NOVEL NEXT WORLD chapter 13
Chapter 13
＜ Spring in Luoyang (7) ＞
Clatter.
The carriage sways greatly.
I thought the wheel might have come off, but fortunately, the carriage keeps rolling.
“Ugh, ugh….”
The boy is trembling with a pale face.
Curled up as if he might die at any moment, he tightly closes his eyes and shivers.
“Run, hurry!!”
The old woman holding the boy urgently shouted at the coachman.
Although she was wearing the clothes of a palace maid, her hair, which had not been properly tied up, and the luxurious hairpin hinted at her true identity.
At the very least, she was not an ordinary maid.
“It’s too late! They’re coming!”
The coachman shouted.
The one driving the horse was also not wearing a coachman’s clothes but the official robe of a court minister.
“Chase them───!!”
Someone shouted from behind, running towards them.
Like wolves chasing their prey, they rode in groups, pursuing on horseback.
“Grandmother…!”
The boy grabbed the old woman’s collar and trembled.
“Are we, are we going to die…?”
“Of course not!”
The old woman shouted with all her might, hugging the boy tightly.
“We will not die. But if we get caught by them, who knows what will happen-“
“Ma’am! Look, ahead!!”
The coachman pointed forward.
“Oh no…!!”
There, a larger army than the pursuers was coming down the road at night.
Even in the darkness, their movements were more disciplined than the soldiers in the capital-
“The Imperial Army…?”
It seemed like the army she had seen when she was young.
Crack!
The carriage swayed violently.
There was a sound of something breaking, and then something hit the back of the carriage, causing it to break apart.
“Eek!!”
“This, this wretched…!!”
The old woman gritted her teeth as she shielded the boy with her body.
“……?!”
The expressions of the cavalrymen visible through the rear of the broken carriage looked urgent.
As if they were about to lose a fish they had almost caught.
“Ah.”
A cavalryman raised his spear high into the sky.
The old woman clearly realized that the spear was aimed not at her, but at the boy, and she turned her body to push the boy forward.
Even if it meant being pierced, this old body-
Ka──ang!!
“Wow.”
The terrified boy momentarily opened his mouth in astonishment.
As if he had witnessed some divine skill, his fear momentarily vanished, and he uttered an exclamation.
“…….”
Following his gaze, the old woman turned her head to see an arrow colliding with the cavalryman’s spear and falling.
Did someone just shoot the arrow to knock the spear away?
“Protect the carriage─!!”
A voice rang out loudly.
The old woman, and the boy, saw it.
Even in the dark night, hair fluttering like silk.
* * *
“Master. Why does the Emperor matter?”
When I used to call myself Chunsik, I asked my master.
“What?”
He dropped the chopsticks he was holding to pick up the side dish I had prepared, his mouth agape.
“What did I just hear?”
“Why does the Emperor matter? After all, he’s just a lump of flesh like us.”
“This boy has finally gone mad. Are you trying to become a traitor? This is the most blasphemous and impious thing I’ve ever heard.”
It was the moment when my usually gentle master cursed at me.
“No, isn’t it true? Is there a special seed for kings and nobles?”
“Ugh!”
“M-Master!”
The master clutched the back of his neck and collapsed.
“If I were still in the court, and if I didn’t know your nature while teaching you, I would have accused you of treason right now!!”
“Hmm… Is it that serious?”
“It’s not just that serious───!!”
I barely managed to revive him, but the revived master started looking at me as if I were the most despicable scoundrel in the world.
“I’m really curious about what’s in your head. In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone say such things so openly!”
“If you say it openly, doesn’t that mean others say it secretly elsewhere?”
“…….”
The master frowned at me openly, but he wiped the fallen chopsticks with a handkerchief he took out from his pocket and picked up the food again.
“Ugh. First of all, let me make one thing clear to you.”
The master finally put down his chopsticks and, rubbing his temples, spoke to me.
“The emperor is the supreme ruler of this country and the father of all people. Insulting the emperor is the same as insulting your parents. In other words, it’s an act of impiety.”
“…….”
“You think like that, don’t you? No, why would the emperor, who doesn’t share a drop of blood with me, matter?”
“Yes.”
“That’s your thought. But the people living in this country, in this era, don’t think that way.”
The master repeatedly drilled this era’s values into me.
“In front of the emperor, you must naturally bow your head, and it’s only natural that you shouldn’t show your back to the emperor. It’s absurd that I have to explain something so obvious, but I’ll make it clear to you.”
Somehow, the more we talked, the more it felt like we were discussing scenes from a historical drama set in the Joseon Dynasty.
I didn’t particularly enjoy traditional historical dramas.
But as a child, I had the short experience of watching them while dozing off next to my father, who always watched TV before bed.
A world where a single wrong word in front of the king could cost you your life.
It’s not new, but they say this era is even worse.
“The emperor is the sky… No, saying it like this is meaningless. Just remember this. The emperor is a god.”
“Ah!”
I realized.
“You mean the emperor is an inviolable realm that must never be touched carelessly!”
“Indeed.”
The teacher said.
“Do you ever think, ‘What is the emperor doing right now that the country is in such a state?'”
Gulp.
“Do you think that since the emperor is not properly taking care of the country, there are thieves everywhere and the country is in chaos, so is there any need to be loyal and respectful to the emperor?”
“…….”
“You must have such thoughts. I did too, once.”
“Indeed!”
“But you must not carelessly speak such thoughts out loud.”
The teacher smiled bitterly and looked up at the sky.
“The emperor… commonly called the ‘Son of Heaven,’ is not just a single person.”
The teacher did not refer to the emperor as a person.
“The highest authority who governs all the people of this land. A being who can bring down a bird flying in the sky with just a word. No, it might be more accurate to call it a ‘position’ for you.”
He called the emperor a ‘position.’
“The emperor can change every time. Dynasties can also change. But in the history of this land, there has never been a time without an emperor or a king.”
Just like how the kings ruled Joseon for 500 years.
Just like how in dramas or movies, when the king says something, the ministers shout, ‘Please kill me.’
“The emperor is absolute.”
In this era, in this country, the emperor truly reigns as a monarch.
“That’s the way of the world.”
“If you go against the way of the world, you will mostly be caught.”
“For treason, that is.”
“But….”
“Yes, I know what you’re thinking.”
The teacher said.
“There are wise kings, good kings, foolish kings, and even emperors who bury their heads in the skirts of eunuchs like now.”
“Isn’t that blasphemous?”
“I submitted a memorial about that and ended up in prison and was dismissed from my post, so I think I can say that much.”
“That’s true. I acknowledge it.”
“A teacher who is acknowledged by his student. The world must be turning upside down.”
The teacher sometimes gave a hollow laugh at the words I unknowingly uttered.
“Yes. A world-shaking event. Your perspective on the emperor is one that could cause a world-shaking event for others.”
“…….”
“Remember this. You may not believe in or follow a particular emperor. Others may share your perspective.”
The master predicted.
“If the current emperor were to pass away… if he were to die, we don’t know who would become the next emperor, but many local warlords would ignore the emperor and try to rule their regions like kings.”
The rise of local warlords.
“Someone will serve the emperor and aim to become the grand general of the court.”
“Is the grand general the position directly below the emperor?”
“Not exactly, but for now, think of it as the grand general. However, if the grand general is not loyal to the emperor, some will try to become ministers who manipulate the emperor like a puppet.”
The emergence of traitors who seek to seize power by using the emperor.
“And perhaps, some will try to establish an emperor to their liking.”
“But the emperor is supreme, how could they?”
“If those who inherit the royal blood are children around the age of ten, wouldn’t there be those who would place a child they favor on the throne and control the world through them?”
The emergence of power-hungry individuals who wield more power than the emperor.
“Though it is infinitely disrespectful, let’s apply the saying that the seed of kings and nobles is different. It denies the current state of the country, but if you think about it, even Liu Bang, the founder of the Han dynasty, started as a commoner.”
“Hmm….”
“The Spring and Autumn period. There were many countries and many kings. Although this country has lasted for hundreds of years, the Spring and Autumn period might reappear. Whether it is in a dozen years or when you are my age.”
“So, someone might try to become the emperor?”
“It’s not impossible.”
The master taught me.
“As you said, anyone can become the emperor. The reason they couldn’t was because they lacked power.”
“Ah.”
It dawned on me.
“Success means becoming the emperor, failure means rebellion.”
“Whether it is through abdication or a change of dynasty. A dynasty is determined by the mandate of heaven. Remember this, my disciple.”
“Yes, master.”
“There can be an unworthy king.”
The master’s voice lowered, but its resonance was clear in my ears.
“There can be someone who is unworthy to be served as the emperor but has a kind heart, and there can be someone who is born with the qualities of a conqueror and will revive this country. Just like the one who rebuilt this country from the tyranny of Wang Mang.”
“What do you wish from me?”
“Whatever it is, people must experience it themselves and make their own judgments.”
The master imparted his teaching to me.
“When you meet the emperor, experience it and make your judgment.”
“…….”
“If you can truly be loyal enough to follow him, it’s fine to become a loyal subject. If you are incompetent and likely to be used by others, it’s fine to become a powerful minister who controls and oversees the court. And if it seems impossible, whether it’s abdication or rebellion, that’s up to you.”
“Master.”
“The choice is yours, and you must bear the full responsibility for it.”
The master poured tea into my cup as if it were wine.
“I won’t tell you to be unconditionally loyal to the emperor. But at least until you make that judgment, do not recklessly reveal your thoughts.”
The cup is filled to the brim.
“Your way of thinking will be a dagger that stabs you from behind. Your weakness is not your lack of strength, but your thoughts and words.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Good. So, to put it in one word…”
The master raised his own cup.
“Be careful with your words, wherever and whenever.”
* * *
Standoff.
We protect the carriage, aiming our weapons at those targeting it.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Even in the darkness, I can see well, but I can’t read the letters.
‘Are they all hiding their identities?’
Huseong once said,
When you go to the court, you will often see military flags, so if it’s hard to memorize the Chinese characters, understand them through drawings or diagrams.
So I memorized important characters by drawing them, but none of those characters are here.
“Who are you people!”
The one who seems to be the leader of the pursuit squad points his spear at us.
“Reveal your identities!”
“…….”
I kept my mouth shut.
The cavalry commander and his subordinates also remained silent, protecting the carriage and spreading out to the sides.
The numerical advantage is on our side.
But just because we have more people, it doesn’t mean we can push through with military force, they said.
What if we say something wrong and get caught up in the power struggle of the court?
“…….”
I think.
‘A high school girl being chased in the mountains and four men chasing her. Who should be saved?’
In martial arts novels, it’s common sense to save the high school girl being chased.
But in recent martial arts novels, there are often twists like ‘It turns out the high school girl was a killer from the evil sect, and the pursuers were beggars from the Beggar Sect!’
In other words, one should not judge based on appearances alone.
So, we need to gather information.
“They asked us to reveal our identity, so it’s common sense to answer.”
I step forward.
“But if you’re asking for our identity, isn’t it polite for you to reveal yours first?”
“What?!”
“Looking at it, the carriages aren’t armed, yet you’re swinging weapons to break them?”
The carriages stopped.
The coachmen swallowed their saliva as they scanned me and the soldiers, and those inside the carriages held their breath as they observed the situation.
‘The fact that they stopped is important.’
The ones fleeing stopped when they saw us.
They wouldn’t have stopped if they didn’t know who we were, but the military flag fluttering behind the cavalry captain’s back was visible.
“We are.”
I feel a bit sorry, but just in case things go wrong later.
“We are soldiers who came running upon hearing that there was trouble in the capital, under the orders of the magistrate of Byeongju.”
It’s not a lie.
“We were on our way to the capital, subduing the Black Mountain bandits who were rampant near the capital. We saw this attack and moved. It seems you are innocent commoners….”
“What?!”
The leader of the pursuers laughed at me.
“They said you were a country bumpkin from Byeongju, ha!”
“…….”
I know.
The golden pattern on that carriage.
The master said.
– The golden dragon can only be used by the emperor.
The carriage has a pattern made of gold.
It looks like a snake, but for now, it’s like a dragon.
‘At a glance, they changed their clothes while fleeing, but they couldn’t disguise the carriage.’
The assessment is complete.
I don’t know who it is, but it’s certain that an important person from the imperial family is on the carriage.
“So we introduced ourselves, but who are you?”
“Ha! I don’t have time to brawl with you! Move aside, quickly!”
“…….”
Quite, unpleasant.
The face is red, as if they’ve had a drink, and their loud talking is very annoying.
“Come to think of it.”
I slowly drove the horse and placed the spear to the side.
“I heard that among the Black Mountain Bandits, there are ruffians who disguise themselves as government soldiers to plunder.”
“……!!”
……?
The reaction is more sensitive than expected.
“You, you rascal. Is it true?”
I tried to pick a fight by accusing them of being Black Mountain Bandits, but is it true?
“Are you pretending to be government soldiers to dare attack us, you Black Mountain Bandits!”
“You, you rascal!! Do you know who we are, you border scum!”
“Who are you?”
“What!! How dare you speak so rudely!! Show some respect!!”
The way they speak does have the unique authority of high-ranking officials.
Before departure.
Songheon and Wisok had said.
Please, please don’t make enemies when you go to the capital.
But.
‘At least, is there a need to show courtesy to someone attacking an unarmed old man and a boy?’
No.
“If you do not reveal your identity, I will consider you a Black Mountain bandit and cut you down.”
“Th-this──!”
“Three.”
I aim my spear.
“Two.”
“…Soldiers, prepare to attack.”
As the cavalry commander raises his hand, all the cavalry following me raise their spears and prepare to charge forward.
“One.”
“I, I am…!”
Just as I was about to strike the horse’s thigh.
“Your Majestyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
“…….”
Jungwon’s expression twisted.
＜ The Spring of Luoyang (7) ＞ End