I Became the Crown Prince of a Ruined Country

15 – Handan Excursion

“You must have a troubled face.”

Pyeongwon-gun’s mansion. The person who came up to me and talked to me was none other than Punggi.

I looked at him in surprise. Even if it’s Chuyeon, who I have the most conversations with, he’ll recognize my expression at a glance.

It wasn’t like he was immersed in deep thought or ignoring the words that came to him.

This is an insight worthy of his reputation as a guest of fortune. Because of this, he must have been firmly guarding the first place in the ranking of diners until Pyeongwon-gun’s pocket was full-fledged and he became a nangjungjichu.

Still, I calmly asked back, hiding my embarrassment as much as possible.

“Can you see that?”

“Can I sit down?”

“As much as you like.”

When I pointed forward, he sat down in a comfortable posture.

I was nervous. Punggi was the one called the mouth of Pyeongwongun. He was almost the only one among the diners in Pyeongwon-gun to have a relationship with King Jo, and he said that he had taught him many times while dealing with King Jo alone.

If he noticed my troubles, my worries about Jung…….

The moment I swallowed my saliva, Pung-gi’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Young master.”

“Yes, wind chimes.”

“Don’t worry about things with Yan.”

“Yes…?”

Huh? Why is Yan appearing here all of a sudden?

I was expecting Jung to be mentioned and warned to be careful of one’s behavior. However, Yeon Na-ra, who suddenly jumped out, dispelling all expectations, released the tense tension.

“hahahaha, looking here, Young master still looks the same age as he did.”

“Ah, hahahahaha…Isn’t it?”

“This is true. Pyeongwon-gun personally sent me, so you can believe it.”

I don’t know what Pung-gi is talking about, but it seems that the meeting with Jeong was not noticed.

From the moment I received the protection of Pyeongwon-gun, my personal affairs were taken over by Pyeongwon-gun, and the guards sent by King Jo or Gunsin-gun disappeared.

And Pyeongwon-gun tended to give me a lot of freedom. If you didn’t ask for an escort, you wouldn’t even attach someone else.

As I let out a sigh of relief, he continued to speak.

“Guests with little knowledge of Young master’s outings dismiss it as a child’s excursion and criticize it, but I know that it is to get information. Even just looking at this incident, it’s not a big deal, but seeing that they know and worry about it. I really thought Pyeongwon-gun was someone worth caring about.”

“That’s too much praise.”

Sorry. Actually, those diners are right. I just wanted to play.

Is it because he has so much loyalty and respect for Pyeongwon-gun? Since Pyeongwon-gun treated me well, it seemed that he was looking at me with his own bean pods.

‘For things like that, Pyeongwon-kun wouldn’t be a perfect person, even causing the Great War of Jangpyeong.’

Anyway, the Yeon Na-ra thing that Pung-gi talked about wasn’t even a big story.

I know that if Yan and Jo collide, the two wagons of Yeompa and Imok will crush Yan, but those who don’t know how huge the talent gap is, just look at the simple numbers and think that Yan will be worse right away. I was under the illusion that I was in a strong state.

The problem is that King Jo is among those who fall into that state.

However, King Zhao was not completely embarrassed by Yan. If that was the case, he wouldn’t have done this to me in the first place.

However, when Yeon Nara really sucked her face and threatened, it was enough that she had no choice but to listen.

So, when the Yan Dynasty put pressure on them and demanded the expulsion of King Zhao’s younger brother, Ye Linggun, who was a half-Yeon faction, the King of Zhao was determined to grant the request.

At this time, the person who took the lead was Pung-gi. He went to King Zhao and persuaded King Zhao to reject Yan’s request, saying that it would be foolish to expel Ye Ling’s army.

This incident had quite a symbolic meaning.

Because Pyeongwon-gun, who had been bowing down in the meantime, proved his influence on the political world through his diners named Pung-gi.

“Pyeongwon-gun is preparing to return in earnest.”

“Oh, to think that I am so aloof even though I know that Pyeongwon-gun is behind me. I am indeed the Young master chosen by Pyeongwon-gun.”

Well, if Pyeongwon-gun sets up a confrontation with Yan, will I be scared of that?

Anyway, Pyeongwon-gun’s investment in me is not to get along well with the current Yan Dynasty, but it’s a big picture for the next generation. There’s no reason to waste your time on something like this.

Above all else, to reassure me, he even sent me the morals like this. There was no room to doubt Pyeongwongun’s true intentions.

“I haven’t been able to see the other passengers lately, so I guess everyone is busy?”

“That’s right. As Young master knows, Gongsun Long and Chu Yan are wandering around the country of Zhao. Ma Suu, um… Young master would know that well.”

I know. Don’t know well

That the thug is also serving as an escort for Pyeongwon-gun.

He said that I was too poor and that’s why I couldn’t become a great person.

Of course, I am well aware of the importance of exercise, but I wonder if the parameters are a bit extreme. It was an experience that reminded him of his training camp days in his previous life.

“I’ve told you everything. Let’s go back now.”

“Ah, so Pyeongwon-gun isn’t coming today?”

“Uhm, I don’t know. Even if you come, I think you’ll be very late.”

Then I have to go home too. Pyeongwon-gun isn’t there, so there’s no reason to wait here. I’m not even a regular eater.

Although I couldn’t meet Pyeongwon-gun in person, the harvest was great. The importance of good information hurts your mouth to say two things.

Pyeongwon-gun vs. Geonsin-gun.

The power struggle between the former and the present will soon begin in earnest. It is a battle between the new and the old. The struggle for leadership between Pyeongwon-gun, the younger brother of the previous king, and Geonsin-gun, who is now favored by the king, will not end so easily.

Of course, objectively and subjectively, it is true that Pyeongwongun’s power is stronger.

With Pyeongwongun, a member of the royal family, as the apex, the lineup of Mosu, Punggi, Gongsonryong, and Chuyeon, all under him, is formidable.

However, from what I heard, the forces of the Gunsin Army were by no means formidable. If it was Pyeongwon-gun, which had 3,000 diners in its heyday, it might be possible, but now, after being cut into 1/3, Pyeongwon-gun and Geonsin-gun had almost the same size of diners.

Even though the number is the same, the class is not different.

‘If Pyeongwon-gun has Oh Yun-gaek, Geon-shin has three talented warriors.’

This was a phrase you would hear often while walking down the street.

Wigae(魏魀), Hee-sa(希寫), Go Seong-sang(苦成常).

Compared to Pyongwon-gun, Geonsin-gun, who was remarkably lacking in personal ability, was able to replace Pyeongwon-gun because they supported Geonsin-gun from behind.

And the fact that he was a close relative of the royal family did not give him an overwhelming advantage. I didn’t know that it might be a disadvantage in some way.

To King Jo, Geonsin-gun is like a pet dog that always listens to him. The Geonsingun, who has no legitimacy and only relies on the king’s favor, can never disobey the king’s words.

On the contrary, Pyeongwon-gun was the uncle of the present King Jo. As you well know, it is easy to find examples of his uncle usurping his nephew.

King Sejo of Joseon was like that, and Emperor Yongle of Ming Dynasty was like that.

As King Jo, Pyeongwon-gun might feel burdensome.

‘So King Jo probably won’t actively intervene in the fight between the two. Pyeongwon-gun’s status is high to openly push Geonsin-gun, and it’s too burdensome to push Pyeongwon-gun.’

In this respect, the Great War of Jangpyeong was conversely helpful to Pyeongwon-gun.

If it had not been for the Great War of Jangpyeong, the power of Pyeongwongun would have been even greater than it is now, and there was a very high possibility that it would have been purged by the King Jo who could not stand it.

It was explained at length, but it was a matter that no one could predict how the secret battle between Pyeongwon-gun and Geonsin-gun would turn out.

Contrary to my thoughts, King Jo, who judged that it was dangerous to cause even the slightest disturbance, could intervene and end it early, and there was also the possibility that a third party would appear.

However, there was one thing that was clear.

While those two forces clash, the public’s attention will be focused there, and the interest in me will decrease.

‘For the time being, there won’t be any big problems if I meet Jung.’

It’s Pyeongwon-gun’s business, would it make any difference if I didn’t intervene? There must be a lot of talented people who are much better than me.

So, I’m going to go buy Jeongi’s presents with ease.

The next day, instead of going to Pyeongwon-gun’s mansion, I headed to the market.

“Which one would you prefer…”

Wandering around the market in Seoseong, I carefully examined each and every item on the stalls.

The most common gifts are accessories. There were many types of hairpins, bracelets, and rings.

However, I am worried that such easily noticeable items will be immediately discovered and stolen.

‘Then clothes?’

If you wear the clothes you gave me inside and put an old cloth on top like last time, it won’t be hidden well.

I thought about that for a while. It is immediately refuted by the objection that it is not possible to wear such a cloth inside the house. In that case, it would be easier to hide small trinkets.

Let’s go further inside, accompanied by Seok and Hugh, who are guarding me tightly as if they would never leave me again….

Quaang! Wow Jangchang!

“f*ck the bullsh*t! What kind of chi moves like that!!”

There was a fight going on.