Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng
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At that, Imengjin, who had been trembling atop the roof, nodded vigorously.
"I heard it. Loud and clear."
The old eunuch from the Shadow Palace standing beside him nodded as well. Startled, Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du hesitated.
"What scheme have you plotted?"
"We've obtained a confession that Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du acted on his own to assassinate Eastern Division Leader Yeon Gaesomun's eldest son."
Stepping forward, I drew out the blade of Jumong's spear hidden in my sleeve.
"And I'll claim the price for it myself."
"You mad bastard!"
Yeon Jeong-du bellowed furiously as he yanked the hwandu greatsword from his belt. The moment he raised it high, I shouted.
"Neck!"
The spear blade shot forth like an arrow, piercing straight through Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du's throat. Staring down at the blade protruding from his neck, the strength slowly drained from Yeon Jeong-du's eyes. The spear blade withdrew from his throat and returned to my hand. Yeon Jeong-du crumpled to his knees without resistance, vomiting blood from his mouth.
"Y-You...!"
"You've been nothing but a pawn from start to finish. You were never a real threat, and now you'll go down in history as a traitor."
"N-Nonsense! I am the Chief of Central Administration!"
Flailing his arms wildly, Yeon Jeong-du collapsed face-forward. The blood spilling from his throat and mouth slowly stained the floor of Eumil Hall. As I watched impassively, Geom Mojam's voice rang out from below the hall.
"Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du has fallen by our master's hand. Those who surrender will be spared, but those who resist will follow Yeon Jeong-du to the afterlife."
There was a brief murmur, followed by the sound of weapons clattering to the ground. With the situation neatly resolved, I turned to Captain Bu-sang. He hadn't anticipated me killing Yeon Jeong-du and was shaking uncontrollably. After calming him, I looked at Imengjin, who had descended the ladder.
"Now, the Great King will grant me an audience, right?"
The old eunuch beside Imengjin answered instead.
"He awaits you in the Shadow Palace."
As I instructed Geom Mojam to handle the cleanup, I asked,
"Channo's still watching over me, isn't he?"
"Of course. Master will move at the most dangerous moment."
I chatted with Geom Mojam and boarded a carriage moving as slowly as possible toward the palace. Unlike before, we passed through the gates without issue and headed straight for the Shadow Palace. They even provided a palanquin, considering my wounds prevented quick walking. And instead of the long corridor we usually took, we circled around following the walls.
'Could it be...?'
A flicker of unease stirred, but Father Yeon Gaesomun waited with his guards. Deciding to stay as calm as possible, I alighted from the palanquin halted at the rear of the Shadow Palace.
"This place!"
It was the pond where I'd first met the Great King, adorned with the Goguryeo map. The Great King, clad in a white horsehair hat and an orange robe, stood gazing at the pond with hands clasped behind his back. Glancing at him discreetly, I noted his eyes weren't red with rage after all.
'So he has no intention of killing or harming me right now.'
As I approached, Imengjin and the old eunuch cleared their throats lightly and stepped back. I was now alone with the Great King, who had just tried to have me assassinated. Even after seeing me arrive, he merely gazed on in silence before finally bringing his clasped hands forward after a long pause.
"So, the Chief of Central Administration is dead?"
"He let his guilt slip carelessly, then panicked upon realizing there were witnesses and tried to kill me."
"How reckless of him."
He spoke with apparent regret, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Now, Your Majesty and I can finally make a deal."
"A deal? I am the Great King of Goguryeo."
"I know that full well. But even a Great King can't arbitrarily execute a high minister's son without due process, can he?"
The Great King flinched briefly at the jab. Regaining his composure, he replied calmly.
"It seems the Central Administration Marksman has misunderstood something."
"I hope so. But the ones trying to assassinate me were the palace guards sworn to protect the imperial palace—from start to finish, they had me in their sights."
Just thinking about it made my heart race even now. I'd truly been on the brink of death. Glaring at the Great King, I continued.
"If not for Geom Mojam, I wouldn't be standing here."
On top of that, the rudimentary jujutsu I'd clumsily learned in the modern era had helped immensely. The Great King couldn't hide his troubled expression.
"It's true they were guardsmen, but they acted alone."
"Don't be so sure. He hasn't confessed yet, but he might change his tune anytime."
"Is he still alive?"
He tried to mask his emotions, but a hint of fear crept in.
"If he weren't, do you think I'd be standing here like this?"
From the moment I'd regained my senses, I'd been negotiating with the Great King. Our first agreement was to pin it all on Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du as the scapegoat. My hunch that he'd protect his shadowy strategist had proven spot-on. I suggested we meet separately afterward to talk. In that process, I bluffed that the assassin was still alive—and it worked. Things proceeded smoothly from there. The Great King admitted he needed a scapegoat. But formal procedures would be a hassle in many ways, so I handled it personally. Poor, oblivious Yeon Jeong-du had stepped forward to contain the situation and lost his life for it. As I watched silently, the Great King glanced at me.
"Very well. Tell me what you want."
"I'll take over the Central Administration Bureau."
"Become the Chief of Central Administration?"
I shook my head at the frowning Great King.
"Promote Captain Bu-sang, son of the Western Division Leader, to Chief of Central Administration. I'll be content as Central Administration Marksman."
"You'll pull the strings from the shadows, then."
"Captain Bu-sang was Yeon Jeong-du's close aide. It looks proper, and Yeon Jeong-du's remaining subordinates won't be rattled."
The Great King pondered briefly before nodding.
"I'll appoint Captain Bu-sang as the new Chief of Central Administration."
"And as planned, raise the expeditionary force against Silla."
"With your injuries, that'd be impossible."
"Not me—Yang Manchun will lead it."
He gave a faint smile at my firm reply.
"You really hate Silla, don't you?"
"It's to protect Goguryeo."
"You're fine letting someone else claim the glory in your stead?"
"He's my friend. And he's capable."
"Power has no room for friends or family."
"I'm not doing this to seize power."
"Then why?"
"To prevent Goguryeo's fall."
It had been my consistent goal since possessing Yeon Namsaeng's body. World conquest or campaigns into the Central Plains held no interest. My sole wish and aim was for Goguryeo to endure without me branded a traitor. Protecting my family was just an added layer. Hearing my answer, the Great King wore an incredibly complex expression.
'No wonder. After all, I came from the 21st century.'
I stared at him in silence. After a rough cough, the Great King spoke.
"With this, we've more or less settled this incident."
"I'd prefer never to request an audience over something like this again."
My response carried multiple layers of meaning. It also warned that any repeat assassination attempt wouldn't end in mere talk. Understanding, the Great King nodded cautiously.
"I hope so too."
It was perfect wording. This incident was the work of the Great King and his shadowy strategist. Yet innocent Chief of Central Administration Yeon Jeong-du had shouldered the blame and died. Rather than bicker over responsibility, the Great King and I struck a deal. Every word was fraught with peril; one slip could amount to an admission of guilt. But instead of excuses or denials, he'd expressed hope it wouldn't recur. It reassured me while distancing him from the event. I admired it even as worry crept in.
'Now that he has a proper strategist by his side, things will get tougher.'
Organizing my thoughts inwardly, I requested permission to withdraw. Then the Great King added casually,
"You're not what I expected."
"What did you expect, Your Majesty?"
"That you'd demand I uncover the culprit, or request firmer backing for your position."
"Everyone knows I'm the eldest son and heir of the Eastern Division Leader. I hardly need anyone's confirmation of that. And seeing you sacrifice the Chief of Central Administration, I've given up prying into your strategist's identity."
"By sacrificing the Chief?"
"Yes. To protect your new strategist, you abandoned the Chief, didn't you?"
I looked up at the Great King, who neither affirmed nor denied it. In that moment, a name from a thesis—not the Samguk Sagi—flashed in my mind. The strategist he'd valued enough to sacrifice the ever-loyal Chief of Central Administration, despite my repeated defeats of him. I resolved to investigate it gradually, murmuring the name inwardly. Suddenly, the Great King burst into loud laughter. As I watched quietly, he composed himself and said,
"Just as predicted."
"What prediction?"
A bit flustered, I asked, and he clasped his hands behind his back again.
"He said you wouldn't ask about the strategist directly. That you'd seek him out yourself."
For the first time, the Great King had read my true intentions. Rattled but masking it, I replied,
"Hearing that only piques my curiosity more. But I'm not one to rely on others—I'll find out for myself."
"He even said that. That you'd refuse even if I told you."
His words felt like they'd peered straight into my mind, leaving me dizzy for a moment. It hit me then: my edge all this time had been knowledge of the future, but that could now be shaken. Taking a deep breath, I responded to the Great King.
"You've found yourself a remarkably astute strategist."
"To hold onto power, one needs a hidden blade or two."
The Great King glanced at me as he quipped.
"The strategist said you don't seem like yourself."
"What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"
Wondering if he'd seen through me, I asked, and he gave a meaningful smile.
"You're too different before and after falling from that horse."
"I went through a lot while unconscious."
I didn't elaborate fully, but it was partly true. Stroking his beard, the Great King continued.
"There was someone like you before."
"Who?"
"Eulji Mundeok. An utterly ordinary warrior who one day became a brilliant strategist."
My heart sank at the mention of Eulji Mundeok's name. My true nature was now just one step away. But neither the Great King nor his strategist seemed to suspect possession. I quickly interjected.
"Perhaps he was biding his time for the right moment?"
"Biding his time?"
"Yes. General Ondal endured mockery as a fool before rising as a royal son-in-law and achieving great feats."
The Great King nodded thoughtfully.
"Were you waiting for your moment, like Ondal or Eulji Mundeok?"
"I realized this way of living held no meaning."
It applied to both Yeon Namsaeng and Yeon Taehwan. Hearing my answer, the Great King gazed toward the rear gate across the pond.
"Exit that way. He'll be waiting."