I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 160

From Today, I will do Business in the Central Plains – Episode 160 (160/212)

< Clearing Out the Candidates 2 >

“Lord Jang already has something concrete on the Empress, doesn’t he?”

At Bi-rim’s question, Jo Gwang-yun shook his head.

“Isn’t everyone suspicious? Whether the prince is truly of the Emperor’s seed…? That’s all I have too.”

“So, you summoned me just to see my face? Threatening to tear apart our Shadow Encampment?”

He seemed to be getting agitated. It was probably reproach for rushing over at the call of a major source of funds.

“Of course, I have a request. I’m not that idle.”

“Then let’s get to the point. I’m not idle either.”

“I have many questions about the Emperor’s two brothers. Is that also a refusal?”

“Speak your mind.”

“Who does the Emperor cherish more?”

Bi-rim’s lips curled up. It was a clear sneer.

“What is it? Is there something I don’t know?”

“Just because you frequent the Imperial Palace doesn’t mean you instantly become one of the Imperial family.”

Words that were both knowing and vague.

“So, neither of them, is what you mean.”

Bi-rim shook his head.

“The Emperor doesn’t cherish people themselves. He divides them into necessary and unnecessary, useful and useless, those with value to exploit and those without. He doesn’t categorize them as cherished or not cherished.”

It was as if he had been struck on the head.

The one who stands at the pinnacle from birth, the Emperor.

Everyone bowed their heads beneath him. People only had the value of necessary objects to him.

Objects that could be replaced with new ones if they broke or became too old to use. Objects that he could discard at any time if he grew tired of them, even if he had a special affection for them.

Bi-rim spoke to Jo Gwang-yun, who had a dazed expression.

“Perhaps Lord Jang is the most similar to the Emperor.”

Was that so?

Jo Gwang-yun compared himself to the Emperor.

There were definitely similarities. But they weren’t identical. His starting point was different from the Emperor’s, so his eye for people and his method of distinguishing them were also different.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, but it’s not important… So, the two brothers are still useful people.”

“That’s right. They are merely cards that haven’t been played yet.”

Jo Gwang-yun changed his question.

“Then what about the two of them? Are they decent people? By common standards, I mean.”

Bi-rim paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Gwak is clever. Because he is clever, he reads the Emperor’s intentions to some extent. So, he always keeps a low profile. If I were to guess his feelings, he probably feels like he’s always walking on thin ice. He knows that the Emperor will use him someday, and that his usefulness is likely to end in death.”

“What about Pyo then?”

“He is an unparalleled idler. If he has wine, women, and the zither [a type of stringed instrument], he wants nothing more. He actually enjoys being sent to the north by the Emperor. He can enjoy the lavish treatment of local officials while touring the north, rather than being in the stifling Imperial Palace where there is constant interference and many eyes watching.”

“Do the two of them have any power?”

“Pyo is not cut out for great things, so he has no followers. Gwak manages books in the Imperial Palace, so he doesn’t have any real power either. If I had to pick one, it would be Gwak’s father-in-law, Chief Secretary (中書令) Ju Sang-bang (朱常.”

Chief Secretary was like the chief of staff near the Emperor and the head of the historians. His power was by no means small, as he had a great influence on the Emperor’s policy decisions.

He had a rough idea of the Emperor’s brothers.

Jo Gwang-yun asked one last question that bothered him.

“One last question. About the Emperor’s current favorite, Consort Yang.”

“Yes. You mean Lord Jang’s sister?”

“Yes. If the Emperor doesn’t cherish people, is his favor towards Consort Yang not affection but an act to use her?”

Bi-rim answered without the slightest hesitation.

“A beauty that can topple kingdoms has her uses. Rather than affection, he will regard her as a very good resting place. A resting place to relieve the fatigue accumulated from being burdened with work all day long.”

“What is the basis for that belief?”

“I heard it from someone in the Imperial Palace. It was a statement that came from the Emperor’s mouth.”

As expected. The Shadow Encampment’s informants were clearly palace maids and eunuchs working in the palace.

“I understand. The information fee will be paid in the same way.”

Even though it was a clear indication that the business was over, Bi-rim did not back down and only stared straight at Jo Gwang-yun.

“What is it? Is there something more to say?”

“Although you are a client, I must ask this question. If you answer honestly, I will not accept today’s payment.”

“That’s good. Saved some money. Hehe.”

Even though Jo Gwang-yun joked and chuckled, Bi-rim still had a stiff face.

“You said you would tear our Shadow Encampment to shreds. What method were you thinking of using?”

“If you cut off the roots, the pillar withers and the branches rot. I was thinking of pulling out the roots of the Shadow Encampment.”

“You know our roots, which even I don’t know. You are amazing.”

No sooner had Bi-rim’s mocking words ended than Gwang-yun spoke.

“A person who has been digging up and investigating information all his life cannot abandon that thrilling taste. Digging into other people’s affairs is a great power. Moreover, aren’t you guys politicians? Politicians live with one or two major scandals. Just holding the secrets of such people gives you a thrill.”

Bi-rim’s expression began to change.

“Such guys don’t abandon that habit even after retirement and still go around digging up information. I heard that the Shadow Encampment also takes on contract killings? Then shall we summarize? A group that digs up information in the Imperial Palace and can easily kill people. And an organization that has connections with people in the Imperial Palace. Where do you think it is?”

The smile disappeared from Bi-rim’s face.

“The Shadow Encampment was created by guys who used to work in Dongrim and Seoik after they retired. Of course, close ties with current managers in both organizations would not have been severed.”

Jo Gwang-yun looked at Bi-rim, who couldn’t say anything, and said.

“You know the roots of the Shadow Encampment, but you don’t think I can tear it apart? Even if you replace the heads of the two organizations, it will be half gone, right?”

Finally, Bi-rim cautiously opened his mouth.

“It seems too pathetic for me to deny it here, so I won’t deny it. So? What are you going to do?”

“What am I going to do? Even if I know that the owner of my favorite noodle shop is a criminal, I don’t report him to the government office. If he just makes delicious noodles, I leave him alone. If the owner is arrested, I won’t be able to taste those noodles again. Isn’t that obvious?”

Bi-rim let out a long sigh and bowed.

“As promised, I will not accept today’s information fee. And I will do my best to serve delicious noodles continuously.”

“It’s okay. I’ll pay the fee. Use it to buy noodle ingredients.”

When Jo Gwang-yun said with a smile, a smile finally appeared on Bi-rim’s face.

“Then I’ll give you more noodles from next time. Because you’re a regular.”

Bi-rim bowed once and quietly retreated. Jo Gwang-yun shouted at his back.

“If someone instigates you to kill me after finding out the secrets of the Shadow Encampment, kill that guy first. Because he’s a fool who doesn’t know that the Shadow Encampment’s skills can’t do anything to me.”

Bi-rim turned around and said.

“Who would dare to touch Lord Jang, who is the hope of Mount Hua? There is no such fool in our Shadow Encampment.”

“One more thing. Don’t leak today’s story to the current members of Dongrim or Seoik. Then I’ll really tear you apart.”

“Isn’t that why I came in person? I know how to distinguish between what to say and what not to say. Do you think I’m a fool?”

As Bi-rim disappeared with a smile, Jo Gwang-yun muttered.

“Wherever you go, those damn former officials are the problem.”

The more he came into contact with the Shadow Encampment, the more one organization came to mind. It was the Yangji Association, a social club of the National Intelligence Service OBs [Old Boys], a South Korean intelligence organization.

The power of an intelligence organization must be too sweet to abandon forever.

Jo Gwang-yun shook off his old thoughts and focused on the current problem.

The Emperor’s intentions are the most important.

How much is the life of Prince Pyongwon, Gwak, worth? As a means of eliminating whom will Gwak’s life be used?

Prince Seongwon, Pyo, must be kept alive for now. That idler is the last insurance.

* * *

At first, it was so hard that she felt like she was going to die, but now she was used to it. Yang Ryeo-cheong became accustomed to drinking herbal medicine like water, as if she was drinking water when she woke up in the morning.

She also took it for granted that people around her took care of her, and she completely accepted that she was a precious person as her title suggested.

Today was a little different from usual. The royal physician carefully took her pulse and brought the herbal medicine himself. The tray holding the bowl of herbal medicine trembled slightly.

“Your Majesty, the weather is very dry in spring. You should drink a little more water.”

“Okay.”

Usually, it ends like this. But today is different.

“Start coughing two days from now.”

The royal physician lowered his voice and put his finger to his lips.

Yang Ryeo-cheong was bewildered by his sudden words, but Jo Gwang-yun’s words came to mind.

– The royal physician will let you out. Just listen to what the royal physician says.

Her fingertips trembled slightly at the thought that it was starting now, but Yang Ryeo-cheong smiled and said.

“Don’t worry. I’ll drink a lot of water as the royal physician tells me to.”

The royal physician saw Yang Ryeo-cheong smiling brightly and knew that she was no ordinary woman. He had a feeling that Jo Gwang-yun’s plan might work.

As the royal physician stepped back, Yang Ryeo-cheong stopped smiling and bit her lip.

Will she really be able to get out of the Imperial Palace?

* * *

“Your Majesty, here is your herbal medicine.”

When the court lady brought the herbal medicine, Yang Ryeo-cheong began to cough lightly.

“Your Majesty, why are you coughing…?”

The court lady turned pale. The Emperor’s favorite concubine must not have a single hair harmed. Because she had to take all the responsibility for it. If Yang Ryeo-cheong coughed, she had to be prepared to be hit with ten strokes of the cane.

“No. It’s okay. It’s just a little tickle in my throat.”

Yang Ryeo-cheong took a sip of the herbal medicine and coughed again.

As the herbal medicine soaked her silk clothes, everyone rushed over and started making a fuss.

Hong-yeon shouted.

“Royal Physician! Quickly bring the Royal Physician!”

Someone hurriedly ran out, and soon two royal physicians ran in.

The royal physician kept tilting his head as he took Yang Ryeo-cheong’s pulse.

“Why? Is it not a cold?”

Yang Ryeo-cheong asked with a worried expression, and the royal physician hurriedly replied.

“Because it’s the change of seasons, the weather is dry. At times like this, a nasty cold comes. Your Majesty, I told you to drink a lot of water…”

“Ah, I forgot. I drink a lot of herbal medicine, so I was reluctant to drink water. I’m also full.”

“Spring colds during the change of seasons are severe and do not go away easily. And…”

The royal physician looked at the royal physician who came with him and said.

“Please take her pulse once. I think we should be sure. I don’t think it’s just a cold.”

The people of Haan Palace, who were watching the pulse taking, began to get nervous. If she had a serious illness, they had to be prepared for dozens of strokes of the cane.

The second royal physician carefully began to take her pulse.

He kept tilting his head and then took his hand off.

“Your Majesty, please wait a moment.”

The two royal physicians went out of the palace and whispered for a long time and kept nodding their heads.

The two royal physicians, who had returned to the palace, suddenly fell to the ground in front of Yang Ryeo-cheong.

“Noble Consort, congratulations.”

“Your Majesty, it is a joyous occasion for the Imperial family.”

Everyone was speechless and just stared at the two royal physicians’ sudden actions.

“W-What’s going on…?”

Yang Ryeo-cheong was also dumbfounded. This was not what Jo Gwang-yun had explained.

“Your Majesty has conceived the dragon’s essence (龍精) [a euphemism for pregnancy, implying imperial lineage]. You are pregnant.”

“Congratulations again.”