Chapter 104: Battle to Seize the Vice General Part 2

Since the beginning of Cheongdo Palace’s history, it had never been a surprise that the mistresses of the four palaces were never on good terms with each other.

Most of the conflicts were usually due to power struggles.

It was only natural that the palace’s internal strife was largely about political battles.

Therefore, it was unusual for the mistresses of the four palaces to all be fighting just to have Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong in their grasp.

“At the very least, we must prevent the Vice General from falling into the hands of either the Vermilion Bird Palace or the Azure Dragon Palace.”

The White Princess who was sitting in the White Tiger Palace’s tea room discussing matters with Headmaid Ye Rim was also among them.

White Princess Ha Wol was skilled at reading the political landscape.

Compared to the other princess consorts, she had a much keener sense of real-world politics and power games, so it could be said that this situation was her stage.

However, unlike other power struggles, this time, the difficulty was exceptionally high.

Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong and the Inbong clan were practically political partners, which made it nearly impossible to manipulate him recklessly.

In the first place, Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong planned to bind the Inbong clan up like this.

Knowing this, the White Princess couldn’t afford to voice her complaints as she had willingly stepped onto this board.

“Should we call a few strategists from the Inbong clan?”

“No. If we rely too heavily on the Inbong clan’s personnel, our position could become difficult. And… at this point, trying to seize the position of Heavenly Maiden is too unrealistic.”

The sudden display of power by the Azure Princess was like a bolt from the blue.

There was no need to invest time and effort in something that couldn’t be controlled by her own power. Given the circumstances, the only option was to seek another way forward.

“Is it worth going to such lengths to acquire the Vice General?”

“Ye Rim, you might need to sharpen your perception of people.”

It would be a lie to say there was no personal interest involved, but objectively speaking, the Vice General was like an unpolished gem who could one day aspire to the position of Grand General.

When such an exceptional talent emerges, the ability to bring them into your fold is the foundation of all political skill.

“…Still, the Inbong clan has a competitive edge. The fact that we were politically close to the Vice General before his recent rise is a significant advantage that the other crown princess consorts don’t have.”

“We might find a way to make use of him somehow.”

“Yes, if the situation has changed, we must adapt quickly. If I can’t obtain the position of the Heavenly Maiden, then we simply need to bring the Vice General over to our side.”

From the perspective of the White Princess, who had a strong desire for power, the position of the Heavenly Maiden was highly coveted, but she knew well that she could not take it.

So the next best thing was to gain control over the Vice General who was a key figure.

How?

Create a justification.

After all, before being the aide to the Heavenly Maiden, he was a high-ranking general of the country.

If a more important duty were to arise, he would have no choice but to pass on his role as the Heavenly Maiden’s aide to someone else.

The problem was… there was no guarantee that only the White Princess was having such thoughts.

Especially since there was another clan within the palace besides the Inbong clan that was quite skilled in playing the game of creating justifications.

***

“It’s been such a long time since I’ve been outside the palace. My father asked me to check on the people from the Jeongseon clan who have made their way into the Hwalseong District.”

“Is… is that so….”

In a simple tearoom set up in the Hwalseong District government office.

Since it was a newly established place, not much had been prepared yet. This made it far from a suitable location to host the crown princess consort of the country.

Ha Si Hwa seemed to have put in some effort to decorate the tearoom and was moving about busily, but naturally, it fell short compared to the tearooms of the four palaces.

Of course, the Vermilion Princess was not the kind of person who would scold over such formalities, so she let it slide…. but this was somewhat uncomfortable for the people of the Hwalseong District.

Of course, there were many times when she felt that the space itself wasn’t that important.

Vermilion Princess In Ha Yeon was a truly remarkable individual.

No matter where she was, she had an aura that made the place solemn.

Even sitting in the humble tearoom of the government office, there was an imposing presence that made it impossible to treat her lightly.

With her fiery red hair and eyes full of vitality,

Her satisfied smile carried the boldness of a man of valor, but… the graceful composure of a woman was also present, which made her truly extraordinary.

“If you had informed me beforehand that you were leaving the palace, I would have come to greet you. I’ve just returned from the inner palace myself.”

“That was my oversight. It would have been nice to be escorted by you for the first time in a while.”

She then stifled a chuckle while looking completely at ease.

Even though she was far from the Vermilion Bird Palace where she mostly stayed at, she seemed to feel as comfortable as if she were in her own home.

“Did you say you were in the inner palace? Was there somewhere you needed to visit?”

“Well… I briefly visited the Azure Dragon Palace.”

“Hmm…”

At my words, the Vermilion Princess propped her chin on her hand and nodded thoughtfully.

“It does seem certain that the Azure Princess will take the position of the Heavenly Maiden. Considering your position, it’s not strange that you went to pay your respects at the Azure Dragon Palace in advance.”

“Yes, that’s right… but…”

I sat across from the Vermilion Princess at the tea table.

In the past, even sitting at the same table would have been a grave act of disrespect, but now that I held the rank of Vice General, such things were permissible.

Time has truly brought remarkable changes.

“I… I’m not sure how this will sound, but… I saw the Chief Councilor entering the Azure Dragon Palace.”

“….…”

“So I hurriedly left the Azure Dragon Palace and returned to the Hwalseong District, only to find that you, Your Highness, were waiting here… From my perspective, it’s hard to see this as a mere coincidence.”

It felt like the Jeongseon clan was plotting something.

That’s the only conclusion I could come to.

Otherwise, how could the people of the Jeongseon clan move so seamlessly with one mind and purpose?

The Vermilion Princess responded with a satisfied smile.

“Is that so? You saw my father. A coincidence, perhaps, but one could also say it was fate.”

“Is the Jeongseon clan planning something?”

“It’s nothing that would be unfavorable to you. As you can see, many personnel from the Jeongseon clan have been deployed to the Hwalseong District… So for us, the development of the Hwalseong District is no longer just someone else’s business.”

The interests surrounding the Hwalseong District were complicated.

This was because both the Inbong clan and the Jeongseon clan, who were usually at odds with each other, were entangled in it.

Navigating between them was very important, though unexpected variables like this occasionally arise.

“Lately, the appearance of demonic spirits has been quite frequent; the Heavenly Maiden’s seat is vacant… Even if the Azure Princess has manifested the power of the Heavenly Dragon, there’s no way she can fully wield that power as well as her previous Heavenly Maiden from the start… So we too must pay close attention to the security of the Hwalseong District.”

“Th… then …”

“I’m planning to propose to His Majesty the Emperor that we receive additional troops to manage the security of the Hwalseong District. Since it’s a territory governed by an official of general rank, it shouldn’t be a significant issue even if we have to deploy a lot of soldiers.”

In short, this meant they planned to provide more soldiers to the Hwalseong District.

“We’ll need to establish some military camps and construct more buildings. It will probably get even busier than it is now. If we consider turning it into a key military stronghold, the Hwalseong District will likely see major development.”

“The scale of the current construction will also need to be expanded.”

“That’s right. This is a matter that forms the backbone of the country, a task of great importance. That’s how it is.”

The Vermilion Princess spoke proudly and smiled with satisfaction.

“Serving as an aide to the Heavenly Maiden is also an important role, but if you look closely, there are other individuals who can fulfill that duty. However, the responsibility of overseeing the Hwalseong District is something only the Vice General can handle.”

“…….”

“In the process, you’ll be working more closely with the Jeongseon clan. It seems we’ll be seeing each other often going forward.”

The Jeongseon clan was a clan that maintained its dominance in the political arena of Cheongdo for generations.

This meant they were the most skilled at manipulating the power dynamics in such situations.

There were few who could match their skill in recruiting people.

“His Majesty would also understand this point. He knows better than anyone that the country’s interests can greatly change depending on where and how key figures are placed.”

Watching the Vermilion Princess laugh heartily… it felt as though her underlying intentions became visible.

Don’t worry, Tae Pyeong-ah!

You’re safe! As long as you’re under me, there’s nothing to worry about…!

The way she smiled and giggled gave off a more charming vibe than usual.

However, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

This matter… could very well become the spark for a much bigger incident.

***

“Therefore, it’s possible that a scholar named Han Seong Dam from the Ministry of Personnel will be appointed to assist the Heavenly Maiden.”

“…….”

“He’s a scholar of etiquette from the Anhyang region who has worked at Cheongdo Palace for over fifty years. He is both experienced and meticulous, which makes him the ideal candidate for the aide position. How could we place a military officer to assist the noble mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall? We must recommend someone who matches her grace.”

The Azure Princess hid her twisted lips behind her sleeves.

Thankfully, the Chief Councilor sitting opposite did not see this, but her cold, sinking gaze made her feelings instantly clear.

It was evident that since it seemed certain the Azure Princess would seize the position of the Heavenly Maiden, the Jeongseon clan had stepped in to snatch away the Vice General.

Considering their experience, they had likely already prepared a convincing justification.

“…….”

Even a scholar with no knowledge of Taoist arts could easily sense the terrifying aura emanating from her.

It was as if the cold energy flowing from her entire body filled the room completely.

The young immortal was someone who seemed far removed from the emotion of anger, but the Jeongseon clan had effectively provoked her reverse scale.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know anger; she simply didn’t get angry easily.

So the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace has made her move.

Fine, if that’s how it’s going to be, let’s see this through….

And so, the Azure Princess finally directed her smoldering anger toward the Jeongseon clan.

***

– It would be best if the Black Princess took on the role of the Heavenly Maiden.

– At this rate, my life could be in danger.

The Black Princess sat on the porch of the Black Tortoise Palace and gazed absentmindedly at the night sky while she was lost in thought.

Lately, she had been overwhelmed by the constant interference of the Vermilion Princess and the White Princess and spent her days in a whirlwind of activity.

Although she had tried her best to support her close friend Seol Tae Pyeong, it was no easy task for a girl of common birth like her to deal with the cunning crown princess consorts.

In the end, the power struggle between the crown princess consorts vying for Seol Tae Pyeong would only become more chaotic.

…I’ve done everything I could, Tae Pyeong-ah. I can’t do any more….

The Black Princess gracefully adjusted the hem of her palace robe as it spread across the porch, then took a sip of the tea the headmaid had brought her.

Black Princess Po Hwa Ryeong had done everything she could in the past couple of months. She had given her all to the point of complete exhaustion, and even though things had turned out this way, Seol Tae Pyeong acknowledged the Black Princess’s efforts.

She had done her best, but some things just weren’t meant to be.

The situation had completely slipped out of the Black Princess’s hands.

The Jeongseon clan would now fully step in to lure the Vice General away, while the Inbong clan would try to keep him by using their solid relationship, and the Azure Princess would ignore all of that and simply try to drag Seol Tae Pyeong to the Heavenly Dragon Hall no matter what.

In the midst of this increasingly chaotic power struggle among the consorts, the Black Princess who had already done everything she could was now merely an observer.

No matter what she wanted to do, there was nothing she could do.

What could she possibly do against the Vermilion Princess, the White Princess, and the Azure Princess? They were the ones at the top of this Cheongdo Palace.

So… all she could do was wish Seol Tae Pyeong the best of luck….

– Black Princess. That’s enough. It’s alright. It wouldn’t be right for you to suffer anymore because of me.

As he left the Black Tortoise Palace, the image of Seol Tae Pyeong comforting the Black Princess seemed to flicker before her eyes.

“……”

Had she really… done everything she could?

Such thoughts were starting to well up from deep within her heart.

The next morning, various reports were circulating in the Vice General’s office at the Hwalseong District government office.

There was news that countless plans were being devised by the Jeongseon clan to snatch the Vice General away.

There was news that the Inbong clan intended to host several events to strengthen their already solid relationship with the Vice General.

There was even news that the Azure Princess of the Azure Dragon Palace had petitioned the Emperor to ascend to the position of Heavenly Maiden as quickly as possible.

The one standing at the center of these increasingly chaotic developments was Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong. He was overwhelmed by the confusing reports brought to him by his aides and his mind grew foggier with each passing moment.

Amid this storm-like chaos…. even Seol Tae Pyeong himself could not predict which faction would ultimately claim him in the end.

He felt like he was on a ship without a helm, unable to steer its course. He no longer knew where his destination was.

Where exactly was this ship heading…?

Creak.

And finally… Yeon Ri, the headmaid he hadn’t been able to meet since she was busy with various high officials who entered the office.

It felt as though he was seeing her face for the first time in nearly two days.