NOVEL NEXT Chapter 239
239th Chapter: Summons
The golden edict in the eunuch’s hand was reserved for the emperor alone.
Of course, even if it was an imperial decree (황명), it wasn’t a direct order from the current emperor, Hong Gwangje. It must be the Emperor’s command relayed through Hong Gwangje.
If it’s the Emperor’s command, it was certainly worth hearing.
I immediately knelt and bowed, showing my respect.
“Gongdong Sect’s Martial Department, Lee Cheol-soo. I receive the imperial decree.”
As I expressed my respect, the women behind me also bowed.
“Sa Do-ryun’s Wild One, Jeok Sa-wol. I follow the Emperor’s decree.”
“Hangshan Sect’s Martial Department, Eun Seol-ran, shall obey the command.” “Heukryongbang’s Martial Department, Wi Soryeon, shall obey the command.”
“······Wild One, Baek Rijiak, shall obey.”
Seeing this, the eunuch smoothly opened the edict and began to read the imperial command.
“To Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect’s Martial Department, to Jeok Sa-wol of Sa Do-ryun, to Eun Seol-ran of Hangshan Sect, to Wi Soryeon of Heukryongbang, and to Baek Rijiak of the Demon Sect: Recently, the Jurchens allied with the Blood Sect to incite a rebellion. The leader of the Jurchens, Aisin Gioro Incheong, claims to be the Khan of the ancient Jin Dynasty and is stirring chaos in the Empire’s outskirts. Therefore, I command the martial artists to gather to quell the turmoil on the borders and eradicate the blood sect······.”
Hearing the content of the decree, my face tightened.
Allied with the Blood Sect?
A rebellion in Liaodong? Claiming to be the Jin Dynasty?
If that’s the case, does it mean the Blood Sect has joined forces with the Jurchens, just like in our Earth’s history, to establish the Later Jin dynasty?
There was no falsehood in the content of the edict.
This information must be what the Emperor gathered through Yongak Majon while I dealt with the Blood Demon.
Moreover, this time it’s an official edict, not a secret one.
That fact means…
‘The Blood Sect’s hiding spot was Manchuria.’
According to what the Emperor found out, the Blood Sect and the Blood Demon were hiding in Manchuria.
They quickly integrated the Jurchens and established the Later Jin, just like in history.
No, since the founding of the Ming Empire, the Blood Sect had not shown its face in the Central Plains.
That means, after their defeat at the Battle of Payang Lake three hundred years ago, they settled in Manchuria instead of the Central Plains.
Three hundred years. If they had fortified their position in Manchuria for that long, controlling the Jurchens would be a piece of cake.
‘Was this the Blood Demon’s plan B?’
The Blood Demon hid behind the Jurchens, thoroughly taking control while preparing plan B.
It was an insurance for when plan A—occupying the Central Plains through a coup—failed.
Certainly, the outer regions are places where the Empire’s power struggles to reach. Moreover, the Jurchens, having once dominated the Huabei region, were a foreign ethnic group with enough potential to conquer the Central Plains.
The Blood Sect would be able to sufficiently supplement the Jurchens’ lack of rising martial arts.
However, it would be impossible to conquer the Central Plains solely with the Jurchens.
‘Soon they might even attack Mongolia to unify and proclaim the founding of the Qing Dynasty.’
If that were true, it explained why the Emperor summoned me, or rather all martial artists, including me.
A Qing Dynasty led by the Blood Demon, indeed.
If the remaining forces of the Blood Sect inside the Central Plains responded, it might mean the Empire’s downfall.
Though I didn’t have much patriotism for the medieval Ming dynasty in this other world, the Emperor was its head.
I couldn’t allow those vermin to taint the Empire that I held dear—my sister, who was like a daughter to the Emperor.
The safety of the Empire was precarious. Before they were fully prepared to invade the Central Plains, I had to muster all my strength and strike back at Manchuria.
Even if I were the Emperor, I would do the same.
‘I really didn’t train him wrong.’
With a satisfied smile regarding the Emperor’s actions, I rose to obey the imperial decree.
My gaze turned towards Beijing.
Finally, it was time to reunite with the Emperor.
*
Crown Princess Juga-yul’s secret message, sent under the Emperor’s name and seal, didn’t only reach Lee Cheol-soo and his companions.
Joseon Hanyang.
Changdeok Palace.
In the court where the assembly was held, the Ming envoy was reading the emperor’s decree in front of the king who wore a golden dragon robe.
“To the king of Joseon: I have long governed the Middle Kingdom and the seas with heavenly mandate and virtue. For a long time, the world has enjoyed peace under my virtue. However, recently, the Jurchens of Liaodong have defied heaven’s mandate, claiming to be the Khan of the ancient Jin Dynasty while conspiring with the treacherous Blood Sect to incite rebellion. Therefore, I shall raise heavenly troops to annihilate them… Joseon has long been known as a nation of propriety, the natural enemy of the Jurchens. If the king of Joseon sends troops to support the heavenly troops in this campaign against the Jurchens, their forces will crumble… I will never forget the king’s contributions.”
The envoy closed the edict.
The command from Crown Princess lingered in his mind. Cooperation with Joseon, a powerful army with rich combat experience against the Jurchens, was essential.
He must fulfill that command.
“The emperor’s command is noted. I am aware of the troubling movement of the Jurchens. However, I never imagined they would rapidly grow powerful enough to claim the title of Khan of the ancient Jin Dynasty.”
“His Majesty wishes for Joseon’s troops.”
“I remember the grace of the restoration during the Imjin War. Still, dispatching troops is a matter of great importance to the nation. It cannot be confirmed lightly.”
The king spoke.
No matter how much the request came from the Ming dynasty, a decision on such a serious matter couldn’t be made hastily.
Furthermore, the king was aware that the current Ming emperor was a puppet. The real power in the Ming court was already held by Crown Princess Juga-yul.
Though this decree bore the emperor’s name, it was undoubtedly written by the Crown Princess.
The proclamation of the restoration of the ancient Jin Dynasty was unexpected, but it was hard to believe a great power like the Ming would fall to mere barbarians.
Thus, the expedition to Liaodong was clearly a campaign for the Crown Princess Juga-yul to establish her foundation, given her precarious position as a woman.
And he had no intention of participating in such a game.
The king thought that way.
‘Just as your highness predicted.’
Seeing that, the envoy said, “Your Majesty said that the Jurchens, allied with the Blood Sect, will surely invade the Central Plains. Before invading the Central Plains, they will first attack Joseon to secure their rear. Thus, before they upset the seas, Your Majesty plans a preemptive strike against Liaodong.”
The king’s expression slightly changed upon hearing the envoy’s words. Joseon becoming the battlefield, not the Central Plains? The king recalled the horrors of the Imjin year from his childhood.
The entire nation was ravaged by foreign invaders, recalling the humiliation when King Seonjo fled.
It wasn’t just that.
In the late Goryeo period, records tell of parts of the Blood Sect crossing the Yalu River to invade Goryeo, burning Kaesong and slaughtering the people, as handed down in Goryeo history.
Such a history could not be replicated.
“I understand. I will discuss with the ministers of the court and provide an answer.”
If they understood the circumstances, Joseon would dispatch troops.
The envoy, hearing the king’s answer, smiled inwardly.
*
While things were happening in Joseon, secret messages sent by the emperor were arriving in other regions as well.
Kaifeng in Henan Province.
Martial Alliance Headquarters.
The man wearing sunglasses, the Martial Alliance leader Do-hwang, laughed as he heard the content of the edict.
“Ho ho ho ho ho! Are you saying His Majesty has issued a summons to the martial world?”
“Yes.”
The summons.
The agreement between Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and the martial world didn’t only mention the inviolability of official affairs. It also included responsibilities that followed.
Inviolability of Official Affairs. Inviolable thresholds. The court and the martial world do not interfere with each other.
Instead, in times of national crisis, the martial world cooperates with the court.
The opposite side of that agreement, the summons, was now officially declared. No matter how much the martial world and the court avoided each other, the martial world could only exist because the country exists.
The martial world would never forget the humiliation from the days of the Yuan dynasty when the Mongolian barbarians suppressed the Han people to prevent rebellions.
Moreover, declaring a summons gives the Martial Alliance emergency powers to lead the martial world of the Central Plains. The one who can wield that power is the current Martial Alliance leader, the one granted the iron weight by the founder.
That would be Do-hwang himself.
So, it was only natural that Do-hwang would gladly accept it.
“If it’s a war with the Blood Sect! Then I shall accept the responsibility! Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho!”
A gleam of excitement brightened Do-hwang’s face.
War.
A great war determining the fate of the seas would break out in Liaodong.
*
Shaolin Temple Dalma Cave.
Behind the meditating Sinseung, the emperor’s edict stood waiting.
“Amitabha. Unfortunately, the ominous signs of rebellion have risen in the heavens.”
The Heavenly Lord of the Heavenly Alliance.
As the leader of a mysterious faction opposing the Blood Sect, Sinseung spun his prayer beads.
He knew.
Rumors had it an ominous energy was rising from the direction of Demon Mountain, shaking the heavens and the earth. He sensed the Blood Demon’s resurgence in Dalma Cave.
The time had come. It was now time to fulfill the Heavenly Alliance’s mission.
Coincidentally, he had just completed the preparation to confront the Blood Demon within Dalma Cave.
“This council shall actively support the eradication of the Blood Sect as your majesty commanded. For that is our mission carried from ancient times. I too shall soon…”
Sinseung uncrossed his legs and rose. A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
“······I must pay a visit to Beijing.”
A mysterious anti-demon magic power began to emanate subtly from Sinseung’s body.
Indeed, the command given by the emperor wasn’t merely for the cooperation of the Heavenly Alliance. It also included the participation of Sinseung himself, who was known as the master of the Orthodox faction.
*
Xinjiang Tianshan.
Heavenly Horse Hall.
Heavenly Horse Hall, which had been burned down in the previous Blood Sect’s raid, was rebuilt even grander and more splendid.
On the top floor of the Heavenly Horse Hall.
In the main hall overlooking the gathering of the martial alliance, the Heavenly Horse Baek Murang received the emperor’s edict while seated on a grand throne.
“…His Majesty has decided to bestow mercy to your Demon Sect and its leader, Heavenly Horse, to settle the past debts. Furthermore, you are invited to the imperial palace to discuss…”
The eunuch facing the Heavenly Horse trembled and barely managed to speak.
The Xinjiang and Western Regions, governed by the Demon Sect, were known for producing excellent horses represented by the Blood Horse. The local natives, the Jüngar, were a fierce equestrian tribe, comparable to the Jurchens of Liaodong and the Mongolian steppe.
The opponents were the Jurchens of Liaodong.
As an ethnic group renowned for their cavalry, the support of the Demon Sect, which ruled over the Jüngar, was essential.
Hearing the edict, Baek Murang laughed.
“It’s amusing that you mention mercy. Why now?”
With his laughter, a tyrannical aura enveloped the hall. The eunuch’s face turned pale from the overwhelming energy emitted by the Heavenly Horse.
“…I-I have heard the Blood Sect and the Demon Sect are sworn enemies… If your Demon Sect sends troops to the Empire, wouldn’t it be a chance not only to repay the enmity but also to settle debts with the Empire?”
The Heavenly Horse said nothing. He stretched out his hand, and the edict appeared in his grasp through the air.
Whoosh!
The technique of Threefold Meditation that arose from the Heavenly Horse instantly incinerated the edict.
“W-What? To burn an edict containing the Emperor’s mandate is such an affront!”
The eunuch desperately ignored his fear and began to shout. Seeing his response, the Heavenly Horse spoke in a languid yet cold voice.
“Oh, while it’s true that the Blood Sect and I are arch-enemies, we shall participate in the expedition against you. However, that does not mean we will submit to your command.”
The Heavenly Horse’s gaze narrowed. He continued to speak.
“Our sect and the Heavenly Alliance are temporary allies against the Blood Sect. Naturally, the Heavenly Alliance will join the expedition. Therefore, we will participate as well. Report this to your superiors.”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
“And… was the Goeryong invited to Beijing as well?”
“Of course.”
At the eunuch’s puzzled look, the Heavenly Horse closed his eyes and clapped his hands.
He stated.
“The Goeryong is coming as well.”
As the Heavenly Horse spoke, a veiled woman appeared.
A beauty with golden hair that shone brightly.
So Cheonma Baek Cheon-hwa.
She spoke.
“Then there’s no reason not to go to Beijing. Father, I haven’t properly competed with the Goeryong yet.”
Hearing Baek Cheon-hwa’s words, the Heavenly Horse smiled.
Over the past two years, Baek Cheon-hwa had reached an extraordinary level after rigorous training.
Only for the sake of being recognized by Lee Cheol-soo.
The Heavenly Horse looked at her with a hint of fondness before shifting his gaze back to the eunuch.
“Well, deliver that message to your superiors. I shall personally venture to Beijing to reclaim my bloodline from the Blood Demon.”
The Heavenly Horse spoke, coldly.
He had not forgotten that it was the Blood Sect that ruined the Heavenly Horse Ceremony two years ago.
“Inform them, I beg you!”
“Understood. You may leave now.”
With the dismissal of the eunuch, he quickly exited.
Thud.
In the sealed hall, the Heavenly Horse laughed.
‘Lee Cheol-soo, and the Heavenly Body. I wonder how you have changed.’
The Heavenly Horse’s gaze focused far east, towards Beijing.
It was finally time to move.
*
Gansu Province Gongdong Mountain.
Awaiting the safe return of Lee Cheol-soo and Yujinhwi, Seoharin and Seomun Cheong-ha were also met with the emperor’s edict.
“…Seoharin of the Gongdong Sect, Seomun Cheong-ha of the Seomun Family, Dang Yeong-ryeong of the Sado Family, and Cheon Sobin of the Hangshan Sect shall all immediately heed the imperial decree and attend the palace.”
As Seoharin knelt and accepted the imperial decree, questions raced through her mind.
Over the last two years, Seoharin had devoted herself to martial arts training, becoming an extraordinary master.
An extraordinary level, indeed, but not to the point where the emperor would personally seek her out.
She could tell the situation was urgent.
Yet, why would the emperor, or rather, the Crown Princess Juga-yul, personally summon her and Seomun Cheong-ha to the palace?
There wasn’t much reason for them both to be called.
But why?
As she pondered the situation, Seoharin reached a conclusion.
‘…The Crown Princess is interested in Yujinhwi or me.’
The events of the Yongbong Society flashed through Seoharin’s mind.
The Crown Princess.
Back then, when she was simply the Taepyeong Princess, she had consistently observed Lee Cheol-soo’s matches.
Even handing out the awards to the champion, Lee Cheol-soo.
At the time, she hadn’t realized it, but now Seoharin felt a sense of discomfort about how a noble princess would consistently observe an unknown martial artist’s contests. Perhaps the Crown Princess had developed an interest in him back then.
If that weren’t the case, it would mean interest in Yujinhwi, which seemed more reasonable logically, but Seoharin’s instinct suggested the Crown Princess’s interest fell on Lee Cheol-soo.
‘Guess I’ll know when I get there.’
Thinking this, Seoharin stood up with a blank expression, accepting the imperial decree.
“Seomun Saja. We need to prepare to go to Beijing. Please inform the Sect Leader and Cheon Sobin of this news.”
“Understood.”
As she watched Seomun Cheong-ha dash towards the Medical Hall, Seoharin turned her head. Her gaze was directed far towards Beijing.
*
Beijing.
Central South Sea. Gazing at the peaceful waves of the lake, Juga-yul sat relaxed, sipping tea.
By now, most of the envoys and messengers she had sent must have reached their destinations.
And likely, most had no choice but to join her proposal for the Liaodong expedition.
The martial world, the Heavenly Alliance, the Demon Sect, and Joseon.
All would rally under the banner of the eradication of the Blood Sect.
But that wasn’t all.
Even if they didn’t directly send troops, she had secured support from Japan by offering normalization of trade as a payment after the Imjin War. Additionally, she had imported Western weapons through Jesuit missionaries and even hired Western mercenaries.
‘Soon.’
Tap!
Juga-yul set her teacup down on the table.
Preparations had begun. And so did her other preparations.
‘Geomseong Yujinhwi, Yeomwang Jeoksawol, Geumhu Eun Seol-ran, Goeui Dang Yeong-ryeong, So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin, So Cheonma Baek Cheon-hwa, Sosumahu Baek Rijiak, Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon, Naengmyeon Geomhui Seoharin…’
Juga-yul mentally recalled the names of women she had formed connections with until now.
That’s right.
Juga-yul called them all to Beijing.
The reason was simple.
‘…In this gathering, I shall make it clear who my true partner is.’
Juga-yul’s hands trembled. Her gaze grew heavy.
Yes.
At last, finally, she had come to this point. Juga-yul’s face reddened. Her heart raced like crazy.
The most important person among those she invited was undoubtedly Noya.
Her father, her brother, her master, her soulmate.
That person, who comprised her everything, was coming to Beijing at her invitation.
Just knowing that made Juga-yul’s heart pound dangerously.
‘Just a little longer, just a little longer. My Noya… I will handle everything.’
Juga-yul smiled eerily with a flushed face.
The blue sky of Beijing reflected in her unfocused eyes.