Everything the Prime Minister said after dropping his bombshell went into Tae So's ears and right out the other. He wasn't doing it on purpose, he was trying hard to focus but he couldn't stop thinking about the implications.The Prime Minister had just indirectly implied that he wanted to commit treason or was Tae So misinterpreting everything? yet there was no apparent motive.
First, the Prime Minister came from a humble background with no ties to the royal family. He could never be king. Only those of direct royal lineage could ascend the throne, meaning the heir had to be the Crown Prince. There had never been a recorded instance of a king failing to produce a legitimate successor. Second, the other two sons of the late great King were weak, lacking any court positions or influence. The late King had deliberately curtailed his concubines' power, ensuring that none of his other sons would ever taste authority or even dream of it. It was cruel, but they should have been grateful to be alive. Historically, most great emperors eliminated any potential threats to their reign. To prevent bloodshed within the family, the late King had placed his legitimate son the current King in a position where his rule was unquestionable, he even made him the Crown Prince immediately he was born. Yet, the Prime Minister had just called the whole King weak, it could be interpreted as disrespecting the late great King.
The current King was still young, level-headed, and had recently agreed to take concubines due to the pressure from the ministers, especially the ones with daughters and that proof that his focus remained on strengthening Jeong. From the court assemblies Tae So had attended, it was evident that the King loved Jeong more than life itself and was doing everything in his power to make it the greatest nation. Yet, here was the Prime Minister, indirectly labeling him incompetent. Worse, he had outright called the King weak in front of Tae So. The way the Prime Minister had said "…weak" still echoed in his ears. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push the thought away.
This left Tae So with a storm of conflicting thoughts, destabilizing his composure. And yet, at the back of his mind, he had a nagging feeling that the Prime Minister wanted him to dig deeper into why he had said such a thing. However, Song Joo's expression gave nothing away, leaving Tae So in a dilemma. Wasn't the Prime Minister close to the Queen Dowager, the King's mother?
Tae So knew he could afford to hire mercenaries if that was what the Prime Minister needed from him but not the kind that could overthrow the palace. The mere thought was insane. Yet, he didn't know what to do. And now, for some reason, the Prime Minister was watching him closely. Tae So felt a flicker of fear. He hadn't been listening, but deep down, he suspected it didn't matter.
"So, do you think we do not need the great King to prevail if war breaks out?" Tae So asked, nearly choking on his spit. He quickly glanced around, wary of prying ears. He didn't care if the Prime Minister was scrutinizing him anymore he just wanted to be sure they were alone. The meeting room was empty, yet that only made him feel worse. He would have preferred an eavesdropper to be caught, providing an excuse to end this conversation about the King altogether.
He hadn't even wanted to ask the question, it wasn't something he cared to know. He had merely spoken to avoid the Prime Minister questioning his lack of attention.
"What a fool you are," Song Joo said, enunciating each word slowly as he shot Tae So a disdainful look.
"My apologies. It seems I need more enlightenment to become a better Minister of Environment," Tae So conceded. He had no choice but to agree, he truly felt like a fool.
"Do you know why the Next General disappeared?" Song Joo asked abruptly.
Tae So frowned. The Prime Minister had completely ignored his question and responded with another of his own deliberately, no doubt. "Because we fought two centuries ago, won the final war a century ago, and no longer needed a warrior."
From Tae So's perspective, Jeong had no further use for a great warrior like the Next General after securing victory. That was why It had disappeared.
"No," Song Joo countered. "It's because we are weak. Seeing that Jeong had no intention of conquering the world even when it could have, the Next General vanished, never to be seen again." He paused, then continued, "And so I formed a theory. What if It went to other nations especially the neighbouring nations and now supports them? What would we do?"
Tae So licked his lips nervously, feeling them dry out. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to respond, but clearly, the Prime Minister had asked him a question, which meant it would be rude not to answer. He was already exhausted from pretending to be an intellectual, but he had no choice. The Prime Minister had chosen him for a reason whether it was trust, a test, or something far more dangerous. Swallowing hard, he spoke. "Then… we have to find the Next General."
"Right!"
Tae So flinched when the Prime Minister slammed his hand on the table. Excitement lit up his eyes, and he nodded approvingly, clearly impressed.
Tae So exhaled softly in relief. He hadn't known his answer would be correct, but he had guessed based on a few factors. They had come all the way to Jo's town on the day the goblin was set to speak about the Next General. The Magistrate had failed to greet them despite their arrival not being secret. Everything seemed suspicious like the eerie calm before a storm. And now, after a hundred years, the Next General was suddenly a topic of great interest again, even in the capital. Tae So hadn't given it much thought before, but now he could see it someone was deliberately trying to bring it up.
"But what if It doesn't return?" Tae So muttered aloud, only realizing his mistake, his eyes widened.
Song Joo, however, mistook his reaction for a moment of realization.
"I believe It is either dead or has left forever. It will not return," Song Joo said nonchalantly.
If thoughts could produce smoke, Tae So's head would have been billowing. The Prime Minister was confusing him beyond belief. First, he had agreed they needed to find the Next General. Now, he was claiming It would never return.
"What do we do?" Tae So asked, abandoning any pretense of composure.
The Prime Minister chuckled, as if he had been expecting the question. But before he could answer, two rapid knocks sounded on the door.
Before Tae So could respond, the door slid open.
He was flabbergasted. First, he had been discussing important matters with the Prime Minister, the highest-ranking official in Jeong and someone had dared to interrupt without waiting for permission. Worse, they had walked into his home, his personal residence, which he had purchased himself. What were his guards doing?
Annoyed, Tae So turned, ready to lash out at the intruder. But his anger faltered when he faced an unfamiliar tall man.
The newcomer was dressed in dark robes, his expression stern as if he had just emerged from a quarrel. His hair was cropped so short that his scalp was nearly visible, an odd style. His eyebrows were sharp, almost blade-like, yet not particularly long. A subtle but unmistakable aura of danger surrounded him. He didn't appear immediately hostile, but Tae So knew better than to be careless. It could have been an assassin. Tae So hadn't heard him approach, nor could he hear the guards outside. A surge of panic shot through him, but he forced himself to remain composed. The Prime Minister showed no signs of alarm, which meant either he was unaware of the danger or, worse, he had anticipated it.
Before he could call for the guards, the Prime Minister knocked on the table.
Tae So turned just in time to see Song Joo beckon the man forward. The stranger bowed not to Tae So, but to Song Joo before stepping closer. He bent down and whispered a few words into the Prime Minister's ear.
Tae So wanted to know what had been said, but the amusement that flickered across Song Joo's face told him it was either serious business or not at all. Then, the man straightened, bowed again, and left without a word.
Rude. He hadn't even acknowledged Tae So.
Before Tae So could process his frustration, Song Joo suddenly burst into laughter, the sound loud and maniacal. He shook his head in amusement but abruptly stopped when a commotion erupted outside.
Tae So nearly did a backflip at how quickly things were escalating. His home had somehow turned into a place where anyone could barge in.
Furious, he stood up and stormed outside.
In the yard, he saw two of his guards bowing apologetically to a man.
His anger evaporated when he saw who it was.
The Magistrate of Jo, Hong Gi.