Chapter 205: Let's Go All the Way (4)
So-mu and Seol Pung followed the official to the meeting location.
Although a carriage had been prepared, they declined since walking was unnecessary in this place.
After walking for about thirty minutes, they arrived at a grand pavilion with a plaque that read “Yanghwa Hall.”
Sensing the presence inside, So-mu noted there were only two people.
“Please step inside.”
Nodding, So-mu climbed the steps and walked in.
His ominous premonition was not wrong in the slightest.
Two officials stood waiting. Their robes were embroidered with a single golden crane. If they had been high-ranking officials, they would have had two cranes.
As So-mu approached, they cupped their fists and introduced themselves.
“I am Registrar Wang Jun-pil. You have traveled a long way.”
“I am Registrar Jeon Yang. Please, have a seat.”
A registrar was a sixth-rank civil official responsible for central administrative work.
They were low-level bureaucrats who lacked any authority to negotiate foreign policy, far too junior to face the Great General of another nation.
Seol Pung stared at them in disbelief and snapped, “The supreme military commander of a nation has come in person, and yet the State of Po does not show proper respect? We have brought a personal letter from Min-gong as envoys, so please arrange an audience with His Majesty.”
“Please do not misunderstand, this is not intentional. His Majesty is currently unwell and is unable to meet anyone.”
It was an absurd excuse.
Before becoming emperor, Won Gyu had been a renowned military governor who fought against rebel forces. As a master of the Flower Realm, the claim that he was unwell was a blatant lie.
“Then allow us to meet the Chancellor.”
“Unfortunately, the Chancellor is currently away.”
Seol Pung, momentarily speechless, asked again, “…Then when can we meet someone with authority?”
“We cannot say for sure. However, we have prepared a banquet, so why don’t you rest for a few days and wait?”
Watching the exchange, So-mu let out a dry laugh.
It was a simple stalling tactic. Even if they waited, a meeting would likely never happen.
It was so ridiculous it was almost funny.
Although he wanted to threaten them, state affairs always required a proper justification.
“It seems this is my seat.”
Sitting down, So-mu signaled Seol Pung to sit as well.
Seeing this, Wang Jun-pil and Jeon Yang attempted to sit opposite him. However, it remained only an attempt. When they tried to pull back their chairs, they did not budge in the slightest, as if they were bolted to the floor.
“Wait, why is this…”
“What is going on?”
The two grunted as they tugged at the chairs. Since they couldn’t pull them back, they couldn’t sit.
Leaning back in his chair, So-mu asked innocently, “Why aren’t you sitting?”
“Well, you see…”
Seol Pung, guessing what was happening, kept a straight face.
The civil officials, who had no martial arts training, could not sense it, but Seol Pung could clearly feel it: the invisible qi of the Great General was completely dominating the room.
After about seven minutes, So-mu spoke.
“If you do not wish to sit, you may leave. I will wait here until another official arrives.”
So-mu closed his eyes and crossed his arms. Seol Pung had no choice but to follow his lead.
Faced with this situation, Wang Jun-pil and Jeon Yang were in a bind.
They realized this was not something they could resolve at their level.
“P-Please wait a moment.”
Exchanging glances, they walked out of the pavilion with awkward steps to report to their superiors.
So-mu did not move even after they left.
About an hour after he had closed his eyes, he sensed someone approaching.
The person walked to the opposite side of the table, but So-mu still did not open his eyes. He merely monitored the flow of qi.
Judging by the unstable flow of qi, the visitor was terrified. They had sent another puppet.
Screeech!
The man succeeded in pulling back his chair and felt a brief wave of relief, but it was short-lived. A sudden chill washed over him, freezing his entire body.
As he sat shivering, unable to comprehend what was happening, So-mu spoke again.
“Sit—if you are prepared for the consequences.”
The official hesitated for a moment, then walked back out without saying a single word. He felt as though he would die if he sat in that chair.
This same process was repeated three more times over the next four hours.
So-mu possessed the mental fortitude to sit motionless for days if needed. Only Seol Pung sat with a half-miserable expression, enduring the wait.
It didn’t matter even if the meeting never took place. They were merely establishing a justification.
However, the ministers of Po seemed to understand his intentions.
When the fourth person entered the pavilion, So-mu opened his eyes for the first time in six hours.
“I am Chancellor Ha Mun.”
The Chancellor was a second-rank official, a post reserved only for the state’s most prominent ministers. A true giant in the hierarchy had finally arrived.
He possessed an extraordinary presence that remained unawed by So-mu’s qi.
So-mu stood up and cupped his fists in return for the first time.
“I am So-mu, Great General of the State of So.”
“I am Vice Commander Seol Pung.”
A subtle expression flickered across Ha Mun’s face as he looked at Seol Pung, but it quickly vanished. He recognized him.
He seemed to have something to say, but now was not the time.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting. The nation has been in disarray lately…”
“Think nothing of it. We did not schedule this meeting in advance.”
Ha Mun and So-mu sat opposite each other and exchanged formal pleasantries.
Once the atmosphere settled, Ha Mun asked cautiously, “What is it that the Great General wishes to discuss with us?”
He likely already knew the reason. It was the very reason they had been avoiding the meeting. There was no need to beat around the bush.
“We intend to wage a decisive war against the State of Hui. We ask for your military support.”
“Our nation and the State of So are not military allies. For what reason must we join the war?”
It was the expected reaction. So-mu had not expected them to comply easily.
“If we, including the State of Song, do not unite our strength, we will fall one by one. Although the State of Po is currently in the rear, the situation can change at any moment.”
If either the State of Song or the State of So fell, the State of Po would be next. Yet, Ha Mun remained calm, as if it were none of his concern.
“Are you not overestimating the enemy? The State of So has never been defeated, and we know the State of Song has firmly defended Xiangyang Fortress.”
Ha Mun was underestimating the State of Hui. His attitude frustrated So-mu. Now he understood why Advisor Jin Yoo-so had warned that it would be a difficult task.
“Those victories were minor. The true war has not even begun.”
“That is hard to believe. We have our own ears and eyes. I hear Goryeo is also fighting well, so what is there to worry about?”
“The State of Hui is merely buying time. Their forces are ten times larger than our State of So, and they are training a massive number of elite soldiers called the Crimson Guards. As time passes, we will only be at a greater disadvantage.”
A mysterious smile appeared on Ha Mun’s face.
“I understand your point. However, we cannot mobilize our army based solely on your words, General. We will watch the situation develop before making a decision.”
In other words, they wouldn’t move until the tide of war turned decidedly against them.
“By then, it will be too late. If the State of Po does not show good faith now, we will not be able to maintain friendly relations in the future.”
“Even so, there is nothing we can do. Even if you and the State of Song try to pressure us.”
Threats did not work either. They were confident that the State of So, already struggling against the State of Hui, would not have the spare capacity to deal with the State of Po.
“Can you bear the consequences of that decision?”
“Haha. Why use such frightening words? We merely wish to clear up any misunderstandings and continue our friendly relations.”
So-mu could clearly tell from his response: the Emperor had already decided not to send troops.
It was not a situation that would be easily resolved. The two continued their conversation, neither yielding an inch.
***
Meanwhile, left alone, So-so paced back and forth on the second floor of the pavilion, stretching her neck to look outside.
Her father, who said he would be back soon, had not returned even though it was late at night. She had eaten a few of the prepared snacks, but they were far from enough to satisfy her hunger.
“Sigh. I’m hungry.”
As she sat curled up, rubbing her stomach with one hand, a sudden commotion sounded from somewhere, only to die down just as quickly.
“Dad?”
Jumping to her feet, So-so clung to the window frame and looked around.
Obstructed by the massive pavilions, she couldn’t see anything.
Driven by curiosity, she concealed her presence and leaped from the window frame.
Swish!
Like a sparrow landing on a roof, she perched on top of a pavilion to survey her surroundings.
Unlike the palace of Chang’an, many parts of this place were deserted.
She could see maids and eunuchs moving in organized lines, and imperial guards patrolling with sharp eyes.
Since she couldn’t move openly, So-so executed Shadow Gate’s stealth techniques and leaped through the air.
After slipping over a few roofs, she witnessed a shocking sight.
‘That uncle…?’
In an alleyway between the pavilions about forty paces away, she saw the middle-aged man who had been tortured earlier.
He was being dragged away by two officials. However, his appearance was completely different from what she had seen during the day.
His entire body was stained red with blood, and he dragged his feet as if there were no bones in his legs.
“Oh no…”
Covering her mouth with one hand, So-so hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow them.
Instead of taking him to a prison, they moved to a quiet, deserted area. It was a pavilion that looked like it was used as a storehouse.
The two officials locked the middle-aged man inside and stood guard at the entrance.
Just then, the official on the left whispered, “This feels terrible. Do we really have to go this far?”
“Tell me about it. What crime is there in reading someone’s face? In all my life, I’ve never seen such a madman.”
“Watch your mouth. If the Crown Prince hears you, you’ll be executed by slow slicing.”
“There’s no one around. Am I wrong?”
The other official nervously scanned the area. After confirming they were alone, he whispered back, “You’re not wrong. How can he rape and kill a wife right in front of her husband? What kind of prince is that bastard?”
“It’s not like it’s the first time. It happens about once every ten days. He seems to get satisfaction only when he inflicts pain on someone.”
“Exactly. That face reader said it: the prince was born with a fate that should never have been human. He seems quite skilled, should we ask him to read our faces too?”
The other official glared at him and said, “Don’t be stupid. He’ll be back soon.”
“Already?”
“How long could it take to catch one runaway daughter? They even mobilized the Golden Dragon Unit.”
“Sigh. Poor thing, what did she do to deserve this…”
The two officials suddenly froze in shock. A small girl was standing right in front of them with her hands on her hips.
“What did you say?”
They hadn’t even sensed her approach, even though she was right before them.
The guards looked at each other in panic.
“Shit, what do we do?”
“Just grab her. She heard everything.”