The Evil Martial God Chronicles - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Legend of the Evil Martial God

Chapter 115

 

 

 

At the mention that something had happened, Jeok Wigang looked at Chu Sohwan.

 

– What happened?

– There were several attempts to attack His Majesty, but I handled them all without His Majesty knowing.

– Did you find out who sent them?

– The thing is, whenever they try to speak, they die… I couldn’t find out.

– They die just from trying to speak?

– Yes.

– Hmm…

– What’s more, stronger ones keep coming as the days pass.

– Are they beyond what you can handle?

– Not at all. To me, they’re all just amateurs.

 

Jeok Wigang chuckled at Chu Sohwan’s indignant sound transmission.

 

– But what do you mean they just die?

– They can’t endure torture, and whenever they try to reveal information they know, they cough up blood and die. It seems like some kind of restriction has been placed on them so they die if they reveal their identity.

– That seems likely. For now, if you catch another one, use Pressure Point Strike on their Mute Blood Point and hold them.

– Understood.

 

 

 

The next day.

News that Jeok Wigang had returned looking completely untroubled reached the Hanlin Academy.

 

“I thought he’d run away in fear.”

“Instead, he apparently solved all the problems there and came back.”

“He decided on his own to hand over the salt trade rights? That crazy bastard. Why did he decide that by himself? Are we just figureheads?”

“They say His Majesty gave him an Imperial Command Plaque. Perhaps he committed such acts believing in that.”

“He went wild as if he were the Emperor himself because of the Imperial Command Plaque and came back. The reason the Great Khagan withdrew wasn’t because That Guy was so great. They too would have needed some justification, and That Guy gave them that justification.”

“We ended up only suffering losses. We handed over what the enemies wanted, but we gained nothing, didn’t we.”

“We must make this public and hold him accountable.”

“Exactly! This actually worked out well. He’ll be full of himself thinking he solved everything and came back, so we need to clearly show him that what he did was wrong.”

 

While the officials belonging to the Hanlin Academy were chattering like this, someone urgently rushed inside.

 

“T-this is terrible!”

“What’s wrong now?”

“H-His Majesty says he’s appointing Jeok Wigang as a Third Rank Compiler Scholar! An order has come down to prepare that Imperial Edict immediately!”

“What? He’s gone mad! Completely mad!”

“His Majesty seems to have completely fallen for That Guy. Yesterday too, he prepared a Royal Feast for That Guy and waited anxiously.”

“Good heavens! What will become of the nation…”

“Grand Scholar! What shall we do?”

“What do you mean what shall we do! Do you think I’ll allow such a ridiculous Imperial Edict! Write a petition immediately and let’s go protest to His Majesty!”

“How shall we write the petition content?”

“A resignation petition! If His Majesty won’t accept our will, then we too cannot serve His Majesty!”

“Understood! I’ll convey the Grand Scholar’s will to all the Scholars!”

“Do that! Have everyone wear mourning clothes! We must settle this today!”

“Understood!”

 

 

 

As the outside became noisy, Ju Seo-gi wore an expression that what was bound to come had come.

 

“Don’t you need to go?”

 

The Sigang Scholar shook his head at Ju Seo-gi’s question.

 

“Where would this humble servant go? I shall guard His Majesty’s side.”

“I’m truly grateful that you say so. What do you think they’ll do, Sigang Scholar?”

“They’ll probably wear mourning clothes and gather in front of the Palace Gate to write petitions.”

“Why mourning clothes?”

“It’s called White Clothes Struggle. This is an action showing their will to throw away their official positions if their wishes are not accepted.”

“Hmm. So if We don’t withdraw Our will, all those sitting at the Palace Gate will resign?”

“That is correct. They will also submit resignation petitions.”

“What should We do?”

“For now, please wait and see how they act first.”

“Very well.”

 

 

 

In front of the Royal Palace, below the Palace Gate.

Hanlin Academy Scholars dressed in white clothes were kneeling in rows.

Paper was spread out in front of them, and they all wrote with serious expressions in flowing strokes.

Wind carrying the scent of paper and ink fragrance fluttered the petitions and the Scholars’ clothes.

The Scholars who had gathered all the completed petitions shouted with resolute expressions.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

The voices of countless people became one and echoed through the Royal Palace.

 

“Raising someone’s position by five ranks is not proper! This destroys the palace etiquette and disrupts the righteous system!”

 

At the Scholars’ outcry, Ju Seo-gi came outside.

When Ju Seo-gi appeared, the Scholars looked at him with even more resolute expressions and spoke.

 

“Your Majesty! Mencius said that a king must rule the world with benevolence and righteousness. Raising one person’s rank like this out of personal feelings is an action that goes against benevolence and righteousness!”

“Goes against benevolence and righteousness? Scholar Jeok saved the nation from crisis and brought peace to the People of the north who had fallen into despair. We are raising his rank in recognition of such merit, so how does that go against benevolence and righteousness?”

“It is said: cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world! No matter how great the merit, going beyond propriety only serves to disturb the world. Moreover! It is said that favored subjects bring disorder to the nation! Beloved subjects are bound to disturb the country, so this is absolutely something Your Majesty must not do!”

 

Ju Seo-gi was speechless at the Hanlin Academy Scholars’ outcry.

Because his learning was limited, he could not match their eloquence.

As the Sigang Scholar tried to step forward, the Grand Scholar shouted angrily.

 

“You fool! Which safety are you trying to step forward for! I looked favorably upon you, but in the end you too have fallen for the sweetness of power!”

 

The Sigang Scholar closed his mouth.

No matter what he said now, it wouldn’t reach their ears anyway.

That’s when it happened.

 

“Well now. They’re no different from ruffians.”

 

Jeok Wigang was walking over with one corner of his mouth curled up.

 

“What? Ruffians? Did you just call us ruffians!”

“Well? You’re all swarming here to intimidate His Majesty, so if that’s not being ruffians, what is it?”

“Shut up! Isn’t all this trouble entirely because of you! If you have even a shred of conscience, take off those official robes right now and return to your hometown! If you do that, we’ll withdraw too.”

“Why should I?”

“What?”

“Why should I abandon such a good position and return to my hometown?”

 

Jeok Wigang snatched up one of the memorial petitions and began reading it.

 

“What’s this? It’s not a memorial petition but your resignation letters.”

 

Jeok Wigang looked at His Majesty and said.

 

“Your Majesty. These people aren’t of much help anyway. It would be faster to just dismiss them and select new ones.”

 

At Jeok Wigang’s words, the Hanlin Academy Scholars flared up.

 

“Shut up! You don’t know the importance of the Hanlin Academy, so you spout such nonsense!”

“Do you think this country would function properly without our Hanlin Academy!”

 

At the scholars’ ranting, Jeok Wigang picked his ear and said.

 

“Whether you’re here or not, it’s not functioning properly right now anyway? That means the people here haven’t been doing their jobs properly, right? Hm? Isn’t this dereliction of duty?”

“You fool! Do you think everything becomes true just because you say it!”

“Seeing you get worked up, I must have hit the mark. Let me see… In the Great Ming Code, dereliction of duty is at minimum sixty strokes of the rod and dismissal from office. Ah! Now I see, you’re trying to resign first before getting dismissed! Well, you’re certainly clever.”

“You bastard!”

 

Blood vessels bulged on the Grand Scholar’s forehead.

 

“Ah, my. You have good lungs too.”

 

He vigorously picked his ear, then blew out the earwax and said.

 

“A gentleman should base himself on loyalty and faithfulness. This means that when serving the Emperor, one should serve fairly with all one’s heart, not for private gain. Your job is to distinguish right from wrong, but tormenting His Majesty like this just out of envy goes against loyalty, doesn’t it?”

“Shut up! The duty of our Hanlin Academy for His Majesty is to remonstrate to guide the ruler on the right path and correct things that deviate from propriety! Removing you from this place is exactly that propriety!”

“What did I do? I think I’m much better than people who just watch which way the wind blows. Right? Try saying I’m wrong.”

 

They couldn’t bring themselves to say he was wrong since the Sigang Scholar was right in front of them, and His Majesty also knew the truth.

 

“See? You can’t say anything. Why? Because His Majesty has no power?”

“W-we… we were just trying to find a slightly more righteous direction. Wouldn’t the realm become peaceful only if we quickly correct this chaos?”

“No, no. You’re doing this because you’ll be in big trouble if you pick the wrong side. But what to do? You’ve already picked the wrong side.”

“What?”

“Everyone come out.”

 

At Jeok Wigang’s words, the first to reveal himself was Ye Yahyeon.

 

“Th-that person? Commander Ye?”

“Why is the Imperial Guard Commander beside His Majesty?”

 

People looked puzzled.

Then another person appeared.

 

“Minister of War?”

 

Another person appeared after him.

 

“Minister of Finance?”

 

The three men prostrated themselves before His Majesty.

 

“We greet Your Majesty! Long live! Long live! Long live forever!”

“Rise.”

“Yes! Your Majesty.”

 

They stood up and naturally positioned themselves behind His Majesty.

Seeing this, the Grand Scholar stammered and asked.

 

“H-how are you all beside His Majesty?”

 

Ye Yahyeon said.

 

“What are you talking about? Isn’t it natural for subjects to serve His Majesty as our duty? What exactly are you all doing, swarming here to trouble His Majesty?”

 

The Minister of War continued.

 

“Haven’t you heard what Scholar Jeok accomplished here? You people just sit in your chambers reading books, so you wouldn’t know what the battlefield situation was like. It was serious! The Great Khagan was preparing an army of five hundred thousand to attack our border! In such a critical situation, Scholar Jeok resolved it and returned. If not for him, the entire country would have fallen into the chaos of war by now.”

“F-five hundred thousand? Th-that’s impossible.”

“Are you saying I, the Minister of War, am lying? If you can’t believe it, go directly to Hyeonryong Castle. Go there and curse Scholar Jeok the same way. However, if you do that, you should be prepared to be beaten to death by the people there.”

 

The Minister of Finance said.

 

“I too didn’t think it was serious and didn’t allocate the budget, but if not for Scholar Jeok’s persuasion, we really would have faced disaster. Having achieved such great merit, it’s natural that there should be compensation. I’m actually dissatisfied. His position only rose by a mere five ranks.”

 

At those words, everyone nodded.

 

“That’s right. He should be at least Second Rank at minimum.”

“What do you mean Second Rank? Even First Rank wouldn’t be too much for such merit. He saved the country from crisis!”

“Exactly!”

 

Each claiming their own position was too low while subtly elevating it to the highest rank, they all chimed in agreement that this was indeed correct.

Ju Seo-gi nodded quietly with a pleased expression, indicating his agreement.

The First Rank Minister of Finance and Minister of War, along with the Imperial Guard Commander who wielded no less power, and the Emperor who held the highest position—all were protecting one person.

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