Chapter 233
Chapter 233
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 65
>Chapter Title: Guard Division Selection (1)
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Early morning.
In the training director's office at the Guard Division.
A stern-faced middle-aged man in his late forties, with a scar on his chin, clasped his hands together in greeting as he saw off a man dressed in blue official robes who was exiting the office.
Once the man had left, the middle-aged man slumped heavily into the chair behind his desk.
He then let out a deep sigh.
'Hoo. I can't keep doing this nonsense anymore.'
The middle-aged man's name was Seok Jeon-ung.
He was the training director responsible for educating the Guard Division cadets, as well as the Guard Division commander.
As Seok Jeon-ung recalled the official who had just visited, he couldn't help but snort derisively.
'What a headache. How am I supposed to handle this?'
The official who had come and gone was Jang Chan, who held the rank 6b position of reader-in-waiting at the Hanlin Academy.
The reason for his visit was to make a request regarding the Guard Division selection.
Of course, cases like this were a dime a dozen.
They had been ongoing ever since he took the position of director.
'Even Prince Gyeongchin is getting impatient. Sending a close aide from his faction to make a separate plea like this.'
Four out of the eight already slated for selection from the Guard Division were pre-approved candidates.
The real power in this country was divided among four factions.
Prince Gyeongchin, the emperor's younger brother; Minister Hang Yun, who held the position of Grand Preceptor among the Three Dukes and also served as admiral of the Central Inspectorate; Prince Jong, the emperor's second imperial son; and Western Noble Consort Seo, mother of the current crown prince.
The pre-approved candidates were divided among these four factions.
For now, the emperor was barely holding on, maintaining a precarious balance, but the moment that broke, chaos was inevitable.
'His Majesty's chronic illness has dragged on for quite some time.'
If the emperor were to collapse, it would spell disaster.
He hadn't even appeared at this morning's audience, so all the high and low officials had sensed the ominous signs.
That must be why Prince Gyeongchin had sent someone.
'What a bind.'
He had no choice but to fill half the spots with the customary pre-approved candidates.
However, starting last time, Prince Gyeongchin's faction had requested that all four remaining spots—not pre-approved—be filled with their own people.
And it wasn't just a simple request.
[Director Seok, you're turning forty-nine this year, so your term as Guard Division commander is nearly up. Such a pity.]
Seok Jeon-ung was forty-nine years old.
The term limit for Guard Division commander was fifty.
After next year, he would have to complete his term and leave the palace.
[I hear your son is taking the spring civil exam next year. He took the fourth exam this year, so it'll be his fifth. Isn't it about time he passed and entered officialdom? The Hanlin Academy happens to need talented rank 8b scholars right now.]
That had shaken him.
In other words, if he granted the request, they would ensure his son passed the exam.
Because of this, Seok Jeon-ung had agonized considerably.
He had heard from the National Academy supervisor that his son had more than enough skill to pass the civil exams with flying colors.
Yet, entangled in the power struggles and pre-approvals, his son was nearing thirty without passing.
Did that even make sense?
'It's because this father lacks influence.'
All official positions were filled by the sons of high-ranking officials, regardless of their virtue or ability.
Seok Jeon-ung hadn't been born a yangban, but through merits on the battlefield, he had entered the Guard Division and risen to commander.
But that was the end of it.
No matter how outstanding his achievements, he couldn't climb higher.
Stuck merely as Guard Division commander, he had no way to help his son on the official path.
[Here's the deal. If five of His Highness's recommended candidates are included, I will petition for your promotion to Guard Division deputy commander. Combined with your son's exam success, I think that's a fair offer.]
From a certain perspective, Prince Gyeongchin's faction's proposal was incredibly tempting.
If he could, he wanted to accept and take the reward.
But the problem was that he couldn't do so easily.
Seok Jeon-ung looked at the request list.
'Ha...'
It was a joke.
They were all unqualified for the Embroidered Uniform Guard from the start.
Only upper-level cadets could take the Guard Division selection.
Yet everyone on the request list was lower-level, barely scraping by in training—mere rookies.
There was one exception.
'Geum Jong-hyeon.'
Geum Jong-hyeon was originally an upper-level cadet, the son of a rank 5b expositor at the Hanlin Academy.
He had seemed no different from the usual scholar-officials' sons, but at some point, he had shown talent ranking among the top three in the entire Guard Division.
Someone like him had a high chance of passing even without favoritism.
However,
'The rest are impossible.'
Forcing lower-level cadets into upper-level status to take the selection would provoke backlash from the other cadets and anger the other factions.
For these reasons, Seok Jeon-ung had avoided giving a firm answer, brushing off Prince Gyeongchin's envoy.
'What to do.'
He had sent them away for now, but with the Guard Division selection tomorrow, he had to give a definite response by today.
It was truly a dilemma with no way forward or back.
Granting Prince Gyeongchin's request would provoke the other factions, while refusing it would invite retaliation in some form.
'Ah.'
If only there were a suitable excuse to refuse, but even that was lacking.
Just then, a voice came from outside.
"Director, Deputy Commander Jang of the Eastern Depot requests an audience."
"Deputy Commander Jang?"
Deputy Commander Jang of the Eastern Depot was a close aide to Western Noble Consort Seo's faction.
He was already racking his brains over Prince Gyeongchin's envoy, so what could Deputy Commander Jang want this early in the morning?
Puzzled, Seok Jeon-ung opened the door to greet him.
* * *
'Goodness.'
Training Director Seok Jeon-ung couldn't hide his troubled expression.
And rightly so, for Deputy Commander Jang of the Eastern Depot had come with an equally problematic request from Western Noble Consort Seo, just like Prince Gyeongchin's faction.
'No, this one's worse.'
Prince Gyeongchin's side had at least recommended actual Guard Division cadets.
The issue was their lacking skills, but still.
Western Noble Consort's faction, however, wanted three outsiders—not even cadets—inserted as upper-level cadets to take the Guard Division selection.
No matter her immense influence, this was too much.
"It's a request from Her Highness the Noble Consort. Surely you can't refuse?"
At Deputy Commander Jang's words, Seok Jeon-ung sighed and replied.
"My apologies. The young man from the Northern River Peng Clan you recommended earlier is from a renowned orthodox martial clan, so if he proves his skill, it's enough justification to convince the cadets and examiners. But suddenly replacing him with someone else is already problematic, and adding two more unvetted individuals as upper-level Guard Division cadets is simply absurd."
At this, Deputy Commander Jang rested his chin on the table and said.
"I'll be direct, Director. Is it about verifying their skills? Or are you worried about backlash from the other factions?"
"......Both."
Seok Jeon-ung answered honestly.
He was already struggling to find an excuse to refuse Prince Gyeongchin's demands; granting Western Noble Consort's request on top would make it even harder.
To him, Deputy Commander Jang smiled and said.
"You don't need to worry about verifying their skills. They're late-generation disciples sent by the Heaven-Earth Society."
"Heaven-Earth Society?"
Seok Jeon-ung's eyes widened at the words.
Wasn't the Heaven-Earth Society one of the three major powers in the current martial world?
The palace had repeatedly requested talent from them in the name of fostering ties with the martial world.
But they had always responded with silence.
Yet now they were sending people through Western Noble Consort?
This was quite surprising.
'If that's true, their skills shouldn't be an issue.'
It was the Heaven-Earth Society, after all.
They wouldn't send weaklings as their first publicly promoted late-generation disciples.
Even if he accepted this, the cadets and Prince Gyeongchin's faction wouldn't unless they saw it for themselves...
'Ah!'
Suddenly, something flashed in Seok Jeon-ung's mind.
A clever ploy to resolve both issues at once.
'Use barbarians to check barbarians!'
Use one barbarian to subdue another.
There was no need to agonize separately over how to handle these excessive demands from Western Noble Consort's and Prince Gyeongchin's factions.
Just pit them against each other.
* * *
One hour later,
In a room at the inn where the Heaven-Earth Society group was staying.
Having finished his report, Deputy Commander Jang of the Eastern Depot glanced cautiously at someone.
It was none other than Mok Kyung-un.
As a close aide to Western Noble Consort Seo—one of the palace's four powerhouses—he had never feared anyone.
But after yesterday's events, that had changed.
To him, Mok Kyung-un was a nightmare incarnate.
As he glanced nervously, Mok Kyung-un stroked his chin and said.
"So, in conclusion, to take the Guard Division selection, you have to skip grades to upper-level cadet."
"That's right. We requested direct placement into upper-level, but the Guard Division training director said it would provoke backlash from the other factions and cadets."
"Is that so? Even Her Highness the Noble Consort's influence has its limits."
"......My apologies."
The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the emperor's direct special agency.
Thus, even Western Noble Consort Seo, one of the top five powers in the palace, couldn't interfere much in their selection process.
The same went for the other factions' envoys.
As the emperor's direct unit, the Embroidered Uniform Guard occupied a neutral position resistant to pressure, so mutual checks were the best they could do.
"So, what's the condition for skipping grades?"
"Prince Gyeongchin's faction also requested grade-skipping for their recommended cadets. You just need to compete against them under the examiners' supervision."
"The winners get to skip grades?"
"Yes."
"Well, that shouldn't be too difficult."
It seemed like a simple sparring match.
At that moment, Seo Chun spoke up.
"One spot is already pre-approved, so my lord doesn't need to step in. Mong Mu-yak and I will handle the grade-skipping match."
"No, I'll do the spar too. Let Mong Mu-yak take the pre-approved spot."
"Yes?"
Mong Mu-yak was startled and questioned Mok Kyung-un's decision.
A pre-approved spot virtually guaranteed selection into the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so why make this choice?
"My lord, we can handle this ourselves..."
"No, it's fine. Just sitting around watching would be boring."
Mong Mu-yak fell silent at that.
There was no real reason to object if that was the motive.
It was just pitiful for the opponents who would face his lord out of sheer boredom.
* * *
Around 1 PM.
Near the Guard Division cadet training grounds.
Jang Chan, the rank 6b reader-in-waiting of the Hanlin Academy, bowed in greeting to an old eunuch in red official robes with white powder on his face, one shoulder in a splint.
"I'm sorry to trouble you when you're still recovering from your injury, Deputy Director Beom."
The old eunuch's name was Beom Jeong.
He held the position of deputy director of the Western Depot.
"Not at all. His Highness Prince Gyeongchin asked me to observe as well, so it's only right that I help."
"Thank you. As a mere civil official, I wouldn't know if the grade-skipping match proceeds properly, so I had to ask a master like Deputy Director Beom."
"Hahaha. This old man is still lacking. That's why I ended up injured like this."
"Please don't say that. Didn't you risk your life to protect His Highness? He said he'll never forget it."
"For him to say such things, I am deeply humbled."
"Your humble demeanor teaches this Jang a lesson. Shall we go, then?"
Reader-in-Waiting Jang Chan extended his hand and led the way.
Deputy Director Beom of the Western Depot limped behind him.
In truth, he could have delegated to another Western Depot eunuch due to his injury, but curiosity had drawn him out.
'The Heaven-Earth Society...'
He had heard the opponents in this grade-skipping match were from the Heaven-Earth Society.
He had met many martial artists inside and outside the palace, mostly from orthodox sects.
Thus, Deputy Director Beom was curious about the rumored prowess of even unorthodox sects that made the orthodox ones wary, so he had volunteered to observe.
'If the Heaven-Earth Society is allying with Western Noble Consort, it wouldn't hurt to gauge their level this time. They could become a threat to His Highness Prince Gyeongchin soon enough.'
Just how skilled were the Heaven-Earth Society's late-generation disciples?
"Ah! There they are, waiting."
Reader-in-Waiting Jang Chan pointed to the lower training grounds.
"Oho, so... !?"
Deputy Director Beom, limping forward with eager anticipation, suddenly froze in shock upon seeing something.
"Deputy Director Beom?"
Reader-in-Waiting Jang Chan turned puzzled and looked at him.
His complexion had abruptly worsened.
His body was trembling rigidly, but why?
'How... how is that man here?'
Even from afar, a strikingly beautiful figure stood out.
Deputy Director Beom nearly collapsed upon seeing him, legs giving way from shock.
'Am I seeing things?'
No.
It was a face impossible to forget, even in dreams.
He had barely survived that hellish place by a stroke of luck and prayed never to encounter him again.
Yet how was this demon here?
"Deputy Director Beom?"
Reader-in-Waiting Jang Chan called to him.
Snapping back to his senses, Deputy Director Beom lowered his voice and said.
"......Are those the Heaven-Earth Society's late-generation disciples?"
"Since they're facing off against our cadets, they must be. But do you recognize a face among them, Deputy Director? What's wrong?"
At the question, Deputy Director Beom swallowed dryly, his mouth parched, and said.
"Cancel the match... immediately."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"It's a fight they can't win."
"Can't win? We haven't even seen them fight yet to say that..."
"Impossible."
Deputy Director Beom cut off Reader-in-Waiting Jang Chan's words firmly.
Then, in a trembling voice, he said.
"Even this old man couldn't handle that monster. How could those youngsters possibly defeat him?"
'!!!!!!!'
End of Chapter 65: Guard Division Selection (1)