The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 84

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

Red Dragon Martial Emperor, Episode 84

Chapter 84 – The Crown Prince of Zhao

In his own era, Yi Hwan had once waged war against enemies numbering nearly ten times his own forces.
It had been a war everyone despaired of winning, yet Yi Hwan seized victory nonetheless—and from that day forward, the realm began calling him the Martial God, or the Martial Emperor.
Yi Hwan preferred Martial Emperor.
‘Compared to those days, this is barely children’s play.’
That was why Yi Hwan remained so composed. He was confident he could face the Zhao Military with the Southern Army alone.
Yet he couldn’t afford to be overconfident.
So, ever since declaring he would claim command of the Southern Army, he had repositioned his forces strategically and laid ambushes at every chokepoint leading from Zhao territory to the military encampment, constructing multiple layers of defensive positions.

The attacking side must possess several times the strength of the defending side.

It was a thorough defensive strategy based on the Ancient and Modern Immutable Law—and Yi Hwan believed in it absolutely.
But a variable had emerged.
The Crown Prince of Zhao, precisely.
‘Nothing’s ever simple.’

* * *

A few days later, Go Mi sought out Yi Hwan.
“The Crown Prince of Zhao has joined their forces. As we feared, numerous martial artists have come with him.”
“Can’t you identify who these martial artists are?”
“I’m afraid not. Information concerning them is completely inaccessible—it will be difficult to gather intelligence. I apologize.”
“No, that’s been helpful enough already. Thank you for your work.”
“You truly won’t request reinforcements?”
“They’re already on the way.”
“Pardon?”
“They’ll arrive soon.”
“Did you request aid from the Crown Prince Palace?”
“I told you—I have no intention of asking the Crown Prince Palace for help. These are just people I know. You’ve done well, so go rest now.”
As Go Mi stepped outside, she exhaled a long, quiet sigh.
‘Is he pushing too hard just to change how he’s perceived? If he loses, everything will come to nothing.’
Go Mi remained uneasy about Yi Hwan’s maneuvering to become head of the Gold Guard. No matter how true it was that an attacking force needed several times the strength to break a defense, there existed variables that could overturn everything.
The martial artists themselves.
In their numbers, the Southern Army fell drastically short.
A quiet exhale escaped her.
As Go Mi turned toward the pavilion’s door, she stopped short—she had spotted white-robed figures walking toward them in the distance.
Five of them in all.
‘Could these be the people he mentioned?’
The five white-robed figures walked with perfect precision directly toward Yi Hwan’s pavilion.
Just then—
“They’ve arrived quickly.”
Ju Tae stepped outside from behind her.
He shot Go Mi a brief, knowing smile, then waved toward the white-robed figures.
“Hail!”
In an instant, the five white-robed figures sailed through the air and dropped down before Ju Tae and Go Mi.
Whoosh!
“Commander!”
“Your divine presence shines brilliantly, Commander!”
Yi Hwan quickly studied the faces of the white-robed figures as they exchanged warm greetings with Ju Tae.
They all carried themselves with an air of no small competence, yet a sense of pessimism pressed even more strongly upon him.
‘Just five of them—what could they possibly accomplish?’
“Bow. These are Censors from the Imperial Palace.”
“We bow to you, Censor.”
Tap, tap, tap!
“They are my comrades.”
As the White-Robed Martial Artists took their Martial Greeting, Go Mi returned the gesture, however reluctantly.
“Welcome.”
Go Mi promptly sent a Telepathic Transmission to Ju Tae.
[Could these be the reinforcement troops the Crown Prince requested?]
[Yes, they are.]
[Will more arrive later?]
[No. He mentioned only five. Are you concerned they may be insufficient?]
[Insufficient hardly covers it. Well then.]
Go Mi made her way directly to her quarters.
Since eliminating the Gold Guard entirely, she had been staying in the old barracks alongside Yeo Mu-sa.
Remaining in Yi Hwan’s residence had simply proven too awkward.
Moments after entering the barracks, Yeo Mu-sa greeted her.
“You’re back early.”
“There wasn’t much to report.”
“You should eat something.”
“Is there wine?”
“Yes. I’ll prepare some snacks. Go wash up quickly.”
Go Mi stepped out toward the back of the barracks. In the center of a space enclosed by bamboo like a screen stood a pool.
Mountain water that flowed down and pooled there—into this, Go Mi undressed and entered.
Splash!
Despite the season’s heat, the water was ice-cold. But to one who enjoyed cold baths even in the depths of winter, such chill was nothing.
Whoosh!
She lay sprawled on the pool’s floor.
The cold that transmitted through her entire body left her mind clear and sharp.
‘The Crown Prince is thinking purely of defense. Perhaps that’s why he requested only minimal reinforcements. Yet even so, five seems rather….’
While turning such thoughts over in the water, Go Mi suddenly struck the bottom with both hands and surged upward.
Whoosh!
The blade she had left beside the pool rose of its own accord into her hand.
Ring!
The point of her blade aimed toward the forest behind the pool—specifically at the crown of the tallest, mightiest tree there.
Whine!
Above the wind-swayed branches, only blue sky was visible.
‘I could have sworn I sensed someone.’

* * *

Namgung Jang-cheon shook his head in consternation.
‘This is….’
While heading toward the city to procure supplies, he had entered the Southern Army encampment, and this poolside had been his first stop. To avoid the sentries, he would have had to take a long detour around the camp, so he had chosen the shortcut.
But then he caught sight of a woman, utterly bare—not a thread upon her. In that instant, the image of her voluptuous form burned itself into his mind with dazzling clarity.
‘Get ahold of yourself, Namgung Jang-cheon.’
Forcing away the vision of the woman’s body, Namgung Jang-cheon averted his gaze into the brush.
The woman was already clothed.
‘Did she see me while in the water?’
Her reaction had been remarkably swift—all the more remarkable considering how difficult it was to move freely in water.
And then it happened.
“……!”
He saw the clothed woman surge upward toward his position.
‘I’m discovered.’
Namgung Jang-cheon quickly hurled himself beyond the forest. Remarkably, the branch beneath his feet had not trembled at all.
‘Best hurry and find those supplies.’

* * *

Perched atop the great tree, Go Mi scanned the surroundings keenly. Yet nowhere could she detect a human presence.
‘Was it imagination?’
Click!
Attributing her heightened wariness to the strain of the situation with Zhao Kingdom, Go Mi sheathed her blade and settled onto the broad limb.
Gazing down at the military encampment, the soldiers still moved busily about their tasks.
Go Mi’s eyes naturally drifted toward Yi Hwan’s residence. While the rest of the encampment bustled with activity, that place alone lay wrapped in a silence where time seemed to have stopped.
‘This peace will shatter soon enough, won’t it?’
“Go Mi! Where are you?!”
Yeo Mu-sa’s voice echoed through the night.
Go Mi had already left the ancient tree.

* * *

Thump, thump, thump!
Clang, clang, clang!
On the highest elevation of the Zhao Military Encampment, construction of a command tent was in full swing.
Dozens of martial artists formed an iron cordon around the tent, controlling all entry and exit. At the center, alone, stood a man in a yellow robe sipping from a tea cup.
It was Zhao Guang, the Crown Prince of Zhao Kingdom—until recently, a noble destined to become the next emperor, but now relegated to the ordinary status of a prince after being eclipsed by the Southwestern King.
“Bring me more tea.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I’ve asked you not to use that title.”
“To me, you will always be Your Highness. I will bring more tea.”
Zhao Guang watched the old woman’s retreating figure as she walked away to fetch the tea, then slowly closed his eyes.
A moment later, the old woman returned with another cup.
“Please, take your time.”
“Papa.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“What of the intelligence from Yen?”
“I’ve instructed the commanders to compile their reports. It should take a bit longer.”
“I hear there’s a prince of the imperial house in the Yen Military Encampment. Did you ask for information on him as well?”
“Word is he’s not worth the trouble. I wouldn’t concern myself with him.”
“It seems Papa and I have heard very different things.”
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
Zhao Guang took a sip of tea and continued.
“When we signed the accord to withdraw from the neutral territory, I heard he led the negotiations on behalf of the General-in-Chief of the Yen Military. If he were truly not worth the trouble, as the rumors suggest, could such a thing have been possible?”
“Such rumors? This is the first I’ve heard of it. If so, I shall order the commanders to gather information on him as well.”
At that moment, a commander climbed up to the tent.
Thump!
The commander saluted Zhao Guang and immediately extended what he held in his hand.
“I’ve brought what you requested.”
“Did the General-in-Chief order you to deliver this to me?”
“Yes, Your Lordship. Properly, the General-in-Chief should have come himself, but he is burdened with urgent affairs, so I had no choice but to come in his stead.”
The honorific had been lowered a tier.
The Southwestern King had ordered him addressed the same as the other princes. It was not the shift in title that made Zhao Guang’s gaze turn cold, but the fact that the General-in-Chief had not come himself.
‘Has even this place already turned completely toward the Southwestern King?’
“Then I shall withdraw, Your Lordship.”
The commander, bowing his head, hurried down the hill. The old woman tried to comfort Zhao Guang.
“Do not dwell on it too much. If you lead this war to victory, the realm will look up to you once more. Until then, you must endure, and endure again, Your Highness.”
“I understand.”
Zhao Guang suppressed the burning anger within and unfolded the paper the commander had left. It was filled with information about the Southern Army of Yen.
As Zhao Guang read, his brow furrowed.
“Only Jeong Cheon is renowned among their commanders, and yet they suffered such humiliation.”
“I heard that the General-in-Chief leading the encampment died suddenly, and with the clash against Jin Kingdom in Guizhou, circumstances turned out this way.”
“Even so, to suffer such humiliation. They’re all incompetent fools.”
Slap!
Zhao Guang threw the paper down with some force.
His sharp reaction had reason behind it. The man who had made the decision to send reinforcements from here to Guizhou was none other than himself.
At the time, the Southwestern King had opposed it fiercely. As a result, they had suffered not only the loss of the neutral territory but a humiliating retreat of over a hundred li, placing Zhao Guang in an extremely difficult position.
The Southwestern King had openly attacked him, insisting it was the Crown Prince’s decision and that he must bear the responsibility.
It could very well have been one of the reasons for his demotion.
Zhao Guang gazed toward the northwestern sky, his eyes growing distant.
‘No matter what, I must win this war. Only then can I lay the foundation for my return.’
Though he had been demoted, his struggle with the Southwestern King was far from over.
The emperor of Zhao Kingdom had not yet named his successor. Removing Zhao Guang from the position of Crown Prince was merely a decision made out of concern that excessive political conflict would plunge the realm into chaos.
Which meant Zhao Guang still had a chance.
“Papa.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Everyone, not least Papa, must be fully apprised of this intelligence. Your task is to eliminate the enemy’s key commanders—all those listed within these pages.”
“Fear nothing, Your Majesty. We shall cut down every general that crosses our path on the battlefield.”
Zhao Guang swept his gaze slowly across the Martial Artists gathered around him.
Zhao Kingdom had assembled only the finest masters and most loyal subjects. Chief among them was the old woman he called Papa—an immeasurable expert of absolute mastery, and leader of the entire Martial World contingent.
Crunch.
Zhao Guang’s jaw tightened as he bit down hard.
‘These are my last hope. With their strength, I shall return with a vengeance—cast out my treacherous uncle and reclaim my rightful place.’
A faint flush crept across Zhao Guang’s earlobes.
It was a telltale sign of anger, one that surfaced whenever rage consumed him. And the source of that anger was a single face rising now in his mind.
The Southwestern King.

He should have learned to live with gratitude for being spared rather than slain.

Shiver.
As the image of the Southwestern King—who had strutted about before his arrival as though he owned the world itself—surfaced in his thoughts, a fine tremor seized the corners of Zhao Guang’s eyes.
‘You will come to regret sparing me, Uncle.’
Crack!
The tea cup shattered into fragments in Zhao Guang’s grip.

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