SNF | Chapter 3.3

Having fully removed his court attire, the Prime Minister donned a more comfortable golden robe appropriate for his residence. Only then did he take a seat across from Yeon-oh, at which point a servant silently stepped forward and placed a tea set on the table.

“Now that I think about it, Yeonseo once mentioned that your tea-brewing skills are quite remarkable. What do you say, Yeon-oh? Would you show this father of yours your skills?”

“I am lacking, but I will do my best.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Yeon-oh pulled away the red silk cloth draped over the tea set. As he poured hot water into the sukwoo¹, the Prime Minister merely observed, saying nothing.

Pouring the water from the sukwoo into the teapot, then from the teapot into the teacups, Yeon-oh carefully warmed the vessels. Throughout the process, he did not look at the Prime Minister. It was only when he placed tea leaves into the pot that the older man finally spoke.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“You have a fine touch for tea brewing.”

“You flatter me.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That aside, Yeon-oh, have you chosen a courtesy name yet?”

The sudden question caught Yeon-oh off guard. It was difficult to grasp its meaning, but he answered honestly.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“I have not yet decided.”

“Hmm. Once the Spring Festival passes, we will set an auspicious date for your coming-of-age ceremony. You should have chosen one by now.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Nothing suitable has come to mind.”

The Prime Minister clicked his tongue at Yeon-oh’s indifference. Smiling faintly, Yeon-oh merely continued preparing the tea.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Once a noble youth underwent gwanrye, they were required to select a courtesy name. From then on, they would be addressed by this name in formal settings, replacing their childhood name except among family or close acquaintances.

“…A courtesy name, huh.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The Prime Minister hummed in thought.

“If it pleases you, would you choose one for me, Father?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“You want me to name you?”

“Yes.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Upon hearing Yeon-oh’s response, the Prime Minister immediately fell into contemplation. Resting his hand on the table, he tapped his fingers thoughtfully before reaching for a brush and ink.

With fluid strokes, he wrote a single character on the white hwasunji (calligraphy paper), then turned it around for Yeon-oh to see.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“‘Cheong²’?”

“The Yeon in your name represents the lotus flower, the symbol of our Hye family. Though the lotus blooms from the mud, it remains untainted in its purity. For one who embodies the lotus, is there any name more fitting than ‘Cheong’—meaning clarity and purity?”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Cheong. Cheong.

Yeon-oh repeated the character in his mind.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

For some reason, Yeshin’s name surfaced in his thoughts. What meaning lay behind the Shin in Yeshin?

Briefly dwelling on the thought, Yeon-oh considered the steeping tea leaves in the pot before picking up the brush beside him.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Soon, an additional character followed after Cheong, completing the name.

“‘Chengshin³,’ the clear morning. A lotus blooming beneath the crisp dawn—yes, that suits you well.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Cheongshin Hye Yeon-oh.

The sound of it was pleasing, and the meaning fitting. Truthfully, he had written it with Yeshin in mind, but he didn’t dislike it.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Satisfied, Yeon-oh folded the paper bearing his new ho and set it aside. At that moment, the tea had reached its ideal shade.

“Come to think of it, His Majesty also has a deep affection for the Crown Prince and even incorporated one character from his era name into the prince’s courtesy name.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The Prime Minister brought up an unexpected subject, signaling that it was time to stop beating around the bush. Yeon-oh, who had also been waiting for the right time to get to the main point, poured the steeped tea into individual cups and placed one before the Prime Minister and the other before himself. Finally, with a serious expression, he met the Prime Minister’s gaze.

“Have you given it some thought?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“My doubts from that time remain unchanged.”

“Is that so.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The Prime Minister, savoring the tea’s aroma with a sniff, called for a servant who was standing at a distance.

“I have important matters to discuss with Yeon-oh. Have everyone retreat at least twenty paces inside the inner quarters. If anyone approaches without permission, they are to be dealt with firmly.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The servant received the order and withdrew. Sounds of footsteps echoed as the servants and guards stationed outside moved away. Until the noise faded, the Prime Minister merely remarked on the pleasant fragrance of the tea, speaking leisurely as he continued to appreciate its aroma. Yeon-oh remained seated in silence.

“You are aware that His Majesty is of similar age to me.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“……”

“When Yeonjin was married to the Emperor as his second consort, she was only sixteen years old, just pretending to be an adult after her coming-of-age ceremony. About the same age you are now.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Prime Minister continued speaking after taking a sip of tea. Yeon-oh waited quietly for his words, keeping his gaze elsewhere. In the hushed space where even breaths were muted, only the Prime Minister’s voice rang out clearly.

“Why do you think that was? I cherished her dearly. She was my first daughter, whom I loved as much as—if not more than—the Emperor now loves his Crown Prince. Why do you think I would have pushed such a beloved child into a political marriage with an Emperor who already had a legitimate heir?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“……”

“If it wasn’t me forcing my daughter into it, then perhaps she loved the Emperor and volunteered herself. But does that sound like the real reason Yeonjin became the lady of the inner court?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The Prime Minister’s question left Yeon-oh unable to answer, but he understood the implication. The Empress had not chosen her path out of love for the Emperor. After all, at sixteen, she was just a cherished daughter raised under the loving care of her father in their family’s golden cradle. There had been no opportunity for her to meet the Emperor on her own.

“…I understand your intentions and that of the inner court, Father. However, inciting the Crown Prince to aim for the throne while the Eastern Palace remains intact is tantamount to treason.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Do you think I don’t know that? The reason the Hye family has maintained its unbroken legacy since the founding of Anra is because we are more attuned to the tides of the world than any other family.”

Even with this justification, Yeon-oh frowned, unable to comprehend why the Prime Minister sought to elevate the Crown Prince to the throne. Suddenly, a realization flashed through his mind like lightning, and he turned to the Prime Minister.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Don’t tell me…”

He wanted to ask if there was someone behind the scenes influencing this move, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak such dangerous words aloud. The weight of the Emperor’s name alone made it impossible.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

The Prime Minister, seeming to understand his unspoken question, gave a subtle nod and took another sip of tea. Yeon-oh’s expression stiffened in shock.

“Why do you think His Majesty included one character from his era name in the Crown Prince’s courtesy name?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“……”

“The significance is not something to be taken lightly. Not even the Crown Prince, nor any member of the imperial family in history, has ever received a character from the Emperor’s era name. It was such an unprecedented display of favor that even the court officials were stunned.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“……”

“I trust that this answers your question.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Yeon-oh’s thoughts were in turmoil. He couldn’t fathom the Emperor’s intentions. Why go to such lengths to remove a perfectly capable Crown Prince and appoint a new heir?

If it had been a case of the Prime Minister pushing for a male descendant of the Hye family to ascend the throne by forcing his eldest daughter into the palace, it would have made sense. If, in that process, the Empress had ambitions of ousting the former Empress’s son and placing her own child on the throne, that too would have been understandable. There’s a difference between understanding and accepting something, after all.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But he couldn’t comprehend why the Emperor would deliberately destabilize the succession by shaking up the established order. Why cause confusion in the nation by removing the already mature and legitimate heir?

Yeon-oh reflected on the Emperor’s reign, retracing the years in search of an answer. Eventually, a plausible theory came to mind.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“…Is it because of the Eastern Palace⁴’s bloodline?”

The current emperor had been plagued by controversies regarding his legitimacy. It was something people avoided talking about openly, and since it had happened well over a decade ago—before Yeon-oh was even born—he didn’t know the details. But he knew as much as anyone else.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Crown Prince Soseong, the emperor’s eldest brother, had died in a tragic horseback riding accident. He had left behind a son, the Grandson of the Crown Prince. According to imperial law, the rightful succession should have followed through him. Had Emperor Munseong, who was reigning at the time, remained in good health and held onto the throne a little longer, the Grandson of the Crown Prince would have been formally designated as the next Crown Prince.

But fate had other plans. Stricken by the shock of losing his eldest son and weakened by old age, Emperor Munseong collapsed and never recovered. With the emperor unable to govern and the designated Crown Prince dead, the court was thrown into turmoil. The Grandson of the Crown Prince was still too young to handle state affairs, leaving the empire in a precarious state.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

At that moment, the current emperor—who was then Prince Yuchin—seized the opportunity. Using his older brother’s passing and the emperor’s failing health as justification, he ascended to the Capital City, deepening the chaos. The court was split in two: one faction argued that, for the sake of stability, Prince Yuchin, the emperor’s second son, should be named heir; the other insisted that imperial law must be followed, and the Grandson of the Crown Prince should inherit the throne, even if it required a regency.

For months, no decision was made. Then Emperor Munseong’s condition worsened, and in the end, he passed away without leaving any clear will regarding his successor.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The one who claimed the throne in the aftermath was Prince Yuchin—backed by the powerful Hanam Hye family and the Sanseo Tae family. That was the man who now ruled as emperor.

Not long after his ascension, a fire broke out, engulfing the Grandson of the Crown Prince in flames. He perished in the blaze, with only the Crown Princess barely escaping with her life. She was then sent away from the palace to live in seclusion. Officially, the fire was an accident caused by a palace servant’s mistake, but rumors spread that the emperor had orchestrated it himself—eliminating his nephew under the guise of a tragic accident before he could grow into a potential threat to the throne.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Does His Majesty dislike where I come from?”

“Yes. Since you seem to have figured things out, there’s no need for me to explain further.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

The Prime Minister—his father—narrowed his gaze and confirmed it without hesitation. Yeon-oh’s suspicions were right.

If this was the case, it all made sense. The Grandson of the Crown Prince had long since perished, but that didn’t mean the emperor’s legitimacy was completely secure. That lingering flaw in his claim to the throne was a thorn in his side—one he wanted to eradicate, root and all.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In that sense, the late Empress Jung An was also an inconvenience. Not only was she not from a noble family, but she wasn’t even a native of Anra.

Empress Jung An had been a princess of Yeon. Back when she married into the imperial family for the sake of diplomacy, the emperor had only been a prince. At the time, legitimacy didn’t matter. But once he ascended the throne, everything changed. A Crown Prince born from a foreign princess could never be considered a true heir of Anra.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

For an emperor obsessed with solidifying his legitimacy, the Crown Prince’s origins were an unbearable flaw.

“Under an ironclad oath, your sister donned the Phoenix Crown. And yet you still insist that a prince cannot be born from this?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“…But did it really have to be this way? Regardless of His Majesty’s intentions, even if the next emperor does not carry the blood of the Hye family, its honor—its noble lineage—will not fade. So why must you stain your hands with blood?”