Hi @Everyone, Membership is now available for this novel! Please check it out here @ patreon.com/SaberToothTL
Full novel available here @ patreon.com/SaberToothTL
Chapter 28
by DelightfulPaladin6866Chapter 28:
“How dare this loafer toy with the young lady!”
Wei Yan-ho looked at the young man who had suddenly appeared. A young man with a handsome face dressed in typical scholar’s attire was glaring at him with anger filling his expression.
Wei Yan-ho turned his gaze away from the young man and asked Moon Eun-ji.
“Who is he?”
Moon Eun-ji didn’t answer and spoke toward the young man instead.
“No, Master Dam. It’s not like that…”
The young man called Master Dam waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll handle this.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
But Master Dam was obstinate.
“You bastard, I was already at my limit watching you laze about playing Go like some loafer! How dare you toy with the young lady! Did you think you’d get away with it?”
Wei Yan-ho chuckled.
“Whether others play Go or go fishing is their business.”
“What’s so special about a pathetic fool who spends all day playing Go and living in idleness?”
Wei Yan-ho looked directly at Master Dam.
“I’ll relay those exact words to Scholar Moon.”
“What?”
“That he’s a pathetic fool who spends all day playing Go and living in idleness? Isn’t that insulting your master?”
At Wei Yan-ho’s words, Dam Jin-gok was slightly flustered.
Come to think of it, wasn’t playing Go exactly what his master Moon Yu-hwan did as well?
“You’re different from my master.”
“How so?”
“You’re just being lazy! My master merely enjoys Go as a hobby!”
“But in the end, you’re both playing Go and lounging around, right?”
“How could you possibly compare to my master!”
Wei Yan-ho clicked his tongue.
“You do the same thing, but judge people differently? What a remarkable judge you’ve become.”
“You bastard!”
Wei Yan-ho glanced at Moon Eun-ji.
“Am I wrong?”
“…”
Moon Eun-ji couldn’t easily answer.
In truth, if one examined the genuine intent, it was clearly wrong. How could one compare Moon Yu-hwan, whose personal scholarship had reached its peak and was advancing into new realms, with Wei Yan-ho, who seemed ignorant of even basic learning?
However, based solely on the surface words, it was difficult to declare them wrong.
Wei Yan-ho looked at Dam Jin-gok with a bright smile.
“And whether others are lazy or not, what business is it of yours? Are you my father or something?”
“Coming to this hall of learning to be lazy—aren’t you ashamed?”
“You study because you want to study, and I sleep because I want to sleep. What’s the difference between you and I that I should be ashamed?”
“How can studying and sleeping be the same!”
“What’s different about them?”
“They’re different! Of course they’re different!”
“Fine. I understand, so tell me what’s different.”
“You gain something from learning!”
“Sleeping relieves fatigue too.”
“Ha! Learning allows you to establish yourself properly.”
“It’s hard to stand up straight when you’re tired too.”
Dam Jin-gok gritted his teeth.
“Learning can be an end in itself. But sleeping cannot be an end in itself — by any standard.”
“Learning is an end in itself?”
“That’s right!”
“Then why do you learn?”
“Hmph! What an obvious question! To establish myself properly and, furthermore, to achieve fame and success.”
Wei Yan-ho grinned.
“Fame and success… In the end, you’re just learning to get ahead in life too.”
“Hmph! How could the purpose of fame and success be limited to mere advancement! I will rise to office and make this country a better place to live.”
“How?”
“How, you ask?”
“How will you make it better to live in?”
“…”
“If you’ve studied for over ten years with that purpose, you must have some plan for what you’ll do after taking office, right? What systems will you create, what laws will you establish?”
“I will ensure that the people live in peace…”
“Ah, not that kind of lip service. I could make up hundreds of those right now, so how about telling me about specific processes and systems?”
“…”
Wei Yan-ho shrugged.
“In the end, you’re just studying because you want to get ahead too. Or you just followed what people around you said about needing to study without question. You might think you’re doing something great… Well, from my perspective, you and I don’t seem much different.”
Dam Jin-gok’s face reddened.
“How could I possibly be the same as a lazy bum like you! At least I don’t slack off like you do.”
“Well… I’ll acknowledge that. You’re probably better than me. But was the reason you studied for over ten years to become a better person than me? That’s unfortunate. You would have been better than me even without studying.”
“You…”
Wei Yan-ho looked at Dam Jin-gok, whose face had turned red and who was breathing heavily, and declared sharply:
“Whether you learn or not is none of my business, but I’d prefer if you didn’t look down on others thinking you’re doing something great. Your Confucian studies surely contain teachings about not looking down on others, and frankly, it’s quite unseemly for someone who can’t even practice the most basic teachings to discuss learning.”
Wei Yan-ho left those words behind and turned around.
Dam Jin-gok seemed about to say something, muttering angrily before spitting out curses and leaving.
Moon Eun-ji looked at Wei Yan-ho with a fresh expression.
Wei Yan-ho smiled slightly at her.
“What? See me in a new light?”
“Yes.”
Unexpectedly, Moon Eun-ji nodded readily.
“Really?”
“I see you in a new light. I’ve never seen such sophistry in my life.”
“Hmm?”
Moon Eun-ji let out a hollow laugh.
“Goodness, saying that learning and sleeping are the same because you do both because you like them…”
“Well, I don’t think it’s particularly wrong.”
“I’d like to peek inside your head. How can you say such things so confidently?”
“It’s nothing special.”
Wei Yan-ho chuckled.
Then he walked ahead, leaving Moon Eun-ji behind. Moon Eun-ji watched his retreating figure with a faint smile.
‘I do see him in a new light.’
Debate was an essential part of learning.
The Academy always included debate in its curriculum.
Dam Jin-gok was someone who yielded to no one in debate.
Even if it was sophistry, it was the first time she’d seen Dam Jin-gok so one-sidedly overwhelmed in debate.
The more she observed Wei Yan-ho, the more peculiar a person he seemed.
“That young man?”
“Yes.”
The old man smiled gently.
Behind the old man, Moon Yu-hwan stood quietly with his hands clasped.
“Indeed, an interesting young man.”
“He’s an extraordinary person.”
“Extraordinary… That seems right. The question is in what way he’s extraordinary.”
“He appears to be hiding himself.”
“Hiding himself?”
“That’s how it seemed to me, Grand Scholar.”
At Moon Yu-hwan’s words, the old man nodded. The old man gazed quietly at Wei Yan-ho with profound eyes before smiling.
“That may well be.”
The old man watched Wei Yan-ho’s retreating figure and murmured quietly.
“An interesting child.”
***
Eunuch Nok Gi spread his pale hand to lift his teacup.
The fragrance of Pu-erh tea from Sichuan always calmed his mood. The aroma of Pu-erh tea, fermented over many years, brought him the pleasure of time’s passage.
But now he couldn’t sense the Pu-erh tea’s fragrance well. It wasn’t because the Pu-erh tea was inferior, but because his mind wasn’t at peace. Eunuch Nok savored the Pu-erh tea’s aroma for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.
“What did you say?”
At Eunuch Nok’s question, Nok Mok-pung bowed his head deeply.
“It seems difficult, Father.”
Eunuch Nok’s eyes narrowed.
“Difficult?”
“Yes.”
“Worthless fool.”
At Eunuch Nok’s words, Nok Mok-pung couldn’t respond.
“Did I give you something difficult?”
“No.”
“If you can’t even get your hands on one little girl, what can you hope to accomplish?”
“I’m sorry.”
Nok Mok-pung’s face was contorted with a mixture of shame and anger.
“So you plan to give up like this?”
“…It’s not easy.”
“With all the teachings I’ve given you, is it so difficult to choose one suitable method from among those many strategies?”
“In normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have dared disturb your peace of mind, Father.”
Eunuch Nok tilted his head.
“Not normal circumstances? Is there some problem?”
Nok Mok-pung raised his head and continued.
“A strange person called the Academy Genius has appeared at the Academy.”
“Academy Genius?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard rumors. But isn’t he just an ignorant fool who spends his time playing Go?”
“He’s not the problem. The problem is that influential people from across the nation have flocked to the Academy because of him. Being conscious of their eyes, our movements are too restricted. If we act clumsily, we might face a backlash.”
“Many eyes are watching.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
Eunuch Nok stroked his beardless chin with interest.
‘Influential people…’
It was well known that Moon Yu-hwan’s tea companions had strong influence even in the imperial palace. Otherwise, someone of Eunuch Nok’s stature wouldn’t be wary of Moon Yu-hwan. Even without them, it would be difficult work, but having to plan while avoiding their eyes would make it several times harder.
“Then I understand your hesitation.”
“I’m sorry.”
“However.”
“Yes.”
Eunuch Nok’s eyes grew cold again.
“Do you think this mission is simply for my welfare?”
“…”
“Seizing control of the imperial palace is a mission that person personally gave me. Failing to complete this mission is impossible. For me, and for you as well.”
Nok Mok-pung’s shoulders trembled.
“I’m not afraid of dying. But disappointing that person is more frightening than death. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes! I understand well.”
Eunuch Nok nodded.
“Hesitation is unnecessary. Sometimes rough methods are needed.”
“Rough methods?”
“The Academy Genius… that bastard is unintentionally helping us. If things turn out this way, that little girl doesn’t matter. We can obtain something greater.”
Nok Mok-pung tilted his head.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Hohohoho.”
“If there are many influential people, we can use that to our advantage. Moon Yu-hwan has dug his own grave.”
Nok Mok-pung didn’t understand what Nok Gi meant. But he knew well how skilled Nok Gi was in scheming, having risen to the center of imperial power as a eunuch. When Nok Gi spoke this way, it meant he was already prepared to trap Moon Yu-hwan.
Eunuch Nok’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“The imperial palace will now come into my hands.”
Gracias por el capitulo! 😃!
Thanks for the translation and the chapters, looking forward to more!
Is there a release schedule?