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Looking back, Sungyeol had no idea that the he would meet the most significant person in his life when he first visited the Goryeo throne room. He spent much more time being dazzled by the wealth and power of the Goryeo kingdom, on full display before him in a dazzling and lush court ceremony.
The enormous hall was made of richly painted and lacquered wood, with the roof supported by pillars of red marble. Dozens of soldiers in polished steel armor lined the walls. In front of the throne, at least one hundred officials in their court robes were lined up and kneeling before the throne. Behind the wood dais supporting the throne was a large banner reading “Protecting the righteous and venerating the wise” in the handwriting of a long-deceased king. But Sungyeol could not see the throne itself. A screen of red silk had been set in front of it, and the Goryeo king sat behind it.
Sungyeol saw four men kneeling besides the throne itself. On the throne’s left hand side were three men. Sungyeol could easily distinguish them: one was old, one was very short, and one was very tall.
It was the man on the throne’s right hand side that caught Sungyeol’s attention. This man was about Sungyeol’s age, but looked a little bit shorter. Sungyeol could barely catch a glimpse of the man’s face, because he was turned away from the audience, but he saw that the man looked extremely worried about the condition of the Goryeo king.
The four men surrounding the throne room continued to whisper amongst themselves. Because the rest of the court audience remained utterly silent, Sungyeol could pick out glimpses and pieces of their conversation. Finally, Sungyeol heard a thin, wheezing voice coming from the throne. It was directed towards the young man on the right, who began nodding fiercely and standing up.
Sungyeol had traveled two weeks and a thousand miles north on the mission his father had assigned him. He had braved inclement weather, highway bandits, and exotic diseases to reach the Goryeo capital of Namgyeong. It was only at that point that the kingdom of Goryeo finally welcomed the Fourth Prince of Joseon.
“The King of Goryeo, long may he reign, has ordered me to represent him. On behalf of the King of Goryeo, I, Crown Prince Myungsoo, welcome the Fourth Prince of the Joseon kingdom to our glorious realm,” the man announced. Sungyeol could easily understand him: the Goryeo and Joseon languages were almost identical, because the two countries had been part of a larger empire until one hundred years ago.
Sungyeol had been kneeling on one knee for an hour, waiting for the king to finish talking with the four men by the throne. It took a few seconds for him to stand up again and bow before the throne.
“As the representative of the Kingdom of Joseon, I, Fourth Prince Sungyeol of the Kingdom of Joseon, earnestly thank the Goryeo monarch for his endless grace and majesty,” Sungyeol said. The words made him want to wretch. He had traveled all this way, across mountains, valleys, streams, and plains, as a hostage to this enormous kingdom. He was here so that these men could keep a member of the Joseon royal family as a bird in a gilded cage. And so, Sungyeol followed his statement by immediately gritting his teeth, before he got to one knee before the Goryeo throne again.
The Crown Prince paused, and Sungyeol glanced up to look at the young man again. The Crown Prince seemed unsure of where to proceed, returning to a kneeling position to whisper some words to the throne. Sungyeol heard nothing in response, and so he waited yet again. The three men on the left, however, took the initiative. The tall one rose first.
“Fourth Prince Sungyeol. You may now present your gifts to the King of Goryeo,” he said, in a surprisingly high-pitched voice.
And Sungyeol nodded again. “Gifts” was the word that the official had used. “Ransom” was the word that Sungyeol would have preferred. Sungyeol turned with a flourish to his Joseon retainers standing besides him. There were eight men, carrying a box for every two men, and they opened the heavy wooden chests they had carried all the way from Joseon.
The three men on the left gave small gasps. Inside the chests were priceless gems, of various stones and colors. It was one of Joseon’s most famous exports, and one of the few items that Goryeo did not produce for itself.
It was the short one who spoke first, professionally and curt. “The King of Goryeo has received your gifts, and offers these in return.”
As one group of Goryeo servants carried away Sungyeol’s ransom, a second group entered to present another set of gifts of comparable value. The chests were opened up before Sungyeol, who saw they were filled with artifacts made of gold: finely crafted belts, pendants, brooches, and necklaces. Goryeo was known for having some of the finest metalworkers in the world. Sungyeol’s men carefully took the items away.
“The King of Goryeo had prepared accommodations for you and the rest of the Joseon delegation,” spoke the old one, who had the deepest voice out of the three officials. “You have been granted a mansion in the capital city right next to the gates of the royal palace, and we have provided you with the servants who will attend to you all day and night. We will accommodate your every need.”
The three officials gave short bows before resuming kneeling before the throne. And as Sungyeol left, he could not help but whisper quietly only to himself.
“This is the nicest hostage situation I have ever seen.”
—
The first conversation he had with Myungsoo was at the archery competition.
It was not called a competition. As the Goryeo hosts explained, the King of Goryeo had graciously offered to let the Joseon prince and other foreign dignitaries demonstrate their skills at archery in a friendly demonstration held in the shooting range, which was inside the palace and in the shade of a large pavilion. Goryeo would send contestants from a variety of backgrounds. Some participants would be amateurs, but others were Goryeo’s best archers. It was, in all but name, an archery competition.
The Goryeo hosts had chosen a format where all of the foreign representatives lined up to shoot at one target, while the Goryeo archers lined up separately to shoot at another target. Sungyeol did well in the first two attempts: his first competitor was the tall civil official who Sungyeol saw at the Goryeo court. The man completely missed the target, and quickly excused himself. Sungyeol’s second competitor was an overly eager soldier who recklessly fired his arrow without bothering to aim. Though Sungyeol’s archery skills were only fair, he succeeded in hitting his mark twice.
After Sungyeol stepped up to the shooting range for the third time, the Goryeo Crown Prince followed him soon afterwards. It was the first time that Sungyeol saw the prince up close. He would have sneered at the other man. Joseon’s spies in Goryeo had relayed to Sungyeol that the Crown Prince grew up in a coddled environment. The Crown Prince had never left the palace, and had never gone on a hunt or gone to battle. Sungyeol, on the other hand, had once spent two years accompanying his father on campaign. Years of riding on horseback and training with the sword had given his tall, wiry frame some much-needed muscle.
Sungyeol took his archery stance, drew his bow of composite bamboo and horn, and aimed at the target, a paper bull’s-eye on a plank of wood. He fired, and the arrow flew straight. It arched slightly to the right at the very end, but still hit the target near the center, in the blue middle layer. He gave a sigh and turned towards the Crown Prince, who looked stiff and uncomfortable while wearing his formal robes and bearskin greatcoat.
“Can you do better, Crown Prince?” Sungyeol said with a small smile, moderately impressed with himself. He took the chance to observe that the Crown Prince was not a small man. Myungsoo was shorter, but had greater musculature. The Crown Prince was physically attractive, but had a certain endearing lack of self-awareness.
“Please watch, Fourth Prince,” the Crown Prince responded.
Sungyeol watched in moderate surprise as Myungsoo took a confident stance, drew his bow, and fired his arrow straight and true. Myungsoo’s arrow flew towards the target towards the red center, and Sungyeol could hear a clear ringing as the metal arrowhead hit wood. The arrow landed in the direct center.
The Crown Prince gave his own smile, dimples forming in his cheeks, as he celebrated his achievement.
“How did you learn to shoot?” Sungyeol asked in wonder.
“I practice almost every day,” Myungsoo answered. “I’m not permitted to exit the palace, so this is one of the few ways I’m allowed to have fun.”
Sungyeol had to pause to let the fact sink in. Even he did not practice archery every day.
“Let’s try again,” Sungyeol responded. He couldn’t believe it. The entire country of Goryeo, as he had been told so often in Joseon, consisted of weak and indolent peasants, ruled by a decadent upper class too concerned with poetry and art to understand military affairs. And here, the coddled Crown Prince of Goryeo had beaten him in archery! Joseon was renowned for its archers. Myungsoo’s success was a personal affront.
“Let us do that,” Myungsoo responded, seemingly oblivious to Sungyeol’s frustration.
Sungyeol drew his bow again and fired. This time, the arrow veered slightly to the left, and landed again in the blue area of the middle ring.
Myungsoo responded in turn, and his arrow hit the red center again.
Sungyeol answered again. This time, it was the outer, yellow ring.
Myungsoo’s turn. The red center.
Sungyeol’s turn. The red center.
Myungsoo’s turn. The red center.
Sungyeol’s turn. The blue ring.
Myungsoo’s turn. The blue ring.
Sungyeol’s turn. This time, the arrow missed the target entirely, landing in the grass behind the target. He threw his bow at the ground, cursing to himself, and then turned to the Crown Prince. “It’s the humidity in this country,” he tried to explain while feeling himself turn red. “Traveling all the way from Joseon in this summer heat caused my bow to fall apart.”
Myungsoo looked crestfallen for a second. “In that case, Fourth Prince, we should continue with another bow. I want to see how well you can perform,” he said softly, turning to face the Goryeo servants behind him.
Sungyeol’s first competitor, the tall official, spoke up from behind them. “Fourth Prince, that was our bow, not yours. We had a craftsman from Joseon prepare the bow specifically in the Joseon style for this event, so we can provide it to you. There could be no defect in the bow.”
The red that crept across Sungyeol’s face was surely visible to the entire delegation, causing the man to turn back to face the target.
Myungsoo, for his part, was oblivious. “You must have been unused to our equipment, Fourth Prince. We should continue this event for another day.”
Sungyeol nodded at the opportunity to bow out gracefully. “Of course, Crown Prince.”
Myungsoo gave a smile, and Sungyeol felt his face turn red for reasons unrelated to the archery competition.
—
The next time Sungyeol visited the palace, it was just the two of them. Sungyeol was already familiar enough with the city of Namgyeong to travel to the palace without a guide. He arrived at the palace, with a new bow in his hand that he had repeatedly practiced with. He was confident. He was going to show that Crown Prince how a man of Joseon could wield a bow.
Several dozen rounds later, after numerous missed shots, Sungyeol threw up his hands in frustration again. The Goryeo Crown Prince only gave a laugh.
“I can help you. I know you’ve done plenty of archery, but you need to work on a few things” Myungsoo said. He walked over to Sungyeol, putting a hand on Sungyeol’s shoulder. “Your legs are too far apart. Don’t rotate your elbow so much. And don’t get frustrated when you don’t hit the mark. This isn’t a life or death situation.”
Sungyeol could only mutter aloud while Myungsoo gently tried to adjust Sungyeol’s stance. “I’ve fought on a battlefield, Crown Prince Myungsoo. I’m aiming to kill.”
“Really?” Myungsoo’s eyes grew wide in amazement. “A battle? Against who?”
“Eastern barbarian tribes,” Sungyeol answered honestly, turning to face Myungsoo. He was too young to have fought in the wars between Goryeo and Joseon over ten years ago, when the hostage policy had first been instituted.
“Have you killed anyone?” Myungsoo continued in awe.
“Maybe,” Sungyeol said with a shrug. “I was only an archer guarding my father. I’ve hurt some men. I don’t know if they died.”
Myungsoo continued to look amazed, looking for more details. “And who is your father?”
“My father is one of the King of Joseon’s brothers. He is called the Third Prince,” Sungyeol answered.
“Why the Third Prince?”
“My oldest uncle is the King. My second uncle is the First Prince, and his son is the Second Prince. That makes my father the Third Prince, and me the Fourth Prince. My younger brother is the Fifth Prince,” Sungyeol explained factually.
Myungsoo gave a nod of understanding. “And why did you fight on the battlefield?”
“All Joseon princes are expected to know how to fight,” Sungyeol said. “From a young age, we are sent out to accompany armies. When we are older, we are expected to lead soldiers into battle.”
“Then why are you here? Why aren’t you fighting?” Myungsoo asked, still curious.
Sungyeol gulped. He didn’t give the honest answer that he had been sent to Joseon because his father was disappointed in Sungyeol’s fighting ability, and that he would only be allowed to return to Joseon if he successfully completed his mission in Goryeo. He lied instead. “My second uncle and his son have already served as envoys to Joseon. My father has an important role leading the Joseon government. I was sent as the next available person.”
Had he been more respected in Joseon, Sungyeol would have been replaced as hostage by one of a dozen other expendable princes. But Sungyeol was chosen only because his father wanted him to prove himself.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” smiled Myungsoo. “It’s good to know somebody who likes my hobbies.”
“You don’t practice with anybody else?” Sungyeol asked, in mild amusement. He knew, after all, that Myungsoo had never left the palace.
“Growing up, I had a brother, but he’s family. I’m surrounded by tutors. And teachers. And servants,” Myungsoo said, wrinkling his nose. “At worst, I get Kim, Choi, and Yoon.”
“Who?” Sungyeol asked.
“Kim Kyehan, Choi Inbeom, and Yoon Cheonhae. The three men who serve my father and go everywhere he goes,” Myungsoo answered. Sungyeol instantly remembered the tall man, the short man, and the old man he saw at court.
“They look ancient,” Sungyeol smiled.
“They told me I could not leave the palace,” Myungsoo said with a frown. “Or allow anybody to enter the palace to study with me. It was dangerous, they said. There was a war going on. My father approved.”
Sungyeol averted his eyes. There was a war going on when Myungsoo was young. The war between Joseon and Goryeo.
“They’re better now, right? They allowed me here,” Sungyeol said with a small chuckle.
“It’s a bit better now,” Myungsoo answered.
“Say,” Sungyeol thought on the spot. “Why don’t you ask them if you can visit my house?”
“Your house?” Myungsoo asked.
Sungyeol wondered if Myungsoo was making reference to the fact that Sungyeol’s mansion was a gift from the Goryeo King.
“Yes, it’s right next to the palace,” Sungyeol answered. If the palace had no walls, Sungyeol’s mansion would have been visible from the archery grounds.
“I’ll have to ask,” Myungsoo said reluctantly.
“You should ask,” Sungyeol said assertively. “We can practice archery together.”
—
It took four months and a dozen trips by Sungyeol to the palace before Myungsoo was permitted to leave the palace and visit Sungyeol’s house.
As Myungsoo later explained it, he could only get permission from the trio of Kim, Choi, and Yoon if he could frame his visit as a state visit to a foreign dignitary, combined with a festive celebration. Myungsoo was not permitted to leave the palace simply because he wanted to visit Sungyeol and practice archery.
And it wasn’t just Myungsoo that arrived. It was an entire retinue. Royal servants carrying litters descended on Sungyeol’s mansion. The low-ranking officials had sedan chairs that exposed them to the public. The two most elaborate litters were palanquins covered in silver and gold that completely closed off their riders. Sungyeol stood in the courtyard as the guests entered. He wanted to wave as soon as Myungsoo exited the palanquin, but the Crown Prince did not pay any attention until he walked over to the second palanquin. Sungyeol could only watch stone-faced as Myungsoo took the hand of the woman who exited.
Myungsoo had not mentioned that he was bringing his wife to visit.
Sungyeol had never seen her before, but had heard of her by name. The Crown Princess was named Jieun, and she came from an impoverished but talented family. Sungyeol quickly observed that the Crown Princess was a beautiful woman. Her height and complexion made her seem even younger than she was. Sungyeol knew that she was younger than Myungsoo, but from what he saw, he might have assumed that the woman was Myungsoo’s sister. If Sungyeol had any real interest in women, he might have been interested in a woman of her appearance and poise. But instead, he only passively remarked to himself how well Myungsoo seemed to match with his wife, and how happy the two of them looked together.
When Myungsoo turned towards Sungyeol, Sungyeol forced a smile, and welcomed the two in.
The resulting dinner was an awkward affair for Sungyeol, but he gave no outward hint of his feelings. Myungsoo and Jieun sat at one end of the center table, and Sungyeol sat at the other end. Between the two ends sat the trio of Kim, Choi, and Yoon.
Servants carried out full meals of pork, beef, and lamb, followed by heaping bowls of soups and stew. Savory vegetables and seafood dishes ended the main course of the meal. Dessert consisted of crisp fruit. The meal started with tea, but rice wine soon flowed freely.
It was only afterwards that Myungsoo stood up to thank the assembled guests.
“I want to thank Fourth Prince Sungyeol for inviting me to his house and for preparing this meal. I’d also like to thank ministers Kim, Choi, and Yoon for giving me permission to attend. It has been a great pleasure to celebrate such festivities,” Myungsoo said with a smile and a wobble. Sungyeol might have guessed that the alcohol was starting to muddle Myungsoo’s senses, or the Crown Prince would have noticed that none of the four men he named were smiling in any way. Myungsoo continued, oblivious. “Fourth Prince, can you say a few words?”
Sungyeol stood up with a small, sad smile. He raised his glass of rice wine. He already had a considerable number of glasses, but he could not feel any of their intoxicating effects. Perhaps he needed more.
“I toast to your health, Crown Prince Myungsoo, and I welcome you to my house where you are always welcome,” Sungyeol said. He sat down shortly afterwards, knowing Myungsoo wanted to continue.
“And I thank you, Fourth Prince Sungyeol. I also want to thank the rest of the guests for hearing what I want to announce. I would like you all to know that the Crown Princess is three months’ pregnant. Whether the child is a girl or a boy, I want you all to join me in toasting the Crown Princess for her pregnancy.” Myungsoo was beaming as the rest of the guests raised their glasses and cheered. Sungyeol raised a glass but did not cheer.
He was watching later, out of the corner of his eye while drinking his wine, when he saw Myungsoo reach out and grab Jieun’s hand.
Sungyeol gave a lurch, spilling wine over himself while coughing on what he was trying to drink. Myungsoo gave a startled look, but Sungyeol quickly excused himself from the dinner before Myungsoo had a chance to say a word.
Despite being the host, he did not return to the dinner that night.
—
Despite how Sungyeol wanted to respond after that dinner, he still had a mission to complete. So he swallowed his pride to the best of his ability, and continued to visit the Crown Prince at the palace. And having persuaded the Crown Prince to leave the palace for a festive celebration, Sungyeol tried to persuade the Crown Prince to leave the palace to tour the capital city.
Sungyeol explained to a bewildered Myungsoo that he wasn’t trying to get Myungsoo to sneak away from the palace. He had to explain this in very loud terms, as he noticed that a considerable number of guards were now observing Myungsoo surreptitiously whenever Sungyeol visited. Instead, he told Myungsoo that he wanted the Crown Prince to truly observe what was going on in the kingdom he was meant to rule.
Myungsoo eagerly agreed with the idea. He even succeeded in persuading Kim, the oldest of the trio. The other two members, Choi and Yoon, had opposed the idea on the grounds that Myungsoo could be killed or injured. Fortunately, a government inspector named Seo Kihan had pointed out that for years, Choi and Yoon claimed that the capital city was free of crime and the populace was utterly content. If the Crown Prince could be harmed by a criminal, the inspector reasoned, that meant Choi and Yoon must have been lying earlier.
The trip was approved the next day.
As a result, Sungyeol and Myungsoo have fun by visiting a Namgyeong inn.
Or rather, as Sungyeol tried to enjoy what Myungsoo utterly loved.
The younger man’s eyes were round and alert as he walked around the capital city. The Goryeo officials prohibited the Crown Prince from pretending to be a servant. Sungyeol and Myungsoo instead dressed in the robes of young noblemen, with a retinue of guards. They certainly stood out from the masses, but without betraying the secret that they were princes.
Myungsoo ran about in wonder, Sungyeol and the guards in tow, as he demanded to sample various street snacks, or to drink in taverns, or read books at the bookstores, or watch street performances. He had plenty of bronze coins to spend, and he was spending it quickly everywhere he went. Namgyeong was a peaceful city with little crime, but like all major cities, it was crowded and smelled of human civilization. It was as different from the quiet, perfumed halls of the royal palace as Sungyeol could imagine. And Myungsoo loved it. In fact, Myungsoo loved it so much that he decided to stay out just for a little longer.
Sungyeol was standing in a bookstore, browsing through some work of popular fiction, when Myungsoo suddenly grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into an alleyway.
“What are you doing? Where are you going?” Sungyeol hissed. “What about our guards?”
“Just that tavern over there,” Myungsoo whispered. “Let’s go. I just wanted to talk in peace, away from the guards.”
Sungyeol gave an apprehensive nod and followed Myungsoo to the tavern, where Myungsoo ordered two bowls of wine, paying with yet another bag of coins. The Crown Prince turned to Sungyeol.
“I didn’t realize there was so much going on around me, in this very city,” Myungsoo said, still excited. “I can’t believe I’m twenty-five and I don’t know anything about this.”
Sungyeol nodded in agreement. “I think that was exactly what the trio intended.”
“The trio?”
“Kim, Choi, and Yoon,” responded Sungyeol. “They don’t want you to know what’s going on around them. They want you dependent on them.”
Myungsoo frowned. “I’ve always thought they want the best for the country.
“They might,” said Sungyeol. “They might think that it’s better to lie to you and keep you docile, so that they can operate without your interference. Or they don’t care about the country at all. They only want wealth and power.”
Myungsoo took a second to ponder the possibilities. “What about you, Fourth Prince Sungyeol? You grew up in the capital city of Joseon. What was that like?”
“Ryongseong is much smaller than here,” Sungyeol remarked. “It’s at best a quarter of Namgyeong’s population. Maybe even smaller. We don’t have all of these mansions or marketplaces. Our royal palace is also smaller. It only supports the king and his immediate family. It would be impossible for a person to spend their entire life in just the palace.”
“That gave you a chance to leave, right? To go and fight?”
“Yes. In Joseon, the kings are expected to ride horseback into battle on a regular basis. We don’t have official after official to manage the country. Instead of a bureaucracy of scribes and scholars, we have a council of composed of generals and princes who meet the king once a week. If the king cannot rule, he steps down in favor of a son or brother,” Sungyeol continued to explain.
Myungsoo also took a few seconds to consider that idea, before he answered. “That is not the Goryeo way.”
“It won’t be,” said Sungyeol, before breaking into an even quieter whisper. There were quite a few people in the tavern, drinking their wine loudly and playing gambling games all around them, but Sungyeol worried that Goryeo’s ministers might have spies around. “But you don’t need to let Kim, Choi, and Yoon do all of the work. You can ask to participate.”
“How?” Myungsoo said, perplexed.
“I know that in Goryeo, you have a long tradition of having the Crown Prince serve as a regent. Right now, your father is very sick. For almost ten years, Kim, Choi, and Yoon made all the decisions between themselves. And then you or your father approved of the decision. What if you were to serve as an official regent for your father instead? It would take the burden off of him while he is sick, and give you experience when you succeed him.”
There was a pause, and Sungyeol took a long slip of rice wine. He had traveled for weeks to Goryeo, waited months to talk to Myungsoo, and planned for months again just to find a possible way of making this suggestion. Myungsoo’s eyes flickered up.
“They didn’t let you out of the palace, Myungsoo,” Sungyeol gently reminded him.
“You’re right,” the Crown Prince answered and stood up. “Now I want to go talk with them.”
—
Sungyeol was invited to attend court the day Myungsoo was to make his request. He was allowed to kneel besides the Goryeo court officials near the entrance of the throne room. He was close enough to hear what Myungsoo said, without appearing involved in the conversation.
It was a regular court meeting, of the Goryeo king and his highest ranking officials. The king remained behind a silk screen. The three officials were to the left of the king’s platform, while Myungsoo kneeled before the throne presenting a silk scroll.
The tall official, Yoon, carefully scurried over to pick up the scroll. He unfolded it so that all three officials could read, and their reaction was one of shock. They rolled back the scroll as Myungsoo began his announcement.
“Crown Prince Myungsoo humbly requests an appointment as regent to administer the kingdom,” Myungsoo said, loudly in a deep tone. A hush settled over the officials present.
“How can you say this, Crown Prince! A regency? By you!” Yoon said, shocked and speaking immediately.
“The king is not yet dead, and you already desire his power,” said the short one, Choi, continuing the line of questioning. “This is outrageous.”
“Everybody present here understands that the king administers the realm and guides his officials even from his sickbed,” snapped the old one, Kim. “Day and night, we work tirelessly to enforce his will.”
“Senior ministers of the throne,” Myungsoo continued to speak, without hesitation. “As the Crown Prince, I have valued everything that the king’s senior officials have done for the kingdom. As a reward for their great merit and their decades of work, I ask that the King of Goryeo appoint Ministers Kim, Choi, and Yoon as Dukes.”
Audible gasps now arose from the assembled court audience, and Sungyeol smiled. He had been the one to suggest this maneuver. In Goryeo’s bureaucracy, only scholars were allowed to hold a government post. Nobles, such as Dukes, were not permitted to hold any civil offices. It was a Goryeo custom for the king to appoint retiring government officials as nobles so that the officials would have a source of income in their old age.
By asking that the king appoint Kim, Choi, and Yoon as Dukes, the trio was instantly put in a precarious situation. If they refused Myungsoo now, they would be offending the Crown Prince by refusing a great honor, and would be considered intransigent for their refusal to retire. But if they accepted appointment as Dukes, they would instantly lose all of their offices.
“The honor is too great,” spluttered Choi. “We do not have enough achievements to be worthy of the honor.”
This was a delaying tactic. Sungyeol already gave Myungsoo a suggestion how to proceed next, by proxy.
“Ministers Kim, Choi, and Yoon. You cannot be dishonest before the King himself,” spoke a younger, reformist official. This was Seo Kihan, the man who had spoken in favor of Myungsoo’s visits to the capital city. “The Crown Prince thinks that the three of you are worthy of great honor. You say you are not worthy of this honor. Yet the three of you have held the most power in our government for almost ten years. If you three do not have great achievements as you claim, it is time for the three of you to step down.”
The trio was now clearly flailing in an attempt to retain their hold on power.
“I deny that,” said Kim. “We need a bit more time.”
Seo answered. “It has been almost ten years. And ministers, you have said repeatedly that the empire is at peace, and there are no threats to the kingdom from internal or external enemies. If that is not a great accomplishment, then what is?”
Yoon answered. “If we leave, our achievements will go with us,” he warned. “Chaos will resume.”
Sungyeol had one last suggestion for Myungsoo, and waited with bated breath to see if Myungsoo would use the strategy.
“As regent, Ministers Kim, Choi, and Yoon, I would surely be in assistance of your wisdom. I would ask that the three of you be appointed honorary advisors to the throne,” Myungsoo said coolly.
The trap snapped shut. The three men could only lash out.
“It’s that foreign prince’s idea, isn’t it?” Yoon scowled. He turned towards Kim. “I knew you were being too naive about the Fourth Prince.”
“Has he poisoned your mind,” sneered Choi towards Myungsoo, “convincing you that you should have more power if you became a regent?”
“I am making this request out of my own will,” Myungsoo said calmly.
There was a silence, as the trio admitted defeat. Kim, Choi, and Yoon could only look at each other before prostrating before the throne.
“Your Majesty,” the three of them begged. “Please deny the appointment of a regent and allow us to remain in our office.”
The throne remained silent for a good minute, and Sungyeol could hear sounds of a straining voice. The four men around the throne went before the platform. After discussion in whispers for thirty minutes, the four men all withdrew somewhat unhappily.
It was Myungsoo who stood up and announced the compromise.
“The King of Goryeo in his immense wisdom has announced that Minister Kim Kyehan is to be appointed as a Duke and retire once he finishes his current affairs. The Minister Choi Inbeom is to be appointed as an honorary advisor to the King immediately. The Minister Yoon Cheonhae is to retain all of his current ranks and positions. The request for a regency is denied.”
The three men resumed kneeling and Sungyeol smiled to himself. The situation succeeded as he thought it did. He did not know how the issue would be resolved, but knew that the resolution would leave everybody dissatisfied.
Sungyeol turned to look at Myungsoo with just a touch of sadness. Once, I would have done all of this for your benefit, Sungyeol thought with a mix of disappointment and hurt, because I thought I loved you .
He could leave now. His mission was complete.
—
Your mission is not complete , read the letter from Sungyeol’s father. Although you have successfully sown discord within the Goryeo government, the real mission does not begin until now. You will meet with our informant inside the Goryeo government to discuss the next steps.
Sungyeol’s eyes bulged as he read the letter, and he stared at the man who delivered it. Seo Kihan, Myungsoo’s ally at court, stood before Sungyeol with a smirk.
“You’re the Joseon mole?” Sungyeol said, surprised. “But you supported Myungsoo against the trio!”
“Because the trio refused to retire!” Seo said with a laugh. “I’ve been waiting for a promotion for eight years, and I haven’t gotten anywhere. I think it’s ridiculous that the only way to get a promotion is to kill everybody at the top.”
“Kill everybody?” Sungyeol said, rapidly becoming anxious.
“Yes,” Seo said with a smug smile. “Joseon forces will attack soon. Once the Joseon forces arrive, they will take the city and kill the entire Goryeo royal family. They will either make me the new ruler of Goryeo, if they keep Goryeo independent, or make me a Joseon noble if they choose to annex Goryeo. Either way, I win.
“The entire Goryeo family? Including the Crown Prince?” Sungyeol asked.
“Including the Crown Prince,” Seo nodded.
“And the Crown Princess? But she’s pregnant!” Sungyeol yelled.
“All the more reason. What if she has a son from the Crown Prince? That son will be a threat to Joseon’s control,” Seo answered, as if the reasoning was obvious. “That’s what I was going to tell you about. When the Joseon forces attack, you are to kill the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.”
“When do they attack?” Sungyeol asked, still trying to see what information Seo would give him.
“When? They should be attacking by dawn tomorrow,” Seo answered, remaining smug.
“Tomorrow!?” Sungyeol said. “How can Joseon get an army to Namgyeong by tomorrow without anybody noticing?”
“They’re using a small, elite vanguard, probably led by their best commander,” Seo explained calmly. “They’re wearing Goryeo uniforms, supplied by other Goryeo officials. I am not the only person working for Joseon in the Goryeo government. Kim, Choi, and Yoon had many enemies.”
“There’s no way to stop this?” Sungyeol asked, still cautious.
“There’s no way,” Seo said with a laugh. “Even if you were to withdraw now, the plan has been set in motion. It’s too late to stop it. But I trust you’ll do your part for Joseon.”
“I see,” Sungyeol said. He suddenly began leaving the room, causing Seo to protest.
“Fourth Prince! Where are you going?” Seo asked.
By now, Sungyeol had picked up his bow and pulled an arrow out of the quiver.
“To the palace,” Sungyeol whispered. He drew his bow, and fired.
—
Night had barely fallen as Sungyeol entered the royal palace for the first time in over a month. The guards had prohibited all but the highest officials from entering the palace at night, but when Sungyeol approached, they instantly let him through. Sungyeol’s bow and quiver, however, were confiscated.
He reached the quarters of the Crown Prince soon afterwards, barging past more guards, before he reached Myungsoo. The man was in his study, reading a book that he had picked up from his visit to the Namgyeong marketplace.
“Myungsoo,” Sungyeol said, anxious and out of breath. “I have something to tell you.”
Myungsoo’s expression was a small one of wonder and determination. “I do too,” he said, rising up to greet the other man.
“There’s no time,” Sungyeol wanted to continue speaking, but his speech was cut off when Myungsoo kissed him.
“Myungsoo!” He yelled, pushing the other man away. He didn’t care at this point whether Jieun, who was probably one or two rooms away, was awake or not
“Sungyeol,” Myungsoo started, with tears in his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve wanted to say so many things to you, now that the trio have finally stopped watching me. But you’ve been avoiding me for a month since that day at court. I don’t know why you’re doing that.”
Sungyeol could only pant heavily. “What do you mean?”
“It means I’ve loved you ever since that day at the archery range. The way you looked as you took your stance, even if you missed half the time. And then that day at the marketplace when you showed me my city,” said Myungsoo shyly, before he suddenly looked mortified. “I’m so sorry, Fourth Prince. This must be too sudden.”
“You have a wife! She’s pregnant!” Sungyeol said, utterly surprised.
Myungsoo nodded. “It was an arranged marriage, Sungyeol. And she’s precious to me. But she’s not the person I would have chosen for myself.”
Sungyeol stared, and then threw back his head in a bitter laugh, tears springing to his own eyes. “Myungsoo, you should have told me so much earlier.”
“What do you mean?”
Sungyeol gave a pause before answering. “Because I would have chosen you.”
Myungsoo gave a small smile, but Sungyeol interrupted him.
“Where’s Jieun?” Sungyeol asked.
“She went to sleep early today because she had a headache. Why?” Myungsoo’s expression at the change of topic was a surprise.
“You need to protect her,” Sungyeol answered. “You need to believe me.”
“I don’t understand, Sungyeol. What’s going on? Why did you come here so suddenly?”
Sungyeol sighed, and answered. In doing so, he spilled everything. About his mission from Joseon to befriend the Crown Prince, hopefully to corrupt him, but otherwise to stir animosity between the Crown Prince and the trio of Kim, Choi, and Yoon. About his orders to kill Myungsoo. About Seo Kihan’s information that the Joseon army was to attack the next morning at the break of dawn. And Myungsoo’s reaction was one of horror and shock. And betrayal.
“But what do I do?” Myungsoo asked.
Sungyeol stared at him in shock. “Why are you asking me? I’m a foreigner, Myungsoo. I was ordered to kill you.”
Myungsoo shook his head. “I trust you, and I trust your judgment. And I know you love me. Tell me what I need to do.”
“You won’t like it,” Sungyeol said, before explaining his strategy. “You need to get the Goryeo royal family out of Namgyeong as soon as possible. That includes your father, as well as your wife. Immediately afterwards, you need to prepare this city for an attack by tomorrow morning. Only you can do it, because your father is too sick.”
“I can do this,” Myungsoo said as he tried to muster up confidence. “As long as I know you’re with me.”
—
The plan worked, as well as it could. Myungsoo hated the fact he had to rely on Kim, Choi, and Yoon, but he persuaded them and other officials that the chance of an attack was real. The King was left the city that very night, with the government claiming the king had to leave the stifling confines of the palace for the cooler climate of a nearby mountain. There was also a fortress on that mountain as well as a road to possible safety. The king was to be moved first to the mountain, and then as far away from Joseon armies as possible. Both Jieun and Myungsoo’s brother would go with the king and attend to his needs.
Myungsoo and Sungyeol stayed behind.
The attack came at dawn. The Joseon armies had expected that the gates to Namgyeong would be open before them. But when the attack came, the defenders had barred the gates. The Joseon armies were forced to erect siege equipment and lay siege to the stone walls, preventing anybody from entering or exiting the city.
Myungsoo and Sungyeol watched it all from the pavilion in the royal palace. The height gave them an unmatched vantage point, allowing them to see the Joseon catapults and siege towers that surrounded the city. They also had an excellent view of the archery grounds.
The siege lasted four months. It was interrupted only partially on two days, when Joseon forces allowed outside messengers into the city as a gesture of goodwill.
On the day of the first truce, one of the few Goryeo officials who had fled Namgyeong informed Myungsoo what had happened after the siege by scroll.
The king of Goryeo reached the safety of the far north, as far away from the southern Joseon state as was possible. His health remained weak, forcing the king to appoint a council of trusted officials to rule in his stead. Kim, Choi, and Yoon, who had all escaped Namgyeong, were all demoted and exiled.
Sometime after the escape, Jieun had given birth to a son who would be next in line for the throne if Myungsoo survived. Myungsoo would never see him. He never even knew his name.
The day of the second truce was near the end, when the remaining Goryeo officials in the city attempted to negotiate a surrender. The Goryeo officials offered territory and fabulous wealth to the Joseon troops if the attackers left. The Joseon commanders declined, planning to take the city by force.
The siege ended in the middle of the fifth month. Myungsoo and Sungyeol never learned whether one of the city’s defenders had surrendered or whether Joseon forces succeeded in forcing their way into the city. Either way, the Joseon forces took the city.
The royal palace burned the day the Joseon forces entered.
Myungsoo and Sungyeol could only watch from the pavilion as flames illuminated Namgyeong’s night sky, holding hands for a small measure of comfort.
Sungyeol turned towards Myungsoo. There was a single arrow in the Fourth Prince’s hand. The steel arrowhead had the gold and silver inlay indicating it was to be used exclusively by the Goryeo royal house.
“I still have one,” Sungyeol said. From where they sat, they could see flames creeping.
Myungsoo gave a hum in agreement. “We can use it.”
—
“First Prince!” The Joseon soldier said, running to meet the man who commanded Joseon forces during the Namgyeong siege.
The First Prince turned around. The promotion to First Prince was fortuitous , the man thought to himself with a smile. Such a pity that the former First and Second Princes had to die such tragic, unexpected deaths. At this rate , he speculated, the King of Joseon might pass away too, and who else would inherit the throne? None other than the First Prince, conqueror of Namgyeong.
“Yes, soldier?”
“We’ve searched the entire grounds of the royal palace. We can’t find the bodies of the former Fourth Prince or the Crown Prince,” answered the soldier with a salute.
The First Prince continued his walk around the burnt embers and ashes of the former Goryeo royal palace.
“Keep looking. You are dismissed,” he said with a grunt.
The First Prince continued to walk, as he spotted a shining object on the spot where the royal pavilion had stood two nights before
It was an arrowhead. Steel with gold and silver inlay.
The man picked it up, dropped it into the pouch on his belt, and kept walking.