Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 1

Nine Dragons Chronicle (1)

Nine Dragons Chronicle (1)

Prologue

It was a pitch-black night, the heavy rain creating an eerie atmosphere, as if ghosts might appear and roam the earth.

Flash! Rumble, rumble, crash…….

With a deafening roar, lightning tore through the sky and struck the ground, one bolt hitting a lone tree standing in the middle of a large manor.

Crackling, sizzling!

The tree briefly burst into flames, but the heavy rain quickly extinguished them.

“It’s that way! Catch them! Don’t let a single one escape!”

The loud voice was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps, indicating the chaos within the manor.

Clang, clang!

The sounds of weapons clashing and fighting soon followed.

“There! Don’t let him get away!”

It seemed more than one or two intruders had entered the manor.

Flash… Crash!

A thunderbolt briefly illuminated the manor, revealing many people bleeding and dying in the courtyard.

“Please, spare this child.”

Then, a woman’s voice was heard.

In the flash of lightning, the shadows of two women were cast through a window.

“Your Grace, this child does not know who his father is. Please, have mercy.”

From the side, she saw a young child staring blankly at her.

Joo Hwa-rin.

The ninth child of the current emperor; his mother was a palace maid. The emperor, in a drunken stupor, had taken her against her will, resulting in a pregnancy, and Joo Hwa-rin was the child born from that single encounter.

When she gave birth to a son, she became the object of envy for all the palace maids and servants, thanks to the emperor’s fleeting favor. However, Hwa-rin’s appearance, different from ordinary children, quickly turned that envy into ridicule.

After that, she lived in a secluded part of the palace with her son, a maidservant, and a servant.

Although she had risen in status from a palace maid to a concubine due to the emperor’s favor, she still lived a life worse than that of a palace maid, effectively exiled because of her son, Joo Hwa-rin.

Then, the empress, the current emperor’s legal wife, came to her. The empress wanted her dead.

Currently, the emperor’s brother, Grand Prince Gun, had started a rebellion in the palace, but the rebellion was being suppressed by the Eastern Depot [a secret police agency], the Embroidered Uniform Guard [another secret police], and the palace guards.

The empress intended to use this chaotic opportunity to kill those who were a disgrace to the palace.

“That child is a disgrace to His Majesty.”

“Your Grace, please have mercy. If I die, Hwa-rin will be alone. He cannot see, hear, or speak. It will not be easy for such a child to live alone.”

The empress narrowed her eyes at the words ‘cannot see, hear, or speak.’

Born with disabilities, Joo Hwa-rin was not viewed favorably in the imperial family.

A faint smile appeared on the empress’s lips at the mention of him living alone. She thought that living would be more miserable than dying now.

It was her way of taking revenge on those who had monopolized the emperor’s love for ten months and insulted her.

“Very well, I will grant you grace and spare your child.”

At the words ‘spare him,’ the woman bowed deeply to the empress as if she had received a great favor.

“I will cherish this grace even in death.”

With those words, she straightened her back, pulled out the hairpin from her hair, and held it towards her chest.

Then, after giving Hwa-rin a bitter smile, she put strength into both hands and stabbed the hairpin into her heart.

Clenching her teeth and not even uttering a scream, she soon bent forward and met her death.

‘Please, survive until the day the arrangement is fulfilled, Hwa-rin.’

A faint smile appeared on the empress’s lips as she confirmed her death, then turned and left the room.

As the empress left the room, Joo Hwa-rin’s gaze, which had been fixed on the air, turned to his dead mother, whether by chance or not.

He knew what the scent reaching his nose meant. A faint dew formed in Hwa-rin’s eyes.

* * *

The Shadow Lord of Nine Dragons Manor

The imperial palace, called the Ninefold Palace, consisted of nine palaces, nine pavilions, eighteen steles [stone tablets], and twenty-seven halls built on a vast land. Ninety-nine walls separated these palaces, pavilions, steles, and halls, and there were one hundred and ninety-eight gates through these walls.

Including the subsidiary buildings attached to each palace and pavilion, there were even more buildings within the imperial palace. Palace maids and servants unfamiliar with the layout often got lost, unable to find their way like being trapped in a maze.

There were several places within the imperial palace that were designated as forbidden, where no one could go without the emperor’s permission.

The first was the Emperor’s residence, the Imperial Dragon Hall, the second was the Imperial Treasury, where the palace’s treasures were stored. The third was Nine Dragons Manor, a small manor built in the heart of the imperial palace.

The owner of this Nine Dragons Manor was Joo Hwa-rin, the ninth child of the current emperor. He was called the Foolish Prince by those close to him, and the Shadow Lord by the lords of each province, high-ranking officials, and administrators.

He had suffered a severe illness at birth, after which he could not see, hear, or speak.

Though they called him a fool, his brothers and sisters often scorned him, calling him a cripple.

Nevertheless, Joo Hwa-rin was steadfastly continuing his life.

There were only four people living in Nine Dragons Manor: Joo Hwa-rin, the master of the manor, his bodyguard, Joo Hwa-rin’s nanny, and an old servant who managed the manor.

In the year Hwa-rin turned seven, a rebellion broke out in the palace, and after losing his mother at that time, he had been living with those who took care of him for the past three years.

He had never left Nine Dragons Manor since he was born.

All he did was sit blankly all day or walk around the manor’s courtyard.

Having lived in Nine Dragons Manor for a long time, Hwa-rin could move around without much trouble, but he needed the help of a cane.

Hwa-rin walked around the courtyard for exercise as usual, and those who watched him wore pitiful expressions.

After walking around the courtyard for about half an hour, Hwa-rin changed direction and walked towards the main building.

‘They’re still the same.’

The people who lived with him didn’t particularly talk to Hwa-rin.

They were acting as Hwa-rin’s guardians, but on the other hand, they were also acting as observers.

In particular, the bodyguard was tasked with guarding Hwa-rin while monitoring him, and his main task was to report Hwa-rin’s unusual behavior to the empress.

Three years had passed since Hwa-rin’s mother died, but life for the people in Nine Dragons Manor was simply boring.

Although this place was inside the imperial palace, it was no different from being exiled to Nine Dragons Manor.

Still, they could be satisfied with the fact that their boredom allowed their families to live comfortably.

Hwa-rin entered his room and sat down on one side.

He sat in a lotus position and just stayed like that.

His even breathing made it seem like he was practicing a martial arts technique, but there wasn’t much he could do since he couldn’t see, hear, or speak.

After sitting like that for about an hour, he lay down on the floor, looking at the ceiling, and slowly inhaled and exhaled.

He seemed to be sleeping at first glance, but he didn’t seem to be sleeping.

Hwa-rin lay there for another hour, breathing in the same way.

“Master, dinner is ready.”

Although they knew Hwa-rin couldn’t hear, they spoke like this out of long habit and opened the door to enter.

The nanny, seeing Hwa-rin lying down, went to Hwa-rin’s side and gently touched his arm.

Only then did Hwa-rin turn his head, smile, and get up.

When Hwa-rin sat down, the nanny placed the prepared table in front of him and put a spoon in his hand.

Hwa-rin put the spoon he received on the table, and then the nanny took Hwa-rin’s hand and helped him distinguish between the rice and side dishes.

Since he was blind, it would be complicated if there were too many side dishes, so it was just rice, one side dish, and soup.

After confirming the rice, side dish, and soup, Hwa-rin nodded and picked up the chopsticks he had placed on the table and ate the rice. Although he couldn’t see, he had been doing it for a long time, so he could eat without any inconvenience.

The nanny watched Hwa-rin eat, and many emotions crossed her eyes.

After about fifteen minutes, Hwa-rin put the spoon on the table, signaling that he had finished eating.

The nanny knew that Hwa-rin expressed his intention to finish eating in this way, so she took Hwa-rin’s hand.

When Hwa-rin nodded, the nanny picked up the table and left the room.

These actions of theirs were unspoken promises.

Left alone, Hwa-rin moved his body, went to the wall, and leaned against it.

“Hoo…….”

Hwa-rin, sighing, slowly opened his eyes.

Yesterday was the day he turned ten, and it was also the day he learned about the seal his dead mother had placed on him.

―Hwa-rin, I am truly sorry for you.

Yesterday, as he was sitting like this, an unexpected message echoed in his head, and he learned about his birth and his current situation.

The message was left by his mother, Hwa-young, who was once the vice-leader of the infamous Baegyo [White Clothes Demon Sect], and the martial artists, envious of Baegyo’s strength, united and attacked, destroying Baegyo.

―Your maternal relatives were torn to death by those bastards…….

Hwa-young’s voice was filled with resentment towards the martial artists.

―Your mother had no choice but to leave the sect to avoid those bastards.

Hwa-young, known as the best talent of Baegyo at the time, had mastered all of Baegyo’s secret arts, but she could not defeat the martial arts alliance that attacked in alliance with the Demonic Cult, Jeongcheon Alliance [Righteous Heaven Alliance], and Sado Alliance [Evil Path Alliance], and had to leave Baegyo and run away. She judged that the imperial palace was the only place that could protect her from the martial arts alliance at the time, so she hid in the imperial palace.

Hwa-rin had to consider whether to believe the voice of his mother, which suddenly came to him.

That was because he had never heard his mother’s voice before, so he wondered if someone else was playing a trick to make fun of him.

―This mother will leave you Baegyo’s secret arts with the Illusionary Spirit Command Technique, so you should live as before and learn the secret arts of this sect in the imperial palace. The imperial palace is more dangerous than the martial world, so you must hide that you can see, hear, and speak. There is nothing as foolish as trusting someone in the imperial palace, so do not reveal yourself until you think you can protect yourself.

The imperial palace, which she had chosen as a safe place to hide, became unsafe as she was unexpectedly taken by the emperor and gave birth to Hwa-rin.

―And when you turn fifteen, examine the signboard of Nine Dragons Manor. If you have mastered all of this sect’s secret arts, you will be able to find the last arrangement your mother left for you.

As the voice ended, Hwa-rin felt his body getting severely hot and writhed in pain, and after some time, the pain subsided.

And the sounds of the outside began to be heard, and he could open his eyes.

He didn’t know how to speak, so he didn’t open his mouth, but he felt like he could speak.

After that, countless secret arts of Baegyo and Baegyo’s martial arts came to his mind, and how to read and write was also imprinted in his mind.

Hwa-young had transferred everything in her head to Hwa-rin with the Illusionary Spirit Command Technique.

Given the situation, Hwa-rin had no choice but to believe it.

“Five years……. Mother told me to master all of Baegyo’s techniques during that time. I don’t know what the last arrangement is, but let’s act according to Mother’s will for now.”

Hwa-rin leaned against the wall and began to learn the most basic of Baegyo’s techniques that came to his mind, the Two-Origin Gong [Two-Origin Skill].

The breathing method that Hwa-rin did while sitting and lying down was the heart method to learn the Two-Origin Gong.

Hwa-rin leaned against the wall and separated his thoughts while learning the Two-Origin Gong.

The mystery of the Two-Origin Gong is that it can divide thoughts and actions at the same time, and it also has the effect of allowing several thoughts to be done at once.

Although the Two-Origin Gong is treated as a basic skill in Baegyo, if the Two-Origin Gong is known to the martial world, it will be evaluated as a unique skill like the Taiji Heart Technique of the Wudang Sect [a famous Taoist sect] in an instant.

Hwa-rin learned to read and write while learning the Two-Origin Gong. Hwa-rin knew very well that everything was difficult at first.

The fact that he was able to close his eyes and walk around every corner of Nine Dragons Manor was also the result of repeated failures and successes over a long period of time, so Hwa-rin did not become greedy and did his best in what he could do.

There was no major change in Hwa-rin’s life. He still acted as if he couldn’t see, hear, or speak, and in his room, he learned the Two-Origin Gong, as well as writing and Baegyo’s secret arts.

As he learned Baegyo’s secret arts, a year passed, but no one working in Nine Dragons Manor knew that Hwa-rin could see, hear, and speak.

* * *

There are countless annual events in the imperial palace. Some of these events are held regularly, and some are held suddenly.

The participants vary depending on the importance of the event, but it was a matter of course for the princes and princesses of the imperial palace to attend the imperial palace’s events.

The current emperor, Joo Jin-mo, had one empress and five consorts [imperial concubines], but one died four years ago when a rebellion broke out in the imperial palace, so there are now four consorts.

The children he had with one empress and five consorts totaled fourteen, with nine sons and five daughters.

These princes and princesses attend the imperial palace’s banquets or events to build friendships with the lords of each province in the Central Plains [China Proper], administrators, and also share friendships with the families of the imperial family, who can be called their main family, and begin their own politics.

However, Joo Hwa-rin, the ninth of the emperor’s sons, was an exception to all events held in the imperial palace. He did not participate in any banquets, events, or even the emperor’s birthday banquet held in the imperial palace. No, he couldn’t participate.

It was clear that if someone who could not see, hear, or speak stood out as the emperor’s son, he would become a laughingstock in the world. Therefore, Hwa-rin’s existence was kept quiet in the imperial palace, and most of the lords and high-ranking officials and administrators knew that the emperor had a ninth son, but they had not met him.

Is that why? In the imperial palace, Hwa-rin, who lived in Nine Dragons Manor, was called the Shadow Lord and aroused curiosity, but Nine Dragons Manor belonged to the secret place of the imperial palace, and it was only possible to go there with the emperor’s permission, so whenever the imperial palace’s banquets or events were held, their job was to ask whether Joo Hwa-rin would attend this banquet.

“Everyone is busy with the banquet, but what are we doing here?”

Hwa-rin’s bodyguard grumbled, hearing the music of the banquet echoing from a distance.

“Hehe, going there is just a waste of time. You belong to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so you’ll be busy guarding.”

“No, but shouldn’t we see the faces of the pretty palace maids?”

“Stop it, you bastard. The Embroidered Uniform Guard is in charge of guarding the outside of the palace, so you can’t even see a passing female dog, let alone a palace maid.”

The bodyguard pouted at the two people’s answers.

“Just stay here. It’s comfortable. No one cares or nags when you’re here.”

“Don’t you two nag? And is it right to waste our youth like this?”

“Crazy bastard, then tell your superior to change your position.”

“Are you crazy? To go somewhere else and suffer like that.”

“Then don’t grumble and take good care of the floor to make sure our prince is comfortable, and do some carving on the door sill.”

“Do you think I learned martial arts to carve on the door sill? Back in my hometown, I was…….”

“Who hasn’t been someone in the past? That old man used to be a sixth-rank eunuch official.”

“Yes?”

To be a sixth-rank eunuch official meant that he was the head of the eunuchs who selected young men who entered the imperial palace to become eunuchs, and he was a high-ranking official among the eunuchs, ranking above five.

“Everyone held a position in the past. Who hasn’t been someone?”

Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]

Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]

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Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] In a tempestuous night, amidst the clash of steel and the roar of thunder, a palace estate becomes a battleground. Blood spills as palace guards relentlessly hunt intruders, their mission shrouded in deadly secrecy. A desperate cry pierces the storm—a palace maid's plea for her son, Zhu Hualin, the emperor's hidden ninth child. Born under a veil of scandal, Hualin's very existence is a threat, marked for elimination by the ruthless Empress. Witness a mother's ultimate sacrifice as she ignites a saga of intrigue, resilience, and concealed destinies. Plunge into this captivating prologue, where mercy is a dangerous currency, and the fate of a secret prince hangs precariously in the balance. Years drift by, and the question looms: will Zhu Hualin rise as a tyrannical force, or will he embrace wisdom and justice to become a true ruler?

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