Chapter 036
Despite Baek Sugyeong's extensive knowledge of martial arts fiction, he wasn't particularly well-versed in imperial matters.
In martial arts novels, the imperial court typically served only a few purposes: First, as a historical backdrop. Second, as a device to highlight the protagonist. Third, as a source for imperial heroines. Fourth, as a setting for elite martial groups like the Embroidered Uniform Guard or Eastern Depot.
That was about it.
Baek Sugyeong had rarely featured the imperial palace in his works. He hadn't been particularly interested in that aspect, nor had he felt any need to include it.
But now—a member of the imperial family had come to see him?
'What did I do wrong?'
That was the only thought that came to his naturally bleached mind.
Baek Sugyeong's face turned ashen.
"I, Baek Sugyeong, pay respects to the Princess!"
He instinctively prostrated himself, pressing his limbs and forehead to the ground.
The imperial bloodline that ruled this country had enough power to take his head on the flimsiest of pretexts. Moreover, if she bore the title of princess, it meant she was legitimate offspring of the Emperor and Empress.
She had referred to herself as Princess Nakhong, indicating she had already been officially invested as a princess by the Emperor.
Cold sweat ran down his spine involuntarily.
Ju Geumye's voice seemed to float into his ears.
"My goodness. Have I done something wrong, Officer Yi?"
"Please speak, Your Highness."
"Was there something inappropriate about my behavior?"
Yi Jonhyo looked back and forth between Baek Sugyeong, who was flat on the ground, and the princess's face.
Unable to find the right words, Yi Jonhyo's expression made Ju Geumye laugh.
"I'm joking."
"Please consider how Your Highness's words can lift a person up or bring them down."
"I'll be careful."
Ju Geumye smiled mischievously at Yi Jonhyo's complaint.
However, her gaze was sharply examining Baek Sugyeong.
Though Yi Jonhyo noticed her scrutiny, he said nothing about it. After all, she was royalty. Someone who could erase the Dragon Gate Li Clan and everything else if she so desired.
Though the imperial court maintained a hands-off approach toward the martial world, that was only because the martial world didn't encroach upon imperial territory.
If that line were crossed, no one knew what might happen.
"Baek Sugyeong, raise your head. I came to talk with you, not to face someone prostrating before me."
"How could I possibly—"
"Must I make it an order?"
At those simple words, Baek Sugyeong raised his head.
Seeing him, Ju Geumye said:
"I'll exempt you from formalities from now on, so please get up."
"I wouldn't dare—"
"Don't make me repeat myself, Baek Sugyeong. I told you I came here to talk."
Baek Sugyeong's attitude toward Ju Geumye was excessively cautious.
Ju Geumye gestured for him to sit as he seemed to realize anew that dangerous figures in the Central Plains weren't limited to martial artists.
Unable to resist her insistence, Baek Sugyeong sat down, and Yi Jonhyo pushed a cup of dragon well tea toward him.
"Please drink, Old Master Baek. Your Highness, I shall take my leave now."
"Thank you for your hard work, Officer. I'll speak to Father Emperor separately about the Dragon Gate Li Clan, so don't worry about it."
"I am deeply grateful for the imperial favor."
As Yi Jonhyo walked away, Baek Sugyeong's expression grew even more grim, though he desperately tried to hide it.
Of course, he couldn't suppress his rising suspicions.
'Officer, did you keep me here all this time just to arrange this meeting with the Princess?'
No answer came, but a small certainty raised its head that this might indeed be the case.
He couldn't tell how long this had been planned.
But he could instinctively sense that his meeting with Ju Geumye was no coincidence.
His intuition told him so.
As Baek Sugyeong picked up his teacup to soothe his burning anxiety, Ju Geumye's voice reached him.
"Did you know that thanks to your book, the number of people seeking martial adventures has increased, Baek Sugyeong?"
"Pardon…?"
"Haven't you heard rumors that many people, admiring Jin Un's heroic battles against evil forces, have decided to become martial artists, and most of them knock on Wudang's door?"
"I am aware of that, but…"
He wondered why she was suddenly discussing the "Wudang Sword Hero".
Hiding his confusion, Baek Sugyeong responded to her words.
"I must thank you, Baek Sugyeong, as the author of Wudang Sword Hero, for guiding those old-fashioned orthodox sects, those ruffians who deserve to be called fallen tigers."
"I'm not sure what you mean…"
"Surely you don't still fail to realize how much change your book has brought to the martial world?"
It wasn't that he had never dismissed "Wudang Sword Hero" as pulp fiction.
But ever since she started reading it, both Ju Geumye and her father, Emperor Myeongjeong, had been deeply immersed in it.
Of course, separately from that, Ju Geumye had maintained a cool assessment of Baek Sugyeong.
At least, until she met him in person.
"I'm curious about something."
"Please ask, Your Highness."
"About the incident in volume five, when there was a conflict with the Namgung Clan… why did you include such negative portrayals?"
He had thought it was something serious, but she was talking about the incident in volume five.
He felt slightly relieved, but Baek Sugyeong didn't let his guard down as he answered her question.
"Even orthodox sects have their dark sides. Where there is light, there must be shadow."
"But don't you think you pushed the Namgung Clan too far? I found it hard to accept while reading."
"An author cannot convince every reader. Not every reader likes the author. That's something to be taken into account."
A bit more comfortably, but still maintaining his vigilance, Baek Sugyeong took a sip of dragon well tea.
"No one can convince everyone. Perfection doesn't exist."
"But couldn't you fix minor flaws?"
"Revising text isn't difficult."
"Then…"
Clack.
Baek Sugyeong put down his teacup and looked at Ju Geumye.
"However, it's impossible to revise something that countless people have already read."
If numerous people had already read it and enjoyed it, it was better to leave it as is.
No matter if his interlocutor was royalty or a princess, that fact couldn't be changed.
Ju Geumye asked:
"Why is that?"
"Because countless people have already seen it. If Your Highness commands, I could revise the text. But that would distort the entire work that is Wudang Sword Hero."
"That's…"
"Just as with my life, there's no point in debating events that have already passed."
The bitter smile on Baek Sugyeong's lips deepened.
'Who would have imagined he'd end up living as an author in the martial world?'
Ju Geumye clicked her tongue lightly, then changed her expression.
"…I see. If I were to have Wudang Sword Hero rewritten according to my opinions, the entire work might be ruined. I've learned something."
"You're too kind."
"If there's something to learn, learn even from a child. Isn't that what Jin Un often says?"
She even remembers that.
Baek Sugyeong's bitter smile wouldn't fade.
"What exactly did Your Highness find difficult to accept?"
"The fact that the Namgung Clan suddenly appeared as puppets of the Heavenly Pole True Cult without any foreshadowing. And because of their young master who fell victim to poison, Jin Un, who was renowned as a righteous hero…"
"People naturally disregard means and methods when their family is in danger. Though that might be somewhat distant from imperial reality."
At Baek Sugyeong's words, this time it was Ju Geumye who gave a bitter smile.
"You seemed uninterested in imperial matters, yet you pierce right to the heart of things. Are you a sage?"
"I'm merely a scholar who wishes to live an ordinary life."
"For someone who says that, you seem to have come quite a long way."
"I'm painfully aware of that fact."
After all, none other than Princess Nakhong Ju Geumye had come to see him personally.
Of course, if Baek Sugyeong had known in detail what kind of background Ju Geumye had, he would have been terrified, given his ignorance of imperial affairs.
Knowing this, Ju Geumye deliberately avoided mentioning her position within the imperial palace.
"Well, anyway, let's get back to our discussion. For a prestigious clan like the Namgung, don't you think you portrayed them too harshly? There are quite a few Namgung clan members serving in the imperial palace…"
He hadn't known that.
He hadn't written with the imperial court in mind in the first place.
Ju Geumye continued:
"The Namgung Clan holds considerable status in the current dynasty's government, and their influence in the martial world is not small either. Aren't you afraid of them?"
"I've already written about Wudang and Shaolin. What more could I be afraid to write?"
Baek Sugyeong touched his teacup as he spoke.
When writing the first draft of "Wudang Sword Hero", he thought it might have been better to send it to the Wudang Sect for review first.
But he had no chance to do so before getting caught by So Ssanga and ending up here.
He wouldn't have had any defense if the Wudang Sect had taken his head.
In a way, it could be seen as copyright infringement.
Setting aside his internal worries, Baek Sugyeong answered:
"If I can't live as I wish, I'd rather break than bend. I've been firm in that resolve for some time."
"Since you became entangled in martial world affairs?"
"…Yes."
At Baek Sugyeong's resolute answer, Ju Geumye made a thoughtful sound and rested her chin on her hand.
Looking at Baek Sugyeong with an inscrutable gaze, she said:
"Then, what about the imperial palace?"
"Pardon?"
It was Baek Sugyeong who was taken aback.
What did she mean by asking about the imperial palace?
He couldn't fathom her intention behind such a question.
Confusion swept over him like a dark cloud.
Ju Geumye drove the point home:
"The imperial palace could protect you from any threat in the martial world, Baek Sugyeong."
The smile on her lips deepened.
"Won't you come to the imperial palace?"
It was a recruitment offer from the imperial court—something Baek Sugyeong had never even considered.
---
📚 Author's Note:
Thanks to Dao_of_Reader for the 1 Power Stone!
🐧