“I’m sorry?”
“I’m talking about that girl. Hwayeong.”
Sinyeong froze. He’d told Sinhui and the court ladies at Baekryeon Lodge not to breathe a word about Hwayeong’s visit. Had the secret gotten out?
“You needn’t look so startled,” the Empress said calmly. “I simply heard that you returned to the palace with her yesterday. It makes sense—you left together, after all.”
‘Ah... So that’s what she meant.’
Sinyeong let out a subtle sigh of relief.
Apparently, Sinhui hadn’t mentioned how Hwayeong had eaten through half a month’s worth of supplies at Baekryeon Lodge.
‘Thank goodness.’
“I understand what you’re implying, Lady Mother, but this has nothing to do with her. I toured the market and made the decision myself.”
Of course, the entire idea had been Hwayeong’s—but there was no way he could say that. So he firmly denied it, and the Empress responded with a slow, amused smile.
“It’s not a bad thing for a man to listen to a woman.”
