Chapter 177 Now We Need to Get a Reply, Right? [2]
Chapter 177 Now We Need to Get a Reply, Right? [2]
Bwooo.
The sound of the horn was somewhat frivolous.
But the expressions of the people blowing it, as well as the expressions of those listening, were solemn in the extreme.
It could not be helped.
This was the entrance of the man who had risen to the position of Kanpaku through a war that had washed blood with blood.
Though Hideyoshi himself was grinning like a fool.
“He looks to be in an excellent mood.”
Hwang Yungil whispered into Kanghyeok’s ear.
At once, Kim Seongil opened his mouth, unwilling to fall behind.
“Indeed. It may be behavior that departs from propriety… but for us, it is a good thing.”
Naturally.
Was it not a hundred times better for the opposing commander to come into the conference hall smiling than to enter with a face full of displeasure?
“Exactly. Mm.”
Hideyoshi’s expression was so bright that Kanghyeok even began to feel a little guilty.
At this rate, is he going to say he won’t invade after all?
Of course, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was certainly a man who would go on to commit an unforgivable crime against Joseon.
But had the man before his eyes actually invaded yet?
For a moment, Kanghyeok’s happy little fantasy circuit spun at full speed, and the faces of the Japanese commanders he had half-heartedly treated until now flashed through his mind like a lantern slide.
Judging only from his face right now, it would not even have felt strange if he had suddenly shouted, “Let’s make peace!”
The atmosphere in the conference hall was so good that Kanghyeok could think thoughts like that.
“Pass wine to our honored guests from Joseon as well.”
Once Hideyoshi treated them so courteously, it was only natural that the mood would turn that way.
The act of holding Tsurumatsu in his arms was itself a breach of propriety, but aside from that, his treatment of them was truly overwhelming.
Moreover, everyone already knew of his extraordinary affection for Tsurumatsu.
And everyone also knew that the child, who had been certain to die, had recently been saved.
So anyone who did not understand would scarcely count as human.
“The Kanpaku pays close attention to propriety.”
Thanks to that, even Kim Seongil, who was strict about everything, looked pleased.
At those words, the Recording Officer Heo Seong asked with a surprised face,
“You are not angry today?”
“The way you say that makes it sound as though I’m always angry.”
“Have you not been that way ever since coming to Japan?”
“Haha. That is not wrong.”
If one were to record only Kim Seongil’s outbursts of anger, it would easily fill three books.
He had snapped at Yoshitoshi alone at least ten times.
The man might not have carried a blade, but he was nearly a gangster all the same.
Kyoto had not been much different.
He cursed Hideyoshi to death every time. Looks like he really does approve today.
Whenever they gathered, all he ever did was curse Hideyoshi.
Because Hideyoshi kept delaying the talks and would not provide a reply to the state letter.
For the first few days, they could excuse it because of Tsurumatsu’s treatment, but afterward, it had become hard to justify.
They had only gotten to see Hideyoshi after fully three months in Kyoto, which was already an enormous breach of courtesy.
Still… even this is better than in the original history.
Kanghyeok might have been an ignorant fool in many ways, but he had watched plenty of dramas.
As he remembered it, the diplomatic mission had stayed in Kyoto for a full six months.
So three months meant that time had been cut in half.
That made Kanghyeok’s skull grow even more crowded with thoughts.
If war really doesn’t happen…
Would that not be an unqualified good?
His heart immediately turned generous enough that he even made this resolve.
Then I’ll prepare as much as possible and even consider a liver transplant.
He was turning over thoughts of an impossible surgery when Hideyoshi opened his mouth.
When Kanghyeok came back to himself, Hideyoshi had raised his wine cup high.
“Come, let us each have a drink.”
At that, Hwang Yungil and Kim Seongil both looked slightly baffled.
Kanghyeok was the same.
There was not even a cup on their table, let alone any wine.
“Hah… now then, Chief Envoy, please have a drink.”
The mystery was soon solved.
Hideyoshi handed his emptied wine cup to Hwang Yungil.
So they’re passing it around.
It was not exactly a good custom.
Because it was not only alcohol that got shared that way.
They would be sharing germs too.
Most commonly, bacteria like Helicobacter.
Absolutely not.
Kanghyeok secretly opened his house-call bag and took out an alcohol swab.
It was small enough to hide perfectly in his hand.
“Hah.”
While he was preparing, the cup had already made its way into Heo Seong’s hand.
I’m next.
He slipped the alcohol swab between his fingers, planning to wipe the cup secretly, when Hideyoshi suddenly rose.
By now, he had already passed Tsurumatsu, whom he had been cradling like a sacred relic, over to O-no-dono.
“Physician Baek.”
Hideyoshi came toward Kanghyeok with both arms spread wide.
He wore a broad smile across his face.
Ah, what is this now?
Someone else might have found it an honor, but Kanghyeok felt nothing of the sort.
He could only think about how he was supposed to wipe the cup and drink from it.
“You are my benefactor. I would like to pour a cup for you personally.”
The moment he finished speaking, Hideyoshi snatched the wine flask from the woman standing behind him.
The woman’s face plainly showed her surprise, but she quickly lowered her head and stepped back.
It seemed this had not been arranged beforehand, because the expressions on the other Japanese commanders’ faces were also worth seeing.
A foreigner had just claimed the honor of receiving wine directly from the Kanpaku.
Ah… quit looking at me like that.
The person concerned did not want this at all.
“Here.”
Hideyoshi, however, went right on ahead and poured the wine.
Whatever else he was, he was a man far above Kanghyeok in rank.
So Kanghyeok had no choice but to bow his head and receive it.
If I cause a scene here, that’ll end very badly.
Far worse than badly. He might end up soaking this tatami floor with his own blood.
That was one thing he absolutely wanted to avoid.
“Then, with gratitude…”
Kanghyeok naturally turned his head.
It preserved propriety and let him wipe the cup.
How perfect.
He wiped it quickly, then tossed it back in one gulp.
Kanghyeok had never been one to refuse alcohol.
“Hah, you’re a bold one!”
There was, after all, no one who disliked seeing a man empty a cup like that.
Hideyoshi and the other commanders were the same.
As a result, the mood grew even warmer, and that atmosphere continued all the way until the banquet disguised as talks finally ended.
“But why won’t he give us the reply?”
Hwang Yungil muttered with a flushed face.
His tongue was badly slurred, and he no longer seemed entirely sober.
Naturally so, since he had already shared cups several times with Hideyoshi, Hidetsugu, and the Japanese commanders.
Even so, he kept bringing up the matter of the reply and nothing else.
It was a clear sign of how much he cared about affairs of state.
“Exactly.”
Kim Seongil, whose face was also red, seemed to be thinking the same thing.
“We can’t return until we receive the reply.”
Heo Seong too kept talking only about the reply.
In truth, who cared about the atmosphere of the meeting at a time like this?
If they failed to receive the document they actually needed, then everything was meaningless.
“Hideyoshi is still keeping his seat… perhaps someone should at least go say something.”
With that, Hwang Yungil plopped himself down.
There was a determined air about him that said whoever went, it certainly would not be him.
“Wouldn’t Kanghyeok be best? He has a personal connection too.”
Kim Seongil, leaning his back against the wall, chimed in.
His tone all but said, You go instead.
“I think so as well.”
Even Heo Seong, who normally did not state his views, added a word.
The only difference between him and the other two was that he lacked their shamelessness and kept his head lowered.
“Me?”
Kanghyeok asked back with a look of disbelief.
All three men looked as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
“If it’s you, he won’t be able to refuse.”
Kim Seongil nodded.
“That’s right. I’ve already written such glowing praise of you, but one point is still lacking. If you handle this well too, who knows. It may not be a dream for you to leap straight to Senior Fifth Rank, or even Fourth Rank.”
Hwang Yungil’s words flowed like water.
“Wow…”
Kanghyeok stared at him in utter betrayal.
He had never dreamed that at this point they would start bargaining with offices and ranks.
In response, Hwang Yungil thrust forward the forearm that still bore its scar.
“Oh dear, when I drink, this place turns red and hurts…”
“You’ve been drinking just fine this whole time…”
“Oh dear.”
At that, Hwang Yungil even let the wine cup in his hand slip dramatically to the floor.
Watching that, Kanghyeok found it hard not to give in.
This was an old man putting aside all dignity and making a spectacle of himself.
Damn it.
Kanghyeok shook his head and looked toward Hideyoshi.
O-no-dono sat quietly beside him, with Tsurumatsu asleep in her arms.
Fine. I’ll step in.
As the others had said, Kanghyeok really was the one here whose words would likely carry the most weight.
But he did not want to step forward for nothing.
So he rose only halfway and spoke.
“Elder Yungil.”
“Yes, yes. Say whatever you like.”
“Since the topic of office has come up…”
“Yes, yes.”
“Let’s go with ‘jeong.’”
“Jeong? Senior Third Rank, a court-ranking official?”
This time both Hwang Yungil and Kim Seongil’s eyes went wide.
Their expressions resembled the one Kanghyeok himself had worn just moments before.
“Third Rank?”
“Yes.”
“Not Cheomjeong. You want to jump straight to Third Rank?”
“Yes.”
Kim Seongil clicked his tongue as he looked at Kanghyeok’s confident face.
“Senior Third Rank would be higher than I am right now…”
“Oh, really?”
“It would. It’s too high. That’s a court-ranking official…”
“Then how about Cheomjeong, Junior Fourth Rank?”
“What is this, haggling over an office like bargaining in the marketplace…”
“Come on now… look, it seems like Hideyoshi is about to get up.”
At Kanghyeok’s words, both elders automatically turned their heads.
Sure enough, Hideyoshi’s rear had begun to shift.
Whether he truly meant to rise or not, it was more than enough to make the two anxious.
“Ah, fine. I’ll write it that way.”
“You promise?”
“I told you I would. Hurry and go. We’ll miss the chance at this rate.”
Had this meeting not finally taken place only after a full three months of waiting?
It could not simply end with drinking and nothing more.
Kanghyeok thought much the same, so he hurried to his feet.
“Kanpaku.”
“Ah, Physician Baek. You look perfectly fine. Do you take some special medicine?”
Hideyoshi still welcomed Kanghyeok with a delighted expression.
As he said, there was not the least trace of drunkenness on Kanghyeok’s face.
The Japanese commanders, who knew full well that he had been drinking without pause, now looked at him with awe.
“Haha. I was simply born this way.”
Feeling all eyes on him, Kanghyeok laughed heartily.
Then he moved to the point.
“By the way, Elder Kanpaku.”
“Speak.”
“The elders are deeply troubled because we still have not received a reply to the state letter sent by our king.”
Kanghyeok pointed toward Hwang Yungil and Kim Seongil, who were looking over anxiously.
To borrow an irreverent comparison, they looked like dogs desperate to relieve themselves.
“Ah, that’s right, that’s right.”
Fortunately, Hideyoshi slapped his knee and laughed aloud.
“Bring it.”
Then he gave an order to the attendants standing behind him.
Before long, the attendants brought forth a box adorned with coral and jade.
“I drafted it the very day I received the state letter. Take it with you.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Good… then enjoy the banquet a while longer. As for me, it is late, and I should retire.”
After handing over the box, Hideyoshi rose and left the hall.
Behind him, O-no-dono, Hidetsugu, Katō Kiyomasa, and the other principal figures also withdrew.
The hall turned empty in an instant, and the diplomatic party from Joseon also found it awkward to remain any longer.
“Then shall we go too?”
“Yes. Let’s hurry back and examine the contents.”
“Yes.”
Kanghyeok too was just as curious about the reply.
So they all gathered together at Chief Envoy Hwang Yungil’s quarters.
The box they had just received was in hand.
“Let’s open it.”
“Yes.”
Carrying a trace of anticipation, Kanghyeok opened the box.
Depending on what it contained, Tsurumatsu might receive a liver transplant after all and be granted an entirely new life.