Yunseol was lost in thought for a moment, then nodded.
“That is certainly reasonable.”
She spoke in a low voice.
“Then let us proceed with that method. However—”
Her lips moved as though she were hesitating.
“Forming a separate force will absolutely require His Majesty’s permission. You…”
“I have already made arrangements.”
Yunseo cut her off.
As if it were nothing, he took a jade token from his robe and handed it to Yunseol.
It was the emblem used by Myeongwollu.
“Go meet the master of Cheongugak at once.”
Yunseo spoke calmly.
“Ask them to select useful people. I will take responsibility for what follows.”
Yunseol looked down at the white jade token in her hand.
For an instant, her heart gave one heavy thud.
“You are… entrusting this to me?”
A faint tremor brushed through her voice.
“Something of this value.”
“I am entrusting it to you because you are worth that much.”
Yunseo answered without hesitation.
“If it is General So, you can handle matters as I wish.”
He paused briefly, then spoke again.
“But be careful. If you move rashly, you will be exposed at once.”
Yunseol nodded firmly.
“Understood.”
Her gaze hardened.
“I will not disappoint you.”
[Ding!]
[SSR Card — Isolated Fierce Tiger of the North, So Yunseol, Bond Value has reached 95%.]
[The target will obey the host’s commands absolutely.]
Yunseo said nothing more.
There was no need to worry about Yunseol.
She was the sort of person who would carry out what she was entrusted with to the very end.
The problem lay elsewhere.
The imperial court.
There were still far too many things there that had not been accounted for.
—
Meanwhile, at the Chancellor’s estate.
Several ministers had already gathered before Jang Munyeon.
He slowly opened his mouth.
“You are all pillars of the nation.”
His voice was calm.
“We must avoid confronting His Majesty head-on.”
The moment those words fell, reactions immediately erupted.
“Avoid it?”
Several ministers spoke up at once.
Their gazes had sunk coldly.
“His Majesty is driving us into a corner. If we remain still like this, it will be the end. Are you telling us to wait even knowing that?”
The more they spoke, the rougher the atmosphere became.
Jang Munyeon quietly watched them.
And—
He laughed inwardly.
This much was enough.
There was no need for him to dirty his own hands.
As long as these men stepped forward, the rest would move on its own.
The current imperial court was in the hands of himself and the Duke of State.
Suppressing the Empress would not be difficult.
There was only one problem.
Yuk Yunseo.
That single existence was shaking the entire board.
That was why he had arranged this meeting today.
After steadying his breath once, Jang Munyeon spoke again.
“Yuk Yunseo.”
He pronounced the name clearly.
“He is a man who must be eliminated. His influence over the court is excessive.”
As soon as Jang Munyeon’s words fell, agreement spread at once.
“That is right. That man serves only His Majesty. He is our enemy.”
One man stepped forward.
“If the Chancellor gives the word, we will take the lead.”
“We will follow you anywhere.”
Voices overlapped one after another.
Jang Munyeon raised a hand to stop them.
“There is no need for that.”
Then he continued evenly.
“This old man cannot resolve everything, but—”
He paused for a moment.
“I will certainly do what I can on your behalf.”
At Jang Munyeon’s words, the atmosphere tilted even further.
He continued speaking.
“The current state of affairs is extremely precarious. And yet Yuk Yunseo is advocating war.”
His voice was firm.
“That is an irresponsible judgment. That is why we must unite as one.”
When he finished, agreement burst out from all around.
Jang Munyeon’s gaze moved slowly.
Certainty filled his eyes.
This much was enough.
No matter how strong Yuk Yunseo might be, he could not withstand this many ministers to the end.
The corners of his mouth rose strangely.
From now on, it would collapse.
Everything Yuk Yunseo had built.
The Empress would be no different.
Once Yuk Yunseo was removed, nothing would remain.
When that time came, they only had to press in from both inside and outside at once.
The board had already been laid.
Meticulously, without a single gap.
Now all that remained was to see who would be standing at the very end.
—
The next day.
As soon as court convened, Jang Munyeon stepped forward first.
“Your Majesty, I have something to report.”
He raised his head.
“I wish to impeach Inspector Censor Yuk Yunseo.”
His tone was calm, but his intention was clear.
“During his tenure, he failed to keep to his duties and spent time drinking outside with various ministers.”
Jang Munyeon deliberately stopped, then opened his mouth again.
“This is unacceptable for an Inspector Censor.”
“Your Majesty, this subject agrees as well.”
The Duke of State immediately stepped forward.
“This man is someone whose true intentions cannot be known. He is far too dangerous to leave in the post of Inspector Censor.”
He spoke as though there was no need to hear any more.
“I beseech Your Majesty to strip him of his office.”
Starting with those words, the ministers knelt one by one.
“We are of the same mind.”
“He must be dealt with severely.”
Their voices overlapped and gradually grew louder.
The sound of knees striking the floor continued as well.
The atmosphere tilted in an instant.
Wolhwa quietly looked down at the scene.
Her gaze did not waver in the slightest.
Then she opened her mouth as if scoffing.
“So.”
The short word severed the flow.
“Where do you place Us when you say this?”
The court fell silent for an instant.
“If Yuk Yunseo is dissolute—”
Her gaze sank deep.
“Then what does that make Us?”
An invisible pressure settled over the court.
“He is a man We use personally. Are you saying, then, that We are a monarch incapable of discerning even a single person properly?”
As if the air had hardened solid, the entire court held its breath.
“Your Majesty!”
Jang Munyeon hurriedly stepped forward.
“That is not what we meant.”
Urgency mixed into his voice.
“Yuk Yunseo has failed to fulfill his role despite occupying that position.”
He broke off and took a brief breath.
“He has already crossed the line.”
Wolhwa’s eyes turned cold.
It was a gaze from which the last remaining warmth had been completely erased.
These men.
They truly intend to push to the end.
It was then.
Yunseo stepped forward.
He brought his hands together and bowed respectfully.
“Your Majesty.”
His voice was calm, without the slightest tremor.
“This subject cannot accept what the Chancellor has said.”
“Yuk Yunseo!”
The Duke of State immediately raised his voice.
“Enough wordplay. Everyone knows you attended those drinking gatherings.”
His eyes narrowed sharply.
“That was the time when you should have been carrying out your duties. What excuse will you offer?”
“He must be punished severely!”
“He cannot be left as he is!”
Voices burst out from below.
It was not one or two, but many.
It was an intentional move.
A blatant attempt to enlarge the board and drive the flow forward.
Wolhwa rose from her seat.
Power gathered in her gaze.
“Enough.”
It was a single word, dropped low.
But no one stopped.
At that moment.
Wolhwa’s hand moved.
With a short rasp against the scabbard—
Shrring.
The sword was drawn.
A cold light spread.
Without saying a word, she slowly descended.
Jang Munyeon remained kneeling without the slightest change in expression.
The Empress cannot cut me down.
He was certain of that.
At that instant.
Silver light flashed.
Something swept past as though cleaving through his vision.
Thuk.
A single strand of Jang Munyeon’s hair was cut and fell.
The air froze all at once.
Jang Munyeon’s body stiffened visibly and trembled.
He slowly raised his head.
What he met were the Empress’s eyes.
Utterly cold.
Eyes in which not a trace of warmth remained.
“Chancellor.”
Wolhwa opened her mouth.
“Have you forgotten what that seat of yours is?”
Cold sweat ran down Jang Munyeon’s back.
“To pressure Us together with the ministers of the court. Who gave you that authority?”
“This subject has committed a crime worthy of death.”
Jang Munyeon lowered his head deeply.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Wolhwa looked down at him for a moment.
Then she sheathed her sword.
“I could have killed you.”
The words fell as though it were nothing.
“Today, I will take your hair in its place.”
Her gaze stood sharply.
“There will be no next time. If this happens again, it will be your neck.”
The air grew even heavier.
Wolhwa turned.
Then she nodded toward Yunseo.
“Yuk Yunseo. Continue what you were about to say.”
Her expression had not changed in the slightest.
“We are watching.”
The court fell completely silent.
Those who had been shouting moments ago could not utter a single word.
Because they wanted to live.
Yunseo knew that fact.
And he also knew this silence would not last long.
He took one step forward.
“Your Majesty.”
Then he calmly opened his mouth.
“It is true that this subject attended the drinking gatherings.”
Yunseo acknowledged the truth without hesitation.
“However, there was another reason for it.”
His gaze swept over the court.
“It was to gather evidence.”
Yunseo deliberately left a brief silence.
“Evidence related to the corrupt officials case currently under investigation.”