Ch 282: Trouble Arrives

Baek Jin-jin’s face turned crimson. It was a great laughing stock. Before she arrived, Lee Nang had earnestly advised her. He had said that once she entered the palace, she should absolutely not talk nonsense, nor arbitrarily speculate on the intentions of her masters. However, she couldn’t help herself, and her speculation was wrong. Moreover, it was spectacularly wrong, so she couldn’t even lift her head!

Baek Jin-jin wished she could find a mouse hole to hide in. Moreover, to get up? Get up what? She was too ashamed to get up. In that place, she covered her face with her hands, and just suffered, without looking at anyone.

Gun Moneum’s stomach ached from laughing. He personally brought the snacks the palace attendants had carried to Empress Jin and Baek Hak-yeom, and without any hesitation, sat down next to Baek Hak-yeom. Then, he continued to laugh at Baek Jin-jin.

“All day long you only show off, but from the first time we met, you haven’t looked presentable. How did you end up in the hands of our Ninth Older Brother? I really can’t understand. Perhaps it’s like the saying, ‘There’s always a bigger fish’?”

Baek Hak-yeom glared at him.

“This is the Phoenix Throne, why are you sitting here?”

Gun Moneum didn’t care at all, and giggled, leaning against her.

“What’s so scary about the Phoenix Throne? I’ve been sitting on it since I was a child.”

Empress Jin was also speechless.

“This child is like this because this Palace has spoiled her. Yeom-a, you’ll have to keep a tighter rein on her from now on.”

After finishing her words, Empress Jin stared at Gun Moneum for a while with an expression of incomprehension, and then opened her mouth.

“Originally, she was a quite neat child, but how is it that since she found a wife, her appearance has changed dramatically day by day? Can’t you act properly in front of our Yeom-i? Our Yeom-i needs a man she can rely on, but why don’t you even try to act the part? Look at that pathetic appearance. I really can’t rest assured about giving my daughter to you.”

Gun Moneum rolled his eyes at that remark.

“How can you cast me aside right after accepting me as your son-in-law? It’s not that serious! And I was also raised by the Queen Mother’s hand, so why don’t you take better care of me and not worry about whether your future daughter-in-law is suitable for your son?”

“It’s already enough that this Palace is giving you my daughter, what more attention do you want?”

Empress Jin glared with her bright eyes.

“This Palace is willingly giving you my daughter in marriage, you should be grateful. Understand?”

Gun Moneum felt a burning sensation in his chest. The Queen Mother changed her attitude so easily, and after acknowledging him as her son-in-law, she abandoned her son whom she raised for twenty years. What is going on?

Baek Jin-jin was clutching her face and kneeling on the floor. She was also constantly asking herself in her heart. What’s going on? Baek Jin-jin, aren’t you stupid? How could you even think about linking this matter to His Imperial Majesty? If this gets out, how much people will laugh at you!

She slightly parted her fingers and looked at the palace attendants inside the Main Hall. The palace attendants all had smiles on their faces. Moreover, they were constantly looking towards her. She became even more embarrassed.

It was truly embarrassing. What should I do now? Wouldn’t Her Majesty the Empress misunderstand her as a fool? Then, to marry her son… Ugh, no, would her son agree to be with me?

The more Baek Jin-jin thought about it, the colder her heart became.

At that moment, Empress Jin’s voice echoed again.

“You’re Jin-jin, right? Get up quickly. Don’t kneel there. This Palace doesn’t show a smiling face to just anyone. But I also don’t mistreat those close to me. You are Yeom-i’s younger sister, so you are half mother and daughter with this Palace. Moreover…”

After saying this much, she paused and asked Gun Moneum.

“Is what you said true? Did the Ninth Prince really have his heart moved?”

Gun Moneum said with a smile.

“Whether it’s true or not, Her Majesty will be able to see for herself at the Palace Banquet. Does the Ninth Brother not know us, even if he doesn’t know others? Since when has my brother ever exchanged a word with a woman? But he is quite different with the Fourth Young Lady of the Baek Family.”

Empress Jin, now very satisfied, looked at Baek Jin-jin again. Seeing her still troubled look made her even more satisfied.

“What a good child. Unlike that cunning Eldest Miss. Out of ten words she says, nine and a half are lies. This Palace doesn’t want to hear such lies. I don’t want to see that kind of artificial face either. This is good enough. This is more sincere. I can see good and bad at a glance.”

Empress Jin beckoned to Baek Jin-jin.

“My child, come here and let this Palace have a closer look at you.”

As Baek Jin-jin raised her body, clutching her face, her head was lowered so much that she almost fell to the ground.

Baek Jin-jin, who had been examining herself, opened her mouth.

“Before leaving home, I certainly thought about how I would behave and what I would say upon entering the palace. I intended to behave properly and in accordance with my status. Why did I forget everything after entering the palace? I’ll be scolded again when I return.”

Hearing these words, Empress Jin became happy, and this little girl became even more pleasing to her. Her personality was innocent and strange, but she was cute. She was very well-suited to her cold-faced son. The Tenth Prince, who had been a major problem, had already found a solution, and only the Ninth Prince remained. Before, she had thought that the Ninth Prince’s personality was too serious. In particular, the Ninth Prince was in charge of Yeomwang Palace, and all day long he was only concerned with how to interrogate people and what punishment to give, and he was not interested in marriage at all. Empress Jin hadn’t been able to think of which young lady would suit the Ninth Prince. Until she saw Baek Jin-jin today.

Empress Jin, overjoyed with this development, said to Baek Jin-jin there and then.

“Don’t worry. I approve of you and the Ninth Prince. But you are still too young, so you must wait at least two more years before making a marriage proposal. The two of you should get along well for a few years, and when you are grown up, this Palace will ask His Imperial Majesty to grant permission for your marriage.”

Baek Jin-jin was stunned. Grant permission for the marriage? Isn’t the Empress’s personality a little too straightforward? How did it immediately jump to marriage?

However, no matter what she thought in her heart, the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but rise. The young lady in the red skirt smiled beautifully. Empress Jin was happy just looking at her.

However, Baek Jin-jin was actually still insecure, and asked Empress Jin in a small voice.

“I am an illegitimate daughter, am I suitable for Ninth Prince? Your Majesty, you are not trying to make me a concubine, are you? I don’t want to be a concubine. If I absolutely have to be a concubine, I’d rather marry an illegitimate son from an ordinary family. Being the wife of an illegitimate son is better than being a concubine of a legitimate son.”

Empress Jin was also stunned by Baek Jin-jin’s words. Yes, she had forgotten about the issue of legitimacy. The Ninth Prince was a proper prince. Moreover, he was a prince raised under her, the legitimate Empress. Taking an illegitimate daughter as a wife was still not a good look! However, she liked Baek Jin-jin too much to give up.

Empress Jin cast a pleading look at Baek Hak-yeom, and after thinking for a moment, Baek Hak-yeom said.

“Even if she is called an illegitimate daughter now, there is no guarantee that she will always be an illegitimate daughter. The mistress of our Baek family has recently changed, and judging by the situation, it may change again in two or three years.”

Empress Jin nodded, because Baek Hak-yeom’s opinion was very good.

“If your Lee Nang can seize the opportunity to become the mistress of the Baek family, you will become the legitimate daughter of the Mun Gukgongbu. Anyway, there is no need to rush. You should get along well with the Ninth Prince. Your older sister will handle this matter.”

Baek Hak-yeom pressed her forehead. The Queen Mother was really… someone who does whatever she feels like!

Anyway, now that she had acknowledged her daughter and Baek Jin-jin’s matter was settled, Baek Hak-yeom took out the pill she had prepared beforehand.

“Your Majesty has given me the status of a Princess, so there’s nothing else to give, but I’d like to give you a pill I made myself. This pill has the effect of restoring your skin and appearance. Please take it before going to bed. After taking it, it would be best if you could take a bath. You’ll be amazed the next morning.”

Among the women of the world, there was no one who was not concerned with taking care of their appearance and skin. The Emperor had long since lost interest in the affairs of his concubines. Even when he came to Soin Palace, he only talked to her, and on the nights he stayed, he only slept and did nothing else.

But women innately pursued beauty. Even if a man didn’t see it, she had to see her own face. Even if a man didn’t care about his concubines, the palace was full of young and beautiful concubines. They came to Soin Palace every day to greet her, and if she aged too quickly, she would not be able to bear the daily sight of young faces.

So Baek Hak-yeom’s gift was bound to please Empress Jin. If someone else had said that it would restore her skin and appearance, she might have just laughed it off.

But she trusted Baek Hak-yeom. It was because, just looking at what she had done for Gunryeongseo, she knew that this stepdaughter was definitely not an ordinary person. It would be an exaggeration to call her an immortal, but her abilities were not beyond the realm of an immortal’s. If it was a pill made by someone with such abilities, how could it be ineffective?

Seeing Empress Jin’s great joy, Baek Hak-yeom knew that she had made the right choice. Indeed, beauty was the sorrow of all women in the world, and there was no way to go wrong by focusing on that aspect.

Baek Hak-yeom asked.

“What about the Youngest Princess? I also prepared a gift for the Youngest Princess. Since they are going to be sisters, I can’t neglect my younger sister.”

Gunryeongseo was not to be seen when they entered Soin Palace. Judging from her personality, if she knew she had come, she would have definitely rushed over, but why was there no sign of her after all this time?

Empress Jin said with a smile.

“Leave her alone. She’s been bothering her Fourth Older Brother since early this morning. She might be playing around in the court! Yeom-a, tell me quickly, what good thing did you prepare for Yeongseo? Is it the Anti-aging pill?”

In the meantime, the Empress had given a name to the pill.

Baek Jin-jin, who was standing to one side, thought to herself. Anti-aging pill, if I sell this, how much money will I make in the future?

Baek Jin-jin’s mind was full of glittering silver ingots. However, Baek Hak-yeom and Gun Moneum both flinched and exchanged glances. They could see worry in each other’s eyes.

Gun Moneum opened his mouth and asked.

“When did Yeongseo go to see the Fourth Brother?”

Empress Jin replied.

“The Fourth Prince entered the palace around noon. She took Yeongseo around that time.”

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