The Evil Martial God Chronicles - Chapter 116

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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 116

 

 

 

Though he was flustered by the unexpected situation, he couldn’t back down like this.

 

“W-we acknowledge that there are merits. However, the appointment for those merits is excessive. Please withdraw the appointment of Third Rank Compiler Scholar.”

“Then how far would you find acceptable?”

“We would understand up to Fifth Rank Drafter.”

 

Ju Seo-gi looked around and then spoke.

 

“Very well.”

 

At his agreement, the expressions of the Hanlin Academy Scholars brightened.

However, their brightened expressions soon twisted in an instant.

 

“Since the Hanlin Academy says they cannot accept Lord Jeok Wigang, there’s nothing to be done. Jeok Wigang, listen.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I appoint you as First Rank Grand Scholar of the Inner Cabinet. From now on, lend me your abilities for myself and this nation.”

“Your Majesty?”

 

First Rank, he said.

Even Jeok Wigang was surprised.

 

“I would like to give you more if I could, but this is the highest position available, so there’s nothing I can do.”

“Your Majesty. This is too excessive.”

“This is an imperial command.”

 

His firm resolve showed that this was something he absolutely could not compromise on.

 

“Please accept it. You are the only one who can stabilize this chaotic Imperial Palace and put me at ease.”

 

At Ju Seo-gi’s earnest words, Jeok Wigang had no choice but to accept.

 

“I will serve with all my heart.”

 

Ju Seo-gi smiled brightly as Jeok Wigang accepted.

 

“You’ve accepted it now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hahaha! How joyful this is!”

 

Ju Seo-gi spoke to the Hanlin Academy Scholars.

 

“Go right now and create the imperial edict exactly as you heard.”

“This cannot be!”

“You have gone too far! We absolutely cannot accept this!”

“We will resign from our positions!”

“Did I not say this is an imperial command!”

“We cannot accept it!”

 

All the Hanlin Academy Scholars stood up abruptly from their seats.

Then Ye Yahyeon clapped his hands.

 

Clap clap-.

 

Golden Guards appeared from all directions and surrounded the Hanlin Academy Scholars.

 

“W-what is the meaning of this!”

“Are you trying to intimidate us now?”

 

At the scholars’ outcries, Ye Yahyeon laughed as if incredulous.

 

“You have just defied an imperial command. Don’t you know better than anyone how grave a crime this is?”

“T-that is…”

“You acted as you pleased because you thought His Majesty was powerless. However, the situation is different now. His Majesty now possesses the power to punish you at any time.”

“We didn’t defy it with such intentions.”

“That’s right! We defied it because it was an unreasonable imperial command.”

“In any case, it’s a fact that you defied an imperial command, isn’t it? What are you doing! Bind all of them immediately!”

 

As soon as the order was given, the Golden Guards rushed toward the scholars.

The scholars resisted desperately to avoid being captured.

However, they couldn’t overcome the Golden Guards’ strength and began to be bound one by one.

The Grand Scholar’s anguished cry was heard.

 

“Your Majesty! How can you do this! Please understand our hearts!”

 

The other scholars also cried out.

 

“Your Majesty! This goes against propriety!”

“Please reconsider!”

 

Ye Yahyeon spoke firmly to the clamoring scholars.

 

“Shut up! If you truly cared for His Majesty, you should have stayed by his side when he was alone and lonely from the beginning! When he truly needed you, you didn’t even serve His Majesty!”

“Isn’t that the same for you! Do you think I don’t know that you killed scholars to steal the Imperial Seal!”

“Yes. I was wrong then. But now I’m repenting for my sins and protecting His Majesty, aren’t I? I’m much better than you lot throwing tantrums. Weren’t you the ones wavering between Noble Consort Man and the Empress? On the surface you pretend to care for the nation and act pure, but inside you’re nothing but filthy, aren’t you?”

 

At the mention of Noble Consort Man, Ju Seo-gi showed a sad expression.

 

“Release them.”

 

At Ju Seo-gi’s words, Ye Yahyeon asked with a surprised face.

 

“They are those who defied imperial commands and harbored treasonous thoughts. If you release them like this, they will think even less of Your Majesty and act even more wildly.”

“Enough… They too were struggling to survive… How can I blame them for that? All of this happened because of my own inadequacies. They are not at fault. Release them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Though it displeased him, it was an imperial command.

 

“Release them.”

 

At Ye Yahyeon’s command, the Golden Guards released the scholars they had seized and withdrew in unison.

 

“Go. I shall approve your resignation letters.”

 

The scholars were rather flustered by the words that their resignation letters would be approved.

This was just a way of protesting.

Until now, no emperor had ever approved the resignation letters of Hanlin Academy scholars.

If the Hanlin Academy scholars disappeared, other officials from scholarly backgrounds would not remain idle, and they too would resign en masse.

If that happened, the entire system would collapse.

Then Ju Seo-gi added one more thing.

 

“However, I will give you a grace period of one week. If you change your minds during that time, come back. Then I will return your resignation letters. After one week passes, I will approve all the resignation letters here.”

“Your Majesty! If we disappear, how do you plan to run the country?”

“That is not your concern.”

 

At Ju Seo-gi’s firm words, the scholars were flustered.

Then they all hardened their expressions and spoke.

 

“We understand. Then we shall withdraw now.”

“Do so. One week. Remember that.”

“We shall remember.”

 

With those words, they all withdrew.

Only after all the Hanlin Academy scholars had disappeared did Ju Seo-gi sigh.

 

“Your Majesty. Do you truly intend to approve their resignations?”

“What else can I do? They say they dislike it. But I don’t want to change the position I granted to Lord Jeok Wigang.”

“However, Your Majesty. Without them, all the nation’s administration will be paralyzed and eventually collapse! I will try to persuade them! Please show mercy!”

“They are not ones to be persuaded. Right now they are having a power struggle with me. If I back down here, I will not be able to move forward. If I cannot establish my position, the people will suffer hardships. I don’t mind if I alone suffer, but if the people suffer because of me, I cannot bear it.”

“Your Majesty! If they all resign and administration is paralyzed, the people will face even greater suffering! Please give me a chance!”

 

At the earnest plea of the Sigang Scholar, Ju Seo-gi nodded.

 

“Very well. Try to persuade them.”

“Your imperial grace is boundless! Your Majesty!”

 

Ju Seo-gi’s expression showed he didn’t have high expectations.

Seeing this, the Sigang Scholar bowed his head and spoke.

 

“I shall withdraw first.”

“Do so.”

 

After the Sigang Scholar withdrew, those who remained.

The Minister of War and Minister of Finance wore troubled expressions.

 

“Do you also think my decision was wrong?”

“Your, Your Majesty…”

 

The two men glanced at Jeok Wigang.

Then Ju Seo-gi asked Jeok Wigang.

 

“Do you also think my decision was wrong?”

 

At Ju Seo-gi’s question, Jeok Wigang shook his head.

 

“No. You did well. Since it has come to this, how about starting anew?”

“Anew?”

“An Imperial Court that might as well not exist anyway – transforming it anew would be no different from founding a new nation. Let’s completely change it with the mindset of establishing a country.”

 

Unlike the other negative ministers, Jeok Wigang’s hopeful words spoken with a smile softened Ju Seo-gi’s expression.

 

“Do you have an idea?”

“There are many talented people in the world. Among those talents, there are also many called geniuses. If we select such talents from the Central Plains, we would have more than enough to fill the palace.”

“However, would such talents truly seek advancement? With all the Hanlin Academy scholars gone, would students really take the civil service examinations?”

“We should employ them directly rather than through examinations.”

“Even so, would students really come?”

“Your Majesty. This nation doesn’t only have students. It has all the people. I’m saying we should employ talents based on their abilities regardless of social status.”

 

At Jeok Wigang’s words, the Minister of War and Minister of Finance stood with shocked expressions.

To ignore social status and employ talents based only on ability.

This was tantamount to shaking the very foundation of the nation.

They wanted to say it couldn’t be done, but they couldn’t.

The one who suggested this method was the fearsome Jeok Wigang.

 

“Ho! Why didn’t I think of that? I too, being in this place, had become no different from them. To think I was discriminating against the people.”

“In Your Majesty’s situation, you had no time to think such thoughts, so please don’t dwell on it too much.”

“Thank you. But even if we employ such talents, would they truly be able to perform properly?”

“You need not worry. They have experience forged through long practical work. They will handle tasks much faster than ministers who only engage in armchair theorizing.”

“If it works as you say, that would truly be wonderful… Then how do we employ these talents? To employ such talents, we would also need officials for that, wouldn’t we?”

“If you entrust it to me, I will select talents suitable for the right positions.”

“Would it be possible within the timeframe of one week?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I will entrust you with full authority, so please do your best. Let’s use this opportunity to definitively change this nation.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

 

Jeok Wigang earnestly instructed Taecheon and Chu Sohwan.

 

“Guard His Majesty well while I’m away.”

“Yes!”

 

 

 

After finishing his meeting with Ju Seo-gi, Ye Yahyeon asked Jeok Wigang as they came out.

 

“How do you plan to find talents? And how will you distinguish whether those talents are suitable for their work?”

 

Jeok Wigang grinned.

 

“That’s not my job to do.”

“What?”

“I’ll have Hao Gate do it. Though their martial arts may be weak, there are many with genius-level talent in practical affairs.”

“Hao Gate? Aren’t they the ones living at the very bottom? If you bring those guys into the Imperial Palace, the remaining ministers will quit saying they can’t work under such conditions.”

“We need to completely clean house anyway.”

“There will be those who resort to force.”

“That would be good for me. That’s actually more convenient.”

“Ah.”

 

Since he was wearing official robes, I had momentarily forgotten.

The strength of The Man before my eyes.

 

“But those Hao Gate guys have lived vulgar lives. If they wear official robes and act vulgarly, that could actually backfire.”

“We’ll have to give them thorough etiquette training so they don’t act vulgarly. Right?”

“Hmm. I’m not sure if this will work out well. It’s such a radical situation…”

“It’s actually better this way. Since only some high-ranking people run the government, they don’t pay much attention to those unrelated to them and instead boast that the country would collapse without them. We need to show them clearly through this opportunity. That this country has many more talents, not just them.”

“I don’t know. Only Dae-hyeong might have a hard time.”

“That’s true. It does give me a headache. Just doing physical work is the most comfortable.”

“That’s true.”

“Well, it’ll work out somehow. Come on, let’s go quickly.”

“Yes.”

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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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