Three days later.
The royal palace.
The fifth prince, Shen Huai'an, had donned the king's crown, and Li Yanli, formerly an adviser at the Imperial Prince's Mansion, had become Goryeo's minister of internal affairs. Sovereign and subject respectfully welcomed the Regent King.
They entered a spacious hall, where chests of gleaming silver ingots stood arranged-ten million taels of silver in all. Another fifty chests contained Goryeo ancient ginseng, its rich medicinal fragrance filling the hall.
The new king bowed and said apologetically:
"Regent King, I searched with all my might, emptied the treasury, and borrowed from my ministers, but I barely managed to gather fifty chests."
Jia Huan remained expressionless.
The new king hastily added:
"Your Highness, could twenty chests of fo-ti make up the shortfall?"
Jia Huan scrutinized him for a long while, then nodded his agreement.
The new king immediately instructed the eunuchs. An incense stick's time later, they brought twenty chests of fo-ti.
In addition, two powerful eunuchs carried a red box.
The new king leaned forward and said respectfully:
"Your Highness, this ancient ginseng is several thousand years old, the only one of its kind in all Goryeo. My father intended to take it when his lifespan approached its end, to replenish his vitality and blood. But such a divine treasure ought rightly to be presented to the suzerain state's Beyond First Rank Imperially Invested Lady."
Jia Huan nodded in satisfaction.
Water Skimmer, Iron Palm, and his other trusted followers also smiled. Though the new king had been weak and fearful during the military remonstrance, he had shown ample sincerity afterward.
Jia Huan accepted the red box and opened it. The essence of countless years wafted out, and an exquisite medicinal fragrance filled his nostrils. It was truly worth a fortune.
The new king continued:
"Your