NOVEL NEXT WORLD chapter 22
Chapter 22
＜ The Master of the Imperial Palace (2) ＞
At that moment, in the Imperial Palace of Luoyang.
“Mother, what should I do?”
Asked the boy, wearing a dragon robe that didn’t fit his body.
With an ambiguous physique that seemed to have just passed the age of fifteen, or perhaps not even that, the boy asked as he rolled up the sleeves of the dragon robe.
“Your Majesty. Please rest assured.”
In front of him, the Empress Dowager, heavily made up and adorned with lavish ornaments, forced a smile to reassure the Emperor.
“Your Majesty is the legitimate heir of the late Emperor.”
“But isn’t that what the rumors say?”
“They are just rumors. They are nothing but the slanderous words of power-hungry officials trying to undermine Your Majesty and seize control of the court.”
The Empress Dowager pointed outside the palace with eyes full of malice.
“Where is this place? This is where Your Majesty was born and raised. Where else would Your Majesty go? From the beginning, that would be treason. How dare the subjects talk about deposing the Emperor of a nation.”
Despite the Empress Dowager’s venomous voice, which was as fast as a galloping horse, the Emperor forced a smile as if reassured.
“Mo-Mother… Hehehe, isn’t that right?”
“Your Majesty!”
“Eek…!”
When the Empress Dowager glared at the Emperor, his shoulders shrank again.
“You must act like an Emperor. In front of the court officials, Your Majesty must clearly show that you are the supreme ruler of this country, and such rumors will disappear.”
“B-But…!”
Even though the Emperor was trembling with his head bowed, he raised his voice with effort.
“The loyalists… they are under that child’s command….”
“I will take care of that.”
The Empress Dowager climbed the steps and approached the Emperor sitting on the throne, bringing her face close to his.
“Why? Are you worried? Do you think the loyalists are flocking to Prince Liu Xie because he is brilliant and wise, and that the future of the nation lies with him?”
“Th-That’s…!”
“No, no. It’s all because those with treacherous intentions want to place a motherless child on the throne and seize control of the court as they please.”
“…Liu Xie’s mother.”
The Emperor tightly grasped his robe and quietly raised his head.
“The palace maids say that Mother has taken Lady Wang-“
“Your Majesty.”
The Empress Dowager smiled and held the Emperor’s hand.
“Your Majesty does not know how many humiliations I have endured to reach this position.”
“M-Mother…! It hurts…!”
The palace attendants were flustered by the Emperor’s pained plea, but none of them dared to step forward against the Empress Dowager.
“As I said before, Your Majesty is the legitimate heir of the late Emperor. Only when Your Majesty holds your head high can I also hold my head high in front of others.”
“…….”
“Are you anxious? If so, please endure it for just one day. For Your Majesty, I have summoned the most loyal and righteous warrior in this country.”
“Ho, could it be…!”
The emperor’s eyes sparkled as he swallowed.
“Are you referring to General Lü Bu…?”
“Yes.”
In response to the emperor, Empress Dowager He lightly patted his hand and smiled.
“Even if he harbored rebellious thoughts, his loyalty would compel him to personally execute the traitor. He brought 7,000 troops, but as soon as the chaos in the capital ended, he sent half of them back to the provinces.”
“Yes, yes! I have heard of it.”
“How can you feel at ease if such a person is made the Left General, or rather, the Grand General?”
“Will he… accept it?”
“Your Majesty. The appointment is bestowed by Your Majesty, how could he refuse it? Even if he humbly declines, I will ensure he accepts the position.”
Squeeze.
“One day. Just endure for one day. When tomorrow comes, he will become a true loyal and righteous warrior for Your Majesty.”
“Ah, ah…!”
“I will make it so.”
“Mother, sob…!”
The emperor bowed his head, choking back tears.
Embraced by Empress Dowager He, shedding tears on the throne, the emperor did not see it.
“I will, without fail.”
The eyes of Empress Dowager He as she looked at the throne.
The thick red makeup beneath them.
“Rest assured.”
Those eyes were not those of a mother comforting her crying child, but rather reminiscent of a temptress expecting something.
“Who in this country would dare to dethrone Your Majesty?”
* * *
“I, Dong Zhuo, speak.”
As soon as he participated in the court meeting as the Commander of the Imperial Guard.
“I will depose Prince Liu Bian and enthrone Prince Liu Xie as the emperor.”
I heard Dong Zhuo’s unilateral declaration.
Standing at the center of the civil and military officials as the Minister of Works, one of the ‘Three Excellencies,’ he swept the assembly with his heavy body and made his proclamation.
“Now, what…?”
“Is the current Emperor Yubyeon really the bloodline of the late Emperor?!”
“!!”
At Dong Zhuo’s roar, the ministers simultaneously dropped their jaws.
Raising doubts about the Emperor’s bloodline.
That statement alone could be considered treason.
“I don’t think so.”
Once a conclusion is reached from the start, the rest naturally follows.
“The current Emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager He, has an unclear origin. Is she the half-sister of He Jin, the former Grand General?”
“Th-that…!”
“Since the late Emperor favored her so much, she had no choice but to be treated as Empress. I believe the many senior ministers here know this better.”
Dong Zhuo’s words are violent and direct, but from some perspectives, they are not wrong.
– Empress Dowager He has an unclear origin. There were even rumors that she was a courtesan.
Empress Dowager Dong occasionally mentioned such things.
She told me about Empress Dowager He’s bad side to keep me away from her.
“One cannot bring someone of lowly origin into the palace as Empress. Many who shouted this were beaten by the late Emperor, weren’t they?”
“Ugh…!!”
Stories about her origin.
– There were indeed many evil deeds. Although I personally suffered humiliation… I can assert. That woman…!
“Empress Dowager He is the wicked woman who poisoned Lady Wang, the mother of the current Prince of Jin.”
Intrigues within the palace.
“There’s no need to mention her indulgence in luxury and pleasure, her lack of qualifications as Empress Dowager was already well-known since her time as Empress.”
Her personal abilities.
“Let’s be honest.”
Considering all these factors, Empress Dowager He is clearly a source of many insecurities as Empress Dowager.
I felt this keenly during my few months in the court.
“When a hen crows, the household is doomed.”
Dong Zhuo said.
“Of course, some may find it hard to agree, but what is the current situation? The repeated crowing has already led to the Ten Attendants’ Rebellion and turmoil in the court, hasn’t it?”
“…….”
The ministers did not open their mouths.
One of them should have shouted, “Dong Zhuo, you scoundrel!!” but everyone kept their mouths shut at Dong Zhuo’s words.
“Surely, no one here is thinking of trusting Empress Dowager He, right?”
At least, there is no one here who likes Empress Dowager He.
“Is it just that the idea of ‘dethroning the emperor’ is bothering you?”
“Grand Commandant Dong!!”
Someone finally burst out.
“How can you say such things so easily!”
“Say it easily?”
“Ugh…!!”
One of the ministers shouted, but when Dong Zhuo approached, he quickly stepped back.
‘He must have been an incredible warrior in his youth.’
Although he is over fifty and appears to be full of fat, his frame and build as a warrior are larger than those of three ministers combined.
Now, it would be more fitting to call it ‘stature,’ but if they were to fight with swords in the court, Dong Zhuo alone could cut down about fifty ministers.
“Can you really say that I am speaking ‘easily’ when I bring this up in front of everyone?”
“Th-that is…!”
“Hahaha! Yes. It is not easy to bring it up. So what, should we discuss and talk about it for days on end?”
Dong Zhuo pointed outside with a serious expression.
“Even now, there might be someone here who wants to run to the emperor and accuse me, Dong Zhuo, of plotting treason.”
“Grand Commandant…!”
“This is not treason. It is the role of the court officials to correct the distortion by removing the unworthy person from the throne.”
Dong Zhuo scanned the audience.
“Isn’t that right, Minister of Works?”
He approached a minister with a long white beard.
The minister opposite him, his name was surely-
“Minister Wang. What do you think?”
“Are you asking Wang Yun?”
Wang Yun.
‘He said he was from Bingzhou.’
The high-ranking officials in the court are not particularly interested, but those from Bingzhou are somewhat familiar and remembered.
Above all, he is one of the few people who have not yet sent me a marriage proposal or bothered me.
And in fact, he is also the head of all these ministers.
‘Even if not a member of the Cheongryu faction, he is a senior among the court officials.’
He is a man of immense power.
“Yes, Lord Wang.”
You can tell just by looking at how Dong Zhuo, who held his head high arrogantly, shows such a respectful attitude towards Wang Yun.
“What do you think?”
“…….”
Wang Yun steps forward to the center.
All the officials turn their gaze towards Wang Yun, and he stops in the center as if confronting Dong Zhuo.
“Empress He is not only shameless and lewd in her conduct, but she also poisoned Lady Wang in the past.”
Dong Zhuo repeats what he had said before.
It is not because Wang Yun is senile, but because it is such an important proposition that it needs to be mentioned again.
“Depose the emperor. Before saying that, shouldn’t we discuss the dethronement of Empress He?”
“Lord Wang!!”
Those who couldn’t raise their voices to Dong Zhuo shout at Wang Yun.
“Are you defending Grand Commandant Dong now?!”
The officials are bewildered.
Even those who seem to be of similar age to Wang Yun look at him with eyes that say, ‘Has this old man gone mad?’
“Recently, you’ve been meeting Grand Commandant Dong often, and now you harbor treasonous thoughts… huh?!”
“Well, you have a good voice.”
Dong Zhuo approaches the official who was pointing and shouting at Wang Yun and smiles menacingly.
“Treasonous thoughts. Who? Me? Or Lord Wang?”
“No, no way…!”
By this point, everyone gathered here must have some inkling.
“Lord Wang!!”
“I, Wang Yun, will personally petition the emperor. I believe that dethroning Empress He with His Majesty’s own hands and sending her into exile is the way to save this country.”
“Huh, huh…!!”
Dong Zhuo opened the door.
But with Wang Yun agreeing, no one dares to speak carelessly.
“Lord Dong. Let me ask you one thing.”
Wang Yun stands before Dong Zhuo.
“After enthroning Prince Chenliu as the Emperor, do you plan to rise to a position higher than the Grand Commandant and manipulate state affairs at your will?”
“Hahahahaha-!!”
Dong Zhuo bursts into hearty laughter, pounding his chest.
“This Dong Zhuo?! Hahaha! No way!”
While firmly denying Wang Yun’s suspicion, Dong Zhuo continues.
“If Prince Chenliu becomes the Emperor, do you think he will favor this Dong Zhuo, or will he favor someone else?”
With a meaningful voice, he turns the arrow.
“Isn’t that right, General Lü?”
Towards me.
“…….”
All eyes turn to me.
As if everything depends on my answer, all the officials gathered here look at me, waiting for my response.
“As the archery teacher of Prince Chenliu and the Captain of the Imperial Guard, who do you think it is better to serve as Emperor?”
The current Emperor.
Or the next Emperor.
“Lord Dong.”
I step forward.
“This is not a matter that a mere Captain of the Imperial Guard can decide.”
Some look at me with disappointment, while others nod as if it is only natural.
“However.”
It is a critical moment.
“If Empress Dowager He is a tumor that is eating away at this country, then cutting it out boldly is the way to save this great body called the nation.”
If only Dong Zhuo had made the decision, it would be one thing, but if Wang Yun also agrees, then following this flow is the natural and righteous path.
“A tumor is not a life. It is a disease that must be burst and cauterized to be removed.”
Empress Dowager He is the cancer of this country.
“I hope His Majesty makes a choice for the sake of this nation, as Lord Wang has said.”
“General Lü.”
Wang Yun looks at me intently.
“If King Jinryu ascends to the throne, he will probably favor you.”
“…….”
“Is that your goal?”
“Of course not.”
I shook my head firmly.
“If I harbored treacherous thoughts and said such things, my father in heaven would not forgive me.”
Someone mouthed ‘Jeongwon,’ so I glanced in that direction and continued speaking.
“If you think I am agreeing with this opinion to become the power behind the throne, I will make it clear here and now.”
I stepped forward and addressed everyone with a bow.
“I, Ye Bongseon, will step down from my position in the Prayer Office and return to Byeongju.”
Rather than being branded as someone who conspired to change the emperor for power, it is much better to go up to Byeongju.
“I tried to kill the traitor Jeongwon with my own hands, so how could I commit treason? If I had harbored treacherous thoughts, I would have attacked the palace with Jeongwon.”
“General! You must not say such things carelessly!”
A young official, who had never spoken to me before, shouted at me in a fuss.
“Isn’t it the truth?”
I was a little grateful to see the three Songhu guards looking at me, but one must speak their mind to feel relieved.
I have already found a suitable person for the vacant position of Byeongju Governor.
“I might as well declare it here. I will immediately lay down the seal of the Prayer Office and go to Byeongju with the new Byeongju Governor….”
“Nooo!!”
Suddenly.
“General Ye leaving the capital! Absolutely not!”
“General Ye! Please reconsider! We all trust you! How could General Ye harbor treacherous thoughts and say such things!”
The officials began to approach me, pouring out words as if they were about to pounce on me.
“It is unthinkable for General Ye to leave the capital!”
Everyone was in an uproar.
Whether it was genuine goodwill towards me or an attempt to hold onto someone convenient to use, it varied from person to person.
“A man does not take back his words once spoken.”
Everyone fell silent.
“I believe His Majesty will make a wise decision for the safety of this country and its people. As a loyal subject of this nation.”
Well.
I will return, as I have not finished my words.
“If His Majesty does not understand my sincere advice, then I have no choice but to become a recluse and protect my hometown.”
“…You there.”
Wang Yun raised his hand.
Others tried to say something, but seeing Wang Yun’s expression, they kept their mouths shut.
“Lock the doors of this palace.”
Soon, the soldiers guarding the front of the conference room bowed to Wang Yun and immediately locked the doors.
“Wow, Minister Wang! This is…!”
“…Are you really doing this?”
Although it is a gathering of court officials within the imperial palace, locking the doors of any place is certainly not a trivial matter.
“Half a shichen.”
Wang Yun raised his finger, and Dong Zhuo smiled broadly.
“Let’s all discuss together for half a shichen, deliberate, and come to a conclusion. And after that conclusion is reached….”
Wang Yun pointed to the slowly closing door.
“I will personally advise His Majesty, staking my position as Minister.”
* * *
While the high-ranking officials were discussing something with serious faces.
“…….”
Minister Wang Yun, avoiding the eyes of others, approached the palace maids who were bowing their heads on either side.
“I will tidy up your official robes.”
As a freckled palace maid approached and began to straighten Wang Yun’s official robes, Wang Yun bowed his head and whispered softly.
“What do you think?”
“…….”
The palace maid glanced around.
Touching her face and neck with her hands, she quickly pointed around with her eyes.
“It’s fine. There are many ears listening, but they are not in the right mind to hear.”
While everyone in the conference room was in chaos, raising their voices and arguing about what is right and wrong.
“…Elder.”
The palace maid raised her head.
The skin below her neck, revealed between her slightly open clothes, was much paler than her face.
“Though it is unexpected for the two to be in opposition, the celestial energy (天氣) remained undisturbed.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes.”
“…Soon, I will arrange a meeting.”
Wang Yun subtly pointed with his eyes at Lu Bu, who was surrounded by several officials.
“Judge with your own eyes. See if he is the man you think he is, one destined to change masters multiple times.”
“…Yes.”
The woman, lifting her head, stared at Lu Bu with complex eyes for a long time.
As if.
She was looking at something that shouldn’t exist.
* * *
After some time.
A conclusion was reached.
To be precise, a consensus was formed.
Unanimously.
“Let’s go to dethrone him.”
＜ The Master of the Imperial Palace (2) ＞ End