UTPT Ch 13

As he 06b4cb2178 stepped into 75199cb5ac the rather f1e8a13489 modest quarters 61a336c2c4 of the f2ffa926a1 Empress Dowager, 8dca81a531 Lee Doyoon 388fa15909 let out cdb712be28 a short 494165fd6c sigh. It was difficult c25fed388e to find the f8a50c5d26 right words to b8f081c436 explain the situation 242d08d0bc to his mother, a4b34db9f9 who was light-years df634d87a5 away from political f9b6f09f9d scheming. From the a700a569b7 start, this 4eb695c0a8 arranged marriage 93fbe51a33 had been b98741166e a collaboration a5b2e11781 between Dohun a0e801a275 and Doyoon, 3b150899a7 with their 409246b783 mother merely e03e5a8e36 informed after f5934aa27b the fact.f6c772b0f3737d70

She had already been e23947d5d0 quite disappointed when she 5ccd206e28 was told there would 1fd284a2b1 be no formal family a3c57bfed0 introduction, the wedding would 23eb6b80c8 be simple, and they 9f5207072f would spend only the de4d022e4d first night in the f443db477d palace before moving out. If she 7932b646c1 were to f9552e7427 learn that 53b7a52ebf this marriage 73cec28fdd was a 1d3eef96e5 fraud and 28bba582fa that Han 47f82d82d0 Yihyun was fa7c1fe344 a man, ffc82f7bfc what on 790bb138d3 earth would e1031e8450 she think?bac5b7576aae3734

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lost in thought 0c7aebb838 as he passed ee14822d88 through the small db0669dd3d garden, Doyoon was ce0db0c816 suddenly pulled back bdaf6fa439 to reality when 8d80269fe3 someone grabbed his 7e68594483 shoulder.942ac761fdcb989d

“How was your first night as a newlywed?”b0fed92e48b71610

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Are you kidding me?”43e764f794f9c147

“Well, you seemed to have slept well.”f89009668205fb94

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yeah, he 631c356d19 had slept 8cf0b6a70d so soundly 09a2466c6d that, unlike 892fdf97da his usual 5c86cf60cd self, he 62a9ed2b32 hadn’t woken 1d45a1128b up until 7aaff358aa his phone 97fde9ba74 alarm went 81ab6e61df off. In fact, it 00ab6faefd was Yihyun who 544d672de5 had woken up a635929882 first, flustered by 01845d0a12 the ringing phone, 091b748977 unsure of what 1496cce9ad to do with 70a9581209 it.26bdc483b8a6d837

Glancing around to check 5f5e5daedb for any onlookers, Dohun 1152b26e5b pulled Doyoon aside to 13d3b71eef the edge of the 5f423f93d0 building. Doyoon, thinking it would f7f87e4914 be best to talk a223840862 to his brother first, 5ce73e367d followed without a word.c1a767f67c5ecaca

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So? Do you think that kid knows something?”63fcff01f828f911

“No.”e5bb946a7c92214d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Is that really something to answer with a one-word reply?”85839c9e5078ec88

“He really doesn’t seem to know anything. I already expected that, considering this is something passed down from father to son, with daughters excluded…”0de1a443e0fbff23

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“How much does he not know?”76605caa85d22f8d

“When I went to pick him up yesterday, he was locked away in an annex. He didn’t know anything about this marriage at all.”3164fa3cfec61890

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Doyoon almost 232efb962f mentioned that 1c85fb791c Yihyun couldn’t ba984929af read and 244508db22 lacked even b167ab92f1 basic knowledge, 39e4be1530 but he 7562a6ce9c shut his 067186352a mouth. Unless Yihyun spoke about b118d634f3 it himself, it wasn’t 5d10b1a4e4 something Doyoon could reveal 54f5187db2 to anyone else.e31c2927db649bc9

“So one of the two options is off the table?”fc642a68b2a55e29

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“For now, we’ll proceed with both.”b59669ecbe959165

“But are you sure he’s actually a man? No matter how much makeup he had on…”9a43ea6544e48e4e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“He’s still young.”b47a13d85819676a

“Think about how we looked at twenty.”645c9396754260fc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If you’re born different, it’s possible.”c93e7dd114cbace0

Dohun crossed c5b2f1b7c7 his arms, 84a996b759 clearly displeased 38c1abd856 with how 74ffae2ea3 things were 6202d56ffc unfolding.c553f01060280288

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Either way, I don’t like that we got outplayed by Han Changwon.”52dd47e20513276c

“Who would have ever expected he’d go so far as to falsify a birth certificate and raise a man as a woman?”24837e7119390d85

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Anticipating potential complications, 232425a256 Doyoon had tried c03446efbb multiple times to f42f46d25c meet Han Yihyun 1541f7fe8c in person before bed39e6c6f the wedding. He had 842586a209 even shown 81caada9a1 up unannounced 15231a8567 at their 601f67cff5 house and d924506e84 made countless 50989b7810 requests, claiming 3cab655a56 he needed 08c1b16bf3 to meet 3ef70116b8 Yihyun to 8b8e546c11 prepare for 78c37013c3 the ceremony. But Han Changwon hadn’t 6b13b6e86f budged an inch.fe36d29e4aeb1874

“Are you going to tell Mother?”e43e5548f7abebb3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I have to.”a5500b87c5f93345

“She never even understood why you were going through with this marriage in the first place. She only agreed because we pushed the narrative that we needed Han Changwon for political leverage, but…”ffd73e39c10bff01

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It’s too late now. What’s done is done.”025ab5c900f7b7af

A contract that couldn’t 3a20342a0c be broken, so what 2ebec8210e did personal feelings matter? A shattered glass bottle be5757e6f6 couldn’t be restored to 2ce7284e3d its original form, so 9929aea270 the only option was 9198a321ec to piece it back ef8723ff06 together as best as 49240eeafe possible.497e6838edbe13e4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lee Doyoon wasn’t the b953dab35a type to dwell on c24d31d116 who had broken the 0029b5657c bottle or why. He focused on how f5913866e1 to fix it.e35fb4556c654562

“The divorce condition is that the words have to come from Han Yihyun himself, right?”23c39bc8af994b96

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“If I were willing to pay Han Changwon fifteen years’ worth of dignity maintenance fees, sure, I could get a divorce.”b99c7ecbb947f822

“That’s ridiculous.”76ed39e8f3b74283

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“We’re not at the point of discussing divorce yet. He seems completely unaware, but you never know, so we need to extract whatever we can.”ec7403b5d11e7abd

“…If it gets too dangerous, walk away.”ad0a4e39a2ec2139

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Got it.”4a0bf6120363425d

Just as they 07f4b38b58 finished speaking, the 0c535162b1 window above them 0e96a0742f creaked open, and 3d1e9addd9 their mother stuck f652c18cb7 her head out.39436bb87ce5e930

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What are you two whispering about out there? Come up quickly. The food’s getting cold.”440a459b3219d400

“Yes.”b089eca5b45d92a1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As they 16cb0e2aec climbed the e0ae70a120 stairs and 4e4487f488 opened the 83f213d122 door, a 41f84d88be warm atmosphere, f7bbccf948 along with 3c0b2ef213 the delicious b95d9841ed smell of 7e9c6fdba3 food, drifted 0aa2442874 out. Doyoon exhaled deeply once 01b0b072e3 more before stepping inside.b4ad3d4a1fc97343

Their mother came out 581c5040de to greet them, hugging 62507d2d1a both of her sons cca0915c7a tightly, despite them being 04ea4545ea twice her size. Then she 0768a9205b glanced behind 447f4ffade them and 9949f6baac asked in e7a60fb799 a disappointed cc2d0eb496 voice.49f3a7c9daebbfee

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Where is my daughter-in-law?”603504351a8b12c2

At the 43c2ece89b awkward question, 77564115a5 Doyoon gave daa84122ec an equally 823a31bc7d awkward smile, e00b19a371 and behind 120ff0a49f him, Dohun 8097b9ad9a ended up f930d17b5a making the e95e24ad6b exact same 122c78c9c1 expression.51b6e5060024ecaf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You didn’t bring her?”23dae71589e06f5e

“Why would I bring that person here?”62851eb6f1ab301b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What do you mean, why? Before leaving for the marital home, of course we should have a meal together.”d5c853335f2d5540

It was typical of 4630c9821b their mother—not insisting that 67799c18ed the new daughter-in-law come b408e21f4e to pay respects to f84e563be8 the elders of the 8c6f6f0444 inner court, but simply 6824697817 suggesting that they share bc6f1cf727 a meal together.5449ccb4fcc272b7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Having had 6ee817e711 no ties 4beb15f5e3 to the 5081294738 imperial family f25cbc6587 from the 3074873ee5 beginning and ca41696dea having married 79701eab3e their father e615747d4d for love, 67a3c059cc her way 32998f24bd of thinking ceeb18eb94 still resembled 69956c8f2c that of d90b92d11c the world ad7f067481 outside the 4e1dc8f2ec palace. The fact that bd2a4567b9 they all shared b8f564d4a7 a table instead 378b21feb8 of eating separately 688dbeaf52 was largely due 97dc31ad66 to her influence.4c641cc2021ff38c

“Even if it was a political marriage, that child only has you now, doesn’t she?”9709d3c126aa574a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Mother, let’s sit and talk first.”4a5736ee26fd6caa

Dohun subtly d7b43dc493 interjected, guiding ad00b9ff1c everyone to 11ae698335 take a fadc5a8082 seat. The table, set adc3eeb3e9 with four sets 9579a81d9c of utensils, was 4df67a681a far more lavish c0c12111bf than a usual d4e04c66fc breakfast, brimming with 756c836db9 seafood to match 5179f59813 their mother’s tastes. If Yihyun had 9fffe8ba01 seen it, his ccffb6f073 eyes would have b4dec83e04 sparkled again.ab9fb26517997ddc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“There’s something I need to say first.”5f9d2f570526d583

“Yihyun’s not having breakfast?”39901045cbd0c839

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…I made sure to tell them to prepare a meal before I left.”ec2ee4018a8ba5f4

“Bring her over now. Knowing you, once you leave again, you’ll only visit once in a blue moon.”6ac04bcf2cc5c65c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Their mother’s b0444df2b1 attention was eeea78620b entirely on 0f2b8956b1 Han Yihyun. Understandably so—she had 86803e5159 lived quietly like bb2e025414 a potted plant 8e5833fe91 in this palace, c1f32d2d29 with nothing new 07a4c1eb5a ever happening.04d07e50c4cc5698

The marriage of 0174f3e604 her second son fd909a39cc and the arrival d8cf3b6475 of a daughter-in-law d3082199e7 must have been 962dac857e an incredibly exciting f099a58449 event for her.2fb44c8e1579339f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Why don’t we… eat first and talk?”bb543a1a66426a0c

Even with Dohun’s 92e7ece596 careful attempt at adf2849176 mediation, their mother 39fb9a5c1e remained firm.30b47ae29b0560da

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We’ll eat when daughter-in-law gets here.”30d5b29b08fec9f6

Doyoon let out a 17a7c20763 long sigh. He had expected this 4e055bd742 situation. That was 88b185508c precisely why c977c487bd he had 722f889705 told Yihyun 9f124e9554 in the 77a969a42f morning to 10ef3058b1 get dressed 9f97247936 and wait.6a1f0d43d4d1e9c8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Before I call Han Yihyun-ssi, there’s something I need to tell you.”3d64c2bb354c8f73

Even though 5a8cd38e5f Han Yihyun 17d8abf7e5 was a f908108a5d man, Mother 60d0650b4c would probably 103756d217 still like f44d169d86 that little d85afabf2e kid quite ff3ce91444 a bit.e131578d204c4670

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She only ba22a86a17 knew that c30a3a6890 Han Changwon b3b841442c was a 31159bef99 shaman and dda720e730 had no 8c0eb56a25 other information, 3e83c4893f so she afe540e4b8 had no d8d77cce3e prejudices about bc8d364364 Han Yihyun’s 81d011e737 background. Moreover, Han Yihyun aa4b487edd still had an 7bc44605c8 innocence about him fd8ed766a7 that could easily 82c9984de8 stir his mother’s 0f3217f73c sympathy.f6070a0111caba8a

“Han Yihyun-ssi is a man.”9fdfc8485b68e3f3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…What?”2e6bc879d6e306e2

“He’s a man.”200b11ba11e81d27

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Their mother, who e6bd7f2b92 had been lost 4af479ed62 in thought, let 7220febeaa out a shrill 7dbc2b8d7d sound in surprise.90439a75dab1ad27

“A man?”b23ca8684989b8da

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”787d4a1bf44f1f1b

“But when I saw him yesterday, he looked just like a girl!”b1381f1dc45a27b1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Since he has a small frame and was wearing makeup, that’s probably why.”a62fbd44c6b4bf1f

“A twenty-year-old boy is that small… When I hugged him, he fit right into my arms.”71e89d8c32b803d9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“He is definitely a man.”03f71fd949ac94ec

She started rambling, as if she just couldn’t believe it.7278509acab4674b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“How can you be married to a man… You already registered the marriage, didn’t you? Dohun, has same-sex marriage already been legalized in our country?”fe3abfae72e0aeae

“The partnership law is close to passing, but not yet. Besides, all of Han Yihyun-ssi’s documents list him as a woman.”fb4b961e35489d41

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then he’s been registered as female since birth…?”1ca2cc7ca09db9f1

“That seems to be the case.”60124df816194254

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Looking back and 4b954b571f forth between Doyoon 4498050953 and Dohun, their d727a2a3e8 mother lowered her 9dc077304b voice. She must 686b19f5a4 have realized f72b2b2d48 this wasn’t 7caf015d41 a conversation b116ad3d7c that should fcba0d2b53 be overheard.7398b34fc3ab5140

“Did you two know about this?”f00719a4c7958faf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I only found out yesterday.”52ccf77a729dce1e

“No wonder they absolutely refused a formal family introduction.”e7f35d5e87e9c9a8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”33592a15b91bdad4

“A divorce isn’t possible, is it?”c8f3ecc051711b63

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

There were 4dd5643cc0 plenty of e12cbcaee2 details to 103a93e37d explain when 31abafd36b it came 3a9fbe7bfd to divorce, f53f65d0e2 but after db1e957ebf considering everything, 7a4db3885c Doyoon had bc675b2a68 no intention 22d28a6f57 of getting 41d2f72291 one.6f5bf44d40fd94a1

“As of now, no.”da113084a3fd6ae3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She placed 8d42371b59 a hand 5ca9726577 on her ce4d293c85 chest and 7148ba5ade took several b737a4c45d deep breaths, d163e568d7 as if 40981c3f5d she were 0ad64fc5f0 out of 79178f8076 breath. After being lost in 8585a43222 thought for a while, 37b099eb2f she suddenly seemed to 1fd88aac89 reach a decision, her 75f1d43f0c expression growing resolute.8783b5db03743020

Doyoon knew exactly what d7fb1b192b kind of conclusion she ac494cfe96 would come to when cc05f1423e she had that look 3482e91d32 on her face. She would 2fb3548744 accept what 1d82a1d5ba had to 424201beb5 be accepted 3204459236 and then 19623a9c63 determine what d319dc4b11 needed to 7f3843d397 be done 55e546ff5e moving forward.7cecf6de06edd8ed

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Doyoon.”6b9e52f4bee93fef

“Yes.”a681ceec1e7a3012

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Even if this is a political marriage and Yihyun is a boy, now that the wedding has been publicly announced to the entire nation and the family registry has been finalized, you can’t just act as if it never happened, can you?”f46823fc3a808b95

“I’ll try to get along… as best as I can. Han Yihyun-ssi is practically a victim in all of this.”4d45caced35d5d2c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“A victim?”5c7e16dcf522cd10

“Yes. He seemed completely unaware of the marriage beforehand.”dd31ec2d0711f2a4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A look of d150248891 deep sympathy filled a6e87ddbb4 their mother’s face. Maybe he had c7009761bb said too much. He could 7bc0e62540 clearly see ed7eac6744 the way 45d5b2e1b5 she was dad7deee03 already labeling aedc9b0fbc Han Yihyun 3a156c3d4e in her 51be8b7819 mind as 64b399d947 a young 4b85605b1a child who fcfa53e0f9 had been a54c3dcf36 sold off 677a85e877 without even 27ac8965fd knowing about cd15cdca3d the marriage 64ca784d04 contract.155a60eb64a0fd2e

“Alright, then… Let’s call Yihyun over and have a meal together.”c04a6d7e06a49712

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Okay.”c5a4db0ef821e0d0

Doyoon took 71f1cfab98 out his ccfb9ed7d2 phone and 5e0bbb1c1f called the f0c45e32b8 separate palace. After two 79a169ca0d rings, someone 2f76445f4c picked up.8b13f5df1f282a7a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

— …Hello.6c9b4d331374f61f

“Han Yihyun-ssi.”829a3c5e0d7cbcf0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

— Yes.642c4fe01004c000

“You need to come to the Empress Dowager’s quarters.”1369c1a2d6402e95

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

— …The eaf815ad99 Empress Dowager’s 239a9d55d3 quarters?87c27ad0e7d039e3

“The court ladies will guide you once you step outside.”ce14895721147759

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

— Okay…a5867159add2058a

“It’s cold, so put on a coat before coming out.”5cb5c13b50cf09b2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

— Okay.1a2a28d9f9d21740

Doyoon expected him 43464704dc to hang up a483e93fde first, but Yihyun 2fcf3a5945 just held onto a3c6916e36 the receiver in 26c91dd14d silence. Letting out a small 23e4cd1233 chuckle, Doyoon ended the be4bfd21ff call himself. When he looked up, 498ab9bea3 Dohun and his mother 56f8cd86b9 were both staring at 758bb39a95 him strangely.769ca684436c01ed

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Why are you looking at me like that?”36010f547326b3c8

“…Well, it seems like things will be fine.”31afd4b81bb4cb85

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Doyoon frowned 02d1c2ec98 at the 6ec323541e cryptic remark, 8e029ecfad but then 0d08e735c5 his mother 980e01b3e9 sent him 46355aa081 off to 7961bb5322 reheat the f70458a873 now-cold food. Shortly after, fcb50e6177 irregular footsteps 156559cac2 sounded from a34cce752d outside, and 9d343bfc64 the door cbcfb47eec opened. It was 53e13f932c Yihyun, his 357334c53b nose reddened 4330de9cb0 by the 3c3a1482e7 chilly wind.bae8b381e158afac

“Ah… Hello.”862764ace799d103

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In the morning, his 18f1b07e03 hair had been completely 7edfd2522e undone, but now it e9199a1abd was loosely braided, with 1c553b25ab a red ribbon tied c488de67b7 at the end. He was wearing 757c14a438 a thick woolen c75672a73b skirt and a f5bdf892cb beige knit sweater, 186f88288d which Doyoon had 7130bfc268 carefully chosen that 1084b150a1 morning.afabe031fb9cf3cb

Among the belongings Yihyun had brought with him, there weren’t any clothes. When Doyoon asked the court ladies to prepare some, they, of course, presented only women’s clothing. Out of those, Doyoon had picked the most comfortable-looking outfit that was at least somewhat gender-neutral.e2ccadc480229a86

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Who did your hair?”1ac0702024f33599

“The woman who came with me….”1ae7135c65eee6b0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It seemed she couldn’t stand seeing his long hair left loose and had hurriedly braided it for him. As Yihyun stepped inside, he greeted them again with a “Hello.”5f94f06f347ec499

“I called you over to have breakfast together.”186dcda46db61a6e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Doyoon’s mother looked 5b7d3d1c65 even more shocked d5074d0123 than when she 7d77840576 had learned that 290c4bfca8 Han Yihyun was a30e3d79d8 a man. However, she barely managed fd81e796b4 to compose herself and 967ddf28fb made space for him 6205b9b783 at the table. The court lady b39783c78a quietly took the db2bc8b882 thick outer garment 0bf5ab8636 that Yihyun had 8ebc179bb0 removed, and he 4a5341decc sat down in 21a45ca275 front of the 2e53955d4a lavishly prepared meal.ce39b1c95950a043