Episode 759
Changes in the way of heaven (4)
The imperial palace is spacious.
Since it is the center of the empire, it is natural. In particular, after the Non-Aggression Treaty was signed, the empire made the originally spacious palace even wider in order to gather central power.
Looking at its width alone, it was as large as two large cities combined. The current imperial palace was like that.
There were so many people and naturally so many places to hide.
The vastly expanded territory of the imperial palace was actually detrimental to the empire. Of course, the situation was not good to discuss such a thing right now.
Ki Woo-heon, the second-in-command of the Hwaunbigak of the Shinhwa Church and a long-time leader in the power of the imperial palace through the position of Grand Master, died, and the masters who guarded him also died, but that was only the beginning.
On the contrary, the situation would become even more urgent since they had killed a key figure in the Shinhwa cult.
In an imminent situation where you don’t know when and what will happen.
The emperor and Yan Wei had a conversation.
“Our Empress enjoys gallivanting. “It’s been a long time since I drank that tea, but it feels new after drinking it for the first time in a long time.”
The emperor was still sitting on his throne. The emperor’s face, sitting on the heavily shaded statue, was still so dark that it was almost impossible to see.
The Empress sat on a cushion on the spacious floor leading to the stairs just below the statue.
And at the small table in front of Ijang Street in Yongsang, Yeonwi’s car was quietly steaming.
Surprisingly, Yeonwi was sitting comfortably. This was because the emperor gave permission.
“Have you ever drank dragonjeong?”
“I remember drinking it once before.”
“I guess it didn’t suit me very well.”
“If Yongjeong doesn’t suit your taste, what kind of car will suit your taste? “It was simply too luxurious a car for me to enjoy.”
“It’s extravagant… If you were the owner of one of the leading samurai families in the world, you would be holding thousands of gold coins and shaking them, so how can you call it extravagant?”
“The boy earned enough money to live on for the rest of his life. Anything more than that is a luxury for me.”
The emperor smiled. I couldn’t see it, but it felt like it somehow.
“I think I understand. I dare to guess that you have never been greedy for gold or silver in your life, nor have you ever been fascinated by treasure.”
“I am very happy to hear this. “In the past, when I was very energetic, I sometimes spent money unreasonably.”
“Then it’s even more amazing. “It would be natural if you were naturally greedless, but if not, you controlled your desires and lived as a gentleman.”
“I am so sorry.”
Although he maintained the minimum level of courtesy, his attitude was too frank to be considered a conversation with the emperor.
But Yan Wei didn’t care, and neither did the Emperor. From the beginning, this place was like that. The two of them were sufficiently accustomed to this atmosphere without being told to do so.
“If you wish, I will send you a high-quality dragon boat every year. “Do you have any thoughts?”
“It is obvious that such luxury would be poisonous to a petty person who is extremely cruel. “Your Majesty’s sincere heart is enough.”
“Don’t you like Jim’s gift?”
“It won’t be enough for you two, Your Majesty, to enjoy it. “For a small person, just the right amount of tea leaves from the mountain behind the family is enough.”
“You are truly bold yet simple.”
Yeonwi slightly lowered her head.
The emperor spoke again.
“I am not familiar with martial arts, so I do not know the details, but I can clearly see that your military strength is truly extraordinary. So I will ask.”
“….”
“Is there an external enemy in this palace right now that can fight you?”
“At this point we don’t know. However, foreign enemies have been secretly working in the imperial palace for decades, consuming national power and destroying talented people. “It is believed to be impossible without money, power, and force.”
“hmm.”
“It is clear that the imperial palace in the central plains is a place that they should not miss. “I’m not sure, but I’m sure there are experts who are just as good as me.”
“I’m not sure….”
“That’s right. And in the worst case scenario… there may be a monster that even I can’t handle.”
“Are you saying that a Seongcheon-level expert can exist?”
Yeonwi raised her head in surprise.
“Do you know the rumors about Gangho?”
“Rumors tend to go around here and there. The rumor that follows the wind has reached the imperial palace. Moreover, from the empire’s perspective, the martial arts group is a group that can draw its sword against the imperial palace at any time. “You can’t help but be interested.”
You can draw your sword at the imperial palace at any time.
As soon as I heard that, I wanted to deny it, but soon Yeonwi had to agree.
The martial arts group was not exclusive to the Baekdo political faction. There was a black island and there were many martial people who did not belong to any of them.
In the first place, the border between white and black is also ambiguous. If the power of Baekdo, which strives for security on behalf of the empire, weakens, a situation could arise where the martial arts truly occupy the imperial palace.
Because human desires are endless.
“And there is one person under my command.”
“yes?”
“I’m talking about the expert of Holy Heaven.”
“…?!”
Surprise appeared on Yeonwi’s face once again.
“Are you saying that someone from Shengtian was working under His Majesty the Emperor?”
“why? “Then it won’t work?”
“no. “I was just surprised.”
The emperor chuckled.
“You have no taste for teasing.”
Confusion appeared on the Empress’s face.
No taste in teasing? To begin with, the emperor was not the type of person to say things like that. From the time she was appointed empress until now, she had never once seen the emperor, who was the head of the state and his wife, tell a joke to someone.
‘Since when did this start?’
Now she was sure. That his father had lived wearing a mask until now.
I didn’t know why I lived like that. However, what is important is that the power structure of the Tang Jin imperial palace was shaken to its roots.
The Empress swallowed her saliva.
She was extremely uncomfortable in this position. Even a thorn cushion would be more comfortable than this.
“Jim doesn’t need any distinction between politics and politics. But it seems like that tribe is important to you.”
“…?”
“Light spirit demon. Kang-ho called him that.”
Yeonwi’s eyes wavered.
‘Three armies!’
Among the three armies, Gok-gyeong was an absolute expert belonging to the Black Island Sect.
Although he is said to be one step behind the Immortal Emperor, his military power is capable of conquering the world. Like other strong men of Seongcheon, Gokgyeong was an expert who would have been the best in the world if he had been born in a different era.
“And then I got a call from him. “Half a day ago.”
Half a day ago, it was time for them to meet the Empress for the first time.
“A lot of things happened. “They say it is now near Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province.”
“If it’s Wudang Mountain…”
Yeonwi’s fist tightened.
“A polite person called the King of Rain….”
“Wrong.”
“…?”
“Biking Gongsun Baekryong. That’s what they call him in Moorim. “But that guy is not someone who has any intention of becoming a powerful warrior.”
“if?”
“Three Bridges.”
“…!!”
“Among them, I belonged to a religion that went by the strange name of Gwanghyeol.”
Yeonwi was surprised.
It was surprising that Gongsun Baekryong belonged to the Gwanghyeol Cult, but what was even more surprising was the emperor’s intelligence.
As I had previously felt at first glance, the emperor knew a lot about the Three Religions of Guangxin. Even though I knew it all, I kept holding my breath and pretending not to know.
“Gongsun Baekryong has visited the imperial palace several times. Of course, Jim has never seen it in person. “Although the tribes are different, they are still bound by the three religions, so I can only guess that they had many conversations about the imperial palace and martial arts through Taegam Wooheon.”
It was the limit.
With only a brief conversation, Yan Wei was able to understand the current emperor’s limitations.
‘Information is concentrated in one place.’
The emperor knew Wulin very well. Since he had the Light Spirit Demon Army under his command, it was only natural.
However, I did not know how widespread the Xinhuaists who occupied the imperial palace were.
Currently, there are not only followers of the Shinhwa religion in the imperial palace. There will also be a small number of followers of Saeumgyo and Gwanghyeolgyo.
The Emperor doesn’t know that. You will have no choice but to not know. The deceased Ki Woo-heon must have been thoroughly controlling that part.
“He is truly a difficult person to forgive. “The man who was the military commander of the imperial palace went out to the martial arts world and before he knew it, he was captured by foreign enemies.”
“…yes?”
“Gongsun Baekryong was originally a general in the imperial palace. It was a member of the Geumgun of the Grand General’s Department. “I heard that he had excellent physical skills and that he created several seasons by disassembling and combining various martial arts in the imperial palace’s martial arts.”
This was again surprising information.
“Of course, I don’t know if he changed his mind in the middle or if he was a member of the Three Churches even before he became a military commander. “The important thing is that Jim can’t forgive that guy.”
Sreuk.
The emperor, who had buried his back in the dragon statue, adjusted his posture.
His posture, with his upper body forward, looked very active, unlike before.
“Gukjing, that person went to catch Gongsun Baekryong. I don’t know if he will be my opponent, but the Gokyung I know is not someone who foolishly charges into a fight he has no chance of winning. “It will definitely bring good results.”
“…Yes.”
“The problem is you.”
“yes?”
“The imperial palace and the martial arts world are separated by a truly outrageous and clumsy treaty called the Non-Aggression Treaty.”
“….”
“But the Murim Alliance sent you to the imperial palace. My guess is that it was to help the empress, not me, to oust the crown prince.”
The Empress’s face turned pale.
Yeonwi bowed his head.
“Your Majesty’s guess is correct.”
It was an incredibly honest answer.
However, a smile appeared on the lips of the emperor, who appeared out of the shadows, as if he was rather pleased with Yeonwi’s honesty.
“But you broke through that many troops and entered the royal palace. If you recall the conversation from earlier, you can see that it was not because of the Empress, but to see Jim.”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll ask you straight. Can the Murim Alliance help me restore the majesty of the twisted imperial palace?”
Yeonwi bowed his head.
“It is natural for those who live in this land to do so.”
“Even though there is a non-aggression pact in place?”
“As I said, my beliefs were so dull that I couldn’t think deeply about it.”
“Yes, you said this moment is important.”
“That’s right.”
“Can I say that you represent the will of the Murim Alliance?”
“Everyone who lives on this earth must help the Son of Heaven and benefit the world. The same goes for the Murim Alliance, but if they destroy the empire for their own wrong purposes, the sword of the small people will be pointed at them.”
A calm voice is accompanied by a will as strong as steel.
The emperor, who was looking at his wife, sighed softly.
“If I had had a loyalist like you back in the day, a lot of things would have been easier.”
“I am so sorry. Conviction is nothing but nothing.”
“Ah yes. That makes it even more disappointing.”
The emperor buried his back in the royal palace again.
“Wouldn’t we need more troops?”
“Required.”
“Since the chief inspector is dead, there must have been an emergency over there. “I think now is a good time to contact the outside world.”
Yeonwi’s eyes lit up.
“Before I entered the palace, I secretly contacted the Pen family while fighting against the Saihans.”
“Hoo.”
“Once you give the signal from here, we will be ready as soon as possible.”
“Will that be enough?”
“It won’t be enough.”
“Hmm.”
The emperor nodded.
“I guess I’ll have to contact Gok-gyeong again.”
That time.
Six horses and about 50 masters passed through Hanam.
