Episode 223. Coronation ceremony
“Hehe. Oh my, take a breath. “You both happened to be there.”
Bok Yeon-hwa said with a frown on her face.
“What happened again that brought you in huffing and puffing without any message?”
Lee Shin-song said with a big smile.
“It is said that the coronation ceremony of Crown Prince King Yeseong is scheduled to be held at the imperial palace on the first day of April next month.”
Yeonhwa Bok tilted her head and said.
“What does that have to do with us?”
“lol. Of course, it doesn’t really matter. But…”
Lee Shin-song looked back at Han Ibi and continued.
“…I have something to do with this friend.”
Then this time Han Ibi asked as if it was strange.
“yes? “Me?”
Lee Shin-song nodded and said.
“okay. “King Yeseong, who will become emperor this time, originally had a close relationship with the Murim people.”
“Isn’t that already a well-known fact?”
‘Especially, I know it very well…’
“That is why King Yeseong, the future Emperor of Gyeongde, invited several figures from the Murim Alliance along with other guests. And in our Cheongseong faction….”
Lee Shin-song looked at Han Ibi and continued.
“…You were honored to be chosen.”
Han Ibi asked back in surprise.
“Me?”
“okay. that’s right. It seems like you kept an eye on me when I was active in the Murim League in the past. Besides, I have accomplished the feat of destroying the Demonic Cult this time…”
Han Ibi said, frowning.
“But there are also adults with long sentences…”
Lee Shin-song said, shaking his head.
“Well, I understand… but the Emperor’s orders are absolute.”
“You’re not the emperor yet.”
“greatness. Right. Then let me correct it a little bit. “The orders of the man who will become ‘emperor’ are absolute.”
Han Ibi said while waving her hand.
“Ugh. Stop talking. So, what I’m saying is that the conclusion has been decided. It’s annoying, but… you’re saying I can’t go if I don’t go?”
‘In martial arts, it is normal for officials and martial artists not to touch each other, but why is it like this…’
Lee Shin-song said, smiling with half-moon eyes.
“ha ha ha. As expected, it’s good that you’re quick-witted. “This will be an excellent opportunity to raise the status of our Qingseong faction.”
Han Ibi said while shaking her head.
“It’s really nice that the elders and elders are all consistent.”
* * *
The imperial palace located in the opening area.
People who see it are once again surprised by its enormous size and are once again amazed by the magnificence of the man-made lake contained within it.
How was it possible to dig up this sea-like lake with human power?
The enormous shock to human potential was no exception for Han Ibi, who was invited along with the leading figures of the Murim Alliance and was walking with them… Han Ibi whispered
to Maeng Gapson who was by her side.
“Wow, everything in the midfield is really big. The same goes for the imperial palace. “There is no end to walking and walking.”
Maeng Gap-son answered bluntly with an expression as if he was listening to everything.
“What are you talking about. If other people hear it, they’ll think it’s from outside the country. It’s tacky, so stop opening your mouth. My jaw is dropping. “You’re trying to embarrass me too.”
Han Ibi could not help but walk with her mouth wide open at the majestic scenery inside the imperial palace.
I couldn’t even listen to the words of the official who was Hwangmyeong and talking about this and that.
Han Yi-bi asked Maeng Gap-son.
“But… why is it only Shaolin Temple elder Jangmun, shaman sect elder Maeng, and me? Aren’t there a lot of Murim League members coming here in droves? “The new emperor has many close friends, right?”
Yes.
The only people currently walking inside the imperial palace were Elder Cheon Doo-hong, Maeng Gap-son, and Han Yi-bi, who were temporarily in charge of the Shaman sect’s chapter in place of Zhuo Buyong, the Shaolin temple’s master of the temple.
Maeng Gap-son spoke in a whisper.
“The imperial family is wary of martial arts figures, so only essential people were invited. At least it was polite. However, Lord Maeng is entering ahead of us because he has a close relationship with the Emperor.”
“Ohh. “It’s amazing that I am one of those essential people.”
Maeng Gap-son shrugged his shoulders and said.
“Well, anyway, it has symbolism as the number one contributor to the destruction of the Demonic Cult.”
I wonder how far they followed….
Han Yi-bi finally arrived at Wuhyeonjeon (優賢殿), where the emperor’s coronation ceremony was held.
At that time, the official leading them suddenly said while explaining various things about imperial palace etiquette.
“His Majesty the Emperor said that after the coronation ceremony, he would meet with Meng Daxia and Zhongli Xiaoxiao separately. “It would be nice if you could stay for a while after it’s over.”
“Eh? Me? “I don’t really have anything to do…”
Han Ibi rolled her eyes here and there and continued speaking.
“…There were a lot. Ahaha. I really wanted to see you. “It is truly an honor for the family.”
‘Even though the entire family disappeared.’
On the other hand, Maeng Gap-son answered politely.
“I will follow your orders, Prince.”
‘Well, anyway, he’s still the prince.’
They entered the grounds of Woohyeon Palace under the guidance of an official.
A solemn yet majestic atmosphere.
There was a landscape that overwhelmed the viewer.
‘Is it a palace within a palace? ‘This place called Woohyeonjeon is so enormous that it is no different from the palaces of other countries.’
At that time, I saw a large number of people gathered in the distance like a swarm of ants.
Including the imperial soldiers lined up in splendid ceremonial attire, the subjects were in perfect form in their cleanest and tightest clothes.
And even the guests who were looking at all this with wonder.
As important figures in the imperial family and political world were ordered to enter, the Murim Alliance members were in fact close to the bottom of the list.
Han Ibi thought.
‘No matter how close the person who will become the emperor is to the powerful people, it seems that he cannot change the imperial family’s tendency to look down on the martial arts all at once.’
Yes.
Han Yi-bi and her companions were assigned to a place so far away that they could barely see the emperor even if he showed up, so they just stood at a distance.
‘There’s no point in participating if it’s like this. no way. I’m already bored to death… I don’t even have binoculars…’
Then, suddenly, something occurred to me.
‘aha. Even if you don’t have binoculars… if you use the vision magnification function of the secret technique, you will be able to identify it to some extent.’
Han Ibi thought that she was a genius and activated her secret magic.
Step 12 completed.
Han Yi-bi looked straight ahead, using the long-distance magnification function of the secret magic that was now almost unwavering.
If you look at the building, Dansa Asang looks like it has 3 or 4 floors.
I couldn’t even hear the sound properly up to where Han Yi-bi was, but when I saw the shape of the seat in the very center of the platform, I was sure… ‘
That skinny old man over there must be the current emperor, Emperor Yingzheng.’
Just by looking at that yellow face, you could tell at a glance how deep his illness was.
And the person sitting next to him in an unusually humble posture was the familiar face ‘King Yeseong’.
‘Hey. The saying that circumstances make a person seems to be truly true. He usually seemed like he was nothing more than a childish youngest prince who admired the martial arts world and hung out with powerful people, but looking at him now, he looks quite dignified. Hehehe.’
At that time, I heard something loudly shouted in front of me.
At the same time, what appeared to be the imperial band began playing traditional instruments.
‘Why are conventional instruments made so boring? I can’t find anything exciting…’
Han Ibi, who was tired of waiting, started looking around from person to person using the telephoto function of her secret magic.
No one knew, but wouldn’t it be better than staying still?
Hanibi spent some time like that.
And then…
‘Ah! found.’
I finally found a familiar face.
Zhuge Yuxian, the Murim lord.
He was also watching the coronation ceremony from afar, but…
‘Still, he’s better than us because he’s the Murim Lord. After all, power is a good thing. But… who are you with?’
Of course, Han Ibi couldn’t have known.
However, out of curiosity, I zoomed in and looked at the people around him.
Unlike the people in the imperial palace who wore flashy clothes, they wore normal clothes.
It wasn’t much different from Han Ibi’s and her group’s.
But….
‘Huh? That person somehow looks familiar… Where have I seen him before…’
Apart from Han Yi-bi, who was deep in thought, the emperor’s coronation and handover ceremony was unfolding in a solemn yet luxurious manner.
* * *
Finally, the long coronation ceremony came to an end.
Then, the official who guided Han Ibi and her group reappeared and urged them to move.
Han Ibi, who was following him, spoke to Master Jangmun Hyeonbeop of Shaolin Temple.
“Ambassador.”
Master Hyeonbeop politely placed his hands together and answered.
“The Lord of Zhongli speaks.”
“oh my. “Why are you doing this to me? I would like to ask you one more thing.”
“The Lord of Zhongli speaks.”
“yes. thank you “It’s nothing else… How are you, Monk Jeong Gwan?”
Then Master Hyeonbeop raised his eyebrows and answered.
“That’s right. “Jeong Gwan talked a lot about the Zhongli Small Cooperative.”
Han Ibi said with a smile.
“I never thought that Shaolin would produce Ganja… I really never imagined it. “Isn’t it against the precepts for a monk to do that?”
“Amitabha Buddha. “We, the monks of Shaolin, are prepared to go to the very end of hell for the sake of sentient beings.”
Han Ibi nodded and said.
“I agree. Truly, Qilian Gate was no different from a quasi-hell. “Monk Wang Daehyeop, or Jeong Gwan, has worked really hard, so I would be grateful if you could take good care of him.”
Master Hyeonbeop bowed his head slightly and answered.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Lord for his concern for our Shaolin disciples.”
“Oh, that’s not what I said. “I just thought of it and told you.”
It was then.
Unlike the middle-aged official who was currently guiding Han Ibi, a somewhat younger official appeared.
The middle-aged official pointed to the man and said.
“Monk Hyeonbeop and Elder Cheon Du-hong, you can follow Haeng-seo (李杏瑞). “I will show you the way out.”
Then Cheon Duhong asked as if it was strange.
“Weren’t we all going back together?”
A middle-aged official said.
“According to the Emperor’s will, these people are staying in the palace for a while.”
Master Hyeonbeop, who heard those words, nodded and said.
“So that’s what happened. In any case, I hope that the head of the Meng clan and the Zhongli Little Society will have a good audience with the Emperor and that he will pass away safely.”
Han E-bi also gave an example.
“Ambassador, please return home carefully. Still, I’m glad it’s not far from Seongsan. “I hope Elder Cheon has a successful return.”
A middle-aged official said.
“Mr. Meng and the Zhongli Little Society, please wait in the separate room for a moment.”
Han Ibi asked back.
“Wait?”
“That’s right. “The emperor has a very busy schedule today, so you will have to wait quite a while to receive an audience.”
‘Huh.
* * *
“Wow. “This is truly a picturesque landscape.”
Han Ibi couldn’t help but be amazed as she climbed the stairs.
That’s because
Hyeonhwagak (九賢閣), which functions like a kind of pavilion, stands tall at a point with the most spectacular view along the artificial lake Jangseongho (長晟湖).
Besides, it is now dusk.
The higher I climbed the stairs, the more dazzlingly beautiful the scenery became.
Perhaps this was a place where emperors enjoyed entertainment with their guests.
Anyway, Han Ibi eagerly climbed to the top of the pavilion, following the middle-aged official.
And finally…
I saw someone waving happily.
“Jonglimae, head of the Maeng clan. Welcome.”
Yes.
The person holding that hand was none other than the new emperor, King Yecheng, now Emperor Jingde.
As soon as those words were out, Maeng Gap-son knelt down and bowed.
Although it was a bit awkward, Han Ibi had no choice but to follow him.
Emperor Jingde said:
(Continued in the next part)
