Chapter 1947 - Return of The Mount Hua Sect

Chapter 1947. So It Was Still There. Within Me. (2)

“What is the situation?”

“It’s the worst it could be.”

A small secluded chamber. It wasn’t called a secret chamber because it was locked away, but because no one would dare approach it without permission.

Four men dressed in official robes, symbols of the highest ranks of government, occupied the room.

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying they can’t be stopped? Just what are the Jinyiwei and the Imperial Army doing, that they can’t even handle a mere few hundred enemies?”

[Jinyiwei. 금의위(錦衣衛). Literally “Embroidered Uniform Guard”. The Ming dynasty’s elite imperial military guard and secret police, directly subordinate to the emperor. Wow? Mount Hua novel set in the Ming Dynasty confirmed?!]

The elderly high official’s voice burst forth in furious indignation, causing the middle-aged military officer clad in armor to knit his brows.

“Please mind your words, Grand Secretary. The Imperial Army is not weak. As you yourself said, we are not an army that would be driven back by a mere few hundred enemies.”

“Then?”

“You already know, don’t you? It won’t end with only that. Have you learned nothing from history?”

At that instant, the old minister’s face stiffened.

It would never end there... Yes. He was right.

The same thing had happened over a hundred years ago. At first, the Imperial Family had laughed at the attacks of what they regarded as nothing more than a heretical cult. But after ten days, they could no longer laugh. After twenty days, they were forced to cast aside everything in their hands and flee north.

Even the Emperor had ultimately passed away from the wounds sustained during that catastrophe.

“I am well aware of that humiliation.”

That humiliation had never remained mere humiliation. They had lost far too much because of that dreadful disaster.

The Northern Army had been annihilated, forcing them to abandon all campaigns against the northern tribes. Provincial warlords ignored the authority of the Imperial Family and ran rampant as they pleased. To the west, mounted bandits pillaged the Central Plains as though it were their own home, while every manner of ruffian swept across the realm like swarms of locusts, gnawing away at it.

And throughout all of it, the Imperial Court endured and endured again. Because they needed strength before they could punish them. Even as the ruffians of jianghu roamed the world as though it belonged to them, even as the wars within jianghu brought suffering upon innocent commoners, the Court had no choice but to remain silent until the very end.

And yet...

“Only now... only now did I believe we had finally cultivated the strength to cast off that humiliation. So why? Why have they risen once again? Why!”

Only now had the time finally come.

Only now were they nearing the point where they could reclaim the authority of the Imperial Family and rule All Under Heaven once more. Even Heaven had no mercy. Why did those bastards have to come to Beijing of all places?

“Lamenting won’t change anything. What matters is how we intend to deal with them.”

The beardless man seated opposite the elderly minister let out a sigh before speaking.

“So then, commander-in-Chief, what do you intend to do?”

[Dodok. 도독(都督). A high-ranking military commander entrusted with overall command of regional or strategic forces. Commander-in-Chief (archaic); provincial military governor and civil administrator.]

The military officer who had been addressed did not even appear to consider the question before shaking his head.

“We must abandon Beijing and retreat.”

“What the...?!”

The old official known as the Grand Secretary practically shrieked.

“Do you even understand what those words mean? Abandon Beijing? Are you proposing another imperial flight? Shall we once again suffer the disgrace of abandoning the capital and fleeing before nothing more than a pack of heretics?”

It was utterly unacceptable.

An imperial flight.

[Mongjin. 몽진(蒙塵). Literally, “to be covered in dust”. A historical euphemism referring to the emperor leaving the palace and fleeing during a national crisis. The expression deliberately softens the act by implying that the Son of Heaven merely became “dust-covered” while traveling.]

In truth, it was not particularly rare for an emperor to abandon the palace and flee. The problem was that every time such an imperial flight occurred, the authority of the Imperial Family suffered damage beyond measure.

To this aged minister, who had devoted his entire life to strengthening imperial authority, such a thing could never be accepted.

“However great the humiliation may be....”

But the military officer refused to yield either.

“Wouldn’t it still be better than having His Majesty butchered by the Demonic Cult?”

“What nonsense are you spouting, you insolent fool! Just because your mouth is attached to your face doesn’t mean—”

“Enough!”

A tiger-like roar exploded from the military officer’s mouth.

“Look at the situation for what it is.”

“.....”

“No one wishes to stand and fight more than this man. Rather than be remembered by history as a cowardly commander-in-Chief who fled before a mere Demonic Cult, I’d much rather die fighting and be remembered as a valiant general.”

The Grand Secretary fell silent. The military officer before him truly was the sort of man who would make exactly that choice.

“But that would be disloyalty. What we should be thinking about now isn’t honor, nor pride, nor some distant future. It’s surviving today.”

The military officer’s folded arms trembled with restrained fury. Even he seemed unable to accept the fact that he was arguing for retreat with his own mouth. The beardless man, who had quietly observed everything, finally spoke.

“Commander-in-Chief.”

“Yes, Grand Eunuch.”

[Eunuch. Taegam. 태감(太監). A senior palace eunuch. During many dynasties, taegam often held immense political influence within the Imperial Family.]

“Are they truly that powerful?”

The military officer, the Commander-in-Chief bit down firmly on his lip.

“The Imperial Army is not weak. Whoever they may be, we are not so feeble that we would abandon even the thought of fighting them.”

“Then why insist upon an imperial flight?”

“Because we don’t know what lies behind them.”

“What lies behind them? What do you mean by—”

“Have you forgotten? Whenever that Heretic Cult rose, the Demon was always with it.”

“.....”

“The Demon recorded in the Imperial Palace Archives. Even if only half of those absurd records... no, even half of that half... is true.... I cannot guarantee His Majesty’s safety”

[Imperial Palace Archives. Hwanggung Birok. 황궁비록(皇宮秘錄). Literally “Secret Records of the Imperial Palace.” A confidential collection of records preserved within the imperial palace rather than official public dynastic histories.]

“And how can you place your faith in such preposterous records?”

The Commander-in-Chief glared at the Grand Secretary.

“If those ‘preposterous’ records turn out to be true, and His Majesty meets a tragic end because of it, will Grand Secretary bear that responsibility?”

The Grand Secretary fell silent. It was only natural. Who could possibly dare take responsibility for something so catastrophic?

“We must at least escort His Majesty to safety.”

“And the Imperial Army?”

“One force will accompany and protect His Majesty. The other will remain here and hold them back.”

“Hmm.”

The Grand Secretary pondered for a moment before giving a heavy nod.

“Then the officials shall accompany His Majesty as well.”

At those words, the eunuch clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“If that’s the plan, wouldn’t it be better to slip away quietly instead? What’s the point of making such a grand spectacle, marching out with the Imperial Army and the entire body of court officials?”

“...We cannot ask His Majesty to endure even the humiliation of fleeing like a thief.”

“And if he flees in splendid procession, does that somehow make it less humiliating?”

“Grand Eunuch!”

The beardless man slowly shook his head.

“Do as you please. I’ll simply follow whatever you all decide.”

“Then His Majesty...”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward the eunuch. He idly scratched his smooth chin before answering in an indifferent tone.

“What’s so difficult about persuading him? If we tell him to go, he’ll go. He’ll grumble a little, but it won’t last long. If we tell him it’s simply a pleasure excursion to the south, wouldn’t he probably be delighted instead?”

A brief silence settled over them.

“...Shouldn’t we explain the situation to him properly?”

“Then you do it.”

“.....”

The eunuch muttered with eyes that looked half-dead.

“Trying to speak to someone who has no intention of listening... how’s that any different from talking to a wall?”

“Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial!”

[Salye Taegam. 사례태감(司禮太監). The chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, one of the most powerful palace offices. Historically, the holder of this office often exercised enormous influence over the emperor and state affairs.]

“I know, I know. It’s disloyal, isn’t it? I’ll watch my tongue.”

The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial waved his hand dismissively, as though everything were a nuisance.

“Ahem.”

“Mm.”

The Grand Secretary and the Commander-in-Chief both flushed faintly. But neither pressed the palace eunuch any further. They knew that his attitude did not stem solely from disloyalty.

“Then let’s proceed at once.”

“Agreed.”

It was then.

“One moment.”

For the first time since entering the room, someone who had remained silent finally spoke.

Unlike the Grand Secretary, who appeared to be in his seventies, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who looked at least fifty, and the Commander-in-Chief, a middle-aged man around forty, the young man had yet to grow even a proper beard.

He seemed utterly out of place amid such grave deliberations.

“You still have one matter left to discuss.”

“What matter would that be, Attendant Reader Scholar?”

[Sidok Haksa. 시독학사(侍讀學士). Literally “Attendant Reader Scholar.” A court scholar responsible for attending the emperor, reading and explaining the Confucian classics, and providing scholarly counsel.]

Yet no one present found it strange that he was there. That could only mean this young man enjoyed complete trust, one that transcended both his office and his age.

“What will you do about the people?”

Those words caused each of the remaining three men to reveal a different expression.

“The people?”

“Shouldn’t they be evacuated as well?”

The Grand Secretary’s face immediately clouded with difficulty.

“I understand what you’re saying, but we no longer have the capacity for that. Time is running short.”

The Grand Eunuch answered with equal indifference.

“If the common people also try to flee, there’s no telling what kind of chaos might erupt along His Majesty’s route during the imperial flight. Better not make matters any larger than they already are.”

The young scholar smiled gently.

“The people trust His Majesty as though he were their father. And His Majesty watches over the people as though they were his children.”

“...Now, listen here.”

“What parent abandons his children and flees alone?”

“Ahem.”

The Grand Secretary coughed awkwardly. The Attendant Reader Scholar swept a cold gaze across them before slowly shaking his head. It was the gesture of someone who had never expected anything different.

“I’ll do it.”

“....You’ll do it?”

“Once His Majesty departs, everyone will undoubtedly follow after him in the name of serving him. Shouldn't someone remain here to lead the people? I’ll do it. Simply assign ten thousand Imperial soldiers to me.”

“Very well, that can be arran—”

“No.”

The Commander-in-Chief’s cold voice cut through the room.

“The army cannot be divided.”

The Attendant Reader Scholar fixed him with a gaze sharp enough to freeze the air.

“There are no fewer than thirty thousand Imperial troops defending Beijing. And you’re saying you cannot spare even ten thousand?”

“Twenty thousand must remain to defend this place. The remaining ten thousand must protect His Majesty.”

“Is that so? Then what about five thousand?”

“Impossible.”

“Haha. Is that so? Then what about one thousand?”

“That too is impossible.”

“.....”

The Attendant Reader Scholar quietly looked at the Commander-in-Chief without a word. The Grand Secretary spoke.

“This cannot be helped. You know better than anyone that His Majesty’s safety comes before everything else.”

“I’m not so sure.”

At that, the Attendant Reader Scholar let out an odd smile.

“I’m not certain whether His Majesty’s safety truly is the most important thing. But I do know one other thing.”

“...One other thing?”

“I know why this country is doomed.”

“You insolent—!”

“I understand. I don’t need the Imperial Army. Nor do I need reinforcements. Just grant me the authority to evacuate the people... Ah, no. Never mind. I’ll seek an audience with His Majesty and obtain it myself.”

The Attendant Reader Scholar abruptly rose from his seat. The look he cast upon the other three men was filled with unmistakable contempt.

“I sincerely hope your remarkably stubborn lives endure long enough that we may meet again.”

“You insolent wretch!”

Without so much as a backward glance, the Attendant Reader Scholar strode out of the room. After crossing the courtyard and walking some distance away, a group of young officials who had been waiting in the distance hurried toward him.

“Sahyung! What happened?”

“Was the outcome any different from what we expected?”

“Damn it!”

Every one of them ground their teeth. In the end, those men had chosen to preserve their own lives under the pretext of protecting the Emperor.

“So what do we do now?”

“Twenty thousand Imperial soldiers will hold them back. We’ll use that time to evacuate as many people as possible.”

“Will that even be possible?”

“They’re the Demonic Cult. The Imperial Army has spent too long steeped in peace. They’re no match for enemies like that. Perhaps things would be different if the Crimson Banner Army were still here. But they’ve been exiled to the Western Regions.”

[Crimson Banner Army. Ganggigun. 강기군(絳旗軍). Literally “Crimson Banner Army.” Gang (絳) refers to a deep crimson or dark red color. The unit appears to be an elite imperial military force.]

“If things go wrong, not only will the people be massacred, we may all die alongside them.”

“So?”

The Attendant Reader Scholar turned a frigid gaze upon his fellow disciples.

“Are you suggesting we flee alongside those old men instead? Spend our days currying favor with the Emperor?”

Yet rather than flinching beneath that icy stare, they simply grinned.

“What are you talking about? I’m saying we’d better make sure our preparations are thorough.”

“So we proceed according to the evacuation plan we’ve already prepared?”

“And relax your eyes. You’re not scary just because you’re glaring.”

Listening to their teasing voices, the Attendant Reader Scholar couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh. After all, it was precisely because they were this sort of people that they still stood beside him.

“We evacuate the people immediately.”

“Sahyung. But this is unquestionably reckless. At this rate, not only us but more than half the people will be slaughtered.”

“I know.”

“Then why are you so calm? Do you have something to rely on?”

“Something to rely on...”

The Attendant Reader Scholar paused.

“I wouldn’t call it reliance so much as...”

Attendant Reader Scholar, Jwa Gohak looked up at the sky. A mysterious smile forms on the corners of his lips.

[Jwa Gohak. 좌고학(左孤鶴). Jwa = Left, Go = solitary, Hak = crane.]

 “They’re simply insane by nature.”

“Huh?”

They would be coming. If it was them, they would come without fail. Jwa Gohak believed that.

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