The Imperial Palace feels like it’s been a while.
Has it been almost two months?
I left for the North Sea Ice Palace around the middle of the Third Month, and now it’s already the beginning of the Fifth Month.
I really spent this spring running around without a moment to breathe.
I followed Warrior Jin Yeong into the Imperial Palace and arrived at the Emperor’s office.
A short while later.
“Enter.”
“Yes.”
I stepped inside the office and offered the highest courtesy.
“Raise your head.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is immeasurable.”
I lifted my head and looked at the Emperor.
“Where did you go last time that kept you away for so long?”
Explaining all of it in detail felt a little difficult, so I carefully tried to change the subject.
“Did Your Majesty miss this humble merchant?”
“I did.”
“…”
No, that was a joke. If you answer like that, isn’t it a little embarrassing?
“There are so many things to be done, but not many men worth using. Naturally, I found myself thinking of you.”
So what you mean is that you regretted not being able to work me to death.
Running away in the middle of the night was worth it.
If I hadn’t left in a hurry, just as Young Lady Seohyang advised, I might have been caught by the Emperor and missed the Ice-Fire Conference altogether.
No, I probably would have found some way to go.
But it was obvious that the process would have been incredibly exhausting.
“I see.”
“Yes. More importantly, I received a report that you destroyed a notorious band of pirates called the Blood Claw Pirates in Nanjing. What happened?”
He wants the full story from my perspective.
So I explained everything to the Emperor from beginning to end.
“…That is how it happened.”
I continued.
“It was bad enough that they laid hands on goods the Eunhae Merchant Group had prepared with great effort, but they also dared to obstruct Your Majesty’s will. They deserved to be punished, so I dealt with them.”
“Well done.”
The Emperor nodded and praised me.
“Those who gnaw away at the Empire’s interests deserve to be eliminated.”
“Your Majesty, this incident made me think of something.”
“What is it?”
“The importance of training capable martial arts academy officers.”
“Are you saying the Empire’s current military officials lack skill?”
I need to answer this properly.
“Of course, the Empire’s current military officials are highly capable. However, Your Majesty, the very purpose of a martial arts academy is to invest in the future.”
“Invest in the future?”
“Yes. At times like this, we merchants have a saying.”
I grinned and said,
“You’re not planning to do business for only a day or two and then quit, are you?”
At my words, the Emperor burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahahaha! True! Very true!”
Then he looked at me and continued.
“You little bastard, your tongue is as slick as ever.”
“I will take that as praise.”
“The Empire’s future will only be bright if excellent pillars capable of leading it are steadily produced.”
Done!
I clenched the hand hidden inside my sleeve.
“For that, I need Your Majesty’s assistance.”
“My assistance?”
“When it comes to raising future talent, isn’t the most important thing the teacher?”
“That is true.”
“Therefore, I would like Your Majesty to issue an Imperial Decree so that we may invite good teachers from various martial sects and martial families.”
No matter how proudly the martial sects and martial families stick their necks up in the martial world, they have no choice but to bow deeply before the Emperor’s command.
Unless they want to get marked and ruined for no good reason.
The Emperor watched me for a moment before speaking.
“So what is your true intention behind this?”
“Pardon?”
“The you I know would never do anything that costs you a loss. If you are willingly taking on something this troublesome, that means you are after something.”
Cold sweat ran down my back.
Did he figure out what I was aiming for?
“Is it money?”
“…!”
I flinched, then lowered my head.
The one before me is the Emperor.
Confessing honestly is the best option here.
“Doesn’t it cost quite a bit of money to establish a martial arts academy?”
“It does.”
“But those martial arts academy students will eventually become talents for the Empire, so having the Eunhae Merchant Group bear the entire cost alone is rather burdensome.”
I continued.
“However, if the Imperial Palace takes full responsibility for managing them, the workload will increase, and abuses will inevitably arise.”
“Tch…”
His Majesty clicked his tongue.
Of course he knows.
If the Imperial Palace manages the martial arts academy directly, it will stop functioning as a proper martial arts academy and turn into an institution where the children of high officials waste tax money while idling their time away.
“There is already a similar precedent in Apricot Blossom Academy, so I believe following that model would be best.”
“That is not a bad idea.”
“This is the conclusion I reached after agonizing over what would benefit the Empire and Your Majesty.”
“And whatever falls into my hands will merely be the crumbs, I suppose.”
“…”
I quietly studied the Emperor’s expression.
“Very well. We will proceed as you suggest.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is immeasurable.”
At that moment, a eunuch’s voice came from outside.
“The Minister of Justice requests an audience.”
The Emperor spoke.
“He finally arrived. Let him in.”
At those words, I realized this was the real reason the Emperor had called me here.
The Minister of Justice entered and offered his courtesy to the Emperor.
“Raise your head.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is immeasurable.”
“I have called Eun Seo-ho, Deputy Merchant Lord of the Eunhae Merchant Group, here. Say what you came to say.”
“Yes.”
He cleared his throat, then turned his head and spoke to me.
“I have heard about your achievements this time. You exterminated a vicious pirate band called the Blood Claw Pirates, did you?”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“You did something truly admirable.”
“You honor me too much.”
“However, I heard that those who used bows played a major role when the pirates were eliminated.”
“Are you referring to the Eunpoong Archer Division?”
Only then did I get a sense of what he wanted to say.
“Yes, I believe they are called the Eunpoong Archer Division. Their military power is enough to sink pirate ships in a single strike. I am concerned that warriors of that caliber might be used for evil purposes.”
“By evil purposes, do you perhaps mean something like turning their weapons toward His Majesty the Emperor?”
At my words, he bristled.
“How can you make such a dangerous remark!”
“My apologies if it sounded that way, but I am not very good at talking in circles. And…”
I glanced toward the Emperor and said,
“His Majesty seems to be getting bored.”
At that, the Minister of Justice looked up at the Emperor and flinched.
“Minister of Justice.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“My time is valuable. It seems yours is not. Or perhaps you have been hiding such great competence that you can afford to waste it.”
“Gasp! N-No, Your Majesty!”
“Get to the point.”
“Yes! Your Majesty.”
He looked at me with a tense face and said,
“Ahem. I wish for you to transfer that archer division to the Imperial Palace.”
Wow… he really said it?
Does he have no conscience?
I held back the incredulous laugh that almost escaped me and opened my mouth.
“I fully understand what concerns you, Minister of Justice. First of all, even though I knew their power might cause worry, I displayed it in order to remove those obstructing His Majesty’s path.”
“I-Is that so?”
“It saddens me that my intention was not properly conveyed.”
“…Ahem.”
“And I ask this just in case, but surely you are not saying this because you covet the archer division, are you?”
“Wh-What nonsense! Absolutely not. I only said it because it seemed dangerous for a merchant group to privately operate such an archer division.”
“I see. I understand your feelings completely.”
I continued.
“The Eunhae Merchant Group can hand over the archer division to the Imperial Palace. Since the archers would no longer belong to a merchant group but to the Imperial Palace, how could that not be a joyous thing? Ah, in that case, will they become Imperial Guards?”
“…”
At my words, the Minister of Justice blinked.
No immediate answer, huh.
“If not, are you simply asking for them as disposable pawns? They, too, are the Empire’s people. How could you even think of using them and throwing them away like that!”
I dropped to my knees where I stood and bowed to the Emperor.
“Your Majesty! This must not be allowed. I beg you to see clearly into this matter!”
The Emperor, who had been quietly listening to the exchange between me and the Minister of Justice, opened his mouth.
“They, too, are my precious people. As their father, how could I do such a thing? Rise.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is immeasurable.”
“And Minister of Justice.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“If they belong to the Imperial Palace, then they are Imperial Guards. Why could you not answer something so obvious?”
Because he obviously hadn’t thought that far and had just blurted it out of greed.
The Minister of Justice stammered and barely managed to answer.
“Th-They would indeed be Imperial Guards.”
“And Minister of Justice, I spent quite a large sum training them. I assume you are not planning to simply snatch them away without compensating me for those costs. That would violate merchant ethics.”
“Y-Yes. Ahem. How much did it cost to train them?”
“One hundred twenty silver taels per person.”
“Gasp!”
At my words, he was startled.
“Wh-What absurd nonsense! No matter how elite they are, how could it cost that much to train a soldier! Are you perhaps inflating the number to deceive me?”
I calmly shook my head and said,
“That is absolutely not the case. First, because they were trained to deal with pirates, we built several ships for their training, and their equipment was also…”
As I rattled off the expenses and procedures one by one, the Minister of Justice’s face began turning pale.
“Since this is the Imperial Palace, I am only telling you the bare minimum cost.”
“I-I see.”
“And because they are not ordinary warriors but men trained solely for a specialized purpose, their monthly wages are also fairly high. Five silver taels per person. I believe they should receive at least that much. So, Minister of Justice, can you guarantee their monthly wages?”
“…”
The Minister of Justice looked extremely strained.
“I bore all of those costs and still trained an archer unit solely to carry out His Majesty’s command that the trade mission succeed.”
I continued.
“I performed a duty the Ministry of Justice should have handled, yet rather than providing support for that, you are demanding that I hand them over.”
“…”
At that moment, the Emperor cut in.
“Minister of Justice. Did you truly ask to meet Deputy Merchant Lord Eun without preparing any countermeasure whatsoever?”
“Y-Your Majesty… That is…”
The Minister of Justice could not finish his sentence and only hesitated.
He must have underestimated me because he was the head of the Ministry of Justice, while I was merely the deputy merchant lord of a merchant group.
On top of that, since we were in front of His Majesty, he likely thought I would not dare make a sound and would obediently hand over the archer division.
If the Minister of Justice had come fully prepared, this would have been quite difficult, but fortunately, because he looked down on me, I was able to take the upper hand rather easily.
“Minister of Justice.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I am beginning to wonder whether I should keep you as head of the Ministry of Justice.”
“Gasp!”
He turned deathly pale and flattened himself to the floor.
“M-My apologies! This lowly subject has shown an unsightly display!”
“At least you know that much.”
“…”
“They say a lion uses its full strength even to catch a single rabbit. Yet I see no such preparation from you. It is obvious you intended to borrow my authority and press him down by force.”
“…”
Judging by how he can’t say a word, that hit the mark.
“Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho here already understood what I was worried about and suggested the establishment of a martial arts academy to me. He intends to teach archery there as well.”
Uh…
I hadn’t planned that far.
“Is that not so?”
“Ah, yes. That is correct, Your Majesty.”
I got dragged into the Emperor’s pace. Damn it!
“How commendable is that?”
“…”
“Therefore, in my name, I intend to permit the Eunhae Merchant Group to operate the archer division. Do you have anything more to say?”
“N-No, Your Majesty.”
“Then you may leave.”
And so the Minister of Justice left the Emperor’s office looking like a puppy soaked in rain.
The Emperor smirked and turned his head toward me.
“As expected, you handled that well.”
“You could have given me a hint beforehand.”
“Would anything have changed if I had?”
“…”
No, it would not.
“And I thought you would have guessed.”
Well, that is true.
“Still, to think that a man like that is the Minister of Justice… Tch!”
The Emperor clicked his tongue in displeasure.
“In any case, as I said earlier, I will grant permission regarding the archer division.”
“Your Majesty’s grace is immeasurable.”
“In exchange, destroy pirates wherever you see them, and make trade with foreign nations safe.”
“I will do so.”
“Then you may withdraw.”
“Yes.”
I withdrew from the Emperor’s office.
I really can’t let my guard down for even a moment in front of the Emperor.
Even someone like me, who hardly ever sweats, ended up breaking out in a cold sweat.
Somehow, I got swept along by the Emperor and now have to teach archery at the martial arts academy too.
At that moment, Warrior Jin Yeong approached me.
“Is the audience over?”
“Ah, yes.”
“The Minister of Justice left with the face of a depressed puppy.”
Come to think of it, I heard the Ministry of Justice and the Embroidered Guard quietly don’t get along very well.
Aren’t the Embroidered Guards selected from the Ministry of Justice?
Well, I’m sure they have their own circumstances.
“I think I’ve earned the Minister of Justice’s dislike.”
“If that is what worries you, do not trouble yourself.”
Warrior Jin Yeong smirked.
“Who would dare touch you? And if they do, go ahead and report them.”
“Pardon?”
“That official post of yours exists to be used at times like that.”
Ah, right. I’m a Censorate Inspector.
Thank you for the useful advice.
Warrior Jin Yeong continued.
“Ah, and as for the criminals you took with you this time, their labor site will be changed as you requested.”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to the former pirates, we learned that the ones who stole the small liquor bottles were the Blood Claw Pirates.
And we obtained fairly important information as well.
As promised, I reduced their labor period, but since they helped me more than expected, I should reward them accordingly.
So I asked for their labor site to be changed from a construction site to a place where the labor intensity was lower.
Come to think of it, the Unorthodox Qi I sensed from the former pirates has grown much weaker lately.
Master once told me,
Even if someone is evil, once they change their heart, their Unorthodox Qi begins to thin.
But he also said that making Unorthodox Qi disappear completely requires considerable effort.
Now that I think about it, their Qi started thinning after I showed them a bit of the Eunpoong Archer Division’s skill.
But why?
Did they have a change of heart or something?
–TL Notes–
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