CH 7

As soon as those completely dried-out things came out, Jung Wi frowned and turned his head. It was a sight that made his stomach churn.

Carefully watching his movements, Jin Ye let out words faintly mixed with anger.

“Daeuimyeolchin. While I’m not sure how desperate the previous emperor was to kill me, his vengeful spirit still haunts this imperial palace. General Jung, what do you think about this thing that keeps bothering me?”

After asking the question, Jin Ye examined the general’s reaction. As though he was nervous, Jung Wi clenched his fists tightly. Then, he could feel Seoyeob, who was watching his movement, staring at Jin Ye.

However, Jin Ye only waited for the general’s answer.

Jin Ye’s father buried that thing with the talismans written by shamans in various locations in the imperial palace to curse Jin Ye. It was appalling enough that an emperor of an empire believed in shamanism, but what was more horrific than that was the fact he cursed his child.

The moment Jin Ye rose to the throne, she ordered him to remove all of them, even if he had to plow all of the soil in the imperial palace.

He had turned the whole palace upside down. There was no soil from the gate to the backyard of the palace that he didn’t search.

However, as if the vengeful spirit of the previous emperor was extremely tenacious, new things had been discovered almost every year.

This time she had an option to strike Jung Wi or to bring him to her side.

Undoubtedly, for Jin Ye, there was only one choice. To strike Jung Wi.

Jung Wi was the closest ally of Prince Hwa, the last remaining member of the imperial family after Jin Ye. Even if it wasn’t for this, the prank had been taken too far recently and was slowly getting on her nerves.

But the clever man in front of her bowed his head as if he had sensed the crisis.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”

“I’ve already put up with so much. I’ve given you three chances all this time. But what is the result?”

“…”

“There’s no way you would do your work like this if you had no complaints about me rising to the throne, isn’t there?”

Jin Ye knew that her remarks were simply nitpicking, but she also knew that Jung Wi would not be able to refute her. Jung Wi closed his eyes tight and answered meekly as if he surrendered.

“Obviously, there’s no way I have any complaints.”

“But I can’t trust our verbal allegiance anymore. Since it has come to this, can I trust that you will willingly accept whatever punishment I’ll give to you, General?”

“Your grace is immeasurable.”

But then, Eunuch Park’s flustered voice was heard outside the door.

“Your Highness, you shouldn’t do this…!”

Your Highness.

Jin Ye instantly knew who was outside the door. Currently, there was only one person in the Hwan Empire that could be addressed as ‘Your Highness’.

Knowing this too, Seoyeob creased his brows slightly.

The door opened wide with a rattling sound. The rogue who wildly jumped into the council hall had opened the door with his own hands.

At the same time a man appeared, he shouted.

“You can’t treat a general like this!”

Eunuch Park had already drawn his sword toward him. Seoyeob followed, drawing his sword against the man.

“How dare you act rude like this!”

Nevertheless, the man did not blink and looked straight at Jin Ye.

“Isn’t that true, sister?”

The man who spoke bravely like that was the only remaining relative of Jin Ye, Prince Hwa, Jin Pyeong.

He shared the same features as Jin Ye as they had the same parents. Jin Ye, who was engulfed with strange displeasure looking at Prince Hwa’s face, tilted her head.

Prince Hwa immediately kneeled. Not only in front of Jin Ye but also the eunuchs and court ladies, he bowed his head deep enough for his forehead to hit the floor.

“I heard the general made a big mistake, so I came to plead with you. However, I’m pleading not to Her Majesty the Emperor, but to you, sister.”

The prince’s action was undignified. However, Jin Ye didn’t tell him to get up. Silently, she observed his actions. Seoyeob didn’t sheathe his sword as well.

“Please spare the general. Having known him since I was a child, he is my teacher. General Jung is the only one I could lean into!”

General Jung Wi, the loyal subordinate of Prince Hwa, was the one who had the role of Prince Hwa’s teacher when the prince was young. However, the pendulum of power was supposed to shift when a person with increased power came out. He was also one of the people whose influence declined significantly after Jin Ye became emperor.

In other words, a nuisance and a tiger who lost its fangs. Therefore, Prince Hwa begged to spare him, who had become an easy target.

Although what looked outside and what was true inside were very different.

“Sister, please.”

Whatever it was, it reflected deep despair.

“Please save me.”

He had a look on his face that was close to tears.

Jin Pyeong looked up at Jin Ye with slightly red eyes. His shoulders trembled slightly like a frightened person. Seeing that, Jin Ye recalled a moment in the past.

“Please save me, sister.”

Back then, he looked just like this. Thus, she accepted his desperate request and spared him until now.

I was really foolish.

Jin Ye reminisced, barely holding back her laughter that was about to burst out. But eyes were watching. If she laughed here, Jin Ye would become a cold person who looked down on her pleading brother.

Jin Ye quietly reached out her hand to the side and was handed the sword from the eunuch next to her, then she got up from the throne.

Her clear voice rang in the council hall.

“Everyone except Prince Hwa, step out of the hall.”

By ordering them to step outside not only the door but also the whole hall, they ensured that no one would hear their conversation. Seoyeob was someone who would stab the sword to his chest if it was Jin Ye’s order. However, this time he couldn’t accept it and shook his head.

“Your Majesty, being alone is—”

Dangerous. Before he could continue, Jin Ye cut him off. She stared at him intently as if pressing him.

“There’s no exception for you, Marquis Jo.”

“But…!”

“Didn’t I order you to step out?”

Seoyeob hit his lip at the stern voice that pressed him once more. Jin Ye then signaled him with her eyes to bring Jung Wi out. Seoyeob, who couldn’t refuse her order, eventually retracted his sword from Prince Hwa and then dragged Jung Wi out.

Slam.

The door closed, and there were only Jin Ye and Prince Hwa left in the room. Not long after, the crowdy steps also disappeared.

Walking slowly while waiting for the moment, Jin Ye stopped before Prince Hwa. Then, she talked while looking down at Prince Hwa, who was prostrating in front of her.

“Everyone has left, so, isn’t it the time for you to show your true colors, brother?”

Prince Hwa, who was trembling as though he was weak until a moment ago, drew a faint smile. He replied to her with a calm voice, different from earlier.

“I heard your fated person has appeared.”

Looking at the bowed Prince Hwa, Jin Ye thought of stabbing him with the sword in her hand. Furthermore, it wasn’t a terrible idea to slash that white neck.

However, it didn’t mean she could do everything even if she wanted to do so. Only lowly people would dirty their own hands. It might have been the case if it had been in the past when she could see no further than her nose. But now, Jin Ye didn’t want to do anything stupid, so she held down her impulses.

Rather than that, for him to mention the fated person… It seemed like the rumor did spread faster than her guess.

Perhaps it had already been the time for her to acknowledge it.

Prince Hwa had become a bigger tiger cub than Jin Ye’s prediction.

When Jin Ye walked past this palace gate 5 years ago, Jin Pyeong, who monopolized their father’s love, was the first to betray the emperor and beg for his life in front of Jin Ye. Having barely survived, he claimed he would never take part in palace work and instead wanted to do business to make money. Soon, he created a merchant guild.

Initially, she thought he would keep low as he promised. However, it wasn’t the case. It was now too easy to fly a pigeon across the walls of the Imperial Palace for Prince Hwa, who had been cleverly raising his power from a secret place.

Right now, Jin Ye had no idea how far Prince Hwa, who had just begun to spread his wings, would show his ability. That was the biggest threat Jin Ye felt now as the emperor, which was also the thing Seoyeob was wariest about.

Thus, Jin Ye replied as she looked down at her brother, trying to estimate whose blood would be the first to flow in this council hall.

No matter how she thought about it,

“Do you have eyes in the palace?”

It wouldn’t be her.