Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 335

Chapter 335
Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter, adhering to all the specified requirements.

***

The incident of ‘Jo Will Be King.’
Alright, so I might have specialized all my knowledge into the study of poisonous creatures, but that doesn’t imply I’m an uneducated man.
This was particularly true for a historical case where insects played the pivotal role. I recalled the event with perfect clarity.
“After all, it involved our little insect allies.”
So, what exactly was the ‘Jo Will Be King’ incident?
It occurred in the fourteenth year of King Jungjong’s rule over the Joseon Dynasty.
A group of court officials, aiming to destroy their political opponents, used honey to inscribe the words “Jo will become king” onto a leaf. Their intended target was Jo Gwang-jo, the leader of the rival faction. They allowed insects to consume the honey-traced writing, then presented the gnawed leaf to the king to incite his rage.
“See! Even the heavens are aware of Jo Gwang-jo’s traitorous ambitions!”
This event served as the catalyst for the Literati Purge of 1519, which led to the execution of Jo Gwang-jo and numerous other high-ranking officials.
My own action—revealing a message to the Emperor formed by centipedes—was a conscious replication of that very stratagem.
Naturally, I wasn’t accusing a eunuch of aspiring to the throne. I had only written a cautionary note.
However, in a realm where spirits and ghosts are a tangible reality, I calculated that a warning spelled out by centipedes would carry even greater weight.
And as anticipated, it proved tremendously effective.
“Apprehend Eunuch Heo immediately!”
The Emperor issued the command with grave authority to the Golden Guards positioned before the peony bushes and promptly commenced his departure.
The assembled crowd swiftly followed him out of the garden.
They were undoubtedly moving directly to arrest Eunuch Heo and commence the questioning.
“Everything is proceeding according to plan. Goodbye, Eunuch Heo.”
Of course, the historical ‘Jo Will Be King’ incident is complete foolishness.
Why? Because insects that consume foliage do not eat honey, and insects that are attracted to honey do not eat leaves.
The idea of a honey-seeking insect biting through a leaf to get to the sweetness?
It’s absurd.
What do they think our insect companions are, simpletons? They wouldn’t chew through cellulose just for a taste of honey. That is not their nature.
The opposite scenario is equally illogical.
Leaf-eating insects—such as stick insects, ladybugs, pine caterpillars, or butterfly larvae—do not have a diet that includes honey. Incidentally, pine caterpillars are the larval stage of the fall webworm, a species absent from Joseon during that period. They were introduced later with American imports following the Korean War.
So they simply were not in Korea at that time—end of story.
And as for the others—stick insects, ladybugs, butterfly larvae—they also do not consume honey. Therefore, the entire foundation of that ancient tale crumbles.
If someone had genuinely wished to make the ‘Jo Will Be King’ incident scientifically credible, they should have employed a method like this:
Apply a protective substance—such as adhesive—over the entire leaf, leaving exposed only the areas where the letters are written.
Allow it to dry completely.
This way, insects would devour only the unprotected lettering, resulting in a clear, eaten-away message. Afterwards, a quick rinse in water would reveal a leaf with text carved out by insects.
“Honestly. These amateur plotters possess logic more full of holes than Swiss cheese.”
In any case, I had successfully influenced the Emperor’s emotions using the centipedes. Now it was time to make my exit from the area.
I waited for the palace maid who was supposed to lead me back to the Golden Guards.
I could not be observed walking alongside male officers—it would seem suspicious for a palace maid to be in their company.
“I suppose I’ll spend a little time with you all, then? Such adorable little beings. It’s still astonishing that I can interact with creatures like these without any fear of their venom.”
The centipedes I had summoned earlier crept back into the undergrowth, and I amused myself by watching them for a time.
Then came the noise of approaching footsteps and the bobbing light of a lantern.
The same palace maid was advancing cautiously, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
There was no real need for such anxiety—everyone in the vicinity was on our side—but witnessing the Emperor depart to start the interrogation had undoubtedly unsettled her.
[Yo-young master?]
She was struggling to locate me in the darkness and poked her head through the peony bush.
[Over here.]
[Eek!]
She started at the sound of my voice, stumbling and landing on her bottom.
[Are you hurt?]
[I-I merely had a fright, that is all.]
I emerged from the bushes and looked at her with worry. She swiftly straightened her robes, her cheeks flushing.
Then she spoke in a hurried manner.
[L-let us depart. We must be quick. If it grows any darker, we will lose the freedom to move about.]
She appeared somewhat weary and disoriented—likely the stress finally taking its toll. She was a stark contrast to the keen, self-assured girl who had earlier called out so loudly for the Emperor to hear.
[Understood. My thanks for all your assistance.]
[N-no, I was simply happy to be of service.]
And so I followed Unmirang out from the peonies, past the Emperor’s quarters, and in the direction of the Golden Guards.
We proceeded alongside the wall for a considerable distance before rounding a corner—
And abruptly, a figure erupted from the shadows and crashed into Unmirang, sending her stumbling.
“Kyaa!”
I just managed to catch her before she fell.
Then a voice with a sleazy tone came from ahead.
“Oh my, I must offer my apologies. Are you injured?”
As the lantern rolled across the ground, I retrieved it—and its glow illuminated the face of the man standing before us.
Unmirang let out a sharp breath.
“T-the Crown Prince?!”
The Crown Prince—the heir to the throne.
I recoiled as well.
In the very next moment, he dashed forward and clamped his hand over Unmirang’s mouth.
“Shhh!”
“Mmph!”
He pressed a finger to his own lips, instructing me to remain quiet.
Unmirang and I both nodded rapidly. The Crown Prince gave a smile and released her.
[W-we offer greetings to Your Highness.]
But he waved his arm frantically, signaling us not to utter a word.
Then he dropped into a crouch with a grin and spoke in a hushed tone.
[I slipped away to observe the interrogation. My eunuchs are unaware. I have been made to study all day long—I needed to get out.]
A fair point. No one enjoys being forced to study.
Unmirang nodded, then offered a bow. I promptly imitated her.
The Crown Prince offered a swift wave goodbye and started to leave—
But then he halted.
He turned back and walked toward us once more.
He drew in close and peered directly into my face.
[Now that I get a proper look at you—]
‘Oh no. Has he realized?’
My heart began to hammer.
I was meant to be convincingly disguised as a woman, but… perhaps his perception was too acute?
Both Unmirang and I grew rigid with tension.
Then the Crown Prince inquired:
[Which section of the palace do you two maids serve?]
[We are assigned under the Supervisor of Attire within the Emperor’s quarters.]
Unmirang answered for the both of us without a moment’s delay.
Then the Crown Prince abruptly leaned in, took hold of my chin, and with an unpleasantly slick grin, asked—
“Such a pale and delicate complexion. You, there—what is your name?”
I felt a minor surge of relief that my disguise remained intact, but the subsequent question sent a chill of sweat down my spine.
In this perilously tense instant, I shot a look toward Unmirang.
I was desperately hoping she would invent a name for me on the spot.
But all I saw was Unmirang shaking, completely paralyzed.
Clearly, this was too unexpected for her—she had not planned for this contingency and was at a loss for how to respond.
“It seems I must handle this myself.”
I had never attempted this before, but I softened my voice to the greatest extent possible, covered my mouth with my hand, and answered the Crown Prince’s query.
By speaking softly, I reduced the risk of my voice betraying me.
“So… So-hwa-eun,” I replied.
The Crown Prince smiled, then bent close and whispered into my ear.
“I find you pleasing. I will request that the Emperor assign you to my quarters. Await my summons. Heh.”
He gently brushed my cheek—apparently under the impression he was being captivating—then turned and gave a casual wave as he departed.
The feeling of his fingers on my skin caused an involuntary shiver to run through me.
Beside me, Unmirang was gazing at me with a utterly bewildered expression.
“Yes, I am equally bewildered.”
***
The following morning.
“Pffft-hahaha!”
“Kekeke!”
Laughter exploded from within the Golden Guards’ underground prison, a place usually resonant with the moans of those undergoing torture.
And amidst the commotion, I could perceive Hwa-eun’s voice in my mind.
‘So-ryong, last night the Golden Guards stormed the brothel operated by Eunuch Heo of the Five Venoms Clan. They have taken everyone into custody.’
‘Yes, I am aware. The noise from the interrogations was constant throughout the night.’
‘So the scheme was a success?’
‘Indeed. It appears I will be returning home shortly.’
‘You performed excellently. When you return, you must recount every detail of what occurred inside the palace to me.’
‘…Yes, of course.’
Just as I paused, knowing full well I could never share *everything*, laughter continued to reverberate around me.
“Pffft—ha!”
“Kehe… ke…”
They were laughing as if they were on the verge of respiratory failure.
One might think this was a novel method of torture—death by laughter?
It was a plausible thought, given the sound originated from the Golden Guards’ prison, and extended laughter does indeed become painful.
But that was not the case.
It was only this morning that I had finally reunited with General Maeng, his son, and Eunuch Wi Chung-heon—as they had been occupied all night questioning the detainees.
When they inquired if anything of note had happened during our return the previous night, Unmirang relayed the run-in with the Crown Prince.
And the three of them instantly broke into fits of uncontrollable laughter.
It wasn’t merely that I was convincing in women’s attire—what had them in stitches was the fact that I had apparently captivated the Crown Prince.
“The Crown Prince is famously selective about women, yet you made him smitten at first glance. Astounding, young master. Pfft!”
“Does this signify that the next Empress has been chosen? Hahaha!”
“Enough, all of you. We were nearly discovered!”
“Our apologies. But enchanting the Crown Prince? Truly, how could we not laugh?”
“Hehehe… if there were a method for you to remain a woman, you genuinely could ascend to be the next Empress.”
“Indeed. Just have your laugh and then return me to my original state.”
These were esteemed men, and I myself could scarcely maintain a solemn expression during their jesting. Once their amusement had finally subsided, I addressed the crucial matter.
I had been unable to ask until now due to their incessant chuckling.
“Now that you have composed yourselves, would you please inform me of the final outcome?”
“Ah, certainly. You must be eager to know.”
At my question, General Maeng’s son wiped the tears from his eyes and started to explain.
“First, Eunuch Heo admitted to being a member of the Five Venoms Clan. They contacted him and promised they could give him back his ability to father children if he aided them.”
“Children? But eunuchs…”
Eunuchs are, by definition, castrated. They lack the necessary anatomy for ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) that.
My expression must have been doubtful, for Eunuch Wi continued the explanation.
“There are two types of eunuchs. Some were rendered that way due to a childhood injury. Others were fully emasculated by professional surgeons. Eunuch Heo belongs to the former category.”
“So they attempted to ‘reactivate’ something using poison cultivation?”
“Precisely. He was not originally one of them, but Baek Mi-in employed face-altering martial arts. That was a component of Heo’s scheme.”
“Face-altering?”
I asked because I was concerned she might have been killed unjustly, but the response was that she had used a skill known as face transformation.
It is a method for changing one’s appearance.
Now that I consider it, the spy positioned near the Murim Alliance leader utilized the same artifice. Likely the same technique was used here.
However, the subsequent explanation diverged slightly from my expectations.
It was not the Five Venoms Clan that devised the plan—it was Eunuch Heo himself.
“He was not following their directives. He merely desired to advance his own station and organized it independently. But when the Emperor discovered he had replicated the Empress Dowager’s face, his wrath was immense. He commanded that Heo be executed by dismemberment and flaying. He declared that Baek Mi-in’s face should also be skinned.”
“By the heavens. That is severe.”
Dismemberment and flaying—exceptionally cruel punishments.
My expression stiffened at the brutality of it, and then I learned of the Emperor’s final decree.
“He also proclaimed that the Five Venoms Clan would be regarded with the same severity as the Blood Cult. Henceforth, any individual confirmed to be affiliated with them is to be put to death immediately.”
Given that the clan leader of the Blood Cult had perished, it was evident the Five Venoms Clan had been aware their principal figure had been captured by us.
Other factions might already be mobilizing for revenge, so I resolved it was time to disclose my intelligence to both the Office of Open Intelligence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Just then, I heard Hwa-eun’s alarmed voice once more in my thoughts.
‘So-ryong, Moji and Soji are becoming active!’
‘W-what!?’
I leaped to my feet and informed the elders,
“I must leave—immediately. Something is occurring with my infants. I do have critical information to relay, but I will convey it to you separately.”
“Huh? Very well, go at once. We have concluded matters here. You two, see the young master to the dock.”
“Yes, sir!”
As I sprinted away with the guards, I could hear the elders yelling after me—but their words were lost to me.
Right now, my senses told me that Moji and Soji were beginning their metamorphosis.
Nothing else could hold my attention.
“Hey, even if it is urgent, your attire—”
“So-ryong, you scoundrel! Your clothes—”
“What in the world are you talking about?”