Chapter 250
Chapter 250
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 250
Chapter Title: A New Journey
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The effects of the herbs retrieved from the Imperial Palace Treasury were astonishing. Thanks to them, both Cheol Mu-ok and Tae-seon recovered far beyond everyone's expectations.
Ten days passed like that, and after meeting with Emperor Yi So, Yi Hwan set off on a new journey with his close aides. Officially, it was announced that he was leaving the capital temporarily to carry out the emperor's orders.
Whiiiing.
Snowflakes drifted down like flower petals.
Tae-seon gazed at Yi Hwan's back while letting her horse carry her along.
"A secret inspection tour?"
Her brows furrowed slightly.
She believed Yi Hwan was leaving the capital to root out corrupt officials and punish them.
Of course, that's what Yi Hwan had told her.
Cheol Mu-ok, riding beside her, turned to her and asked,
"Why the long face?"
"I'm still not sure if I should be tagging along on the Great Prince's secret tour. Strictly speaking, it's meddling in another kingdom's politics."
"You're the one who begged to come along, aren't you, Princess?"
"He sent back all the maids without leaving a single one. You think I'd want to stay in the capital alone and die of boredom?"
"......"
Tae-seon soon looked up at the sky and grumbled on.
"The snow here falls so prettily. Anyway, are you really fully recovered? Your complexion still looks off."
"Well, it's not like I'll get slashed and die anytime soon. The pallor is just from not seeing sunlight for a while. But what about you, Princess? Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine, obviously. I recovered ages ago. Unlike some weakling."
She smirked.
Tae-seon suddenly asked via transmission,
[How strong is the Great Prince?]
[What do you think?]
[Hard to say. I pride myself on being good at judging people, but I can't get a read on him at all. Sometimes he seems ordinary, but other times just looking at him makes it hard to breathe...]
A faint smile played on Cheol Mu-ok's lips.
[Impossible to gauge. That's the answer.]
"Impossible to gauge? If even he says that, it means the Great Prince is beyond imagination..."
Tae-seon suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
In truth, back when her father Tae Mu-rang had arranged to meet Yi Hwan on the great plains, she had once considered killing him if the chance arose. She had judged that taking him out would secure victory.
'That was a close call.'
* * *
Yi Hwan rode at the front.
Was it because it had been so long since he'd hit the road? The Red Horse carrying him seemed unusually light-footed and spirited.
But there were people even more excited: Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong.
"I love this so much. After smelling blood for so long, it feels like we're on a pleasure trip."
"You like it that much?"
"You seem pretty thrilled yourself, Moon Lord."
"I like it too."
Of course, Go Mi had different reasons. She stared at Yi Hwan's back as he rode ahead.
In the Yeon Kingdom at least, he wielded influence rivaling the emperor's, and he felt like a towering mountain.
If those riding beside him felt this way, what about others?
In truth, the atmosphere among those in the Imperial Palace watching Yi Hwan was split down the middle: those who genuinely revered him, and those who submitted out of fear.
If anything, the latter outnumbered the former. Burning down the Empress's Palace of Illusory Flowers and slaughtering everyone inside had turned Yi Hwan into an object of terror.
Just then, Yi Hwan turned around.
"Shall we pick up the pace?"
"Yes!"
Thud thud thud!
After galloping nonstop for an hour, they reached the outskirts of a city. Since they'd started late, the sun had already set.
"We'll stay in that city tonight."
"I'll go secure some rooms at an inn."
"I'll head out first too."
Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong shot ahead.
With no one else to handle such errands, they'd taken the initiative—though in terms of rank, Go Mi was second only to Yi Hwan.
But Go Mi didn't mind such things, and Yi Hwan saw no need to intervene.
The group slowly entered the city. Despite the foul weather, the streets bustled with people.
Being near the capital, it was quite prosperous, and Tae-seon couldn't hide her surprise as she looked around with wide eyes.
'I thought only the capital was thriving...'
"Watch where you're going."
"......!"
Distracted, Tae-seon nearly collided with Yi Hwan and yanked the reins in haste.
Yi Hwan happened to glance back.
"Is your back alright?"
"I'm perfectly fine, so don't worry about me."
Yi Hwan's gaze shifted to Cheol Mu-ok.
"I'm good too."
Just then, Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong returned.
"Follow us."
Moments later, the group entered the heart of the market district. Dressed in ordinary clothes, no one recognized them as the Great Prince's entourage.
"Hahaha!"
"Kyakyakya!"
Handsome men and beautiful women exchanged flirtatious glances everywhere, enjoying themselves. Children dashed about, trying to make snowmen from the barely accumulated snow.
Yi Hwan watched the scene with a faint smile, then suddenly squeezed his eyes shut against a wave of dizziness.
'Again...'
A similar yet different landscape floated into his mind.
These unfamiliar memory fragments had started after he reclaimed his sword. But they vanished quickly, leaving him unable to even guess their origin.
Go Mi, glancing back at him, widened her eyes slightly.
"Are you unwell?"
"No."
"Your complexion..."
"Let's head inside."
* * *
After a simple meal, Yi Hwan went up to his room first.
'It's getting worse.'
The dizziness had passed, but not knowing why it happened left him confused.
They had to be memories lost during his reincarnation.
Yet multiple memories surfacing at once, jumbled together, made it impossible to identify the places or people in them.
Whiiiing!
A cold wind blew through the open window. Yi Hwan took deep breaths to calm his troubled mind.
"Waaah!"
As more snow fell, people poured into the streets. The sight naturally soothed the heart.
Yi Hwan felt anew how fortunate it was that Yi So had become emperor.
If Yi Tae-ji had taken the throne and the Empress wielded power from behind the scenes, the Yeon Kingdom might have entered an era of great chaos.
That was when a group of warriors appeared from the north end of the market district.
Yi Hwan's eyes flashed as he absentmindedly watched them, noticing the bald heads among them.
The distinct precepts brands on their foreheads.
They were Shaolin Temple warrior monks.
Watching them brought the Third Prince Yi Seong-ji to mind. Thoroughly sidelined and shunned in the power struggle, he had left the capital for the Shaolin Temple.
'Is he still there? Or has he crossed into the Qin Kingdom?'
The Shaolin Temple was off-limits to court officials, so even Moon Pavilion couldn't track his movements precisely.
Just then, Ju Tae's voice drifted in.
"My lord, I brought some liquor, just in case."
"Come in."
Ju Tae entered with a bottle.
Yi Hwan immediately instructed,
"I need to meet those Shaolin warrior monks down there."
"Shall I drag them here?"
"Don't handle them roughly."
"Understood."
* * *
The warrior monks bowed their heads.
"Like tea?"
"The lesser monks are fine!"
"Could you fetch some?"
"Yes."
Go Mi stepped out.
Yi Hwan sank deep into his chair, eyeing the warrior monks. They dared not meet his gaze and kept their eyes down.
"You've come a long way from Mount Song."
"The abbot sent us on an errand."
Yi Hwan didn't ask what the errand was. He was only interested in Yi Seong-ji's whereabouts.
"Is the Third Prince doing well?"
The two warrior monks exchanged glances, and one cautiously replied.
"Your Highness has already departed."
"Departed completely?"
"Yes. About ten days after His Majesty declared Non-Aggression between Court and Martial World, he left without a word, vanishing like that."
"Where to?"
"He said nothing, so no one knows."
"Even the abbot doesn't know."
"Yes, Great Prince."
"I'll believe you."
Sweat beaded on one monk's shaved head. The other rubbed his hands on his robes.
"I've heard greenwood bandits are appearing frequently in Henan Province. Is the Shaolin Temple involved?"
"Yes. The abbot ordered us to actively support the court's extermination campaigns, so we are."
"That's appreciated."
Go Mi returned with the tea just then, interrupting the conversation.
"Drink."
"Thank you!"
Clink. Clink.
The monks' teacups rattled. They were so tense they couldn't control their trembling hands.
After sipping his tea, Yi Hwan changed the subject.
"Not long ago, a disruptive group including Shaolin warrior monks caused trouble near the capital. They said one had high seniority. So, I'm saying: someone may come to investigate soon, so when you return, relay that to your abbot."
"......Understood!"
Moments later, Yi Hwan sent the warrior monks away.
Go Mi, clearing the teacups, noticed the floor where they'd sat was soaked with dripping sweat and let out a wry smile.
"Tell our friends out there to head to the Shaolin Temple. I've laid the bait—they'll have no choice but to open their gates."
"Press them on the Third Prince's whereabouts?"
"Yes."
"Understood."
"I need some rest."
"I'll see you in the morning. Rest well."
After Go Mi left, Yi Hwan lay down on the bed.
'If they've cut ties with the Shaolin Temple, it shouldn't pose a major threat.'
He'd kept tabs on Yi Seong-ji precisely because of the Shaolin Temple.
Even if the era of the martial world was fading, the Shaolin Temple remained the paramount sect with immense influence.
If they backed Yi Seong-ji, other clans and sects might stir trouble too, so he couldn't ignore it.
'If the Shaolin Temple has truly severed ties with the Third Prince, maybe I could pull them to our side?'
Nothing was confirmed yet, but based on the circumstances, Yi Hwan was certain Southwest King Jo Yun was a descendant of the Blood Demon.
That made Jo Yun both a court figure and a martial world denizen.
Borrowing the Shaolin Temple's power against him wouldn't violate Non-Aggression between Court and Martial World.
Yi Hwan closed his eyes and slowly organized his plans.
* * *
The two warrior monks left the inn after meeting Yi Hwan and headed straight to where their comrades waited.
"I was sweating bullets, terrified they'd sense we'd been excommunicated. My whole body was drenched."
"My balls shriveled up completely. Whew!"
The two warrior monks scanned their surroundings as they headed south through the market district.
Soon, in a quiet spot, the warriors who'd entered the district with them appeared.
One in black robes asked,
"How'd it go?"
"They just asked about the sect, so we answered truthfully."
"They didn't ask about His Highness?"
"They did. We said he left without a word, so no one knows his whereabouts, and they seemed to buy it. But why is the Great Prince here?"
"We don't know the exact orders, but we confirmed he's left the capital on the emperor's command. But what's with that pallor?"
One warrior monk clicked his tongue.
"Don't ask. Sitting across from the Great Prince, I could barely breathe. Rumors say he hides tremendous power, and it seems true."
"No real trouble?"
"None. I swear."
The black-robed man eyed the two warrior monks suspiciously before turning away.
"Let's hurry. No time."
"Yes!"
"Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"
"......!"
At the sudden voice, the warrior monks and warriors whipped around, assuming combat stances.
One warrior monk's eyes bulged.
"It's the Great Prince's guards!"
"What?"
Approaching them were none other than Ju Tae, Park Ji-mun, and Kim Mu-gwan.
Ju Tae grinned.
"Will you come quietly, or get dragged like dogs after a beating? Your choice."