The Fake Legend of Princess Mei Mei - Episode 3.8
“Harin, you say!?”
Gekka couldn’t help but raise her voice in surprise.
Seeing her reaction, Rōgyoku frowned, clearly displeased by the sudden outburst.
“What’s the matter, Hōbai? Is there something about Harin?” Enki asked, looking puzzled.
Gekka shook her head and quietly sat back down, but her heart was far from calm.
(Harin? The mountains of Harin!?)
That could only mean the small village of Haso, where Gekka was born and raised.
While trying to eavesdrop on the conversation of the King and Queen, she struggled to steady her growing anxiety.
She never imagined that the place where the Crown Prince met his beloved would be her hometown. What were the chances?
In Haso Village, there were only about five or six young women of the right age. If one of them had captured the Crown Prince’s heart, then the likelihood that it was her older sister—who was always out gathering medicinal herbs in the mountains—was overwhelmingly high.
If the Crown Prince’s beloved was indeed her sister, and she were to be brought to the palace…
(They’ll find out I’m an imposter…!)
If that happened, she would lose the life she had fought so hard to obtain.
A shiver ran through her body as the worst possible outcome took shape in her mind.
(No, I can’t let that happen… I absolutely refuse!)
She had finally begun to establish herself, meeting court ladies, noblewomen, and daughters of high-ranking officials. Just as she was starting to secure her place, she couldn’t afford to lose everything.
“…So, we have concluded that there is no issue with bringing her into the harem.”
Rōgyoku’s words snapped Gekka back to reality. She looked up in alarm.
“I see,” Enki nodded in agreement. “If the Queen consents, then there should be no problem.”
(What!?)
Having been lost in thought, Gekka had missed an important part of the discussion. Seeing the two nodding in agreement filled her with panic. What had just been decided?
Enki took a deep breath, then lightly tapped the table.
“The Crown Prince is granted permission to retrieve the young woman.”
Rōgyoku nodded in response, but before anyone could react further, Gekka suddenly screamed.
“No!”
The force of her outburst shocked everyone—Enki, Rōgyoku, and even the court ladies standing by in the room froze in place.
“This cannot be allowed!”
Her fists trembled as she shouted, her anger so intense that it bordered on fury rather than mere protest. The normally gentle and smiling young lady now raged openly—an unrecognizable transformation.
The first to recover from the shock was Rōgyoku, who let out a sigh, her expression darkening with irritation.
“And why not?”
Gekka shot her a sharp glare.
“It’s obvious! Bringing someone from a poor, remote village into the royal family would disgrace the monarchy’s dignity!”
A mere concubine might be acceptable—there had been cases of low-born women gaining the king’s favor. But no commoner had ever been made queen.
A queen held authority equal to the king, standing above not just the nobility but all subjects of the kingdom. She represented the nation itself when dealing with foreign emissaries. Such an important position could never be given to a lowborn girl.
Rōgyoku gave a knowing nod.
“I can understand not wanting a commoner as the Crown Princess. However, Princess—”
Rōgyoku herself had spent the past month thinking, struggling, and weighing the best course of action.
“You, too, were born a commoner.”
Gekka’s eyes widened, and her lips trembled.
“I… I…”
She wanted to protest, but her voice shook. What could she possibly say?
“Yes, you were raised as a common orphan,” Rōgyoku continued, “but in truth, you are His Majesty’s daughter. Your mother was a noblewoman. There is no issue with your lineage.”
Seeing Gekka’s distress, Rōgyoku calmly carried on.
For a moment, Gekka feared her secret had been exposed. But as she listened, she realized her worries were unfounded.
Relieved, she straightened her posture.
“That is precisely why I object, Mother.”
Rōgyoku raised an eyebrow and studied her carefully.
“Even as His Majesty’s daughter, adjusting to life in the palace has been a great struggle for me. It has been over a month since I arrived, yet I still cannot say I am truly accustomed to it.”
“Is that so?” Enki asked, his expression clouded with sorrow.
“I’m sorry, Father… You’ve been kind, as have Mother and the court ladies, yet I still feel out of place.”
She responded sadly, and Enki sighed, nodding in understanding.
Gekka turned back to Rōgyoku.
“If even I, His Majesty’s daughter, find it difficult, how can someone born and raised in complete poverty ever hope to adapt?”
Her eyes glistened as she spoke, her voice filled with emotion.
“Bringing her here would force her into unnecessary hardship. Have you considered how cruel that would be?”
She subtly accused them of lacking empathy, causing Rōgyoku to sigh heavily.
“Of course, she will struggle. But the Crown Prince desires her, and as members of the harem, it is our duty to support her. As a princess, you should not speak so narrow-mindedly.”
“Then why not simply refuse permission?”
“Because the Crown Prince wishes for her.”
“But—”
“Princess.”
Rōgyoku’s firm tone silenced Gekka.
“You have only just arrived here, so I won’t blame you for not understanding. But you speak too hastily. Remain silent.”
The sheer finality of her words left Gekka fuming, but she held her tongue, glaring at Rōgyoku.
Sensing the tension between his wife and daughter, Enki cleared his throat.
“Hōbai, you must understand—the Crown Prince despises women. He has rejected every attempt to provide him with consorts, even driving away those sent to his chambers. This has been a grave concern. If there is at last a woman he wishes to wed, we cannot let this chance slip away. If we do, we may never have an heir. I understand your feelings, but I ask you to see the bigger picture.”
Gekka had no choice but to nod. The beloved ‘Princess Hōbai’ was known for being obedient and charming, after all.
Back in her chambers, Gekka sat in silence, deep in thought. If a girl from Haso Village were brought here, many people would recognize her. Even if it wasn’t her sister, someone could still expose her past.
“Princess, Lady Cao has arrived.”
Biho, her attendant, hesitantly informed her. She had a lesson in etiquette scheduled.
“Shall I tell her you’re feeling unwell and send her away?”
Gekka was about to agree when a thought struck her.
Lady Cao—the wife of Minister Cao, one of the high-ranking officials. He had a daughter of suitable age for the Crown Prince.
(Perhaps Minister Cao can help me…)
She couldn’t act herself, but others could.
A man of Minister Cao’s stature surely had the means to handle this discreetly.
“Let her in,” Gekka replied with a smile.
All she had to do was subtly suggest that there was a better match for the Crown Prince than some lowborn girl.
As for the girl from Haso Village… a little money should be enough to make her disappear forever.