Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng
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"Earlier, when the Great King suddenly brought up the National Academy, even I was surprised."
"It caught me off guard too."
"Isn't he basically saying he's sending you off to the Tang as a hostage?"
"It's not just me. I think he'll send the children of the other division leaders to the academy as well."
"How did he even come up with such a scheme?"
"Looks like there's a strategist we don't know about."
"Anyone but Yeon Jeong-du?"
"That's not something he'd come up with, is it?"
My father nodded at my retort.
"True enough. He knows how to play petty tricks, but he's not the type to think up something that completely turns the tables like this."
His response carried a hint of emotion, but it aligned with my own view.
"It's different from what the Great King's side has done up until now."
"Just as you said—a new strategist has emerged."
"Whoever it is, their skills are no joke."
My father, Yeon Gaesomun, replied with a touch of irritation.
"Seems that way. I thought it would just be about sending the crown prince as an envoy."
"We need to find out who it is first thing."
"I'll mobilize Dosuryu and Geumryu. But that guy up ahead..."
My father, Yeon Gaesomun, glared at Yi Maengjin, who was leading the way, and added,
"He didn't notice a thing. Even after pocketing the bribes I gave him."
"Yi Tain, Yi Maengjin's son, works under me. He must have taken extra care not to tip us off."
"That doesn't change the fact that he failed at his job."
"Let me talk to him."
I shot my father, Yeon Gaesomun, a calming glance before staring at Yi Maengjin's back as he walked ahead. Yi Maengjin stopped by the palace gate as it swung open. I motioned for him to follow and stepped outside. Yi Maengjin hesitated, glanced around, and then came out through the gate.
"There are a lot of eyes watching."
Pretending to smooth out the wrinkles in his official robes, I whispered,
"Father's furious."
Yi Maengjin flinched and blinked as he watched my father, Yeon Gaesomun, head toward the carriage.
"What did I do wrong?"
"The Great King brought up something unexpected today."
"I had no idea. Really."
"Our line of work doesn't let you off with 'I didn't know.' We nearly got dragged in without even getting a word out."
"I'm telling you, I truly had no clue."
"If Father stays this angry, I can't keep your son around anymore."
"Come on, talk to him for me. What am I supposed to do if the Yeon family abandons me now?"
"Of course we won't. Father's just upset—give it time, and he'll cool down. You've done plenty for us in the meantime."
"Right. I've been your eyes and ears all this time."
"Half the officials working in the palace are dying to tie themselves to our family. You know why, don't you?"
Because we shower them with massive sums of money. Yi Maengjin's eyes trembled—he knew it all too well. I patted his shoulder and said,
"The Great King has a new strategist."
"A new one? Someone besides Yeon Jeong-du?"
"Today's proposal is beyond what Yeon Jeong-du could cook up."
I stated it flatly, then met Yi Maengjin's eyes and continued.
"Whoever it is, this new strategist came up with it—no doubt."
"So, you're saying find this person."
"Yes. They're definitely close by. This isn't the kind of plan that comes from one or two meetings."
"No suspicious movements in the palace."
"The Great King and the Chief of Central Administration both know your son works under me. So they'd have moved discreetly, right?"
Yi Maengjin widened his eyes and nodded.
"Find them, by any means necessary. Who they are, and how they got to the Great King."
"Got it. I'll track them down—just put in a good word with the Eastern Division Leader."
Pulling Yi Maengjin into what looked like an embrace, I replied,
"Of course. Don't worry."
As I turned away, I heard Yi Maengjin sigh. Geom Mojam shouted for departure once we were in the carriage. By the time the familiar rumble of the wheels settled in my ears, my father, Yeon Gaesomun, asked,
"Who could it be?"
"The strategist?"
"Yeah. Seems like someone with an exceptionally sharp mind."
"Of course. But they won't beat us."
I stated it confidently, knowing the future. But Father seemed inwardly uneasy.
"If it weren't for you, we'd have been caught flat-footed. If we buckled, the other division leaders would have been dragged in too."
"Preparing and launching a war takes at least half a year. Campaigning in summer is tough, and we have to avoid the rainy season, so autumn at the earliest."
"The crown prince going as envoy would come after that. Around next spring, maybe."
Realizing we'd bought time, Father relaxed his tense expression. But I couldn't smile. This was someone who hadn't existed in the history I knew. Gazing out the carriage window, I murmured quietly,
"Who are you...?"
The moment we returned to the mansion, I instructed Geom Mojam.
"Tell everyone to come to Bin Yeon Pavilion. No—bring Seon Do-hae first."
"Should I send word to Ansi Fortress too?"
"Of course. Man-chun will fly here on wings if he has to."
Geom Mojam grinned and acknowledged. As I organized my thoughts, I flung open the doors to Bin Yeon Pavilion. Suddenly, Go Yeonmu charged at me like he was about to devour me whole.
"What! What's going on!"
His gaunt face looked zombie-like as he grabbed my arms and legs.
"What's with you?"
Up close, I saw he was holding a model of the flying chariot. Go Yeonmu said in an exhausted voice,
"Jeong-ui hyung decided to make the two-wheeler, and I was assigned the flying chariot."
"Separately, one each?"
It was hard to believe these two, always burning with rivalry, had sorted things out. Go Yeonmu nodded and showed me his flying chariot model.
"So I combined the best parts from each of our individual models."
"Really?"
"Bamboo as the frame sounds good, but I can't source it alone."
Flying without propulsion wasn't easy—I'd half-given up. But Go Yeonmu's flying chariot looked promising.
The wings were long like a modern glider's, with tail fins for stability. The tail fins could move for ascent and descent, even if airflow grasp was imprecise. Yawing could be handled by the prone pilot leaning. Recalling pre-possession memories of glider designs, I was amazed. Go Jeong-ui and Go Yeonmu's concept closely resembled modern gliders. Different materials, but it just might fly.
"I'll talk to the Maemul Merchant Guild and get you bamboo."
I called for paper and brush, sketching gliders by George Cayley and Otto Lilienthal from memory. Go Yeonmu's eyes went wide.
"How do you know all this?"
"Saw it in a dream. Make two or three the size of small boats with bamboo. Load them with stones and test flights."
"Then make ones for people?"
"Carefully. Can't have accidents."
"I want to be the first to ride."
I shook my head at his excited plea.
"No, you won't."
"Why?"
"You've got too much work. Can't risk you getting hurt."
Otto Lilienthal died crashing his glider into turbulence during tests. No way I'd let Go Yeonmu risk unpowered flight.
"Master."
"No. Keep researching anyway. And..."
Shoving Go Yeonmu's back, I said,
"Go rest now."
"I'm fine."
"I'm not. Sleep it off, then we'll talk."
"I said I'm okay."
"Your brother will chew me out otherwise. Go."
I pushed the reluctant Go Yeonmu out of Bin Yeon Pavilion. Right on cue, Seon Do-hae came panting in, like he'd switched shifts. A black hood replaced his turban or helmet, and his short jacket and pants suggested he'd bolted from bed.
"You called, Master?"
"No need to run."
"I can't keep you waiting when you summon me."
Seon Do-hae caught his breath, entered Bin Yeon Pavilion, and sat. I closed the door and got straight to it.
"I had an audience with the Great King today, and he said something odd."
"What did he say?"
"He'd recognize me as Father's successor—in exchange for enrolling me in the Tang's National Academy."
"To the Tang?"
Seon Do-hae paused briefly, then added,
"Hostage."
"Exactly. Not just me—he plans to send all the division leaders' heirs."
"A move to seize control in one stroke."
Seon Do-hae stroked his beard gravely, lost in thought.
"And he seems set on sending the crown prince as envoy to the Tang."
"If it succeeds, it'll undermine you badly—the one who said it would spark war with the Tang."
"No chance of that. Even if the Tang rose from the grave, they wouldn't bend to the Great King's will."
"Understood. So we just need countermeasures for the academy enrollment?"
"More importantly..."
I stroked my own beard this time and continued.
"Who came up with this."
"Not an existing strategist?"
"The approach is too unfamiliar. No signs at all."
"We must proceed with caution, then."
"We need to uncover their identity ASAP. Father's mobilizing Dosuryu and Geumryu, but we should move separately too."
"I'll instruct our informants in Chang'an City who have palace connections."
"A plot this big can't come from a few letters. They'd need meetings or at least time for explanations."
"So, find someone who frequents the palace and meets the Great King."
"Right. I pressed Yi Maengjin, but since he missed it earlier, I'm not holding my breath."
"I'll look into it. Trust me."
I nodded at Seon Do-hae's response.
"They'll know we're hunting. They'll be prepared—stay sharp."
"Got it."
"And for now, just you and me know."
I trusted my inner circle, but this was different. Yi Maengjin especially was suspect; I'd need some distance from his son, Yi Tain, going forward.
Wrapping up with Seon Do-hae, I opened Bin Yeon Pavilion's doors. My aides were approaching from afar. Most lived in the mansion or nearby homes I'd provided. I'd sent them slaves and workers, stocked with ample provisions. Ham-a had even gathered artisans and families into a small village. Everyone except Go Jeong-ui—who'd stayed at Jeongneung Temple for Lee Mun-jin's funeral after returning to Ansi Fortress with Yang Man-chun—had gathered.