In the palace, Hoseok knelt in front of his father and hit his forehead on the floor.
“Imperial father, I haven’t mistreated Su Ryeon… but she betrayed me like this,” Hoseok said. “I’m heartbroken. I didn’t want to hide the truth but even I didn’t know the whole matter when the incident happened… But eomma told me that she had an idea about the whole matter but even after knowing the truth she considered Su Ryeon’s family so she kept it a secret and didn't let me know about it.”
“Are you certain your mother and you didn’t keep it a secret so after Su Ryeon gives birth you can become the crown prince?” the emperor asked.
“Imperial father, I was foolish,” Hoseok said. “Imperial father, forgive me. I know I deserve to die. But I promise it wasn’t me who framed the Fifth brother. That day as I didn’t know the truth and I was angry someone harmed Su Ryeon, that’s why I didn’t stop my mother to say those heavy words to Fifth sister… imperial father, I promise I don’t have an ulterior motive. It wasn’t me.”
Hoseok hit his forehead pitifully on the ground and hid his resentment toward Taehyung.
Hoseok knew deceiving the emperor by using a * child as a bridge to make him the crown prince and attempting to kill Taehyung and Seorin’s son were crimes that wouldn’t escape death. But the whole thing was planned by his mother. Of course, Hoseok knew his mother would never admit the truth about her entire plan.
The emperor’s head ached to see Hoseok acting convincingly in an I’ll-tear-my-heart-out state of mind. It was frustrating to death to witness it. He felt helpless. Did he choose the wrong son?
“Imperial father, I have something important I want to report,” Hoseok said.
“Say it,” Emperor Kim Seokjin said.
“Recently I’ve been suspicious of Fifth brother and my guards have followed him… Fifth brother is stronger than he appears,” Hoseok said.
“How?” the emperor asked.
Hoseok was impressed that his mother was right about his father’s weariness toward Taehyung.
“Imperial father, my guards discovered Fifth brother’s guards are exceptionally strong,” Hoseok said. “If Fifth brother is gentle and weak then how can he afford to raise strong guards?”
Hoseok was happy to see his father worried about Taehyung’s real capabilities. His mother was right, his father hated Taehyung.
After the emperor dismissed Hoseok, he put down his calligraphy brush. He didn’t know if Hoseok was truly a filial son and he wasn’t certain Taehyung was hiding ulterior motives. He smiled coldly; he planned a way to see his sons’ true hearts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The emperor collapsed.
The palace was in chaos, the emperor was unconscious after someone saw the emperor spat out fresh blood and the court officials feared if the emperor didn’t wake up in a few days then there would be a bloody war in the palace since the crown prince position was vacant.
Luckily two days later the emperor woke up.
Inside Consort Jung’s chamber Hoseok interrogated a eunuch.
“Did you say inside imperial father’s hidden edict, he wants Fifth prince to be the crown prince?” Hoseok asked the eunuch.
“Third Prince, I saw it while the emperor showed it to Physician Shin,” the eunuch said on his knees. “Then I secretly came here to report to Third prince.”
“What did Physician Shin say?” Hoseok asked.
“Physician Shin said the emperor’s body is weak and he feared the emperor’s medicine couldn’t prolong his majesty's life for much longer,” the eunuch said. “Then the emperor said if in the future he becomes unconscious for more than a few days then Physician Shin should euthanize him.”
Consort Jung panicked. What would happen if Physician Shin granted the emperor’s request?
Hoseok dismissed the eunuch.
“Eomma, what should we do?” Hoseok asked. “Eomma, didn’t you say imperial father wouldn’t give the crown prince position to Fifth brother?”
“Your imperial father’s heart is hard to see,” Consort Jung said. “Besides, I said that before Su Ryeon’s incident! You don’t have an heir and your imperial father doesn’t love you. It’s reasonable your imperial father would choose your Fifth brother.”
“Are we going to wait to witness Fifth brother sit on the throne?” Hoseok asked.
“Your imperial father hid the edict and hasn’t announced it because he’s still indecisive,” Consort Jung said.
“If imperial father wrote the edict it shows who he chose,” Hoseok said. “He hasn’t announced it but it doesn’t mean it won’t be announced later. If that happens then Fifth prince’s boat is built!”
“What do you want to do?” Consort Jung asked. “Go to your imperial father’s chamber and tear the edict? If you do that then prepare to give up everything.”
“Eomma!” Hoseok said.
Consort Jung frowned.
“Eomma, you’re right,” Hoseok said.
“What are you planning to do?” Consort Jung asked.
“I should steal the edict before it’s announced,” Hoseok said.
“Reckless fool!” Consort Jung said.
“What reckless fool?” Hoseok said. “We’ve built our power over many years and many court officials support us. It’s easy for us to sneak into the imperial father’s chamber in the middle of the night. We can force imperial father to change the edict.”
“If your imperial father refuses do you intend to kill him and steal the throne?” Consort Jung asked.
“If imperial father rather dies than change it then I’ll grant his request,” Hoseok said.
Consort Jung’s whole body was cold like ice.
“Eomma, if Fifth brother sits on the throne you know he won’t spare our lives, and I don't let you and my child die like that,” Hoseok said. “It’s better if I steal the throne before the edict is announced. Otherwise, if I wait to steal the throne after Fifth brother is the emperor, we’ll become traitors in the eyes of citizens and they’ll rebel.”
Consort Jung thought about Hoseok’s logic and she fisted her hands.
“Eomma…” Hoseok said.
“Wait,” Consort Jung said. “Don’t do anything reckless. Let me confirm something and we can discuss what to do afterward.”
“Confirm what?” Hoseok asked.
“I want to see Physician Heo,” Consort Jung said.
That evening Consort Jung secretly met Physician Heo and they spoke through a door hole.
“I want to ask you something,” Consort Jung said.
“Yes,” Physician Heo said.
“How is the emperor?” Consort Jung asked.
“His majesty has two years,” Physician Heo said.
“Truly?” Consort Jung asked.
“Before the crown prince and the empress died, his majesty had four to five years, though his face never shows any impact of the illness,” He said.
“What about the rumor that the emperor only has a few days to live?” Consort Jung asked.
Consort Jung was anxious about why Physician Heo didn’t answer her. She looked through the hole and only saw the night’s darkness.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Consort Jung asked.
“His majesty is maneuvering a chess piece,” He said. “The emperor ordered if anyone exposes his plan then they’ll be killed immediately.”
“What is the emperor’s purpose?” Consort Jung asked.
“His majesty wants to see who’ll support the Third prince and who’ll support the Fifth prince,” Physician Heo said. “Whoever acts recklessly first then the emperor won’t spare them. Consort Jung, I hope you’ll patiently wait to see what happens.”
“Alright,” Consort Jung said. “Why didn’t you find me earlier to report to me about something this important?”
“Consort Jung, you were born intelligent,” Physician Heo praised. “Of course, you’ll see through his majesty’s plan.”
Consort Jung farewell to Physician Heo and left.
In the emperor’s chamber Jimin stayed by the emperor’s bedside, he didn’t dare leave the chamber to warn Taehyung. He hoped Taehyung would see through the emperor’s plan.
News of the emperor’s collapse spread across the imperial city.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At Taehyung’s manor, Joon-Seok was crying for his mother but his mother was napping.
Taehyung picked up Joon-Seok from the cot and played with him on a chair.
It was a sunny day and the chubby Joon-Seok wore thin blue clothes.
Taehyung happily held the chubby Joon-Seok in one arm and teased Joon-Seok with a small soft colorful chugguk ball with his free hand.
Joon-Seok’s big eyes brightened and followed the ball’s movements. He raised his short arms in the air but his father didn’t give him the ball.
Taehyung moved the ball close to his son. Each time his son was about to grab the ball, he moved the ball away. He showed his boxy smile while he teased his son but his son’s lips pouted and his son cried loudly.
Taehyung coaxed his son who loved to cry because he didn’t want to disturb Seorin’s nap.
“Fifth prince, Lee Jonghyeok is here to see you,” a servant said.
“I understand,” Taehyung said.
Taehyung looked at his son who stopped crying. His son had grabbed the ball while he was distracted. He smiled at his son who was happily playing with the ball.
Taehyung saw his son was about to eat the ball and gently pulled the ball away from his son’s mouth.
“Son, why are you a glutton like your eomma?” Taehyung asked.
Joon-Seok was about to cry because his father stole his food but his father hugged him tightly. He looked over his father’s shoulder and saw a stranger.
“Fifth prince, your son is handsome,” Lee Jonghyeok praised.
“Elder is too kind,” Taehyung said. “My son isn’t handsome.”
Taehyung thought his son was ugly when his son was a wrinkled one-month boy. But after raising his son for two months, his son was growing more handsome by the day.
“Indeed he has a majestic aura, like you.” Lee Jonghyeok praised.
Taehyung smiled and gestured for Lee Jonghyeok to sit.
Taehyung sat down on a chair. He hugged his son and bounced his son on his knees.
Joon-Seok happily sucked his thumb and he looked at the stranger in front of him.
“I came to discuss something with Fifth prince,” Lee Jonghyeok said.
“Elder’s face looks serious,” Taehyung said. “It must be important.”
“Something serious happened,” Lee Jonghyeok said.
“What?” Taehyung asked.
“The emperor wrote an edict,” Lee Jonghyeok said. “Congratulations Fifth prince, the emperor chose you to be the crown prince.”
Taehyung didn’t expect his father would choose him to be the crown prince.
Taehyung and Seorin’s happy reunion was interrupted by the news of his father’s collapse. He heard the rumor about his father only had a few days left so he sent his guards to the palace to investigate but didn’t find anything unusual. He and Seorin could only patiently wait at home.
Lee Jonghyeok’s news made Taehyung’s heart jump chaotically but he maintained his calm appearance.
“We should seize this opportunity,” Lee Jonghyeok said.
Taehyung narrowed his eyes.
“The emperor wrote the edict but he hasn’t announced it,” Lee Jonghyeok said. “It means he’s still indecisive. We should act and the throne is yours.”
Taehyung hugged his son tighter and realized he did care about who his father wanted to give the throne to.
Lee Jonghyeok thought finally his years of scheming didn’t become smoke.
“Everything is prepared,” Lee Jonghyeok said.
Taehyung was immersed in deep thoughts after realizing that Lee Jonghyeok’s army only needed his command and then his army would march into the palace.
Taehyung’s son’s sudden loud cry broke his deep thoughts. Luckily Taehyung’s son cried otherwise he would have lost sight of what was most important. He had always been cautious and understood his status. His father’s decision and Lee Jonghyeok’s persuasion had disrupted his plan… he was truly grateful for his son.
Taehyung stood, carried his son in his arms, and smiled. If he didn’t have his son then at that moment he would have made an irreversible mistake. He had his wife and son; he couldn’t be selfish and risk their lives to make a dangerous chess move. Besides, Jimin’s silence was the biggest warning. Jimin’s silence meant that if he made a reckless move then he and his family would die.
Taehyung’s chaotic heart calmed. “I truly only want to be a carefree prince.”
Lee Jonghyeok now wanted to vomit blood after hearing the answer.
A servant escorted Lee Jonghyeok to the horse carriage.
Taehyung kissed his son’s chubby cheeks and happily ran to the chamber to continue their playing session.
“Son, be good,” Taehyung coaxed. “You’re my good son. Don’t cry.”
Joon-Seok didn’t know his father was grateful for his crying and restored his father’s common sense, he continued to cry.
Joon-Seok’s loud cry woke up Seorin.
Joon-Seok saw his mother, stretched his arms toward his mother, and cried even louder.
“You’re not allowed to cry!” Seorin said.
Joon-Seok was startled as his mother raised her voice. He pouted his lips, buried his head in his father’s chest, and didn’t dare to cry.
“Earlier did Lee Jonghyeok visit you?” Seorin asked.
“Um,” Taehyung said.
“What’s happening in the palace?” Seorin asked.
“I heard imperial father wrote an edict to make Third brother the crown prince,” Taehyung lied as he didn't want her to be tensed about the whole matter.
“What should we do?” Seorin asked.
“Wait and see what happens,” Taehyung said. “I think there’s something suspicious about the news. Lee Jonghyeok wants to lend his army to me for me to steal the throne. But I don’t dare. Jimin hasn’t sent news to me so I don’t want to do anything reckless.”
“What if the news is true?” Seorin asked. “Do we watch Hoseok sit on the throne?”
“If it’s true then we’ll escape to Southern Busan,” Taehyung said. “He can’t harm or kill us if we’re not in the imperial city. Besides, he doesn’t have enough people in to defeat Lee Jonghyeok’s army.”
“But it’s not fair,” Seorin said.
Taehyung held Seorin’s hand. It wasn’t the right time for him to make a move.
Taehyung waited days for his father’s edict, each day was like waiting a year. But the edict didn’t come so he didn’t make a move.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the palace, Jimin was as anxious as Taehyung and Seorin. Park Jimin hated relying on an outsider, but he had no choice if he wanted to protect Taehyung and Taehyung’s family.
Jimin walked to the secret spot in the palace gardens where Minji raised a cat. Luckily Minji was feeding the cat.
“Tomorrow give this handkerchief to Fifth prince’s wife in the courtyard,” Jimin said. “Keep it a secret otherwise both of us will die with no proper burial.”
That night Minji didn’t sleep. The handkerchief Jimin gave her felt too heavy.
Minji didn’t know why Jimin asked her to give the handkerchief to the Fifth prince’s wife and she wasn’t familiar with Fifth prince and Fifth prince’s wife. But it was enough that she knew Jimin treated her kindly and never bullied her.
Early the following morning she secretly hid in the courtyard and waited for the Fifth prince’s wife.
That morning Jimin stayed in the emperor’s chamber and gambled everything on Taehyung’s habit of passing through the courtyard to walk to the emperor’s courtyard.
Later that morning Taehyung and Seorin were passing through the courtyard and they were startled an unfamiliar palace maid stopped them. But they relaxed after the palace maid gave Seorin a handkerchief and told them it was from Jimin.
Minji bowed to the Fifth Prince and his wife then she quickly left.
“What does this handkerchief mean?” Seorin asked.
There was only a riddle on the handkerchief, “Two people raising their heads smiling, only saying savor.”
Taehyung knew Jimin was more cautious than he was so he was still startled Jimin would rely on an outsider to warn him. But he thought deeply about what the handkerchief meant.
Taehyung stared at the handkerchief for a long time and realized he thought too deeply. Jimin wasn’t a high educated scholar so for Jimin to write a riddle and use an outsider then the situation was serious.
Taehyung thought about how Jimin spoke. Each time Jimin spoke, Jimin would emphasize the first word. Taehyung looked at “two” and “only.” The word in traditional Korean was similar to the word which meant edict. Taehyung shivered; his father was too ruthless.
“Imperial father isn’t dying,” Taehyung said. “He’s pretending to be ill and wanted to see who would commit treason after receiving news of the unannounced edict.”
“Imperial father is too insane,” Seorin said. “But if your speculation is true then it’s strange that someone impatient like Consort Jung and Hoseok hasn’t acted recklessly.”
Taehyung and Seorin thought about why Hoseok didn’t kill the emperor then they looked at each other at the same time.
“Who do you think is their spy in the palace?” Seorin asked.
“The five people who are allowed to enter imperial father’s chamber are Jimin and his four most trusted imperial physicians,” Taehyung said. “We know it isn’t Jimin so it’s one of the four imperial physicians.”
“Taehyung, how do you think imperial father will react if he knew we found out what chess piece he’s using?” Seorin asked.
“Perhaps imperial father will become more insane,” Taehyung said.
Taehyung and Seorin smiled at each other.
“Seorin, I wasn’t certain us waiting to see what happens would benefit us but now I know it was the right decision,” Taehyung said. “What do you think my Hoseok hyung wants the most?”
“He wants us to lose to imperial father’s chess piece,” Seorin said. “Why?”
Taehyung smiled. “We’ll grant his wish.”
Taehyung and Seorin walked to the emperor’s courtyard where a large crowd gathered.
Jeongguk was overjoyed to see Taehyung and Seorin.
Jeongguk pulled Seorin’s sleeve. “Where’s my nephew?”
Seorin saw the anticipation in Jeongguk’s doe eyes and she didn’t want to tell him the bad news. “Your nephew is sleeping at… home.”
Jeongguk scrunched his face and frowned. He missed his nephew a lot.
Later that day Hoseok returned to his manor and he was grateful his mother met Physician Heo and found out about his father’s plan. Otherwise, he would have acted recklessly and lost his life.
Hoseok looked at the bright sky and anticipated his new status. He only needed to wait for Taehyung to make the wrong move. If he was Taehyung, he wouldn’t do nothing if he found out the news about their father’s hidden edict for Taehyung to be the crown prince. But if Taehyung didn’t do anything, it meant Taehyung truly wanted to be a carefree prince. Then he wouldn’t win or lose and their father’s plan was meaningless.
“Third Prince, the Fifth prince made a move,” a guard said.
“Hurry and say it,” Hoseok said.
“Fifth prince is hiding people inside his manor,” the guard said.
Hoseok was happy he ordered his guards to follow Taehyung closely. He thought Taehyung must have received news of their father’s edict and secretly hid Lee Jonghyeok’s men in Taehyung’s manor.
“Third Prince, I and the other guards secretly searched their horse carriages,” the guards said. “The horse carriages are full of cannonballs and arrows.”
Hoseok laughed triumphantly. “Keep following him and his guards. Report to me immediately if any of them make any sudden movements.”
Hoseok was happy while waiting a few days for Taehyung to strike. But after a few days he gritted his teeth, Taehyung didn’t strike and he was worried that Taehyung decided to retreat.
“Are you certain he hasn’t made any sudden moves?” Hoseok asked the guard.
“I’m certain,” the guards said. “But Fifth prince’s guards have been collecting water from neighboring wells.”
“Water?” Hoseok asked.
“Yes, but I and the guards secretly checked it was only water,” the guard said.
“What about his people?” Hoseok asked.
“None of them made any sudden movements either,” the guard said.
Half an hour later the guard returned to Hoseok’s manor.
“Fifth prince instructed his guards to prepare to strike!” the guard said.
Hoseok was happy to receive good news again. He waited for another two hours but Taehyung and his guards were stationary.
“Are you certain he told his guards to prepare to strike?” Hoseok asked the guard.
“I’m certain,” the guard said.
“Take more guards with you and ensure no one leaves his manor!” Hoseok said. “I’m going to the palace.”
At Taehyung’s manor, Taehyung and Seorin were happily playing chess together.
“Fifth prince, Third prince’s sent more guards here and the Third prince is traveling to the palace,” a guard reported and left the chamber.
“Rinnie, the fish took the bait,” Taehyung said.
“Checkmate,” Seorin said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N ~~
Just want to say, this story has nearing its end, and only a few chapters remain... Now I'm feeling sad realizing the fact that after those chapters I have to bid my precious readers a hearty goodbye :( But my precious readers, don't be sad right now as we still have some chapters remaining..... :) and don't forget to comment to let me know how much you enjoyed this chapter... See you all in the next chapter.... ^_^