An elder, likely the village chief, pointed at the prince. "You! You royal jerk! Is your wealth not enough? Must you raise our taxes so high that we can barely feed ourselves?"
With his sword ready, Young-Sik stepped up and said, "What taxes? We never demanded any tax hikes!"
The elder roared back, "Don't lie to me, boy!" One of the villagers handed him a rolled-up paper, which he opened to reveal its contents. "You're Prince Young-Sik, aren't you? That's your name, right?" he said, jabbing a finger at the signature and seal on the poster.
"You and your minister have been taking advantage of this impoverished farming province for far too long, leaving it drained and struggling. Now, we'll get to see you die before us. KILL THEM ALL!" the elder bellowed.
Jin-Ri found herself once more caught between two rival groups ready to clash. "STOP!" she yelled.
"Move aside, kid. We don't want to hurt a servant like you, but if you keep blocking us, we won't hesitate to take you out," the leader threatened her.
"Jin-Ri, just step back... these folks are out of their minds. All they care about is blood," Young-Sik said. "So, who's ready to meet their end first?" the prince shouted at the villagers closing in.
"Listen up, everyone!" Jin-Ri screamed, her voice piercing through the noise. "Using violence isn't the answer! It'll just create more chaos!"
"Exactly!" the village elder replied. "But I want to make those who let our villagers starve pay for it!" At that moment, a group of men lunged at the prince, and without thinking, Jin-Ri positioned herself between them.
In a flash, the prince swiftly seized Jin-Ri by her shoulders, spinning around to position her safely behind him. With just a quick swing of his sword, Young-Sik sent the oncoming attackers tumbling backward, protecting Jin-Ri. "If anyone lays a hand on her... they'll face a brutal and painful end," he threatened the villagers.
"Your Highness... please let me handle this. We should try to settle this peacefully," Jin-Ri pleaded with the prince, hoping for a diplomatic solution.
"Are you out of your mind?" Young-Sik said, objecting to Jin-Ri's idea.
"It'll be fine, Your Highness, just trust me," she reassured him, slowly pulling away from the prince. Young-Sik couldn't explain why, but he let her go. He kept his eyes on her as she cautiously walked toward the angry crowd.
"Please just hear me out. We're here to sort this out, not to hurt anyone," she told the village elder.
"Well, if that's the case, why does he have a bunch of soldiers with him?" the elder shot back.
"Just a bunch of soldiers? Why not an entire army? " Jin-Ri responded to the upset crowd. "Look, if we wanted to, we could've brought a whole legion, but we didn't. Let's discuss this and figure out how we can help."
The tension in the village square was palpable, as the enraged villagers crowded around Prince Young-Sik, their voices rising in a cacophony of anger and confusion. "We've got the proof right here… his name and seal!" one villager shouted, his voice cutting through the unrest. A wave of agreement surged through the crowd, emboldening their accusations.
"That's not my seal," Young-Sik replied, seizing the moment to clarify the misunderstandings that had spiraled out of control. His voice was calm yet firm, starkly contrasting to the chaos around him.
"What do you mean it's not yours?" the elder inquired, skepticism etched into his features.
With careful precision, Young-Sik reached into his tunic and produced his ring, gleaming in the sunlight. "This ring is my seal. If you stamp it, you'll see the difference for yourself." He tossed the ring to the elder, who caught it with an expression of disbelief, and then began to inspect it closely.
The elder's brow furrowed as he took a piece of parchment and pressed the ring against it, creating a clear impression. "It's indigo," one villager remarked, eyes wide with realization.
"Have you ever known that the King and princes each have their distinct colors?" Captain Gi interjected, stepping forward to support the prince's case. "The prince's is indigo, while the King's is red. That one's black, which probably means it's from an official."
As the crowd began to quiet, Captain Gi continued, "And take a look at the dragon in the seal. It only has three claws, similar to those mythical dragons. The seals of the King and prince have more than three claws."
Young-Sik seized the opportunity to add weight to his argument. "The forger likely didn't realize this, but documents stamped with the royal seals are strictly kept in the palace. They're archived for protection, and only the copies without the seals are handed out to the public." He watched as the villagers exchanged glances, the tension beginning to ebb.
Finally, the village elder relaxed, his demeanor shifting from anger to cautious hope. "So, you didn't give the order for the taxes?" he asked, his voice softer now.
"No, my good sir," Young-Sik replied, extending his hand. "It wasn't me or the King who called for the taxes."
The elder took his hand, sincerity in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Your Highness! We were wrong not to listen to your side first. Please show mercy to our village." His plea resonated with the crowd, who echoed their desire for understanding.
"I'm not about punishing anyone innocent; my mission is to protect our Kingdom from threats," Young-Sik stated confidently, eliciting a wave of relief and excitement from the villagers. "What just occurred here is something we can't ignore."
As the elder led him toward the village hall, Young-Sik called out, "Jin-Ri, you should join us; you have every right to be at this meeting."
Jin-Ri beamed, her heart swelling with pride, and hurriedly made her way to him. "Yes, Your Highness!" she exclaimed, her voice bright with determination.
Inside the village hall, Young-Sik found himself positioned at the head of the table, flanked by the village chief and elders on his left, while Jin-Ri, Captain Gi, and senior soldiers occupied his right. Just as he prepared to address the gathering, Jin-Ri's voice chimed in, "When did these people start raising the taxes?"
The village chief met Young-Sik's gaze, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Encouragingly, Young-Sik nodded for him to respond. "It was about six or eight months back," the chief admitted, tension still lingering in the air.
Prince Young-Sik was prepared to delve deeper into the matter at hand. But before he could utter a single word, Jin-Ri, the ever-curious court maiden, jumped in with a fierce inquiry that left him momentarily speechless.
"Do you remember who they were?" she blurted out, her eyes glinting with determination. Young-Sik caught off guard, merely nodded at the village elders, gesturing for them to elaborate.
"They were soldiers from the capital, brought here by the province's magistrate," the village chief recalled, his voice gravelly from years of labor.
Jin-Ri was on fire, her mind racing with questions. "How about we just head to that magistrate?" she proposed, her enthusiasm infectious.
The village elders exchanged wary glances, shaking their heads in unison. "The magistrate vanished right after the soldiers showed up, and nobody's seen or heard from him since."
Young-Sik and his soldiers shared worried looks, their brows furrowed with concern. Sensing the tension, Jin-Ri broke the somber air with another pointed question. "Did those soldiers go to the other villages?"
"They traveled from village to village handing out notices about the new tax increase," the elder explained, pausing to collect his thoughts. "They even charged us for using the river to irrigate our crops."
"But that's against the law! No one can make you pay to use river water!" Jin-Ri exclaimed, looking earnestly at Young-Sik for support. "I'm correct, right Your Highness? They can't be charged for using something natural!"
Young-Sik awkwardly smiled, scrunched his nose at her enthusiasm, and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Absolutely!"
Just as he thought he might regain control of the conversation, Jin-Ri fired off another question. "You said they were soldiers, but how can you be so certain they came from the capital?"
With a frustrated sigh, Young-Sik tapped the table lightly, trying to steer the discussion back. But Captain Gi and the soldiers stifled their laughter, clearly entertained by Jin-Ri's relentless interrogation. The village elders continued, undaunted. "They were wearing the same uniforms as your soldiers, Your Highness."
Before Jin-Ri could interrupt again, Young-Sik quickly covered her mouth, leaning in to ask, "Are we entirely certain that they were wearing the same uniform as these soldiers?"
The villagers scrutinized the soldiers' uniforms, and one elder piped up, "No, Your Highness… they may look the same, but they lack the Chiongsun seal! I'm convinced now; those people aren't from the capital."
Young-Sik, his mind racing with the implications, turned to one of the senior officers. "Captain Gi, take two soldiers and ride to the nearby towns. Try finding that magistrate and secretly ask for all seamstresses skilled enough to copy our military uniforms." He instructed, still holding a bewildered Jin-Ri's mouth shut.
Turning back to the village chief, Young-Sik added, "Can you show us the river where you get the water to irrigate your crops?"
The villagers nodded and stood up, leading the way. Young-Sik finally released Jin-Ri's mouth, casually wiping his hands on her sleeves as he said, "You're kind of gross, you know that?"
Jin-Ri shot him a playful glare, her spirit unbroken, "And you're lucky I like you, Your Highness!"