Episode 31: Has the Emperor Changed?
Hwa Cheon-woon nodded and added, "Even so, it might not be enough. If three Daoist Experts from Dosanrim launch a joint attack, even you might find it hard to handle."
A fierce light flickered in Hwa Cheon-gang's eyes. "Dosanrim... Have you found out why they are interfering with the affairs of the Heavenly Observation Pavilion?"
"Not yet," Hwa Cheon-woon's expression was calm, but his tone was heavy. It's rare for the Four Great Sword Sects and the Three Great Blade Sects to meddle in the disputes of a subordinate sect.
"The only way is to break the seclusion training of our eldest brother."
Everyone flinched at Hwa Cheon-woon's words. "That cannot be done!" Hwa Cheon-gang slammed the table. "If we break the seclusion now, he might suffer from Qi Deviation."
"Even if we do nothing, the seclusion will eventually be broken. If we are all tied up trying to protect Cheongsu-dong, we will be defeated."
"We can't let that happen. My brothers and I are prepared to die to protect Cheongsu-dong," Hwa U-geuk gritted his teeth, but Hwa Cheon-woon merely looked calmly at Hwa U-cheon. Hwa Cheon-baek's eldest son, Ucheon, realized it was up to him to decide.
Hwa U-cheon sighed and said, "Perhaps... Father would have made the same decision."
---
It was when he lay down to sleep.
"Damn it! A friend!" Suddenly, a thought struck Won Seung, and he kicked off his blanket, sitting up with a start. "I can't just stand by while a friend is in danger, can I?"
Won Seung shouted, almost as if he were screaming, and Jong Bi, who had been asleep, rushed over. "What's going on? Why are you yelling?"
With a half-dazed expression, Won Seung replied to Jong Bi, "I made a friend. But that friend is in grave danger."
Jong Bi yawned, seemingly unimpressed. "I thought it was something serious. You woke me up over something so trivial."
"No, this is important. I can't just watch my friend die."
"So what? Are you going to die in their place? You can't do that. If they die, there's nothing you can do. Just offer some paper money later."
Jong Bi rubbed his sleepy eyelids and was about to leave.
Won Seung, frustrated, threw a pillow at him. Whoosh!
"What the hell?" Jong Bi reflexively turned and deflected the pillow, glaring. He had a dagger in his hand, proving he was indeed an assassin.
"Why are you acting like this? Who's this friend that's going to die?"
Won Seung didn't answer, instead staring blankly at the ceiling, mumbling, "Hua Yeo-wol..."
At the mention of Hua Yeo-wol, Jong Bi flinched and lowered the hand holding the dagger. "Hua Yeo-wol is your friend?"
"Yeah. I decided to be friends with Hua Yeo-wol."
"Hmm. You became friends in such a short time... A female friend?"
Jong Bi's expression was peculiar. He had long been captivated by Hua Yeo-wol's beauty.
"A friend is a friend... What's this about a female friend?"
"You're still young, so you don't understand... A female friend is a bit different."
"Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep."
Instead of leaving, Jong Bi sat at the table. "Is Hua Yeo-wol going to die?"
"You heard it yourself. The Heavenly Observation Pavilion is going to attack the Clear Water Sect. Hua Yeo-wol will die."
Won Seung continued to mumble with a vacant expression. "I have to save Hua Yeo-wol, and I have to kill Uncle Hwa Cheon-gang... This is such a difficult mission!"
"Hmm. That's a bit tricky, isn't it? You can't kill your uncle if you're friends. Just break off the friendship."
"Would Hua Yeo-wol want to kill her uncle? That would be great... No, she's too kind to think of such a thing. Isn't it possible they're fighting over the position of Sect Leader of the Clear Water Sect? For Hua Yeo-wol's father to become Sect Leader, Hwa Cheon-gang and the current Sect Leader, Hwa Cheon-baek, would have to die. Should I just kill them all?"
Listening to Won Seung's muttering, Jong Bi thought. His conclusion was simple. "Forget about Hwa Cheon-gang and just leave. If you kill even one person during training, it's a success. Let's just capture the magistrate and return. Leave Hua Yeo-wol to fate. We're killers, not saviors."
"No!" Won Seung shouted. "I've already become friends."
"Is that important?"
"It is," Won Seung declared resolutely, his eyes wide. "I don't have friends. Well, I had one, but they died... So now I have two?"
He considered Jang Chil a friend, though he wasn't sure if Jang Chil felt the same. The deceased Ninety-Two was a childhood friend, though he didn't even know her name.
"Then even if Hua Yeo-wol dies, you'll still have one left. I have none."
"You don't have friends, so you don't know their value. You should get one. Then you'll understand how precious a friend is."
"I don't need one. Sleeping is more important right now."
Jong Bi shook his head and left the room.
"You're really a heartless assassin. Truly a cold-blooded killer," Won Seung shouted, slamming the door shut after Jong Bi left.
He then sat on his bed, organizing his thoughts. Now that he was friends with Hua Yeo-wol, he couldn't just watch her die.
'This must be what they call fate. I should be more careful when making friends in the future.'
To think a stranger could become a friend, and he'd have to worry about their safety... Whether in the mountains or the world, one must be cautious when making friends.
Since he was already up, he practiced his Cultivation Practice, pondering how to kill Hwa Cheon-gang amidst the chaos and save Hua Yeo-wol.
---
The next day.
Won Seung visited the largest bookstore in Xiangyang. Since he was pretending to be from the Imperial Capital, he needed to know the current situation there.
Scholars interested in official positions knew the most about the Imperial Capital.
"Welcome. If there's a book you're looking for, I'd be happy to help."
"No, I'll just browse and buy whatever catches my interest."
He waved off the bookstore clerk and examined the shelves. In the bookstore's rear garden, tea tables were scattered about, and customers were leisurely chatting over tea.
While Won Seung was selecting a book from the shelves, three scholars at a nearby tea table were discussing the trends of the upcoming Imperial Examination.
"It's certain that a topic on Strong Military will come up. So we should focus on that area."
"Well, I disagree. I think the topic will be about the authority of Sovereign and Subject and the bureaucratic system."
As the two argued, the third scholar chimed in, "Instead of arguing, why don't you each present your reasoning? Why are you so sure about the Strong Military topic?"
"It's the third year of Yeonnyeok. It's time for the Emperor to assert his will. There are still many unresolved issues in the Imperial Court. To address them, we first need to strengthen the military."
Won Seung was startled by this and dropped the book he was holding.
'The third year of Yeonnyeok! The Emperor has changed?'
A change in the era name meant a change in the Emperor.
Won Seung, having lived in the Assassin Training Center and traveled discreetly to Xiangyang to hide his tracks, was unaware of the change in Emperor. In fact, most common people didn't know who the Emperor was unless they asked.
Won Seung was stunned.
'It's a good thing I came. I almost ended up in a ridiculous situation.'
Claiming to be from the Imperial Capital without knowing the current Emperor could have gotten him accused of being a fraud.
He suddenly felt guilty for being so complacent. Even in ten years, the world changes, and so can the Emperor.
'What about Won Manor? What happened to Father?'
Having been kidnapped at a young age and living only to survive, he hadn't considered that the world continued to turn. He naively assumed Won Manor remained unchanged from when he left ten years ago.
Curious about Won Manor, he nervously joined the scholars' conversation.
"I found your discussion interesting. I've heard the reasoning for the Strong Military topic, but what's the basis for the topic on the authority of Sovereign and Subject and the bureaucratic system?"
The scholars were wary of Won Seung's interest in their conversation.
After scrutinizing Won Seung and realizing he was a scholar, the one who argued for the authority of Sovereign and Subject and the bureaucratic system spoke up.
"The current Emperor is only fifteen, isn't he? At such a time, it's crucial to clarify the authority of Sovereign and Subject to establish order in the court. The bureaucratic system must also be meticulous to prevent power leaks from the young Emperor."
'The Emperor is fifteen? Then Ju Neung became the Emperor?'
When he was taken, the Crown Prince was Ju Gwang, but it was the youngest, Ju Neung, who ascended the throne. What had happened?
Won Seung recalled visiting the Imperial Palace with his aunt, Lady Ju, and Won Sochu, where he played with Ju Neung.
The scholar's words caught Won Seung's attention.
"...And there's a rumor that State Preceptor Won influenced the exam questions. Who is State Preceptor Won? He served as Minister of Rites, so he would certainly emphasize the propriety between Sovereign and Subject."
Coincidentally, the scholar mentioned the very person Won Seung was most curious about—his father.
'Father is a State Preceptor? When did he become Ju Neung's teacher?'
Unconsciously, Won Seung nodded.
"Indeed. He was always interested in the balance of power among officials."
The scholar seemed slightly surprised by Won Seung's comment.
"You seem to know quite a bit about State Preceptor Won?"
"Oh, I've just heard a little about him before."
His father often discussed power struggles with his colleagues, always concluding with similar words.
-This is all to maintain the balance of power. If one side becomes too strong, it burdens His Majesty, so we must balance it ourselves.
The scholar advocating for Strong Military, frustrated, spoke up.
"These people are so frustrating. They only know one thing and not the other. State Preceptor Won is cautious and understands the importance of governance. But now, he's in a position to protect the young Emperor, who's like a candle in the wind. So he'll propose a Strong Military topic."
The scholars continued their heated debate. Listening to them, Won Seung grasped the general situation.
For some reason, the youngest prince ascended the throne, and the King was displeased with this.
Shocked by the surprising news, Won Seung staggered back to the Cloud Flower Pavilion. He sat blankly in the guest room, lost in thought.
'The world kept turning while I was gone. Ju Neung became Emperor, and Father became a State Preceptor. I wonder if Mother is well?'
Thinking of his mother, he felt a pang of guilt for being an unfilial son.
He hadn't decided whether to return to Won Manor or remain in Murim.
After understanding the circumstances of his abduction, Won Seung realized he would only cause trouble if he returned home.
He was torn between exacting revenge on Lady Ju, who sold him, and waiting until after his father's passing.
'Regardless, shouldn't I let Mother know I'm alive? She might have fallen ill from the grief of losing her son.'
He wanted to go immediately, but the Red Blood Mountain's watchful eyes were on him.
'Red Blood Mountain...'
Thinking of the Red Blood Mountain that held him back, Won Seung felt a surge of anger. Just then, he noticed a Red Blood Mountain Assassin passing by.
Fueled by his anger towards Red Blood Mountain, Won Seung kicked Jong Bi's rear.
Thud!
"Ouch! Are you crazy?"