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0193 ———————————————-

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

I had no choice but to gather at least the remains of Musashi. All that Musashi left behind was a single sword and a book on military strategy. I tilted my head as I picked up the military book in his pack.

“Book of Five Relationships?”

It seemed to be his own compilation of military tactics. After securing the Book of Five Relationships, I spoke to the Lord of Shadowless Gate, Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.

“I’m sorry, but I must bury his remains in his hometown. Please understand.”

“Hmm, there’s nothing we can do about it. It was an unfortunate incident.”

“I’ll be on my way then.”

I watched as the members of Shadowless Gate wiped the blood from Musashi’s corpse and prepared it for burial. While riding the Golden Lamp towards Jinrang Valley, various thoughts crossed my mind.

‘Is it really possible for things to go this wrong right from the start?’

I never imagined that the strongest warrior Dongyoung mentioned could be killed by the Sword Demon.

My spirits dropped drastically, but I quickly regained my composure. It wasn’t over yet, and there was still plenty to be done. I approached Mangnyang, showing him Musashi’s remains and the Book of Five Relationships, and explained what had happened.

Surprisingly, Mangnyang didn’t seem flustered. He calmly said,

“So, what lesson did you learn?”

“Huh?”

“Do you understand Musashi’s character and skill now?”

“……!!”

“Though it’s regrettable, try to think about it positively. Just convey things well to Miho.”

I felt the weight behind Mangnyang’s words.

‘He must always keep in mind that I’m a Reborn Person.’

Losing Musashi in this life was a painful blow. However, considering my past life, I could also see it as a gain. Knowing what kind of person Musashi was meant I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again, and managing him in the right way would be much easier.

“I understand.”

“Don’t think too deeply.”

With that, Mangnyang continued,

“Since it has come to this, let’s talk about what’s ahead. It might help ease your confusion.”

“I’m ready to listen.”

“I’m going to establish the Bancheon Alliance like before. But this time, I plan to expose Hwang Yeon to the sunlight rather than blindly aiding him.”

What does that mean?

I was momentarily puzzled, and Mangnyang explained.

“Up until now, I saved Hwang Yeon and his clan while inciting resentment toward the current Huang Dynasty to provoke a rebellion. However, this only reduces the time for preparation and brings the formidable forces of the Imperial Palace closer faster. So, I plan to avoid rebellions and directly target Dongyoung and the Golden Eagle Guard.”

“Is that even possible? Dongyoung and the Golden Eagle Guard move according to the Emperor’s will.”

I said worriedly. If they were to run wild, disregarding the Emperor’s wishes, that would be one thing, but they were ultimately acting in alignment with the Emperor’s desires. Their cruel actions stemmed from self-interest, but the driving force was clearly the Emperor. Politically targeting such Imperial Palace forces would undoubtedly be treacherous.

Then Mangnyang replied.

“It’s not entirely impossible. After all, no matter how authoritarian the Emperor is, he can’t suppress all political factions completely. It might be easier to confront the Emperor directly while holding to a just cause.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I should probably explain the political landscape of the Great Ming Empire.”

Mangnyang took a sip of water, seeming a bit parched. Then he calmly explained.

“The Emperor is an absolute monarch and holds ultimate power. Beneath him are the Golden Eagle Guard and Dongyoung, who serve as his eyes and ears, monitoring various powerful ministers and eliminating those who threaten his hold on power. You know this much already.”

“Of course.”

Having once worked as an official in the Golden Eagle Guard, I was aware of its basic workings. After nodding, Mangnyang continued.

“Do you know why the Golden Eagle Guard and Dongyoung were created?”

“For the sake of preserving power, as mentioned earlier…”

“That’s the most fundamental reason, but digging deeper, it’s because the Emperor couldn’t trust his subjects.”

“Hmm…”

Mangnyang leaned slightly forward.

“Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, having risen from commoner status, harbored a profound hatred for the powerful ministers and privileged classes. Consequently, he was incredibly harsh towards the existing elites and purged anyone who posed a challenge to his throne. For instance, you probably recall the gruesome execution method known as Lingchi.”

“Of course, I can easily imagine that.”

“This act was essential for strengthening the future Emperor’s rule, but it had side effects.”

“Side effects?”

“At first glance, removing powerful ministers seems beneficial for maintaining imperial authority. But those ministers are vital for managing this vast land. Without them, the Great Ming Empire would struggle to survive. Thus, there’s a limit to how many ministers can be purged, and purging them essentially means squashing the potential of capable, independent, and exceptional officials.”

Mangnyang sighed.

“What can an Emperor rely on for governance in a court lacking excellent advisors? Can he base his decisions solely on his own intellect and manage the country’s affairs haphazardly? Consequently, emperors after Zhu Yuanzhang have had to create factions that serve as their eyes and ears, tapering off at crises, whether they like it or not. Thus, the Ming Emperor and the Golden Eagle Guard became inseparable.”

“I know the Golden Eagle Guard and Dongyoung have become corrupt.”

“That’s not where it ends. To overcome the political pitfalls created by Zhu Yuanzhang, subsequent emperors have attempted to balance the power between Dongyoung and the Golden Eagle Guard and the ministerial authority.”

“As a result, the previous Emperor granted considerable power to opposition figures, including the Clear Stream Faction, who could serve as checks against him, even allowing significant military authority to fall into the hands of local lords. This has resulted in the Golden Eagle Guard and Dongyoung from decades past being unable to recklessly overstep their bounds, instead strengthening the Emperor’s power. This is because, until then, the leaders of the Golden Eagle Guard and Dongyoung had wielded their powers indiscriminately using the Emperor’s co-dependence.”

I was rather taken aback by Mangnyang’s explanation.

“Wait a minute. You’re saying that military power was temporarily given to local lords? Isn’t that inviting rebellion in the provinces?”

“But it hasn’t happened. Because rebellion occurs not just from military power. Only when various conditions, like time, place, talent, and public sentiment align can one even attempt it. The Central Plains during the reign of the previous Emperor was relatively peaceful and harmonized, making it unthinkable to incite rebellion.”

“Hmm…”

“But the current Central Plains under the Emperor’s rule is chaotic and bustling. This is due to the Emperor using his strengthened power to further centralize while building up the Dongyoung and Golden Eagle Guard. The high officials of the Clear Stream Faction and the opposition feel this tension and acknowledge the necessity of countering it. General Hwang Yeon stands at the epicenter of this explosive situation. Especially considering he was imprisoned in Great Thunder Valley…”

Mangnyang stopped there, then spoke with conviction.

“If we can reinstate General Hwang Yeon to the frontline while uniting opposition figures and the Clear Stream Faction, we might be able to keep the Emperor and his elite forces in check. This is a fight with considerable odds in our favor.”

I hesitated to voice a nagging thought.

“Hmm, I’ve seen the stark wealth gap and countless people suffering throughout my travels. Could it really be that the Emperor’s partiality is a key cause of this?”

“It can be said to be half true.”

“Half true?”

Mangnyang smiled wryly and shrugged.

“Regrettably, even if the current Emperor were to transform into a sage king like Emperor Yao or Shun, it wouldn’t eliminate all of the world’s misery. No matter how excellent the ruler or upright the officials, there will always be evildoers or corrupt bureaucrats around. What politicians can do is only minimize and contain the world’s misfortunes as much as possible.”

“It’s a daunting task.”

“But allowing a tyrant or a dark lord to run rampant would amplify that chaos and misery severalfold. It’s just that simple.”

Only after hearing Mangnyang’s words was I able to view politics from a different perspective. It contrasted sharply with the vague instincts or knowledge I had so far. This was also a perspective I could never acquire from my education in the Golden Eagle Guard.

After providing that explanation, Mangnyang said,

“Thus, I would like your help in rescuing General Hwang Yeon’s clan. I don’t think there’s enough time to develop the masters of the Bancheon Alliance.”

“Do we need to break through a place guarded by three squads or more of the Golden Eagle Guard?”

“That’s right. Without the aid of Thunder God Lineage masters.”

“Hmm…”

I pondered. It wasn’t impossible but felt like it would be quite tough. It was apparent that Mangnyang had decided to abandon the Thunder God Lineage as I had suggested while opting to recruit Jin So-cheong. I decided to ask the question on my mind.

“By the way, how do you plan to bring Jin So-cheong with us?”

“I have my own plans. Don’t worry about that for now.”

“Hmm…”

“Let’s first handle the urgent matters. Move quickly.”

“I understand.”

I followed Mangnyang’s advice and returned to Miho. Using the Golden Lamp, I appeared in the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace in Kyoto, where Miho seemed to be waiting for me.

“Welcome back! I’m still waiting for a response from the Shogun.”

“……”

“You don’t look so good. What happened?”

I hesitated and said,

“Um… it’s just that, Miyamoto Musashi has died…”

“……”

Miho’s expression turned to one of disbelief. I explained everything that had happened after bringing Miyamoto Musashi to the Shadowless Gate. After hearing the whole story, Miho couldn’t contain her surprise and plopped down on the ground.

“What… how could we lose Musashi so easily? Only the sword saint Kamizumi Nobutsuna rivals him, and he’s someone we can’t just mobilize at will.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Sigh… Well, he did seem overly arrogant. There’s nothing we can do now.”

Miho also seemed to be coming to terms with reality. I showed her the keepsakes left by Miyamoto Musashi.

“This is the sword and the Book of Five Relationships he left. We must bury these.”

“…Book of Five Relationships?”

“Yeah. That’s the book’s title.”

“Let me have a look.”

Miho took the Book of Five Relationships, flipped through its pages, and began reading. After about half a moment, she exclaimed in confusion,

“What’s this? It looks like a military strategy book, but isn’t this a kind of Martial Arts Secret Manual?”

“Huh?”

“It’s clear that you haven’t read it closely. It contains allusions to breathing techniques and swordplay here and there.”

I began to read the Book of Five Relationships, and as I immersed myself, I realized it was more of a Martial Arts Secret Manual than a military treatise. While I initially skimmed through the beginning, I soon found it was a treasure trove of martial arts techniques showcasing incredible swordplay. The breathing techniques were detailed, and the book showed signs of heavy usage.

Miho said,

“Well, you’ve got yourself a Martial Arts Secret Manual. You should keep it.”

“Okay.”

“Ah, but convincing Hattori Hanzo won’t be easy…”

Miho’s worries weren’t unfounded. Sure enough, a few days later, when Hattori Hanzo arrived at the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace in Kyoto and discovered the corpse and keepsakes of Miyamoto Musashi, he was utterly stunned.

“M-Miyamoto Musashi has died?!!”

“……”

“W-What on earth happened?!!”

If a ninja, who should maintain composure, reacted in shock like this, it indicated a significant upheaval was at hand. Miho calmly explained.

“He was killed by a master from the Central Plains. Not just any master, but an extraordinary one, so there was nothing to be done.”

“S-Seriously… there was someone who could kill Musashi?”

Hattori Hanzo trembled in disbelief. Amid his shock, Miho added,

“They were a master from the White Lotus Sect…”

“White Lotus Sect…”

Miho fed him the fabricated story. She described how Musashi, while searching for the Seven Luminaries with me, was suddenly ambushed by the White Lotus Sect and bravely died protecting me. I nodded along to support Miho’s lie.

After Hanzo had heard everything, he cleared his throat and said,

“Honestly, I can hardly believe it. Given these circumstances, I can’t accompany the Noble Consort to the Central Plains.”

“What was your initial answer?”

“I intended to provide temporary escort for the Noble Consort. However, that now seems pointless. I shall take my leave.”

Miho stood confidently, crossing her arms.

“I shan’t give you a send-off. Regardless of the circumstances, I’m going to the Central Plains.”

“Do as you wish. The Shogun stated he wouldn’t intervene at that point.”

“Thank you for that.”

Swoosh!

Then, Hattori Hanzo vanished using his ninja stealth technique. Miho murmured in disappointment.

“I can’t believe it all fell through like this. How frustrating.”

“It’s fine. Not having someone like that isn’t a big deal.”

“Hattori Hanzo is the best ninja in Dongyoung. His presence would have made things much more convenient for our future plans.”

Miho licked her lips, contemplating.

“Then let’s head to the Central Plains together.”

Using the Golden Lamp, Miho and I reached Jinrang Valley. Upon arriving, Mangnyang greeted us warmly.

“Greetings, Miho! I’m Mangnyang.”

“Hmm… So you’re Mangnyang.”

Miho seemed to treat Mangnyang warmly, perhaps due to what she heard about him from me. Once introductions were out of the way, Mangnyang got straight to the point.

“We need to rescue General Hwang Yeon’s family quickly, preferably within a month.”

“Is there a pressing reason to rush?”

I asked, and Mangnyang solemnly nodded.

“Indeed. Because you’ll need to hurry over to the second sealing of the Divine Sword shortly after this.”

“Second sealing? Wait…!!”

I widened my eyes. Mangnyang confirmed the statement.

“To the northernmost end of this world!”

—————————= End of Work Notes —————————=

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