Chapter 6
Episode 6. Hongwi Amidst the Fierceness of Flowers (2)
Even under Consort Shin's attack, Noble Lady Yang was unfazed.
"While Queen is away at the hot springs, shouldn't I have been overseeing the affairs of the Inner Court? If Consort Shin knew how to read and could have given provisional approval for various documents, I could have stayed by our little one's side."
"......!"
Now, even mockery that she doesn't know how to read.
As she spoke, the more she was driven into a disadvantageous corner, Consort Shin's face began to burn fiercely.
Then, color returned to her pale face, making her look even fresher, like a young girl.
A beauty is a beauty, no matter what.
"Your Ladyship, Queen is waiting. Let us go."
Consort Shin's Royal Lady stepped forward, realizing that further argument would only put her superior in a more unfavorable position.
Consort Shin shot Noble Lady Yang a fierce glare, then swirled her beautiful skirt and headed towards Gyotaejeon.
Consort Shin's Royal Lady and Palace Ladies also shot glares at Noble Lady Yang's Royal Lady and Palace Ladies, then followed their superiors with quick steps.
"Let's go. How much Queen must have missed His Highness the Grandson."
Noble Lady Yang commanded loudly, as if for Consort Shin to hear, and elegantly began to walk.
Yunseo lowered her head and looked at her small fingers, which were gripping the lapel of her Jeogori so tightly that it had turned white.
'It was already happening.'
Already, the most powerful Consorts in the Palace were fiercely fighting for their sons.
And a baby not even two years old was nakedly seeing and hearing the language of those ruthless schemes and the sharp atmosphere.
Up to the age of two, the limbic system, called the reptilian brain, develops intensely.
At this time, the baby, through the limbic system, the 'emotional brain,' perceives the world as a joyful or fearful place, as if branded, and based on this, neurons form intensely, determining the temperament that will develop in the future.
A child's neurons, feeling safe and loved, surge explosively towards positive traits like exploration, play, and cooperation, while neurons perceiving rejection and an anxious atmosphere move towards passive and avoidant temperaments, geared towards managing fear and threats.
What kind of world was Hongwi seeing?
An unfortunate child who already had difficulty forming a secure attachment due to the absence of a mother. The future Crown Prince, who should only see and hear good things and receive abundant affection!
'Having grown up in such a sharp environment, he must have been easily defeated by Grand Prince Suyang despite his outstanding talents. It's said Hongwi couldn't even swallow food properly in front of Grand Prince Suyang, gagging and showing extreme fear. This is all because of such a dog-like upbringing.'
Yunseo felt fierce animosity towards Consort Shin and Noble Lady Yang, who must have already engaged in fierce battles hundreds of times in front of the infant,
towards Queen Soheon, King Sejong's Queen Consort, who could not properly control this situation,
and most of all, towards Crown Prince Yi Hyang, who had entrusted his young son to Noble Lady Yang's quarters to this extent.
"Little Prince!"
That was why.
Yunseo impulsively whispered into His Highness the Grandson's ear.
"I will protect you. I will protect you, Little Prince. So don't be afraid of anything, don't be scared of anything."
I, will protect, Little Prince!
So, Hongwi. Trust me.
Trust me.
To Yunseo, whispering passionately, the three-year-old His Highness the Grandson, the future King burdened with a tragic fate, said only one thing.
"My ear tickles."
(My ear tickles.)
"......"
Yunseo held the Little Prince, who was scratching his ear with his finger, even tighter and headed towards Gyotaejeon.
The courtyard of Gyotaejeon was filled with elegantly adorned royal women, Royal Ladies, Palace Ladies, and eunuchs.
They were all concubines and their attendants coming to pay their respects to His Majesty the King and Queen, who had returned to the Palace after two months.
As Consort Shin, Noble Lady Yang, and His Highness the Grandson appeared, they quickly made way and bowed deeply.
This was the space where the august Queen resided, a space where formal rituals were meticulously applied.
His Highness the Grandson was destined to become the sovereign, so even Consort Shin, a first-rank consort, stopped walking and stepped aside, bowing deeply towards His Highness the Grandson.
"Little Prince, you must get down and walk."
Noble Lady Yang bowed to His Highness the Grandson and announced.
Then, with a pained heart, she quickly said to Yunseo, 'You take His Highness the Grandson's hand and lead the way.'
Noble Lady Yang was deeply disappointed.
'Originally, I should have been holding His Highness the Grandson's hand and leading the way, receiving greetings from all the concubines.'
Even Consort Shin bows.
Yunseo bent her legs and placed His Highness the Grandson on the ground.
Then, she lowered her eyes to match the child's and quietly said.
"Little Prince, please take my hand."
"Yes, I'm going. Ga-na-in."
His Highness the Grandson took Yunseo's hand and straightened his back and chest.
Yunseo also straightened her posture and slowly walked through the bowing figures.
Consort Shin followed behind His Highness the Grandson with her chin slightly raised and an elegant gait.
And Noble Lady Yang, nodding slightly to the concubines and palace servants paying their respects, slowly followed behind Consort Shin towards the central main hall.
As Yunseo climbed the steps and was about to take off the Little Prince's shoes.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is coming."
With the thin voice of a eunuch, the side gate of Gyotaejeon opened to both sides.
Through the opened gate, a tall man in a red Dragon Robe appeared.
"We greet His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Everyone in the courtyard and on the steps of Gyotaejeon bowed deeply in greeting.
Yunseo also bowed, holding His Highness the Grandson's shoulder.
Consort Shin and Noble Lady Yang, standing behind Yunseo, also bowed deeply and greeted him simultaneously.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you must have had a difficult journey."
The Crown Prince had visited the tomb of King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong, Heolleung, yesterday to perform a memorial service, and had returned late, which was why the two consorts who had gone to greet him had not seen him.
"Have you been well? You must have worked very hard managing the affairs of the Palace."
Unlike when he had berated Yunseo three nights ago, his voice was truly gentle yet full of dignity.
"Abamama!"
His Highness the Grandson, with his short legs, ran towards his father with quick steps.
"Hongwi."
The Crown Prince, who had been glancing at His Highness the Grandson from the moment he appeared on the main hall, strode forward and lifted His Highness the Grandson in his arms.
As he tossed and caught his son in the air, Yi Hyang said.
"I arrived late last night. Still, I came to see you, but Hongwi was sleeping, so I couldn't see him."
"Yes, Abamama."
Hongwi, excitedly stamping his feet, giggled.
"Our Little Prince missed His Highness the Crown Prince very much too. He is so intelligent that when he heard you were returning yesterday, he spent the whole day looking south and waiting for Your Highness."
Noble Lady Yang stepped forward subtly, praising His Highness the Grandson while also boasting about how hard she had worked to raise him.
'That's not true. Yesterday, Hongwi played fishing with me and colored with paints from the Dohwaseo, and had a fun day.'
Yunseo, with her head bowed, was silently refuting Noble Lady Yang's praise.
"Gwonga Na-in."
Yi Hyang called Yunseo.
Instantly, all the women bowing lowered their ears and turned towards the Crown Prince and Yunseo.
"You are taking good care of our Hongwi."
His tone was quite meaningful.
While others would hear it as praise, Yunseo understood the hidden request to explain about the rings soon.
"...I am humbled, Your Highness."
Yunseo bowed so deeply that her nose touched the main hall.
"Humbled for what? I meant you should take better care of him."
The Crown Prince said with a crooked smile, strode forward, handed Hongwi to Yunseo, and added one more thing.
"I will call for you tomorrow!"
Then, gasps were heard from various places.
This was because they did not know that he meant he would call her to ask about the matter of the Crown Princess's rings.
Especially the Crown Prince's concubines were aghast.
'Our Crown Prince, who says women have shallow academic depth and thus he has no desire to engage with them, and who treats even beautiful concubines like commoners!'
Why, and for what reason, is he showing interest in a mere tall Palace Lady like that!
Silent screams swept through the courtyard of Gyotaejeon.
However, Yunseo still held onto the anger she had felt moments before.
'Don't leave your son like a neglected, pathetic mutt. Raise him well.'
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
So, Yunseo, holding His Highness the Grandson, called out to Yi Hyang.
"...Yes."
Yi Hyang, perhaps not expecting a mere Palace Lady to call out to him, answered a beat late.
"I also have something important to tell Your Highness."
"......?"
"......?"
"......!!"
Silence fell again all around.
This time, everyone looked up at Yunseo.
"I request a private audience. Please grant me some time."
"!"
A private audience?
Although he had intended to call her soon to ask why the Crown Princess's rings were on her finger, Yi Hyang, who had never expected her to proactively request a 'private audience,' looked down at Yunseo with an expression of 'What is this impudent one?'
And in the courtyard behind them, blatant whispers began.
"What is she that she dares to request a private audience with our Crown Prince?"
"Hmph, she probably thinks she's someone important after receiving bows in front of His Highness the Grandson."
"She's trying to seduce the Crown Prince under the pretense of His Highness the Grandson. But our Crown Prince would never allow it."
These were loud whispers, audible to the ear.
However, Yunseo kept her back straight and continued to meet the Crown Prince's gaze.
What was there to be afraid of? I am Hongwi's nanny, equipped with professional knowledge. And you are a failed father who abandoned his child in anxiety.
"...I will send Eom Naegwan soon."
Perhaps sensing the sternness in her gaze, Yi Hyang replied curtly and stood up.
Then, completely ignoring the surprise and shock focused on him, he headed briskly towards the main hall, leading a group of eunuchs.
Yunseo took His Highness the Grandson's hand and stood before the side gate from which the Crown Prince had just emerged.
Entering through the door from the inside, they found themselves in another spacious inner hall.
Following the eunuch who guided them, they arrived at the audience chamber of the King and Queen, guarded by eunuchs and Royal Ladies bowing.
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Grandson, Consort Shin, and Noble Lady Yang are arriving."
"Let them enter!"
A majestic voice flowed from inside.
'Finally, I will meet him. King Sejong, I will meet him.'
Calming her pounding heart with anticipation, Yunseo took His Highness the Grandson's hand and entered.
Consort Shin and Noble Lady Yang followed behind.
"Go forward with Noble Lady Yang and pay your respects to Her Majesty."
After quickly whispering to His Highness the Grandson, Yunseo prostrated herself by the door.
It was not a place for a mere Palace Lady to lift her head.
"Oh my, our His Highness the Grandson has come. Come, come, come to this grandmother."
From the central main seat, on a magnificent cushion, the Queen called out to His Highness the Grandson.
However, His Highness the Grandson did not move from Yunseo's side.
"Go, go to Queen, Little Prince."
Yunseo slightly turned her head and urged His Highness the Grandson.
But the three-year-old child today refused to leave Yunseo's side.
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