WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Episode 46: Imperial Palace (2)
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Left Assistant Censor O Mu-yang, no, Yang Mu-o, was utterly confused.
Wasn't Kang Mu-i supposed to be imprisoned at Changcheon Martial Academy alongside Sa Mu-heo, as the mastermind behind the arson and the true culprit behind the murder of Young Chun, the Eastern River Sword Sage's disciple?
Changcheon Martial Academy would never have released Kang Mu-i.
Then how was Kang Mu-i here?
‘Could it be?’
All sorts of possibilities flashed through Yang Mu-o's mind.
Come to think of it, hadn't the Eastern River Sword Sage, who had come to Changcheon Martial Academy, lost to this fellow Mumu?
There was no reason for the Eastern River Sword Sage to suddenly fight a new cadet. It was a battle that offered nothing, regardless of the outcome.
Yet they had fought, which meant...
‘Did this bastard protect him?’
That would make sense.
If Mumu had fought to protect Kang Mu-i, then the rumor Yang Mu-o had only half believed would fit perfectly.
From that, Yang Mu-o inferred one thing.
‘Was there something between the two of them?’
Perhaps they had joined forces, or this bastard was Kang Mu-i's hidden trump card.
Yet that explanation had plenty of holes as well.
If a Grandmaster-level master had been a hidden trump card, there was no reason to use one as a desperate measure like this.
Besides, wasn't Mumu the very one who had captured Kang Mu-i?
‘What in the world is going on?’
Yang Mu-o could not understand the situation at all.
Then Mumu spoke.
“You seem to have a lot of questions.”
“Y-you bastard, what exactly are you? Why are you with Kang Mu-i...?”
“We can talk about that later.”
“What?”
“I have something to do, and I came because I was worried you might try something pointless while I'm gone.”
“Something pointless?”
“We'll talk again once I'm done. It won't take long.”
“What the hell are you trying to...?”
-Grab! Rattle-rattle-rattle!
“Uaaaargh!”
Before Yang Mu-o could finish, Mumu violently shook the head he was holding.
Pain exploded through Yang Mu-o's skull as his brain rattled, and Yang Mu-o's eyes rolled back.
Drool even streamed from his mouth.
‘...What a pitiful sight.’
Yeong-jeon, the heir of the Moak Estate, silently clicked his tongue as he watched.
As far as he knew, Yang Mu-o was a supreme master who had reached the true Master level, comparable to the Ten Great Masters of the Force of Justice.
Yet Mumu subdued someone like that as though handling a child.
He truly was an unbelievable monster.
Yeong-jeon had still felt miserable over his choice, but not anymore.
Perhaps that choice had saved the Moak Estate.
* * *
Geumjeong Palace.
Within the vast Imperial Palace, the outer palace housed administrative institutions such as the Six Ministries, the Censorate, the National Academy, and the Hanlin Academy.
The inner palace contained the grand hall where official meetings were held, the Transmission Office, which handled memorials submitted to the Emperor and edicts proclaiming the Emperor's orders, the imperial family's residences, and the Inner Court, where imperial consorts and noble ladies resided.
At the heart of the inner palace stood Geumhwang Hall, home to the Emperor's office, residence, and grand hall.
The Emperor's office in Geumhwang Hall.
-Bang!
Someone slammed a fist onto the dragon-carved desk.
The middle-aged man with long earlobes, clad in an ornate golden dragon robe, was Hong In-se, the current Emperor.
-Bang!
Unable to contain his fury, Emperor Hong In-se struck the desk again.
The three officials prostrated before him did not dare raise their heads.
Looking down at them, Emperor Hong In-se spoke.
“How could that bastard King Jin enter the palace alive and well?”
“...”
“What did you tell me? Didn't you say I would hear news of King Jin's death within half a day? Then what is this?”
The reason for the Emperor's foul mood was King Jin's return to the palace.
He had desperately wanted King Jin dealt with before he entered the palace.
If King Jin entered safely like this, the powerful ministers from the Former Emperor's reign, whose influence he had weakened, and King Jin's supporters could begin moving again.
“If King Jin uses the attack against him as justification to gather his forces, do you truly not know what will happen?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Right Commander. Speak. What will you do now? The Flying Horse Brigade you told me to trust botched the task.”
At that question, Man Yeong-gi, the Right Commander of the Five Military Command, raised his head from where he had been prostrating himself.
“Your Majesty. There was a major variable in this matter.”
“A variable?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Neither this subject nor the Chief Brigade Leader of the Flying Horse Brigade present here realized that King Jin had a Grandmaster-level supreme master at his side.”
“Grandmaster-level?”
“There was a supreme master comparable to the Imperial Uncle.”
“What?”
A crease formed between Emperor Hong In-se's brows.
Though he had never learned Martial Arts, he had lived through the Mighty Conqueror Council's rebellion as a prince and witnessed the might of the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle, one of the Four Immortal Masters. He knew well how frightening a Grandmaster-level supreme master could be.
The Emperor lowered his voice somewhat.
“...Is that true?”
“It is, Your Majesty.”
“Then did the Imperial Uncle intervene?”
“That does not appear to be the case.”
“If not, who protected that bastard King Jin? Didn't the Northern Heaven Fist Hero boast that they would never leave Sichuan?”
“This subject cannot say for certain. But we came to see Your Majesty in such haste because this is our last chance.”
“Our last chance?”
At Emperor Hong In-se's question, Geum Jeong-sin, the Minister of Rites, raised their head.
“Yes, Your Majesty. As the Right Commander said, if we let this chance slip away, King Jin may harbor treasonous ambitions and throw the Imperial Palace into chaos.”
“What? How dare he!”
-Bang!
Emperor Hong In-se shot to his feet.
If what the Minister of Rites said came to pass, it would be the worst possible outcome for Emperor Hong In-se.
King Jin's influence remained that dangerous.
The Emperor shoved the desk aside and approached Geum Jeong-sin, who was still prostrated on the floor. Pressing down on their shoulder, he spoke.
“What is this chance the Minister of Rites speaks of? Are you telling me to kill that bastard King Jin inside the Imperial Palace?”
“...”
Geum Jeong-sin did not answer.
That silence was close enough to an affirmation.
“Hah.”
Emperor Hong In-se's face hardened in disbelief.
“Is this the conclusion you reached? You want me to openly take the life of a member of the imperial family who has returned to the palace? Do you call that advice?”
-Thud!
“Your Majesty, you must make a decision.”
Man Yeong-gi struck his forehead against the floor as he spoke.
“What? I clearly...”
“This subject and the others know well how much Your Majesty values justification. But now, when the Southern Blade Imperial Uncle is absent and the powerful ministers have yet to gather, is the perfect time.”
“The perfect time?”
“If we miss this chance, we may not be able to stop King Jin's treasonous ambitions, as the Minister of Rites warned. If that happens, considering justification will become meaningless. Please make a decision for the sake of the great undertaking!”
“...”
Emperor Hong In-se was left speechless.
In truth, he knew that once he had openly sent the Flying Horse Brigade to attempt an assassination, there was no longer any room to consider justification.
The Emperor straightened his back, clasped his hands behind him, and let out a deep sigh.
Then he looked down at them.
“Then what will you do?”
At those words, Man Yeong-gi slammed his forehead against the floor and shouted.
“I am humbled by Your Majesty's decision!”
“I am humbled by Your Majesty's decision!”
Geum Jeong-sin and the masked Chief Brigade Leader of the Flying Horse Brigade shouted after him.
Emperor Hong In-se looked at them with displeasure.
“Enough nonsense. Tell me the plan.”
Man Yeong-gi hid his twitching lips, raised his head, and spoke.
“Please summon King Jin to the grand hall.”
* * *
The entrance to the majestic grand hall.
King Jin Hong Myeong-in, dressed in the formal robes of a feudal king, Princess Seo Hong Na-yeon, dressed in an elaborate sky-blue ceremonial gown, Agong the Double-Saber Wanderer King, and Mumu, wearing a Skin Mask, were being searched by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
They had already been inspected before entering the inner palace, but to enter Geumhwang Hall, where the Emperor was, they had to undergo another search of their belongings and bodies.
That was where a problem arose.
Members of the imperial family were normally exempt from inspection.
“What?”
“My apologies, but even if you are a member of the imperial family, you must leave all your belongings behind.”
“It is an exemption granted by the Former Emperor.”
“My apologies. These are the current Emperor's orders.”
“Hah.”
King Jin sighed.
Because he had the inspection exemption, he had intended to bring in the two great sabers carried by Agong, who had accompanied him as a guard.
But it appeared they would have to enter unarmed.
Agong nodded, knowing there was no way around it.
‘As expected. Something is suspicious.’
He had said it was fine, but without the two great sabers that should have been in his hands, he could not display his full strength. His vigilance could only grow.
The Double-Saber Wanderer King glanced at Mumu, who was looking around in fascination.
‘Do I have no choice but to trust Peerless Herculean Strength?’
If not for Mumu, Agong would have opposed going to the grand hall without question.
King Jin had also intended to refuse to go to the grand hall alone, even if it was an imperial command.
But the Emperor's side had sent word that he could bring guards, so they were going to enter the grand hall.
“It is a precious bow. Please keep it safe.”
“I will remember that, Your Highness.”
Princess Seo Hong Na-yeon had to hand over her unique weapon as well, the Flowing Fire Scarlet Star.
Having her means of protecting herself taken away could have made her uneasy, but she remained calm.
That was because Mumu was there.
Once the inspection of their belongings and bodies had ended, they entered the grand hall.
The moment they were completely inside...
-Creeeak! Thud!
The entrance shut behind them.
‘...’
King Jin's brow furrowed slightly.
It was very rare for the doors to the grand hall to be closed as soon as someone entered.
Yet they shut the moment his party was fully inside.
‘So it really is a trap.’
Everything was proceeding exactly as he had feared.
King Jin looked ahead.
Far away, the Emperor sat arrogantly on the throne. On either side below the platform stood two elderly eunuchs in blue and red official robes.
‘Hah.’
Tension filled Agong's eyes when he saw the two eunuchs.
He had heard rumors.
It was said that the Imperial Palace had two Grand Elders, supreme masters comparable to Grandmaster-level experts, who protected the current Emperor.
It seemed the rumor was true.
‘...They're strong.’
Their sharp, honed presences stimulated his Ki sense.
Even though they had concealed their auras, the pressure they gave off was unmistakable.
Everything about them made it clear that they were masters a level above him.
Yet they were not the only problem.
To the right beneath the throne platform stood an unknown official in the uniform of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wearing a white mask.
The aura emanating from the official was no trifling matter either.
‘We've walked right into a deathtrap.’
Hong Na-yeon was not as tense as Agong, but she too could not hide her inner surprise when she saw the two Grand Elders protecting the Emperor.
As a member of the imperial family, she had heard rumors about them since childhood.
But seeing them directly after learning Martial Arts astonished her.
‘Strong... far too strong.’
She could not even guess where the limits of their strength lay.
The claim that they possessed strength comparable to Grandmaster-level experts had not been exaggerated.
As Hong Na-yeon stood tense, Mumu whispered so only she could hear.
“Is that person the Emperor?”
“Mm.”
She quietly nodded.
Mumu gestured toward the Emperor with his eyes.
“Do I just have to deal with that person?”
‘!?’
Hong Na-yeon had not thought much of Mumu's remark, but her expression froze.
She looked at Mumu with startled eyes.
The last time he had said that, she had thought he was only trying to comfort her.
But...
‘...Was he serious?’
Looking into Mumu's eyes, she knew he was not joking.
Footnotes:
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