 ▲ 이동연 작가 ©브레이크뉴스 |
비무극이 다시 진나라로 달려가 국혼을 준비하는 척하며 맹영공주의 시녀와 단둘이 만났다.
“보아하니 너는 장차 왕비가 될 관상이라. 이제부터 내가 하는 말을 잘 듣거라. 두 나라가 국혼을 맺는 과정에 여러 말 못할 사정이 있었다. 맹영 공주일행이 초나라 왕궁에 도착하는 대로 공주는 초왕과 혼인하고, 네가 곧 태자의 부인이 될 것이다. 이 일은 너 혼자만 알고 있어야 한다.”
너무도 놀란 시녀가 한동안 입을 다물지 못했지만, 왕비가 될수 있다는 말에 자신도 모르게 고개를 끄덕였다. 다음날 비무극이 먼저 초나라로 떠났고, 맹영공주 일행이 뒤따랐다. 이미 날이 어두웠다. 비무극이 조치를 취해 놓은 대로, 맹영은 왕궁 깊숙한 곳으로 안내 받았고, 맹영의 시녀는 태자궁으로 갔다.
맹영은 평왕이 늙어 보이기는 했지만 태자인 줄만 알고 그날 밤을 함께 보냈다. 날이 밝은 다음에야 태자가 아니라 늙 수구레한평왕이란 것을 알았지만, 이미 엎질러진 물이었다. 그 시각 태자 건도 맹영이 아닌 시녀를 품고 잤다는 것을 알고 이빨을 부드득 간다.
“비무극, 이 간사한 뱀 대가리같은 놈, 두고 보자.”
비무극도 자신이 꾸며 놓은 왕실의 패륜 때문에 좌불안석이었다. 만일 태자가 왕이 되는 날이면 자신도 끝이라, 태자를 쫓아낼 궁리에 골몰하기 시작했다. 얼마 후 맹영공주가 평왕의 아들 진珍을 낳으며, 평왕의 총애를 독차지한다. 게다가 태자의 어머니인 왕비는 평왕이 채후 시절에 만나 사랑했던 채나라 하층민 출신이었다. 그런데 지체도 높고 아름답기까지 한 맹영공주를 만나 아들까지 낳자, 평왕은 왕비는 물론 그녀이 아들 태자까지 싫어졌다. 그러다가 비무극을 만나 속을 털어 놓았다.
“맹영공주가 고량진미膏粱珍味라면 왕비는 돈제우주豚蹄盂酒같소.”
한때나마 사랑했던 왕비를 술 한잔에 안주로 먹는 돼지 발톱으로 비유하고 있으니, 태자도 곱게 보일 리가 없었다. 여기에 태자를 돌보는 동국소부 비무극이 평왕에게 태자의 부정적 모습만 알려주었다.
“왜 태자는 학문과 무예는 관심도 없고, 여색만 밝히는지.. 벌써 총기가 많이 흐려졌사옵니다.”
여기서 한 걸음 더 나가 태자가 역심을 품고 있다는 말까지 지어냈다.
“ 태자가 부왕이 맹영공주를 가로챘다며, 여기저기에 불만을 터트린답니다.”
“천인공노할 패륜을 저지른 부왕을 그대로 두고 볼수 없다며, 은근히 동조자를 규합하고 있다 하옵니다.”
일종의 연환계連環計였다. 먼저 미인계를 써 왕을 홀려놓고, 태자와 이간질시켜 왕이 태자를 죽이도록 만들어 가는 것이다. 드디어 평왕이 태자를 쫓아낼 방안을 비무극에게 물었다.
“우선 태자와 스승 오사를 동북쪽 국경 지대인 성부城父 땅의 수문장으로 내보내소서.”
한달 뒤, 비무극이 평왕에게 무고를 했다.
“대왕, 성부로 간 태자와 오사가 역모를 도모한다 하옵니다. 군사를 모아 조련하는 한편 제나라와 진晋나라에까지 지원군을 요청했다 하옵니다.”
“그게 정말이냐? 믿어지지가 않는구나.”
“소신은 지금껏 진실만 아뢰었사옵니다.”
“하긴 그래. 그대가 지금껏 거짓말 한 적은 없었지.”
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
[Novel The Art of War 71]
When strategists take the lead in state affairs
- 2) They drive their lord into the shadows, making him rely solely on them.
Bimugeuk rushed back to the State of Qin and, pretending to prepare for the state marriage, met alone with Princess Mengying's maid.
“I see that you have the physiognomy of a future queen. Listen carefully to what I say from now on. There were many unspoken circumstances in the process of our two nations forming a state marriage. As soon as Princess Mengying and her party arrive at the royal palace of Chu, the princess will marry the King of Chu, and you will soon become the wife of the Crown Prince. You must keep this matter to yourself.”
The maid, astonished, could not close her mouth for a while, but at the mention of becoming queen, she nodded involuntarily.
The next day, Bimugeuk left for Chu first, followed by Princess Mengying's party. It was already dark. As Bi Mugeuk had arranged, Meng Ying was escorted deep into the royal palace, while her maidservant went to the Crown Prince's palace.
Although King Ping looked old, Meng Ying believed him to be the Crown Prince and spent the night with him. It was only after dawn that she realized he was not the Crown Prince but the aging, sullen King Ping, but the damage was already done.
At that very moment, Crown Prince Jian also gnashed his teeth upon learning that he had slept with the maidservant instead of Meng Ying.
"Bi Mugeuk, you treacherous snake-headed bastard, just you wait."
Bi Mugeuk was also restless due to the royal depravity he had orchestrated. Realizing that his own downfall would be the day the Crown Prince ascended the throne, he began to immerse himself in plotting to drive the Crown Prince out.
Shortly afterward, Princess Meng Ying gave birth to King Ping's son, Zhen, and monopolized the King's favor.
Furthermore, the Crown Prince's mother, the Queen, was of lower-class origin from the State of Cai, whom King Ping had met and loved during his time as the Marquis of Cai. However, after meeting Princess Mengying, who was of high status and even beautiful, and having a son with her, King Ping came to despise not only the Queen but also her son, the Crown Prince.
Then, he met Bi Mugeuk and confided his feelings.
“If Princess Mengying is a fine meal, then the Queen is like a bowl of pig’s hoof to accompany a cup of wine.”
Since he was comparing the Queen, whom he had once loved, to a pig’s hoof to eat as a side dish with a cup of wine, it was no wonder he did not view the Crown Prince favorably. On top of this, Bi Mugeuk, who served as the Magistrate of the Eastern Kingdom responsible for the Crown Prince’s care, only told King Ping about the Crown Prince’s negative aspects.
“Why is the Crown Prince so uninterested in scholarship and martial arts, and only obsessed with women? His judgment has already become clouded.”
Going a step further, he even fabricated a story that the Crown Prince harbored treasonous intentions.
“Furthermore, the Crown Prince is venting his grievances everywhere, claiming that his father, the King, stole Princess Mengying.” “It is said that he is secretly gathering sympathizers, claiming he cannot stand by and watch his father commit such heinous acts of patricide.”
It was a sort of chain stratagem. First, he would use a honey trap to seduce the King, then sow discord between him and the Crown Prince to drive the King to kill the Crown Prince.
Finally, King Ping asked Bi Mugeuk for a plan to expel the Crown Prince.
“First, send the Crown Prince and his tutor, Wu Sa, to serve as gatekeepers in Chengfu, the northeastern border region.”
A month later, Bi Mugeuk made a false accusation to King Ping.
“Your Majesty, it is said that the Crown Prince and Wu Sa, who went to Chengfu, are plotting treason. They are gathering and training troops, and have even requested reinforcements from the states of Qi and Jin.”
“Is that really true? I can’t believe it.”
“I have only reported the truth until now.”
“Indeed. You have never lied before.”
