I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 193

< Treason (4) >

The Queen Dowager spoke first, addressing the Chief Eunuch.

“Chief Eunuch, I hear there’s a possibility of poisoning?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty. The Head Physician and several other physicians are currently examining all the food.”

The Queen Dowager’s gaze turned to the ministers.

“Then have all the palace maids in the royal kitchen been apprehended?”

“That… that is…”

When no one answered, the Queen Dowager gritted her teeth. This was a battle that had already begun. She needed to show a more decisive stance.

“What are you all doing? There was poison in the Emperor’s meals. The first thing to do is to interrogate those wenches from the royal kitchen. Why are you all dragging your feet?”

As everyone hesitated, Yoon Ju-seong stepped forward.

“That is indeed a valid point. However, Her Majesty the Queen has ordered that the maids of the two Royal Concubines be interrogated first.”

“The maids and eunuchs of the two Royal Concubines? What is the reason? The one who died with the Emperor was none other than Royal Concubine Yang, was she not?”

The seasoned Yoon Ju-seong did not answer. There was no reason to defend the Queen. Now was the time to step back. As Yoon Ju-seong lowered his head and closed his mouth, the Queen Dowager’s gaze turned to the Queen.

“Queen, speak for yourself. What is the reason?”

The Queen’s lips twitched.

To suffer such humiliation from that lowly Queen Dowager. It was a mistake. Once things started, she should have prevented that old hag from leaving her chambers. A belated regret washed over her.

“The palace maids in the royal kitchen are all watching each other, so it is impossible to poison the food. Rather, the maids in Royal Concubine Yang’s residence could poison it more easily.”

“It is unlikely that those lowly servants would dare to assassinate the Emperor, so it is clear that someone ordered them to do so. But their master, Royal Concubine Yang, would not do that, would she? If the one who ordered it was Royal Concubine Yang, then she would have committed suicide. Is that not so?”

The Queen did not answer.

One instance of kowtowing [kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground as a sign of respect] to the Queen Dowager was enough. If she ignored her appropriately and stalled for time, the ministers would also wish for the Queen Dowager to leave.

If the Queen Dowager felt everyone’s piercing gaze, she would act like an adult and return.

However, unexpected words poured out of the Queen Dowager’s mouth.

“Do you know when I learned of the deaths of the Emperor and Royal Concubine Yang? One of Royal Concubine Yang’s maids fled to me, carrying Prince Yi. She begged me to protect Prince Yi. If they had administered poison, they should have fled first. Why do you think she ran to me to protect the young Prince Yi?”

The Queen felt as if she had been struck by a hammer.

The reason the Queen Dowager was acting so strongly was that she, too, had obtained a powerful weapon like herself: the Emperor’s bloodline.

“Your Majesty, I will speak.”

Reluctantly, Wi Chung-hyeon stepped forward. If the Queen and the Queen Dowager clashed in this place, the Queen would only be wounded. In the strict laws of the royal court, she could not show the ministers the sight of a daughter-in-law pressuring her mother-in-law. In the end, the Queen would have to back down, but he could not imagine that would be possible with his sister’s temperament.

“Speak, Chief State Councilor.”

“Prince Yi’s maternal uncle, Jo Gwang-yun, is one of the top three merchants in the Central Plains. The Emperor was concerned that he would use Prince Yi as a shield to manipulate state affairs.”

“So? Are you saying that this Jo Gwang-yun ordered the maids in Royal Concubine Yang’s residence to poison the Emperor and his own sister? I just said that one of those maids ran to me begging for help. How do you explain that?”

Too many unexpected things had happened.

However, he had to fabricate a plausible story that everyone could accept. Wi Chung-hyeon diligently racked his brain.

“And does he plot treason just because the Emperor is concerned? I heard that he even gave up his official position and does not enter the palace to avoid such misunderstandings. As proof, his nephew, Prince Yi, was born, but he has not even seen his face once, has he?”

When the Queen Dowager pressed him, Wi Chung-hyeon had nothing to say.

“Then the Chief State Councilor must have already prepared for treason. The Emperor did not grant the Chief State Councilor an official position because he was worried that he would seize power as the maternal uncle of the First Prince, telling you to step back.”

“Your Majesty, please have mercy. How can you say such terrible things?”

Cornered, Wi Chung-hyeon had no choice but to pull out his trump card. If things continued like this, all his plans would be ruined, and he would be revealed as the mastermind behind the treason.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty did not just end with worrying about Jo Gwang-yun. He recognized early on that he was a dangerous man and ordered him to be hunted down.”

The Queen, who had been listening, breathed a sigh of relief at her brother’s improvisation.

It did not have to be Royal Concubine Yang as the Emperor’s assassin. Jo Gwang-yun was also a good choice. After all, Jo Gwang-yun, Royal Concubine Yang, and Prince Yi were one and the same.

She raised her head and examined the Queen Dowager’s expression. Her panic was evident.

“You… you said you ordered Prince Yi’s maternal uncle to be hunted down? Are you saying the Emperor directly ordered that?”

“I am horrified to utter such disrespectful words, but it is the truth. He has already given the order to the leader of the Western Guard.”

The Queen also opened her mouth.

She had come up with a plan to make her brother Wi Chung-hyeon’s improvisation a little more plausible.

“Your Majesty, perhaps Royal Concubine Yang knew this fact and was tormented by it.”

“What are you talking about?”

The Queen Dowager frowned. She was worried about what kind of wicked words that vixen would utter.

“She may have been agonizing between her benefactor who took in an orphan and His Majesty who cherished her, and she may have committed an act that she should not have committed.”

The Queen thought it was plausible, but the Queen Dowager shouted.

“Are you trying to say it was a joint suicide? You are truly finding various ways to disgrace Royal Concubine Yang. How can you utter such terrible words?”

The Queen Dowager spoke to the Queen and Wi Chung-hyeon.

“The Chief State Councilor suspects Jo Gwang-yun, and the Queen suspects his sister, Royal Concubine Yang, so you are truly a like-minded sibling. How wonderful.”

At the Queen Dowager’s sarcastic words, the Queen glared, and Wi Chung-hyeon bowed his head and said.

“Your Majesty, why are you persecuting me like this? Please have mercy.”

“Very well. Then I will order Jo Gwang-yun to enter the palace. Shouldn’t all parties be present? And I ask again, is it true that the Emperor ordered the Western Guard to kill Prince Yi’s maternal uncle?”

“That is correct. How could I utter a lie?”

Now, once the Western Guard appears, it is over. The Emperor’s concern and the order to hunt him down. With just this, this poisoning case will be closed. Moreover, are they not summoning the culprit?

No sooner had Wi Chung-hyeon finished speaking than the Queen Dowager’s command shook the main hall.

“Have the leader of the Western Guard and Jo Gwang-yun brought here immediately.”

* * *

Do Yeong-jeon, the head of the Western Guard, entered the palace earlier than anyone else and gathered information about the incident that occurred tonight. He already knew that the court officials had gathered in the main hall.

He also contacted the Head Physician. He confirmed that it was definitely poisoning.

Since two people died at once, the most suspicious people were the Queen and Wi Chung-hyeon. But it was too obvious.

No matter how stupid they were, how could they make such a blunder? It was difficult to understand. Wi Chung-hyeon and the Queen were not that foolish.

“Chief, you must go to the main hall now. It is an urgent summons.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The subordinate shrugged.

“How would I know?”

It was an organization that only received orders from the Emperor. Since there was no Emperor, there was no one to give orders. Could it be that they were trying to ask about the Emperor’s secrets?

Do Yeong-jeon got up.

He was going to find out what discussions were taking place in the court, but it was not bad to see it with his own eyes.

Do Yeong-jeon carefully entered the main hall, first examining the complexions of the ministers lined up on the left and right.

The expressions were strange. They were not mourning the Emperor’s death, but rather looking fearful and confused.

He was surprised to find the Queen, but what was even more surprising was the appearance of the Queen Dowager. The Queen Dowager, who was no different from a living corpse, looked down with an arrogant expression.

He did not know what was going on, but if he threw out a few baits, he could grasp the general situation.

“Are you the leader of the Western Guard?”

He thought the Queen would open her mouth first, but it was different from what he expected.

Could it be that the Queen Dowager, who had been a living corpse, had taken control of this place?

“I am Do Yeong-jeon, leading the Western Guard, though I am inadequate.”

“This is an urgent matter, so I will ask directly. There must be no falsehoods.”

“I am honored, Your Majesty. Why would I dare to tell a lie?”

“Was the Emperor concerned about Jo Gwang-yun, the brother of Royal Concubine Yang?”

“Concern, you say…?”

“I mean, was he concerned that he might interfere in state affairs as the maternal uncle of Prince Yi?”

“I am hesitant to say it, but… it is true, Your Majesty.”

As Do Yeong-jeon’s answer fell, the faces of Wi Chung-hyeon and the Queen brightened. Now was the moment when their claims would be proven true.

“His Majesty ordered me to thoroughly investigate the private development rights of the salt fields that Jo’s household managed. Since it was a business related to the country’s taxes, he intended to punish Jo’s household if there was even a speck of fault.”

“Yes. What were the results of the investigation?”

Do Yeong-jeon examined the faces of the Queen and Wi Chung-hyeon. The Queen Dowager and the ministers looked curious, but the two were different.

There was not a trace of curiosity on their faces. All that remained was the anxiety that even made them sweat.

He had fully grasped what was happening here.

The Queen and Wi Chung-hyeon were trying to frame Jo Gwang-yun.

The Queen Dowager was trying to sweep away the two at this opportunity.

In Do Yeong-jeon’s view, the Queen Dowager had the upper hand.

It was a natural thing. The one who shouts the loudest at a funeral is not the chief mourner, but the eldest member of the family. The chief mourner here was just a child, and the widow looked terrified.

It was clear that the Queen’s fate depended on what he said.

When he stood at the crossroads of choosing whether to side with the Queen or not, Jo Gwang-yun’s words came to mind.

『I dare to say that when it is absolutely necessary, forget your status as a subject or official and think and act in a direction that is more favorable to you, sir.』

He thought he was truly a great man.

Perhaps he knew about the Queen and Wi Chung-hyeon’s plot? Furthermore, could he have instigated the two?

If only the two of them disappeared, his nephew would be the only heir closest to the throne.

‘The most advantageous direction….’

Do Yeong-jeon weighed the Queen and the Queen Dowager.

If the Queen became the winner here, the one who would control the Western Guard would be Wi Chung-hyeon. Wi Chung-hyeon would use the Western Guard as a knife to eliminate his political enemies.

If the Queen Dowager was the winner, she would reach out her hand. Since she was a woman who did not know how the court worked, she did not even know what orders to give.

She was a woman who needed advice and help.

According to Jo Gwang-yun, he had to stand behind the Queen Dowager. No, even if it was not Jo Gwang-yun’s words, he could not side with the Queen. He did not want to make the choice to hand over the entire country to Wi Chung-hyeon and the Queen’s grasp.

But if he stood on the Queen Dowager’s side, Jo Gwang-yun would be a problem.

Wasn’t the Emperor extremely wary of him too?

As Do Yeong-jeon tried to organize his thoughts to calm his wavering heart, the entrance to the main hall became noisy.

The commander of the Royal Guard rushed into the main hall, prostrated himself, and reported.

“Reporting, Your Majesty! Seongwon King has appeared outside the capital!”

< Treason (4) > End