Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 206
Chapter Title: Meetings and Partings
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Yi So and Yi Hwan walked side by side.
Yi So spoke with a stern expression.
“Perhaps they made some deal with the Southwest King at the Palace of Illusory Flowers again?”
“Could be. Any news from the Zhao Kingdom side?”
“Nothing noteworthy. All the information that reached me should have reached you too, so nothing to say.”
Yi So shook his head.
“I focused solely on blocking the military reorganization, and then out of nowhere, a peace treaty. Feels like I got smacked right in the back of the head.”
“A peace treaty isn’t all bad. As the Minister of War said, we can pour everything into post-war recovery and save considerably on finances.”
“Then why oppose it?”
“Opposing it lets us hold the Empress accountable if issues arise later. With that in mind, for preparations against military reorganization, I have no intention of using the information I’ve gathered on the ministers’ corruption and misdeeds.”
“What should I do?”
“Just oppose it. I’ll handle everything else.”
Yi So halted his steps and stared at Yi Hwan. A faint smile was already spreading across his lips.
“You’ve already devised a plan in that short time, haven’t you? Very well, I’ll follow your lead. But keep me informed step by step on how you plan to proceed.”
“Yes.”
“If you’re not pressed for time, let’s share a meal.”
“I have urgent business, so I must take my leave.”
After parting from Yi So, Yi Hwan headed straight for the command headquarters. Along the way, he arrived at a fork leading to the Palace of Illusory Flowers and stopped.
Yi Tae-ji was approaching from ahead.
As their gazes locked, Yi Tae-ji smiled faintly.
“You’ve made your ascent. Even attended the court assembly, no less.”
“Who else but you to thank for that.”
“Now that I think of it, brothers bound by blood haven’t even shared a drink. When shall we two have that drink alone?”
“Anytime at all.”
“Tell the Moon Lord I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intent, but since it was my hounds who did it, a minimal apology is in order as courtesy.”
“I’ll relay the message.”
“Until next time.”
He grinned.
Yi Tae-ji waved a hand as he passed by. Watching him go, Yi Hwan truly sensed the man’s change.
How to describe it? Incredibly calm and leisurely now?
“When do you plan to turn yourself in?”
“Still deciding. Whether to go or not.”
“You’d do well to turn yourself in.”
“A threat?”
“Think of it as a warning. Farewell.”
Yi Hwan waved as Yi Tae-ji had done and turned away. As he did, he tossed one more line.
[I eagerly await the day we share that drink soon.]
[It won’t take long. Heh heh heh.]
Yi Tae-ji’s voice transmission drilled into his ears.
Yi Hwan felt it once more.
‘He’s definitely changed.’
What was this inexplicable unease?
Truth be told, Yi Hwan had never once viewed Yi Tae-ji as a serious rival. Without the Empress, he was little more than a puppet.
Yet this abrupt shift in Yi Tae-ji stirred a touch of confusion.
‘I’ll see the truth by observing a bit longer.’
* * *
The full moon had risen.
The mountains bathed in moonlight resembled a single exquisite painting.
Yang Chan stood atop the peak, gazing down at the moonlit world as he awaited Yi Hwan’s arrival.
Whoooosh!
The wind blew fiercely. His long robe whipped wildly this way and that in the gusts.
How much time passed?
A head came into view. Then the chest, waist, and legs followed.
Yi Hwan had ascended.
The gazes of these two men, entwined by a fate stretching back two hundred years, pierced the air and locked together.
Yi Hwan spoke first.
“Remove the human skin mask.”
Yang Chan silently peeled off the human skin mask.
“So it was you after all.”
“Did you come alone?”
“Didn’t you instruct me to come alone?”
Yang Chan saw no need to scan the surroundings with his senses. A man with eyes like those never lied.
Yi Hwan cut straight to it.
“Are you Jong Hui’s descendant?”
……!
Yang Chan’s eyes quivered.
Poison King Jong Hui.
The figure who had saddled him and his forebears with cruel fates—the man who had once been his everything, now transformed into an object of mingled love and hatred.
“Are you the Fortress Lord’s descendant?”
Yi Hwan nodded silently.
At that, Yang Chan wordlessly drew a plaque from his bosom and presented it. The Three Kings Token.
Thump.
Yi Hwan’s heart pounded.
With Yang Chan, he had now met every last descendant of the Three Kings.
“If you’re the Fortress Lord’s descendant, then one question.”
“Ask away.”
“If I refuse this fate, what then?”
……
It was an unforeseen question. Yang Chan’s icy demeanor troubled him as well.
“You’ve had it rough, haven’t you.”
“Just answer.”
Even Yi Hwan couldn’t reply instantly. Yet he wasted no time.
“If that’s your wish, nothing to be done. But never stand in my path. If you do, even as the Poison King’s descendant, I’ll have no choice but to cut you down.”
Heh.
“Worried I might become your enemy?”
“Anyone who knows Jong Hui would think the same as me.”
Yi Hwan spoke without hesitation: oppose him, and he’d kill.
Yet Yang Chan felt no displeasure. If anything, Yi Hwan’s candor sparked a curiosity that hadn’t been there before.
“There’s another one besides the Three Kings Token, isn’t there?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Why? It should be as precious as your life.”
“I buried it in my hometown soil.”
“You truly meant to reject your fate.”
“That was my intent—until I met you.”
In that instant, Yi Hwan’s eyes flashed with light.
“Not anymore?”
“I’m weighing it.”
Yi Hwan chafed at Yang Chan’s pessimistic air.
He understood it, in part. A solitary lineage passed to one person alone—none could have been lonelier.
Inheriting poison arts scorned and suppressed by the entire world would only amplify that isolation.
“Make it clear. Do you need time, or will you refuse outright?”
A faint smile touched Yang Chan’s lips once more. But to Yi Hwan’s eyes, it resembled no smile at all.
Then what was his true heart?
Whoooosh!
The wind raked savagely across their bodies. Yang Chan brushed aside the hair tickling his face and met Yi Hwan’s gaze head-on.
“Give me time.”
“How much?”
“If I accept my fate, I must return home for the divine relic. That alone will take at least a year.”
Yi Hwan stared silently into Yang Chan’s eyes. Yang Chan did not look away.
“Wait for me.”
Yi Hwan turned and departed.
Yang Chan merely watched his retreating back, silent.
‘This feeling……’
His mood was peculiar.
Had Yi Hwan tried sweet-talking him into compliance, he might have felt disappointment.
And so they parted.
* * *
Whoooosh!
The wind grew ever fiercer.
Yang Chan stood rooted in the hazy darkness, staring in the direction Yi Hwan had vanished.
He was chiding himself.
‘I forgot to ask the most important thing.’
He had vowed to ask Yi Hwan one crucial question upon meeting him.
What sort of world do you desire?
He had failed to ask.
‘To be overwhelmed by such a presence.’
That was the reason.
Though he hadn’t shown it, from the moment their eyes met, a crushing pressure had borne down on him, leaving him overpowered.
His smile stemmed partly from intrigue toward Yi Hwan—but also from an instinct to deny that mere eye contact had subdued him.
‘Should I head home?’
Yang Chan remained torn. Then his eyes widened slightly.
Yi Hwan had ascended once more.
“I forgot one thing.”
……
“Do you happen to know how Jong Hui died?”
“No idea.”
Yang Chan shook his head. Even he didn’t know. His master had never shared that detail.
“I forgot something too.”
“What?”
“What sort of world do you desire?”
“If you’re curious, race home right now and fetch that relic. Then I’ll tell you.”
……
Yi Hwan turned and left.
A moment later, Yang Chan turned as well. For now, he would return to his home province of Yunnan, retrieve the relic, and go from there.
‘I’ll decide once we’re traveling together.’
* * *
An untimely chill gripped the Palace of Illusory Flowers.
The Empress’s bellow rained down on her prostrated underlings.
“You dare call yourselves my limbs?! What exactly were you doing while Hong Wol was annihilated!”
“By the time we arrived, the situation had already concluded.”
“You mean the Grand Overseer gave no prior warning?!”
“Yes. We could only move after spotting the signal flare. It seems the Grand Overseer delayed contacting us out of greed for the credit.”
The black-cloaked figures were assassins dispatched from the Palace of Illusory Flowers alongside Hong Wol to pursue Go Mi. Renowned as the Empress’s shadow, their utter lack of accomplishment had incurred her fury.
Yet the Empress had no further desire to berate them. Scolding them now, days later, served a separate purpose.
“In any case, you failed your mission. Reflect until I issue new orders!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The black-cloaked figures withdrew.
The Empress lifted her teacup to her lips, then set it back down.
“Bring fresh tea.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The middle-aged man remained alone in the grand hall. The same one who had earlier delivered the court assembly summons to Yi Hwan.
“Is there some intent behind this belated reprimand?”
“The Second Prince desires them. Thus, I plan to draw them out into the world. Once they emerge, those children will naturally fall to the wayside. Best to preempt any resentment beforehand, no?”
“Ah…….”
The middle-aged man let out an admiring gasp.
“And the Crown Prince’s Palace, along with their supporting ministers?”
“As anticipated, they fiercely oppose the peace treaty. Yet should it proceed to a vote, our side holds the advantage—no major concerns there.”
“Watch the Fourth Prince closely. He’ll no doubt prepare evidence to intimidate our ministers in the event of a vote, then use it to win them over.”
“Is death not more fearsome than mere punishment? I’ve laid all necessary countermeasures, so rest easy, Your Majesty.”
“You’ve threatened them?”
“Indeed. Trivial offenses can be pardoned by Your Majesty, but a severed head cannot be reattached. Once that sinks in, none will defect even if it reaches a vote. Of course, the ideal outcome is a decision without one.”
“I’ll meet the Crown Prince separately, so leave the ministers be for now. No rash moves.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Dismissed.”
The middle-aged man departed, and the escort captain entered with tea. The Empress rose without so much as glancing at it.
“I’m going to the hot springs.”
“Understood.”
As he trailed behind the Empress, the escort captain added another report.
“Hwa Ryeong’s whereabouts remain elusive. Contact with the Prime Minister’s office ceased long ago—she appears to have fled.”
The Empress’s eyes shifted subtly.
‘If she drifts too far, I can’t manipulate the blood gu…….’
A manipulator’s influence over a blood gu had limited range. Too great a distance rendered it useless.
Naturally, Hwa Ryeong bore no blood gu within her, making it a moot point—but the Empress still believed otherwise.
“Intensify the search.”
“Yes.”