Episode 784.
Blood of the Empire (9)
At that moment, Gok-gyeong was at a loss for words.
While talking to this guy today, I promised myself that I would never be embarrassed and I would never get angry. This was because this guy named Yeon Ho-jeong had an unusual personality, regardless of his martial arts skills.
But I never thought I would say something like that out loud. You may realize how great the position you have achieved, but isn’t this a bit too unlucky?
But Yeon Ho-jeong was serious.
“I am not an ordinary guy. “That’s how the world sees it.”
“what?”
“I don’t know how it came to be like this, but let’s be honest. I truly do not believe that what I have achieved is unprecedentedly great. “I am proud of the position I have achieved, but I do not feel that I am overwhelmingly superior to anyone else.”
“however?”
“But the world sees me differently.”
Yeon Ho-jeong closed his eyes.
“His Majesty the Emperor Geomseon Noh Baedo also told me. Look at exactly what position you have achieved. At first, I thought of it as a warning that too much humility can sometimes lead to anger.”
“….”
“That wasn’t what they meant by what they said to me.”
Gok-gyeong’s eyes sparkled.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes opened again and were colored with an unknown confusion.
“Even though the world saw me as I wanted, I didn’t change. However, for those who live in the world and try to do something with the world, the world’s gaze is something that cannot be ignored.”
“I guess so.”
“I will look good enough. He is the eldest son of one of the most prestigious families in the Baekdo political faction, and before becoming a member of the clan, he was named as one of the Thirteenth Chairs of the Holy Heaven, known as Gangho Choi Soo Su. In addition, as the head of the strongest military unit of the Murim Alliance and the person in charge of the Maengfu alliance, he quickly emerged as one of the most important figures on both sides of the political and evil faction.”
“….”
“He defeated more fanatics of the Three Religions who had infiltrated the Central Plains than anyone else, and even participated in the Battle of the Imperial Palace, making a great achievement. Of course, there are many people who have made greater contributions than me, but one of them is my father.”
“….”
“And become His Majesty’s sire? How will this world view me? Kirin, one of the greatest geniuses of all time and a hero of the times… Do you think they will only see it that way?”
“…I guess not.”
“On the surface, you could say that. But it won’t be like that on the inside. There are so many people who are blinded by power that it is difficult to count them all. “The world is overflowing with people who are not greedy for power, but even harbor murderous intentions out of jealousy of someone who is outstanding.”
Yeon Ho-jeong laughed bitterly.
“Becoming the most outstanding person in the world means sitting in the most dangerous position in the world. “You will know because you have seen for yourself why His Majesty the Emperor gave up on himself for decades.”
Gok-gyeong’s eyes wavered.
But even for a moment.
“That’s not even funny.”
“Do you think so?”
“I know what you’re worried about. However, it is not right to start worrying without even reaching that point.”
“….”
“If you’re a guy born with balls, you have to show that you’re willing to handle everything.”
“I know what you mean.”
“Is someone you know saying such weak things?”
“If I wanted to become the best person in the world, if I wanted to become the most powerful person in the world, I wouldn’t have had to worry about things like this. “If I could fight and win against the Three Schools alone, it wouldn’t even be worth worrying about.”
“….”
“I’ll say it again, we must come together as one. “The task will probably be as difficult as fighting the Three Religions.”
“Wouldn’t it be okay to kill those people who are so consumed by their greed for power that they don’t know what’s important?”
He was prone to saying harsh words out of fear that he might be an expert from Sapa.
Surprisingly, Yeon Ho-jeong nodded at his words.
“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. But that didn’t stop us from becoming one.”
“Why?”
“Do you think that those who are greedy for power are powerless? No. “Those who are greedy for power already have enough power.”
“…!”
“What those without power want is a ‘way’ to solve the problem that is immediately in front of them. But those with power don’t have that. “I just want more power.”
“….”
“If we catch and kill all those greedy for power, the Murim Alliance and the Mukryongbu will collapse.”
“This is a damn thing.”
“Shall we take a look at the Inkryongbuju right now? He is preparing a lot to win this war. But his war does not end with fighting foreign powers. He is also preparing to engulf the Baekdo faction after the war with the Three Religions.”
“….”
“The reason I don’t hate him at all is because he is not so foolish as to neglect the immediate war for the sake of a future power struggle. But such people are really rare.”
Gok-gyeong’s cheeks trembled slightly.
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“Do you understand? I am already the biggest and sharpest awl in the world. A few tough pockets have been pierced. “If our family becomes in-laws with His Majesty the Emperor, there is a very high probability that the martial arts kingdom will collapse.”
Those who have not experienced the bitter taste of a sharp power struggle cannot understand this. Anyone who has not personally experienced the conflicts and secret struggles that arise in the pursuit of power and fame cannot understand Yeon Ho-jeong’s concerns, even if he wakes up after death.
That’s why Gok-gyeong felt persuaded by Yeon Ho-jeong’s words. This was because he was also sick of the petty behavior of the imperial palace officials.
“Maybe it has already started.”
“what?”
“These are all preparations to slander me and my family.”
“…No way.”
“The world is a place where unexpected things happen unexpectedly. “The political scene is the worst of the worst.”
“….”
“Still, I have achieved merit and there are many people who support me and my father, so I won’t be able to make a big move right now. But they will be waiting for every opportunity.”
“…What if I eat them all?”
“yes?”
Gok-gyeong, who had burned his esophagus with strong alcohol, spoke with a calm face.
“What if you and your family swallow up the Baekdo faction itself?”
“Do you think it is possible?”
“Nothing is impossible. “If you are prepared to see blood.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes grew cold.
“Regardless of whether it is possible or not, this is evangelism.”
“It seems to me that you still don’t know exactly what position you have achieved.”
“…?”
“Just like you said, there are probably some people preparing to slander you and Love Love. But in the end, they will end up doing nothing and just sucking their fingers. “If you marry a princess.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because destroying you, who has His Majesty the Emperor as your father-in-law, is like destroying the dignity of the imperial family, and attacking you is like attacking the imperial family.”
“I am just a martial artist with ties to the imperial family. “It may sound like a play on words, but if you die as a martial artist, you cannot enter the imperial palace.”
“Because of the non-aggression pact?”
“Because of the non-aggression pact.”
“Does not matter.”
“yes?”
“I am a person of His Majesty the Emperor, not a person of Guanfu.”
“…!!”
“Once you become His Majesty’s sire, from then on I will not be able to ignore you. “As soon as you do something wrong, His Majesty will dispatch me to Wulin.”
“I think I’ll get more dizzy.”
“You should tell me that in advance. “If I touch you, I may not be able to move the imperial palace, but a master with the power of a great gate might go crazy.”
Those were terrifying words.
Yeonho-jeong, who was looking at the beautiful scenery, took a sip of alcohol.
The alcohol was still strong.
“I will think about it, but there is a high probability that this marriage will fall through.”
“Would you like to think about it? Well, it looks like there are no plans to change the answer that has already been decided.”
“I have a set answer, but I will think more deeply about it.”
“Do you know? “You’re such a weird guy.”
“Is that so.”
“If you look at his extreme personality, it seems like he will set the world on fire without hesitation, but he is also cautious in this regard.”
“Because I lost a lot of blood.”
“What blood?”
“There was too much blood shed by the Wulin Empire. “There is no way not to be cautious.”
Gok-gyeong, who was quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, suddenly said.
“You haven’t given me an answer yet, right?”
“yes?”
“Why am I watching you so much and why am I so obsessed with you?”
“okay. “Please tell me.”
“It is not because His Majesty the Emperor is watching you. “I saw potential in you.”
“What possibilities are you talking about?”
“Possibility as a bridgehead to create a real empire.”
“…?!”
“Because I think I can play a decisive role in getting rid of really meaningless treaties like the Guanwu Non-aggression Treaty and turning this central plain into a complete empire.”
Yeon Ho-jeong opened his eyes wide.
On the other hand, Gok-gyeong’s eyes narrowed. Intense majesty leaked from those small, open eyes.
“you said. It is said that the Empire and the Murim shed blood. But I don’t think so.”
“….”
“If you think about the empire and the martial arts separately, the martial arts are ultimately martial arts. The countless people living on the continent are not martial people. “They are all subjects of the empire.”
“…!”
“Behind the martial arts world full of romance and elegance, there is always a primal fight and flowing blood. Moorim was like that originally. Wulin is also part of the empire, but you don’t think so. It’s worth it. “It was the imperial family that first enacted the non-aggression pact, and that means a clear distinction.”
“….”
“It is only the empire that sheds blood. Only the Empire shed blood. “His Majesty the Emperor, the Empire itself, vomited blood and the people who were members of the Empire died.”
Gok-gyeong shook his head.
“Have you ever thought about it? How strange is it that people around the world view the empire and the martial arts world differently? “Even though in the end, they are all members of the same empire.”
“No offense to official duties….”
“Yes, it’s because of that kind of impertinence to official duties. However, if you look at the world from a little distance, anyone will be able to see how fragile the Central Plains world is right now.”
“…!”
“It doesn’t matter who made the treaty first. Now, there is no need to even recall the intention. “What matters is this moment and the future.”
Yeon Ho-jeong swallowed his saliva without realizing it.
Gok-gyeong smiled faintly.
“Your Majesty said that, right? “Starting with Love Song, he will change the world’s aristocracy.”
“…That’s right.”
“Did you think His Majesty would try to control the martial arts world by taking you, who has a high probability of becoming the next best person in the world, under his command?”
“….”
“Your Majesty is not such a petty person. The ideals your Majesty holds are not that easy. “You only saw His Majesty as similar to countless powerful people, but you did not see the blood and bitterness that flowed through the years he endured.”
“then…?”
“The reason His Majesty wants to make you his sire is to make the world one again.”
“…!!”
“A complete empire. “His grand plan to calm down the beasts that run wild with only faith, ignoring laws and institutions, and then create one huge world is alive and breathing in his heart.”
“That…”
“Do you know what people call that dream?”
Sara la la rock.
The blowing cold wind teased the bare tree branches.
“It is called under heaven.”
