Chapter 29 – The General Reviews the Matter
Several Daejeongshad been injured.
Yet no official news spread through the camp.
Normally such an incident would cause a great uproar.
The guilty party would be reprimanded.
Meetings would be called.
Measures would be announced to prevent such things from happening again.
But the barracks remained quiet.
Inside Yi Hee-song'soffice sat Seo Ui-taek.
Because he enjoyed the general's favor, he behaved as though he were more Yi Hee-song than Yi Hee-song himself.
Seo Ui-taek spoke calmly.
"I only told them to discipline him."
"But he insisted on settling it with swords."
"A few days ago we had prepared poisoned blades for hunting."
"It seems he was cut by one of those."
"Later someone came asking about the poison, so we told them what it was."
"That's why he survived."
Yi Hee-song nodded slowly.
Seo Ui-taek's explanation sounded reasonable.
Every word was technically true.
It was a game of language.
Using words that only revealed part of the truth while concealing the intention behind it.
The real situation was softened.
"Still," Yi Hee-song said,
"Using poison against a comrade is excessive."
"It should be seen as an accident."
Seo Ui-taek answered in an objective tone.
As if none of it had anything to do with him.
"Who used the poisoned blade?"
"Yun Ji-woong."
"Ah. The one people say works well."
"Yes."
"I understand."
"You may go."
Seo Ui-taek lowered his broad head politely.
"I apologize for causing trouble again."
"That is hardly your fault."
"I failed to control my subordinates."
"That is my responsibility."
"It's fine."
"You may leave."
"Thank you."
Seo Ui-taek bowed and left.
They had studied at the same academy.
Because of that connection, many things were forgiven.
Still, something about it felt suspicious.
Yi Hee-song summoned Kim Baek-su, who oversaw supplies, and asked him about the matter again.
"Five Daejeongs were injured."
"What do you think of that?"
Kim Baek-su answered bluntly.
"It was serious."
"Swords drawn between comrades."
"That man is the problem."
Yi Hee-song tilted his head slightly.
"If it was one against fifteen…"
"Could such a thing not happen?"
Kim Baek-su shook his head.
"You know the difference between fists and blades."
"When a man is cut by a sword, recovery is difficult."
"The aftereffects last a long time."
"True."
"This was not simple fighting."
"This was an attempt to cripple someone permanently."
"Or kill him."
"That intention alone is unacceptable."
"He must be punished."
"A man like that has no qualification to be a Daejeong."
"He shouldn't even serve as a squad leader."
Yi Hee-song changed the direction of the conversation.
"What about the poison?"
Kim Baek-su frowned.
"He used poison?"
"That bastard…"
"No," Yi Hee-song said quietly.
"It was Yun Ji-woong."
At that moment Kim Baek-su froze.
Then he slowly exhaled, pretending nothing had happened.
He knew very well that Yun Ji-woong was Seo Ui-taek's dog.
If Yun Ji-woong used poison—
then Seo Ui-taek had ordered it.
The boy would never act on his own.
Yi Hee-song asked quietly,
"You think Seo Ui-taek ordered it?"
"Surely not."
"I heard Yun Ji-woong works well."
"I considered promoting him."
"But I chose Park Geun-su instead."
Kim Baek-su asked,
"Why?"
"I want to observe him a little longer."
"I must see what kind of man he is."
"And Park Geun-su?"
"Are you satisfied with him?"
Yi Hee-song smiled awkwardly.
"Who is ever completely satisfactory?"
"If someone is seventy or eighty percent useful, I keep him."
"Even the wife one brings home is rarely satisfactory."
"How could subordinates be any different?"
"That's true."
"So what should we do about this incident?"
Kim Baek-su answered cautiously.
"Perhaps we should simply let it pass."
"The damage was not that great…"
Yi Hee-song frowned.
"A man nearly died."
"We cannot ignore that."
Kim Baek-su watched his expression carefully.
"Then perhaps…"
"Since Yi Yeong-woowas severely injured…"
"Give him a one-month suspension."
"He can rest."
"And the others will not need to face him."
Yi Hee-song raised an eyebrow.
"What about the Fifth Unit?"
"They function well even without him."
"Some even say he should be promoted to Wijang."
Yi Hee-song chuckled softly.
"So today you stand on Yi Yeong-woo's side."
Kim Baek-su shrugged.
"Even so."
"He was poisoned."
"They came prepared."
"They say Yi Yeong-woo drew his sword first."
"But the ones who prepared poison beforehand were Yun Ji-woong's group."
Yi Hee-song leaned forward.
"And?"
Kim Baek-su added,
"The Immortalsintervened."
"What?"
"The Immortals?"
Yi Hee-song's voice sharpened.
"They say they could not identify the poison."
"So he would have died."
"But Baek In-gyeomarrived."
"He identified the poison and told the physician."
"The antidote was prepared immediately."
Yi Hee-song frowned.
"Why would those arrogant men interfere?"
"They have been quietly watching him since the South Gate incident."
Yi Hee-song's brow twitched.
Even he, the commanding general, did not casually interfere with those men.
Above all—
they never involved themselves in worldly affairs.
Yet now they had intervened for Yi Yeong-woo.
"Interesting."
Kim Baek-su clicked his tongue.
"Senior Seo went too far this time."
"I didn't say anything earlier."
"But killing someone just because you dislike him?"
"A simple reprimand would have been enough."
"He refused to listen."
Kim Baek-su sighed.
"How can every man in the world match your taste?"
"Out of a hundred men, not even one will."
Yi Hee-song chuckled.
"True."
"Well."
"I have said what I must."
"Please don't say it came from me."
Yi Hee-song smiled lightly.
In the end,
Yi Hee-song followed Kim Baek-su's suggestion.
Yi Yeong-woo received a one-month suspension.
Three Daejeongs whose injuries were too severe to continue military duty were dismissed and sent back to their hometowns.
Yi Hee-song also sent Kim Baek-su to inform Baek In-gyeomof the decision.
It was a subtle accusation.
As if saying—
You have some share in this matter as well.