The palanquin is put down and Ji Hyo wakes up. But then there was no sound. Complete silence.

She decided to open the small doors and stepped out. To her surprise, she was in front of the stairs to the imperial courtroom. She looks around and sees no one in the massive courtyard of the palace.

She turns around and around but there was no one in sight.

“Hey you!” someone yells out, the sound a boy.

Ji Hyo turns around once again and sees a teenage boy standing there. The small boy runs to her. However, she stops right as she sees the boy walk right through her. Eyes widen, Ji Hyo turns around and sees the boy in front of a small girl dressed in boy’s clothing.

The little girl seems like she was 7. The 12 year old boy hands her a blue headband embroider with delicate gold threading.

“Here, keep this.”

“What’s this?” the girl asked.

He smiled, “Thank you for saving my life.” The little girl look back at him curiously and her brows furrowed.

“Instead of thanking me, next time you should be more careful,” she scolded him.

“If you don’t want it,” he drew his hand back but the girl grabbed it first and they both held the head band.

“It’s mine,” she said. He loosen his hand and let her take it. She was mesmerized by the headband, the silk was soft, and looks back at him. “Thank you.”

He smiles back, happy that she accepted it. “What’s your name?”

“Song Ji Hyo.”

Ji Hyo’s eyes widen. That little girl was her.

“Nice name,” he stated, “I thought it was going to be manlier, like Joo Myung or Hae Shin,” he chuckles. She glares at him and puts her hand behind her back.

“When in distress, whether men or women, we all jump.”

He chuckles, “Yes scholar.”

She bows her head and walked away. He watches her walk away with admiration. She stops and turns back to him.

“Since I saved your life, you cannot die.”

He paused at her statement.

“Come find me after you win your most proud battle, alive and healthy.” She told him, “Only then I will address you as a true warrior.”

She walks away as his lips curled.

“Yes sir.” he saluted after her.

“Jong Kook-ah,” a woman calls him.

Ji Hyo gasped.

“Aunt!” he runs to the older woman. Ji Hyo couldn’t see the Aunt’s face but just as her face started to come in shape-

Knock knock!

Ji Hyo’s eyes open and finds herself still in the palanquin. She gasped for air and realize that she fell asleep.

“Lady Kim,” the maid called again.

“Y-yes,” Ji Hyo wipes away the seat from her head.

“We have arrived at the gate of the palace, your arrival has been announced.”

“Okay,” Ji Hyo relaxes.

The doors of the palanquin opens and she steps out. And there she was, in front of the wide courtyard, the exact same place in her dream.

She was stun for a moment until the eunuch helps her up the stairs to the imperial courtroom. As the court room doors open, her presence was announced while the courtroom was in the middle of a debate.

Many officials were in the courtroom, their eyes laid on her as she kept her head down.

“Lady Kim greets your majesty,” Ji Hyo kneels and bows in front of the throne. The king nodded.

“The travel must have been hard on you Lady Kim.”

“Not at all your majesty, thank you for your kindness.”

The king nodded and turns to his officials. “Since Lady Kim is here, I believe we can have a better debate.”

There was whispers among the officials. Ji Hyo felt a tense atmosphere and the tension only grew as the officials from opposing side eye each other.

The King notices this, “Is there something wrong?”

The officials fidgeted and once finally stepped up. “Your majesty, we think that this topic is not for Lady Kim to discuss…”

“Lady Kim has always been a great debater with the official court and had led many successful ideas. Why can’t she join this debate?” the King questions them as he sternly grins at them. Ji Hyo sat still and kept her head down.

All of this new information took her by surprise but she tried her best to keep calm.

“That is because,” one more official stepped out, “Lady Kim is now married to General Kim and is the daughter of…- Your loyal servant also thinks that it’s best if she doesn’t join the debate.”

“So you’re saying that Lady Kim will be bias and save her own skin than what is best for the country?” the King asked dryly, causing discomfort. He slams his hand on the table, making the officials jump. “Lady Kim.”

Ji Hyo’s ears perk, “Yes your majesty?”

“Would you mind to join this debate of ours?”

“I wouldn’t dare to, but if I could be of any help to your majesty then I am more than willing to.”

The king nodded agreeing. “Then that’s all we need.” Some officials sigh.

The King takes one scroll and hands it to the eunuch, handing it before Ji Hyo. She opens it and reads the information. The king watches her reaction but she was calm.

Ji Hyo stayed still, the words lingering in her eyes and mind.

‘Assassin on the loose. Attempted to assassinate General Kim and Minister Song. Kenji Wu, ex-prince of Yuan.’

“What do you think about this report, Lady Kim?” the king asked.

Ji Hyo puts the scroll down and bows her head down. “I, have nothing to say.” She felt a greater force in her body, but her mind was calm and persistent.

The king studies her and the officials kept their eyes on her. “Why is that?”

“I dare not say it,”

“It’s ok, say it.”

Ji Hyo then tilted her head up and meets the king face to face. “Your majesty and the officials,” she paused, “are suspicious of me, right?” She didn’t look away and kept her gaze at the king. Then she bowed her head at the silence. “As the daughter of Minister Song and Yuan military officer Chen, I have nothing to say about this.”

“You have nothing to defend yourself?”

“Even if I were to say, my words would be a mere insolence to the court,” Ji Hyo bowed her head to the floor, “I have nothing to say about this matter, only to request that your majesty judge fairly and investigate this matter thoroughly before deciding.”

The third official steps up, minister Choi, “Your majesty, please put Lady Kim under house arrest for the time being. We still don’t know her connections to the Yuan assassin. The investigation would be hard if she were to be living here freely.”

Minister Song, Ji Hyo’s father, immediately steps in, “Your majesty, Lady Kim is not well and is still recovering, please rethink this suggestion.” Minister Choi glares at him.

The second minister, Minister Jung, speaks up, “Your majesty, Lady Kim must be held responsible for this. The assassination happened to her husband and father. This could be a plot for greater causes, please think carefully.”

Her father speaks again, “It was an assassination attempt, but we still don’t know the cause of this. Please don’t assume things yet.”

“You never know, these things may seem unbelievable but it can happen anytime,” the first minister, Minister Ryu, speaks. “Your majesty, please carefully think this out. Many things are at risk.”

“Your majesty-“

“Your majesty-“

“Silence!” the king ordered. All the official shut up. “So you are telling me to lock Lady Kim away while investigating this case? Huh?!”

“Please appease your anger, your majesty,” Minister Choi speaks, “Your loyal servant only thinks of the best of the country and wanted to advise you to be careful. Although Lady Ki used to be a part of the court and had advised many successful and helpful ideas that have improved the country, she is still the daughter of a Yuan citizen. We cannot let our guards down.”

Ji Hyo felt her hands burning but she kept silent the whole time.

“Your majesty, although, the assassination attempt happened, Lady Kim was also injure. There is no way she will do this to her own father and husband,” her father speaks up.

“That is correct your majesty. Why would Lady Kim endanger herself and her father?” Minister Kim speaks up with her father.

Minister Jung steps up, “You never know what ever may happen,” he eyes Minister Kim, “Even brother kill each other for the throne, you never be too cautious.”

“You-“ Minister Kim glares at him.

“Your majesty,” Ji Hyo speaks up, halting the arguments. “If you are the slightest suspicious of me, I am more than willing to be under house arrest until this case is thoroughly investigated.”

“Lady Kim,” her father calls her.

She turns her head down and bowed again. “If you are suspicious of me, please arrest me only. Minister Song is judge. If he were to be under house arrest, the power between the Soron and Norons.”

The king nods and thinks carefully before speaking. “I hereby decree, Lady Kim will be put under house arrest in the palace while recovering and the midst of the investigation of this case.”

Ji Hyo thanks him, “Your loyal servant is grateful for your mercy.” She felt a rushing of blood through her head.

“Isn’t this punishment too easy?” one voice in particular, a young one. The Ministers all look over to him and bows.

“Crown prince,” everyone bowed to him. The king glances at the crown prince. “What is it that brought you here?”

“Your majesty,” he bows before his father, “your loyal subject is a crown prince. This case is critical and may affect the wellness of this country, how could I stand idle and do nothing?”

The crown prince’s eyes gazes at her.

“House arrest is too easy, Lady Kim should be imprison and interrogated.” The Sorons bowed in unison at his words.

“Why do you think so?” the king asked.

“It is obvious that Lady Kim is the daughter of a Yuan official, therefore the Yuan blood runs in her. Her husband and father were injure but what about her? If I may say, I even heard that General Kim is having an affair with a slave. Lady Kim must have been involved through a fit jealousy and joined forces with the assassin.”

There were whispers among the officials at the sudden news. Minister Kim and Song were surprised by the sudden statement. Ji Hyo’s father eyes Jong Kook’s father who only looked down.

The king stood up immediately. “Where did you get this news?”

The crown prince bowed his head. “Your loyal subject has gather this report from my messengers from the immediate hunting trip that started the assassination. The report included that General was in a tent with a strange woman while the Lady Kim was gone all night and only found in early dawn. And,” he eyes Ji Hyo before speaking again, “I dare say no more.”

“Speak up,” the king ordered.

“Lady Kim and the assassination even met after the assassination attempt in the Kim’s mansion. The assassin was captured but escaped as General Kim and Lady Kim went to Minister Song’s mansion in Pohang. That is where Minister Song was shot by another assassin as Lady Kim tried to kill him. This shows clearly that Lady Kim did have a hand in this assassination attempt. But this is all assumptions, your majesty. Please imprison Lady Kim and investigate this case thoroughly.”

Two face. Ji Hyo felt her hands trembling into a fist. The crown prince was just accusing her and is now trying to sound all innocent. Very clever.

“The crown prince is correct your majesty,” Minister Choi agrees. “Imprison Lady Kim for the time being.”

Her father’s hand curls into a fist as his face darkens. “Your majesty,” his voice shaking but remains calm, “Lady Kim is not well, she won’t be able to recover in prison. Please be merciful.”

“Minister Song, are you saying that Lady Kim’s recovery is more important than the well-being of the country?” Minister Jung questions him strictly.

“Your majesty,” her father kneels, “Lady Kim had miscarried. Her condition is not suited for imprisonment in prison. Please be merciful,” her father bows. Minister Yang and Minister Kim follows in act with her father.

Ji Hyo shook with anger and finally stands up and turns to the officials. Her eyes burn irritably. She walked down the aisle to her father and knees in front of Minister Yang, her father-in-law Minster Kim and her father. Her father didn’t look up and sat firmly.

“Please stand up.” She tells them but they refused to. “Ministers, please stand up first.”

But they froze only with their heads bowing to the king.

“Who do you think you are?” the crown prince questions her, “If the King doesn’t let them stand up, what makes you think you can make them stand up?” Sarcastically, the crown prince snickers. Ji Hyo stands up and turns to face the king again.

“Your majesty, if it will ensure that the investigation is done fairly, then I am willing to go to prison. Please spare your loyal officials.” She bows again.

“Lady Kim!” the ministers cry out.

The King stresses over this and shook his head. The opposing ministers tried to get his agreement into imprisoning Ji Hyo.

The King finally makes a decision, “Lady Kim will be under house arrest in the palace until the assassin is caught. Only then will she be put in prison.”

“Your majesty!” the opposing ministers and official cry out.

“Thank you your majesty,” her father and the other officials thank the King.

“Thank you your majesty.” Ji Hyo bows once again. “If you don’t mind, your loyal servant would like to excuse herself.”

The King nods and sent for guards to guide her. Ji Hyo gets up and walks down the aisle as the officials look at her. Only then, the doors open.

A sweaty Yoo stands at the entrance, all out of breath. Ji Hyo sees him but continues walking right past him and his eyes only laid on her.

“Lady Kim,” he calls her.

“Lieutenant Yoo,” the king calls him, “What brought you here?”

Yoo looks back at Ji Hyo, his face still flush from the rush to the palace. He salute with his hands, “Your majesty, your loyal subject has an urgent report to make.”

“What is it?”

Yoo hesitates before speaking as Ji Hyo stopped walking to listen to the report.

“There has been a battle breakout in the coast of Yeoido again. The Japanese pirates has invaded the area. General Kim has left there. Also,”

The king hurriedly order for him to speak up.

“Also, the suspected assassin Kenji Wu was spotted to be there.”

Ji Hyo turns to Yoo and walks back to him.

“What?” she asked. “But General Kim was still at the mansion when I was escorted to the palace just-“

“He left right after you left. I just got this message and rushed here Lady Kim.”

Ji Hyo felt all the pressure coming down on her. Her body felt weak and she shiver endlessly. She turned away and walked out the door and he watched her quickly making her way out. As soon as she got out of the courtroom she felt like she couldn’t breathe, her chest tightening up, her head hurting. Her body felt light and her vision started spinning. Then the world went dark.

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Note: Sorons and Norons are the two political parties wihtin the Goryeo system.

The next chapter might be updated tomorrow night. Thank you for reading and waiting!