Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: A Thousand Li in a Day
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The Emperor awoke. He first took Crown Prince Yi So's hand.
Yi So was struggling to hold back his tears.
"I heard everything from Fourth Brother. As your father, I have no face left to show you."
"No, Father. Your son is simply relieved to see you safe and well."
Though they had been in the same Imperial Palace, it had been years since the father and son had last met. For Yi So, who had endured such harsh trials in the interim, the emotions ran especially deep.
Watching the reunion, Gwan Ji-baek wiped away tears nonstop.
The reunion was filled with passion. The Emperor and Yi So savored the affection they had been unable to share all that time.
How much time passed like this?
The door opened, and Yi Hwan entered.
Gwan Ji-baek bowed his head low.
"Come in, Great Prince."
The Emperor and Yi So turned to Yi Hwan. Smiles soon formed on their lips.
"Come in."
"You've arrived."
Yi Hwan bowed toward the Emperor and sat beside Yi So.
The spread of the poison had been stopped, but what happened next was something only Heaven knew.
Yi Hwan had checked the Emperor's condition with the imperial physician before coming. The physician's prognosis had been extremely grim.
'I need to get the abdication over with as quickly as possible.'
The Emperor gazed at Yi Hwan with warm eyes.
"I heard you burned down the Palace of Illusory Flowers."
"It was a warning to all in the land, meant to serve as an example."
"Well done. That den of evil was a hotbed of all the world's wickedness. Even if I were in your place, I would have done the same and razed it to the ground. In any case, use this incompetent father as a cautionary tale. Ensure that outer relatives never again hold sway over the realm. And it is the Crown Prince who must achieve this."
"I will keep it in mind."
Yi Hwan immediately brought up what he had been holding in his heart.
"To quell the chaos as swiftly as possible, we must hurry the abdication."
"Little Brother!"
Yi So immediately showed his anger. Gwan Ji-baek jumped in surprise as well. Even if the Emperor had decided on abdication, speaking of it right in front of him was improper.
The Emperor grabbed Yi So's arm.
"Fourth Brother is right. The Crown Prince must ascend the throne as soon as possible for the realm to stabilize. So what would you have Us do?"
"I have summoned the Grand Marshal, the Chancellor, and the heads of the Six Ministries to the Crown Prince's Palace. If Your Majesty formally declares the abdication there, I will handle everything afterward."
"You already have it all planned out."
"It's the most important matter."
"Hahaha!"
The Emperor suddenly burst into laughter.
But he soon clutched his chest and grimaced. Yi So hurriedly extended both hands.
"Father!"
"No. It's fine."
Squeeze.
The Emperor gripped Yi So's hand tightly once more.
"Once you ascend the throne, you must make great use of Fourth Brother. And Fourth Brother, you must serve your brother with utter loyalty. Can this father trust you?"
"If Your Highness desires it, I will gladly become Your Highness's sword."
"Ji-baek."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"If Fourth Brother becomes the sword, then you must be the Crown Prince's shield. Understood?"
"Your servant Gwan Ji-baek will serve His Highness with my life!"
Tears streamed hot down Gwan Ji-baek's cheeks. For the Emperor to address him by name was the highest honor.
"The ministers will arrive soon, so Your Majesty should rest until then."
"Yes, so We shall."
The Emperor let out a long breath and lay back on the bed. Yi So covered him with the blanket and stood.
* * *
Yi Hwan and Yi So sat facing each other.
There, Yi Hwan relayed exactly what he had heard from the imperial physician.
A shadow fell over Yi So's face.
"This is only the beginning, so steel your heart. Show even a moment's weakness, and they will gather their forces to carve out their territories in Your Highness's era."
"What of the Empress's ministers?"
"Have no worries about them. After Your Highness ascends the throne, they will step down of their own accord. Of course, a few will serve as examples."
"Which few do you have in mind?"
"Even without this crisis, there are plenty guilty of capital crimes. I have secured evidence and witnesses, so there will be no backlash later."
Suddenly, a faint smile played on Yi So's lips.
"It's strange. This brother feels as if you've done this sort of thing many times before. A thousand li in a day—that's the saying for times like this."
"Your servant feels the same."
"I'll hear your praise after ascending the throne."
It was then. Voices drifted in from outside.
"The Grand Marshal and Chancellor have arrived."
"The heads of the Six Ministries have arrived."
"Bring them in."
Yi So straightened his robes and posture. Yi Hwan rose and stood behind him.
They had sat together until now, but from here on, he had no intention of doing so. He would treat Yi So with the deference due an Emperor, starting with himself.
Moments later, Grand Marshal Yang Chun-hong and the Chancellor entered, followed by the heads of the Six Ministries.
"Come in."
Yi Hwan watched impassively as they took their seats.
All avoided his gaze. At present, the most terrifying figure among them was not Yi So, but Yi Hwan.
After some brief formalities, Yi So got to the point.
The point, naturally, was the abdication.
"Abdication now?!"
"Indeed."
As all recoiled in shock.
"It is Our will."
The Emperor's voice came from beyond the door. Gwan Ji-baek opened it, and the Emperor appeared. Grand Marshal Yang Chun-hong and the others shot to their feet and bowed low.
"Y-Your Majesty!"
* * *
Crown Prince's Palace main gate.
Cheol Mu-ok, Ju Tae, and Kim Mu-gwan waited for Yi Hwan to emerge.
"How do you think it'll go?"
"How? With the Empress gone, if His Majesty decrees abdication, they'll have no choice but to accept."
"Surely no one there would dare say no?"
"These are men who've clung to power for generations of wealth and glory. What matters to them is preserving what they have, so they won't oppose. And with our lord there, who would dare anyway."
Ju Tae grinned.
"Well, right now, our lord is the scariest man in the court to those ministers."
"Ah, looks like it's over."
The Grand Marshal and ministers were emerging. The three swallowed dryly, wondering how it had gone.
The ministers passed by. Most looked bewildered, but a few even wore smiles.
Ju Tae furrowed his brow.
"With half of them smiling and half not, who knows what happened."
"He's coming."
Yi Hwan and Yi So were stepping out.
The three quickly straightened up. Yi Hwan walked toward the main gate, accompanied by Yi So.
Ju Tae wasn't one to wait for Yi Hwan to speak first.
"How did it go?"
"The enthronement will be held three days from now."
"Oh ho!"
"Congratulations, my lord."
"Congratulations."
"I'm not the one becoming Emperor. There's much to do, so we're heading straight to headquarters."
"Yes!"
Moments later, the carriage carrying Yi Hwan left the Imperial Palace for Golden Army headquarters.
Yi Hwan shed his armor, leaned against the carriage wall, and let out a quiet breath.
"Hoo...."
He had crossed the ridge.
With the enthronement in three days, barring the sky falling, Yi So's ascension was all but certain.
'Once the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, we must revive Non-Aggression between Court and Martial World, starting with Yeon Kingdom. That will inevitably stir the martial artists of Zhao and Qin.'
It wasn't mere desire to revive his own achievements.
At first, it had appeared the court controlled the martial world, but as time passed and martial artists took key court positions, the balance between court and martial world had begun to waver.
If this continued, the relationship might one day invert entirely.
What Yi Hwan wanted was a clear line between court and martial world, mutual recognition—not for the martial world to dominate the Central Plains.
And there was something even more crucial.
Declaring Non-Aggression in Yeon Kingdom would pressure the martial artists who had clung to the Empress, First Prince, and Third Prince for power, leading straight to stabilizing imperial authority.
'The martial artists of Zhao and Qin won't stay unmoved.'
Yi Hwan anticipated Yeon Kingdom's Non-Aggression would influence not just Yeon, but Zhao and Qin as well.
If they endured court oppression while the neighboring kingdom declared Non-Aggression, their martial artists couldn't help but be shaken.
Yeon might lose more martial strength initially, but soon Zhao and Qin would follow suit.
This would especially check the descendants of the Blood Demon, who sought to form a nation with martial forces as their core.
'Well done, Yi Hwan.'
Yi Hwan praised himself and closed his eyes.
Thinking it was all over brought a wave of fatigue. And so?
Yi Hwan soon fell asleep.
* * *
Thud thud thud!
There were those watching Yi Hwan's group.
About a hundred, perhaps? From the forest to the left of the official road, they glared at the approaching carriage and drew their weapons in unison.
Shing!
Clang clang clang!
A man in green robes looked left and right, then shouted resolutely.
"No matter what, we must kill the Fourth Imperial Prince. Fail to kill him, and not just us—you and your families won't escape alive either. Fight with resolve unto death."
"Yes!"
The green-robed man was one of the Empress's trusted aides.
He had left the Imperial Palace the day before Yi Hwan's coup on a mission and thus escaped the massacre.
Ten had left with him then. Those accompanying them now were remnants of the Crimson Moon, still affiliated with the Golden Imperial Guards.
And there was one unexpected figure.
Yang Ji-mong, son of Grand Marshal Yang Chun-hong—he too had joined the plot to kill Yi Hwan, with his guards.
He had his own desperate reason: the Golden Army knew of his corruption and crimes.
'Even if Heaven splits in two, I must kill the Fourth Imperial Prince here today. For myself and my clan....'
If his misdeeds came to light, not just he, but his entire family could be destroyed.
Thud thud thud!
The carriage carrying Yi Hwan drew nearer.
The green-robed men stepped forward. Yang Ji-mong and his guards positioned themselves to the left and right.
The eyes of the man leading the green robes filled with venomous killing intent.
'This isn't just for the Empress. It's vengeance for our brothers who died in agony in the flames of your cruelty, Yi Hwan.'
* * *
Ju Tae drove the carriage.
Cheol Mu-ok and Kim Mu-gwan rode behind on horseback.
Thud thud thud!
The carriage, racing along swiftly, began to slow. The road ahead narrowed sharply and curved.
"Whoa whoa!"
Ju Tae pulled the reins, wary of the carriage veering to the road's edge.
Thud thud thud!
Cheol Mu-ok spurred forward.
"I'll scout ahead first."
"The Golden Army controls the capital roads—what's to worry about!"
"The capital road's a bit wide."
Thud thud thud!
Cheol Mu-ok shot ahead like an arrow.
Kim Mu-gwan, just in case, moved to the front of the carriage. Though his main art was fist techniques, he was adept with the blade too, carrying a massive crescent blade at his horse's flank.
"That crescent blade looks very different from Central Plains ones?"
"It's what Haedong generals favor. Crude-looking, but its power is unrivaled under heaven."
"Show me your sword skills sometime, not just your fists."
"If the chance comes."
Thud thud thud!
The curve was about fifty paces away now. Ju Tae slowed the carriage further.
It was then.
"Hm?"
Ju Tae's eyes widened. Cheol Mu-ok, whom he'd sent ahead, was wheeling his horse back.
"Why's he coming back if we just wait? Wait, no way?"
"Looks like trouble."
"Who the hell dares."
Kim Mu-gwan bent to lift the crescent blade. Unwrapping the thick cloth revealed a blade gleaming blue.
Ju Tae called quietly into the carriage.
"My lord, time to wake up."