746 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

The Murim Alliance(무림맹) is located in Kaifeng(개봉), and from the perspective of people in the Zhongyuan(Central Plains), the distance between Kaifeng and Beijing is so short that it's practically within arm's reach. Especially if the communication line is that of the governmental palace, or more particularly, the imperial palace’s line. By national law, all horses belong to the nation, so all the famous horses in the world are the property of the imperial family. And these renowned horses are bred to produce more excellent horses. Thus, the dispatches that come in and go out of the imperial palace are carried by the best horses, which are exchanged at each city, galloping for twelve hours a day, making them faster than any other courier system in the Central Plains, achieving a divine speed of 神速. Truly, it is ultra-high-speed communication! Thus, the journey of 1,500 li from Kaifeng to Beijing, overcoming fifty relay stations with fifty-one thoroughbred horses, reaches the palace in just fourteen hours. This destination is none other than the Forbidden City(자금성). It is the largest palace between heaven and earth, in both the past and present, and will remain so in the future. However, ordinary citizens were rarely allowed to even gaze upon this grand architecture of the Forbidden City. At first, they had to pass the massive city wall surrounding it, and then go through the main gate. That gate is Tiananmen(천안문), the first gate of the Forbidden City, which is not expected to change any time soon. Beyond Tiananmen, one reaches the Meridian Gate(Oumen) of the Forbidden City, and after passing through, they find themselves within a garden surrounded by high walls—an intimidating inner sanctum filled with countless arrows, crossbows, and cannons aimed at them. Crossing the flowing water and reaching the other side, soldiers pour out from the firmly closed Huangji Gate, verifying identities. Once through the Huangji Gate, the grand hall where the emperor receives memorials, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, is revealed. ZGVPdDc2cnQxMFU0bVlrbnZITXlVdGNwZEp3RCtKcXJENSs0ZTIrYTJjeWZnUjJjWUp5cmdEWWRrQUtCUlNTSw Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the purely ornamental Zhonggu Temple, and behind that is the Jianji Great Temple used for major state rituals or large assemblies. However, the actual work of the emperor is conducted elsewhere. One must proceed left from the Hall of Supreme Harmony, passing the three great halls—Huangji Hall, Zhongju Hall, and Jianji Hall—to reach the modest building known as Yangxin Hall, where the emperor conducts daily affairs. Perhaps the expansive nature of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and Jianji Hall felt too desolate for governmental duties. Or maybe Yangxin Hall was simply favored because it was closest to the emperor's living quarters, the Queensword Palace. Thusly, the Forbidden City and Yangxin Hall. The emperor's throne is always positioned atop the steps. It is because the emperor, being the Son of Heaven, stands as the representative of divine will, beyond mere mortal status, akin to a deity, hence setting him apart from others. Therefore, these steps are akin to the celestial sphere above, making it a sacred ground that none can tread upon lightly. This division between heaven and earth was known as the Throne陛. Below the Throne陛, twelve of the highest eunuchs and multiple Taigam held positions, tasked with delivering earthly matters to the heavens. Thus, when a mere mortal wished to confer with the emperor, they first had to relay their matters to the eunuchs below the emperor's Throne陛, who would then present it to the heavens. In this way, they would say: “I present this to His Majesty.” With humble reverence, Wei Seongjong, the Deft Officers of the Golden Robe have brought forth news regarding the unruly warriors in the world of martial artists, in accordance with Your Majesty’s command, I bring this before you. The Taigam among the eunuchs receives the statement, cautiously ascending the steps, bending so low that it seems their foreheads might touch the ground, extending only their hands forward. As the emperor took the letter and read through its contents, his expression rapidly deteriorated. “These... these insolent, lawless scoundrels…!” The word "deteriorate" alone could not suffice. His entire visage darkened beyond crimson, turning to the hue of a ripened jujube, and the crimson veins bulged, resembling a thorny wall in rugged disarray. The whites of his eyes turned a brutal red, his body trembled all over, much like a vicious spirit, embodying wrath. One could tell he seemed on the brink of an explosive outburst, should he be pricked with a needle. It was at that moment— “Your Majesty, please calm yourself. I fear for the well-being of your sacred body.” A voice of immaculate tranquility rang out. It was like sculpting the sound of silk into words; a woman’s melodious voice came from behind the throne, where a eunuch stood with hands folded in a graceful gesture of concern. Even though it was known that eunuchs, who are castrated before the age of ten, had lovely voices, the face beneath the official headgear appeared completely like that of a woman. The tail of Cho Wanggang, one of the Twelve Taigam, twitched at these words, though he was already bowing his head low. “Yes, indeed, your words are true. These insects must surely desire as such. Huff…” Traditionally, the emperor did not speak directly, for the heavenly voice touching the terrestrial plane had to be intermediated through the person on the steps. But such was only court etiquette. Why waste time troubling one’s self over which eunuch to shuffle back and forth, whispering in annoyance and finicky words to a waiting ear below? These ceremonial practices perhaps accentuated the emperor’s dignity but did little to avert exasperation. Hence, upon the initial meeting, there was but one formal exchange upon the steps, and thereafter, they engaged in everyday conversation. After all, the emperor is still human, a mortal being! The emperor disseminates the document among the assembly of officials within Yangxin Hall. The officials, receiving the letter in succession, read it, and swiftly react with fierce indignation: You insolent fools…! These vile creatures…! These scoundrels…! The emperor finds some measure of solace in watching his ministers vent their outrage through their well-practiced statecraft. The letter was an official announcement from the Murim Alliance: “Let us not continue in this manner. We can no longer endure. Look now, our subordinate has been slaughtered. Admittedly, not by us but by the Lesser Demon Witch. Of course, it could have been us too?” The next page contained a report drafted by an intelligence branch in Henan. “It is confirmed that a major confrontation between the Lesser Demon Witch and an assassin took place in Nosan-hyeon. Multiple credible sightings of Ma Hwan So-so. Numerous accounts described the appearance of the Lesser Demon Witch as dark and savage, suggesting that demonic agitation led her to demon possession, identifying her realm as that of demonic possession.” However, there was a rumor that the assassin’s real target was not the Lesser Demon Witch but rather the head instructor of the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy, leading to the capture of several assassin groups, which confirmed this fact. There is a claim that a high official within the court commissioned it, but the identity of this client remains unknown. Thus, the initial commotion started as a battle between the assassin and Ximen Qing(서문청), the Heavenly Sword Flower of the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy. For some unknown reason, the Lesser Demon Witch was believed to have joined the fray afterwards. There are rumors that the Lesser Demon Witch was repelled by the instructors of the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy, but eyewitness accounts are scarce and varied, making them unreliable. The tale of the Lesser Demon Witch's defeat is likely a fabricated rumor by the Murim Alliance to boast of their accomplishments.」 This intelligence was gathered by the Henan Information Branch following the Murim Alliance's announcement. Unbeknownst to them, the intelligence branch could hardly have known about a secret operation aimed at assassinating a high-ranking official’s offspring, which the palace itself had possibly commissioned. “These men, huff, what are we to do with them? Bandits who recklessly bear arms are growing increasingly arrogant, and indeed the nation is afflicted with a grave illness. How can we excise this festering sore?” “Ahem. This situation…” “It is rather difficult at the moment…” The officials show their displeasure. The announcement from the Murim Alliance was indeed masterfully crafted. It certainly seems like these insolent ones have crossed the line by taking down our Golden Robe Esquires, though they formally claimed it was all due to the Blood Cult, not their own doing. The Murim Alliance might be innocent or might not be. There was first a confrontation between assassins and the Heavenly Sword Flower, wasn’t there? The Murim Alliance was well aware of the attack intended for the head of the Righteous Orthodox Martial Academy. Yet, their statements craftily omitted that part and instead wrapped it as a battle with the demons of the Blood Cult; surely such deception is not surprising. It remains unclear why the Lesser Demon Witch suddenly appeared to complicate matters. It’s also unknown why the Golden Robe Esquires engaged the Lesser Demon Witch in combat. The Murim Alliance could have taken advantage of the Lesser Demon Witch as a pretext to attack the emperor's men, or perhaps the demon went berserk over some trivial dispute, as they often do. In the worst-case scenario, it’s possible they colluded with the Blood Cult. Ultimately, the exact details remain unknown. The Murim Alliance simply seized the opportunity to throw in distractions. Had the Murim Alliance detected the palace's operation? If so, it says they will no longer tolerate us. Henceforth, any dealings with those lawless warlords in the Zhongyuan should be handled with greater caution. What if, upon taking further action, all those bandits within the martial world rise up in one collective rebellion? While the military might ensure victory, it would only amount to winning without decisive advantage. “Anyone with a good plan, speak freely.” At this, those standing on either side below the steps lock eyes. The plump, old man standing on the left is the head of the eunuchs and leader of the Eastern Chamber, Zhang Intaigam Jeong Sa-bo, who sends a derisive glance laced with as much laughter as he can muster to his longtime rival. What have you got to say? The thickset man receiving the gaze is a muscular veteran with a powerful build at his neck, the commander of the Golden Robe Guards, Naigumje-dok Bang Cheol-ryeong. The curse coming from that blasted old man! Bang Cheol-ryeong grinds his teeth, causing his already robust trapezius muscles to swell even more. In response, Jeong Sa-bo wears a slick smile, masking it by putting on a serious face before stepping forward. “Your Majesty, perhaps this is fortuitous. Heavenly Sword Flower, you say? How about summoning her to the palace to bestow great commendation?” The typically feminine speech and lilting voice peculiar to eunuchs are delivered with a bit of vulgarity from the mouth of the plump old man, but what can one do? Such is the nature of eunuchs. The emperor's face hardens at this. “What are you babbling about? Commendation, you say? Instead of vanquishing bandits who cannot tell heaven from earth and wreak havoc across the nation, you suggest praising them?” “Your Majesty, how could I not understand Your Majesty’s intentions? I speak earnestly for the betterment of all.” Once a lie is spoken, an even larger falsehood must be told to cover it. It cannot be retracted, so it grows larger. The insidious gang from the Murim Alliance dared to brazenly deceive the world with lies; how could we be blamed for growing that lie? Thus, the battle against the demonic forces of the Blood Cult is sufficiently commendable, and even if we name the Heavenly Sword Flower as the representative, the Murim Alliance has no ground for objection. “Your Majesty, isn’t Heavenly Sword Flower considered a future top contender, the upcoming Pinnacle Realm warrior? That dreadful Daredevil himself never reached Transcendent Realm at twenty, leaving her unchecked could pose a significant threat.” The mention of the Daredevil made the emperor’s face flush with strained veins, as fury lingers. Jeong Sa-bo lifts his sagging cheeks with an insidious smile. “However, regardless of how outstanding her martial skills may be, she is but a woman, is she not? Why not summon her to the palace and commend her, as it’s rather unfortunate that this maiden, over twenty years old, remains without a companion. Perhaps, by conferring the honor, Your Majesty might even arrange her marriage?” “Oh? But do you not understand how audacious women of the martial world can be? It would be a great farce if she refuses, even if I propose it.” “Therefore, you must make her an offer she cannot refuse. Your Majesty, wouldn’t she be a suitable lady for the Crown Prince?” A lady here refers to the lowest rank among the prince’s consorts, who, upon the prince's ascent to the throne, is promoted to the fourth consort rank, bin, and receives a title. In short, the proposal was to offer Heavenly Sword Flower a genuine position within the imperial family. Indeed, it’s an offer that’s hard to refuse. Who in the world could dare to refuse a position as the Crown Prince's partner? Most likely, it would incite endless opposition from all civil and military officials. Entrusting the Crown Prince's consort duties to a lowly commoner woman, officials would likely lie prostrate before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, imploring him to reconsider. Of course, even the emperor found it to be such a ludicrous, infuriating idea. “What, what nonsense! Are you suggesting we bring a filthy criminal woman from the martial world into the palace? Have you finally lost your senses!?” The emperor raised his voice in anger. Yet Jeong Sa-bo maintained his composure, a plump smile on his face. “Your Majesty, isn’t she considered the future top martial artist? Think of the Daredevil. Once she becomes part of the imperial family, she won't have the opportunity to delve further into martial arts, nullifying any potential threat.” “That is separate from this issue! Ridiculous! Taigam, cease this impudent talk at once!” “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please understand my unwavering loyalty. In the palace, who other than her husband would a woman with no sect have to rely on? Naturally, she would seek the support of the Crown Prince, bringing Transcendent Realm mastery to his side, would it not?” “That is..., hmm.” The emperor stroked his beard. Now that it's been mentioned, doesn’t sound so bad, does it? “If you truly cannot bear her, you may dispose of her at any given time. According to palace law, any imperial woman caught practicing nefarious sorcery is to be executed. Who knows what kind of scheme a wild maiden might concoct out of blinding favor? Indeed, mere martial artists from the jianghu couldn't easily interfere with palace affairs.” Once the Heavenly Sword Flower was within the palace, whether she lived or died was an internal matter for the imperial family, freeing them from any need to consider the murim’s perspective. “Moreover, it would serve as a stern rebuke to those bandits called the Murim Alliance. Regardless of what they do, they are but mere commoners, and how would it feel to have the Divine Dragon taken from their midst?" At this, the emperor's decision tilted heavily. Although the idea of bringing in a wild, unrefined woman into the royal family wasn't appealing, how often had there been non-political marriages in the history of ruling the Zhongyuan? In fact, marriages should be political. Whenever an emperor married for love, granting his heart to a woman, it resulted in national chaos. Daji, Xishi, and Yang Guifei all led to such turmoil, and countless wicked women and their consequent calamities are recorded throughout historical texts. Hence, the emperor finally nodded in assent. “Very well. I consent. Make sure, Naigumje-dok, that no unfortunate incidents arise from this.” With that, Naigumje-dok Bang Cheol-ryeong managed to bow deeply, despite the considerable mass he carried.