Chapter 3 Part 2

At that moment, Yeong-hyeon’s servant pointed at On-ah and shouted. After her father’s death, On-ah, his only daughter, was barely keeping the family line alive. She wore her mother’s old clothes because she couldn’t afford new ones.af0d099ec9e0b558

Even so, they couldn’t fail to recognize her noble status. She was like a lowly fox relying on the might of a tiger and acting arrogantly. Her stiff, crimson neck and fiercely determined eyes accentuated her ragged breathing. On-ah gasped, clenching her fists tightly. Pale veins bulged, stretching the skin on her hands taut.c793a70b0916db37

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“How dare you speak to her like that! Do you know who she is?”20ced8dd4e4697db

“Byeori.”f246bd52068524be

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“M-My lady!”f4a420842f5909ea

“It’s alright.”4b657bb3ea5a8d83

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On-ah smiled gently at her servant, who was trying to protect her mistress’s dignity.836e6b9f78c61a2b

Bu Yeong-hyeon was no longer the same person. He was arrogant and haughty and wouldn’t tolerate any slight against him. Byeori could be harmed if she provoked him.015f4dfef13ecb30

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‘Who knows my situation better than I do?’303e914a6b6e8893

There’s a saying that an impoverished noble is more miserable than a slave. Moreover, rumors were circulating 3538a60c48 that the Ji clan 225f7b7a2c had fallen out of 990860741a favor with Bu Yeong-hyeon.b042baf7770de31e

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Visitors stopped coming to their house. Some even suggested taking On-ah as a concubine, as she couldn’t afford a dowry. The past few years had been terrible for the young girl, who had grown up under her father’s protection, after losing him.37212308d4ee98cf

She spent many nights clutching her pillow and blanket, stifling her sobs. Even in the dead of winter, she would wake up early to wash her tear-soaked pillowcase in cold water, afraid of being discovered. She couldn’t show weakness to the servants who served her. That’s how she was taught, and that’s how she grew up.5f14745a1a43ca21

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She learned to endure the cold wind alone, huddled in a cold room, with no one to rely on. On-ah didn’t want to chase a past that wouldn’t return. She didn’t yearn for former glory.94c32a59a2612af2

A cold wind blew again. On-ah stepped aside gracefully, as if she were a forgotten spirit tablet. Even if only for appearances’ sake, she wanted to uphold the dignity her father had maintained.
“So slow,” Bu Yeong-hyeon muttered, tapping the window with his finger. Even his quiet mumbles carried the weight of power, striking like lightning.891a61cb2cbc44c5

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“We’ll go faster!”bef1d6ab1201dc67

The ornate carriage, pulled eff4dce8b1 by six horses, whizzed 06cbea5fd1 past. Considering the increasing number ac2d60a612 of people in the 82bdea5914 marketplace, it was dangerously a3857e8cb5 fast.f454a4a00f593847

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‘That’s strange. Why is he rushing to the palace like that? Is there an urgent matter?’38b1ccd7332d4b05

State affairs were conducted at Bu Yeong-hyeon’s residence. There was no reason for him to visit the palace so early in the morning. Especially not in such a hurry.a3172fa1f29a2aee

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What could have d8c2eba85f caused Bu Yeong-hyeon, 1a1e9983ff who acted as 0b46cba8c8 if he were 9ae80b83aa above the emperor, 71c0d25620 to rush like ed0df001ce that? On-ah pondered dd63107dc4 this for 4f9b840a8e a moment, 948f17c860 then turned 636dc1eaa1 and headed f85acfc846 home.00ee1051fc32e5f6

Even if she knew the reason, it wouldn’t change anything. At least, not now.7cd8c294df2aaf17

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***

“Useless fool! Staying alive should be easy, yet you cause such trouble!”c4bc83f2cc0b54d3

Yeong-hyeon seethed, gesturing sharply at the paper door. Without waiting for the emperor’s permission, Yeong-hyeon stepped over the threshold, which opened readily, and proceeded directly to the emperor’s bedchamber.a613546bce292e11

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He had heard 1383e4ca3f reports, but seeing 7d60d0b771 it first hand b25de4610b was even more f20ce10069 appalling. He glared at 3fe78577f4 the physician treating 44373ddcaf the emperor, then 8f3cc03c3f turned around furiously.bc8ccbd49692801e

“What have you all been doing?!”72175706a7140d8a

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“We beg your forgiveness, my lord!”04d3f2501484a236

“I don’t want to hear it! Get out!”9dad900f505f33e5

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There was 5e9643b511 no point ec5cd12614 in berating b61df5e0ac the prostrate, 3bd8d9e228 apologetic courtiers. Bu Yeong-hyeon b968010db8 himself caused b8eda86827 this whole 235ff83fc3 incident by 82358aedf2 placing the c877bd0d63 snakes near 5673659b8b the emperor.e9991c9f72f41956

The Gon 8eddb1e755 Empire had 78dfcf933c a long-standing bed3db6a8e culture of 8b6d0b6bee despising snakes. In historical records, snakes b8728f2a9d often appeared as guardians f5fd62fe30 delivering messages from evil 7085884aa5 spirits.a916d0ebd9ad423e

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That’s why Bu Yeong-hyeon placed the snakes near the emperor. He intended to spread rumors that the emperor was mad due to demonic possession and then remove him from the throne. He already held the power within the palace. Just a little more, and the empire’s ruler would change from the Tae clan to the Bu clan.c299b138c67a8e05

But what d69bbea1d1 was this b0ad697792 sudden disaster? The fool 5b9f39aa70 had crawled 0f343ba561 into the 735a5d34f4 well-guarded snake 12ca51ad6a enclosure on c61b49538e his own, b3a267af30 ruining everything. They found 06f7cb6043 him early f13afd73fa enough to 7d94c675bb keep him e7d0b14d1c barely alive, 54609e9665 but the 5e1b481867 snakes Bu b5d1ef4160 Yeong-hyeon had c379c56629 collected were 76256fc56c venomous vipers. The more dangerous they 968d8f96a1 were, the more evil 955de0bed5 they appeared.5a17fc0d77d83caa

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Yeong-hyeon’s plan was to kidnap commoners, throw them into the enclosure, and dump their snake-bitten corpses in the marketplace. He would then spread rumors that the emperor had opened the enclosure. With the justification that they couldn’t overlook the emperor endangering the people by releasing venomous snakes as a hobby, he would eliminate both the emperor and the snakes, becoming a hero in the process.9d8c2c397d22a20d

Such minor details were crucial in the early stages of founding a nation, though they might seem trivial. Bu Yeong-hyeon didn’t just want the throne. He wanted to erase the Gon Empire from the map and establish a new nation. He wanted to become the founder of a new, prosperous empire. He believed that was the only way to satisfy his lust for power.1385d7fcd815bfb5

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After the courtiers had left, Bu Yeong-hyeon slowly paced the emperor’s bedchamber. His sharp gaze fell on the young emperor, whose face was pale.0656f13c79d7b3be

No. No. On second thought, it wasn’t a big deal. The fool was useless anyway.98c978579a8c3216

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‘I won’t be defeated by something like this. If he thought he could hinder me by simply dying, he was gravely mistaken.’1b1204f9b0d7afef

Those damned Taes! Still struggling 479c6cfa51 even after 90a7d6b383 being driven ef73817518 mad.5e4e450df88fa617

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“That’s enough treatment.”be15172a827640bb

“Pardon?”507cde2b9dbe479b

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Yeong-hyeon frowned. Everything of value in this country belonged to him. All the competent royal physicians were at his residence. The young, inexperienced physician who had hesitantly asked back was startled by Yeong-hyeon’s glare and scurried away, bowing profusely.019bdc3ba63be76e

Even upon hearing the news and rushing to the palace, Yeong-hyeon hadn’t thought to bring a royal physician. Or rather, he hadn’t bothered.a72768dac3b85daf

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“In a royal family already doomed, what difference does it make whether the blood is red or blue? It’s all tainted,” Yeong-hyeon whispered coldly, looking at the emperor dying from the snake venom.689ec87f01fe91f9

“I can just install a double.”c1f17d8bf7975836

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Not many people knew the emperor’s face. Court meetings were a luxury for the mad boy king. He would find someone with a similar build and appearance, install him as emperor, and then kill him. Everyone would believe he was the emperor.817d8b79b5df6f39

Yeong-hyeon removed the acupuncture needles from the emperor’s abdomen. As he removed the needles that had been suppressing the venom, the emperor’s ribs, visible due to his thin frame, heaved greatly.882fe6a8cd774859

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“Gah! Ugh...”28920df3e8bc84c7

Blood gurgled from the emperor’s lips. To Yeong-hyeon, the emperor writhing in agony was nothing more than a wingless insect. No one would stop crushing an insect just because it struggled. To Yeong-hyeon, the emperor was no different.6f61552a5fa41b54

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“Cough! Hack! Gah!“7d0824d8b2bf146a

The emperor’s breath came in ragged gasps. The thrill of crushing an insect ran through him. Bu Yeong-hyeon’s eyes widened with cruel satisfaction. He was more aroused than he had ever been during sex; his penis was erect.5184ca24e98b3270

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Just a little 9fd0e74377 more!ca4e4910e40a2cb9

Just a little more and the Tae bloodline would be severed. Yeong-hyeon felt his long-held patience wearing thin as he reached for the emperor’s neck. The emperor was going to die anyway, but the pleasure of personally ending the Tae Empire with his own hands was immense.3487666317161cc5

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Unable to resist, Yeong-hyeon lunged and pressed down on the emperor’s neck. He pressed down until the pillow beneath the emperor’s head crumpled. The emperor’s blue veins disappeared into the reddening flesh as Yeong-hyeon’s grip tightened. Deprived of air and blood, the emperor’s lips gasped desperately. Then, he stopped breathing.118287f3eee5bc8b

“Hahaha!“c74d9c1d4992452c

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Yeong-hyeon looked down at 8a2a294577 his bloodstained hands and dc1e2576ad laughed heartily. With a single 9754a8660b gesture, he had 18448e669b brought down a 77446389c0 vast empire. What a 355e36038f magnificent gesture. It was a shame 73bb458f08 there was no one ef9ef487cd to witness his triumph.5f5769f47b950d51

“I don’t have time for this.”e0f7d437eaacdeab

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He had to dispose of the emperor’s body, find a replacement secretly, and quickly seize the land. He had too much to do and too little time. Rising hastily and forgetting his composure, Yeong-hyeon ran toward the door.2bf52dca8b33ca11

“Should I bf44157f2b thank you 4870db75eb for this? Thanks to you, 6137bfc5c2 I found a 544133c6f5 suitable body.“de818f39956baf65

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Yeong-hyeon stopped dead 7e40c930d8 in his tracks 91686d72d7 at the door. He was the only 7b9c36ff86 living person in the e9e03e3799 room, yet he heard 3bd8d8c0ac another voice behind him.f890a117feca7394

His trembling fingers gripped ed7f4af5eb the doorknob.Click. But the door only rattled; it wouldn’t open. Yeong-hyeon pulled on the door with all his might, his fingers turning white. Sweat dripped from his brow. His back was drenched in sweat, and his silk robe clung to his skin.f0f5581eb7b2811f

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He couldn’t bring himself to turn around. He told himself it was just an illusion, an auditory hallucination.b3edcd0b20f4b70f

“I-Is there no one there? Open this door at once!”ce875c5a1ad9e33a

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Anxiety gripped him. It was a 826d71e149 symptom that had 3d44dba86b begun the day 68260f4825 he killed his b399b11e8d best friend. The tremor in his fbe0149206 heart grew fiercely. He had forgotten 14fb390b99 it while boisterously 73f2ec234c laughing and commanding c9bceb389e people with a 9bf93ab2a1 wave of his 7d6452d61a hand. The years of 32bc6ee338 suppressed emotions were 56fc41457a to blame.ce1bc810fd27efa2

No matter how hard he pulled, the door wouldn’t open. It was as if the emperor’s bedchamber had a hidden mechanism he didn’t know about.edae6f6a165596f1

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“Aaagh!“d1bf3fba4c082974

Yeong-hyeon shouted 8ff1dc40f5 in a 796d3ba226 fit of 472010ea41 rage and df1a13d1fa pulled the fb9c6370e4 door.19ec9769e2f02934

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“You useless fools! Are you not doing your jobs properly? If something like this happened, you should have told me first! Where is everyone? Why aren’t they showing up when they’re supposed to? Is there no one out there?!”c4cbb32c1ba35e49

He hadn’t been like this during the day, but it seemed like his illness was worsening. Yeong-hyeon tried to think calmly, imagining medicinal herbs and delicacies that would boost his energy.c0de6ac04e5d9c09

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He slowly turned around to confront the illusion. He felt like he could regain his composure if he saw the emperor’s corpse. But he froze. His shoulder muscles stiffened. Frozen like a statue, Yeong-hyeon collapsed as his legs gave way.80d28aef06fad66b