As Prophet - Chapter 106
Only Krnovel
Episode 106. The Guest
This time, Baek Ui-hyung changed the subject.
“What does Lee Jeong think?”
“He’s a good person.”
“I was quite fond of you.”
“Why should I hear that from the death row?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Are you going to cut them down like rice straw?”
“It’s not like that anyway. I have no intention of getting married and starting a family.”
“Lee Jeong-i will probably die.”
“Hey, why do you keep doing that?”
“That’s what they say.”
“Again. What else? The future of the two officials is bleak, and Miss Baek is unmarried and celibate. What other materials did you bring?”
“Why? Will you listen if I tell you?”
“Please speak.”
“Okay, let me tell you one more thing. Do you remember those young eyes that used to look at you?”
“Phew.”
Dalcheon finally let out a deep sigh.
“I asked you to come to my house and leave my child with me. I mean, the children of the ignorant commoners who don’t even know the sky. I mean, the gentle people who gave you their best in the hope that the child would learn to read and write and study martial arts, and that he might eventually become a military officer of this country.”
“Whew, yeah. If I could, I would have brought a few of them here.”
“Little Boy, Flounder, and what was their name? You gave them hope and then you gave them despair. Those children will live a worse life than their parents. There is no other way.”
“Phew.”
“It seems like you feel that sense of responsibility.”
“It’s a shame. What is this because of that little brat who isn’t even a king?”
“How harsh your words are. Call me a brat, Your Majesty.”
“Their own world, where they rule over us in the water.”
“You are being too talkative.”
“If we had behaved properly, would this have come out like this?”
“And by us, don’t you mean me as well?”
“I spoke in a narrow sense. In a country of scholars, scholars are natural and pretend to be polite. The national defense has collapsed and there are no soldiers to mobilize. No matter who comes in, this country will collapse.”
“That is a harsh judgment. Do you think these people will let that happen?”
“I acknowledge that he cares about his people, but that’s not the case. He’s a nationalist idiot who doesn’t even know what’s going on outside.”
“so!”
Baek Yi-hyung shouted while hitting his knee.
“In the future, the mountains will not cooperate with Joseon. Where did you get the name Joseon? You are only taking the name of the ancient country Joseon, which had ten countries under it, and you are calling it a country with less than a hundredth of its true intentions, so isn’t it shameful? As a sage of the ancient Joseon, I promise that I will never cooperate with this country.”
“Are you planning to send a notice to each mountain?”
“I will send it in the name of Taebaek.”
Baek Ui-hyeong was surprised by the words spoken in the name of Taebaek. There were occasional messages from that name. It would come only once every few years, but when it did, the master would receive the news and bow down as if he were welcoming a distinguished guest. It is said that the spirit of Taebaek is respected and bowed down by all mountain people. I do not know whether Dalcheon has the authority or ability to promote it.
“Oh, please don’t do that. It looks like you haven’t had a good experience so far.”
“Isn’t this the result? The Japanese pirates cause trouble, discriminate against temples and destroy them, the wise men think they are good men’s bands when they see rare talents, and the people think they are governing. Again!”
“I knew you had unique thoughts, but… … .”
“Go back. I will take revenge on you.”
An obvious curse… I wondered if this was the young Dalcheon I knew.
“Priest… … .”
Baek Ui-hyeong realized belatedly that the Dalcheon he met in the mountains was different from the Dalcheon he had met before. He was not the kind of person who could be taken lightly because he was young. He was the master of a mountain, and the king of all mountains encompassing the Three Hans and Liaodong.
Dalcheon got up, turned around, and went out the door. Then he stood sideways in front of the door and waited for him to leave. Baek Ui-hyeong’s shoulders slumped at the silent order of the guests. If he wasn’t the king’s subject, there was no reason for him to be like this. Suddenly, he envied his freedom. Even if he gave up his official position, he couldn’t be as free as he was.
“I don’t know which way to go.”
“Just go down the road and you’ll die.”
At this point, kindness is not kindness. Baek Ui-hyeong went down the mountain slowly. He passed the rough rocky terrain and the waterfall. He didn’t remember how he got to the pine forest, the gravel field, and the temple.
When Baek Ui-hyeong came down with a blank look on his face, Wonju Monk greeted him warmly. It seemed that he now knew who he was, why he had come, and why he had come down with such a weak look.
“I’d like to treat you to a cup of tea.”
“thank you.”
I went up to the main room and sat in a room with yellow paper pasted on it.
“It looks like things didn’t go well for you.”
“Yes. I came to take them to Hanyang, but they all said no. They were very angry.”
“Have a drink.”
“He wasn’t that kind of kid, and we didn’t have that kind of relationship, but he just acted like everyone else. Is it like that when you go into the mountains?”
“There must be a reason. He is young, but he is not young. He is the master of a mountain. All the mountains and rivers of Joseon bow down to him. Now that word has spread that he has returned, many mountain people will come to see him.”
“I guess so.”
“Taebaek here is a kind of hometown. It’s like the hometown of all mountain people… … .”
“I see. It was a mistake to try to approach you based on our past relationship.”
“Why? Did you just grab it?”
“He refuted each and every one of my points and then told me to get down.”
The monk Wonju looked at Baek Ui-hyeong’s expression and asked quietly.
“What would you like to say to His Majesty?”
“I intend to resign, saying that I failed to carry out the order.”
“Are you resigning because you failed at your job?”
“That’s how it is for a warrior. Even if you lose a battle, you must die. Even if things go wrong, you must die. Even if it means risking your life, you must succeed.”
“Isn’t this war?”
“It’s worse than war.”
“You must have had a hard time passing the exam in the past… … I think it would be better to speak up and wait. If you step forward and say you’re going to resign, there will be many people who will agree.”
“That’s right. Since Sojik doesn’t belong to any faction, it would be easier to put in his own person if you leave the position open.”
“And the Lord Wuheo will not stay still. That’s why things will get worse.”
“He said he would change the king.”
“Ugh.”
The monk Wonju covered his mouth and went outside to check if anyone was listening.
“If you keep saying things like that, you’ll be in big trouble.”
At that moment, a commotion was heard from the prose area. A drunken man was shouting and humming a song.
“Why is the temple like this?”
Wonju monk bowed his head deeply to Baek Ui-hyeong’s question.
“The young monks are on their way back carrying the palanquins because the Confucian scholars told them to burn the palanquins to go and enjoy the flowers.”
“Oh! I’ve heard rumors that country bumpkins do that, but is it true?”
“Are all Confucian scholars like that? How many people are like that?”
On a dark night at the moonlight sacheon
There’s no news from Omaden
Hehe, oh my, oh my
Oh my love, come on, come on
The mountain is snowy and the water is clear
Whom did I come to find?
Hehehehehehehehehehe
Oh my, this is love
The drunken man’s singing became louder, and the Wonju monk’s sighs became deeper.
“I will go out for a moment. I apologize for serving such a noble and noble person.”
That’s what Wonju’s job is. You have to be a screen in front of someone. I grabbed the doorknob with one hand, quickly put on my shoes, and ran out like a squirrel.
“Oh, you’re coming now?”
He keeps bowing his head, wondering what sin he has committed.
“Oh, you’re not Monk Wonju. Hahaha!”
“Did you have fun playing with the flowers?”
“I should say that it was a good thing, but the palanquin is really uncomfortable.”
“Why, what did we do wrong?”
“I thought it would be better to ride a cow. How impressive they are.”
Wonju shouted at the monks carrying palanquins.
“Hey you guys!”
Those carrying the palanquin turned their heads and bowed deeply.
“I will educate these guys thoroughly.”
“Education is… … Hey Wonju! Education should be done in advance. It’s really inconvenient.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll teach you in advance so you can do better next time. Hey, you guys, get off the palanquin!”
The monks lowered the palanquin as they staggered. One of them was complaining that the palanquin was shaking, and one of them tried to shake it on purpose so that it would fall out of the palanquin.
Behind the two palanquins, three or four Confucian scholars and five gisaengs follow.
“sorry.”
“But we’re a little late. I’m afraid it’ll get dark if we go down now. I’m already drunk, so please give me a room.”
“It’s a room.”
“They say it’s cold at night in the mountains. Bring in thick bedding, hmm. We’ll all sleep together, ahem! Please prepare it.”
“Yes. Is there any possibility?”
It was said that men and women sleep together in one room. A thick pair of shoes entered Wonju’s gaze as he lowered his head. He glanced at the white-clad man.
“No, why?”
“What the heck, there are these guys in the world.”
“No, we cannot. We are children of prominent families in town.”
“Get out of here.”
The circle was pushed to the side.
“Hey, what are you?”
The man who had just gotten out of the palanquin misspoke. He staggered drunk and grabbed the railing of the palanquin to get up, and a gisaeng gave him his shoes.
“My name is Baek Ui-hyeong, the Chief of the Hoeryeong Manho Division. No one would ask, ‘What are you?’”
“The Chief of Staff, Manho? Heh heh, you’re lying. Why is Manho of Hoeryeong coming to Taebaek?”
“I can still clearly hear His Majesty’s stern order to immediately deal with people like you who disrupt public morals as a local official.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
Hearing the commotion, two soldiers of the Bijang and Taebaekhyun came running. Baek Ui-hyeong nodded and they quickly took up positions, looking ready to draw their weapons.
“No, if we go a little further, these guys will attack.”
“It is a quiet temple. How can we pray properly when you bring in drunken gisaengs and make a lot of noise?”
“No, are there still ignorant people who bow their heads before the Buddha’s altar?”
Baek Ui-hyeong pointed to his neck with his fingertips.
“Here’s the worm. That’s a case that can be arrested for insulting an official.”
Baek Ui-hyung looked back.
“I think the people who accompanied me felt the same way.”
The scholar behind him tried to say that it wasn’t true, but Baek Ui-hyeong gave orders to his soldiers.
“Knock them all down! Get on your knees!”
“Loyalty!”
The soldiers surrounded the group and started beating them with clubs. Two of the white-clad generals stepped forward and kicked the drunken man in the stomach. He screamed and threw up what he had eaten, and they rubbed his face against the vomit.
The sound of people being beaten could be heard here and there, and about ten men and women were squatting in a crowded place.
“Get on your knees!”
At Baek Ui-hyeong’s command, the surrounding soldiers rushed in and beat him until he was forced to his knees. I thought it was the end, but it was only the beginning.
“Bump your head in.”
There are all kinds of people. Some just bow their heads, and some just sit and touch their foreheads to the ground. They don’t know what to do.
“Show me a demonstration of skilled military force. Do it!”
The skilled one bit his lips and casted ‘Headbutt’. The students were terrified. Baek-ui-hyeong did it as is. Those who could not do it were beaten with a club. Wonju monks ran around trying to stop him, but they could not stop Baek-ui-hyeong’s momentum.
Before the sun went down, a dozen or so holidaymakers were subjected to almost every form of corporal punishment used in the military, from squatting to duck-walking to beatings. There were cries and constant pleas for help.
It got dark when they had to write their names and write a reflection paper on their mistakes. Night falls quickly in the mountains. Baek Ui-hyeong had them light a torch and scolded them until they wrote down their mistakes properly.
After the completed reflection papers were approved, they were strung together like oysters and sent to the county office. If there were any who behaved badly or changed their minds on the way, they were to be punished on the spot.
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