The words “from here” only made another sigh escape.
Most officials who handled state affairs came from the Hanlin Academy.
Without them, the government could not function properly.
“Even mobilizing everyone in House of Ouyang will not be enough. We must persuade His Majesty even now and soothe the Hanlin Academy. If we do not, this may truly turn into a disaster.”
“What is worse is that the Eastern Depot bastards are trying to fill the empty posts with eunuchs and handle state affairs themselves. At this rate, the country will be swayed back and forth in the hands of eunuchs.”
“How much could those bastards do? They will not last long before giving up.”
“That is the bigger problem. If ignorant men meddle clumsily with things, who knows how much time it will take to repair the damage later?”
“Is this not all because of that damned Jeok Wigang? His Majesty is completely infatuated with him right now.”
“He is the greatest problem. Is he not using His Majesty’s backing to act as if no one is above him and throw the country into chaos?”
“What if we send someone to drive out this man called Jeok Wigang?”
At someone’s suggestion, Ouyang Hu, who had been listening quietly, nearly had a fit and sprang to his feet.
“N-no! Absolutely not!”
“Youngest. Be quiet. You are before Her Majesty the Empress.”
Ouyang Hu quickly apologized to the Empress.
“Your Majesty. I beg your pardon.”
At Ouyang Hu’s apology, the Empress, Ouyang Hye, smiled faintly and shook her head.
“No. Tell us what you think.”
At the Empress’s words, everyone’s eyes turned to Ouyang Hu at once.
He was in a bind.
Jeok Wigang had told him never to reveal his identity.
Everyone here believed that House of Ouyang’s main estate in Changsha had been destroyed in a great fire.
That was why the members of House of Ouyang did not know how terrifying Jeok Wigang truly was.
“Why are you silent?”
“It is just that... H-how could those who study Confucian learning speak of sending someone to harm another?”
“Ha ha ha. You little fool. That sounds very strange coming from you.”
“Indeed. Hearing the greatest troublemaker in our family say something like that is amusing.”
“Stop teasing the youngest. Our youngest has grown up.”
No one took Ouyang Hu’s words seriously.
They merely found him cute and let it pass.
Only one person did not.
The Empress, Ouyang Hye, was watching Ouyang Hu’s expression carefully.
“Hu. You are hiding something, are you not?”
“What?”
“Your eyes are anxious. Something happened with that man, Jeok Wigang. Am I wrong?”
“Y-Your Majesty.”
“Speak. Surely... the disappearance of the Changsha main estate in a fire is not related to him as well?”
At Ouyang Hu’s flinch, the others instinctively realized that there was something there.
“Is Her Majesty’s question true? Does that man truly have some connection to our family?”
“T-that is...”
Seeing Ouyang Hu panic and begin backing away little by little, the members of House of Ouyang became certain.
They pressed him.
“Speak. What happened?”
“I-I cannot say. I promised Brother... Hup!”
“What? Brother? You... surely you have not taken that man Jeok Wigang as your brother?”
Ouyang Hu had been driven into a corner.
Just then, a palace maid’s voice came from outside.
“Your Majesty. The family head has arrived.”
“Father? Bring him in at once.”
“Yes.”
Rattle.
The door opened, and Ouyang Hyun entered in official robes with quick little steps, then prostrated himself.
“Your Majesty. This subject, Ouyang Hyun, greets Your Majesty.”
“Father. I told you not to do that. You need not greet me that way.”
“Your Majesty is the Empress of this country. As a subject, how could I do otherwise?”
“Haa. Very well. Still, from next time, do not bow like that. Please consider how your daughter feels having to receive a bow from her father.”
“If that is Your Majesty’s will, I shall be careful from next time.”
“But what brings you here? You never came no matter how often I called.”
Ouyang Hyun looked around at the family members and said, “I heard from Hu that an emergency meeting was being held today on the subject of Jeok Wigang.”
“Yes. That is correct. We were discussing that very matter.”
“That is why I hurried here. The future of the family is at stake. As the family head, how could I remain still?”
“You came at the right time. The youngest seems to be connected to Jeok Wigang, but he will not speak. Father, do you know anything?”
“I know very well, Your Majesty.”
“Truly? How do you know?”
“The reason the Changsha main estate disappeared was precisely because of Lord Jeok Wigang.”
“What?”
“He erased our family.”
At Ouyang Hyun’s words, the pupils of the Empress and the members of House of Ouyang widened.
The Empress asked urgently, “W-wait. What do you mean? Was it not destroyed in a fire?”
“No, Your Majesty. It was the result of that lord personally exerting his strength to make our family come to its senses.”
“What on earth are you saying? Please explain so I can understand.”
Ouyang Hyun told the Empress and the family members everything that had happened with Jeok Wigang.
They were aghast.
The eldest son of the family spoke in a voice of disbelief.
“T-that is true? I-I cannot believe it. How could a human...”
“He is no different from a heavenly god. If he is angered, the Eastern Depot? Imperial troops? None of them matter. Before that lord’s fist, they are nothing but dust.”
Ouyang Hyun looked at the Empress and said, “Your Majesty. The fact that he is beside His Majesty is a blessing bestowed by heaven. Your Majesty need only rest at ease.”
“But do you know the current state of the imperial palace? All the scholars of the Hanlin Academy have left, and every state affair has stopped.”
“If he sent out all the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, then he has something in mind. Simply trust him and wait. All of Your Majesty’s worries will vanish at once, so please believe that as well and wait.”
Ouyang Hyun looked as though he served this man called Jeok Wigang as his lord.
“Father. Come to your senses! The country is about to fall entirely into the hands of the eunuchs or this man called Jeok Wigang. And if this man Jeok Wigang truly possesses such incredible force, is that not even more dangerous? If he harbors wicked intentions, what will you do then? Can you protect His Majesty and Her Majesty?”
“That lord has no interest in power. He is not a man who would harbor wicked intentions. So there is no need to worry.”
“How can you be so certain? Humans are beings who give in to greed. This man Jeok Wigang could change as well.”
“If he were going to change, he would have changed long ago. If I possessed such power, I would have overturned the world long ago and made it mine. But that lord did not. Could any of you do the same?”
At Ouyang Hyun’s words, everyone closed their mouths.
If they possessed such tremendous strength?
They would have tried to use that power somehow.
In the silence, Ouyang Hu opened his mouth.
“Brother said this. As soon as matters in the imperial palace are over, he will leave this place. The only reason Brother is helping His Majesty is for his family’s safety. He has no other purpose. If anything, he wants to stabilize the imperial palace quickly and leave.”
“You heard him, did you not? That lord has no interest in power. His Majesty likely knows that heart as well and is struggling desperately to keep him. Granting him the post of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet must be part of that.”
“Even so, it is too much.”
“Too much? The Grand Secretary of the Cabinet is the highest rank, so His Majesty gave him that. If there had been a rank even higher, His Majesty would have granted him that instead.”
“Then are you saying we can only watch like this?”
“No, you must not merely watch. You must help that lord and firmly establish the position of our House of Ouyang.”
“What? Help him?”
“Yes. Help that lord with all your sincerity and strength. This is the order I give you as family head.”
At the words “the order of the family head,” everyone closed their mouths.
What was more absolute than an imperial order was the order of the family head.
If the family head ordered them to defy an imperial order, they had to obey.
Ouyang Hyun looked at the Empress with benevolent eyes and said, “Your Majesty. I shall speak not as a subject, but as your father. You must never make an enemy of Jeok Wigang. You must stand on his side. Please keep that firmly in mind.”
“Father.”
“Your Majesty. Please heed your father’s words.”
At Ouyang Hyun’s earnest gaze, Ouyang Hye finally sighed and nodded.
“Haa. Very well.”
“I am overwhelmed by your grace.”
“Then what should we do about the Eastern Depot bastards?”
“Watch them as well. That lord will take care of everything. Simply remain by his side and assist him silently.”
Their expressions showed they did not like it.
“This is an order. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
The members of House of Ouyang answered reluctantly.
*****
A few days later.
The imperial palace was turned upside down.
Lowborn people who had never even taken the imperial examination had occupied the imperial palace.
They wore official robes and took their assigned positions.
The ministers who had stubbornly remained, saying they would continue working for the country, were horrified.
When they looked into what was going on, they were told that these were practical talents selected and brought in from across the Central Plains.
The remaining ministers rose in protest.
They said this was absurd.
House of Ouyang also had many complaints about this absurd situation, but they could not step forward.
Because of the family head’s absolute order, they held themselves back and handed over their duties to the newly assigned people.
The Eastern Depot also °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° erupted into chaos.
“My lord! The imperial palace feels like it has turned into a marketplace.”
“All sorts of rabble have taken over the palace.”
“We must devise a countermeasure quickly.”
Even amid all the commotion, the Chief Eunuch was leisurely.
“Enough. Leave them be. This is the Emperor’s last struggle. Before long, he will realize that this has gone wrong and ask us for help. We need only think about what we will receive at that time.”
“Ah! Our thoughts were shallow. As expected of you, my lord.”
“Heh heh. More importantly, did you look into that bastard Jeok Wigang?”
“We are investigating diligently, but there is less information than expected.”
“Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard is guarding him like an iron wall, even tailing him is not easy.”
“I imagine so. He must be the only subject the Emperor trusts, so the Emperor will try to protect him at all costs. But that will become the worst move that brings the Emperor down.”
“What is the worst move?”
“What happens if the only person he trusts disappears? That is probably his last hope. If even that collapses, what will happen to the Emperor?”
“He will collapse.”
“Exactly. He will let go of everything. If we tell him then to appoint the Crown Prince, hand over that tedious imperial throne, and spend the rest of his life in comfort, he will accept.”
“As expected, your judgment is outstanding.”
“So find out as much as possible about Jeok Wigang.”
“Understood. We will make obtaining information on Jeok Wigang our highest priority.”
“And do not provide any support whatsoever so that the vermin who entered this time cannot do their work properly.”
“Of course. We have already given the eunuchs orders.”
“Well done.”