As Prophet - Chapter 69



Only Krnovel

Episode 69. If you do it with all your heart, you can do things that shouldn’t be done.

Dalcheon went to the riverside, found a windy place, and piled up stones. It seemed like he was just throwing them around without thinking, but they piled up steadily. He made a pole, built a circular wall around it, and poured alcohol and burned incense, which he had brought at some point.

“Isn’t that a ritual for mourning the dead?”

At Mukhyeong’s words, Dalcheon glared, got up, and screamed.

“It’s a law that says everyone who takes the test will pass!”

“sorry.”

Dalcheon bowed lightly, knelt down, and clasped his hands together. His lips moved, but no sound was heard. He paused for a moment, glared, and told Mukhyeong to follow him. He thought he was doing something strange by following him for no reason, but he could not resist the pressure and knelt down next to him.

“And put your hands together. Earnestly.”

“They are all good people, so they will all pass.”

“Oh, what if I pass? If I come in last, I won’t get a government position. Should I just work under some corrupt guy and do the dirty work?”

“Is official position important?”

“Of course. You need to have a position and authority to do your job properly. If you manage just one county well, you can make a trip. Well, it depends on the county. Please pray.”

“Oh, yes.”

Mukhyeong pretended to pray and then slipped away. He thought that it was his faith, so he didn’t have to force it on me. However, he seemed to be praying so earnestly that he couldn’t leave his seat and instead piled up the altar next to him. Dalcheon’s eyes rolled around and he said, “Good.”

“Okay, that would be good too. Build a tower out of stones. So it doesn’t fall down, okay?”

“All right.”

I concentrated my mind and built a stone tower. I placed a stone and then placed a smaller stone behind it, but if I didn’t concentrate, it felt like it would collapse.

While the two were doing that, Baek Yi-jeong came down from the school building. The atmosphere was serious, so he couldn’t say anything, but he asked Muk-hyung, who seemed to be relaxed, without saying a word.

“What is it? What are you doing?”

“I am currently praying for those who took the exam in the past to pass.”

“What about Mr. Muk?”

“I am building the tower with all my heart.”

Baek Yi-jeong realized the situation only then and went up to the school building. He called people and explained the situation and persuaded them to go pray together. The children ran down before the order was given. They went down to the army, but the three trainees did not respond as if they had no particular thoughts. It seemed that they also acknowledged that it was natural for them to do so because they came from different backgrounds. There was also a kind of contempt for them, calling them guys who had failed in the past.

The students of the school came down, bowed, prayed, and burned incense. The children could not stay for long, so they slowly withdrew and moved to building a tower. That seemed more fun.

The motto was to stack one high, but to keep the center well-maintained so that it would not fall over, and to place good supports so that it would not be blown over by the wind.

“With sincerity, with sincerity.”

“yes.”

It’s just for fun, so there’s no way you can put your heart into it. When you stack it, it falls down, so you hold your breath and concentrate. That’s why it looks like you’re praying for success. You even hold your breath as you stack it so that it doesn’t fall down. Dalcheon, who was praying, glances at it, thinks it has meaning, and smiles.

“Little guy?”

“yes?”

“I will fetch a ladleful of water from the river.”

“yes.”

After looking around and confirming that there was no bucket, I went up to the school building and got a bucket to fill up some water. I spilled more than half of it on the way there.

“Hey, you spilled it all. Don’t spill another drop.”

“yes.”

The little boy ran like a squirrel and carefully floated up. He fell down and had to go back and forth several times to float up. Dalcheon made the little boy put clean water in his hand and prayed again. At first glance, it was similar to what a shaman would do. The prince, who had been thoroughly educated in Neo-Confucianism, sighed. In their eyes, things like prayer and sincerity would seem like irrational acts of ups and downs. Giving meaning to something that had no cause and effect and feeding it with food could not have been considered normal.

“Just do it roughly. There will be eyes watching.”

Dalcheon opened his closed eyes and asked quietly.

“Why? Because praying for success seems superstitious.”

“Yes. It may seem that way to a rational eye.”

“It’s reasonable… … If you were to argue with someone who studied Neo-Confucianism, you could spend the whole day destroying the very foundations of logic. But not today. Just let it go. If you put your heart into it, even the things that shouldn’t be done will be done.”

When I was spending a leisurely afternoon in a clean place by the river, a man named Na Yong-bin from Geumbu came to visit me. A group of men followed him and their spirits were fierce.

“I would like to see the governor of Dalcheon.”

I had to stop praying.

“I am Dalcheon. I am the head of this school.”

“Shall we go together for a moment?”

Dalcheon shook his head.

“If you have something to say, say it here. As you can see, there are many students waiting.”

It’s ridiculous to wait while playing stone tower game at the water’s edge.

“I am a person who came by order of the country.”

“If they are guilty, take them, but if they are not, leave them alone.”

“Yeah. I thought it wouldn’t be easy.”

Dalcheon looked at the soldiers behind him from afar.

“Shouldn’t you have brought more?”

It sounded like he was saying that it wasn’t going to work out that way, and that he would fight back with force if they tried to force him in.

“I am Na Yong-bin, a career as a goldsmith.”

“This is Dalcheon.”

“I have a few questions.”

“Do it.”

“Here?”

“I don’t think it requires a separate location… … .”

“Are you saying that children can listen in?”

Dalcheon’s gaze scanned the children and then pointed upward.

“Let’s go up for a moment. I had something to do and didn’t want to leave.”

“It looks like you’re praying something.”

“Three students from the academy went to take the military service examination. They were praying that they would definitely pass. The children built a tower with a praying heart.”

“It’s a strange sight.”

Dalcheon guided us up to the school building, but instead of going to the main building, he guided us to a room in the corridor at the entrance. The newly built room had a yellowish color and the smell of wood and earth wafted out.

“Please speak.”

“Your name came up today during the investigation into the left elder and the head of the sword world, Lee Gi-jeong.”

“My name? Heh heh, but how do you know this place?”

Dalcheon’s question hit the nail on the head. People may mention names, but few people know where they live. Baek Sa-ban, the elder, would not have said anything.

“It’s called a gold mine. Don’t you know that?”

“Go ahead.”

“You threatened them.”

“Is it intimidation?”

“The matter is so big that it cannot be considered a crime to that extent, but I heard that he threatened a person to make him confess.”

“So? Does that mean it’s not their fault?”

“No.”

Dalcheon took a half step back from where he was sitting.

“I would like you to clarify the purpose of your visit.”

“During the investigation, the question of who Dalcheon was came up.”

“I’m going.”

“I would like to ask why you did that… … .”

Dalcheon gave the answer he had prepared.

“There is a great soldier among our students. He was suffering from assassination threats and was not able to study properly. Academics are important in terms of one’s own will and effort, but circumstances also play a part. I tried to provide him with those conditions.”

“Whew, does that make sense?”

“It’s true. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the Grand Princess. No, the Grand Princess doesn’t know that I’m like that. Because of the assassination threat, she’s making a fuss about not going home and staying at the school. It’s a shame. That’s why I took care of what the King refuses to do.”

“Confession made under duress may not be accepted as confession.”

“Is that what they are saying now? Are they saying that?”

“Yes, it is a little difficult.”

“What about the torture chamber where the prosecution office puts you on a rack and tortures you to confess? Does a confession like that have no evidentiary value? I think it’s the same thing.”

“Whew, he is the prime minister of a country. His Majesty the Left Minister.”

“Yes, it sounds like the Prime Minister is saying that it is okay to send people to assassinate other citizens. Is that right?”

He was truly a difficult person to deal with. No matter what you said, he never let it go.

“Whew. If you could be more specific, it would help me to handle things. I am also in a position where I am under orders. It means that there is not much I can decide.”

Dalcheon cut off Na Yongbin’s words.

“Tell him exactly as it is. The arrest failed. He said he would kill him. The threat was true. It was to reveal the crime of the man who tried to assassinate the Grand Prince. Who would dare to threaten the life of the Prince? Third, I will not forgive any political solution.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

The words are scary. No, they are not suitable for his situation. Forgiveness? Isn’t that something that only someone of His Majesty can say?

“You don’t forgive me?”

“I’ll sweep it all away.”

“no way.”

“If you catch a criminal and reveal all his crimes to him, but he still can’t be dealt with?”

“iced coffee.”

Na Yong-bin made a squeaking sound.

“The reason I asked you to come with me is because a 4th-rank official cannot handle such matters. Even if I go back and tell him this news, who would believe me?”

“Then take him!”

Na Yong-bin tilted his head.

“That guy named Lee Gi-jeong said that. It’s not a martial art from this world. And.”

“And?”

“He couldn’t be that vicious… … . He’s someone you absolutely must not touch… … .”

“So you’re not going to arrest me?”

“What were you going to do if they tried to take you away by force?”

“Let’s kill them all and run away to the mountains. When we have time, we’ll come down and kill all the guys involved.”

“It feels just like a bunch of back alley bad guys.”

“Haha. I really hope you handle things rationally.”

“I am in a position to obey orders. Isn’t there a saying, “A tree wants to be still, but the wind doesn’t stop?” It cannot help but sway in the wind.”

“I hope that this shaking is for the people.”

Not a single word was passed over lightly. Na Yong-bin had great difficulty talking to Dal-cheon.

“The reason I am talking at length like this is, um… … That is, what I was going to say earlier. You need to come and wrap things up sometime.”

“Hmm, no idea.”

“I hope you will be lenient, as this is to complete the work without any problems.”

Na Yong-bin almost desperately requested a one-time visit, but Dal-cheon firmly refused. Instead, he escorted him to the entrance of the school building.

* * *

He was walking around here and there, feeling anxious and nervous. He used to be busy doing something, but now he was busy with nothing and had nothing in particular to do. He was just walking around, but his anxious emotions were obvious.

The uneasy movements continued until the sun set in Seosan. Baek I-jeong said on her way home that she would not hear any news until tomorrow.

“I know, I know. But I still feel uneasy.”

“You will reap the rewards you have earned if you study hard.”

“Oh, who wouldn’t say something like that? Go quickly.”

“I hope you have a relaxing evening.”

“Miss Baek too.”

The news came the next afternoon, just as she had said. The messenger who had been waiting outside the training center gate since no one had come said that all three had passed.

Dalcheon’s expression brightened.

“Hahahaha! Then that’s right! Oh, but what rank are you in?”

“The first, second, and third ranks have not been decided yet. They say they will demonstrate martial arts in front of His Majesty tomorrow and make a decision.”

Dalcheon sent the messenger back with a large amount of coins. He told him to tell him that if he did not get first place, he would be embarrassed. The messenger who received a lot of money kept bowing.

“Congratulations.”

The prince spoke politely and pointed to Dalcheon’s room.

“Get some rest. You haven’t slept a wink for two days, no, three days including that day.”

“Ahaha.”

He doesn’t answer and just smiles.

“Is it that good?”

“yes.”

“When they come, let’s have a feast.”

“yes.”