Chapter 661
Episode 661
Episode 661. The Emperor’s Secret Order (2)
I got ready and set out together with the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince. The place we are going to now is extremely rugged, so there may be problems with safety.” (Eun Seoho)
I laid the groundwork.
That way, even if Ajeong suffered an unexpected accident, I could avoid being rebuked with, “Why did you escort him to such a dangerous place and cause such a thing to happen?”
“Do not mind it. If it is to admire fine scenery, that much must be accepted.” (Crown Prince)
The Crown Prince continued naturally.
“That said, there is no need for everyone to follow in such a troublesome way. Let only those truly necessary move with us.” (Crown Prince)
“Understood.” (Eun Seoho)
Thus, it was decided that two guards in charge of the Crown Prince’s protection, two eunuchs, and I and my escort warriors would move together.
Among those two eunuchs was Ajeong as well.
And so we climbed the mountain.
The place I intended to introduce to the Crown Prince was a cliff.
The scenery seen from that cliff was indescribably beautiful.
No matter what hidden purpose there was in this sightseeing, the process visible on the surface had to be natural.
Only then would we not be suspected.
To go see that scenery, we had to walk along the mountain path for about one meal’s time.
And in the process, I was able to naturally get close to that man named Ajeong.
Thanks to that, I could be certain.
What I sensed from him was clearly the aura of the Asura Blood Cult.
Perhaps because the martial arts he had learned were the martial arts eunuchs learned, that aura was not strong.
However, given that the aura could clearly be felt, it was certain that he had ties to them.
If this man had even learned the Soul Bewitching Art, it could become a serious problem.
Before long, we reached our destination.
“This way.” (Eun Seoho)
The Crown Prince, standing on the cliff I guided him to, admired the sight.
“Oh! What truly beautiful scenery.” (Crown Prince)
“I am glad it pleases you.” (Eun Seoho)
It was truly such a beautiful place that even the Crown Prince admired it so.
I learned about this place in my previous life thanks to a Head Escort who accompanied me when I was going to Beijing.
He told me there was a place nearby with rather fine scenery.
“To think there was such beautiful scenery! It was worth climbing the mountain with such effort.” (Guard)
“Indeed. It is a rare delight for the eyes.” (Eunuch)
The Crown Prince’s guards and the eunuchs all nodded and admired the scenery as well.
However, inwardly, I was tense.
Because I had to take Ajeong’s life here by disguising it as an accidental death.
But if that were all I was thinking about, there would be no need to be this tense.
Beyond that, if there was another person besides Ajeong secretly operating in the imperial palace, I intended to uncover that too.
If I was going to do it, I had to do it properly.
I hate troublesome things.
Still, if it is something I have no choice but to do, then either put in the minimum effort or produce the maximum effect—that is my creed.
“Hm? That is…….” (Eun Seoho)
I pointed to one place as though I had discovered something, and the Crown Prince asked.
“What is it?” (Crown Prince)
“There is a spiritual herb there. That is certainly a precious spiritual herb that grows only on rugged cliffs, and they say that eating its fruit helps one live free of disease and for a long life.” (Eun Seoho)
I continued speaking.
“If you permit me, I will bring it and offer it to Your Highness.” (Eun Seoho)
And if it was the ambitious Ajeong, there was no way he would let this opportunity slip.
Just as I expected, his eyes lit up and he stepped forward.
“There seems to be no need to trouble even Young Company Head Eun, Your Highness. I will go.” (Ajeong)
“Do so.” (Crown Prince)
Having received the Crown Prince’s permission, Ajeong headed to the place I had pointed at.
“Where is it?” (Ajeong)
“It is a little closer to the cliff.” (Eun Seoho)
“Is it…… here?” (Ajeong)
Just as he bent over and examined the edge of the cliff, I subtly pushed his backside without being seen.
“Ugh!” (Ajeong)
He flailed in surprise, but he could not stop himself from falling below the cliff.
“Ah! Eunuch A!” (Eun Seoho)
I quickly stretched out my hand and grabbed his hand.
Then, seeing my escort warriors and the Crown Prince’s guards running over, I let the strength leave my body.
Slide.
And so I, too, fell down below the cliff.
“Liege!” (Jinyu)
I heard my escort warriors urgently calling out to me.
I reached my hand out toward them and pretended to ask them to save me as I fell just like that.
Kkui!
When I had fallen far enough that they could no longer see us, Gold Bell supported me with its back, and thanks to that, I had not a single wound even after falling below the cliff.
It suddenly reminds me of when I fell down a cliff in Sichuan.
Back then, thanks to Gold Bell as well, I was able to grab a tree root on the cliff and be rescued.
This time, I deliberately fell all the way to the ground.
Because I needed time.
By the way, compared to back then, it seems Gold Bell’s strength has improved quite a bit.
Is it because I have given it quite a lot of gold coins recently?
Thinking that, I approached Ajeong, who had fainted.
I had deliberately let the shock reach him only to the point that he would not die.
Just in case, after striking his acupoints so he could not move his body, I took a rope from the vault and tied him to a long nearby rock.
This place had as many strangely shaped rocks as it did beautiful scenery, so there was also a pillar-shaped rock like the one I wanted.
Then, I filled my hand with cold energy and slapped his cheek.
Smack!
“Hrk!” (Ajeong)
Then he woke with a start, as though cold water had been poured over him.
“Wh-where is this?” (Ajeong)
“Below the cliff.” (Eun Seoho)
“What?” (Ajeong)
“Do you not remember? You fell from up there.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Ajeong)
He realized he was tied to a rock and shouted while struggling.
His bones were out of place, so it must have hurt quite a bit.
“Wh-what is the meaning of this?” (Ajeong)
“It is nothing much. I wished to have a conversation with you, Eunuch, so I brought you here like this.” (Eun Seoho)
“What nonsense!” (Ajeong)
He grasped the situation and glared at me.
“Then that fruit was a lie!” (Ajeong)
“Yes. That is correct.” (Eun Seoho)
“You insolent wretch! To dare do this to me……!” (Ajeong)
“Asura Blood Cult.” (Eun Seoho)
“……!” (Ajeong)
At my words, he flinched for a moment, but soon answered calmly.
“What are you suddenly talking about? That is a name I have never heard before.” (Ajeong)
“Then I wonder why the area around your eyes is trembling.” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Ajeong)
“I already know that you are a collaborator of the Asura Blood Cult. His Majesty the Emperor knows as well.” (Eun Seoho)
“……!” (Ajeong)
“Ah, and His Highness the Crown Prince knows too. That is why I can calmly commit the act of threatening a eunuch like this, is it not?” (Eun Seoho)
“Th-that cannot be!” (Ajeong)
“But it is true.” (Eun Seoho)
“Th-the Crown Prince is already under the Soul Bewitching Art I cast…… Hup!” (Ajeong)
He quickly shut his mouth, but I had already heard everything I needed to hear.
Damn it, to think he really did.
Because what I had worried about had already happened, my expression turned serious.
“When did you cast the Soul Bewitching Art?” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Ajeong)
No answer.
Clicking my tongue, I touched his acupoints.
Just in case, I could not leave marks like sword wounds.
As though he could not endure the pain of his bones being crushed and his tendons twisted, he eventually screamed.
Since his bones were already out of place, the pain must have been even worse.
“Aaaaagh!” (Ajeong)
But even if the scream rang out, no one knew we were here.
Because I blocked the sound with my energy.
I released his acupoints and interrogated him.
“Now, do you feel like answering?” (Eun Seoho)
“R-recently.” (Ajeong)
“What were the exact contents?” (Eun Seoho)
“…….” (Ajeong)
“This will not do. You still do not seem to understand your position.” (Eun Seoho)
“Aaaagh!” (Ajeong)
When he did not obediently open his mouth, I once again bestowed pain upon him.
In truth, I do not particularly like torture.
Because it is the act of deliberately giving someone pain difficult to endure and forcing a confession from them.
If the person being tortured were one of my people, just that fact alone would make it so painful I could not bear it.
But this man deserves to suffer such pain.
Because innocent people had been sacrificed due to the things this man had done until now.
On top of that, he even used the Soul Bewitching Art on the Crown Prince.
This was something that could cause an enormous ripple in the future.
I continued the torture.
“Lies will not work. Speak properly.” (Eun Seoho)
“Ghk! Ghh! Aaaagh!” (Ajeong)
One thing I learned while doing the work of a Trading Company was how to recognize other people’s lies.
Of course, it is not easy, but I have a fairly high probability of doing so.
So every time that man named Ajeong lied, I applied the crime of being detestable and made it even more painful, and in the end, he told the truth.
In truth, because of the pain I experienced in the process of treating the short life caused by my constitution, I know how to make things hurt more.
The important thing is not to allow him to develop tolerance to the pain.
Mm, acting like this makes me seem a little like a villain.
When he said he had used the Soul Bewitching Art on the Crown Prince, several questions arose in me.
First, that meant he himself had learned the Soul Bewitching Art, so why did he not attempt to use the Soul Bewitching Art on me?
Second, even though he had used the Soul Bewitching Art on the Crown Prince, why had the Crown Prince not obediently followed their words and instead tried to remove Ajeong?
Ajeong answered.
“It is not that I know how to use the Soul Bewitching Art. I used a one-time artifact.” (Ajeong)
“When was it?” (Eun Seoho)
“R-recently.” (Ajeong)
“How strange. And yet, judging by the fact that His Highness the Crown Prince told me to remove you, Eunuch, the Soul Bewitching Art must not have been perfect.” (Eun Seoho)
“No! It was perfect! That is why the Crown Prince chose me as his attending eunuch.” (Ajeong)
That is also true.
Then how was the Crown Prince able to break the Soul Bewitching Art and give me the order to kill Eunuch Ajeong?
As I was thinking that over, a cool wind blew.
Coolness…… coldness……?
Ah, it was because of that!
My energy contains the power of purification.
And sometimes it purifies the surroundings regardless of my will.
Huh! What?
It was because of me?
The Crown Prince was briefly caught in the Soul Bewitching Art, then regained his mind because of my energy, and gave me an opportunity to remove Ajeong, who had cast the Soul Bewitching Art on him.
And the Emperor, who had sensed something suspicious in the process of the Crown Prince taking Ajeong as his attending eunuch, sent me that secret order.
Only now did I feel as though I understood the whole picture of this matter.
That sly old fox of an Emperor.
Then I should live up to his expectations.
“I have another question.” (Eun Seoho)
“Huk, huuk, please, now please just kill me.” (Ajeong)
He pleaded for me to kill him instead, but I did not feel even the slightest pity for him.
“That will not do. There are so very many things I am curious about.” (Eun Seoho)
.
.
.
A little while later.
I looked at Ajeong, who had died while tied to the rock.
Because after hearing everything I wanted to hear, I had struck his lethal acupoints and killed him.
Now, I should start going back up.
By the way, I feel somewhat sorry to the others.
Only Gold Bell knows about this operation.
It is not that I do not trust my escort warriors’ acting ability, but even so, there is bound to be a considerable difference between knowing and not knowing.
That was why I deliberately did not tell them.
Do they not say that to deceive the enemy, one must first deceive one’s allies?
That was also why I did not bring Miss Seohyang along.
I feel sorry to my escort warriors and Palgap, who will be worried thinking I died.
I am sorry to the Crown Prince too…… there are too many people I am sorry to.
I should hurry back.
First, I untied Ajeong’s corpse.
Thud.
The corpse collapsed weakly to the ground.
I carried that corpse and kicked off from the ground.
Whoosh!
Then, while floating as high as I could in the air, I deliberately released the corpse.
Thwack!
The sight of the corpse falling precisely onto the rock he had been tied to was nothing short of gruesome.
It is not pleasant to look at, but it has to be at least this much to deceive them about the cause of death.
I approached him, wrapped his corpse in the robe I was wearing, and slung it over my back.
Good grief, my life.
I am definitely going to get solid compensation for this.
Including the cost of the robe.
---
The place where the procession of the Crown Prince and the Eunhae Trading Company had stopped.
That place was now shrouded in a somber atmosphere.
Because news of the death of Eun Seoho, who had set out saying he would show the Crown Prince a place with fine scenery, had been delivered.
“Th-that cannot be!” (Hong Seonil)
Naturally, Eun Seoho’s party, upon hearing this, were struck dumb with despair.
“S-Seoho…….” (Hong Seonil)
In particular, the grief felt by Eun Seoho’s cousin Hong Seonil was far greater than that of the others.
“Husband…….” (Princess Sinaa)
“Wh-what are we to do? Seoho…… Seoho…….” (Hong Seonil)
Before that Hong Seonil, the Crown Prince dropped to his knees.
“It is my fault.” (Crown Prince)
“Your, Your Highness the Crown Prince! How could you do this before this humble subject…….” (Hong Seonil)
“Because of my foolish actions, a great talent has been lost. He warned me that it was a dangerous place…….” (Crown Prince)
“No, that is not so. Please get up at once.” (Hong Seonil)
“I am so sorry to everyone that I have no face to show.” (Crown Prince)
The Crown Prince, too, was equally grief-stricken.
On the day he headed to Nanjing, when he faced Eun Seoho, he felt something strange.
Because it was said that he had chosen that man named Ajeong as his attending eunuch, but he had no memory at all of the time when he chose him.
Thus, while thinking about this, he decided to ask Eun Seoho for help.
That was why he deliberately mentioned the landslide in Sichuan, and Eun Seoho gave a slight nod.
It was a signal that he would resolve it.
But even so, he had never once imagined that he would perish together with that man named Ajeong, so the shock was very great.
“I will apologize to you as well. Because of me, you lost your liege.” (Crown Prince)
“It is all right.” (Escort Warrior)
At their reaction, the Crown Prince tilted his head.
Because even while they were suffering, their eyes had not given up.
“Our liege is not such a weak person.” (Escort Warrior)
“He will surely return alive.” (Escort Warrior)
“That is right, sir. The Young Master is a person with an incredibly tenacious life, sir.” (Palgap)
At those words, the Crown Prince shed tears.
Did he, too, have retainers like them?
Thinking that, he grew envious of Eun Seoho.
‘I will take responsibility for and look after your people.’ (Crown Prince)
It was when he was thinking that.
Jinyu turned his head toward somewhere.
“Liege…….” (Jinyu)
At that, everyone else looked at Jinyu.
Jinyu closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and said.
“I can sense our liege’s energy.” (Jinyu)