"Good."
The official sitting across from him spoke shortly without raising his head.
'Good?'
Un Hyeon frowned slightly.
He couldn't understand what was good.
Since having no family couldn't possibly be a good thing, he assumed it meant it was fortunate he had an uncle with financial means.
Without his uncle, he wouldn't have even dreamed of taking the civil service examination.
Even though the exam itself didn't cost money, preparing for it required many things.
Considering not only the academy tuition and living expenses but also travel costs to the city where the exam was held, book prices, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses, it was by no means easy.
Above all, since one had to live solely by holding onto books without doing any work, it was an arduous task for an ordinary commoner.
Especially if those years were not just one or two.
He himself wouldn't have dared to take the exam if not for his uncle's help.
Rustle.
The sound of turning pages echoed in the quiet hall.
The official who had thrown the short question remained silent again, and Un Hyeon had to endure the awkward atmosphere with an anxious heart.
"Have you found a place to stay?"
The official's dry voice rang in Un Hyeon's ears. Even that was welcome, so Un Hyeon brightened up and answered.
"I haven't found a house yet. I am still staying at an inn, but soon..."
That wretched inn.
Not only did the roof leak, but the terrible food mixed with foreign substances and the repulsive smell.
The inn Un Hyeon stayed at was literally the worst.
However, that shabby inn was finished as of today.
Now that he had become a respectable official, he would buy a house in Beijing to show off.
"Good."
The official said in a strictly businesslike tone.
"Pardon? What do you..."
At the official's words, Un Hyeon asked back without realizing it.
And soon regretted it.
Thud.
The official closed the book nervously.
And looked straight at Un Hyeon with sharp eyes.
"Do you know where you are right now?"
Un Hyeon's shoulders flinched.
There was no way he didn't know where he was right now.
Wasn't this the Forbidden City, the heart of the continent and the very core of power, the Imperial Palace?
The official slowly opened his mouth.
"Since our duty lies solely in upholding His Majesty's will, you must engrave deep in your heart the saying that if the King commands you to die, as a subject you have no choice but to die [君要臣死 臣不得不死]. Understood?"
Un Hyeon gulped.
The official's words were half threat.
But at the same time, for Un Hyeon, they were words that made him realize the tremendous significance this place held.
It was a pride given by a heavy sense of duty, and a heart-swelling conviction of having become a member of an organization with immense power.
Un Hyeon's eyes immediately began to sparkle.
But the official didn't care about Un Hyeon's reaction.
"Also, since you came here specially by the Crown Prince's favor, you must never betray that expectation."
At those words, Un Hyeon's face flushed slightly.
The three people who obtained high scores in the civil service examination are specially called Jangwon (First Place), Bangan (Second Place), and Tamhwa (Third Place).
They are granted official positions by directly bowing to the Emperor, and generally, it was common to become scholars belonging to the Hanlin Academy.
Un Hyeon also thought he would naturally go to the Hanlin Academy as was customary.
But the Crown Prince had personally designated him to come to the Blue Dragon Hall.
It was truly an unexpected success.
Because the Crown Prince is the core of the core of power, the very sky of the future.
"In accordance with the Crown Prince's will, you will have to submit a perfect report through deep research and review on a specific field from now on, so..."
A strange word caught in the ears of Un Hyeon, who had a flush on his face. He opened his mouth without realizing it.
"By a specific field, you mean..."
Un Hyeon, who was speaking, flinched instantly.
The official, whose speech was cut off because of him, was looking at him with a cold expression.
Only then did Un Hyeon realize that this was not the academy where free questions were allowed.
Un Hyeon shut his mouth and quickly bowed his head.
"Ahem."
The official cleared his throat once and continued.
"The Crown Prince has specially granted you access to the Hall of Literary Profundity (Munyeon-gak)."
Un Hyeon's eyes snapped open.
The Hall of Literary Profundity is the name of the Imperial Palace library.
A repository of countless books and paintings, including the Great Canon which is the compilation of all knowledge, and a place anyone who reads would wish to enter at least once.
The access right to that very Hall of Literary Profundity was given to him.
Un Hyeon widened his eyes at this unbelievable luck.
However, the official sitting in front continued speaking quickly in a businesslike manner.
"Also, since we don't know when the Crown Prince might call, you are to reside within the Forbidden City from now on. When you enter the palace in three days, come fully prepared. You may go for today."
The official's words ended. But Un Hyeon did not move. No, he couldn't move.
His head couldn't quite catch up with the sudden change in situation.
'Reside... within the Forbidden City?'
So it means to live in the Forbidden City.
Not anywhere else, but right here, in the Forbidden City.
The official, who was opening the book again, frowned once more looking at the young scholar who stood motionless.
"Go on. And make sure not to be late in three days."
When the official's cold voice rang out, only then did Un Hyeon snap to his senses.
"Yes, yes."
Un Hyeon hurriedly gathered his two hands and bowed deeply to his superior whose name he hadn't even heard yet. And hurriedly moved his steps out of the Blue Dragon Hall.
Watching his back with sharp eyes, the official quietly shook his head and muttered once Un Hyeon had completely gone outside.
"First place in the palace examination, Jinsa Un Hyeon..."
The official dropped his gaze to the book. There, Un Hyeon's name and various details were recorded in detail.
"Later, he can just go to Guangzhou and help with his uncle's work. Since he seems smart."
Thud.
The official closed the book. And silence hovered over the Blue Dragon Hall once again.
Thud, thud.
Un Hyeon couldn't feel it was real at all.
Scholar of the Blue Dragon Hall belonging to the Crown Prince, permission to enter the Hall of Literary Profundity, and even the order to reside in the Forbidden City. There was nothing that wasn't surprising.
He was clearly walking right now, but it didn't feel like his feet were touching the ground.
Thud.
Un Hyeon stopped his steps and looked around.
The splendid and vast Forbidden City was surprising no matter where he turned his gaze.
The golden double roofs were beautiful as if about to fly, and the signboards carved with golden letters were endlessly splendid.
Between the brilliant red walls, it seemed as if the laughter of beauties would be heard at any moment.
'You mean I'm going to live here from now on? Right here, in the house of gold...'
A smile slowly began to spread on Un Hyeon's face. At the same time, a verse from the Exhortation to Learning passed through his mind.
―In books, there are a thousand sacks of rice; in books, there is a house of gold; and in books, there is a beautiful woman.
For young people in the prime of their youth who want to play, being stuck in a room and told to memorize stuffy books and writings is unbearably boring.
After reciting over four hundred and thirty thousand characters starting from the Thousand Character Classic and Primer for Children at age eight, through the Analects, Mencius, Book of Changes, Book of Documents, Book of Odes, Book of Rites, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, to the Zuo Tradition, books leading to commentaries, classics, history books, literature, and poetry several times that amount were waiting.
What was harder to endure than anything was the long period of exams and exams, and yet more exams.
Every time, the teachers sang this Exhortation to Learning and breathed hope for the future into the students.
A song he himself had repeated countless times in his heart.
It was that very song he pledged to himself while looking with envious or perhaps scornful eyes at some scholars who were playing while neglecting their studies.
'Indeed, indeed, there was a house of gold in the books.'
There really was a house of gold in the text. And such a tremendous house of gold at that.
Lest anyone see, Un Hyeon bowed his head low. But his mouth held a smile he couldn't suppress.
If he could, he wanted to shout loudly. His heart was full to bursting with this unbelievable luck.
But he shouldn't make a sound, or even smile broadly. Isn't this the forbidden zone of forbidden zones, the heart of the continent, the Forbidden City?
Un Hyeon began to move his steps quickly with his head bowed. His steps were literally as light as if flying.
"Phew."
Un Hyeon's long sigh scattered through the blue sky.
The warm sunshine of early summer made even the hard stone path feel cozy, but Un Hyeon walking on it had no room to feel such sentiment.
"Murim... what on earth am I supposed to do?"
Another sigh leaked from his mouth as he plodded along the road.
Wearing the official robes everyone envied, walking on the wide road of the Forbidden City that anyone would admire, yet Un Hyeon's steps were just heavy.
When he placed first in the examination for all to see, he believed all his suffering was over.
When he was assigned to the Crown Prince's Blue Dragon Hall and came to stay in the Forbidden City, it felt like flying in the sky.
But the dreamlike days were not that long.
The 'research field' given to Un Hyeon was something he couldn't have even imagined.
"Pardon? You mean the Murim?"
At Un Hyeon's question, the official, Sa Il-cheon, frowned.
Sa Il-cheon, who belonged to the Blue Dragon Hall and was the only official and scholar besides Un Hyeon, was, so to speak, Un Hyeon's direct senior.
"Yes, Murim. Shaolin, Wudang, Mount Hua, things like that. Have you never heard of them?"
"N-no, of course I have heard of them, but..."
Un Hyeon trailed off.
He has heard of them. Who hasn't heard stories about flying in the sky in one step, walking on water like flat land, and splitting rocks with a single sword?
But he had thought that was merely the bluff of people who liked to talk.
But why on earth does that word 'Murim' appear in the 'specific field instructed by the Crown Prince'?
"Then that's done. Go and do your work."
The official turned his gaze as if he had no further business. But Un Hyeon still had business.
"But why suddenly research and investigation on the Murim... Urgh!"
Un Hyeon swallowed his words with a groan.
Because the official, Sa Il-cheon, was glaring at Un Hyeon with fierce eyes before he knew it.
Sa Il-cheon spoke in a cold voice.
"That is a very presumptuous question."
His voice was dry and cold.
"If you try to know the reason, your life won't be long. Keep in mind that an official's duty lies not in 'why' but in 'how'. Understood?"
To Un Hyeon, who couldn't even answer, terrified by the ferocity, Sa Il-cheon continued.
"If you go to the next room, there is the Crown Prince's private library. Start your research and investigation based on the books there. Let me tell you, what the Crown Prince wants is a perfect, realistic, and living image of the Murim. Understood?"
Un Hyeon nodded.
But Sa Il-cheon didn't expect much.
Un Hyeon couldn't possibly know the meaning of what he said right now.
Sa Il-cheon turned his gaze again as if annoyed.
Un Hyeon had no choice but to withdraw without being able to speak properly.
And Un Hyeon was shocked once again in the Crown Prince's private library.
Because the things called 'materials' there were all terrible.
'My goodness...'
Un Hyeon was dumbfounded.
By all means, books are the truth of all ages and the living spirit of the sages.
Therefore, one must always cleanse one's body and mind and treat books with a reverent attitude, and never treat them disrespectfully even in dreams.
Nevertheless, throughout dealing with the books in the Crown Prince's private library, Un Hyeon couldn't suppress a smirk.
'How can such things come out as books in this world?'
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