Chapter 3. The point of no return. 

 

 

"Brother… you need to eat something. Young Brother!"

 

Kwon Bo Ah left Jiyong’s chamber frustrated, because his stubborn little brother decided he wanted to die with her lovely Queen. She never loved someone with his intensity, so she couldn’t understand. Yet, the pain of seeing her brother like that… well, it helped to sympathy with Jiyong’s agony. 

 

"Nothing yet?" Yuri demanded.

 

Her older sister's expression was all Yuri needed: Jiyong was in his limbo state once again.

 

"That coward… AND YOU CALL YOURSELF MAJOR GENERAL?! Bull" she screamed in front of Jiyong's chamber.

 

"That mouth, Yuri…"

 

"DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING?! Wake up the Dragon!"

 

The Dragon was the nickname the Major General received from the pirates who feared him, and Yuri knew his brother liked it very much (but he couldn't admit it in from of his colleagues), so, she expected to witness some kind of reaction from him. It was useless.

 

"I’m leaving"

 

"Where?"

 

"Somewhere far away from here! This bastard is driving me crazy, sister."

 

She dressed in man’s clothes and left the house, climbing the roofs of Hanseong. This way, nobody would look at her weirdly: it was normal for a beggar to climb the roofs, but not for a lady.

 

She sat in a roof not far away from home, so, she could see their garden, just in case Jiyong decided to carry on. The view of the Palace and far away mountains was breathtaking.

 

There had passed three days since the death of the Queen and Royal Concubine, and, according to what she knew thanks to Lord HeeChul: a mysterious man tried to kill the Queen while everyone was in the festival, Park Bom heard some awful noises because she was going to visit the Crown Prince and she was stabbed. To destroy evidences, the mysterious man tried to arson the Moon Palace. And, in her last breath, Park Bom held the Crown Prince and saved him from the fire. Queen Sandara was already death, and her corpse was partially burned by the fire.

 

"That Lord HeeChul is really someone: he knows everything." she spoke out loud.

 

Although it was a tragedy, there was general concern about how someone was able to skip the increased security and kill the Queen. So, in the paranoia state the King was, he locked the Royal Family in the Palace.

 

 

"How I wish I could be there and comfort you, Taeyeon… ash… Those stupid rules!"

 

Suddenly, she listened noises coming from her house. And, as quickly as a lightning, Yuri descended the roofs and run to her household. She had the agility of a black panther and the strength of a Malasyian tiger, so when she saw Park Sang-Hyun and his soldiers in front of her house, hitting at the door, she knew she could defeat him.

 

"What the hell are you doing in my house?!" she screamed while she dew her sword-. You are too young to lead a group of soldiers, little boy.

 

"See whose talking…" he tried to say as calm as possible: he knew about Lady Yuri’s abilities, and he took them seriously.

 

"You still haven’t answered my question" she raged.

 

"We are arresting Major General Kwon Jiyong as a suspicious of Queen Park Sandara and Royal Concubine Park Bom deaths."

 

 

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"KWON JIYONG?!" the King shouted. "That’s impossible: he was with me when we heard the alarm."

 

"But we found this, my King."

 

Right State Councilor Park Sung-woo, and Bom’s father, showed the King some love letters between Kwon Jiyong and Park Sandara. Seung-hyun knew they loved each other, but, he couldn’t believe they arrived to risk their lives to that extreme… No, he just couldn’t believe it.

 

"Are you sure these letters are real?"

 

"Absolutely!" he exclaimed offended. "We have consulted them with various scribes from the Office of Records and all arrived to the same conclusion: these are the handwritings of the Queen and the Major General."

 

"But he was with me…"

 

"That’s why we are investigating his friends, your Majesty. Maybe he had an accomplice."

 

"Okay, call the Chief of the Royal Investigation Bureau , I must speak with him. Send my secretaries every two hours to inform me."

 

"Yes, your Majesty."

 

He was left alone, wondering and doubting, because nothing had sense for Seung-hyun. “Why would Kwon Jiyong want to kill Sandara if he loved her? How could he be the assaulter if he was with me that night? Why after I suspected the Emperor was plotting something all that disgrace happened?”. He tried to focus and keep himself busy, because when he thought about her (he was unable to say her name without crying), his mind blanked. And he was determined to find the real culprit. For his friend.

 

"You called me, my King…"

 

The Chief of the Royal Investigation Bureau or Lord HeeChul (or the lord of the spies, as his sister Taeyeon named him) arrived as silently as he used to. His enigmatic eyes and weird expressions made him look as if he was insane, but everyone knew it was just his façade.

 

"What do the fake evidences say?"

 

"Right now, all the information that I have is that: Queen Sandara and Major General were plotted together to escape. The Queen was about to fake her death, but Royal Concubine’s Bom found her and tried to stop her. With her crime discovered, Sandara tried to erase the evidence by setting the Palace on fire, but she got intoxicated and was unable to escape. Royal Concubine awoke and saved the Crown Prince before dying."

 

"And Jiyong, what did he do supposedly?"

 

"He provided the Queen and the Crown Prince fake identities and weapons to escape the Palace."

 

Seung-hyun sighed and rubbed the spice between his eyebrows. It was so frustrating: to know the truth but being unable to reveal it, because, once again, there were corruption and lack of evidences.

 

"Is the Chinese Emperor behind all of this, am I wrong?"

"Not at all your majesty."

 

Lord HeeChul had to bite his tongue, because the King looked too frustrated and scared… he didn’t want to frighten him even more.

 

"You can speak your mind, Kim HeeChul."

 

"He needs some help from the inside, your highness."

 

He waited for an anger reaction, but the King looked focused and calm. Little he knew Seung-hyun was squeezing a knife in his hand: it seemed that his pain could only be eased by more pain.

 

"Any clues about his allies?"

 

"Maybe some lords from the Northern Provinces who want to get exclusive commercial deals with China… maybe Jeolla’s Governor, Lord Choi Siwon, or maybe some Generals who feel betrayed by the lack of promotions the infantry is receiving…"

 

"Wow! It seems I have lots of enemies."

 

"It’s what happens when a King wants to control his Kingdom…"

 

True. Since he ascended to the throne almost five years ago, he made it clear to everyone: Joseon was his Kingdom and he was going to rule it for his people, not for the nobles. Who taught him to be this way when his father had no-personality and let the nobles ruin the country? His loyal Chef Security, Kwon HyunSuk. “Poor man, he must be suffering a lot” Seung-hyun thought “I need to find the real assassin”. 

 

"Do you have any clues, then?"

 

"No, his spies were really efficient… there’s no evidence, not even a witness that can inform us about suspicious actions. No-one speaks."

 

"Wow! I thought you had answers for everything."

 

And yes, he had answers; always… that’s why Lord HeeChul took the case as something personal: no-one dared to hide information from him.

 

"I am sorry, your highness. I promise I’ll work harder."

 

"I forgive you, but with one condition, lord HeeChul."

 

"What condition?"

 

"Tell me… What can I do to safe Major General’s life?"

 

"Banish him from Joseon and blame the Queen only. She’s already dead."

 

"That’s a cruel option."

 

"But it’s the best I can think of. At least her death will save her beloved one."

 

"You can leave."

 

Lord HeeChul bowed, and when he was outside the King’s studio, one of her best spies, former gisaeng Lee Hyori, approached him.

 

"Milord."

 

"Find me pretty girl-clothing and give me access to the Gisaeng house."

 

"Can I ask why?"

 

"I need more secrets. And you know I can look like a pretty and innocent flower when I want."

 

"Understood, milord."

 

Hyori was about to leave, as silently as she was used to. But, her master took her wrist, pulled her closer to him, and whispered in her ear:

 

"Follow the Kwon family and take your daughter with you. Lee SooHyuk will help you."

 

 

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Kwon Bo Ah always thought here was nothing sadder than an unhappy child. It’s when we are young and innocent when everything seems possible and we aren’t haunted by responsibilities. For that reason, the vision of the royal children broke her heart. They were with her in the Dowager Queen’s chambers, looking at the sky that showed towards the small windows.

 

"Look, Crown Prince! A butterfly!"

 

But he just remained motionless, with his big dark eyes contemplating the insect as if it was unreal.

 

"Is my omma with the butterfly, lady?"

 

"Why do you say that, my prince?"

 

"Omma is in the sky, and butterflies fly…"

 

He was only three years old but the prince could express himself good. Bo Ah guessed he was just like her mother: a bright observer. “Sandara was able to notice even the slightes gestures and had a special talent to understand the other’s intentions… How is it possible that she was caught off-guard?” Kwon Bo Ah was really suspicious, because, she knew, she was sure that if Sandara had felt any strange presence near her and her boy, she would have alarmed the guards. She was sure about it. “Then, she probably knew her murderer… if not, I can’t understand it. Only a close person could be able to get so close to her and blame Jiyong. Someone who knew them and their relationship. I must be even more cautious”. Suddenly, some small yanks made her stop plotting and thinking about possible suspects.

 

"Has Omma left to help the butterflies, Bo Ah?"

 

Those little yet intense eyes were so sad that First Palace Lady had to sight deeply to control her emotions. Prince Jeongwan was like the son she never had, and he needed her serene and ready to raise him: she promised it to Sandara!

 

-Flash back-

 

"Relax, my queen, and stop shouting: you need your energy to deliver the baby."

 

"But it hurts too much!"

 

Everyone knew it: the labor wasn’t going well, and, although the Queen shouldn’t be screaming like that, no one blamed her, because, as Bo Ah could see in the midwives’ expressions, it  was really, really painful.

 

"I’m going to die without seeing my baby! AAAAAHHHH!"

 

And her screams of pain filled the whole Palace. Never had she thought a place so occupied could be so silent.

 

"Don’t say that Sandara and just concentrate!"

 

"Bo Ah! Promise me!"

 

"What?!"

 

"Promise me that you will take care of my baby!"

 

"Sandara…"

 

"Promise it!" the Queen said holding her hand so strongly that she had bruises for a week.

"I promise."

 

-End of Flashback-

 

"Yes, your Omma has gone with the butterflies because they needed her."

 

"But I miss her."

 

And then, inspired by the childish and crazy ideas the late Royal Concubine had to cheer up the children, she said:

 

"Do you want we write a message? So that butterfly can give it to your mother."

 

"Can we do that?"

 

He smiled so widely that his cute dimples covered his cheeks, and Kwon Bo Ah felt proud: “Maybe I am not his mother, but I promise you’ll be proud of the Crown Prince I’m going to raise, Sandara”.

 

 

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"You are a bunch of incompetent Chinese! The Crown Prince should have died too! Poor baby. Park Bom wasn’t supposed to die."

 

"Control your anger, man."

 

After seeing Huang Qi Zhen in person the shadows understood why he was so feared: he was tall, muscular and had a scar on his left eye, which made his pupils turn white. It was a scary vision. Also, his permanent smirk, especially pronounced when they talk about death, made him look like a monster.

 

"What did you expect when she saw my face? I will finish the Crown Prince this week, don't worry."

 

"NO!" the three yelled.

 

"Are you going to disobey Emperor Geng, then?"

 

"The King suspects about the Emperor."

 

"Really?" he seemed surprised. "You told me your King was influential and stupid.

 

"That’s what we thought, that he was like his father. We were wrong."

 

"And what’s going to do, punish an Emperor? I never heard about that."

 

"No, but he might use it to put the whole nation against the Chinese and start a rebellion."

 

"You will perish…"

 

"And your Emperor? He has yet to stabilize his Dynasty. And I heard the Hwangs and the Huaos will be thrilled to restore the Ming’s… Let’s focus on blaming the Kwon Clan. It will be good if their family loose influence towards the King."

 

Huang Qi Zhen was a man who had difficulties to control his anger, for that reason, he destroyed one column in that abandoned house with just one kick. The three shadows were scared, but their leader wasn’t going to let that monster win: no, they planned it so accurately that a moment of rage won’t change anything.

 

"I will talk with my spies in Court to settle things with the Emperor. The King has lost his direct financial aid because the Queen’s death, so he will need to renegotiate submission with Qing Geng."

 

"But if we kill the Crown Prince he will do anything in his power to overthrow the Emperor."

 

"I guess you know better your King than me… okay; we will wait and rethink our next step."

 

"That’s a good idea."

 

"Yes, now, at least, now we can put a Chinese Queen in the Palace."

 

 

 

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Princess Mi-Young loved her life at the Forbidden City. Most people would have disagreed with her, because it was a place full of conspirators and betray. But, since she was the half-Chinese and the Emperor’s sister, she was in a safe position: no-one wanted to mix their bloodline with Koreans in their family tree, so she wasn’t used by her brother as a political weapon. Yet, she had divine antecessors and everyone treated her with the respect a Princess deserved.

 

"You are so cute, SooYoung, come here with your older sister."

 

Mi-Young spent her days with her sisters in their mansion, laughing, sewing, reading and playing. Since she was the one of the oldest sisters, Mi-young developed a maternal instinct and became the fake mother for the youngest, SooYoung, her lovely little angel. I

 

"I want to be as pretty as you when I grow up."

 

"But you are already twelve, you are a grown up lady, SooYoung."

 

"But not a pretty lady."

 

"Yes, you are, you just need to realize it."

 

"Let me braid your hair, sister."

 

SooYoung and Mi-Young were morning girls: always awake after the sunrise to enjoy all the sun-hours they could. It was also their moment, where the two could be together without worrying about noisy and annoying sisters running all over the place.

 

"Your hair is so long and shiny, sister- SooYoung said while she brushed her hair gently."

 

"Thank you, sister."

 

Suddenly, they were interrupted by some soldier, who announced the Emperors arrival. Panic rose in the household, as nothing was ready for his visit.

 

"Hyoyeon, Sooyoun, Yoona, Soonkyu! COME FAST!"

 

"Sister, what happens?" A slepy Soonky asked.

 

"THE EMPEROR IS COMING!" Sooyoung and Mi-Young screamed in unison.

 

"WHAAAT?!

 

And their noisy screams filled the house. Luckily, their efficient maids helped the Imperial Princesses to get ready, using extra ornaments in their long hairs to hide the fact they didn’t brush them properly.

 

"The Emperor has entered!"

 

And their half-brother, Qing Geng, entered in their house with the beautiful Empress Song Qian by his side. The two of them wearing matching gold gowns and looking majestic. If Qian was there it meant they were going to receive important news. And that scared Mi-young.

 

"Welcome to our house, brother" Mi-young said in representation of the sisters.

 

"How is it possible you have Korean accent if you had never been in Joseon?"

 

The Emperor loved to remind to his six half-sisters their mixed origins, so they will remember they were daughters of a Korean Royal Concubine and they should be thankful of his mercy: thanks to him the Hwang sisters lived peacefully.

 

"I will work harder in my diction, your Excellency" how much Mi-young had to control herself…

 

"Good. Let’s have a seat" he looked at the youngest ladies. "Leave. Now."

 

The Emperor offered his hand to the Empress, and Mi-Young guided the Imperial couple to the house interior. It was a humble home, because the six sisters had to share bedrooms, but they didn’t mind it: it was better than being in the spotlight. The Emperor took off his ornaments, and sat rudely. Without all his paraphernalia, he looked like a skinny and youthful man, not older than twenty.

 

"I have just come to tell you tomorrow you will leave this house. You will live with the Empress."

 

Mi-Young couldn’t breathe and gaped to the couple, as if she hadn’t listened property. It was so sudden.

 

"Your Highness" the Empress intervened. "You should have said it more tactfully. Poor Princess Mi-Young, she’s in shock."

 

"I can’t waste my time with those subtle formalities. Those are for women, not men."

 

"Yes, you are right, my Emperor."

 

“What’s happening to my sweet older brother? He wasn’t like that before and followed Song Qian’s advises because he loved her. Where is my brother?” Mi-Young thought, trying to focus in a different thing.

 

"You will learn with the Empress how to be a good mother for a nation. Tomorrow her entourage will come to pick you up."

 

"Why should I learn that?"

 

"I want you to become the new Queen of Joseon, Mi-Young."

 

Then, Mi-Young understood why the day was grey: it was because it announced new difficult days to come, where she will no longer wake up at down with her sisters.

 

 

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"What do you think about HeeChul’s advice, mother?"

 

Behind the King’s desk there was a folding screen with dragons carved on the dark wood. In theory, it was used to decorate the room, but, only three members of the royal family knew about its secret: King Choi Seung-hyun, Second Prince Choi Daesung and Dowager Queen Uhm Jung Hwa.

 

"It seems the most reasonable decision, my son".

 

The beauty of Uhm Jung Hwa was breathtaking, even after giving birth to five children.

 

"If I do this, then my heir’s legitimacy will be questioned."

 

"Since Lord HeeChul will be busy readjusting his net of spies, I could start my own, son."

 

"For what reason?"

 

"To spread a rumor…"

 

"Of what?"

 

"Of how Kwon Jiyong and the late Queen started their affair when the Major General returned from Sungkyunkwan, six months after little Jeongwan was born. He looks just as you when you were a baby. Our genes are strong, so he will never be questioned." she said with pride.

 

"I will destroy my friend’s life… and his family."

 

Yes, by accusing linking Jiyong that way with the rumors, although free and without charges, he will be signed as a traitor forever, and, sooner or later, the State Council and Ministries will demand his banishment.

 

"It’s for your son, the heir of the nation."

 

"There must be another solution…"

 

"But we don’t have time, my son. His jury is tomorrow."

 

"I know."

 

 

 

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A/N:

First of all! Thank you to all my subscribers! I’m so happy, and having comments was super cool ^^

Second: Up to hear, all was already written, so I only had to review it to see if all had sense. So three chapters in one week… it won’t happen again. I review A LOT before posting.

Third: I’m sorry I changed some people’s real age, especially Tiffany’s sisters. It would have been super weird and almost impossible she had 5 more sisters who were only a few months apart from her in age…

Four: it was so sad for me to kill Sandara and Bom, since I love those girls a lot. But then, I wouldn’t have had a story to tell. If I don’t die while writing The Silver Dragons, I have to write a story with them as the main protagonists.

Five: there will be different languages involved in the story, and since I don’t know them perfectly, I will difference them with colors. Chinese is orange.

Six: I am having a mental breakdown writing the next chapter, so, no “A Hint of history”, too tired for it.

Seven: I stop. Have a nice day! ^^