Chapter 100: Vice General Part 3

Originally, there were nine generals in Cheongdo Palace.

At the top was Grand General Seong Sa Wook, who was ranked first among the military officials.

Below him were other high-ranking generals and they each possessed extraordinary abilities.

Listed by rank, every one of them had reached an unfathomable level in their martial arts.

Blue Pillar General Hwang Soo.

Vice General Jeong Seo Tae.

Cloud Emblem General In Seon Hwang.

Mediating General Seok Wol Yong.

Fierce Honor General Yoo Gwang Woon.

Strategic General Ah Cheon.

Spear Tiger General An Beol Chan, and Garden Pavilion General Moon Rim….

These general-level officers acted as the central figures that unified the soldiers.

The reason why the damage to each palace was minimized during the previous Sun Demonic Spirit subjugation was because these general-level officers spread out to each palace and served as a focal point to control the soldiers.

In reality, they were the nine pillars supporting the vast Cheongdo Empire’s military, and each general held enough influence to rule over a small border region on their own.

Yet their numbers had greatly dwindled.

At one point, there were more than twenty generals supporting the Cheongdo Empire.

Even with just these nine, the smaller border nations trembled in fear, so it was unimaginable how powerful they must have been in their prime.

However, after a certain event, the number of generals had been halved.

It was an incident no high official who had served in Cheongdo Palace for many years could forget.

Swordmaster Seol Lee Moon.

He had walked into the palace without a single piece of armor, with just his sword, and cut down every person who stood in his way.

──That’s how eleven general-level officers died in one night.

It had been the most nightmarish rebellion in the history of the Cheongdo Empire, an event that completely erased the once-powerful Huayongseol clan from history.

And as always, the flow of history defied human expectations.

The position of Vice General was left vacant.

The one who would soon fill that position was, surprisingly, the illegitimate child of the Huayongseol clan.

“…….”

At dusk, near a large grave mound tucked in a corner of the Imperial Garden.

In a section set aside to honor those who had given their lives for the country, a new grave had appeared.

When Seol Tae Pyeong arrived with a bottle of strong liquor in hand, he found a military officer sitting in front of it and crying.

The man was hunched over and sobbing, so he couldn’t see his face, but he could guess his rank from the sword decoration hanging near his sword.

Lower Third Rank, Crescent Moon General.

Judging by his build, Seol quickly recognized the soldier as Hwa Wol Yong, someone who had followed and revered Vice General Jeong Seo Tae like a father.

From what he had heard, this man had accompanied the Vice General as his adjutant in the recent campaign against the High Demonic Spirit, and after the general’s death, he had risked his own life to finally slay the High Demonic Spirit.

For that feat, he was rewarded, and promoted from Lower Fourth Rank Peace Stone General to Lower Third Rank Crescent Moon General.

He had risen to the same rank as Seol Tae Pyeong.

But tomorrow, when the sun rose, Seol Tae Pyeong would become the next Vice General.

Tomorrow, after heading to the main palace for the inauguration ceremony, he would become one of the nine generals who supported the Cheongdo Palace and led its soldiers.

In a way… it was the last day he could sit beside him as a fellow of the same rank.

Thud.

Trickle.

Seol Tae Pyeong sat next to Hwa Wol Yong and poured him a drink.

Originally, he had brought the liquor to pour at the Vice General’s grave, but knowing the Vice General’s character, he wouldn’t have complained if a bit of it was shared with his subordinate.

As the sound of Seol Tae Pyeong pouring filled the air, Hwa Wol Yong who had been crying with his head down suddenly raised his head and opened his eyes wide in surprise.

Without saying much, Seol Tae Pyeong slid the cup toward him and poured himself a drink as well.

After hesitating for a moment, Hwa Wol Yong wiped away the tears and snot from his face and accepted the drink before downing it in one go.

It was quite strong, but the two men drank it down without saying anything.

The Vice General had lived drinking even stronger spirits like the Bitter Harmony Poison and lived.

“The Vice General often spoke about it. He said among those holding the title of Moon General, there was one who had the makings of a true general.”

“…….”

“It’s only now I realize… the Vice General had always lived with death on his mind.”

Perhaps that cheerful and carefree image he had was his way of running from the fear of death, day by day.

Thinking about it like that made it all seem gloomy, but somehow, it also made him feel at ease as if the general had probably faced death with a smile.

Vice General Jeong Seo Tae had been that kind of man.

“What about you, General Seol? Are you afraid of death?”

Seol Tae Pyeong, who had been wondering how to console him, was caught off guard by the sudden question.

Why was Hwa Wol Yong curious about that? Seol Tae Pyeong didn’t know, but it seemed he genuinely wanted to hear the answer.

In any case, the question itself wasn’t anything significant… it was enough to simply answer while taking a drink.

As he sipped from his cup and gently closed his eyes, memories of past brushes with death came to mind.

From the moment he became aware of the world up until now, there had rarely been a time when his life wasn’t in danger… each time, he had miraculously escaped death and survived up until this point.

He had faced death so many times that it no longer felt particularly special.

And yet.

“Yes.”

Seol Tae Pyeong set his cup down and spoke.

“I too am afraid of death.”

“……..”

“Not for a single moment have I been not afraid.”

If he didn’t admit that, even the desperate struggle to stay alive would lose its meaning.

“……..”

Hwa Wol Yong lowered his head for a moment after hearing those words. Then, he bowed once more toward Vice General Jeong Seo Tae’s grave and shed tears once more.

Even as the sound of his sobbing filled the air, Seol Tae Pyeong simply sat quietly behind him.

***

The next morning.

Numerous military officials stood in line before the throne. They had gathered to celebrate the appointment of a new general.

Rumors spread throughout the palace and beyond about the new Vice General.

The man taking the position this time was said to be so young that it had only been a few years since his coming-of-age ceremony.

They said that even after searching through all the records of Cheongdo Palace, it was rare for someone so young to be appointed as a general.

His swordsmanship was so exceptional that it was said he could cut down hundreds of soldiers by himself.

And as the lord of the Hwalseong District, each of his closest aides was famous inside the imperial capital.

──And, it was said he was from the Huayongseol clan.

Step, step.

He walked toward the imperial court dressed in military uniform,

As he calmly strode along the clean stone-paved road, he looked up and the sky was high and clear.

It was truly a paradoxical sight.

This was the very road that the rebel Seol Lee Moon had taken under the rain as he marched to kill Emperor Woon Sung.

Now, his descendant, Seol Tae Pyeong, was walking down that same path to receive his government post.

Some felt deeply moved at the sight of the descendant of a traitor who had completely changed his ways.

Others still criticized him, claiming that he harbored the same cruel treacherous heart inside.

But what did that matter?

In the end, it was Emperor Woon Sung himself who had the honor of acknowledging his rise to power from his seat high above the main palace.

….

“The contributions you’ve made to Cheongdo over the years have been truly great. In recognition of your achievements and abilities, I am entrusting you with this important position. Be ever mindful of guarding against corruption, and serve the country with the integrity of a true warrior.”

Emperor Woon Sung who was seated on the throne spoke these words before he bestowed the silk appointment scroll.

The Under Councilor who received the appointment scroll confirmed its contents once more, then bowed his head and rolled it up before me while I was lying face down.

I took the appointment scroll and bowed once more.

Thud.

Despite the loss of his arm, Seong Sa Wook who still exuded the majesty of a grand general stepped forward and dusted off his clothes.

He handed me a leather strap wrapped around the hilt of a sword, along with a large silk ornament attached to it. It was neatly engraved with gold thread embroidery in the shape of a heavenly dragon.

This was the symbol of a general-level officer in Cheongdo. An object that all military officers dreamed of one day possessing.

“Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong, receive it.”

“Yes.”

I took the item and tied it to the end of my sword.

At last, I had become the third-highest-ranking military officer in Cheongdo Palace… the Vice General.

“Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong, I understand that you had ties with the former Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun since your time as the Inner Swords Commander.”

I thought the ceremony was over and that I could return after exchanging some light conversation.

However, Emperor Woon Sung brought up a different matter in the presence of the gathered military officers and high officials.

“Yes, that is correct.”

I bowed my head and answered.

So this wasn’t just an event to bestow the title of Vice General.

The sudden mention of Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun caught me off guard, but I quickly responded.

“It seems that as the inner palace inspector, you helped Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun in managing affairs inside and outside the palace and handling the matters of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”

By the time Shim Sang Gon was expelled from the palace, it was already widely known that the Inner Swords Commander was a tool under the command of Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun. It wasn’t surprising, given how openly it had been revealed in front of the high officials.

I couldn’t help but swallow dryly.

When it came to Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun, there were many things that left me uneasy.

Ah Hyun, who once wielded the Heavenly Dragon power and reigned at the top of this Cheongdo Palace, did not meet a good end.

She was held accountable for the rampaging demonic spirits and so had to be dethroned. Because of that, whether it be among officials or the common people, the public opinion of her was unfavorable.

It would not be pleasant to be close to such a disgraced Heavenly Maiden, and if it were ever discovered that I had taken that same Heavenly Maiden as my maid and brought her into my own living quarters, things would become far too complicated.

“So you must have frequented the Heavenly Dragon Hall both inside and out.”

However, if the intention had been to find fault with me, there was no way I would have been given the position of Vice General in the first place.

Emperor Woon Sung had an entirely different reason for bringing up Ah Hyun’s name.

He stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment, then after scanning the high officials around him, he spoke humbly.

“Recently, there has been much discussion both inside and outside the palace regarding the selection of a new Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo. Most likely, either the Black Princess or the Azure Princess will take charge of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, correct? You must have heard the news as well.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Since the dismissal of the former Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun did not happen under favorable circumstances, it seems that her successor who will be temporarily in charge of the Heavenly Dragon Hall won’t have an easy time receiving a proper handover. She will certainly face many difficulties in adjusting.

What is the most important duty of the Emperor?

It is to create an environment where the Heavenly Maiden ocan properly fulfill her responsibilities at the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

As an Emperor who was thorough in his duties, Woon Sung took great care to pay attention to such matters.

“The Headmaid of the Heavenly Dragon Hall will assist with the smaller tasks, but it will not be easy for her to take care of all the matters inside and outside the palace. In that regard, someone who helped the former Heavenly Maiden with her duties like you would be the perfect candidate to support the new one.”

There were several reasons for giving me the big position of Vice General, but one of them was that the rank of Inner Swords Commander was not sufficient for the duty of officially assisting the Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo.

That intention was now becoming clear.

Emperor Woon Sung planned to use me as a high official while also assigning me to help the newly appointed Heavenly Maiden. So that he could make sure she could manage the affairs of the Heavenly Dragon Hall without any problems.

Among the women of Cheongdo Palace, the Heavenly Maiden held the highest position.

To assist such a figure, it made sense to appoint someone of the Vice General rank to preserve her dignity.

Most military officers were focused on martial arts and typically knew little about the workings of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

Since I was the only one who had previously handled affairs under the former Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun, I was indeed the perfect candidate for the role.

“Leave the internal matters of the Heavenly Dragon Hall to Headmaid Lee Ryeong, and let Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong handle external affairs and security duties.”

***

Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong was officially appointed as the aide to the new Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo.

Headmaid Lee Ryeong would assist the new Heavenly Maiden with internal matters, while Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong would assist her with external matters and security.

The number of general-level officers directly reflected the strength of the Cheongdo Empire.

Each individual talent was far beyond the level of ordinary military officials, so assigning a general-level officer directly to serve the Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo was an unprecedented privilege.

With the internal and external affairs of the palace being so turbulent lately, it seemed more like a gesture of consideration for the one who would soon take the position of Heavenly Maiden.

And this news hit the tea gathering where the mistresses of the Four Great Palaces were gathered like a bombshell.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Silence filled the tea gathering.

A strange tension lingered among the women as they carefully observed each other’s reactions.

The position of an aide. What kind of role was that? It was close to one who would offer everything, body and soul, to serve the Heavenly Maiden.

Indeed… if one were to become the Heavenly Maiden…

It would mean having Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong at her command… And under her control…