Born As The Daughter Of A Lowly Concubine [EN]: Chapter 63

I just thought it was a political move to pressure the high-ranking officials, like, ‘What are you guys even doing?’

I think I was seeing Father too much as a cold-hearted person, so I reflected a little.

“I’m not sure if getting married early is such a good thing.”

Honestly, the potential royal consorts right now are all just kids.

If I get married early, would I even see them as men?

It’s an unintentional feeling of being a criminal.

‘When I think about it, aren’t the eight-year-olds and the four-year-olds pretty much the same to me right now?’

I excluded newborns for ethical reasons (?).

If I get married now, it feels like I’m not getting married, but adopting a nephew.

“A promising tree is different from its sapling, so other families would covet him as a son-in-law. Of course, if he marries you, the Princess, his future success is naturally guaranteed, so there are many families who desire it.”

“Hmm.”

They’re passing the Crown Princess position around like a hot potato, so me? Would they really?

Of course, the 驸马都尉 (Buma Dowi) [the Princess’s husband, who traditionally holds a ceremonial title without real power] wouldn’t have his life threatened or suffer like the Crown Princess, but still.

“Ah.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing.”

I remembered.

The reason why the Crown Prince didn’t have a Crown Princess.

Clearly, the story has changed a lot now, but even in the original story, after the heroine’s escape, the Crown Prince had to take a Crown Princess, so there were Crown Princess candidates.

But the Crown Prince never got a Crown Princess until he met the heroine.

It was delayed and delayed due to the Queen’s death and the appearance of a new Queen, which hasn’t happened yet, but that wasn’t the real reason.

A new Crown Princess candidate collapses after eating poisoned food during a meal at her home, and her life is threatened.

And after that, it seems no family came forward to become the Crown Princess.

Having recalled that far, I also remembered a fact I had forgotten.

‘Oh, then the new Crown Princess candidate to be chosen this time is also in danger… isn’t she?’

Dangerous… right? Maybe?

‘Which house was the next Crown Princess from?’

All I could remember was that the next Crown Princess candidate was the daughter of the Minister of War.

Other than that… maybe there’s a possibility that that innocent young lady and I will be in a similar situation?

‘The poison that the Crown Princess candidate ate in the novel was sent by Grand Prince Gyeong-eon.’

Perhaps the poison that child ate in the novel was the same poison that Grand Prince Gyeong-eon sent to the Crown Prince.

But if the same thing happens as in the novel, can I stop it?

I looked down at my still small hands.

‘Besides, I don’t even know who she is.’

In fact, I barely remember the names of the main characters, let alone the supporting characters.

The only thing I vaguely remember is the familiar position of Minister of War, but even that can’t be trusted because the structure of the court has changed a lot from the original novel.

In the novel, Grand Prince Gyeong-eon and his forces were still strong at the time.

Anyway, the rebellion happened exactly as in the novel, so when the Crown Princess story comes up again, I’ll naturally find out, right?

‘That young lady also collapses after eating poison like me. If the next Crown Princess candidate is somewhat identified, I should protect her.’

I have a history of eating poison, so how can I persuade her?

Anyway, the Crown Princess story was bound to be delayed.

In fact, aside from everything else, the Queen Dowager is so sulky about the Grand Prince Gyeong-eon incident that it would be difficult to push for the Crown Princess selection now. If I bring it up carelessly, she might get angry, saying she doesn’t pity Grand Prince Gyeong-eon, who is confined and can’t even get married.

They say that even exiled princes are mostly married off when the time comes, so many families rushed to arrange marriages with other houses when Grand Prince Gyeong-eon fell from power.

‘Can I live quietly for a while, at least?’

If the royal family is not at peace, I feel uncomfortable, but more than anything, it’s hard to go on secret outings.

I felt like a very delinquent teenager, but it was true that I felt suffocated.

***

Around the time the noisy summer ended and autumn began, news came that a new shelter for beggars had been established.

It seems that the officials who were criticized for my private establishment of a shelter for beggars decided to create and support similar forms of poor relief facilities.

‘Hmm. I hope it goes well.’

It’s a good thing if they can receive help for any reason.

I heard that the conditions are stricter there than mine, so I don’t know if it will work out. It’s hard for me to worry about that far.

Anyway, I was thinking of going in a slightly different direction.

“Princess, do you really have to go out in person?”

“Yeah. I think it’s better for me to go see it myself.”

“How about I go instead and convey the Princess’s intentions?”

“No. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them.”

Besides, it will probably be harder to refuse a request I make in person than one that Gaia or Songbi delivers.

‘If I call them to the palace, there are too many eyes watching, so it’s a bit much.’

When I went outside the palace with Gaia on Red Stallion after a long time, the weather had cooled down unlike when I went out before, so it was much better to walk around outside now.

Unlike my past life, where autumn passed by like the wind, autumn here felt longer.

“But why did Officer Seong come out with us?”

Isn’t he working?

At my question, Officer Seong smiled cheerfully and replied.

“His Majesty has ordered that the Princess’s affairs take precedence.”

When??

It must have been when I reported that I had made a shelter for the children, but he didn’t even tell me.

I became a little sulky and glared at Officer Seong.

“Then you’re reporting everything I do outside, aren’t you?”

“How could that be? I’m just out here on the Princess’s orders to do work.”

“Hmm.”

Of course, it’s convenient to have a military officer in many ways.

Except that Red Stallion keeps his distance.

Officer Seong, also concerned about being constantly rejected, asked me.

“Do you happen to know why Red Stallion dislikes me so much?”

“He naturally dislikes big men and strangers.”

Actually, it’s a common trait among many animals.

Still, he was gentle with the Crown Prince and the young clerks of the Bureau of Horses, whom he had seen since childhood.

At first, there were suspicions that there had been abuse, but nothing has been revealed yet.

It would be nice if I could fix it, but fortunately, Red Stallion followed me well, and the King and the Crown Prince were all satisfied, saying that it was not bad for the Princess’s horse to be picky about people.

Indeed, seeing the remnants of the rebels who had been running away last time recklessly climbed onto Red Stallion and fell off, it was certainly not all bad.

The place we headed to was a small village outside Dongdaemun [one of the Eight Gates of Seoul].

We asked the people we met along the way and arrived at our destination, but no one was in sight.

“Huh. Is this the right house? It seems empty.”

“This is probably the right place. Maybe they just went out for a while.”

“Since we came without notice, that could be the case.”

While we were looking around the house, Officer Seong volunteered to look around the area.

“I’ll ask around the other houses nearby and come back, so please wait here for a moment.”

“Okay.”

The place we are now is a small thatched house where commoners live.

It’s small, but it has a small garden and a yard. I could see a slightly larger chicken coop in the distance, where they raise several chickens.

And beyond that, there was a well.

‘It must be hard to adapt if you come to a place like this after living in the palace, right?’

Still, seeing that there is a well not far from the house, it seemed like it would be a little easier to live there.

Out of curiosity, I went to the well, and there was a path behind it, and another building could be seen through the trees.

Hoping that someone might be living here and know the whereabouts of the homeowner, I approached, and a strange voice was heard.

“It’s okay to give this much, isn’t it? What would a woman living alone use money for?”

“Please stop it now.”

“I thought you would go into the Royal Kitchen and not have to worry about money in the future, but how could I have known you would leave the palace so early?”

“Isn’t it enough with the money I took while I was in the palace? Ack!”

It sounds like they’re fighting, but should I pretend I don’t know and just pass by? I hesitated for a moment, but the sound of the woman falling made it impossible to pretend I didn’t know.

Besides, it seemed like it was a voice I remembered.

And Gaia seemed to feel the same way.

“Court Lady Min?”

“!”

It was a reunion with Court Lady Min, who was the head court lady of my birth mother, Consort Yun Suk-ui, after a long time, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a very good atmosphere.

The man flinched at the sudden voice, but soon looked relieved, perhaps because there were only women here.

“Well, why are you here… Huh?!”

And Court Lady Min, recognizing Gaia and then discovering me standing behind Gaia, was horrified.

Judging by the way she’s just moving her lips, she doesn’t want the guy next to her to find out who I am.

“Oh my, you weren’t careful. Haha, it seems you are acquaintances with our Court Lady Min, so you must be ladies from the palace.”

“?”

The man quickly helped Court Lady Min up, seemingly conscious of us, and gave us a friendly smile.

“I am the lady’s brother, and I’ve been having some financial difficulties lately, so I was asking my sister for some help. I’m not a dangerous person, so don’t worry too much.”

He was smiling, but his face was swollen with sagging flesh, and his bloodshot eyes were dull, so it was clear that he was addicted to women and gambling.

Shame and humiliation rise together on Court Lady Min’s face, who barely got up. She wouldn’t want others to see that she has such a family.

“That’s enough, leave quickly!”

“No, I should at least say hello. Surely the people who came to see our Court Lady Min didn’t come empty-handed?”

We came empty-handed.

Court Lady Min tried hard to pull away the man’s arm as he approached us threateningly, but it was in vain.

“Ah, I understand, so stop……”

“Do you have any business with the ladies?”

The man, facing the owner of the suddenly heard heavy voice, stopped moving.

It seemed that Officer Seong, who had returned, had come to find us. When a more threatening figure appeared than him, the man changed his attitude and quickly ran away.

“No, no, I was just going to say hello. Ahem. Then I’ll be on my way. I’ll say hello again next time, ladies.”

Yeah, that won’t happen.

Court Lady Min, frowning at the sight of the man disappearing, sighed deeply.

I felt a little sad because I knew what was going on without even asking.

After confirming that the man had disappeared, I greeted her first.

“It’s been a while, Court Lady Min.”

“Princess…… no, why did you come all the way here, Princess?”

The palace maids with familiar faces, whom Officer Seong had brought, recognized me and bowed their heads.

It was the first time I had seen them since I was appointed as a princess, but they were quick to apply the title, so they were indeed head court ladies.

Palace maids who served a deceased master would leave the palace for the time being.

I know that royal family members, including the Queen and Queen Dowager, would hold a three-year mourning period, but in the case of Suk-ui, it seemed that the palace maids who served Suk-ui had to suffer for a year because she was a concubine.

‘I don’t know if that was the case during the Joseon Dynasty. Besides, I am legally the Queen’s child, so I didn’t have to go through such a mourning period. I was too sick at the time, anyway.’

Palace maids who were at least head court ladies were professional personnel who had undergone long training, so they were often called back to the palace after the mourning period was over. However, I heard that they have not been called back yet, perhaps because there are not many royal family members in the palace now and there is not much need for palace maids.

Besides, the head court ladies of Suk-ui’s residence were also carrying the stigma of not protecting their master, so it seemed unlikely that they would be able to enter the palace again.

Even I, one of the victims, didn’t think it was the palace maids’ fault, but there were many people who were reluctant.

It seemed that the problem was that they had not devoted themselves to serving their master.

It was a little bitter to think that it might have been more contrasted with the fact that my palace maids, including Gaia, had devoted themselves to protecting me.

“Shall we go inside and talk for now?”

I felt like the guest was taking over, but I suggested that for now.