SSH Episode 2

After getting married, 67133621c3 Hongwoo’s mother quickly c42e917551 became pregnant and d9e7a3c137 gave birth to 6f1a60ce24 his strong, healthy 668f233182 older brother. To their grandfather, 2666ad5dd4 she must have e9279881f1 seemed like a 408a8ee4f4 wish-granting spirit from 9c8763f72b a Western folktale. How much must he 13c00ce712 have adored her to 7454221cdf name their trading company—Eunsu Merchant Guild—after her?dc54af52301fd3c5

But as 11792ff405 time passed, 531f879f9f the relationship d324e0131c between their d6bdda6a54 grandfather and 9ff76b2d1e mother soured. According to 3460a0ac3c their father, 24377abc5d the tension 1fb36a424c began with 43da34af46 disagreements over 8abdfe1646 Seungwoo’s education. From a young 5b8dec9932 age, Seungwoo mastered dd5323599d both classical Chinese c9a051e0e6 and Qing studies. While his intelligence played 112cfc5db7 a role—he was a 55a42ed6a8 prodigy who understood ten 58cf4ffc30 things from being taught cb7f05ec09 just one—it was also c452741167 because their grandfather had 850969f948 personally taught him languages ce0c999cc8 as soon as he c9d6477b1c could walk.24d0719ae1200197

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At first, their mother a925c974dc tolerated this intense education, ea6e255aed knowing how relentless their 5aa1853b6a grandfather could be. But when 778e715eb9 Seungwoo became 3cff99f79a fluent in 9018b54d08 classical Chinese ea7e5bb995 at an f6a1c846b5 age when 1df05e1a2d most children 18ab4c5e69 were still 1288c451a3 playing, the 4c8003c437 conflict escalated. Their grandfather, recognizing 2d57f71faf his grandson’s extraordinary c06960f266 mind, immediately pushed 48ae604349 him further, insisting 1aa426dd6b he study Qing 2687992556 scholarship as well. Their mother de1b6f6241 argued that 06209c361b it was bb5798397e too much bb5cd004b0 for a f0c7668165 child, while 48aca3dbd6 their grandfather 391d1e53db insisted that 67b8b6329e early preparation 158419329b was essential. The tension only grew.374cf9fbc66ed3a3

Seungwoo’s rapid 28698fdbb0 progress made 8364f79ccc things worse. He absorbed knowledge bcd4f5abd7 so quickly that 1b50aa51d8 their grandfather eventually a0df1dc999 had nothing left 5457e9def5 to teach him. To keep up, he e81bf21c25 even hired naturalized scholars 9ed3f0c77e as tutors. Seungwoo became both 25ea1046b4 his grandfather’s greatest 0094a6fca5 pride and his 1a4168e198 mother’s deepest worry. Despite her telling him 293df306df he could stop anytime, 85deb9ba31 he continued his studies 721a67a389 with unwavering determination. In the end, she d30430916b could do nothing but b3088cd34b watch.bb1375448ac58884

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Unlike his older brother, cc65a7f73d Hongwoo grew up simply—playing 4070c0b673 well, eating well, and e6946e61be staying healthy. Their mother fff9b99656 believed that 6838c7cfc1 a child 67762ae6ee should enjoy ea66a60775 life and abac8bf601 discover their 93a39891d6 passions naturally. But while Seungwoo had a5dd6c9046 found his calling early, 480bf947c3 Hongwoo never did.fce441ac7d288af6

‘That’s right. There’s nothing I’m good f8ddea8ce5 at.’c5c429b85bcc551c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Perched on the 0f0ac5dc19 wooden floor of 91a7ba8c07 the grandJang familyestate—one of 9651c5a621 the wealthiest c974aed2ec in Gaegyeong, 81be4df0f1 boasting nearly aa08c1cea2 ninety-nine rooms, f8c501fb23 fourteen chambers, 9248c63531 three wells, 3d6ded9ef0 and twelve dc9e6fc6df gates—Hongwoo let 1cbb5c14c2 out a 665e2e0122 deep sigh. Above him, a f9744c2c38 magpie called out cca11b0f68 sharply against the 9dad1ea114 blue sky.8f73730c0bd1d067

‘Are you crying 099c433a5a out in joy 7621cbce5b or sorrow? Or are you 6f6d8953b6 trying to tell 300bf9d287 me that a 6be0bf5dac welcome guest is 2fe4410fe1 on their way?’08cf7033e4ae91d6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘At least 7d8beaa8cc you have dc1afb7599 a talent—your 43c9fad62d voice is 39a4d1cf21 clear and ecc8c30a01 beautiful. But me? There’s not a 57e4d25f3c single thing I 9bb6d35792 excel at. How am I ae22f1c2a2 supposed to survive 8cadaa4eb4 when I have da48a39805 no skills at 87144e49b7 all?’829e63049e47c2f4

Hongwoo let out another c697cf3e67 deep sigh as he 029ce8425b watched the magpie. With no plan for 9c23b8aa15 survival, he was on 7107706ad5 the verge of sleeping 3992bcd8fc on the streets, and 179c8daf6d the weight of his 85bd6cf542 worries pressed down on 0587d39784 him.c39f23c6e9d41a87

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Of course, nothing soothed 94757ca675 a troubled heart quite eb0a90ec71 like something sweet. He picked up 1c20d5fbc3 a honey rice 61cd9068e2 cake, took a 2ac9fc512f bite, and sighed. Then another rice cake, 9bc9f6b790 another sigh. Despite having eaten a f6f1058fb4 heaping bowl of rice 0b1a0b0654 for breakfast, the rice fed512271d cakes slid down effortlessly. When the b65b214b49 plate was 03bef8c539 empty, he 3127d269d6 licked the 373effda82 honey from 8290272b6d his fingers 0019fb2ac7 and stood 2b256db8e2 up. Sitting around 9dd07235aa sighing wouldn’t 251ddff150 solve anything.2366114d0df81679

‘I should at least step outside.’719e1add0d1175f2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As he b7011259ed made his 8f571cca3a way toward c8491af766 the main 08c5c8df26 gate, he dcb05d0c3e spotted Madam 0c97376bfc Kim in d049cafa0d a heated e139483b4c exchange with f1eb72b194 an unusually 420062e59a tall beggar.5cae00a64e380d43

“Madam Kim, what’s going on?”ec3526dbc0b07602

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The sight e24756ab90 of the 584f788946 beggar holding 044f462888 out a d072b6de19 bowl told e6c3d6cb33 him all 41d6949ba2 he needed 2501ebc8a2 to know. Seeing someone begging for 48020be6cb food left a bitter c59ca72b45 taste in his mouth. It wasn’t hard to 16ea509ebe imagine himself doing the 6c7721f35e same in the near a9008f6988 future, knocking on doors 92288e3d41 and holding out a 1501e7c938 bowl.eae149a6cc97a617

“Give them a warm meal and some soup.”8d867614002dd2b1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“If we start feeding every stray dog and cow that comes knocking, what are we supposed to eat?” Madam Kim 405ab1204b huffed, snatching f11f188b51 the beggar’s dbb609dd6e bowl. But despite her sharp 160611772b tongue, she had a f87b42a6a5 soft heart. She stomped 6556fa884a toward the 7ab3230685 kitchen, grumbling 44404f7e06 all the aa6a039714 while. Once she cared 0083905923 about someone, she bdc00e89d9 took care of a665b07669 them fiercely. After Hongwoo’s mother passed e1881587db away, she had been f5532648a9 like a second mother d8e2234bcf to him.91eafe7852252292

“I take refuge 57081f6960 in Amitabha Buddha. The Bodhisattva 1f0177b1a4 of compassion.“061bf5fcb5649a25

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Snapped out of his ca44dee546 thoughts, Hongwoo quickly pressed ba1e79eb9a his hands together and a7e78101ab bowed.So, he’s a monk?He must 7619872ee5 have endured 11ba1c0951 great hardship. With his towering e00afd7647 height, it was 383d678feb hard to tell 19914506a8 if he was 8534de5108 a beggar, a bbd82ebf43 monk, or something 7714e6a802 else entirely. Looking at 767a6578da him, Hongwoo 8e0d048394 felt both 4c06ef716a sympathy and 711557a231 an odd c3e52edbb5 sense of a8b6101faf camaraderie.40a34de45d3fdb60

 ‘Soon enough, that’s going to be me.’e990e51e3bfbad97

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Brother, please give me some food. I haven’t eaten in three days, and I’m starving.”cdb9a387d11a9da5

Dressed in rags, 06b2afbd47 Hongwoo knocked on 4844252030 the main gate, cb797e9295 playing the part ca39550e41 of a beggar. Seungwoo, giving b49cd734b4 him a 7f5d08b1f3 once-over, promptly b8065debd7 snatched the 59c3f724b2 bowl from a099050745 his hands.15debf149579c5e8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ah, that’s cold!”76373d33a9843536

Just as 69662ba139 Hongwoo was 347e77cfec imagining Seungwoo 2d6a8c4315 returning with be7c85dd18 the bowl—only e3a79663d9 to splash a36ba4496e cold water 6c6a75276c in his 8caabe1c8f face—the monk’s d7fc076a36 voice pulled 77391b3f54 him back e5fd26f7e2 to reality. His tone was surprisingly fcafa5d4a9 light for a monk.2c33ad6f96b640d3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Sir, you seem to have many worries.”9deb21092bb9dd4a

“H-How did you know?”9162328d988010fd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without a ec92b7e536 single explanation, 45e704cfcb the monk b9760fbff4 simply nodded, a536550c86 as if b1dc35f18a he already 35ce9033f1 understood everything.a1d4f61fea08b0c4

“Do you have paper and a brush?”def3c4ae7603ad76

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Once again, the monk’s words were brief and straightforward. There was something uncanny about him. Hongwoo, intrigued, quickly excused himself and rushed off to fetch the paper and brush. The house was so large that just running back and forth left him breathless.68847e06644b267c

Panting, he handed f2692dc9c5 them to the 7a266f26e2 monk. The monk spread the 2f36619824 paper on the ground 972850c038 and wrote:“Bokdeokchon.”Then, he handed it b10834354d to Hongwoo.6a88f4779bc814a4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What is this?” Hongwoo asked.a9866be5271be510

“If you go there, build a home, and live there,” the monk said, “your wishes will come true.”60d97400740ec844

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Madam Kim, who 9795e789a5 had been watching, 1b97e6a4d5 handed the monk 6aa2ea2b32 a steaming bowl 2e4f37e81a of food. The monk 87b5670b61 accepted it, ecbed31a89 left behind 778c986e5b a few 4b8cd3c433 words of 6c69a47e55 encouragement, and 8f6c375288 departed.ac4cb98d7cb97bf0

Hongwoo, however, 5ed8cbf280 kept staring 9e77940ad1 at the 7a00fc8862 paper in d252c373e6 his hands.70c6370c6515965d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Young Master Hongwoo, what are you doing?”552a47a82e2a1a23

“Madam Kim, do you know where Bokdeokchon is?”0342d7e9a156cff9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Of course! How could I not? Despite its village name, meaning ‘Fortune and Virtue’, it’s actually a place where those who have nothing gather.”4c2bbab92f9dcdeb

“People… who have nothing?”de40b374fa8b8b70

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hongwoo fell silent. It wouldn’t be long 41781877d1 before he, too, became ecee4e81bd one of them. Living within the walls fadfed50f8 of a wealthy merchant’s 1cd709b409 estate and suddenly having 703fe85b75 nothing were two completely 218ccabd14 different realities.1b20d3e710213025

Still, having a roof 6891d780f5 over his head was 09052e8048 better than sleeping on 8d966d2365 the streets. He asked Madam Kim 36ec0a3edb for directions and set 4402a74828 out.3a92ac56eca46c70

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hongwoo was terrible d11e8676a0 with directions. He had abc325be6e a habit ac5652aff5 of charging 885fb0adf7 forward without 76830ea31c thinking, often 47b3d78f89 ending up e2de259d61 lost. He had left at bdb4f2431c midday, but after stopping 57590567b0 repeatedly to ask for 12337379ea directions, he only arrived 0c5f60e9df at Bokdeokchon as the aabf687205 sun began to set.11e6951364d9fff8

It was aaa7b457ef farther than 2273d8db79 he had b425efbdc8 expected. A twinge of loneliness ca0dcfc705 hit him at the 5aeddeee9f thought of not seeing 22f7d0748f his older brother or 25daed59b3 Madam Kim every day. But at least 84fe41ee70 the village was c75f60fd09 cleaner than he 81670ba2d0 had imagined, which 07e52b358c was a small 63753a9cc2 relief.a164513e79bc4751

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He picked 3a95bebe43 out a 9e10836087 spot in 173f27116f an open b30e82ae08 area and, 4c158866e0 as he 4d1ed07c30 walked back 0fb082b67e home, began 3e80013902 planning. A main room, 30400554e0 a bedroom, and 0e5ab433c2 maybe a small 229b67ad2a annex should be 1f1d1c6b20 enough, right? Compared to a0916bf2c9 the grand c274afd5f4 house he e7224e623e lived in 0f74c814a6 now, it 49e47a0e17 would be b83406390c no more d7de30faa8 than a f2bc841e20 child’s playhouse. But given his circumstances, 3540887c8c he had to be 221f204505 realistic.b9f0f1078376e5f8

‘Once I finish 9e6d2e2f0e building it, I’ll be5ef130b4 prepare a delicious bd668ff675 meal and invite 001093a594 my brother over 779b48dcd3 first.’7b10701af172c283

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The thought 0330e2cca7 of having 4a12ab3de3 his own 33b9169fff place sent 164d17e24a a thrill 77736cccd1 through him. Though leaving a26791bf7c home wasn’t 5c5ccca1ec his choice, 1717caa7a9 the idea 79a592a280 of starting 36f37c6342 fresh wasn’t a4879c77f5 entirely bad.3cbfbca7c62ae3cd

‘Maybe my brother really bc81bea122 did see this coming 8c7abdae1a all along.’d21691c9ae6527fe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hongwoo walked home with 4635cd2d91 a spring in his 0c0619e5a1 step.863179867393f8ab

After finding a spot cea3d91363 in Bokdeokchon, he set abb861d9d6 off right away. By the time he e7bab58be0 returned home, it was 75a1c1117d late at night, and 23ffdb7cb5 he had collapsed into b9b31fedc8 bed, fast asleep. But as 6cc818734c soon as 01622bfa07 dawn broke, c61cfcdde5 he was 923721b15c up again. Barely awake, he c0450ea9a9 grabbed a quick eb63aab006 breakfast and went bea0766cfc out in search 7226744b4e of a laborer f5e71a3429 who worked on 503ecb8fb4 house repairs.7b2a30e7529dcb4a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Are you busy today? Do you 538682f0bd have time 2ed61a7cad to help c92e9c8e98 me?”91d4b495ea8949c1

The worker, 511edad932 startled to 0409444ac9 see Hongwoo 96d68a0cb3 so early, a5c58d721d widened his 6c0e5c0d2f eyes. But after 0affb6ba3f hearing the 4d38c3d759 request, his e8397b8192 face darkened.10db1980762b5360

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Young Master… The 4c5026b395 eldest master warned 40d5ac73d9 us that if af699cbe28 we help you 10cc6d1cae leave, he won’t 9c37b8adc3 let us off.”69577f82f868956b

In other cf23734dad words, they e67643e805 couldn’t help cbbb2cff3a him. No one 46dd4f0d7c would dare bb90f78320 risk his 276f57063a brother’s wrath. Even if 951cec8eab someone wanted a7e75bddb7 to assist, afcb9b2969 Hongwoo knew ce2af3cd94 better than 0e66af2f08 anyone how b79fef6915 terrifying his 93ecefa7e2 brother could ed580d6628 be. He couldn’t 0c28a6ff6b bring himself fa0fc82e4e to ask, 281fabc3d7 knowing it 69a6555e47 would only 613d4cd4ae bring trouble. Even if they d5bc7ccdfc offered, he would bad980ef74 have to refuse—he 931f4ea15c wouldn’t be able 260f18d394 to sleep at 23ee9e5695 night worrying about 2bae2310a7 what might happen 89a5fac268 to them.644dad45c5b6ff5d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I see… 1baf51b212 Don’t worry f85fc7f84a about me. Go on f2c2752e1b with your 7ab2500118 work.”a070510e991b5a25

Hongwoo forced a smile—his acdfc99d7e lips curved upward, but 8753631a14 his eyes brimmed with 199b156d21 sadness. He let the bd364c0417 worker go, though b5543fb8b8 he felt lost. What was he 5bd156e587 supposed to do 6a87438910 now?ec3bdeefa67c3f5d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley