Chapter 19: A Land Where the Weak Cannot Survive (2)
Chapter 19: A Land Where the Weak Cannot Survive (2)
There are three major academies for Confucian scholars in Beijing, and the largest among them—the one I attend—is the Yeongyeong Academy.
If you’ve entered a class where the children of the most distinguished guests gather, especially a three-year program, it’s actually harder not to run into royalty.
I’m not sure exactly how many years this country has been established, but you can get a sense of it just by looking at my family, which was classified as a Great Clan around the time the Ming Dynasty was founded.
The total number of people in our family, including collateral branches, is about two hundred.
That’s the headcount for a martial sect that lives by the blade—specifically, one that survived the Righteous-Demonic War two generations ago.
Excluding cases of treason, it’s not hard to calculate how many royals there are who wouldn't die from external factors under any circumstances.
There are seven brothers of the current Emperor classified as Jongchan; six brothers of the Daejo—the previous Emperor; and about fifteen children of the current Emperor. This means at least twenty to thirty Princes are alive, and about half of them reside in Beijing.
Simply put, the fact that two royals are in the same class at Yeongyeong Academy isn't surprising in itself.
In the first place, I came here to build academic ties with high-ranking social strata like that.
But even so.
I never intended to become friends with a prospective rebel.
"Seriously, what happened to the principle of non-interference between the government and the martial world?"
I grumbled, scratching my head in my private quarters. It’s dangerous outside the blankets... or rather, outside my room. A 'Royal Hiding Their Power' is at the very top of the hierarchy of all hidden power masters one could encounter in medieval China.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's just a thing."
Nang-rang left the room without questioning my answer further.
Among the guards and servants sent by the Peng family, Nang-rang was the busiest.
I glanced at her and then opened my book.
"If it's reached this point, just accept it already."
"Don't make it sound so easy since it's not your problem," I snapped back.
Ignoring Peng Jeon-gun’s snickering, I also ignored Cheon U-rin, who was waving at me from outside the window, and slammed the shutters shut.
One month into Yeongyeong Academy.
I had become the youngest young master obsessed over by a prospective rebel.
So, I decided to consult a friend at the academy whom I’d recently become quite close with.
This guy was also being bullied quite a bit, so I didn't have to worry much about the story spreading.
"...So, you're asking what to do about a friend who keeps approaching you in a burdensome way?"
"Yeah, exactly. Even when I try to turn them away nicely, they keep sticking to me. I started wondering if they don't have any other friends besides me."
"You're not talking about me, are you?"
Won-ho looked at me with a deeply wounded expression.
"What are you talking about? I'm the one sticking to you. I mean him. That guy."
"Ah, Cheon U-rin? He has plenty of friends."
"Then why is he acting like that?"
"Well, why don't you ask him yourself?"
"Shall I answer you?"
For the record, that last part was said by Cheon U-rin, who had suddenly closed the distance.
I recoiled in shock, moving away from him.
"No, just go on your way. Shoo."
"Is it not said that friends should inform each other of their flaws and help each other if they have the strength? (Analects: Yan Yuan)"
"Confucius also said to be picky about the friends you keep."
"That's quite hurtful."
Cheon U-rin approached with a smile, looking not the least bit hurt.
He looked at Won-ho and nodded with a thoughtful smile.
"I'm sorry, but I have something private to discuss with my friend. Could you give us a moment?"
"Uh... um."
Won-ho shrunk back like a frightened animal between my desperate gaze and Cheon U-rin’s gentle eyes.
Soon, the choice [Becoming friends with the Peng Family vs. Becoming friends with the nephew of a Hanlin Academy official] flashed through his eyes.
"I see! See you later, Hyeon-hwi!"
"Hey!"
The Hebei Peng Family lost.
This is why this place is a world of scholars.
In his eyes, I was someone who would just take the Dong-saeng-si exam and leave, while Cheon U-rin was a future official who would likely take the Jeon-si exam and enter the Hanlin Academy.
This is why I hate merchants.
I watched Won-ho leave without a single backward glance and scratched my head. Despite the rude behavior, the royal hiding his power maintained a gentle expression like Liu Bei.
"What is it you want to say?"
"Have you ever been to a tavern?"
"I'm not on friendly terms with the Hao Clan."
"I like how quick you are on the uptake."
Ten-year-old kids can't exactly set up a drinking table at a tavern.
So, the tavern he was suggesting must be the place where that courtesan named Hyang-hyang was—the one I saw last time. And Hyang-hyang is from the Hao Clan.
In other words, I was being invited to some sort of plan that the Hao Clan and this hidden royal were brewing in Beijing.
His 'skill' at understanding my words was no ordinary feat.
After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I decided to follow him.
Whatever they were plotting, it wasn't something that would immediately escalate into a fatal scandal.
This kid is only ten years old, and since he’s enrolled in the academy to take the Dong-saeng-si, he wouldn't try to pull anything before the exam in two months.
Besides, I was curious. About what a medieval Chinese tavern was really like.
Maehyang Pavilion was among the most luxurious taverns on the Street of the Grand Historical Record.
Taverns of this era were largely divided into Cheong-ru (Blue Pavilions), categorized as Won, Gwan, or Gak, and Hong-ru (Red Pavilions), categorized as Ru or Sil.
To put it simply, the former are concert halls, and the latter are entertainment bars.
Naturally, there are no Hong-ru on the Street of the Grand Historical Record, which is swarming with Beijing’s nobility and scholars.
Maehyang Pavilion was a Cheong-ru opened with the mottos of Cheong-eum-so-ban (a small tavern gathered to enjoy music) and Mae-ye-bul-mae-sin (selling talent, not the body).
In a way, it served the same role as a rooftop bar in a five-star hotel.
"Oh."
Thus, there was none of the decadent, sticky, or hygienically questionable atmosphere one might associate with a tavern.
The three-story building had a clean and elegant exterior that felt remarkably modern even from a 21st-century perspective.
Perhaps because it was daytime, I even saw scholars enjoying tea on the first floor.
It didn't feel like a place to get wasted; it felt like a cafe where you’d hang out with friends.
"Is this your first time at a tavern?"
"Have you forgotten what kind of family the Hebei Peng Family is?"
"Ah, right. Um. I spoke out of turn. It's just... you didn't look like that, so I got confused."
Cheon U-rin flushed and turned his head away.
The Peng Family is an Unorthodox Faction, and most of the funding for an urban-based Unorthodox Faction comes from taverns.
The taverns we managed were usually Hong-ru.
Cheong-ru were held by the Hao Clan and were places where one had to be too mindful of the authorities.
Therefore, taverns were one of my family's representative businesses.
Cheon U-rin seemed to have realized that I, coming from an Unorthodox martial family, was likely familiar with Hong-ru—the entertainment bars.
He frowned, looking none too pleased.
I didn't bother making excuses about never having been to one.
We fell into an awkward silence as we were guided to the top floor of Maehyang Pavilion.
As we climbed the stairs past the second floor, Cheon U-rin spoke cautiously.
"A gentleman should not make such places his companions. It's best to exercise self-restraint."
"What?"
"Ahem. Let's hurry. We shouldn't keep the Pavilion Lord waiting."
Cheon U-rin grumbled something a few more times before pulling back the bead curtain of the top-floor private room.
The martial artists standing around didn't stop him; they simply bowed deeply.
'They have better posture than the Black Dragon Gang guys.'
Of course, the Hao Clan isn't just a bunch of street thugs; they are one of the Ten Great Sects of the Black Dao.
The Black Dragon Gang was just a typical third-rate back-alley gang of guys who got too lazy to earn money honestly and started strutting around with swords.
The Ten Great Sects of the Black Dao. Excluding my own family, this was my first time encountering them.
"My Lady, and Young Master. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
The top floor of the Cheong-ru, the Pavilion Lord’s room, was a tranquil tea room with all four sides open, offering a panoramic view of the Street of the Grand Historical Record.
A soft autumn breeze lightly disturbed the blinds, making a relaxing sound.
The woman sitting before us smiled warmly.
Two teacups were placed upside down in front of her.
With a casual gesture, she flipped the cups and poured the tea.
"Please bring in those waiting outside as well. I will order some refreshments to be served."
"May I ask what your position is?"
"I am Dan So-hye, the Chief of the General Bureau for Beijing’s Shuntian Prefecture. It is an honor to meet the young hero whose reputation precedes him."
The Chief of the General Bureau for Shuntian Prefecture would be at least equivalent to an Inner Hall Pavilion Lord in my family.
Clearly a higher status than the fourth son of the Peng Family’s Young Head.
I sat politely before her and picked up my teacup.
"Please speak comfortably, Senior. I am Hyeon-hwi of the Peng Family."
"You are much more approachable than the rumors suggested."
"Well, there are many misunderstood rumors surrounding my family."
"Ahahaha!"
Dan So-hye laughed for a while, covering her mouth, and then nodded.
Soon, the presence of the martial artists beyond the bead curtain vanished.
It seemed they were making it known they were withdrawing, even for someone of my low level.
After enjoying the tea for a moment, Dan So-hye looked at Cheon U-rin.
"Ah, by the way, My Lady. I have personally punished Hyang-hyang, so please forgive her."
"There is nothing to forgive. In my position, I wouldn't dare to pass judgment on a member of the Hao Clan anyway."
"How can you say that? We are but mere courtesans of the entertainment quarters. How could we hope to remain unscathed after offending the Exalted Blood?"
"You're not even trying to hide it anymore."
Hearing terms like 'Exalted Blood' being thrown around openly made me feel incredibly uneasy about this meeting.
I moistened my lips and looked around.
I couldn't sense any presence other than Dan So-hye in the open tea room.
But I know my place.
I’m at a level where I’ve just barely shed the 'Third-Rate' tag, and strictly speaking, I’m a kid around ten years old.
I’ve been diligently cultivating my Qi for three years, but I can't see through a master's stealth with this level of internal energy.
Unless Dan So-hye was insane, at least one personal bodyguard would be lurking somewhere in this room. Because...
'I have them too.'
It wasn't just the Hao Clan’s hidden guards that I couldn't sense.
I am a direct descendant of the Hebei Peng Family, and the Hebei Peng Family is currently engaged in an underwater war with the White Lotus Cult in Beijing.
I knew that at least one combat unit’s worth of guards was attached to me.
Even Peng Jeon-gun, an elder of the Inner Hall, was stuck to me under the guise of being a martial arts instructor.
He was probably somewhere nearby right now.
"You don't need to worry so much. My Lady and our clan have been working together for longer than you might think."
"That's not exactly a suitable thing to say in a place where the Forbidden City is visible."
"It is a tradition that even the King is not begrudged for being slandered in a tavern. Young Master, what do you think of our Hao Clan?"
"Well... isn't it a place that sells stories?"
"Many people have that misunderstanding. Just as the Peng Family is surrounded by misunderstood rumors. Young Master, we sell talent, but we do not sell stories."
Dan So-hye smiled brightly and set down her teacup.
"We buy stories. There is a very big difference."
"Buying stories you can't even sell... you must not be very good at math."
"Because some stories are powerful only when you are the one holding them."
"I assume that includes the fact that this 'Lady' here is a royal?"
"As expected, you are sharp."
Dan So-hye looked me straight in the eye and smiled.
As expected of a courtesan who held the top tavern on the Street of the Grand Historical Record, it was a smile soft enough to melt one's heart.
However, a ten-year-old kid hasn't even started puberty yet.
By my standards, a beautiful woman was nothing more or less than a woman who was aesthetically pleasing to look at.
Hormones are a terrifying thing.
When my expression didn't change in the slightest, Dan So-hye wore a slightly rude look that said, 'What am I even doing with a kid like this?'
Fortunately, it vanished in an instant, so I wasn't deeply hurt.
I mean, I was a little hurt.
"Ahem. Yes, the fact that My Lady is of the Exalted Blood is indeed one of the stories we have collected. But that is not the only reason we are helping her."
"You're talking in circles. My cultivation is still lacking, so it's hard for me to grasp your true intent."
"It is a rather private matter. Hmm. By any chance, do you know about the White Lotus Cult?"
One of their elders had his head chopped off by my grandfather right in front of my eyes; there was no way I didn't know.
I’d had plenty of time to look into the White Lotus Cult after that incident.
They were a religion famous even in 21st-century modern Korea.
Certainly in the world of Wuxia. I only learned this after coming here, but I heard they were a massive sect that was even involved in the founding of the Ming Dynasty.
The White Lotus Sect. Abbreviated as the White Lotus Cult. Commonly known as the Ming Cult—the name itself is no different from saying 'We founded the Ming Dynasty.'
Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor, started his career as a general in the White Lotus Red Turban Rebellion, so it wasn't wrong.
And then Zhu Yuanzhang betrayed the White Lotus Cult and established the foundation of the state based on Confucianism.
He launched a massive campaign to suppress most of the Red Turbans, and the White Lotus Cult vanished from the Central Plains after that.
That was the extent of what I knew.
The Three Evils Beyond the Great Wall, the Demonic Cult, the Blood Cult, the Ming Cult. Stories about the trio of anti-government religious organizations were mostly obscured by rumors and hearsay, making it quite tricky to know the truth.
"The eldest son of the current Emperor, Crown Prince Dogong, is a puppet of the White Lotus Cult."
"Oh."
I immediately stood up.
Cold sweat broke out across my back.
The Crown Prince is a puppet of the White Lotus Cult. And the Peng Family is at war with the White Lotus Cult. This is Beijing. This world is medieval China, where the term 'non-interference between government and martial world' doesn't even exist. The Ming Dynasty, where imperial power was monstrously bloated.
Those words combined in an instant. I was screwed.
I had to inform the main family immediately and choose whether to negotiate, retreat, or relocate.
In the first place, I didn't know why they were telling this to a ten-year-old kid.
This wasn't something I should be hearing, but something my father or grandfather should—
"Haha, Young Master. At least within the Imperial Court, those cultists cannot exert any more power than that. For now."
"I need more of an explanation."
"The cultists exhausted all the cards they currently held just to get their hands on Crown Prince Dogong. Noble Consort Yeongjeong was born a palace maid; excluding the fact that she received imperial favor, she is a woman with no powerful relatives behind her. The things the cultists can do in this Beijing are extremely limited."
In other words, capturing the Crown Prince was their limit. The Crown Prince was still just a young boy, and the Consort, his biological mother, was merely a former palace maid.
It meant they couldn't bear the political burden of a massive purge of the nobility without justification.
For now, at least. Once the Crown Prince grew up, he would naturally be able to wield absolute power.
"That's why we decided to join hands with the Hao Clan, Hyeon-hwi."
"We?"
"The Cheong-ryu faction. Didn't I introduce myself earlier? As the nephew of a Hanlin Academy official."
The Hanlin Academy is the core of the cabinet. It’s an administrative body one enters through the civil service exams.
Such people were disguising a young royal girl as a boy and preparing her for the exams.
What was the reason for preparing for the exams? At this point, it wasn't for personal success.
If a royal were caught taking the exams and entering office under a hidden identity, they would die.
Everyone who helped would have their entire extended family executed.
There was no way the Hanlin scholars didn't know that.
That meant the exam itself wasn't the goal.
The reward was too small compared to the risk.
I soon reached a conclusion.
I set down my teacup and wiped the sweat from my palms as naturally as possible.
The foundation of this country is Confucianism.
Confucianism in this era isn't just an academic study.
It is a political direction and a study for those who govern.
The meaning of politics is 'to govern rightly,' and from that perspective, Confucianism is more political than anything else.
The reason she had to learn it from a young age, even while cross-dressing.
The reason a royal girl had to be raised as a boy.
The Cheong-ryu scholars who had to prepare so thoroughly, risking their lives. The reason the Hanlin scholars joined hands with the Black Path.
the Crown Prince, who was subverted by a cult.
The Hebei Peng Family, who was at war with that cult.
And just in time.
The youngest young master of the Peng Family, who entered the academy to learn Confucianism and saw through the royal's identity at a glance.
Unless it’s a dynastic revolution, every rebellion installs a king with legitimacy.
Legitimacy means bloodline. If they just needed any royal, there would have been plenty of 'safer' royal boys.
And yet, if they went so far as to cross-dress a girl to make this happen.
There was only one conclusion.
"I greet... Her Imperial Highness the Princess."
"Yes, it's a pleasure."
Cheon U-rin looked at me with a fox-like smile.
I could faintly see my own face reflected in those eyes.
"Princess Yeonhwa. That is the name I should have had... I am Ju Woo-rin."
The legitimate daughter of the current Emperor was smiling at me.
The royal who had made the bold choice to join hands with the Hao Clan to strike down the Emperor's eldest son was smiling.
She wasn't revealing this to the Head of the Peng Family, nor to my father, the Young Head.
Not even to my eldest or second brothers, but directly to me, who was merely the fourth son.
She was trying to use me.
She must have judged that a direct request for help to the Peng Family wouldn't be accepted, and even if they did join hands, she feared she would be used as a new puppet by the Peng Family.
If she could make that judgment, there was only one reason she told me all this.
Since there was still plenty of time before the Crown Prince grew up, she intended to push me up within the Peng Family in the meantime.
To the point where I could rival my eldest brother and challenge the succession.
In exchange, she wanted to borrow the Peng Family's strength for their grand plan.
In the land of Beijing, there was no single martial group more powerful than the Hebei Peng Family, excluding the Imperial Guard.
The support of the Cheong-ryu scholar society. The information network of the Hao Clan. Her own bloodline legitimacy. The martial might of the Hebei Peng Family.
With all that at her back, a rebellion wasn't just a pipe dream. That was the implication.
She seemed to know exactly what I had realized and how far my thoughts had reached.
Both Dan So-hye and Cheon U-rin had friendly smiles on their faces.
In this situation, an ordinary ten-year-old kid would be terrified.
If it were a full-grown adult, someone like my eldest brother, they might laugh confidently here.
Feeling a sense of pride that the Peng Family's influence was this high.
But a reincarnator is different. They must be different.
"Let's set the terms."
If you're going to use me, I must use you as well.
A business relationship, not a subcontract.
That would be the most ideal relationship this kid—who might one day become the Emperor—and I could have.