The Red Dragon Martial Emperor - Chapter 99

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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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Red Dragon Martial Emperor, Episode 99

Chapter 99 — Return to the Imperial Palace

[The mood has shifted.]
Go Mi watched Yi Hwan’s back and felt a twinge of concern.
Since sustaining the internal injury, Yi Hwan had lapsed into silence. His body swayed gently with the horse’s gait as it always did, yet something about his demeanor unnerved her.
‘Is the internal injury worse than we thought?’
Unable to hold back, Go Mi sent a Telepathic Transmission to Cheol Mu-ok.
[He’s all right, isn’t he?]
[I’m not entirely sure myself. He seems fine at moments, then doesn’t at others.]
[But you’re a master.]
[Even a master cannot see into a man’s heart. He should be fine, so don’t worry too much.]
Go Mi sighed softly, wishing she hadn’t asked at all.
“The Imperial Capital is coming into view!”
Yeo Mu-sa cried out.
The outer gates of the Imperial Capital were beginning to appear in the distance. The colossal walls that stretched across the land were so majestic one could hardly believe they were built by human hands.
Cheol Mu-ok turned to Yi Hwan with a question.
“Shall we rest a while?”
“Let’s keep going.”
“Are you certain?”
“As you can see, I’m perfectly sound.”
Cheol Mu-ok gave Go Mi a shrug.
Just then, dust rose from ahead. A band of mounted figures came racing toward them like a tempest.
Yi Hwan raised his hand, signaling everyone to halt.
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae moved to Yi Hwan’s left and right, bracing for whatever might come.
“They’re from the Crown Prince Faction. No need for caution.”
“You can make that out from here?”
“My sight has improved somewhat.”
……!
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae exchanged glances, unable to hide their shock. Upon hearing Yi Hwan’s words, they immediately pushed their cultivation power to enhance their vision to its peak, yet they could not even discern whether the mounted figures were male or female.
And this was in spite of the fact that Yi Hwan had not yet fully recovered from his internal injury.
Cheol Mu-ok turned to Go Mi and asked via Telepathic Transmission.
[Was the Spirit Pill you gave the lord truly so remarkable?]
[It was simply a specialized remedy for internal injuries—it had nothing to do with cultivation power.]
Meanwhile, Yi Hwan regarded the approaching figures with an unreadable expression.
Gwan Ji-baek was leading the charge.
‘If they knew what time we would arrive, have they been watching over us all this while?’
Thud-thud-thud!
Moments later, Gwan Ji-baek drew up before Yi Hwan and reined in his horse. He dismounted hastily and bowed his head low.
“Welcome, my lord.”
“How did you know we would arrive at this hour?”
“All the cities in the vicinity of the Imperial Capital are monitored by Dong Chang’s intelligence network.”
‘So it was Dong Chang after all.’
“His Highness is waiting. We must make haste.”
Gwan Ji-baek remounted and rode at Yi Hwan’s pace, staying at his side.
“Has anything noteworthy occurred in the interim?”
“No, my lord. His Highness has been most pleased on account of the great deeds you have accomplished.”
“The other side must be seething with fury. Any unusual movements?”
“Nothing unusual so far. What is certain is that the officials supporting Yi Hwang-ja have been unusually busy. Exercise caution when you enter the palace, my lord.”
“Understood.”
Yi Hwan turned slowly toward the Imperial Capital.
Gwan Ji-baek longed to press forward faster, yet he dared not rush.
He studied Yi Hwan’s back and furrowed his brow.
‘Has he grown stronger in our time apart?’
That was the feeling he could not shake.
“Has the Empress returned?”
“Yes. She returned to the palace several days ago. However, she arrived accompanied by many individuals who were not present at her departure—martial artists, it would seem, though we have yet to confirm their identities.”
Yi Hwan’s brow furrowed slightly.
‘A woman returns from the hot springs with a considerable retinue of martial artists?’
Yi Hwan cast his mind toward the martial sects of the northern regions. The Mouyong Clan of Liaoning came to mind first.
Geographically, it lay close to Changbai, where the Empress had supposedly traveled, and in the past, the Mouyong Clan had been a renowned lineage that produced many exceptional martial masters.
Moreover, ideologically they proclaimed a stance Between Righteousness and Evil, remaining neutral to neither side—which meant they had narrowly escaped calamity during his march toward unified rule.
“Mu-ok.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Are there any newly risen martial clans or sects in the Northern Central Plains?”
“No particularly renowned ones. The existing Mouyong Clan has maintained some renown, but even they have shown little activity of late.”
Gwan Ji-baek continued from there.
“It was not the Mouyong Clan.”
“You are certain?”
“Yes. Their garb was entirely different.”
“Clothing can be disguised easily enough. Let us enter and investigate.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“What of those assassins who supposedly targeted only royalty?”
“Of late, they have shifted their targets from the royal family to high officials, and they continue their rampage unabated. With so many potential victims, our security forces face considerable strain.”
“Have you determined their true identity?”
“Still unclear. However, rumors circulate that they commit these acts according to some prophecy.”
“A prophecy?”
“Yes. My knowledge extends only that far.”
“Hmm.”
It was a strange affair. What prophecy could possibly drive such atrocities in the Imperial Capital itself? It would make sense if they were plotting treason, but this…
“Should we not depart at once, my lord?”
“Let us go slowly. I would prefer to arrive later than sooner.”
“Ah, yes.”
Gwan Ji-baek offered a bitter smile.

* * *

Yi Tae-ji’s residence.
An elderly man arrived at that place.
Though his bearing was that of an ordinary peasant, remarkably, Yi Tae-ji’s manner toward him was formal and meticulous.
Clink.
The old man took a sip of tea and regarded Yi Tae-ji. Despite his weathered, wrinkled face, his eyes gleamed like a serpent’s.
“My son has caused you great trouble. As his father, I dare beg your forgiveness.”
“How can you speak so? I am the one who failed to protect him, and I must apologize. Worse still, I could not even recover his remains…”
“He was born to the wilderness, so the wilderness claims him in the end. Do not trouble yourself, my lord. I harbor no grievance.”
The old man speaking so calmly was none other than the father of Mun Chi-yong. Despite having lost his son, he carried himself with a composure so complete it sent chills down the spine.
He continued.
“With my son’s death, the bond between us has severed. I came to inform you of this.”
“Severed? How can you speak of such a sorrowful parting? Not only I, but the Empress herself holds your house in highest regard. Indeed, your son’s death might forge an even stronger tie between us, for now we share a common enemy.”
“You speak of the Fourth Prince?”
“Our true enemy is not the Crown Prince Faction, is it? After all, the Fourth Prince is merely a lackey of the Crown Prince.”
The old man fell silent for a moment. Then, fixing Yi Tae-ji with a direct gaze, he spoke.
“There is one request I would make.”
“Speak freely. If it is within my power, I shall grant it.”
“Allow me to take the Fourth Prince’s head with my own hands. If you do, I shall not only continue our bond, but henceforth move directly in service to you.”
Yi Tae-ji’s eyes widened slightly.
“You yourself?”
“If you grant your permission, I shall do so.”
“Very well. I grant it.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
The old man bowed deeply.
A faint smile played at the corner of Yi Tae-ji’s mouth.
‘This man is worth a hundred times more than that incompetent Mun Chi-yong. Come to think of it, I should count myself fortunate that the boy is dead. Hehehehe.’
It was then.
A military officer entered.
“My lord, the Fourth Prince has entered the palace.”
Yi Tae-ji’s eyes turned cold in an instant.
“Did he go to the Crown Prince Palace?”
“Yes.”
“Good. You may go.”
As Jang Su withdrew, Yi Tae-ji fixed the old man with his gaze and spoke.
“He will soon become commander of the Imperial Guard. Once he does, he’ll receive protection befitting a military governor of the highest rank. Are you confident you can take his head?”
“What I wish for is this: once I sever the Fourth Prince’s head with my own hands, I ask that Your Highness shield me from what comes after.”
“That goes without saying, doesn’t it?”
“Then it is settled.”
Yi Tae-ji’s eyes gleamed with meaning.
‘The Empress places absolute trust in this family’s capabilities. If I am to rely on them, they must surely possess power equal to that trust.’
In truth, Mun Chi-yong was a man the Empress had assigned to Yi Tae-ji. The prince himself knew little of Mun Chi-yong’s clan—only that their abilities, shrouded in mystery, were formidable beyond measure.
“You must be weary from your long journey. Rest this evening.”
“No. I shall return to my family at once and assemble the necessary personnel before coming back.”
“I understand. Do as you see fit.”
Shortly after, the old man departed.
Yi Tae-ji sank deep into his chair, a smile of satisfaction spreading across his face.
“The one man none but the Empress could command now volunteers to serve under me. Is this not what they call a blessing in disguise? Hehehehe.”
Was his mood truly that light?
Yi Tae-ji’s face bore that smile for a long while—so absorbed in his satisfaction that he had already forgotten the fact of Yi Hwan’s entry into the palace.

* * *

A pavilion overlooking the lake.
The Third Prince, Yi Seong-ji, held a tea cup in one hand while placing stones on a Go board with the other, studying recorded games.
Tap. Tap.
Could the sound of stones striking the board be so crystalline? The elegant pavilion itself seemed to deepen the grace of the moment, as if Yi Seong-ji sat within a painted scroll.
It was when half the board had been filled with stones.
A man in pale blue robes ascended to the pavilion—the same martial artist who had spoken with Yi Seong-ji at his residence before.
“The Fourth Prince has entered the palace.”
“He arrived quickly.”
“The Second Prince made no further move, it is reported.”
“Whether he refrained or simply lacked time to act—time will make that clear. But tell me, how goes the investigation into the Fourth’s circle?”
“Apart from the Lady Moon, we have learned almost nothing of substance. Yet what is certain is that the unnamed guards we have identified thus far are all masters of considerable skill.”
“That would stand to reason. If the Fourth has survived this long beneath the Second’s grasp, those protecting him must be exceptional.”
Clink.
Yi Seong-ji set down his tea cup and rose.
“Shall I clear the board?”
“Leave it. My master will wish to continue when he arrives. But tell me—did the Lady Moon enter the palace as well?”
“Yes. She entered with the Fourth Prince immediately and went straight to the Crown Prince Palace.”
“I must enter the palace myself. Make ready.”
“Yes. I shall have a carriage brought at once.”
As Jang Su, who had been standing near the pavilion, moved away like wind, Yi Seong-ji descended with the man in blue toward the ridge’s edge.
There, he gazed toward the direction of the Imperial Palace, his brow creasing slightly.
“The Crown Prince grows increasingly ruthless. To use an innocent Fourth as a chess piece—surely his elder brother, of all people, must know the boy cannot endure the machinations of the palace, no matter how accomplished he has become.”
The setting sun stained Yi Seong-ji’s pupils crimson.
The man in blue opened his mouth.
“There is something I have not yet reported.”
“What is it?”
“The rumors surrounding the Fourth Prince appear to be true. Until now, we believed his associates played the decisive role, but it seems that may not be entirely the case.”
“Do you have new intelligence?”
“The Fourth Prince’s command of the Southern Army in his stead during the war with Zhao—all confirmed as fact. Moreover, the key commanders of the Southern Army, led by General Jeong Cheon, the greatest strategist among them, follow the Fourth Prince absolutely.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. This intelligence has been verified with certainty.”
A faint furrow appeared between Yi Seong-ji’s brows.
“Hmm. I had assumed the Fourth’s command of the Southern Army was a fabrication by the Crown Prince’s faction to smoothly place him as Imperial Guard commander. You are saying this is not so?”
“That is correct, Your Highness.”
Yi Seong-ji stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back, moving further along the ridge’s edge. The man in blue followed quietly at his side and continued.
“Will this not prove troublesome?”
“How so?”
“If the Fourth Prince’s abilities are indeed as remarkable as rumored and he assumes the position of Imperial Guard commander, would that not be giving wings to the Crown Prince’s faction?”
At those words from the Blue-Robed Immortal, a faint smile crossed Yi Seong-ji’s lips.
“The Empress holds a card that you cannot afford to play, brother. If she means to advance further from here, she will surely be tempted to use it. Perhaps that is when I can finally see your true measure—whether you truly have the makings of an emperor of this realm.”
The Blue-Robed Immortal opened his mouth as if to speak, then fell silent.
He knew it too. He knew what card the Empress possessed. It was something he could not speak of lightly—something that no one under heaven could afford to name aloud.

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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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