Monopolizing Fortunes (111)
Monopolizing Fortunes (111)
The imperial princess's round eyes grew rounder.
"Huh? You sensed the Embroidered Uniform Guard's presence on this street? So you really have learned martial arts too? The odds that you're an assassin keep going up."
Do Tong-dal kept his voice as low as he could.
"I told you, I'm not. Wouldn't it be better to go somewhere secluded over there and discuss the details?"
The imperial princess shot him a suspicious look.
"Secluded?"
"It's not that I have any improper intentions......"
"Fine. Let's go."
She answered readily and flung herself around the corner of Jeonui Hall. Before the Embroidered Uniform Guard could spot him, Do Tong-dal hurried after her.
With his back against the wall, Do Tong-dal checked that no one else was around and let out a sigh of relief.
"Now you have to tell me who you are."
"As you can see, I'm a eunuch."
Her gaze drifted toward the front of his trousers.
"Th-this is extremely rare, but every once in a while, if it's cut off, it grows back."
"Who do you think you're fooling? Should I scream?"
So she's no fool.
"Very well. The truth is that I came at someone's request to read the faces of the First Prince and the Second Prince."
The best lie always mixes in seven parts truth.
"Face reading?"
"To see which of them has the face of an emperor."
"Oh-ho! And who sent you?"
"That I cannot say."
"Then I'll have to scream."
The imperial princess sucked in a deep breath as if she might shriek at any moment, but Do Tong-dal's mouth did not open.
"Was my acting clumsy? Or are you really the sort to lay down your life out of loyalty?"
"Both."
"Fine, I'll look into that later. So you're a face reader? You're young, but not bad."
Who's calling who young!
"So which of the two is it?"
"Well...... I don't know yet. That's why I plan to observe them once more tomorrow and once the day after."
He planned to bolt the moment the sun came up.
"Why only look at those two?"
"Pardon?"
"What about my third older brother?"
"He has no chance, doesn't he?"
"What do you mean, no chance! No! Of course my third older brother should become emperor!"
"Um...... your voice, please......"
It felt as though every Embroidered Uniform Guard in the Forbidden City was about to come swarming.
"Compared to those two butchers who aren't even human, my third older brother is a hundred times better. No, there's no comparison at all. You only say that because you haven't seen him......"
"I have seen him."
"Huh? You have?"
"We even drank together."
"Drank too? Oh-ho! Brother Hyeong-seon is a bit shy around strangers, so he won't even have tea with just anyone."
The Third Prince's name appeared to be Hyeong-seon. Ju Hyeong-seon.
"How do you know Brother Hyeong-seon?"
From the look of it, the imperial princess before him was extremely favorably disposed toward Ju Hyeong-seon. So there was no reason to hide it.
"I first met him a few nights ago......"
The story that began there went on quite a bit longer than the brief encounter with Ju Hyeong-seon warranted. That was because Do Tong-dal spun the impression Ju Hyeong-seon had made on him together with what had happened at the pleasure house into an entertaining tale.
"Heh heh heh...... Brother Hyeong-seon really went to a pleasure house? He always said that was no place for a gentleman."
"One must understand refinement to be a gentleman."
"Then what was Brother Hyeong-seon's face reading like?"
"It was good."
"That's all?"
"No matter how good the face, it cannot outrun the will."
"So from face reading alone, you still don't know who will become emperor?"
"The First Prince has the highest chance of becoming emperor, but......"
"If that bastard becomes crown prince, I'll kill him myself!"
"Pardon?"
"Why do you think I learned martial arts? I learned them to kill those first and second bastards who aren't even human."
"Why do you hate the two princes so much......?"
"Those sons of bitches killed the puppy I loved most, just for fun."
As if it had happened yesterday, the rims of her eyes reddened and her lips trembled.
"When?"
"Ten years ago."
They say when a woman nurses a grudge, frost falls in midsummer!
"So you've been practicing martial arts from then until now?"
"Yes. Three shichen a day for ten years, without missing once."
"Oh-ho! That's impressive. So the master teaching you martial arts is inside the imperial palace?"
"The Imperial Palace Secret Archive is inside the imperial palace. Where else would it be?"
"The Im-Imperial Palace Secret Archive?"
"Yes. The Imperial Palace Secret Archive."
"Wasn't that just a legend gossips like to talk about?"
"It really exists. Want to go see it together?"
At the imperial princess's movement, as though she might go right that instant, Do Tong-dal waved both hands.
"N-no. Let's go later, if the chance comes."
The imperial princess stared at Do Tong-dal for a moment, then suddenly revealed her name.
"I'm Seo-in. Ju Seo-in. And you?"
"I'm called Do Tong-dal."
"If I come here, I can meet you again, right?"
"Probably...... yes?"
"Then I'll come again tomorrow. Wait for me!"
With those words, Ju Seo-in vanished in a flash. Just as when she had appeared, not the slightest presence could be felt when she left.
"She learned martial arts meant for assassins?"
She had said she'd practiced martial arts for ten years, so she must have begun her training around seven or eight. There was no way a child that young would have deliberately learned an assassin's arts.
"So the martial arts she happened to learn were assassin's arts. What a remarkable imperial princess."
Of course, he had no intention of continuing his connection with that remarkable imperial princess. Do Tong-dal planned to leave the imperial palace as soon as the sun rose.
But Yang Su-pan crushed that hope with two firm words: "No."
"I'm telling you, it's enough."
"Enough isn't enough. It has to be perfect. Look once more each."
Judging by Yang Su-pan's forcefulness, he would never permit it. The thought of just running away was soon discarded.
Even for the sake of his relationship with Yang Su-pan, he couldn't abandon such an important task.
"And I'll be meeting the Third Prince today, so keep that in mind."
'One damn mountain after another.'
Yang Su-pan soothed Do Tong-dal as he lowered his head with a frustrated expression.
"If you finish this job well, there will naturally be a reward."
"What are you going to give me?"
"That depends on what you want."
"Dammit! Just send me home quickly!"
He had plenty of money, and his martial arts were more than enough for the level of a thug. He had so many women it gave him headaches, so there was nothing lacking in his life.
As things stood, he could live in idleness for the rest of his life, so the only thing he needed was freedom.
The meeting was arranged outside the imperial palace. For a newly arrived eunuch like Do Tong-dal, going out was unthinkable, but the backing of the Director of Ceremonial Affairs had the power to make most things happen.
The restaurant, though not particularly fancy, had not a single customer even at lunchtime. It seemed the whole place had been rented out.
When he went up to the second floor and entered the room, Yang Su-pan was waiting.
"I can understand why I'm here, but why did you come, Censor Yang?"
"You're the one who told the Third Prince you were close with me."
"The person the Third Prince wants to meet is me, so you could just bow out."
"How could the host do that?"
Do Tong-dal, who had been staring at Yang Su-pan, asked.
"Do you want to put the Third Prince on the throne?"
"Huh? Ah...... no! What are you talking about! I'm a man who follows the current of the times!"
"You know there's no point hiding your true feelings in front of me. Even I wouldn't want the Second Prince, that butcher of a man, becoming emperor. Much less you, Censor Yang, who would have to work under him......"
He let the sentence trail off to give Yang Su-pan the chance to speak next.
"Well, compared to those two, the Third Prince is far superior as material for an emperor. But as I said before, it's too difficult. There's nothing more foolish than staking your life on something with a slim chance of success. Isn't that right?"
Yang Su-pan stole a glance at Do Tong-dal.
"Of course. Since ancient times, the best life is thick and long, and the second best is thin and long. Short and thick is something only idiots talk about."
"Right? Ha ha ha!"
Around the time Yang Su-pan's awkward laughter ended, Ju Hyeong-seon entered. The wounds on his face had healed considerably, leaving only dark red marks.
"I'm a bit late. One shouldn't keep a friend waiting."
Do Tong-dal bowed deeply toward Ju Hyeong-seon, who spoke playfully.
"This lowborn man failed to recognize a noble person and committed a discourtesy."
Anyone else would have prostrated himself and begged to be killed, but Do Tong-dal's apology was plain.
"How is that your fault? I'm the one who owes a debt, so I should be thanking you. Sit."
Ju Hyeong-seon did not forget to greet Yang Su-pan either.
"Thank you for arranging this meeting, Censor Yang."
"I merely do my utmost to carry out your wishes."
Perhaps the order had already been placed, because food soon filled the table. Since the whole place had been rented out, the food was a feast as well.
Do Tong-dal ate deliciously. The food that low-ranking eunuchs ate in the imperial palace was nearly the worst.
Do Tong-dal was the only one diligently wielding his chopsticks.
"The food seems to suit your taste."
At Ju Hyeong-seon's question, Do Tong-dal answered with food still in his mouth.
"If Your Highness ate the food of a low-ranking eunuch for a few days, you'd devour this whole table."
"You scoundrel, speaking with food in your mouth......!"
Ju Hyeong-seon cut off Yang Su-pan's rebuke.
"You can't force a man of the wilds to follow court etiquette. The one who's lacking here is me."
Do Tong-dal asked.
"What could Your Highness possibly lack from me? If you need a companion for the pleasure house, you'll have to come to Hangzhou."
"You have no intention of staying in Beijing?"
"My livelihood and my kin are all in Hangzhou, and I like Hangzhou. It's not for nothing that people compare Hangzhou to heaven."
"Hearing you say that, I'd like to visit it once myself."
"The magistrate of Hangzhou would be better than the emperor of Beijing. Isn't that right, Censor Yang?"
Yang Su-pan didn't know how to answer Do Tong-dal's question, so he only sipped his tea.
"What one wants to do and what one must do seem the same, but there are many places where they differ."
"Before we get to the main point, Censor Yang, you'd best leave now."
"Why?"
"You know why."
Yang Su-pan was an official of the state. It didn't matter if a man of the wilds like Do Tong-dal knew the Third Prince's inner thoughts, but for Yang Su-pan, it was literally a matter of life and death.
"You already know my mind, so it shouldn't matter."
"Censor Yang hasn't given an answer yet, has he?"
"That's true."
"Then shouldn't you give him time to make up his mind?"
"You're right."
Ju Hyeong-seon looked at Do Tong-dal and Yang Su-pan.
"I envy the two of you, with such deep regard for each other. It isn't easy to meet such a friend in a lifetime. Especially for someone like me."
Yang Su-pan stepped in.
"If one sets aside differences in status, Do Tong-dal is a man fully capable of being such a friend."
It sounded like pressure to cooperate actively with Ju Hyeong-seon.
"Stop pushing someone else's back and get going."
Yang Su-pan, who had taken a sip of tea, spoke.
"If the Third Prince doesn't mind, I'll stay."
"Censor Yang!"
"I know what you're worried about. And my staying will influence your decision too. Even so, I should stay."
"Are you saying you'll become a fool?"
"I've lived thirty-five years, so it's not such a short life. Countless babies die before even passing their first birthday. And if I go because I failed while pursuing a great cause, then that can't be helped. So I'm only half a fool. Couldn't you say I'm about average?"
"What do you mean, thirty-five is a long life! You should live until you're smearing shit on the walls!"
"If you ever see me like that, kill me yourself. Heh heh heh!"
Do Tong-dal shook his head.
"The corrupt official of Hangzhou came to Beijing and lost his mind. Lost it."
"I did take some bribes, but I wasn't such a bad magistrate, was I?"
"No, you did your job well. You even earned the people's respect in your own way. But you weren't exactly an incorruptible official."
"Agreed."
"Pfft! Puhahaha!"
Ju Hyeong-seon, who had been watching the two of them, burst into loud laughter, and Do Tong-dal and Yang Su-pan also chuckled.
"It seems I've already gained two dependable allies."
Do Tong-dal spoke.
"I haven't decided anything yet. And even if I did become your ally, what could a mere thug from Hangzhou do?"
"Well, the Do Tong-dal I know is the most fearsome man in the world when he's your enemy."
"Oh, come now. That's only when dealing with the riffraff of the Underworld."
"You took down one of the Three Great Merchants of Hangzhou, and you have the magistrate working under you like a subordinate, don't you?"
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