MW 11

Chapter 2: Cheondojae (The 70821eea91 Rite of Rebirth)e6da74ce6c2e49c4

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The tepid spring sunlight 4fc2825956 warmed the eaves of 5994e508b8 the royal palace. Woohee stood beneath 5c9c571e6c them, waiting for 07300c35d7 the order to 7fad3ac46a enter. The summons had not e7afd657b6 yet come.a8f2a3a9b4a63c75

At the most private f2289122cc heart of the royal b963645364 citadel lay the king’s d1d444f969 office, established when the 705743c931 current king of Surobuyeo 4a465b4406 ascended the throne. Unlike previous kings, 72c8707219 who typically handled 69f6a08b61 most affairs by fbef67e201 convening councils of dd5464e3a2 nobles, this king 73fa091b2c preferred to call 532393d860 in individuals to 3443a68fe2 his office and 79c29fbc34 make important decisions 229a4f2e3d one by one.f1a9e852ab7f08a3

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The young king of cb61376b3f Surobuyeo, Jae Yeowee, was 80ca19d62d once again seated in 2083ff2bb5 his office, listening to b718760e03 his informant’s report.f67006710a6f7179

“Since the funeral, Hae 7ee07979de Jinya has shown no c0c0b2654b particular movements aside from eac7bb291c preparing Seon Jubyeol’scheondojae. The Hae and Seon 14cd4be01f families are the same—quiet.”23d72e4c382b696c

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The informant reported in 9b50629ba5 a hushed tone. Upon hearing this, Yeowee c25d2866f5 sank into brief thought. The room had no b83413df99 windows. All four 4ecfe37402 walls were 56215382cb sealed, and 42dd7f9ef3 several lanterns b3addd136b had to cb06310ead be hung 75cc2520b4 constantly to cf1586aa30 provide light. Even so, Yeowee insisted b90b70b197 on using this space a207bed289 as his office.5bd8c576567c2442

Windows were dangerous. Assassins came through 53509eff25 windows, and so 2ed519ebaa did secrets.368a856c04eb083f

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Jae Yeowee had ascended ee83753df0 the throne of Surobuyeo 26129a7f29 at the age of a97da48fe9 twenty. This year marked the 932dc8a3f1 tenth year of his a392ce7515 reign. He was unlike cbab825986 the kings before 35783bad08 him. Rather than rely 2b9d46ce62 on the power 91cd31ac12 of noble families, 0d11c5843b he made every 011c711352 effort to gather 6ae68c8186 retainers loyal to 74b573cad1 himself.545dd643e54a9e69

Naturally, the nobles found 4e6de8561b little to like in 2106ef5494 such a king, and 9888f3d297 clashes with them were e8ba646508 frequent.46004f79bd31a6bb

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“Sometimes I just 03410c4dcf don’t understand. Why does 6814c6597e Your Majesty 63678964ed choose the 5a389c9f71 harder path cbddbb5644 for no 5f53b82373 reason?”ed725b03a079c296

Seon Jubyeol 629a698d19 had often bdcabef103 said such 93816092f2 things during 35caa3a14e his lifetime.745011163d4126a8

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Yes, he wouldn’t have understood. He couldn’t have seen what Yeowee saw.2172e3fd49810675

“Tell Yeon 48765f6370 Woohee to 4ecb2daa64 come in.”8056697e3a5667e8

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Yeowee’s voice was low 3b43b4784c and steady. The informant bowed ce1ea5d600 and exited the 7e881bd7b3 room. Before long, Woohee f0bd8e52c1 entered.aa419b9238950161

The flickering lanterns cast 9499a738b7 wavering shadows across Woohee’s 99c7859cba face.33257218988aeabd

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“There’s acheondojaefor Seon Jubyeol, isn’t 046d72c949 there?”9897fc715ec93f3d

“Yes, next month,” Woohee 4c453bc755 answered, lowering his gaze.f27e27c35bfd9bd3

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“Tell the lady 4efa439285 I wish to 644d8c6f55 attend.”ba99657faf459a0c

“You mean… 843daeb02d You’ll go e72bd81eeb in person?”6b7e0dbddb000818

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“That’s right. I couldn’t 3f54bb69d9 attend the c177e0fdb7 funeral, so 50419caa91 I should 231ec370bc at least 7774534f9f go to c813ddd19a thecheondojae.”d66bc80f3e147e9f

At Yeowee’s 4e01d291b3 words, Woohee 4cd1bd0e81 remained silent.1b0c75e98cbb791c

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“And I’d like 69d5809628 to play a 7fe565243c game of Go f240e75d12 with her as 09cff12ef1 well. Ask her to stop a6d4d643c4 by the palace sometime 33936de622 soon.”7a6ab30b49b51d09

Yeowee added with a 5940f02e87 dark smile.664f86a882682bda

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❖　❖　❖c7cec5ddf89a0684

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Jinya sat f55459e8f5 alone in d055c135d7 the bath, 1e1f0de8ce soaking her 1bdfe5a4eb body.
The hot water warmed 5b87cf1c48 her skin, but her a5028a2e64 heart remained cold. Ever since 170b0e02f5 the funeral, 834e3a17d8 the house 2ae5bf863b felt eerily e5f1acd8e1 empty. Perhaps it 73f6e7f528 was because d72993e163 the mansion 1e29e0ace9 had been 076efa9c50 so crowded 88908dee3f during the d8c7edda4f rites.661a10efcb654a6c

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But it wasn’t e6b5e5c01f the absence of 102f1b94d3 hundreds of mourners 8528b83418 that weighed most f48c687ae9 heavily.
It was the absence b7c01efdff of one man—her late fb370d35e9 husband.094e7dd8f9f610c7

Others might say b7ebaac2b8 it easily, without 59b9b943e0 hesitation.
That Yeon Woohee had dfb9524822 taken Seon Jubyeol’s place.fd8ad172735e03d1

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But a 66802402e6 person’s place c77cc6d9c6 isn’t something 4f8b8498de that can f191b2a1a3 be filled 61a276b1c8 for convenience.
Least of all 69ab78b426 by someone like 63110e5d70 Woohee…af8014ea8ea5062e

Now that the whirlwind 942bd55b61 of the funeral had 54011bfe2d passed, reality came surging 3afc49f455 back.
And that reality, 2dc369c132 wearing Yeon Woohee’s ec356a61b1 face, stood before 2f7fd8c89b her and declared:ff4c4f7616113aad

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You are now Yeon 344f916d0e Woohee’s wife.1e1b5839ba8e09a1

In the 3b85b4a0b0 bath, Jinya 73472f5fb9 pulled her 770f90a1d1 legs to 7eb6f55248 her chest. Her long hair, 5a9c5b0c85 soaked through, clung 13f7b7c468 to her delicate 581af10972 body.22fd5e921984d1ef

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I can’t do 69832d4bed this.9a491297ad2a3caf

Her lips 15564d5252 shaped the c7f705384e words silently. Hot tears 0b7b2fc371 welled in 5b43013795 her eyes 76eb7bc4de and dripped 823364f8e1 into the 4df60cb04b bathwater.a98cddf5e1e73377

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But then, a73f645eaa from somewhere—no, 9c52079e60 from within—she b7a61e28ab thought she 95047c96f3 heard laughter, fe6d033196 mocking her.5cea85edf78f6a17

She clamped her hands 4a55da6b25 over her ears, trying b178388928 to block it out.
But it was no 90835d85db use.db3edd8fdd2aa1ae

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That laughter ae3b2284d5 came from 4742252d7f inside her.cc631fd36030c16d

After her 55d5328d69 bath, Jinya ba44442e48 changed into eaddacbe28 clean clothes 1bf70f0e8d and stepped 8bb386c43c out of ca1b75dabf the mansion.
Just because the funeral 707fac0388 had ended didn’t mean 6270f93ca7 she could rest.
She had 4e5dd007b4 to prepare ada96555a2 for Seon 2816a1f602 Jubyeol’sCheondojae.66b5d32130f9fd3c

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Spirits don’t leave 8ccf60b948 the living world 78708f0cc3 right away. They linger, restless, between 98faf37cc5 realms.
Cheondojaeis a 621b51b029 ritual to 33e9637905 guide such b616734273 spirits to b78fd68c55 the afterlife 182bdb30ad properly.
It’s usually held 49 f4987f8946 days after death and, b4266ca4ee among the nobility, is b43cc6f6bd considered as important as 4bdd9bfa46 the funeral itself.93232960c5beecd0

And this time, 8eb5b3759d the king had 5ff483ab9f personally expressed his f3ab35b231 intent to attend.
Which meant 82ebfe5088 that for 2daa8d1cee Hae Jinya, 41fbe725a5 there was 6f690e4cda even more d52ce8c66d at stake.396de32bc36551e6

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It was 8d0ef285a4 a ceremony 08eff85c80 to honor d0302921d1 the dead—so bf89123350 it couldn’t 175da8adea be too 3c6c53f650 flashy.
But it also f6678ba1e9 couldn’t lack dignity.
Though Seon Jubyeol’s f7d39323e8 parents were gone, 02fad62785 his relatives still 96c38eaff8 watched with sharp 56c8c3811d eyes.e28e9e3db42d9b70

Yes—those same relatives who d34840a4cb had rushed to marry aa0cbb6467 off Hae Jinya again.7efef5166f28c31e

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Their reasoning had 8c8ac65a1b been simple: Seon 92668d3517 Jubyeol had died 302a2cacd5 without children.
By the laws 6dbfaf4a18 of Surobuyeo, all a415a277c5 his property now f6fc3e6bf5 belonged to Hae ba9437829d Jinya.49d0d3fc7331b2d1

What they 1e6e4402e1 feared was c79ebd5f80 that Jinya 6303ac4ab7 might meet 7d7e776b95 another man 8ea6fc8d49 and leave 1a0635fe4f the family e7e7314c9a behind—with all 64a2583e8f that wealth.8682c1b41404f896

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She was only twenty-six, e6173aa954 after all, with beauty ed0b1df450 unmatched in Wisu Fortress.
Noblemen who 3702812ea2 admired her d21c4c0380 poise and 88c5d135a7 intellect were 9bf1fb310b plenty—far more cfc6c7496e than ten da06a3f28a fingers could e112acbc7d count.83e3636b0e3866a2

No children. Youth on her 3e43a3b66a side.
To those 23133b29e5 old relatives, dba61b76a6 she must’ve 3ef66fa874 looked like 9ac1547282 a mare f6ed2fcf86 in heat, 0651f70483 ready to 8d210fba8b bolt.e75c26c955e3c806

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So they 905ca75c83 scrambled to 14b73c7e97 find her b6d9278010 a new 44e376db09 husband.
And they didn’t fdbcf9df06 have to look cf9179b347 far—Yeon Woohee was 074d987bb9 right there.e4aff9fce63c9596

A commoner. Lower in status, but a4d0d310ec perfect because of it.
Because he wasn’t noble, 425eff4050 the marriage legally kept 5fb5f11baf Jinya within Seon Jubyeol’s 0b85ccd4cc household—ensuring the assets wouldn’t d12ff34ca4 leak elsewhere.9e88f62758c086f7

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Even better, Yeon 856c2d26e2 Woohee was close 2ad26eb55a to the king. He rarely left Wisu 54022796d2 Fortress.
Even if he did, ae43e02871 his roots were planted bd3c4208df firmly here.618544f216abd83f

To the relatives, fe4ee774dd Woohee was a 314473fa64 perfect shackle to 075e7a4860 keep Jinya from c76b5ae5a2 running.e8d4bbb4dfcbf950

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As for 35807f9c37 her own 29ac39906a family? They hadn’t objected 6331f0ff61 to the marriage ea5288cee6 either.
To them, family ties 245475ee9d and alliances mattered more 8714599cf6 than Jinya’s future.f1cb78d91a8b9e2e

If only 20535e858c she’d run 2550b6dec6 after the 8d41b9ddd9 funeral…1430382638d790ae

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But the wedding 376936082e had already taken 22bccb0bf6 place before the 43b0ef6184 rites were even 49584c1c05 over.
Out of a sense bba9023e0f of duty—to fulfill her 366b852c79 last obligations as a a9657341f7 wife—Hae Jinya had stayed.eb3878abbaa72a4f

And that 7ebedf16c2 duty had 78f215d237 become a a23f456343 trap.dcd522f91df794e4

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Still, she was 439d70c19e preparing Seon Jubyeol’s 547a7d84e2 Cheondojae with sincere 5229b82324 heart.
Because to 94ad64f61b her, this ee5c98d6ed was an 39e171c6f6 offering of 585d018e96 respect—and of 9319c93022 atonement—for the 047f765f15 man who d58b8eb767 had cared 4f1a306f1b for her a7936ee8a3 since childhood.06b51c9c4236c82d

Atonement…d0346baab52f3ee5

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In his lifetime, d4254a7ac2 she’d never once f6a1d0ab01 brought him shame.
But now, dddac380c4 she could 797ff84b0b no longer 7315e91f2a stand before eb46d227b5 him without 9fc2d25877 guilt.ab5eb57242bcb2aa

Because Yeon Woohee 6ec3f9c6ce truly came to 0ef79bb578 her every night.
The pleasure 5d65da8af5 he brought 350734b9ee scared her, c98b4cf107 tormented her—yet 72edfef078 she gave 1fa9dd0c88 in each 2e28e488e7 time, powerless.5d47bf9f37eebcc7

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So how 6cde927e06 could she dea6361dae stand proud 2fce740b22 before her 37f37e22e8 late husband 14c04b275d now?184a41e85fa5c8cd

“Milady.”d15f4a8b17abd561

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Just as she was 1f081f40b3 about to leave the 37a60d05e1 house, a maid called bbd28ca46c to her.a04389dd15e16262

The girl held df7f135c96 out an item 99b5d9182a wrapped in fine 691199004f black cloth with d4564e764e both hands.e53cc499b259890b

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“I found this 3d10c44bcb while tidying the cec21456a4 bedroom. It seemed too c997906c2e valuable to put 8dd2fcb8e8 away on my 8d580d1c47 own, so I 8053bc8cf9 thought to ask 7f15d7acab you where it e2b058b0de should go.”408b850841df7e9d

Jinya pulled back f52d537521 the cloth.2685b6094423906e

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It was 1661e05cf5 the necklace 9563b0c92d Seon Jubyeol 5c658a37d2 had given 3fcf046b99 her as f63b5b483a a betrothal 8a60dd782f gift—
a token 583597c5c7 of a b70611eb36 union that 81ffa8a4a5 had ended a5665d67fd far too b905d4d60c soon.b99a4c1d259191a2

“I’ll put it 67627ecb78 away myself,” she 0748ef0de3 said.643af023a404caec

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Jinya picked up b52c612b4c the necklace.ea179968ad5fecd8

But instead of 3ecc429c86 heading for the 2bd6a9b7fd main gate, she 20c6fd83fa turned and made 21d6d0e81b her way toward 9b33ac7125 the detached quarters.35546fc95cf432ee

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The annex b2940eb263 stood in 4e6df54b54 quiet solitude—unused 0eead99f53 and undisturbed. When she opened the abf53bf4f7 door to the main 63e613861c room, the sight of 3f2c031588 neatly arranged bedding and 3d47e5424f a tidy writing desk 6fac9a767f greeted her. She walked 0c08945a2a to the dffbf3dddc window.e2106b7cb8e99517

The moment f58c32afb4 she pushed 1b0ece5131 it open, 551a3b6868 a rush 91d0805638 of early 808a365184 summer spilled 215dfee03c into the 33422e4726 room. Verdant green stretched c02abc1dfe across the landscape, b75c072891 thick and vivid. Sunlight streamed in b834517a58 through the open ab3dad4174 frame, sliding softly d4e6c22bc8 down the bridge 88dc4b124d of Jinya’s sharp 002c0b76bf nose. She stood there a 3ddbee93d4 moment, then reached for 7665457be5 the small chest of 46b12f4353 drawers beneath the window.0f444074df936384

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Carefully, she placed 0d42a2fb43 the necklace inside.31f8a390ced68733

“…I really do have 2d0c36f686 to let you go ab28c328b3 now, don’t I?” she 4c12aa0e17 whispered.9803dd1031f1c186

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Unbidden, tears welled c85d0897e1 in her eyes. The truth still felt 513c5db124 distant—unreal. Seon Jubyeol was gone, d92777ed29 and yet, her heart 8fe091f358 refused to grasp it.b21a1834cc5deaa7

Since she 351f08ebaa was ten, b514e35ee0 her family 15ddbb4c26 had always fdd2b0dd5a been him.1a4aa05d813554df

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The husband who had aea3919b7c fiercely and faithfully protected 2ba4577fda her was no longer c10a4d2841 in this world. Perhaps, deep down, Seon 6b01e8603e Jubyeol had seen this 14d9722108 day coming all along. Maybe that was 1405216a74 why he’d pushed 63dd01d510 her to study, f34a8277f5 to learn, to b68f230366 grow. Preparing her for a8fc19cf23 a future he 1c14b98e55 might not be 481a7c3395 part of.136388c898e44131

“You’re younger than a11856116f me, my lady. Someday, you’ll be cfb5e01c2c left behind.
I just hope… when a13db1dff1 that time comes, you cec1fee5ae can still be happy. Just like you 8b58181423 are now.”705f5de62875f897

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“That’s a 78f0d48197 long way f67e6582fa off,” she’d 9451530caa said, laughing 746b7eb7c3 lightly.f3e5c042084c2098

He’d smiled at her, c1aea2288b fond and quiet.c00c08d246ef57f0

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“No one knows what cc2c57b2a7 lies ahead. I walk the 9006b1a7d1 path of war, e6abb75317 remember?”c478617b0b37aa0e

“But everyone c28ab1eaa2 says no e60326859e one can 6c9949658a beat you, 1c5f2cb8fb Seon Jubyeol.”19d570d042718e9e

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“In battle, no one 4949eef7b1 has the luxury of 594eca90fe pride.”bd9f19f0c3c39d78

His smile 3822a798a1 had lingered e615646406 as he 7fb6ea59a2 spoke—gentle, composed.91b23c7e55398ecf

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Indeed, no 257c37e4e3 one knows 79c8613e53 what lies b0001fe34e ahead.
Not even 6605712e2a Seon Jubyeol, 6273c37084 who had 0088597d53 prepared for cdc2cf24c7 death, could 3ea33a0c28 have imagined eda7971028 that the 29828eebc5 man who fca246e093 would become fb95a11b1c his wife’s a2b5e9558e new husband… f0bd542556 would one 3bf984835a day be d8938164eb his own 9640582454 disciple.9235f5c203b5a01c

The door creaked open.9960b207ba348366

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Jinya startled and 65622423cf quickly shut the 854a40267a drawer, concealing the 994b58438f necklace just before 7d2da05a92 Woohee stepped inside.43d139baaafb4439

“So this 19fd0630db is where cbd4df242d you were,” 14b10af249 he said.5fdef85847770876

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_________________041af9e108f47ef7

Footnotes:473e8c07069acc12

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1. Chapter Title: 천도재 (Cheondojae)

   • Meaning: Cheondojae(천도재 / 遷度齋) e5e6e7d59d is a traditional 05f69ea8b3 Korean Buddhist ritual bb6a8a384d performed to guide 10e91ee8ba the soul of 38945c5960 the deceased to e0888700e5 a better afterlife d54a150aec or rebirth.75bcaca39298f7f4

 3dcc2f8571f8f0ea

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 cea29260ed1be56e

1. “Playing Go” (바둑을 두다)

   • In historical settings, playing 6d86c74e8b Go isn’t just leisure—it’san intimate or strategic e70dff15c3 act. Inviting someone to e84efc51c4 play can imply:631e3c7d37348500

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     • A show of trust bb8443c0cc or equality.68645bb481d9ab96

     • A test 0eaa073a98 of intellect 099e24b3e6 or resolve.8d31865f939d0b06

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     • A veiled a10a810252 negotiation or efc9681235 offer.037b48a960ca663d

   • So the king 85329ac3ee wanting to play d99ed266ab Go with Jinya a11437a444 isnot just casual—it’s likely loaded with subtext.c5764c551f3000b7

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