As Prophet - Chapter 65



Only Krnovel

Episode 65. The End of the Question

“Even if it’s not me, the people around me are different. They are fighting with the fate of their family at stake. The maternal family of the Grand Prince is a prime example.”

“Maternal relatives… … Hmm, they are the problematic maternal relatives that are mentioned in history books. Didn’t Joseon completely block them from the beginning of the country? They even forbade eunuchs from interfering in state affairs.”

“It’s like a fight where if I don’t win, I have to die.”

“Whew… … I won’t try to force myself to understand something I don’t understand. Anyway, don’t cause any trouble, develop your abilities, and do your best so that you don’t get beaten to death.”

Dalcheon’s conclusion was that he had suddenly returned to the tone of a child. Mukhyeong’s forehead was distorted after he had explained it in detail, but Ha-gwan showed his teeth and forced a smile.

The world is so simple, but it may be more difficult because it is seen as too complicated. If you think of it as easy as a crown prince, there may not be anything difficult. In a complicated and tangled world, the wisest way is to respond simply with a short answer. Could it be that you are not doing so because your heart is not like that? Maybe you are so anxious because you have a glimmer of hope of becoming a king.

“The Grand Duke’s escorts will come.”

Dalcheon’s expression changed slightly at the word escort.

“Tell them to step back a hundred steps. If they get caught hanging around, they’ll break somewhere.”

“It’s not them who are the problem, it’s the guys who are after them.”

Dalcheon shook his head.

“There is no one nearby.”

If he is not there, then he is not there. Dalcheon finished speaking and walked around the school building to check. There was not a single person coming or going. It was hard to believe that there was such a danger. He opened his eyes to the max and scanned far away, but there was no danger. It could be a delusion of persecution.

While Dalcheon searched the area in anger, Mukhyeong waited at the entrance. Everyone’s reality is different. Mukhyeong had already experienced it and had dealt with several assassinations. The Grand Prince, who had been threatened with assassination since he was young, was even worse.

Dalcheon tilted his head, not understanding their concerns. It is not often that people suffer alone. I must have done something wrong. I act like a victim, but I would not have suffered without being treated. Dalcheon ran to the entrance of the school and asked Mookhyung.

“You weren’t just taking it, were you?”

“… … .”

Mukhyeong avoided answering.

“You speak as if I am the victim, but I guess we fought each other, right? So you could say we suffered from assassinations for a long time.”

“It’s not that there was no response at all, but both sides fought with their lives on the line.”

“Ahem. But now it’s getting pushed?”

“No, I won’t say no.”

“A better expert than Mukhyeong has appeared.”

“Similar.”

“Have you tried the sword?”

“No. We avoid each other, but I can read it. If one or two of us collide, I lose.”

Dalcheon looked over Mukhyeong’s back.

“You rolled your tail.”

It is difficult to continue the conversation because the expressions are crude.

“… … .”

“Well, if we just take care of that guy, we can regain the upper hand, and they’ll aggressively send assassins here.”

Mukhyeong lowered his head as if he was in trouble.

“… … That’s not true. We had no choice but to fight back. The great army is the victim. It’s not something that ends with stopping one.”

“When I asked her a while ago why she did that, she said it was different.”

“Yes.”

“You shouldn’t have known your mother like I did. Then this wouldn’t have happened.”

“That makes sense… … .”

“Of course not.”

“This is reality.”

“So, are you studying to defeat that guy and secure the safety of the Grand Prince?”

It is a really bad habit to ask about the essential in everyday life. We live our daily lives, not with the desire for such great meaning, significance, or essence. It is enough to check occasionally to make sure that the direction is not too far off and that my current coordinates are not off, but we do not think about such things all the time while eating, sleeping, and studying. It is impossible, and it is not helpful.

But this young master reminds us of it from time to time. He brings out the fundamental, or rather, the deepest part of our consciousness, and raises questions about it.

I hope that you will not just think about it for a moment when you forget it and then suddenly come back to life, but will engrave it in your heart as a golden rule and fill every day, no, every hour, with sincerity. If you do that, people will feel suffocated and unable to live.

“No. I can’t say there was no reason for that, but I was aware of my shortcomings. I didn’t necessarily intend to defeat the assassin. The words of the Lord Guan that if you don’t go beyond the limit, you’ll be fine, struck my heart.”

“Hmm, that’s fine. But what about the kids? They have to go there every day… … . It can’t be dangerous for them.”

“They are not that reckless. At least they have a standard to ensure that civilians are not harmed.”

“Huh! This side too, right?”

“I don’t know. I was on the defensive.”

The persistent questions continued, as if he was thinking of stripping everything down to the ground.

“The children should be safe. I brought them here to teach someone else’s children, so what if they get hurt by a knife? Come to think of it, that guy is really shameless. He tried to hide himself in the place where the children were to ensure their safety… … .”

“I have the idea of ​​learning and protecting myself.”

“But why do you practice so pointlessly?”

“You grew up in an environment where you were given a lot of things. You couldn’t be as desperate as we are.”

“Whew. Is this what you call a king’s talent?”

“I told you that the environment is not the same.”

Dalcheon changed the subject.

“Yes, who is the leader of those guys? Who is the guy that you said you couldn’t handle, and where is his base?”

“Why? Are you going to go and scold me?”

Dalcheon nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why we need to eliminate the risk.”

“I didn’t want to tell you because you said you didn’t want to get involved. If you step in, it’s like a swamp, and you can’t get out. If you pull out the related things, they stick to you like sweet potato stems. You can’t tell how far it goes or where to cut it off.”

“Are you trying to avoid the question by saying you don’t know or that you can’t define it?”

“Because it’s huge.”

“That’s the point of our conversation now.”

“The key is… … .”

Mukhyeong fell into deep thought. As his studies deepened, he quickly became absorbed in his thoughts and seemed to not even breathe.

“The ultimate power behind this is, of course, the Crown Prince. And the power behind this is the Crown Prince’s wife’s family. It would be the Crown Princess’s maternal family. Her father-in-law is currently serving as the Left State Councilor.”

“Oh, Left State Councillor! That’s quite high. Are you not satisfied with that level of power?”

“I want it to last a long time. And not just high, but very high.”

Dalcheon snickered.

“I don’t think that worldly positions are anything special. I could be fired tomorrow. I have authority while I’m in office, but if I’m told to quit, I’ll be like a duck egg on the Nakdong River. I have to find a house somewhere in Yangju and wait with bated breath for His Majesty to call me.”

“Yes, but not at the moment. It is a power that will last for thousands of years, tens of thousands of years.”

“And what about their powers?”

A vein appeared on Mukhyeong’s forehead. He seemed to be thinking deeply, but surprisingly, the answer came out right away.

“At first, they were scoundrels from the sword world. They were based in Seodaemun, and they always carried swords. They even carried them with their left hands. It was as if they could draw them at any time. Since the scoundrels there were mostly illegitimate children of noble families, they could not be touched or punished. As a result, they grew up with a big heart and started causing trouble.

It would have been their father who approached them. They were the children of high-ranking officials. It would have been the simplest thing. ‘Tell your son to do this!’ That would have been enough. The moment he accepted, he would have been tied to the same faction. You could have threatened him that your son was involved in the assassination.

The important thing is that the head of the sword world has given his consent. That is why the sword world is now on the Crown Prince’s side. They have called a master. It must be an old man from some mountain. I don’t know who. He was wearing black clothes, and I couldn’t handle it. I almost died several times.”

Dalcheon blinked his eyes and quickly came to a conclusion.

“So you’re saying that the Left Sergeant, the leader of the sword world, and the deceased are all conspiring to kill the Grand Prince?”

“If you reduce it to the basics, it is correct, but if you make that decision, you cannot see the various realities. It is because it seems as if everything can be solved if you just solve that. There are many groups that cooperate with them. No, almost all of them are cooperative with them. It is not something to think of as secondary. It is more chaos to show loyalty.”

“But why is there such a fuss when he has already ascended to the position of the national head? If only time passes, well, then in a few years, won’t the national head ascend to the position of the prime minister?”

“That’s right. Since childhood, the wisdom of the Grand Prince was extraordinary. His studies, his scriptures, and his character were different. He was very outstanding. That’s why he was worried about his rivals, was nervous, and tried to kill them whenever he had the chance. If he tried to hide his talents and appear incompetent, and lost his mind by indulging in decadent pleasures, isn’t that what they call a “dagger in a bag”? Where does that lead?”

“What you are saying is that the Grand Princess is superior to the Crown Prince, right?”

“Yes. It is a fact that everyone acknowledges. It seems that the two of you were being harassed by those around you while competing with each other. Now, you are not brothers, but almost enemies. And His Highness the Crown Prince is personally afraid of the Grand Princess. In addition to that ability, he has the ability to speak, the ability to see the situation, and the foresight to foresee even the distant future. It may not seem like it to you, but in a word, he is outstanding. That is what brought about today’s situation.”

“Well, it is up to His Majesty to decide the successor.”

“Your Majesty is also a problem. It seems that when you are not pleased with the Crown Prince, you keep thinking of the Grand Princess.”

“You created this situation and now you’re feeling sorry about it?”

“You are very good at explaining things.”

Dalcheon took Mukhyeong upstairs. Then he took out a writing brush and ink and had him write.

“What are you writing?”

“Those names, addresses. Even your fortune would be good if you wrote them down. Hahaha.”

“To that extent… … .”

“Oh! Don’t say anything you can’t write down, then.”

Dalcheon’s dislike of non-specific things was revealed again. The questions that started with who, why, and so what ended with specific writing.

I left it to Mukhyeong and walked around the yard. The prince noticed something was going on and glanced around a few times, but he didn’t show it at all. People who were curious were getting on my nerves.

* * *

In the dark of night, the streets of Chilpae outside Seodaemun were bustling. They must have settled down outside Seodaemun because they couldn’t do anything when the gates were closed and the curfew was in effect. Dalcheon was standing in front of Okru Hall, which might have been their base.

It was the most prosperous house, producing hundreds of kilns of rice wine a year because of its excellent quality. Several red lanterns were hung in front of the main gate, and lanterns were also hung at intervals on the walls, making it as bright as day.

Dalcheon unfolded the paper in his bosom.

It may not be here. But he said that he frequents this place when he has a meeting. As Dalcheon approached the main gate, a woman dressed in bright clothes was loitering around, soliciting customers. He asked the guard at the entrance.

“Is Lee Ki-jeong here today?”

It was a simple question, but he seemed nervous. It was because of the name. He seemed to be cautious even about that name. Then, there it is. It came. Dalcheon cheered inwardly.