The situation had unfolded in an instant, and the Hanlin Academy scholars stood there blankly, as if their souls had left their bodies.
Clap, clap.
At the sound of Jeok Wigang clapping his hands, the scholars came back to themselves.
By then, Noble Consort Man and Son Gang’s bodies had already been cleared away.
“Now, now. Everyone, get hold of yourselves and decide what you intend to do.”
“What do you mean, what we intend to do?”
“Will you continue opposing His Majesty, or will you help him?”
“Are you saying you will appoint us again?”
“There is no reason I cannot. But it will be different from before.”
“What do you mean, different from before?”
“You will not be treated well unconditionally just because you are learned. Each of you will be assigned to a department according to the talents you possess. And naturally, you will begin at the very bottom of that department.”
“What nonsense! I am a man who rose as far as Grand Secretary!”
“I was a Junior Compiler-Scholar!”
“I was an Academician!”
The scholars protested.
“That was how things were in the past. The world has changed now. You should adapt accordingly, should you not?”
“I cannot!”
“Then you may leave as you are.”
“Grr!”
“Ah! And from now on, the imperial examination will disappear. The age of appointing talent through the imperial examination is over.”
“Wh-what are you saying!”
“Abolish the imperial examination! Are you saying you will abolish the foundation of the country?”
“The foundation of the country is the people. I am saying we will make broad use of the talents of those people. Is there a problem with that?”
“We can never accept this!”
At the scholars’ declaration that they could not accept it, Jeok Wigang gave a small laugh.
“Nothing will change just because the gentlemen gathered here cannot accept it. From now on, aside from His Majesty the Emperor, the status of all people will become one. You should know that in advance as well.”
“You mean you will place scholar-officials and scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants on the same level?”
“No.”
“Of course. I knew you would not.”
“Commoners of low birth and slaves are included as well.”
“Wh-what is that supposed to mean!”
“In the Book of Rites, in the chapter on the Conveyance of Rites, there is a passage on the Great Unity. And in Mencius, there is the idea that the people are precious and the ruler is light. You gentlemen recite the classics better than anyone and claim to follow them, so why do you not put this into practice?”
“The Great Unity is only the ideal of the age of Yao and Shun. It cannot be applied now, in these troubled times! In the present age, living according to one’s proper station is what preserves the stability of the country.”
“That is right. If status suddenly becomes equal, how much disorder will society fall into! There is a reason status distinctions were created!”
“Furthermore, when Mencius said that the people are precious and the ruler is light, he meant {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} that a ruler must not treat the people carelessly. He did not mean that everyone should be equal!”
“The only reason the country is maintained now is because we scholar-officials guide those beneath us with propriety. But if that is broken, what will happen? The country will collapse.”
The scholars pressed Jeok Wigang hard, but Jeok Wigang dealt with them as if it were no great matter.
“An ideal, you say.... If there had been no ideal when Emperors Yao and Shun led their nations, could they have received the title of sage kings? Because they pursued an ideal, the nation was tranquil and the people could live in peace. Also, Mencius said that if there were no people, what use would a ruler be? Does that not mean the people are that important? I am saying we will cherish those important people and use their abilities. What is wrong with that?”
At Jeok Wigang’s words, the scholars frowned.
“The sages must have created the classics so later generations could enjoy their Way together with all the people. You should not take that meaning and focus only on satisfying your own selfish desires.”
“When have we ever focused only on satisfying our own selfish desires?”
“Then what? Do you think the current state of the imperial palace is normal? And the suffering the people endured because of it? You do not think about that, do you? You only looked after yourselves. Look at yourselves even now. You came to Noble Consort Man to save your own skins. Have some shame. If it were me, I would be too embarrassed to even raise my face in public.”
The scholars could say nothing to Jeok Wigang’s merciless criticism.
“Everyone, disperse for today and go home. Think carefully. If you believe you cannot join the flow of the times, then remain at home as you are.”
Leaving those words behind, Jeok Wigang turned and walked away.
The scholars could only stare fearfully at his back.
*****
“Get up.”
Jeok Wigang nudged the collapsed Son Gang with his foot, and Son Gang sprang to his feet.
“What was that? Why did you suddenly do something like that without saying a word?”
“Noble Consort Man was a woman who would never leave unless she died. And this affair could only end if I died as well, so I thought this was the easiest and fastest path.”
Thinking about it, the process would have been complicated if they had followed procedure.
No matter how simplified the procedures had become, this was no ordinary person. They were casting out one of the Emperor’s consorts.
“Well done. You are officially dead now, so change into a different appearance.”
“Understood.”
CRRRK— CRACK—
In an instant, Son Gang became a different person.
“Starting today, you are my new bodyguard.”
“Yes.”
The matter of Noble Consort Man had now been resolved entirely.
The practical talents in the imperial palace were rapidly handling all the work that had piled up, and the people’s lives had become peaceful because of it.
The Emperor’s authority had also taken root, and above all, with the Empress’s pregnancy, there was no longer any need to worry about an heir.
House of Ouyang, too, would not dare step forward carelessly as long as Jeok Wigang existed, so there was no need to worry about that either.
It seemed the affairs of the imperial palace had been wrapped up well.
But soon, trouble erupted.
*****
“Big Brother! Something terrible has happened!”
At Ye Yahyeon’s fussing, Jeok Wigang frowned and asked, “What is it?”
“A force dissatisfied with the abolition of the status system has raised troops!”
A rebellion had broken out.
Jeok Wigang pressed a hand to his forehead.
He had been about to finish things up and go home.
“Who is it?”
“The Left Army Governor’s Office!”
“The Left Army Governor’s Office has rebelled?”
“Yes!”
He pressed his forehead again.
He had just stabilized the Rear Army Governor’s Office, and now another place had gone mad.
There was no end to the work.
“Wait.... That is the Hunan region.”
“That is correct.”
These bastards?
Hunan was where his family lived.
That place could not be allowed to grow noisy.
He would have to go there at once and settle it.
As it happened, this worked out well.
He had been planning to go home anyway, so he could use this as a pretext to leave the imperial palace.
“Is only the Left Army moving?”
“They say the movements of the Front Army and Right Army are not ordinary either. What should we do? Shall we mobilize the Rear Army and Central Army and strike those bastards immediately?”
“No. If we pacify only the Left Army, the rest of them will likely step forward afterward, so let us handle them all at once.”
“All at once?”
“Yes. Spread false information so those bastards can gather together all at once. Say that the Rear Army and Central Army are also full of dissatisfaction. If they join forces, the Rear Army and Central Army may also join them.”
“Then the rest of them will be delighted and form an alliance.”
“Right. We should gather them in one place and deal with them at once. It is annoying.”
“How do you intend to deal with them?”
Jeok Wigang held out his fist.
Ye Yahyeon understood immediately.
Whether it was one hundred thousand or one million, before that fist, all men became equal.
If they witnessed Jeok Wigang’s divine might, they would never even dream of rebellion again.
“What are you doing? Move quickly. I will go meet His Majesty.”
“Yes!”
Jeok Wigang went straight to meet Zhu Seogi.
As expected, Zhu Seogi had been waiting tensely for Jeok Wigang to arrive.
“Have you heard?”
“Yes. I heard just now and came running, Your Majesty.”
“What should we do?”
“I will go personally and deal with it.”
“Time and again, I make only you take on troublesome matters.”
“Not at all. As it happens, that place is also my hometown. Once this matter is finished, I was thinking of staying in my hometown for a while.”
At the words staying in my hometown, Zhu Seogi nearly jumped.
“Wh-what do you mean by that! I have never once imagined an imperial palace without the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.”
“There is no longer anyone in the imperial palace who can threaten Your Majesty. So you need not worry.”
“What do you mean, there is no one who can threaten me? Is that not entirely because the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet is here?”
“If some bold person attempts to intimidate Your Majesty, then tell me at any time. I will come running at once and settle it for you. No matter where I am in the Central Plains, I will always come running, so please do not be too concerned.”
“Must you go?”
“There is work I must do at home.”
“Mm.”
Since he said there was work he had to do, Zhu Seogi could not bring himself to stop him.
“Very well. Then stay one more day before you go.”
“I understand.”
“Have dinner with me tonight.”
“Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty.”
“Is anyone there?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I will take tonight’s meal with the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, so have every delicacy from mountain and sea prepared.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
*****
The next day.
As Jeok Wigang was about to set out, Zhu Seogi said to him, “You are no longer Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.”
Jeok Wigang nodded and smiled.
“You have done well. Grand Secretary of the Cabinet is far too unsuitable a rank for one who will not be in the palace.”
He was beginning to look quite like an Emperor now.
“And so I have created a new office.”
“Pardon?”
“Jeok Wigang, hear me.”
When Zhu Seogi spoke with a serious expression, Jeok Wigang knelt before him.
“I appoint you Grand Tutor Regent. From now on, continue to assist me and work for the revival of this country.”
“Pardon? What is Grand Tutor Regent?”
“I created it anew. From now on, you possess the authority to act in my place in all matters I can act upon.”
“Pardon?”
“Anytime, anywhere, you will stand in for me. To refuse to obey your words will be the same as violating an imperial order.”
“Your Majesty. This office is far too excessive for me when I am returning to my hometown.”
“It is not excessive! If my heart had its way, I would give you a position higher than my own, and it pains me that I cannot. This is my heart, so please accept it, Grand Tutor Regent.”
He spoke with such an earnest expression that Jeok Wigang could not bring himself to refuse.
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
“Hahaha! Thank you! Truly, thank you. The Imperial Command Tablet I gave you is yours, so continue to make good use of it.”
Before he knew it, Jeok Wigang had gained power second only to one and above ten thousand.
Now, Jeok Wigang had become no different from a grim reaper to every government office.
He possessed both the Emperor’s authority and the power of a god, so one would have to bow one’s head to the floor without question if one wanted to live.
“To repay Your Majesty’s grace, I will certainly crush this rebellion.”
“All my worries vanished the moment you said you would step forward, Grand Tutor Regent.”
“Your trust overwhelms me.”
“Ah, I have one request.”
“Please say anything. If it is something I can do, I will do it all.”
“Truly? This is something you can certainly do.”
“What is it?”
“Become my sworn brother.”
“Pardon?”
“I have no siblings. That is why I have nowhere to lean. If you become my younger sworn brother, I think I will be able to sit in this position with peace of mind.”
“How could I become sworn brothers with Your Majesty?”
“I ask it of you.”
Jeok Wigang looked at Zhu Seogi.
He could feel his sincerity.
In the end, Jeok Wigang decided to grant Zhu Seogi’s request.
“If someone as lacking as I am is acceptable, then I will become Your Majesty’s younger sworn brother.”
“Lacking? Rather, I am only grateful that you accept this lacking man as your elder sworn brother. Then from today onward, we are sworn brothers.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”