Chapter 196
Chapter 196
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Holding Back Laughter
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The final day of the ancestral rites.
All the imperial clansmen gathered in one place to enjoy light refreshments. It was a long-standing tradition of the imperial family to partake in tea and snacks before parting ways after the rites.
Such gatherings often witnessed significant shifts in the winds of power. That was why every imperial clansman attended. Those who sensed the momentum had swung toward the Empress showered her with flattery, while Yi So quietly sipped his tea.
Across from him, the Third Prince Yi Seong-ji said nothing, merely stealing occasional glances at Yi So.
The most elated was Yi Tae-ji.
During these rites, he had realized anew that the hearts of the imperial clansmen had fully turned to the Empress.
This meant his chances of becoming the next emperor were higher than ever, and a smile never left his face.
Yi So paid it no mind. He simply waited for the rites to end quickly.
That was when Yi Tae-ji spoke to him.
"There's a nasty rumor circulating in Chang'an about the Fourth Prince. Have you heard it?"
Yi So set down his teacup and stared at Yi Tae-ji.
"It hardly seems proper to discuss mere rumors in the presence of the family's elders."
"It concerns the security of the imperial house, so I wouldn't call it improper."
"What rumor is this?"
When one clansman chimed in, Yi Tae-ji cut straight to the point.
"A few days ago, one of my close aides was poisoned to death. The assassin gruesomely melted his face down to the bone using poison. As you all know, this land strictly regulates poison. Anyone who leaks or uses it without authorization faces severe punishment. Rumors are swirling that the Fourth Prince is absolutely not uninvolved with such a vile criminal. Shouldn't we at least verify whether it's baseless gossip or not?"
The clansmen buzzed.
One clansman quickly agreed.
"If rumors link someone to a lawbreaker, we must investigate to uncover the truth, no?"
"Indeed. If an imperial clansman is colluding with someone who defies the national law, it's a grave matter that could shake the foundations of the imperial house. We must launch an investigation immediately!"
Yi So gave a wry smile. The situation unfolded like a perfectly scripted play, leaving him beyond despair into sheer absurdity.
He turned to the Empress and asked.
"What is Your Majesty's will?"
"If such rumors are circulating, we must naturally discern the truth—for the Fourth Prince's honor, if nothing else."
With all the clansmen present, the Empress responded with due decorum toward Yi So.
"Understood. Then let us discuss it tomorrow when the court ministers convene."
Yi Tae-ji added one more thing.
"If it proves true, what then? State your intentions here and now, brother."
Yi So stared straight at Yi Tae-ji.
That was when it happened.
Boom!
The doors flew open, casting a long shadow.
Everyone lightly gasped upon recognizing the shadow's owner. Yi So was no exception.
* * *
Yi Hwan strode into the ancestral hall.
Ignoring the stares directed at him, he looked straight at Yi So.
Yi So greeted him with a smile.
"Come in."
"I'm a bit late."
Yi Hwan walked to the center of the hall.
Then one clansman shouted.
"How dare you enter the ancestral hall without even removing your sword!"
Yi Hwan was indeed wearing his sword.
He turned to the clansman. A face he didn't even remember.
"Her Majesty the Empress permitted it."
"……!"
The Empress's face flushed slightly. Among the enhancements she had approved for the Golden Army's authority was surely the clause exempting its commander from disarming within the palace.
It was a provision crafted to intimidate rivals by placing a loyalist at the head of the Golden Army.
"What brings you to this hall now that the rites are over?"
"I have something to report."
Yi Hwan continued without pause.
"I plan to relocate the Golden Army's command headquarters inside the palace. Thought I should inform Her Majesty first."
"You come and go as you please? Is the imperial palace so lax?"
"The temporary headquarters outside was to respond swiftly to the increasingly ferocious bandits—ah, the Reverse Heaven Society, I suppose. In any case, it was to counter them effectively. But now their movements have quieted, so it's only right to return to the original headquarters, no? I see no issue."
"……!"
Yi Hwan stared at the speechless Empress before shifting his gaze to Yi Tae-ji.
"And there's one more reason I came to this unwelcome place."
Yi Hwan approached Yi Tae-ji.
Yi Tae-ji sneered.
"Hmph! Do you have business with me?"
"You know about how the aide who was murdered a few days ago brutally killed six stable hands for losing his horse?"
Murmurs!
The clansmen buzzed again.
But Yi Tae-ji was unfazed.
"If an official loses his horse, they deserve punishment. I know his methods were harsh, but what does that have to do with me? You think I ordered the killing?"
"We'll find out once we investigate."
"What? You mean to investigate me?"
"Her Majesty herself specified in the new clause that the Golden Army commander has authority to investigate imperial clansmen's criminal acts."
Yi Hwan glanced at the Empress.
She glared with fury but said nothing. It was true, after all.
Yi Hwan turned back to Yi Tae-ji.
"With the imperial rites today, report to the Golden Army headquarters by tomorrow morning. Fail to do so, and appropriate measures will follow. Don't forget, and don't be late."
Tremble...
Yi Hwan turned his back on the flushing Yi Tae-ji and headed to the incense altar.
[That's enough.]
Yi So's worried transmission entered his mind.
[I'm an imperial clansman too. I should at least light incense and bow.]
A faint smile tugged at Yi So's lips at Yi Hwan's reply.
Yi Hwan lit the incense and bowed.
The Empress, Yi Tae-ji, Yi Seong-ji, and the clansmen watched with varied expressions.
Moments later, having finished bowing, Yi Hwan bowed to the Empress and Yi So before heading to the hall's entrance.
Before exiting, he didn't forget to address the clansmen.
"Petitions against the imperial clansmen's abuses pour in without end. Soon, we'll launch a full-scale investigation. If you have anything problematic, come to me beforehand for help. Unofficially, I can overlook some things, but once the official probe begins and guilt is confirmed, not even imperial blood will shield you from the national law's punishment. Farewell."
Yi Hwan left.
As the clansmen's murmurs grew louder, Yi So leisurely lifted his teacup to his lips.
For the first time in his life, he realized just how hard it was to hold back laughter.
* * *
That night, Yi Tae-ji summoned Mun I-jong.
Seated across from him, Yi Tae-ji revealed his true feelings.
"We need to kill Yi Hwan—and quickly."
"That may be difficult right now."
"What?"
"Over the past two days, numerous subordinates lost their lives to Reverse Heaven Society attacks. I've deployed all forces to locate and strike their base."
"……!"
"I was about to report it, but we received intelligence that their target has shifted from the Fourth Prince to Your Highness. I had to pause the pursuit of your aide's killer and commit everything to this."
Crash!
The teacup on the table shattered and flew everywhere.
"Were the Crimson Moon assassins so weak they couldn't handle mere bandits? And hunting their base should have been left to the Golden Imperial Guards!"
"As I said, their target has changed to Your Highness. Protecting you must come first, no? That's why I made the call."
"You damned..."
Mun I-jong continued calmly toward the still-agitated Yi Tae-ji.
"Seek aid from the Palace of Illusory Flowers. Their assassins can surely accomplish Your Highness's will."
Boom!
Yi Tae-ji slammed the table again and shot to his feet.
"I may need to reconsider appointing you as Grand Overseer of the Golden Imperial Guards. How can someone be this incompetent!"
Yi Tae-ji stormed out, whipping up a gust. Mun I-jong straightened and calmed his gaze.
Twitch.
His eye twitched with a spasm.
Truth be told, he was as furious as Yi Tae-ji. Nearly thirty Crimson Moon assassins had perished over two days—at the hands of the despised Reverse Heaven Society.
It was a severe blow. But what worried Mun I-jong more was something else.
If the Crimson Moon weakened, Yi Tae-ji—and even the Empress—might abandon him. He couldn't dismiss Yi Tae-ji's threat to reconsider his position as Grand Overseer.
'I need results, somehow. The surest way is to take the Fourth Prince's head. But not right now. Then...'
He had to deal with the Reverse Heaven Society at least.
That's why he redirected all forces hunting Yang Chan to searching for the society's base.
He had his calculations.
'If we uncover the Reverse Heaven Society base that even the Golden Army couldn't find, it could turn the tide in one stroke.'
That was it.
Yet Yi Tae-ji was jumping around more wildly than usual. Mun I-jong had expected him to be pleased with full commitment to his safety.
'What else happened?'
Unaware of the ancestral hall incident, Mun I-jong found Yi Tae-ji's behavior baffling.
Then a man entered—Yi Tae-ji's close aide.
"Understand this. Today, the Fourth Prince came to the hall and demanded Your Highness report to headquarters by tomorrow. That's why he's so enraged."
Twitch.
"He said to report to the Golden Army headquarters?"
"Yes. Apparently because my slain comrade brutally murdered stable hands. It seems they're summoning Your Highness as a witness."
Mun I-jong couldn't comprehend.
"Just ignore it."
"Previously, when Her Majesty enhanced the Golden Army's authority, she included imperial clansmen in the investigative scope. Refusing would undermine her authority, so he has no choice but to go."
"They even added that to the authority?"
"Sigh..."
Yi Tae-ji's aide sighed and continued.
"Who could've foreseen this? Everyone was certain the Fourth Prince was dead, so we enhanced it—now it's a blade tightening around our necks..."
Thud!
Mun I-jong slammed the table with both hands. Knowing the full story only fueled his rage further.
'Even with the Empress's backing, he's always getting pushed around—and he blames others!'
Grit.
Mun I-jong clenched his eyes shut, suppressing his rising fury.
Yi Hwan had outmaneuvered him again. He had even planned to corner him via Yang Chan, but never imagined this preemptive strike.
What infuriated him more was the feeling that Yi Hwan had everything under his palm.
'Could he have even orchestrated the deaths of my subordinates...'
Then Yi Tae-ji's aide cautiously asked.
"He mentioned relocating the Golden Army headquarters to the palace—did you know?"
Mun I-jong's eyes sharpened instantly.
"The Fourth Prince said it himself?"
"I heard it clearly at the hall."
'Entering the palace?'
Clench!
'Walking right into the palace of his own accord. Is heaven finally granting me the perfect opportunity?'
From Mun I-jong's perspective, it was indeed perfect.
Assassinating someone outside entering was one thing, but for someone already inside the palace—where far fewer troops garrisoned compared to the outer defenses—it could be far easier.
Plus, he could expect direct aid from the Empress.
Twitch.
What was he thinking?
Mun I-jong's face twisted again.
'Anyone with a brain would see what a massive opportunity this is. Yet he jumps around like a wild boar with its tail on fire...'
Filling his mind was Yi Tae-ji.
Mun I-jong was newly convinced. Yi Tae-ji was no emperor material.
'It doesn't matter who becomes emperor. I just need to behead that bastard.'
Ultimately, thoughts of Yi Hwan—who killed his son—pushed Yi Tae-ji aside and dominated Mun I-jong's mind.
'No grave suits a prince better than the palace itself.'