Monopolizing Fortunes (174)
Monopolizing Fortunes (174)
"Of course, of course!"
Ju Hyeong-seon threw his arms wide and pulled Do Tong-dal into a fierce embrace.
"My worries pile up like mountains, but the moment I see your face, every last one of them vanishes!"
Do Tong-dal found Ju Hyeong-seon's delight all the more burdensome because it was genuine. Once all of this was over, he wished Ju Hyeong-seon would simply forget a man like Do Tong-dal existed, but that did not seem likely, and it unsettled him.
"What brings you here today?"
"More to the point, what's that bruise on Your Highness's face?"
A dark bruise had bloomed around Ju Hyeong-seon's left eye.
"This time, my brother apparently found me deeply displeasing."
"What did you do?"
"I simply ran into him on the way."
"He hit you just because you crossed paths?"
"That's right. I even greeted him politely, and he threw a punch, asking if I was mocking him. I could have dodged, but I deliberately took it."
When Ju Hyeong-seon flashed a grin at the end of his words, Do Tong-dal grinned back.
"Well done. It must have reached His Majesty the Emperor's ears, too?"
"Naturally, I made sure the rumor spread far and wide. I hear His Majesty summoned my brother and flew into a rage."
"If even that has happened, then the time has come."
Expectation bloomed across Ju Hyeong-seon's face.
"That 'time'—is it the same 'time' I'm thinking of?"
"It's time for you to ascend the imperial throne."
Do Tong-dal had expected him to burst into laughter, but Ju Hyeong-seon drew a deep breath instead. His chest swelled and only subsided after a long moment.
"A storm of blood is coming."
The Third Prince, who had wandered the borderlands, was about to sit upon the emperor's throne. No matter how just the cause, it was clear this would not end peacefully.
For Ju Hyeong-seon as well, a bloody purge was unavoidable. Those who had sided with the First and Second Princes had to be dealt with to eliminate future trouble.
"Which brings me to my point—Tong-dal, couldn't you take on a post?"
"Pardon?"
"Head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would be about right. The Northern Pacification Office would do, or the Southern Pacification Office. Or I could simply create a new post—Chief Pacification Commissioner."
"I still have much to do in the martial world."
"Of course, I'm not asking you to take it on right now. I'm saying come once your martial-world business is finished. I'm not that shameless."
He barely managed to suppress the urge to shout, "You're shameless as hell!" At a critical time like this, going against Ju Hyeong-seon's mood was not a wise choice.
"It would be best to discuss it once I see how things stand then."
Ju Hyeong-seon was satisfied merely that Do Tong-dal had not refused outright. Do Tong-dal's gaze shifted to Yang Su-pan.
"I think you can stop the attacks on the Revenge Society now."
"That's welcome news. Word was starting to circulate because of it. I've gathered ample evidence that the Second Prince murdered the First Prince."
For the Second Prince, already cornered, the letter ordering Ju Hyeong-seon's assassination was as good as a blade to the neck.
"You'll soon become crown prince."
The position he had only vaguely dreamed of had now taken a great stride into reality.
"So it seems. I can hardly believe it. Me, a nobody from the borderlands, becoming emperor. It's a dream I could never have achieved if I hadn't met you."
Do Tong-dal shook his head.
"No. You would have become emperor even without me, Your Highness. That is what fate is."
"You and I meeting is fate. If I was fated to become emperor, then even if it hadn't been that day and that hour, you and I would have met somehow. Because you were the man who would make an emperor."
"Now that I hear it, that does make sense."
Once Do Tong-dal gave his permission(?) to make the Second Prince's letter public, Yang Su-pan laid out the detailed plan.
Yang Su-pan's plan had no gaps, showing just how much thought and preparation had gone into it.
"Will this suffice?"
At Yang Su-pan's question, Do Tong-dal nodded.
"It seems perfect. I don't think there's anything left for me to do at the imperial palace now."
Ju Hyeong-seon spoke.
"At this rate, it seems I'll become crown prince faster than you'll finish your martial-world business. Is there anything I can help with?"
"Martial-world affairs are for the martial world to handle."
"Is that so? Then there's only one thing left for me to do for you."
"Pardon?"
Ju Hyeong-seon placed a small brown wooden case on the table.
"the physician in black told me to give this to you."
"the physician in black did?"
"For the record, I've granted permission to use all the elixirs in the Elixir Chamber of the Imperial Palace Secret Archive."
"Then this was made using the elixirs from the Elixir Chamber?"
"So I'm told."
"But why is Your Highness the one giving it to me?"
"He said you'd only take it if I ordered you to. That if he simply gave it to you, you'd hand it off to someone around you who needed it more."
"Well, of course someone who needs it more should use it. For a thug like me, martial arts are already overflowing."
"He said you'd say exactly that. So I'll say this. Eat it."
"Er...... Your Highness."
"It's an order."
No matter how solemn an expression Ju Hyeong-seon put on, it wasn't frightening. But refusing an order from him for the first time would be no different from treating Ju Hyeong-seon like nothing.
When he opened the wooden case, a pure, clear fragrance filled the room. If the physician in black had made it, its efficacy was guaranteed.
'This is something Won Dae-yeon or Protector Jang should take—or Seol-rin.'
A sidelong glance at Ju Hyeong-seon's face suggested that nothing he said would get through.
Muttering "What a waste," Do Tong-dal brought the pill to his mouth.
It was quite hard, but strangely, the moment it touched his saliva, it slid down his throat like liquid.
'Oh, right! I'm supposed to circulate my energy the moment I take this!' The thought struck him. Just as he was about to tell Ju Hyeong-seon, Hwangmi Dal's voice came from outside.
"May I come in?"
Ju Hyeong-seon spoke.
"You've arrived right on time."
The door opened and Hwangmi Dal entered, prompting Ju Hyeong-seon and Yang Su-pan to rise.
"We'll wait outside, so please do the hard work, Alliance Leader."
Hwangmi Dal looked at Do Tong-dal with an expression that said he found this an unbearable waste and spoke.
"It's a pearl necklace on a pig's neck, but I'll try to make it suit him somehow."
Once Ju Hyeong-seon and Yang Su-pan left, Hwangmi Dal said to Do Tong-dal.
"Sit on the floor in the lotus position."
Do Tong-dal let out a long sigh.
"To think I have to entrust my life to you, old man."
"What's wrong with me! I'm the leader of the Northern Unorthodox Alliance!"
"Yeees. Please take good care of me."
Hwangmi Dal wanted to strangle Do Tong-dal, who answered indifferently and settled into the lotus position.
—I ask this of you. If something were to happen to Tong-dal, it would be a serious matter, wouldn't it?
Had it not been for that request-like threat from Ju Hyeong-seon, he swore he would have strangled him.
Once Do Tong-dal was seated in the lotus position, Hwangmi Dal pressed a palm to his back.
"Don't tense up. Circulate your energy naturally."
Do Tong-dal obediently followed Hwangmi Dal's instructions. When someone held your life in their hands, you listened well.
If he took the elixir and circulated his energy alone, it would take a long time to fully make the medicine's effects his own.
But when a master like Hwangmi Dal protected his vital points and meridians with their own power and guided the process, the medicine's effects could be absorbed in one go.
Moreover, when circulating energy alone, there was the danger of qi deviation—losing control of the sudden immense force. Having help prevented even that risk.
The only problem was that such peak masters were hard to come by; if one would only help, there was no better fortune than this.
The energy circulation took more than half a shichen. Even so, it had finished in that amount of time only because Do Tong-dal possessed more than three gapja of Internal Energy.
When the circulation ended, both men's bodies were drenched in sweat. In truth, it had cost Hwangmi Dal a great deal.
Helping someone properly absorb an elixir like this inevitably consumed a great deal of internal power, no matter how skilled the master. It was a drain of internal power and stamina that would require a full month of recuperation to recover.
Hwangmi Dal flopped backward and grumbled.
"I don't know why I'm suffering like this for a bastard like you."
"Makya Sword."
"You little shit! How long are you going to keep milking that!"
Do Tong-dal smiled brightly and said.
"Until I need to."
"Ugh...... I should have ignored the Third Prince's threats and strangled you."
"It's not too late even now."
Hwangmi Dal, who had been miming strangling Do Tong-dal with his hands, soon let his arms drop.
"I must have committed sins beyond measure in a past life, to have met a bastard like you."
"Just endure it here for half a month."
At those words, Hwangmi Dal bolted upright.
"You're saying I can return to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance in half a month?"
"The imperial palace business should be wrapped up within that time. Well, the matter of the imperial princess is something you'll have to resolve to the best of your abilities, old man."
"You should be the one resolving that."
"Have a conscience, old man. You want me to wipe your ass for you?"
"You're the one who took that shit!"
"You're the one who said you'd teach the imperial princess."
"Th-that was because the mood got strange....... Tong-dal, I have to return to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance. If the leader is away this long, what sect could possibly run properly?"
"The Northern Unorthodox Alliance. It seemed to run just fine without you."
"That's only because Strategist Ha is so capable!"
"I don't know about anything else, but you certainly know how to pick people. Respect!"
Hwangmi Dal wanted to snap the thumb Do Tong-dal had raised. Never in his life had he suppressed so many impulses.
"It's not that there's no way at all......."
Hwangmi Dal bit down hard on the bait Do Tong-dal had dangled.
"What is it? I can do anything short of dying. Except the Makya Sword or the Makya Blade. Anything else to exclude?"
As Hwangmi Dal thought it over, Do Tong-dal said casually.
"You could just take the imperial princess with you to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance."
In truth, getting rid of Ju Seo-in was a matter of life and death for Do Tong-dal as well. If he slipped up and Ju Seo-in latched onto him, he could end up trapped as Prince Consort.
No matter what, he had to prevent that catastrophe(?), but he couldn't let Hwangmi Dal see how desperate he was.
"Huh? Take the imperial princess to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance?"
"If you lure her by saying you'll teach her martial arts, she'll come along, won't she? Your charm is just the seasoning."
"Hmph! My charm isn't seasoning—it's the main course. But will she really come?"
"The imperial princess is completely obsessed with martial arts right now, isn't she?"
"If I don't stop her, she'll cling to training all day long. It's killing me."
"If you go to the Northern Unorthodox Alliance, there'll be plenty of people to share that burden."
By Do Tong-dal's estimate, there would be about ten. And if it was Ha Su-ran, she would surely find a clever solution.
"Hm. That might work."
"See? I find you a way."
"Heh heh heh...... You really are a clever one."
He had already forgotten that the burden was one Do Tong-dal had saddled him with.
"Then talk it over with the imperial princess."
"I will. You'll help, won't you?"
"She's old enough to stand on her own now. I have urgent business, so I need to get back quickly."
"No, but you should at least lend a hand from the side......."
Do Tong-dal shook off Hwangmi Dal's attempts to hold him back and left the room. If he got caught for no reason and Hwangmi Dal came to his senses, it would be exhausting. On top of that, if he ran into Ju Seo-in, the imperial palace could become a place of nightmares.
Do Tong-dal fled the imperial palace as though escaping. But an unexpected figure blocked his path in front of the gate.
"I heard you had come and was waiting."
It was Jeon Su-bang, who could be called the most powerful man after the current emperor. Do Tong-dal deliberately bowed deeply.
"I greet Lord Jeon."
"Could we go somewhere quiet and talk for a while?"
It was a request, not an order. Today was a day full of requests that were hard to refuse.
"A meeting with Lord Jeon is always an honor."
Do Tong-dal lowered himself as much as he could. Ju Hyeong-seon might be close to the imperial throne, but he was not emperor yet. So for now, he still needed to maintain good relations with Jeon Su-bang.
Do Tong-dal boarded the carriage Jeon Su-bang had prepared. Their destination was a tea house in the city—a large three-story tea house with no customers but the two of them.
Judging by the Embroidered Uniform Guard guarding the perimeter, Jeon Su-bang had clearly rented the entire place.
A strikingly beautiful woman attended to the tea.
"She's my niece, so you may speak freely."
The woman bowed deeply toward Do Tong-dal.
"I'm Jeon Hye-jin. My uncle has spoken of you often, and now I meet you."
"I'm Do Tong-dal."
"Please, speak comfortably."
After pouring the tea, she withdrew carefully to the back. It was a distance close enough that their cups could be refilled the moment they emptied, but far enough that her presence would not intrude.
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