The Grand Mudang Saga [Path of the Shaman]

Chapter 430

In the backyard of the Forbidden City, not far from Kunning Palace, where the nobles reside, there was the Great Pavilion with a gloomy aura.

A place called Bulgwijeon (不歸殿), not its original name, because no one except those who live there can come out alive.

Admiral Seochang.

Unlike Admiral Dongchang, which was operated by the emperor’s secret order, located in the outer hall of Geoncheong Palace, Seochang was located close to Gonnyeong Palace, the center of the inner palace.

No one knew that the reason was the relationship between the royal consort and Admiral Seochang Wangjik.

Admiral Seochang’s royal title.

He was a character who appeared suddenly.

Originally, he was a low-level eunuch belonging to the Jeonjeongam, who was in charge of cleaning the palace, but he rose to prominence after he moved to the Office of Management in charge of the Naegung (敬事房).

Three years ago, Mr. Man, who was raised from the position of a court lady to the top of a concubine, favored him and recommended him to the emperor, and an essay was created immediately after that.

What was strange was that even though records of his entry into the palace remained, those who knew him looked at him as if he were someone else.

He has the same face but has changed as if he has become a stranger.

However, after he became Admiral Seochang, he wielded unbridled power and became deeply involved in the purge of the opposition to the royal family and the mysterious death of the imperial family, so everyone stopped questioning his past.

No, I couldn’t make it an issue.

All records about him have been deleted, and those who made fun of him disappeared without a trace.

Anyway, he was one of those who wielded the strongest power in the current imperial palace.

* * *

The residence of Admiral Seochang.

Wi Jeong-pil, a gray-haired eunuch, was sitting at a table with Wang Jik and talking privately.

“Is there any news from the prince?”

“yet… … no see.”

“Oh, the princess must be heartbroken.”

At Wi Jeong-pil’s words, Wang Jik’s face hardened.

that day three years ago.

At the time when he was killing the bloodlines of the imperial family one by one, he was able to kill the crown prince as well.

However, it was already too late when they tracked down the prince who had disappeared for some reason, and they only managed to find out the name of the guy who had run away.

Oh Sang, an old eunuch belonging to Wan’s Palace.

“I didn’t know that damn bastard hid it in Gansu.”

“That’s right. In the meantime, only Suncheon-bu and its nearby castles have been searched for. … .”

“hmm.”

Wang Jik’s face hardened even more at Wi Jeong-pil’s words.

It was only natural that he was the only one who failed to fulfill the command of the queen, and it was like a stain on his life.

“Anyway, the admiral is doing his best, so we’ll get it soon.”

“Sounds obvious!”

“…….”

“The prince will never be able to return to the palace alive.”

As Wang Jik’s eyes glistened with life, Wi Jeong-pil coughed in frustration.

Like Wang Jik, he did not learn martial arts, so he could not fully accept the will to live.

“Oops, sorry. Great feeling. I am so excited.”

“Collock, Coke. no. it’s okay.”

“…….”

Wangjik, who was cheered up by the sight of him coughing and waving his hand, put on an apologetic expression.

“I look very old now. When I was in my prime, I didn’t do this even in front of famous generals.”

“Aren’t you already in your seventies?”

“Heh heh, that’s it. If I had been younger, I would have been able to be loyal to the royal palace.”

“Don’t say such weak words. You are still correcting it.”

“Correct it. It’s just a pity that I can’t do my job properly because I’m old.”

“It doesn’t matter. The fact that Dae Tae-gam turned to us was tantamount to gaining a thousand troops and horses.”

“Is it?”

“Am yea, um yea. It’s not someone else, isn’t it a big deal? We thought we would never be able to conciliate.”

“… … Gwibimama’s will just matched mine. He said he would overturn this rotten country and open a new world.”

Wang Jik smiled and nodded happily at Wi Jeongpil’s words.

“Be patient a little longer. We will soon be able to take the head of King Yeong and his loyal leftist governor Kwak Jong-sang.”

“Are you waiting for them to move the military?”

“Yes, the moment they feel impatience and move the military at will, they are going to charge them with treason. For that reason, some of Seochang’s soldiers are mobilized to keep an eye on King Yeongbu and Jongsang Kwak.”

“I’m glad. They will die without even seeing the crown prince in their hands.”

“yes. I will die like a dog chasing chickens.”

“Heh heh, just hearing it makes me feel relieved.”

It was the time when they smiled at each other and tried to continue their chat with private stories.

“Admiral vs. man!”

“……?”

He must not have known that he was talking to Wi Jeong-pil, but Jo Hyun, the person in charge of collecting messengers under his command, hurriedly jumped into the inner room.

“What’s going on?”

Wangjik, who was interrupted by the conversation, rolled his eyes, but Johyeon didn’t care and spoke urgently.

“The King’s Office has lost contact.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Since the reports from the five warriors who were watching over the King ceased, we have not been able to reach them at all.”

“…….”

“Also, we have lost contact with Lee Pyeong-se, who ordered us to support the monitoring of the king.”

“what?”

Wang Jik widened his eyes and jumped up.

“You mean you were discovered?”

“I don’t know what it is, but something like this came up from the place where Jong-sang Kwak’s home is monitored.”

“…….”

Wangjik’s eyes twitched nonstop as he accepted the note from Johyeon.

“The Shameless District Prosecutor… … Appearing at the house of a left-handed dog?”

Did he mean that he suddenly appeared at Jong-sang Kwak’s home while inquiring about his whereabouts under the order of the consort?

“yes. It is said that Lee Pyeong-se was there with him.”

“Together?”

“yes. According to reports that came up, they were captured… … .”

Kwaaang!

Unable to hold back his anger at Johyeon’s report, Wangjik hit the table roughly.

“What a fool! If so, does that mean that the swordsman has already been captured by the king?”

“It didn’t seem like it. He asked for an interview, and he said he had just entered the front door… … .”

“this… … this… … !”

What kind of absurd situation is this? Why does he appear here?

How the hell are things going?

“Cough, Cough… … .”

“…….”

While Wang Jik couldn’t hold back his anger, Wi Jeong-pil started coughing again.

He could not overcome the excessively boiling energy of the royal office.

“Oops, sorry. Great feeling. I’m excited again… … .”

“no. no. By the way, if it’s a shaman’s sword, isn’t it the one the noblewoman asked you to come find?”

“yes. That is him.”

“If you do, you must hurry. Wouldn’t it be a big deal if the King of Kings captured him?”

“Well, I guess I’ll have to do it myself.”

“Hurry up. In a situation where the crown prince’s problem has not been resolved, the princess will be very upset if even the shaman’s sword is handed over to them.”

“yes. It’s a long-awaited conversation… … I am sorry.”

“Sorry? It’s just a pity that I can’t be of any help to the cause.”

“What are you saying?”

“I have to go back and rest. Coke, Coke.”

“…….”

When Wi Jeong-pil coughed again in pain, Wang Jik, who thought it was because of his own life, felt sorry for himself and gave orders to his subordinates.

“Take the sense of greatness to the place of residence!”

“yes!”

“And immediately summon all soldiers of Seochang in the imperial castle.”

“yes? However, it wasn’t long before, except for those who were dispatched to Gansuk… … .”

“Shut up! You don’t know how serious this matter is! It is okay to vacate the imperial castle for a while, so give everyone a call-up order and tell them to gather near Kwak Jong-sang’s home!”

“Ah, I see.”

Wi Jeong-pil, who left behind the kingship that issued an unholy order to Johyeon, headed for his residence with the support of Seochang’s eunuch.

“Good job. stop going away.”

“yes.”

Wi Jeong-pil, bitten by Seochang’s eunuch, stumbled into his residence, and the young eunuch who was taking care of the work hurriedly came and helped him.

“I need to rest, so don’t let anyone into the living quarters.”

“yes. Shall we prepare the usual food?”

“So be it.”

“yes.”

After entering the room, Wi Jeong-pil lay down on the bed and did not move until the young eunuch brought water and food and left.

“Eww, your energy is getting weaker by the day… … .”

A young eunuch muttered from outside the door.

Wi Jeong-pil, a great sense of greatness that dominates the night of the imperial castle… … He, too, cannot defy time.

Eventually, when no sound could be heard around his residence.

Wi Jeong-pil slowly raised his body.

He peered into the dimly lit room with eyes completely different from those of the time when he was weak just a moment ago, and carefully pulled up the folding screen behind the seat he was lying on.

Click.

When he pressed his fingers against the wall where the floor met, a hole opened in the wall and a passage leading inside came out.

Wi Jeong-pil listened once more to make sure that the surroundings were safe, then took the tray of food left by the young eunuch and disappeared into it.

* * *

Knock, Knock, Knock… … .

A place where moisture gathers and falls.

A boy was sitting there, lit by a small lantern, and an old man, Wi Jeong-pil, bowed his head in front of him.

“Great feeling. Your complexion doesn’t look good.”

“No, lower. I do not know how to ask for the sins of my convictions, as I have enshrined you in this humid place where the sun does not shine and I do not see you often.”

Even though the age difference was visible, Wi Jeong-pil’s attitude was extremely polite.

But what did you mean by lowering yourself toward a skinny little boy?

“It’s okay. What if it’s wet, and what if it’s dry? If it wasn’t for you, he would have already died… … .”

“…….”

Wi Jeong-pil lowered his head even more with a sad expression when he felt the emptiness of an old man who had lived in the world in his youthful voice.

“Okay, how is it going outside? Are the queen and uncle still the same?”

“They’re still pointing their knives at each other, but something strange has happened lately and both sides are making noise.”

“Strange thing?”

“yes. I don’t know what kind of reckless people they are, but it seems that there are people who dare to imitate the Crown Prince.”

“Do you imitate me?”

“That’s right. His true identity has not yet been revealed, but he will surely be struck by lightning because he has committed an act of wrath.”

“… … hmm.”

At Wi Jeong-pil’s words, the boy stopped talking for a moment and was lost in thought.

“Thanks to that, the imperial castle’s surveillance must have decreased a bit.”

“Yes, low. Lately, they seem to have complete confidence in me as well.”

“It’s fortunate. You must have suffered a lot in the past.”

As the boy nodded happily, Wi Jeong-pil blushed, not knowing what to do.

Wi Jeong-pil, he was a person who knew that the rumors about the Crown Prince that were making a lot of noise recently were fake.

Because the real thing was right in front of his eyes.

He was the one who saved the crown prince from the hands of the royal title and nobles, and faked his actions.

It’s been three years since he enshrined the crown prince in Bi-dong at his residence, pretended to betray the imperial family, and held the princess’s hand to protect him.

“Anyway, everyone must be busy chasing the fake prince.”

“yes. The King Yeong tried to get His Majesty’s approval to move the gold army, but he couldn’t get what he wanted because of the Consort’s interference.”

“Then Seochang must have moved. Alumni alone won’t be enough?”

“It seems that King Yeong made contact with the Murim people.”

“Murim people?”

“yes.”

“How strange. Do you remember that your uncle did not like the Murim people very much?”

“It was because the power of the original body was weakened, so he was trying to grab a straw.”

“Hmm, my uncle is using the Murim people… … .”

As the boy, no, the crown prince thought hard and his eyes brightened, Wi Jeong-pil, who was looking at his eyes, said one more thing.

“There is one strange thing.”

“Strange thing?”

“yes. It is also related to the Daegung I mentioned earlier, and both factions are trying to meet the same person.”

“… … Who is that?”

“He has the title of Shaman Swordsman, Sapae Heavenly Lord, and Demonic Sect leader.”

“……!”

The Crown Prince opened his eyes wide as if he was a little surprised at Wi Jeong-pil’s words.

You are the owner of three places.

He was a crown prince who lived in the imperial castle and now relied on this small village, but in his childhood, he admired the Murim people who went beyond human limits.

But isn’t it the same as the former Murim?

You’re the owner of that place… … .

“You must be a really great person.”

“yes. I heard that you are a person who walks on the clouds and soars through the sky, freely roaming the world as if it were his own home.”

“oh! okay?”

When the Crown Prince, who was exhausted from the hardships, showed curiosity, Wi Jeong-pil smiled and continued the story of Jinmu, which was praised by the public.

Even if your status is crown prince, a child is a child.

Wi Jeong-pil was more excited about the image of the crown prince shining in his eyes with a dreamy expression in the exaggerated story.

“Aren’t you truly envious?”

“…….”

“As the prince, everyone wants to kill me, but he wants everyone to get his hands on it.”

When the story was over, the prince’s voice, which had a depressed expression and curiosity was erased, rang bitterly.

How can you not know the heart in those eyes and voice?

Even though he has the highest status as the Crown Prince, he has no choice but to live miserably in a place like this to save his life.

What is the difference between being locked in a chicken coop and waiting for the day to die?

I long for the lives of those who freely roam the world, but since I can’t live like that myself, how can that young heart be intact?

A pitiful and tender person… … .

If I hadn’t been born into the imperial family, I wouldn’t have seen the image of my mother who saved herself and died in front of her eyes.

Suddenly, Wi Jeong-pil had a question.

Is it good this way?

I hid him in Bidong to protect him, but isn’t the prince’s life just a lifespan?

What if a man named Jinmu, who had jumped into the whirlpool of the political situation, saved the prince?

yes, he is a genius

Doesn’t it say that there is no one in the world, and that all places under the sky are his home and resting place?

If so. Even if he is a lifelong enemy to the Grand Palace, whom the Consort Gwibi speaks of, his righteousness is indescribable.

A firm determination appeared on Wi Jeong-pil’s face.

let’s meet him

What’s the problem with meeting you?

If he can’t be trusted, it will end in a light meeting, and if he holds hands, he might save the crown prince from this miserable life.

It doesn’t matter if I die in the process.

If only the prince could be saved.

If he could fly freely, that would be enough.