A lively discussion about reorganizing the Flower Guard continued in Jayoung Hall where five people had gathered, and the air grew heated. No one was conscious of rank and spoke freely. In the process, many good proposals emerged and opportunities to reestablish thoughts and judgments were found.

Yunseo slowly looked around at Noble Consort Hyeon, Seongbin, Yi Sowon, and Sagong seated together. He was glad to have capable and considerate people by his side. Thanks to them, even a single proposal could be examined from multiple angles — and he felt the reward of having moved one step further forward.

"Following Your Majesty's wise counsel, should we not make reparations to Haehyang Village?"

Haehyang Village was a village where Gyeongae and her comrades lived together, and Yunseo had informed these people of the matter of those he had met on his journey. Sagong had known about the problems occurring between the Yongrin and their families, but had not known that those families formed a single village, and seemed quite surprised.

"The families of Eternal Spring Flowers receive generous benefits, but the families of Yongrin enjoy relatively less."

Whereas Yongrin necessarily lived within the imperial palace for the sake of their own survival, Eternal Spring Flowers did not — so stronger restrictions and benefits were given together. And so among the poor populace, blooming as an Eternal Spring Flower was something like a windfall. If just one family member bloomed as an Eternal Spring Flower, the family's circumstances would be completely transformed.

The reason for bestowing benefits on Eternal Spring Flower families was to obtain the cooperation of their households, and in practice it was also a way of holding the money going to them as a kind of hostage. Meanwhile, Yongrin families did receive money — but less than Eternal Spring Flower families — and their circumstances depended on how faithfully the Yongrin provided for their own people.

"However, since Daeryeong prohibits early marriage, if reparations are extended even to cases where a Yongrin underwent the awakening rite and separated after a secret early marriage, the backlash will not be insignificant."

Since the Yongrin's awakening rite and the Eternal Spring Flower's blooming usually occurred before adulthood, there were many people who secretly formed unions even though Daeryeong prohibited early marriage. Listening to the continuing opinions on this matter, Yunseo thought of Gyeongae and her comrades.

'Don't you want to go back there?'

On the previous royal progress, Hwi had suggested passing through Haehyang Village, but Yunseo had hesitated greatly and ultimately chose not to go. Of course he wanted to see them and had promised Hyeongseo he would definitely return — but knowing the full truth of the situation and continuing to deceive them about his identity and status until the very end felt like a betrayal toward them.

But revealing the truth was frightening. Still, if he wanted to meet them again, he would have to tell them someday. In that case, rather than stopping by on the way during a royal progress, he wanted to devote his time fully to them.

"I'm curious what they think. They might not actually want it. It could come across as trying to resolve everything with money."

Compensation could simply be increased — but reparations felt like something that needed to be approached more delicately. As though understanding Yunseo's concern, Sagong suggested.

"What if we invite their leader and arrange a meeting?"

"An invitation…?"

"Since you are acquainted with them, I believe it would be all the more feasible."

Would it truly be feasible? He was doubtful whether people who had not even visited the shrine would want to come to the imperial palace. But at the thought of inviting them, his heart fluttered. Feeling the emotion moving between excitement and fear, Yunseo nodded.

"I'll think it over."

He set down a sigh and moistened his throat with a sip of tea. Just as he was about to raise the next item — a calm voice extended first.

"There is one request I wish to make."

It was Seongbin. Yunseo turned to look at her and recalled her visit seven days ago.

'Your Majesty. May I make a request?'

'…Of course!'

That Seongbin was the one making a request first — it was unexpected, and since it was her above all, he had readily agreed wanting to grant whatever it was.

'I wish to be dispatched to the expanded Hwasicheong.'

The content of the request was also truly unexpected. Yunseo was inwardly flustered but considered Seongbin's request seriously.

'May I ask your reason?'

'Running the Flower Guard is of course meaningful, but I want to look directly at the state of the people and feel the real situation firsthand by their side. I also believe there is more I can do from the outside.'

Her request contained personal feelings as well. She wanted to make up for the time she had spent drifting helplessly and for having set aside her duty of providing treatment after being named a concubine. He fully understood Seongbin's feelings and genuinely wanted to grant her request — but the problem was that it was not easy for a concubine to leave the palace.

'I agree with your intention. However, let us discuss how to proceed with it at the upcoming meeting.'

'Yes, Your Majesty. I do not expect it to happen overnight, so please do not worry.'

'Hmm, did you tell Noble Consort Hyeon about this?'

'Yes, Your Majesty.'

'Was she not hurt?'

'Even if she were, is she someone who would show it?'

'Ha ha.'

Emerging from the recollection, Yunseo supported the intention Seongbin had stated. Noble Consort Hyeon, who had been given a hint, was composed, and Yi Sowon, who had not, looked surprised and flustered. Sagong furrowed his brow and pondered deeply before bringing up the greatest obstacle.

"The court will not accept it."

Indeed — while the current Emperor still lived, for his concubine to leave the palace without committing a crime was something without precedent. The matter of the great crisis was a case in point. At the time, the situation was so urgent and critical that Hwi and the previous Emperor's concubines had treated other Yongrin, and this fact had slowly filtered back to the court.

Some conservative ministers reportedly expressed displeasure over this — and hearing that story had been beyond absurd. In any case, Seongbin's proposal was extremely radical to put before that kind of court.

As silence naturally fell, Noble Consort Hyeon cut through it.

"What if we use this opportunity to reform the governance of the Flower Guard?"

"Reform the governance?"

"Yes. Eternal Spring Flowers receive different stipends according to their tenure, but since one cannot assign rank to sacred work and so as not to reduce efficiency with unnecessary formalities, everyone's title is 'noble concubine.' The intention is of course excellent, and it has fostered a more horizontal atmosphere in the Flower Guard — but on the other hand, it has made the noble concubines' existence seem separate from the rest. Eternal Spring Flowers have been regarded not as officials formally assigned national duties, but as a kind of holy figure and supporting role."

A holy figure. A supporting role to the Yongrin. And on the other hand, a potential threat that could sway the Yongrin as much as they pleased. Sagong, seeming to agree with Noble Consort Hyeon's explanation, nodded with a grave expression.

"The inner palace's Eternal Spring Flowers were not merely named as concubines simply to attend to the Emperor — and yet once named, they become nothing more than a woman and a man. By reforming the governance to engrave the noble concubines' duties, and further redefining the role of the Eternal Spring Flower as a concubine, it would be possible to establish a justification."

"I agree with the governance reform. It will become a foundation for the Flower Guard to eventually function as an independent organization. However, the court backlash that will follow remains."

It was necessary to prepare for the time when the Yongrin's sacred energy disappeared completely and no more Eternal Spring Flowers bloomed. While the Yongrin Guard clearly belonged under the imperial guard with a mandate to protect and support the Emperor, if the position of the Flower Guard was not firmly established, its existence could become unclear.

For this reason Hwi also harbored the intention of expanding the Hwasicheong to dispatch many Eternal Spring Flowers — and if the Flower Guard was reorganized before that, it would be a great aid to benevolent governance as an organization that attended to the people's affairs. Yunseo deliberated and then cautiously spoke.

"What if we were to make the Flower Guard independent from the inner palace?"

At the entirely unexpected suggestion, everyone fell silent. But having said it, Yunseo concluded it was not a bad idea.

The reason the ministers were wary of the Eternal Spring Flowers' authority being expanded was that they could sway the dragon-descendant and the Yongrin and disrupt the foundations of the nation. Since they had opposed most strongly the Flower Guard becoming directly under the inner palace, making it independent would give them reason to calculate. It would probably be a rather appealing proposal.

If someday no more Eternal Spring Flowers bloomed at all and new people who were not Eternal Spring Flowers came to be recruited into the Flower Guard — looking at it long-term, would it not be better for the Flower Guard to be independent from the inner palace to reduce confusion?

"And if we incorporate all of you there…?"

It was a thoroughly radical and entirely unprecedented thing — but someday the truth of the Hell's Gate would be revealed. If after that there was no occasion for Eternal Spring Flowers to be named as concubines, this was an exception that could only be arranged in the current generation, and there was room to consider it as such.

"I judge it is not without hope — but, Your Majesty, you must consider the possibility of reversal."

At Sagong's advice, Yunseo let out a low sound of contemplation. If someday the Hell's Gate opened again, the impact the independence of the Flower Guard would have also needed to be fully examined.

"I do not wish for Your Majesty to lose your authority."

Looking at Seongbin's clouded expression, Yunseo tilted his head and grinned.

"Lose? Even if I can't handle the Flower Guard's affairs directly, what I can do from my position as Empress clearly exists."

This was a calculation and a matter of politics about what to give and what to gain — not a one-sided loss. Even as not the head of the Flower Guard but as the Empress, one could sufficiently look after the people and practice benevolent governance.

"Th-then I also want to be dispatched."

Yi Sowon, who had been listening carefully and only chiming in with a few opinions, voiced an active opinion for the first time. But this too was unexpected, and Yunseo turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"If possible, Dongju would be good…"

"Ah."

He had taken such a liking to the Gupyo work bought for him in Dongju that his cheeks had gone pink — and it seemed he had even developed the will to go there himself. Since Yi Sowon had spent his time only in his private residence before, and only in the imperial palace after his blooming, it seemed like it would be a good motivation and experience for him.

"Good. Now this proposal is something we can no longer settle among ourselves, so it must be presented to His Majesty. With the combined opinions of many people, a truly optimal conclusion will surely come."

Having talked so much, his throat was dry again. He hurriedly raised his teacup — and at the same moment, everyone gathered there reached for their cup simultaneously. Their gazes, pausing for a moment, met in the air. A pleasant burst of laughter suddenly spread.