Who threatened Cheonma Hara with a knife - Chapter 465



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465 Officials (5)

Breaking the strange silence that had settled over the scriptures, Hyukryeoncheon-gang opened his mouth.

“What the Finance Minister said sounds reasonable at first glance, but there is one problem with it.”

“What is the problem?”

Hyeokryeoncheon-gang answered Wei Jin-hak’s question.

“If the person leading the religion and the person leading the empire are divided, the power of the Minister of Finance, who has already risen to the position of first-rank minister, could become too strong.”

Hyukryuncheonggang also seemed to have the same idea as Ilmok.

However, unlike Ilmok, Hyukryun Cheongang brought up the subject openly.

Those who had similar thoughts looked at him with expressions that it was a reasonable point, and those who realized belatedly that this situation was not simply a matter of separation of the state and the new government glared at Jegalmun.

In an atmosphere where he seemed to be the enemy of everyone, Zhuge Liang opened his mouth.

“Your Majesty, would you please give me a chance to answer the accusations?”

“Tell me the story.”

Only then did Zhuge Liang sit up, turn his back, and look at the Hyeokryeoncheon River.

“It is truly strange. I only mentioned the separation of the divine and the divine. If the private relationship between me and the empress is the problem, wouldn’t it be enough to take in a concubine? Having multiple successors is a very natural thing for the stability of the empire. There is no reason to oppose it.”

“Even if you take a concubine, wouldn’t the eldest son born to the Empress have the greatest legitimacy?”

Zhuge Liang burst into laughter at Hyeokryeoncheon Gang’s remark.

“Even if the new government is separated, the right to appoint the crown prince is still His Majesty’s. How can the Minister of Education personally decide on matters that His Majesty should decide?”

Hyukryeon Cheon-gang, who couldn’t hold back and was the first to step forward, blushed and kept his mouth shut.

Others also had difficulty coming forward, because they realized that it would be difficult to deal with Zhuge Liang through words.

Ilmok, who had been quietly watching the situation, sighed inwardly.

‘It’s hard to know for sure which way it is.’

Was he really just offering advice, or was he just trying to gain a bit of an advantage and then back off?

It wasn’t easy to figure out the inner thoughts of a man who was like a snake.

However, we cannot just let the opponent take the high ground.

Ilmok opened his mouth with a natural smile on his face.

“The Minister of Finance is right. I also think that if we elect a Pope in the current Protestant way, there is a possibility of great conflict in future generations. If so, shouldn’t we first discuss how to elect a successor?”

The question was why he was thinking of unconditionally designating his child as his successor.

“Furthermore, if there is a more appropriate and stable election method than the current Shinto method, there will be no reason to discuss the separation of church and state.”

As soon as Ilmok finished speaking, Zhuge Liang smiled faintly.

It wasn’t a laugh.

At first glance, it looked like a smile that seemed to be a happy one.

“Then, what is the stable and proper method that Your Majesty is thinking of?”

Even before stepping forward, Ichimoku had anticipated that this question would come up.

It was a situation I had experienced often in my past life.

Because when you point something out, asking back, ‘So? What’s the solution?’ is part of my work life.

And the moment you come up with a solution, your work life also becomes one where you have to implement that solution.

Of course, Ichimoku, who didn’t want to take on the responsibility of solving the problem, answered with a faint smile.

“Since there are so many great people here, if we all discuss it together, wouldn’t we be able to come up with a sufficiently stable and reasonable election method?”

Jegalmun’s smile, which had been racking his brain to refute whatever answer Ilmok would give, was shattered.

Raises a problem, but does not propose a solution.

It was the attitude that irritated people the most when working together, whether it was when doing group projects in college or when doing departmental tasks at work.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

Because the original purpose was to interfere with Zhuge Liang.

And things went as planned.

Those gathered at the scriptures began to talk incessantly, discussing various plans for selecting a successor.

“A separation of the church and the state is unacceptable! The very foundation of the Cheonma Singyo could be shaken! Just like before, the strongest one must ascend to the position of the leader and rule over all!”

Extreme doctrinalism. Conservatives cried out for struggle, as if they could not accept even the slightest change.

“The separation of the church and state is necessary! However, the foundation of the church lies in martial arts, so the strongest child must be chosen as the crown prince!”

The moderate conservatives have come up with their own moderated policies.

“If the Pope and the Crown Prince are chosen based on military merit, then there is no reason to separate the church and state!”

It was a crazy opinion in many ways.

Meanwhile, the only extreme progressive, Zhuge Liang, was taking on the challenge of being the most powerful man and engaging in constant arguments with the vast majority.

“Punishing the wicked may require force, but caring for the people is a completely different matter! How could an emperor who has to care for the countless people of a vast empire be elected by force?”

“The saying that the strongest can become the leader means, on the contrary, that anyone can become the leader! If misinterpreted, this can also be a statement that encourages rebellion! Only those with legitimacy can elect a successor!”

As he faced enemies who kept shouting at him from all sides, Jegalmun’s usually calm face suddenly turned red and his voice became hoarse.

Ichimoku, who was watching the scene from a third party, thought.

‘You’ve worked hard.’

Although he intentionally caused the meeting to become a mess, he actually had a plan for selecting a successor in mind.

Even the most ideal form that Ilmok had in mind was closer to the separation of the church and state.

The only extreme progressive who tried to break away from the existing framework of the Cheonmasin religion. If one was Jegalmun, the other was Ilmok.

However, the specific system was completely different from Zhuge Liang’s.

The utopia that Ichimoku envisioned, if anything, was very similar to the political systems of Britain and Japan that he had known in his previous life.

Even in the 21st century, both countries still had royal families. The queen or king reigned as a symbolic figure, but the actual rule was carried out by the cabinet and the prime minister.

If we simply change the king to the pope in the two countries’ systems, it seems that it can be applied to the current Cheonmasin Church.

Even though I had come up with my own solution, why did I keep my mouth shut and make a mess of the meeting?

It was also intended to obstruct Zhuge Liang.

‘In this day and age, democracy is crazy. Of course not.’

Basically, it was because he himself knew very well that it was impossible to achieve.

The people’s level of education and the stereotypes of the people of that era were secondary issues.

In order to elect a cabinet and a prime minister, a national referendum must first take place.

However, in this era, it was difficult to even conduct a vote for all the people.

Also, it was impossible to know what kind of trickery would be involved in the process of organizing the voting results and sending them to the central government.

Even in this modern age of technological advancement, there were many countries around the world that were trying to do this, so even if we tried it in this day and age, it would be meaningless. It would just be a waste of administrative power and money.

Even just looking at my past life experiences, it was like that.

Every election season, I would get so busy handling the work assigned to me by the National Election Commission that my original work would be paralyzed. Working overtime and on weekends became routine.

Even in modern South Korea, where the population is dense and technology is highly developed, voting is being conducted in this place that is dozens of times larger?

I didn’t even know how many people I would have to replace.

‘If I had come out and mentioned voting, you would have definitely asked me to prepare for that vote. Oh, my. It’s horrible to even imagine.’

While Ilmok trembles as he recalls the terrible memories of being exhausted from overwork in his past life.

The voice of Wei Jin-hak, which contained his magnificent internal energy, echoed throughout the sutras.

“Shout!”

Only then did silence descend upon the noisy sutras that had been filled with confusion.

Wi Jin-hak glanced at the people gathered at the scriptures with a heavy air and opened his mouth.

“I have heard the story of the lords very well. As the Minister of Finance said, if we maintain the current religious practices, I also understand that there is a risk that the empire will fall or be torn apart in the future.”

At the moment when Zhuge Liang was about to breathe a sigh of relief at Wei Jinxue’s words.

“One, there is no separation of church and state.”

Wei Jin-hak has completely driven a wedge into the ground.

“I will lead the new empire and, through constant discussion with the lords, seek a new method of selecting a successor. Also, before the new method of selecting a successor is established, if I should pass away from an unexpected accident, illness, old age, etc., then select a new leader in the existing way.”

The message was that if a reasonable solution is found, they will change, but if not, they will continue with the old ways.

Is it because the atmosphere that Wei Jin-hak exudes is so solid?

Even though the division of the new government ended in failure, Zhuge Liang simply bowed and paid his respects.

“I will follow Your Majesty’s will.”

* * *

That night.

Ilmok left his place and headed somewhere.

As soon as he arrived at his destination and made a sound, the door opened and a middle-aged man greeted him.

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

Jegalmun, as if he had expected Ilmok to come, let him in with a smiling face.

“Would you like tea or alcohol?”

“Please take the car.”

Soon after, a servant came up to the two sitting across from each other and offered them tea, and Zhuge Liang ordered the servant to leave.

When the two of them were left alone at the table, Jegalmun took a sip of tea and asked.

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

“I came here because I have some questions to ask.”

“Feel free to ask. Hahaha.”

Likewise, Ilmok, who had taken a sip of tea, asked Jegalmun, who had a leisurely attitude.

“Why did you take such a risk and insist on the separation of church and state?”

“Those who originally belonged to the Heavenly Demon Sect may find it difficult to agree, but I also staked everything on the Sect. However, it is clear that the empire I staked everything on will collapse like a sand castle in a few decades. How can I just stand by and watch that happen?”

At the expression on Jegalmun’s face, whose intentions were unclear, Ilmok asked back as if poking him.

“It seems regrettable in many ways. After all, His Majesty has nailed it down with his divine appointment.”

To that question, Zhuge Liang answered with a sly smile.

“The purpose was simply to change the method of electing a successor. The separation of the church and state was not a big deal. As the scriptures say, anyone who is the strongest can become the pope, which would later cause chaos. If the pope can only be elected among those who are qualified, then the unity of the church and state is irrelevant.”

Suddenly, a voice he had heard in the scriptures came to mind.

The foolish idea of ​​separating the Pope and the Emperor, but placing the strongest of the Emperor’s children as the Crown Prince.

But what if we introduce that solution while maintaining the same political and economic status?

Among the emperor’s children, the one with the greatest martial arts skills will later become the emperor and the pope.

And this method was quite commonly used in the Central Plains Sega, not just in the Cheonmasingyo.

‘Was this your goal from the beginning? To make your grandson the Pope?’

At the moment when Ilmok was having such doubts, Jegalmun opened his mouth again.

“I know very well that Your Majesty doubts my intentions. However, would you please think about it the other way around for a moment?”

“What about the other way around?”

When Ilmok made a puzzled expression, Jegalmun added.

“The current second-in-command of the Cheonmasin Church. The one whom all followers of the Cheonmasin Church are certain will become the next great leader. The war hero who contributed most to the creation of the empire. If the next generation were to be selected in the traditional way, he would definitely sit on the Pope’s seat. But such a person is expressing his aversion to the new method. Is this for the sake of the new church? Or is it because of his own greed for power?”

Ilmok looked at Jegalmun with a speechless expression.

From Zhuge Liang’s perspective, it was because he realized too late that he looked like a man obsessed with power.

It wasn’t like that at all.

‘This crazy guy?’

It was because I felt like a swear word would come out the moment I opened my mouth.

‘Even the Emperor is dying from exhaustion, but the Pope is freezing to death.’

War time.

Leading only a few tens of thousands of soldiers seemed like it would crush him under the pressure.

In reality, there were more than one or two instances where he had to fight and risk his life in an unusual way, and overwork was a daily occurrence.

But, sitting in the position of the Pope, who is responsible for the lives of not just tens of thousands but hundreds of millions of people?

Ilmok never wanted that kind of life.

Even now that I have been appointed as Grand Master, it is still the same.

Now that the war has just ended and everything is literally a mess, I just stay behind with a minimal sense of responsibility and get things done.

Once the empire was stabilized, he would retire, or if his retirement was rejected, he would take a small amount of his retirement pay and run away. He planned to live a leisurely life in a quiet place in the countryside.

Unless someone threatened him with a knife to his throat, Ichimoku had no intention of becoming the Pope.