The day the relief force returned was not joyous, but instead was filled with fear and ominous signs. A great storm raged over Silsa and the ramparts of the defenses which were just being raised by the soldiers of the Crown. The pond on the east side of the city overflowed and forced many citizens out of their homes, and a part of the defenses was washed away. In the morning a bolt of lightning struck the infantry under Bang Chan’s command, killing several men and shattering their battle-standard. This was considered an evil omen, a clear sign of Heaven’s anger — at the killing that had occurred in the night, the pillaging and robbing of property and supplies, and because Bang Chan was a believer of a foreign religion that worshipped a God of Light. Hyukjae requested that the abbot of the Tower of Silence send a deputation to Bang Chan with the request and prayer to convert to the Awakened faith, for “Heaven will not give victory to us who have heathens in our midst.” Many agreed with him, but Seungwan intervened and put an end to the deputation. But the courage of the men fell all the more. The earthworks before the city, though strengthened with stones, trunks, and stakes, became so soft that the cannon sank in them. Only the camp-followers remained in their tents; the soldiers, officers, and commanders took refuge in the city. If Yifan came with the storm he would have taken the camp without a fight. 

In the midst of the torrent of thunder, rain, and lightning that was being poured over Silsa, the relief force returned, having made the civilians with them leave behind everything that could weigh them down — wagons, heavy sacks, livestock, valuables. There was no cheer or welcoming for their entrance into the city. When the wagon carrying Sooyoung had finally reached shelter, Seungwan quickly jumped on it to see the sweet and beautiful face of her beloved. But her eyes were closed and she lay unmoving, as if dead. No small amount of blood was on the bandages wrapped around her crown. At the sight of this a shadow fell over Seungwan, who held Sooyoung delicately in her arms as if treating a real corpse, and wept silently. The men around her, even the injured ones, could not help the tears that sprang to their eyes as well, keenly feeling the pain of their lord which was like their own. 

“My lord, she is not dead, but unconscious from a collision to her skull,” said Mingyu. 

“Unconscious till when? Will she ever wake up from this sleep?” lamented Seungwan to no one in particular. 

“Have strength, noble lord!” said Mingyu with fervour. “All is up to the will of Heaven. There is no use weeping and lamenting over a single woman when the entire country is weeping and lamenting with you. Transform your pain into power, and avenge the injury done to her! That is the way of chivalry.”

“There is strength derived from love, and there is strength derived from despair,” Seungwan replied gloomily. 

“But it is strength all the same. Whether it is love or despair, let it course through you and fill you with strength. Shed tears today for your woman, but tomorrow shed the blood of infidels!”

Seungwan pressed Sooyoung’s hand in hers. The world felt cold, and she felt alone. If only she could hear Sooyoung’s voice again, for just a single utterance from her lips would give Seungwan all the impetus to see through this struggle. If only…! 

Meanwhile, Joohyun’s reaction to seeing Seulgi in Stepan’s wagon was much stronger. When she saw the cuts rent over her servant’s body and her pallid countenance, Joohyun fell into a panic and immediately questioned Youngjae, “I sent her with you healthy and unharmed; why is it only she who has returned so grievously injured?”

With a tinge of regret Ryujin said, “It was I who told her to protect Consort Park with her body, if need be, my lord. I did not expect her to take my words so literally.”

“You know that she is simple-minded. She will obey without question because she has not yet shaken off the mentality of a slave. Should I be thankful that you did not tell her to die defending Consort Park then?” reprimanded Joohyun. 

Ryujin hung her head in shame. 

“This is the last time I let anyone else command Seulgi,” resolved Joohyun angrily. “Anyway, my servant is my own; no one else should have the right to ask anything of her without my accession.”

Her companions stood by her silently, unable to understand why Joohyun was so attached to this slave. Certainly they would not expect Joohyun to care so much for them that she, who was usually calm and level-headed, would become angry over a slight done to them. 

“Well, what are you waiting for? Send for a physician! If she dies, I will fault all of you for it!”

The next day the weather let up. In the afternoon the wind blew away the clouds and took the rain away, the blue sky opened up above the camp, and in the direction of the Jangseong a rainbow was shining. That moment confidence entered all hearts. The soldiers returned to the camp and stood on the ramparts to gladden their eyes with the sight of the rainbow, which was shining brighter than any other they could remember. 

There was a stir in the city as well, for the bells in the Tower of Silence were tolling in the middle of the day. It was not a call to prayer, but the convening of a conference of all the commanders of the forces in Silsa. Soon gathered in the city hall were these commanders: Seungwan, at whose behest this conference was called; Jinki, Chaeyoung, and Mingyu; and with them were all the officers and soldiers who could squeeze themselves into the throng that crowded the entire building so densely that Chaeyoung, who was the last to arrive, was met by an impenetrable wall of bodies and had to clear a way by waving her sword around. 

Evening was falling as soon as all the important commanders had arrived in the city hall. Just as Seungwan produced her commander’s baton, bestowed upon her in her right as Steward of Haneulga, one of the many glittering stars in the sky tore itself from the canvas of Heaven and, drawing behind it a stream of light, fell with a great noise and was extinguished in the direction of Singiri, from which Yifan had to come, and behind him quite possibly the entire horde of the Pure Realm. 

“That is the star of the Sage!” exclaimed the soldiers in delight. “A miracle! A miracle!” “We will be victorious!” “Long live the King!” repeated a thousand voices. 

Then Seungwan approached and held up a hand to signal that she wanted to speak, and there was silence immediately. She said seriously, “This baton was given to me by the Sindeok, but into your worthy hands I yield it, wishing to be first to obey your every command.”

Chaeyoung, who had not been as active as Seungwan since she had little men with her, was not partial to giving her baton away so frivolously, but then again this was no frivolous occasion; out of honour, she could only place her fate into the hands of the only one who could save the Sindeok, and lend him her power. 

“And I am with her,” Chaeyoung declared, extending her own baton as well to Jinki. 

Mingyu, who was even more prideful than Chaeyoung, and held himself to be of even greater noble status than Jinki, had even less reason than Chaeyoung to join in, but he remembered well the glorious victory gained over Mohe at Yizhang Plain. Who commanded the army at the battle? It was Lee Jinki, snatching victory from the jaws of most likely defeat. In Jinki there was the opportunity for Mingyu to avenge his honour; in Jinki he now saw a way back to Anju, paved with the blood of peasants and eunuchs alike. 

“And I am with them,” said Mingyu, producing his own baton. “The kingdom is perishing; let law slumber; let not words or negotiations save it, but the one who has been appointed by the hand of Heaven. Take command of us, O General, take it and rescue, not only this city alone, but the entire Sindeok. Behold I, a representative of the Crown and a lord of Anju, with the lips of the entire Sindeok implore you, and with me all the ranks of people: old and young, men and women, rich and poor — save us!”

All three batons were extended to Jinki, but he drew back his hand, saying, “I did not give these batons; so I will not receive them.”

“Take them! Take them!” clamoured the soldiers gathered around. And some of the townspeople who had also joined with the throng crie