Ho Cheon-an was silent in the face of Du Wei-cheon’s taunts.
He didn’t even need to respond.
The atmosphere in the room shifted in an instant.
From every direction, the menacing gazes directed at Du Wei-cheon made him realize something was amiss.
Ho Cheon-an and the Twelfth Squad trainees had a twisted relationship, and Du Wei-cheon guessed they were trying to plot something by calling in Ho Cheon-an, who was free from outside scrutiny.
That’s why Du Wei-cheon sought to provoke Ho Cheon-an into a reaction, hoping to gain some clues or instigate a fight to use as an excuse to drag him into the army.
While he had expected the Twelfth Squad trainees to defend Ho Cheon-an, the intensity of their response surprised him completely.
After all, wasn’t Ho Cheon-an merely a pawn in the Comrades Association?
“Have you ever seen such a damn fool?”
But even with such a light jab, Jo Gab-deok let out a stream of curses. Surely he knew the temperament of the Commander of the Golden Guards, a direct branch of the imperial family. No one could miss the furious expression on Jo Gab-deok’s bright red face, which screamed he was extremely angry.
Could someone who had dedicated their life to study be this angry over an insult?
“Haha, no matter how much you’re part of the comrades, how can you go wild like a thunderstruck monkey?”
“Kids these days just don’t know their manners!”
Du Wei-cheon swallowed hard, intimidated by the furious trainees and the grumbling Jo Gab-deok.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t understand the intense reaction.
Surely, it wasn’t like they had a deep master-student bond, and their relationship as instructor and trainee wasn’t a permanent one either. Not to mention, their professional connection ended with terrible animosity. While time may turn everything into memories, could such an unprecedented situation in the Golden Guards really be brushed aside as merely nostalgic embellishment?
Du Wei-cheon looked at Ho Cheon-an with puzzled eyes.
He soon realized that Ho Cheon-an had created some distance and was hiding among the Twelfth Squad trainees. The blatant relief on Ho Cheon-an’s face only fueled more doubt in Du Wei-cheon’s heart.
Though he had provoked the situation, he thought the best way to resolve things now was for Ho Cheon-an to step up and tidy things up. No matter how prominent their individual statuses were, openly antagonizing a peer was never a good idea, and if he received an apology from Ho Cheon-an, Du Wei-cheon couldn’t prolong the excuse any further.
But then, to hide among trainees in this situation? No matter how he thought about it, that seemed like a cowardly move.
Could the author truly be someone worthy of respect from the pillars of Huang Nation and esteemed figures?
‘That can’t be right.’
Just as Du Wei-cheon reached that conclusion in his mind,
He distinctly saw an almost imperceptible smile appear and fade from Ho Cheon-an’s lips.
The sight of that smile sparked a thought in Du Wei-cheon’s mind. Did the Comrades Association truly not expect a peer’s visit?
‘That can’t be right!’
If that’s the case, this situation was undoubtedly part of a scripted play. It was a tactic to eliminate the peer’s involvement, wasn’t it?
“Elders, please do quell your anger.”
With that realization, Du Wei-cheon decided to step back.
“I’ve honored our agreement by drinking a cup of wine, so I shall take my leave now.”
Rather than facing the heads of each department, including the Chancellor, directly at Nangyang, he could always call Ho Cheon-an back in as a peer.
After Du Wei-cheon gracefully made his exit, Jo Gab-deok, who had been glaring at his retreating figure, let out a sigh.
“Things have become complicated.”
The trainees, who knew well the persistence of the peer, nodded in agreement and sighed.
“He seems to have some scheme in mind, considering how easily he backed off.”
“Things are starting to spiral from the outset.”
Ho Cheon-an chuckled and opened his mouth, despite the trainees’ concerns.
“Looks like the peers are quite energetic. I didn’t expect them to charge in right as we entered Nangyang.”
“Of course, with the world in chaos, it’s natural for the peers to have a heightened response.”
“Indeed, that’ll speed things up.”
Ho Cheon-an’s cryptic statement changed the expressions of the trainees.
Chancellor Jae Sang-hae’s mind raced. It had seemed that the instructor’s response to Du Wei-cheon was somewhat lacking, but perhaps he was concocting something.
“Most likely, the author is planning to call me as a peer with some suitable excuse and will try to glean what discussions went on within the Comrades Association through me.”
“Are you saying you’re going to go in purposely?”
Jo Ga-ju questioned as he heard Ho Cheon-an’s words.
“I get that you have a plan, but do you really need to suffer through the peer’s troubles?”
Okryong chimed in as well.
“Jo Ga-ju is right. You don’t have to endure difficulties as a peer. Just let us know if you need anything. We have the Chancellor, the General, and the Commander of the Golden Guards here.”
Though their words were quite reassuring, Ho Cheon-an shook his head.
“To change the will of the Huang Nation. While such an intention might warrant contemplating the trainees’ suggestions…”
“…I’m thankful for the sentiment, but there are reasons why I must refuse.”
[Please watch over my older brother.]
Still holding onto Hyeok Gi-rin’s last words in his heart, Ho Cheon-an didn’t want to give up on Emperor Yoo Gyeong, hence he turned down the offer.
The trainees, including Chancellor Jae Sang-hae, sensed they couldn’t sway Ho Cheon-an and lamented. What would it matter to stand at the peak of their ranks when one person couldn’t prevent their teacher from suffering?
It was a heavy burden weighing on the trainees’ hearts.
“If that’s the case, what should we do outside?”
“If I happen to get captured by the peers…”
And then, just one line from Ho Cheon-an blew away the heavy hearts of the trainees.
“Call in the family head of the Du family and make them wish they’d never been born.”
“…Excuse me?”
The trainees’ expressions twisted oddly.
* *
“Have you captured him?”
“Yes! Currently confined in the Neuro Jail.”
Du Wei-cheon, who had brought Ho Cheon-an in, nodded in satisfaction at his subordinate’s report.
Seeing as he was bringing someone in from Nangyang, it could have caused an uproar, but it seemed the trainees who were prominent figures returned to their respective homes, and the moment Chancellor Jae Sang-hae made an appearance, they seized the opportunity to act.
Du Wei-cheon immediately headed to the Neuro Jail where Ho Cheon-an was confined.
“Do you know why you’ve been brought in?”
With a steel collar around his neck and chains binding his legs, Ho Cheon-an looked up at Du Wei-cheon and replied.
“It’s not a normal charge, is it?”
“You’ve been dismissed on disciplinary grounds, meaning unlike those who retire through normal procedures, you are not entitled to any former privileges. Yet, you have been casually enjoying those privileges in front of the peers who uphold the laws and customs of the Huang Nation.”
“Those so-called privileges you speak of only apply to public events, do they not?”
“Precisely. Being treated with courtesy in a private setting without a care is likely a habit you’ve ingrained.”
So they’d conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain whether you had wielded undue power in public matters.
As Du Wei-cheon pressed Ho Cheon-an with charges, he noticed his eyebrows twitching. It was because Ho Cheon-an’s poise was almost too calm.
Wasn’t he the same timid guy who couldn’t control his nerves under the pressure at Nangyang?
Du Wei-cheon felt unease listening to Ho Cheon-an’s demeanor, but he quickly got a grip on himself.
After all, now that Ho Cheon-an was imprisoned, he would have to spill all his secrets.
“How about confessing your crimes now?”
There was no response from Ho Cheon-an.
“Is that so? Then there’s no helping it.”
Without hesitation, Du Wei-cheon turned. Usually, those who were brought in fresh to a jail would be brimming with hope, and he knew very well it was a waste of energy to deal with such people.
And after a few days in jail, even the most obstinate of characters would begin to weaken, and then he could start serious questioning.
“Think well while you’re in here.”
Just as Du Wei-cheon was preparing himself so leisurely,
“Looks like the Du family is doing quite well lately?”
The family head of the Du family, Du Seong-jin, was being completely stripped of his soul by Chancellor Jae Sang-hae.
Du Seong-jin was drenched in cold sweat from the Chancellor’s sudden summons, wondering what calamity had befallen him!
“This is all thanks to your kind favor towards us, Chancellor.”
“Hahaha!”
At that, Chancellor Jae Sang-hae burst into laughter.
“Your kind favor? I had no intention of doing that at all; are you under some misapprehension?”
“Hah, I must have misspoken somehow.”
Du Seong-jin was going mad with grievance. Why was Chancellor Jae Sang-hae acting this way?
“Misspoken? Misspoken? Are you jesting before the Chancellor?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant! I would never!”
Then Du Seong-jin returned home, having understood nothing at all. However, instead of a sweet rest, a grim-faced Chief Officer was waiting for him.
“Yes, Minister Okryong is urgently requesting your presence!”
With his eyebrows twitching in frustration, Du Seong-jin rushed over to Okryong’s residence.
“Ho, these kids these days really don’t understand courtesy. Don’t you agree? As the Minister, it’s truly lamentable!”
“Of course! Kids these days don’t know how to respect their elders, there’s serious trouble brewing.”
“Haha. Is it you, who seems to know?”
“Excuse me??”
“What a serious issue! A serious issue! Even those who studied from a famous family like the Du family show no respect for the teacher-student bond; what is happening to our nation!”
After being thoroughly criticized by Okryong, Du Seong-jin left.
Beaten to a pulp, he could only guess that this incident was somehow tied to Du Wei-cheon, who was working with the peers.
In the Du family, there was only Du Wei-cheon in a high-ranking position who could cause such a rift.
What on earth had happened for the Chancellor and Secretary to be so furious?
* *
“What in the world is going on?”
Coming back all worn down, he faced the summons from Jo Gab-deok of the Golden Guards.
“Why is it that these kids from the Golden Guards are so homegrown in their rudeness?”
Du Seong-jin’s misfortune continued without end.
* *
Du Seong-jin’s continuous misfortune didn’t go unnoticed by the peers either.
“Haha.”
Another peer, the Second-in-command Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho, laughed in disbelief upon hearing the news. Was this even possible?
He promptly sought out Du Wei-cheon.
Du Wei-cheon, who had heard the news, looked troubled, and Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho immediately got to the point.
“I’ve heard the family head is facing hardships.”
“…I don’t know how things ended up this way.”
Upon hearing Du Wei-cheon’s words, a fundamental question arose in Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho’s mind. There was nothing wrong with Du Wei-cheon inspecting the Comrades Association where the Twelfth Squad trainees gathered.
But why did they have to go so far as to capture Ho Cheon-an?
“Was it truly necessary to arrest Ho Cheon-an?”
“Looking back now, it was indeed hasty and foolish, but at that time, I thought it had to be done.”
Du Wei-cheon hadn’t realized he had fallen completely for Ho Cheon-an’s psychological tactics and was suffering from confirmation bias.
Seeing Du Wei-cheon scolding himself with a dark expression, Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho chose to sort out the situation in his head instead of blaming him.
Du Wei-cheon had arrested Ho Cheon-an, and the Twelfth Squad trainees had applied pressure on Du Seong-jin, the head of the Du family.
‘Why would the Chancellor and Secretary choose this method?’
In fact, to Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho, the charges against Ho Cheon-an appeared almost absurd. Yet, in this context, the focus should not be solely on Ho Cheon-an but rather on the reaction from the Comrades Association.
‘Even if there’s something between the elders and Ho Cheon-an, this situation is far too excessive.’
If the aim had been to extricate Ho Cheon-an from the peers, there could have been numerous other methods. No matter how powerful the Comrades Association was in proclaiming the authority of the Emperor, they could not overlook the influence of those at the top of their respective fields.
If they had applied pressure, the peers would have no choice but to release Ho Cheon-an, who had been arrested without any substantial evidence.
But the trainees belonging to the Comrades Association had effectively kicked the Comrades Association’s shins instead.
Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho couldn’t help but chuckle incredulously.
To apply pressure to the family of a representative of the Comrades Association?
To directly challenge an organization supported by imperial decree could, in certain cases, even be viewed as treason.
‘If this situation is simply overlooked, the authority of the Comrades Association will plummet. This is a situation that cannot be tolerated as a member of the Comrades Association.’
This was fundamentally a challenge to the authority of the Comrades Association, and it undoubtedly necessitated a severe response. However, Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho could only groan instead of expressing his anger.
“This is a big problem.”
To maintain the authority of the Comrades Association, they had to respond firmly, but confronting the Twelfth Squad Comrades Association would undoubtedly cause the Huang Nation to collapse.
Okryong, who had been pacifying the grievances of nobles and local officials throughout the land.
Jo Ga-ju, revered by many in the Imperial Army.
Jo Gab-deok, the Commander of the Golden Guards, who could be viewed as the brother institution of the Comrades Association.
Chancellor Jae Sang-hae, who bore the immense responsibility of the world’s governance.
And all the other members of the Comrades Association capable of exerting profound influence over the people and society!
Even if the situation was ideally resolved just like in a fantasy, the Huang Nation would suffer significant damage. Every single one of them was a pillar of the Huang Nation, and if they faltered, the Nation would inevitably suffer as well.
Just thinking about the aftereffects of things going right felt overwhelmingly dark, and did he think those furious Twelfth Squad members would simply accept punishment?
They might even mutter defiance against the imperial family, and if that happened, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Huang Nation to tear at the seams.
‘There’s no solution, no solution.’
If Ho Cheon-an were to be released, the face of the Comrades Association would be shattered. Yet, attacking the Comrades Association in the current situation would mean the complete downfall of the Huang Nation.
Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho had no choice but to admit that he and Du Wei-cheon alone could not resolve the present situation.
“It seems this is not a matter we can handle within our own circles.”
At Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho’s words, Du Wei-cheon lifted his head.
“…Then what can we do?”
“We must go plead for assistance.”
Muttering this, Jang Hyeong-cheon-ho recalled the elder in the family who had turned their back on both the Comrades Association and the Emperor.
“If we continue like this, the Huang Nation is doomed, so he will have to act in some capacity.”
