Chapter 20: A Land Where the Weak Cannot Survive (3)
Chapter 20: A Land Where the Weak Cannot Survive (3)
I held my teacup for a moment, avoiding the gazes of the two people watching me as I gathered my thoughts.
Let’s summarize.
Cheon U-rin... Ju Woo-rin... Princess Yeonhwa. Whatever her name is, that brat intends to use me.
She wants to support me from the shadows so that when I eventually become the Family Head—
No, that’s not it.
An outsider cannot directly interfere in the succession struggle of the Hebei Peng Family.
That is impossible even for the Emperor.
It is a position that must be earned through pure merit. Even my grandfather, the current Family Head, couldn't pull off such a feat.
If there is a channel providing that brat with advice on the Murim, it’s the Hao Clan. There’s no way a high-ranking elder of the Hao Clan wouldn't know this.
Therefore, this means...
At the very least, I only need to secure a solid footing within the Peng Family.
At that moment, I caught Dan So-hye’s gaze. Within her intrigued eyes, I could clearly see a sunken, sinister intent.
The Hao Clan...! I see. These crazy bastards!
This is a world where the concept of non-interference between the government and the Murim doesn't truly exist.
The reason there are no Orthodox sects near Beijing is due to the Imperial Court’s strong will to disallow armed military factions in North China. The Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance was, strictly speaking, a private organization seeking 'coexistence' with the government.
The Hebei Peng Family, which reigns over the minor Unorthodox sects that handle the dirty work the government cannot do, manages vast resources and is intricately entangled in the 'guanxi' of government officials. From the Imperial Court's perspective, they were a hornet's nest better left undisturbed.
The masters at the top of the Hebei Peng Family, including the Family Head, would undoubtedly survive even if the family faced total extermination. And if warriors of that caliber survived and swore revenge, even an Emperor would find it hard to sleep peacefully for the rest of his life.
In other words, the Central Plains is no different from a state of Mutual Assured Destruction between the government and the Murim. They exist on a precarious line, respecting each other's authority as long as no one crosses it.
Whether Orthodox or Unorthodox, as long as the Fifteen Armies of the World exist, offensive power overwhelmingly outstrips defensive capabilities.
And in such a situation, that brat and the Hao Clan are plotting treason.
It just so happens that the Peng Family and the White Lotus Cult have clashed. Since the White Lotus Cult’s influence in Beijing has been scattered, they must be looking for an opportunity to expand their power.
Requesting a direct alliance with the Hebei Peng Family would bring more loss than gain. But if they lend strength to the fourth son and help him establish a position within the family, they can eventually frame the entire Peng Family for treason and force them into an alliance.
As things stand, if I were framed for treason, the family could simply discard me. But once I have influence within the family, they won't be able to escape the Imperial Court's suspicion even if they cast me out.
Treason is a capital crime where even a mere suspicion makes it difficult to avoid the extermination of one's entire kin. Even the most reckless Unorthodox sects don't commit such acts.
In short, the Hao Clan—having joined the rebellion being prepared by the Hanlin Academy and the Pure Stream faction—is now attempting to swallow the entire Peng Family by winning over its youngest young master.
From the perspective of the Pure Stream faction, the success rate of their coup increases significantly just by having the largest armed group right on Beijing's doorstep join them.
From the Hao Clan's perspective, even if the rebellion fails, they can dismantle the Hebei Dragon Slaying Alliance if they can eliminate the Peng Family. They might even judge that they could cut their losses and flee if they can share the burden of treason with the Peng Family.
As for me...
Is this actually a loss?
No matter how much I searched my memories, I couldn't recall an emperor who succeeded to the throne while disguised as a woman. This might be because I simply don't know Ming history well, or because this pseudo-medieval China is different from the history I know.
Who cares? Real medieval China didn't have martial arts.
It’s not like these people are trying to replace the Emperor right this second. They’re likely planning to stage a coup when the Emperor grows frail and the Crown Prince begins handling state affairs in earnest. That will take at least ten years. The current Emperor is far too energetic.
And in the meantime, they’re offering to push me so I can rise through the ranks of my family.
What if I take the benefits and bail?
What they want is a deferred payment ten years from now. Helping me in the meantime is an advance payment.
"What kind of conditions are you talking about, Young Master?"
"Do you mean you want me to act in the shadows so that the Hebei Peng Family supports Her Highness the Princess?"
"That... well. You are more direct than I expected, Young Master."
"I am a man of the Peng Family, after all. Regardless, such a task is no different from selling out my family—an act of betraying one's masters and ancestors. No matter how lacking or unworthy I may be, as a scholar who has studied the classics, I cannot cooperate in such a thing."
I spoke the truth calmly.
The scope of the Dongsaengsi exam covers the Four Books and Five Classics, but the entire basic curriculum for scholars consists of a massive range of subjects called the Thirteen Classics. Among them, the Classic of Filial Piety is treated as a minor classic, but it is no less important. Terms like 'one's body, hair, and skin are gifts from one's parents' or 'betraying one's masters and ancestors' are rooted in the Classic of Filial Piety. It is the most important virtue of this era and functions like a legal code that any aspiring Confucian scholar must never violate.
Hearing my words, Dan So-hye stared at me with confused eyes.
"No, if you were going to say that, then why did you say we should match conditions... Good heavens."
Dan So-hye soon realized something, and her eyes turned cold.
"You are far more sinister than I anticipated, Young Master. What is it that you want?"
"Well. I have to know what I can receive before I can make a judgment, don't I?"
"I shall explain that."
Cheon U-rin, who had been listening quietly, raised her head. She was staring at me with an amused expression.
A traitor's face isn't something separate. That delicate face of hers was the very definition of a traitor's countenance.
"First, I want to confirm something. Do you plan to take the Hyangsi, Hoesi, and even the Jeonsi exams?"
"No, I only plan to take... the Dongsaengsi. Your Highness."
"What? Ahahaha! There's no need to be so formal. Hyeon-hwi, for now, I am merely the nephew of a Junior Censor of the Hanlin Academy."
"Right, sure, U-rin. I only need to pass the Dongsaengsi, so why?"
"...Hmm... I see. You are quite flexible in your attitude. Fine, anyway... I'll take that to mean you have no intention of entering the Six Ministries of the civil service. Meaning, you only care about obtaining the status of a Saengwon (Licensed Scholar)."
"Exactly."
Cheon U-rin grinned as if things were going well and set down her teacup.
"It's not just the Saengwon qualification you need. If you're aiming to be the Sujae (Valedictorian), I can pull some strings."
"I don't think I'll fail something as simple as the Dongsaengsi."
This wasn't arrogance. I had mastered the Thousand Character Classic at age three, and at this point, I could recite the Four Books and Five Classics page by page with my eyes closed. The Dongsaengsi was ultimately a test of simple memorization for young scholars—a basic test of rote memory used to filter candidates for the minimum qualifications of other civil service exams. While many failed, it was an exam that anyone with a proper education couldn't possibly fail even if they tried.
However, Cheon U-rin shook her head with a smile.
"Do you think there are only one or two people with perfect scores in the Dongsaengsi? They choose only one person in Beijing, taking into account not just calligraphy and style, but even family background. Do you really think the name of the Hebei Peng Family will carry weight there?"
Filthy medieval China. I had been wondering how they distinguished the top rank in a test of simple memorization.
"So, you're saying you'll get me the Sujae position?"
"Yes. That was originally my spot, so let's start from there."
Cheon U-rin smiled as she poured fresh tea into my cup.
"The kind of power your world of warriors deals with is different from ours. From changing the top scorer of the Beijing Dongsaengsi to everything you cannot obtain with the name of the Hebei Peng Family—I will help you. And when everything is finished and the Great Plan is achieved..."
My teacup was filled to the brim with warm, steaming tea.
"Among the highest seats under the name of Ju, there will be a place for the name of Peng. How about it?"
"The Hao Clan will also actively assist you, Young Master. The 'stories' you cannot see or hear within the Peng Family... I promise to share all the stories we have gathered with you."
In this country, there is an expression: 'holding the same cup.' It is a gesture indicating that one does not harbor hostility. By drinking tea poured from the same pot into the same type of cup, it signifies a mutual trust that neither will poison the other.
I smiled as I drank from the cup Cheon U-rin had poured.
And once I've squeezed out everything I can?
I could bet that the smiles on Cheon U-rin's and Dan So-hye's lips were identical to mine.
I'll be the first...
To cut them off.
This is medieval China. To put it another way:
It is a land where the weak cannot survive.
If things go even slightly sideways, I wonder if I can end this by just snitching on Cheon U-rin to the Imperial Guard or the Eastern Depot.
I entertained such thoughts.
*
After Peng Hyeon-hwi left, Dan So-hye gave a signal with a cold expression. Soon, the entire tavern fell silent, and only after a long while did a warrior dressed in black come up and prostrate himself.
"Has everyone left? Did you confirm where they were from?"
"Yes, My Lady. It was the Tiger Wind Squad from the Peng Family's Outer Hall. They were even accompanied by Inner Hall Elder Peng Jeon-gun."
"Peng Jeon-gun...? Ah. The 'Tiger-Slaying Blood Blade' Peng Jeon-gun. He hadn't been seen for a while; I suppose he wasn't dead after all. And?"
"I chased off a few members of the Beggars' Sect who were tailing the Peng Family's fourth young master. I also confirmed one banzi (low-level spy) from the Eastern Depot lurking outside on the street."
"Well done. You may go."
"Yes, My Lady."
After the man in black vanished, Dan So-hye sat alone in the tea room, pressing her temples as she sank into thought.
Ten years old...? Princess Yeonhwa was the same, but that boy definitely didn't have the mindset of someone that age. If he becomes the Head of the Peng Family, there might be more loss than gain, but...
Regardless, the age gap between the eldest son, Peng Hyeon-ryang, and the fourth son, Peng Hyeon-hwi, was ten years. Ten years at that age is no small number, and Peng Hyeon-ryang was already considered one of the top geniuses among the rising stars of the Murim. No matter how talented Peng Hyeon-hwi might be, there was no way he could grow enough to defeat his eldest brother in a direct confrontation.
If the White Lotus Cult swallows the Imperial Court, Beijing is finished anyway.
The roots of the Unorthodox Murim would be pulled out. Dan So-hye held her forehead and began writing a coded message on a bamboo scroll. This was a matter that required the Clan Leader's decision.
*
'Well water does not invade river water.'
Cheon U-rin sank into thought as she gazed at the starry sky. It was a laughable saying. She knew the martial artists claimed as much, but the government's stance was merely one of uncomfortable respect.
It was only natural. Even the Imperial Family of this country had started as a mere warrior before founding the dynasty. The reason they overlooked the martial artists was more because the Five Army Camps were too busy to stir up trouble by poking the grass to startle the snakes.
Currently, this country was surrounded by foreign enemies on all sides. The Northern Yuan, the Southern Wako and Southern Barbarians, the Jurchens and Manchus, the Western Rong and Tatars—small and large wars continued at the borders even now. In the midst of all this, there was no reason or spare capacity to keep the Murim forces in check unless they plotted rebellion.
This country was maintained on a precarious balance.
But if that balance were to break...
If the eunuchs preying on the Imperial Court and the Noble Consort who manipulated them were gone... If the cultists standing behind that Consort and the incompetent Emperor who overlooked them all vanished... If she could only take that seat.
Peng Hyeon-hwi.
One who understands one's inner thoughts with a single word is called a jigi (soulmate). If so, Peng Hyeon-hwi was more than qualified to be called a jigi. He was a clever boy she would have gladly befriended had he not been born into a martial family.
If such a boy were to help the Imperial Family from within the Murim... If she could lend strength to a family capable of pacifying all the martial houses in North China and bring all that power under the authority of the Imperial Court...
Yes, then there would be no reason they couldn't form a pact of non-aggression. Not an uncomfortable coexistence like before, but as true subjects.
To put it more bluntly and directly—like that audacious brat from the Hebei Peng Family.
'Government-Murim Non-Aggression.'
One could call it that.
Cheon U-rin entered her room with a smirk. It was far in the future, but if such a day ever came...
It wouldn't be strange even if the Hebei Peng Family, often called an Unorthodox sect by the Murim, became the most prestigious family in the martial world. And an Emperor who held the full support of such a family in one hand and the authority of the Pure Stream faction in the other...
Would finally have the momentum to lead this chaotic country into an era of Great Peace.
*
"Elder Peng Jeon-gun."
"Hmm?"
"Do you think the Family Head would be upset if I teamed up with the Hao Clan?"
"He would be if you were being dragged around by them," Peng Jeon-gun replied with a laugh, stroking his greasy beard as if he’d eaten something good at the tavern. "But are you the type of fellow to let that happen?"
"I suppose not, right?"
I walked, keeping my distance from the dirty old man.
I decided I shouldn't mention the part where I made a deal to join a rebellion involving the future of the Hebei Peng Family.