Chapter 82: Gichuk Purge [3]
Jeong Cheol's orders were delivered as swiftly as birds flying through the sky and as secretly as rats creeping through the night.
Upon receiving his orders, Hwanghae Provincial Governor Han Jun, Anak County Magistrate Yi Chuk, Jaeryeong County Magistrate Park Chunggan, Sincheon County Magistrate Han Eungin, and the others immediately submitted their reports.
Their contents were as follows:
Jeong Yeo-rip and the Daedong-gye group were plotting treason, planning to attack the capital at the same time from Hwanghae Province and Honam, kill Commander Shin Rip and the Minister of War, and seize military command.
It was more than enough to throw the court into complete chaos.
Moreover, when reports followed that there had also been an armed group inside Hanyang, King Seonjo, now alarmed, urgently dispatched State Tribunal officials to Hwanghae Province and Jeolla Province.
Yet even amid such unrest and dread, Kanghyeok alone was able to remain calm, and the reason was simple.
"So, have you been well?"
Yi Hang-bok, now one of the Westerners' rising stars after bringing down the Easterners and ascending as a real power at court, had been coming to see him almost every other day.
There were times when he asked for help with torture, but those were not many.
Far more often, he came simply to ask how he was doing and to let him know how the purge was progressing.
"Yes, thanks to you."
"That is good."
Yi Hang-bok sat down on the daecheong with a movement so familiar it seemed second nature.
Even the servants, including Dolseok, did not think much of him anymore, since he had become such a frequent visitor.
They merely served him the chicken he so particularly loved.
"This is good no matter how many times I eat it."
"It tastes even better thanks to the flour you procured for us, sir."
"That dark speckled stuff would be pepper, I suppose?"
"Yes, that's right. Lord Ryu brought it before the incident broke out."
At the mention of Ryu Seong-ryong, Yi Hang-bok's expression darkened a little.
No matter that they now stood on opposite sides as Easterners and Westerners, he bore no personal grudge against Ryu Seong-ryong.
If anything, while serving together in the Ministry of Rites, he had far more often found himself admiring the man's character.
He chewed the chicken in his mouth for a long while before finally speaking.
"Yes. Lord Ryu has no connection to Jeong Yeo-rip, so he should be fine."
"That is a relief."
"By the way, the reason I came today…"
Yi Hang-bok set the bone down on the floor.
He rubbed his greasy fingers together carelessly to wipe them clean, then looked at Kanghyeok with a much graver expression.
"Jeong Yeo-rip is dead."
"What?"
"He was found on Jukdo, having taken his own life."
"Huh. I suppose he died while being pursued."
"Yes. A man called Byeon Sungbok was found there as well."
"I see."
Byeon Sungbok was someone he had seen in person before.
They had been enemies, but hearing that he was dead still left him feeling strange.
"What happened to Uiyeon?"
"Ah, him? He died."
"As expected."
"And that is hardly all."
Yi Hang-bok quietly closed his eyes and thought of the countless deaths.
What had begun as an effort purely meant to stop treason against the court was now being used only as a tool to oppress the Easterners.
Far too many people were dying, being exiled, or losing their offices.
In particular, no matter how he thought about it, it was absurd that Right State Councillor Jeong Eon-sin, who had helped suppress Nitanggae's Rebellion along with Kim Si-min, Yi Eok-gi, Shin Rip, Yi Sun-sin, and others, had resigned merely because he was Jeong Yeo-rip's ninth-degree relative.
"You do not seem to be in good spirits."
"Haha. Do I? In truth, that is indeed so."
"I am sorry I cannot be of help."
"No. I am sorry that I seem to be troubling even you for no reason."
Yi Hang-bok only leaned against the pillar and silently chewed his chicken.
Lately, after leaving the office, he had been spending more and more time at Kanghyeok's house instead of going straight home.
Since it seemed he was taking it as a kind of healing time, Kanghyeok left him alone to do as he pleased.
"Ah, sir."
"Yes?"
"The matter I asked you to look into before, by any chance…"
"Ah, the matter of Jeong Changgwon?"
Was this not an age when even ninth-degree relatives were being struck down?
In the case of Changgwon, Jeong Yeo-rip's own younger brother, there was even less to say.
Of course, Changgwon had kept his distance from Jeong Yeo-rip to the point one might say he treated him worse than a stranger.
Even so, if someone truly meant to wield the hammer, there was no reason they could not.
"I heard he distinguished himself in the recent disturbance at Eotan-myeon. Judging from the report submitted by Magistrate Kim Yungil, there was no one quite like him."
"Yes. That is quite true."
Kim Yungil.
He too was one of the victims of this purge.
By rights, he should have risen to Minister of Personnel, but because the purge had broken out so suddenly, he was still serving merely as a magistrate.
If there was one fortunate thing, it was that his usual conduct had been so excellent that he had friends on both the Easterners' and Westerners' sides.
Thanks to that, even though he was one of the Easterners, he was not personally being swept up in the purge.
"What more investigation can there be over someone already dead? I spoke to Lord Jeong Cheol and had it covered up."
"As far as I know, there is one daughter. What will be done about her…?"
Without realizing it, Kanghyeok cast a glance toward the backyard.
That was where Yeoju, dressed as a man, was hiding with bated breath.
"Ah. A search order was given. However, both the magistrate and your father said they knew nothing, so it will most likely be concluded as it is. She is not even a man, but a woman."
"I see."
"I heard you and Jeong Changgwon had been close since childhood. I am sorry you ended up going through this against your will."
"It's all right, sir. Thanks to your consideration, I have been able to live here at ease."
"Yes. It should all be settled soon. It must be."
Leaving behind that meaningful remark, Yi Hang-bok rose from his seat.
"Then I shall see you again."
He waved his hand and strode toward the main gate, swinging both arms.
Then, as if something had suddenly come to mind, he turned back around.
"By the way, do you know a man named Heo Jun from the Royal Medical Bureau?"
"Ah, yes. I do. We exchange letters."
He had not yet had the chance to meet him after arriving here, having become unexpectedly busy.
But he had intended to see him as soon as the chance came. Had he not benefited greatly from the sumsu and aconite Heo Jun had told him about?
It was such a welcome name that a smile spread across Kanghyeok's face.
It truly had been a long time.
In fact, it felt like the first time since the purge began.
"Yes. He said he was urgently looking for you, but I told him I would pass the word along and then forgot."
"Urgently?"
"Yes. Something about Kim Gyehan… One of the eunuchs tripped and fell, and it seems he is in critical condition. My apologies, but I truly have had no peace of mind these days."
"Where do I need to go?"
He had been feeling stifled beyond measure already.
Someone like Kanghyeok, who loved wandering around, had barely left the house for the past several months since the purge began.
That had allowed him to pass through safely, but that did not mean he was not bored.
This is a good chance to see Heo Jun's face too… and loosen up my hands a bit.
If he had fallen, then it was bound to be trauma.
And it was obviously not going to be simple.
Anything easy would already have been handled by Heo Jun.
"Come with me. He is probably at the Royal Medical Bureau."
"The Royal Medical Bureau. Understood. I will call my men as well."
"Do so. Goodness, it has been quite a while since I was asked, so I do wonder whether something has gone wrong in the meantime."
Yi Hang-bok blamed himself, deep lines creasing his brow.
If even such a brilliant man was so distracted, then one could easily tell just how chaotic the court's current situation was.
And that in turn meant Joseon was in no condition to prepare for the Imjin War.
Kanghyeok felt he finally understood why Joseon had no choice but to suffer so terribly.
So that was it. At a moment when everything hung by a thread, they were busy fighting among themselves.
Even among the Easterners alone, he knew of more than a few who had already died.
Starting with Yi Bal, one of the Easterners' leading figures, the brothers Yi Gil and Yi Geup, as well as Jo Daejung, Yu Mongjeong, Choe Yeogyeong, Yi Hwangjong, Yun Gisin, Yi Jingil, and others had all been killed simply because they had been close to Jeong Yeo-rip.
Not only that, but key Easterners figures such as Chief State Councillor No Su-sin, Right State Councillor Jeong Eon-sin, and Hong Jongnok, Direct Academic of the Hongmungwan, had all been dismissed from office.
At that point, it almost felt less like treason was the issue and more like this was simply a purge of the Easterners.
The only comfort was that this disaster had come earlier than it originally had.
Unless Toyotomi Hideyoshi suddenly lost his mind and moved the invasion forward as well.
That alone meant they had gained at least a few extra months to prepare for the war.
In any case, there is still some time left. There is nothing I can do right now anyway.
Was this not a situation where one wrong move could cost him his head?
For now, the best thing was to do what he could.
"Young master, we're ready."
At Kanghyeok's order, Dolseok, Makbong, Yeoni, and Yeoju all came rushing over.
Since Yeoni and Yeoju were always dressed as men, the sight looked quite natural.
Even Yi Hang-bok, sharp-eyed as he was, let it pass without any particular suspicion.
"Good. Then let us go."
"Yes, sir."
The group passed through Geoncheon-dong and headed for the palace.
Unlike before, the market spread out to either side was noticeably less lively.
That was only natural when people were dying every other day.
Because of the purge, even the economy had begun to worsen.
"This is the way to the Royal Medical Bureau."
Yi Hang-bok showed the patrol constable blocking his path a token and a letter.
The letter bore an official seal, and its contents were a request to grant Kanghyeok temporary access.
Since the owner of that seal was none other than Jeong Cheol, the constables did not dare utter a word.
At present, Jeong Cheol was the most powerful man in court aside from the king himself.
The two of them tied up their horses and headed inside.
"It was a good thing I obtained your pass in advance."
"Yes, sir."
This was not Kanghyeok's first time entering the palace.
Though all his previous visits had been to the State Tribunal for torture.
It does feel a bit strange to be entering in order to save someone.
Back then, the atmosphere had been as grim as could be.
Even Kanghyeok, who had done nothing wrong, had shrunk in on himself as he went in.
Compared to that, this felt like heaven.
Most of all because the companion at his side was Yi Hang-bok, not a State Tribunal official.
"The Royal Medical Bureau is this way."
"Ah, yes."
"That direction is the State Tribunal. Surely you are not thinking of going to torture someone again."
"Of course not."
"Yes. I did not like it either. Ah, it is over there."
"Ah."
The Royal Medical Bureau was not very large.
Even so, it still consisted of several buildings.
Yi Hang-bok grabbed one of the people passing by and announced Kanghyeok's arrival.
"Hey there. Go inform Cheomjeong Heo Jun that Scholar Baek Kanghyeok has arrived."
"Ah, yes!"
The man ran off as if he were flying.
A moment later, someone came hurrying out of a room.
His face and official robes were splattered with blood, but Kanghyeok recognized him at a glance.
"Physician Heo Jun!"
"Ah, you have come!"
"Yes, it has been a while."
"Let us leave greetings for later and get inside at once!"
"Ah, yes."
He had forgotten.
Heo Jun was a hopeless patient fool.
Thanks to that, Kanghyeok was dragged into the Royal Medical Bureau without even having the chance to exchange a proper farewell with Yi Hang-bok.
The same went without saying for the people with him.
Yi Hang-bok merely chuckled and turned away.
He had heard more than once about what sort of man Heo Jun was.
"This way."
"Ah, yes, yes."
Kanghyeok hurriedly removed his leather shoes and stepped up into the room.
At the same time, the heavy smell of blood came rushing from deeper inside.
"What is this?"
"This… He is a eunuch who attends His Majesty, but he fell down the stairs."
"Ah."
No wonder the injuries had seemed so severe.
Kanghyeok hurriedly took a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope from his house-call bag.
"Dolseok, check his blood pressure. Yeoni, wash the wound with water. Makbong, push everyone unnecessary outside. Everyone except Physician Heo Jun."
"Yes, young master!"
While the other two were moving, Kanghyeok began with auscultation.
The bloody fluid coming from the lungs had seemed ominous from the start.
—Hiss, hiss.
Sure enough, the sound of air leaking could be heard from the right lung.
That was bad.
He was frowning when Dolseok shouted in an urgent voice,
"His blood pressure is… 70 over 40. No, 60? Uh… it's still dropping!"
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