Chapter – 24.
Give It A Try
After Empress Hwanyeongbi’s death, the princess, still covered in birth fluids, was entrusted to her closest maid.
Although it was the law of Haewol Kingdom that when a concubine passed away, her children would be placed under the care of the Empress Dowager in Jayeom Palace, this was the Emperor’s command.
‘Your Majesty, please rescind this order!’
The child swaddled in cloth was pale and had only been born a few months ago. Nan, holding her mistress’s only bloodline, knelt down.
Emperor Mu did not give any response.
Even though she had served the mistress of Yeonyeong Palace for a long time, she was just a palace maid.
‘Even if it is a royal decree, this violates the law. Please send the princess to Jayeom Palace!’
‘Do you dare defy my command?’
‘My apologies, but it is for the princess’s sake.’
‘You truly think so?’
Emperor Mu’s guard pressed a sword against Nan’s neck. As the sharp blade dug into the nape of her neck, Nan hugged the child tightly.
She knew what would happen if she sent the princess to Jayeom Palace.
But if she raised the child herself here in Yeonyeong Palace like this…
Yeongyeong Palace, now without its mistress, was already in ruins. The Emperor’s youngest daughter would be left completely abandoned, without anyone’s protection.
That absolutely, absolutely could not happen!
‘Raise her. I will send palace maids to Yeonyeong Palace.’
‘…….’
‘Otherwise, your head will fly off.’
Nan vaguely realized.
If she too died, this young princess would have no one to depend on.
Feeling the sharpness of the blade cutting into her skin, the maid trembled her chin.
‘……I… shall obey the command.’
Even amidst this turmoil, the child in the swaddling cloth fell into a deep sleep.
Breathing softly, she did not wake up.
As the guard withdrew his sword, Nan held the princess in her arms.
It was a very warm and soft touch.
“Princess!”
Nan screamed loudly enough to shake Yeonyeong Palace.
For ten years, she had fed, clothed, put to sleep, and carefully raised this child.
In an instant, Nan’s face turned pale.
At this point, you might be curious about one fact: How did Amang escape Yeonyeong Palace?
Answer: She jumped out the window.
‘Ow. This is hard.’
…Having no way of knowing this fact, Amang ran for now.
How far?
As far as her feet could take her!
‘Nan, I’m really sorry!’
She was already afraid of the consequences if this fact were known.
Since the princess who should have been in bed disappeared without a sound, she would be scolded terribly and have nothing to say.
The window was really small, but by contorting her body, she easily slipped out.
Above all, the stamina of a ten-year-old was not tired at all.
‘So this is why she kept climbing trees?’
Then it makes sense.
With her stamina supporting her, it felt good to run.
No matter how much she ran, she didn’t get out of breath at all.
Amang, elated, even started hopping around happily.
‘Where should I go?’
When she actually tried to find a destination, she felt lost.
Amang, standing there blankly, looked around.
What she was looking for were records related to Empress Hwanyeongbi.
In any era, there must surely be a space where records are kept as documents.
‘If I see that, I should be able to figure it out roughly.’
What kind of women Emperor Mu preferred.
If she imitated that, she could probably receive his favor a few times.
Of course, expecting long-term favor would be difficult, though.
She’d have to figure that out herself. Amang wasn’t Cupid.
‘The problem is where I need to go.’
The imperial palace was enormous. In fact, Amang had even lost her way back to Yeonyeong Palace.
In short, it meant she had become lost in the imperial palace.
‘Wow, I’m in big trouble.’
She had run aimlessly wherever her feet took her, so she didn’t even know where this place was.
She should have brought a maid along.
‘But then I probably would have been banned from going out altogether.’
Eh, whatever.
Wherever my feet go, there will be a way!
If I meet any maid at all, I’ll ask for directions.
Amang walked with a fairly light heart.
Strolling leisurely, she looked around at the surrounding scenery.
That’s when it happened.
“Princess?”
There’s no rule that says I have to die like this.
Alright! Now I should ask for directions!
Amang turned her body toward the source of the voice.
“What are you doing here?”
“Empress Hwajeongbi, Your Highness?”
Of all people, it was Empress Hwajeongbi.
I can’t even tell whose side she’s on yet!
Moreover, a maid following behind Empress Hwajeongbi glared at Amang as if she wanted to kill her.
‘Is that the maid I bumped into that time?’
It seemed she thought she had been wronged.
Perhaps she had suffered hardship since that day, as there was a scar on her cheek.
‘That’s none of my business.’
Let’s think positively.
At least it’s not the Empress or Consort Yeol.
If it had been either of those two, Amang’s life would have ended today.
Still, I gave her tanghulu, didn’t I?
I decided to believe the saying that people who give you food are good people.
“Ah, greetings, Empress Hwajeongbi, Your Highness.”
“What’s with the formality between us? Where are your maids?”
“I came out to get some fresh air for a moment!”
“Alone?”
“Sometimes… you need alone time, you know?”
Is this even an excuse?
“Hmm, right. Amang is already ten, so alone time must be important.”
“That’s right!”
“But it’s getting dark, it’s dangerous. You should go back now.”
She believes this.
After showing appropriate concern for Amang, Empress Hwajeongbi moved to leave.
Amang hesitated for a moment.
Then she made a decision.
“Empress Hwajeongbi, Your Highness!”
“Do you have something to say?”
“Please help me!”
“Help you, you say?”
“I’m looking for a place. Where the imperial documents are kept!”
For some reason, Empress Hwajeongbi’s attitude softened considerably.
‘Was she waiting for this?’
For me to ask for help?
No, that can’t be.
What concubine would want to help a child that isn’t even her own!
“Why that place?”
“There’s something I want to find.”
Empress Hwajeongbi gave no answer. She neither affirmed nor denied, waiting for Amang to add more.
“It’s about Yeonyeong Palace. Didn’t Your Highness also stay there once?”
“Who told you that?”
“Who else would I have talked to?”
Figure it out yourself.
Amang shrugged her shoulders.
“Follow me.”
Empress Hwajeongbi left only those words and took the lead.
Amang, who hesitated for a moment, hopped along to match Empress Hwajeongbi’s pace.
‘Should I ask something?’
Since they are both from Yeonyeong Palace, wouldn’t she know something about Empress Hwanyeongbi?
After all, meeting often and living together are different matters.
While walking, Amang stared intently at Empress Hwajeongbi, who didn’t even glance her way.
“What was it like when you were in Yeonyeong Palace?”
“That was when I had just entered the palace as a ‘Dabeob’. It was even before receiving the royal seal.”
“Did you get along well with Empress Hwanyeongbi, Your Highness?”
“Of course. But, Amang.”
Empress Hwajeongbi stopped.
Her gaze settled on Amang.
“Do you truly know nothing?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. I spoke out of turn.”
What on earth does she mean I don’t know?
Amang blinked her eyes.
The conversation ended there.
Walking a street filled only with silence was quite an experience.
‘It’s really suffocating.’
It feels exactly like being out for a meal alone with the director.
While I’m not particularly good at small talk, Empress Hwajeongbi was the person Amang had the least to say to among all the people she had dealt with.
‘Even Emperor Mu wasn’t this bad.’
An inscrutable person, a woman whose face shows no emotion whatsoever, so it’s hard to gauge what to say to her.
‘I’m going crazy, seriously.’
With every step, it felt like someone was choking her. The most absurd thing was that Empress Hwajeongbi seemed completely unaffected.
Amang pointlessly rolled her eyes, observing Empress Hwajeongbi’s mood.
She seems like a good person, but what is this strange feeling? She was the only one who helped Amang during the lecture, and she even gave me tanghulu!
‘It’s cold.’
A bit suspiciously, Amang watched Empress Hwajeongbi warily. Empress Hwajeongbi seemed completely unaware of this, though.
Eventually, Empress Hwajeongbi stopped walking.
“This is the place.”
“Wow, thank you!”
The space storing the imperial palace’s records was quite large. Two eunuchs stood guarding the front.
Amang bowed to Empress Hwajeongbi and then ran toward the place.
‘Why isn’t she leaving?’
Empress Hwajeongbi didn’t turn back but stood stiffly in that spot.
As if she was keeping watch over Amang.
‘It’s a bit scary.’
Anyway, she had reached the place she wanted, so that was that.
“Halt! State your affiliation!”
“I am Princess Amang of Yeonyeong Palace! How dare you block my path!”
“Ah, it is Her Highness the Princess.”
“Right, now move aside!”
“Well… Your Highness. You cannot enter.”
“Why?”
The two eunuchs exchanged glances awkwardly.
One of the eunuchs, now more respectful, crouched down to meet Amang’s eyes.
“Only His Majesty and the Grand Historian are permitted to enter here.”
“What?”
Where does such a rule exist? I’ve come all this way!
“Can’t I just go in for a moment? Ah, just for 3 minutes!”
“You may not.”
“Ah, I want to go in!”
Amang plopped down on the dirt ground and threw a tantrum.
If they didn’t allow it, she was ready to spend the day right there.
“The princess is over there!”
“Princess!”
Perfect timing, the maids from Yeonyeong Palace and Nan came running to this place.
They hastily bowed to Empress Hwajeongbi, then swiftly picked Amang up.
“Let’s go now, Your Highness! You’ll catch a cold like this!”
“Put me down!”
“You must not! You need to take the medicinal soup!”
“Ah, let me go!”
Amang screamed loudly enough to shake the imperial palace.
‘After how I managed to escape!’
I even contorted my body and threw myself out the window!
“Princess?”
“Geumjin!”
In the distance, Grand Historian Kim and Geumjin could be seen.
What is this, a meeting plaza?
From Empress Hwajeongbi to the Yeonyeong Palace family, Geumjin and Grand Historian Kim—it was a complete gift set.
“I said put me down!”
“You must not. Your Highness! You must follow the royal physician’s prescription!”
“Your Highness, what are you doing there?”
“Geumjin, help me!”
The Yeonyeong Palace maids trying to drag Amang away somehow, Geumjin tilting his head in confusion, Empress Hwajeongbi observing everything.
It was truly a complete mess for five minutes.
“Stop.”
With Empress Hwajeongbi’s single word, the atmosphere grew cold.
Ignoring the others, Empress Hwajeongbi approached Amang.
“Shouldn’t you all listen to the princess’s words?”
“M-My apologies.”
“Since the Grand Historian has also arrived, you may have your conversation.”
Finally, Amang’s feet touched the ground.
She quickly hid behind Geumjin’s back.
Ha, now we can finally have a proper conversation!
