Chapter 350
"I'm anxious."
"I want to run away."
"...Amitabha."
The group, all dressed in clean robes after changing clothes, gathered together, each unable to hide their anxiety.
"This is insane."
"Of course it's clearly insane. But when the person doing it is that person, shouldn't we be careful with our words?"
At Peng Dao-ji's words, everyone shut their mouths like clams.
Of course this was clearly insane. But when that insane thing was being done by the Emperor, how could they possibly stop it?
"There really won't be an incident, right?"
"Wouldn't it be stranger if there wasn't an incident?"
"If I had to choose between the two, I'd bet my entire fortune on 'there will be an incident.'"
"What fortune does a beggar have?"
"That's exactly why I'm betting on it. Kekekekeke."
While everyone was falling into anxiety, Wei San-ho quietly opened his mouth.
"Surely he wouldn't cause an incident in front of His Imperial Majesty?"
Then criticism poured out.
"How does Master Wei know his younger brother so little? Are you really brothers?"
"There's someone else to trust."
"Please remove those rose-colored glasses. It's not even a woman, but you have rose-colored glasses on for your younger brother."
"Must be nice being so carefree."
Wei San-ho faltered under the pouring criticism. Then Wei Jeong-han stepped forward, saying he was family after all.
"Yeah, you're being a bit too much."
"Father."
"Facts are facts."
Wei Jeong-han clicked his tongue. They say even a hedgehog finds its own offspring lovely, but Wei Yan-ho was a son who was irritating beyond measure even to his own eyes, unable to even reach hedgehog level.
Even as his parent, he couldn't see any hope in the boy, so what exactly did that fool see in his younger brother to like him so much?
Having brotherly affection was something to be welcomed, but this had already gone far beyond the realm of normal affection.
"At this point, isn't it in the realm of religion? Like how Buddhists believe in Buddha."
"Amitabha, that's a discourteous statement. When Buddha loses himself, he becomes an Asura. Buddhism is about achieving enlightenment and progressing toward enlightenment, not blindly following Buddha."
"Whoa, then it's worse than religion."
Wei San-ho said as if wronged.
"Actually, Yan-ho has caused minor incidents so far!"
"Minor?"
"If that's 'minor,' he could go kill someone somewhere and still get lenient treatment."
"Being absorbed in martial arts, it seems you've neglected your studies. Your word usage is incorrect."
"..."
Wei San-ho flinched and stepped back.
How had his younger brother come to receive such treatment?
"But didn't all the results turn out well?"
"Did they turn out well?"
"The usage of 'turned out well' seems a bit wrong too?"
"This is why people need to study, everyone."
Wei San-ho crumpled into a corner.
Having suppressed Wei San-ho's rebellion, they looked around with anxious eyes.
"This is really driving me crazy."
Jang-il couldn't calm his pounding heart.
It was magnificently grand beyond measure.
Civil and military officials stood at attention with proper ceremonial dress along both sides of the avenue paved with pure white marble. That sight alone was enough to make one's heart tremble. Beyond that, the high stairs leading to the end of the path and the Imperial Throne above those stairs were practically stealing Jang-il's soul.
That Imperial Throne above was naturally prepared for His Imperial Majesty. Naturally, His Majesty would sit in that seat, and after that...
'Wei Yan-ho is going to enter down this path?'
Wei Yan-ho would walk between the civil and military officials.
"My, my heart..."
Don't you have to put your hand in the fire to know it's hot?
Couldn't they imagine what would happen if they made Wei Yan-ho do such a thing?
'It's ruined.'
Jang-il covered his face with his hands.
Of course, even if he caused an incident, Wei Yan-ho's head wouldn't be cut off or anything. Though it was handled unofficially, Wei Yan-ho had merit in saving the Emperor's life, and they wouldn't execute someone who had achieved such merit.
But Jianghu's position was different.
If Wei Yan-ho caused an incident here, the perception that Jianghu's scoundrels shouldn't be associated with would spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace, and it would take enormous time and effort to reverse that perception.
'Right now is the most important time... '
It wasn't simply a joke.
With the Demonic Cult rising again, connection with the Imperial Palace was more important than anything. Facing the massive enemy called the Demonic Cult, when the Imperial Palace and Jianghu needed to trust each other and join forces, if the perception became bad...
'No way!'
Right now the Demonic Cult was strangely inactive, but they had already declared they would regain their past might. Then they would surely push into the Central Plains soon. They needed to borrow even a cat's paw to reduce casualties by even one person.
But Wei Yan-ho causes an incident here?
"Absolutely not."
"Huh?"
Jang-il said urgently.
"Master Wei! Isn't there any way to prevent Yan-ho from coming here?"
"His Royal Highness took him, so what can I do about it?"
"Still, somehow..."
"...It'll work out."
"Now is not the time to speak so carefreely..."
Then, a low voice was heard.
"There's no need to worry so much."
"Eh?"
When Jang-il turned his head toward where the voice came from, a middle-aged man was smiling gently.
"Scholar Moon?"
Moon Yu-hwan smiled brightly and said.
"Young Master Wei is not someone without sense. You all see Young Master Wei too simply."
"What..."
What was this talk?
Someone without sense?
"He is a very intelligent person. He wouldn't do something that would harm himself."
"What?"
Just as he was about to make some rebuttal, a loud voice reached Jang-il's ears.
"His Imperial Majesty arrives!"
Jang-il quickly bowed his head.
The Emperor, who appeared at the top of the stairs, looked around once and sat on the Imperial Throne. Even though the Emperor had taken his seat, the officials couldn't raise their heads.
"Raise your heads."
When the Emperor's resonant voice flowed out, the officials looked up at the Emperor with moved eyes. The Emperor, who had always been sickly, was now looking at them with a presence that overwhelmed everyone.
"You all know there was an unfortunate incident recently."
The officials bowed their heads.
Though it would never be recorded in history, everyone knew there had been treason. Words could never be completely blocked. Therefore, the Emperor didn't bother trying to hide that fact.
There were more treasons unrecorded in history than those recorded. The Emperor's position was like that. Constantly threatened, constantly targeted.
"There was a great crisis, but a hermit from Jianghu helped Us suppress the treason. Though We cannot announce this fact to the world and praise his merit, We intend to give him a great reward at least before you all."
At that moment, Wei Jeong-han's head shot up.
He had thought there would be some ceremony since they said they would give a reward, but he hadn't expected such words to come from the Emperor's mouth.
It meant the Emperor valued Wei Yan-ho's merit more greatly than they thought.
'Wasn't the basic thinking of emperors that all subjects naturally sacrificing their lives for the Emperor was natural?'
The most shocking words were 'helped Us.' These weren't words that should come from an Emperor's mouth.
Then, the eunuch guarding beside the Emperor shouted loudly.
"Jianghu person Wei Yan-ho, receive His Majesty's command!"
Everyone's heads turned back.
'It's starting.'
'Please.'
The expectation-filled eyes of the officials and the anxiety-filled gazes of Wei Jeong-han's group all focused on one place.
Then Wei Yan-ho revealed himself at the end of the pure white marble path.
"What."
"What's this?"
"Oh my?"
The eyes of those who saw Wei Yan-ho widened.
People don't easily abandon something called impressions. No matter how excellent a person might be, if their first impression is badly imprinted, it becomes difficult to judge that person anew.
Moreover, re-seeing Wei Yan-ho, who had consistently planted bad impressions not just from first impressions, was certainly not easy.
But now, that was happening.
Wearing spotless pure white silk martial robes and with a Hero's Headband around his forehead, Wei Yan-ho's appearance was not the foolish Wei Yan-ho they had known until now.
Even the sword at his waist shone with brilliant white light.
Step.
With each step he took, admiring gazes flowed out.
"He's handsome?"
"Why is he handsome? Why?"
Of course, Wei Yan-ho was Wei Jeong-han's son and Wei San-ho's younger brother. His looks couldn't be poor.
However, usually his bleary fish eyes, subtle expressions, and dirty appearance with sleep crust still in his eyes had completely hidden that handsomeness. Wei Yan-ho, who had washed cleanly and arranged his ceremonial dress properly, was shining enough not to be ashamed of being called Wei San-ho's younger brother.
Step step.
It wasn't just his clothing and face that had changed.
Wei Yan-ho, who used to walk hunched over and shuffling, was walking with his back straight and head raised. And not too fast either, one step, one step.
Wei Jeong-han had to wonder if he had ever seen such walking in his son's entire life.
"...Cool."
Jin Ye-ran muttered without realizing it.
But no one could argue with those words. Though they didn't want to admit it, Wei Yan-ho's current appearance was literally like a warrior from old tales.
As if...
"...Like a painting."
Wei Jeong-han muttered.
Wei Yan-ho, who passed by without even glancing at them, stood below the stairs where the Emperor looked down, receiving the gazes of civil and military officials.
Then he slowly knelt on one knee and brought his hands together.
"Wei Yan-ho of the Guangdong Wei Family pays respects to Your Majesty."
Wei Jeong-han felt like he might cry.
The name of the Guangdong Wei Family was now echoing before the Emperor through Wei Yan-ho's mouth. If the ancestors saw this scene, they would have danced with joy.
And somehow Wei Yan-ho was maintaining proper etiquette.
The usual Wei Yan-ho would have made a fuss saying such a posture would twist his back.
Wei Jeong-han thought Wei Yan-ho's back looked unusually large today. Others seemed to feel similarly, losing words and staring blankly at Wei Yan-ho.
"Everyone listen."
"Yes!"
"When presumptuous treason forces were stirring, the Censorate, which was quietly doing its work, and Wei Yan-ho of the Guangdong Wei Family, Our subject, suppressed the treason and resolved the Imperial crisis. This merit is beyond words. Therefore, We will promote the Censorate, which played a major role in resolving the situation, to the Investigation Bureau, and have the Left Inspector and Right Inspector lead the Investigation Bureau. We promote Zhu Lun, who has been leading the Censorate as Censorate Director, to Left Inspector. And We bestow the position of Right Inspector upon Wei Yan-ho, who achieved the greatest merit in this affair."
When the Emperor finished speaking, everyone's gaze gathered on Wei Yan-ho.
'Please!'
'He wouldn't!'
The usual Wei Yan-ho would give answers like 'Can't I not take that?' or 'What's good about doing that?' Such an answer must be prevented from coming out in this place.
And finally, Wei Yan-ho's mouth, receiving everyone's worries and expectations, slowly opened.
"Your Imperial Grace is boundless. As Your Majesty's subject, as a Jianghu hero, and as a descendant of the Guangdong Wei Family, I will not betray Your Majesty's expectations and will be eternally grateful! Long live, long live, long long live!"
When Wei Yan-ho's voice, filled with spirit and heroic energy, rang out, Wei Jeong-han unconsciously opened his mouth wide.
"...What did he eat wrong?"
"...Right?"
Receiving everyone's shock-filled gazes, Wei Yan-ho thus received the Emperor's praise.
Though not recorded in history books, it was a moment when the stiff relationship between Jianghu and the Imperial family dramatically harmonized.