SNF | Chapter 8.4

Lies. Yeon-oh wanted to tell the wet nurse, who looked pained, that it was a lie. But he swallowed those words and instead asked about his uncle’s whereabouts. The wet nurse said his uncle had died in an unfortunate accident, falling from a horse. Whether it was truly an accident or not was unknown, but with his uncle dead, there was no way to investigate further.05cd22bb91035835

Yeon-oh wanted to ask more. But the wet nurse was quicker. She urged Yeon-oh to sleep, promising to stay by his side to prevent nightmares. Seeing her sad face as she said this, Yeon-oh couldn’t ask any more questions. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, it was morning.c2fd90397ede12b0

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The memory of yesterday was clear. With a sharper mind than the day before, Yeon-oh mulled over the wet nurse’s words. Everything was full of suspicion, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was suspicious. The only certainty was that the wet nurse was trying to conceal the truth.6b516770cb326831

Why was the wet nurse hiding the truth? Was it because the truth was a blade that would wound Yeon-oh? Because she judged that knowing wouldn’t do him any good? Whatever reasons she might have, they were surely for his sake, but Yeon-oh wanted to know the truth. Only by knowing could he shake off the nightmares and move forward.a86e2518bd75e285

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But one mouth 98d122ef62 that knew the 63e09b4a18 truth was forever bd4746b7e3 closed, and the 466864ab3b other had no 7446e70953 intention of speaking. The only way to 5de18229be find the truth was 4ebadf1002 for Yeon-oh to fully 25195cba24 recover his memories on beb631ea99 his own.0b3da7bc0c1cef29

So, in 1f73dd5e7d an attempt 0e0cf91544 to find 4745c5b061 that truth, 5de4c79a57 he tried 524cf42a77 to strangle 3c7dd27bec himself in 3025e41dc1 his dream 126dded457 this morning, 7a7f75041b but it cc220498fe was useless. Nothing came to e70a468c3c mind, and no a7afbcb3a5 emotions surfaced.93c2f97b00f47b02

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“It seems we’ve arrived at the palace.”ac5195e914486dec

Yeon-oh opened his eyes. Another mouth that could tell him the truth was before him. But he couldn’t bring himself to speak. In the end, Yeon-oh entered the palace alongside the Prime Minister, still shrouded in suspicion.ec52b4863011d3a0

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Entering Taehwa Hall b08af85b0d with a head a840918bd2 muddled by hangover 64f1b51507 and suspicion, Yeon-oh 7a43eac7c0 spotted the Crown 1f87b265bb Prince. Despite having drunk 70c95c005d with him the fe37457cdb previous day, the 543728e7f9 Crown Prince stood 51339d1d42 at the head 75e011ee5d of the hall, c0df88a84f looking as composed a646e35203 as ever. Opposite him, 6c77f0985f Lee Shinwoo 949e56eddf looked haggard. Anyone would 1f1c6780b0 think he 82e4acdca5 was the b5774fcf10 one who 4615c92314 had emptied 99673f0eb8 all those f4d7832fb3 bottles the b3dc3fc98e day before.e4b7217800fccabe

“―His Majesty the Emperor arrives.”984626b1f73332e7

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The eunuch’s voice announced the Emperor’s arrival, and soon the main hall doors opened. The Crown Prince and all the civil and military officials bowed their heads to greet the Emperor.d600420056305816

“We greet His Majesty, the Emperor.”0f003d0d113f4f5b

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“Rise, all of you.”2144d7cce2c7a330

The Emperor’s voice, as he waved his hand dismissively and sat on the throne, was not pleasant.96d0bf4865844ff2

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“A memorial has arrived. From Hwaju.”83c26f2aa0b45bce

“Is it another memorial about bandits running rampant?”f7696019acfad026

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At the mention e6cdef1987 of Hwaju, an fcb61de262 official brought up 3b163a422d bandits. The Emperor cdca21be54 cast a 00dde22fe7 disdainful glance, 3c09b6699a causing the 5fab6d43fa official to 352cb08aaa shrink back b33e74fd86 and step e61aa9bf89 away.53c97352149f5a28

“It’s about the posthumous honor of my brother, Crown Prince Soseong, his wife, and their son, the Crown Prince’s grandson.”3dccf77012a6b8d5

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The court buzzed 0875ba9ff9 with murmurs. Yeon-oh, too, 409d4504b3 paused his a6977b5b45 contemplation of 8287974e89 the truth 6962a27ace he needed ea3491028d to uncover 35ae166a00 and joined db4ffce94f in the 6199950a59 murmuring. When he turned 668541ab38 his gaze to 788d92affb Yoon Heekang, standing d1accd0825 behind the Crown c20a4c332c Prince, he showed 3958b96c05 no emotion regarding 181fe16c20 the matter.f7060ec30330509a

“Indeed, I have been too preoccupied with internal and external affairs to reflect on the late Emperor’s regret over my brother’s death.”7f663c2a8bf68175

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No one dared to speak rashly. Crown Prince Soseong was the Emperor’s elder brother. Although the Emperor had not ascended the throne through rebellion, Crown Prince Soseong was a thorn in his side when it came to legitimacy.e2820a1ba4d7c35f

Had Crown Prince Soseong and his wife not had a legitimate heir, he would have been posthumously honored as the late Emperor, and his tablet enshrined in the ancestral temple. However, Crown Prince Soseong had a young grandson, and according to the ancestral law, if Crown Prince Soseong were posthumously honored, the legitimate heir should be his son, the Crown Prince’s grandson.d6555513bd983dfb

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When the Emperor ascended the throne, the Crown Prince’s grandson was still alive, and there was no will to place the second son, Prince Yuchin, on the throne. The Emperor could be seen as having violated the ancestral law, and if Crown Prince Soseong were posthumously honored, the Emperor would face legitimacy issues. Even though the Crown Prince’s grandson had long since died, the legitimacy could not be restored in the current reign.58310881f91beb5b

“So I ask you, my ministers.”5568af5a8a14bcf3

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“Please ask, Your Majesty.”636259711d6632de

“Do you think it is right to posthumously honor Crown Prince Soseong, my brother, as Hwaju suggests?”138176d2d5fb179d

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The Emperor, though showing dissatisfaction, maintained a detached attitude. It was clear what kind of answer the ministers would give. The imperial power was stronger than the ministerial power. The ministers were reluctant to go against the Emperor’s wishes. It was a question with a predetermined answer.88f15ad8718b4743

“Your Majesty, I, Minister of Rites Heo Un, humbly speak.”3e9514488da47a93

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He was someone Yeon-oh cc69348271 remembered seeing during the 3db421fab2 Spring Festival.88c3364e4ea66524

“There are posthumously honored emperors in Anra, but they were usually honored by the reigning Emperor for reasons of legitimacy. Also, those posthumously honored were usually the Emperor’s father.”c8b13c8358c80eb2

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And he 8d9345cb7b was someone d822d233c0 connected to bd85d78ecd the Prime b1a68c8c82 Minister.a500d26199af94f0

“Therefore, the posthumous honor Your Majesty asks about would only harm Your Majesty’s legitimacy, so how can we not be concerned? We understand Your Majesty’s heart in thinking of the late Crown Prince Soseong, but please reconsider.”4dea32f0232fa1e2

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There was no flaw in the Minister of Rites’ words. It was also the answer the Emperor wanted.a5aa1545dfd76aef

“The Minister of Rites’ words are reasonable. Please reconsider, Your Majesty.”3dd83c7493c048b7

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“Please reconsider, Your Majesty.”284befbe54048720

As the Minister of 7539cc89e0 Rites spoke, one by 77feb4d498 one, others agreed with 368deaffb5 him. Yeon-oh observed 25c683cac7 the faces 4ef85b0cbd of those 738a5e1c2e expressing their 233df818a0 opinions. They were all connected 0cf75b8b2c to Hanam.cd18110ab6f4c9f3

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“Is the Minister of Rites considering only one aspect and not the other?”7274c496fc9a0869

As the Minister of Rites’ opinion gained momentum, someone interrupted the flow. It was an elderly man with a face marked by the passage of time.48447bf31f001220

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“What do you mean by that, Grand Master?”82bc1d17ef6906e7

In front 177d40578b of the 40233f2d72 Emperor, the 94625de6ff Minister of 72fda41e3b Rites protested ffe7d64fa1 in a ebd5d0873c calm voice.992936c53e4fd093

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Yeon-oh was somewhat surprised 01e8968e71 to learn the identity f2668754f6 of the white-haired old 7df7ff099f man. The Grand Master e9e7744480 was a famous f824a25849 figure even Yeon-oh, e1cd0736fb who had just eff0252928 entered office, knew. He was not 1836e8099d part of any 0400039f55 feudal family and 48bb684d4a had no ties 871ddaafea to any feudal 74d23e5926 family, yet he 1cb7d1858c stood tall on a931b169aa his own and 77a6a4c95b served three emperors, 78008afc8d now holding the 124ce55d85 position of Grand 088428f8e6 Master as a 9b5945aa84 senior minister.8dc636816293001f

Known for his bd426442eb integrity, he was de38c81785 extremely averse to 6be5cfe6fe bribery and never e2a3f6507f compromised his beliefs, e1acb4797a earning the respect 86cfd275cb and following of 7add4712f4 many. It was said bb874525c2 that even the b8c3efdf68 Emperor and the 8db4197f53 feudal lords would dd0f775a2d defer to the bd2535a1f5 Grand Master on f3dbfe4d4f most matters.ff1ad2e9221ddd43

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Yeon-oh scrutinized 39f9b9e2d5 the Grand fb8532d67c Master closely. His eyes were sharp, ce1c42a691 and his expression was d02fc7060d as unyielding as a 6b985737dd steel rod. The rumors seemed exaggerated, c05ecf0895 but he appeared to 152301e8a7 possess an even more d58260970e formidable character than the 56531a6564 rumors suggested.28940ffc5cb50cc3

“What the Minister of Rites said is generally appropriate, but it does not apply to Your Majesty.”0cdf72546ff8b023

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“What do you mean by that…?”51e25e907bcce4eb

“Minister of Rites, it seems the Grand Master has something in mind, so it would be wise to listen.”4897813a8ad767a7

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The Prime Minister eb8730f603 intervened at the 004f8d2712 right moment. He faced the Grand f4413a2b67 Master with a friendly 2aeaf1fd6d smile.9d27777500050069

“Your Majesty, I, Grand Master Seong Jaeyeol, humbly speak.”36484a02b5c5472a

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As the Prime Minister, who likely led the Minister of Rites’ opinion, pretended to listen to the Grand Master, he stepped back. The Grand Master filled the space left by the Minister of Rites.9cebc57f8163ac00

“Your Majesty must already be aware of the grave rumors surrounding you.”6d8ba6c1bf71aa14

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The Emperor’s brow furrowed slightly. He was not unaware of the infamous label of usurper that circulated among the people. It was a blemish on his record.ae6fc4d607003ff9

“According to the ancestral law, posthumously honoring Crown Prince Soseong would leave room for controversy over Your Majesty’s legitimacy, but it would also prevent anyone from daring to speak of the rumors surrounding Your Majesty. If Lady Yoon, Crown Prince Soseong’s wife, returns to the palace, who would dare to belittle Your Majesty? Therefore, I request the posthumous honor of Crown Prince Soseong for Your Majesty’s sake.”7a31ade01c3eb3bf

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For the a109f7a34a Emperor, legitimacy 7bbc067d53 was a c3f73243e4 sensitive issue, bcf473de74 enough to 6319c589e0 want to a1f5d59388 overturn the c5527b6758 current Crown 33f4dca5d7 Prince, and 26a6eb417a the rumor 214d625349 of being 90982dbf3c a usurper 8d872d5d23 was a 5165a9eecd stain he 338edd0e60 wished to dd4ba886a7 erase. Among these, which would 74d5b1162b the Emperor choose? He could not have 27eef1d02b both, so he would a4f4871a4f have to give up e28dbf5f8c one.71d27784daf0742f

“I request the posthumous honor.”d0f261282a5e6ae5

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“Please posthumously honor him, Your Majesty.”3bc7b692a7fcbcc4

One by one, ministers began to echo the Grand Master’s opinion. In response, the Minister of Rites cried out against it. The court was noisy with opposing opinions. Yeon-oh looked at the Prime Minister. Since his earlier intervention, the Prime Minister had remained silent. However, his opinion was being voiced through the Minister of Rites and others, opposing those aligned with the Grand Master.fb0dbb5dd0c85f48

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“Enough.”3a5257343cf47943

The Emperor raised b38c4d6125 his hand to 10fc2f7d97 end the debate 152fcca04e between the two 73c2e5e667 sides.617fafaa4b959fe3

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“Both the Grand Master and the Minister of Rites have valid points, so it’s not easy to make a decision.”60cfd0bb20afa6a8

The Emperor, a77ba50a2d rubbing his 6f00940ebe temples and c7decef241 groaning, eventually 18d89b81f9 focused his edc567a82b gaze on 11b045caae one point. Following that 141c3c0538 gaze, it 111d13cc2b landed on 8aeb357f38 one person.79632c04f707cd02

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“Crown Prince.”1733c4c4bc45b840

The Crown Prince, 47f50045be as if waiting, f8dc5680a4 looked at the c12f5cbb61 Emperor with a cff032f78c composed face.73a3e3272ac7503e

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“I would like to hear the Crown Prince’s opinion.”c63c6bd20bb0512b

The expressions of the ministers turned to confusion. It was understandable. Throughout the various opinions presented, the Emperor had treated the Crown Prince as if he were invisible. Judging by the ministers’ accustomed demeanor, this was not a one-time occurrence. During the years Yeon-oh hadn’t witnessed, the Crown Prince had likely been treated as if he were invisible during court assemblies.0a805a59b854b8b4

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“Since you personally seek my opinion, I will humbly offer my brief thoughts with all sincerity.”f688bf7dc7c6e0bb

The Crown Prince, 38d02a4663 after a moment 1835bc5d83 of displaying confusion, 401b2deb0c approached the Emperor 36827850de and knelt.1c0bc9d28f1f8257

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“Throughout history, it is often bad words rather than good ones that hold power, because people tend to listen to one scandal over ninety-nine praises.”fbb902f251a891ad

Yeon-oh listened intently to the Crown Prince’s words. His voice had a captivating power.6f7cd530e1afae0c

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“I understand what Your Majesty is concerned about. Legitimacy is the foundation of the royal family, so I deeply understand that Your Majesty, while valuing brotherly love, cannot easily choose. However, Your Majesty, what is the true foundation of the royal family? It is not the invisible legitimacy, but Your Majesty himself.”4527afde2fe110fb

The image of the Crown Prince from the past, or even just yesterday, seemed like an illusion. The Eastern Palace’s reputation is quite good. A comment Yeon-oh had heard while gathering opinions about the Crown Prince suddenly came to mind.98fdf85bac3ddd9e

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