Scandal. Cheongro had called his affection shared with Dara a scandal. The assembled crowd began to murmur. Even though the cherished love had been dragged down as a scandal and thrown before him, Ryang couldn't refute it. Is this how it was meant to be from the start? Even if Dara hadn't colluded with Hwan, there was no escaping the finger-pointing. A Celestial Scion and a Latecomer, a lord and a servant – a scandal. No matter how beautifully and affectionately he tried to frame it, in the end, he was just a man who had violated the moral norm and taken advantage of his servant. Ryang endured the murmurs, raising his eyes to meet Dara's. Her empty gaze held no expectations, and a heavy weight settled in Ryang's heart.
Seong, seeing Ryang frozen in place, rebuked Cheongro on his behalf. "Second Emissary, refrain from voicing further suspicions unrelated to the matter at hand."
"If the High Councilor's judgment was clouded by lust, leading him to overlook suspicious circumstances," Cheongro argued, "then it is certainly not an unrelated suspicion."
He immediately turned to Dara, pressing her for answers. "Tell me yourself. Why did the High Councilor give you such a precious necklace?"
Ryang's breath hitched. He wanted to cover his ears. No matter what Dara answered, it would be unbearably humiliating. Cheongro continued his taunting interrogation.
"Was it a payment?"
"Cheongro!" Ryang interrupted, unable to restrain himself. He knew that the less he concealed his emotions, the more pathetic he appeared, but he couldn't bear it any longer.
Just then, Dara, looking up at Cheongro, answered, "I am not a prostitute. The High Councilor is not someone who buys bodies with wealth."
Her firm voice, emanating from her petite frame, drew everyone's attention. Murmurs about her shamelessness arose, but Dara, her earlier fear gone, remained resolute.
"I stole this," she declared.
Ryang froze. He couldn't comprehend her words. She was the one who had handed him over to Hwan, yet shamelessly made excuses and clung to their love, begging for her life. He could not understand why she was now denying their affection, taking the blame for a nonexistent crime, and protecting him with such sorrowful eyes. Even to you, cornered and facing death, I must appear truly pathetic. Ryang, overwhelmed with despair, couldn't bear to look at her and closed his eyes.
Dara's words didn't sway Cheongro. "Anyone in Wicheong knows the High Councilor wore this necklace himself. What sorcery did you use to steal it? And you wore a stolen item so openly?"
"Openly?" Dara retorted. "Didn't you just pull it out from under my collar?"
Cheongro was momentarily flustered but quickly regained his composure and sneered. "A shameless thief indeed."
He turned to Seong. "Guardian, allow the Ministry of Emissary Divine to interrogate this traitor."
Before Seong could reply, Ryang cut him off. "Enough."
"She confessed to stealing a very valuable item," Cheongro pressed. "Aren't you curious about the details, High Councilor?"
"Shut up!" Ryang roared.
A heavy silence fell over the room. His eyes blazed with fury, bloodshot and filled with murderous intent, the veins in his neck bulging. Even Seong had never seen him like this. Ryang's uncharacteristic loss of control wouldn't help the situation. Must I adjourn the meeting immediately? As Seong hesitated, Ryang looked up at him.
"If you wish to know the details, Your Luminance," he declared, "there's no need to interrogate Dara."
He turned his gaze back to Dara. He couldn't tell if her teary eyes held sorrow or resentment. He couldn't be any more cowardly in front of those clear, doe-like eyes. Oblivious to Seong's anxious anticipation, Ryang finally spoke.
"Dara..."
Please. Seong desperately wished for him to stop, but Ryang continued, uttering the confession Seong dreaded.
"She is my beloved."
The air crackled with unrest once more. Some sighed; some condemned. Seong's eyelids narrowed, his gaze fixed on Ryang. Despite the unspoken command to remain silent, Ryang continued.
"I placed that necklace in your hands myself," he said. "As the High Councilor, as the head of House Myeonghyeon, I confess and acknowledge my improper conduct in having relations with a servant, violating the norm that I, as a Celestial Scion, should uphold, and my failure to recognize suspicious circumstances due to my clouded judgment. But that is all. Her affection for me has nothing to do with Cheon Hwan. Therefore, her punishment should not be made more severe simply because she is my beloved."
Cheongro feigned sympathy. "Nothing to do with Cheon Hwan? Are you more naive than you appear, or are you simply foolish?"
Though Cheongro posed the question, Ryang answered to Seong. "Dara began colluding with him two years ago, but my affection for her predates that. Even if it was all a deception, you have already sent Kyeongseon Joon to summon him. Furthermore, Jang'gyeong Yoon has surrendered to us. There are other ways to uncover the truth. Why must she be interrogated further? I implore you to judge with mercy and wisdom."
Norahn, who had been observing from a distance, interjected. "It was you, High Councilor, who severely reprimanded the Ministry of Emissary Divine for misrepresenting the number of search personnel. If such a thing had happened within the Ministry, wouldn't you have conducted further investigations?"
Ryang, his voice low and laced with suppressed anger, retorted, "If such a thing had happened within the Ministry, the guilty party wouldn't even be brought here. That is your strict law."
Seong cut off their argument. "The High Councilor is right. The circumstances and details have been revealed."
"Only the consequences of one crime have been revealed," Cheongro argued. "The cause and any further offenses must also be brought to light for the matter to be truly resolved."
"Even so, the Ministry does not have the authority to conduct the interrogation," Seong countered.
"Is there any place within Wicheong where the High Councilor's orders do not reach?" Cheongro challenged. "Furthermore, the High Commander is his uncle. The only place where the truth can be impartially determined is the Ministry of Emissary Divine."
Seong glared at him. "Does the wealth that sustains the Ministry of Emissary Divine fall from the sky, then?"
Cheongro's lips twitched, stung by the remark, but he didn't back down. "We do not welcome wealth amassed from sinful business."
Seong's voice rose. "Do not insult the assets of House Myeonghyeon. Though their source may not be entirely honorable, they have allowed us to survive in secrecy for half a century. What has the Ministry of Emissary Divine accomplished while House Myeonghyeon tarnished the honor of our ancestors to maintain Wicheong?"
Seong regretted his outburst. He shouldn't have resorted to criticizing the Ministry of Emissary Divine with accusations about their finances. The situation had gone awry. He took a deep breath to calm himself before he crossed any further lines.
Norahn stepped forward and bowed his head. "I apologize for the Second Emissary's disrespectful remarks. His zeal for rectifying the situation got the better of him. I implore the Guardian to be lenient. However, now that the High Councilor has admitted to his inappropriate relationship with the servant, we cannot simply conclude the matter here. We must interrogate the servant and uncover all her offenses."
"Is there any evidence to suspect further offenses?" Seong demanded. "Or are you simply insisting that there must be? What does the Ministry hope to gain by prying into personal matters and cornering the High Councilor?"
Norahn met Seong's cold suspicion with an aloof response. "As the Guardian has taught the Second Emissary, Wicheong survives on the assets of House Myeonghyeon. Therefore, nothing the High Councilor does can be considered personal. We merely seek to restore order within Wicheong; the Ministry has nothing to gain. The Guardian has declared the reclamation of Birahng. Before raising the flag of Cheon-Wi on the sacred land, all matters that violate the virtues and righteousness of Sahngjon must be rectified. We must interrogate the servant, uncover any hidden offenses, and then punish the High Councilor accordingly with a fitting sentence."
"A fitting sentence?" Seong pressed, prompting Norahn to clarify his vague request.
Norahn, aware of Cheongro's expectant gaze, finally answered, "I ask Your Luminance to remove Ryang, the head of House Myeonghyeon, from his position as High Councilor."
Without a moment's hesitation, Seong declared, "Unacceptable."
Norahn remained firm.
"You shouldn't blindly defend the High Councilor," he argued. "For the past two years, he has entrusted numerous secrets to a spy working for Cheon Hwan, right under his nose. His negligence endangered you and his own life. Furthermore, documents intended for Sung and Soyeol were seized by Cheon Hwan. Now, their whereabouts and potential impact are unknown. All of this stemmed from the High Councilor's carelessness, his violation of the norm, and his susceptibility to that lowly servant. Yet, instead of repenting and stepping down, he shamelessly begged for the traitor's life, relying on your favor."
"High Emissary," Seong interjected.
"Moreover," Norahn continued, ignoring the interruption, "the Crystal Haze poisoning from which the High Councilor has barely recovered impairs judgement and alters temperament. Can we guarantee he will retain his former acumen? Perhaps his secret plea for leniency to you already proves this point. Leniency? How preposterous."
Ryang glared at Norahn. "My mind is sound," he asserted.
Undeterred, Norahn continued, "It's clear he can no longer be entrusted with the grave responsibilities of the High Councilor, on which countless lives depend. Do you need further reasons to remove him?"
Has Norahn always been so eloquent? So resolute? Seong was irked by Norahn, who was now acting with unprecedented decisiveness and impartiality, only after Ryang had been cornered. However, refuting Norahn's arguments here would only further isolate Ryang and paint Seong as a narrow-minded leader who only protected his own. Seong evaded a direct response.
"Confine the High Councilor and the criminal again," he ordered. "Everyone else, leave my presence."
Seeing their hesitant and apprehensive faces, Seong repeated his command. "Leave!"
Flames flickered within his clenched fists. Finally, the crowd dispersed, retreating hastily. Ryang and Dara, who had been prostrate before Seong, were each led away by soldiers.
Norahn, followed by Cheongro, walked away in silence. Once they were far from the meeting chamber and within the Ministry's quarters, Cheongro spoke in a subtle tone.
"Well done, Your Sanctity."
Norahn stopped abruptly. "What do we gain by infuriating the Guardian?"
"The High Councilor has tainted the faith of the Guardian," Cheongro replied. "It's time for purification."
Norahn narrowed his eyes. "Do you think we can separate the High Councilor from the Guardian?"
"Didn't you sense it?" Cheongro countered. "The Guardian is wavering. That look of disappointment, the pathetic sight of the High Councilor clinging to his woman while ignoring the Guardian... It's not impossible. If we push hard enough, we might even regain our armed forces."
"How did you know about the necklace?" Norahn asked.
A sly smile spread across Cheongro's face. "There's someone else who wishes to enlighten the High Councilor."
Norahn cautioned him, "If we fail to remove him this time, we won't be able to handle the consequences. The Ministry is more vulnerable to counterattacks."
Cheongro chuckled. "Don't worry. The noble Ministry of Emissary Divine can't possibly have more weaknesses than a brothel owner in Nahmgyo."