A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 321

321. Drawing Lines in the Dirt

The Emperor’s private residence was more modest than expected.

The calligraphy hanging on the walls was well-written but not by a master, and there were few extravagant or ornate decorations.

As befitting the Emperor’s chambers, there were dragon-shaped ornaments, but even those seemed to be there only for formality’s sake, and nothing else was particularly impressive.

“This way, please.”

The eunuch led Sohn Bin to a private study next to the Emperor’s chambers.

Lit by a single lamp, the room felt like a simple study, not very large. There weren’t many books, and only a few scrolls lay on the desk.

The elderly Emperor was sitting there.

The Emperor was leaning back in his chair, one hand propping up his chin, reading a letter on his lap. It was a bit dark to be reading, but the Emperor didn’t seem to mind.

His attire was also plainer than expected, as if he had simply thrown a thin robe over his sleeping clothes before coming to the study. Of course, the robe still had a golden dragon pattern embroidered on it.

“Your Majesty.”

The eunuch who had led Sohn Bin bowed deeply. The Emperor looked up.

“Oh, you’ve arrived. Sit there.”

The elderly Emperor spoke to Sohn Bin as naturally as if he had been waiting for a well-known acquaintance. He put the letter he had been reading on the desk.

“Your Majesty.”

The eunuch said cautiously, pointing out that Sohn Bin had not yet paid his respects. However, the Emperor waved his hand.

“Enough. If you get too caught up in formalities, you can’t say what you really want to say. Besides, this isn’t that kind of occasion.”

The Emperor smiled gently at Sohn Bin, a warm smile like a kind grandfather.

“It’s alright, sit down.”

Sohn Bin clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully.

“Thank you.”

No matter the occasion, respect for the Emperor could never be compromised. Therefore, Sohn Bin’s gesture, even though very polite after the Emperor’s invitation, was still technically a breach of protocol.

However, the Emperor nodded with a pleased smile.

Rustle.

As Sohn Bin sat down, the eunuch bowed to the Emperor and quietly withdrew.

Now, only the Emperor and Sohn Bin remained in the dimly lit study.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor looked at Sohn Bin, not hiding his curious gaze.

Sohn Bin felt the same. The elderly Emperor looked even older up close than he had at first glance. However, his eyes were as lively as a young man’s.

“I’ve heard the rumors, but are you the one who walks the path of the Martial Emperor?”

The Emperor’s words were without any formality or reserve. He didn’t even use the honorifics that were always observed, even in private.

Sohn Bin smiled and replied to the very friendly words, as if speaking to a close friend.

“Yes, I am.”

“Amazing.”

The Emperor’s admiration was genuine.

“You are very different from ‘them’ I have seen. No, if it were just appearance, wouldn’t you rather resemble the young noble who was by his side?”

Sohn Bin couldn’t hide his awkward smile.

The Emperor was implying that Sohn Bin looked more like the previous Jade Dragon than Sa Ja-hyuk.

However, Sohn Bin was not brazen enough to compare his appearance to the previous Jade Dragon.

“But I have no choice but to believe it.”
A low voice came from the elderly Emperor.

“The great tiger proves itself not by its appearance, but by its sharp teeth and claws.”

The very fact that Sohn Bin was here was proof enough of himself.

The Emperor looked straight at Sohn Bin and said,

“Of course, that’s why it gets hunted.”

The Emperor’s words had a barb. He was comparing the uncontrolled power of the Outer Ministry to a great tiger.

Sohn Bin smiled again.

“So, are you trying to kill all the tigers in the world?”

“Of course.”

The Emperor’s answer was without hesitation. He leaned back in his chair, looked straight at Sohn Bin, and said as if it were obvious.

“If the great tiger disturbs the world, how can I sit idly by? Even if the green mountains are full of tigers, even if they are divine beasts that can ascend to the heavens, they must be killed. It must be done.”

That was by no means an exaggeration. No matter who the opponent was, no matter how many there were, it didn’t matter.

For the sake of imperial power, the imperial family would not hesitate to burn even ‘half the world,’ as the Gyeonggi Lord had said.

“After killing the tigers.”

Sohn Bin said quietly.

“Then the wolves will seem like a threat. Would placing leashes on all the beasts on earth and building a castle to surround the world bring about an era of peace?”

Even the Great Wall, stretching for thousands of miles, could not keep out the barbarians.

Sohn Bin continued in a calm tone.

“The ancients said, ‘Tyranny is more frightening than a tiger.’ The divine beast merely frolics above the clouds; it is neither the great tiger nor the divine beast that threatens the well-being of the people.”

The Emperor glared at Sohn Bin with a sharp gaze. The Emperor’s eyes, which made all the officials kneel, were full of majesty, but Sohn Bin’s gentle expression did not change.

A silence as sharp as a needle passed.

“If I.”
The Emperor said quietly.

“Don’t give up until the end?”

“If you insist on doing so.”

Sohn Bin sighed softly.

“The great tiger will have no choice but to hide in the deep mountains, abandoning its hunting grounds and burrows.”

The Emperor’s eyes lit up.

‘The great tiger hiding in the deep mountains’ meant the masters of the Outer Ministry, and ‘abandoning hunting grounds and burrows’ meant the Four Great Clans and Five Great Houses submitting to the imperial family.

Perhaps this was the wisest choice.

Rather than watching their families and sects burn, it would be better to cut ties and go into seclusion.

However, the Emperor was not foolish enough to take these words as a declaration of surrender.

“And?”

“It will wait.”

Sohn Bin said calmly.

“When time passes, and the skilled old hunter retires, and the era of the young and brave new hunter arrives, the great tiger in the deep valleys will once again take an interest in the outside world.”

The Emperor’s face hardened. There was no way he couldn’t understand what Sohn Bin was saying.

“Of course, it will only occasionally appear in villages to snatch chickens. But the great tiger, by its very existence, makes people tremble with anxiety. When complaints pour out from everywhere, how wisely will the new hunter, who is not yet familiar with the mountains, be able to cope?”

When a new emperor ascends the throne, the most important immediate task is to stabilize imperial power.

What would happen if strange things happened during such a time, such as the sudden disappearance of a local official, or if strange people disturbed the imperial city as they did today?

Would the new emperor be able to handle those things skillfully?

Or would he be swayed by the words of the officials who were suspicious of the new emperor’s ability to govern?

“Trial and error will be inevitable, and as time goes by, people may begin to doubt the abilities of the young hunter. Even if it is somehow resolved, once an assessment is established, it will not easily disappear.”

If these problems arise in the early days of his reign, it will be almost impossible for the new emperor to seize control of the political situation.

Even if he manages to fix it somehow, it’s still a problem. The officials will bring up this incident at every opportunity to object to the emperor’s decisions.

In other words, even if it is resolved, it will become a fatal flaw that will hold him back throughout his reign.

“Then wouldn’t the wolves in the mountains think again? Wouldn’t they say, ‘Maybe I can do it too’?”

Moreover, if the new emperor fails to seize control, the problem becomes even more serious.

The royal princes, who are constantly looking for opportunities, may each raise their own private armies and take advantage of the power vacuum to form local warlords.

In such a situation, the world is already divided into pieces.

“Come to think of it, the old hunter must also be worried.”

Sohn Bin said, as if suddenly remembering.

“If he tries to boil all the hunting dogs [kill all the loyal officials], he won’t be able to guard against the great tiger in the future, and if he leaves them, he’ll be worried that they might bite the new master.”

Even if he is the most loyal subject of all time, human hearts cannot be trusted.

Therefore, the best way to stabilize the next generation’s rule is through indiscriminate purges.

Eliminating the power of the officials to the point where even a fool could rule is the most certain method of all.

However, if the great tiger still remains in the mountains, this would be the worst move, tearing down one’s own fences.

Because there’s no guarantee that the great tiger will only snatch chickens from the villages.

“Hmm.”

The Emperor did not hide his groan. If things went as Sohn Bin said, it would be a nightmare in itself.

Why was he trying to implement the Heaven-Turning Scheme [a plan to consolidate imperial power]?

It was precisely to take on all the evil deeds himself. Even if it meant a localized state of civil war, it was to stabilize the rule of future generations in any way possible.

But Sohn Bin was saying that he would place all that burden on the next emperor.

If things continued this way, everything the Emperor did would instead push the rule of future generations into a quagmire.

A quagmire from which they could never escape, a quagmire that even a seasoned emperor would shudder at.

“Heh heh.”

However, the Emperor chuckled.

“Interesting. But do you think things will go your way so easily?”

The Emperor lightly touched the tips of his fingers together and said with a feigned look of interest.

“There are many ominous things in the world, but no country has ever fallen because of them. Your words are just empty fantasies.”

“Of course, they are.”

Sohn Bin bowed his head and agreed with the Emperor’s words.

“But if it’s the danger from the north, the problem changes.”

The Emperor’s face hardened at once.

“The danger from the north?”

Sohn Bin did not answer. But from Sohn Bin’s gently smiling face, the Emperor could tell that he had not misheard.

He didn’t need strange events. The great tiger didn’t need to come out of the deep valleys to snatch chickens.

Just the occasional disturbances on the northern border would make everything go Sohn Bin’s way. Absolutely.

“Not the Heaven-Turning Scheme…”

The Emperor’s voice was trembling slightly. The Emperor’s eyes, blazing like flames, were filled with anger.

He had confirmed that Sohn Bin was behind the escalating danger on the northern border.

“I should have burned down Mount Hwang entirely.”

“Even if you burn down not just Mount Hwang but the entire world, you cannot break the spirit of the people.”

Sohn Bin looked straight at the enraged Emperor.

“But if Your Majesty rules with benevolence and trust, even if you draw lines in the dirt and call it a prison, people will not dare to disobey, and if they see the danger of the world, everyone will rise up and fight together.”

Sohn Bin said with the deepest of eyes,

“The country always collapses on its own.”

The Emperor gritted his teeth. The old Emperor’s eyes trembled with anger. But that anger did not last long.

If anything threatens the imperial family, he would kill even half the world.

In other words, he would do anything for the sake of the imperial family’s well-being.

If it meant enduring insults and joining hands with foreign powers to get what he wanted, he would not hesitate.

That is politics.

“Hoo.”

The seasoned Emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He had not succumbed to Sohn Bin’s words. But politics is ultimately a battle of power.

Although there were no tens of thousands of soldiers or countless bloodshed, there was a clear battle here.

A battle that risked the fate of the empire.

After a moment of silence, the Emperor took a deep breath.

“Among those who rise up to see the danger of the world.”

The Emperor opened his eyes and asked,

“Will you be among them?”

“Of course.”

Sohn Bin said without the slightest hesitation. Sohn Bin smiled.

“I will do so at any time.”

That was Sohn Bin’s true heart. But the Emperor did not know whether to believe those words.

The eyes of Sohn Bin before him were as clear as could be. But the Emperor had seen such eyes change so easily countless times.

The Emperor hesitated.

The Emperor already knew that there was no choice.

The only way was to believe Sohn Bin’s words.

But was that okay?

“It is difficult to say presumptuously, but.”

Sohn Bin said quietly, looking at the Emperor.

“There is actually one thing I want.”

The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched. Was there something else he wanted besides not touching the Outer Ministry?

“The Gyeonggi Lord.”

After clearing his throat, Sohn Bin carefully chose his words and continued.

“What can I say, she is a truly impressive person.”

It was true that she was impressive. Even now, Hwa-sa gritted her teeth whenever the story of the Gyeonggi Lord came up.

“The Gyeonggi Lord…”

A strange light flashed in the Emperor’s eyes. The elderly Emperor leaned back in his chair as if lost in thought.

“That child has outstanding looks and a graceful personality. Her eyes are clear and her voice is lively, so she is quite a pleasant conversational partner. What’s more, she is quite intelligent and has extraordinary talents, so any man would want to have her at least once.”

Sohn Bin gave an awkward smile.

When it came to looks, Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wola were holding their ground. Besides, even if he looked at it generously, he couldn’t call her personality graceful. And even if he considered her intelligent, she couldn’t surpass Sa Su-yeon or Dang Wola.

Of course, it was true that her eyes were clear and her voice was lively.

Although she always used those eyes and voice to make Sohn Bin look like a strange person, or to utter words full of resentment.

“But why that child?”

The Emperor looked at Sohn Bin and asked with an interesting look. Sohn Bin cleared his throat once more and, with the strength of a lifetime, said,

“Will you give her to me?”

A heavy silence flowed. The Emperor, who had been looking at him with a surprised expression, suddenly burst out laughing.

“Hahahahaha.”

The Emperor clapped his knees and laughed.

Sohn Bin, who had been prepared to some extent, could not hide his awkward expression because he did not expect him to laugh this much.

“Haha, ahahahaha.”

The Emperor could not stop laughing, as if he was very happy about something. He suddenly looked at Sohn Bin and said,

“Are you serious?”

The Emperor’s expression was still full of laughter. But his eyes were as sharp as could be.

“Yes.”

Sohn Bin replied.

“Hmm…”

The Emperor looked at Sohn Bin and was lost in thought for a moment.

‘Blood ties.’

From ancient times, forming blood ties was the most common but effective diplomatic means.

Of course, blood ties are sometimes lightly ignored in major affairs between countries. But what is important is the very existence of the Gyeonggi Lord.

If Sohn Bin were to welcome the Gyeonggi Lord, the Outer Ministry would not be able to antagonize the imperial family. Even if Sohn Bin said he would antagonize the imperial family, the other masters of the Outer Ministry would not be able to believe it.

Therefore, the Gyeonggi Lord was a wonderful solution that would eliminate the worries that the Emperor had at once.

“It’s not like there aren’t precedents with the northern barbarians.”

Not only were there precedents, but there were many. It was a method commonly used historically to stabilize the border.

Of course, Sohn Bin was from the Outer Ministry. So, the term ‘northern barbarians’ was just a pretext.

The decision was quick. The Emperor nodded.

“I grant it. Do you have that child with you now?”

“Yes, I do. Perhaps…”

“No, there’s no need to send her to the imperial palace. It’s a problem that can be solved even without her.”

The Emperor’s words were as Sohn Bin had expected. But the question that followed was something Sohn Bin had not even thought of.

“Have you already touched her?”

“Cough.”

Sohn Bin coughed without realizing it. Thinking that he had been coughing too much today, Sohn Bin quickly straightened his posture and shook his head.

“That is not the case.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

The Emperor looked at Sohn Bin with a feigned, sly expression.

The appearance he had shown until just now, full of anger, was nowhere to be seen, and now he was just like a mischievous old man from the neighborhood.

“That child may seem strong, but she has quite a few tender spots. I was just having fun teasing her too much because I found her trying to hold on with her pride interesting.”

The Emperor said with a still smiling expression.

But Sohn Bin did not take those words at face value. This was none other than the imperial family.

“Let me tell you in advance, all ties between that child and the imperial family are now over.”

“I know.”

It was not just that the ties were over. In the records, the Gyeonggi Lord would be treated as if she had never existed in the imperial family at all.

The Emperor looked at Sohn Bin with new eyes as he nodded.

“You are indeed different from ‘them’.”

Sohn Bin raised his head. The Emperor looked straight at Sohn Bin and said,

“Are you not interested in the position of being second to none and above all others?”

“Those are words I dare not handle.”

Sohn Bin, who said as if there was no room for doubt, quietly rose from his seat.

Rustle.

The Emperor frowned at Sohn Bin’s sudden action, but Sohn Bin, after straightening his clothes, slowly knelt down.

Thud.

Sohn Bin’s forehead touched the cold floor. The Emperor could not hide his surprised expression.

Sohn Bin, who had been talking about the northern border, was now kneeling before the Emperor and bowing his head.

“I humbly beg you.”

Sohn Bin said in a small, trembling voice,

“Please care for all the people of the world with benevolence and trust. Do not let the people who have fallen into despair seek the heavens, but let it be a world where they only praise the Emperor’s grace.”

The Emperor closed his eyes at the trembling voice.

And after a while, when the Emperor, who had calmed his mind, opened his eyes, there was no one in front of him.