I Prayed for a Murim Reincarnation, But I Was Born as the Youngest Imperial Prince - Chapter 49
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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 49
[Delete it from your head before I bury you.]
[Like that’s possible. You know our clan’s Cultivation Method has the side effect of improving memory, right?]
[Damn it…]
[Hey, but for you to be a prince… Oh my god. You’re King Wuryong?]
[Yeah, for real. When we get to the lodging later, I’ll sneak you a look at my Identity Token.]
[Is it really made of Dragon Scale?]
[I don’t know if it’s real Dragon Scale either, but that’s what they say anyway. The material is definitely mystical.]
[Wow, oh my god. My friend is a prince…]
Zhuge Jun, even with his brilliant mind, couldn’t immediately process this shocking piece of information.
Right now, both of them were just too glad to see each other and too busy talking.
[By the way, you were appointed to rule Henan Province, so is it really okay for you to be out playing in the Wulin like this? This is even Anhui Province.]
[The Provincial Administration Commissioner and others will handle it on their own. What do I know about governing at just twenty years old? It’s better to work in the field, fix the problems I see, gain experience, and do it later.]
[Hmm, makes sense.]
Lee Jun agreed and nodded lightly.
Watching the two of them exchange Sound Transmissions, Dan Suyeong harbored doubts.
‘Why is His Highness making such a friendly expression toward that guy from the Zhuge Clan?’
Of course, it is said that if minds connect, even a single cup of wine can make people soulmates.
But that was easier said than done.
Even as someone who served by his side, the prince was showing an expression he had never seen before toward a guy named Zhuge Jun.
‘Does that mean that fellow named Jun is speaking words that hit exactly what is in His Highness’s heart?’
What on earth were they saying?
Dan Suyeong felt a sense of crisis as a close aide.
At this rate, wouldn’t that guy named Zhuge Jun become a closer aide to His Highness than himself?
The Demon-Subduing Divine Dragon Sword was also curious about what was going on.
[Hey, hey, what on earth are you guys talking about?]
[I’ll tell you later, so don’t interrupt right now.]
Since Seonwu went this far, the Demon-Subduing Divine Dragon Sword’s curiosity grew even greater.
Seriously, what is it?
* * *
Finally, the group arrived in Cheongru County.
“We will head to the market now.”
“Right, go safely.”
The peddlers left the place in such a hurry it was almost like fleeing.
It was good when Seonwu first suggested going together, but how terrifying it was when a grim atmosphere formed with the Namgung Clan.
‘If we stay for no reason, a novice’s back gets broken in a fight between masters.’
‘It’s best for us to just stay far away.’
After the peddlers withdrew, Namgung Hyeok-in spoke.
“Since we accepted the Zhuge Clan’s mediation proposal, I will give you the five hundred taels as promised. Follow me to the Martial Bank.”
At those words, Zhuge Jun finally realized.
‘Gasp.’
He had completely forgotten about the current situation because he was so glad to meet his past-life friend, Seonwu.
As they were busy exchanging what had happened during the twenty years they grew up, it had just slipped from his mind.
[Hey, about that Namgung Clan…]
[What, did you think I’d show my prince medallion and flip everything upside down?]
[Haha, that’s not it, right?]
[If I was going to do that, would I have accepted your mediation proposal?]
[Ahem, true.]
[Right now, I don’t care about the Qingjuebiao or whatever. More importantly, let’s move to the lodging quickly and talk more through the night.]
[Yeah, let’s have a drink.]
In fact, Seonwu had intended to teach the Namgung Clan a lesson because they were being insolent.
His plan was to take the five hundred taels first, send the Zhuge Clan away, and then punish them separately.
However, having reunited with Lee Jun, Seonwu had now become boundlessly generous.
Though they didn’t share blood, he had reunited with a friend who was as close as family, maybe even more, in their past life.
Because the emotion of gladness was too full to feel angry about something petty, there was no room for other emotions in his heart.
Right now, whether it was Namgung or whatever, he just wanted to send them away quickly and continue the unfinished conversation with Lee Jun.
Therefore, after receiving the five hundred taels, Seonwu handed over the horn of the Qingjuebiao right away without saying this or that.
Watching this, Zhuge Jun muttered to himself.
‘They probably can’t even imagine that the people of the Namgung Clan just walked into the dragon’s mouth and came back out.’
The Zhuge Clan shouldn’t be discourteous to Seonwu either.
Of course, if it were Seonwu, even if a traitor came out of his family, he would at least sneak his friend and his immediate family out to save them.
[Hey, what are you thinking about so blankly?]
[Uh, well, I was thinking that it would be a big deal if our family is discourteous to you.]
[What kind of useless worry is that, you brat. If it’s your family, they aren’t strangers to me either, so why would I count manners?]
[Even if you don’t count it, the people around you won’t just let it go.]
[Don’t worry… Then should I ask my imperial father for an Iron Certificate? A Death-Exempting Gold Badge? Should I get something like that and give it to you?]
[Hey, don’t say that so easily like it’s a concert admission ticket.]
[You punk, even for things that are hard to get like that, scalpers get attached.]
Even so, how could an Iron Certificate be compared to a mere admission ticket.
[But can you really give me one?]
[Huh? Yeah, because if I ask, my imperial father does pretty much anything for me?]
[Even so, rewards and punishments must be clear, so bestowing an Iron Certificate out of nowhere is something His Imperial Majesty can do, but it’s not a good thing. Forget about that.]
[Gosh, this guy. Why are you acting like a model student in a place like this again. We can just say that the Zhuge Clan achieved a great merit off the record. Who in the empire can interrogate His Majesty the Emperor to reveal the details when it’s off the record?]
Zhuge Jun was tempted by Seonwu’s words.
‘Come to think of it, that’s true?’
Should he really take advantage of having a good friend and secure an Iron Certificate for his family?
Of course, if one commits a crime against the current emperor, they will die even if they have an Iron Certificate.
If he wants to punish a crime twice, how hard would it be to make something up and do it?
But what if it passes to the next generation?
‘The Iron Certificate bestowed by the founding emperor, who will be called Taejo in the future, will be hard for the second emperor to ignore.’
Punishing a crime twice would also look like forcing oneself to ignore the significance of the Iron Certificate, so it wouldn’t be easy.
If the family genuinely gets caught in a huge conspiracy, or if a crazy person comes out among the descendants and commits a major crime, it would likely prevent a great disaster at least once.
[Uh, hey. Doing it right after we meet is a bit much, and to say we achieved a merit secretly, there needs to be some actual performance. Can I ask you as a favor when an opportunity arises later?]
[Sure. Just trust me.]
Seonwu said confidently.
* * *
There was only one place that could be considered a high-class inn in Cheongru County.
In fact, it wasn’t even very high-class.
The best room there was barely enough for the Namgung Clan to use.
“We should charter this entire inn.”
Dan Suyeong’s eyebrow twitched again.
‘That… that sacrilegious bastard.’
Now, Zhuge Jun could also read Dan Suyeong’s inner thoughts.
‘He said he’s a Golden Dragon Guard, right?’
Being a junior disciple was a disguise; in reality, he was a bodyguard.
Of course, if it were a bodyguard with a gentle personality, they might look at their master’s mood even in this kind of situation and just let it pass.
But is that always the right answer?
‘Even if he stays still because his master tells him not to, from his perspective, it’s right to get angry first.’
That’s what social life is about.
“If the Zhuge Clan needs some rooms, you may stay together with us.”
“It is fine. I plan to drink through the night with a newly made friend from the Eunhak Sect, so please use it comfortably.”
“Jun?”
“Uncle, let’s just use another inn.”
It was a place unsuitable for the clan to use, but since Lee Jun said this, Zhuge Hui-yun eventually decided to use a separate one.
Unpacking their bags at an inn of a slightly lower grade, Zhuge Hui-yun spoke.
“I told you to avoid conflict with Namgung, but didn’t you bow too much?”
“Rather than that, I did it because I wanted to be with my friend from the Eunhak Sect.”
“Do you match that well?”
“Yes.”
Seeing Lee Jun answer without a shred of hesitation, Zhuge Hui-yun was puzzled.
‘Come to think of it, this fellow doesn’t even drink well?’
But he was going to stay up all night drinking together?
Could two people’s minds connect this much the moment they saw each other?
He used to think it was an exaggeration in old stories when they said people became sworn brothers right upon their first meeting.
‘Can people really connect like this?’
However, since the fellow who usually had a serious and worried expression on his face for everything was willingly asking to drink all night and make a friend, he was highly pleased.
‘Right, if he met a soulmate, what is the use of counting the clan’s prestige here.’
And did he say it was the Eunhak Sect?
Even if it was an unknown sect, if two young friends caught two Qingjuebiao, it meant both were at the Peak Realm.
Even Lee Jun, a genius of the family, was still only at the High-Ascending Realm.
‘Even if there was a fortuitous encounter, either way, that itself is an ability.’
Compared to Namgung, it was naturally just two Peak Realm masters, but there was nothing bad about becoming close.
In the rough Wulin, it is better to have many friends and few enemies.
“Understood. Don’t mind us and have fun all night.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
* * *
Seonwu also spoke to Dan Suyeong.
“Since I match minds with Zhuge Jun and think I’ll discuss various things while having a drink all night, you can rest comfortably, junior disciple.”
“How could I do that? I will guard you, senior brother.”
“Uh, it’ll be fine since I’m going to set up a formation… then guard at the boundary of the formation. Do as you please.”
“Yes, senior brother.”
Seonwu joined Lee Jun and brought a liquor table into the room.
Then, Lee Jun took out Bamboo Slats, threw them here and there around the room, and blew Inner Energy into them, causing a Soundproofing Formation to unfold.
“Oh? This is convenient?”
Seonwu, of course, could block sound with an Energy Barrier.
But it was clearly visible that the method Lee Jun just used consumed far less Internal Force.
“This isn’t very hard. Should I teach you? Come to think of it, the Imperial Family must have better formation books?”
“I was too busy learning martial arts, so I didn’t study formations. I only looked into how to counter them.”
“True, there wouldn’t have been enough time to do it all.”
Lee Jun nodded, saying he understood.
Even for the Imperial Family, where they would have stuffed themselves with spiritual medicine without caring about the cost, physical time was required for studying.
“And I don’t think I need to learn formations?”
“You bastard, you’re planning to use me.”
“Hehehe, what are friends for? Let’s exchange some labor.”
“Good grief, do you know that the Zhuge Clan’s formations have a high commission fee?”
“Oh, I get a friend discount, right?”
“If I don’t give it to you, are you going to ask for an imperial royalty discount?”
“You punk, you’re quick-witted as always.”
The two laughed and clinked their glasses.
“So you came out to look at the field directly?”
“Right. There’s bound to be a difference between novels and reality, isn’t there?”
“It varies by novel, and reality also differs by era and region.”
“As a king, if I just stay in the Royal Capital, how am I supposed to govern properly?”
Lee Jun stared blankly at Seonwu.
His gaze told him to stop talking nonsense and reveal his true thoughts.
“Hehehe, and having reincarnated into the Wulin, could I just stay still in the Royal Capital?”
“I knew it. Good grief, no wonder I couldn’t find you even after searching through the Five Great Noble Families and the lower-tier clans.”
“Ahem, ahem.”
“Wait, let’s say I couldn’t search the Imperial Family, but what about you?”
Under the piercing gaze flying at him, Seonwu coughed dryly once more.
“No, think about what kind of commotion would have occurred if I, a prince, put out an inquiry asking if there was a reincarnation of Lee Jun.”
“Right, this older brother will generously understand.”
“Ah, I should have been born just one day earlier.”
Lee Jun estimated what it would mean for Seonwu to roam the Wulin like this.
Being glad to meet a friend was one thing, but he was slowly starting to worry about his family and clan.
Asking for an Iron Certificate wasn’t entirely a joke.
“Your Wulin roaming, it’s a secret, right?”
“Naturally. An absolute secret to everyone except you.”
“Can’t you tell only my father? I won’t tell other family members. My father is also wise and knows how to keep his mouth shut.”
“Uh… your father… the current Patriarch?”
“Yeah, please. I’m doing this because I’m worried my father might make a mistake.”
Without thinking long, Seonwu nodded his head.
“Yeah, well, if you’re worried, do that.”
If it was a mistake made by Lee Jun’s father, it wasn’t like he couldn’t cover it up somehow.
It was better to have no reason to make a mistake in the first place.
“Still, our past-life story is an absolute secret.”
“That is truly a secret just between the two of us.”
Lee Jun was relieved.
‘With this, the worst disaster will be avoided. Father wouldn’t do something to touch the dragon’s reverse scale.’
Twenty years since reincarnating.
He remembered his past life and missed it sometimes, but twenty years had already passed.
Now, he accepted his new identity as Zhuge Jun.
Zhuge Jun, who had a past of living as Lee Jun.
He cherished his new clan and family.
“Specifically, what are your plans for the future?”
“There’s no specific plan. Just traveling all around the Zhongyuan, visiting the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Noble Families. Just looking around all the places that are somewhat famous once?”
“Literally a nationwide tour.”
“That’s right. Of course, while doing that, if there are deep-seated evils that catch my eye, I’ll liquidate them. In addition, if I meet demonic monsters or demonic practitioners like this time, I’ll subjugate those too.”
“A king traveling in disguise inspecting public affairs. A decent legend will be born in future generations.”
Although the world is wide and counties are many, it’s still just a little over a thousand.
Even if Seonwu couldn’t visit every single one, making an example of one to warn a hundred is enough.
It would be of great help in governing the world well in the future.
‘This guy, he suffered so much in his past life, yet he became a prince in this life. His fortune has opened up now. Good for him.’
The drinking session with a friend after twenty years was pleasant for both of whom.
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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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