CHAPTER~08
Jeong-ah was previously selected as a nanny chief by the recommendation of Empress Dowager Min.
At that time, Su-ryeon, worried about choosing Jeong-ah due to her young age, was told by Empress Dowager Min:
“The older someone is, the better they take care of a child is just a prejudice.
In fact, older people tend to force their own parenting methods on the parents.”
Back then, Su-ryeon thought the Empress Dowager’s words made sense and followed her advice.
The result was…
Coming out of her reverie, Su-ryeon carefully examined Jeong-ah’s resume.
[Age 25. Graduated from Korea Women’s University, Department of Early Childhood Education. 1 year experience at Royal Kindergarten.]
Even now, seeing someone so inexperienced and young as a candidate for nanny chief made no sense.
Until now, royal nanny chiefs were chosen among those who had given birth and raised a child themselves.
However, Jeong-ah was under thirty, with only one year of experience in the royal kindergarten.
‘Why didn’t I realize it back then? Jeong-ah was the appointed candidate from the start.’
The foolish past Su-ryeon had believed that Empress Dowager Min genuinely selected her for the princess’s sake.
‘After all, she was the first and only granddaughter.’
Su-ryeon had thought that the Empress Dowager would be extremely careful for the sake of her bloodline.
But now, she realized that the Empress Dowager was more focused on placing her own people beside the princess than the actual qualifications.
‘Not Jeong-ah.’
Besides vengeance, Su-ryeon did not want such a woman near Princess Sahee.
She resolved to prevent Jeong-ah from becoming the nanny chief by any means.
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Su-ryeon spoke quietly:
“Mother, as you said, everyone is excellent.
However…”
With a worried tone, she gently handed over Jeong-ah’s resume.
“Her youth concerns me. There has never been a royal nanny chief without childbirth experience.”
“How could someone who has never given birth and raised a child properly care for the princess?”
The Empress Dowager countered, as if expecting such an objection.
“If the queen of a nation has such a narrow view…”
Tsk, tsk.
The Empress Dowager clicked her tongue, criticizing Su-ryeon.
“Older nanny chiefs usually just interfere with childcare, which is exhausting.
Even when I raised His Majesty the Emperor, it was a real headache.”
Remembering those times, she pressed her hand to her forehead.
Then, glaring at Su-reyon, she continued:
“Hani, trust me. As someone who raised the emperor, I recommend a young person.
Moreover, she is professionally trained and experienced in the royal kindergarten.
I heard she had excellent school grades and good feedback from parents.”
The Empress Dowager’s endless praise for Jeong-ah felt obnoxious.
“Trust me for now. Meet her, evaluate her character, and then decide. Just meet her once.”
As expected, her words were the same as before.
Resisting here would only increase the Empress Dowager’s hostility.
It was wiser to take a step back.
Su-ryeon nodded obediently.
“I will follow your advice, Mother.”
“Ha…”
Exiting Jagyeongjeon, Su-ryeon exhaled the tension she had been holding.
Whenever meeting Empress Dowager Min, her body always tensed.
Chief Secretary Han approached.
She had been someone Su-ryeon trusted in the past.
But…
“Even Secretary Han, whom the queen follows like her sister, knows everything about our situation, right?”
“Shall we go directly to Gyotaejeon?”
Even she was not on her side.
Su-ryeon shook her head after a moment of thought.
“I’ll go to Hyangwonjeong.”
“Hyangwonjeong? That’s quite far from here…”
“I want to walk a little since it’s been a while.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
They walked slowly, lost in thought.
They reached Hyangwonjeong quickly, crossing the Chwihyanggyo Bridge.
Su-ryeon became absorbed in her thoughts.
‘Empress Dowager Min is not an opponent to underestimate.’
Even if she disagreed, the Empress Dowager would surely bring Jeong-ah into the palace.
Stopping midway on the bridge, Su-ryeon faced the pond.
It was the same pond where she and the princess had almost drowned.
‘I have to stay sharp.’
If Jeong-ah becomes the nanny chief, the future in which they both might drown in that pond will remain unchanged.
She needed to think of a way to prevent that.
At that moment, a past memory surfaced.
“Did you hear? About the princess’s nanny chief. That woman’s past isn’t good.”
“What past?”
“Back in high school…”
The palace staff had gossiped about Jeong-ah.
At the time, Su-ryon dismissed it as nothing.
She had seen Jeong-ah as a pure and caring person for the princess.
But now, knowing the truth about Jeong-ah, she could not ignore what the staff had said.
‘I need to investigate.’
There was only one week left before the nanny chief selection.
In that time, she had to find Jeong-ah’s flaws from the past.
Su-ryeon’s urgency increased.
Just as she spun around to return to the palace and request an investigation, a palace attendant arrived, panting.
“Your Majesty the Queen! His Majesty the Emperor has entered the palace.”
Her husband had returned.
Immediately after entering the palace, Lee Jun went straight to Gyotaejeon.
Upon entering the quarters, he waved to Su-ryeon, who was about to rise.
“No need to stand. You went through enough trouble giving birth.”
He glanced at the baby.
“I heard it was quite dangerous, but you look better than expected. That’s good.”
Su-ryeon flinched at her husband’s detached tone.
“Luckily, I listened to Mother. Since I gave birth naturally, the baby is healthy, isn’t she?”
Had he seen her after the heavy hemorrhage and transfusion, he wouldn’t have said that.
Su-ryeon bit her lip quietly, thinking he would have reacted better even if his dog had puppies.
But now, her gaze toward him had changed.
Unaware of Su-ryeon’s thoughts, he carefully picked up the sleeping princess.
“Does she resemble me? Not sure yet… maybe it’s too early.”
He smiled as he held the baby.
“Her name?”
“I plan to name her Sahee.”
“Sahee?”
“Yes. ‘Sa’ for pure, ‘hee’ for bright. We hope she grows properly and brightly.”
He slowly murmured the name.
“Sahee… not bad at all.”
Even though they hadn’t given birth to a male heir, Lee Jun still adored Sahee.
Su-ryeon clenched her fists, angered by his affection.
‘Why did you make her die? Our daughter, why?’
She swallowed the words she could not speak.
She wanted to snatch the princess from him and warn him to never touch her again.
She longed to slap him but restrained herself.
For now, she had to remain the dutiful, devoted wife.
Su-ryeon smiled at her husband.
“…She looks just like you, and she’s very pretty.”
Hiding the rage she felt toward Lee Jun.
