I decided to play dumb for now.
“Naturally, this was Your Majesty's business. How could I possibly have put my own name on it?”
“You little bastard. You sure know how to talk your way out of things. After dumping all the infamy on me, no less.”
“On that matter, I can only say that it was unavoidable.”
I quickly wet my lips, ready to spin my tale. With my face practically pressed to the floor like this, there was no way he could see me anyway.
“Your Majesty ordered me to sweep up anything valuable before anyone else could get their hands on it. How could I possibly disobey an imperial command? But when I looked into the matter, I discovered that those treasures had been left by an ancestor who once lived in Springview Fortress for his descendants.”
“I know that much.”
I thought of the bloodstained scroll that had been found where the treasures now laid out before the Emperor had originally been kept.
“So I asked the Fortress Lord what he wished to do with them, and he said he wanted none of it. He didn't want to suffer that kind of grief or sacrifice ever again because of those treasures.”
I continued.
“But would anyone else really believe he'd simply give up a fortune for a reason like that?”
“Of course not.”
“Exactly. That was why I had no choice. Springview Fortress is now the Princess's marital home. If an unwanted Sword Tomb and unwanted treasures ended up turning the entire fortress into a wasteland, I didn't think Your Majesty would feel particularly pleased about it either.”
“So you dragged my name through the mud for my own sake?”
“Forgive me, but yes. The search for the Sword Tomb began under Your Majesty's command. Only if the treasure was also taken under Your Majesty's command would everyone accept it without question.”
“That much is true.”
“So I beg Your Majesty to forgive me with your boundless generosity.”
After a moment, the Emperor spoke.
“Rise.”
“Your Majesty's grace is boundless.”
I properly paid my respects before rising and lifting my head.
There was a smile hanging from the Emperor's lips.
“I know why you made that decision. Gwon Jik already told me the whole story.”
“…”
What the hell? If you knew everything already, why did you scare me half to death?
“Honestly, your name as the Handsome Young Hero is famous enough, but somehow it never came up even once in this whole affair. That rubbed me the wrong way.”
Ah…
So he was sulking because he'd been the only one stuck with all the infamy?
“Your Majesty, infamy isn't necessarily a bad thing. It inspires fear, and don't you need a certain amount of fear to rule an empire?”
“True enough. Some bastards won't listen no matter how nicely you speak to them.”
“In that case, if I've offended Your Majesty, cast me out and make that infamy complete. Then no one in the Empire would dare defy your commands.”
The Emperor snorted at my suggestion.
“Ha! You little bastard. And who exactly would that make happy? Why would I cast you out?”
“…Pardon?”
“If I cast you out, you'd be cheering on the inside. You're always plotting ways to get away from me.”
“…”
As expected, he wasn't easy to deal with. Tch.
That had been such a good opportunity, too.
“Well, you're right that infamy isn't always a bad thing, so I'll let that one go…”
The Emperor continued.
“If you remember the first command I gave you, I assume you remember the second as well?”
“Of course. You said that intruders would likely interfere while we searched the Sword Tomb, and that there was a good chance the people behind the scheme to seize Springview Fortress would be among them. You ordered me to find out who was backing them.”
“So you do remember.”
“And as Your Majesty ordered, I learned who was behind them.”
“Who were they?”
“They called themselves the Asura Blood Cult.”
“The Asura Blood Cult?”
“Yes. Does Your Majesty know anything about the Blood Cult?”
“I know a little. They were said to be an exceptionally brutal group. But as I recall, they were destroyed in a war against the Orthodox martial world more than two hundred years ago.”
The Emperor was right.
That war from more than two hundred years ago was the very war in which Great Hero Gwak Hun, the Extreme Heaven Sword, had made his name. The Heavenly Flow Ice Sword I had learned was the signature sword art he had wielded back then.
“They're publicly believed to have been destroyed, but it seems they barely managed to keep their lineage alive in secret. And now, they appear to be making a series of moves to rebuild the Blood Cult in earnest.”
“If what you're saying is true, this doesn't sound like something we can simply sit back and watch.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Understood.”
The Emperor drummed his fingers against the armrest, his expression grave.
Now that I'd planted that concern in his mind, the Emperor would undoubtedly dig much deeper into the Asura Blood Cult.
That would be the last thing the Asura Blood Cult wanted.
For me, however, it was exactly what I'd hoped for.
I was certain the Asura Blood Cult had been responsible for destroying Snow Wind Palace. If they ever learned that I was Snow Wind Palace's Young Palace Lord, or even that a survivor of Snow Wind Palace still existed, things would become extremely dangerous.
So for both my own safety and my master's revenge, the sooner the Asura Blood Cult disappeared from this world, the better.
“Does Your Majesty have anything else to ask this humble merchant?”
“No.”
“Then may this humble merchant ask Your Majesty one thing?”
“Granted.”
“The treasures we brought back from Springview Fortress this time unquestionably belonged to the Fortress Lord, though he chose to give them up. But as Your Majesty well knows, is there really anyone in this world who dislikes money?”
“…”
“He only made that choice because he wanted to prevent Springview Fortress from ever suffering another tragedy like that one. To him, Springview Fortress and his family mattered more than money.”
I paused for a breath before continuing with a smile.
“So, Your Majesty… how about giving the Fortress Lord a little cut?”
Silence lingered for a moment.
“Hahahaha!”
The Emperor burst into roaring laughter.
“Hahahahaha!”
Come on, if you laugh that hard, even I'm starting to feel embarrassed.
“A cut, you say! After everything that happened, he never abandoned his loyalty to me, and I even sent my daughter there to become his daughter-in-law. Do I look like such a petty bastard that I wouldn't even give him his cut?”
I hurriedly lowered my head.
“Of course not. I was merely appealing to Your Majesty's mercy.”
“I like money too. But not so much that I'd steal the inheritance someone's ancestors left behind. You may have saddled me with all that infamy, but I'm not that kind of bastard.”
Your Majesty… you can hold a grudge every bit as long as I can.
The Emperor looked toward the bloodstained scroll lying on his desk, his expression hardening.
“That gold and silver will be used for Springview Fortress. If anyone should be asking for a cut, it's me.”
As expected of His Majesty.
This was exactly why I liked the Emperor.
Aside from the way he worked me to the bone and the fact that every audience with him felt like it shaved years off my life.
And then there was the way the Emperor was looking at me right now.
He was debating whether to drag me into the Imperial Palace for good.
I needed to cut off this train of thought immediately.
“And forgive me, Your Majesty, but…”
“What now?”
“Who should I submit the invoice to for the supplies used during our expedition to investigate Springview Fortress?”
“Ah… right. There was that too.”
“Just to be safe, I trust the payment won't be deducted from the Fortress Lord's share.”
“…Get out.”
“Then this humble merchant will take his leave.”
When the Emperor tells you to leave, you leave immediately. Otherwise, you end up sweating bullets all over again.
When I stepped out of the Emperor's study, Warrior Jin Yeong was waiting for me.
“You're finished?”
“Yes.”
“I'll see you to the front of the Imperial Palace.”
“Thank you.”
If he was personally seeing me out when he normally didn't, he clearly had something he wanted to say.
After we'd walked together for a while, Warrior Jin Yeong spoke first.
“I heard from Warrior Gwon Jik. On the way to and from Yunnan this time, you had Warrior Jang and Warrior Song pull a cart, didn't you?”
I saw no reason to hide what I'd done or why I'd done it.
I'd already told Gwon Jik the reason anyway.
“Yes, I did. They came up to me and mocked me, calling me a lowborn merchant blinded by money. If that had been all, I wouldn't have gone that far. But they also made crude remarks about my betrothed, Deputy Gwak, who was standing beside me. I lost my temper and treated members of the Embroidered Guard that way, so please punish me as you see fit.”
I cupped my fist and respectfully bowed my head.
“No.”
Warrior Jin Yeong raised a hand to stop me.
“Those two should be grateful their heads are still attached to their shoulders.”
Warrior Jin Yeong really did know me well.
“Of course, hauling that heavy cart all the way to Yunnan and back must've been absolute hell…”
Which was why they had made such fine entertainment for me the entire round trip.
“Still, that alone isn't enough. I'll apologize on their behalf.”
Gwon Jik had done the same thing. Why were they both apologizing for those two?
“You did nothing wrong, so why apologize in their place? My betrothed and I aren't angry anymore. That's enough.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm glad to hear it.”
Warrior Jang Gal and Warrior Song Cheong still hadn't apologized to me, but I didn't particularly care.
I had no use for meaningless apologies that weren't sincere.
It wasn't as though I were some magnanimous saint who would generously forgive anyone just because they'd said sorry.
“Actually, the reason I brought this up is that I'm thinking of officially adding it to the Embroidered Guard's training regimen.”
“Pardon?”
“Warrior Gwon Jik told me something interesting. He said that when he asked you about it, you told him that if men who spent their personal time entertaining foolish thoughts were simply left alone, they'd eventually bring shame upon the Embroidered Guard. Isn't that right?”
“…”
“He also said it worked remarkably well as individual training. Apparently, just as you claimed, the effects were considerable. Their attitudes changed, and their skills improved as well.”
“I see.”
Even after all that, they still hadn't apologized to me. Had they simply chosen not to come? Or were they unable to bring themselves to?
“For Warriors whose loyalty has grown lax, I'm thinking of making them pull carts loaded with anywhere from roughly half a ton to a full ton of iron. For the lighter route, they'll go as far as Gaebong. For the harsher one, they'll make the round trip all the way to distant Guangxi.”
“Warrior Gwon Jik, tell me the truth. Is that really training? Or is it punishment disguised as training?”
“Hahaha! So you figured it out after all! Is it because you're the inventor of the method?”
That really wasn't what I'd intended…
I gave him a bitter smile.
“I have one request.”
“What is it?”
“Please keep it secret that this training method came from me.”
If people found out I was the reason that training existed, there wouldn't be just one or two people trying to kill me.
Of course, technically speaking, the ones who started all this weren't me, but Warrior Jang Gal and Warrior Song Cheong.
None of this would have happened if they hadn't picked a fight with me in the first place.
Good.
If that ever happened, I'd just pin the blame on those two warriors.
.
.
.
The next day.
I received a visit from someone I hadn't expected.
“This humble merchant pays his respects to the Imperial Son-in-Law.”
At my respectful greeting, Young Lord Yeon Yu-mun flusteredly waved both hands.
“We haven't formally held the wedding yet.”
“You've already consummated the marriage, so isn't it fair to say you're as good as married?”
“Well… I suppose that's true, but…”
“What brings you all the way here, though?”
At my question, Young Lord Yeon Yu-mun – no, Imperial Son-in-Law Yeon Yu-mun – rose from his seat, cupped his fist toward me, and bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
“W-wait! What are you doing? What if someone sees us?”
“I heard you spoke to His Majesty on behalf of Springview Fortress. If I can't even show this much gratitude to someone who did that for us, what kind of man would I be?”
Ah…
So he'd heard about what happened yesterday.
“I understand how you feel, so please sit back down.”
At my words, he thanked me once more before returning to his seat.
“His Majesty said he would return the wealth brought from Springview Fortress this time.”
“Did he?”
“However, if he sends it all back at once, there are sure to be greedy bastards who'll set their sights on it. So he said he'll keep it in the Imperial Palace for now, then gradually return it under suitable pretexts.”
“That's good to hear.”
After what the Emperor had told me yesterday, I'd expected him to keep his word. But I hadn't expected him to summon Yeon Yu-mun and settle everything this quickly.
Still, had he really come all this way just to thank me for that?
It was certainly something he had every reason to be grateful for, but…
“And His Majesty asked me to give you this.”
He pulled an envelope from his clothes and held it out to me.
“What's this?”
“Open it.”
I opened the envelope and looked at the bank draft inside.
“Isn't this a bank draft?”
“He said it's payment for the supplies used during this expedition.”
Ah, he'd already settled the bill.
I compared the bank draft to the amount on the invoice I'd submitted this time.
It matched down to the last tael.
“Thank you. I'll accept it gratefully.”
“And… would it be all right if I came by here from time to time?”
“Why do you ask?”
“I think I'm going to need somewhere I can come and complain. His Majesty gave me one month. He told me to go enjoy myself as much as I possibly could until then.”
I knew exactly what that meant.
“In fifteen days, we'll formally hold the wedding. Then I'll spend another fifteen days with the Princess before… His Majesty begins my hands-on training in earnest.”
Then he stared blankly into the distance with suspiciously moist eyes.
I reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. Anyone watching might cause an uproar over me daring to touch the Imperial Son-in-Law's shoulder, but what could I do?
We were fellow sufferers now. Someone had to comfort the poor man.
“Just endure three years. People don't die that easily.”
“…”
“Come by whenever you want.”
There was a reason I could say that so casually.
It wasn't as though I intended to spend the entire year at the Beijing Branch, and Imperial Son-in-Law Yeon Yu-mun probably wouldn't have enough free time to visit this place very often anyway.
After he left, a letter arrived from Headquarters in Hubei.
I broke into a broad smile as I read it.
Brother Jeong-ho would be here soon.
–TL Notes–
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