On the first night of the Rice festival, a shadowy figure walks along the capital's streets. The shadowy figure glanced left and right at the people. The streets were filled with people celebrating, and merchants selling their wares lined the crowded streets. On his way to his destination, he often came across drunk men offering him a drink, which he rudely refused.
The figure reached the Gadudong district and immediately went to the Cherry Blossom Kisaeng house, his destination. The Cherry Blossom was filled with patrons that night drinking, feasting, and showing off their wealth. As the figure entered the grounds of the establishment, he observed how unruly the intoxicated guests were. While some were simply having drinks and making merry with friends, others were shouting, laughing so hard, talking excessively, and some made a fool of themselves by vomiting and passing out in a puddle of their vomit and piss from intoxication.
The figure proceeds to the back of the establishment. He went to a secluded area of the establishment and when he turned a corner, the figure was met by a seemingly random person. The figure stopped, he pulled something out of his sleeve and showed it to the man.
The man bowed to the shadowy figure and then guided him to two large doors, When the doors swung open the shadowy figure entered. The man quickly closed the door as soon as the figure entered.
Once inside, he sat down in front of a long table filled with food and drinks, he took off his hood revealing his identity as Minister Gi, the minister of the royal treasury. Gi Un-Tak, sixty years old, with small eyes and a crooked nose, sports a thin grayish mustache and beard. His expression is filled with nervousness and doubt.
"How fares the task I gave you, lord Gi?" The man at the head table asked
Lord Gi faced the man and answered the question "Lord Lim, all fares well, I raised the taxes by five times this year alone. The people are angry at the royal family, the situation is like a powder keg…all we need to do is to light the fuse"
Lord Lim Do-Yung, the patriarch of the Gwandong Lim clan and the highest-positioned Minister in the King's court. Despite his age of sixty-three, he has a well-built frame of average height. A rounded face with eyebrows that tapers near his stubby nose. His eyes were as black as night, and his mouth was thick and always expressionless. He sports a thick black beard and mustache. "Well done Lord Gi," he said expressing joy at the completed task. He turned to the other man present in their secret meeting. "How about at your end Lord Lim?"
Lim Do-Yun, the only child of Lim Do-Yung thirty-six years old, is the youngest councilor in the King's court and the current minister of war. Like his father, he has a rounded face, a pointed nose, and thick lips. His eyes are black and always alert. "All is well Father. I stationed most of our soldiers along our borders, far from the capital. The ones I left to guard the capital are all disgruntled and unhappy with the King's new wage and taxes"
Minister Do-Yung sighed out of contentment "Our plan is well underway; we will take the throne in five days. To save our beloved nation from devastation, the Gwandong Lim clan will rule supreme over all of Chiongsun!"
"Father…what of the royal family?" The Younger Lim asked of his father
"Leave none alive!" Minister Do-Yung instructed them "We cannot allow a single seed to be left, for one day that seed might grow into a forest and snuff us out. The line of King Seo-Jung must all be eliminated!"
On the twenty-fifth day of the month of the snake, crowned Prince Seo-Joon called upon his brothers. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Seo-Joon said to his brothers, expressing his gratitude.
"Why did you summon us, Your Highness?" Man-Ju curiously asked
The crowned prince smiled and replied, "I asked permission from our father the King, to give you lessons about the duties and responsibilities of the royal family?"
"Oh no…so you're now our teacher and not just our elder brother?" Young-Sik said, as he dramatically fainted on the floor, prompting laughter from his two elder brothers.
"Hey get-up, now is not the time to faint. You can do that later after I grade your exams" Seo-Joon said, as he tried to pull Young-Sik up.
Upon hearing that there would be an exam, Young-Sik's eyes immediately opened and stood up. "An exam? You're going to give us an exam on the first day?" He then playfully thumped on his chest with his hand and added "Why? Why? Why? The lesson has not even started and the first thing you come up with is an exam?"
The crowned princess chimed in on the conversation "Of course, your brother is going to give you a lecture first before the exam" she said sweetly to the two boys "If you listen to the crowned prince, I know you will do good on his exams"
Young-Sik slumped on the floor and threw a tantrum "I don't want any exams or school…what I want is to play all day and sleep all night!"
Prince Man-Ju took Young-Sik by the hand and tried to make him stand "Get up will you… you are embarrassing me in front of the future King and Queen!"
"No… I don't want to" the youngest prince declared, adamant on leading a carefree lifestyle.
Holding his laughter, the crowned prince, tapped Man-Ju on the shoulder "Let him be Prince Man-Ju if he does not want to take the lecture" Seo-Joon, walked to his seat and prepared to conduct the lecture. "Just so you know, whoever gets the highest score on the exam, Father has authorized me to give them their steed"
When Young-Sik, heard that the prize would be a horse, he quickly got up and sat in front of the prince, ready to listen. Man-Ju lightly taps the youngest prince on the head "What the? You are indeed a shameless little punk"
The lecture was about to start when they all heard a commotion coming from the palace gates. The crowned prince stood up to see what was happening when a royal guard came rushing in to deliver an important message from the King.
Seo-Joon took the scroll, opened it, and read the contents. His eyes widened as beads of sweat started to form on his brow.
Princess Yoo-Na sensed something was amiss, went up to the prince, and read the scroll contents. Surprised by the message, she placed both her hands over her lips. She looked at the prince and said "Your Highness…what shall we do?"
"Princess, take my brothers and go to the Queen Mother's residence…Hurry!" he instructed his wife
"What's wrong brother?" Man-Ju nervously asked as he tugged on the Crowned prince's sleeves
The crowned prince did not wish to mince words, for he knows that telling the truth is the best course of action in such times "A rebellion…the commoners and farmers from the neighboring villages have staged a rebellion, they have broken through the palace gates as we speak," Seo-Joon said as he reached for his sword.
Upon hearing that the palace was under siege, Young-Sik began to cry out of fear. The Crowned prince approached the messenger. "Escort the crowned princess and my brothers to the Queen's palace…and stay there and guard them."
The messenger bowed to the prince and answered "Yes Your Highness"
Princess Yoo-Na held on to Seo-Joon's arm as he tried to leave "What about you, my prince?"
Gently removing his wife's grip on his arm, he touched her delicate face and kissed her. "Worry not about me. I will head to the throne room. Father will surely be there. We must think of a way to calm the people and stop this rebellion." With those words, the prince dashed towards the King, while the soldier led his wife and brothers to the Queen's residence.
When the prince entered the Throne room, only the King, a few soldiers, and the head eunuch were there. "Your Highness…are you alright? The Ministers, where are the Ministers?"
"None of them came, not even the minister of war," The King said as he gritted his teeth
"Cowards…the lot of them. How dare they say loyalty when they can't even be bothered to be with you during such trying times!" The price shouted in frustration.
The King calmed his eldest son "I prepared two caravans for the Queen and Consort Lee" The king held the crowned prince by his shoulders and continued to speak "Go with your mother and protect them."
The prince stepped back protesting the King's request "No… I will not leave your side, not when you need me the most!"
"Listen to me, my son…The situation is dire, I fear. You must join your mother and brother and lead them through Mt. Yangge to your grandfather's land for safety. As long as my sons are alive, Chiongsun will have a bright future" The King explained to the prince with tears rolling down his eyes.
"But father…" Seo-Joon continued to protest, not wanting the King to face the rebellion alone.
The King sighed and embraced his son "Do I have to command you as your King? Or would you rather heed your father's request?"
Hesitantly the prince relented to his father "I will do as you requested Father" he said as he embraced his father the King.
The King turned to the Head Eunuch "Take him to the Queen's caravan, hurry we have little time left"
The prince bowed to the King, but before he left, he stopped and asked the King "Father…what about Man-Ju?"
"He is with his mother Consort Lee, I sent them to her father's land" The King replied
Upon hearing that his other brother was safe, he bowed to his father and left with the Eunuch. With sword in hand, the King marched out of the throne room and headed to the Northern gate.
The caravan was almost set to leave when the prince arrived at the Queen's residence. Princess Yoo-na got out of her palanquin and ran to the prince. "I thought we would leave without you, my prince"
The prince smiled at his wife and embraced her tightly. He then went to the queen's palanquin to check on her and Young-Sik "Are you alright Ma-ma? How is the prince fairing?"
Queen Min-Ah nodded as she stroked the hair of the sleeping Young-Sik "He is fine, a little tired from all the crying that's all"
One of the soldiers approached the palanquin with the prince's white horse in tow. The prince took the reins and mounted his horse. He then rode towards Consort Lee's palanquin to see Man-Ju
"Consort Lee, are you alright?" He asked, and glanced at his brother "How about you brother?"
"Yes Your Highness" they replied, confirming their condition to the crowned prince.
Seo-Joon nodded and said "Be careful on your way to Mong-din. Stay there until I fetch you there personally" he then rode his horse in front of the queen's caravan, and he glanced at the court ladies lined up behind the Queen's palanquin. He noticed that even a little girl was in line with the other court ladies. He looked forward "March on," he said, giving the order for the caravans to start their respective journeys.