As Prophet - Chapter 148



Only Noblemtl

Episode 148. The False and the Real

The king turned around at the entrance to the bedroom yard and looked at Dalcheon. The eunuchs and servants who followed him lowered their heads, not knowing what to do.

“What should we do in this case? Should we promote her to the position of Queen Dowager of His Majesty the King? Or should we avenge her for killing her mother?”

Dalcheon shook his head.

“Your Majesty, please do not ask me such difficult questions. I am only sixteen.”

The king was dumbfounded when he heard Dalcheon’s answer and laughed. He used to act like a wise man, but now he was just a sixteen-year-old boy.

“I want to hear the boy’s answer.”

There are things that cannot be avoided or rejected. Dalcheon knows very well that he does not have the wisdom he seeks. He also knows that he must end things well, and that it would be better for the person involved, but it is a situation where talking is useless.

“Well… … just take a stance and do things, and don’t make excuses that it was the best you could do.”

“Are you saying we should consider all positions?”

Dalcheon quietly changed the subject.

“Wouldn’t it be better to start from the beginning?”

Soon after, several hastily made cotton balls and loyal vertical soldiers came in. Dalcheon led four men of similar height and size into the chamber. He dressed all of them in dragon robes and cotton balls, and then handed the remaining one to the king.

“You want me to write too?”

“That’s why I asked you to bring it.”

The king wore a mask, and five people were similar. Dalcheon ordered the eunuch to assign each of the four servants and send one to Changdeokgung Palace and another to Deoksugung Palace. One remained in the bedroom and the last one was sent to Changgyeonggung Palace, which was under construction. He ordered them not to leave all at once, but to depart in sequence.

The king asked Dalcheon.

“Where is the luggage going?”

“You must go here, to the battlefield. Wear thick armor.”

“this.”

“It would be best to keep the words to a minimum. The goal is to keep people from knowing who is real.”

“Well, the strategy is to pretend to leave the palace and stay here. Is that so?”

“Similar.”

The royal procession took place. First, a large group carrying a palanquin went out of Geonchunmun and headed toward Changdeokgung Palace. Soon after, the royal procession in fine clothes rode a horse out of Gwanghwamun and headed toward Deoksugung Palace. Half an hour later, another group headed toward Changgyeonggung Palace, and the real king, wearing armor, went out to Gwanghwamun.

Those who had already seen the king’s procession were at a loss. Dalcheon came to the main camp and checked the operational situation again. In the meantime, Geun-gi’s troops were advancing one after another.

As the army took shape, the people who sensed the change retreated far away. As the frightened people retreated, the street in front of Gwanghwamun, stretching south, opened up.

* * *

“But let me tell you something.”

“yes.”

“How do you differentiate the watermelons you mentioned earlier?”

“A person who is different on the outside and inside, well… … you can tell when you look at them.”

“How do you look at people?”

Dalcheon showed the form of raising his left hand forward and lowering it with his right hand.

“If you look at it this way, you can tell right away.”

“I mean, other than physically attacking it.”

“Your Majesty, can’t you see what’s inside people?”

“Do you see that?”

“I know that the outside and the inside are different.”

“Isn’t that objective? Even though a true person sees things that way and distinguishes between black and white, isn’t that something that can convince others?”

“So I make them talk. If I make them say a few words, the contradictions will inevitably come out.”

“Isn’t there a way to make your true feelings show up on your face?”

Dalcheon laughed loudly.

“The Prime Minister spoke politely earlier, but when he bowed, his eyes moved without rest. His anxiety was expressed in his eyes.”

“Are the internal and external affairs of the Do Seung-ji different?”

“It seems so. There was also a certain minister who shook his head. He speaks correctly but acts foolishly. Isn’t he different on the outside and inside?”

“Then is he a watermelon too?”

“That’s how I saw it. What he wanted was power and fame, but he wanted to be seen as a naive person who only does work.”

“Is he a person of Yeo-ui or not?”

“Hmm… … He seems to be lacking and just acting like a jerk, not like the right-hand man of Yeo-ui. However, he is more likely to monopolize state affairs than the right-hand man of Yeo-ui, so it would be a good idea to either behead him or send him far away.”

“That’s difficult. How can you figure that out?”

“Revival… … Well, when studying… … When studying breathing, like observing the inside, expand the area and read the flow. Like reading a text. There are people who often show this discrepancy. They are not good people at all. I learned that what makes relationships between people beautiful is faith. But such people find opportunities during conversations.”

“Isn’t that how you live in everyday life in society? Jim wants to figure out whether the person is black or white.”

Dalcheon opened his mouth wide and thought for a moment.

“Honestly, whoever becomes king, they are people who will be loyal to that. Don’t expect too much. I think that building a good relationship is a process of building trust with each other.”

“Oh my! I told you I don’t like generalities.”

“It’s too much to hope for. Just look at the current law. Then you will see.”

“I don’t want to be betrayed by the wrong guy.”

“You’re doing well. It’s been a long day.”

As Dalcheon tried to escape with a vague answer, the king asked him urgently.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m trying to find out if there are any related books nearby.”

“Oh, a book? If you want a Taoist book, there is a Sogyeok-seo* outside the Geonchunmun Gate over there.”

* Sogyeokseo: A government office established during the Joseon Dynasty to conduct Taoist rituals. Located in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu.

Dalcheon tilted his head.

“Was that left? Didn’t you hate it as a left-wing way that deceived and polluted the world, a heresy?”

“It was said that since it was a system that had been in place since the previous king’s reign, it could not be overthrown rashly, so its lineage was maintained.”

“I heard that you are saying that only the Emperor can perform sacrifices to Heaven, and that it is against etiquette for a mere vassal, the King of Joseon, to do so. That is absurd.”

A ‘hum, hum’ sound was heard from around them. It seemed that the scholars found the sound awkward to hear.

“It still remains.”

“Oh, but it sounds like these guys didn’t even report it to Taebaek and just did whatever they wanted.”

“Whew. I’ve been through a few ups and downs. If you need a book, it might be there.”

“I remember a book I read when I was young, and there was a passage that said that if you put ink on a person’s forehead, you can tell if it’s black or white, but I don’t remember exactly where it was.”

“I was given royal support for carrying out the re-enactment. The book will contain everything from the Goryeo Dynasty.”

“Ahem, then.”

Dalcheon looked far away and behind him, then said he was going out for a moment and disappeared to the east.

I should have gone to Sogyeokso, but I took a long detour. I quickly crossed the empty street and entered Ibu. In the Ibu yard, soldiers were hiding and preparing for battle, and I was surprised to see Dalcheon. There were familiar faces. Dalcheon kept saying, “Rest!” and went inside to ask for the teacher’s plan.

The Ijo official tried to refuse with a troubled look on his face, but Dalcheon lied, saying that it was His Majesty’s order and that he had to see documents containing personal information such as the names, pen names, posthumous names, years of birth and death, clans, and residences of those in office, as well as information on their official positions such as whether they passed the civil service examination or not, previous positions, and transfers.

Although the king’s distrustful expression could not be erased, he could not refuse when the most important figure in the uprising that occurred this morning asked for it, and he took out a large book and gave it to him.

“This is it.”

“Are both the capital and external officials included?”

Speaking of appearance, he brought another booklet. Dalcheon, who had taken the two books, smiled and quickly ran out. Jeonrang followed him and asked when he would return them.

“Ahem. I think we’ll have to wait until tomorrow or the day after the battle is over.”

“This is a very important book, so please keep it well. Do not show it to anyone else.”

“Of course. Hahaha.”

He tied the two volumes together with a string, carried them on his back, and ran to the main camp. The king asked Dalcheon, who had come too quickly after saying that he was reading the books.

“You’re here already?”

“I was thinking of trying it another way.”

“What is that on your back?”

“Teacher, here is the list of all those who receive the allowance, excluding the military. There are about 500 of them.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I will look into it and let you know. I repeat, there is no objective way Your Majesty wants it. It is not possible. However, I am not sure if I can tell the difference after seeing what happened today. The battle is more urgent right now.”

Of course, the king could not hold back any longer while they talked about fighting.

On the outside, he seemed calm, but the king’s mind was not in order. When he thought he had entered Hanyangseong and taken revenge and finished it, the bastards stirred up a movement. They were trying to block his ascension as if they had made a promise. If he didn’t spend this afternoon properly, everything would be over. His fate and Joseon’s fate could end.

Oh my, a revolution in this peaceful time! The country is peaceful and the people are well fed. There can be nothing else. They are making a fuss over a few official posts, but I thought, ‘It’s only their business.’ Since the founding ideology of thinking of the people has been maintained, it seems unlikely that Joseon will collapse, but looking at the current situation, it is a war that is difficult to win.

He said he only saw two camps, but there are more troops than ours. And if the Northern Army, which is said to be coming down secretly, joins in, although we don’t know how many, it will be a very difficult battle. If we had time to call up the local troops, the situation would be different, but…

Do Seung-ji bowed down next to the king.

“majesty!”

“What’s going on?”

He’s a reckless guy. If he’s wearing a mask and the chief minister is joking around next to him, wouldn’t those guys think this is the real thing?

“Isn’t it dangerous to stay here? Why don’t you come inside?”

The corners of the king’s mouth rose silently. He wanted to go in.

“I see. There is a king inside, so it will be a little safer if you pretend to serve him. Go inside. It could be a play to deceive them. If the Do Seung-ji knows that there is one inside, he will think that the one here is fake and will not pay much attention to it, and it will be safer.”

“That, that, that’s not what I meant. If you stay here and get hit by a blinding arrow… … .”

“You might as well just let them die. If we don’t stop them today, we’re finished. If Joseon falls, I’ll have to see it with my own eyes. How could a company we built collapse because of a rebellion? Joseon will survive. The people of this country won’t tolerate it.”

“Is what they are talking about a revolution?”

The king nodded.

“The people may hate me becoming their king, but since it is not Joseon, they will oppose it becoming another country. Although there were some mistakes, they were made with the people in mind. Joseon will survive. Please go in and fool their eyes. What is here is fake. Make them think what is inside is real.”

When he said this, Do Seungji thought, “That’s right,” bowed, and left. Leaving behind the two Seungjis of the Royal Secretariat, he headed to Gangnyeongjeon, his sleeping quarters.

The palace was equally busy. People were digging the ground, erecting embankments, and hanging ropes, but there were more things that were impossible to figure out. The palace was in chaos.