<Chapter 38> Princess Ju Geum-Ye of Luohong (3)
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“I-I don’t understand…”
“You know that changing the world with a few lines of text, a few books, isn’t easy, right?”
Baek Su-Gyeong was speechless.
The ability to change the world with a few words was a power reserved for deities.
Those who had brought about great change were often visionaries and pioneers. But Baek Su-Gyeong had changed Jianghu, the world of Murim, in a different way.
Ju Geum-Ye spoke.
“I’m offering you this position because I recognize your talent.”
Murim, a world of martial artists, often viewed with disdain by the officials of the Imperial Palace, who dismissed them as arrogant thugs.
A world teeming with countless martial arts techniques, martial artists, and sects, a vast and intricate tapestry of power and ambition.
That was Murim.
And the Imperial Palace had always chosen to observe from a distance, refraining from interfering.
This policy of non-intervention, maintained for generations, was now being challenged during the reign of Emperor Myeong Jeong-Je.
And the catalyst for this change was Baek Su-Gyeong.
He struggled to hide his shock as he listened to Ju Geum-Ye’s explanation.
“…Are you serious?”
A recruitment offer?
From the Imperial Palace?
“Are you… truly sincere?”
He was bewildered, but he tried to maintain his composure, picking up his teacup.
Ju Geum-Ye responded to his question, her voice calm and steady.
“Yes. My father and I recognize your talent, Baek Su-Gyeong. The Wudang Sword Hero is far more than just a few lines of text.”
“You flatter me, Your Highness.”
“Excessive humility is a breach of etiquette.”
She silenced him with a proverb and continued, “There’s a saying in Jianghu that the Imperial Palace fears the martial artists and chooses to ignore them.”
“I’ve heard that.”
“It’s not entirely false. The empire has always kept a close eye on Jianghu. We simply haven’t interfered.”
“The unspoken agreement of non-interference between the government and Murim…”
“The Imperial Palace observes but doesn’t intervene. It’s a principle established by our ancestors, generations ago.”
Ju Geum-Ye rested her chin on her hand.
“The concept of non-interference didn’t exist in Murim. Not until The Wudang Sword Hero.”
This was insane.
This world was truly crazy.
Baek Su-Gyeong covered his face with his hands.
“Heavens…”
Why was this happening to him?
Ju Geum-Ye spoke.
“The Imperial Palace must control Murim to survive.”
She wasn’t wrong.
In Murim novels, the Imperial Palace was often portrayed as the villain, scheming to weaken the martial artists and force them to submit.
It wasn’t surprising.
Martial artists were often described as possessing “heaven-shaking, earth-shattering” power.
A skilled master could single-handedly defeat thousands of soldiers, and they had the power to back up their claims.
And there were countless such masters scattered throughout Murim.
It was only natural for the Imperial Palace to be wary.
They must have felt like someone was holding a sword to their throats.
“The Sun Moon Cult beyond the Tian Shan mountain range, the martial arts factions growing in power in the foreign lands… They might be a concern for Jianghu, but they’re also a threat to the Imperial Palace.”
“Jianghu is a world where power is concentrated, a force that the Imperial Palace can’t ignore. It must feel like someone is holding a sword to your throat.”
“That’s right. And that’s why we need your talent, Baek Su-Gyeong.”
She used the Heavenly Pole True Cult as an example.
“Just like the Heavenly Pole True Cult, which you depicted as the Demonic Cult in The Wudang Sword Hero, the Sun Moon Cult beyond the Tian Shan mountain range is a constant threat to the Central Plains. They’ve caused countless massacres in the past, killing tens of thousands of innocent civilians. That’s why the Imperial Palace has always tried to control Murim.”
“But you said you maintained a policy of non-interference.”
“…Officially, yes.”
Baek Su-Gyeong frowned.
His instincts screamed at him that he shouldn’t delve any deeper.
“I don’t want to hear any more, Your Highness.”
“Why not?”
“I have no intention of joining the Imperial Palace. As I said, I’m just a scholar who wants to live a simple life. I might not be able to do that now, but…”
Baek Su-Gyeong’s tone was firm.
“And you claim to want to control Murim, but… Aren’t you trying to exploit them? Martial artists are a powerful force that can be used for military purposes.”
“That’s…”
She had been exposed.
Ju Geum-Ye’s expression hardened.
Baek Su-Gyeong continued, “History is filled with accounts of martial artists coming to the empire’s aid in times of crisis. Of course, those were mostly righteous martial artists.”
“…That’s true.”
“Do you really believe that peace will prevail if you eliminate the evil factions and the Demonic Cult, leaving only the righteous factions?”
“Don’t you?”
Baek Su-Gyeong smiled wryly.
“Jianghu is a vast and complex world, composed of countless mountains and rivers. And Murim is a land where countless individuals cultivate and clash with each other. Competition is the essence of Murim. Even if the righteous factions rule, there will always be darkness.”
He was speaking in riddles, but his message was clear.
Don’t try to control Murim.
Ju Geum-Ye’s brow furrowed.
“Are you suggesting that we let Murim run wild?”
“Jianghu is like a cloud. It’s a dream. You can try to grasp it, but it will slip through your fingers. If you try to control it, it will rebel. Look what happened to the Yuan Dynasty.”
“That was…”
Baek Su-Gyeong spoke.
“I’m just a scholar living in Jianghu. I appreciate your offer, but I have no intention of joining the Imperial Palace.”
“Why not?”
“The Imperial Palace is a cage. Do you really think a bird trapped in a gilded cage is truly happy?”
His words silenced her.
He tapped his teacup lightly, creating ripples on the surface of the liquid.
“That’s why the unspoken agreement of non-interference exists. We cooperate and coexist without encroaching on each other’s domains. As long as we respect each other’s boundaries, there will be no conflict between the Imperial Palace and Murim.”
“But you can never predict what will happen in the future.”
“That’s true. That’s what makes life interesting.”
Baek Su-Gyeong smiled.
Ju Geum-Ye looked at him and spoke.
“Don’t think I’ll give up just because you rejected me, Baek Su-Gyeong. I’m retreating for now, but next time…”
“My answer will always be the same, Your Highness.”
“You’re very confident. The Imperial Palace might be a cage… You’re right. But it’s safer than Murim, wouldn’t you say?”
Her words struck a chord with him, exploiting his fear.
She was indeed an imperial princess.
But Baek Su-Gyeong’s resolve remained unshaken.
“I’d rather break than bend.”
“You’re a fool.”
“That’s what makes me human.”
Ju Geum-Ye sighed at his words.
“If that’s your decision, then I can’t force you. Very well. I’ll leave for now. But remember that I, and the agents of the Imperial Palace, can find you at any time.”
With those words,
Ju Geum-Ye vanished from his sight.
She disappeared, leaving behind a faint, sweet fragrance, like a wisp of cloud.
Baek Su-Gyeong smiled wryly as he stared at the empty space where she had been sitting.
“…She’s a skilled martial artist.”
He could have been in danger.
He touched his neck, a shiver running down his spine.
***
“Baek Su-Gyeong… He’s more principled than I expected.”
Her first impression of him had been that of a weak and timid scholar.
But as they talked, that image faded, replaced by one of a man with strong convictions.
She had initially underestimated him when she saw him prostrating himself before her, but his demeanor had changed as they conversed.
He was wary of her.
It was likely due to her status as an imperial princess, but she suspected there was more to it.
“He’s traveling with three women… Surely they’re not more beautiful than me?”
Ju Geum-Ye was confident in her beauty, but she hadn’t seen the three women Baek Su-Gyeong was traveling with, so her imagination ran wild.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought.
“I can’t believe he rejected my offer. Perhaps I should have mentioned a noble title.”
Baek Su-Gyeong had been so firm in his refusal that she hadn’t had a chance to elaborate.
Surely he wouldn’t refuse a noble title, land, and a government position?
She had assumed that he would have no choice but to accept, but his unexpected response had derailed her plans.
“Would it have made a difference?”
Perhaps his reaction would have been different if she had mentioned the perks of joining the Imperial Palace.
Even though he was successful thanks to The Wudang Sword Hero, a government position, land, and a stipend were a different matter.
Of course, it also meant that she and Emperor Myeong Jeong-Je valued his talent highly.
“I should return to the palace.”
She shed her red robes, changing into a different outfit.
She replaced her red attire with a set of hanbok. Her maids accepted her discarded clothes, and she removed her hairpin, letting her hair down as she left the room.
“Jin Yeong-Ban!”
“At your service, Your Highness.”
She had seen enough of Jianghu. It was time to report to her father, Emperor Myeong Jeong-Je, about the changes brought about by Baek Su-Gyeong’s writing.
Her hair fluttered in the breeze.
She was surrounded by Embroidered Uniform Guard members, their formation tight and protective. Her palanquin, carried by invisible forces, rose into the air.
Her voice, soft and melodic, drifted out from behind the curtains.
“Let’s go.”
“As you command!”
As her palanquin sped away from Luoyang,
Ju Geum-Ye remembered something she had forgotten to ask.
“I forgot to ask him when the next volume will be released. Next time, I’ll bring him to the palace and have him write there.”
She made up her mind as her palanquin soared through the sky.
Based
Thank for the chapter