The air feels cold.
White Princess Ha Wol possessed an extremely heightened sense of smell.
This didn’t mean she was particularly skilled at identifying scents in the usual sense. Rather, it referred to her strange ability to detect something amiss or sense suspicious movements, almost as if she could smell them out like a ghost.
As she prepared herself behind the stage for the birthday ceremony, the White Princess furrowed her brow slightly and glanced around.
The maids from the White Tiger Palace, who were helping with her clothes, looked at her with puzzled expressions, but Ha Wol paid them no mind. She continued to observe the area beyond the stage and toward the banquet hall.
The expressions of the guards don’t look good. Could there be a communication lapse somewhere, or is something unusual happening?
The White Princess brushed off the pure white collar of her robe before turning her gaze to examine the faces of the high officials.
Watching them revel in drinking, dancing, and discussing political affairs, she saw no indication of anything out of the ordinary.
After all, given how important this event was, even the slightest disturbance would surely be reported to them immediately.
Yet her instincts were ringing alarm bells.
The senses ingrained in her mind, honed through years of survival in the treacherous political landscape of Cheongdo Palace, were warning her.
It felt as though something was about to happen.
“White Princess, I haven’t had the chance to greet you properly while working in the Hwalseong District.”
“……?”
The voice that interrupted her thoughts came from Ha Si Hwa, the manager of the Hwalseong District and a subordinate of Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong.
Ha Si Hwa was someone who had been placed in her position by the Inbong clan but had become so consumed by the intense workload under Seol Tae Pyeong that even maintaining communication with her was difficult.
Back when Ha Gang Seok, the former head of the clan, was alive, there had been attempts to discipline her for this, but the White Princess had refrained from interfering. She had no desire to meddle with Seol Tae Pyeong’s subordinates unnecessarily.
“It’s been a while, Manager Ha. I’ve often heard the Vice General commend you. Your hard work in the Hwalseong District has greatly elevated the reputation of the Inbong clan.”
“You flatter me.”
Ha Si Hwa bowed her head quietly.
White Princess Ha Wol looked at her closely for a moment before narrowing her eyes and asking,
“But the Vice General hasn’t arrived at the banquet hall yet… How is it that you’re already here?”
“The Vice General gave me direct orders. He instructed me to inspect the banquet hall in advance, assess the internal situation, and address any matters requiring attention beforehand.”
“Well, that’s just like him, always thorough in his preparations. Still, it’s nice to see a familiar face from the Inbong clan after such a long time.”
“It’s a great honor that you think so.”
The White Princess was now the most powerful figure in the Inbong clan.
Yet, when dealing with the White Princess, Ha Si Hwa showed neither submission nor desperation.
Even though a single command from Ha Wol could completely overturn Ha Si Hwa’s position within the family, there was no trace of fear in her demeanor.
It was clear she had something else to rely on.
She’s completely become one of the Vice General’s people.
The White Princess knew that if Ha Si Hwa fully aligned herself with the Hwalseong District, the Vice General would accept her regardless of her family origins.
Those who followed the Vice General were known for their unwavering loyalty to him. Perhaps his extraordinary ability to accept others was one of the reasons behind such loyalty.
“Well, since it’s rare to see your face, why not stop by the tent for a cup of tea before you go?”
“I deeply appreciate your kindness, but I don’t have much time.”
“What?”
“Soon… the banquet hall will be turned upside down.”
Ha Shi Hwa said with her head bowed and without changing her expression.
“I am here to safely restrain you, White Princess.”
***
“Long live His Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!”
The birthday ceremony had officially begun, and the most important figure of the event had entered the banquet hall.
The Crown Prince stepped down from his carriage and crossed the banquet hall. The musicians stopped their performance and the dancers who had been entertaining vanished from sight.
In the quiet and solemn atmosphere, the Crown Prince made his way toward the Taehwa Pavilion, while the officials seated in front of their tables all knelt and lowered their heads.
In his ceremonial Heavenly Dragon robe, Crown Prince Hyeon Won exuded the aura of a true ruler of the world.
He bowed his head and paid his respects to Emperor Woon Sung, who sat atop the Taehwa Pavilion.
From that point onward, the proceedings followed a script well-known to the high officials.
The Crown Prince would praise the efforts of the officials, deliver a brief speech, and ascend to the seat of honor at the pavilion to receive a ceremonial drink.
After accepting and sipping the drink offered by Emperor Woon Sung, he would descend once more to the stage to deliver a second speech and address the loyal servants of Cheongdo.
Then, the Heavenly Maiden would make her appearance to confirm the Crown Prince’s pledge to always work for the best of the country and its people.
Finally, the Heavenly Maiden would take the prepared Peaceful Moon Stone from the stage, place it in the Crown Prince’s hand, and proclaim his vow to serve the people of Cheongdo as truth before all.
With this, Crown Prince Hyeon Won would officially be recognized as Cheongdo’s rightful heir and begin to be treated as the next emperor.
“My son, seeing how steadfast you’ve become, I feel that Cheongdo’s future is truly bright.”
Crown Prince Hyeon Won accepted the drink from the Emperor, humbly expressed his gratitude, and took a quiet sip.
He descended to the stage, stood there in silence, and looked down at the hall filled with high officials.
“..….”
The officials returned his gaze with eyes full of reverence for the future ruler.
They were the survivors of Cheongdo’s brutal political arena, clinging tenaciously to their authority and influence.
To Crown Prince Hyeon Won, they looked like insects trapped in a jar of isolation and decay.
Surely, among them, there must be at least one who can be called a loyal servant.
The Crown Prince Hyeon Won, whose mind had grown rigid with conviction, knew that not everyone was consumed by greed and self-preservation.
However, it had long been the way of the world that those in power were destined to rot.
Even if loyal subjects from below rose to higher ranks, there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t succumb to corruption.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won who believed that humanity itself was inherently flawed found all of this meaningless.
“Your Highness, when the time comes for you to walk the path of a ruler, you will have loyal subjects gathered here to follow you.”
Strategist Hwa An who was seated in the place of honor bowed his head as he spoke.
“Let them hear Your Highness’s intentions. If you speak, they will follow.”
“…….”
“They are people who have devoted their whole lives to Cheongdo and have served with loyalty. From now on, they will follow your orders and become your companions.”
But Crown Prince Hyeon Won had never once considered them his companions.
Still, he supposed he could indulge them to some degree.
All it would take was making a few lofty declarations and tossing out some pleasantries about trust.
At the moment he was about to raise his voice, it happened.
Boom!
A sound of something collapsing.
Perhaps it was the sound of the wooden barricades blocking the outposts breaking apart.
Soon, the clatter of hooves reverberated throughout the banquet hall.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Whoooosh!
A sudden uproar spread through the banquet hall, and murmurs filled the air.
Crown Prince Hyeon Won’s expression, however, did not waver in the slightest as he listened.
“What, what is that sound?”
“How dare such insolence occur when His Highness is about to speak!”
“Send the soldiers at once to investigate! Do they not understand how important this event is?”
“Where is the Warrior Commander? I’ve emphasized over and over that this must be handled thoroughly!”
High-ranking officials raised their voices and scolded the soldiers, who were startled by the commotion. They ran toward the entrance of the banquet hall.
And there, they found it. A palanquin carrying the Heavenly Maiden.
“Th-That is…”
The soldiers who had rushed out to assess the situation froze in place and couldn’t act.
The palanquin of the Heavenly Maiden escorted by Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong.
Neither the Vice General nor the Heavenly Maiden were individuals the soldiers could dare to challenge.
A procession of private soldiers escorting the Heavenly Maiden formed a line around the palanquin as it steadily approached. There was no soldier who could stand in their way.
“Wh-What is the meaning of this?”
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, the Central Councilor rushed out and blocked Seol Tae Pyeong’s path.
The Central Councilor Chu Beom Seok exhaled a breath laced with the chill in the air and berated Seol Tae Pyeong.
“Vice General! I understand the importance of your duty to escort the Heavenly Maiden, but to cause such chaos at this critical moment when His Highness the Crown Prince is about to speak…!”
“Councilor, please step aside.”
“What?”
Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong looked down at the Central Councilor with cold eyes.
Chu Beom Seok couldn’t believe his ears.
The Three Great Officials—Chief Councilor, Central Councilor, and Under Councilor—were figures of such prestige that even the Grand General Seong Sa Wook would bow his head in respect.
Yet, here was Seol Tae Pyeong, casually ordering the Central Councilor to step aside without the slightest hesitation.
The strange chill in Seol Tae Pyeong’s gaze made the Central Councilor swallow dryly without realizing it.
Something was happening.
“Vice General… have you lost your mind?”
Ignoring him, Seol Tae Pyeong marched straight toward the entrance of the banquet hall.
Within the exalted Taewha Pavilion sat Emperor Woon Sung and on the stage stood Crown Prince Hyeon Won.
Amidst the gathered nobles, Seol Tae Pyeong spoke in a cold voice with his head lowered.
“Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong reporting. As instructed by the palace, I have escorted Heavenly Maiden Jin Cheong Lang to the Taewha Pavilion on the White Immortal Mountain.”
“This insolent fool! No matter how much your name has gained renown recently, you do not know your place! Such a lack of basic respect. How can someone like this hold the rank of General?”
“Does the Vice General not know better? This is unacceptable behavior!”
“Vice General, please step back for now!”
Amid the outcry of voices, Seol Tae Pyeong flashed a sly smile as he glanced at Crown Prince Hyeon Won.
At that moment, the palanquin opened, and Heavenly Maiden Jin Cheong Lang appeared.
The Heavenly Maiden, the most revered woman in Cheongdo.
Her appearance instantly brought a new wave of tension over the assembly.
The Heavenly Maiden and the Crown Prince.
Who held the higher position between the two?
The palace protocols offered no clear hierarchy between them. The only obligation was mutual respect.
Jin Cheong Lang emerged before the Crown Prince with a composed demeanor.
The high officials in the assembly instinctively realized that Jin Cheong Lang’s influence was behind Seol Tae Pyeong’s audacious actions.
Seol Tae Pyeong was the aide of Jin Cheong Lang, the Heavenly Maiden.
When considered carefully, there was no way Jin Cheong Lang was uninvolved in this situation.
“The Heavenly Maiden has arrived slightly ahead of schedule.”
“Yes, the circumstances brought us here sooner.”
The Crown Prince Hyeon Won spoke without changing his expression, and Heavenly Maiden Jin Cheong Lang replied with a faint smile.
Surprisingly, it was their first meeting.
Yet, perhaps there was some shared understanding between them; there wasn’t even a hint of hostility in their interaction.
The ones sweating nervously as they observed the situation were the high officials in the assembly.
Without exception, their pupils trembled as they failed to grasp what was unfolding before them.
Jin Cheong Lang covered the lower half of her face with her sleeve and smiled softly.
I never imagined things would come to this, but openly behaving so audaciously before those officials… there’s a strange thrill in breaking the rules like this.
Is it because I’ve always lived confined by the regulations of the inner palace?
In contrast, Seol Tae Pyeong seemed visibly more tense. It was only natural, given that he hadn’t intended for Jin Cheong Lang to be involved to this extent.
Watching the scene now, it almost felt as though the one defying the Emperor wasn’t himself but Jin Cheong Lang.
That was understandable. Aside from the imperial family, the Heavenly Maiden held the highest status among those present.
“Then, allow me to formally offer my greetings.”
With an elegant motion, she brushed her sleeve and bowed her head quietly.
She spoke in a calm voice.
“I am Jin Cheong Lang, the Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo and the mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.”
At that moment, assassins clad in black masks leaped out of Jin Cheong Lang’s palanquin.
Hahaha…
Crown Prince Hyeon Won suppressed a laugh.
The high officials, who always acted so sternly as they stroked their beards, now stared wide-eyed in astonishment.
One of the assassins twisted the Crown Prince’s arm behind his back and pressed a dagger to his neck.
It was none other than Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong.
He was Seol Tae Pyeong’s closest subordinate and the very man who had tried to assassinate Crown Prince Hyeon Won when he was younger.
Him again.
Crown Prince Hyeonwon smiled inwardly and looked at the expressions of the high-ranking officials who were terrified.
The high-ranking officials who were now subdued by the assassins raised their hands and trembled in fear.
Clang!
– Aaargh!
– Call the guards! Bring the guards!
– My arm! My arm!
Make sure there are no casualties.
Even though the Black Moon members had been given such instructions, there were limits to what they could do.
Some injuries or tumbling to the ground had to be accepted as inevitable.
In an instant, chaos erupted in the banquet hall.
The tables of wine were overturned, the maids screamed, and the high officials frantically ran barefoot across the dirt floor to escape.
Candlesticks toppled over, setting the canopy on fire, and liquor bottles shattered repeatedly as they rolled across the floor.
Clang! Crash!
Amid the chaos, Seol Tae Pyeong strode forward with steady steps and with his sword drawn.
He flicked his sword once, and a red glow flickered in his eyes.
That sight reminded those who saw him of a certain Mad Sword Sovereign who had once overturned Cheongdo Palace in the distant past.
The descendant of a treacherous clan.
Everyone had always warned, with one voice, to remain vigilant against him.
The high officials had repeatedly said that if caution wasn’t exercised toward the descendant of that mad Sword Sovereign, he might cause a disaster one day.
For the current high officials, the traitor Seol Lee Moon was a figure of fear.
Watching this scene unfold, as though the ghost of Seol Lee Moon had returned and manifested before their eyes, they couldn’t help but doubt their own vision.
As if to repay their vigilance, Seol Tae Pyeong raised his head and fixed a chilling gaze on Taehwa Pavilion.
The most elevated seat, where the three great officials, the strategist, and Emperor Woon Sung were seated.
With his sword in hand, Seol Tae Pyeong began climbing the wooden steps of Taehwa Pavilion with one measured step at a time.
“The Vice General is staging a rebellion!”
“Gather all the general-level officers! They should be just beyond the banquet hall!”
The terrified high officials sprang from their seats and attempted to flee.
The old men, who had always maintained a grave and dignified air, now trembled as they ran barefoot, only to be caught and thrown to the ground by the Black Moon members.
In the midst of the turmoil, Seol Tae Pyeong reached the very top of the Taehwa Pavilion.
The gleam from his unsheathed blade reflected toward Chief Councilor In Seon Rok.
In Seon Rok who was sitting at the banquet table lifted his head and looked at Seol Tae Pyeong.
The cold, frigid tension between the two, with the sword between them, felt like an icy current.
***
“Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong has staged a rebellion. The banquet hall is in utter chaos right now.”
“…What?”
Behind the banquet hall, Great General Seong Sa Wook who had been assessing the soldiers’ positions furrowed his brow.
The Vice General. One of the generals he trusted most.
At the news of his rebellion, Seong Sa Wook’s eyes widened in shock.
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