I Will Start Doing Business In Jungwon From Today [EN]: Chapter 197

Back to Their Rightful Place (2)

Before holding the funeral for the Emperor and Yang Ryeo-cheong, the Dowager Empress secretly sought out the Empress, who was imprisoned. The prison was brightly lit, as if it were daytime, due to the Dowager Empress’s visit.

Since the interrogation hadn’t started yet, the Empress looked relatively unharmed, save for her soiled silk clothes and somewhat gaunt appearance.

Seeing the Empress locked up, the Dowager Empress wished this moment could last forever. To fully repay the neglect and humiliation she had endured for so long, the Empress could spend her entire life in prison, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

“Tie that woman up.”

The Empress shouted as the guards entered the prison.

“You villains! How dare you lay your filthy hands on me?”

The guards hesitated, and the Dowager Empress roared.

“What are you dawdling for? That woman is no longer the Empress but a heinous criminal who assassinated the Emperor. You won’t be blamed for treating her like an animal. Hurry!”

Once the Empress was tightly bound and unable to move, the Dowager Empress smiled in satisfaction, dismissed the guards, and entered the prison.

“My dear daughter-in-law, you look quite haggard.”

The Dowager Empress gazed at the Empress’s face as if she were about to touch it. The Empress’s large eyes were hollow, as she hadn’t been eating properly.

“Enough. Just kill me quickly. I have no desire to play along with your childish games.”

“Games? Does this resentment look like a game to you?”

The Empress closed her eyes, no longer wanting to see the Dowager Empress looking down at her with the eyes of a victor.

“Just answer one question. Why were you so unkind to me? I can understand the Emperor doing so, as a child disliking his stepmother, but there was no reason for you to be even more cruel.”

The Empress remained silent, averting her gaze from the Dowager Empress.

“Think about your child. Can that young one endure the pain of being torn limb from limb?”

The Empress opened her eyes wide and shouted.

“You vile woman! What crime has that young one committed?”

“Did I endure all kinds of contempt in this palace because I had committed a crime? Punishment isn’t always for those who have sinned. So, you better obey me.”

The Empress gnashed her teeth and said.

“Can power be split in two? The power of the inner court [the Empress’s domain] is a pillar of the Imperial family. If you were well, the inner court would be divided. Didn’t you know that?”

“So, you’re saying you mistreated me so much to seize control of the inner court?”

“If you had the power, you would have done the same. Besides, what would a woman who entered the palace at such a young age to serve an old emperor know? Seeing you so arrogant now that you have some insignificant power, it’s clear you can’t see beyond your nose.”

Despite the harsh insults, the Dowager Empress smiled.

“You mean Jo Gwang-yun is just ahead of that nose?”

The Empress’s eyes widened. Could it be?

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you and your brother were caught in a trap set by Jo Gwang-yun?”

“Then… then you too…?”

“No matter how clever and cunning that man is, he’s still just a commoner. Power comes not from him but from his nephew, the Imperial Prince. No, he will soon be the Emperor, a precious being. As the most senior member of the Imperial family, I will take care of the Imperial Prince.”

The Dowager Empress’s face was filled with a victor’s smile.

“It will take at least ten years for that infant to become a true Emperor, right? Do you think I’ll just stand by and watch during that long time? I will fill the court with my people. Even if the Imperial Prince comes of age, he won’t be able to escape being my puppet. Jo Gwang-yun? He’ll probably just continue his business outside. Of course, if he dares to do anything rash, I’ll just kill him.”

The Empress spat at the smiling Dowager Empress.

“Ptoo! Live on, deluded that things will go your way! You will walk the same path as me.”

Although the saliva didn’t land on her clothes, the Dowager Empress’s eyes narrowed.

The Dowager Empress slapped the tightly bound Empress hard across the cheek.

Smack!

She didn’t stop with just one slap.

She slapped her dozens of times until the Empress’s cheeks were swollen and her palms were stinging, but she still wasn’t satisfied.

“I will tear you apart limb from limb. And your son will also writhe in agony before his limbs are severed. However, your son will die before your eyes. Don’t think you can avoid seeing it by closing your eyes. I will cut off your eyelids so you can’t even close your eyes.”

“You… you vile woman…!”

The Dowager Empress threw one more word at the shouting Empress before turning away.

“I’ll drop by from time to time to say hello. You’ve never once wondered how your mother-in-law is doing.”

As she left the prison, the guards bowed their heads.

“Don’t give that woman a single drop of water. And gag her. If she bites her tongue and kills herself, your heads will roll.”

The Dowager Empress regretted that the Emperor hadn’t suffered the same fate.

* * *

Just as the Dowager Empress met with the Empress, Jo Gwang-yun met with Wi Chung-hyeon.

The difference was that he wasn’t meeting to vent his anger but to propose another deal.

“Are you comfortable here?”

“How can prison be comfortable? But it’s bearable.”

Wi Chung-hyeon had a resigned expression.

“Is there still a reason for me to meet you?”

“It’s far from over.”

Jo Gwang-yun smiled, and Wi Chung-hyeon shook his head.

“I was a fool to trust you, who claimed that business was everything. I’ve lived nearly eighty years, but I’ve never seen anyone as endlessly greedy as you. How far are you planning to go?”

“Having a destination means there’s an end. I have no destination.”

“So, you intend to swallow the entire country. To be second to none, above all others. Of course, that one person will just be your puppet.”

“Will you help me?”

“What? Hahaha.”

Wi Chung-hyeon burst into a fit of hollow laughter, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You are truly shameless. You’re asking me to help you after driving me to my death? How can you say that with a human face?”

“Aren’t I just a shameless commoner merchant? Please understand.”

“Alright, what more can you do for me on my way to the afterlife?”

“Go quickly.”

Jo Gwang-yun said in a dry voice.

“Go quickly?”

“Yes. Once the Emperor’s funeral is over, the official interrogation will begin. Can you endure the harsh torture?”

Wi Chung-hyeon, quick to catch on, understood what he meant. And he was even in awe of Jo Gwang-yun for speaking such cruel words so casually.

“Why? Are you afraid that my name might come out of my mouth under torture?”

“Who would believe it even if your name came out? I’m just worried about other people’s names coming out.”

“Other people? Who?”

“All of your followers have already lined up behind me. They call me ‘Great Man,’ a commoner, and bow deeply. I can’t bear to see someone who has bowed and come under me die.”

“Heh. How ironic…”

Those so-called followers hadn’t stood up for him at all. Instead, they were rushing towards the new power like moths to a flame.

Perhaps because everything felt futile in the face of death, he no longer felt like cursing them.

“So, you want me to die early to protect those who are now your people?”

Jo Gwang-yun nodded.

“The Dowager Empress seems to be completely intoxicated with the taste of power. She will never want to miss this opportunity. She will want as many names as possible to come out of your mouth. Death is the most certain way to silence it.”

“You’re a merchant, so you know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, right? What are you planning to give me?”

“If you hasten your death, I will save one life.”

Due to the crime of treason, the entire clan would be exterminated.

The women would become government slaves, and the young women would become *gisaeng* [female entertainers], serving in the beds of many men. But all the men would be beheaded. Even the children.

“One person…”

“Shouldn’t we hold memorial services every anniversary?”

“You’re even going to take care of our family’s memorial services. I’m so touched I could cry.”

Wi Chung-hyeon spoke sarcastically to Jo Gwang-yun, who was utterly shameless, but his honest desire was to preserve the lineage of his family.

“Isn’t it better than living a few more days in pain and humiliation?”

“Life as a tool for trade…”

Wi Chung-hyeon thought of his young great-grandson, who used to be so playful. Just imagining that young child, who didn’t even know what death was, being beheaded because of his great-grandfather made all the hairs on his body stand on end.

“I’ll do it. What should I do?”

“Request writing materials and write that you committed a terrible act due to a moment of madness.”

“I will. You won’t deceive me this time, will you?”

“It’s not a matter of my survival, so why would I lie with my life on the line? Just tell me who the life you need to save is.”

“The youngest of our family. My great-grandson.”

“The eldest grandson, of course?”

Wi Chung-hyeon nodded.

“Would it be alright to abandon the Wi surname and use a different one?”

“Abandon the family name?”

“Yes. I will raise him in a noble family, not as a commoner. If he excels in his studies, he may even be able to enter government service.”

“Do so.”

What does it matter if the surname changes? It would be better than hiding and living as a farmer, digging in the dirt for the rest of his life, just to preserve the bloodline.

Jo Gwang-yun bowed his head.

“Please finish this before the Emperor’s funeral is over.”

Wi Chung-hyeon sighed as he watched Jo Gwang-yun’s retreating figure.

Still, he didn’t feel so resentful since he was defeated by someone far more capable than himself.

* * *

“What should we do about the enthronement ceremony for the Imperial Prince Yi?”

“What do you mean, ‘What should we do?’ It’s already late. He must be enthroned as soon as the state funeral is over.”

“That’s obvious, but what about Prince Pyeongwon? Shouldn’t we summon him?”

“Prince Pyeongwon?”

“Isn’t he the only remaining member of the Imperial family? How can we hold the Emperor’s enthronement ceremony without a member of the Imperial family?”

“Well… Prince Seongwon is an accomplice in the treason, so he’s not worth mentioning, but Prince Pyeongwon is different. He hasn’t committed a major crime…”

“Prince Pyeongwon isn’t the problem. We must first determine the Emperor’s mother.”

“There’s no question about the mother, is there? It’s only Consort Hyeon.”

“That’s what I mean. The Dowager Empress must appoint Consort Hyeon as Empress. The appointment of the Empress takes precedence over the enthronement ceremony.”

The ministers, dressed in mourning clothes, were racking their brains discussing what to do after the state funeral. They couldn’t leave the throne empty, but there were more pressing issues to address first.

“A… A terrible thing has happened… How could such a tragic event occur…!”

Hwang Hyo, the Vice Minister of Taxation, appeared with a pale face.

“The Chief State Councilor…! The Chief State Councilor has taken his own life!”

Although he was about to be beheaded for treason, he was a court official who had worked alongside them for a long time. Everyone was stunned by his death, and some secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone began to pass around the letter that Hwang Hyo had presented.

As expected, it conveyed that he couldn’t bear to endure the humiliating interrogation and asked them to refrain from the petty act of falsely accusing loyal subjects by associating them with him as traitors.

Hwang Hyo was even grateful that Wi Chung-hyeon had hanged himself.

If the Dowager Empress and the anti-Wi Chung-hyeon faction of ministers wanted the names of accomplices from Wi Chung-hyeon’s mouth, he would have to be in charge of the harsh torture.

He was relieved to have avoided such a terrible situation.

“Chief Secretary, shouldn’t we inform the Dowager Empress of this fact?”

Everyone began to stare at Yun Ju-seong’s face.

Since he held the position of discussing state affairs by the Emperor’s side, they were looking at him to take on the task of informing the Dowager Empress, who was now acting in place of the Emperor.

“We must. But before that, please confirm one thing for me.”

“Yes.”

“Does the Empress know about the Chief State Councilor’s death?”

“Not yet.”

“Then inform the Empress of this fact. Then I will tell the Dowager Empress.”

“I will.”

As Hwang Hyo rushed out again, Yun Ju-seong let out a long sigh. His honest desire was to end the treason at this point.

Back to Their Rightful Place (2) End