Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Stall FOR TIME
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Yi Hwan's tent was complete.
Though it consisted only of thick cloth draped around a bamboo-woven bed and a single table, Yi Hwan was satisfied.
Go Mi came to see him.
"Those men have left the city."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. I clearly saw the warriors heading north."
"It seems they see no need to join us now that Commander Hwang is dead."
"That appears to be the case."
Yi Hwan took a sip of tea and changed the subject.
"By any chance, do you have information on the Emperor?"
"That's not within our purview."
"Even if it's not your purview, I'd think you know more than most."
"I have none at all. My apologies."
Yi Hwan asked no more in the face of Go Mi's firm demeanor.
After a moment of silence, Go Mi spoke first this time.
"What would you have us do here?"
"Hasn't the Crown Prince's Palace given instructions?"
"We were told to hinder the Golden Imperial Guards' intelligence operations. And to assist Commander Hwang through intelligence. But I'm merely curious what the Great Prince expects of me."
"What I expect..."
Yi Hwan trailed off. But soon he smiled faintly and continued.
"Just keep doing what you've been doing. You're doing more than enough already."
"Understood."
Go Mi rose.
Yi Hwan gazed at the tea she'd barely touched and asked.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?"
"No."
"Then finish your tea before you go. It's from the Crown Prince's Palace you serve so loyally."
"......Understood."
Go Mi sat back down.
Just then, Song Cheon-mu entered. He was covered head to toe in dried mud from whatever he'd been doing, looking a complete mess.
"The Golden Imperial Guards' Deputy Chief Overseer requests an audience."
"There's a guest, so tell him to come back later."
"Yes!"
As Song Cheon-mu left, Go Mi cautiously asked.
"You mentioned earlier waiting for the Deputy Chief Overseer to show his claws. May I ask what you meant?"
"I'm waiting for him to bare his fangs, but with Commander Hwang dead, that probably won't happen now. He'll figure he doesn't need to anymore."
"And if he had bared them, what would you have done?"
"Killed him."
"......!"
Yi Hwan smiled as he continued.
"That's the only justification I'd have for it."
"Deputy Chief Overseer Mo Jae-hwang is no pushover. From the intelligence we've gathered, he's from the martial world and possesses skills on par with a high-ranking general. He's also cunning."
"Is that so? Then I definitely need to kill him."
"......!"
"Eliminating a man like that would deal a serious blow to the Second Prince's side."
Go Mi was inwardly shocked.
'That's no bluff.'
At the same time, she felt uneasy.
'If he acts rashly, it could backfire. That would only make things harder for His Highness the Crown Prince.'
Go Mi believed Yi Hwan was no match for Mo Jae-hwang. Even setting aside martial prowess, she thought Mo Jae-hwang outclassed him in every other way.
But her unease was matched by expectation.
She recalled Yi Hwan from when he'd captured the Zhao assassin who killed Hwang Ho.
His cold command to sever the heads and limbs of the dead had sent shivers through her and everyone else watching.
"You seem worried I'll do something foolish."
"Ah, no. I was just lost in thought."
Go Mi finished her tea and stood.
"I'll take my leave."
"Have you ever lived like this before?"
"No need to worry. I've endured far worse. Understood."
Yi Hwan watched Go Mi's retreating back as she stepped outside. Then he subtly furrowed his brow.
'Mo Jae-hwang, was it? Looks like she has some grudge against him.'
He had noticed the shift in Go Mi's eyes when she mentioned the Golden Imperial Guards' Deputy Chief Overseer. If he wasn't mistaken, it was something close to enmity.
Yi Hwan stared indifferently through the open tent flap at Mo Jae-hwang's back as he returned to his own tent.
Just then, Mo Jae-hwang turned and smiled. To Yi Hwan, it looked like a sneer.
Twitch.
'Do I really need justification?'
It would be simple enough to just kill him when the chance arose. But Yi Hwan shook his head.
'This isn't my era. As the Great Prince, I should follow and uphold this era's laws to some extent.'
In that moment, Mo Jae-hwang's life was extended.
* * *
Thud thud thud!
Three riders on horseback raced toward the Southern Legion's new camp like a gale. They were imperial messengers clad in armor and armed with longswords.
They paused for a rest at the entrance to a canyon.
"Anyone got some liquor?"
"Hey, we're almost at the camp. Drinking now would be trouble. Let's deliver the appointment first!"
"What's the difference? Once we hand over the appointment, the Southern Legion is ours."
"True enough. Shall we have a drink then?"
One messenger pulled a bottle from his bosom with a smirk. The other two licked their lips.
But the bottle's cork never opened.
Instead, a red line appeared on the neck of the messenger holding it, and his head soon tumbled to the side.
"Gasp!"
"Ugh!"
The two messengers fell back in horror. From behind them emerged a figure like a ghost, and soon their heads hit the ground too.
Thud! Thump!
He was clad head to toe in pitch-black cloth. He rummaged through the dead messenger's bosom, pulled out a metal tube, and opened the lid.
He then unfolded the paper inside. It was an appointment naming Paeng Mu-wi as commander of the Southern Legion.
Moments later, the appointment turned to ash in the masked man's hand and scattered.
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, two more masked men emerged from the woods. Each dragged two corpses in their hands.
The corpses were dressed as Zhao soldiers.
The masked men drew the messengers' swords, stabbed and slashed the corpses, then vanished into the woods together.
* * *
Eyes watched them from afar.
Cheol Mu-ok and Gong Son-tae.
"Staged like that, anyone would think it was the Zhao army's doing. That must be men from the Crown Prince's Palace, right?"
"The Crown Prince must be thinking the same as our lord."
"Yes. Makes things easier for us."
Snap!
"Ugh!"
"Getting too lax lately?"
"Not lax—relieved. Meeting you has lightened the burden of my heavy fate, you could say. Anyway, that's it."
"Your tongue's gotten smoother too."
"I've always been like this."
Snap!
"Urk!"
"Let's head back."
"Yes."
* * *
"The messengers en route to the Southern Legion have been killed by some group. Likely sent by the Crown Prince's Palace."
As Yi Hwan received Cheol Mu-ok's report, he thought of Crown Prince Yi So.
'If all the Crown Prince can manage is something like this, the situation could get even tougher.'
In truth, Yi Hwan planned to stall for time until Yi So could find a way out of their predicament. To that end, he'd come up with the scheme of intercepting and killing the Second Prince's messengers carrying the appointment.
That's why he'd sent Cheol Mu-ok and Gong Son-tae to the pass.
"They were considerable experts. If they're guarding the pass, we might not even need to step in."
"Bring them to me when you get the chance."
"Understood."
"Any reply from the Crown Prince's Palace?"
"Not that I know of."
Gong Son-tae stood.
"I'll go check with General Jeong Cheon."
As Gong Son-tae left, Cheol Mu-ok cautiously asked.
"Why not frame the Zhao assassins and kill Paeng Mu-wi outright? No matter how I think about it, that seems the surest way."
"If we kill Paeng Mu-wi, they'll just send someone stronger. Anyway, that's a last resort."
"Yes."
* * *
Paeng Mu-wi and Young Ho-chung sat facing each other.
Young Ho-chung spoke.
"The appointment is taking too long. The messengers should have arrived by now."
"Let's wait a bit more."
Paeng Mu-wi feigned calm. But inwardly, he was a hundred times more anxious than Young Ho-chung.
"Have you selected the deputy commanders for the rotation?"
"I've filled them all with our people. But there's a problem."
"What is it?"
"It's hard to decide what to do with the Great Prince. I'd love to kick him out, but as the Great Prince, it could cause issues later."
"I've roughly settled that with Mo Jae-hwang."
"What? Then why haven't you told me?!"
Paeng Mu-wi bristled immediately. Young Ho-chung replied calmly.
"Stay calm. I was going to tell you once the plan was perfect."
"What plan?"
"The Zhao army is bound to attack. When they do, we'll seize the chance..."
"To eliminate him?"
"Is there another way?"
"Even so, that's going too far. Let's find a way to just drive him out of the camp."
Young Ho-chung shook his head firmly.
"Driving him out would be harder. With Jeong Cheon and the other generals backing the Great Prince, how? Even if you become commander, it won't be easy."
"Hmm..."
Paeng Mu-wi's face hardened.
He hated Yi Hwan more than anyone, but he hadn't thought of killing him. No, he lacked the courage. After all, Yi Hwan was an imperial prince and Great Prince.
One misstep, and he could face punishment like a traitor.
'If by some chance the Crown Prince ascends the throne, I'll be the regicide who killed a prince. That would mean the end of the Hebei Paeng Family.'
That was Paeng Mu-wi's greatest fear.
Of course, the current situation favored the Second Prince, but who knew what tomorrow might bring.
"You hesitate?"
"I'll think it over."
Young Ho-chung's eyes grew cold. He continued in a tone as icy as his gaze.
"Don't forget why our superiors want you as commander of this Southern Legion. Remember too that anything—or anyone—obstructing the great cause must be removed."
"How could I forget? But I... Wait, are you threatening me now?!"
Paeng Mu-wi raised his voice mid-sentence, his axe-like eyes glaring. Young Ho-chung's attitude grated on him. Paeng Mu-wi never tolerated such things, no matter how well they usually got along.
Just then, Mo Jae-hwang entered. His face was hard as stone.
"Big trouble."
Young Ho-chung asked.
"What's happened?"
"The imperial messengers from the palace were found dead. Zhao warrior corpses were with them, so it looks like they fought to a mutual destruction."
"Damn..."
"Did you find the appointment?"
Mo Jae-hwang shook his head.
"We searched everywhere, but no. The Zhao must have taken it."
"How could this..."
Mo Jae-hwang continued with a grim expression.
"If the Zhao army has the appointment, they'll know Commander Hwang is dead. They'll come charging up immediately."
Bang!
Paeng Mu-wi slammed the table.
"Hmph! Let them come if they dare!"
Then Young Ho-chung spoke with a meaningful look.
"The delay in the appointment is regrettable, but not exactly bad news."
"What?"
"Our camp isn't properly set up yet. If the Zhao attack now, even if we repel them, we'll suffer heavy losses."
Young Ho-chung alternated glances between Paeng Mu-wi and Mo Jae-hwang as he went on.
"It was the Great Prince who suggested moving the camp. Commanders Hwang and Jeong were the most eager to follow his lead. So the blame falls squarely on the Great Prince and General Jeong, doesn't it?"
"Oh ho!"
Paeng Mu-wi and Mo Jae-hwang's expressions changed as understanding dawned.
"We need to steer this into a battle we absolutely cannot win. If we play it right, we can not only oust that thorn in our side, Jeong Cheon, but the Great Prince too as a bonus."
"That's exactly it."
Young Ho-chung turned to Paeng Mu-wi.
"If we can remove the Great Prince from right under our noses without killing him, wouldn't that be best for you, General?"
"It would, but we can't deliberately lose to Zhao. No matter how important our superiors' wishes, the kingdom comes first."
"General! Why show weakness again?!"
Young Ho-chung raised his voice.
Mo Jae-hwang chimed in.
"For the greater cause, you must steel your heart. If you keep this up, we'll have no choice but to report to our superiors. Think of not just yourself, but the Hebei Paeng Family's safety."
Tremble...
Paeng Mu-wi's eyes quivered.
The words were polite, but it was blatant blackmail.