18 Years Ago

A horse cart raced on a brown muddy road. There were five passengers, a man, a woman, a servant and two babies. The man whipped the horses, and he looked like someone was chasing him. The wheels splashed over some particularly nasty-looking mud.

“Master, they’re catching up.” The servant said. The man cursed and stopped the cart.

“Here, Jimin.” He said, handing a baby to the servant, Jimin. “You have been serving my family for decades. Now, this is your final order. Take my son and leave. Survive. The riders are almost here.”

“Master...” Jimin sobbed and leapt off the cart. With the baby. The man, grimacing, whipped the horses again.

Three minutes later, two horse riders galloped past this same stretch of road. The older rider, a man with a dashing silver beard, stopped and looked at the wheel prints. “This way. The mud is fresh. We have a chance, general.” He barked, and the two riders rushed in that direction.

The silver-bearded man was the country’s emperor, His Majesty Taejong of Joseon. He was the father of Sejong Daewang.

“Your Majesty, the risks are too high.” The other rider, the general, said. “We cannot afford any mistakes. The nation is not yet unified yet.”

“Be quiet. This family is a family of spies. If we do not catch them, we risk national secrets being exposed.” Taejong replied. “Fortunately, we have already burned their lairs to the ground.”

The horse cart ahead came into sight of the two riders, and the man hurriedly drove the cart faster. But the two normal horses towing the cart were no match for the royal steeds, and the two riders soon caught up with the cart.

“Yield and bow before His Majesty Taejong!” The second rider bellowed, using a hunting knife to sever the ropes bounding the horses. The cart instantly slowed to a halt instantly.

“What do you want?” The man jumped off the cart, unsheathing a sword. The woman held her baby closer.

“You know what we want, Goryeo filth.” The rider spat. “Oh, how I hate you. Betraying the country and exposing secrets.”

“Betraying?” The man laughed. “Oh, I’m not betraying anyone. You should be ashamed, betraying my grandfather like that. Your precious Joseon was built on fire and water, and the blood of my grandfathers. For decades I’ve plotted your demise. You know who’ll support us? The Jurchens. The Southerns. The Japanese. The Rebels. If you kill me now, they’ll put your precious country in turmoil. Rivers of fire and volcanoes of hell will rise. And 18 years later, my descendants shall infiltrate your palace and wreck havoc on your nation. Then, you shall know what it’s like to have your country shattered in front of your own eyes.”

“You dare!” The rider shoved his knife into the man’s chest, and Taejong watched as he sank in a bloodbath.

“No!” The woman shrieked, flinging herself to the corpse. “No, no, no. You cannot be dead yet. You must not!” She tore at the rider’s armour, crying and sobbing. “Why did you kill him? Who gave you the permission to kill him?”

The rider took a step back. “Hmph! Your husband was a traitor to his own country. He deserved to die!”

“You- You bastard!” She drew a knife out and cut the rider’s face. The rider howled with pain. 

“Filth!” He swiped his blade at the woman’s neck, and she crumpled instantly.

“General! Your mission was to take them back to the capital for questioning!” Taejong shouted frustratedly. “Now you have killed them both out of spite and anger!”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.” The general bowed. 

“I- I-“ Taejong wrung his hands. “Dammit!”

Just then, a baby’s cry filled the sleepless night. Had it been another time, Taejong would have it executed. But now, l