After sending Sungmin back to her pavilion safely without any disturbances. Siwon went back to inform Sunkyu about the Queen’s recent state. On the midway, he ignored some guards greeted him as his mind was thinking out about Sungmin. He glanced at his right hand, still couldn’t believe it had held the female for seconds while in his embrace. But it’s not he was worrying about this time, he knew these recent three years she had gone through gave her such a hard times but he didn’t know she could become that fragile. What had she just seen? Why did she run that far from palace and cry? If he didn’t manage to run after her, he couldn’t figure out what will happen if she run between common folks like that. She didn’t wear her queen costume, anything bad could happen.

“Youngmaster !!!” He saw Sunkyu and Hyoyeon run toward him. He’s a bit surprised why Sunkyu called him that way for a second before he realized that both of them were in disguise right now and he had to act as Sungmin’s brother. Both females gasped and needed a moment to catch their breaths “What happen?” he asked.

Hyoyeon started to cry “Heenim... Hiks.... Heenim is arrested by Jonseong police”.

“Yes. I don’t know what cause but we just got the news from Hangeng. Where’s agashi? I thought you are with her” Sunkyu said while her eyes wandering to find her queen.

Siwon glanced at her and looked tense in a second. He walked closer and whispered something to Sunkyu’s ear. Sunkyu’s eyes went wider, couldn’t believe what Siwon just saying “Why do they come here all of a sudden?” she replied with low tones too.

Siwon shook his head “I don’t know”

“What are you two talking about? Hiks... Sunkyu, you said Master Siwon can help Heenim because he has friend in Jonseong police, right?” Hyoyeon said with tears.

Sunkyu looked at Hyoyeon then sighed and turned back to Siwon. The man understood what she meant and nodded “Okay. I know an officer with high level there. I’ll collect some information and a way to release him. Which district he is brought to?”

“To Sohonbu office at Gyeong district” Hyoyeon replied.

“Alright. I will go there now. You have to go back with Donghae to petals house. Don’t be alone. I will let you know if I get some progress and legit information”

Hyoyeon kept bowing gratefully “Thank you. Thank you so much!!!”

As they got separated way, Sunkyu went back to Gyeongbok palace in hurry. She felt upset why everytime a good thing happened, there would be always another bad thing followed. She remembered what Siwon said earlier.

“Gongjunim was crying when I found her. I don’t know why but that’s not the only thing we have to worry about. I just met Lady Yuri on the way here. She comes with Lady Yubin and a shaman which I don’t remember her name”

Sunkyu grithed her teeth. Why two dangerous women like that were coming at once. But before she could guess any possible reasons, courtlady Dasom run fastly toward her  and nearly lost her breath.

“Sunkyu, (pant...pant...) Lady Yuri... (pant)... she brings back Lady Yubin and....”

Sunkyu nodded and looked anxious too “Madam Sohee. I know. We have to be more careful now. Warn others Gun Eui Gungnyeo to be on alert to not saying anything about Queen Min’s frequent visits outside the palace. Leave about Queen Min’s matter to me”

Dasom agreed “Allright. I’ll do that”. Both of them rushed to the queen’s pavilion. As they arrived, Sunkyu meant to go to Sungmin’s chamber but Lady Yuri was there blocking her way.

“You can’t enter it now. Lady Yubin is inside” Lady Yuri said with smile. Sunkyu lost words to answer. She didn’t have any idea what Lady Yubin planed to come back here “I...I...think she needs lip language translator” Sunkyu said trying as calm as she could at this moment.

Lady Yuri shook her head “No need. You know Lady Yubin, right? She is not only Queen Min’s aunty but also the teacher she respect so much. You don’t have to worry to leave them alone. Now I need you to lead Madam Sohee and Sunye-shi to their room at Yeonkot pavilion” Lady Yuri said while introducing two women whom wore dark red hanbok behind her.

As Sunkyu looked at them, she couldn’t help that chills soon invading through her spine. Both women greeted her with mysterious smile. Shaman people always wore dark red hanbok and thick make up. Their lips were also dark red. Rumour said it’s not the colour from dried rose powder but blood. And their eyes were sharp like a hawk.

Sunkyu never liked shaman woman. Not because she feared them but it’s because she couldn’t read their mind to whom they really sided for. She wasn’t sure if their loyalty was pure to serve Lee faction nor only for their worship toward Mawang, the black dragon which became Lee family’s symbol. She only met madam Sohee just once before, when she was 7 years old, she saw a group of shaman women along with Lord Sungjong brought back the young Sungmin home from somewhere. After that time, she noticed her young lady’s character changed to be more fierce and ruthless than before. She got private training from Lady Yubin and managed to become Jonseong’s crown princess after that.

“Courtlady Sunkyu?” The prime minister’s wife called her name and helped her out from her spacing.

Sunkyu bowed back to Madam Sohee dan Sunye “Yes. I understand. Please follow me, Madam” she said as she lead the way while Lady Yuri stared at her back with a cunning smile.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

Meanwhile in Sungmin’s chamber, Lady Yubin was sitting in front of Sungmin’s bed. The queen was sleeping but the faint sweat and a frown on her face signed the latter didn’t sleep comfortably. The lady came approached her side and carressed Sungmin’s cheek.

“As you become more mature, you resemble Soo Ae a lot, Sungmin” she whispered then smiled. The slight touch was enough made Sungmin flinched and opened her eyes. Her reflect quickly caught Lady Yubin’s hand and meant to pin her hand for self defence but too bad Lady Yubin was faster.

“Min Mama, it’s me” Lady Yubin said calmly to the gasping Sungmin. It needed some seconds for Sungmin to catch her breath and realized that she had an unexpected guest.

‘Teacher...?’ Sungmin responded with eyes widened. She wanted to believe she’s just dreaming.

Lady Yubin held Sungmin’s shoulder tenderly and laid her back to her bed “Ssshhh.... I am sorry I didn’t mean to disturb your sleep”.

Sungmin didn’t know how to react whether she had to be happy to meet her Teacher after 8 years or to feel scared that the arrival of the lady must be related around her and Lee faction’s condition now.  This woman was the one who trained Sungmin to be what she was now. Just remembering of days she learned all things about Jonseong and Lee faction pride from Lady Yubin already sent chills of fear inside her. If Sungmin could radiate her intimidating aura toward people so they would obey her, Lady Yubin could do a way far than that. She could brainwash someone’s mind easily.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Flashback

**********

“Teacher!! Moomoo is dying. Please help!!” 8 years old Sungmin came toward her teacher bringing a sick puppy. Lady Yoobin laid the dog on a table then did nothing but stared at Sungmin’s pet.

After 10 minutes long of staring, Sungmin asked Lady Yoobin “Teacher, why didn’t you do anything. You know how to cure it, right?”

The lady just giving her a plain smile “Look Sungmin. It is what people called life. Look at it’s expression. Beautiful. The light on it’s eyes is fading”. Sungmin was looked confuse about what she meant so Lady Yuri lifted up her hand then dislocated Moomoo’s neck in one hit. The dog died in an instant.

Sungmin cried and hug the death dog “Teacher why do you kill it?”.

“I shorten Moomoo’s pain. I told you to kill it a month ago but you refused. Now you see what you’ve done. You let it suffered in pain for a long times”

Lady Yubin knelt before Sungmin and held her shoulder. Her expression changed from tender to be cold “Stop crying Sungmin!! If you keep being like this, you are not capable enough to be the queen of Jonseong. This dog was like your people”

Sungmin sniffed “I don’t understand, Teacher. You said Queen have to take care people together with King”

“Caring doesn’t mean you have to show your love toward your people. Sometimes the most right decision is the most cruel one. That’s your role!!!” She said firmly. Little Sungmin stopped crying but felt shakened instead. Her teacher was way scarier than her mother, Lady Soo Ae.

Lady Yubin let off her hold from Sungmin then took a long breath “Now Sungmin. I have a question for you. If you don’t answer it right, I’ll stop to be your teacher and ask your father to find another candidate to marry Prince Kyuhyun”

Sungmin quickly shook her head “No. Don’t do that, Teacher. Please!”

Lady Yubin smirked watching Sungmin’s reaction “There’s a village is suffering in hunger and beg the royal highness to help them. The court gives them some rice stocks and also seeds for them to plant as farmers. The next season the chief of the village come to ask help again. He said his people needed rices again because their harvest season was failed. What do you think?”

Sungmin felt tense and nervous “That people is lazy and.... and acting like a spoiled child”

Lady Yubin nodded “Yes. So what will you do if you’re the queen royal highness?”

Sungmin gulped for a second. She had to answer right just like Lady Yubin wanted or she would be eliminated to be the crown princess “The chief of the village.... has to be killed” she said hesitantly.

Lady Yubin smiled widely toward Sungmin then held the younger’s shoulder again “Good Sungmin. You’re right. You have to cut the leader’s head in front of all his own people to make them stop being lazy and spoilt. It can be a good example too for other villages. If they come with another complain again, cut more heads with multiple ammount than the previous one. Royal highness is only a guardian. The only way to solve people’s poverty is the people themselve. That’s the real justice”

Sungmin thought Lady Yubin’s words had the points, but her expression Sungmin saw this time looked so cruel as if she really enjoyed it. Sungmin wondered if she’s grown up, she would become like her teacher.

“Now Sungmin. We had to train your hand to not be shaken when punishing people whom at fault” Lady Yubin said while taking her hand.

Sungmin looked not having any idea what Lady Yuri meant “Wha...What is it, Teacher?”. Her teacher smirked again “There’s a fortune teller who forecasts something about what will happen between prince Kyuhyun, you, and a young courtlady named Seohyun”

As the mentioning about Seohyun’s name, Sungmin felt angers were building up inside her. That day was the first time Sungmin’s hands were wet with someone’s blood.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

End of Flashback

***************

“I am here to help you and Lee faction, Min Mama” Lady Yubin said as she carressed Sungmin’s hair then she continued “I heard about the incident three years ago. It must be hard on you, Min Mama”.

‘Teacher..’. Sungmin tried to say something but Lady Yoobin prevented her by place a finger before “Shhhhh..... We can talk a lot tomorrow. I also curious about what happened before you were going mute. You didn’t say that forbidden words toward the King, right?”. The tones she used was quite soft but it felt like  a sharp blade to Sungmin. She had a bad hunch right now.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

That night Sunkyu secretly came to meet Siwon at Lee family residence when the man was observing Lee family’s soldiers practicing martial arts. They walked to a quiet place and Sunkyu sometimes turned around to see if someone followed her.

Siwon frowned “What are you worrying about? This is Lee family’s residence. It’s safe”.

“Not for a courtlady like me. About Heechul, do you get any information?” Sunkyu whispered.

Siwon nodded “Jinki just come back from Sohonbu. He said Heechul was punished for cheating at the dance competition”

Sunkyu gapped “What? Of course No. They passed the round fair and square. Min Mama only made a way to enter because she is a royal family member who’s considered as a judge too. It’s not cheating. Do they have any prove?” she whispered loudly.

Siwon sighed and shook his head “I guess No. It’s only based from someone’s confession. Heechul’s enemy I guess. Jinki also said the magistrate who interogated him is a corrupt officer. Only Queen Min who can help him”

Sunkyu refused “No. She can’t right now. Lady Yuri and Lady Yubin are keeping an eye on her. I can’t even get close to talk about what happen about Heechul’s condition right now. It’s dangerous if they know Queen Min is meeting a gisaeng whom actually a man. Radical people in Lee faction may react”

“So what we gonna do?”

“I will try to tell Queen Min tomorrow but I can’t promise soon. You can give that information to Hyoyeon or Donghae about this but don’t go there by yourself. Send someone else instead” Sunkyu suggested.

“How if we bribe the magistrate with money? Since he is a corrupt officer, he may....”

“No. Siwon. You can’t right now”.  Sunkyu shook her head again “Don’t be rush. Our job is to protect Queen Min. Helping Heechul is not our responsibility” Sunkyu said firmly.

Siwon sighed “Okay. But I think at least we need to send a spy to track the person who report Heechul”

Sunkyu was deep in thought for a moment then stared back at Siwon “It’s sound better though”. She shrugged “I will let you know if I succeed to tell about this to Queen Min. Keep on watch. I’ll  leave now”

The man nodded “Yes. Be careful”

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

Meanwhile at the King’s quarters, some courtladies were busy helping their King to wear his clothes and his belt. They looked tense of doing their job this night and tried their best to not ever doing even a slightest mistake because the king’s expression was somewhat cloudy once they entered his chamber.

“All of you can leave” The King said plainly. All the females bowed down and stepped backward without any noises out of the room.

“Phea, royal guard Jungshin want to meet you” Eunuch Kang reported.

Kyuhyun glanced at the eunuch “Command him to come in”

“Yes, Phea” Eunuch Kang bowed.

The slender man entered the large chamber and knelt down in front of his king “What have you got?” Kyuhyun asked while getting back to his seat. He poured a bottle of soju into a small porcelaine cup.

“The woman we saw at the veld near that forest. Actually she is a man”  Jungshin reported. Kyuhyun eyed him with a cold stares and slammed his glass to the table “You’re late, Jungshin”

The officer looked up to him with widened eyes “Ye...yes?”

“Don’t tell me that’s the only information you got!” Kyuhyun said made the latter gulped uneasily.

“Ye...Yes, Phea. He is a gisaeng from Gyeong district. People usually know him as Lady Heehee”

The King scoffed “Hah.... Gisaeng? Yeojang? Such a smart swindler. He even dared to lie to the King of this country”

Jungshin looked confuse with the King’s words for a moment. He wondered what just happened that made the King looked so upset about that gisaeng “Should we arrest him, Phea?”

Kyuhyun glared at the officer made the latter stunned “Prepare a cart for me. We go to Hanyang’s prison secretly. And don’t let Captain Yonghwa know about this”

Jungshin  bowed down “Yes, Phea” he obeyed without anymore question then retreated from the King’s chamber.

“Where is Captain Yonghwa now?” Kyuhyun asked Eunuch Kang.

“He is watching our royal soldiers late night training. Phea, I think you can go there tomorrow. This is past midnight already. You haven’t sleep since morning” Eunuch Kang looked worried.

Kyuhyun exhaled a long breath and stubbornly said “It’s okay. Tell Ryeowook if he ask where I am going, just say I am going out for sight seeing”

Eunuch Kang sighed in defeat “Yes, Phea”

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

“Hahahahaha..... what do you mean giving this bucks of money to me? I am a devoted magistrate, Mr. Hangeng. You bribe a wrong person” Magistrate Junjin laughed mockingly toward the chinese man. Hangeng along with Jongjin and Sungjin visited the magistrate whom in charge of Heechul’s case.

“He is just a gisaeng from suburb area. You won’t gain anything as an award for capturing him. I’ll will add double if you want. Let’s just settle with this” Hangeng tried to persuade the magistrate but the man replied with a smirk “Why do you go this far just for a mere Gisaeng whom worth as much as a slave?”

Hangeng slammed the table with angers “What do you say?!!!”. Jongjin and Sungjin tried very hard to hold the chinese man to jump on the magistrate “Hyung! Calm down”

“We get quite a lot of signatures from musician association who oppose his attendance in Dance competition. Beside this gisaeng has a lot of issues, he can be suspected as a spy”

“You don’t have prove!! This is ridiculous” Sungjin added.

The magistrate just shrugged and chukled “I get official warrant to arrest him”. He stood up “Now I have to go home. You can’t visit the suspect until the investigation finished. Huaaaammm.... ah.. so sleepy. Have to go home now” The magistrate yawned and smiled in content watching Hangeng’s upset expression.

“Sir!!” A corporal officer run to the magistrate with sweat all over his face.

“What happen? You looked like just seeing a ghost or something” Junjin said frivolously.

“His...his majesty... he—“

“The King Majesty has arrived!!” Eunuch Kang announced Kyuhyun’s arrival. Soon after, the King entered Sohonbu along with some main royal guards.

Magistrate Junjin stared at him for a second with horror because it’s the first time the king visited Sohonbu. He quickly tidied up his hat and came kneeling before him together with others officers. Hangeng, Sungjin, and Jongjin too didn’t expect the King would come here. They also kneeled to give him their respect.

“Phea, why all of a sudden come to this place? We could give you a proper welcome” the magistrate said nervously. He thought there’s no any high level criminal case in this office, so why a King bother to visit here. He was afraid if the King discovered all his mistakes about bribery but again he wasn’t such a high level officer that royal court had to keep an eye to.

“I want to visit someone in prison”

The magistrate stared up to his majesty and looked confuse “Par...pardon?”

“Did you hear what his majesty said? Lead the way!!” Eunuch Kang commanded him. As the magistrate lead the way to the prison. The King was taking a glance toward three persons, he recognized Hangeng, the paid warrior whom Yesung introduced to him before. He actually had a lot of question to the chinese man but for now he pushed that curiosity aside. He can talked to him later.

On the other side, Hangeng watched the King’s figure was getting far from them. He recalled again about that incident. When the King grabbed Heechul’s arm harshly and looked so furious toward the gisaeng.

“Who are you!!!!”

He wondered if the King and Heechul had met before and what the gisaeng had done to make the King became that upset.

“Do you think His Majesty want to meet your lover Hyung?” Jongjin asked bluntly made Sungjin hit his arm.

“Right, Hyung. I think so too. Did Heechul-shi happen to meet King Cho and Queen Min somewhere?” Sungjin spoke out his curiosity too.

Hangeng knitted his eyebrows “Queen Min? What do you mean?”

“The woman who’s running after seeing you kissed Heechul-shi” Junjin said a bit loud and got another hit from Sungjin “Yah! Watch your mouth. How if the royal guards out there hear you!!” he whispered to his friend.

Soon realization hit Hangeng. Yes. Why he didn’t notice earlier? If he thought more about it, Sungmin’s face did resemble Queen Min a lot in many ways. He was very much distracted with her different aura with the one he met 4 years ago which he found quite scary. He didn’t expect both of them were the same person. If Heechul’s case related to King Cho and Queen Min, it would become a very serious matter.

~~~~#*SJ*#~~~~

Meanwhile in the prison, Heechul leaned his back to the dirty wall. He looked exhausted a lot. His hair was tangled in mess, his body was covered with bruises, there’s an open cut at the corner of his lip. He also had to bear the great pain on his legs but it was getting lesser as the cold night sent an icy feeling eventhough he barely moved his legs after that severe tortures. He just  hoped his bones had not broken yet.

Heechul let out a long sigh, staring up at a small window near him. He could see a full moon from that tiny hole. His mind was spacing out  to recalls about what Magistrate Junjin said when he tortured him.

“Is it a miracle for a disgusting Yeojang like you could pass this holy competition and reached top five without breathing? Royal dance competition is not easy for an abomination like you to enter but you could pass it so easily. It’s only a person from royal family level who could do that and make all the judges approved your team who violated gisaeng rules”

Come to think of it, he wondered about it too. He knew it’s impossible for him to enter the competition but he also didn’t fully participate in it. Only his team that could enter. So he thought his team didn’t violate the rules at all.

Then a new realization came to hit his mind “Right. All of musician association members have been looking down on me and discriminating me. So of course they won’t let me enter kekekeke...” he chuckled then let out some coughs.

Heechul sighed. Now he was curious about the person who made his team could pass the competition. That person must be from a high level status like a royal family member or something. But  again, he didn’t have any customers with that kind of level status. Who was he/she? He wanted to compete fair and square. If that person also made his team passed without fair judgement, he couldn’t forgive that person.

“Yah! Kim Heechul, are you awake?” Magistrate Junjin showed up in front of his ward.

Heechul stared at him lazily and sighed “What again, -Junjin?”

“Watch your mouth. His majesty want to meet you” Junjin said as he opened the prison’s lock.

Heechul thought he was joking at first, but he saw the man he just met twice yesterday had entered his ward and stood in front of him. Heechul cursed himself in silent why he forgot about this important matter. The King had caught him lying about his name.

“What are you doing? Kneel in front of His Majesty!!” An Eunuch commanded him quite harsh. Heechul immediately moved his body and tried hard to ignore the increasing pains in his legs.

“Leave both of us alone”  The King said faintly.

“Phea”

“I said leave us alone!!” He repeated his command a bit louder toward the Eunuch. The man obeyed the King and asked the magistrate and royal guards to leave him with Heechul.

The King stared at him in a long silence. Heechul gulped wondering what punishment would he got after lying to the first man of this country. He heard the King of Jonseong had a kindheart and such a wise man. He didn’t expect the latter could be this mad just because a gisaeng fooled him. If he apologyzed, would he forgive him? Heechul thought. He never apologyzed in his life so he didn’t know the best words to say sorry so the King would spare his life.

“We need to talk”

“Phea, I—“

“Do you know Lee Sungmin? What kind of relationship do you have with her?” he asked coldly.

As Sungmin’s name was mentioned, Heechul’s eyes grew bigger. How the King knew about Sungmin? Is she a suspect too? Or she’s the one who actually helped his team to pass the dance competition and got  a good score?

“Answer my question!!!”

Heechul gulped. Didn’t know what to answer. He couldn't drag Sungmin into this “I... I... don’t know her, Phea”

The King squatted down and lifted Heechul’s chin so they could stare eye on eye “Don’t be smart on me. I know you’re lying...”

#########################################################################################################################

Finally finished ^^. Unbetaed. Thank you so much for your comments, subscribe, and upvotes guys XD. I will always try my best effort to not make you disappointed. I hope you like this chapter. 

And if you have time, please visit my new fic about super junior baby  version "First Love Season 1 : Toddler's Life is Hard" (i am so sorry for this shameless promotion kekekeke XD)