The Divine And Demonic Doctor [EN]: Chapter 276

Realizing who he was dealing with, Neung So-mil clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Of all people!’

Since he was the Vice Censor-in-Chief, he had to be one of the two heads of the Office of the Censorate (都察院) [an organization that monitored and evaluated the performance of government officials].

“What is the reason for this report?”

The old minister opened his mouth, his voice sharp as a blade, at the Emperor’s question.

“Their activities are rooted in illegal smuggling, a violation of national law. This not only contravenes the Great Ming Code but is also a grave offense against Your Majesty’s reign. Furthermore, it undermines the very foundation of the nation and should never be tolerated.”

“Do others share the Vice Censor-in-Chief’s opinion?”

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, a figure among the assembled civil and military officials stepped forward.

“My opinion differs somewhat.”

Neung So-mil noticed a fleeting glint in the Emperor’s eyes.

It vanished almost instantly, but his keen perception, honed by enduring the pressure of the Three Venerables [powerful figures within the Shinma Merchant Group], did not miss it.

“Let us hear the judgment of the Ministry of Personnel (吏部) [the government body responsible for appointments and evaluations of officials].”

When the Emperor granted permission, Minister of Personnel Heo Shin voiced his opinion.

“While the national law is undoubtedly the foundation of the country, it is not more important than Your Majesty’s decree (御旨) [the Emperor’s orders]. It is true that the court has prohibited smuggling, but precedents exist where exceptions have been made. A prime example is the ginseng from the Eastern Sea, and a significant number of items used in the Gonnyeong Palace (坤寧宮) [the Empress’s palace], including the East and West Six Palaces (東西六宮) [residences of the Emperor’s concubines], are also tributes from private merchants.”

The Emperor frowned.

He was certainly aware of the hidden meaning behind the minister’s roundabout words.

Gonnyeong Palace was the Empress’s bedchamber.

The six palaces, divided east and west around the Royal Garden (御花園) [a private garden for the imperial family] north of Gonnyeong Palace, were where the concubines resided.

The items mentioned by the Minister of Personnel were, in essence, luxury goods that they possessed or used.

A significant number of them were goods from the Western Regions brought in through smuggling.

In particular, glass products like mirrors and ambergris, which were virtually nonexistent in the Central Plains, were prime examples.

“……”

The Emperor felt a momentary wave of dizziness.

If smuggling were completely prohibited and the supply of these tributes cut off, he would be subjected to endless complaints in the bedchamber.

Meanwhile, Neung So-mil had already grasped the full implications of the situation.

‘This is war.’

The gazes exchanged between the Vice Censor-in-Chief and the Minister of Personnel, who had presented opposing views, were intense.

Even though they were civil officials, not trained in martial arts, their stares were piercing.

The air crackled with frosty energy.

It was like watching a confrontation between martial arts masters.

As expected.

When the Emperor remained silent, they began to trade sharp words, as if they had been waiting for the opportunity.

“Come to think of it, there have been suspicious reports regarding recent personnel changes?”

“That is unfounded speculation. It is merely a matter of placing individuals in positions that suit their abilities and qualifications.”

“There are even rumors of bribes being offered to secure official positions.”

“Hmph! How can you rely on baseless rumors to denigrate the authority and judgment of the Ministry of Personnel?”

As the ministers’ voices rose, their accusations growing more heated, Neung So-mil understood why he had been summoned.

‘Damn it!’

The funds he had inevitably distributed while expanding the Shinma Merchant Group had inadvertently drawn him into the power struggles of the central officials.

It was the early years of the Emperor’s reign.

To consolidate his power, the Emperor was pushing for a reshuffling of the old and new political factions.

Naturally, the authority of the Ministry of Personnel (吏部), which controlled the appointment of officials, was growing stronger.

Conversely, the Ministry of War (兵部), a traditionally conservative faction based on the military, and the Ministry of Rites (禮部), which oversaw etiquette (禮制) and diplomacy, were attempting to check the Ministry of Personnel’s power.

That was why they were using the Office of the Censorate to pressure the Ministry of Personnel.

‘From the looks of it, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Justice (刑部) [responsible for legal matters], and the Ministry of Revenue (戶部) [responsible for finances] are aligned, while the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites oppose them.’

The Ministry of Revenue, responsible for finance and local administration, had no choice but to side with the Ministry of Personnel.

A significant portion of the wealth distributed by the Shinma Merchant Group had flowed to local officials, and this would have inevitably reached central ministers.

It was easy to surmise that this had influenced the Ministry of Personnel’s decisions.

If evidence of bribery in the personnel process came to light, the Emperor, who had granted the Ministry of Personnel immense power, might turn against them.

What if the Ministry of Personnel’s authority were to diminish and its powers be curtailed as a result?

The Ministry of Revenue, responsible for local administration, would not escape scrutiny, and the Ministry of Justice would also face trouble for failing to detect and prevent this in advance.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Public Works (工部) [responsible for public construction projects] remained neutral.

‘They’re going to use me to shake things up?’

Neung So-mil, caught in the crossfire of the central court’s power struggle without even realizing it, felt utterly bewildered.

“That’s enough.”

At the Emperor’s command, the ministers bowed their heads respectfully, as if nothing had happened.

“Since I am personally presiding over the interrogation (鞫問) [a formal judicial inquiry], you are to remain silent.”

The Emperor, asserting his authority as the Son of Heaven with an overwhelming presence, turned his gaze towards Neung So-mil.

“Is it true?”

In that instant, Neung So-mil’s heart sank.

He realized who the true mastermind behind this incident was.

It was the Emperor, who was practically smirking at him.

‘Damn it!’

Neung So-mil’s chest felt heavy.

But he had already committed himself.

‘It’s the same whether I die this way or that way!’

Neung So-mil, having made up his mind, immediately prostrated himself and spoke.

“Yes. It is true.”

The Emperor frowned slightly at Neung So-mil’s answer.

It was completely different from what he had anticipated.

“Are you saying you admit your guilt?”

“I admit it.”

“……”

The Emperor’s eyes flickered with bewilderment.

At this rate, the situation could spiral out of his control.

After a moment, the Emperor spoke.

“Do you understand? While there may be room for leniency depending on the circumstances, the crime of offering bribes to officials is fundamentally punishable by death.”

“Bribes, you say? This lowly commoner is not so bold as to commit such an act.”

“Are you denying the charges?”

Neung So-mil sighed dramatically and adopted a wronged tone.

“Of course, it is true that I have provided financial support to some officials. However, this was solely out of loyalty to Your Majesty, and never for personal gain.”

A look of interest appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“Continue.”

“They are all Your Majesty’s subjects. I feared that if they were tempted by a small amount of money, they might neglect their duties as officials, which would be a disgrace to Your Majesty. So, I helped them avoid economically difficult situations so that they could maintain their dignity.”

“So, it wasn’t a bribe?”

“It becomes a bribe if you demand something in return, but I have never attached conditions to these gifts. How can this be called a bribe?”

“Then what about smuggling? That is also a serious crime, deserving of death.”

“I had no intention of smuggling either. Of course, the outcome might suggest otherwise, but it all began out of loyalty to Your Majesty. If we had started smuggling for personal gain, we would be no different from the Yeomhyo (鹽梟) [salt smugglers], lurking like poisonous weeds throughout the Central Plains. Instead, we have been expressing our gratitude for Your Majesty’s reign by obtaining permission from the government and faithfully paying taxes.”

One of the old ministers, unable to tolerate Neung So-mil’s brazen response, exclaimed.

“Wasn’t that after you had expanded the merchant group enough to bribe the officials!”

Neung So-mil glared at the old minister with a displeased expression and retorted.

“Who are you?”

“I am the Minister of War.”

“How can someone who holds the position of Minister of War utter falsehoods in front of Your Majesty?”

Minister of War Jo Eui-shim could not conceal his embarrassment at Neung So-mil’s unexpected counterattack.

Neung So-mil, on the other hand, did not hesitate.

No matter how powerful the other party was, his steel-like nerves, forged under the Shinma Three Venerables, had become so tough that even a knife could not easily penetrate them.

“Are you suggesting that someone is speaking falsely now!”

Neung So-mil calmly retorted, even in the face of the Minister of War’s outburst.

“I am referring to the arbitrary interpretation of distorted facts and their presentation to Your Majesty. As a subject, how can you commit the disloyalty of clouding Your Majesty’s judgment?”

“Y-You!”

When the Emperor raised his hand, the Minister of War fell silent, his face flushed.

“Alright, tell me how the Minister of War has distorted the facts.”

Neung So-mil, having once again demonstrated his composure, spoke calmly.

“My initial acquisition of goods from the Western Regions was through spoils of war, obtained by chance.”

“Spoils of war?”

A look of interest flickered in the Emperor’s eyes.

“You fought a war?”

“Yes, I did.”

“With whom?”

“With the barbarians of the Tartars, whom the Jianghu [martial arts world] call the Blood Cloud Squad.”

“Why would you, a commoner, engage in war with them?”

“Everything under the heavens belongs to Your Majesty. How could I stand idly by while rebels disturbed Your Majesty’s domain?”

“I am aware that they operate beyond the Great Wall?”

“But even now, they are secretly amassing strength, constantly plotting against the Central Plains. Therefore, to weaken them, I devised a strategy of using barbarians to control barbarians (以夷制夷) [a policy of using one group of barbarians to control another].”

The Emperor’s interest deepened at the mention of using barbarians against barbarians.

“Continue.”

At the Emperor’s prompting, Neung So-mil recounted his defeat of the Blood Cloud Squad, the capture of their successor, and their subsequent handover to a hostile tribe.

He emphasized the damage inflicted upon the Blood Cloud Squad, bringing them close to collapse.

Of course, Chiljeolma Lord No Dan-yang was largely responsible, but that was irrelevant.

‘Lies are flowing freely, even before the Emperor.’

Neung So-mil was inwardly impressed with himself and suddenly addressed the Minister of War.

“As the commander of the Ministry of War, you must have heard the news of the Blood Cloud Squad’s annihilation, correct?”

The Minister of War flinched.

“But that is not a recent event, is it? We are discussing the origins of the Shinma Merchant Group……”

Neung So-mil cut him off, interjecting quickly.

“It is the same thing. Our initial journey north was to confront the Blood Cloud Squad, and as a result, we acquired the items that the villains had plundered from the merchants of the Western Regions as spoils of war.”

The Emperor turned his gaze towards the Minister of War.

“Is what he says true?”

The Minister of War stammered, replying.

“It is true that the bandit group known as the Blood Cloud Squad has been weakened. However, that cannot justify smuggling……”

Neung So-mil cut him off again, interjecting swiftly.

“We encountered merchants from the Western Regions while fighting the Blood Cloud Squad, and we only traveled to the Western Regions at their invitation. I received many gifts there, and that was the beginning. Since I received something, I felt obligated to reciprocate. After that, we exchanged gifts a few more times. Also, since the gifts I received from them were so valuable in the Central Plains, I have been diligently seeking formal transaction permits.”

“Can you prove that?”

“Why should I prove that?”

“What?”

“Wasn’t it the Minister of War who reported my crime? Therefore, the Minister of War should present evidence to support the accusation.”

“Are you saying that now!”

Neung So-mil smirked at the Minister of War, who was furious.

“You must be quite brazen, considering you were plotting treason.”

“W-What?”

The Minister of War’s complexion turned pale instantly.

“How dare you falsely accuse a court official! Can you substantiate those words?”

“Of course not.”

“What?”

“According to the Minister of War’s logic, shouldn’t the suspect prove his own innocence?”

“……!”

Even the old minister, who prided himself on his long experience in the political arena, was momentarily speechless.

The smile on the Emperor’s lips deepened.

These were seasoned officials who had navigated the treacherous landscape of power with only their eloquence as weapons.

Neung So-mil’s ability to handle these hardened veterans with such ease was quite impressive.

However, there was a point that needed clarification.

“You clearly stated that you admitted your guilt.”

At the Emperor’s words, Neung So-mil bowed his head.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“But you are denying all the charges.”

“I am merely telling the truth. I cannot deny that I have committed a crime against the Emperor, so how can I attempt to evade it?”

“Then what is the crime that you admit?”

Neung So-mil answered as if he had been waiting for the question.

“I have troubled the heart of the Emperor, the master of the world, with a trivial matter, and I have wasted his precious time. How can the crime of this lowly commoner be considered insignificant?”

“Ha!”

An exclamation escaped the Emperor’s lips.

“You are truly a man with a silver tongue. I am very fortunate that there is no one like you among my eunuchs.”