The next day.
Yunseo took the disguised Wolhwa and headed straight for the palace.
No one could be allowed to learn that the Empress had left the palace last night.
So they moved without being seen by anyone.
Without letting even a breath escape.
Quietly.
The moment they arrived at the palace, Yunseo acted without delay.
In the instant when people’s gazes scattered.
He slipped into that brief opening and sent Wolhwa directly into the bedchamber.
He swept his eyes over the surroundings once and lowered his voice.
“Please change your clothes.”
As Wolhwa disappeared inside without a word, Yunseo immediately turned away as well.
His destination was the central hall of the palace where court was held.
The place where everything would erupt today.
—
Most of the court ministers had already gathered.
The moment Yunseo appeared.
Their gazes fixed on him.
With hostility and displeasure not concealed in the slightest.
Jang Munyeon’s face, in particular, was even stiffer.
Because he could not erase what had happened yesterday from his mind.
As soon as Yunseo drew near, he snorted.
“You are rather early today.”
The end of his words twisted.
“Planning to trample someone else down again, are you?”
As soon as those words fell, laughter burst out beside him.
“Indeed. Is the court not in this state these days entirely because of that man?”
“How fitting for one who rose by slandering us.”
The sneers continued.
As if there were no need to hide them.
Then.
Yunseo smiled.
It was a brief smile, but there was ease in it.
“So.”
His gaze slowly swept over them.
“You still cannot tell who the traitor is?”
In an instant, the air hardened as though frozen over.
“While taking His Majesty’s stipend and stuffing your mouths with it.”
Yunseo’s voice sank low.
“What you do borders on treason.”
His gaze pressed down on them one by one.
“Do you wish for me to expose every last bit of it here and now?”
No one could open their mouth first; only silence flowed.
“You wretch!”
One man finally lost patience and burst out, but his momentum did not last to the end.
Soon, he was busy watching the others’ reactions again.
Then.
“Yuk Yunseo.”
The State Duke opened his mouth.
His voice was thick and heavy.
“Today is the day an honored guest arrives.”
His gaze settled coldly.
“If you run your mouth carelessly and harm diplomatic relations, you will see clearly how His Majesty deals with you.”
It was a clear warning.
Even so, Yunseo gave a faint laugh.
“If you fear my mouth opening that much, then stop it.”
He spoke as if tossing out a light joke.
“My mouth.”
For an instant.
The atmosphere overturned.
“You insolent—!”
Just as several ministers were about to explode in rage—
“His Majesty enters!”
At the eunuch’s ringing cry, everything stopped.
A moment later.
Wolhwa appeared.
With restrained movements.
Without the slightest disarray.
She ascended and sat upon the dragon throne.
At that moment—
The entire court knelt.
“We greet Your Majesty!”
“Rise.”
At her brief command, everyone stood.
Wolhwa’s gaze swept lightly over the court.
“You all know why I summoned you today.”
Her voice flowed calmly.
“The envoy from the west has already arrived.”
The air stirred faintly.
Then.
Jang Munyeon stepped forward.
“Your Majesty.”
He offered a respectful bow.
“Before that, there is something I must report.”
Wolhwa’s brow furrowed by the slightest degree.
“Is it Yuk Yunseo again?”
“Yes.”
An answer without the slightest hesitation.
And then—
The corner of his mouth rose in an extremely subtle way.
“Yesterday, this lowly subject deliberately cast out a remark to test him.”
In that instant.
A murmur spread.
“As a result—”
He cast his gaze toward Yunseo.
“Yuk Yunseo proved to be a man of unmistakable loyalty.”
…?
Looks of bewilderment flashed throughout the court.
“Thus, I dare to report.”
His voice fell clearly.
“The court is currently short of talent. This man—”
The gazes already directed at Yunseo tightened even more sharply.
“How would it be to appoint him Grand General and send him to the battlefield?”
The expressions of those who understood its meaning stiffened.
On the surface, it was a promotion.
But—
In truth.
It was no different from whipping him forward into certain death.
Wolhwa’s eyes slowly sank.
“That is—”
“Your Majesty!”
Jang Munyeon stepped forward once more.
His voice grew even stronger.
“This is a judgment for the sake of the court. I have already cast aside private feelings.”
His gaze turned to Yunseo again.
“With that man’s ability—”
The corner of his mouth rose for the briefest instant.
“He will not be lacking in taking charge of the battlefield.”
“Enough.”
After looking at Yunseo once, Wolhwa swept her gaze over the court again.
A heavy silence pressed down upon the space.
“I am the Emperor. The decision is mine.”
Before the Chancellor could continue, her gaze flashed sharply.
“Chancellor. If you tested my person—”
That look gradually cooled.
“Should you not have reported it to me first?”
The air of the court turned cold in an instant.
“Surely.”
The corner of her mouth twisted.
“You are not saying… this court belongs to the Chancellor.”
“Your Majesty! That was not my intent!”
Jang Munyeon immediately lowered himself.
Urgency entered his voice.
“This subject only, for Your Majesty—”
“Do not say you would die.”
Wolhwa cut him off as though refusing to hear more.
“Those words.”
All warmth vanished from her gaze.
What remained within it was only derision.
“I am tired of them.”
“Your Majesty!”
The State Duke and the ministers rushed forward at once.
They dropped to their knees in a clatter.
“The Chancellor did so for the sake of the nation—”
“For the sake of the nation?”
Wolhwa asked back.
She spoke calmly, but within it was a clearly cold edge.
“Then what am I?”
The court did not know what to do.
“You move for the nation.”
Her gaze slowly drove downward.
That quiet movement instead pressed upon them with even greater force.
“And I am an incompetent ruler, a mere hindrance?”
The moment those words fell, no one could draw a deep breath.
“When the rebels stormed in.”
Wolhwa’s words flowed out heavily.
“Where were you?”
No one could answer.
“I nearly died.”
The weight carried in those words crushed the court at once.
“At that time—”
Her gaze brushed past Yunseo.
“The only one who protected me was that man.”
In that instant, the gazes lost their direction.
The ministers simply stood there as if rooted in place.
Then.
The State Duke opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty….”
He continued after a beat.
“We acknowledge that we were lacking.”
He bowed his head deeply.
“However, this subject’s martial skill is insufficient, so—”
“Enough.”
Wolhwa cut him off again.
As though there was no value in hearing more.
“This matter ends here.”
Her voice settled firmly.
“Yuk Yunseo will remain as Censor Inspector.”
Wolhwa continued at once without delay.
“As for the appointment of the Grand General as well—”
Her gaze gleamed coldly.
“I will decide it. If another word is spoken.”
Her fingertips slowly tapped the armrest of the jade throne.
A steady rhythm rang softly.
“Drag them out at once.”
Her fingertips stopped.
Words fell over it.
“And administer thirty strokes of the heavy paddle. Know this well.”
The entire court shut their mouths, pressed down by fear.
Then.
Wolhwa cast her gaze at Yunseo.
“Yuk Yunseo.”
A faint smile hung on her lips.
“Everyone seems to be taking your side today. What have you done?”
Yunseo bowed his head.
“This subject does not know.”
Calmly.
“However—”
Keeping his head lowered, he slowly raised only his gaze.
“I have no intention of committing treason.”
At those words, Jang Munyeon’s eyes flashed.
The anger he had been pressing deep down surged up all at once.
That bastard… Is he refusing to accept it to the very end?
Then.
A eunuch stepped forward.
“Your Majesty.”
He bowed deeply.
“The western envoy requests entry into the palace.”
Wolhwa’s eyes narrowed.
“Let him in.”
It was a neat command.
“But—”
Her gaze quietly took on weight.
“Have all weapons confiscated.”
A moment later.
Outside the palace.
“What?”
The envoy’s face twisted.
“You want me to enter after leaving my weapons behind?”
His eyes sharpened violently.
“What do you take us for?”
Bang—!
He kicked the eunuch without hesitation.
The eunuch rolled across the floor and was shoved into the court.
“Your Majesty!”
A scream rang out.
It was at that moment.
Just as the envoy was about to step into the hall, a dull impact sounded.
Thud.
Something blocked him.
No one had seen when it happened.
It was Yunseo.
His hand gripped the envoy’s shoulder.
Very lightly.
And yet—
Thump.
The envoy’s knees slammed straight into the floor.
“Ghk…!”
His face contorted.
Unable to endure the sudden pain, he collapsed.
The court stirred.
Is that… possible?
The envoy clenched his teeth and shouted.
“Let go!”
His eyes were bloodshot.
“I am an envoy! An honored guest!”
Yunseo smiled.
“An honored guest?”
He tilted his head.
“That is the first I have heard of it.”
His gaze bore down completely.
The smile vanished at once, and his voice changed.
“In my eyes.”
“You are nothing more than a bandit who dared to barge in and threaten His Majesty’s safety.”