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Episode 160. The King of the Three Kingdoms (2)
Ha Yoon-ha spread her arms without saying a word.
Then the maids came one by one and helped her dress up.
A maid asked her cautiously.
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
Ha Yoon-ha, who had been blankly staring at the voice, blinked her eyes and came to her senses.
“Huh, huh?”
“Your complexion doesn’t look very good.”
There was one reason why Yoon-ha's expression was not good.
Because the news that the hero had returned was simply a false report.
I had high expectations, but in the end it was just the same.
He was already very upset because of the false reports, and according to the intelligence, he was also facing an assassination crisis.
Today was a day of discussion about assassination and a meeting about the Red Dragon.
Even if it is called a convention, it is only a decision by Ha Yoon-ha on whether to approve or not on matters decided through discussion in the National Assembly.
That was the king's absolute power.
Yoon-ha tried to smile and answer the maid's worries.
“Ah… … . I just had something to think about. And. When we’re alone, you don’t have to call me that. You’re the same age as me. Your Majesty, Your Majesty. You’re not even an emperor, you’re a king, so why do you call me Your Majesty? To be honest, it’s a little embarrassing.”
The title "Your Majesty" was a word used to refer to the emperor.
That is why in Man-gyeong, which is currently only a city-state, it is actually correct to call them king and his highness.
However, within the palace, the Man-gyeong was called the Empire, and the ministers used the titles of Majesty and Emperor.
The maid smiled at Yoon-ha's words and said as she buttoned up her palace gown.
“Your Majesty, you may think so, but other people don’t. You can put your hands down now.”
Ha Yoon-ha lowered both her hands obediently.
“And I am not the emperor. If there is an emperor, it is ‘him.’ I am only his representative.”
“Yes, yes, I understand. Your Majesty. Would you like to sit here? I need to finish my makeup.”
“Really. Are you even listening to me?”
“Please close your eyes.”
"yes……."
The maid carefully finished applying Yoon-ha's makeup.
In the hallway outside, the sounds of people bustling about could already be heard.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
The ones who entered the room were the land division chief Lee Seok-jin and the commander-in-chief Hwang Min-jae.
Lee Seok-jin smiled and approached where she was.
“You are beautiful today too.”
“Oh, no.”
Ha Yoon-ha avoided his gaze, her words trailing off.
Lee Seok-jin looked Yoon-ha up and down with his strange eyes.
Then he smiled, lowered his head, and brushed away the hair from Yoon-ha's cheek.
“There will also be a foreign minister from Gangnam at this meeting. You should pay attention to your appearance.”
Yoon-ha answered those words with a slightly trembling voice.
“… … Ah, yes. Thank you.”
“Your Majesty, I will escort you to the conference room.”
Hwang Min-jae bowed his head in respect to the emperor.
It was a contrast to Lee Seok-jin.
“Are you going now?”
“Yes. The ministers are already seated, and our officials are waiting. I will wait outside the room.”
“Okay, I understand. I’ll make sure to get out right away.”
Hwang Min-jae bowed his head again and left the room.
Lee Seok-jin waited for Hwang Min-jae to get out, and then spoke to Ha Yoon-ha.
“I guess you’re still depressed because of that incident a while ago.”
The incident a while ago was about the rumor that Kang Shi-on had returned.
Ha Yoon-ha looked at herself in the mirror and nodded her head faintly.
“I guess.”
And I couldn't help but be concerned about Lee Seok-jin's remarks about heroes in the National Assembly.
In any case, the news was nothing more than a false report, and the search operation for Kang Shi-on that had continued for the past five years was back to square one.
Even if Lee Seok-jin made negative remarks about the hero, there was no way to stop it within the force.
The Land Manager is in charge of all land, buildings, markets, and vagrant residential areas belonging to the force, and is not a very high position in terms of departmental importance.
However, other departments had to obtain permission from the Land Department Director to do any business.
That's where the power of the land commissioner came from.
A man that even the Emperor of Man-Gyeong, Ha Yoon-Ha, cannot easily deal with.
Because Ha Yoon-ha did not have the status window, which was the authority of the king, it was difficult for her to control power, and as a result, people like Lee Seok-jin came into being.
After Lee Seok-jin confirmed the necklace with a red gemstone around Ha Yoon-ha's neck, he naturally placed his hands on both of her shoulders.
“Don’t worry too much. Didn’t I promise you that I will definitely find the hero. Besides, if the hero had passed away, there would have been some change in the forces. Didn’t that happen?”
“I know… … I have.”
“Please trust me and follow me. I will guide you to the future. … … Then, I will first meet the ministers of Gangnam.”
Lee Seok-jin smiled as he looked at Ha Yoon-ha in the mirror, then quickly left the room with the sound of his shoes clicking.
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Squeak- Boom.
Again, only Ha Yoon-ha and her maid remained in the room.
Ha Yoon-ha shrugged her shoulders and trembled slightly.
The sound of Lee Seok-jin's shoes grew distant and gradually disappeared.
At that moment, the maid said something cool.
"I dare to put it on the XXX."
Ha Yoon-ha's shoulders, which had been flinching, slumped at the maid's savory banter.
She burst out laughing.
“Poohahahahahaha-! Ah-! Seriously. What is this? Ah, I’m crying.”
“Oh! No! Your Majesty! Raise your head and smile, because your eye makeup is coming off. It took hours for you to put on makeup.”
"like this?"
Ha Yoon-ha raised her head and made a strange expression.
Then the maid burst into laughter.
“Phuhhhhh… … . Phuhhh… … !”
After Kang Shi-on and Choi Hyun-ji left the force, she felt fortunate to have people around her with whom she could share her true feelings.
That was the only thing that gave me the strength to get through the days that had passed.
* * *
Although Ha Yoon-ha would cry, laugh, and express her emotions freely in private, she was different when meeting foreign ministers.
The ministers of Gangnam who encountered her all called her the Ice Queen.
A cold expression that never shows any emotion on the face.
Neither positive nor negative.
The expressionless face that came from her beautiful and cold impression felt somehow solemn and oppressive.
The ministers of Gangnam swallowed their saliva.
Because she was walking.
The ministers of Gangnam whispered to each other as they watched Ha Yoon-ha's proud gait.
“The King of the Ice Palace. She truly has the looks to be the Ice Queen.”
“Even though he looks like that, he is said to be infinitely kind to the citizens of Mankyung. He is only merciless when dealing with other countries.”
“What an attractive leader. That’s what a leader should be like since ancient times.”
“Whether or not it has appeal depends on whether they will accept this agenda.”
“That’s true. But there’s nothing we can do. If we pull out our allies, it means their front will be split in two.”
“Let’s see how it turns out.”
The ministers of Gangnam looked at Ha Yoon-ha, who was sitting at the highest seat.
The maid pulled the chair back, and Ha Yoon-ha sat down in it.
And stared straight ahead.
Ha Yoon-ha's red lips parted and her voice echoed faintly in the conference room.
“Get started.”
* * *
The scariest aspect of Ha Yoon-ha's political and diplomatic strategies was that he always placed the interests of his own country first.
There are three conditions attached to Ha Yoon-ha's basic negotiation.
Ⅰ. No treaty may include provisions regarding the citizens and territory of Mankyung.
Ⅱ. A treaty that violates the fundamental principles of Man-Gyeong is impossible.
Ⅲ. Man-Gyeong does not participate in or support wars through conquest or preemptive strikes.
The first was to ensure the safety and property of the people, the second was the basic principle on which Man-gyeong was established, that only forces that shared the same beliefs and values of labor could be dialogue partners, and the third was a basic condition put in place immediately after realizing through the great war three years ago that wars of conquest were meaningless.
Negotiations with Man-Gyeong will only take place if these three conditions are met.
Excluding Incheon, there were three forces that interacted with Man-gyeong, either hostile or friendly, and among them, only Gangnam agreed to comply with Man-gyeong's demands.
Of course, the last of the three conditions above has eliminated any justification for any force that wants to quarrel with Man-gyeong.
That is, because these conditions apply equally to both allies and enemies, it was possible to defend one's own country from a surprise preemptive attack.
But the nature of the war has changed.
The minister of Gangnam said.
“According to our spies, the Northwest Alliance defeated the 30th floor of the Lotte Tower Dungeon Demon the day before yesterday. They are definitely approaching the Red Dragon at the top of Lotte Tower, and our army can no longer delay the attack on Jamsil.”
Lee Seok-jin refuted, folding his hands.
“I told you that a preemptive strike is not possible. That is one of the basic conditions for negotiating with our side.”
“The terms can be amended at any time. Also, keep in mind that if the Northwest Alliance captures the Red Dragon, the Mankyungdo forces may collapse.”
“Man-gyeong will not fall. Man-gyeong is armed with strong beliefs and civic consciousness. Even if it loses the round, it will survive.”
“Instead, the monarch will die. We lost, so why would we leave the monarch like that? Well, I know. The one who actually rules Man-gyeong right now is the queen over there, but the most important thing is the edict.”
The bearded gentleman leaned back slightly and continued speaking.
“The one who possesses the edict is Kang Shi-on. So, would Kang Shi-on just sit still? If Man-gyeong falls, he will definitely be in trouble as well.”
At that time, Lee Seok-jin answered with a smirk.
“Ah- You don’t have to worry about that too much. What’s important is the development of Gangnam along with Man-gyeong.”
Kangnam Dae-shin asked, looking puzzled by Lee Seok-jin's attitude.
“… … As far as I know, I heard that Man-gyeong puts the safety of the hero first. What you just said is a little different from what I know.”
At those words, Lee Seok-jin placed his hands together and placed them on the table.
“Instead. What did I say? When the hero first established Man-gyeong, it was for Man-gyeong, for the citizens. This is something the hero also hopes for and looks forward to. We are continuously sending large-scale expeditions to pursue the hero, both domestically and internationally.”
“Ahem… … .”
Kangnam Daeshin swallowed his words and blew his nose.
At that time, Ha Yoon-ha joined the conversation.
“One, a preemptive strike is not possible. Absolutely not.”
Yoon-ha, who had been silently organizing her thoughts until now, looked at the ministers and spoke.
“The three basic provisions of the Man-gyeong are provisions that protect ourselves, labor, and citizens. Their values are eternal, and citizens also have beliefs and values based on those provisions. If we lose those values and pursue other values, our internal unity will decline. Preemptive attacks are absolutely prohibited. Of course, support is also prohibited.”
“… …Your Majesty. But.”
“But.”
Ha Yoon-ha cut off Kang Nam-dae's words.
“… … I guess we can trade.”
A group of mercenaries.
It was a great power and business tool of Man-gyeong.
'As expected, you're the one who pulls out the mercenary card.'
Kangnam Daeshin shook his head slightly.
In the end, it means that there is no choice but to spend a lot of money to purchase the Man-gyeong mercenary group.
For the past three years, Gangnam has been hiring Man-gyeong's ogre unit and elite force by offering huge rewards to Man-gyeong.
This meeting also ended up going back to square one because of Ha Yoon-ha's stubbornness(?).
She was completely obsessed with only Man-gyeong's own interests.
Because this was his only reward that could help him.
And one day when he returned to Man-gyeong.
I will raise a nation stronger and more powerful than any other power and hand it over to Kang Shion again.
Until then, Ha Yoon-ha will stubbornly maintain the status quo.
The returning hero will take care of the rest.
(Continued in the next episode)