ladies picked up the bowl of mixed cherries and hurriedly moved toward the fireplace.

Lady Eom, who had been frowning disapprovingly at their behavior, saw Eunhye in the distance, walking quickly with an unfamiliar guard.

“Princess Eunhye!”

Lady Eom rushed to the door in one stride, followed by two senior court ladies from the kitchen who bowed low.

At the sight of the head court lady and maids from the kitchen coming out to greet her at the door, Eunhye smiled sweetly and spoke.

“You work so hard. The cherry rice cakes and cherry tea I had last time were very delicious, and since I heard you’re making various things with cherries, I came to see.”

How dignified the Princess looked, speaking so clearly and well.

Lady Eom unconsciously lifted her head to look at Eunhye’s face, then startled and bowed deeply.

“Your kind words make this humble servant so grateful I don’t know what to do with myself. Please come inside, I shall escort you.”

“Very well.”

Eunhye passed by Lady Eom, who stepped aside and bowed, and crossed the kitchen threshold with dignity, holding Lady Park’s hand.

“Please come this way. We were just doing the final sugar preservation.”

Lady Eom quickly approached Eunhye and pointed to a large wooden bowl visible ahead.

The sight of round, bright red cherries mixed with white sugar was mouth-watering just to look at.

Eunhye unconsciously licked her lips and her eyes sparkled.

“Sugar preservation?”

“Yes, that’s right. After the sugar preservation is finished, the cherries are put in a pot and simmered gently, then strained to remove the seeds.”

Eunhye nodded cutely and stood on her tiptoes to see the large pot placed on the fireplace in the distance.

“Is that it?”

“Yes, Princess. It’s the process of boiling over a gentle fire while stirring slowly to evaporate the moisture.”

“Ah, with such a sweet smell continuing, you must really want to eat it while making it. Right, Nanny?”

At the sight of Eunhye swallowing the saliva that had gathered at the corners of her mouth while speaking, smiles appeared on all the kitchen staff’s faces.

What an adorable and lovely Princess. Who could have spread such terrible rumors about such a person?

Many court ladies, including the kitchen cooks, each placed both hands on their chests and tilted their heads sympathetically.

Then, Eunhye’s eyes widened secretly as she walked toward the fireplace, unbeknownst to anyone.

Wasn’t there a grandmother court lady ghost standing by another fireplace in the distance? The grandmother court lady ghost, holding a small ladle in one hand, was frowning severely at a court lady stirring inside a pot with a large wooden ladle.

[Child, how can you reduce it over such strong fire! You must lower the fire quickly – oh my, the beautiful color of the cherries is turning completely black! Child, remove the firewood, remove it!]

But the young maid, who couldn’t possibly hear the ghost’s words, was diligently stirring the cherries in the pot.

[Oh my, if you stir it so roughly like that, won’t it all become mushy and burst? Gently, gently. Oh dear… I said stir gently! Tsk, get out of here! You’re a child who shouldn’t be in the kitchen!]

A young maid stirring the steaming cherry pot while sweating profusely, and a grandmother court lady ghost next to her waving a ladle and shouting loudly…

Eunhye unconsciously tried to suppress the laughter that wanted to escape, biting her lips up and down and narrowing her eyes.

It was strange. In the past, just seeing a ghost would have made her scared and frightened enough to cry, but now she found herself laughing without knowing why.

Eunhye gathered a little more courage and approached the court lady who was diligently stirring the cherries, unaware of the grandmother court lady ghost’s complaints.

“Princess, it’s dangerous if you go too close.”

At Lady Park’s worried words as she stuck close behind Eunhye, the young maid who had been continuously stirring stopped her hand in surprise and bowed her head.

[No, how can you stop there! The fire is already too strong and the cherries will all burn!]

“I, I greet Princess Eunhye.”

She didn’t even have time to wipe the sweat beads on her forehead, and her loose hair strands were soaked with sweat.

“No need. You’re working hard. Quickly continue what you were doing. The cherries will all burn.”

At Eunhye’s smiling words, the young maid made an “oh no” expression and quickly grabbed the wooden ladle to start stirring inside the pot.

Eunhye bit her lower lip gently with her teeth and glanced sideways at the court lady stirring inside the pot and the grandmother court lady ghost sighing next to her.

Oh dear, should I tell her about this or not?

As if finally making up her mind, Eunhye lifted her small chin and stood on her tiptoes again, asking the young maid curiously.

“Excuse me, I don’t know well so I’m asking, but do cherries normally turn this black when boiled? The smell is very good though.”

Then Lady Eom, who heard those words from one step behind Eunhye, came forward in alarm.

“Oh my goodness. Lady Seong! How can you stir and boil this over such high heat!”

Then she hurriedly grabbed the pot with a dishrag from beside her, brought it down from the fireplace to the ground, and bowed her head to Eunhye.

“I deeply apologize, Princess. This is all due to my negligence. This child has only recently come to the kitchen….”

Then she began to harshly scold Lady Seong, who was terrified and had tears filling her large, round eyes.

“Who told you to boil it over such high heat! You should start with high heat, then when it begins to boil, reduce the fire and simmer it gently! You nearly ruined all of this precious ingredient!”

At the court lady’s sharp rebuke, Lady Seong burst into tears and prostrated herself flat on the ground.

“I have committed a crime deserving death! *sob sob*”

Ah, I’m dead now. Of all times, to make such a big mistake in front of Princess Eunhye. Having ruined all this precious cherry preserve, I’ll surely be banished to Sedapbang or Toeseonggan.

Watching Lady Seong trembling as she knelt prostrate as if she had truly committed a mortal sin, Eunhye wore a very troubled expression.

I didn’t interfere for this to happen…. I only relayed the words because Grandmother Court Lady Ghost was so frustrated, but things have gotten too big.

All the palace servants in the kitchen had stopped their work and were looking at Lady Seong, who was prostrate and crying, and at herself.

“Princess, I am truly sorry for showing you such an unseemly sight. I will severely scold that child who ruined the precious cherry preserve.”

Lady Eom pointed at Lady Seong and bowed her head to Eunhye.

No… this isn’t the outcome I wanted….

Just when the troubled Eunhye was fidgeting with her fingers, not knowing what to say!

[Did your parents die or something! Why are you crying like the world has ended! You may have ruined the cherry preserve, but you can make cherry syrup instead, so why throw it away! Court Lady Mun, you still have a long way to go, a long way.]

Grandmother Court Lady Ghost thrust her head in front of Lady Eom and shook her head disapprovingly!

Aha! There’s that method too?

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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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