episode_0080

“Jin is ruined.”

The director nodded at Jo Go’s words.

Jang Han’s crushing defeat.

The successive falls of castles on the road to Hamgokwan.

There was no longer any way for the Jin Empire to survive.

“What can we do to survive?”

They had sold the fate of the Jin Empire, but that did not mean that their safety was guaranteed.

Empowering Yeo’s father and daughter was only done because he could not stop them.

Even if the women of the Lu clan were able to devour the entire Chu army that was moving northward at a fierce pace, there was no way to know that Cao Gao and Yi Li’s necks would be attached.

“The father and daughter are untrustworthy people.”

The director spoke in a cold voice.

That was true.

Among the women, it was difficult to trace the father’s whereabouts as he stayed away from home and never came out.

However, Yeochi’s behavior, which is currently active, was already being talked about by the people in the palace.

‘The emperor’s mistress.’

‘The emperor’s teacher.’

‘The emperor’s bow.’

By collecting the words of people who came and went to the palace, it was found that Yechi was called by this title.

“But at least I have skills. The skill is enough to capture the heart of that crazy emperor.”

Jogo nodded heavily at the director’s words.

The two introduced Yeochi to the emperor with some doubt.

Even those two couldn’t have guessed that Yechi would win the emperor’s heart so quickly.

I didn’t know that they would become so close that they would stick together like best friends without ever leaving each other for a moment.

“…She said she would buy the empire.”

Jogo said.

“What does this mean? Do you want to become the emperor’s mistress and take charge of the empire? Or will he see an opportunity and join the feudal lords to seize real power of the empire? Otherwise,”

Jo Go looked around for a moment.

After confirming that no one was there, Jo Go lowered his voice and spoke.

“You will kill the emperor yourself?”

“…”

The director kept his mouth shut.

The director himself was a thoroughly bureaucratic person.

A warrior-first bureaucrat who knows his way around and does not dream in vain.

Because of that, he never even entertained the thought of killing the emperor and taking over the throne.

‘But that guy might be different.’

Isa looked at Jo Go’s face.

In the director’s opinion, Jo Go was an ambitious person.

Even though he has already collapsed once, he is a persistent and ambitious person who survives and tries to make a comeback.

The director could see the greed for power in Jo Go’s eyes.

“We must kill.”

Jo Go lowered his voice even further and spoke in a whisper.

“We have to hit her before she kills her.”

Does that bitch mean katydid? Or emperor?

Maybe it meant both.

But the director could not refuse those rude words.

Cao Gao was not the only one who tried to exclude Huhai from political affairs. Isa also exerted considerable influence and covered Hohae’s eyes and ears.

It was to prevent the destruction that awaited when the mad ruler bared his fangs on the empire itself.

‘…Maybe I should have stopped that woman named Yeochi.’

The director harbored belated regrets.

Issa and Jogo underestimated the katydid.

At most, they assumed that Yeochi would stay in the palace and plot.

It was expected that while waiting for an opportunity, they would slaughter the emperor and hand over his head to the feudal lords.

‘I expected that he would sell the empire he bought for a high price.’

It was a huge miscalculation.

Yeochi’s actions proved that her plan was not so gentle.

Hohae, who started working with Yeochi, was actively expanding the scope of his activities.

Leaving the closet to the entire Abang Palace, leaving Abang Palace to Hamyang.

He was looking away.

They haven’t yet mass-produced that disgusting piece of meat, but considering Hohae’s nature, it’s as obvious as seeing fire that something like that will happen.

And when things went that way, there was no chance for the two who dared to deceive Hohae to survive.

No, not only that, the entire subjects of Hamyang might lose their lives.

“Okay, let’s move.”

The director made a decision.

“Death to the mad emperor.”

When Isa held out a glass, Jo Go lightly clinked his glass.

“Death!”

Crispy!

The two men emptied their glasses in one go and threw them on the ground, smashing them.

It was a unique custom in the midfield to strengthen one’s resolve.

The two men started moving.

*****

Jo Go and Isa’s plan was rather crude.

Both of them were worthy of being called political nomads, but there was nothing they could do because they were not given much time.

“Is there anyone among the princes who can join hands with us?”

Isa asked Jo Go.

In fact, Jo Gao, who controlled personnel affairs, had in mind the generals’ deployment, the direction of the battle, and the inclinations of the feudal lords.

After thinking for a long time, Zhao Go opened his mouth with difficulty.

“The question is incorrect. When we reach out our hand, there are some who will take it. But whether they will be helpful is another question.”

“…I see.”

The director nodded.

“If the person who said he would join hands with us is a worthless person, then there is no point in joining hands.”

“Yes.”

Jo Go quenched his throat with water and continued speaking.

“In other words, those who have made great contributions in the current ‘revolution’ and have a strong say, but who can join hands with us. At the same time, we must have a lord whom we can properly govern.”

“… These are overly ideal conditions. Is there such a person?”

Jogo nodded at the director’s words.

“There is only one person. This is a person named Yugye.”

“Limited?”

The director frowned.

“This is my first time hearing this person. Who is it?”

“Yes, that person is called Paegong. Although he was born into a lowly farm family, he was fortunate enough to become the villa of Prince Hangryang, and since then, he has gained the trust of King Chuhoe and continues to win wars.”

“Hmm.”

When the director gave the signal to continue, Jogo continued his explanation.

“As their status is low, their greed for power is enormous. However, since you have not received a proper education, you will lack wisdom. It would be easy for us to trick them.”

“…but…”

The director expressed his doubts.

“If he is a member of the Xiangliang Army, will we join hands? If you’re from the Hang family, aren’t they from the Chu Dynasty? The resentment towards Jin must be enormous, right?”

Jogo nodded at the director’s words.

“Yes, definitely. That would have been the case if he were Hang and not Yu.”

Jo Go smiled and continued speaking.

“Not all of the people of Chu harbored a burning grudge against the Jin Empire. In particular, Paehyeon, where a man named Yugye lived, is a place where the transformation of the Jin Dynasty has already progressed greatly. Moreover, Yugye also served as an administrator, although it was a minor job. Since he is like this, if we coax him, he will come over.”

Jo Go mentioned Yu-gye’s past as a government official.

The director nodded slowly.

“Then what are our conditions?”

“Let’s give the royal seal.”

Jo Go’s eyes lit up.

“All you have to do is kill that crazy emperor, take the royal seal, and send it to him as a gift. In return, if you ask him to divide the audience into two and rule them, that foolish peasant will immediately agree.”

“…”

Will it work out that well?

Although the director had such suspicions, he did not bother to point out the fact.

They were all in the same boat, but Jo Go was now at the helm.

With no information to suggest other good options, the director could only nod.

“Good, please.”

When the director’s consent was not given, Jo Gao busied himself with his brush and wrote a letter on bamboo.

I’ll give you a royal seal, so let’s control the audience together.

The letter containing this content at length was immediately delivered to Yugye.

And the reply came back quickly.

The reply was just one letter.

“Good!”

Jo Go slapped his knee and laughed.

“The timing is perfect. Let’s get moving!”

Jo Go smiled brightly.

If the emperor had continued to hide in his closet, assassination would have been very difficult.

There are only a handful of people who know the exact location.

However, Emperor Li was currently in the outskirts of the palace in Xianyang.

The emperor, who had an ominous dream a few days ago, used fortune telling.

The fortune teller who took money from Jo Go said that he had such a dream because the god of the water flowing through the southeastern suburbs was angry.

Emperor Lee Se, whose paranoia had recently become more severe, went wild when he heard those words.

“How dare you get angry at the ruler of the world! I myself will come and strike him!”

Hohae then moved his residence to Mangi Palace on the Gyeongsu River.

There, Hohae was whipping and cursing the river every day.

“Heaven is helping us.”

Jo Go said with a smile.

“…Okay, let’s go.”

The director nodded.

*****

Jo Go and Isa have no experience in operating a military unit.

Instead of those two, the one who led the soldiers was a man named Yeomrak.

Yan Le was adopted by Jo Gao, and Jo Gao mainly used him for secret matters.

However, Zhao Gao could not completely trust Yan Lu.

I had no choice but to be even more careful, especially since it was a treasonous situation where life could be lost the moment words got out.

That’s why Jo Go held Yeomrak’s mother hostage in advance.

A dark night without any moonlight.

Yeomrak led the soldiers forward with a displeased expression.

Jo Go and Isa followed them, holding their breath.

Sigh-

When Yeomrak pulled the protest, the soldiers moved as one and pulled the protest at the same time.

The oiled perch caught fire, and fiery arrows wriggled and bloomed.

Fire arrows began to beautifully embroider the ground.

But the destruction they bring is by no means a beautiful kind.

“Shoot!”

Ting-!

The bow swayed violently, and fiery arrows dyed the night sky red.

A baptism of fire poured down on Mangi Palace, where the emperor was staying.