I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 13
Danmok Seong.
As the patriarch of the General Dan Clan, a Transcendental Expert, and a general who once led an entire army, he was now a defeated commander trapped in prison, merely awaiting his execution.
Fortunately, the Great General had personally arrived to turn the tide and subjugate the Great Demon that was leading the Demonic Monsters, but it was only after half of his subordinate soldiers had already perished, so it was entirely his own fault.
‘Failing to notice the enemy’s lure, I tried to subjugate them and instead caused the deaths of so many soldiers.’
Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare, and casualties are bound to happen even in a victorious battle.
But to suffer such a crushing defeat.
With what face could he meet his subordinates who followed him in the afterlife?
‘Yet to die like this leaves too much regret.’
He could endure any punishment, but he wanted to live and restore his honor.
He did not want to end his life as a defeated general and a criminal.
If he died like that, what would happen to his remaining children and clan?
The ruin of the entire family.
With the stigma of being the children of a man who died in disgrace, it would be difficult for them to ever set foot in the Imperial Court again.
‘Did they say ninety percent of the public opinion in the Imperial Court favors my execution?’
The remaining ten percent did not mean acquittal either.
They merely felt that the death penalty was excessive.
Normally, a general would not be executed over one or two lost battles.
Literally, victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare.
However, the problem this time was that the defeat was far too massive.
It might have been different in the old eras when advances and retreats alternated constantly, but to suffer such a crushing defeat now, when the borders were highly stabilized.
Another problem was that he had only recently been promoted to this position.
If he had victories from the past, those could be taken into account to offset his faults with achievements, but he had nothing noteworthy to show.
The achievements he made through his work in his previous rank were far from enough to display now.
If he had achieved even one or two victories at this current rank, at least that would have been taken into consideration.
‘Sigh… Those who congratulated me when I was promoted all turn away now that things have turned out like this. Is this the fickle heart of the world?’
* * *
At the same time.
The children of Danmok Seong scrambled in all directions to save their father’s life.
From the eldest to the fifth son.
All five of them ran here and there.
But no one would listen to their words.
The fifth son, Dan Suyeong, was no exception.
He visited those he usually associated with, but none of them would even meet him.
“How… How can they be so cold-hearted?”
What flew to him in that state was a notice of broken engagement from his fiancée.
Upon receiving it, his mother fainted on the spot.
Immediately after that, rumors even reached him that his married sisters might be divorced.
His eyes, which were already naturally fierce, twisted completely.
“Eldest sister, second sister, how… How can people do this…”
Weren’t they considered outsiders once married?
Even if their own clan went to ruin, how could they go so far as to divorce them?
The only reason they hadn’t divorced them yet was out of consideration for appearances.
It was glaringly obvious that the moment their father passed away, they would be divorced immediately.
“The world… Truly… No one…”
The only one who at least met him was Li Xunyan, the Ministry of Revenue’s vice-minister, who was a close friend of his father.
However, the words he delivered were utterly despairing.
“I am trying my best, but it seems difficult.”
“Could you at least spare his life, somehow?”
“The public opinion in the Imperial Court is too resolute. Though I am a vice-minister in the Ministry of Revenue, even the minister told me just now not to add unnecessary words. It has crossed the line of what I can handle. I am sorry.”
“Not at all. How could I not know that you, My Lord, have done your utmost? Someday… If a good day comes again, I will surely repay this grace.”
“Haha, do not think about such things and focus on taking care of your remaining family. Hide at least a portion of your assets in advance. Otherwise, everything will be confiscated.”
“Yes.”
Dan Suyeong stood up weakly and returned.
‘Is it really the end now?’
Now that the public opinion of the Imperial Court was set, it was like a tidal wave.
A clan of their size would be swept away and ruined without leaving a single trace.
* * *
The situation was practically down to nothing but setting the date for General Danmok Seong’s execution.
In that situation, His Imperial Majesty spoke up.
“As We have examined General Dan’s battle records, although his responsibility for the defeat is great, the enemy possessed qualities that were far too excellent to lay the blame entirely on him alone. What are your thoughts?”
Not to mention the Three Dukes and Three Advisors, many Imperial Court officials, including those from the Six Ministries, bowed their heads.
“Your command is entirely just, Your Majesty.”
“It is truly a brilliant insight.”
“Your humble servants think so as well.”
They cast glances at one another.
‘That bastard, didn’t he say just a moment ago that he must be killed?’
‘Didn’t he vote in favor of it himself?’
‘How many people here actually opposed the execution that you’re staring like that?’
His Imperial Majesty nodded.
“There is no opposition.”
“Since Your Majesty has shown such wisdom, how could your humble servants dare to oppose?”
“This is truly a correct insight, so we believe it is a matter that can be carried out according to Your Majesty’s will.”
Although General Dan was a Transcendental Expert in his own right, to put it differently, he was merely a Transcendental Expert.
Not in a single sect, but within the Military Command of the Great Long Empire that encompassed the entire Zhongyuan, Transcendental Experts existed in the triple digits.
Whether one such expert died or lived would not affect the grand scheme of things.
Since the Emperor wished to keep him alive, no official was going to rush forward demanding his execution.
If they accidentally got on his bad side, the one whose head would fly might not be General Dan, but themselves.
“Very well. Then the sentence for General Dan shall be serving in the army in white clothes.”
The difference between execution and serving in the army in white clothes was immense.
“Tell him to block the Demonic Monsters on the front line where he failed, and to strive until he redeems his faults with achievements.”
“We shall uphold the imperial decree.”
“Furthermore, confiscate his clan’s assets to distribute them to the families of the deceased soldiers, but leave their residence and furniture untouched.”
With this, a loophole for a comeback was opened.
When their patriarch washed away his disgrace, the path to official positions would open up for his children once again as well.
Though some compared the public opinion of the Imperial Court to a tidal wave.
Before a single word from the Emperor, it was nothing more than a shallow wave that flipped over instantly.
Even though the one who drew out that single word from the Emperor was the cuteness of an eight-year-old kid.
* * *
Feeling the approach of death, Danmok Seong refused all food and drink.
‘There isn’t a single path to survival. Even if I die like this, what will become of my children? To think that this pathetic man would collapse the glory of the clan in my generation.’
Right then, his close friend, the vice-minister of the Ministry of Revenue, entered.
He was the friend who had carefully come to visit him once even while he was locked away in prison.
Due to working in the Ministry of Revenue, their assigned duties were different, but they had associated with each other since childhood.
He was incredibly grateful that his friend kept their loyalty without cutting ties in such a situation.
Of course, he didn’t know what would happen once his execution was officially decided and his clan fell.
At least, it wasn’t the case just yet.
Yet, for someone visiting a friend facing death, the expression of the vice-minister of the Ministry of Revenue was far too bright.
“My friend, you’ve lived.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, it was decided not as an execution, but as serving in the army in white clothes. They will officially bring the command soon.”
Danmok Seong’s eyes widened instantly.
As a Transcendental Expert, he had trained a steady mind that wouldn’t shake over ordinary matters, but this issue was monumental.
How?
It was a perfect dead end with no way out.
“Just how hard did you work for me to…”
“Oh, my friend. What power do I have to overturn the grand trend of the Imperial Court?”
“Then?”
“Is there anyone else in the world besides one person who can overturn the public opinion of the Imperial Court overnight?”
As if it was too cautious to even dare mention who it was, Vice-Minister Li Xunyan posed a riddle.
But it was far too easy a riddle, so General Danmok Seong realized the answer immediately.
“Did Heaven watch over me!”
“Indeed.”
“The Imperial Grace… to my family…”
While Danmok Seong shed hot tears that did not suit his age and martial arts, the vice-minister of the Ministry of Revenue scanned the surroundings.
And then, he quietly sent him a Sound Transmission.
[Keep this to yourself. Officially, it is a decision made by Heaven. However, there is a rumor circulating secretly.]
[What kind of rumor?]
[Before His Majesty looked into it, His Highness the Fifth Prince reportedly examined your defeat first.]
[His Highness?]
[And he said this. If a general caused the deaths of many soldiers due to laziness and arrogance, execution is acceptable, but since the enemy was too foul this time, he secretly suggested to His Majesty that it would be good to reduce the punishment slightly.]
His Highness the Fifth Prince?
Danmok Seong had never personally met His Highness the Fifth Prince.
He had merely heard rumors that the young youngest prince was exceptionally clever.
However, there were also rumors that he was not in the Realm of Creation unlike his four older brothers because the power of the Cintamani was empty.
There were even irreverent rumors that because a fifth child was born late when originally only four children were meant to be born, there was no territory left between heaven and earth for him to rule.
Of course, he never paid any heed to such rumors.
But what did any of that matter right now?
[Then His Highness has saved my life.]
[Yes, looking only at the surface, His Majesty made a resolute decision, but behind it, there was the plea of His Highness the Fifth Prince. To me, it seems like a true rumor, so you must definitely repay this grace to His Highness the Fifth Prince on a clan level. If you do not properly repay the grace of saving a life, an even greater disaster may follow.]
[I will keep that in mind.]
[Right, once you come out, let’s have a drink together. I will prepare a fine liquor.]
After giving that advice, his close friend departed.
Left behind, Danmok Seong pondered deeply.
A rumor is circulating?
Although Danmok Seong was a martial artist, he wasn’t completely ignorant of politics.
Even if he couldn’t be called a political master, he knew the basics.
Without at least that much, he couldn’t have served as a general for long.
‘Stories regarding the secret affairs of the Imperial Family are circulating as rumors like this?’
And his friend, the vice-minister of the Ministry of Revenue, picked it up and lightly flapped his mouth to him again?
No matter how close they were as friends, there are rumors that should never be recklessly transmitted, and in the first place, there are rumors that should not be easily heard.
On top of that, since the rumor is undoubtedly true, he must properly repay His Highness the Fifth Prince?
Is a vice-minister in a position to dare guarantee the intimate affairs of the Imperial Palace?
There is no way.
This is not a rumor.
His friend also knows that he is not foolish enough to believe it as a mere rumor just because he calls it one.
Then, this is…
‘It is a secret command bestowed upon me by the Imperial Family.’
It is just not called a command, but it is a command.
Since your life was saved by the mercy of His Highness the Fifth Prince, be deeply moved by this and repay the favor even after death.
It is that kind of command.
‘Only eight years old now. A young person heard of my circumstances with a generous heart and took pity on me…’
Upon hearing his request, His Imperial Majesty reduced the punishment.
Instead, it meant to know whose favor this was and properly repay the kindness.
‘His Majesty intends to give our clan to His Highness as his people.’
He lived.
Yet he didn’t simply live.
Was it called a blessing in disguise?
To call it turning misfortune into a blessing might be going too far, but a path to survival had opened from a dead end.
He wasn’t simply keeping his life.
‘If I properly repay the kindness and show utmost loyalty to His Highness the Fifth Prince… in the future when he opens his Prince Mansion, he might reinstate me as a general, and our clan can also make a grand comeback as a close clan of His Highness!’
If he didn’t grasp this lifeline, he would be committing a sin against his ancestors.
“Hey, guard. Since I am going to live, could you call my fifth son, Suyeong?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
The guard, who used to keep his distance from him, replied immediately and bowed his head.
Since no one knew when a Transcendental Expert who was going to live would return, he absolutely could not leave any resentment behind.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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