Although Hyang’s words were quite plausible, neither Hyeon nor Han Myeong-hoe could simply accept them and say, ‘Please, go ahead.’
No matter what anyone said, Hyang is the Emperor Emeritus. Not only that, he was the one who had created this glorious Empire. He was a being who received the absolute loyalty of the Emperor and his ministers, as well as the people.
For such a person to be on the very front line?
As a hostage, he was of the highest possible value. No, if Hyang were to be killed or even injured on the front lines, it was as clear as day that the morale of the Imperial Army and the Imperial people would instantly plummet to the ground.
And it was certain the people of the Empire would hold the Emperor and his ministers responsible.
Of course, after that, the nation that had caused the incident would have to pay a due price to the wrath-filled Empire, but still.
“As the Emperor of the Empire, and as your grandson, I cannot accept the Emperor Emeritus’s request.”
“I must go. If I do not, the Empire and the people of the Empire will suffer great hardship in Italy.”
“Please, trust the Imperial Army and the people of the Empire.”
“It is because I trust them that I intend to go. I cannot let such loyal Imperial soldiers and citizens be lost in vain, can I?”
Han Myeong-hoe interjected into the conversation between Hyang and Hyeon, which was going nowhere.
“The intention Your Majesty the Emperor Emeritus holds is truly beautiful. However, please think of His Majesty the Emperor. If the Emperor Emeritus goes to Italy, what will the people think of His Majesty the Emperor? They will immediately condemn him for being unfilial. And what will they think of the commanders who will be leading the army on the front lines? They will say, how incompetent must they be that the Emperor Emeritus, despite his advanced age, must go to Italy himself.”
“Why bring up age here…”
Hyang muttered with a bitter smile at Han Myeong-hoe’s words. However, he soon straightened his expression and retorted.
“What does age matter? Look at Bangchon, Uichon, Jeoljae, and Jibong[1]. They all served in grave and important posts until they were over ninety. And yet, you say I cannot because I am old? That is nonsensical.”
At Hyang’s words, Hyeon and Han Myeong-hoe both spat out the same curse inwardly.
‘Dammit! I can’t even curse at those who have already passed away. This is driving me crazy!’
The men Hyang mentioned were those who had served as prime ministers and deputy prime ministers before and after the founding of the Empire.
They were such outstanding ministers that it was said the Empire was able to get on a stable track thanks to them being there for Sejong and Hyang. And every single one of them was famous for their longevity.
“And, I may be old now, but do I look like I have trouble even moving?”
At Hyang’s question, Hyeon and Han Myeong-hoe simultaneously shook their heads and answered.
“N-No, you do not!”
“You do not, Your Majesty!”
This was true.
***
Looking at Hyang’s appearance now, it was hard to believe he would be eighty the day after tomorrow. His back and waist were ramrod straight, and his stride was powerful. And his physical stamina was good enough that he enjoyed horseback riding, shooting, and New Frontier-style martial arts whenever he had the chance.
Even in the history before Hyang’s intervention, the records concerning King Munjong describe him as having a fine and handsome physique.
In other words, his hardware itself was quite good from the start.
However, maintaining this kind of condition with just his innate hardware was impossible. What made it possible was Sejong and his own deok-jil⁵.
For Sejong’s health, Hyang had drafted and operated the ‘Make a Healthy Pig’ project.
“No matter how much you threaten them by refusing to work, there’s always an expiration date. The words, ‘You tell me to do all this, so why aren’t you doing it?’ are bound to come up!”
To give Sejong definite motivation, Hyang consistently exercised and created and used exercise equipment—the kind often seen at 21st-century mineral springs and various other places.
The reason Hyang paid such close attention to exercise was not just for Sejong’s sake.
“The things you need for this line of fandom are money and health!”
A big reason was so that he could enjoy the hobbies he loved for a long time.
Through consistent exercise and a diet that included a balanced intake of vegetables and meat, Hyang was still hale and hearty.
Thanks to this, a similar lifestyle under the name of the ‘Emperor’s Health Method’ became fashionable among the intellectuals—more accurately, the leisure class—not only among the people of the Empire but also in neighboring Ming and Japan.
***
In the end, because Hyang would not bend his resolve, the other ministers had to step in.
Words similar to what Hyeon and Han Myeong-hoe had said were repeated, and Hyang answered without hesitation.
“…Finally, the reason I myself must go to Italy is for the morale of the Imperial Army.”
“What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?”
At Han Myeong-hoe’s question, Hyang lightly wet his throat and continued.
“It is because the war that will unfold this time is of a completely different nature from the wars our Empire has fought until now. To put it more simply, the justification is weak.”
“Justification… you say?”
When Hyang brought up ‘justification,’ Hyeon and Han Myeong-hoe wore expressions as if they understood something.
Nodding lightly at their expressions, Hyang explained in more detail.
- -Most of the great wars the Empire has fought so far have been defensive wars. In other words, they were wars fought to protect the safety of the Empire.
- -However, participating in the war that will unfold in Italy is of a different nature. When you get down to it, it is the Empire meddling in the internal affairs of another country.
- -Of course, one could question what the Mexica punitive expedition in the New Frontier was. However, the Mexica punitive expedition had a clear justification. There was the justification of saving the natives who were being oppressed by savages who had abandoned human decency and practiced cannibalism.
- -From this perspective, the justification for participating in the Italian war is very weak. The Empire’s territory is not being invaded, nor have the Europeans abandoned human decency.
- -Therefore, there is a very high possibility that the morale of the Imperial soldiers stationed in Italy will drop significantly.
- -For that reason, I must go and continuously foster a sense of legitimacy to boost the soldiers’ morale.
“Justification…”
“However, to say that the soldiers’ morale will drop is a bit…”
The ministers wore expressions of doubt, but Hyang’s face was filled with conviction.
“It will certainly drop. Because the Empire now has so much that it is in a situation where it doesn’t need to pay attention to the outside…”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that…?”
“If you look at our Empire’s situation now, we have an incredibly vast territory spanning the homeland, the northern lands, the outer north, and the New Frontier. And our population is very small. In other words, just by developing the Empire’s territory, all our people can live sufficiently well. So why would they go all the way to that distant Italy to get involved in a war? Are you confident that there won’t be people who say we should rather pursue a policy of national isolationism?”
‘They say one of the reasons the US military was in such a sorry state during the Vietnam War was for a similar reason, right?’
“…”
The ministers fell silent at Hyang’s counter-question. Looking at them, Hyang continued.
“You all know why there’s a saying, ‘The thorn under my own nail hurts more,’ don’t you?”
“…”
The ministers still remained silent with doubtful expressions at Hyang’s words. However, they were not ones to back down so easily.
“However, a chain of command has already been established in Italy. If something goes wrong, it could cause great confusion.”
“I think it would cause even greater confusion if I don’t go, no? The army has a Naval Commander, and the navy has a Naval Commander. Both sides have the same rank, don’t they?”
‘The war of nerves between the army and the navy boasts a long history and tradition.’
The ministers immediately answered Hyang’s point.
“It is for that very reason that Ambassador Yu Eung-bu was dispatched. When the war breaks out, Ambassador Yu Eung-bu will become the Supreme Commander and command the Imperial forces.”
“Of course, I agree that part is reasonable. But the problem is Florence. To be precise, it’s Florence’s tyrant, Lorenzo de’ Medici. Is it possible for Yu Eung-bu alone to control Lorenzo? It might be possible now since the war hasn’t broken out, but will Lorenzo remain still when war does break out and our side gains the upper hand?”
“…”
At Hyang’s point, the ministers once again fell silent. According to the information they had received so far, Lorenzo de’ Medici was a quite capable ruler, but he also had many incompetent aspects.
- -His ambition is as great as his proven ability. However, his military talent has not been proven.
This was the assessment, which was why the ministers fell silent at Hyang’s point. Looking at them, Hyang muttered to himself.
‘They say even that psycho Hitler trembled before the psycho Mussolini, right?’
Looking at the ministers who had fallen silent, at a loss for an answer, Hyang drove in the final nail.
“It is not a good look for a minister to oppress the ruler of another country, even if it is a small one, and the people of Florence may develop antipathy towards the Empire. So, shouldn’t someone of appropriate stature go?”
“That is a reasonable statement, but your age is too advanced… perhaps if the Crown Prince were to go…”
“Tsk!”
“Hic!”
The minister who was about to suggest sending Wan in Hyang’s stead froze solid as soon as Hyang clicked his tongue. It was something that had been engraved into his body after being tormented by Hyang and Wan for a long time.
“Have you considered the time it takes to send someone from here to New Frontier, and from New Frontier to Italy? Have you forgotten that even if I leave tomorrow, we could still be late?”
Hyang’s words, which clearly revealed his inner thought of ‘I’ll be damned if I let them take this away from me!’, silenced the ministers once again.
In the end, Hyeon had no choice but to admit that the conclusion was already set.
“Hoo~.”
Letting out a long sigh, Hyeon looked at Hyang.
“Please, promise me just one thing. That you will absolutely not go to the very front line.”
At Hyeon’s words, Hyang smiled brightly and answered.
“I promise.”
Ultimately, it was decided that Hyang would head to Italy.
As an aside, Hyeon, having made this decision, immediately sent a long letter to Wan in New Frontier. It was a letter full of excuses and complaints. Wan’s reply, which arrived in Seoul after some time, was short and concise.
- -You did your best.
It was a reply that contained many meanings.
***
- -The Emperor Emeritus is going to Italy!
- -It is to console and comfort the Imperial troops stationed in Italy and to hold talks with the monarchs of our allies!
Proclamations like this were posted on the bulletin boards of all government offices in the Empire. However, few among the people believed these words at face value.
This was because even the average citizen had noticed that something was afoot in Europe that touched upon the Empire’s interests, and that the Imperial Army had been dispatched in response.
Nevertheless, the news that Hyang was going to Italy shook the public.
“No, why is someone so old going to a battlefield?”
“Is Italy that important of a place? Important enough for the Emperor Emeritus to go himself?”
While many debated back and forth with expressions of ‘why?’, a few shook their heads and muttered.
“I bet there’s a place wailing its heart out right now…”
Just as they said, there was a place where wails were erupting.
It was the Imperial Army Logistics Command.
“Why! Why! Whyyyy!”
“Son of a bitch!”
The Imperial soldiers working at the Logistics Command, regardless of rank, spat out screams and curses. But reality was reality. Recognizing that they could not avoid the situation, they began to move with desperation.
“The supply plan, re-check everything from the beginning!”
“Go over it meticulously! If anything goes even slightly wrong in Italy, the best you can hope for is a demotion to the archives!”