Monopolizing Fortunes (152)
Monopolizing Fortunes (152)
The person carrying the limp middle-aged woman under one arm was Namgung Seol-rin.
"I told you not to call me Hwangmi Alliance Leader. Just call me Alliance Leader."
If she called him Hwang Alliance Leader, the name came out strange, and if she called him Hwangmi Alliance Leader, the title sounded ridiculous.
"Why did you have to take a two-character surname when everyone else uses Hwang?"
"You lot have two characters too! Namgung! And who gave you the right to go around rewriting other people's family names!"
Do Tong-dal said as he came down from the main hall.
"Don't go bursting a vein over something so trivial, old man."
"This brat runs his mouth because it's not his problem!"
Do Tong-dal lightly ignored Hwangmi Dal's protest and looked at the limp middle-aged woman.
"So that's Hwangbo Gil's wife."
"I caught her trying to run off with two escort warriors."
"The letter?"
Namgung Seol-rin took an envelope from her bosom and held it out to Do Tong-dal.
"Good work."
At Do Tong-dal's warm smile and praise, Namgung Seol-rin twisted her body sideways.
"What good work. It wasn't even difficult."
Hwangmi Dal muttered, "Look at her, dying of happiness. Dying," and then got jabbed in the ribs by the blue-eyed girl's elbow.
Hwangmi Dal and Namgung Seol-rin bickered back and forth, one claiming the martial world's righteousness had vanished, the other claiming the unorthodox sects themselves were the true martial way.
Do Tong-dal went over to Hwangbo Gil and waved the letter in front of his eyes.
"The succession seems to have been decided. Wouldn't you agree?"
Once even the tiny ember that had glowed like a firefly went out, not a single trace of hope's warmth remained.
Hwangbo Gil, his pupils dead and gray, spat out a voice dry as dust.
"Spare my family. They bear no guilt."
Do Tong-dal glanced back at Hwangbo Gil's wife, then spoke.
"They tried to run off with the evidence, and you say they bear no guilt?"
"I ordered it. They did it knowing nothing. Please...... show mercy. No......!"
Hwangbo Gil threw himself flat on the ground before Do Tong-dal.
"My lord, please take pity on us and show mercy! Sob, sob, sob......."
The heaving shoulders of the aging man, trembling for the last handful he had to protect, were pitiful. But the voice that fell over those shoulders from Do Tong-dal was cold enough to freeze them solid.
"If you weren't prepared for your three generations to be wiped out, you shouldn't have committed a crime that wipes out three generations."
"I truly did it for this country, for these people......."
"For the country and the people, you tried to make a mad-dog tyrant emperor? A passing dog would laugh."
"I have committed a capital crime. So please, spare only my family!"
Do Tong-dal, who had been staring down at the back of Hwangbo Gil's head, spoke.
"Seeing you plead like this, I do find my heart moved."
Through Hwangbo Gil's halted sobs, a faint hope flickered to life.
"From now on, the severity of your punishment will depend on how much you cooperate with His Highness the Third Prince."
"I will cooperate completely! Not only what I know—I will even make what I don't know into what I know!"
It was a forceful declaration that he could pin even crimes that did not exist onto the Second Prince.
"Do not let that resolve waver. Until His Highness the Third Prince ascends the imperial throne."
At that moment, Yang Su-pan's voice rang out as he burst into the courtyard.
"Tong-dal! I found it! I found it!"
Yang Su-pan waved an envelope, and Do Tong-dal answered by waving the envelope in his own hand.
They had crossed the most critical pass. It was the moment Ju Hyeong-seon would seize the armrest of the imperial throne.
* * *
In that space, everyone who had rendered distinguished service in this affair was gathered.
Do Tong-dal, Yang Su-pan, Hwangmi Dal, Namgung Seol-rin, Jang Yu-seom, and even Won Dae-yeon sat together with Ju Hyeong-seon.
"Why are you standing over there?"
Everyone else had taken a seat, but Jang Yu-seom alone stood in a deferential posture. Jang Yu-seom answered without daring to meet Ju Hyeong-seon's eyes.
"This humble subject finds this more comfortable."
"Your manner of speech is somewhat different from other martial artists."
Yang Su-pan spoke.
"Jang Yu-seom originally served in the military. Due to circumstances he came under Tong-dal's command, but he still holds loyalty to His Majesty and the nation."
Ju Hyeong-seon gave a small nod.
"I see. Even after leaving the military, you stepped forward for the country like this, so I feel only gratitude."
"Not at all. This humble subject merely moved according to Coordinator Do's orders."
"In this lawless world where brother kills brother, faithfully following orders alone is worthy of praise. Don't stand. Sit. Right now you are not a military officer but my comrade in a great undertaking."
Jang Yu-seom looked Ju Hyeong-seon straight in the eye for the first time. In those eyes, he could read that the title "comrade" was sincere.
So he was impressed—but the object of that admiration was not Ju Hyeong-seon. It was Do Tong-dal.
'Coordinator Do's discernment and ability, choosing a man like that and raising him to the imperial throne, truly allow no rival.'
The fact that he himself had been the first person chosen by such a Do Tong-dal struck him anew with pride.
Once Jang Yu-seom took his seat, Ju Hyeong-seon opened his mouth.
"That we have come this far is entirely due to all of you. I take this occasion to convey my sincere gratitude."
"Your boundless grace overwhelms us!"
Only Yang Su-pan shouted loudly. The others left remarks like "We only did what had to be done," "It wasn't that difficult," or even "So is all the annoying work finished now?"
Ju Hyeong-seon could only give a hollow laugh at the martial artists' freewheeling ways.
"It may be a bit premature, but if there is anything you desire, speak. I will grant everything within my power."
He said "within my power," but short of the divine realm, there was nothing an emperor could not do.
If they wanted office, he could seat them as high officials by virtue of their meritorious service. If they wanted money, he could bestow ten million in gold.
The secret manuals and elixirs martial artists so desperately craved could also be obtained in abundance from the Imperial Palace Secret Archive.
Everyone looked at one another's faces, and gradually their gazes converged on one spot. It was Do Tong-dal.
"Why is everyone looking at me?"
Yang Su-pan spoke with a dry cough.
"Ahem! That would be because your contribution is the greatest."
That Ju Hyeong-seon had come this close to the imperial throne was entirely Do Tong-dal's doing. No one could deny it.
Do Tong-dal scratched his head and cautiously opened his mouth.
"Well, you see......."
Ju Hyeong-seon, curious, asked impatiently.
"Speak quickly. Shall I give you office? Money? An elixir or a secret manual?"
"No. Office is a bother, money I have in plenty, and elixirs or secret manuals for a thug like me...... what would I do with them? There's nothing I want."
Everyone's faces turned puzzled. Not "I have none," but "There's nothing I want"?
"You're saying you want nothing?"
"Of course I have something. Once Your Highness the Third Prince becomes emperor, please treat me as if I don't exist."
To Ju Hyeong-seon, who still hadn't grasped what he meant, Hwangmi Dal tossed out a remark.
"He's saying don't bother him."
"Huh? What do you......?"
Yang Su-pan hastily cut in.
"Ahem! Isn't he simply saying that since he's worked so hard up to now, he'd like to rest for a while? Ha ha ha!"
"Not for a while—for a looong—ah, a long time. If possible, I'd like to rest until I die."
Ju Hyeong-seon ascending the imperial throne would be the greatest undertaking in the world. But just because the undertaking was complete did not mean all the work was finished.
The most favored candidate, the Second Prince, had not become emperor—the Third Prince had. There was no way that road would be smooth.
They would have to find those who had excluded Ju Hyeong-seon and go through the process of purging them, and while filling those positions with new people, they would also have to attend to state affairs.
Large and small matters were certain to come popping out like sweet-potato vines. Among them, there would be countless things that could not be done openly.
And it went without saying that Do Tong-dal would come to mind as the person who could handle those matters most cleanly.
Yang Su-pan, watching Ju Hyeong-seon's expression, sighed deeply inside.
'How do I get that bastard, who acts like he owns the whole world, to move?'
Yang Su-pan, too, was naturally thinking about the aftermath of Ju Hyeong-seon's ascension. For handling all those eventful affairs, there was no one in the world more suitable than Do Tong-dal.
At that moment, Ju Seo-in suddenly came to mind.
'If we can somehow make him a prince consort, couldn't we keep him settled in the imperial palace?'
Just as that thought passed through his mind, a eunuch's voice came from outside.
"Her Highness the Second Princess has arrived!"
No one had even said to enter, but the door flew open and Ju Seo-in revealed herself.
"Leaving only me out of such a fine gathering. I'm hurt. Hello, my husband."
At that form of address aimed at Do Tong-dal, a vein bulged on Namgung Seol-rin's forehead. Fortunately, she did not start a scene.
"I looked for you, but they said you weren't in your quarters."
"I stopped by the Imperial Palace Martial Repository for the first time in a while."
Ju Seo-in, about to sit in the empty seat beside Ju Hyeong-seon, waved at Hwangmi Dal.
"Hello, old-timer."
Hwangmi Dal, suddenly subjected to feigned familiarity(?), reflexively waved back, then glanced around and sheepishly lowered his hand.
"What were you all talking about?"
"Once I become emperor, aren't all the people here meritorious subjects? So we were discussing rewards. It's a bit premature, but I thought there might never again be a chance for everyone to gather in one place like this."
"Will you reward me too?"
"Of course. How could your merit in protecting me be called lesser than anyone else's? What do you want?"
"Then I......."
Ju Seo-in's gaze turned toward Do Tong-dal. The veins on Namgung Seol-rin's forehead doubled. But then Ju Seo-in's gaze slowly shifted elsewhere and came to rest on one person.
Everyone looked with puzzled eyes at the person where Ju Seo-in's gaze had stopped. Hwangmi Dal, the actual recipient of Ju Seo-in's gaze, was looking down at his own hands and did not feel the eyes pouring onto him.
'What should I ask for? Should I try getting into the Imperial Palace Martial Repository? They say there are many lost ultimate arts there. But if I say that wish and there's only worthless martial arts, it'd be a total loss.'
He was thinking such thoughts alone when he sensed a strange silence dragging on. He had known from the moment she entered the room that Ju Seo-in wanted Do Tong-dal.
'That Tong-dal fellow's going to end up a prince consort whether he likes it or not. Poor bastard. Looks like he'll rot in this ninefold palace for the rest of his life. Heh heh heh.......'
Until he raised his head, he had been thinking, 'Shall I take a look at poor Tong-dal's face?'
But Hwangmi Dal was the only one looking at Do Tong-dal. Everyone in the room was looking at Hwangmi Dal. Even Ju Seo-in, who should have been looking at Do Tong-dal.
And belatedly, he realized that since Ju Seo-in was looking at him, everyone was looking at him.
'Why is that tomboy princess looking at me? And what's with that pitying look on Tong-dal's face as he looks at me?'
Then he remembered the last thing Ju Hyeong-seon had asked Ju Seo-in.
—What do you want?
After that, Ju Seo-in's gaze had lingered on him. In that instant, Hwangmi Dal's heart rolled over in his stomach.
'That tomboy princess wants me? Not Tong-dal? Why?'
The heart in his stomach began to pound.
"I...... I think you've got your eyes on the wrong person...... over there...... Tong-dal is over there......."
Hwangmi Dal pointed at Do Tong-dal with his finger, but Ju Seo-in's gaze did not waver in the slightest.
"Look at that lecherous old man. What pumpkin seeds has he been cracking behind everyone's backs?"
At Do Tong-dal's whisper, Namgung Seol-rin played along.
"Right? To the innocent princess, what on earth...... tsk tsk tsk......."
Muttering could be heard: "Surely not." "Who knows? You think that old man is the leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance for nothing? He's lecherous. Utterly lecherous."
For Hwangmi Dal, it was enough to drive him mad. 'What did I do? What did I do!'
The only time he had seen Ju Seo-in was that moment on the main road when he had saved Ju Hyeong-seon. The only conversation they had exchanged was a scolding for being rude to royalty, so he could not understand the current situation.
Hwangmi Dal forced out words that would not come.
"Um...... why are you looking at me?"
He asked Ju Seo-in as politely as he possibly could.
"Because I like you."
People were murmuring something around him, but he could not hear a single sound. Only the four syllables Ju Seo-in had spoken—"Because I like you"—echoed in his ears over and over like an auditory hallucination.
"I....... I am...... I absolutely...... will not m...... marry. I am a b...... body sworn long...... long ago! I have devoted my entire l...... life to the martial arts......."
"I like that."
Ju Seo-in's calm voice cut off Hwangmi Dal's stammering.
"Wh...... what do you like......?"
"Devoting your entire life to the martial arts. I want to do that too."
* * *