Chapter 454
The young man—no, Zhu Yuan-gong—stood frozen, glaring, and asked in a trembling voice.
“What… what did you say?”
Does this guy have a hearing problem? He keeps making me repeat myself.
Ignoring the stares from the onlookers alternating between me and him, I spoke again.
“I said, get down.”
“I… I am Zhu Yuan-gong!”
“Zhu Yuan-gong, main character, whoever. Just get down.”
“How dare you show such disrespect to a blood relative of His Majesty, the Emperor, as a subject of this great nation!”
“I have a friend named Johnson. If he were here, he’d probably commit another type of disrespect.”
“This is the last time I’m saying it. Get down.”
Whatever nonsense he was spouting, even an idiot can sense danger. Instinctively, Zhu Yuan-gong’s hips flinched, and he slowly got up from the sedan chair. Still, trusting in his imperial lineage, he tried to throw out one last bluff, his voice laced with unease.
“Y-you think you’ll get away with this?”
“Yeah, I think I’ll be fine.”
“To insult the imperial family—this is treason!”
“As long as it’s not baldness, I’m good.”
“What kind of lunatic…?”
Despite my casual replies, he wasn’t entirely wrong.
A member of the Zhu family, those bearing the bloodline of dragons, is inherently noble. Even with the non-interference pact between the imperial court and the martial arts world, insulting or threatening a royal is a serious crime.
No wonder the Zhuge Family servant had been pacing nervously like a dog needing to pee.
“I really think it would be best to stop now,” the servant whispered.
I frowned. “Why?”
“What?”
“What did I do? I didn’t insult him, I didn’t threaten to kill him, and the first attack came from their side. All I said was to get off the sedan chair.”
“Well, I mean, technically that’s true, but… he is royalty.”
“Royalty? Come on, being a distant cousin doesn’t count as a bloodline. If I spat into the Yangtze River, even I’d be its distant relative.”
“Gasp! Please, Jin Daehyup, no more of that!”
“It’s fine. I said it quietly; no one heard.”
While the servant and I were whispering, Zhu Yuan-gong, misunderstanding our exchange, raised his voice triumphantly.
“It seems you’ve finally realized the situation. But it’s too late! Soon, the imperial army will march forth and destroy you rebels, down to your ninth generation!”
“Oh, a Buster Call.” (TL Note: WTF. Another One Piece reference lol)
“What gibberish is this, you treasonous wretch?!”
“Ahh!”
“Hiiik!”
At Zhu Yuan-gong’s furious outburst, the commoners gasped and immediately dropped to their knees. Others scattered, running to avoid getting caught up in trouble.
Well, fewer witnesses worked for me.
*They always bring up this “ninth generation” nonsense,* I sighed. *Do they not settle for less than that?*
Noticing my exasperation, the Zhuge Family servant whispered again.
“Don’t worry too much. His talk of the imperial army is just bluster.”
“Do I look stupid enough to believe that?”
“Besides, Zhu Yuan-gong was exiled for misusing imperial authority to seize wealth. He’s not looking to escalate this further. Perhaps you should apologize and de-escalate.”
“Wait, exiled?”
“Yes.”
“Him?”
“He’s royalty. Even distant relations still bear the imperial blood.”
“And yet, he’s so irrelevant no one really cares?”
“Please, Jin Daehyup, choose your words more carefully…”
Letting the servant’s complaints slide, I chuckled.
So, this guy, supposedly royalty, was hanging around on a main road in Hubei Province, playing with these cronies because he wasn’t important enough for anyone to care.
I’d figured as much when he started throwing around the “cousin of the emperor” line.
“First, I’ll gouge out your arrogant eyes for failing to recognize my noble status, then dismember you—”
“Yeah, yeah. We’ll talk about that after you take a look at this.”
Cutting him off, I tossed something from my sleeve in his direction.
The item dropped at Zhu Yuan-gong’s feet, glittering in the sunlight.
“A concealed weapon! He’s trying to assassinate me!”
“…This guy’s unbelievable.”
But then, as Zhu Yuan-gong stared at the object at his feet, his initial anger gave way to confusion.
“What…?”
His bewildered expression quickly morphed into shock.
The token bearing the carved emblem of clouds and dragons—the insignia of Prince Shangshan—lay before him. He gawked at it, alternating his gaze between me and the token.
He finally spoke, his voice trembling.
“I… I will show mercy and forgive you.”
Utter nonsense.
—
“So, you’re on your way to Dongting Lake?”
“Yes! That’s correct!”
At my soft tone, Zhu Yuan-gong nodded vigorously. Meanwhile, the Blue Hero Hall cronies were busy silencing witnesses with the local authorities, and Cheongpung—having successfully purchased an absurd number of dumplings—perked up at the mention of Dongting Lake.
“Dongting Lake! Wow!”
The sight of this dumpling-loving lunatic made Zhu Yuan-gong glance uneasily at the sword hanging at Cheongpung’s waist.
“If… if you wish, I could invite you…”
I muttered to myself, “What an insincere offer.”
“It’s not! I mean, it’s not insincere!”
“Ah, so you often mistake reality? Attacking people passing by suggests you might.”
“That… I deeply apologize. I had no idea you possessed Prince Shangshan’s insignia.”
“So, without the token, you’d have summoned the army, slaughtered nine generations, gouged out eyes, and dismembered me?”
“Wh-what nonsense! Hah, hahah…”
His forced laughter was almost pitiful.
*I didn’t realize the token carried this much weight.*
It made sense, though. Even within the royal family, hierarchy mattered.
The insignia belonged to Prince Shangshan, the only full-blooded sibling of the emperor and a direct appointee to his role as a vassal prince.
After the death of the previous emperor, Shangshan King Zhu Pyo became a “painful thorn” in the side of the ruthless emperor, who had eliminated numerous relatives in his bid for the throne.
In contrast, Zhu Yuan-gong was merely a distant eighth-cousin royal relative. While Zhu Pyo possessed the legitimacy and authority of a direct royal lineage, Zhu Yuan-gong’s connection to the family was faint, more a matter of diluted blood than meaningful rank.
*This is what you call “Yi Yi Je Yi” [1],* I thought to myself—using one barbarian to subdue another, or in this case, using a stronger dragon against a weaker one.
The fact that Zhu Yuan-gong, an apparent fan club president of himself, was this insignificant made my heart swell with a strange mix of amusement and pity.
“So, what exactly are you planning to do at Dongting Lake?”
“Ah, well… the weather is nice, so I thought I’d enjoy some boating…”
The incredulous look on my face made Zhu Yuan-gong quickly correct himself.
“Boating… and, uh, I wanted to check on the people. They say things are uneasy in Hubei Province these days.”
“Maybe you should check on your own life first,” I shot back. “From what I hear, you were exiled for embezzling a fortune.”
“Ahem, well…”
“And yet, you’re dragging all these people along for a luxury boating trip? At a time like this?”
While Hubei is rife with unsettling rumors and tension, this so-called exiled prince planned a grand outing on Dongting Lake. If word of this reached the streets, people would be justified in smashing his head with a sledgehammer.
I shook my head and stood, ready to leave now that the issue was resolved. But Zhu Yuan-gong seemed to interpret my actions differently.
“W-wait! Where are you going?”
“You said Dongting Lake and boating, right? I’ve got better things to do. Why?”
“If I offended you, I sincerely apologize. And… in that spirit…”
With a signal from Zhu Yuan-gong, some Blue Hero Hall members brought over an ornate palanquin from the procession.
The scent of delicate fragrance wafted over even before the curtains were drawn.
*Oh no. Don’t tell me…*
As the saying goes, “Never underestimate what might happen.”
“Reveal yourself,” Zhu Yuan-gong commanded.
The palanquin door slid open, and a young woman stepped out gracefully. Her beauty left even me momentarily speechless.
“…Huh.”
There are those who are called beautiful or handsome, but this woman was beyond any conventional standards.
*She’s stunning.*
That was the only word that came to mind. Even I, who had anticipated Zhu Yuan-gong’s intentions, couldn’t help but be impressed.
Gong Gi-bang hastily wiped his face with spit, Hyeok Mu-jin stood dumbstruck, and Cheongpung dropped all his dumplings as he froze in awe of her beauty.
Amid the silent shock, Zhu Yuan-gong spoke up.
“She is a courtesan I keep by my side. As you can see, her appearance is unmatched, and her skill with music is such that anyone who hears her play is utterly captivated.”
Honestly, she didn’t even need music to leave people entranced.
Smiling faintly at my unconcealed admiration, Zhu Yuan-gong instructed her, “What are you doing? Greet him.”
The woman’s crimson lips parted.
“My name is Hongran. It is a great honor to meet you.”
“…Oh.”
“…Wow.”
“…Amazing.”
Even before her greeting, her clear, enchanting voice had everyone marveling. Her name, meaning “Red Orchid,” suited her perfectly.
*Of course, that’s not her real name, nor is she a simple courtesan.*
Like most courtesans, including Wolhwa, Hongran hid her true name. She also knew basic martial arts, unlike Zhu Yuan-gong, who knew nothing.
*Hao Sect?*
My silent transmission startled her, and she subtly nodded in confirmation.
*I thought so.*
The Hao Sect, second only to the Beggar Sect in numbers, was well known for its spies and infiltrators.
Unaware of this, Zhu Yuan-gong beamed and said, “Well, Jin Daehyup, if you join me, I’ll ensure you are properly entertained. Of course, Hongran will sit beside you…”
His face radiated confidence, as if daring me to refuse. I glanced at Hongran briefly before smiling.
“Forget it. Let’s each go our own way.”
“Then we’ll all move together and—wait, what did you just say?”
“Why the surprise? I told you I had other business. Did I misremember?”
“B-but Hongran is here…”
Raising my hand, I cut him off. I’d already wasted enough time on pointless distractions. If I were someone easily swayed by beauty, I wouldn’t have survived this long.
“Have your fun, but I suggest heading home after. Take care.”
As I turned to leave, Zhu Yuan-gong held something out.
“Wait! At least take this.”
“I heard that Prince Shangshan signed something for you. Could you grant me the same…?”
*Looks like I’m going to have a fan club upgrade soon.*
* * *
Footnotes:
[1] Yi Yi Je Yi (以夷制夷), directly translated as “using barbarians to subdue barbarians,” is a classical Chinese idiom originating from strategies used in ancient Chinese diplomacy and warfare. It refers to the tactic of using one external or opposing force to suppress another.
