Chapter 37
Red Dragon Martial Emperor
Yi Hwan’s barracks were completed.
Though it only consisted of a thick cloth, a bed woven from bamboo, and a single table, Yi Hwan was satisfied.
Gomi came to visit him.
“They’ve left the city.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. I clearly saw the soldiers departing north.”
“Since General Hwang is dead, they probably didn’t feel the need to join forces.”
“That seems to be the case.”
Yi Hwan sipped his tea and changed the subject.
“Do you have any information about the emperor?”
“That’s not our jurisdiction.”
“Even if it’s not your area, you should know more than others, shouldn’t you?”
“Not at all. I’m sorry.”
Seeing Gomi’s firm stance, Yi Hwan didn’t press further.
After a brief silence, Gomi spoke first this time.
“What should we do here?”
“Didn’t the Crown Prince give instructions?”
“We were told to disrupt the Jinwi’s intelligence activities and assist General Hwang through information. But I am curious what the great army expects of me.”
“What I expect…?”
Yi Hwan trailed off, then smiled faintly and continued.
“Just do as you’ve been doing. You’re doing well enough.”
“Yes. I will.”
Gomi stood. Yi Hwan looked at the tea Gomi hadn’t finished and asked:
“Am I a burden?”
“No.”
“Then finish your tea before you go. It was sent from the Crown Prince you are so loyal to.”
“…Yes.”
Gomi sat down again.
At that moment, Song Cheonmu entered. His entire body was covered in dried mud, showing he had been working hard.
“The Jinwi Deputy Commander requests to see you.”
“There’s a guest. Tell him to come later.”
“Yes!”
After Song Cheonmu left, Gomi asked cautiously.
“You said before that you were waiting for the Deputy Commander to lose his temper. May I ask what you meant?”
“I was waiting for him to show his claws, but since General Hwang is dead, that probably won’t happen. He would see no need to reveal his claws.”
“And if he had shown them, what would you have done?”
“I would have killed him.”
“…!”
Yi Hwan smiled and continued.
“There’s no other reason to kill him anyway.”
“Deputy Commander Mo Jaehwang is no ordinary man. From the information we obtained, he comes from the martial world and possesses martial prowess comparable to a high-ranking general. He is also skilled in schemes.”
“Is that so? Then it’s all the more reason to kill him.”
“…!”
“Removing a man like that could deal a serious blow to Crown Prince Lee’s side.”
Gomi was inwardly shocked.
‘This is no bluff.’
At the same time, she felt uneasy.
‘If he acts rashly, it could backfire and make things harder for the Crown Prince.’
Gomi believed that Yi Hwan couldn’t match Mo Jaehwang. Even ignoring martial strength, in every other aspect, Mo Jaehwang would be a formidable opponent.
Yet, as much as she felt unease, she also felt anticipation.
She recalled Yi Hwan when he captured the assassin who killed Hwangho. His ruthless command to dismember the bodies had sent chills through everyone who witnessed it.
“You seem worried I might make a mistake.”
“Oh, no. I was just lost in thought for a moment.”
Gomi finished her tea and stood.
“I will take my leave.”
“Have you ever lived like this before?”
“Do not worry. I have faced much worse situations.”
Yi Hwan silently watched her leave, narrowing his brow slightly.
‘Mo Jaehwang, huh? Seems there’s some history there.’
He noticed a change in Gomi’s eyes when she mentioned Mo Jaehwang—almost a look of hostility.
Yi Hwan idly watched Mo Jaehwang leave through the open door of the barracks.
As Mo Jaehwang turned and smiled, Yi Hwan saw it as mockery.
Squirm.
‘Do I really need a justification?’
Killing him would be simple if he just seized the opportunity. But Yi Hwan shook his head.
‘This is not my era. I should follow the rules of this time to some extent, after all, I am a member of the great army.’
Mo Jaehwang’s life was spared—for now.
Thud thud thud!
Three horsemen galloped like a storm toward the new camp of the Southern Army. Clad in armor and armed with long swords, they were messengers of the imperial palace.
They paused at the entrance of a canyon for a short break.
“Anyone have some liquor?”
“Hey, we’re about to enter the camp. Drinking now would be a problem. Let’s just toast after delivering the commission.”
“What does it matter? Once we deliver it, the Southern Army will belong to us.”
“That’s true. Shall we have a drink?”
One messenger pulled out a bottle and smirked. The others licked their lips in anticipation.
But the bottle didn’t open.
Instead, a vein appeared on the messenger’s neck, and he fell to the side.
“Ugh!”
“Ahh!”
The other two messengers fell in shock. Behind them, a shadow appeared like a ghost, and their necks soon followed to the ground.
Thud! Thump!
A figure draped from head to toe in pitch-black cloth rummaged through the fallen messenger’s belongings, pulling out a tube and opening its cap. Inside was a document: a commission naming Paeng Mu-wi as the General of the Southern Army.
Moments later, the paper turned to ashes in the masked figure’s hand.
Snap!
Two more masked figures appeared from the forest, each dragging two corpses in their hands, dressed in Zhao state uniforms. They stabbed and cut the corpses with the messengers’ swords, then vanished into the forest.
Watching them were Cheol Muok and Gongsun Tae.
“If anyone saw this, they’d assume it was Zhao’s doing. And these must be the ones sent by the Crown Prince?”
“Seems the Crown Prince had the same idea as our lord.”
“Yes. It certainly makes things easier for us.”
Snap!
“Ugh!”
“You seem lazier than before.”
“Not lazy, just more at ease. Meeting our lord lightened the burden of destiny, so to speak.”
“Your words flow more smoothly too.”
“It’s always been like this.”
Snap!
“Uh!”
“Let’s go back.”
“Yes.”
“The messengers heading to the Southern Army were killed by someone. They were likely sent by the Crown Prince.”
Yi Hwan recalled Crown Prince Lee So while hearing Cheol Muok’s report.
‘If all the Crown Prince can do is this, things might become more difficult.’
Yi Hwan’s plan had been to buy time until Lee So found a way to solve the crisis. This involved killing the messengers carrying the commission midway—thus Cheol Muok and Gongsun Tae were stationed along the route.
“They were formidable. If they guard the path, we don’t need to act ourselves.”
“Seize the opportunity to bring him to me.”
“Yes.”
“Has there been a reply from the Crown Prince?”
“Not yet, as far as I know.”
Gongsun Tae stood.
“I’ll go confirm with General Jeongcheon.”
After Gongsun Tae left, Cheol Muok cautiously asked:
“Should we make it look like Zhao’s assassins killed Paeng Mu-wi? That might be the most foolproof plan.”
“If we kill Paeng Mu-wi, a stronger one will come. That will be a last resort.”
“Yes.”
Paeng Mu-wi and Yeong Ho-chung faced each other.
“The commission is delayed. The messengers should have arrived by now.”
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
Paeng Mu-wi pretended to be calm, but internally, he was far more anxious than Yeong Ho-chung.
“Have you chosen the replacement captains?”
“All our people. But there’s an issue.”
“What is it?”
“It’s hard to decide about the great army. I want to expel them, but as a great army, future problems may arise.”
“That was roughly discussed with Mo Jaehwang.”
“What? Why wasn’t I told?”
Paeng Mu-wi was immediately furious. Yeong Ho-chung calmly replied:
“I waited until the plan was perfect.”
“What do you intend to do?”
“The Zhao army will attack. Then, we’ll seize the opportunity…”
“Are you saying we eliminate them?”
“Any other way?”
“Even so, that seems extreme. Let’s just find a way to expel them from the camp.”
Yeong Ho-chung shook his head.
“It’s harder to expel them. The generals, including Jeongcheon, support the great army. Even if you become General-in-Chief, it won’t be easy.”
“Hmm…”
Paeng Mu-wi frowned. Though he hated Yi Hwan, he didn’t dare to kill him—not yet. Yi Hwan was a prince and a great general. Killing him could bring punishment akin to treason.
‘If the prince ascends the throne, I would be guilty of killing a royal. The Peng family of Hebei would be destroyed.’
This fear weighed on Paeng Mu-wi.
Though things favored Lee Hwang-ja, the future was uncertain.
“Are you unwilling?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Yeong Ho-chung’s gaze turned cold, and his voice followed suit.
“Do not forget the elders’ intention to make the Great General the Commander of the Southern Army. If it hinders the grand plan, you must remove anyone in the way. Keep that in mind.”
“Do I not know that? But… are you threatening me?!”
Paeng Mu-wi’s eyes widened as he shouted. Yeong Ho-chung’s behavior irked him. Usually calm, Paeng Mu-wi could not tolerate this.
At that moment, Mo Jaehwang entered, his expression stone-like.
“This is serious.”
“What happened?” Yeong Ho-chung asked.
“A palace messenger was found dead. Zhao soldiers’ corpses were nearby, so it seems a fight broke out.”
“Damn…”
“Did you find the commission?”
Mo Jaehwang shook his head.
“We searched everywhere. It seems Zhao took it.”
“How could this happen…”
He continued grimly:
“If Zhao has the commission, they’ll know General Hwang is dead and bring troops immediately.”
Bang!
Paeng Mu-wi slammed the table.
“Hmph! Let them come!”
Yeong Ho-chung, with a meaningful expression, said:
“The delay is unfortunate but not necessarily bad.”
“What?”
“Our army hasn’t settled into the camp properly. If Zhao attacks now, even if we repel them, the army will suffer greatly.”
He looked between Paeng Mu-wi and Mo Jaehwang:
“The great army moved the camp, supported actively by Generals Hwang and Jeong. Therefore, the responsibility lies with the great army and General Jeong.”
“Oh!”
Understanding this, Paeng Mu-wi and Mo Jaehwang’s expressions changed completely.
“We can manipulate this battle so our side cannot win. If done well, we can expel the thorn in our side, Jeongcheon, and even the great army as a bonus.”
“That’s right.”
Yeong Ho-chung looked at Paeng Mu-wi.
“Wouldn’t it be good for you to remove the great army without killing them?”
“True, but we can’t deliberately lose to Zhao. No matter the elders’ wishes, the nation comes first.”
“General! Why show weakness?!”
Yeong Ho-chung raised his voice. Mo Jaehwang added:
“For the sake of the grand plan, steel your mind. Otherwise, I will report this to the elders. Think of the safety of the Peng family as well.”
Paeng Mu-wi’s eyes trembled. Polite words, but clear threats.
