Chapter 462 : Government Posts (2)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍next morning, the key figures of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult gathered at the hall once again. Once Wi Jin-hak confirmed that everyone who needed to be there had shown up, he turned his head to look beside him.

"Hidden ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Guard Pavilion Lord. Get that ready."

Following ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the order, the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord unfurled a scroll of parchment suspended from a wooden rod. 

Written ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍at the pinnacle of the chart was the word Holy Emperor (敎皇). From there, ink lines were drawn to both sides of the title, and at the end of each line were the words Hidden Guard Pavilion and Dark Shadow Pavilion. Beneath the Holy Emperor, a single line dropped straight down before splintering into dozens of different branches.

"After ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍much discussion with everyone gathered here, this is the new central government structure that I have decided on for our Divine Cult."

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍few people wore puzzled looks. Ministry names that hadn't existed yesterday suddenly popped up left and right, while several departments they had fully expected to see were completely missing.

To quell their confusion, Wi Jin-hak calmly began breaking down the chart step by step.

"First, as we've become a proper empire, I hereby declare myself Emperor. Henceforth, I shall be known as the Holy Emperor.”

"We hear and obey, Your Majesty!"

Wi Jin-hak nodded at the chorus and continued, "Furthermore, the Dark Shadow Pavilion and the Hidden Guard Pavilion will serve as the two central pillars assisting the throne. The Hidden Guard Pavilion will continue its traditional duties of aiding and protecting the Holy Emperor. The Dark Shadow Pavilion, however, will be repurposed into an internal audit bureau designed to root out corruption among our officials."

It didn’t take long for the smart ones to realize that the Dark Shadow Pavilion would play a role similar to the defunct Eastern Depot and raise their objections. Most of them came from the Orthodox Faction or had once been officials themselves.

"Your Majesty. If you create a secret police force with that much power, you risk paving the way for another monster like the Supreme Eunuch to rise in the future!"

"They speak correctly, Your Majesty. We all witnessed the Eastern Depot manipulate the court and terrorize the common folk. Was that not the very reason Your Majesty led the rebellion alongside us in the first place?"

"We beg you to reconsider, Your Majesty!!"

Wi Jin-hak swept his gaze over them for a moment before asking. "Then what do you ministers think would be the right approach?"

"The Dark Shadow Pavilion should be dissolved and its warriors moved to other ministries. Alternatively, Your Majesty could restrict their role to gathering information across the Central Plains rather than surveilling our own officials."

The suggestion came from the Beggar King who had closely managed the war's intelligence network alongside the Dark Shadow Pavilion.

Wi Jin-hak immediately fired back. "And when the officials turn corrupt down the line and start lining their own pockets, who is going to drag their crimes into the light?"

In response to Wi Jin-hak's point, it was the former Left Commissioner Cheon Ryang who answered this time. "This humble subject believes it would be wise to keep the Dark Shadow Pavilion but establish a separate organization to keep it in check."

"Then wouldn't that new oversight organization just inherit the very same unchecked power you fear instead of the Dark Shadow Pavilion? What then? Are we going to create a third agency to watch the second one, and a fourth to watch the third and so on?”

Cheon Ryang fell silent as well at that rebuttal.

While the opposing faction racked their brains trying to counter him, Wi Jin-hak spoke again. "As I stated earlier, the Dark Shadow Pavilion exists to keep officials from turning corrupt. If the Dark Shadow Pavilion gains too much power and becomes corrupt, you ministers need only report it to the future Heavenly Demon or Holy Emperor and the problem would be solved. The Dark Shadow Pavilion and the officials will serve as a check and balance against each other."

As he delivered the speech, Wi Jin-hak was mentally patting someone else on the back.

‘Hah. The Left Guardian's scheming really is something else.’

Every single word he just said had been fed to him by Il-mok the previous night.

Wi Jin-hak had already sensed that some people would push back against the Dark Shadow Pavilion's role, and he'd just been debating whether to simply crush the opposition with his authority as Holy Emperor when Il-mok solved that problem for him. He had even provided an example specifically designed to resonate with a room full of martial artists.

"A sword is just a sword. If a villain holds a masterpiece, it becomes a demonic sword. But if a righteous man wields that same sword, it becomes a sword of righteousness.”

As everyone fell silent at Wi Jin-hak's words, Hwangbo Ak cautiously raised his voice.

"But what happens if a villain someday inherits the throne and uses that sword to harm the nation?”

Il-mok hadn't given him an answer to this particular question, but it wasn't one Il-mok had failed to anticipate either. He simply hadn't bothered spelling it out because Wi Jin-hak already knew the answer himself.

"What a foolish question. If a tyrant claims the throne and plunges the nation into tyranny, you simply invoke the Divine Cult's sacred tradition and kill him through the duel. Then, whoever wins takes the throne.”

It was a rule any member of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would know from the start.

That was the foundation of their entire religion, and not even the Holy Emperor was exempt from it. Knowing this, the Divine Cult's own top brass hadn't raised much objection to the Dark Shadow Pavilion.

The officials and Orthodox Faction members, on the other hand, were staring at Wi Jin-hak with shock. It seemed only to dawn on them that they had truly thrown their lot in with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

This new nation might be born of rebellion, but to think that the proposed solution to the hardest problem in history is just another act of high treason shocked the lot. Moreso when the one who said it is the Holy Emperor itself.

The idea that you could just kill the Holy Emperor and take his place if you didn't like him is on a whole other level of insanity to them.

They knew it was in line with the doctrine of the Divine Cult, but hearing the Holy Emperor say it out loud himself made them realize again what kind of man they were dealing with.

With the opposition thoroughly paralyzed by culture shock, Wi Jin-hak nodded and pointed back to the scroll again.

"Moving on. The newly established Ministry of Foreign Affairs will handle diplomacy with all neighboring nations and factions. Additionally, they will be given complete authority over all missionary operations aimed at converting foreigners outside our borders. Baek Un-hak, who is currently deployed in the North, will serve as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Jong-ri Chu, the former Deputy Master of the Missionary Hall, will serve as his Vice Minister.”

Starting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wi Jin-hak explained the functions of the other ministries one after another.

"Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang will take over as the Minister of Education."

"As for the Ministry of Welfare, I entrust the department entirely in the Beggar King's hands."

As each name was called, the newly minted ministers stepped forward to bow respectfully. The meeting had essentially doubled as their post-war rewards ceremony and handover of position ceremony.

The Beggar King looked quite pleased with the Ministry of Welfare's role, while Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang's face stayed indifferent.

‘Maybe he has no idea what kind of workload hell is about to open up for him.’

Il-mok thought to himself as he looked around the room with leisure. Some were thrilled with their new power like the Beggar King, while others were completely unfazed like Hyeokryeon Cheon-gang.

"Every Minister will be granted the authority to appoint officials within their respective ministries, excluding the Vice Ministers. The authority to appoint the Ministers and Vice Ministers of each ministry rests entirely with the Holy Emperor."

Right after the roles of the various ministries and their tentative heads and vice heads had been settled, an odd silence fell over the hall.

There were still a few people here who had not yet been bestowed an official position. As if reading their minds, Wi Jin-hak added a remark.

"As you can see, the structure I have organized pertains solely to civil officials. Because the wars in the North and South are still ongoing, I will hold off on establishing the military officials until the wars are won. At that time, military ranks will be distributed according to merit."

Only then did the people whose names hadn't been called let out a quiet sigh of relief.

‘I see. So that's why the Left Guardian wasn't called either.’

That was what everyone gathered there was thinking.

Even the Right Guardian, Dokgo Ryong, had been notably absent from the list as well. But now that they'd heard the explanation that the military official system would be worked out later, they all sighed in relief.

(TL Note: Good for them that Il-mok is here. If not, that’s a purge coming for them lol. Wi Jin-hak might be sane enough to hesitate, but not for the rest of the cult. Remember, it’s the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult after all)

Out of everyone in the room, Il-mok was the only one thinking about something else entirely.

‘Just to be safe, I'd better make sure my name gets left out when they set up the military official system, too.’

While Il-mok was busy plotting his next escape from responsibility, Wi Jin-hak abruptly rose from the Dragon Throne. 

As if on cue, the Hidden Guard Pavilion Lord stepped forward and handed the Holy Emperor an ink brush.

With that brush in hand, Wi Jin-hak walked up to the scroll and pointed to somewhere in between the vertical line that descended straight from the Holy Emperor to the branching ministries with his brush.

He set his brush on that point and drew a single horizontal stroke across it.

Right after that, he wrote the words Grand Preceptor (太師) beside the newly drawn line.

(TL Note: Picture the Chinese character 上 if you are confused)

For some reason, as Il-mok watched the scene unfold in silence, beads of cold sweat ran down his spine. As an inexplicable sense of dread swept through his whole body, every gaze in the hall turned toward him at once as if to prove that his dread was about to come true.

‘Why? Why is everyone looking at me?’

While Il-mok was doing his best to deny reality, Wi Jin-hak's solemn voice shattered his hopes.

"The Grand Preceptor is responsible for overseeing and mediating the affairs of every single ministry. I hereby appoint the hero of this war, Left Guardian Il-mok, to the position of Grand Preceptor."

***

Far away from the Forbidden City in Beijing, somewhere in the region that the Central Plains people commonly called the Western Regions where those they called the Muslims folks lived, there stood an enormous palace built in a style entirely unlike the Forbidden City.

There, a middle-aged man dressed in extravagant robes with a black turban wrapped around his head was in the middle of a conversation. "What are those Jesus worshippers to the west up to these days?"

"A number of merchant caravans have recently started returning to Beirut and other major ports, but we suspect several spies have slipped in among them."

"Tsk."

The middle-aged man clicked his tongue in blatant annoyance. 

If it hadn't been for those damned cross-worshippers constantly getting in his way, his conquest wouldn't have stalled out here. 

His ultimate goal hadn't just been to seize this capital and stop; he had planned to conquer and unite every single territory inhabited by the followers of Islam.

But the moment his uprising gained momentum, those bastards in the Western Regions had cut off trade and sent letters that amounted to outright threats as his territory expanded.

"Cowardly bastards. They are nothing but trash who are usually desperate to fill their own pockets, yet they band together under the name of a fake god whenever it suits their needs."

"We expect nothing less from heathens worshipping a false idol."

At the words of the subordinate who had come to deliver his report, the man nodded.

"Resume trade with those merchants and gather up enough wealth to arm our soldiers. We can carry out our war preparations and the conscription of troops deep inland where their surveillance struggles to reach."

Naturally, the man had no intention of stopping here just because the Jesus worshippers were trying to keep him in check.

"And what about those apostate bastards to the East?"

He had driven out an incompetent empire that hadn't even managed to spread Allah's will far and wide, and raised up a new empire in its place. It's natural that anyone who truly served Allah would come to him of their own accord and swear loyalty.

By daring to sit on the sidelines and refusing to submit, those eastern bastards had branded themselves as heretics and apostates.

"It seems those wicked apostates are preparing for war as well. Over the past few years, they've been hiring and arming soldiers with the enormous sums of money they've earned selling exotic goods that came over from a country to the Far East."

"Exotic goods from the Far East..."

The corner of the man's mouth curled up upon hearing that. "Once we wipe out those apostates in the east, we'll be the ones handling those goods. Now that I think about it, those Jesus worshippers seemed mad for them too."

By standing at the center of the East and the West, he could choke the trade routes and amass unimaginable wealth. But he had no intention of stopping at mere gold. He needed to use that vast wealth to forge an unstoppable army, and then he would consume both the East and the West. 

To him, this wasn't a war of conquest. 

The only true god was Allah, and thus, this world inherently belonged to Allah.

"Allahu Akbar."

Therefore, it is his duty to rule every last territory in this world as a follower of Allah.

***

TL Note: By this point, Wi Jin-hak start using the royal we in his speech. I found it tedious, so I stuck to the usual.