Episode 1032. We are not there. (2)
Cheongmyeong noticed King Hyeonjong approaching and tried to get up.
However, King Hyeonjong lightly gestured and made him sit down again. And then he plopped down next to me.
When Cheongmyeong glanced at that, Hyeonjong smiled slightly.
“why? “Is this too frivolous an action for a scholar from a certain sect to do?”
“It’s not like that, but….”
“I wasn’t born a writer either.”
Hyeonjong looked at the flowing river with a bitter expression.
“When I entered volcanology, I was actually more free than I am now.”
“…yes?”
“hmm. That sounds a little strange. Rather than saying it was free… it would be more appropriate to say that there was no system.”
Cheongmyeong quietly nodded.
If you think about it, of course it was.
People disappear from the upper level day by day, and even the alumni who trained together suddenly leave Hwasan one day. It was even more strange if the pattern of the clan was maintained properly.
Hyeonjong, Hyeonjae, and Hyeonyeong.
Among the wise men, these three are currently guarding the volcano.
Were they the only ones who entered the volcano in the first place? That can’t be possible. Many of those people left and the current number of people remained. Only three.
“I never thought I would become a writer. When I joined, my rank wasn’t that high. “There were quite a few executions.”
“….”
“Of course I thought the ambassador would be a long-time person.”
“That little guy back then?”
Cheongmyeong asked bluntly. Hyeonjong laughed at the mention of that bastard.
“okay. “I knew that the author would become a long-time writer.”
“….”
Hyunjong, who glanced at Cheongmyeong’s face, slowly shook his head.
“Know one thing.”
“….”
“The guy you saw back then must have been extremely ugly.”
“I won’t deny it.”
If he had seen such a person become the face of a volcano, Cheongmyeong might have really been angry at the volcano. No, even if he did not give up on Hwasan, it is clear that he would have tried to replace Jang Mun-in in some way.
If you think about it, it was a very fortunate thing. There was a trustworthy person holding the position of head of Hwasan.
“But Cheongmyeong. “The death penalty was not like that from the beginning.”
“….”
“The brother I saw at a young age was a truly great person. At least in my eyes at the time, he seemed like a person who could take charge of a tilting volcano and raise it up.”
Hyeonjong slowly shook his head.
“But that’s what time is. “It turns a young man who dreamed of fortune into a greedy old man, and a timid young man with messy hair into someone who has to take responsibility for a sect.”
Hyeonjong paused for a moment and quietly muttered.
“I was always grateful to you.”
Cheongmyeong tried to say something, but Hyeonjong opened his mouth first, as if he had to finish what he wanted to say first.
“It’s not because you led the volcano. It’s not because you did what I should have done. “The reason I’ve always been grateful to you is because you completely trusted me.”
“…Everyone in Hwasan believes in Jang Mun-in.”
“okay. Maybe so. But… it’s a little different. yes?”
Cheongmyeong was unable to answer readily.
Surely everyone in Hwasan believes in Hyeonjong. However, from the beginning, he did not completely trust Hyeonjong as he does now.
Even the priests, the elders, probably did not believe that as a member of the sect that ruled King Hyeonjong, he could cause the volcano to re-ignite. I just followed because Hyeonjong was the death penalty.
The only person who completely trusted Hyeonjong was Cheongmyeong.
King Hyeonjong’s authority did not come from somewhere else. Cheongmyeong, who bit anyone else like a mad dog, did not disobey King Hyeonjong’s words, so those who watched naturally came to respect and believe in King Hyeonjong.
Hyeonjong, the person involved, knew that fact very well.
“As much as I am grateful to you, I have worked hard to become a person who is not lacking as a long-time scholar of volcanoes. But… it’s still not easy.”
“…a long writer.”
“You always told me Jang Moon-in says he deserves it. “But I still don’t know if I have what it takes.”
Hyunjong grinned.
“It seems like nature is something that can’t be helped.”
The sky turned black and the stars seemed as if they were going to fall at any moment. Hyeonjong spoke with his eyes fixed on the scene.
“Shaolin has no intention of going to Gangnam.”
“….”
“You probably already knew, right?”
Cheongmyeong nods. And he added softly.
“Jang Moon-in guessed it too.”
“okay. I had to guess. Still, I didn’t want to give up a ray of hope. Or maybe I just wanted to buy some time. Because while I was going for the obvious answer, I could excuse myself that I was doing something and not ignoring what was happening on the other side of the river.”
Hyeonjong smiled in vain.
“Did you say it was compensation for a day spent without hands?”
“….”
“Yes. I understood what it was. I understand. But Cheongmyeong…”
Hyeonjong’s voice was filled with bitterness.
“Even if I know the cost… Even if I don’t know, I’m too timid to face that reality head on.”
“Jang Mun-in….”
Hyeonjong looked into the distance. Cheongmyeong had no idea what his lonely gaze was directed at.
“You said it.”
“….”
“There aren’t many things in the world that are divided into right and wrong. “No matter which one you choose, it’s not wrong because it’s just different.”
Cheongmyeong nodded. This is clearly what he said to Hyeonjong.
“But Cheongmyeong…”
Hyeonjong sighed deeply.
“Just because it’s not wrong doesn’t mean it’s right.”
“….”
“That sounded to me like there was no right answer in the world. “If I have to choose something I cannot choose, but there is no right answer and no better way, then which one should I choose?”
Cheongmyeong saw. Hyeonjong’s fingertips, slightly exposed beneath his sleeves, are trembling pitifully.
“…I don’t have the courage to turn a blind eye to those dying across the river.”
“….”
“But I don’t even have the courage to head beyond that river. “After telling you so much that you must know how to sacrifice your lives for the sake of negotiation, I cannot afford to see you lose your lives on the other side of the river.”
Hyeonjong slowly rubbed his face. For some reason, he looked quite tired.
“It’s not a matter I can choose. “I am too small a person to make that choice.”
He readily admitted, as he always did, that he was a small person and lacking in character. Cheongmyeong could vaguely guess the countless anguish and self-blame that must have tormented Hyeonjong endlessly for a long time.
Hyeonjong said, still keeping his eyes fixed on the sky.
“After hearing the room manager’s words, my anger rose to the top of my head.”
“….”
“It was so cowardly… so wicked. I can see that they only want to pursue profit at all costs. “It was truly ugly.”
Hyunjong’s voice became even heavier as he recalled his conversation with the court.
“But… while I was coming back, a thought suddenly occurred to me.”
Hyeonjong slowly closed his eyes and muttered.
“Maybe I don’t even have the courage to be cowardly?”
“….”
“The room leader’s choice may be cowardly, but there is a reason. He does not want to see his disciples die on the other side of the river. “Even if he was criticized, criticized, and pointed at for breaking the agreement, he showed his will to completely stand on the side of his disciples and protect them.”
“Jangmun-in….”
“If what you said is true, that’s not wrong either. “Is that really wrong?”
“….”
“Maybe… yes, maybe that too is another form of courage. Just as Heo Do-jin chose in the past, the court may also know what it must do. “The one who doesn’t know what he should do is… me.”
Cheongmyeong quietly looked at Hyeonjong’s face. Even in the dark, I could see that the corners of my eyes were red. At that moment, Cheongmyeong couldn’t help but sigh.
“I don’t know. What is the difference between them and me? Perhaps it was simply because there were no good people to watch and learn from. “Otherwise…”
“That’s probably not the case.”
Cheongmyeong shook his head resolutely.
“What Hwasan had to convey has already been conveyed to Jang Mun-in. “If everything is done according to the will of the predecessor, there is no reason for there to be future generations.”
“….”
“He who does not worry for himself cannot be called alive, even if he is alive.”
“okay. I guess so…”
Hyeonjong shook his head and then looked away. His reddened eyes stared at Cheongmyeong.
“So, Cheongmyeong….”
“Yes. “A long writer.”
“Just a little…”
Hyeonjong paused for a moment. It’s as if it’s too hard to spit it out. But after a while, I finally pushed those heavy words out of my mouth.
“…Isn’t it okay to be a little cowardly?”
“….”
His voice was trembling. It seemed very painful to say these words in front of his students. Ogeum, who was listening to the conversation between the two from behind, couldn’t have been unaware of the youthful tremor in the voice. Everyone could not bear to look at Hyeonjong and lowered their heads.
“I know too… that this is a shameless act. It’s an ugly choice, no different from that Shaolin… But I don’t know. I really don’t know. “Why can’t we just do that?”
“….”
“Those Shaolin and shamans close their eyes and ignore their own cowardice, so why should only Hwasan confront them head on? Why… for what purpose?”
Cheongmyeong closed his eyes tightly.
This question was once asked by him to Cheongmun. Why does it have to be a volcano? Why do only volcanoes have to be like this?
He also shouted and shouted with anger and hatred. Hyeonjong is now asking him the same question.
Hyeonjong continued speaking as if he was sighing.
“You will gain something by not avoiding it. Yes, it definitely exists.”
“….”
“But is what you have to gain… greater than what you have to lose because of it?”
Hyeonjong shook his head without waiting for Cheongmyeong’s answer.
“I can’t do that. I’m not confident about that…”
“…Jang Moon-in.”
“I… I don’t have the confidence to say that Baekcheon, who died for the sake of discussion, was great. I don’t have the courage to smile in front of Yoon Jong-i’s grave, and I don’t have the courage to honor Jo Geol-gi’s wishes in front of his coffin! “I don’t even have the courage to hold Lee Seol’s body and cry.”
“….”
“I said….”
Hyunjong’s chin is shaking.
“Are you telling me to leave your cold body behind and admonish the surviving disciples to follow the advice? to me? “This to me?”
Hyunjong’s voice began to show strong emotions.
“I am proud of the agreement we have to obtain now! Are those children more important than the days ahead of them? For that value, do we have to give up everything that those children will enjoy in their future lives? “For what purpose!”
“….”
“It must be like this….”
Hyeonjong shouted in an angry tone and soon laughed as if everything was in vain.
“It would have been better to remain a small sect in Shaanxi…”
Cheongmyeong, unable to watch that expression any longer, closed his eyes.
“If only I had known a long time ago that recovering the volcano of the past would require paying such a harsh price… “I would never have made that choice.”
“….”
“I never….”
Hyeonjong lowered his head as if he was collapsing.
Cheongmyeong could not bear to look in that direction and cast a bewildered gaze at the flowing river.
‘execution.’
A low sigh escaped like a sigh.
‘The death penalty is difficult.’
There was no answer to the hearing.
