Bright and early the next morning, Prince Young-Sik with Captain Gi and and a group of soldiers geared up for their journey to the village of Gyong. As he swung himself onto his horse, he was taken aback to find his handmaiden standing there, all set to join the adventure. "What on earth are you doing? Did you think I'd let you tag along on this mission?"
With a spark of rebellion in her eyes, Jin-Ri declared, "King Seo-Jung himself ordered me to keep an eye on you, and I'm not about to break that royal command! Wherever you go, I'll be right there, like your very own shadow!"
With a mix of annoyance and amusement, Prince Young-Sik shot back, "Suit yourself! But don't count on me for a horse. You'll just have to make the trek to Gyong village on foot!"
The court maiden shouted in her mind "I will protect you, your Highness, even if it means protecting you from yourself" Jin-Ri's head bobbed with pride, a smile lighting up her face.
However, Prince Young-Sik, exasperated, shook his head and yelled, "Onward!" The troop of horsemen surged forward, their horses kicking up dust, while Jin-Ri trailed behind, her determination evident as she raced to catch up.
At the same time, Minister Lim visits the home of Minister Ung, he is greeted by the family's servants and escorted to Minister Ung's gazebo, overlooking a rather big pond. "Minister Lim, it's an honor to receive you. What can I do for you?" The old man enthusiastically asked
"My visit is not social, rather I am here to make sure that our power and influence is not extinguished" Minister Lim Immediately stated.
Minister Ung stoked his gray beard, nodding in acknowledgment "Yes…yes, the power the brothers have is currently immeasurable, we must find a way to dampen their influence and authority" The old man leaned over to Minister Lim and asked, "Have you found of a way to do that?"
"I have a way, but it's only the first step, and all of us must cooperate to make it successful," Minister Lim said
Excitedly Minister Ung leaned further "Can you share it with me? I will do my part to make sure it succeeds"
Minister Lim grinned at the old man's willingness to cooperate "I'm happy to hear that minister, because I will need you to drop your plans to enter your granddaughter's name in the pool of hopefuls to become Queen!"
Surprised, Minister Ung questions the logic behind the plan "But…but Minister Lim, how can I turn down an opportunity to be part of the royal family?"
"Because we have to be sure that it is my daughter who will be the next Queen and no one else. She alone can stop our authority from waning" Minister Lim explained
Minister Ung's expression changed from eager to aggressive "If I don't agree? What will you do? I want to remind you that I have as much dirt on you as you have on me!"
Calmly Minister Lim replied "True, but what you don't have is someone inside the palace ready to reveal your treachery and greed at a moment's notice" He poured himself some tea and drank it all before continuing "As we speak somebody in the palace holds all of your transactions, when you were minister of treasure."
"What about them?" Minister Ung asked, his defiance slowly being washed away by Minister Lim
"The weapons used during the revolt from twenty years ago, those weapons were meant for the royal army, yet they ended up in the hands of the insurgents," Minister Lim said, the intensity and eroding patience can be felt in his voice.
Minister Lim leaned menacingly towards the old man "What do you think, Prince Young-Sik would feel if he learns that the weapons that destroyed his family, were bought by you?"
"Prince Young-Sik? But I never purchased any weapons, let alone weapons from the palace." The old man stuttered upon realizing that Minister Lim, never intended to give the evidence to the King for investigation, rather he planned to give the evidence of his dealing directly to the executioner himself, Prince Young-Sik.
"If you do that…I will take you down with me. Every last one of you will not escape the prince's wrath!" Minister Ung warned Minister Lim, that he plans to expose everyone's illegal dealings if they betray him.
Calm and unmoved by the old man's threats, Minister Lim poured himself some more tea "How is your granddaughter, Minister? I hear she likes to wander alone with only one or two servants in tow"
"You wouldn't," The old man said, his voice shaking
"I would unless you accept my proposal and endorse my daughter as the next Queen. In return after her coronation, she will choose your granddaughter as royal consort" Minister Lim offered, then he drank the tea that he poured himself
Raising his hand, Minister Lim spoke "You have until I lower my hand, and both your status and granddaughter will disappear forever"
Despite the cool winds blowing, Minister Ung's forehead was filled with beads of sweat. Minister Lim was about to lower his arm when the old man spoke "I accept…I accept your terms!" he shouted
"Excellent! Be sure to attend tomorrow's assembly" Minister Lim, stood up and immediately left, leaving a distraught Minister Ung to wallow in his weakness.
At that same time in the flower park of the capital, Ji-Hye approached a young lady. It was the granddaughter of Minister Ung, she was about the same age as Ji-Hye, beautiful and her complexion and demeanor indicated she lived a lavish life. "Lady Ung" Ji-Hye greeted her
"Lady Lim, such a pleasure seeing you here" Lady Ung gleefully replied
Ji-Hye's stare was piercing as she looked at the flowers adored by the young lady. "Such fragile entities, these flowers," she hissed, her fingers curling around a white petal with sinister intent. "Their beauty hinges on your gentleness. A single harsh move... and they're torn apart, lifeless!" With a fierce pull, she tore the flower from its stem, its petals falling like a grim reminder of her power.
The act left Lady Ung startled and speechless. When she was able to collect herself, she confronted Ji-Hye "Lady Ji-Hye…why did you do such a thing?"
"Like flowers that thrive under careful cultivation, our lives and fates are determined by our self-care. But I seriously doubt you have what it takes to reach the depths I would for my own survival," Ji-Hye warned, her voice laced with a chilling threat.
"Keep this moment etched in your mind… if your grandfather decides to nominate you for the new Queen. Turn him down, and in a display of my generosity, I will guarantee your position as consort to King Man-Ju." Ji-Hye said with a soft yet menacing voice
"And I refuse? What then?" Lady Ung replied with the utmost defiance.
"Your grandfather will endure the consequences of your choices" Ji-Hye turned her back and began to walk away, but stopped a few steps later to speak to Lady Ung without turning around.
"You ought to realize that my father has the evidence that connects him to the rebellion responsible for the massacre of Prince Young-Sik's family." She then cast a dark glance at Lady Ung. "You know how he dealt with those he labeled as evil. What do you think he'll do to a traitor who destroyed his family?"
"How dare you threaten me and my family?" Lady Ung shot back, the anger she felt for Ji-Hye palpable in every word she said
Ji-Hye closed the distance to Lady Ung, stopping mere inches from her face. "How dare a mere servant's daughter presume to belittle someone of my noble heritage?" Lady Ung gasped, the dark secret their family had fought to keep hidden was now exposed. "Yes, I know all about your servant mother. Your grandfather has been on his knees before my family for years, and they are fully aware that his daughter-in-law, your so-called mother, suffered a devastating accident, rendering her unable to bear children. I'll let you connect the dots."
"No please that will ruin my family, my poor grandfather. Please don't tell anyone" Lady Ung in tears, begged her adversary not to divulge her family's secret
"Then do you accept my offer?" With hands clasped tightly on her lips, Lady Ung nodded "Great I will send you the invitation to my coronation"
As Ji-Hye and her entourage sauntered away from the shattered young lady, a wicked glint sparkled in her eyes. Once they were far enough, she commanded her servants, "Forget what I said before… after my coronation, we will reveal their family's hidden shame to everyone." Her innocent smile masked the malice behind her words, and her servants eagerly accepted the treacherous task.
After hours of relentless walking, Jin-Ri felt like she'd just run a marathon. "Are we there yet?" she wheezed, clutching her side.
Captain Gi, trying to keep a straight face, replied, "We'll be in Gyong by early tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" she gasped, her disbelief palpable. "Why didn't anyone warn me it would take this long?" She turned to the soldiers batting her lashes, her charm on full display. "Oh, kind sirs, would one of you be so kind as to let a tired girl ride your horse before my legs turn to jelly?"
The soldiers exchanged glances, then shot a look at the prince lounging at the back, blissfully ignoring the brewing drama. In unison, they turned to Jin-Ri and declared, "NO!"
"Wait, what? Seriously? Where's your sense of gallantry? Your chivalry? I'm practically a damsel in distress here, and you can't spare a moment to get off your noble steeds?" Jin-Ri halted in her tracks, hands firmly planted on her hips. "Wow, look at these strong, heartless warriors who can't even lend a hand to a fellow palace worker!"
Jin-Ri was deep in her animated rant when Prince Young-Sik suddenly appeared, lifting her onto his horse and holding her close. Her eyes widened as she and the prince shared a meaningful glance at each other.