After hearing Jeok Wigang’s entire explanation, Zhu Seogi slammed his fist down on the desk, his face twisted with rage.
BANG—!
“How could they do such a thing!”
“You were thoroughly used.”
“Haah. It was bitter enough to have no power, and then they went that far.... And the child was not even mine.”
“Now that you know the child is not yours, Your Majesty, you may cast Noble Consort Man out at once and live peacefully with Her Majesty the Empress.”
“If what you say is true, then of course that is what I must do. But will she leave quietly? Will she not deny everything? And from what I hear, the scholars of the Hanlin Academy are supporting her.”
“They are no longer Your Majesty’s subjects. You need not fear them.”
“Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. If you say so, then it must be so.”
“If you entrust them to me, I will deal with them as well.”
Zhu Seogi nodded readily.
“I ask it of you. Please, do that.”
“I understand. More importantly, I heard there has been good news of late.”
At Jeok Wigang’s words, Zhu Seogi’s face flushed red.
“Ahem! You knew? I tried to keep it as secret as possible, but it seems I cannot deceive the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.”
“My apologies, Your Majesty. It happened to reach my ears.”
“Hahaha. No. I feel bad, that is all. You, of all people, should have heard it from me first.”
“How did it come about?”
“Ahem! Well, as my health improved, the Empress and I grew closer. And so.... Ahem.”
“Congratulations, Your Majesty, on the conception of Your Majesty’s true bloodline.”
“Hahaha! Thank you. All of this is entirely your achievement. Once all the chaos in the imperial palace has ended, I will certainly honor your merits.”
“You do not need to do that, Your Majesty.”
“No. I may yield on everything else, but on this matter alone, I absolutely cannot.”
“Understood. Do as Your Majesty wishes.”
“Hahaha! You may look forward to it.”
Something about that made him uneasy, but it did not matter.
Once things here were settled, he intended to leave the imperial palace without a shred of lingering attachment anyway.
A proper heir had been conceived, so the only remaining trouble was Noble Consort Man.
And he had already finished preparing everything for that as well.
*****
“Must we really go this far?”
“Even if the situation has grown urgent, attaching ourselves to Noble Consort Man is a bit....”
The one who shouted angrily at the uneasy scholars was the former Grand Secretary.
“Then are you saying we should sit and watch the country fall to ruin! Even if we must smear ourselves with filth, should we not protect the state and its altars!”
“That is correct! Noble Consort Man may be a wicked woman, but her child will one day ascend to His Majesty’s seat. I think it would not be bad for us to educate him in advance.”
These were men who intended to shape the next Emperor with their own hands and create absolute power that would surpass even the Eastern Depot.
“Would Noble Consort Man even meet with us if we go now?”
“She will meet us. For the sake of her child, if nothing else.”
“She may even be waiting for us.”
“What strength do we have? The imperial palace is now occupied by those so-called practical talents or whatever they are.”
“Hmph! Practical talents, what nonsense. True state affairs are put into practice through the words of the sages. Tsk, tsk.”
“You are absolutely right. On the surface, the country may look as if it is running well now, but its limits will soon arrive. Then this nation will collapse like a tower built on sand.”
“Our role from this point forward is extremely important. Depending on what we do, this country may last a thousand years, ten thousand years—or fall tomorrow.”
“We are not doing this out of greed for power. We have united to raise the country back up again! So let us go! Let us meet Noble Consort Man and restore this nation to its proper state!”
“Let us go!”
The Hanlin Academy scholars came to one opinion, and soon they surged toward the residence where Noble Consort Man stayed.
*****
“No, this is truly an important matter.”
“Important or not, how many times must we tell you that today is impossible? Please leave. Come again tomorrow.”
The eunuchs guarding Changchun Palace, where Noble Consort Man resided, were desperately blocking the Hanlin Academy scholars from entering.
“Really, you people. How many times must I tell you this is a matter of grave importance! Go at once and tell Noble Consort Man that we have come on a truly important matter!”
“We cannot. If we do that, our heads will come off. Absolutely not.”
“There is absolutely no chance your heads will come off. So just go and convey our opinion. If you say we came regarding the Crown Prince, she will welcome us.”
“I told you already. No matter what issue you came for, it is impossible. So please, come again tomorrow.”
Seeing the eunuchs plead even more desperately, the Hanlin Academy scholars tilted their heads.
“Is something happening inside? Why are you trying so hard to stop us?”
“We cannot tell you that. So please withdraw for today and return tomorrow.”
At the eunuchs’ reaction, the scholars assumed Noble Consort Man was deliberately avoiding them.
Their pride was wounded, but this was their final option.
Only by making Noble Consort Man’s son the Crown Prince, then the Emperor, could they recover the status they had once enjoyed.
“Ugh.”
“Let us come again tomorrow.”
“That is right. There must truly be some reason she is unavailable today.”
“Is that so?”
“It was also our fault for coming so suddenly without prior contact.”
“Ahem. Th-that is true. Very well. Then tomorrow again—”
“What’s this? You’re all gathered here?”
At the sudden intruding voice, the scholars’ gazes all turned at once.
Jeok Wigang stood there with his arms folded, grinning.
“Y-you....”
All of them trembled, unable to open their mouths.
“Why are you shaking with joy so much? I’m glad to see you too. Anyway, this worked out well. I needed to summon you once, and here you are on your own.”
“You were going to summon us?”
“Yes. You came looking for Noble Consort Man, didn’t you?”
At Jeok Wigang’s question, everyone turned their heads away.
“Don’t pretend. I know everything. Noble Consort Man won’t meet you, will she?”
“What have you done?”
“Come now. I am the prime minister of this country. Calling me ‘you bastard’ is a bit much, isn’t it? For learned men, you have no manners.”
“Urgh!”
The scholars trembled again.
Then, with humiliated expressions, they forced out each word.
“What have you done, my lord?”
“It isn’t that I did something. Right now, Noble Consort Man is in a period when she will meet no one. She probably wouldn’t meet even His Majesty if he came. Isn’t that right?”
When Jeok Wigang asked someone to confirm, the figure standing behind him quietly stepped forward.
“That is correct.”
“Huh! Y-you are!”
The scholars were shocked, and so were the eunuchs guarding the place.
It was Chief Eunuch Son Gang of the Eastern Depot.
He was the one who had given the strict order that absolutely no one was to be allowed in at this hour.
“Move.”
At Son Gang’s command, the eunuchs who had been desperately blocking the scholars moved cleanly aside.
Jeok Wigang grinned and said, “Everyone, follow me. I will show you something amusing.”
Something amusing?
The people followed Jeok Wigang in a rush.
Behind them, the Embroidered Uniform Guards followed with terrifying expressions.
A short while later, they arrived at Noble Consort Man’s chambers.
The people gathered there were instantly flustered by the embarrassing sounds drifting out from Noble Consort Man’s room.
“Wh-what is this?”
What came from Noble Consort Man’s chambers were a woman’s moans.
Jeok Wigang passed the flustered people, grabbed the door to Noble Consort Man’s chambers, and flung it wide open.
The palace maids inside panicked badly and tried to stop Jeok Wigang somehow.
But behind him, Son Gang and Ye Yahyeon spoke with frightening faces.
“Move.”
At the killing intent from the two men, the palace maids collapsed where they stood, and Jeok Wigang strode in openly.
Then he flung open the final door, and a wave of hot air pushed out of the room.
The people, curious about what in the world was happening inside, crowded to the doorway.
And at the shocking sight unfolding before their eyes, they lost the ability to speak.
Noble Consort Man was naked, held in the arms of several men, her expression hazy as she drowned in pleasure.
The scholars, dumbfounded by the sight of them enjoying themselves without even realizing people had come, shouted in outrage.
“What are you doing in the sacred imperial palace!”
At the sudden shout, the men jumped in shock and turned around.
At the door, the Embroidered Uniform Guards had surrounded the room with terrifying faces.
“What is this? I was in the middle of enjoying myself.”
Noble Consort Man rose with a face full of irritation, not even bothering to cover her naked body.
“Chief Eunuch Son. What is the meaning of this?”
Son Gang said nothing.
“What does it mean? It means your life is over.”
As Jeok Wigang stepped forward and spoke, Noble Consort Man frowned and asked, “And who are you?”
“The Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.”
“Why is the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet here?”
“Before that, put some clothes on. You’re hideous to look at.”
At the words hideous to look at, Noble Consort Man’s face distorted grotesquely.
Then she soon smoothed her expression and took on a seductive pose.
“What part of my body is hideous?”
“Blech!”
When Jeok Wigang pretended to vomit, laughter burst out behind him.
Perhaps thinking she had been mocked, Noble Consort Man’s face flushed red.
“Chief Eunuch Son! What are you doing? Cut off that damned bastard’s head at once!”
Son Gang bowed his head to Jeok Wigang and said, “Shall I seize her?”
Ye Yahyeon, who stood beside him, stepped forward.
“What are you talking about? This is the business of our Embroidered Uniform Guard.”
“Since I caused this, should I not be the one to clean it up?”
Listening to the two men, Noble Consort Man sensed that something had gone wrong.
She stepped backward.
Jeok Wigang looked at the Hanlin Academy scholars and asked, “Now, this is that woman’s true nature. And the child you intended to seat as Crown Prince is also the seed of one of those men over there, not His Majesty’s bloodline.”
The scholars were stunned by Jeok Wigang’s words.
“If you still intend to defend Noble Consort Man, then I will arrest you as accomplices as well.”
“N-no!”
“As if we would defend that madwoman!”
“Ugh! I must go home at once and wash my eyes!”
The scholars were drawing a firm line between themselves and Noble Consort Man, afraid that harm would come to them.
Jeok Wigang said to Ye Yahyeon, “Arrest them all.”
“Yes!”
As the Embroidered Uniform Guards approached, Noble Consort Man thrashed in desperation.
“Do not come near me! Do not come near me! My son is the man who will become this country’s next Emperor! Do you think you will be safe later after doing this to me? Chief Eunuch Son! Surely you do not believe that damned bastard’s words? Besides, all of this was—”
The moment she tried to say something—
Son Gang’s sword moved.
Slice.
At the same time, Noble Consort Man’s head was severed, and her face, eyes wide as if wronged, fell to the floor.
THUD—
Her naked body collapsed onto the floor, and the scholars froze in terror, too shocked to move.
“I will pay for my own crimes myself.”
With the sword he had used to cut down Noble Consort Man, Son Gang stabbed himself.
Thuk.
Then he collapsed on the spot.
Jeok Wigang said to Ye Yahyeon, “Arrest every one of those men over there, and deal with Noble Consort Man and the Chief Eunuch’s bodies.”