Chapter 064. The Lost Kingdom (3)
Beneath the cliffs surrounding the northern side of the palace like a folding screen, members of the Jin, Son, and In Clans had gathered beneath their family banners.
Above the cliff stood a pine tree more than a thousand years old.
Its needles were golden.
The golden pine was the symbol of Hui Kingdom.
It stood more than sixty cheok tall, with an enormous trunk and branches spreading outward like a fan.
Whenever a national event took place or an important matter needed discussion, the representatives of Hui Kingdom gathered before the tree.
They sat upon its thick golden branches like immortals and held their discussions there.
The ancient tradition had continued for generations.
The nobles casually discussed private matters while waiting for the king's arrival.
Perhaps because each family had brought more attendants than usual, a tense atmosphere existed between the clans.
In Bohwa, head of the In Clan, was a white-haired old man with a large belly.
He gave off the impression of someone clever, calculating, and slippery.
He approached his son-in-law, Jin Sangwon, in a friendly manner.
"Your estate must be terribly cold."
Sangwon looked toward him.
"My daughter sent me a letter saying she caught a cold."
Sangwon was the senior figure of the Jin Clan.
Madam In was also the proper mistress of the Jin household.
Mentioning a daughter married away decades ago in order to interfere in another clan's internal affairs was clearly crossing a line.
Of course, Bohwa's real goal was obvious.
He wanted to confirm whether the relationship between the Jin Clan and In Clan, tied together by marriage, still remained secure.
Sangwon maintained proper respect toward his father-in-law.
"My wife has always been sensitive to the cold."
He smiled faintly.
"So I keep a separate room warmly heated for her."
Then his eyes changed.
"However..."
Sangwon continued.
"I worry that while raising flowers, my wife may have accidentally brought poisonous plants into the garden."
He had used poison as a metaphor.
He was indirectly asking why the In Clan had recently become so close to the Hae Clan.
Carelessly provoking Chancellor Jin Sangwon only gave him opportunities to strike back.
"Ahem."
Caught off guard, In Bohwa cleared his throat.
"I suppose I should tell her to carefully check whether the flowers are harmful."
He quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, have you heard any interesting rumors from the royal court recently?"
Bohwa sighed dramatically.
"A country noble like me has little idea what happens in the capital."
The king, who had driven his people into poverty and frequently behaved strangely, had suddenly opened an enormous festival and summoned the nobles to the palace.
There were also rumors that he intended to announce his successor.
Naturally, the great families were carefully watching how the balance of power might change.
Among the heads of the five great noble clans, Jin Sangwon was the only one actively involved in central politics.
Having served the king closely for many years, he should understand the monarch's hidden intentions better than anyone else.
Bohwa clearly wanted some hint.
Sangwon's expression became difficult to read.
"We cannot know what decision His Majesty will make."
Another voice interrupted.
"But so long as the Chancellor continues to hold the center firmly, what exactly could change?"
The speaker was Son Jeonggeon, head of the Son Clan.
Among the noble representatives, he was probably the most reasonable and conservative.
When staying with his family inside Son Clan territory, he behaved differently.
In public, he remained blunt and extremely selective about who he spoke with.
Until now, he had simply listened quietly while stroking his beard.
He had finally entered the conversation because he wanted his position to be perfectly clear.
"What I mean is that there is no reason for us to create internal conflict among ourselves."
He wished to preserve the current structure.
It was exactly the kind of position expected from the Son Clan.
"Also..."
Jeonggeon glanced toward Bohwa.
"I believe Clan Head In was being far too modest when calling himself a country noble."
The In and Son Clans possessed reliable economic foundations through trade and agriculture.
The taxes collected from their territories were also considerable.
In other words, if the In Clan and Son Clan remained neutral alongside the militarily powerful Jin Clan, no ruler could easily control the entire political situation.
That was also one reason Hui Kingdom's strange peace had lasted so long.
These people lacked both the ambition and courage to place a new king on the throne.
Nor did they dream of becoming king themselves.
Even while the country slowly collapsed, they cared only about preserving their own wealth and power.
When Jeongilhoi had been condemned as heretics and exterminated...
When Cheonhui Kingdom rose into the sky...
When unexplained darkness spread across Hui Kingdom...
When the crown prince disappeared...
And when the Ban Clan was destroyed...
They had done nothing.
To Sangwon, they were both bystanders and accomplices.
He no longer felt any need to participate in their meaningless performance.
"Change will be unavoidable."
Sangwon's cold voice cut through the conversation.
They looked toward him.
"What value is there in enjoying wealth and honor aboard a sinking ship?"
Sangwon usually dealt with people in a relaxed manner.
His unexpected reaction immediately made both the In and Son Clans uneasy.
His words suggested many things.
Most likely...
If they wanted to preserve their present power, they would soon have no choice but to join a bloody struggle.
"Chancellor, you are speaking very mysteriously today."
In Bohwa laughed awkwardly.
Then he complained that the king's delay was worrying and led his attendants away, supposedly to welcome His Majesty.
Sangwon looked down from the cliff.
A bad feeling caused his brows to tighten.
As expected from Hui Kingdom's largest festival, more than one suspicious group was making strange movements.
The first was the Hae Clan.
Unlike the other noble families, which had arrived in the capital early, the Hae Clan had unpacked their belongings only the day before the festival.
It was also suspicious that they had not arrived together with Hae Eunseong, who had been named as a possible future ruler.
The movements of State Preceptor Nam Wan and his religious order also deserved attention.
Normally, Nam Wan would have come beneath the pine cliff, interfered with the noble meeting, and made a great show of supposedly managing the festival.
Yet today he was strangely quiet.
That was unlike him.
But the thing bothering Sangwon most was King Nampyeong's absence.
The king had never forced his ministers to wait this long before an important noble meeting.
Something was beginning.
Then Son Jeonggeon approached Sangwon.
"What are you thinking about so deeply, Chancellor?"
Sangwon glanced toward him.
"There is one thing I wish to ask."
Jeonggeon continued calmly.
"It's about the Heavenly Maiden who supposedly came from the sky."
Sangwon's expression hardened.
"It is publicly known that Priest Jin of Beopsindang brought her down to earth."
Jeonggeon studied Sangwon carefully.
"But I have suspected for some time that all of this may actually have been your plan."
The Heavenly Maiden had suffered many difficulties due to opposition from the noble powers.
