Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Great Shock (2)
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The dictator Lee Sung-jun's will was unwavering.
The nobles didn't even have a chance to protest from their seats before all their land was seized.
He promised to return the principal, interest, and everything over fifty years, but who would call that proper compensation?
Factoring in inflation, opportunity costs, and the income the land could have generated, it was no different from having their property stolen for a tenth of its value.
Kang Hyun-sik could not contain his rage.
He could not stand by and watch the empire steal the land that he, his father, his grandfather, and generations of his family had protected.
No matter what it took, he had to stand against them and reclaim it.
Land was not merely property—it was the pride of the family and the very symbol of noble status.
Kang Hyun-sik first reached out to fellow nobles nearby.
"Marquis Kang. In times like these, it's not wise to be meeting with people so frequently. Just hold out until the situation improves."
"Oh, who doesn't know that? Look at the situation. How am I supposed to hold back?"
Kang Hyun-sik vented his fury to his close friends.
They had taken everything except his empty marquis title—what more was there to endure?
But many of his friends did not side with him.
No, deep down they agreed with him, but they feared acting on it.
'How ruthless is Lee Sung-jun? You think of challenging him?'
Ever since the failed counter-coup, the nobles had effectively lost the ability to defy Lee Sung-jun.
Even those nobles still in the military had been dragged off one by one by the Security Service and military police just recently.
At this rate, there was no foundation left for a coup or anything else.
"Damn cowards."
Kang Hyun-sik grumbled as he returned home.
It was then that a secret letter arrived for him.
'The Imperial Restoration Society?'
The name alone reeked of conservative leanings.
Kang Hyun-sik sought out the teahouse where the Imperial Restoration Society was meeting.
"Marquis Kang is here too."
"No, is my brother-in-law here as well?"
Unexpectedly, the gathering featured quite a few prominent nobles.
They were heavyweights like Kang Hyun-sik, brave enough to raise their voices against the Lee Sung-jun regime.
All bearing titles like marquis, count, or baron, they made Kang Hyun-sik quietly satisfied.
Shortly after the banquet began, an elderly noble who seemed to be the host entered the room.
"It's Duke Nam Jin-seung."
"No way, His Grace Duke Nam has stepped forward for this?"
Everyone's faces lit up with encouragement at Nam Jin-seung's appearance.
Who was Nam Jin-seung?
He was the eldest grandson of the renowned Nam clan's martial lineage in the empire and the current holder of the Dukedom of An-san.
"Your Grace. It's an honor to meet you."
The nobles rushed forward, bowing deeply to Nam Jin-seung.
He accepted their greetings as if it were only natural.
Kang Hyun-sik hurried over to pay his respects as well.
"It's Marquis Kang."
"Do you know me?"
"I was acquainted with your late father."
Hearing that he had been friends with his father made Nam Jin-seung feel even closer to Kang Hyun-sik.
The meeting ended without much fanfare.
They had simply spent the time getting acquainted and badmouthing Lee Sung-jun.
Two days later, Kang Hyun-sik received another invitation from the Imperial Restoration Society.
It was at a different teahouse this time.
Upon arriving, he found much the same group as before.
A few faces were missing, perhaps unable to attend.
Of course, Nam Jin-seung never missed a single meeting.
After attending around ten such gatherings, the regular members had grown familiar with one another.
Then, at the eleventh meeting, Nam Jin-seung brought up the main topic.
"Now that we're all well-acquainted, let's get to the point. What do you all think of the state of our nation, Daehan?"
"It's a situation where the very foundations are crumbling, is it not?"
"Exactly. This nation has lost its foundations. What kind of country is Daehan? Our great Founding Emperor raised it from the ashes of the great war, and the Holy Ancestor toppled the Later Jin to place it on solid ground. Could those two have achieved that alone? No, it was the nobles who served as their hands and feet that made those feats possible."
The claim that nobles were the empire's foundation referred to their role in the empire's revival during the Founding and Holy Ancestor eras.
Who could disagree with that?
Anyone living in the empire would have to nod in agreement.
"And now Lee Sung-jun is trampling us nobles underfoot. He's grinding us into the dirt, trying to drag us down to the level of the rabble. Are we just going to stand for this?"
"No, Your Grace."
"How could we nobles be placed on the same level as the rabble?"
"That's what I think too. So we must all pool our strength and wisdom to overthrow Lee Sung-jun."
At Nam Jin-seung's words, the nobles exchanged glances.
While attending these meetings had fostered some sense of belonging to the Imperial Restoration Society, committing to something as dangerous as overthrowing Lee Sung-jun was another matter entirely.
As hesitation rippled through the nobles, Nam Jin-seung continued.
"I know you're all scared of Lee Sung-jun right now. I admit he's frightening. But do we have any more room to retreat?"
They did not.
The moment their land was touched, the nobles had been forced to choose.
Fall to the level of the rabble, or stake their lives on the fight.
Those still here were title inheritors who valued their family honor above their lives.
Kang Hyun-sik pondered deeply for a long time.
Finally, he spoke with difficulty.
"If we're to undertake this, I'd like to know Your Grace's intentions on how it will proceed."
"Very well. Come in, Mr. Lee."
Nam Jin-seung clapped his hands, and a tall man in a suit entered, distributing papers with something written on them to the nobles.
The nobles read them cautiously, then recoiled in shock.
"Th-this is..."
Nam Jin-seung was well aware they could not overcome Lee Sung-jun with military force.
So what would they use against him?
His answer was terrorism.
As Nam Jin-seung poked at the braised hairtail with his chopsticks, he said,
"As you all know, I'm a veteran of the First World War. That's when I first tasted gas."
Nam Jin-seung still could not forget the terror of the thick clouds of poison gas.
When the gas rolled in, even healthy people would foam at the mouth and collapse as corpses within minutes.
"Even now, just thinking of those days keeps me awake."
Gas.
Few among the nobles here had experienced that terror firsthand.
But they knew the legendary tales.
"Why not let Lee Sung-jun taste that terror as well?"
The room buzzed with dismay.
Poison gas terrorism seemed a step too far, even so.
"Yes, I know you all still have reservations. But think it over. We've had everything taken from us. Do we have the luxury to choose our methods?"
Kang Hyun-sik thought Nam Jin-seung was right.
"Then how do you plan to prepare this 'terrorism' you've mentioned, Your Grace? From the looks of it, gas requires chemical facilities just to attempt."
Simple chlorine gas could be obtained anywhere easily.
But chlorine gas had a pungent smell and color, making it detectable the moment it was used—unsuitable as a terror weapon.
That meant using something like the phosgene or sarin gas developed by the Germans, which required proper factory equipment and technicians.
Not only would that cost a fortune, but it would also easily fall under government surveillance.
Nam Jin-seung had a plan for that.
"Just build a factory in China and bring it in."
"!!!!!"
It was brilliant.
The current Republic of China was a lawless wasteland with no real rule of law.
In that chaos, who would properly investigate setting up one little chemical plant for poison gas?
"Then the issue would be funding, as Your Grace says."
The ultimate problem was always money.
Bringing in equipment, building a chemical plant, and hiring technicians was no small expense.
"That's why I need your help."
'So he's asking us to fund the chemical terror preparations.'
If they contributed here, they would irrevocably link their names to the terrorist group.
Yet backing out after hearing this far would be awkward.
To avoid ostracism in noble society, they had to show some sincerity.
"So, how much?"
"Five hundred won. Just prepare five hundred won each."
It wasn't an enormous sum, but neither was it trivial.
Especially not in their current straits.
Seeing the others hesitate, Kang Hyun-sik decided to step up first.
"I'll cover the costs. Why are you all so timid when it's for Daehan?"
With Kang Hyun-sik taking the lead, the other nobles gradually mustered their courage.
"I'll contribute too."
If they could just eliminate Lee Sung-jun with terrorism, the land reform would fizzle out.
And in that ensuing chaos, any new leader who seized power would have to extend a hand to the nobles to legitimize their rule.
Without that calculation, the nobles wouldn't have found the courage so easily.
"Thank you all for lending your strength like this."
"No, Your Grace. We are the ones grateful to you for taking up this cause."
The meeting ended in a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
Once all the nobles had left, the smiling expression on Nam Jin-seung's face vanished completely.
The face that had just moments ago treated them like loyal retainers turned ice-cold.
"Since they've cooperated this far, keep your promise to show leniency to that fool of a bastard son of mine."
"Of course, Your Grace. Central Intelligence has never broken a promise."
As the Central Intelligence agent disguised as Mr. Lee withdrew, Nam Jin-seung sighed.
The plot itself had seemed plausible, but it was merely a Central Intelligence trap to lure in the malcontents.
'Forgive me.'
Nam Jin-seung offered silent pity to his fellow nobles, who would soon vanish into the dustbin of history.