Rebirth of the Thunder God

"The one who must be written on the hit list is... the Empress."

Namgung Hui had secretly hoped that the emperor would mention the General.

And for good reason, the General was the common enemy of the emperor and Namgung Hui.

Moreover, if he were to receive such a request, he would be able to receive the emperor's full support.

If so, it was a self-evident fact that it would be easier than dealing with the General alone.

However, the person the emperor had requested was not the General, but the Empress.

He became curious as to why he wanted to kill his own spouse.

And that, by borrowing someone else's hand.

"When you say the Empress, isn't she the mother of this country? But I am curious as to the reason why you want to kill her, even borrowing my hand."

"As expected of a martial artist, you question my words. Originally, one does not question the emperor's command. You just have to follow my command. However, for this time only, I will explain the reason. The Empress is the General's person."

As expected. Since it was not easy to strike the General directly, was he planning to cut off his limbs first?

If the Empress was a person of the Hoicheon Association, she could be a more dangerous person than the General.

Because she was closer to the emperor than anyone else, and it would be practically the easiest to approach him.

"But isn't there more than one Empress? Which Empress am I to deal with?"

At Namgung Hui's question, the emperor raised the corners of his mouth and said.

"Alright. It's a game. If you guess which Empress it is, I will grant you a reward."

Currently, there were a total of three Empresses in the Imperial Palace.

The Crown Prince was the son of the First Empress.

He knew that the Second Empress and the Third Empress had each only given birth to daughters.

The princesses were all cousins of Princess Juhwayeong.

‘Rather, it's a good thing that the First Empress gave birth to a legitimate son. Since the others only gave birth to princesses, the power structure is not very complicated.’

The conspiracies and schemes of the Imperial Palace were said to be much more secret and vicious than those of the unorthodox martial world.

In particular, not only were there many deaths of unknown causes, but poisoning was also quite frequent.

That's why the responsible eunuch would taste the food first before the emperor ate.

On top of that, the emperor's royal table had over 100 side dishes.

This was to thoroughly prevent information from being leaked in advance so that a specific food could not be poisoned.

Moreover, it is said that the emperor does not eat a single side dish more than three times.

It was an act taken to consume only a minimum amount even if he ingested poison.

‘I might get indigestion from being so careful with every meal.’

Anyway. The problem the emperor had given was too easy.

Because the other Empresses could not be a threat to the emperor.

"I think it's the First Empress."

"Why do you think so? I'd like to hear the reason."

"Well. If she is the Crown Prince's biological mother, wouldn't she be a sufficient threat to Your Majesty the Emperor?"

"A threat? You're spouting very irreverent words. However, you are right. The reason I dismissed the other ministers is also because of this. I must not show my authority being diminished."

From Namgung Hui's perspective, although the emperor was arrogant, he was in a state where he had fully grasped his own situation.

Originally, since the emperor was called the Son of Heaven and was revered in all sorts of ways, it was difficult for him to grasp his own situation objectively.

Because the emperor's surroundings were filled with sycophants who deceived the emperor's eyes and ears with sweet talk.

And because loyal subjects who would speak the truth were very rare.

Even such loyal subjects were soon purged or pushed out in factional struggles.

That's why the emperor had rotted and decayed.

But the emperor in front of him was different.

Although Namgung Hui had not seen many emperors, he knew his place better than the emperors he had experienced so far.

"Yes. Since you got it right, I must grant you a reward. How about the position of a prince consort?"

A prince consort was a term referring to the emperor's son-in-law.

It meant that he would grant him a princess as a reward.

Of course, it didn't simply mean that he would give him his daughter.

All of this was probably the emperor's scheme to recruit Namgung Hui.

‘And here, the emperor is trying to gauge whether I can be on his side, or if I am an opponent who must be purged at some point. He's indeed not an easy opponent.’

And if he were to accept it with a "yes," he would be seen as a thoughtless martial artist to the emperor.

Here, he had to think carefully and then give the best answer.

Even if he uttered the same answer, it would be a case where 'ah' and 'uh' were different.

"Your Majesty. Originally, the kind of people called martial artists are often rude. That is a phenomenon that occurs because the power they possess is strong. Honestly, more than half of the martial artists will not be afraid of the imperial family. Although there is a relationship of non-aggression between the government and the martial world, it is because they believe that they can subdue even the imperial family with their own martial power."

"What an extremely rude remark. How dare you spout such nonsense in front of me, the emperor. Keep in mind that being too honest can also hasten your death. So what do you want to say? You're not trying to provoke me."

"So even if I become a prince consort, I will not sincerely serve the imperial family. My family will come first, or I myself will come first. Perhaps I will even empty the government's granaries for the sake of the common people."

"What a wicked fellow. There's nothing you can't say in front of me. I can't give my daughter to such a scoundrel."

Although the emperor had uttered such words, his expressionless face looked somehow satisfied.

It should be seen that he had gotten a satisfactory answer.

‘Just as the emperor knows himself, I also know myself. The kind of people called martial artists are not very clean. No matter how you package it, they are just murderers.’

Of course, heroes called chivalrous men sometimes appeared.

But how many of such chivalrous men remained in this era?

It was an era where everyone, regardless of the orthodox or heretic faction, was busy filling their own stomachs.

‘If my sworn brother saw this, he would be lamenting. It's a martial world that he saved, even sacrificing his life, but where has the spirit of chivalry gone?’

Well, it wasn't a situation to be discouraged.

The Shaolin Temple, the great mountain and north star, still valued and practiced chivalry.

And the Wudang Sect, which was next, was also fulfilling its duty as a Daoist sect.

"Then let's discuss the reward after you've dealt with the Empress. Originally, the awarding of merits and rewards is done after all the work is finished."

Although Namgung Hui had not said that he would kill the Empress.

At some point, he was being treated as if he had naturally received the request.

Of course, Namgung Hui knew that if he refused this, he would not see a good end.

They would not let Namgung Hui go alive, even if it was just to shut his mouth.

"Alright. What is the deadline?"

"The sooner the better, and it should not exceed half a month. Because the General will return before then."

Come to think of it, the General was serving as the Crown Prince's teacher.

Moreover, if even the Empress, the Crown Prince's biological mother, was on the side of the Hoicheon Association, it would be safe to say that the emperor was in an isolated state.

If they just deposed the emperor, the Imperial Palace... no, this Great Ming Empire itself would fall into the hands of the Hoicheon Association.

This was a scenario that Namgung Hui also did not welcome at all.

Although he didn't even know what kind of person the Empress was or even her face, he couldn't let things flow according to their scheme.

‘Still, I'll have to find out what kind of person the Empress is. I can't just kill her without a thought.’

"Here, take it. It's the Empress's future schedule. And the jade plaque in there will help with your identity and entry."

Namgung Hui took the letter and the nameplate that the emperor had thrown and immediately examined it.

[Inspector General.]

"Are you telling me to become an inspector general?"

"It's a temporary position. And it wouldn't be bad for a fellow like you to be an inspector general. At least you don't seem to be a rotten scoundrel. Go. I must rest now."

"Yes. Your Majesty. Then this subject will take his leave."

Namgung Hui paid his respects as much as he could and then disappeared.

And so, as Namgung Hui left the main hall, the emperor muttered with a weary expression.

"Weiying. By any chance, was there a person from the court in the Namgung family?"

A clear voice answered from behind the emperor.

"Your Majesty. As far as this subject knows, there is not a single one."

"Not even on the maternal side?"

"Yes. His biological mother was also a daughter of a martial arts family. Even if we search up to his eighth cousins, there was definitely no one with a connection to the court. Wasn't that why we entrusted this matter to him?"

"That's right. But look at that fellow's attitude. He's a fellow who knows the etiquette of the imperial family as if he's been to the Imperial Palace several times. That's not something that can be learned just by learning. It's a part that can only be acquired if one has been in and out of the Imperial Palace."

"This subject also finds that point strange. If so, I will dig a little deeper."

"No. That's enough. His identity is most certainly proven by the Namgung family. Anyway, whatever it is, the result will not change. Weiying. Continue with the great work."

***

Namgung Hui, who had finished his meeting with the emperor, briefly left the Imperial Palace.

For now, since he had the nameplate that the emperor had given him, he could come and go at any time.

And it was also because he needed to investigate the First Empress.

"Junior Brother. You came back sooner than I thought."

"Senior Sister. How much do you know about the First Empress?"

"The Empress. It smells a little dangerous."

"It is a dangerous matter, and since you've already heard, we're sharing the danger together. So I'd like you to give me as much detailed information as possible."

"The Empress's information is, of course, top secret. You know I can't just view it as I please, right?"

"So how much time do you need?"

"Just half a day is enough. If I even sell your name, I'll probably get permission within that time."

Namgung Hui nodded his head and then took a nap in the guest room.

Although he hadn't done much physically while meeting the emperor all night, he was mentally very tired.

Not only had he not let down his guard, but his mind had become a little complicated after the conversation with the emperor.

‘The affairs of the martial world are the responsibility of the martial world. That's why my heart is not heavy. But the affairs of the imperial family? Do I really have the right to intervene?’

On top of that, the First Empress, whose guilt was not even certain.

To assassinate her, Namgung Hui's heart would not let go of the Thunder God Sword.

Even if she were a villain, would Namgung Hui have the right to judge her?

No matter how grandly he was revered as the Imperial Star or a constellation, human life was more precious than anything else.

‘But if I refuse this, the Namgung family will be in trouble. For now, I'll accept the request, but I'll have to watch the situation a little more before proceeding with the work.’

There was another reason why Namgung Hui was reluctant to take on this request.

It was something he had seen in the diary of the first cult leader before.

Hadn't the first emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, committed an act against the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?

He had said he would recognize them as an official religion, but as soon as he established the Ming Dynasty, he had discarded the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult like a hunting dog.

He had even put on the shackles of demonic arts and had driven them out to the outside of the Central Plains, to the Heavenly Mountains.

Besides that, there were countless founding contributors who had been discarded like hunting dogs.

That's why Namgung Hui could also be killed at any time to maintain secrecy.

A state of dilemma where he could do neither this nor that.

Although the martial artists of the Central Plains looked down on the martial power of the imperial family, Namgung Hui alone could not ignore them.

Because the experience of his past life and the experience of his present life had combined, allowing him to vaguely estimate their martial power.

‘The ones who were hiding around the emperor were also at a level that could not be ignored. Especially that unique presence was more than that of an assassin.’

If it were a frontal confrontation, Namgung Hui would surely win, but they had the aura of assassins.

If it went into a mud fight, there was no telling how it would turn out.

Moreover, would they attack Namgung Hui?

There was a high probability that they would aim for the members of the Namgung family.

‘For now, to prevent that from happening, I have to find out as much as I can about the First Empress.’

At that moment, as if she had finished organizing the content, On Yuha opened the door and came in, carrying quite a lot of scrolls.

"Junior Brother. What are you doing? Aren't you going to help?"

"I'm coming. I'm coming."

Namgung Hui stood up and stacked the scrolls she handed him on the table.

She had gathered quite a lot of information in a short time.

On top of that, since On Yuha would not have brought flimsy information, the quality of the information would also be excellent.

"Junior Brother. How was your meeting with the emperor? Was he really a terrifying person as the rumors say?"

"Was that the rumor? I heard he was a sick person."

"Well, that's not wrong either, but the emperor was notorious since he was young. You probably didn't know because you were lying down for 10 years, but they say he carried out a bloody purge for generations. So a rumor started that his body became weak because he was punished by heaven."

This was information that Namgung Hui was hearing for the first time.

If he had uttered such words in Beijing, he might have really been punished.

"I don't know if he's a scary person. He didn't seem to be an ordinary person. Thanks for the information. I'll take a good look."

"Yes. I'll also be busy for a while, as I have a lot to plan, starting with the name of the black market. If you need information, have the underlings do it. Since you're also a secular disciple, they won't be able to ignore you."

"Alright. Good luck."

As Namgung Hui waved his hand as if he were annoyed, On Yuha squinted her eyes and then disappeared.

Now alone, Namgung Hui grabbed the information that caught his eye the most among the stacked scrolls.

[First Empress, Han Okbin.]

[Origin: Chengdu, Sichuan.]

[Peculiarities: Has a history of learning martial arts at the Emei Sect as a child.]

(End of Chapter)