"Walk straight, you bandit bastards."
The Great Tiger General looked up at the sky.
The clear sky was bright without a single cloud.
'Damn it.'
It should be raining, so why is the sky so clear today of all days? It makes a man want to cry.
"Oh my, what's all this about?"
"Looks like the bandits are all getting caught."
"Then did they come from the government office?"
"There's no way government officials would be dressed like that. They must be hieopgaek."
"The bandits are finally paying for their crimes."
Real tears were coming.
'Damn women.'
When famine struck last time, he had released the grain stored in the mountains to provide relief, yet how could they be so heartless? What harm had they ever caused until now?
You can only rob if there's something to rob, but there wasn't even a speck of dust when they searched, so they left them alone, and now they're spouting such vicious words.
"Actually, even though they are bandits, they haven't really caused us any harm."
"Haven't caused harm, my foot. Just the fact that people won't pass through here because of those bastards is damage enough. The taverns and everything else are about to go under."
'Ah, so I was causing harm.'
After hearing this, he came to understand.
"Anyway, once all those bandit bastards are caught, things should get better around here."
Hearing the villagers muttering, Wei Yan-ho twisted his head sideways.
"Should I just kill them right now?"
"Hiiiik! What are you saying, Great Hero! I'll behave myself. Once this matter is resolved, I'll! I'll feed all those people! A person shouldn't cause harm to others!"
"It would be nice if I could believe those words."
Wei Yan-ho tilted his head back indifferently.
"It's not like I'm someone with nothing to do, and I don't have anyone trustworthy, so why would I believe a bandit's words? Is there anyone in the world less trustworthy than you guys except beggars?"
"Why again! Why! Why do you bring up beggars again!"
Zhang-il roared.
"Did a beggar beat you to death in your past life? Did a beggar steal your rice bowl and run off! Why do beggars come up again, beggars!"
"But at least bandits do work."
"Is that work? Huh? Is that work?"
"Better than those who beg…"
"Grrrgh."
Zhang-il grabbed the back of his neck.
'I won't die a natural death.'
Having a stiff neck at such a young age. The King Beggar often said his neck would get stiff because of the incidents he caused when young, and now he was getting the same treatment.
And not even from a disciple, but because of that bastard!
'I'm going to die young at this rate.'
If he wanted to live long, he needed to leave that bastard's vicinity. But Zhang-il's misfortune was that he couldn't leave Wei Yan-ho's side due to his assigned mission.
'No. Still, I'm better off than those guys.'
Looking at the mountain bandits walking tied together with rope like dried corvina, his mind calmed a little. At least it was a hundred times better than being in that state.
The appearance of the mountain bandits was truly pitiful beyond words.
Whether they were acting this way because they truly had no confidence to oppose Wei Yan-ho, or because they thought it was right to yield for now to achieve their purpose, regardless of their intention, the fact that they looked pitiful right now didn't change.
'Getting involved with that bastard leads to ruin in an instant.'
Zhang-il shook his head vigorously.
Thinking about it, there wasn't a single person who had benefited from getting involved with Wei Yan-ho.
'Isn't that bastard like some incarnation of misfortune?'
While Zhang-il was seriously pondering, they left the village and began climbing the mountain.
Bokho Mountain wasn't a particularly famous mountain, but it had become famous for having a large mountain stronghold called Great Tiger Stronghold. The stronghold master of Bokho Mountain, Little Tiger, was a legendary figure who had assisted the current Green Forest King since he was just one of the seventy-two stronghold masters, helping him rise to the position of Green Forest King…
'Let's stop.'
That legendary figure was now walking up the mountain in the lead, bound with rope in silence. Even in the unorthodox world, someone with that level of reputation should receive corresponding treatment, but Wei Yan-ho seemed to have no such concept at all.
Even if he tried to say something, it was obvious he would retort with 'Give proper treatment to bandits?' Wei Yan-ho dismissed the Green Forest as merely strong bandits, so what could be done?
"I guess because they're mountain bandits, they climb mountains well even with their hands tied."
"..."
Zhang-il could see the Great Tiger General's shoulders twitching.
'That might not be an insult.'
Thinking about it, when Wei Yan-ho had been calling him 'beggar, beggar' all this time, it was simply because he was a beggar. Then the reason for calling mountain bandits mountain bandits was just because those bastards were mountain bandits…
"He really lives life so simply."
A life of calling things whatever he wants to call them and doing whatever he wants to do—isn't that a life everyone dreams of but doesn't dare attempt?
Thinking this way as they climbed the mountain, wooden palisades began to appear in the distance.
"Is that it?"
"Yes, it is."
"Huh."
Wei Yan-ho frowned as if he couldn't understand at all.
"In broad daylight, bandits are living together with such a setup, so what exactly are the government troops doing to leave that alone? Truly lamentable."
"Why did your speech pattern suddenly change?"
"You're supposed to use this kind of speech at times like this."
"…Show-off."
Wei Yan-ho continued, truly seeming not to understand.
"No, really, how can something like this happen? There's obviously a mountain stronghold right there. If people suffered damage, the government troops must have known there was a stronghold there, so why didn't they subjugate it and just leave it alone?"
Wei Jeong-han spoke as if it wasn't a big deal.
"There are various reasons. First, the garrison that the local government office can mobilize cannot attack the Green Forest's mountain stronghold. Second, mobilizing the central army requires a lot of time and money."
"What? It costs money to bring the central army?"
"That's right."
"Why? Isn't the army originally there to protect the people?"
"That's how it should be, but in reality, it doesn't work that way."
At Wei Jeong-han's words, Wei Yan-ho's eyebrows shot up.
"This won't do. That gentleman's words were all fancy, but in reality, he doesn't do anything."
"Whose words?"
"There's this old man. Inspector General or something?"
"…Prince Lee? Are you saying you've met Prince Lee?"
"Yes. Well, by coincidence."
Wei Jeong-han's face trembled.
'What on earth has this kid been up to?'
Wei Jeong-han forced a smile.
Still, he's someone with sense, so surely he didn't act like this in front of Prince Lee too. One wrong move and three generations could lose their heads for insulting the royal family.
'Should I ask?'
Somehow he felt like he shouldn't ask.
Wei Jeong-han squeezed his eyes shut.
Well, ignorance is bliss.
"It's not Prince Lee's fault. The reason the current government offices can't fulfill their roles isn't because of the Inspector General's office, but because of the Eastern Faction. If it weren't for Nok Gi, that bastard, the royal family wouldn't be in this state."
"Oh? I've heard that name before too."
"He's the head of the Eastern Faction. That bastard is blocking His Majesty's eyes and covering his ears."
"But there's one thing I absolutely can't understand."
"Hmm?"
"Prince Lee is the Emperor's brother, right."
"His Imperial Majesty! You brat! His Majesty!"
"Yes. Anyway."
"…That's right."
Wei Yan-ho tilted his head as if he didn't understand.
"But how can Nok Gi gain greater trust from His Imperial Majesty than Prince Lee? I absolutely can't understand trusting a eunuch's words more than a brother's words."
"It's not incomprehensible."
Wei Jeong-han clicked his tongue and said.
"A eunuch can never become emperor even if he dies, right?"
"Yes. Because he's a eunuch."
"…You need to learn to speak more tactfully."
"Then should I say he's missing something? Someone who's missing that."
"Ugh."
Better stop talking.
"Anyway, a eunuch is someone who will never covet the imperial throne. So what he covets is at most the position of being below one person and above ten thousand. Paradoxically, this position can receive greater power the more the emperor's authority is strengthened. So wouldn't he trust the eunuch Nok Gi more than Prince Lee, who might covet his position given the chance?"
"But I don't think that's it."
"Don't think that the emperor's interests and the realm's interests always align. Using Nok Gi heavily might harm the realm, but it could help strengthen His Imperial Majesty's imperial authority."
"Huh? That sounds like a dangerous statement?"
"Ahem!"
Wei Jeong-han coughed roughly and looked at the main gate.
"Shouldn't we go in?"
"Tell them to open the gate."
At Wei Yan-ho's words, the Great Tiger General stepped forward with tears in his eyes.
Good heavens, to have to stand before his subordinates in such a state and shout for them to open the gate… Just how much more humiliation was he planning to give?
'Demonic little brat.'
The Great Tiger General walked forward roughly and shouted.
"Open the gate!"
Then the bandits keeping watch on the palisades discovered the Great Tiger General's appearance and their eyes widened.
"St-stronghold master?"
"Why aren't you opening the gate immediately! Didn't I tell you to open the gate!"
"…No, stronghold master. What's with that appearance?"
"You bastards!"
The Great Tiger General shouted with full authority.
"The stronghold master has returned, so why aren't you opening the gate immediately! Do I really have to beat you to death before you'll listen! If you want to know why I'm called the Great Tiger General, feel free to dawdle like that. If not, right now! Open the gate!"
The Great Tiger General's voice overflowed with authority, and his expression held a majesty like frost.
However…
"It must be hard to be so dignified while tied up like that."
"…There is that aspect, isn't there?"
The conversation between Wei Yan-ho and Zhang-il made the Great Tiger General's shoulders droop.
At least they should have the consideration not to let people hear such things! Consideration! You damned brats!
Whether the Great Tiger General's authority, which didn't work on the guys behind him, worked on his subordinates, the wooden palisade began to rise.
Wei Yan-ho looked at this scene with dissatisfied eyes.
"The bandits have built themselves a fortress, a fortress. Something like this should just be smashed to pieces in one go."
"…We're sorry."
"Anyway, let's go in first and if I don't like it, I'll turn it all upside down, so keep that in mind."
"Yes!"
Wei Yan-ho walked into the mountain stronghold while grumbling, and the vast appearance of the stronghold entered his eyes.
"It's just like a village, a village. These bandits…"
Suddenly, Wei Yan-ho closed his mouth and began tilting his head.
"Huh?"
That person, I think I've seen them somewhere before.
That person tied up tightly with rope in the center there…
"Huh?"
Wei Yan-ho looked at the tied-up person with a bewildered face and blinked several times. After tilting his head and looking at the tied-up person for a long time, Wei Yan-ho unconsciously opened his mouth.
"Hey! Why are you here?"