Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 750

From Azit Novel (formerly Azitoon Novel).

Enjoy conveniently in real-time on the web.

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750. Chuuni Emperor (3)

“Hoo~.”

After sighing several times, Ju Gyeon-sim stood up from his seat.

“I have much to consider. I will step down first. Please rest comfortably.”

“I will escort you.”

Wang Chung immediately rose from his seat at Ju Gyeon-sim’s words, but Ju Gyeon-sim raised his hand to stop Wang Chung.

“I will move alone. Stay where you are.”

“But.”

“That is an order.”

At Ju Gyeon-sim’s firm command, Wang Chung bowed his head lightly and stepped back.

As Ju Gyeon-sim left the room, Madam Ju let out a small sigh.

“His Majesty’s heart seems very troubled.”

Wang Chung immediately responded to Madam Ju’s words.

“It seems so because of the sudden events. However, as one who has inherited the blood of the dragon, he will soon shake it off and ascend to the heavens.”

Madam Ju nodded at Wang Chung’s words.

“Of course, of course! He will definitely do so. Who do you think he is?”

Meanwhile, the undercover agent of the Secret Guard, who was eavesdropping on the story from outside, clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Tsk! Dragon heart, dragon… Why are they all suffering from middle school syndrome [a Japanese term, *chuunibyou*, referring to adolescent delusions of grandeur]…’

* * *

Meanwhile, Ju Gyeon-sim, who had returned to his room, lay on the bed, looked at the ceiling, and sighed.

“Hoo~. Revenge is easy to say…”

He understood why Madam Ju was crying out for revenge, and Wang Chung was helping her from the side.

However, from Ju Gyeon-sim’s point of view, ‘revenge’ was a word far removed from his reality. His late father, Ju Gi-jin, was a person he didn’t even remember, and he didn’t lack much in his current life in the Empire.

“And… they summoned me from Nanjing for their own self-preservation, so how can I take revenge?”

He had been hearing the words ‘middle school syndrome’ and ‘scatterbrain’, but Ju Gyeon-sim was aware of reality in his own way.

-The powerful subjects of Nanjing are trying to enthrone me as Emperor, partly because of the bloodline, but also to protect their power.

-Because I have lived in the Empire, I am in a situation of isolation with nowhere to turn.

-Using my situation, they will consolidate their power.

-If I show even a little hidden ability, they will try to eliminate me.

It was a conclusion mixed with half truth and half middle school syndrome imagination. However, Ju Gyeon-sim was convinced that his conclusion was the most accurate.

“Hoo~.”

Lying on the bed, Ju Gyeon-sim stretched his arm out into the air and clenched his fist.

“Anyway, ascension has been decided! I am no longer a hidden dragon! Then, I will create my own empire!”

Ju Gyeon-sim, who had made a decision full of middle school syndrome bravado, got up from the bed and moved to the desk on one side.

“If I move without any preparation, I will not be able to escape from being a puppet who only moves as directed. I need to know in advance what I can do and what I need to prepare.”

Ju Gyeon-sim began to write down various things on a blank sheet of paper.

-Fluent in Ming Dynasty language.

-Proficient in Imperial etiquette.

Although there was almost no possibility of escaping from the Empire until he died, Madam Ju and Wang Chung taught Ju Gyeon-sim the Ming Dynasty language and Imperial etiquette.

Thanks to this, Ju Gyeon-sim was fluent in the Ming Dynasty language and was well-versed in Imperial etiquette. In fact, he sometimes earned pocket money by dealing with Ming Dynasty people at his friend’s father’s store. Of course, he had to thoroughly conceal that he was Ju Gyeon-sim.

After writing those two sentences, Ju Gyeon-sim frowned.

“Are these the only two cards I have now? Then what cards can I get or demand?”

After pondering for a while, Ju Gyeon-sim added a new sentence to the paper.

-Organizational structure of the Ming Dynasty court.

-Current situation of the Ming Dynasty court.

-Current internal situation of Ming.

“If I request this from the management office, they will tell me. If it’s the Empire I know, they will try to avoid troublesome things in advance. Because of ‘that damn overtime’.”

‘Everything is forgiven if it’s to avoid overtime. However, choose the method well.’ The Empire officials hated increasing their work to the point where the saying went around.

Therefore, if he asked for help to avoid troublesome things with Ming in the future, it was certain that they would help with all their heart.

“Of course, they will think of making me an Empire faction while doing so. Anyway… my situation is really interesting.”

Ju Gyeon-sim muttered with a self-deprecating smile.

Even though it was the place he was going to go as Emperor, Ju Gyeon-sim continued to call it ‘Ming’. It still didn’t feel like his home country. However, he didn’t think of the Empire as his homeland either.

In a way, he was in a situation where he didn’t belong to either Ming or the Empire.

Ju Gyeon-sim, who was feeling self-pity as he thought of his floating life, soon regained his composure and added a sentence.

-Need my own personal guard.

“This is the problem. Building it in Ming is a problem with time, but it’s difficult to find the right people. Those in the palace should be seen as already tied to various relationships. Even if I find those buried in the wilderness, they will be pushed out in the selection process. I would do that too.”

Ju Gyeon-sim, who was contemplating with ‘building a personal guard’ as the topic, wrote one word on the paper.

‘Hidden Dragon Society’

It was a title referring to those who got along with him.

“They are not lacking talent, but they are just people who haven’t had a chance…”

Ju Gyeon-sim highly valued his comrades in the Hidden Dragon Society.

The western area of Seoul, where Ju Gyeon-sim lived, was where the middle class mainly lived.

If the Bukchon area of Seoul was where traditional high-ranking officials’ families lived, then Namchon was where artisans and military families connected to District 51 lived. Finally, the east was where commoners related to livestock and agriculture lived.

And, recently, the Mapo area outside the castle was emerging as a popular area.

Because of these circumstances, Ju Gyeon-sim highly valued his comrades in the Hidden Dragon Society. They had decent abilities, but with that level of ability, it was difficult to break through the wall and rise to the top class.

-With my ability, it’s not easy to get a position.

-However, it’s not enough to get to the top.

“I heard that in the days when the Supreme Emperor ruled or before it was changed to the Empire, it was possible to rise to prominence with just one appeal… It’s not easy these days…”

The comrades of the Hidden Dragon Society were those who mixed confidence and self-abandonment and played around like scatterbrains.

Ju Gyeon-sim continued to write under the Hidden Dragon Society.

-Not the best, but decent ability.

-Because they are not Ming people, they will actively cooperate even for survival.

-Because they are Empire people, the Empire will also seek ways to protect them. If I use this well, I can also secure my safety.

“If there is a plan for *chadosarin* [borrowing a knife to kill someone, i.e., using someone else to achieve one’s goals], wouldn’t opposition be possible?”

Ju Gyeon-sim, who was talking to himself like that, smiled.

“Hoo! Such is my brilliance! That’s why I need to secure my safety even more!”

Ju Gyeon-sim, who said something that Hyang would have shaken her head and punched him for if she had heard it, added one name below.

-Geum-soon.

“Making Geum-soon the Empress is important for my safety. If I go without a partner, they will surely push their daughters into the position of Empress, as a shackle and a tool of check. And… Geum-soon is an Empire person. If I and Geum-soon have a child, the Empire will also be interested. Then my safety will be more 확실하게 [certainly] guaranteed.”

Ju Gyeon-sim, who had calculated up to that point, made up his mind.

“Okay! Let’s move like this!”

* * *

The next day, Ju Gyeon-sim called Wang Chung.

“Your Majesty, did you call for me?”

At Wang Chung’s words, Ju Gyeon-sim rebuked Wang Chung in a stern voice.

“Be careful with your mouth. I have not yet ascended to the throne. Don’t you know that if you talk carelessly, things could go wrong? Until I ascend to the throne, never use that title. If you violate this, I will think you are looking down on me and punish you severely.”

At Ju Gyeon-sim’s rebuke, Wang Chung prostrated himself on the floor and bowed his head.

“Please forgive my mistake!”

“Be careful in the future!”

“I will engrave it in my heart!”

After breaking Wang Chung’s spirit like that, Ju Gyeon-sim got to the point.

“Call the manager of the management office. I need the help of the Empire.”

“I obey your command.”

About an hour later, the manager of the management office visited Ju Gyeon-sim.

“I heard you need the help of the Empire. What can I help you with?”

“I need information on the structure of the Ming Dynasty court and the information of those who are moving the court now.”

The manager questioned Ju Gyeon-sim’s request.

“Wouldn’t Eunuch Wang know the structure of the Ming Dynasty court well?”

“It has already been ten years since Eunuch Wang stayed in the Empire. Therefore, I need the most up-to-date information.”

The manager pondered Ju Gyeon-sim’s words for a moment and nodded.

“I understand. I will report to the higher-ups. I think a positive answer will come.”

“Please. And…”

“Yes. What else can I help you with?”

“I want to pursue my marriage.”

“Geum-soon? Heop!”

The manager, who had unknowingly blurted out the words, quickly stopped speaking and bowed his head.

“I showed you an ugly sight! I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay. That’s right. That lady.”

At Ju Gyeon-sim’s answer, the manager carefully asked.

“Did you receive permission from the Noble Consort [a high-ranking imperial concubine]?”

“I will take care of that part.”

“I understand. I will try to pursue that part as well.”

“Thank you.”

“Is there anything else you would like to ask for?”

“Yes. I want to take a few talents from the Empire with me.”

“I’m sorry, but are you referring to the Hidden Dragon Society?”

‘It seems like the rumors have spread throughout Seoul.’

Ju Gyeon-sim nodded with a bitter smile.

“That’s right. And, if I take them with me, I would also like to ask for a way to protect their safety.”

At Ju Gyeon-sim’s words, the manager became serious and replied.

“I will report that part as well. However, I will tell you in advance that there is a high possibility that a negative answer will come out because diplomatic problems may arise.”

“I can solve diplomatic problems. Because I will be the Emperor anyway.”

“I will report that part as well.”

“Then please take care of it.”

“I will do my best.”

* * *

After the manager left, Ju Gyeon-sim visited Madam Ju and talked about the marriage with Geum-soon.

“That’s absurd! How can you bring in a woman from the Empire, especially a woman of humble status, as the Empress? It’s absolutely impossible!”

As the manager had expected, Madam Ju strongly opposed it. However, Ju Gyeon-sim persistently persuaded her.

Madam Ju’s expression began to change little by little as Ju Gyeon-sim continued to persuade her, bringing up the reasons he had already thought of.

“…Think about it. A woman from the Empire has become the Empress. And, if she gives birth to a child, especially a son who will inherit the next throne, the Empire will move to protect their safety. Even if we go back now, we are surrounded by enemies. At this time, we can receive the help of the Empire to protect our safety and advance our work.”

“…Give me some time to think.”

“There is a lot to do and time is short. Please make a decision now.”

“What if I still oppose it?”

“I am the Emperor.”

At Ju Gyeon-sim’s answer, Madam Ju waved the white flag.

“Do as the Emperor wishes.”