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After seizing control of the Imperial Palace, the Sect Leader commanded Dokgo Jun to lead the Su Shin Sect experts to restore order in the chaos. Honestly, I wondered if Dokgo Jun could fill such a gigantic void alone, but surprisingly, he managed to tidy up the turmoil in the palace in just one day.

First, Dokgo Jun took the Su Shin members to meet the influential noble families and key ministers in Luoyang. A mere half-day later, he returned to the throne room carrying a petition that revealed over 80% of the powerful ministers endorsed the selection of the next emperor with their signatures and seals.

With that petition in hand, Dokgo Jun eventually stepped into the palace, accompanied by a boy.

“Sect Leader, I have brought him.”

“Hmm… Is that the one?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

As I confirmed the boy’s face, I found myself stunned, frozen in disbelief.

“……”

Could it really be?

My suspicions were confirmed moments later by Dokgo Jun’s Six Harmonies Assembly.

[This boy is none other than Zhu Jeonghu, the legitimate heir to the throne.]

The boy’s anxious gaze darted around the room. He was the remarkable young talent, Jeonghu, whom Mangnyang had brought to aid the revival efforts when I helped the Thunder God Lineage! I participated in the training with Jeonghu, and I could never forget his bright and lively personality.

My memories were vivid from the first time I met Jeonghu.

[Nice to meet you, Brother Baek Woong.]

[This is Jeonghu, who just joined the Thunder God Lineage. Please take care of him.]

[Sagong Lin and Jeonghu may not be on Jin So-cheong’s level, but they both possess enough martial talent to make a name for themselves in the world. I am confident they will grow into powerful experts within a decade. If we’re going to study the peerless martial arts of the Wudang Sect, it’s better for talented individuals to gather and exchange ideas.]

[He is the final piece of my hidden strategy. I will reveal his true identity later, but just know that Jeonghu’s talents rival even Sagong Lin’s.]

Since that time, I hadn’t had much involvement with Jeonghu in my past life. After suffering a heavy defeat from the Thunder God Lineage’s Lee Kwang, I had tried to distance myself from them, avoiding dragging Jeonghu into any mess. Hence, it had completely slipped my mind.

But now Jeonghu was the rightful heir to the throne?!

As I stared at Jeonghu in shock, Zhuge Sa chimed in.

[Well, you might not have known. After all, Hyun had no reason to tell you something like that.]

[What? What’s going on?]

[It’s simple. In the past, Hyun referred to Jeonghu as the final piece. Think about the context when he made that statement.]

[Uh… I don’t quite get it.]

Zhuge Sa laughed heartily.

[At that time, Hyun was already planning a rebellion by leveraging General Hwang Yeon to seize Luoyang, establishing a grand scheme that could influence the throne. Yet, he never once mentioned whether he would actually grant General Hwang the emperor’s title.]

[Oh!]

Now that I think about it, Mangnyang only proposed to eliminate the forces in the Demon Subduing Hall but never discussed what would happen next. Naturally, I hadn’t heard about the emperor’s position either.

[Hyun had no intention of giving General Hwang the emperor’s position. While he is indeed a patriotic hero and a great general, making him the emperor would completely undermine legitimacy. It would essentially be a rebellion against the Ming Empire’s foundations, a path Hyun simply couldn’t choose if he sought peace throughout the land. However, simply leaving the emperor’s seat unoccupied was not an option, so he needed a suitable alternative.]

[And that suitable alternative is…?

[That’s right. It’s Zhu Jeonghu. He’s a royal who is at the top of the imperial succession order. You, being an ignorant country bumpkin, probably didn’t know, but the Zhuge family, who have been astrologers for generations, were all aware of Jeonghu’s existence. I was aware of him too.]

[……]

[Hyun must have had a strong relationship with Jeonghu. He probably believed he could control him even if Jeonghu became emperor. Thus, he literally had him brought into the Thunder God Lineage to nurture his talent while making plans to push him forward as the next emperor.]

As I listened to Zhuge Sa, the entire situation started making sense.

‘Mangnyang was already looking far ahead to that distant future when he was nurturing the Thunder God Lineage.’

I realized I had perished before reaching that future, leaving me oblivious to Mangnyang’s true intentions. I felt a mix of admiration for Mangnyang’s brilliance and a tinge of fear towards Zhuge Sa’s capabilities. Despite sharing memories, the way he could swiftly read Mangnyang’s strategies and mindset in those moments made him a genius himself.

Zhuge Sa chuckled.

[Well, I am a bit extraordinary.]

[Damn it. Stop rambling…]

I snapped back, only to be taken aback.

[Wait a second. But Jin So-cheong is also an heir to the throne, right? She’s even ranked higher than Jeonghu!]

[Oh ho, you actually figured that out with your dull brain. I’ll give you a round of applause.]

[Oh come on…]

[It’s simple. Mangnyang would have naturally known that Jin So-cheong is an heir too. Yet, he still pushed for Jeonghu to ascend the throne. Mangnyang had no desire to grant the emperor’s title to Jin So-cheong.]

[What? Why?]

I asked in surprise. Why would Mangnyang think like that?

Zhuge Sa responded as if it were obvious.

[He might believe he could control Jeonghu, but he had no confidence in controlling Jin So-cheong. That’s all there is to it.]

[I don’t get it.]

[Hmph… I’ll break it down for you. Jeonghu is indeed talented in both intellect and martial prowess, but compared to Jin So-cheong, he’s nothing. The real reason Jin So-cheong is frightening is that her mind techniques, wisdom, willpower, judgment, charisma—everything is on another level.]

Zhuge Sa leisurely continued.

[What happens if you place someone with the innate character of a ruler on the emperor’s seat? Naturally, it would bring disaster upon you and Hyun. Because fundamentally, Jin So-cheong is part of the Thunder God Lineage. At that point, they wouldn’t be able to forge an alliance until the end.]

[……!!]

[Anyway, Lee Kwang is a blessed one. To have such a genius as his disciple…]

As I absorbed Zhuge Sa’s words, I felt a whirlwind of emotions.

‘So, Mangnyang back in that time had already assessed Jin So-cheong’s worth?’

Only now did I start to understand the strategies and psyches of geniuses. I could see how vast the gap was between us and them at that time. Just as I was overwhelmed with an unknown sense of inferiority, Zhuge Sa chuckled softly.

[Just understanding my words puts you above the average human, so don’t freak out.]

[Huh?]

[Oh, focus on what’s in front of you.]

I was taken aback, feeling as if this guy just encouraged me?!

Regardless, as Zhuge Sa pointed out, it was now time to focus on the current situation. Once I regained my composure and surveyed the scene, I saw Zhu Jeonghu had stepped forward to stand merely ten paces from the Sect Leader.

“……”

After a lengthy silence, Zhu Jeonghu asked clearly, “Did you bring me here to make me a puppet emperor?”

How daring for a potential emperor to boldly confront the leader of the White Lotus Sect!

Calmly, the Sect Leader replied, [You’re quite perceptive.]

“Did you assassinate the emperor?”

[No.]

“Then if you want to be emperor, why not just take the throne yourself? Why put someone else in your place?”

Maintaining a steady gaze, the Sect Leader answered, [Because I do not wish to be emperor.]

“……!!”

Zhu Jeonghu’s expression turned to one of shock. Regardless of Jeonghu’s surprise, the Sect Leader continued.

[From my perspective, you are quite a talented individual. If you vow to serve the White Lotus Sect and not oppose its authority, I would be willing to make you emperor.]

Zhu Jeonghu gritted his teeth.

“What if I refuse?”

[Then I’ll send you home. I don’t wish to create chaos in the capital right now.]

The Sect Leader warned quietly, almost patronizingly, as if soothing a child.

[But I cannot guarantee that the next candidate for the throne will be so lenient.]

“……”

That was a fair point. Even as a puppet emperor, Zhu Jeonghu, being a prominent heir, would certainly be seen as a threat. Anyone offended by the Sect Leader wouldn’t stick their neck out to protect him. Zhu Jeonghu might survive today but risk being executed for treason later.

After some contemplation, Zhu Jeonghu knelt and bowed his head to the Sect Leader.

“Please make me the emperor, Sect Leader.”

He chose to embrace reality.

[Good. From today, you are the emperor of the Great Ming Empire.]

“Thank you.”

[Now, take this petition and get to work.]

With a swift motion, the Sect Leader tossed the petition that Dokgo Jun had brought to Zhu Jeonghu. As Zhu Jeonghu caught it, the Sect Leader’s cold voice rang out.

[Go around and inform the ministers that they have accepted my choice. Also, set a date for the imperial succession ritual and reorganize the government structure. You can handle that much, can’t you?]

“Understood.”

[Then go. I’ll assign Su Shin sect experts as guardian warriors, so seek their help when needed.]

“Yes.”

Zhu Jeonghu nodded respectfully before exiting the throne room.

I watched the exchange, flabbergasted. Could it be that post-processing was wrapped up as quickly as lightning? I couldn’t grasp how Dokgo Jun had immediately obtained consent from the court ministers and brought back the petition. Zhuge Sa remarked.

[Not so strange, huh? After all, the emperor is just one power among many. The Sect Leader merely wanted to maintain the system and existing power while putting a new puppet in place. The ministers, who felt their domains weren’t threatened, had no choice but to begrudgingly acknowledge the Sect Leader’s authority.]

[The Sect Leader could easily wipe them all out…]

[You fool. What, did you think the original emperor lacked the strength to handle all of them? Did you hear that nonsense from Lee Kwang? The ministers aren’t just a bunch of clueless fools; they’re the pillars sustaining the Ming Empire, chosen from across China. If they die, chaos will ensue—so why on earth would you kill them?]

Zhuge Sa continued with an air of superiority.

[The Sect Leader, despite appearances, is very wise. He judged that making himself emperor would be too bothersome and face too much backlash, so it was better to have a new emperor as a puppet. In the process, there was hardly any bloodshed. Honestly, even I think this was a perfect maneuver on the Sect Leader’s part.]

[Ugh…]

[And retrieving the petition so quickly means a good number of high-ranking officials are already subservient to the White Lotus Sect. They probably prepared a list of officials to incriminate in advance. The Sect Leader had likely planned this takeover of the palace long ago.]

[I see.]

[Keep this in mind: there’s no such thing as a complete revolution or destruction. It’s just the higher-ups flipping houses.]

That was definitely food for thought.

As I pondered, the Sect Leader turned to me.

[Baek Woong.]

“Yes?”

[You need to go to the Shangguan Family and bring back Clan Leader Shangguan Hyuk.]

What kind of order is this? I looked at the Sect Leader with a puzzled expression as he continued.

[This is a very important task. Make sure to treat him with the utmost respect.]

“Understood.”

With a flash, I exited the palace. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with an eerie silence as the Su Shin experts detained palace officials and controlled the flow of information. I racked my brain on how to reach the Shangguan Family while flipping through memories of the old Twin Gate Sect contacts.

‘The Shangguan Family… Ah! Now that I recall.’

When I attended the slave market of the Wind Spirit Sect last time, I had gone under the name Shangguan Zheng. Back then, I’d been posing as a young master of the Shangguan family. I hadn’t assigned much significance to the fake identity given by the Sect Leader, but it seemed like he and the Shangguan family shared quite the close connection.

Zhuge Sa, as if reading my thoughts, snickered.

[Well, let’s say you’ve grasped about 80%. Just missing the last 20%.]

[What did I miss?]

[The Five Great Physicians.]

With that, Zhuge Sa continued calmly.

[Heavenly Doctor Dongbang Mu-gyeol. Medicine King Hwang Bo-yun. The peerless physician Hua Seong-myeong. The first of Henan, Gang Jeon-gil. So far, you’ve met four of the Five Great Physicians. You probably already know who the last one is?]

A realization hit me like a ton of bricks. How could I have completely overlooked this?

[The Holy Physician Shangguan Hyuk!]

[Exactly. The Holy Physician is the last of the Five Great Physicians. You seem to have not been paying attention since it doesn’t really relate to you.]

Though Zhuge Sa teased, I didn’t feel like clapping back.

The Holy Physician!

That title was something my own medical teacher, Hua Seong-myeong, threw around constantly. Hua Seong-myeong considered Gang Jeon-gil his rival while secretly holding Dongbang Mu-gyeol in high regard, but he always approached the Holy Physician with a contemplative attitude.

The reason was that the Holy Physician truly embodies the art of healing with compassion, and Hua Seong-myeong respected the Holy Physician’s mindset. Moreover, unlike others, the Holy Physician was not specialized in just one area of medicine and was renowned for excelling at every aspect of it. Therefore, Hua Seong-myeong often corresponded with the Holy Physician regarding medical practices, even as the Hua Clan established itself as the most esteemed medical sect in Hebei Province.

In sum – among the Five Great Physicians, he was the most fundamentally sound surgeon! At least, that’s how I thought of the Holy Physician Shangguan Hyuk.

[What… what is this about? Why would the Sect Leader involve the Holy Physician…?]

[I think I get it now.]

[What is it?]

Zhuge Sa replied cryptically.

[Just stop asking questions and go. With this, you’ll have met all the Five Great Physicians!]

 

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