NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
[Moments later, at Sungnakwon.]
There’s a saying: “The realm of governance and martial arts should not encroach upon each other’s territories.”
However, one question arises: who exactly is proclaiming this idea of non-interference?
“The martial world declared this to survive,” said the Sword Saint as he gazed at the trees in Sungnakwon. It’s the martial world that shouts for non-interference.
“The imperial court didn’t leave the martial world alone because they couldn’t interfere. They just found it too bothersome to meddle.”
If they wanted to, they could easily intervene in the martial world. They simply have refrained from doing so, as it would be too wasteful to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops in a peaceful era for an invasion against martial artists.
“But now, the situation has changed.”
The Sword Saint turned to look at me.
“Physician Seok, you have now become a target even in the Imperial Palace. This is not only because of your ability to treat Absolute Meridian Sickness, but also due to your medical skills.”
“Yes, and there are now other factors increasing this situation…”
“This isn’t going to end with an alliance with the Hebei Paeng Family. The biggest target currently facing the Mo Yong Family isn’t the Five Great Families or the Nine Great Clans, but the Imperial Palace in Beijing.”
Non-interference? Until now, the palace had no reason to involve itself with the martial world, but if the need arises, they will find any justification to do so.
Whether they threaten the martial families under the name of the imperial court or brand them as traitors to scheme against them, they could draw upon all the resources and power of the state to wipe a faction off the map completely.
Fortunately, that isn’t possible.
“The silver lining here is that I am regarded as a hero in the palace.”
“I am grateful for that.”
The Sword Saint Mo Yongcheon, a hero of the martial world, is right here. Not just a hero of the martial world, but a hero of the nation too.
He helped eliminate the devil cult’s agents within the palace, and by getting rid of the Heavenly Demon and the devil cult that turned the western part of Shaanxi into a disaster area, he saved countless lives.
“Sometimes, people make this claim: How many would a master like Huakyung or Hyunkyung kill when up against a regular army?”
“Surely, at least a thousand, right?”
“Exactly.”
One could argue that the number is excessive.
But this is based on actual events, speaking from the most recent statistics.
“The Heavenly Demon single-handedly killed ten thousand of Shaanxi’s defensive forces. Although it was a massacre that occurred over three days, during those three days, all ten thousand soldiers were brutally slaughtered by the Heavenly Demon.”
How much power can a state-level master show against a nation?
It was something people casually compared, but there has never been a time when martial arts were unleashed against the state forces of the Central Plains to carry out a massacre.
Unprecedented.
The devil cult disregarded the principle of non-interference, displaying their power to dominate the entire Central Plains, not just the martial world.
The Sword Saint defeated that Heavenly Demon, and the imperial court was eager to appoint him as the “Great General of the World.”
“If I were not a member of the Mo Yong Family but just a common vagabond, the palace would have tried every means to pull me into their ranks, probably by marrying me off to a princess.”
“He is a hero who defeated the leader of the devil cult, but at the same time, he couldn’t assure that another incident like the Heavenly Demon wouldn’t occur unless he became an ally. I understand.”
“Right. At that time… I went through quite a lot of hardship. Fortunately, the palace learned my true intentions and realized I provided them assistance to some extent, so they could rest easy with the Mo Yong Family by their side.”
“Oh, you mean the revival of the Golden Guard?”
“Exactly.”
Even though it’s an unofficial matter, the Sword Saint serves as a martial arts consultant for the two factions concerning martial arts, “Dongchang” and “Golden Guard,” within the imperial court.
Officially, he can’t speak on this matter due to the non-interference principle, but behind the scenes, he surely holds non-official positions in the court and can exert a certain degree of influence.
In plain terms, if the Sword Saint were to declare he would become the Great General of the World, who could possibly stop him?
At this moment, there is no martial artist capable of stopping someone riding a sword to fly into the courtyard of the palace.
“However, if the palace comes to recognize the limitless potential of your Extreme Yang Reversal, they will undoubtedly start approaching it one by one.”
“Until now, there have been relatively few such movements, right?”
“That’s because up until now, miracles have occurred for women, but from this point onward, things will be different.”
“Oh.”
I understood.
“The court and the palace operate on an absolutely male-centered basis.”
There are very few Absolute Meridian Sickness patients in the palace.
Even if there are, they are still kept quiet, and their lifespans are not on the immediate horizon of death.
There might be women dreaming of Reversal of Aging, but they are not martial practitioners. Those who wish for Reversal of Aging think of it as a martial world matter; they don’t hope for old secondary wives to regain their youth with younger women.
“There are some balding individuals within the palace.”
“You mean to say now that it’s become personal, they will actively move since it wasn’t their business before?”
“Indeed. Therefore, you have two things to do.”
The Sword Saint held up two fingers.
“Create several ‘Hair Growth Elixirs’ as we forge an alliance with the Mo Yong Family and the palace.”
“Like how the Prime Minister’s hair has grown back richly, we will cause the hair of the officials to thrive as well?”
“Exactly. Those officials’ selections will be filtered by Sang-i.”
“With your discernment, I can trust that. If they don’t indiscriminately spread the news outside… it wouldn’t matter if some non-side effect from the Extreme Yang Reversal occurs.”
“Right. Moreover, they won’t officially come to the Mo Yong Family. They will only come as officials of the state wanting to manage the chaos caused by the Mo Yong Family’s matter in this region.”
“Is that really acceptable? If Mo Yong is said to have submitted to the palace’s monitoring, others might conspire against us.”
“Those who spread rumors that we have succumbed to the imperial court are simply those who seek to tear us down for any reason. Rather, it would be better to display an appearance that isn’t ashamed in front of the palace, thus preventing ordinary individuals from casually provoking us.”
In the end, non-interference is merely an old “tradition.”
“If the times have changed and the age demands it, rather than living as if they don’t see each other, both governance and martial arts might as well walk together.”
“…….”
“Those who desire tradition will point fingers at Mo Yong, clamoring how can they become the dogs of the court, but rivers flow regardless of barking dogs.”
“…I understand. Ultimately, all of this is for Mo Yong.”
The Sword Saint is also a martial artist.
Despite that, the reason he made such choices is singular.
“To protect Mo Yongseol, I will do my best to ensure those in the court cannot touch the ‘Mo Yong Family,’ and rather, they will be the ones to safeguard us first—by means of Extreme Yang Reversal.”
The Sword Saint made a resolution to protect Mo Yongseol, the Mo Yong Family, and myself as part of it.
For me to question the principle of non-interference is to disregard the Sword Saint’s determination.
“But, Chief. Even if we learn of information from the court, how should we approach it?”
“There are always ways. You know the patients’ details and how to treat them so that the miracles occurring can manifest only for them.”
The Sword Saint pointed to an empty lot south of Sungnakwon.
“We will build a new Medical Hall. Unlike the previous one where we treated Seol-ri, it will be a new Medical Hall solely for examinations and prescriptions.”
“And those who come there… will be the ones carrying major illnesses that cannot be publicly disclosed.”
“Exactly. Those who are resolved to discreetly come to the Mo Yong Family to somehow treat their conditions.”
Soon, if that building were to rise there, the examination room would only have me and the patient remaining.
“For our first target, we will summon the Emperor’s First Sword, Yeocheong.”
“……That one.”
“Physician Seok, what illness do you think Yeocheong has?”
“…The last time I saw her, she seemed to have no illnesses whatsoever.”
Disguised as a performer, she came to check and returned after hearing the news that her Absolute Meridian Sickness was cured.
“Or could it be that she is receiving the medicine for a family member or a loyal friend suffering from unbearable pain?”
“No. She has a very serious illness.”
“A serious illness…?”
“Yes. In the past, there was a day the devil cult’s assassin attacked the palace, and she dove to save the Emperor.”
The Sword Saint pointed to just below his abdomen.
“At that time, the assassin’s blade struck a rather unfortunate area.”
“Could it be….”
“Is it possible?”
“…If such a tragic thing were to exist, even if it seems impossible, I will find a way if that’s what the Emperor’s First Sword desires most.”
I can do it.
I must do it.
“It has already been verified through the Sword Mistress.”
Healing infertility is also something a physician should do.
“I will ensure to make her body able to check the possibilities directly once a month, just like the Sword Mistress.”
The Sword Mistress.
No, the Sword Hero.
Right now, she rejoices in her menstrual pain.