Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: The Price of Incitement
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Palace of Illusory Flowers.
The Empress's gaze upon Hwa Ryeong was no different from usual. Hwa Ryeong, having explained the full story to the Empress, was likewise unchanged from her normal self.
"If you truly trusted me to the end, you shouldn't have sent them. They were the ones who ruined everything, not me."
If anything, Hwa Ryeong was pressing the point.
No one else could speak to the Empress that way. But Hwa Ryeong could. She had always acted like this.
For Hwa Ryeong, who needed to avoid arousing the Empress's suspicions, behaving exactly as usual without the slightest deviation was essential.
The Empress stared at Hwa Ryeong in silence.
It was a suffocating moment for Hwa Ryeong.
"Are you injured?"
That was the Empress's first question.
"I suffered some internal injuries, but I've mostly recovered."
"It wasn't that I didn't trust you—it was the situation I couldn't trust. So if you're upset, let it go."
"Yes."
Hwa Ryeong felt a quiet sense of relief.
Her palms were slick with sweat, so she kept her lightly clenched fists from fully opening.
"That bastard headed straight for the Golden Army headquarters?"
"Yes. He'll have some idea that Your Majesty is after him, so he won't easily enter the palace. Until the Crown Prince returns, the Great Prince's only reliable fallback is the Golden Army headquarters."
"Hmph! You think he'll be safe there? Don't be ridiculous."
The Empress snorted coldly and lifted her teacup to her lips.
*I'm exhausted.*
Clink!
"I'll send the imperial physician soon, so go rest."
"Yes. Then I'll take my leave."
Hwa Ryeong bowed her head and turned to go.
"Wait."
The Empress called her back.
Hwa Ryeong suppressed her anxiety and turned to face her.
Something flew toward her then.
Hwa Ryeong snatched it out of the air.
"It's a spirit pill. It'll help boost your inner energy. Take it after the physician treats you."
Saying thanks right away wouldn't have been like the usual Hwa Ryeong.
"How much will it boost my energy?"
"More than enough for one jia."
Hwa Ryeong flashed her characteristic smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Feeling better now?"
"More than enough. Then."
Hwa Ryeong left the hall with a bright smile. The moment she stepped out, the smile vanished from her face, and a bead of sweat dripped down.
*Whew, my heart's pounding.*
Hwa Ryeong headed straight to her quarters.
Her residence was at the edge of the Palace of Illusory Flowers. When she opened the door and entered, the female attendants greeted her.
"Welcome back, Lady Hwa Ryeong!"
"We're so glad you're safe, Lady Hwa Ryeong!"
"Draw me some water. I need to wash up."
"Yes!"
Hwa Ryeong went into her room and tossed off her clothes. Then she opened the golden box from the Empress. Inside was a single spirit pill gleaming with a lustrous glow.
"A spirit pill that boosts inner energy? Why all of a sudden?"
Suspicion arose because nothing like this had ever happened before. Hwa Ryeong examined the pill closely from every angle.
Just then, a female attendant's voice came from outside.
"I've prepared the water."
"Got it."
Thud!
Hwa Ryeong put the golden box in a drawer and went out.
* * *
Golden Army headquarters.
The first to greet the returning Yi Hwan was Yu Woo-seong. He revealed a shocking fact to Yi Hwan, who hadn't even shaken off his travel fatigue.
"Our Deputy General passed away during the operation."
"What?"
Yu Woo-seong continued.
Son Yeong, who had commanded the Golden Army in Yi Hwan's stead, had gone out to suppress bandits and lost his life. The palace had sent a replacement, who seemed to be from the Empress's faction.
"They sent someone from the palace instead of promoting from within the Golden Army?"
"Yes. It was a decision from the court, so we had no choice."
"Bring him here."
"He entered the palace yesterday and hasn't returned yet."
"So it's just a suspicion that he's from the Empress's side?"
"Yes. But it seems certain. Quite a few people saw him coming and going from the Palace of Illusory Flowers."
Yi Hwan leaned back in his chair and calmed his gaze.
*They sent one of their own right when the Deputy General died? That means the Deputy General probably wasn't killed by bandits either, but by the Empress's hand.*
It was disheartening.
Son Yeong had been one of the few people in the Golden Army whom Yi Hwan truly trusted.
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea.
Thud.
"Any other matters?"
"The commanders in various regions have been largely replaced. I myself received orders to return to the western region and was about to leave tomorrow."
Suspicion turned to certainty in that instant.
So the Empress had exploited the absence of himself and the Crown Prince to seize control of the Golden Army.
*She must have been certain I'd die.*
Yi Hwan drained the rest of his tea and fixed Yu Woo-seong with a steady gaze as he continued.
"From today, you're the Deputy General."
"Me?"
"Why? Don't want it?"
"No! It's just that my transfer has already been decided..."
"Ignore it."
"Understood! This lowly one will do his utmost to assist in place of General Son!"
"Right now, summon all the new generals to the command chamber."
"You've only just returned—shouldn't you rest a bit?"
"I'm fine. Hurry back."
"Understood."
Yu Woo-seong went out.
Cheol Mu-ok asked.
"If they're the Empress's generals, shouldn't we eliminate them all?"
"That's why I'm gathering them."
Ju Tae asked.
"Shall I just kill them all?"
Yi Hwan stared at Ju Tae.
"You think killing everyone who rubs you the wrong way solves everything?"
"It's the quickest and surest method, isn't it? Just give the order, and I'll handle it."
"You're truly inexplicable."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"How you inherited the Sword King's legacy. Even the Sword King wasn't this much of a mess."
"Yes?"
Yi Hwan realized his slip.
"The Sword King, who was as renowned as the Lord of Daye Fortress, surely wasn't as hopeless as you."
"Ah, yes."
Cheol Mu-ok stepped in.
"Have some understanding. He has a few shortcomings in personality, but he'll improve with time."
"Send word to my sister that I'll visit soon. I'm going to get some sleep, so wake me when the generals assemble."
"Understood."
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae went out.
Yi Hwan went straight to his room, shed his clothes, and lay down on the bed.
Fatigue washed over him.
But sleep wouldn't come easily. The Southwest King lingered persistently in his mind.
*To stand against the Blood Demon's forces that devoured an entire kingdom, I need to build my own power too. Should I start by driving out that old fox?*
Lost in such thoughts, Yi Hwan drifted off to sleep.
* * *
"Great Prince."
At Cheol Mu-ok's voice, Yi Hwan opened his eyes.
"All the generals are assembled."
"Tell them to wait."
"Understood."
Yi Hwan dressed and headed to the rear courtyard.
As he washed his face, something approached him stealthily from behind.
"Meow."
It was a cat with fur white as snow.
*Where'd this cat come from?*
It was one he hadn't seen before.
Yi Hwan bent down to look at the cat.
"What are you?"
Ordinary cats don't approach people. But this one stood with its tail raised, rubbing its face against Yi Hwan's leg.
Purr, purr...
"You're an unusual one."
Yi Hwan picked up the cat and cradled it.
In fact, two hundred years ago, he had once kept a cat. Come to think of it, this one looked just like that one—uncannily similar.
"Could you be reincarnated too?"
Purr, purr...
*What am I even thinking?*
* * *
The generals assembled in the command chamber.
When Yi Hwan didn't appear for a while, they began voicing their complaints. One general turned to Yu Woo-seong and said.
"Shouldn't you go in and report?"
"He'll be out soon."
"It's already been half a shichen. Calling busy people here and then—what is this? Tsk, tsk."
"Is the Great Prince perhaps injured somewhere?"
"He's in perfect health."
"Shame."
"Mind your words."
Was it Yu Woo-seong's excessively calm demeanor that irked them? As one general started to speak with an angry face.
Creak.
The door opened, and Yi Hwan stepped out—cradling a cat in his arms.
Everyone rose and bowed their heads.
Yi Hwan scanned the generals slowly as he took his seat. The generals sat as well.
"Deputy General."
"Yes, Great Prince."
"Let's review their personnel files first."
"Here they are."
Yu Woo-seong placed the pre-prepared records on the table.
One general spoke boldly toward Yi Hwan, who was opening the roster.
"General Yu is not the Deputy General, Great Prince."
"Ah, I appointed him as of today."
"The Deputy General is a separate general appointed by the court. Didn't General Yu inform you beforehand?"
"I did."
Thud!
Yi Hwan lightly struck the table.
"Quiet."
Yi Hwan issued an order toward Ju Tae.
"Lock the door."
"Already done."
The generals exchanged wide-eyed glances. Yi Hwan continued.
"From now on, if anyone raises their voice or I deem them disrespectful, I'll handle it my way. Keep that in mind."
With his tone and manner completely changed, the generals finally realized something was off.
Then one general stepped forward.
"Great Prince! We are generals appointed by the palace! At least observe the basic courtesies!"
"Mu-ok."
Cheol Mu-ok seized the general by the throat.
Crack!
"Come quietly."
As Cheol Mu-ok dragged the general out like a dog, the other generals paled in shock.
"You don't seem to know me well yet, so I'll say it upfront: if you rely on the Empress and act up, I'm the kind of person who can invent a crime and behead you. Don't believe me? Try making a fuss."
"......!"
"Wait in silence until I finish reading this."
The room fell deathly quiet.
Yi Hwan leisurely read through the records Yu Woo-seong had handed him. Watching him, Yu Woo-seong felt a decade-old grudge finally dissolving.
*Serves you right, you bastards.*
A moment later, Yi Hwan tilted his head and asked the generals.
"Who is General Yeom Hong-bo?"
"That's me."
A general answered.
Thin lips and narrow, slit eyes gave him the typical look of a schemer.
"It says here you spearheaded something called the Rectification Campaign. What is this Rectification Campaign?"
"It's a form of self-purification and reform movement to eradicate the widespread corruption and malfeasance in the Golden Army and rebirth it as a new force."
"Good words."
"Thank you for seeing it that way, Great Prince."
"But it says after you started this Rectification Campaign, incidents undermining the organization's unity began occurring one after another."
Yi Hwan turned to Yu Woo-seong and said.
"Deputy General, explain."
"Warriors have frequently demanded pay raises and gone on strike. The previous Deputy General tried persuading them to wait due to funding shortages, but it was useless. Even now, several units in the eastern region are still striking, and it's spreading rapidly to others. And the reason the previous Deputy General met his end was because the local commanders and warriors refused to suppress bandits, so he went in their place..."
"Who's the responsible party there?"
"General Yeom Hong-bo."
Yi Hwan stared at Yeom Hong-bo again. Even in the razor-sharp atmosphere, Yeom Hong-bo didn't avert his eyes.
"Have you checked the Golden Army's finances?"
"That's not for me to involve myself in."
"If you're demanding pay raises, you should at least grasp the Golden Army's financial state first. Don't you think?"
Yi Hwan's tone and gaze shifted once more.
"Regardless of the financial state, the warriors have the right to demand and assert improvements in their treatment. Thus, I stayed true to the fundamentals."
Yeom Hong-bo answered resolutely.
Yi Hwan leaned back in his chair. After a moment of silence, he continued.
"Do you know that Golden Army warriors receive the same pay as those at the front lines? The same goes for the warriors who fought in the recent war against the Qin Kingdom."
"I belong to the Golden Army and will act only for it. If I were sent to the front, I would then do my utmost for the frontline warriors."
"Is that so?"
Yi Hwan took a sip of water, then looked at Yu Woo-seong and said.
"Issue orders for all who joined the strikes to assemble at headquarters within three days. Anyone late or absent will be charged with desertion immediately."
"Understood."
"General Yeom will remain at headquarters until then."
"I have many duties to handle, so that will be difficult."
"Does this look like a request to you?"
"......"
Thud!
"The assembled generals will reconvene here in three days at this same time. Dismissed."
* * *
Cheol Mu-ok asked.
"Do you see disloyal intent in him?"
"It's the Empress's scheme to dismantle the Golden Army's unity. Incitement always targets the weakest point, and in that sense, the warriors' pay is indeed low. He struck there effectively."
"If unity breaks and problems arise, they'd pin the blame on you, Great Prince."
"We have to assume it was prepared for my survival and return."
Yi Hwan tilted his head back and continued.
"Even if not, they should have chosen the timing. No matter how righteous, starting this during a war with the Qin Kingdom—especially with bandits rampant near the capital—is utterly unforgivable."
"What will you do when they all assemble in three days?"
"Ship them all to the Northern Legion so they realize just how safely and comfortably they've been living. The postwar cleanup there is a mountain of work anyway—perfect timing."
"Isn't sending Golden Army troops to a field army prohibited by national law?"
"A temporary dispatch for training purposes is no issue at all. Call it mental reeducation."
"Ah, such a method exists."
Cheol Mu-ok smiled faintly.
Ju Tae, never one to stay quiet, chimed in.
"What a shame. We should've sent them when the war was in full swing."
