The instant the State Duke uttered those words, he realized he had made a mistake.
He had realized that his reaction just now had been far too extreme.
Yunseo was watching him quietly.
A strange smile hung at the corner of his mouth.
It was the expression of someone who had been aiming for this situation from the very beginning.
‘This little brat…’
Deep in the State Duke’s eyes, suppressed rage flickered.
‘So he meant to lure me into a trap.’
If he had grown even a little more agitated, he would surely have exposed an even greater weakness.
‘What a truly insidious fellow.’
It was then.
Jinseok, who had just been dragged into the adjacent hall, was brought back into the court.
The one supporting him was the palace physician.
The physician immediately knelt before the throne.
“Your Majesty.”
He clasped his hands and offered his respects.
“The Vice Minister of Revenue has suffered no serious injury.”
With his head bowed, the physician continued.
“He merely lost strength from the sudden shock. If he rests for a short while, he will soon recover.”
“Nonsense!”
The State Duke shouted at once.
The court fell silent in an instant.
“How can that be a mere fright!”
He pointed at Jinseok.
“This child has had a heart ailment since he was young. This old man personally sought out a renowned physician and had him examined.”
The State Duke’s voice rang out firmly.
“There is no possibility that diagnosis was wrong.”
“And what if it was wrong?”
Yunseo looked straight at the State Duke.
“The Vice Minister of Revenue is a key figure in the corrupt officials’ case. As an Inspecting Censor, I have no choice but to verify everything to the end.”
The State Duke’s brow furrowed deeply.
“What wrong has my disciple committed that you would drive him this far?”
The State Duke’s insides were slowly burning.
Because the moment Jinseok was interrogated before the Empress, everything could come crashing down.
It was then.
Jang Munyeon took two steps forward.
And before anyone could react—
Flash—
A sword gleamed.
Thud.
The blade pierced Jinseok’s chest.
“Kuh…!”
Jinseok’s eyes flew wide open.
He collapsed to the floor just like that.
In an instant, the entire court froze.
“Chancellor!”
Wolhwa slammed the table hard.
Bang—!
Rage surged in her eyes.
“You dare kill a man before Us!”
Wolhwa’s furious shout shook the court.
“Has your courage grown so great!”
Yet Jang Munyeon did not retreat in the slightest.
With a calm expression, he bowed his head.
“Your Majesty.”
His voice was composed.
“The State Duke is a loyal subject who has devoted his entire life to the court.”
He continued slowly.
“If Jinseok committed a crime, then he deserved to die. However…”
Jang Munyeon’s eyes flashed sharply for an instant.
“To drag down the State Duke over this matter as well would be excessive.”
Wolhwa’s breathing grew rough.
Her gaze fixed on Jang Munyeon.
‘How dare he…!’
To kill a man in this court without her command.
That was no different from trampling head-on upon the authority of the Empress.
Yunseo, too, clenched his teeth.
But he said nothing.
The core of this incident was not merely Jinseok alone.
There was still one more person who had yet to surface.
Yunseo strode forward.
“There is some reason in what the Chancellor has said. However…”
His gaze sharpened like a blade.
“That is not an absolute judgment.”
Jang Munyeon’s face hardened.
“What do you mean by that?”
A trace of displeasure crossed his face.
“It may be true that killing a man was excessive. But this was a decision made for Her Majesty’s sake.”
Jang Munyeon immediately advanced before the throne.
Then he knelt as he was.
“Your Majesty.”
Jang Munyeon bowed his head deeply.
“I understand that Your Majesty is angered. But if even the State Duke is implicated in this incident and brought down…”
He raised his head and looked straight ahead.
“Who will risk their life for Your Majesty in the future?”
Wolhwa’s eyes wavered.
She could give no answer to those words.
Though she sat in the seat of the Empress, her power in the court was by no means absolute.
That fact pierced her heart anew.
At that moment, a resonant voice rang out, cutting through the court.
“That is not so.”
Everyone’s gaze turned at once.
The one who had spoken was Yunseol.
“Even if the Chancellor’s words are correct, the authority to punish criminals belongs solely to Her Majesty.”
There was not the slightest tremor in her voice.
“To dare draw a blade before Her Majesty gives the order—is that not the very act of insulting the court?”
Yunseol’s gaze sank cold and fierce.
Yet for some reason, the State Duke’s expression instead settled into calm.
He raised his head, slowly swept his gaze over the court, and opened his mouth.
“Very well. My life is here.”
The State Duke took one step forward.
“If there is truly anyone who wishes to hold this old man guilty, then step forward yourself.”
At that instant—
“Who would dare!”
Jang Munyeon stepped forward.
His attitude had become far more forceful than before.
He, too, knew that the moment he backed down now, everything would be over.
Among the court ministers, there was still no one who openly opposed Jang Munyeon head-on.
But if this incident were to spread even further, the story could change.
That was why.
Here and now, he had to suppress the Empress’s momentum.
Jang Munyeon spoke again.
“Your Majesty. If Your Majesty is dissatisfied with me and the State Duke…”
He deliberately broke off, then added,
“Then simply allow the two of us to withdraw to the mountains. From now on, we will no longer involve ourselves in court affairs.”
The court stirred at once.
On the surface, it sounded as if they were offering to step down of their own accord, but it was the classic tactic of retreating in order to advance.
A move that pretended to take a step back while instead pressuring the opponent.
It was then.
Sensing that the situation was becoming grave, Yunseo quickly stepped forward.
“Your Majesty.”
He offered a respectful salute.
“This incident is, in truth, great if one calls it great, and small if one calls it small. According to what this subject has investigated thus far…”
At Yunseo’s words, the court fell quiet.
“There is no evidence that the State Duke and the Chancellor were directly involved in this matter.”
“Yuk Yunseo!”
Wolhwa’s face twisted in an instant.
She glared straight at Yunseo.
Until just moments ago, Yunseo had seemed to be standing on her side, yet now he had suddenly changed his words.
‘Surely…’
Wolhwa’s eyes narrowed.
‘Has he become afraid of those two?’
At that moment, subtle changes also crossed the faces of Jang Munyeon and the State Duke.
This development was something neither of them had expected.
In the current situation, Yuk Yunseo’s words were favorable to them.
In truth, what they had said moments ago had been an act.
They had never had the slightest intention of giving up power and wealth to live in seclusion.
The air in the court twisted sharply.
Each person’s schemes tangled and turned.
Yunseo bowed his head to Wolhwa once more.
“However… there is clear evidence regarding the case of the missing relief funds.”
Yunseo’s gaze turned cold in an instant.
“According to this subject’s investigation, aside from the Vice Minister of Revenue, Jinseok…”
His gaze turned toward one person.
“Wangho is also involved in this case.”
The gazes within the court moved all at once.
At that moment, Jang Munyeon suddenly burst into loud laughter.
“Haha!”
A chilling energy seeped into his eyes.
“Censor Yuk.”
With a forced smile on his lips, Jang Munyeon spoke.
“It seems one old man was not enough for you.”
His voice trembled slightly.
“Do you now intend to arrest every minister in the court?”
Yunseo shook his head.
“I have no such intention.”
His tone remained calm.
“If the body is upright, there is no reason to fear its shadow.”
Yunseo continued serenely.
“No matter the matter, if the person involved does not admit it, then however much I have prepared, it will all be useless.”
Jang Munyeon’s gaze cooled icily.
He already knew.
He knew that Wangho was by no means a clean man.
But if he tried to shield Wangho here, he might instead end up embracing an even greater spark of disaster.
After a brief silence, Jang Munyeon opened his mouth.
“Enough.”
His voice was cold.
“It is true that Wangho committed wrongdoing.”
The court stirred.
“If you wish, you may take him away at once.”
Jang Munyeon waved his hand.
And then he added one final thing.
“However, if you try to pin yet another matter on us in the future…”
Unconcealed killing intent flowed from his eyes.
“At that time, I will not stand idly by.”
Yunseo bowed his head.
“I am simply grateful that the Chancellor has spoken thus.”
A strange composure lingered in his gaze.
“Thank you for handing over Wangho.”
Yunseo raised his hand and signaled.
The soldiers who had been waiting immediately stepped forward.
In an instant, Wangho’s arms were seized.
At the same time, Wangho’s eyes flushed red.
He twisted his body and looked at Jang Munyeon.
“Lord Chancellor—”
But he could not finish speaking.
Jang Munyeon’s gaze struck down fiercely.
Within it was a clear warning.
The moment Wangho met that gaze, he shut his mouth.
Only then did he realize.
‘I’ve been abandoned.’
Sacrificing the small to preserve the great.
Wangho was already a discarded piece.
He laughed bitterly and lowered his head.
“Very well.”
Wangho’s voice flowed out lifelessly.
“I committed everything. I will take responsibility with my life.”
It was then that Jang Munyeon spoke again.
“Yuk Yunseo.”
His voice carried a show of concern.
“There is no need to push him any further, is there? Just looking at him now, is he not already a man driven into a corner?”
However, Yunseo’s gaze did not waver in the slightest.