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Chapter 21
“More importantly, how did your meeting with Princess Hye-ryeong go? She is doing well, isn’t she?”
Princess Hye-ryeong, Seon, had a pure and upright nature, and Chilbok adored her.
He had wanted to accompany Un today as well, but Un had ordered him to stay behind and watch over the Punguibang, leaving him secretly disappointed.
“Please tell me. Our Princess still has that flower-like smile, doesn’t she?”
The radiant smile on Un’s face vanished in an instant.
But as though nothing had happened, he forced a smile back onto his lips.
“Of course. She’s doing well.”
Standing behind Un, Chilbok continued to chatter.
“Our Princess is kind-hearted and wise. I always knew she would live surrounded by love and respect, admired by everyone inside and outside the palace.”
Un remained silent.
It was true that Seon was kind and wise.
But she was not loved.
Today, Un had seen a gloomy shadow lingering on Seon’s face.
When he asked if something was wrong, she answered that everything was fine, but as they continued talking, the source of her worries gradually revealed itself.
“I really must have a beautiful child soon. Mother and Father are waiting so eagerly. This summer, I’m thinking of visiting a temple to pray for a blessing.”
It seemed her parents-in-law were pressuring her relentlessly to produce an heir.
They’ve only been married for two years.
And Seon was only eighteen years old.
It wasn’t unusually early to have a first child, but neither was she considered late.
“Brother, you’ve always heard every rumor and know everything, haven’t you? Do you happen to know a skilled physician?”
She asked whether there was any herbal medicine that could help her conceive.
For a moment, Un nearly raised his voice and told her to worry about her own health first.
She had become far thinner than when he had seen her only a few months ago.
How desperate must she be to ask her own brother something like this?
His heart ached.
If only her husband treasured her, perhaps things would have been a little better.
But Un had never expected that.
He knew all too well about Jo Nam-gyu’s endless affairs with women.
A man who wandered outside the home would never treat the wife waiting inside with kindness.
That was precisely why Un had opposed Seon’s marriage to Jo Nam-gyu from the beginning.
Yet Seon had insisted on marrying him simply because he was the son of Left State Councillor Jo Jajeom.
“This is the least I can do to support His Majesty.”
It had been her choice to help balance the growing influence of Grand Queen Dowager Jo Yong-bi and Left State Councillor Jo Jajeom.
Seon had believed that if she became part of Jo Jajeom’s family, they would naturally lend their support to her elder brother, Gwang.
You should trust people who deserve to be trusted.
Remembering those days, Un clicked his tongue inwardly.
Back when the marriage had been arranged, Jo Jajeom had acted as though he would cherish the Princess above all else.
But after the wedding, under the excuse of teaching her the customs of the family, he had insisted they all live together and subtly forced her to endure life under her in-laws.
How dare they treat a Princess like that!
It was all because of his pathetic father.
His father had handed too much power to Jo Jajeom and, fearing Crown Prince Gwang at the time, had leaned heavily upon him instead.
King Eunjo, Lee Jong.
Resenting his late father was unfilial.
But after seeing his emaciated younger sister, Un was willing to become an unfilial son.
His chest tightened painfully.
By the time he let out a heavy sigh, they had arrived at the Punguibang.
Without hesitation, Un stepped into the courtyard—
Then suddenly stopped.
His gaze settled on one corner of the wooden veranda.
Hari was asleep, leaning comfortably against one of the thick wooden pillars.
The moment he saw her, it felt as though a cool breeze swept through the suffocating weight in his chest.
Un stood silently, watching her.
Mal-dong noticed his arrival and hurriedly moved to wake Hari.
Un raised a finger to his lips.
“Shh.”
He silently warned him.
He also signaled Chilbok and Si-yeong to remain quiet before carefully approaching Hari without making a sound.
Mal-dong awkwardly stepped aside, revealing Hari’s peacefully sleeping face.
Completely defenseless.
Comfortable.
Without a single worry.
Just looking at her naturally brought a gentle smile to his lips.
Once upon a time, Seon had worn that same carefree expression.
Now her face was filled only with sorrow.
Perhaps because he had just come from seeing the sister he had failed to protect…
He wished that Hari could continue living this happily.
Better yet—
He wanted to help make sure she could.
Her determination was too strong to break.
She was not someone whose path could simply be blocked.
I wish our Seon could have lived like you.
Speaking whatever she wanted.
Fearlessly reaching for everything she desired.
Perhaps she sensed his lingering gaze.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
Slowly, Hari opened her eyes.
Her hazy vision immediately filled with a dazzlingly handsome face.
She gasped and instinctively threw her head backward.
Un frowned and quickly reached out, cradling the back of her head.
Before Hari even had a chance to push his hand away—
Thunk!
A dull, heavy impact echoed.
The back of her head still tingled.
“Be more careful.”
Un scolded lightly before withdrawing his hand.
Startled, Hari immediately grabbed it.
“Are you alright, my lord? Why on earth did you do that? I’m sure the back of my head is harder than that wooden pillar!”
She anxiously examined the hand that had shielded her.
The back of Un’s hand had turned red.
“Nothing’s broken, is it? Should we go to a hospital? An X-ray… no, I mean… perhaps we should call a physician?”
Huh Jun had already died long ago.
Who would be considered the greatest physician in this era?
She seriously pondered the question.
Un abruptly pulled his hand away.
The movement was so forceful that the gust of wind made her instinctively close her eyes.
“It’s fine. If you have something to say, hurry and say it.”
With that, Un swept the hem of his robe dramatically behind him and briskly disappeared into the room.
As if the gentle way he had watched her sleeping had never happened.
As if someone else had sacrificed his own hand to protect the back of her head.
His cold retreat couldn’t hide one thing.
The back of his neck had turned as red as a perfectly ripened apple.
Don’t tell me… he’s blushing because I grabbed his hand?
Hari’s own face quickly grew just as red.
“Would you consider adopting one nephew into your family?”
Carrying a tray inside, Chilbok nearly dropped everything after hearing Hari’s question.
Adopt someone…
Into the Seonwonrok—the royal genealogy?
It was one thing to splash ink on the royal family register.
This was utter madness.
Chilbok immediately came to his senses.
Un enjoyed interesting ideas far too much.
Who knew what kind of outrageous plan he might actually agree to?
Someone had to stop this.
“Not while I still breathe!”
Chilbok cried dramatically.
What’s wrong with him?
The question nearly escaped Hari’s lips, but Un let out an exaggerated sigh before she could ask.
“Chilbok, put down the tea and leave.”
“My… my lord! Absolutely not! If you intend to defile the royal genealogy, you’ll have to cut off my head first!”
Closing his eyes tightly, Un gave another order.
“Si-yeong. Drag him out.”
“My lord! Mmph! My looord! You can’t do this!”
Even while being dragged away, Chilbok continued screaming at the top of his lungs.
Hari glanced up at the ceiling.
I wonder if the roof is shaking.
Finally, Un spoke.
“My apologies. Chilbok tends to be… rather unusual.”
“His loyalty is truly remarkable.”
It was honestly a little frightening.
Hari decided not to dwell on Chilbok any longer.
“To continue where I left off… I came to see you because of a child named Wang Eun-young. She’s only ten years old.”
Hari calmly explained Eun-young’s situation.
The tea inside the cups had long since gone cold.
Yet Un never glanced at it once.
He listened to every word Hari said.
Little by little, all warmth disappeared from his expression.
“This is everything I know.”
Hari finished speaking.
Still, Un remained silent, staring only at the teacup as though lost in thought.
A heavy silence lingered between them.
Finally, Un lifted his eyes to meet hers.
“What exactly is your plan? You intend to divorce the child?”
“Yes.”
“According to the mother’s testimony, aside from his age, there is nothing particularly wrong with her husband, Ok Noyeo.”
Seventy years old.
Ok Noyeo genuinely cherished his young bride.
He never beat Wang Eun-young.
He never mistreated her.
After the wedding night, when Eun-young’s mother, Chun-ja, took her daughter back to her parental home and refused to send her back, he never uttered a single complaint.
Instead, leaning on his cane, he came to visit her family every single day.
He would quietly stand outside Eun-young’s room for a while before returning home.
And each time he came, he brought gifts—
Rice.
Meat.
Whatever he could.
“So that my little bride won’t go hungry.”
Hari shuddered.
The very thought of a seventy-year-old man affectionately calling a ten-year-old girl his little bride was enough to make her skin crawl.
