The Five-Year-Old Baby Princess Rules the Palace - Chapter 69

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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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#69. Companionship

Park Jeong-bin, Lady Park, and Lady Han were holding their breath with their eyes wide open at the

scene unfolding before them.

Princess Eunhye was repeatedly lifting and lowering rice cakes and pancakes spread out on oil paper on the tea table, one by one into the air. And she was doing this while standing on a chair, perhaps due to her small stature.

Moreover, she seemed so delighted that she was smiling brightly and occasionally putting down her skewer to clap her hands.

Park Jeong-bin, who stood guard behind Eunhye on the chair, blinked his eyes curiously as he watched his niece continuously skewering and carrying food toward the faintly visible spirits of the late kings across the desk.

Why is she going to such lengths? She could simply set a table and tell them to eat, so what could be the reason for doing it this way?

Unlike Park Jeong-bin, who tilted his head at what seemed like mere childish behavior from Eunhye, Lady Park and Lady Han, who couldn’t see anything, could only swallow dry saliva with trembling jaws as they watched the young princess talking with the two late king ghosts while skewering and carrying food.

Soon, all the food that Lady Park and Lady Han had brought was piled high in front of Eunhye. After repeating the motion of skewering each item and extending it forward then bringing it back more than ten times, Eunhye finally put down the honey rice cake skewer she was holding and smiled brightly.

“Did it taste good? This girl will offer even more delicious food next time. Hehe.”

Eunhye puffed out her small chest proudly and smiled adorably.

[I… I ate well. Thanks to you, I tasted proper food for the first time in nearly two hundred years.]

Yeonjo, whose earlier scolding demeanor had completely disappeared, awkwardly smiled as he stroked his oil-stained mustache with his hand, embarrassed by Eunhye’s clumsy gestures.

[Hahahaha, see that! Didn’t I tell you that you’d be surprised? I was so shocked at first too… Our little one has the ability to fill souls satisfyingly, no, deliciously satisfyingly.]

[Indeed, that’s right. Great-granddaughter, thanks to His Majesty, I enjoyed such luxury.]

Listening to Yeonjo and Gwangjo’s conversation, Eunhye blinked her eyes curiously and tilted her head.

“Great-granddaughter?”

Then Yeonjo smiled warmly as he looked at Eunhye.

[Just as your father His Majesty is my great-great-grandson, His Majesty is my ancestor, the great-great-great-grandfather.]

“You mean great-great-great-grandfather…”

As Eunhye opened her mouth halfway and tilted her head in confusion, Yeonjo continued in a gentle voice.

[Above the 4th generation great-grandfather, it goes up in order: great-great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, and great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather.]

“Ah…!”

Eunhye, who had been muttering the order Yeonjo taught her to herself as if she understood, clapped her hands and smiled brightly.

“Then King Yeonjo is my great-great-great-grandfather!”

[Hehehe! That’s right, that’s how it works.]

As the two who had been bickering now shared laughter in a friendly manner, Gwangjo also smiled warmly as he watched Yeonjo and Eunhye.

[Now then, since we’ve finished eating and made all our plans for tomorrow, how about returning to your quarters?]

At Gwangjo’s words as he stood up, Eunhye nodded and jumped down from the chair.

“P-Princess!”

Seeing Lady Park and Lady Han startled by this, Eunhye grinned mischievously.

“Don’t worry. How much have I run around the palace! My legs are very strong!”

[Hahahahaha! How spirited, hahaha.]

At adorable Eunhye’s appearance, Yeonjo’s laughter from eating delicious food for the first time in hundreds of years echoed loudly through the library.

Hoot, hoot, hoot.

The sound of a scops owl in the middle of the night, carried over the high walls of the palace.

From Bongwang Mountain, which surrounded the palace like a folding screen, the mournful cry of a scops owl that couldn’t find its mate could be heard.

[This place remains unchanged.]

A sound that seemed like both admiration and lamentation burst from Gwangjo’s mouth as he toured the palace’s underground passages with Yeonjo.

[Indeed it is. Great-granddaughter occasionally visited here, Your Majesty.]

[Hmm… What if our little one falls while walking this path?]

At Gwangjo’s words filled with worry, Yeonjo chuckled and pointed to the torch holders fixed at intervals on the underground passage walls.

[Do you see these torch holders here? And below, grooves are carved for oil to flow, so with just flint, fire can be lit at any time to illuminate brightly, so you need not worry.]

[Hmm, I know that. But our princess is still quite young, isn’t she?]

[Hehehe, the one who permitted such a young child to go outside the palace is none other than Your Majesty yourself.]

[Don’t you know? That child has become the owner of the divine artifact called Cheongmyeong Mirror, and the Divine Tree has also dropped its flowers. She’s a precious child who can prevent the calamity that will soon befall the royal family.]

Yeonjo nodded as if he understood Gwangjo’s words.

[Your Majesty, did you also see the ornament in that child’s hair? It looked extraordinary.]

[That too was a special gift from Makgae. It’s called Baekryeong Needle, also known as the Universal Antidote Needle.]

Yeonjo made a small sound of amazement and looked at Gwangjo in disbelief.

[Your Majesty, just how special is that child that Makgae shows such devotion?]

[That’s something determined by heaven, so how could I know all the details? By the way, why do you suddenly keep calling me Your Majesty? It gives me goosebumps, you rascal. Don’t call me that.]

Watching Gwangjo walk ahead with an embarrassed expression while giving unnecessary scolding, the corners of Yeonjo’s mouth twitched for no reason.

Thanks to that little one no bigger than a chestnut, I can now spend time so casually with King Gwangjo, with whom I had been distant. Should I also introduce that child to Sejo, who died not long ago and visits his son His Majesty’s bedchamber every night?

Sejo is that child’s grandfather, after all.

Yeonjo smiled to himself as he surveyed the palace’s underground passages with Gwangjo, the path Eunhye would have to walk when day broke.

* * *

“Princess Eunhye, is there perhaps some good news?”

Kim Gyo-hyeon, who had just finished the excerpt from the Analects, the Weizheng chapter, and completed his introduction to the Liren chapter, asked as he closed the book.

Unlike other times, her face was flushed with excitement and her mind seemed to be elsewhere, constantly spacing out.

But Eunhye seemed not to have heard Kim Gyo-hyeon’s question, only raising her gaze from the book.

“Teacher, today’s studies are all finished, right?”

“Uh… Yes, that’s correct. However, you must transcribe the Liren chapter I introduced today before the next lecture.”

“Yes!”

Seeing Eunhye answer loudly as soon as his words ended, Kim Gyo-hyeon slightly furrowed his brow.

She definitely wasn’t listening. Normally, she would have whined, “Why is there so much homework? Can’t I just read it instead of transcribing?”

Kim Gyo-hyeon narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he looked at Eunhye.

There’s definitely some other scheme brewing…

But Eunhye blinked her eyes as if asking why he was looking at her that way.

“Why… why are you doing that, Teacher? Today’s studies are all finished… aren’t you leaving?”

Then Kim Gyo-hyeon sighed briefly through his nose and stood up after giving a light bow, as if he had no choice.

“Then I’ll see you at the next lecture.”

“Yes! Please go safely!”

As Kim Gyo-hyeon walked toward the door, receiving her loud farewell, he turned his head again. Then he saw Princess Eunhye, who had started to stand up abruptly but stopped in an awkward crouched position, waving at him with a smile.

There’s definitely something going on…

Seeing Kim Gyo-hyeon creating wrinkles on his forehead as well as between his brows while tilting his head, Eunhye smiled broadly and gently sat back down.

“Please. Go. Safely. Teacher. I. Will. Now. Take. My. Tea. Time.”

There’s definitely something… but what?

Kim Gyo-hyeon, rubbing his chin with his thumb and index finger as if finding it strange, took one step outside the wide-open door but turned his head again.

“Princess Eunhye, this may be my needless worry, but if you’re planning to do something today, please be very careful.”

Grin.

Eunhye smiled sweetly, folding her cute eyes and stretching her lips wide.

“Yes! Teacher, nothing will happen. Please don’t worry.”

Kim Gyo-hyeon exhaled a long breath through his nose and left Eunhye’s room with his brow still furrowed, as if he had no choice.

Then a pattering sound came from behind the sliding door, and Lady Park startled and hunched her shoulders unnecessarily.

“Please go safely, sir.”

After Lady Park finished her greeting, she opened the door just enough for one person to enter and went inside with a sideways walking posture. Then Lady Han also awkwardly smiled, bowed to Kim Gyo-hyeon, and slipped through the small door opening.

There’s definitely something going on!

Is there something I shouldn’t see?

With an expression of incomprehension, Kim Gyo-hyeon narrowed his eyes and stared at the closed door for several seconds before letting out a long sigh and starting to walk away.

He could only hope that the nanny and lady-in-waiting would properly assist Princess Eunhye, who might dash off anywhere.

“Oh my, Princess, must you really do this!”

Lady Park looked at Eunhye, who had already taken off her outer garment by herself, with a tearful expression.

“You prepared the clothes I mentioned yesterday, right? Give them to me quickly, Nanny.”

Eunhye quickly untied all the strings of her jeogori and swiftly pulled out one arm.

“Princess, please take me with you too. I absolutely cannot let you go outside the Palace alone.”

Lady Han, who had taken out the bundle of clothes hidden behind the folding screen last night, also looked anxious as if she might cry.

“Why alone? I’m going with Uncle, who even served as a Yongho-yeong instructor! Don’t worry about anything and just keep watch outside.”

“Oh my, Princess, what if we get caught? And what if something happens to you while you’re out there? Please? Take me with you too.”

Lady Han pleaded desperately while untying Eunhye’s skirt strings as she quickly threw off both her outer and inner jeogori.

Then Eunhye gently patted Lady Han’s shoulder with her small hand.

“Don’t worry. Besides Uncle, Queen Dowager Gwangjo and King Yeonjo will protect me well. You know?”

But Lady Park still couldn’t feel at ease.

“Princess, how about really taking Lady Han with you? Although Lady Han is a woman, she’s strong and would be more convenient at assisting you than Guard Park, who is a man.”

Then Eunhye looked at Lady Park and Lady Han in turn with a troubled expression.

“That doesn’t seem like a bad idea either… I think I should ask permission from the Queen Dowagers and Uncle too.”

Just then, a voice announcing Park Jeong-bin’s arrival was heard from outside the door.

“Princess Eunhye, Instructor Park has arrived.”

Then Eunhye, who had checked all three palace pouches hanging from the waistband of her underskirt beneath her crimson skirt, cheerfully called out toward the outside.

“Yes! Tell him to come in quickly!”

Park Jeong-bin, who entered through the gently opened door, saw Eunhye dressed as a daughter of a noble family instead of in princess attire and approached quickly with exaggerated gestures.

“Oh my, what am I to do when our niece looks so adorable in whatever she wears!”

Then he stroked Eunhye’s hair and grinned foolishly at Lady Han, who was arranging flower ribbons.

“Lady Han, have you ever seen a girl as pretty and cute as our niece?”

Then Lady Han, who had decorated Eunhye’s side hair with a white jade hairpin that Do-mu Makgae had given her, answered curtly.

“How could there be?”

“That’s right, that’s right. Even if I searched all of the Capital City, I’ve never seen such a beautiful girl.”

Eunhye’s appearance in a short colorful striped jeogori and crimson silk skirt instead of the long green robe that used to reach from her chest to her stomach was incredibly adorable.

Park Jeong-bin approached close to Eunhye, who wore jade-decorated side hairpins and flower ribbons, and began smiling foolishly again.

Then Eunhye frowned as if she was more embarrassed and pushed Park Jeong-bin’s face away.

“Sigh… Uncle, please stop now.”

Then she opened her mouth toward Park Jeong-bin with a serious expression, blinking her eyes.

“Uncle, I have one request before we go outside.”

“A request? What might that be? Just tell me.”

At Park Jeong-bin’s answer as if he would pluck stars from the sky, Eunhye looked at Lady Han’s face, flushed with anticipation, and spoke.

“I want to take Lady Han with us too.”

Nod nod nod nod.

Park Jeong-bin slowly blinked his eyes while looking at Lady Han, who was vigorously nodding her head beside Eunhye.

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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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