novelraw Chapter 158 : Chapter 158
Chapter 158 : Chapter 158
Chapter 158 The Red Sky (1)
The party, having rested for a day within the Imperial Palace thanks to the Commander's consideration, headed to the palace dining hall, bathed in the pouring morning sunlight.
“……In all my life, to think I'd get to eat a breakfast prepared in the Imperial Palace.”
The bearded man swallowed hard with a nervous expression, looking around.
“You’re making me nervous too by being so tense.”
The Ice Rakshasa adjusted her clothes and her veil, letting out a small sigh.
“It's not just any place, it's a meal in Qianqing Palace. In my entire life, I never thought something like this would happen……”
The bearded man stopped talking as he saw two court ladies approaching from the front. In the meantime, the court ladies approached the party, bowed politely, and opened their mouths.
“All preparations are complete. His Majesty and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard are scheduled to arrive after one tea time, so please enter Qianqing Palace first.”
“……Hiccup.”
As the bearded man started to hiccup, the Ice Rakshasa patted his back.
Guided by the court ladies, the party entered Qianqing Palace.
Inside the pavilion, filled with gold and jewels shining with five colors, a large table was set, and on it, tableware was neatly arranged.
As soon as the party took their seats, food began to be brought in from all directions and placed on the table. The bearded man’s mouth fell open at the feast of dishes he had never seen before.
The large table was filled with delicacies from the mountains and seas, and soon the court ladies began to pour wine into the party's cups.
“This is the famous wine of the north, Shixian Ganlu.”
A strong aroma of wine, enough to clear one's head, filled the surroundings, and soon the small pyeongyeong announcing the Emperor's movement began to shake and make sounds from all directions.
─ TING-A-LING
As soon as the gentle sound of the pyeongyeong ended, the Emperor stepped into Qianqing Palace. Behind him, the Commander and General So Hui-bin entered in comfortable attire, and the court ladies who remained in the pavilion prostrated themselves with their heads touching the ground and flowed out of the pavilion like a tide.
“Did you rest well?”
As the Emperor’s mouth opened, Jaun bowed his head and opened his mouth.
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s consideration, it was a comfortable rest.”
The Emperor, as if satisfied with Jaun’s words, nodded his head and slowly walked over, taking a seat on the opposite side of where Jaun’s party was sitting.
Normally, the Emperor’s meals were held in a separate space with the assistance of numerous court ladies. This unconventional setting of eating face-to-face with someone was the first since Emperor Yeongmin ascended the throne, so even the Commander and General So Hui-bin, who were standing by his side, sat down carefully with unfamiliar expressions.
“My brother’s condition is improving day by day. It seems that whatever you did is certainly having an effect.”
“I am glad the result is good. Since his energy channels were blocked for many years, he will probably show improvement for another three or four days.”
The Emperor, who smiled with satisfaction at Jaun’s words, nodded his head.
“I have received great help. My brother’s benefactor is my benefactor as well. For now, since the food is ready, let’s talk while we eat.”
Two court ladies came in from behind and placed food on the Emperor's plate, but no one reached for the food with their chopsticks first.
While everyone was watching each other, Jaun shrugged his shoulders once and placed an unidentifiable seafood dish from in front of him onto his own plate.
Simultaneously with Jaun's movement, the bearded man filled his own plate high, and the Ice Rakshasa also picked up a few pieces of meat and placed them on her plate.
“Commander and General So, you may eat as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Only after the two had placed a few types of vegetables on their plates did the Emperor also begin to put the food on his plate into his mouth.
The appetizing smell wafting from the food and the sweet aroma of the Ganlu wine filled the pavilion.
“So. You said you were returning to the Jianghu immediately?”
When the Emperor asked Jaun, Jaun slowly nodded his head.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The ones who reached out to His Highness Prince Yeomseong are still coveting the Jianghu. We cannot waste time in order to stop their movements.”
“Yes. I have heard the general story from the Commander. If they are the kind of people who would go to such lengths to reach the Imperial Court, they must not be ordinary.”
The Emperor stopped his chopsticks and looked at Jaun.
“What is it that you need most right now?”
At the Emperor’s words, Jaun also stopped his chopsticks.
“……Information.”
“Information. What kind of information are you referring to?”
“The ones who orchestrated this incident are the people of the Demonic Cult who have been consumed by the Blood Cult. I need information about their movements in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.”
The Emperor nodded his head and turned his head to the back.
“Summon the Sili Taijian of the Internal Affairs Inspectorate.”
At the Emperor's words, the maids behind him began to move quickly.
The Emperor, who had put food in his mouth again and was lost in thought, looked at Jaun.
“I heard all about you yesterday. You have lived a turbulent life. You hold the revenge for your father in your heart, don't you?”
Jaun, who had flinched, slowly nodded his head.
“Yes. Punishing them is my long-cherished desire.”
“Yes. It seems you are walking a difficult path to achieve that dream. Since I have also received help, I should give something in return……”
Before the Emperor’s words were finished, a presence was felt outside Qianqing Palace.
“The Sili Taijian of the Internal Affairs Inspectorate has arrived, Your Majesty.”
“Let him in.”
As the door of Qianqing Palace was carefully opened, an elderly official entered with his head bowed.
“I see Your Majesty's dragon face.”
The Emperor, who had lightly received the official’s greeting, asked.
“What do you know about the ones called the Demonic Cult in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains?”
At the Emperor’s words, the official’s body trembled.
“Your Majesty. I have committed a crime worthy of death. I should have found out that those bastards were planning this incident in advance……”
“It is fine. I am not asking about the past. How could the Internal Affairs Inspectorate have stopped it when my brother used all the power he had? I am asking about the current situation, not the events of that time.”
“Your grace is boundless, Your Majesty. According to the intelligence that came in as of yesterday, it is said that they, who had not shown much movement within their main headquarters until now, are moving busily, unlike before.”
At the official’s words, Jaun’s expression instantly hardened.
“The armory has been opened, and it seems that many personnel are maintaining a state of tension as if in wartime. Considering their state of preparation, their destination is the Sichuan region. It is expected that there will be another major clash there, where the aftermath of the war still remains.”
At the official's words, a silence fell upon the pavilion.
The Emperor, who had been stroking his chin for a while, opened his mouth.
“……Did you say the situation is different from before?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. According to the intelligence agent, this movement will be an all-out offensive. It is a very different aspect from the past when some personnel moved in a limited capacity.”
The Emperor's gaze turned to Jaun.
Jaun, who was deep in thought, placed his chopsticks down on the table.
“That’s a shame. This is not good news. I was thinking I could help you on your path, but if it's right now… I don't think I'll have the capacity.”
“Just giving me this news has been a sufficient help, Your Majesty. It seems… we will have to move busily.”
The Emperor, who had confirmed the faint, blade-like aura flowing from Jaun's body, nodded his head.
“Summon the Royal Physician of the Imperial Medical Office.”
At the Emperor’s words, the maids once again moved busily.
In the meantime, Jaun stopped eating and quickly fell into deep thought.
‘……Sichuan again. From the beginning, the Blood Cult’s destination was Sichuan. Is there… something hidden there?’
The Sichuan region is the outskirts of the Jianghu.
It is certainly the closest region to the main base of the Demonic Cult in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, but they were strangely obsessed with the Sichuan region.
‘Now… it’s time to face them head-on.’
Jaun was no longer alone.
As long as he had gathered enough power to oppose the Demonic Cult, there was no reason to avoid a direct confrontation.
He just had to see with his own eyes what secrets were hidden in the Sichuan region and destroy their conspiracy.
Just as Jaun had organized his thoughts and decided to move to the Sichuan region immediately, someone knocked on the door of the pavilion with ragged breaths.
“Someone from the Imperial Medical Office has arrived.”
As the Emperor nodded his head at the maid's words, the door of the pavilion opened slightly.
─ CLICK
An old man who had rushed in, pushing the door, turned his head and checked the Emperor’s complexion.
“Y-Your Majesty. Are you perhaps feeling unwell somewhere……”
The expression of the Royal Physician, who was quickly scanning the Emperor’s body with his eyes, was quite serious. The Emperor, who confirmed the old man's gaze, burst out laughing.
“I did not call you because I am unwell, so rest your heart. What could have happened to a person who was perfectly fine until this morning?”
“……Your Majesty.”
The old man let out a big sigh, and only then did he wipe the sweat from his forehead and bow deeply.
“It's not that, but I called you because I was wondering if you had any medicine you could give to this child.”
The old man, who turned his head at the Emperor's words, looked at Jaun and tilted his head.
“Is he perhaps suffering from some kind of illness……”
The Emperor, who shook his head, looked at Jaun.
“This child is a martial artist. Since he has to face a great task in the future, I meant that I would like to give him an elixir.”
“Ah…… I understand. Then I will prepare a dose of medicine that suits his constitution……”
“No. That pill you made when laying the foundation of the Imperial martial arts. I would like you to give him that.”
At the Emperor's words, the old man's eyes widened.
“Y-Your Majesty. Not only is there not much left of it, but it also costs a fortune just to manufacture one pill……!”
“He is the child who saved my brother. Wouldn't my hand be too ashamed to just give him a dose of tonic? That much should be given so that its meaning is not tarnished.”
At the words that he was the child who had saved Prince Yeomseong, the Royal Physician's eyes sparkled for a moment. The old man’s eyes met Jaun’s.
─ STARTLE
Jaun could feel the old man’s gaze sweeping through the inside of his body in that moment. Although the old man clearly did not possess an ounce of internal energy and there was no emission of any kind of energy, Jaun was sure that the old man had examined the inside of his body as if he were rummaging through it.
‘……An ability of the Upper Dantian?’
The old man, just like Ban Cheol-hwi, had a constitution where his Upper Dantian was strangely developed.
Jaun focused his energy in his eyes and looked back at the old man. A dazzlingly sparkling light filled the old man’s eyes.
‘There was a reason he could become the Royal Physician of the Imperial Court.’
Until now, he had rarely seen anyone in the Jianghu with such a developed Upper Dantian, and those who did, like Ban Cheol-hwi, showed a different appearance from ordinary people.
This old man seemed to possess an ability close to a special power, where he could determine a person's physical condition just by looking at them.
‘It seems he couldn't recognize the Demonic Energy because its characteristics are so different, but except for such special cases, he could probably prescribe a remedy just by glancing over the body once.’
The thought that if this old man had come out to the Jianghu, he would have easily earned the title of Godly Physician, flashed through Jaun’s mind.
Like that, they looked at each other for a few minutes.
The light in the old man's eyes, who had been staring intently at Jaun, slowly faded. The old man opened his mouth with surprised eyes.
“You were a person who possessed a power like a sea of unknown depth. Today, I have broadened my horizons.”
The old man, who had slightly bowed his head to Jaun in a polite manner, turned his body to the Emperor again.
“Your Majesty. One pill is too little. At least three pills. That much is needed to be of significant help to that person.”
At the old man’s words, General So Hui-bin, who had been eating silently, slightly raised his head. The Commander, who had raised his head together with So Hui-bin, hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth.
“……Are you sure you have checked correctly? I clearly remember that among the Embroidered Uniform Guard, only I and General So received two of those pills.”
The Royal Physician, who had confirmed a small sense of rivalry rising in the eyes of the Commander and So Hui-bin, smiled and nodded his head.
“At that time, both of you had already filled most of the vessel of your energy, so two pills were appropriate. But this person…… for some reason, the end of his vessel is not visible. He seems to possess a power that is unbelievably great even now, but even that power does not fill half of his vessel.”
“Urgh……”
The Commander, who knew well what kind of abilities the Royal Physician possessed, let out a small groan.
The Emperor, who was watching the scene, let out a chuckle.
“Give him three pills. He is the child who saved my brother and me, so how can I not give him that much? And… he is a child who might have to save my life again someday.”
“I will obey your command.”
The old man bowed his head deeply.