I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 182

< Living with the Enemy 1 >

“Your Majesty, I am dull and find it difficult to fathom your heart. Forgive me, but… does ‘one year’ mean after the 귀인 Mama’s [Noble Consort’s] pregnancy?”

Do Yeong-jeon cautiously asked again, and the Emperor nodded.

“Chief Jo is no ordinary person, as Chief Do knows well. Surely, he has prepared for after the birth. I want to know his plans.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“And monitor Wi Chung-hyeon thoroughly. I forced him to resign today, so he won’t stay still.”

He investigated Jo Gwang-yun and demanded the resignation of the highest minister in the court.

The common point between the two was that they were the maternal uncles of the princes. Do Yeong-jeon realized that his guess was correct. The Emperor is trying to 정리 [settle/eliminate] the 외척 [maternal relatives holding power].

“I will do my best to ensure there is not even an inch of mistake.”

Do Yeong-jeon, who received the Emperor’s order, took a step back and mustered the courage to speak.

“Your Majesty, while investigating Chief Jo’s actions, is there anything else we should prepare for?”

The Emperor’s eyes changed slightly.

“Don’t try to get ahead of yourself. I haven’t made a decision yet.”

This meant he hadn’t decided whether to kill him or not. But so far, thoroughly investigating someone’s background has only been an excuse to find a justification to kill him.

If even the slightest flaw is found, Jo Gwang-yun is a dead man. And he already knows about his suspicious activities. Now that the Emperor has decided, Wi Chung-hyeon will become a useless old man, and Jo Gwang-yun is a dead man.

“Then, for now, I will focus on the investigation.”

“Yes. For now…”

With a casually thrown word, the Emperor revealed his heart.

Although it’s ‘for now,’ the end will not change.

* * *

“Lord Jang. This was dropped.”

Gu Seung handed over a small, folded, and sealed piece of paper.

“Where?”

“In front of the gate. It seems someone threw it and left.”

A piece of paper that said ‘To Chief Jo’ was written on it.

When he opened the seal and unfolded it, it was written that how about having a bowl of noodles and there was also a warning to move carefully.

Noodles mean 음영문 [Eum-yeongmun, a secret organization].

There have been many meetings, but this is the first time they have contacted him first.

Jo Gwang-yun threw the paper to Gu Seung.

“Something must have happened.”

Gu Seung’s eyes widened as he looked at the paper.

“Isn’t this 음영문 [a message from Eum-yeongmun]?”

“Yes.”

Jo Gwang-yun put on his clothes.

“I’ll leave first, so follow me a little later. Check if there’s anyone following me, and if you find someone, follow him to the end.”

“Yes, Lord Jang.”

The two quietly left the house.

When he arrived at the noodle shop at the end of the market alley, Bi-rim, the head of 음영문 [Eum-yeongmun], was already eating noodles.

“Would you like a bowl?”

“No. I don’t have an appetite because it seems like something bad happened.”

Jo Gwang-yun looked around quickly.

“Looks like you’ve released a few people [removed some surveillance].”

“Yes. Now there will be more eyes watching Lord Jang, so I have to be careful too.”

“Tell me if you know anything. I’ll give you plenty of information fees.”

“‘Plenty’ won’t be enough.”

Bi-rim smiled slyly and took out the information.

“The Emperor has drawn his sword.”

He knew what it meant without hearing more. The target of the Emperor’s sword is himself. That’s why Bi-rim contacted him urgently first.

“Me?”

“Yes. Strictly speaking, it’s the 외척 [maternal relatives].”

When Bi-rim nodded, Jo Gwang-yun thought of Wi Chung-hyeon.

“What’s the content?”

“Seo-ik has been mobilized to thoroughly investigate Lord Jang’s actions over the past year. And Wi Chung-hyeon has been asked to resign. It seems like he’s slowly 정리 [clearing away] all the forces that are in the way for the sake of his successor. Isn’t Prince Pyeongwon the first in line?”

“Wi Chung-hyeon to resign? Are you sure?”

Bi-rim found it unusual that Jo Gwang-yun was more concerned about Wi Chung-hyeon than himself.

“It’s a word that came directly from the Emperor’s mouth.”

When he sent Prince Pyeongwon away as if he had been waiting for it, Jo Gwang-yun knew the Emperor’s intentions. He is a person who will sweep away everything for the sake of his successor’s solid foundation.

Just like he killed his brothers and ascended the throne.

“So? Wi Chung-hyeon? Did he step down willingly?”

“This is fresh information that just came out. It happened this morning.”

“Oh! Amazing!”

Jo Gwang-yun was genuinely impressed.

It’s not just spreading rumors that are secretly circulating in the Imperial Palace, but the speed at which he can collect the Emperor’s conversations right away.

“Thank you for the compliment, but this is not the time to be impressed. Seo-ik’s opinion is that it’s not just a simple background check, but an investigation to find a pretext to get rid of Lord Jang.”

“What’s the point of an investigation just for show? Either way, the Emperor will try to kill me. The same goes for Wi Chung-hyeon. If he resigns and steps down, will they 탈탈털 [shake out every last speck of dust from] his back? If even a small flaw comes out, petitions will pour in to punish him… The Emperor will pretend he can’t win and cut off the heads of a few important people in his family. So that they can never rise again. It’s an obvious sequence.”

“Did you perhaps expect it?”

When Bi-rim asked, Jo Gwang-yun smiled and said.

“History tells us. A powerful monarch ruthlessly eliminated 외척 [maternal relatives] for the sake of his successor. The current Emperor has taken the throne with blood on both hands, so isn’t he not just powerful but a 철혈 [iron-blooded] monarch? I knew this day would come someday, but it’s just faster than expected. I thought it would be in three or four years, but I didn’t expect it to come out like this just a few days after giving birth to my second child.”

Jo Gwang-yun said to Bi-rim.

“If you’re the head of an organization, study history a little. Besides, 음영문 [Eum-yeongmun] has a close relationship with the Imperial Family. You have to be able to filter out the numerous information you come into contact with. If you’re a leader…”

“Oh my… I never thought I’d hear the word ‘study’ from Lord Jang. Haha.”

Bi-rim put down his chopsticks, laughed loudly, and stood up.

“I’ll replace the information fee with Lord Jang’s nagging to study hard. Thank you for your advice.”

“Free? That’s great. I’ll nag you often in the future.”

“I refuse. I entered this path because I hated studying.”

With a laugh, Bi-rim disappeared, and Jo Gwang-yun’s expression hardened.

“You’re coming out like this? I’m a little sad. I gave you a beautiful woman and even picked up your son.”

As he muttered to himself, Gu Seung appeared quietly.

“There were no tails.”

“It seems like the tails are still preparing. At the latest, a few will be attached from tomorrow.”

“What did 음양문 [Eum-yeongmun] want with Lord Jang?”

“The Emperor hates me?”

“Yes? What does that…?”

Jo Gwang-yun tapped Gu Seung’s shoulder, whose eyes had widened, and moved his steps.

* * *

That night, Jo Gwang-yun and Gu Seung moved again. But like in the daytime, there were still no tails. It seems like they’re doing a background check first after all.

If it’s a background check, it’s 되어 있으니 [because it’s already known] that he went to a distant coastal area because of the salt field development rights, so it will take several months just to go back and forth.

Jo Gwang-yun headed to Yun Ju-seong’s house.

“Sir, it’s Jo Gwang-yun.”

He seemed surprised by the unexpected visit, but he thought he came because of what happened in the morning.

“How many eyes and ears do you have planted in the Imperial Palace?”

When Yun Ju-seong said with a smile, Jo Gwang-yun shook his head.

“The rumors have already spread. I just heard the rumors a little faster. I have committed this rudeness because I wanted to hear the truth from you, not rumors.”

“The truth…”

Yun Ju-seong paused for a moment and 정리 [organized] his thoughts.

“I must congratulate you first.”

“Congratulate…?”

Is the fact that the Emperor is trying to kill him something to be congratulated on?

“His Majesty has abandoned the principle of the eldest son and declared that he will choose a wise man and appoint him as the Crown Prince.”

“Is that all?”

Yun Ju-seong shook his head at Jo Gwang-yun’s question.

“He declared to the court officials that there would be no inheritance of power. So Wi Chung-hyeon, who now holds great power, must step down.”

Yun Ju-seong told in detail what happened at 의립전 [the council hall] today, and when he finished the story, he looked at Jo Gwang-yun and smiled brightly.

“He praised you greatly. He said you are a wise man who knows when to step down. So shouldn’t I congratulate you?”

Yun Ju-seong only knows half of it. He definitely didn’t know that the Emperor called Seo-ik and ordered him to investigate himself.

“Then will Wi Chung-hyeon step down willingly?”

“He will 갈등 [struggle/hesitate]. If he opposes His Majesty now, he may not appoint his nephew, Prince Il, as the Crown Prince.”

There was nothing more to hear.

Jo Gwang-yun 벌떡 일어나 [abruptly stood up] and bowed deeply to Yun Ju-seong. Yun Ju-seong was startled by his sudden action, but it was an action befitting the words that came out of Jo Gwang-yun’s mouth.

“Please take good care of my nephew, Prince I. You are the only place to lean on in the Imperial Family now.”

This was sincere. Just for a moment, though.

Jo Gwang-yun turned away from Yun Ju-seong’s answer that he would do his best and headed back to Wi Chung-hyeon’s house.

His house had a chilling 냉기 [coldness] that was no different from a 초상집 [house in mourning].

Wi Chung-hyeon was not able to sleep late at night because he was 모색 [seeking] a way to avoid the imminent danger.

He was 전전긍긍 [anxious and restless] because he didn’t know whether he only had to resign, or whether he was trying to 치 [reach/harm] even the Empress for the sake of Yang Ryeo-cheong and her son.

Jo Gwang-yun, who came at the right time, was not satisfactory, but now Wi Chung-hyeon needed someone to give him advice, so he sat face to face with Jo Gwang-yun.

“It seems that the rumor that my family is 망했다 [ruined] has already spread.”

“I’m 망했다 [ruined] too.”

Wi Chung-hyeon’s eyes changed when Jo Gwang-yun said 자조적으로 [self-deprecatingly].

“What do you mean?”

“I heard that they have already started investigating my background. Ah, this is not a rumor, but someone told me.”

“That can’t be? Today, His Majesty praised you in front of me?”

“Are there only one or two people who smile in front and stab you in the back?”

The Emperor is someone who will smile and stab you in the front. Wi Chung-hyeon did not 크게 의심 [greatly doubt] Jo Gwang-yun’s words.

If he goes to the palace tomorrow and finds out a little, it will be revealed whether it is true or not, so there is no way he would lie.

“In the end, it’s becoming as you said that 외척 [maternal relatives] have no place to set foot.”

“Wouldn’t it be possible to mobilize the 조정 세력 [court forces] of the 대인 [Great Person, referring to Wi Chung-hyeon] and submit a petition that it is 불가 [impossible]?”

“He’s holding my nephew’s position as Crown Prince hostage, so if I do that, I can’t 도모 the 후사 [plan for the succession].”

The two looked at each other silently, and then they burst into laughter because they were 어처구니가 없어 [speechless/dumbfounded].

Usually, the two 외척 [maternal relatives] would 서로 으르렁거리며 [growl at each other] and engage in a 불꽃 튀는 신경전 [fierce battle of nerves] to make their own bloodline the Emperor, but they are sighing together and feeling 동병상련 [fellow sufferers].

“허허 [Heoheo, a Korean onomatopoeia for laughter]. This is 참 [truly]… I’m only now realizing that your words were 진심 [sincere].”

“What 진심 [sincerity] are you talking about?”

“Don’t you remember saying that you didn’t want a son? You said that if a man came out, he could get caught up in unnecessary 분란 [conflict] and even ruin the 장사 [business]?”

“Things in the world don’t always 흘러가 [flow] as you want. Still, I didn’t know that 분란 [conflict] would arise so quickly.”

Looking at Jo Gwang-yun, who was speaking 담담히 [calmly], Wi Chung-hyeon’s 의심 [doubt] rose again.

“But you don’t seem too worried. Do you have a way to avoid the Emperor’s 칼날 [blade]?”

“The fire that has fallen on my 발등 [instep] is bigger than that of the 대인 [Great Person]. The 대인 [Great Person] can step down from office, but I have to give up my life instead of office, right? I’m the one who’s been 쫓긴 [chased] to a 막다른 골목 [dead end].”

It is not uncommon for a 벼슬아치 [official] to 내놓고 관직 [resign from office] and 낙향 [return to his hometown], 심기일전 [renew his determination], and 복귀 [return] again.

Wi Chung-hyeon was also thinking of 잠시 관직 [temporarily resigning from office] to avoid the current 천둥·번개 [thunder and lightning, meaning trouble].

“If you’re 쫓기 [chased] to a 막다른 골목길 [dead end street], you’ll have a 사생 결단 마음 [a do-or-die mindset].”

“사생 결단이라니 [Do-or-die]?”

“I don’t have any intention of taking a big 벼슬 [high position] by putting my nephew forward, so I’m rather 홀가분 [relieved]. Haven’t I always said that if you think my nephew is 거슬릴 [annoying], kill him? Since the 대인 [Great Person] doesn’t do it, I have no choice but to 손쓸 [take action].”

Wi Chung-hyeon was speechless and only 벌렸다 [opened] his 입 [mouth].

< Living with the Enemy 1 > End