I Became the Crown Prince of a Ruined Country

27 – Shade

The day I returned with Jung. Upon arriving at her mansion, Jung fell asleep as if passing out.

The fatigue and shock of what I went through today was not easy.

But I’m glad. Even until he came, he had not relaxed at all and kept his sharp edge. I was wary of my surroundings like a cat with her tail lifted up, but she seemed to accept that it was safe to go to sleep as soon as she came to the mansion, so I was relieved.

When the mind is comfortable, the fatigue of the body is also relieved. No matter how much I sleep in an uncomfortable place, I’m just constantly tired.

Relatively less fatigue than information, I woke up after a nap. I gave my room to Jung and slept in the next room. I woke up to see that Jung was sleeping soundly and went outside.

“The weather is filthy nice.”

The summer sky was clear and pure blue. It was so sunny that even yesterday’s commotion seemed like a midsummer dream.

But it can’t be.

I just saw Jung sleeping.

Staring blankly at the sky and escaping from reality would be a pretty attractive option, but I didn’t deserve it.

“First of all, I’ve done a grand job… I’ll have to try to fix it somehow.”

To be honest, there were a lot of parts where I acted emotionally yesterday. I tried my best not to lose my cool, but it wasn’t perfect.

“The time has come soon.”

Yesterday I passed because I was in such a bad condition, but it is not something that I will pass without saying anything.

The appearance of Hankyung, who had been waiting for me to wake up, was almost the same as when I remembered him.

“Young master! What the hell is this!”

“Hankyung, isn’t it too much not to say goodbye?”

“Too much? Young master, you are really too much right now!”

It was the first time I saw Hankyung’s sincere anger.

Even if I get angry, I always get angry when I speak and follow Hankyung, but this time it was different.

To me who was trembling, Hankyung expressed his determination that he could not do that with a firm cry.

“What on earth were you thinking! Do you know what the situation is like out there right now?”

Along with the thought that what was to come has come, I felt a certain certainty in the bizarrely fast flow.

The conviction that this incident was not an accidental commotion, but a conspiracy designed thoroughly by someone.

“I don’t know. So calmly explain what’s going on.”

“Gun Pyeongwon was summoned to King Jo. There was a message from Mr. Chu that support would no longer be possible.”

He was so excited that he fired so fast that Hankyung couldn’t even breathe properly and said as if he was squeezing his lungs.

“Right now, the food that was supposed to come today didn’t come. And other support will be stopped sequentially. Of course, this mansion will be retrieved as well! I can’t even go back even with the warriors from Cho Nara. That’s what it looks like!”

Hankyung sighed in anger.

If it’s frustrating, it’s Hankyung who beats my chest. As if he couldn’t bear to curse at me, Hankyung let out a grunt and turned his arrow elsewhere.

“It’s all because of that kid from Qin that Young master brought!”

“Hankyung, lower your voice. We are not alone.”

I will listen to you. It’s crazy that I’m asleep, what if I wake up and hear a loud voice?

I pulled Hankyung by the arm. Han Kyung-do must have noticed that he was overexcited, so he shut his mouth and followed my lead.

It’s difficult to go outside and be overheard by other people, so I went to the side corner and heard everything from Hankyung.

As soon as I openly protected and took the portrait, the people informed the officials of the Zhao Dynasty about this, and the Confucian Army from the upper direction stepped forward.

The hatred of the people of Zhao, who were headed for justice, naturally flowed into me as well.

As a result, as Pyeongwon-gun was called out to King Jo, all the support measures for Pyeongwon-gun that I had been enjoying were cut off.

Hankyung wasn’t talking about the portrait for nothing.

“That’s what I expected.”

“Princess Young master! You knew it, but why…”

“Then Hankyung, what do you think I should have done?”

“That’s…”

Han-kyung, who had regained some of his cool as they continued the conversation, only licked his lips as if he couldn’t bear to say the words out of his mouth.

Hankyung is also a good person. Otherwise, he would not have been so dedicated to assisting me, who would not be a very good boss.

Of course, because of my status as the only legitimate son of the king, there must be a part of me following. However, if you leave that kind of thing and stay together, you naturally get to know the person’s personality.

But that doesn’t mean that Hankyung is an extremely altruistic and sacrificial adult. If that was the case, there would be no reason for Hankyung to hold back on his words.

I asked Hankyung back.

“Should I have left him alone?”

“……That was the right decision.”

“Just because it’s right doesn’t mean it’s right.”

Abused girl.

If I had turned a blind eye to that little child who was thrown into the world alone, ignoring even his parents, I would have been able to live happily without having to worry about enduring a hostage life.

So, if we were simply looking at profit and loss, it was right to pretend we didn’t see affection, as Hankyung said.

But that wasn’t right.

“That child is innocent. You can’t ask the child for the sins of the parents. Not to mention the Great War of Changping and the siege of Handan were not the work of that child’s father.”

“But that child is a princess from the Qin Dynasty.”

“I know. Me too.”

I was aware that taking the girl was no different than tying the leash on myself.

Nonetheless, I saved Jung. I decided to embrace the child abandoned by people.

It was a very simple instinct, without any calculations, and a sense of responsibility.

“I have no regrets. Even if I go back to that moment, I will act the same way.”

Seriously, I thought so. Although my body is that of a small boy, not much different from that of a girl, my mind is like that of an adult.

Unlike those who are blinded by the vengeance and hatred brought about by war, I am probably the only person who can see this era objectively. So at least I have to fulfill my responsibilities as an adult.

“So, then what about us? What do we, who are only looking at Young master?”

And.

“Don’t worry too much, I have a plan in mind.”

“Oh…as expected, Gongja! You have a plan!”

When I said that there was a contingency plan without worrying about anxiety, Hankyung opened his eyes wide and shouted.

“Ha, but are you really okay? Even Pyeongwon-gun won’t be able to help us any more…”

“It’s true. Have you ever seen me lie? I have to protect my people.”

This is real.

Even if I sit on the street and become homeless, I have arranged so that my family members will not suffer because of me.

Just as if Pyongwon-gun was insured to some extent so that even if I had an accident, Pyeongwon-gun would not be involved.

In case of emergency, at least family members were allowed to go to Pyeongwon-gun’s territory and live there. Jo Nara probably doesn’t have much interest in the other family members except for me.

“Well, did I believe in you? Sure. I haven’t seen Young master for a day or two, he’s so clever…”

“Okay. Do you still have some food left? Don’t spare it and ask me to cook some porridge for the baby. Also, we might go hungry for a few days, so keep that in mind.”

“Yes? Starving?”

“First of all, we have to see what the Jo Nara court will do and move on. It will come out as soon as today, but it might take longer. It’s easier to just think of it as suffering for a few days.”

Han-kyung is puzzled by my strangely contradictory words, saying that there is a plan and let’s wait for the results.

I patted him on the shoulder and comforted him.

“It’ll be fine.”

Yes.

It should be fine.

“By the way, what about Hyung’s family?”

Rather than that, the problem was the punishment. Pyungwon-gun will somehow take care of the family members, but Hyeong-ga, who is a diner, is not the target.

In particular, he was the one who directly worked with me, unlike the family members who stayed quiet and got caught up in the actions of their superiors, and he was the one who inflicted injuries on the people of Jo Nara by wielding a sword.

It is said that Mosu is a sloppy teacher-teacher relationship, but that level of friendship was of no use in this case.

“If it’s a hyungga, that’s…”

“No way?”

“Yes, I was taken as a witness. I stopped him from taking Young master, but Jingga’s guilt is clear.”

Yes. I guess so.

Knowing that, I gave the order to Jing Jia to save the portrait.

Perhaps he would be executed, but Jing Jia willingly threw himself down.

Just like the image in my memory when he risked his life to assassinate Qin Shi Huang.

“This is not the time. I have to go.”

“…I will go with you.”

“No. Hankyung will stay here. Without me, there is only Hankyung who can take my place. When feelings arise, as I said before, eat some porridge. Seok and Hugh must have had a hard time yesterday, so I’ll take On with me.”

As I was saying that, I caught something strange in my field of vision. The door across the street seemed to have moved somewhere.

The door stopped talking for a while and watched it still, but didn’t move.

‘It must be because of my mood.’

There was no time to be preoccupied with trifles like that.

I had to move diligently.

To find some shade to cover us before we collapse in this hot summer sun.