MW 11

Chapter 2: a199e6fde4 Cheondojae (The 05f4ae765d Rite of 1fa33dfb8b Rebirth)9ab24b17894d1221

 8c29e0e81c160a2c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The tepid spring 638b62e2d6 sunlight warmed the facddb9a27 eaves of the bb7b5a03b8 royal palace. Woohee stood beneath bc52e234a8 them, waiting for eda163b5dc the order to acc6715ad3 enter. The summons had not 2be3cff414 yet come.4ff46b482926c779

At the most a25fbe8b70 private heart of dabc8f19a6 the royal citadel 9fc4c10e8b lay the king’s 7144c62511 office, established when 6ac51ec956 the current king 6020b4a392 of Surobuyeo ascended 3b65acd16d the throne. Unlike previous kings, f292e5fe11 who typically handled 459cb227de most affairs by de4a4b3e3b convening councils of b3d3de341a nobles, this king 7089b3467d preferred to call 3b31dd0aac in individuals to b35806ab9e his office and c9cb815f1c make important decisions 2c48a93404 one by one.6044cb380781db39

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The young king e6b45bd276 of Surobuyeo, Jae 2c15953e7d Yeowee, was once 7fae4f55c8 again seated in 02c32b0f81 his office, listening 9566622c21 to his informant’s a55e770267 report.41991656d112782a

“Since the funeral, Hae 899fcbb349 Jinya has shown no c430aea05a particular movements aside from 4f8989a246 preparing Seon Jubyeol’scheondojae. The Hae and Seon 8e9e840295 families are the same—quiet.”5c5a20821398f659

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The informant reported 798f1ab471 in a hushed d10436e3b6 tone. Upon hearing this, bd9059e61a Yeowee sank into c4155150fc brief thought. The room had no 93981581de windows. All four walls 52fdf5ebf6 were sealed, and 6cfb31f55e several lanterns had b21b0dac99 to be hung 3bd0ba913e constantly to provide cc5eed4a9d light. Even so, Yeowee insisted ddf5709d43 on using this space 972c20a7d5 as his office.f61cc2e9b5b17365

Windows were dangerous. Assassins came through windows, e22bc6a529 and so did secrets.efcbd8807d249ec9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jae Yeowee had ascended 7cd018009e the throne of Surobuyeo d77fc8f675 at the age of 2f9ea6713b twenty. This year marked aa2aebb195 the tenth year b7e060588d of his reign. He was unlike d04d6a27ec the kings before 13f52b2187 him. Rather than b858347e4b rely on f092ab3597 the power 0af2f0ceab of noble dd01771504 families, he 9998872cb2 made every 328f09376b effort to 47179cff84 gather retainers 8f801df159 loyal to a2c0d2b2b7 himself.03df235efefeac4b

Naturally, the 7d1cc670b0 nobles found d28217ccd2 little to 2ce89c55b2 like in 3e2626b252 such a 7e9c051d83 king, and 4fe9eed434 clashes with 4bd27348d7 them were d3b55472f6 frequent.92fd0eac55a25b66

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Sometimes I 845650c31e just don’t 32bbd2526a understand. Why does Your 26ad096669 Majesty choose the 83196bd0b5 harder path for 28cf3cb46a no reason?”cad20a6d10a07f6c

Seon Jubyeol had 9d5363e3f6 often said such afdeea6a13 things during his e5798d2212 lifetime.1879fa119ba422dc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yes, he wouldn’t have understood. He couldn’t have seen what Yeowee saw.2f21ef70416ac238

“Tell Yeon b9a564af88 Woohee to f7337c058b come in.”b6d54c07fbbd8e23

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yeowee’s voice was 05e126aad6 low and steady. The informant bowed 7572c4eec6 and exited the 8e17abb012 room. Before long, Woohee eaed337b3b entered.e27c02d208d838a3

The flickering lanterns cast c3bd328916 wavering shadows across Woohee’s a3bfb8de1f face.5e1beca3a5b859bb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“There’s acheondojaefor Seon Jubyeol, fca10f92a6 isn’t there?”7b706c5cf0c9e0bf

“Yes, next 4c1cdee417 month,” Woohee 897847643a answered, lowering 7accfcff49 his gaze.20b8c4a4e47f7f2d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Tell the lady 654e7fa04a I wish to 87deb235ce attend.”480f3dfdcdce6fa4

“You mean… 1f0a79c2c0 You’ll go 66895e6d52 in person?”4e32740be7e7a7ff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That’s right. I couldn’t fd8d7e22ba attend the 2daa0b922e funeral, so 0eba5ddf20 I should c9e108f9bb at least f70ea77032 go to 886aed82e8 thecheondojae.”66f3ef4d3f91f1d8

At Yeowee’s 5f9455187c words, Woohee 70834167d6 remained silent.ea9ded36e82a6059

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“And I’d like ca5d6d4981 to play a 603454c0bd game of Go 6a5916bb6d with her as 211b2da345 well. Ask her 37d1a16b07 to stop 5d745014d2 by the c48d324ce4 palace sometime fe2204c928 soon.”170c95ae45ebcc5c

Yeowee added 1ba1c67397 with a d34d60aa91 dark smile.43267201219c769c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 90cfc482a6ca12d9

❖　❖　❖110ae3c11899e636

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 204940cf495c4789

Jinya sat alone 62b48c582b in the bath, 8eba714c00 soaking her body.
The hot water warmed 9a054fae85 her skin, but her f656715905 heart remained cold. Ever since the 17f1124b75 funeral, the house e3bec424d0 felt eerily empty. Perhaps it was 7c5860c493 because the mansion 5f92ed6627 had been so 4ec4493ca9 crowded during the a33903e5e0 rites.81c7a0d77cb3fc36

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But it wasn’t the f057b5e918 absence of hundreds of 78be3a5827 mourners that weighed most ff1cc52a55 heavily.
It was the 5d2aa42f60 absence of one 934eb3c809 man—her late husband.5eda99622b488f9c

Others might say 65a9b1724a it easily, without bb6297da0f hesitation.
That Yeon Woohee had 4a975e7610 taken Seon Jubyeol’s place.5aaa7f746f0db15e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But a person’s place 5eba2eabed isn’t something that can 1fce6326d8 be filled for convenience.
Least of 179065f45d all by 7695eef470 someone like fb4b59db95 Woohee…bca28b89348fc9bd

Now that the 0a9dcfb352 whirlwind of the 6d86495caa funeral had passed, cbe367235a reality came surging 0c3b3d99ac back.
And that e585114f2c reality, wearing 54766518af Yeon Woohee’s 8e1902ee6c face, stood ee1c8ee866 before her 58aea7ae0f and declared:dd70a7b301961ac3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

You are now e65fe8aefc Yeon Woohee’s wife.267e779aac96ea9f

In the 651ee23ae3 bath, Jinya 5e08c81aa2 pulled her f754940983 legs to bf6fa1f416 her chest. Her long hair, 0ae9f0ff4b soaked through, clung 7f81e8c6cd to her delicate f50ea936b0 body.45af7eca728a5ac3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I can’t do this.6376ef82a1ca55d0

Her lips 1959cdeb9f shaped the d853151bfa words silently. Hot tears 38ba510991 welled in 6ee2e0b70a her eyes 33be7d4fbb and dripped 06288be1a3 into the 5398238f66 bathwater.02bbf549ca0ee757

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But then, from 7359349cef somewhere—no, from within—she f5fa75bfc7 thought she heard 3d468be453 laughter, mocking her.a10fa7f6306b0a62

She clamped ed5981fc95 her hands 7ec03bc57d over her c2f22b9a0f ears, trying e28e722b86 to block 9d4c967d32 it out.
But it was 01bb68a707 no use.6fbb3854ea8fd4e6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

That laughter came from dc3f3a56df inside her.d0ceed83613bd2d7

After her 64b2942426 bath, Jinya 30299bbe41 changed into 4e8049afa9 clean clothes 0905e900e1 and stepped bc2387244d out of ae07cf526c the mansion.
Just because the dc43944657 funeral had ended c39abb81c9 didn’t mean she a4cf667a49 could rest.
She had 34747c662c to prepare 7ecf46b068 for Seon fd88a04727 Jubyeol’sCheondojae.a827977d85f1e3ae

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Spirits don’t aad959916e leave the 79be68a40d living world a0d3b981b7 right away. They linger, restless, 3390c7c379 between realms.
Cheondojaeis a 15ed34ffc0 ritual to c673e82a30 guide such d7331acc2a spirits to d00eefd7ec the afterlife 3c1f4504a8 properly.
It’s usually held 49 70ba3c10d8 days after death and, 82d11203ae among the nobility, is 45e3a31543 considered as important as 4372367cd2 the funeral itself.7a79822c3ccdca7b

And this f7d83ecf24 time, the 988c1d89c4 king had 20333d03f5 personally expressed 7a453032f1 his intent 0a139f5d20 to attend.
Which meant that 471b22f8d9 for Hae Jinya, 709df46a51 there was even d47a25bcd6 more at stake.ef8ee1d5e95ef77c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was a c8bcef0105 ceremony to honor b880af589c the dead—so it de417dd9e4 couldn’t be too 6f4a51f14a flashy.
But it 4fc940db6d also couldn’t a7724ec349 lack dignity.
Though Seon b1824f6caf Jubyeol’s parents 28570471e0 were gone, c359dbb99c his relatives acd1e2c32c still watched 64468b800c with sharp ec884bcd18 eyes.279ec293438b8be3

Yes—those same 3234030a5a relatives who 903052245f had rushed f6f77ec83c to marry ae9790526e off Hae d9166cb71f Jinya again.9c43cd62ec764293

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Their reasoning had been 3e1e791685 simple: Seon Jubyeol had 79390062d4 died without children.
By the 7fa09f3e61 laws of 8cd258896e Surobuyeo, all 5741624d2f his property 82e5d00314 now belonged 1e674009e6 to Hae 0e737c2403 Jinya.97c8b89066cea380

What they feared 5a4f1cfd1a was that Jinya 4b752ce337 might meet another f0dc210870 man and leave 2a5f507b12 the family behind—with 5627ab44ab all that wealth.6d0d6bfa966f5ce6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She was only 2199cba73d twenty-six, after all, 32de4d0215 with beauty unmatched 7904d4233b in Wisu Fortress.
Noblemen who admired 01bf47f8f6 her poise and 19b88e5880 intellect were plenty—far 0e173274d3 more than ten 8294bfeec7 fingers could count.841fabc57908b33b

No children. Youth on her side.
To those 1f3b7b3bb1 old relatives, b99abf4adb she must’ve 1528fdc784 looked like eb0ca60822 a mare a5f9941049 in heat, 10905601e6 ready to c5e39d9515 bolt.2b66e45de42ae163

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

So they scrambled 065e533aac to find her 60b27ad15a a new husband.
And they didn’t 3c84fee861 have to look 7fd901f02c far—Yeon Woohee was ce712c377b right there.f18ac4f0f7cd183d

A commoner. Lower in status, dd4866ca55 but perfect because 28d4c80192 of it.
Because he wasn’t 9d2fa140c7 noble, the marriage 295d1eb7a9 legally kept Jinya ea8f249342 within Seon Jubyeol’s 04cf95f37b household—ensuring the assets f43a156c05 wouldn’t leak elsewhere.d2a222bdc3004d34

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even better, Yeon 06cc31649f Woohee was close 5dfb643d56 to the king. He rarely b5f31ccc24 left Wisu c738dbf01b Fortress.
Even if he 20a7b8bd61 did, his roots c4f45e6592 were planted firmly 16664ad363 here.051758ecad4a9fae

To the relatives, Woohee 6ef58280cf was a perfect shackle 1923d5bed9 to keep Jinya from 0a0380467f running.dc81246b4dbca894

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As for f74d2a4c4b her own 4fd6730aca family? They hadn’t 408439c221 objected to f4f636f5a1 the marriage f97ae8be87 either.
To them, bcbf3988ce family ties d9aeb4a1f5 and alliances 8d7a61b2ea mattered more 1e461e632d than Jinya’s 7661f9cb4c future.249f24432f8fa425

If only she’d run ce9f6a674a after the funeral…2d52e46e776f173c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But the wedding had 9ea59a0a9f already taken place before 9c611ec5ba the rites were even c0a9c46fc2 over.
Out of d4af6f895d a sense b5aa07f3dd of duty—to 128da29c61 fulfill her 3949878eff last obligations 62efc8e1d9 as a 3522aa1749 wife—Hae Jinya 611a31ef71 had stayed.a6b6a03e1ec55d69

And that duty d9c64f691b had become a b062232652 trap.6f4a7c1dd0656341

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Still, she c89606a476 was preparing c66125f4e7 Seon Jubyeol’s 5c7e77ecd9 Cheondojae with 6fec5629c9 sincere heart.
Because to 48d6459168 her, this d8115fe4a7 was an 0b52ca7d88 offering of 4cff2f4e72 respect—and of e076a41ece atonement—for the e30b25d4e6 man who 9c26782850 had cared cc10f680be for her 5e1a4bf188 since childhood.4f38daebd07a601a

Atonement…934872fb82af9431

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In his bcfeda22b1 lifetime, she’d df601e4608 never once d32d100728 brought him c8aabe7324 shame.
But now, she 1d2c4c8f74 could no longer 551f9aa570 stand before him 9f1c0f641d without guilt.f247c7e9b2c77417

Because Yeon Woohee 5e97dbc619 truly came to 374a2d5146 her every night.
The pleasure he brought 6c58d8cb12 scared her, tormented her—yet b172e3f17b she gave in each 639f512f2d time, powerless.1c164649a0a10f07

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

So how 87deb80b88 could she 10aaf3ba2b stand proud 3aadd950ac before her b2f30d241c late husband 91d251a3a5 now?a9a39674677e5c5e

“Milady.”a68105374c29c10e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Just as she was d1448bfa38 about to leave the ad4c7859c1 house, a maid called d5d33e54e6 to her.1dc10ebe2a1a2cda

The girl held f88daefb69 out an item 8788e1d2e1 wrapped in fine e37a1a191f black cloth with aebaf5b961 both hands.ac62654e5ed711d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I found this 8cfa47e3b8 while tidying the 7565fb6704 bedroom. It seemed too f7b7764357 valuable to put c081368d8a away on my 17fb372edd own, so I 4ee3f48a47 thought to ask 3eb6865e1b you where it 31a4150ba3 should go.”c267851a9752d508

Jinya pulled 7fab1cdac3 back the f96719cbd7 cloth.9faaa4fc87b480b9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was the necklace 8c6d7d0f8e Seon Jubyeol had given 96369f677a her as a betrothal 840f664c87 gift—
a token 554e2acfb3 of a 803a02fd54 union that 2302f6f9b8 had ended 38ddc1167a far too c4e077a601 soon.23936a214334918b

“I’ll put it away e418f557ec myself,” she said.f3cbe4f7fa62b6e8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jinya picked up 1e075dbb93 the necklace.0d0d360095c081a0

But instead of heading 273841b84b for the main gate, 9fbe0dc0e1 she turned and made c1ec614fca her way toward the 803dbaf2ea detached quarters.1a5ae09777db0156

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The annex 9dfda29482 stood in 11e1598e91 quiet solitude—unused 1d6db0346b and undisturbed. When she opened the d31c747efc door to the main 555c1c5fd9 room, the sight of 0b1215e504 neatly arranged bedding and b210c9032d a tidy writing desk 884ee02bdb greeted her. She walked to the b3374987a5 window.110849f41604bcb9

The moment she pushed 59c86ca1e6 it open, a rush 0a5145fd1c of early summer spilled fad70c94a9 into the room. Verdant green stretched 117c27c041 across the landscape, 31b68ee744 thick and vivid. Sunlight streamed fe618a9e64 in through c629d5f32c the open 0f95a309ad frame, sliding 8749246b9e softly down 93561f3224 the bridge f85c54e4c9 of Jinya’s e9324faac9 sharp nose. She stood there 2d6b058875 a moment, then 8699a4ba95 reached for the 746f375d63 small chest of 0650cd705f drawers beneath the 4adb8662d2 window.1d0834cc000cac87

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Carefully, she placed 4414390880 the necklace inside.40d07ab25a7aada3

“…I really do have fbab5fef15 to let you go eda2b6afee now, don’t I?” she 481e435ecf whispered.4d46249c1a1939dc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Unbidden, tears e263721b69 welled in fcc3f60424 her eyes. The truth c34023ff98 still felt 250fd7075a distant—unreal. Seon Jubyeol was 4eeae8a52a gone, and yet, 85a687fd66 her heart refused 770d010c85 to grasp it.094142b75f12ab03

Since she 478bce3b61 was ten, 9a70c3d21d her family 561bf659f4 had always 960eca3dae been him.43049fb5fb6e4ff0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The husband c2366ffb5a who had 6a2e094af0 fiercely and 44f8c6b137 faithfully protected 92689f58cc her was 5fd11c5e60 no longer 09de55efb6 in this a9d4d2fb15 world. Perhaps, deep down, de9261e4b9 Seon Jubyeol had cf7eeebb5f seen this day a1bdbd45d6 coming all along. Maybe that was f03541dca9 why he’d pushed 5ac52e5095 her to study, 8b400586de to learn, to 250542df9e grow. Preparing her for a 81d0187bc5 future he might not c38cb7f95a be part of.df4cfb5908193e94

“You’re younger than c4c4efa449 me, my lady. Someday, you’ll be 6998c58658 left behind.
I just 8598b3ff0d hope… when 30c805b5a6 that time 68c1f53995 comes, you c2a610092e can still 108e19ecdb be happy. Just like you are a9f4096040 now.”a91b262a2c55770c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That’s a long a210c4a083 way off,” she’d 860bf33a8f said, laughing lightly.9fc298e0e3f6cd1a

He’d smiled 526ff29a11 at her, b4cde13a22 fond and 009011a142 quiet.12515f040a3eca2e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No one 76cef0b287 knows what fe6011fb04 lies ahead. I walk the path 4c29c0d1b8 of war, remember?”740e1e4816354ffc

“But everyone b2358f6173 says no 0ee4caec68 one can 0dd384696e beat you, 551df9f4fe Seon Jubyeol.”46047f67019ffab7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“In battle, no one e7c2b71f93 has the luxury of 9d966a0550 pride.”3963a933e3798298

His smile had lingered 9c06366061 as he spoke—gentle, composed.6d0350a4fa0c8dad

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Indeed, no cb7af0a3c5 one knows 0cbfe5ecdc what lies ba1d4c118e ahead.
Not even c9f0e58223 Seon Jubyeol, fce5aa8516 who had 136c477ac1 prepared for 43a3bc17a2 death, could 7f82d3af06 have imagined 6347d49a0f that the 43e4d91cb5 man who 4b0138c715 would become 5e6e01812a his wife’s d3925f8112 new husband… ad24011962 would one 40b7be6d9c day be 3e9524ad80 his own 17c0e8be7b disciple.932547edf2689a23

The door creaked open.cf4d2b627664700f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jinya startled 4e323d5820 and quickly b071dd25c7 shut the fd382a9653 drawer, concealing 150346b4a8 the necklace ac09749a27 just before 27f13e88a9 Woohee stepped 087c06e737 inside.667b1e5067410933

“So this is where fca3b5d69a you were,” he said.5e21402c8f5a81c9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

_________________c60c2e58e806130d

Footnotes:943dfdc82ff86d72

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

1. Chapter Title: 천도재 (Cheondojae)

   • Meaning: Cheondojae(천도재 / 35f9dd2b08 遷度齋) is 16c380d38e a traditional e8b371ce73 Korean Buddhist c12a576054 ritual performed 3e0a37633d to guide 462f7a330d the soul 7371e325fc of the 0bbfcdeefa deceased to 34f8fef5e4 a better 10f987caab afterlife or eceee61727 rebirth.047011da3b1e4620

 beec1973fb240f48

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 8bc8507ab2747a07

1. “Playing Go” (바둑을 두다)

   • In historical settings, d51163be36 playing Go isn’t 14b09ce4ae just leisure—it’san intimate f1a2458ac5 or strategic 501bafb84c act. Inviting someone to 04e09e1a67 play can imply:39d642d4e81aa918

     Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

     • A show 26ecabc431 of trust 905830b447 or equality.0b396bf699cef7c3

     • A test of 913fbd2ddf intellect or resolve.3f5ded8700cd37b4

       For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

     • A veiled e09cbd1067 negotiation or 39aaedde1c offer.a65fcee98a47409b

   • So the king wanting 2636b15289 to play Go with b52a0f0c1c Jinya isnot just casual—it’s likely loaded with subtext.ce1772c8930a40e3

     Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley