‘To Hide a Dagger behind a Smile’
It was the most fitting phrase to describe the negotiations that had taken place between the Empire, Ming, and Japan. On a fierce battlefield where smiles replaced bullets, the three nations reached an agreement by sharing moderate losses and moderate gains. Having joined hands, the three countries began to move toward their target: Persia.
While Hyeon and his ministers were doing their utmost to respond to the challenges approaching from outside the Empire, trouble was brewing within the Empire itself.
***
At the headquarters of the Secret Guard, established in an undisclosed location in Seoul.
“Director, sir.”
“What is it?”
The Director of the Secret Guard, who had been examining reports with a face full of fatigue, looked up at the voice of his subordinate calling him. To the Director’s query, the subordinate answered cautiously.
“Uh, this is a report that came up from the 2nd Internal Inspection Division.”
“The 2nd Internal Inspection Division?”
Hearing the answer, the Director’s expression hardened stiffly.
The duty of the Internal Inspection Bureau was to scrutinize affairs occurring within the Empire. Their tasks were varied, ranging from monitoring seditious political movements to investigating matters detrimental to the Empire’s economy—such as various frauds, collusion, and wage exploitation.
Under the Internal Inspection Bureau, there were a total of five divisions: the 1st Division handled the New Frontier, the 2nd Division handled the Mainland, the 3rd Division handled the Northern Territories, and the 4th and 5th Divisions were responsible for internal inspection of other regions.
An interesting point here was that the 1st Division was responsible for the New Frontier while the 2nd Division covered the Mainland. This was a different arrangement from the Empire’s administrative organization, which placed the Mainland as primary, followed by the Northern or New Frontier. However, considering the sheer size and potential of the New Frontier, it was unavoidable. Since the Mainland was where the core of the Empire—starting with the Emperor—was located, the 2nd Division had earned the nickname “The 2nd Division that is like the 1st.”
“If it came up directly instead of through normal channels, it means this isn’t an ordinary matter… Give it here.”
Taking the report, the Director frowned as he saw the title.
“The title alone… A cult?”
The corruption and tyranny of Buddhism during the late Goryeo period were still talked about among the populace.
“A cult in a reign of peace… Tsk tsk tsk…”
Clicking his tongue at the absurd reality, the Director opened the report. As he read through it, his expression became graver than ever before.
“Haa~.”
Letting out a long sigh, the Director closed the report and rested his forehead on his clasped hands, lost in thought. After pondering silently for a long time, he finally straightened his posture and issued an order to his subordinate.
“Convey this to the 2nd Internal Inspection Division: ‘Mobilize all available personnel to investigate the organizations in question. If manpower is insufficient, request support. We will provide full support at the headquarters level.’ I will write up the order immediately and send it, so tell them to move at once. If I had my way, I’d report this directly to the Police Bureau (Police Bureau) or the Board of Audit right now, but the evidence is too scarce.”
“Yes, I will initiate action immediately.”
As the subordinate retreated with the orders, the Director began drafting a report to submit to Hyeon. Spreading out a blank sheet of paper and picking up his gold-nibbed pen, the Director glanced sideways at the problematic report and spat out a curse.
“Bastards for whom dismemberment isn’t enough punishment… Having no one else to touch, they dare touch His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus?”
Two months later, the Imperial Court was turned upside down by a secret tip-off that came into the Police Bureau.
Nay, the entire Empire was overturned. A storm began to rage as the problematic tip-off entered the Police Bureau. The department dedicated to handling secret informants was the starting point.
****
Upon receiving such a tip-off, the responsible department first analyzed whether it was a genuine report or a false accusation. This was because false accusations stemming from personal grudges were not uncommon. To prevent the rampant spread of such false reports, malicious accusation was classified as a felony subject to severe punishment. Despite this, the rate of decline in false accusation cases had hit rock bottom, becoming a headache for the Emperor and his ministers.
***
An undisclosed location in the Samnam region (the three southern provinces) of the Mainland.
An elderly man visited a small rural police substation.
“Uh… I’ve come because I have something to report.”
Looking around anxiously, the elderly man bowed obsequiously as he stated his business.
“Come, sit over here.”
The patrolman, who had been guarding the substation with a bored expression, welcomed the man with a bright face and offered him a seat. Colleagues and superiors nearby also sidled up and sat around them.
“Now then… please show me your identification tag.”
Checking the identification tag the elderly man handed over, the patrolman tilted his head.
“You live a hundred li away from here. Why come all this way?”
To the patrolman’s question, the elderly man answered, still with an anxious expression.
“In the village where this humble one lives, there are simply too many watching eyes, so I had no choice.”
At the elderly man’s answer, the eyes of the patrolmen and the police chief began to shine.
‘This is either a jackpot or a bust!’
“Hmm… Then tell us what this is about.”
“Yes…”
As the elderly man’s story grew longer, the face of the patrolman recording it turned paler and paler, and the hand holding the gold-nibbed pen began to tremble. He was not the only one. The surrounding patrolmen and the police chief also froze with the same expression. They were all thinking the same thing inwardly.
‘Damn it all! The good days are gone!’
And this situation and reaction were identical as the report moved up to higher agencies. The Commissioner of the Police Bureau, whose face had turned white upon reading the report, asked his subordinate.
“You haven’t sent an officer to verify if it’s a false accusation yet, have you?”
“No, sir. The Police Chief of that region judged it wasn’t a matter to be moved on lightly and put everyone on standby.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hearing the answer, the Commissioner looked relieved.
“This isn’t something we can determine as true or false just by sending one or two people. If we make a wrong move, most of the police forces in the Mainland, not just the Samnam region, could be mobilized. I will go to the Prime Minister immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
***
Bang!
“Is there such a calamitous affair!”
Receiving the Commissioner’s report, Han Chi-hyeong was enraged, slamming his hand on the table and shouting.
“So, have you apprehended those who committed this unspeakable crime?”
“Not yet. The Police Chief in charge of the area reports that he has only added personnel for surveillance and is merely watching.”
At the Commissioner’s answer, Han Chi-hyeong stood up immediately.
“Let us report to His Majesty at once.”
“Understood.”
Leaving his office with the Commissioner, Han Chi-hyeong ordered his secretary.
“Tell the Vice Premiers of the Left and Right and the other ministers to come to the Geunjeongjeon Hall immediately.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
***
Hearing the order delivered by Han Chi-hyeong, the Vice Premiers and ministers hurried into the Geunjeongjeon Hall. Confirming that everyone who needed to be there had arrived, Han Chi-hyeong bowed his head to Hyeon and began his report.
“Your Majesty, a calamitous affair, truly unspeakable, has occurred.”
“A calamitous affair? What is it?”
“It is reported that a pseudo-religion is spreading in the Samnam region.”
“A pseudo-religion? Those who deceive the world and mislead the people have always existed. What does the cult leader call himself this time? Maitreya? Avalokitesvara? or perhaps the Jade Emperor?”
“He claims to be the incarnation of the Emperor Emeritus…”
“Have you ever seen such a crazy bastard!”
***
Following Han Chi-hyeong, the Commissioner of the Police Bureau stepped forward and began to explain in more detail.
- The cult leader in question is said to be a man who has just passed the age of forty.
- He claims that he is the vessel for the Emperor Emeritus—no, for the soul of the Emperor Emeritus.
“A vessel?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The man says…”
- The Emperor Emeritus is a divine human.
- The Emperor Emeritus’s age and the achievements he has accomplished so far are proof. How could such a person undergo the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death like a mortal?
- Looking at the Catholic scriptures of Europe, their founder is said to be God incarnated in a human vessel.
- The Emperor Emeritus is the same. Hwanung has incarnated in the vessel of the Emperor Emeritus!
- Now, the vessel containing the Emperor Emeritus is too old, so a new vessel will soon be needed, and that vessel is none other than myself!
- When the Emperor Emeritus is contained within my body, I shall become the Emperor of the Empire, and you who follow me shall rise to positions below one person and above ten thousand!
Hyeon, having listened to the explanation up to this point, asked the Commissioner.
“No, the Emperor Emeritus is still hale and hearty, so how… Ah, that is not the issue. Do those who follow that cult leader believe him solely based on those words?”
“It is said that the cult leader has actually created steam engines and various other devices.”
‘He must have better dexterity than Grandfather.’
For a moment, suppressing the thought that surged up, Hyeon reached a conclusion.
“Hmm… A steam engine is not a device that can be easily made, but neither is it a device that only the Emperor Emeritus can create… Haa~.”
Letting out a long sigh, Hyeon issued his command.
“The Commissioner of the Police Bureau and the Minister of National Defense are to mobilize soldiers immediately to suppress that cult leader and all his followers.”
“We receive your command!”
“Order the total eradication and the pulling up of roots. This is not merely a matter of a deceiver and his believers, but treason!”
“We shall carve it into our bones!”
Receiving the order, the Commissioner and the Minister of National Defense hurriedly exited the Geunjeongjeon Hall. None of the ministers raised an objection to Hyeon’s decision. This was because it was not a simple cult, but high treason.
‘If you’re going to go crazy, do it gracefully! Of all people to touch, you touch the Emperor Emeritus!’
***
After ending the meeting, Hyeon immediately sought out Hyang.
“Although I have already heard the story through the Secret Guard, it is truly infuriating.”
Seeing Hyeon grinding his teeth, Hyang smiled slightly and soothed his grandson.
“Calm your anger. It is bad for your health. Even I, the person involved, am relaxed!”
“However… Ugh…”
At Hyang’s relaxed demeanor, Hyeon made a groaning sound and shut his mouth. Wetting his throat lightly with the black bean tea placed before him, Hyang continued with a still-relaxed expression.
“It is a fact that I am living long enough to remain in history, is it not? According to what the Secret Guard investigated using this opportunity, it is not just that cult leader.”
“Ah! I must issue orders to the Police Bureau regarding that part as well.”
The Secret Guard, turned upside down once by the cult incident, soon scoured the entire Empire. There were more than a few shamans and male shamans across the Empire who worshipped Hyang as a god. The reason for the emergence of such shamans was similar to the problematic cult.
- An immense amount of achievements unbelievable for a single person.
- Longevity hard to find in historical records.
It wasn’t that there were no people who lived past 90, but King Jangsu was almost the only example of a monarch living this long.
“Deceiving the people and plotting treason are grave crimes, but bear in mind that you cannot punish them arbitrarily. You must uphold the law. You must not set a bad precedent.”
Having soothed and sent Hyeon back, Hyang smacked his lips slightly.
“Smack smack… Thinking about it again, it’s a bit disappointing.”
When he first saw the relevant records, Hyang felt curiosity before anger.
‘Could it be a second-rounder like me?’
However, Hyang could not hide his disappointment upon seeing the follow-up report sent by the Secret Guard.
- The cult leader in question worked in Area 51.
- He was a quite competent artisan but had frequent conflicts with those around him.
- Later, he developed madness and returned to his rural home.
It was not the second life Hyang had imagined.