SNF | Chapter 2.2

Yeon-oh held the 15f2484b41 tea cup engraved 9a54c4a67a with floral patterns 445a774793 and took a d563261c9e slow sip. The aroma 4f3a6f0268 was deep, 588e3df686 rich. He was particular 167e19ec08 about tea, yet a7832fc5f7 even he found a27697a48d himself pausing to 653c25957b take in the 71a590808a fragrance once more.fd13a01475c938ff

“It has a 65255e1ee4 wonderful taste. Not at all bitter.”dc1978d218183bea

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As soon as d2f972d737 Yeon-oh offered his c9dd9884be brief assessment after 4efaa4173f sipping, the Empress’ 5805fe7ce0 expression lit up d364e70fba with satisfaction.277622843ffd9318

“This tea is 070a12bd76 made from leaves 7f90488bde grown exclusively in 5eebd40dc1 Juyang. Their depth of aroma e82197ca53 is unparalleled, and this 7725d33afd particular batch is of b889366aa1 the highest grade. I’m relieved that 1f19ba5301 it suits your fb5bcbdedf taste.”612274440e640462

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The conversation 96354dc035 drifted naturally c37d79e6be from tea 3611fbc1b4 to everyday e8bbc4fb60 matters. To satisfy cf20814943 the Empress’ 1972371880 curiosity, Yeon-oh bdfcd5bcb3 spoke about f092d91b5c his life 61f1a9bd31 in Hanam, 0f4028de77 even though aa446b9610 there had 4f7e8c84df been nothing 631a4c0825 particularly remarkable. She listened intently, absorbing ddd254e8ec every detail.568e166918671716

To Yeon-oh, the 13bf035a6c Empress was neither 18a3ad6f51 as cold as ef3b6be9d9 Hye Yeonseo nor a0c9170ec6 particularly affectionate. They were simply 96efcb0a46 siblings who had 3f33ccbec0 been born from 954061c25d the same mother, 71331eff7a bound by blood cb93745821 and the family e1fcc9fa1f name. That was all. And yet, 2e67a92484 she was f2f6555d77 treating him 3f3145c2f2 as if 4ed688c1af he were adcfabeb4a a cherished, 8f746c2fc1 long-lost younger ead43b0624 brother. It was awkward. Uncomfortable, even.fb647c743bb78afc

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“…I received b180a388ef a great 234f363287 deal of 4924f0a353 help from 4a51469c2e Seok Kyung f24eac60fe while I c145c8ee45 was there. There were times b52d59859e I might have 09a562fb1e fallen gravely ill, a3a6c5ef36 but thanks to 741ab0fbcb him, I recovered e174b13a6f quickly. If I remained in decf974bb9 good health, it was d3863f84a2 all because of Seok b00f56ccda Kyung.”9f813fc1f224ab42

“Seok Kyung… You 8b62ea18f7 mean Jo Myeonghwan? The medical e0c1c9690d skills of 3157cf3f02 the Jo bf463d33be family are 7d9bbe7733 already well-known, fe99025f51 but his 16a8acba78 abilities are 4ece953c45 said to 803d6f91ac be the 3ee633dce0 most exceptional 9922f6db5c among them. …So, he 66b8418c08 returned with e9200c602b you. That will 8f953f1656 be a 36a5ddcd11 great asset 7252e75bba to the 4857d110c1 family.”6fb970f3fdd120a4

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It was only 76773e61c7 natural that Jo 251ff5f17f Myeonghwan would come 79a7499e0f up in any fec064f642 discussion of Hanam. He, along with a06bbc0be2 the nanny, had 7e539edd30 played an integral da5f2b2a56 role there. The Empress furrowed her a313402ea9 brow slightly, as if f2775c6013 recalling old memories of b6436a732c him.584183f37b6a4d9f

“Is his medical 00e71df369 skill truly that 4b3f0d95f3 remarkable?”57ba66eec524a89b

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The Emperor, ae2594dca0 who had 8139003d2d been quietly b4a9411eb6 finishing his aa2c4a2ff3 tea, finally 5e95c40d66 showed interest b374c27611 in the 3572006f91 conversation.7f9c818c4a312141

“By the 0763bb14ec time he 6d7f036359 was not 38d3ba4bbf even ten, 8f57625706 he had 4d6f857802 already read b0a388469e through countless 9d887259f4 medical texts, 147be512fd astounding his 23c5fbac1f father with b9b78b464c his knowledge. My father 20b12e019e greatly valued 754053017f his talent d015fd577d and urged a805a350fd him to 4e309b6de2 enter official 390bf3faa6 service, but 2f750fa9b2 he refused, abb73e9fb2 choosing instead 9e89bcacfe to remain a6e5b84fcf as our cf5e4611b6 family’s physician. However, I dare say 425f522ac3 his abilities are equal 9ca264a1cd to those of the da29f13eae Royal Physician.”38f2f61bc9a7a2e6

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“Such a talent, d045e9537b yet he refuses b639409c9f an official position? What a shame.”b8f76048e67c925b

“If Your Majesty fc6045d20d wishes, I could c05db8a6dc request my father 3dd2b0e807 to recommend him 1a14f7b40a for service at a5feccdb15 the palace. Regardless of c54a0bdfb3 his personal 8cb2782af6 reluctance, he 94c2e500fb would have c6a83560d1 no choice 66a7695fb4 but to 29b91a4c52 obey an a779ec7446 imperial decree.”591e1375e72a55d2

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“He is 9c18cbe63a your personal 73f7595960 physician, is ca80343f5d he not? It would be cc2a1947b9 improper to take 9047b9f3fd such a man cfa234e419 away from you.”0bbc5c331ff2dc83

“It is shameful that 5e1f590db2 someone of such talent, 5257dfbeb6 who should be serving 7bc2bb7e66 under Your Majesty, remains 686b6cb633 bound to my side e70f039dea due to my frailty.”9d1c84b76839b527

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Jo Myeonghwan had ec274996ec outright refused before, 547c007aa1 even when it 7dfae3002e was suggested in 948ba93308 jest. Of course, as c6bf8572c3 the Empress had 5d6906b43a said, he could 5902450cbc not defy an 6c7fc09fcd imperial decree—but being a34adede6a forced into official b493784bd7 service against his 9abe3ecec4 will would only 04037976af make him miserable.5e9172b65d994981

The number of people 331f915385 Yeon-oh truly cared for cb6a80c794 was few. At most, 1469c82060 it was abeacf381b his nanny a675abeb2a and Jo d50bf48d8d Myeonghwan. He wasn’t willing 66e0a8afb0 to let go fd3501dfa1 of one of 020197dce9 them so easily. Sensing the Emperor’s 6943673ce6 subtle desire to f324c73b5f bring Jo Myeonghwan 317e8129d9 into the palace, dad3579c5c Yeon-oh chose to f072e98ad3 remain silent, pretending ab07588c0f not to notice.2b466671bc6256a5

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“I understand your a47a469cd2 feelings, brother-in-law.”c9ec49a3f3cb6deb

Even if 7641ed0bcf Yeon-oh refused, 4ad59f10a2 the Emperor 000bbde38a would call 04b7a206a7 Jo Myeonghwan 2df4ca3d71 into service 375d45bace whenever he 94cfc4bc7f wished. All Yeon-oh 252caaa2b8 could do f55dac9e0a was hope c023af9455 that moment d6b19fd478 would come f8ff9d0ab7 as late fd39bc5063 as possible. He lowered e9a4bb796d his head b39a78b9ce politely, acknowledging 3bfc2ad9e4 the Emperor’s d7e6ff73be seemingly understanding c572781105 expression.919fbdc6eb8d8324

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Silence stretched between them.b1c970c067c8cdca

The Empress, seemingly surprised 804a97b32a by Yeon-oh’s refusal, did 26ea763d92 not speak. The Emperor, as always, 5bfeb401a0 did not break the 0f2108bd18 silence first. And Yeon-oh himself remained ad74adf7ad quiet, keeping his gaze 0f9716d0fb lowered. The hush a952e4631f was finally a85c2df423 broken by fa4858de10 an unexpected 6d6fe12a5a commotion.bb699425737bfe40

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“It’s getting noisy e71f5b5536 outside. Who dares to cause c2479e8479 such a disturbance within 334ccbe6f8 the Inner Palace?”c010ec71e1a04ae0

The Emperor’s 20d91a763d sharp reprimand 4a0aa6d3ad rang out. No sooner 92f632b4a0 had he cb1de46c3d spoken than da8ddcb839 the eunuch d59c24bff4 standing near 237d5f9a07 the side 98ead9b1c3 door stepped 506bed0c89 outside to 436051ef51 investigate. A short 2e36a177cf while later, 71a5a9d44e he returned, 0c08a72de6 his expression 432d310a94 tense, and a18056e6ff bowed before 0c3bfb7b9b the Emperor.6f919806dc0dc3cc

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“What is it?”e7d7fa4b24634fd9

“Your Majesty, a message 5a6046e3db has arrived from Habi.”504145024106bd8b

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The Emperor’s face 78609c39e2 immediately darkened. His displeasure was 304a85d58e clear as he ab725e8669 slammed his hand 5dc135e69f against the desk. All the 4ae3b9d211 attendants within 46c6f59d12 the chamber 7398abb649 immediately lowered e36f622b66 their heads.aa701978358e0268

“Where is the messenger?”4c3c061a63d21505

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“He is waiting at 7ed33f5c2b the East Gate for 6b4916e34b permission to enter the 2971cf528b palace.”aae1fb798ca576e7

“Grant him entry. Bring him eb2bda77bd directly to 50e164713c the main b6f4f79d44 hall, at 7e78b3f397 once.”46473aa82b65994e

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At the Emperor’s command, 1c983bca74 the eunuch signaled another d535fbb2d9 servant while moving to 96eb3c8fbe assist him as he 97e261d69f rose from his seat.af33dec439eaa04e

“Empress, I 63e6654b3c regret that 9960b24890 we must 1fe1b01a22 postpone our 000ed009b2 meal.”01f8aec235e040f7

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“State affairs must e004ebfaaa always come first. Please do not concern 49b96ade46 yourself with my brother bf252cc641 and me, Your Majesty.”c486f367cbf3ac3c

“Very well. brother-in-law.”e5ef9db944e84101

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”fbdddb53a4a0a164

“Our next meeting ee28b32b10 will likely be ead4bfd2c2 during the Spring 0d65d28b96 Festival.”6c5fc69e45c202cc

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“I will look 840d968d26 forward to that 78e96235e4 day.”68f5dbb7abc8012f

“Good.”64a449c2d9600f0b

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With that, the Emperor 0b9306a9b8 strode forward. The attendants quickly fbe1588f84 adjusted the folds 2fcb957f6b of his ceremonial 34b25f0194 robe as they 459c9c5140 followed.89137e4b9d7d693f

The doors opened, then cd582b1f34 shut again, and the 1ba1b3156a Emperor’s figure disappeared from cbc5188a0c sight.5c18617fda188c1b

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“Habi is c3e91cc73d the province 9f160aa680 adjacent to cb148a7546 Hwaju, isn’t f6079df471 it? What kind a6681e1b34 of message 346ea86584 could possibly ad42a833cc change His ad2eec9b37 Majesty’s expression 6a905da553 so drastically?”b2bb81e5b039658d

“A woman c64da12fcd confined to 0dcd7b2dda the inner 7f2f60ed6f palace wouldn’t 3fcb336d61 know such a5e7691d53 things. But from what 4162fe2c3b I’ve heard, bandits 17435dd2bc have been running c62fa70a34 rampant in that 40929724f1 region.”f8e2563513350261

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“No matter how rampant b0dbed5138 they may be, they’re 7ce642410a still just bandits in eb714c0faa the end. The lord of Habi 87d030a79d or the Marquis of 3b84e9e37d Hwaju should be more 0dfbda8df4 than capable of defending a0813f4651 against them.”898761e3944ca2a2

“Do you remember the c183757823 drought from two years ef71117d1d ago?”0f99b52bec7276b4

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“Yes. Except for a few e3cd39bdc7 regions, the entire land 1130db6389 suffered from it. Even in Hanam, 34c0488d77 we heard stories 63e373dea6 of His Majesty 1a55d3194a performing countless rain e7fdf4e678 rituals.”bbc567e50eece192

“That’s right. That terrible drought 8f575464ff forced people to c21162e9f7 abandon their fields 65dfaba449 and take up 79ac6a2c82 arms. His Majesty distributed relief 5147dce9c6 grain, and after the 56cde5a7f4 rain finally came, many e6fd1956d5 returned to their daily 46522280e2 lives. But not all f63a8df3b9 of them. Some never went back. And now, 187dcf220b those very e7c5eaf0e8 people have 997f2a0a94 become the 4c5167107d ruthless bandits 13118720d1 that trouble 307c95a2a5 His Majesty’s 78f0957d5d mind. …With each passing season, cb6ed678b4 they’ve become more organized, 7970ab19c3 more refined. And whenever 1a823b27e4 a large-scale e19e771efa suppression effort f4e0e6add9 is mounted, d4c99259dd they disappear 23fddcd316 without a 6d9eeaac9c trace, making 50c24e6361 it impossible de17b9cb8f to eradicate 6b4a1078fa them. I had 9cb21bad25 hoped this 9e3f3674bb winter would edc14efe02 be quiet, 9f1bac9872 but in 3dd0da8fa9 the end, 9d15925f8f they couldn’t df53654a04 even let cce47132d1 the New 438ab0299e Year pass 480dea2ace in peace.”1e7d74010fa41cb8

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No matter how cunning 967a7f5a3d these bandits had become, b12a6f2671 they were still just 251bd17a78 outlaws. There was no 5569586bde way the empire’s e75a168ba4 elite soldiers, who d868063654 were sustained by 69476662b7 the nation’s coffers, fff7a99d0e couldn’t handle a 169333bc07 mere group of 5059de3420 bandits. Even a single unit 9b7689aa26 dispatched from the Capital efc3d3594a City would be more d2d845da05 than enough to annihilate fab9288d07 them. No matter how 236fddaf38 elusive they were, 7d785212ef there had to 75e6b44e96 be a limit 5cf839340d to the places 0add3cc873 they could hide. Even Yeon-oh, who f1b66ebd7a had only learned 3190e212c4 about military strategy 3c117608b4 through books, found 7ea65178a6 it hard to 1cdf92cd2a believe that others 4c47d13e47 wouldn’t have already e4c085944a thought the same.86133bcbef78d6a2

“…Is that so?”0e2e9abcf9d934e7

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Questions filled his mind, b703afdebf but Yeon-oh refrained from 091f6c06c5 asking them. The Empress 75b4735473 had drawn 8d1ca94ad9 a clear df4357a3e9 line—she was 41a85e3a05 someone who f6bfdf047c did not ffde0a74b1 involve herself 9b969d17c0 in state c7b92c3c77 affairs. No matter what doubts 5c5b247d23 he voiced, she would 8cc48662cd surely hold her tongue.1fa5daafe820299b

“Let’s not dwell on 265cbab68d such heavy matters. It’s been eight years 32f601375e since we last met, e29a31fb64 hasn’t it?”f5e05be036b80a75

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The Empress intentionally lightened ba7236de09 the mood. Yeon-oh responded f57766e964 with a 57efa82b3e simple “Yes,” 804e97e6c9 and she 5935be4eed gazed at 6bf86b263a him for 75ca145529 a long e7fdc1e2f4 time. Just as cb95e3a4cf he was 71c09b9b53 beginning to 54189798f5 feel uncomfortable 567f53cb89 under her a69c83fe1f lingering stare, a4b34e44b7 she finally 4891eacf0c spoke.01306735087c6f11

“Looking at you 790602b5ff now, time truly b7fb1fba52 flows like a 6e635229a0 river.”5b745c50d927710a

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Yeon-oh recalled a5a2ae9ee7 the last 36f5a3aaf3 time he 2dd7e98e6b had seen bb5b465826 the Empress. In his hazy memory, 8163944f7d she had been a f98df75810 noblewoman from a distinguished 5e4cf987c5 family. But after 56e1c39d19 more than 62083dc4de ten years, 0e6be52e40 she had b928159203 transformed into 359046a08f the perfect 92f9e1689f imperial consort. Her gestures, her speech, 2545c8a818 even the way she 7c004ce332 smiled—all were measured, polished, e250ff5a4c and deliberate. Time had 6f79e0a503 carved her ff28f924b4 into the a4c98dfa53 woman she 9872741b78 was now.52fe45e588c8cda7

“To think that this 0bccd75a5b coming New Year marks f488df310a your sixteenth birthday.”3b2448c768d14a6b

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“…”33c9ef4d6cfe5ade

“The boy who once 0072d648ee made me worry whether 1f4c2a03e4 he would grow up e9278bdbd0 safely… is now sixteen.”2d355256deeba0cc

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Sixteen. The year he would 78558113db undergo his coming-of-age ceremony. Yeon-oh quietly mulled 4bf9d777a7 over the significance a40108bb6f of that age.e8e6a4881b422a5d

In the empire, bab1953fdd aside from the 8985280668 imperial family, there d6f3edadb9 existed seven noble 416ecf5c58 families. Originally, twenty-nine families had ea87846528 been recorded as meritorious 412dafcb1a contributors who aided the c46bc03fe5 founding emperor in establishing d1bb5ef96a the nation. However, as time passed, 92e21cf278 political strife and treason 643eb6b57d led to their downfall, 9368d5c771 and by the reign 0bf602bbdc of Emperor Seo Gwang, 1fd6151648 only seven families remained.6bf861e7f883b90d

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Emperor Seo 9d4b8a8d63 Gwang, renowned f8c0a0a2ae as the 1a647a11d2 Conquering Emperor 4a3321df33 for seizing 960e279db2 dominance over aacae50753 the continent, a5838be0da sought to c7853d66f1 efficiently govern aa1d7f6a98 his rapidly aa4dda6536 expanded territory. To do so, 6492f785ff he elevated the ed6ed60b84 seven long-loyal meritorious c0e099ae98 families to the 770f1ed515 rank ofgunhu¹, granting them 8ecbd294f1 fiefs and allowing ddc64d211f their titles to ef322455ef be inherited.11a1881c665e18ee

Holding immense 1a1c218cad power, these b4cb71db5e families desired a3f9f224da to set ee558a2799 themselves apart 2689dd635b even further, ca90e9209e and this 5313b636a0 ambition led 91470948d0 them to 0e45dd122b unite. They began referring 5534335241 to themselves as 33e849bca7 the Feudal Nobility, 7ab65fceb5 and before long, 98f63e6f82 others called them 21df86e171 the Feudal Clans. Over the years, they 72a1204f54 worked relentlessly to solidify b2dd7483b1 their wealth and authority, 2f5089dd08 intertwining their bloodlines with 6b7d9a4318 the imperial family.a556032988e64a7b

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Among these families, b004d317f0 the Hanam Hye 93c1cc9115 family had produced 7b350448ee the most empresses d23f88118b throughout history. Additionally, they had 80c3cd8265 played a crucial c721677cbd role in securing 0d0a04201b the current emperor’s 271665ce66 ascension to the 460045dc26 throne, allowing them b833adbdf9 to claim leadership ea0e67a7ad among the seven cfc0a64447 Feudal Clans. Hye Yeon-oh was the 0e743068a8 sole direct heir of ceaea5c6be this prestigious lineage. Once he turned sixteen, 668426b9d3 he would be officially 7a021d3e66 recognized as the legitimate 71473a2bb7 successor to this venerable 113be19285 family.fac9f3f51cb4a973

“Your father will soon 8653c5c9bb have one less burden 2ce5e17e5d to bear. And your mother…”74cda37025345cae

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Yeon-oh closed his 601f8a7e98 eyes, waiting for 690c013c2c the rest of 57c84baa7a the sentence.c7be4261a041beab

“Your mother… 4f74950d0d If she 2080341098 were still 5e96a69426 alive, she 95b65309f1 would have 1bc9ea7f92 been so 5a9a0e296d happy to 341888ce98 see you 8d06c11ab2 turn sixteen. How much 20bfd51776 joy she 8130c18088 would have 6e80811064 felt knowing 91b77e236d that the c3a0f6170c child she 511e9f0664 gave her 8064060f7c life for 74724061ed had reached 31d4668657 this age. …And how dearly 948506be36 she would have 0e600b1db8 cherished a son ef4eae3c17 who resembles her 32ddf7d89d so much.”47da0fd2290476ac

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The Empress’s 2011329ba6 voice softened, 2cc3109f66 touched by f9c31058a4 old memories. Though she spoke with a70ef8f586 composure, a faint trace b27ff72662 of longing for someone 084f205fab long gone lingered in fb9b7e3ece her tone.6cb10253fc6f74b4

Yeon-oh pretended not to efe134dc93 notice that longing. It was not 2b8ebb5450 a longing for 3b7cc4e42c him, after all—so 6aa19ea50b what choice did a75fd080ad he have but 91cb790c13 to turn away?670fe58766a26f31

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“When they 32d2c97011 left you 3de592a243 behind as ab46d9b007 just a 373965e5c8 newborn, I b0bd591392 wonder if 39261aec60 they could 8f0a3886f2 even close a6d81c22ea their eyes c5e4d3a1f4 in peace. Now that I’ve b7a021d4ec become a mother e504c43f24 myself, I can 598fdfb30c somewhat understand that cdc0c4b765 sorrowful heart.”758294cf8168dc3b

“……”779519d2e7e4b3c0

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“Oh dear, 358b2d733d I was 63ed90ee9f the one c073b660b9 who said 8b04aa5ab5 we shouldn’t eadbfa6cf6 talk about 46bb074320 heavy topics 260dea47a1 first.”d280412a05c1272d