The Second Eunuch Regains His Manhood

245th Episode: Contradiction

At the declaration of the Crown Princess, Hwangje Juga-yul, the expressions of all the girls except Yujinhwi hardened.

They couldn’t comprehend her words.

There was hardly any connection between the Crown Princess and Lee Cheol-soo. Their entire relationship was limited to a brief encounter at the Yongbong Society.

But now, not only did she claim they had a deep connection, she also boldly declared she’d become his official consort.

It was incomprehensible.

However, they couldn’t rashly voice their feelings.

Their opponent was a monster who had taken the seat of the Ming Empire’s national power at such a young age and now ruled the empire as its acting regent.

She had subdued all the high-ranking officials from Beijing and was the embodiment of power who had seized it from the emperor himself.

She was the highest authority in the empire, capable of even making birds drop from the sky.

It was Hwangje Juga-yul.

As she looked over the subtly silent audience, Juga-yul smiled contentedly.

“By now, you must have questions in your minds. Who is that woman who boldly declares herself to be this honorable consort? Such questions.”

Juga-yul tapped the armrest as she spoke. The sleeves of her red dragon robe, a symbol of the heir to the Ming Empire, fluttered.

At her words, the girls’ gazes wavered. Juga-yul’s smile deepened at the sight.

“But I know you’re only thinking about it inside, not daring to speak out. Why? Because you are in the presence of the national power of the Ming Empire. I am the Crown Princess who manages the state on behalf of my beloved Emperor, the future Ten Thousand Victories Emperor.”

No one responded to Juga-yul’s proclamation.

Even the Sosumahu and So Cheonma, who were affiliated with the Demon Sect and had no ties to the Central Plains, remained silent.

The national power of the Ming Empire.

The supreme authority, the next emperor. The future Ten Thousand Victories Emperor who would govern all of the world’s masses. That position held immeasurable authority.

Juga-yul laughed.

Yes, this was it. This was why she wielded power. Nothing was more powerful than authority in dealing with the eccentrics of the martial world.

While everyone was in silence.

One step.

Yujinhwi moved forward. As she stepped up, all eyes turned to her.

The Most Beautiful in the World.

It was no exaggeration to say that a transcendent beauty stood there, looking up at the Crown Princess.

“So, what would you like to say, Your Highness?”

“What I want to say. I am benevolent. So I will listen to your opinions about my declaration of becoming an official consort. Speak freely. With these words, I will not punish you.”

Juga-yul was relaxed. She was confident she could take on any challenge.

‘Noya may have withheld her response, but essentially she has accepted me as Noya’s woman. There’s no one in this world who can stand against me.’

Noya would accept her confession. She just needed some time to think.

Love and power.

Having achieved the best of both worlds, she had nothing to fear anymore.

No one stepped forward to challenge the Crown Princess’s declaration.

After a brief silence, the first girl to speak up was Jeoksawol.

“Your Highness.”

Jeoksawol bowed her head. At the end of her gaze was the Crown Princess.

In her sixty years, Jeoksawol had encountered countless people. She had stained her hands in blood countless times to reach the pinnacle of the underworld. After many hidden battles and schemes, she had secured her position as the top of the underworld.

Thus, she prided herself on being able to read people better than anyone. Yet, her insight could not decipher the expression of the Crown Princess at all.

Juga-yul was merely fifteen years old. It was said she had subdued the high-ranking officials of Beijing and had ascended to the national throne while still being a girl. It was unbelievable information. The intelligence of Hao Mun was indeed tremendous. Yet, uncovering all the concealed matters of the inner palace was impossible.

Jeoksawol thought that Juga-yul was merely a puppet, with the real power hiding behind her. That made sense. It was too unrealistic for a teenage girl to have reached the pinnacle of the inner palace.

But the moment she faced Juga-yul, Jeoksawol discarded all her theories.

‘Is that truly a teenage girl?’

In her eyes, there was a depth beyond her sixty-five years of life. The grace in every gesture, as if to prove her noble birth, carried with it the qualities of a ruler.

Juga-yul was truly a monster. If she had talent in politics, Juga-yul’s talent was like that of a heavenly body. Could someone manipulate such a monster? It was impossible.

Jeoksawol realized then why the scholars of Beijing, the Golden Restricted Position Technique, and Dongchang all lay prostrate before Juga-yul, pledging their loyalty.

But precisely because of that, Jeoksawol could not retreat.

As a partner of Gaga, she had to block such a dangerous woman from taking an interest in Gaga. The attention of a powerful person, especially the supreme power, was akin to poison for an ordinary person.

As Gaga’s partner, she had to settle this here, confronting the Crown Princess.

“First, I thank you for your grace in allowing me, a mere eccentric, the opportunity to speak.”

Hearing Jeoksawol’s words, Juga-yul looked down at her with a cold expression.

Yeomwang Jeoksawol.

The top of the underworld, Sado Family head, and the leader of Hao Mun.

Her information flashed through Juga-yul’s mind. Not just hers. She had all the information of the women present in her head.

From head to toe, even the color of underwear.

‘Jeoksawol, an incredible woman with countless disguises. A master of iron flesh. She is overly proud of her title as the Most Beautiful in the World that she forgets her age, relying solely on her beauty while desiring a man who sees beyond her exterior, yet her inner self is ugly compared to her beautiful facade.’

As Juga-yul contemplated her impression of Jeoksawol, she spoke.

“Cut the flattery. Yeomwang. Let’s get to the point. I don’t like sweet-talking. Or should I call you Yeomhee Neungwolhyang, Hwi Bong Yeon Sowol, or Hwa Myeon-ho-gyeom Ye Yeoryeong to get you to speak? All three are your disguises, aren’t they?”

The corners of Juga-yul’s mouth lifted.

If she knew Jeoksawol well, she would definitely want to hide her false identities.

So to say this attack had backed Jeoksawol into a corner wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Juga-yul smiled leisurely.

In fact, a few of the Post-Stimulation Indicators appeared to waver at her revelation. The atmosphere made it impossible for anyone to speak, but they were surely quite shocked.

Jeoksawol’s hands trembled slightly at Juga-yul’s gaze.

Revealing false identities here.

‘It’s okay. It wasn’t unexpected.’

Jeoksawol calmed her rattled mind. Yes. It was the Crown Princess who commanded the best intelligence agency in the world. It would have been stranger if she didn’t know her disguises.

Moreover, it would have mattered before confessing to Gaga, but now, after her confession, it was different.

A mere false identity wouldn’t matter if revealed.

Gaga had acknowledged her. So it was fine now.

Her agitation settled, and Jeoksawol’s lips curled into a smile.

“Huibong Yeon Sowol, Hwa Myeon-ho-gyeom Ye Yeoryeong, Yeomhee Neungwolhyang. I am indeed the same person, Your Highness. And I am not ashamed of that. Gaga has acknowledged my disguise after all.”

Jeoksawol smiled confidently. Seeing that, Juga-yul’s eyebrows twitched.

‘You admit it here?’

The moment Jeoksawol readily admitted it, the murmurs among the girls intensified. She looked at Juga-yul as she spoke.

“This Gaga?”

“Yes. Gaga even acknowledged a girl calling you Gaga.”

“But I have not acknowledged it. At your advanced age, Yeomwang, why would you call this young man Gaga? Isn’t that shameful?”

Juga-yul’s gaze remained fixed on Jeoksawol.

She didn’t like Jeoksawol.

More precisely, she disliked her way of addressing her.

Gaga.

That was a term used when a younger girl called an older male partner.

‘How dare a sixty-five-year-old hag casually call Noya Gaga?’

It was absurd.

It simply made no sense.

To call Noya Gaga or brother, wouldn’t she have to be younger than Noya? Someone like Jeoksawol had no right to toss around such titles.

‘Shamelessly continuing to call him Gaga just because Noya graciously permitted it.’

She was clearly shameless.

If anyone had the right to call Noya Gaga, it could only be her, the youngest here.

“To call me Gaga, one must be younger than Noya, as I am, wouldn’t you agree?”

The corners of Juga-yul’s mouth lifted.

She placed a hand on her chest.

Juga-yul was indeed the youngest in this room.

It was universally known that men preferred younger women. Therefore, she was the ideal woman that Noya would like.

Just as Jeoksawol was about to retort to Juga-yul’s comment…

“That’s not right, Your Highness.”

A calm voice interrupted from beside.

A beautiful woman with striking silver eyes and silver hair.

It was Geumhu Eun Seol-ran.

“Not right, you say?”

“Even if one is not a girl, if one possesses the heart of a girl, it is permissible to act as one. Therefore, I can fully understand why Yeomwang would call Eun-gong Gaga.”

Eun Seol-ran’s transparent silver eyes were set on Juga-yul.

A drop of cold sweat ran down her back.

She didn’t particularly like Jeoksawol. But Jeoksawol was Eun Seol-ran’s benefactor. Moreover, if the Crown Princess Juga-yul truly intended to take the position of official concubine…

No one could stop her. That was the reality of the Emperor’s Ten Thousand Victories position.

Yet, Eun Seol-ran wanted to become Gaga’s official concubine. She had the right to do so. After all, she was the first to receive a marriage proposal from Sangong.

She didn’t want to lose her position as official concubine, even if her rival was the Crown Princess.

So now was the time to temporarily collaborate with Jeoksawol to take down the Crown Princess. She had allied with her when she was Neungwolhyang too.

Supported by Eun Seol-ran, Jeoksawol laughed shamelessly. She stated:

“Eun Lady is right. Your Highness. Age is just a decoration. A girl thinks of herself as a girl, and she has the charm of a girl, so she has every right to call Gaga by that name.”

Upon hearing Jeoksawol’s words, Juga-yul’s brows knit tightly.

Her hands began to tremble slightly.

The charm of a girl?

An old hag discussing girls?

It was ridiculous.

Besides, both Jeoksawol and Eun Seol-ran were several years younger than her.

How dare they so brazenly confront her like this?

Juga-yul’s eyes lost their focus.

“Such young girls with no blood in their heads… How brazen they are…”

The moment the Crown Princess’s words hit.

Jeoksawol and Eun Seol-ran’s expressions grew strange.

Jeoksawol said, “Your Highness, did you just call us young girls? Are you speaking of the girl before you?”

Confusion clouded her face.

The Crown Princess was of the age of a blossoming girl. But to call her a young girl?

What kind of contradiction was this?

Not just Yeomwang, everyone wore perplexed expressions at the Crown Princess’s contradictory statement.

As she looked at the flustered girls, Juga-yul smiled.

Juga-yul, with unfocused eyes, slowly gazed at Eun Seol-ran and Jeoksawol.

---