Deep Nightmare - 2
From a fourth-rank Junior Grand Master to a third-rank Junior Grand Master. But my actual position remained unchanged. There was no third-rank post within the Dochalwon, though they could have transferred me to another department if needed. Yet here I was, still the Left Vice Censor-in-chief.
Are they telling me to wander the Central Plains forever until I drop dead?
My vision blurred just thinking about it. Sure, it was better than getting a higher rank that would mess up the chain of command on the ground—but lugging around a rank above my position felt downright pathetic. It was like being sidelined for incompetence. At this point, it was starting to make me anxious. Would I really get promoted to Vice Censor-in-chief once I hit third-rank proper? I had a feeling I'd still be stuck as Left Vice Censor-in-chief even then.
"My lord. Are you all right?"
Lost in those thoughts, I idly fiddled with little Buong's nose. Jo Wi-cheo, standing beside me, asked with concern. My expression must have looked rotten even to outsiders.
"I'm fi—"
I was forcing out the words when my mind snagged on Jo Wi-cheo's rank insignia. Something felt off. One reason for my promotion was touring the realm and quelling disorders—but hadn't Jo Wi-cheo done that right alongside me? Why had only I been promoted?
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, my lord."
"When you see the Left Censor-in-chief, ask about your own promotio—"
"I'm content as is."
A firm refusal cut me off before I finished.
"Even so, considering your merits—"
"I'm fine."
"Got it."
His repeated refusals left me nodding awkwardly. Truth be told, he'd handled all the real grunt work; promoting past sixth-rank junior to fourth-rank proper wouldn't be undeserved. But he was so resolute, I let it go. If the recipient hates it, a reward becomes punishment.
If only I'd had a boss who'd block my promotion like this.
Bitter. I respected my subordinate's wishes and dropped the recommendation—but what had the Left Censor-in-chief told the Emperor? What words got a guy my age to third-rank junior? Though fourth-rank proper wasn't exactly age-appropriate either.
—Buong?
My hand tightened unconsciously on his nose, and the baby mak tilted his head. Sorry. My mind's a mess; it was reflexive.
Tough little guy.
Even as an adult man squeezed his snout, he showed no sign of pain. Spirit beasts were spirit beasts—defense like iron.
"Left Vice Censor-in-chief!"
Feeling guilty, I huffed on Buong's nose when the Jiayu Commandant hurried down from the wall.
"Another letter from Kaepyeong!"
Bringing news that drew a sigh.
Damn it.
I bit my lip and glared at the messenger falcon on the Jiayu Commandant's shoulder. That wretched bird delivered every grim report.
The Mongols' brazen display, after covertly drawing their ritual array, is presumed a feint to draw our eyes—a classic diversion.
Yet even a small Mongol force disrupting our western border will inevitably cause damage.
We decree active response to their southward push. Yangyang Wang Maeng An and Weiguk Duke Pung Seung shall proceed to Jiayu Pass.
Of course, the capital's missive brimmed with flowery rhetoric, imperial pride, and concerns for the realm's peace and the people's tranquility. But it boiled down to those three lines.
Yangyang Wang?
My mind reeled as I grasped it. The Emperor and high officials saw the Mongols at Jiayu Pass as bait? They had their reasons; privy to realm-wide intel from their seats, they knew things I didn't.
Countering the bait aggressively? Fair enough. Even bait left unchecked could rampage, causing inevitable harm as noted.
But sending Yangyang Wang for the purge?
Why...?
Confusion swirled. This was Gansu frontier business—why deploy from Hubei? Nang-jung Wang held Sichuan right next door.
Force preservation?
Stroking my chin, the likeliest hypothesis emerged. Zhongshan Wang checked Mongols and Goryeo in the northeast; Nang-jung Wang stood southwest against Tibet or Vietnam; Gu Gangwang crushed water bandits on the Yangtze, guarding the Grand Canal; Dong-gu Wang suppressed Japanese pirates at sea; Grandfather and Ak Wang anchored Kaepyeong.
These kings were all linchpins. Yangyang Wang? Relatively idle. Hubei was a murim snake pit, but no external threats.
So they sent a king who could step away without disaster—one with a belligerent streak, no less.
Pung Seung.
That explained Yangyang Wang; now the duke. Overshadowed, but no lightweight. In real history, one of Ming's top six founding dukes, commanding hundreds of thousands across the realm. Purged in the post-founding cleanses, like all talents.
Purge duo...
I glanced at the Jiayu Commandant reading beside me. He got purged too, as would the incoming Weiguk Duke. Eerie ties. Though finding unpurged ministers might be harder.
"Left Vice Censor-in-chief?"
Noticing my stare, he spoke quizzically.
"Just surprised Yangyang Wang and Weiguk Duke are coming personally. Have you heard anything beforehand, Commandant?"
Couldn't say "Staring 'cause you're purge buddies." Improv excuse it was.
"Nothing specific. Weiguk Duke as Right Supervisor of the Rear Army makes sense, but Yangyang Wang..."
He trailed off logically. I nodded; a frontier general knowing more than central bureaucrats would be the real shock.
Gonna be noisy for a while.
Glancing north where Mongols lurked post-reply. Their arrival meant business—not just smashing the scouts, maybe probing deep into Mongol borders. No realm-ending push, but local war? Easily.
Horrific.
I tsked inwardly. Not border skirmishes, but deliberate central strike. Who knew the body count?
And that blood-soaked call dropped while I was at Jiayu Pass.
Omen beast?
A hollow laugh nearly escaped. Beyond incidents everywhere, now sparking wars. If I hit Shanhaiguan, would full Mongol invasion follow? Dreadful thought.
...Hold on.
Unease hit late; I reread the missive. Yangyang Wang and duke coming? Fine. Local war imminent? Plausible.
Why no mention of me?
Why ignore me? Time to lift my standby at Jiayu. With two monsters inbound to handle the mess, why?
Incomprehensible...
By the time Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i acclimated to sandstorms, Samshik napped in dunes before resurfacing, and little Buong pined for bamboo.
"Jiayu Pass—my first visit since the northern expeditions."
Yangyang Wang arrived at lightspeed from Hubei.
"Hail Yangyang Wang!"
Jiayu Commandant Nam Ok rushed to greet the king.
"You the Jiayu Commandant?"
"Yes, Your Highness! Nam Ok at your service!"
"Nam Ok."
Stroking his chin at the crisp intro.
"Ah, right. Ak-guk Duke's much-praised brother-in-law."
"Overly generous praise from Duke Ak leaves me humbled!"
Yangyang Wang's lip quirked faintly. Comrades from the same fields; his ally's kin spotting Mongol schemes early—and promoted—naturally pleased.
"Humbled? Then earn it. Strive to succeed Ak-guk Duke."
"Words like golden precepts! I shall obey!"
Nodding approval, his gaze shifted to me.
"Left Vice Censor-in-chief, fine work. Yangtze bandit purge with Yeo not long ago—now crushing northern vermin schemes in Gansu? Unexpected."
"Too kind, Your Highness..."
"His Majesty holds great hopes for you. Keep it up."
Words like a brand drew a wry smile. Already bitter over rank sans position—now a king echoed "This is your lot."
His Majesty's great expectations.
Even the Emperor wished it so; tears welled.
...But his phrasing suggested Kaepyeong, not Hubei.
Summoned?
Made sense: Mongol ritual array near Jiayu was catastrophe. Emperor calling kings and elites? Logical.
"Weiguk Duke incoming!"
Mid-courtesy thanks, a wall sentry bellowed.
Spotting the duke charging from afar, it seemed. Odd for separate starters to sync arrivals.