Chương 123: He Lies in the Royal Chamber and Is Cut Down

After finishing the matter, Banju turned toward the royal audience chamber. The king, who had been pacing back and forth, looked at him with indifference.

"What is it? I do not recall summoning you." It was no different from saying—do not come unless I call.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. There has been… an unfortunate incident." The king's gaze sharpened.

"What incident."

"While discussing reforms to the army, a conflict broke out among the generals."

"And."

"In the course of it… Middle-Rank Commander Lee Yeong-u has died."

"What… what did you say?" The king sprang to his feet. At the same time, Banju dropped to his knees and struck his forehead against the floor again and again.

"It happened without warning. I could not prevent it. Do not forgive this servant's disloyalty." The king understood at once. They had killed him—and dressed it up as an accident. And now they dared lie to the king himself. He should have them executed on the spot.

"Who."

"A general named Jang Sang-geun."

"He was of the Gyeonryong Guard. I know him."

"I will have him seized and punished." The king shook his head.

"No. Do not so much as touch a finger of Jang Sang-geun. Bring him to me. Immediately."

"…"

"If anything happens to him, every Grand General and Senior General in the Ministry of War will resign. Your methods are obvious. I know them all now." If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Your Majesty, it is not so—""I have said nothing yet. What is it that is 'not so'?" The king's voice dropped, cold and measured.

"From this moment forward, no orders are to be issued concerning Lee Yeong-u or Jang Sang-geun. And every order given today is to be revoked. Immediately."

"Your Majesty…"

"If you do not comply, I will have you executed for disobedience. Record every order revoked—by the hour. If any order remains unrevoked after being rescinded, you die."

"Your Majesty…" There was no room left to move. The king had never been this meticulous. But after hearing Yeong-u's report, he had changed. Once, he had seen them as partners in governance. Now he saw them as swindlers, thieves—vermin. And he issued his commands accordingly. He summoned two guards of the Gyeonryong unit and stationed them at Banju's side.

"From this moment, record everything he does. Report it in real time."

"How are we to report in real time—""The moment an order is given, send a man."

"Loyalty." The king believed Yeong-u was already dead. That was why Banju had come so confidently. Everything was unfolding exactly as Yeong-u had warned. Those had been his final words. He had said they would try to kill him. That they would do it in the palace— and disguise it as a quarrel among subordinates. What had the king said then? That it must not happen. And… That general had said something. That he would survive—even within death. What had that meant?

Reports came continuously from the Gyeonryong Guard, but none concerned Lee Yeong-u.

"Kill the bastard!" For an hour, orders were issued one after another, yet none reversed the command regarding Yeong-u or Jang Sang-geun. Could such a man be kept as a subordinate? The king dismissed Banju on the spot. He ordered him expelled beyond a hundred li outside Gaegyeong. Then he summoned the deputy and gave the same order. Knowing the blame would not fall upon him, the deputy revealed everything Banju had ordered. The king had Banju seized again before he could leave the palace and thrown into prison.

Jang Sang-geun lay in a physician's house— not in the palace, not in the barracks, but among commoners. His wounds were deep. Three arrows had struck him, one piercing his entrails. Fever consumed him. He had lost consciousness. Removing the arrow that had penetrated his body had worsened the wound. The king roared for Yeong-u to be brought before him. They said the body had been taken out through the gate for the dead— but after that, all trace vanished.

They tracked those who handed him over, those who received him— again and again— until the trail ended at the final gate of the capital. They had entrusted the corpse to one who handled the dead. No one knew where the man lived, where he had gone, or how he might be found. At one side of the East Gate, several ragged men who lived such lives gathered together— their hollow eyes fixed on the next job that might come. Troops were sent to search, but until sunset, nothing was found.

The king entered the Ministry of War himself and reconstructed the events of that day. These were men who would say nothing if blame threatened them. Yet when told they would not be punished, they spoke all at once, each trying to outdo the other. One by one, the king had them dragged out— charging them with false accusation, with murder— and handed them over to the Geumowui. He had intended to end them all from the beginning. He could no longer allow it. Everything had unfolded exactly as expected.

And still, they crouched in silence like rats— waiting not to be caught, waiting for the matter to be quietly sealed. The king dismissed every Senior General and Grand General. He had them all imprisoned under the Geumowui. Then he elevated their replacements en masse. And the military— never expecting such fortune— burst into celebration.