Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: The Woman Who Came to the Northern Legion
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Northern Legion camp.
Ding ding ding!
The bell announcing mealtime rang out clamorously. Yi Hwan was eating with his close aides in the barracks.
The food seemed excessive even for a military camp, but Yi Hwan paid it no mind.
Go Mi spoke cautiously.
“Even just showing yourself eating with the warriors wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“I hate putting on shows.”
“There are times when it’s necessary, aren’t there? Especially now, with war about to break out, if only for boosting morale…”
Yi Hwan set down his chopsticks and poured wine into his cup.
Pour.
“Why make the kids choke up?”
“……”
“If I go, can the warriors even eat properly? Letting them eat in peace is the real way to look after them. Boosting morale is the commander’s job anyway.”
Go Mi’s expression shifted. Realizing something, she lowered her head.
“My thinking was shortsighted.”
“No need to apologize. Honestly, I just hate eating in noisy places.”
Go Mi knew it. The last part was just to spare his embarrassment.
‘I still have a long way to go.’
It was then, as Go Mi reached for her chopsticks.
One warrior entered.
“Great Prince, someone’s here to see you.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Great Prince!”
Someone rushed into the barracks from behind the warrior. Song Cheon-mu was the first to stand.
“Huh?”
The one who entered was Cha Jung-kyeong.
Yi Hwan was quite surprised too.
“What brings you here?”
“I came running to serve the Great Prince!”
“Did the Deputy General give permission?”
“Yes! He even gave me this fur coat!”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae laughed. Cha Jung-kyeong’s face was frozen red from the cold, and paired with his round, bulging eyes, it looked utterly ridiculous.
“Please give me some food! On the way, I dropped my rations in the snow and haven’t eaten in three days!”
“……”
* * *
“I saw some strange guys on the way up.”
“Strange guys?”
“To be precise, strange women.”
Cha Jung-kyeong continued explaining the group he’d spotted by chance on the ascent.
Yi Hwan, who’d been dismissing it lightly, changed his expression at the final detail.
“There was an incredible beauty leading them, and oddly enough, she had blue eyes. Her breasts were just enormously voluptuous…”
Cha Jung-kyeong mimed inflating his chest with his hands, then scratched his head. He’d only just noticed Go Mi.
“Definitely blue eyes?”
“Yes. No doubt about it.”
Yi Hwan recalled the woman he’d seen at the Empress’s Palace of Illusory Flowers. She’d had blue eyes too, and the kind of voluptuous breasts rarely seen on Central Plains women.
“Any mole by her lips, by chance?”
“Too far away to see that much.”
Cheol Mu-ok asked.
“Do you know her, perhaps?”
“Saw a similar woman at the Palace of Illusory Flowers. Blue eyes, voluptuous breasts, and a mole by her lips.”
“Might be her, then.”
Yi Hwan nodded silently, leaning back in his chair.
“If the Empress sent her, what’s the goal? Obviously, killing me comes to mind first…”
“Just grab her and torture her, then.”
“Might be after Jo Gwang instead, so assign him two guards.”
“Understood.”
“Wait! The Crown Prince of Zhao is here?”
Cha Jung-kyeong’s eyes widened as he asked.
“It ended up that way. But what’s with that look?”
“Feels awkward. Got any spare human skin masks? They won’t know who I am, but it still bugs me.”
“Ask the Moon Lord for one.”
“Yes!”
Yi Hwan asked something else.
“No issues with the Deputy General and Dragon-Tiger Army?”
“Yes. After you left, Great Prince, they’ve been training and drilling like their lives depend on it. Nearly killed me too.”
Yi Hwan thought of Deputy General Song Hoe.
The mere thought filled him with regret.
“How many martial artists did the Third Prince bring?”
“About a hundred, I think.”
“Fewer than expected. Well, fewer’s easier when there are plenty of experts.”
Thud!
Yi Hwan rose abruptly.
“Anyway, glad you came. Use the tent Moon Pavilion’s using for quarters.”
“Yes!”
* * *
Yi Hwan climbed the watchtower with Gwak Chung-mu and Cheol Mu-ok.
From the perilously high watchtower, the entire mountainous region stretched into view.
The Zhao Kingdom’s camp lay right at its edge.
Gwak Chung-mu said,
“Because of the snow, the enemy hasn’t shown any odd movements yet.”
“The enemy’s sent troops south twice, evening out our forces. They might not attack even after the snow melts.”
“Some generals share that view.”
“If full-scale war breaks out elsewhere and the enemy stays put, what’s your plan, Commander?”
“If the Western Legion or Southern Legion gets hit first, we counterattack, naturally. If we sit idle too, the enemy can freely reinforce other fronts.”
It was the response Yi Hwan had hoped for.
Good. Gwak Chung-mu was thinking the same.
“And you, Great Prince?”
“Similar.”
“Similar meaning…”
Yi Hwan, who’d glanced west, turned to Gwak Chung-mu and continued in a firmer tone.
“The enemy’s main target is the Western Legion, where the Crown Prince is. If they’re pushed to the brink, we need to prepare minimal reinforcements in advance.”
“Isn’t the Central Army handling that? That’s why we gave them the most troops and supplies.”
“You know who’s there, don’t you, Commander?”
“You think the Second Prince won’t support His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“The Empress wills otherwise.”
Gwak Chung-mu looked incredulous.
“Even amid court strife, going that far in war against an enemy nation feels like excessive suspicion. If anything happens to His Highness, the people won’t forgive it.”
“If he were that sort, he wouldn’t have sent the Crown Prince to the front. And the Empress believes public sentiment can be swayed anytime.”
“……!”
Gwak Chung-mu couldn’t hide his shock.
“Remember what I said—don’t forget. I’ll head down first.”
Yi Hwan and Cheol Mu-ok left the watchtower first.
Gwak Chung-mu let out a hollow chuckle.
“Hah…”
“Commander, you really think the Central Army won’t support the Western Legion?”
“The Great Prince is overthinking it. No way that’d happen, not with warriors watching every move.”
“But it could, couldn’t it? Like the Great Prince said, if they meant to protect His Highness, they never would’ve sent him to the front. What dynasty ships its Crown Prince to the front lines before war? Even the founding emperor never intended that!”
Was he getting worked up? As the general’s fervor rose, Gwak Chung-mu placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Excited again, are we?”
“……Sorry.”
“Keep it in mind for now. Let’s focus on the enemy right in front of us.”
“Yes, Commander.”
* * *
“That’s it. That tent’s the biggest and nicest-looking.”
White-robed figures stood atop a mountain peak overlooking the Northern Legion camp.
They fixed their gazes on the largest tent in the camp.
It was the one Gwak Chung-mu had reserved for Yi Hwan out of courtesy. Moon Pavilion and the Yi Wang lineage warriors were using it now.
“We’ll know once we go in and check.”
The coldly smiling woman was the blue-eyed one sent by the Empress.
“You’ve met the Great Prince before, haven’t you?”
“Problem?”
“They’ll recognize your face entering camp. Won’t they get suspicious right away?”
“We can’t wander out in this freezing cold forever. Say Her Majesty sent us to assist. Hurry down.”
The woman leaped first.
The other four exchanged glances, then swiftly followed.
* * *
Cha Jung-kyeong entered Yi Hwan’s room.
“Great Prince, that blue-eyed, big-breasted woman just entered the camp.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. She’s in the Commander’s tent now.”
“How many?”
“Five, including her.”
Yi Hwan furrowed his brow.
‘Not brazenly targeting me while bunking together, so probably after Jo Gwang?’
Yi Hwan recalled the warning he’d given the blue-eyed woman who’d blocked his path at the Palace of Illusory Flowers.
If you act arrogant in front of me one more time, I’ll gouge out your eyes and string them into a necklace.
‘Coming anyway means she doesn’t give me a second thought.’
Yi Hwan planned to make good on the threat if need be.
Ju Tae asked.
“What do we do?”
“Let ’em be for now. Too many eyes to just grab and torture on sight.”
“Then I’ll go take a look.”
“Big breasts got your heart racing?”
“Ah…… No. Nothing like that.”
“They’ll come to me on their own. Wait.”
“……Yes.”
“Be right back.”
Yi Hwan went to find Jo Gwang. Jo Gwang was reading in his tent.
“Human skin mask not stuffy?”
“I’ve adapted enough now. It’s fine.”
Yi Hwan sat across from him and cut straight to it.
“The Empress sent people. To kill me, or track down the Crown Prince, or both.”
“Was bracing for it somewhat…… They really came.”
Yi Hwan glanced at Pa Pa, brow furrowed.
“The Crown Prince can alter his voice enough to fool them, but Pa Pa’s build gives him away at a glance……”
“Do they know this servant’s face?”
“Better assume they do and prepare. The Empress isn’t just anyone.”
“Then how about this.”
Crack!
Pa Pa’s bones suddenly ground and popped, his frame beginning to shift.
Yi Hwan chuckled dryly.
“Mastered the Bone Shrinking Technique?”
“Yes. But imperfect—lasts only half a day.”
“That’s plenty. They won’t tail you all day. Show the others your new look first, so they don’t panic.”
“Understood.”
Jo Gwang asked.
“What of their movements?”
“Frozen by the snow. No attack reports from other fronts yet—they’re waiting for the melt.”
“Any intel on that fellow?”
“You mean the Southwest King?”
Jo Gwang nodded.
Yi Hwan leaned back in his chair.
“The soon-to-be-emperor Southwest King won’t grace the battlefield personally, right?”
“His confidence in his martial arts pierces the heavens, surrounded by experts. He’d come for the thrill of battle alone. If my presence here leaks……”
“I’ll handle the palace bunch soon enough. No worries. Oh, nearly forgot……”
Yi Hwan recalled Ghost Valley as he continued.
“Back when we clashed. Didn’t they have Ghost Valley demons with them?”
“They did.”
“You know much about them?”
“Knew only that they’re extremely strong. Never paid special mind. Why ask?”
Yi Hwan turned to Pa Pa instead of answering.
Pa Pa replied.
“This servant knows little beyond their demonic arts and ancient enduring power, Great Prince.”
‘Hoped to glean something.’
Yi Hwan stood, shoving aside his disappointment.
“When the Empress’s agents approach, mind your usual speech and mannerisms—vary them as much as possible.”
“Got it.”
Yi Hwan stepped out, heading for his quarters, but halted. White-robed figures were emerging from Gwak Chung-mu’s tent—including the blue-eyed woman.
She locked eyes with Yi Hwan.
Their gazes clashed across the open air.
Yi Hwan smiled faintly.
“Hope you haven’t forgotten my warning.”