As Prophet - Chapter 47



Only Krnovel

Episode 47. Cheolmuwoong and Baekuihyung

In the afternoon, Cheolmuwoong came. He was the one who had escorted the Grand Prince when he came to Geumwon. Dalcheon tilted his head and tried to hide his discomfort.

“Hello. I stopped by because I heard the school building opened.”

“What happened… … .”

“It is not the Grand Princess’s business.”

“Oh, yes.”

Dalcheon’s face, which had been clouded with worry at the prince’s absurd request, brightened.

“So, what’s going on?”

“I want to study too.”

“Ah! Are you trying to see the past?”

“As you know, I am a concubine. My father is a high-ranking official. I entered the royal guard through recommendation.”

“We do not discriminate.”

“Well, that’s not what I meant… … I also want to take the military service exam.”

“Ahem. If I take the military service exam, I think I’ll just pass… … .”

“There is a limit to how high you can go in terms of the number of people. You entered easily, but because of that, you cannot go up high. The Joseon military prioritizes ability. I will pass the military service examination and become a military officer.”

“Ahem, I see. I understand. But what is lacking?”

“After all, the Mugyeong and Daejeon sides are weaker.”

“I understand.”

It sounded like he was saying that he understood stupid things because he only used his body.

“Can I come?”

“How do you go about escorting the Grand Prince?”

“You don’t have to come every day. When the Grand Princess comes, you can’t come, so please let me come on a day when she doesn’t come so I can study.”

“So you’re saying I can come and go as I please? I know that’s a bit strange.”

“Yes.”

“Phew.”

He has already learned martial arts and is proficient in the eighteen weapons. He is good at riding horses, so he will not fall behind in knights, spears, and martial arts. No one is perfect, and there are some things he is not good at, but it should not be that difficult, so he is having trouble. I understand.

“How old are you now?”

“I’m thirty-five.”

“Oh my.”

“Is it a lot?”

“I have a feeling that Your Majesty might not approve. Wouldn’t it be a shame to lose your escort?”

“People like us can be replaced by anyone. If I’m not there, just pick someone else.”

“Oh my, how can you put yourself down like that?”

“I am speaking from a social perspective. I am sure Your Majesty would think so too.”

“It looks like a place where a sword, spear, or bow can be thought of.”

“Unfortunately, that’s true.”

“I don’t think so. How can you secure loyalty? First of all, it’s respect. Isn’t loyalty that is given with money only as good as the money?”

“Phew.”

“First, get permission from the Grand Princess. Then we can think about it.”

When Dalcheon brought up an important point, Cheolmuwoong let out a sigh. It seems like people know things well, but they don’t. After listening to Dalcheon, it seemed like the Grand Prince’s thoughts might be different.

In a world where I can do whatever I want if it’s not him, I have no value. What’s scary about this materialized world is that even I am evaluated as a tool. I’m not that kind of person, and it’s no use shouting that I don’t want to be treated like that. I want to think that I’m not that kind of person, but the world’s perspective that is spread out on a single plane is truly annoying and even scary.

“Okay, I’ll do that. But I’m not sure if you’ll allow it.”

There was a feeling of anticipation on the floor, waiting for the Grand Prince to say, ‘You can’t do this. You must stay by my side.’

“If you don’t allow it?”

“I resign.”

“Yes, what are you saying? You’re giving up your livelihood? It’s your job. You can’t do that.”

“Please understand that I have that level of determination.”

“Would you like to elect a person who disobeyed orders and resigned as a military officer? I think it would be better to speak politely.”

“The Grand Princess does not preside over the military service examination.”

“Would they choose someone who has incurred the wrath of the Grand Prince? I guess they will be careful.”

“How would Your Majesty know?”

Dalcheon shook his head as if he had given up on Cheolmuwoong’s stubborn insistence. The world is not that simple. All causes and effects in the world are interconnected. Since there seems to be no direct cause and effect relationship, people commit crimes without fear of punishment, but if they think that they or those close to them will eventually receive the consequences, they will never commit them.

Above all, it is difficult to prove and explain that the misfortunes and trials I am experiencing are due to my past mistakes. However, I cannot stand by and watch the obvious consequences of these narrow-minded people. Instead of firmly refusing, Dalcheon changed direction slightly.

“We will get letters of recommendation for some important people. That person over there is one too. If you get a letter of recommendation from the Grand Prince, we will accept your admission.”

“Hehehe.”

There are many reasons for quitting something, but in the end, emotions are mixed up. You may have grand intentions and set your mind on martial arts, but there must be a direct reason that made you rush to make the final decision. We humans are not rational and react emotionally in many cases. Reasons and excuses are used to explain such decisions, but many decisions are actually made emotionally.

“I don’t know what happened, but I cannot give my consent without a letter of recommendation from the Grand Princess.”

“… … .”

Cheolmuwoong lowered his head. After a while, he raised his head and looked at those studying in the training ground below with envious eyes, then swallowed hard. He wanted to be like them.

“I heard somewhere that Confucius was a martial artist who transcended the world. I want to learn.”

“Please get a letter of recommendation.”

Dalcheon got up from his seat and headed to the training ground. Cheolmuwoong cursed under his breath, embarrassed by the obvious order to oust the guests. It might be nearly impossible to make such a request to the Grand Prince.

There is no need for Dalcheon to step forward and arrange things for things to happen. However, opportunities do not always come. Such opportunities are rare. Meeting such a person is harder than picking stars from the sky.

* * *

Baek Ui-hyeong, who went to Hanyang, has returned. No, I don’t know where his original location is, so it would be more accurate to say he stopped by for a moment.

“Are you here?”

“There are more people now.”

“I hope the building goes up quickly.”

“Then we need to deploy more people.”

“I have to sit inside and study, but I can’t do it.”

“Do it in a tent.”

I changed the subject because I thought it was someone else’s story and I was just casually throwing it out there.

“Don’t death row inmates have to take the military service examination now?”

“me?”

“yes.”

“I’ll just pass the test.”

“Huh, no way.”

“Don’t you know my skills?”

“I don’t really know what the criteria were for passing the exam in the past.”

“Go to the training center once.”

“Should I go?”

“You can take the test there. They have all the facilities to take the test.”

“Hmm… … I will take it as what you mean by the death penalty is something that does not need to be studied.”

Baek Ui-hyeong’s gaze turned to the students. With the addition of adults who will take the civil service examination next year, the atmosphere of the school has changed considerably. They do not just come and spend time, but try to do at least one thing well. The enthusiasm of the adults is conveyed to the children, and that makes the overall atmosphere dynamic.

Jin Dong-hee shoots an arrow while riding a horse and hits the target with perfect accuracy. The arrows he shoots as if he is throwing them hit the target.

“Can the death penalty be carried out like that?”

“Of course. Can’t I do it?”

“Ahem.”

On one side, Baek Yi-jeong rode a horse and fired spear shots. He ran, striking the wooden target until it dented. This was a practice shot.

“Is that okay?”

“of course.”

On one side, children wearing thick armor like armor swing their swords and spar, and the clanking sound is unusual.

“It’s more like a playground than a school.”

“We treat studying like play. Rethink the death penalty.”

“What do you see me as?”

“How do you see it? I see it as a past failure.”

“When me?”

“Hey, even if it seems like you don’t know, I know everything. I know that when I had two weeks off back then, I went to Hanyang and took the military service examination.”

“Who said that?”

“That’s what the old man said. He told me to pretend not to know about his personal affairs and asked me to do the work.”

“There are no secrets in the world.”

Even though people think they don’t know, there are no secrets in this world.

“I didn’t say anything because I was afraid my pride would be hurt.”

“Then, now?”

“I’m telling you to hurt your pride.”

“Are you saying that because you’re jealous?”

“Yes. Shouldn’t you be angry and study hard to pass the civil service exam next year?”

Dalcheon spoke without any regard for the human dignity of the other person.

“I saw you practicing it secretly. It’s better to just open up and prepare and pass. If you go and take it secretly and fail, you say you didn’t take it, and if you don’t fail, you brag about it. You’re not kids. Be humble and put everything down. And start from scratch.”

“Yeah. But I studied in the mountains.”

“Studying the mountains and the past are completely different things.”

“You don’t support me at all.”

“Studying the mountain may help, but it is not all about past exams. Looking at the subjects, I think even Master could fail.”

“Oh my, this guy is probably not that guy.”

“I heard that when the Master was wandering around the world, he looked after a high-ranking official. At that time, he was famous for his martial arts. However, I have never heard of him passing the state examination.”

“Oh, even so, would you still trip up your master?”

“I’m telling you that studying is different. You have to prepare and do it correctly. It’s not enough to just swing a sword around. Even now, you should read at least the main parts of the 『Gyeongguk Daejeon』.”

Baek Ui-hyeong bowed his head to Dal-cheon’s persuasion. In fact, he was also weak in literature.

“Well, no matter how many times I read it, it comes in here and flows out quickly.”

“Yangju Academy is a place that trains military officers responsible for the Joseon military.”

“Ugh. So what do you want me to do?”

“I tell you to go to Hanyang for a little while and focus on your studies while you’re here. I’d also like you to help me with my work.”

“That’s the goal. Well, I’ve been busy so I haven’t been able to help much with setting up the school.”

“You can help me out a little while you study.”

“I never said I would do it.”

“Why are you trying to embarrass yourself by taking the exam without preparation?”

Dalcheon was persistent. It was because he needed his hands more than he needed to educate his brother. Dalcheon was not good at anything, and since the adults were focusing on his studies, there were too many things he had to do on his own. He was working on the fence around the fence by cutting down zelkova trees and making a fence by himself, but it was never enough. He started doing it little by little, thinking that he might be able to do it if he did it a little every day for a month, or maybe two months, but it became unmanageable.

But that wasn’t the only problem. The workers had to be paid for the lumber they brought and the wages they earned for their work, and although they were able to make up for it with the small amount of money the students brought when they arrived, they were so short of money that they were afraid of building a building.

I had a simple idea of ​​buying a piece of uninhabited land cheaply, building a small building, and teaching the children, but nothing was easy. As one thing was left unfinished and another problem arose, the problems seemed bigger and bigger, and I felt like I was stuck in a swamp from which I couldn’t escape.

The only consolation was that the students were working hard. Dalcheon knew that if Sa-hyeong was there to watch over him, many problems would be solved. After thinking about this and that, he hung on to Sa-hyeong as soon as he saw him.

“Be honest. Is it really because I passed the military service exam or because of the things going on here and there?”

“Hehehe, ehehe. Actually, it’s both.”

Baek Ui-hyeong thought quietly and then grabbed Dal-cheon’s shoulder.

“Okay, I’ll help you.”

“Really?”

Dalcheon handed over the pile of trash that had been piled up in his head to Baek Ui-hyeong. He wrote them down one by one, and handed them over, until there were about twenty of them.