Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 146

Chapter 146
Upon the conclusion of my explanation, the princess sprang to her feet with an excited cry.

“Oh! You refer to the tale of Emperor Taizong of Tang, do you not, Hero? The story where he consumed locusts alive to relieve his people’s suffering during an unforeseen plague of the insects? I am familiar with that account! Or rather, I believe it was read aloud to me once.”
‘Hold on, that was Emperor Taizong of Tang? I was certain it was Solomon.’

The princess stated with complete assurance that the figure from my story was Emperor Taizong.
In truth, however, the specific identity of the historical personage seemed irrelevant.
So long as our objectives were aligned, nothing else was of consequence.
“What difference does the source of your knowledge make? The crucial point is our mutual cooperation at this juncture.”
“I suppose you are correct. I have always held that mutual understanding is the foundation of a strong alliance. Ahaha.”
I had initially perceived the princess as a grave and collected individual, but that evidently was merely her official facade. Her present demeanor revealed a much more direct and spirited personality.

Beaming, the princess commended me.
“Precisely! If one were to swallow the insects alive and they subsequently vanish, it would undoubtedly influence public sentiment… It also serves as an excellent official report to the court. Yes, I shall have Bin-ah consume a few! Hero, your intellect is truly remarkable!”
“I receive such compliments frequently, it must be said. Haha.”
‘Wait. Isn’t the governor afflicted with a terminal illness?’

Swept along by the princess’s enthusiasm, I was abruptly reminded—was the governor not suffering from a fatal malady?
Feeling a pang of guilt at the thought of forcing a dying man to eat insects, I ventured my concern cautiously.
“However… is the governor not stricken with an incurable illness? To feed a sick man bugs seems somewhat…”
The princess waved away my apprehension without hesitation.
“Hmm… It should be acceptable. The Physician Immortal mentioned there were no specific dietary restrictions.”
“The Physician Immortal?”
My concern was not whether the bugs constituted food, but the startling revelation that the princess had consulted the Physician Immortal.
This figure was renowned as one of the greatest medical experts in all the Central Plains.
I had assumed the governor was simply awaiting his end, but from her words, it appeared he had been treated by the Physician Immortal himself. This was unforeseen.

When I regarded the princess with a questioning look, she frowned and inquired in a severe tone.
“What is that expression for? You cannot possibly believe that I took in a dying man as a false consort and have been idly waiting for him to perish?”
‘…Was that not precisely the situation?’
It was exactly what I had presumed, yet her reaction indicated I was profoundly mistaken.
The princess looked completely astonished as she went on.
“I may be obsessed with swords, but I am not actually deranged.”
She denied it firmly, though in my honest opinion, she did not seem entirely rational either.
The distinction between us was clear—
My passion for venomous creatures was intense, but I was not insane. The princess, however, was so fervently devoted to swords that it suggested a certain lack of mental balance.

Nevertheless, seeing no benefit in damaging our rapport, I swiftly raised my hands in denial.
“N-not at all. Though we have not spoken at length, I never for a moment thought you capable of such coldness, Your Highness. Absolutely not.”
The princess nodded, appeased, and then elaborated on their circumstances.
“Indeed. Bin-ah was originally a man who could have perished at any moment. The Physician Immortal and the Herbal Immortal scarcely managed to prolong his life with their medicines. With fortune, he may live for another five years, at the very most.”
She continued, her tone pragmatic and even.
“He was fated to live in destitution and die alone. Therefore, when I proposed he could experience luxury in the time he has left, he agreed to pledge his loyalty to me.”
“Ah, that is logical then.”
Since the finest physicians in the Central Plains had already attended to him, a few insects would likely do no great harm. Furthermore, understanding the nature of their arrangement made it seem less a complex deception and more a means for him to find some solace before his death.
Frankly, were I terminally ill and a princess offered me the ten most lethal poisons in existence, I too would likely accept a sham marriage proposal.
It was simply a method of fulfilling a final desire.

“Then, please summon the governor and explain the plan. Judging by the condition of the Parasite Devourer, we must assemble a crowd and have him perform the act by tomorrow morning.”
“Understood!”
The princess hurried out and called for the governor. He soon entered the room, his face slightly flushed and breathless.
When he looked to the princess, she nodded and said,
“The discussion was a success. Fortunately, the Hero understands my position. From this moment, we are allies. He has consented to work with us.”
“Oh! Excellent news. Then Her Highness gains another loyal retainer. Hero, from now on, let us devote our lives to serving the princess. Though I bear the title of governor, it is solely by the princess’s grace. My own origins are humble, so please, think of me as an elder brother.”
‘…What? Seriously?’
Hearing him speak of devoting my life to the princess’s service jolted my memory—
I had been so absorbed in restoring Yeondu to Bi-cheon Shin-sa that I had forgotten entirely.
Aiding the princess meant participating in her marital deception.
And now I recalled her initial warning that knowledge of this secret meant death.
If the emperor were to discover the truth, I could easily lose my head.
‘Curse it… My judgment utterly fails me whenever venomous creatures are involved… I truly have no grounds to criticize the princess for being unhinged…’

But what alternative remained?
The agreement was already struck.
As I accepted my fate, the conversation between the two continued.
“Hero, did you propose an effective strategy to assist the princess?”
“Yes, he conceived a most brilliant scheme.”
“Is that so? How fortunate. What is it we must do?”
The governor’s face lit up with relief as he turned to me.
The princess, adopting a solemn tone, proclaimed,
“Bin-ah, with loyalty, swallow the bug.”
“…I beg your pardon?”
The governor’s expression solidified in shock.
Instead of offering an explanation, the princess merely repeated the phrase with a slight shift in meaning.
It appeared to be a habit of hers—using words with similar pronunciations but different definitions to bewilder people.
Just as 出家 (leaving home to become a monk) and 出嫁 (leaving home to marry) had confused others before, she now employed ‘loyalty’ and ‘bug’ in conjunction to perplex him.
‘You see? I said she wasn’t normal.’

***
The following day, a multitude as dense as the carpet of lovebugs upon the ground gathered before the government office for a grand public spectacle.
This was not a mere demonstration of bug-eating. They had orchestrated an elaborate ritual ceremony to the heavens.
In this era, during times of drought or disaster, people often conducted such rites, presenting sacrifices to beseech divine assistance.
The governor had chosen to hold a ritual rather than simply announce his intentions, ensuring a larger turnout—especially as food would be distributed to the attendees once it concluded.
Before a magnificently prepared altar, lavish offerings were arranged.
Amid the incessant buzzing of insects, whispered conversations circulated through the crowd.
“Is the governor finally performing a ritual?”
“Well, they say this calamity is the fault of the newly appointed governor, so he could not simply remain idle.”
“It is not solely due to the new governor. Whenever a new official arrives and a catastrophe strikes, they are invariably blamed.”
“Quiet, now. There are government soldiers about. A careless word could land you in difficulty.”
As anticipated, the prevailing topic among the people was that the governor was responsible for the infestation.

Soon, the ceremony commenced. The governor stepped forward before the altar and lit the incense. He spoke with grave solemnity.
“I beseech the heavens! Why do you inflict such torment upon the people of Akyang!? Why must they endure this suffering?”
He then executed a deep bow.
Rising, he lifted his voice once more, calling out to the skies.
“I present this offering in the hope of appeasing your wrath. I implore you, show us mercy!”
“Is that all?”
“Will the food be distributed now?”
“We should get in line quickly.”
The people assumed the ritual was over and began anticipating the food, even if it was speckled with insect parts.
But then, the governor spoke again.
“Yet if my offering is insufficient to calm your anger… then I, Seo Bin-ak, Governor of Akyang, shall bear this burden myself!”
As he finished this declaration, his hand shot out, seizing a dozen of the lovebugs swarming near the altar.
Then, without a moment’s pause, he raised them to his mouth.
‘I only instructed him to eat one or two, but he is certainly committing to the performance.’
Lovebugs possessed such acidic innards they could eat through metal.
If one were to burst within his mouth, the taste would be intensely sour.
During the previous night’s practice, he had struggled with a single insect. Now, before the crowd, he was consuming a handful at once.
I glanced at the princess. She observed proceedings with a gratified smile, evidently pleased with the unfolding events.
The plan was progressing perfectly.

However, initially, the crowd failed to grasp the governor’s action.
The distance was too great, and the lovebugs too small, to clearly see what he was doing.
What was required now?
A staged response.
Scattered throughout the crowd, myself, Hwa-eun, my father-in-law, Seol Nui, and our ship’s sailors began to shout.
“T-the governor has eaten the black locusts!”
“The governor consumes them for the people’s sake!”
The murmurs swiftly transformed into a tide of shock and disbelief.
“H-he ate the black locusts?”
“It cannot be… Why would he…?”
“I thought he was merely a fortunate upstart who married into royalty, but… he genuinely cares for the people!?”

Two days subsequently passed.
By then, every last black locust had perished, their bodies littering the ground.
The atmosphere in Akyang had undergone a dramatic transformation—not a minor shift, but a complete reversal.
Those who had blamed the governor for the disaster were now silent. Even those who had dismissed his act as idiocy found themselves without a retort.
Instead, citizens began to congregate before the government office, asking after the governor’s well-being.
“The black locusts have all died… Is the governor well?”
“H-here, this is some Heshouwu I found in the mountains. Please ensure the governor receives it.”
“This is Dong Quai. I cannot be sure it will aid him, but…”
With the locusts gone, the people believed the governor had absorbed the wrath of the heavens himself.
Thus, from early morning, individuals arrived, presenting medicinal herbs they had foraged as gifts for the government office.

“I never anticipated it would prove so effective. I shall not forget this debt.”
One individual was particularly satisfied with this outcome.
The princess emerged from the reception hall, her smile radiant with barely contained delight.
“You must uphold your promise to aid the Martial Alliance.”
“Naturally. I will not only authorize the troop mobilization but also guarantee those scoundrels never again tread upon the Central Plains. If those hiding within Akyang are indeed of the Blood Cult, the emperor’s fury will be immense.”
The princess did not hesitate to deceive if it advanced her aims.
With matters proceeding so favorably, she broached the subject of the Fire Carp.
“Regarding the Fire Carp you inquired about previously…”
“Oh! Indeed. Did you fear I had forgotten? I have made all the necessary arrangements.”
She produced a letter from her sleeve and slid it across to me.
“Journey to Potaam and deliver this letter to my master. He will furnish you with what you seek.”
“The Fire Carp is in Potaam?”
“Yes. In my correspondence with my master, he mentioned a sizable Fire Carp dwells within the mountain lake on Botasan, where Potaam is situated.”
‘Potaam. If I sail down the Yangtze, out to the sea, and proceed toward Zhejiang, I can reach it with relative speed.’
It was some distance, but travel by ship would make it manageable.
I nodded, my expression one of satisfaction.
“My thanks!”
“No, the thanks are mine. And as we now share a confidence, let us maintain contact.”
“You refer to this secret?”
I believed our business concluded, all matters settled to mutual advantage.
I was collecting my belongings, feeling quite content, when—
“Oh! I nearly forgot something.”
“Yes? What is it?”
I tilted my head in puzzlement.
The princess gave a sly smirk.
“The sacred peak of Botasan, where the Fire Carp dwells, is forbidden to men. Only women may enter. You will need to adopt a female disguise.”
“…What?”
I stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.
She continued, her smile unwavering.
“I have already included a note of explanation for my master. Simply take care that no one else discovers you.”
“A… disguise?”
So now I must wear women’s clothing for the sake of venomous creatures?
The path of martial arts and poison mastery in this world was fraught with peril.
‘Perhaps I should reevaluate my hobbies…’