Chapter 414: Beijing (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 414: Beijing (6)
In that instant, both Jeong Yeon-shin and Yong Hee-myung blurred.
The ground beneath their feet erupted in all directions as a dull, deafening roar filled the clearing.
A cloud of yellow dust billowed upward, and an intangible shockwave—originating from the exact point where hand met sword—swept violently across the earth.
Fwoosh—!
The circular ripple tore the dust clouds to shreds.
Caught in the sudden spectacle, the surrounding officials were showered in sand. Though every single one of them exuded a robust aura, none bothered to use palm strikes or martial arts to ward off the wind.
Among them, an elderly civil official in red robes spoke slowly.
“…I was certain they had restricted their internal power…”
This was the Governor of Beijing, who oversaw the livelihoods and civil affairs of the capital's citizens on behalf of the Emperor. He feigned composure, wearing a crafty expression, but he could not hide the slight trembling of his eyelids.
The same was true for most of the officials present.
A middle-aged man clad in yellow martial robes glanced at them and gave a slight shake of his head.
“It is not a mere human technique. It is the profound principle of Four Ounces Deflecting a Thousand Pounds, which is often confused with Softness Overcomes Hardness. For those who can control a thousand pounds with an effortless gesture, even if they employ only a fraction of their internal power, the sheer weight of their stance will inevitably rival the torrential currents of the Yangtze River.”
The middle-aged man spoke as if murmuring to himself.
Then, with a light flick of his finger against his chest—which was embroidered with red and blue dragons—the dust covering his body flew off, scattering in all directions.
“At any rate, it was truly eye-opening.”
He was the only one in the clearing who did not hide his admiration. He was none other than the Great Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His rounded ears suggested he did not carry much Brightfolk blood, and unlike the others, he stood a half-step forward.
“It seems the Great Commander quite fancies them,” another old man in red robes remarked quietly.
Instantly, the surrounding air grew chillingly cold.
This was the Minister of War, who had previously introduced himself to Jeong Yeon-shin as the head of the military. His voice was almost entirely devoid of inflection.
“That may be so. Since he was only recently appointed as Great Commander, this must be his first time meeting the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps as well.”
“I, too, am curious about the Great Commander's thoughts.”
A few others chimed in.
“Well…”
The Great Commander did not answer. He merely stared at the two figures finally emerging through the parting dust: the Commander of the Demonlight Wing and the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps.
Jeong Yeon-shin held one of Yong Hee-myung's hands while blocking the blade of the Sword of Divine Attainment with his other.
With his heightened hearing and sense of Qi, he perceived the presence of the Beijing nobles, all while feeling a stinging pain in his right hand.
“Were you trying to kill your superior?”
Beyond the long blade of the Sword of Divine Attainment, Yong Hee-myung wore an incredulous expression. To Jeong Yeon-shin, it looked more like a sly, playful smirk.
It was because of that single descending strike, which had sliced cleanly through the Fa Jin of Brilliant River he had unleashed as his trump card. It had felt as though Yong Hee-myung was cleaving not just the air, but space itself.
Jeong Yeon-shin swallowed his frustration, maintaining an expressionless face. It was said that a true gentleman did not show his displeasure to the world.
He had resolved never again to writhe in bed in embarrassment, as he had after the incident with the Wudang Ancient Sword. A young man coming of age had to establish his grand purpose under heaven.
I must exercise self-restraint, he thought.
He made a silent vow. This resolve would remain as eternal and unchanging as the flat earth under heaven.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly withdrew both hands and parted his lips.
“I lost.”
“Let's call it a draw this time. Your strike was so astonishing that I had to draw upon a fraction of the Unified Martial Transcendence.”
“I did catch a glimpse of seven colors. Was that the Unified Martial Transcendence?”
“It was a technique to temporarily overlay the Dragon Ring Sword onto the blade. Quite a timely strike, wasn't it? Even with my so-called dragon bones, my shoulder is completely stiff right now, you brat. Your Fa Jin was ridiculously strong…”
Yong Hee-myung spun the Sword of Divine Attainment, scattering glints of light, before sheathing it at his waist in a single, fluid motion.
Releasing the hilt, he spread his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture and grinned.
“In any case, your divine might is fully worthy of the Desolate Fortress's Purple Rank. You could probably hold your own even against the old Elder Council Head before he lost his martial arts.”
“You flatter me.”
The corner of Jeong Yeon-shin's mouth twitched slightly before immediately flattening. He quickly wiped away his expression, thinking to himself: Do not sway between joy and sorrow, and do not speak rashly.
It was then.
Step.
“So you had something to rely on, Commander Yong. Did you intend to excuse your offenses against the imperial family with a new appointment?”
The Head Eunuch approached. As her long, trailing red robes brushed against the ground, her towering seven-foot frame blocked out the setting sun.
Yong Hee-myung curled his lips. His face, which had previously spat informal speech at the eunuch, had regained its composure after his duel with Jeong Yeon-shin.
“An excuse? Hardly. He is simply a talent that cannot be hidden.”
“Indeed, that much should be enough to draw the attention of the various imperial relatives.”
Her low, deep voice echoed like the King of the Underworld.
Jeong Yeon-shin looked down at his right arm, its sleeve torn to shreds, before raising his head. Something just as important as retracing Yong Hee-myung's sword strike in his mind now stood before him.
The Head Eunuch.
She had reigned as the current Emperor's right hand for decades. No lengthy description was needed; she was a figure who wielded immense influence over the appointment of the Desolate Fortress's Purple Ranks.
Yong Hee-myung had told him that as the head of the Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and the Imperial Procession Agency, she influenced the appointments of all high-ranking officials.
Not only the highest first-rank offices, but even the internal positions of the Three Great Masters of the Imperial Family within the Northern Army for the Northern Expedition were decided exactly as she advised the Emperor.
Rustle.
Approaching, the Head Eunuch looked down at Jeong Yeon-shin.
“I did expect us to meet eventually, but I did not think it would be so soon,” she said.
Jeong Yeon-shin raised his head. Ever since his Marrow Cleansing and Bone Rebirth, it was extremely rare for him to look up at anyone, but in front of the Head Eunuch, he had to tilt his gaze upward. Had his rebirth gone as intended, their eye levels would have been completely reversed.
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin suddenly thought of the giant Pangu from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the face of the Head Eunuch, who was quietly observing him, grew even paler. It was a face that looked literally like a ghost.
She slowly opened her mouth.
“…Is the Hegemon Hero well?”
“He is extremely hale and hearty.”
“I see.”
The Head Eunuch naturally turned on her heel. The way she slowly pivoted, her long official robes sweeping around her, carried the demeanor of a taciturn ruler.
“I shall send word soon.”
As she walked toward the main gate, the officials who had been watching them adjusted their attire and followed behind her. A few others, including the Great Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, offered Jeong Yeon-shin a brief nod of farewell before departing.
“Eunuch Myeong, I shall see you again.”
“…Take care.”
After Eunuch Myeong-yeo turned and vanished, Yong Hee-myung suddenly patted Jeong Yeon-shin on the shoulder.
“At a glance, it's easy to dismiss that Head Eunuch as someone drunk on power, but she is actually loyal to His Majesty to her very bones. Which means she won't easily bend her will. Her mind is filled with nothing but imperial authority and the safety of the nation.”
“…I see.”
“She is an elder who values logic and reason above all else. Only someone of my standing can switch between formal and informal speech with her; until you wear the purple robes, you need to humble yourself. If you ever have a private audience with her, treat her like a high-born elder. Her face may look young, but she is of the same generation as your maternal grandfather.”
“Understood.”
Just as Jeong Yeon-shin nodded gravely, Yong Hee-myung suddenly grinned.
“Well done.”
“Pardon?”
“Adding 'extremely' before 'hale and hearty.' You're the type who would thrive even if you took an official post right in the middle of the Forbidden City. Truly admirable.”
Jeong Yeon-shin casually brushed off his superior's words, staring intently at the twilight casting dark shadows over the threshold.
The sun had set before he knew it; it was hard to fathom how the day had flown by. The high-ranking officials who held the power to voice their approval or disapproval regarding a promotion to the Desolate Fortress's Purple Rank were, without exception, difficult to read.
* * *
The next day, permission to enter the palace arrived.
A message stated that they were free to enter and leave the Forbidden City as they pleased if they had business. It was a letter stamped with the seal of the Crown Prince, who had been intermittently ruling as regent for decades.
“We won't go just yet,” Yong Hee-myung said. “There's no need to walk right into the nest of Beijing's old foxes and get dragged into trouble. Especially when His Majesty isn't even there.”
“Then I shall remain quiet,” Jeong Yeon-shin replied, sitting cross-legged on the wooden veranda of the pavilion. Lately, he had become the very incarnation of self-restraint.
A faint look of perplexity crossed Yong Hee-myung's face.
“No, you can wander around a bit.”
“Is there a need…”
“The atmosphere of the city is strange. I can sense a bizarre, sinister energy lingering in various alleys… It feels as though a rather dangerous spirit beast might manifest. Perhaps an opportunity will arise to win the favor of the Beijing people, who desperately crave stability and authority.”
“A spirit beast?” As Jeong Yeon-shin asked, an intuition struck his mind. The Purple Rank's Jianghu.
“From what I've gathered personally, His Majesty departed just before we arrived in Beijing. It seems he wished for our fortress to assist in safeguarding the city's security for a while.”
“But there was no separate message, was there?”
“Well, he is a man who speaks through actions and martial arts rather than written words.”
Shaking his head, Yong Hee-myung continued.
“Speculating like this won't compare to asking him directly. Actually, this works out well. I should go find him myself, both to press for your promotion and to pay my respects.”
He spoke of a private audience with the Emperor as if it were nothing.
This was a testament to the status of the Desolate Fortress's Purple Rank. Or perhaps it was due to the symbolism carried by the position of the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps. Whichever it was, it was a position Jeong Yeon-shin had to reach.
“Of course, simply seeking out His Majesty won't solve everything. The Head Eunuch's words weren't entirely wrong. He is a man who listens to various perspectives. Even if he is busy training his martial arts while leaving state affairs to the Zhu imperial family and his ministers, he ultimately holds the nation in the palm of his hand.”
“So you mean I must win the favor of the high-ranking officials.”
“The greater cause, public sentiment, martial might, necessity… when all of those converge into one, the color that emerges is purple. It is excruciatingly difficult to obtain.”
Yong Hee-myung turned on his heel and walked toward the door.
“Since the Head Eunuch said she would send word, go have a chat with her. You've already won the favor of the Commander of the Forest-Treading Unit and the Lord of the Immortal Wood Spirit, so I'm not too worried.”
With that, the current Commander of the Divine Sword Corps truly vanished, setting off to find the Emperor. Only the summer wind rippled emptily through the sunset glow.
Jeong Yeon-shin was left alone.
Even Yeon So-ha, the Keen Broom of the Divine Sword, had departed, as his family home was said to be in Beijing.
And then, word came from the Head Eunuch. It was an invitation to a dinner banquet, inscribed in elegant calligraphy.
Jeong Yeon-shin set out as soon as dusk began to fall.
“The character 'Hwang'... the Commander of the Demonlight Wing?”
“I can tell just by his appearance. He's finally come out.”
“These are truly the end times. A rebel with insidious designs is walking freely through the streets of Beijing.”
“Are you crazy?! Experts can hear everything!”
“Is it not the truth? Seeking personal advancement and glory rather than the livelihoods of the people…”
“Please, just shut up...!”
He passed by the citizens of Beijing, who were whispering in small groups, and walked along the moat stretching around the Forbidden City.
The air in Beijing was as clear as that of Xinye County, where the Jeong Family Manor once stood. The subtle hostility of the people living here was not much different from that of the Jeong Family Manor's servants.
However, as the night deepened, the clothes of those turning to head home shimmered under the moonlight. They were all dressed in silk.
Everything was new to Jeong Yeon-shin. There was a quiet pleasure in observing the towering walls and the people passing through his vision.
Walking under a barrage of stares, he soon arrived at his destination.
It was a pavilion bathed in orange light. The brilliant glow radiating from countless lanterns pushed back the night air.
“I shall guide you this way.”
A remarkably human-looking servant led him inside.
Soon, Jeong Yeon-shin sat across from the Head Eunuch, a splendid red sandalwood table between them. She was still wearing her red official robes and dark official hat.
Frugal, Jeong Yeon-shin thought.
The spread laid out between them was remarkably simple. A white flask, two cups, and what appeared to be savory pancakes for snacks were all that sat on the table. It was hard to tell whether she was simply being a stingy host, or if she was putting on the guise of an incorruptible official, leading by example during a year of famine.
“I shall get straight to the point,” the Head Eunuch said. Her tone was slightly softer compared to her demeanor back at the Desolate Fortress's pavilion.
“The forces of the Northern Demonfolk are breaching the Great Wall. A significant number of imperial family experts have marched north with the Imperial Army, leaving us with no choice but to entrust the wild, thrashing Jianghu martial artists to the Desolate Fortress. You must know this as well. To the public, it must seem as though the imperial family has abandoned the livelihoods of the people.”
“I had suspected as much.”
“In such chaotic times... the Black Swords of the Divine Sword Corps have gathered to secure their own safety. A force that could easily threaten Beijing if assembled in one place—a sword that should only be wielded under the banner of stabilizing the people's lives—has moved of its own volition.”
The Head Eunuch's voice was low. It settled quietly over the pavilion, whose open ceiling offered a clear view of the night sky.
“That is where distrust and doubt arise. Now that it has been revealed to the world that the power of the Desolate Fortress can move of its own accord, like a swordsman's Sword Kinesis, is it right to bestow yet another Purple Rank authority—one capable of severing the neck of any official? Is the government not taking on an excessive burden? Does the current Divine Sword Corps truly move solely for the greater cause?”
“…”
“Thus, the imperial family has no choice but to be cautious.”
Rustle.
The Head Eunuch's red sleeve brushed against the table. Picking up the flask, she tilted it toward Jeong Yeon-shin's cup.
A clear stream trickled down, filling the porcelain. Soon, the reflection of the full moon was captured within it—the very same full moon that cast its pale light from high above them.
The Head Eunuch stared down at Jeong Yeon-shin's cup.
“That cup represents the livelihoods of the people under heaven. And the full moon filling the cup is the Jianghu, which has begun to encroach upon the common folk.”
She slowly continued.
“The Murim grows stronger by the day, and the starving martial artists have begun to openly display their violent natures. Originally, there was a limit to the power permitted to humans... but now, we have reached a point where even the Desolate Fortress cannot handle the Jianghu alone and must band together.”
“Indeed,” Jeong Yeon-shin calmly acknowledged.
More than half of the Thirteen Heavens ran rampant across the vast land. Countless minor sects banded together and dissolved under the banner of pillage, and elusive experts roamed the world. There were also threats from beyond the borders, including the Northern Demonfolk.
And that was just the Jianghu. What if one expanded the scope to include the Strange, Violent, Chaotic, and Supernatural?
“Since the founding of our dynasty, the imperial family has attempted to eradicate the Murim several times. Yet, because martial arts are so mysterious, the more hardships they endure, the more profound and powerful they become. They simply refuse to disappear. You are proof of this. Even after your family suffered a tragedy, are you not standing here alive?”
“…”
“Ultimately, this fundamental skepticism forms the consensus within the imperial court. We question whether the Divine Sword Corps, which cannot fully protect the livelihoods of the people under heaven, still holds the same value as before. Even if we have three Purple Ranks, the chaos arising from the Jianghu expands far beyond that. Just like the full moon captured in this cup.”
A brief silence fell. The faint chirping of insects slowly pierced the stillness of the moonlit night.
The Head Eunuch extended a long index finger and lightly tapped Jeong Yeon-shin's cup.
“Now, answer me. Can the Divine Sword Corps suppress this razor-sharp full moon? What do you think of a Murim that will only grow stronger, where only the powerful survive these chaotic times? Five years, ten years from now, can you hold onto your life without gathering the Black Swords?”
The eyes of the imperial giant, whose face was paler than the moonlight itself, reflected Jeong Yeon-shin.
He sat with his back perfectly straight. He had remained this way from the moment the Head Eunuch began speaking until now. A young man clad in a black robe with its right sleeve torn away, quietly looking down at his drink.
He slowly parted his lips.
“I do not know.”
“You do not know?”
Perhaps she had expected some grand display of spirit. Just as a faint trace of disappointment flickered across the Head Eunuch's face,
“Only that, if I am still alive five years from now...”
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly reached out.
“I…”
The moment his fingers wrapped around the cup, the full moon—reflected in a bluish light on the surface of the liquor—slowly split in half.
“…will be the Jianghu of this nation,” Jeong Yeon-shin calmly concluded.