A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 392

392. The Best Outcome

The lord’s castle in Lahore was a grand spectacle, a magnificent blend of Tianzhu [ancient Indian] and Persian architectural styles. Lahore Castle, with its imposing red walls, towering turrets, and intricately carved patterns, inspired awe in Son Bin and his group.

Clatter, clatter.

Riding in a carriage provided by the lord, Son Bin and his party passed through the massive castle gates and entered the grounds. They were led to the lord’s residence, known as the ‘Mirror Palace.’

“Wow!”

Seo-rin’s eyes widened in admiration. The Mirror Palace lived up to its name, sparkling with countless small pieces of mirror that reflected the lamplight, creating a dazzling effect.

Sa Su-yeon also seemed impressed by the splendid sight. However, Noh Gun frowned.

“Tsk, what is this nonsense? So distracting.”

After traversing a corridor adorned with mirrors, Son Bin and his group were ushered into a large banquet hall. The elderly lord, flanked by gurus [religious teachers] and imams [Islamic leaders] seated on either side, awaited them.

Rustle.

Sa Su-yeon, wearing a lavish coat and a sparkling veil that partially concealed her eyes, was the first to enter the banquet hall.

Her dignified and beautiful presence as she glided across the luxurious carpet was striking, even to her own companions. The lord, accustomed to opulence, appeared surprised, and the gurus and imams gazed at her with undisguised interest.

Seo-rin’s appearance also drew attention. Despite wearing simple, neat clothing, she possessed a radiant quality that seemed to illuminate the room.

Dang Wul-ah, concealed behind a black veil, piqued the curiosity of the Islamic imam, though he seemed slightly disappointed when he realized it wasn’t an Islamic custom.

Swish.

The elderly lord rose from his seat.

“Welcome, beautiful ‘Rani’ [queen or noblewoman] from Bukhae.”

Merchant Hwang, who followed closely, translated. Sa Su-yeon gave a slight nod, and Merchant Hwang responded to the lord on her behalf.

“It is a great honor to meet the wise and benevolent lord.”

Merchant Hwang’s greeting was identical to his previous address, delivered word for word.

“‘Rani’ is grateful for the lord’s invitation and is impressed by the magnificent fortress and the beautiful Mirror Palace.”

“Haha, is that so?”

The lord seemed pleased with Merchant Hwang’s etiquette. In reality, Sa Su-yeon had remained silent.

The lord, smiling, introduced the imam and the gurus. Adorned with turbans and beards, they were, as expected, the guru of the Tianzhu religious reform sect and the imam of the Badshahi Temple.

Merchant Hwang then introduced Son Bin’s group. Noh Gun was presented as a guard, Dang Wul-ah as ‘Rani’s’ friend and a young lady from a prominent martial arts family in Jungwon [Central Plains of China], and Seo-rin as ‘Rani’s’ attendant. Son Bin, according to his wishes, was introduced as a scribe, while Merchant Hwang identified himself as a merchant and interpreter.

“Thank you very much for accepting this sudden invitation.”

The lord extended courtesies to each member of the group, offering them seats. In contrast to the reactions they had encountered in the former territory, neither the Islamic imam nor the guru of the reform sect seemed particularly concerned.

Maidens brought fragrant food and drinks. The spread wasn’t extravagant, but it was far from simple.

However, no one seemed particularly interested in the food, though Dang Wul-ah and Seo-rin politely held back from indulging.

After a few ceremonial greetings, the lord dismissed the maids.

“As you may have surmised, we invited the ‘Rani’ of Bukhae because we have an important matter to discuss.”

The lord’s expression turned serious as he spoke.

“Furthermore, this matter affects the lives of many people.”

“Speak,” Sa Su-yeon said, breaking her silence. After Merchant Hwang translated, the lord glanced at the guru and the imam before continuing.

“When ‘Rani’ travels to the Imperial Capital, would you be willing to convey our desire for dialogue to the Imperial Family?”

They were operating under the assumption that Sa Su-yeon would journey to the Imperial Capital, reasoning that a ‘Rani’ from Bukhae, having traveled so far north, would naturally wish to visit the heart of the empire.

Sa Su-yeon paused, considering the request. Son Bin, seated in the back, noticed the guru’s displeased expression and the imam’s gleaming eyes.

“I am merely the Vice Palace Master of the Bukhae Ice Palace,” Sa Su-yeon stated calmly.

“Why are you asking me to intervene in a matter internal to the Empire?”

Merchant Hwang translated immediately. The lord sighed softly.

Sa Su-yeon’s point was well-taken. It was indeed unusual to ask a foreigner, the Vice Palace Master of Bukhae, to handle a political matter within the Empire.

“‘Rani’s’ words are true. But we currently lack any means of communication with the central government, due to the ‘minor conflict’ that has persisted since the reign of the previous Shah [ruler]. Originally, it was a minor misunderstanding stemming from differences in religion and local culture…”

The phrase ‘minor conflict’ betrayed the lord’s desire to downplay the situation. In other territories, this region was even labeled a ‘rebellion area’.

“But ‘Rani’ is unaffected by these issues. Besides, does Bukhae not share a common ancestry with the great Emperor of the Steppe? In a way, you could say that you share a bloodline with the Imperial Family.”

The Shahs who established the empire sought legitimacy by claiming descent from the great Emperor of the Steppe.

The great Emperor of the Steppe, who had forged a vast empire spanning the continent, had long since vanished. The current emperor of the empire styled himself as a descendant of that ruthless conquering monarch.

Therefore, ‘Rani’ Sa Su-yeon of Bukhae, a representative of a northern people, held a symbolic significance that the Imperial Family of the Empire would likely find appealing, at least in terms of lineage.

“The Imperial Family would never claim ignorance of Bukhae. On the contrary, they would surely welcome ‘Rani’s’ visit.”

Merchant Hwang quickly translated the lord’s words. He had been unaware of the purported connection between the bloodline of Bukhae and the Imperial Family of the Empire.

Son Bin leaned towards Merchant Hwang and inquired.

“Is that true?”

Merchant Hwang whispered, carefully observing the lord’s expression.

“Well, that’s what they say around here.”

Son Bin smiled wryly to himself. In other words, there was no concrete evidence.

However, in any empire, the origin of the imperial family was considered sacred. The monarch sought to assert his status as a special being.

‘So that’s why he mentioned ‘Bukhae’ from the beginning.’

Son Bin understood the lord’s intention in highlighting Bukhae from the outset. Even without any diplomatic advantage, the Imperial Family of the Empire couldn’t ignore the symbolism of the Bukhae Ice Palace.

Sa Su-yeon remained silent.

The lord, the guru, the imam, and even Son Bin’s group were all focused on her.

Before arriving, Son Bin’s group had finalized their plans. However, this decision rested solely with Sa Su-yeon.

“Such a weighty matter.”

Sa Su-yeon, who had been silent, finally spoke. Her dark eyes sparkled, and a captivating smile graced her lips beneath the veil.

“I’m not sure if I’m capable of handling it.”

The sight was so enchanting that it evoked images of ‘Apsaras’ [celestial nymphs], the goddesses of beauty. Even the lord, guru, and imam were momentarily speechless.

“Th, thank you. No, that’s not what I meant…”

The lord was the first to regain his composure, realizing that he had given a rather awkward response.

The lord cleared his throat and said in a somewhat flustered tone.

“It’s not a question of whether you can handle it. If it’s ‘Rani’, I’m sure you’ll be able to manage it well. Hahahaha.”

The lord glanced at the imam, who, wearing his turban and beard, cleared his throat slightly and said with a gentle smile.

“I am the Imam of Badshahi. I will write you a letter of recommendation to take with you. Then no one in the Imperial Family will be able to disregard ‘Rani’s’ request.”

The imam spoke with a hint of satisfaction. He naturally favored aligning with the policies of the empire. However, in this territory, the imam’s faction represented only a privileged group of Muslims.

The majority of the population, who adhered to the Tianzhu religious reform sect, advocated for honorable resistance, symbolized by the daggers they carried in their arms. Consequently, the reform sect guru’s expression was far from pleased.

But this was the final compromise offered by the moderate lord. Regardless of the reform sect’s dominance in the area, they couldn’t simply dismiss the words of the lord, who controlled the military and administration.

It was at that moment that…

“Impossible!”

Noh Gun’s voice boomed. He frowned and shouted in a forceful tone, his white eyebrows twitching.

Understandably, the lord and the imam frowned at Merchant Hwang’s rapid translation. An ordinary guard was contradicting what ‘Rani’ had accepted.

“You are…”

Just as the imam was about to speak, his expression souring…

Smash.

Noh Gun slammed the large glass he was holding onto the floor. The heavy metal Tianzhu-style glass pierced through the thick carpet and embedded itself in the marble floor as if it were tofu.

‘Gasp.’

The imam’s expression changed, as did the lord’s and the guru’s. No matter how soft the marble was, such a feat was impossible with mere human strength.

“Do you not know what this territory is called in other regions? How can the Imperial Family trust the Vice Palace Master after interacting with ‘rebels’?”

Whoosh.

Noh Gun’s murderous aura filled the banquet hall. Merchant Hwang quickly translated his words, and the faces of the lord, guru, and imam, already tense, grew even more strained when the word ‘rebel’ was uttered.

“Furthermore, if you need to ask the Vice Palace Master for mediation, it is obvious how dire the current situation is. They are now irresponsibly trying to shift the Imperial Family’s anger onto the Vice Palace Master!”

Noh Gun’s words were accurate. In this situation, asking Sa Su-yeon to bear the Imperial Family’s wrath on their behalf was essentially what they were doing.

Moreover, the fact that even conveying their desire for dialogue required a mediator highlighted the Imperial Family’s strong stance on this ‘conflict’ and the precarious position of this territory.

With each of Merchant Hwang’s translations, which struck at the heart of the matter, the expressions of the lord, guru, and imam shifted from moment to moment.

“Th, that’s not true. The current Shah is more lenient than his predecessor…”

“Please calm down, Noh Gun.”

Sa Su-yeon’s voice interrupted the lord’s hasty explanation. Merchant Hwang quickly translated her words, inwardly impressed by Noh Gun’s performance.

Rustle.

Sa Su-yeon politely bowed to Noh Gun. The lord, guru, and imam could clearly see that Noh Gun was no ordinary guard. He was someone who could rebuke the ‘Rani’ of the Bukhae Ice Palace and command her respect.

Perhaps Noh Gun was an elder of Bukhae or a highly respected figure.

Meanwhile, Sa Su-yeon calmly reasoned with Noh Gun, or rather, pretended to reason with him.

But Noh Gun didn’t relax his stern expression. Perhaps his demeanor reflected his genuine feelings.

“I understand the Vice Palace Master’s intentions. But in this situation, I can never accept their request,” Noh Gun stated firmly. Vice Palace Master Sa Su-yeon appeared somewhat embarrassed by his words.

The lord’s face, as he listened to Merchant Hwang’s translation, hardened. Merchant Hwang knew it was his cue to intervene.

“Then wouldn’t it be acceptable to demonstrate appropriate ‘sincerity’ to the Imperial Family?”

The lord frowned. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to show ‘sincerity’.

“I’ve already sent more than enough gifts…”

His territory was originally wealthy, and he had already spent lavishly on gifts. But the conflict, which had begun during the previous emperor’s reign, showed no signs of resolution.

“Gifts are not the only form of sincerity,” Merchant Hwang said, shaking his head.

“People often misunderstand, but money isn’t always the key. The secret to successful commerce lies in knowing how to impress the other party, and… cough.”

Merchant Hwang, realizing he was rambling, quickly cleared his throat when Noh Gun glared at him.

“So, ‘sincerity’ in this case means demonstrating a clear ‘fact’ that this territory is in no way hostile to the Imperial Family.”

Merchant Hwang diligently repeated the same message in the Tianzhu language, subtly shifting the atmosphere.

“Isn’t that right, Elder Noh Gun?”

At Merchant Hwang’s prompting, Noh Gun reluctantly conceded.

“Humph, then the situation is different. If there is such a clear ‘fact’, then even if the Imperial Family harbors misunderstandings, we will have a basis for discussion.”

Noh Gun glared at the lord, implying that it was his responsibility to produce that ‘fact’.

“H, however, there is no such thing…”

The lord said, looking troubled. Merchant Hwang’s words were accurate, but what evidence could he present to the Imperial Family, given the ongoing conflict stemming from Muslim-centered policies?

The only solution was to fully embrace the Imperial Family’s Muslim-centric policies, but the Tianzhu religious reform sect would never agree to that.

“How about this?”

Son Bin spoke softly. When Son Bin, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, the lord’s and imam’s gazes turned to him.

“The empire currently has many enemies. If you strike down one of them and demonstrate your loyalty to the empire, who would doubt your good intentions, even if the Vice Palace Master conveys your message?”

The lord’s eyes widened at Son Bin’s suggestion.

The reason for the conflict between this territory and the central government of the empire was, in fact, due to Muslim-centered policies, an internal matter.

If they actively suppressed the empire’s enemies, it could serve as a conciliatory gesture to the Imperial Family, providing the ‘fact’ that the ‘Rani’ group had mentioned.

“If it’s an enemy of the empire, what…”

“Well, the lord would know better than I.”

Son Bin said with a gentle smile. The lord glanced at the guru and the imam.

The Islamic imam considered the reform sect to be an enemy of the empire. The guru of the reform sect, in turn, hadn’t forgotten the persecution and humiliation suffered by Muslims. Therefore, it had to be a common enemy completely unrelated to either Muslims or the reform sect.

‘Ah!’

The lord suddenly recalled a notorious cult that had been making headlines recently, a clear enemy of the empire that had even captured an imperial military camp.

“What about the Demonic Sect?”

As expected, the imam’s expression turned sour as soon as the words ‘Demonic Sect’ were uttered, revealing his disdain.

The guru’s expression mirrored the imam’s. Regardless of the reform sect’s tolerance of other religions, demons and demonic beasts were an exception.

“Certainly, the Demonic Sect poses a significant threat.”

“I agree. The Demonic Sect is an extremely evil cult that must be eradicated.”

The guru and the imam concurred with the lord’s proposal. This was precisely what Son Bin’s group had anticipated.

‘As expected.’

Merchant Hwang muttered inwardly, maintaining a nonchalant expression.

‘I knew it would play out this way.’

The people here were quite talkative. Son Bin had been cornered by a priest or guru while wandering around and engaged in conversation all day long, despite his limited knowledge of the Tianzhu language.

As a result, Son Bin’s group had gained considerable insight into the local situation and the prevalent rumors. They had already determined that the only common enemy besides the empire was the Demonic Sect.

“We’ve heard a little about the Demonic Sect,” Son Bin said, feigning a slight frown. Merchant Hwang thought he was quite adept at playing coy.

“I heard that they recently destroyed an imperial military camp?”

“That’s right.”

The lord said, lamenting the troublesome nature of the Demonic Sect and the empire’s inept handling of the threat.

He also mentioned that despite the serious incident of the military camp’s capture, the general, fearing punishment, hadn’t even properly reported it to the central government.

Due to the nature of demons and demonic beasts, there was no concept of occupation or defense, so if they managed to retake the military camp after the demons left, they could pretend that nothing had happened.

“The damage is extensive.”

The guru of the reform sect said with a grave expression.

“It is said that nothing remains in the wake of demons and demonic beasts. They devour everything, regardless of whether it is a person or an animal.”

The Islamic imam remained silent, unwilling to acknowledge the empire’s disgrace. To him, both the Demonic Sect and the Tianzhu religion were heretics.

“Moreover, the bigger problem is that those demons are approaching this territory,” the lord said with a displeased expression. He was in a foul mood because the Demonic Sect was running rampant in an already difficult situation.

“Oh, dear,” Son Bin said with a pitiful expression, his face radiating sincerity. In fact, he was being sincere.

“In particular, the one who leads the demons, Suma Shin, is very dangerous. He is a giant wielding a long ax-shaped spear, and his appearance and power are said to be like the incarnation of a god.”

“Is that so? The incarnation of a god, he must be truly formidable,” Son Bin nodded admiringly. Merchant Hwang couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Wasn’t Son Bin himself considered the ‘incarnation of a god’ in Seojang?

“If you don’t mind…”

Son Bin suddenly raised his head and looked directly at the lord.

“How about we help you capture that Suma Shin?”

For a moment, the lord looked puzzled, as if he hadn’t understood. But his eyes widened when Noh Gun cleared his throat.

He recalled the scene where Noh Gun had effortlessly embedded the glass into the marble floor.

“Oh, oh! If you would do that…”

“And you may not be aware, but this person here…”

Before the lord could finish, Son Bin turned to Dang Wul-ah.

Dang Wul-ah quietly placed the large Tianzhu-style glass she was holding on the floor. She extended her slender white hand and slowly pressed down on the top of the glass.

Sizzle.

The carpet beneath the glass began to burn black with a hissing sound. But that wasn’t all.

Gurgle.

The marble revealed beneath the carpet was melting, bubbling with small bubbles.

The metal glass also lost its shape and melted, releasing a pungent odor. Seo-rin, with her sensitive sense of smell, immediately covered her nose.

“Heok.”

The lord gasped. The expressions of the lord, guru, and imam as they witnessed the melting glass and boiling marble were truly a sight to behold.

“If you know her, she’s a very skilled person,” Son Bin said casually, his voice relaxed. Merchant Hwang was pleased with the lord’s, guru’s, and imam’s stunned reactions as he translated.

‘It’s done.’

Merchant Hwang muttered inwardly. It was a satisfactory outcome for Son Bin’s group, who had only decided on the rough outline and each other’s roles during the short journey to the Lord’s Castle.

That is, the best outcome for Son Bin’s group, which was to leverage the military power of this territory to subdue Suma Shin.

(Author’s words)

The three-cushion united fraud group consisting of Noh Gun – Hwang Bang-ju – Son Bin.

Marble + acid -> calcium chloride + water + carbon dioxide Therefore, the bubbles are carbon dioxide.