Chapter 1583: Taking It in Stride

Just then, another eunuch's voice suddenly sounded from outside the door.

"Your Highness, the Chief State Councillor seeks an audience! He is now waiting outside the Hall of Thoughtful Governance."

"Seeking an audience this early?" Li Hun found it a bit strange, but quickly regained his composure. "Very well, let him wait in the hall first. I will be there shortly."

In his past reign as king, Li Hun had been extremely diligent in governance, but after his restoration, due to his health, he was not so industrious anymore. He often skipped holding court assemblies with his ministers, preferring to summon capable officials privately. As the Chief State Councillor, Kim Gyeong-guk frequently entered Gyeongbok Palace to seek audiences with him and could enter the palace without requesting permission.

Still, it was rare for him to come seeking an audience this early; he had no idea what matter it could be about.

After changing his clothes, guided by a eunuch, Li Hun walked with familiar steps to his study within the Hall of Thoughtful Governance, where he handled daily affairs.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness!" The moment he saw him, Kim Gyeong-guk immediately knelt to the ground.

Although his courtesy was exceedingly respectful and he had always served him with utmost dedication as Chief State Councillor, Li Hun actually did not like him, because this minister's mind was far too agile, and he did not truly fear or submit to him. Had it been in the past, he would never have entrusted such a minister with an important post; it was only after the restoration, when he had no one else to use, that he had no choice but to make him Chief Councillor. Besides, he knew now that very few ministers truly submitted to him in their hearts.

"My dear minister, coming to pay respects so early—what urgent matter brings you here?" Li Hun asked Kim Gyeong-guk as he took his seat upon the throne, supported by a eunuch.

"Reporting to Your Highness, your subject has a matter of the utmost importance and had no choice but to disturb Your Highness. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness." Kim Gyeong-guk remained kneeling on the ground. "Does Your Highness recall the matter I spoke of when I paid my respects before the Central Realm's Crown Prince arrived in Goryeo?"

At this question, Li Hun did not react immediately; his memory was growing worse with age. Only after thinking for a moment did he finally recall that conversation of theirs. Yes, an endless darkness—it was only a conversation.

"You... you mean the matter of establishing an heir?"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Kim Gyeong-guk answered at once. "Your subject wishes to ask Your Highness: nearly a month has passed now—has Your Highness reached a decision in your heart?"

"I have already reached a decision on this matter in my heart; my dear minister need not be overly anxious." The moment he realized the other had come to see him so early in the morning for such a matter, Li Hun could not help feeling annoyed, and he casually brushed him off with his words.

"If Your Highness has reached a decision, then please inform your subject, and I shall begin making arrangements at once." To his surprise, Kim Gyeong-guk was not deterred by his brush-off and instead continued to press him.

"My dear minister?" Li Hun was puzzled. Normally, a shrewd and agile official like Kim Gyeong-guk should have been able to tell that he did not wish to discuss this issue right now.

"Establishing an heir to the throne is a matter of national importance. As Chief State Councillor, I cannot but participate and be informed." Even though the hint had been this obvious, Kim Gyeong-guk still showed no sign of backing down and continued to press. "May I ask Your Highness, whom exactly do you favor now? Your subject must ask clearly in order to make early preparations."

"Chief Councillor Kim!" Li Hun raised his voice.

"Your subject only acts out of consideration for the state; I beg Your Highness's forgiveness." Kim Gyeong-guk still did not retreat, as if he had steeled his resolve. "Your Highness, the situation brooks no further delay. Does Your Highness wish to see Goryeo erupt into chaos before long?"

"How could there be chaos!" Li Hun sternly cut him off. Then, realizing he had lost his composure somewhat, he quickly softened his tone. "Is my dear minister feeling anxious because His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived?"

"Your subject does not consider His Highness the Crown Prince's arrival a bad thing," Kim Gyeong-guk answered in a low voice. "On the contrary, your subject believes the best course now is to take advantage of His Highness the Crown Prince's presence here, plead with him, and have him approve our candidate. This would be a tremendous boon both for the Central Realm and for our country, and could at least prevent disputes from the malcontents."

"A boon? In what way?" Li Hun countered. "We were just recently at odds with the envoy delegation. If we go now to beseech His Highness the Crown Prince, the delegation will inevitably exploit our vulnerability. Don't forget, they are circling around His Highness the Crown Prince every day now."

"Precisely because they circle around the Central Realm's Crown Prince every day, should we not seize the initiative and establish the heir?" Kim Gyeong-guk faced his sovereign with an attitude he had never shown before. "Your Highness, a rumor has been circulating widely of late... Many suspect that Your Highness's persistent delay in establishing an heir stems from selfish motives, an unwillingness to relinquish your own power as a result."

"You... you..." Li Hun was beside himself with rage and slammed the table heavily, cutting off his words.

He did not understand why Kim Gyeong-guk was behaving so strangely today, but this utterly insubordinate conduct had thoroughly enraged him. Had this been the old days, he would probably have already ordered this man who held his sovereign in contempt to be arrested.

But he could not do so now. His control over the court was not as strong as before; a hasty change of chief minister would only bring chaos. It was for this reason that he barely managed to maintain his last shred of composure.

"Who is saying these things! Arrest all those treacherous scoundrels who slander their sovereign!" he shouted at Kim Gyeong-guk after a moment. He used this to express his fury; if he had any sense of tact, this Chief State Councillor ought to know it was time to hold his tongue.

"Public opinion outside is seething; it is not just one or two people saying this. How could your subjects possibly arrest them all?" Kim Gyeong-guk suddenly gave a cold laugh. "If Your Highness would cease your obstinate course and establish an heir for the sake of our nation's dynastic line, then surely the rumors outside would die down..."

This attitude, laced with veiled retort and even mockery, finally made Li Hun erupt in uncontrollable fury.

"Kim Gyeong-guk!" He no longer addressed him with courtesy but directly shouted his name. "Enough! Withdraw!"

"Having provoked Your Highness's towering rage, your subject is utterly terrified!" Seeing the king so furious, Kim Gyeong-guk knelt and apologized, but his face showed no trace of panic. "Yet Your Highness can rebuke and dismiss your subject, but you cannot rebuke and dismiss this surging tide of public criticism. I beseech Your Highness to think again..."

Whether Kim Gyeong-guk's mind had been addled by patriotic fervor and concern for the people, or whether he had truly gone mad, Li Hun no longer had the presence of mind to discern. But he could see very clearly that this Chief State Councillor was undermining his authority in an utterly undisguised manner—and doing so deliberately.

If he was not mad, then he must have something to rely on, which was why he had come to the palace specifically to confront him so brazenly. What exactly was his backing, that he dared speak to him this way?

Horrible memories surfaced in his mind again; the nightmare of that night once more sent chills from the depths of his heart. He had already endured betrayal once and never wanted to endure it again.

"Guards! Guards! Arrest him!" Li Hun shouted, preparing to have the eunuchs detain this minister first and then see what exactly was going on.

The eunuchs immediately walked in, but before they could approach the Chief State Councillor, Kim Gyeong-guk stood up on his own and then swept his gaze around the room.

"All of you, stop right there!"

His display made every one of the eunuchs hesitate in alarm, and for a moment they all stopped in unison. A large crowd crammed into the room, the sound of heavy breathing rising and falling, making Li Hun increasingly uncomfortable.

"Kim Gyeong-guk, do you intend to rebel?" he roared again, then once more urged the eunuchs, "What are you stopping for!"

"Your Highness, it would be best to have them withdraw, lest the harmony between us be injured." Kim Gyeong-guk sighed. "Surely Your Highness does not think that I, your subject, would come before Your Majesty and say these things without something to rely on?"

"Your backing... what is it? Who is inciting you to rebel?" Li Hun asked, his voice trembling. "You... do you people intend to stage a palace coup? Don't forget... don't forget that I was reinstated to the throne by the Central Realm. If you dare act recklessly, the Central Realm will absolutely not spare you traitors and rebels! Furthermore... His Highness the Crown Prince is right now within Gyeongbok Palace. Do you dare act recklessly before his very eyes... you..."

At this point, Li Hun froze as if struck by lightning, the rest of his words unable to come out. He suddenly realized that, while he had been completely oblivious, a crisis of the greatest magnitude had already closed in on him—just like that night.

"Your Highness was installed by the Central Realm. Now that the Central Realm holds great power, without their approval, we naturally cannot treat Your Highness the same way we did back then..." Kim Gyeong-guk answered unhurriedly. "Therefore, although everyone has always harbored lingering fear toward Your Highness, we have endured until now."

"But now you have obtained His Highness the Crown Prince's approval?" Li Hun asked again. "They... how did you deceive him?"

Seeing that matters had reached this point, the eunuchs sensed trouble in their hearts. One after another, they stopped their hands, then silently withdrew from the room. The chaotic sounds of breathing and footsteps gradually faded away, allowing Li Hun's tangled thoughts to slowly regain some clarity.

"Deception is hardly the word; we simply told him the facts. Your Highness has no direct heir and has consistently failed to establish an adopted heir, leaving a root of chaos for the future. As the suzerain state, the Great Han naturally must resolve this root of disaster." Kim Gyeong-guk answered with righteous indignation. "His Highness the Crown Prince is upholding justice. Is it not Your Highness who, out of personal selfishness, obstructs the dynastic line?"

"What justice! It is nothing but your own selfish desires." Li Hun refuted him mercilessly. "What do you people want?"

"Nothing much, really—just to settle an heir for Your Highness, to calm the hearts of the officials and people, and to allow our nation's dynastic line to continue." Kim Gyeong-guk sneered. "So Your Highness need not panic; this time, you will not be made to taste the bitterness of being driven from home and wandering destitute."

"You... you people..." Li Hun was so choked with fury in his heart that he could not speak.

He knew that even within the palace he did not command much authority, let alone outside it. If he truly lost the Central Realm's support, his position would indeed be precarious.

"Has the palace already been brought under your control?"

"And just this morning, the troops from the Great Han legation entered the capital from outside the city and have completely surrounded Gyeongbok Palace. I imagine Your Highness also knows that among the palace guards, there are probably few willing to lay down their lives to protect Your Highness. If Your Highness were to go outside and look, you would surely understand the current situation." Kim Gyeong-guk was still sneering, utterly indifferent to how deeply his words wounded the other. "Oh, I forgot—Your Highness is no longer able to go outside and see."

Li Hun's heart grew even colder. Judging from Kim Gyeong-guk's fearless and confident demeanor, what he said must be true; the Great Han's army should now have control of the palace and the entire capital. And even if they did not, what of it? Would anyone rise to rescue the king and defy the Central Realm Crown Prince's orders on his behalf? A moment's thought told him that was impossible.

"..." Li Hun ignored the mockery; he only felt powerless and chilled to the bone. "So, you threw in your lot with the Central Realm long ago, acting as their jackal... bringing them here to coerce your sovereign?"

"I do not know where Your Highness gets such a notion." Kim Gyeong-guk gently shook his head, appearing to take great exception to it. "The Central Realm is our country's suzerain state. As a minister, it is only proper that I defer to the sacred will; how is that acting as a jackal? Moreover, if we speak of acting as a jackal, Your Highness borrowed the Central Realm's power to regain the throne and has been king for so many years—has Your Highness ever seemed to feel a twinge of guilt in your heart?"

During Li Hun's first reign, he had favored a small clique of favorites and suppressed the ministers ruthlessly. Although Kim Gyeong-guk was of the Northerner faction, he had long been deeply dissatisfied with him. So now, at this moment, he no longer wished to stand on ceremony with this king. "Enough. By now, I imagine Your Highness clearly understands your own situation? I still must advise Your Highness not to do anything futile."

"You... whom do you want His Highness the Crown Prince to appoint?" Li Hun's heart had gone completely cold, and instead, the earlier fury was gone. He knew that in the present circumstances, resistance was meaningless; he could only act according to the Crown Prince's wishes. But he wanted to know exactly what outcome had been decreed for him.

"His Highness now favors Yi Gyeong, the youngest son of Prince Gyeongpyeong Yi Reuk." Kim Gyeong-guk answered with considerable composure. "It is therefore hoped that Your Highness will issue an edict today proclaiming to the entire nation, adopting him as your own son to inherit the dynastic line."

"Prince Gyeongpyeong, of all people?" Li Hun was rather surprised when he heard this choice, but in the end, he shook his head and sighed. "So be it, so be it. What is there left to say now?"

"That's right — at this point, Your Highness truly has little room to interject." Jin Jinguo nodded calmly. "I'll speak plainly with Your Highness. If Your Highness cooperates and follows everyone's arrangements, the Crown Prince will not make things difficult for Your Highness anymore. At the very least, Your Highness can continue to serve as sovereign."

"Then I suppose I should thank you?" Li Hun laughed mockingly as well.

"Your Highness will surely not forgive your servant, but your servant has truly done all he could. I can say with a clear conscience that I have nothing to be ashamed of." Jin Jinguo spoke as if it were solely through his own forceful advocacy that Li Hun's throne had been preserved. "If Your Highness finds this truly unbearable, you may rest for a moment now. Issuing the decree later would also be acceptable."

The implication was that Li Hun no longer had the right to refuse — at most, he could delay for a little while. In the end, whether a blind man like Li Hun agreed or not made no difference whatsoever. If he truly refused to cooperate, they could simply take the state seal and draft an edict themselves. This was merely a gesture, a more presentable formality extended out of regard for years of sovereign-minister relations.

"I... I can issue the decree. There is no need to wait any longer." Li Hun flatly rejected his goodwill. "At this stage, what difference does my agreement or disagreement make? If you were hoping to see the unsightly spectacle of me weeping bitterly or kneeling and wailing, Lord Jin, I fear you will be disappointed."

Though they were sovereign and minister, the word "Lord" came from his lips dripping with unmistakable sarcasm.

"Your servant had no such intention. If Your Highness insists on thinking so, then your servant can do nothing about it." Jin Jinguo's face paled, but he quickly restrained himself. "Since Your Highness is so sensible, then please bring out the state seal at once and authorize this. Do not make your servants' task any more difficult."

With that, he drew from his bosom a document that had long since been drafted —

"If all you needed was for me to stamp a seal, Lord Jin, surely you needn't have come in person?" Li Hun's cold sneer, stretched across a face with blurred, sightless eyes, appeared especially savage. "Could it be that the Crown Prince specifically ordered you to come collect the decree?"

Jin Jinguo's expression grew even more unsightly. He spread his hands but gave no answer.

"So it is indeed the case." Li Hun now understood clearly. "It seems the Crown Prince has still left me a sliver of face..."

He let out a long sigh, then sat back down. "After the decree is signed and issued, I wish to have an audience with the Crown Prince. Councilor Jin, go and relay my request."

"Surely Your Highness has not yet grasped the situation? Does Your Highness truly believe you are still in a position to make requests?" Jin Jinguo could not suppress a scornful laugh. "The Crown Prince merely instructed you to authorize a decree. He has no time to see you."

"Whether he sees me or not is His Highness's affair. It is not your place to prattle. Do you imagine yourself fit to make decisions on His Highness's behalf?" Li Hun's merciless sneer cut back. "You are nothing more than a messenger. Why put on such a smug, self-satisfied display? Go deliver the message at once. Come back later for the decree you want!"

Jin Jinguo's face flushed crimson under this barrage of unsparing rebuke, as though he were choking on his own breath.

Yet in the end, he restrained himself. He flung the decree heavily onto the desk. "Your Highness, please affix the seal as quickly as possible. Your servant will go and return shortly!"

Just as he turned to leave, Li Hun suddenly called out and stopped him.

"Councilor Jin!"

Jin Jinguo halted his steps and looked back at the other man with some puzzlement.

"From this day forward, I will likely never again be able to hold the reins of state. At most, I will be a sovereign in name only... But Councilor Jin, do not rejoice too soon. I was feared by the Middle Court and have fallen to this end — I have nothing to say. But what of you? Do you imagine that one day you will not also be feared by the Middle Court? We are all now merely puppets in others' hands. Today they can cast me down; tomorrow they can cast you down as well. You can serve the Middle Court with painstaking care — others can do the same, and others can do it even more ruthlessly!" Li Hun began with a sneer, which finally swelled into loud laughter. "So enjoy today well, lest when your own day comes, you find yourself unable to bear it!"