Chapter 295: Promise (2)
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We were not given much time. Our greatest anxiety was not knowing how great the difference was between time inside this formation and time outside.
Even though Zhu Wenjing had poured out all his divine power, without knowing the exact time differential we could not simply stay here indefinitely.
“Can time inside a formation and time outside flow differently?”
“Yes. I have experienced it myself.”
“You have? Then I suppose that is how it is.”
Myeong-gyeong spoke as though relieved, but he could not hide the impatience in his eyes. I too would not have believed it if I had not experienced it myself.
Also, in this formation the seasons and weather were always the same through all four seasons. In such conditions there was no proper way to tell how each day passed.
In the end, what we could do was not greatly different from usual. That was to do our best every moment.
We truly devoted all our time inside the formation to training. Naturally I trained in the Forbidden City, where demonic qi was concentrated, while Myeong-gyeong trained in the outer areas where demonic qi was thin.
When individual training ended, I left the Forbidden City and sparred with Myeong-gyeong, pointing out where he fell short.
That did not mean we trained all twelve shichen of every day. Rest too was part of training. Did not muscles grow through the repeated process of tearing and rejoining?
During that time we had many conversations. We shared views on chivalry and martial arts, and exchanged small things like childhood memories.
Myeong-gyeong was especially curious about Great Ming. I knew nothing about Great Ming as a nation itself, but I told him what I did know.
That it was the nation that had existed before the Imperial State, and that the Imperial State had tried to erase it from history.
“Junior Brother becoming emperor. It sounds unreal.”
“It is unreal enough.”
Myeong-gyeong giggled. Well, it was hard to feel it was real when someone close rose to such an exalted position.
“But I think Junior Brother can do it well.”
“Your faith is impressive.”
“It is faith in my own eyes more than faith in Junior Brother.”
“Are those two different?”
“Not greatly.”
As those words suggested, we had gone beyond trusting each other to the point where we could identify with one another. We could read each other’s intent from a glance alone. Thinking of how the yamen runner in my past life had hidden that I was of the Demonic Cult, this was perhaps the first true relationship I had gained across two lives.
I could not know exactly how much time had passed. The only evidence was hair and beard, so I could only guess roughly from that.
I thought a great deal about how long I ought to stay here. The longer the better. Time here flowed more slowly than outside, after all.
But if I stayed away from the Central Plains too long, people would worry, and it was unknown what would become of the New Justice Association if it lost its center. I had to find the right moment.
Yet there was no need to search for the right moment. Cracks began appearing in the formation little by little.
Perhaps because Zhu Wenjing had made so many alterations, the formation’s balance seemed to have collapsed.
So we no longer had to worry about when to leave. We need only train as hard as possible in the time that remained.
The time we seemed to have spent in that formation was roughly a year. In that period we had grown greatly. I in particular achieved remarkable results in both external and internal arts, while Myeong-gyeong gained tremendous refinement and sharpness in the initial forms I had taught him.
Thinking roughly of the time differential in the formation beneath the sea, I expected about three months had passed outside.
The formation’s shaking grew severe. The ground split and the sky began to open. The formation’s life was nearly spent. We escaped before it collapsed entirely. We did not know what would happen if we were inside when a formation collapsed.
“Ah. You came right out.”
“…?”
The people we faced the moment Myeong-gyeong and I left the formation were those who had been sent out of the formation in advance, the ones imprisoned by the Mad Buddha.
For a moment I wondered whether they had been waiting for me. But no matter how I thought about it, there was no reason for that.
“Your appearance seems to have changed somehow.”
“So it has. Your hair grew a little, benefactor, and the young master too.”
The people stirred as they belatedly took in how we looked.
The year inside the formation was the same as an instant outside. Perhaps because the immortal had spent all his divine power. It was tremendous power. I had not known he could buy this much time, and for a moment I was stunned.
We had spent a long time in the Great Desert. Now it was time to head back to the Central Plains.
* * *
We went straight to Beijing through the Great Desert. Now that we knew the Emperor’s intent, there was no need to test his courage further.
Seeing the real Forbidden City after the fake one stirred fresh emotion. The Forbidden City where I had stayed far too long had not a single person in it, while this one bustled.
I probably knew the geography of the Forbidden City better than the Emperor. I had spent a year training while wandering every corner of it.
Perhaps because of that, I nearly went to the Forbidden City’s main gate without thinking. The main gate was a path only the Emperor could use. Remembering that walking there alone was treated as rebellion, I had nearly made a grave mistake.
“Already trying to act like the Emperor.”
Myeong-gyeong whispered and snickered. It was an embarrassing mistake, so I clicked my tongue and went where commoners passed.
I intended to enter plainly and boldly. The Imperial Guard naturally raised their spears to block us.
“…Do you not value your lives?”
Paradoxically, because I acted too boldly, the Imperial Guard were flustered.
After all, the Imperial Guard defending the Forbidden City, the greatest symbol of the Central Plains, would never have faced a situation like this. As they said, unless one did not value one’s life, one ordinarily kept one’s distance before the Forbidden City.
“Before whom do you raise your spears?”
Before I could step forward, Myeong-gyeong growled. When Myeong-gyeong took one step ahead, the Imperial Guard flinched.
“How can dogs who cannot even recognize their master guard a house?”
Myeong-gyeong’s voice carried the dignity of the imperial clan. The Imperial Guard, who had been standing with shoulders squared, lowered their voices.
“Who are you?”
“Do you dare ask me that? Who may ask a member of the imperial clan personal questions?”
“We spoke out of turn, Your Highness.”
The Imperial Guard trembled and prostrated themselves. At the word imperial clan, they were shocked.
I laughed inwardly. Without my saying a word, Myeong-gyeong was making good use of his position. Well, he had been born into the imperial clan and suffered for it, so he ought to put on airs at times like this. It was only proper.
“Report to His Imperial Majesty. The Prince of Jianzhou and New Justice Association Leader Muk Hui-yeong have come to keep their promise.”
The gazes of palace maids and ministers entering and leaving the Forbidden City turned toward us.
Even if they could not hear our words, even palace attendants would rarely see Imperial Guards trembling like this.
“Please wait a moment.”
The Imperial Guard moved busily. I stood with one leg cocked, insolently at ease. This was not before the Emperor, and there was no need to show courtesy even to Imperial Guards. And more decisively, I had a member of the imperial clan beside me.
“We will escort you.”
Before long the Imperial Guard called for us.
Without any waiting time, we were summoned straight to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the many energy senses I felt, it seemed they had been holding a council of ministers.
When we actually entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony, many ministers stood in ranks. The Emperor sat in the grand preceptor’s chair and looked down at us with an interested expression.
“We greet His Imperial Majesty.”
Myeong-gyeong prostrated himself first, and I followed.
“It does not seem long, yet the air about you has changed greatly?”
“That too must be Your Majesty’s grace.”
The Emperor’s brow furrowed slightly. Anyone could see Myeong-gyeong was being sarcastic.
Had it been anyone else, the ministers would at once have dragged him out for impudence, but the other party was the Emperor’s younger brother and a feudal prince. The ministers could do nothing but show their anxiety.
“Calling me Your Majesty feels awkward. Address me as Elder Brother.”
“How could I damage Your Majesty’s dignity in a public setting? I am more comfortable this way.”
Somehow Myeong-gyeong’s manner of speech seemed to be taking after mine. We had been together constantly for a year, so perhaps that was only natural.
A tone that seemed to mock and infuriate the other party. In this situation it was an inappropriate feeling, but I was strangely pleased.
“Haha. Amusing. Very well, have you already captured the Mad Buddha?”
“We have.”
Myeong-gyeong nodded and glanced at me. I took out the wooden box and approached the Emperor to hand it over.
“Hmm.”
The Emperor received the wooden box with suspicious eyes.
“Your Majesty. We do not know what may have been done to the box…”
Eastern Depot Grand Eunuch Yi Hwan approached the Emperor’s side. He probably meant to open the box himself. At that Myeong-gyeong’s expression hardened sharply.
“Grand Eunuch Yi Hwan. Are you saying we mean to harm His Imperial Majesty?”
“…That is not my meaning.”
The Grand Eunuch was flustered. As Grand Eunuch it was a natural action, but not trusting me was no different from not trusting Myeong-gyeong.
In truth, from the imperial palace’s position, it was natural that they could not trust us. We were people who had openly declared ourselves opposed to the imperial palace. But Myeong-gyeong was of the imperial clan.
“Younger Brother, enough. The Grand Eunuch made a mistake. I will apologize in his place.”
The Emperor laughed. It was a slightly dry laugh.
“Open this first.”
The wooden box opened. Inside, the Mad Buddha’s pale head lay neatly placed. Whether this too was the formation’s subtle wonder, or whether there was further delicate care from Zhu Wenjing that I did not know, even though I had stored the head by temporary means, the Mad Buddha’s head looked intact as though severed only days ago. It had astonished me the first time I saw it, and it astonished me again now.
“…That is certain.”
Beside us, Eastern Depot Grand Eunuch Yi Hwan confirmed that the head belonged to the Mad Buddha. Unease stirred among the ministers as well. The martial-world criminal who had not been captured for years had been caught at once once we stepped forward.
“Your capability is astonishing. I am curious how you accomplished what the imperial palace and the martial world failed to do for years.”
“It seems the imperial palace and the martial world were incompetent.”
Myeong-gyeong spoke with his head slightly bowed. He had only bowed his head, but it was an outrageous statement.
The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched. No one had ever spoken to the Emperor that way.
Only because he was of the imperial clan, and already fallen from favor, was it possible. Myeong-gyeong knew his situation well and was clever enough to use it. Of course, spending a year constantly with me and talking had probably influenced him as well.
“Prince of Jianzhou. Even for one of the imperial clan, such a manner of speech toward His Imperial Majesty cannot be tolerated.”
The Grand Eunuch lectured with his head lowered. Myeong-gyeong’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you lecturing me now, Grand Eunuch?”
“That is not it.”
Irritation flashed in the Grand Eunuch’s eyes. Well, a brat who had not even been acknowledged as imperial clan suddenly appearing and acting like a superior would be infuriating.
I did not miss the moment. The reason I had stayed quiet until now was for a situation exactly like this.
Smack!
I approached the Grand Eunuch and struck his cheek hard. The Grand Eunuch’s head whipped to the side.
“How dare an Eastern Depot attendant show impudence to a member of the imperial clan.”
I said. The Grand Eunuch’s eyes were blank with disbelief. Until I approached, he would never have imagined his cheek would be struck. And that too before the Emperor.
Soon, as he grasped the situation, Yi Hwan’s face began to redden.
“That is excessive.”
The Emperor’s voice, who had been watching until now, also turned cold.
Striking the Emperor’s close attendant before the Emperor. That alone was a tremendous insult to the Emperor.
“Is it more excessive than digging a trap and driving us to our deaths?”
Myeong-gyeong’s eyes curved. For some reason, even the smile that infuriated people seemed to resemble mine.
Now that it had come this far, there was no turning back.