Episode 206
The atmosphere became cold.
To hide my annoyance, I quickly emptied the drink in my glass.
‘It’s not like making fun of people.’
I couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment.
I tried so hard to explain and persuade him.
If you were going to pass it off by talking about authority, why did you ask what kind of benefit the Beast Palace would get?
It couldn’t have been a more troubling situation.
I was trying to end the matter somehow by making a deal with the Beast Palace lord.
‘I tried to avoid getting involved as much as possible with the five factions aiming to become the next governor, but I guess I can’t do that anymore.’
No matter what, the mission had to be accomplished.
If the best is not possible, shouldn’t we choose the next best option?
If peace could not be concluded with just one person agreeing, there was no choice but to visit the palace executives one by one and persuade them.
A sigh came out of my mouth.
My head was already pounding as I thought about how I would be walking around until my feet got sweaty.
“It’s not that there is absolutely no way.”
At that time, the Beast Palace owner, who had been quietly watching my reaction, quietly opened her mouth.
“Because I have been away from political affairs for a long time, I have been reduced to being an old man in the backroom, but the title of palace lord is not something I wear for fashion.”
“······?”
“It’s not that difficult to provide a seat.”
To summarize what the Beast Palace Lord said next, it was as follows.
Should I call it a blessing among misfortunes?
At least I didn’t think I would have to go around selling things one by one.
The problem was that it was unclear how to persuade the palace executives.
“I’m telling you just in case, it would be best not to publicly reveal that the fourth guy is in collusion with the Demonic Cult.”
“······.”
“Don’t misunderstand. “I’m not saying this to protect my poor son.”
“I know.”
One might think that if it were revealed that the Four Confucius had made a deal with the Ma Clan, the other four factions would react positively to making peace.
However, there were too many uncertainties to think so optimistically.
‘There is no guarantee that Confucius Shi is the only one who harbors ambitions to invade the central plains.’
Southern Man’s warriors have been greedy for the peaceful and prosperous land of Central Plains for a long time.
We could not overlook the possibility that there were factions planning to invade the Central Plains in addition to Shi Gongja’s faction.
‘It’s quite possible.’
Although the persuasion that ‘Namman’s warriors may be sent to the battlefield before the damage caused by the civil war can be restored’ was effective only for the Lord of the Beast Palace, it was unclear whether the same would work for others.
Throughout history, there have been one or two monarchs who went to war to quell internal discontent.
‘Not only that.’
If Gongja was not an idiot, he would have prepared a safety device in case he was questioned.
Although all the circumstances suggested that Shi Gongja had made a deal with the Demonic Cult, there was no conclusive evidence.
What if the ruler blames one of his subordinates as if cutting off a lizard’s tail and continues to remain ignorant?
‘No matter what, it will definitely be able to reduce the power of the faction he leads. In return, the mission will face backlash.’
The purpose of the mission was to conclude a non-aggression pact with the Beast Palace and deliver the document to the main body of the Meng.
Rather than weakening the power of Shi Gongja’s faction.
‘What is it?’
I was lost in thought for a while fiddling with my glass.
I raised my head in response to the sound of the Beast Palace Master tapping his index finger on the table.
“How about something like this?”
“······?”
“If persuasion seems difficult, one way would be to set bait and catch them.”
“Please speak more clearly.”
“Did you know that the Beast Palace periodically holds a martial arts competition?”
“yes. “I have heard of it.”
I remembered hearing a story about him from Mu Jin-cheon before.
Did you say that the winner of the competition would be given the title of Grand Master?
“Then the story will be quick. “Sacheon Branch Manager.”
“yes.”
“Would you like to participate in that competition?”
“······yes?”
It became increasingly difficult to follow the story.
Why are you suddenly recommending that I participate in a martial arts competition?
The Beast Palace Lord lifted her mouth and smiled.
“The hosting of the competition has been postponed due to the civil war, but if we can get the consent of the five factions, the schedule can be brought forward as much as possible.”
“There are many things I want to ask, but for now, let me just point out the most important parts. “Is there any correlation between my participation in the competition and making peace?”
“I’m thinking of proposing a bet to you guys.”
“bet?”
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“We will empower the leader of the faction that produced the winner of the competition to ascend to the palace throne. Instead, if the person I designate wins the competition, everyone will agree to a non-aggression pact with the Murim Alliance.”
“······!”
“How about it? “I think this will be enough bait to attract the five factions.”
It was truly an unprecedented condition.
Will we empower the leader of the faction that produced the winner of the competition to ascend to the throne?
In reality, it was no different from saying that the next palace lord would be decided based on the results of the competition.
It was said that he was sick due to old age, but the Beast Palace Lord was the Beast Palace Lord.
Relying on his support meant that legitimacy could be secured.
“If you win the competition, the delegation will be able to safely achieve its goal.”
“······.”
“On the other hand, if a talent belonging to the fourth guy’s faction wins the championship, the worst could happen.”
Even after listening to this point, I couldn’t not know.
The Beast Palace Lord was trying to gamble using me.
“I understand that only those who have the status of a warrior can participate in the martial arts competition. “Is there any way for me, as a member of the Central Plains, to participate in the competition?”
“The status of a warrior is something I can hand over right here and now. “You don’t have to worry because you have that level of authority.”
“Why me?”
“Some say he is the representative of the mission, and others say he is a monster who ascended to the throne at the age of 21.”
“······.”
“If you just look at martial arts, Poison King might be superior. But if it turns out that the representative I chose is the poison king, who will accept the bet?”
“That too.”
“You are the right person. Your children will probably let down their guard when they see your youthful appearance. “I will definitely accept the bet.”
“understand.”
“So what are we going to do? Would you accept it?”
After quietly looking into the Beast Palace Lord’s eyes for a while, I slowly nodded.
There was no choice.
Because it was an undeniable fact that it was the most ideal way to overcome the current situation.
There was a prerequisite that I had to win the competition, but that was all I needed to do.
“great. “I accept it.”
* * *
“Okay.”
“Be careful.”
Yeon-woon and Dang Sang-jin leave the garden.
Lord Beast Palace, who had risen from his seat with the support of his right guardian, groaned and took a step forward.
“You were overexerting yourself.”
“That’s pathetic. “I can’t believe I’m like this after just having a few drinks.”
The Beast Palace Lord looked down at her trembling left hand and smiled bitterly.
I drank some of the alcohol banned by the congressman to lighten the mood, but the side effects were already showing.
“You realize the impermanence of time. Until a few years ago, he was famous as a great monarch commanding the entire southern Manchuria, but now he has become a toothless tiger.”
“······.”
“Why do you look at me like that?”
“Why did you entrust the fate of the Beast Palace to an outsider?”
In a way, it could be said that the question of friendship law was natural.
Gambling is just gambling, so is there any reason to leave matters that depend on the future of the palace to a member of the royal family?
“Were you that curious about that?”
“I thought it was a decision unbecoming of a princess.”
A faint smile appeared on the Beast Palace Lord’s lips.
He raised his head, stared at the sky, and opened his mouth.
“What were you thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking you what came to mind when you saw the representative of the delegation, that is, the Sacheon branch leader.”
“I thought he was a dangerous person.”
“You had the same thought as me.”
The Beast Princess let out a sigh, glanced in the direction where Yeonsun left and continued talking.
“It’s not unreasonable. Awesome inaction befitting his age, a deep heart, and excellent eloquence. “He was a friend who never left out anything.”
“······.”
“I felt envious of the leader of the Murim Alliance. “He was a talented person that I coveted to the point where I wondered why there was no one like him under my command.”
Wu Hobeop’s eyes trembled slightly.
Although I have been by his side for over thirty years, this was the first time I had seen the Beast Palace Lord show such caution towards someone.
“You don’t know about those bastards who are caught up in a power struggle. “That they are just frogs in the well.”
“······.”
“I wanted to make you realize this now. That others are not everything in the world. “There are monsters like that in the outside world.”
* * *
A separate room where the Beast Prince resides.
As I entered the room following the warrior who served as the guide, dozens of pairs of eyes focused on me.
‘The tiger’s den must be safer than here.’
Everyone gathered here were executives of the Beast Palace.
The Beast Palace Lord and the Two Protectors.
Five children who inherited the royal blood.
Seven warrior commanders lead the warriors of the palace.
twelve elders.
In addition, there were three warriors belonging to the Military Department, who were in charge of the current Yasu Palace’s internal affairs and the preparation of the event.
I pretended to have a calm expression and stood in the center of them.
“Are you serious?”
A large man who did not seem to be a blood relative of the Beast Palace looked towards the bed and asked.
The Beast Princess coughed a couple of times and slowly nodded.
“I never would have thought that the person my father chose would be Joong-won, and at that young Ji-soo later.”
He had a slick bald head and a scorpion tattoo covering half his face and the nape of his neck.
Clothing made of various types of animal skins and a huge curved sword held on the back.
It exactly matched the external characteristics of Confucius that I had heard about in advance.
Did you say that among the five children, he was the most obsessed with martial arts?
The man who was laughing as if it was ridiculous looked at me with sharp eyes and said.
“You too are doing something really reckless.”
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and muttered to myself.
You must be hairless.
This is bald.
martial arts,
