Hoseok entered the palace in the middle of the night.
The emperor waited many days for his sons to make a move. Finally one of his sons dared to unlock palace gates after curfew. He got out of bed and wore his outer robe.
“Your majesty, the Third prince asked to see your majesty,” an imperial guard said. “Third prince said it was important.”
“I understand,” the emperor said.
The emperor was disappointed it was only one of his sons.
Hoseok entered his father’s chamber and bowed. “Imperial father, have you recovered?”
The emperor feigned a cough. He didn’t believe Hoseok’s filial son act. “Third son, what is so important that you needed to see me in the middle of the night?”
“Imperial father, I found out Fifth brother is prepared for a rebellion!” Hoseok said.
The emperor assessed Hoseok. He needed to see for himself if Taehyung truly intended to rebel as Hoseok reported.
“Imperial father, my guards have followed Fifth brother’s suspicious activities for many days,” Hoseok said. “Fifth brother is hiding Lee Jonghyeok’s men in his manor. Imperial father, what are you going to do?”
“Do what?” the emperor asked.
Hoseok shivered to see his father’s intimidating aura.
“Imperial father, I have a request,” Hoseok said.
“Say it,” the emperor said.
“Imperial father, if Fifth brother truly wants to rebel… imperial father please forgive fifth brother for his ignorant offense,” Hoseok said.
The emperor narrowed his eyes.
“Imperial father, I believe others are forcing Fifth brother to rebel,” Hoseok said. “This is why I wanted to report to imperial father so imperial father can persuade Fifth brother not to commit treason. Imperial father… I don’t want to lose another brother.”
“Come with me to your Fifth brother’s manor!” the emperor ordered coldly.
The emperor didn’t care about Hoseok’s motives. He knew he wasn’t young anymore and if one of his sons wanted to rebel then he needed to uproot their resources before a rebellion.
The emperor commanded an army of soldiers he hid nearby the palace to follow him to Taehyung’s manor.
Hoseok finally understood why his father wasn’t scared of leaving the palace, his father was always secretly prepared for a rebellion.
“Third son, sit in my horse carriage,” the emperor said.
Hoseok shivered. Inside his father’s horse carriage he would be defenseless, his father didn’t trust him. His father was suspicious of him and wouldn’t hesitate to use him as a hostage if he was part of Taehyung’s rebellion.
Hoseok obediently sat inside his father’s horse carriage. His back stiffened, his father and the imperial guards' sharp eyes were focused on him. The thought of Taehyung's schemes being on the verge of receiving end from his father’s sword comforted him.
The moment Hoseok stepped out of the horse carriage, the emperor's army surrounded Taehyung’s manor.
Moonlight shone on the soldiers armed with swords, bows, and arrows. They stood in ready to attack position on the emperor’s command.
“Imperial father, do you want to go inside?” Hoseok asked.
The emperor was suspicious of why Taehyung’s manor was too quiet.
“Um,” the emperor said.
After a soldier knocked thrice on the door, a young servant opened the door.
The servant rubbed his eyes. “What is it… why are you knocking on the door in the middle of the night… AH! God! Why are there so many armed people?”
Afterward, the lanterns in Taehyung’s manor were lit and everyone rushed outside to see what was causing the commotion.
Joon-Seok’s sleep was disturbed and he cried loudly.
Hoseok was confused why everyone at Taehyung’s manor was in their nightclothes and unarmed.
Taehyung saw his father and bowed. “Imperial father? Imperial father, why are you here?”
The emperor wasn’t pleased his careful plan was wasted by waking up unarmed people in the middle of the night. What rebellion? He was suspicious why Hoseok dared to deceive him!
“Imperial father, he’s hiding people inside!” Hoseok said in a panicked tone.
The emperor’s soldiers searched everywhere inside Taehyung’s manor. There were no hidden people inside Taehyung’s manor.
Hoseok didn’t know why his father’s soldiers didn’t find Lee Jonghyeok’s hidden men or the concealed weapons. It was impossible for Taehyung to send the hidden men and weapons outside the manor undetected.
Taehyung was kneeling but it was Hoseok who shivered fearfully.
Seorin was kneeling next to Taehyung and coaxing Joon-Seok to sleep.
“Imperial father, what is happening?” Seorin asked.
The emperor and soldiers resented Hoseok’s cry.
“Imperial father, don’t let him fool you,” Hoseok said. “Imperial father, let me check inside.”
“Alright,” the emperor said coldly.
Hoseok led his guards inside. He checked every nook of Taehyung’s manor and didn’t find anyone or anything suspicious.
“Where are they?” Hoseok asked. “Where are the weapons?”
“Third Prince, we didn’t see anyone leave Fifth prince’s manor,” the guard said.
“Useless!” Hoseok said. “How can people and weapons disappear?”
Hoseok knew his guards wouldn’t dare deceive him. It was Taehyung who built a trap for him!
“Fifth brother, where are you hiding your people?” Hoseok asked.
“Hyung, what people are you referring to?” Taehyung asked confusedly.
“Assassins!” Hoseok said. “Weapons! fifth brother, don’t pretend you don’t know where they are!”
Taehyung laughed coldly. “Hyung, you searched everywhere and you know clearly there are no assassins and weapons here.”
Hoseok fisted his hands, Taehyung turned him into a paranoid fool in front of everyone!
“Taehyung, you framed me!” Hoseok said.
“Hyung, why would I frame you?” Taehyung asked.
Everyone understood it was impossible for Taehyung to frame Hoseok. It was Hoseok who requested the emperor’s army to search Taehyung’s manor. Also, Taehyung cooperated without resistance and didn’t hide any assassins or weapons.
“Hyung, between us who is framing who?” Taehyung asked.
“What are you saying?” Hoseok asked.
“Third brother, it’s not hard to see imperial father wouldn’t bring an army here unless you convinced imperial father I wanted to commit treason,” Taehyung said. “Third brother, tell me where am I hiding assassins and weapons?”
Hoseok couldn’t refute Taehyung’s accusations.
“Hyung, why did you deceive imperial father?” Taehyung asked.
“Fifth brother, are you saying I deceived father to frame you?” Hoseok asked.
“My Third brother, your heart’s intentions are too deep for me to see,” Taehyung said.
Hoseok wanted to vomit blood.
The emperor assessed his strong son and his weak son. He believed Hoseok wouldn’t deceive him because Hoseok wouldn’t gain anything by deceiving him. But he believed Taehyung wasn’t a fool and wouldn’t do something reckless to frame Hoseok. He now didn’t able to understand between Hoseok and Taehyung who was innocent.
“Your majesty, a troop of soldiers is invading the army camp and another troop of soldiers is approaching here!” a soldier reported.
The emperor glared daggers at Hoseok. He knew Hoseok had his guards positioned around the imperial city. Also, Hoseok was the one who requested him to take his army here.
“Everyone protect the emperor and kill the traitors!” the general ordered.
“Third son, confess!” the emperor said.
“Imperial father, I don’t know what’s happening either,” Hoseok said.
“Hyung, your chess maneuver is too deadly!” Taehyung said.
“Fifth son, what are you implying?” the emperor asked.
“Imperial father, earlier I wondered why Third brother would deceive you and request you to bring an army here,” Taehyung said. “It looks like hyung wants to use the strategy of making a sound in the east and striking in the west.”
Taehyung knew he didn’t need to say anymore. Hoseok’s request to bring their father’s army here was the best evidence to prove Taehyung’s innocence.
The emperor grabbed an imperial guard’s sword and the sword tip pointed at Hoseok’s throat.
Hoseok knelt in front of his father. “Imperial father, I was framed!” He glared at Taehyung. “Taehyung, you framed me!”
“Who framed who?” Taehyung asked. “Hyung, I considered our brotherly bond and endured the vicious slanders from your family against me and my family! On the day of imperial father’s birthday banquet, your mother accused my wife of killing your second wife’s son. But I didn’t begrudge you because I believed God would reward me and my family with justice. But I can’t let you continually frame me and my family anymore. Hyung, you accused me of treason. Look around you, it’s your people that are attacking! How can I control your people?”
Taehyung acted like he was deeply hurt by Hoseok’s betrayal.
“Hyung, imperial father hasn’t declared who he wants to give the throne to,” Taehyung said. “Are you scared that in the future if you sit on the throne, it won’t be stable? Is that why you planned this?”
“Nonsense!” Hoseok said. “You know imperial father wants to give the throne to me that’s why you framed me! Imperial father, don’t listen to his lies, he has ulterior motives-”
The emperor’s sword nipped Hoseok’s throat.
“Hoseok, how do you know I want to give you the throne?” the emperor asked coldly and suspiciously.
Hoseok’s whole body turned cold, he realized he recklessly said too much.
The emperor’s army slaughtered their enemies.
The imperial guards secured Taehyung’s manor while the emperor’s army fought Hoseok’s men outside.
“Your majesty, assassins are found hidden inside Third prince’s manor,” the imperial guard reported.
“Now you dare to say you’re innocent?” the emperor asked.
Hoseok didn’t expect ambushing Taehyung would lead to him being framed. He lost a chess piece, the battle, and everything. All his schemes suddenly failed. He couldn’t kill Taehyung and Taehyung’s family. His father didn’t trust him and he was at a disadvantage because he had no heir. Framing Taehyung of treason was his last chess piece but it backfired and he lost pitifully.
Everyone believed Hoseok had planned to lure the emperor to Taehyung’s manor. Afterward, Hoseok’s men would kill the emperor, Taehyung, and Taehyung’s family. Hoseok would have deceived the citizens of Hanyang to believe Taehyung committed treason and killed the emperor. So the citizens and court officials would have easily accepted Hoseok as their ruler.
The emperor didn’t want to believe his son wanted to kill him, he is his flesh and blood. But the battle outside was enough to prove Hoseok’s guilt.
Taehyung appeared weak and saddened that Hoseok betrayed him and their father. But the truth was Taehyung had planned to use a crucial chess piece that night long ago.
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Taehyung’s plan started after Consort Jeon’s death. Consort Jeon requested him and Seorin to protect Jeongguk. If he wanted to protect his family and Jeongguk then he would need more guards at his manor. If he couldn’t hide how strong he was anymore then it was better for him to “accidentally” expose his real strength to Hoseok.
Taehyung knew Hoseok’s guards spied on his manor in all directions. He asked one of his guards to strike one of Hoseok’s guards in the middle of the night so Hoseok’s injured guard could report to Hoseok what happened.
Taehyung was amused at his brothers' smugness. It was amusing for a hunter to mislead a prey to think it outwitted the hunter.
Taehyung’s next step was to let Hoseok’s guards see him sneak men and weapons into the manor so Hoseok would confidently report to their father in the palace. Their father had been suspicious of him long ago and he was certain their father would bring Hoseok to his manor to investigate. Of course, he would let their father investigate and see Hoseok’s “treason”.
If they didn’t use Su Ryeon’s son to try to kill Taehyung’s wife and son then Taehyung wouldn’t have accepted Hyung Sik’s offer. Of course, Taehyung wouldn’t spare anyone who dared to harm his wife and son.
Hyung Sik had sent Taehyung a letter, “the salty fishes you raised have bred. They’re delicious, I’ll send you five thousand salty fishes first for you and your family to savor.”
Salty fish was the Southern Busan’s general’s armies code name. Hyung Sik sent five thousand salty fishes to Taehyung’s manor while five thousand of the Southern Busan’s general’s men secretly sneaked into the imperial city. Hyung Sik refused to stand idly after he received news that someone attempted to frame Taehyung and kill Taehyung’s family. The five thousand men were a precaution to protect Taehyung and Taehyung’s family.
Taehyung hid Hyung Sik’s letter and knew five thousand men were too excessive to protect him and his family. Hyung Sik had intended for the five thousand men to eliminate his enemy’s army.
Taehyung’s plan was disrupted by his father’s plan to act as his father was dying and the edict to make him crown prince. If his son didn’t remind him what was important, he would have acted recklessly and used the five thousand men to seize the throne.
Luckily Taehyung let go of his thought to seize the throne. So he waited for his father to die and if Hoseok sat on the throne then he would use the five thousand men to escort him and his family safely back to Southern Busan.
After Jimin sent news to Taehyung about his father’s plan, Taehyung realized he had evaded a deadly storm. His father’s plan also gave Taehyung an opportunity to make Hoseok suffer for harming his wife and son.
Taehyung and the five thousand men waited for Hoseok to take the bait.
Taehyung understood Hoseok well. Hoseok would have died long ago because of the battle inside of the palace if he wasn’t Consort Jung’s son. Without Consort Jung’s guidance, he was nothing. So Taehyung wanted to lure Hoseok at night. Hoseok couldn’t seek Consort Jung’s immediate guidance at night as during the night most of the time she resided in her palace residence.
Taehyung was amused at how fast Hoseok ran to the palace to report to their father about men and weapons hidden in his manor.
While Hoseok’s guards were running to Taehyung’s manor, the five thousand men were quietly sent to hide in Hoseok’s manor.
Wung was exceptional at mimicking other people’s voices. The general who ordered the emperor’s soldiers to protect the emperor and kill the traitors wasn’t the real general, it was Wung mimicking the general’s voice. The real general was killed by one of the five thousand men long ago.
Hoseok’s guards would want to protect their master. So it didn’t matter whether Hoseok’s army was approaching Taehyung’s manor to attack the emperor or not, the guards would attack the emperor’s army to protect Hoseok.
Taehyung expected the battle between Hoseok’s men and the emperor’s men. But he didn’t order the five thousand men to attack. So the loud battle cries Taehyung heard meant news of the battle was spread to Lee Jonghyeok and Lee Jonghyeok’s army joined the chaos outside Taehyung’s manor.
Everyone inside Taehyung’s manor was focused on what was happening outside and lowered their guard against Hoseok.
Hoseok grabbed an imperial guard’s sword, killed the imperial guard, and held his father hostage.
“Hoseok, what do you want to do?” the emperor asked coldly.
“Imperial father, you forced me to do this,” Hoseok said. He held the sword closer to his father’s throat. “Everyone stand back!”
Taehyung signaled for everyone not to make any sudden moves.
“Hyung, let go of imperial father,” Taehyung said.
“Tae, I underestimated you!” Hoseok said resentfully. “You hid your real capabilities well for many years!”
“Hyung, even now you’re stubborn,” Taehyung said.
“Imperial father, you betrayed me first so you can’t blame me for betraying you,” Hoseok said. “Imperial father, you loved Second brother. My second brother is dead but you still treat me unfairly. You forced me to do this.”
Hoseok in his state of fury and resentment didn’t notice how close the sword was to the emperor’s throat.
Taehyung saw drops of blood dripping down his father’s throat and shouted. “Third brother, let go of imperial father!”
Hoseok looked down at his father’s throat, he was startled to see blood and loosened his hold on the sword.
The emperor elbowed Hoseok’s chest while Hoseok was distracted and freed himself. He stabbed the same sword through Hoseok’s stomach.
Hoseok didn’t know what happened. He felt so much pain in his stomach, spat blood, and died with his eyes wide open.
Everyone gasped except the emperor who held a blood-stained sword in his right hand.
Taehyung’s heart farewell him, ‘Hyung, now you finally know what happens if you oppose father.’
Suddenly Taehyung remembered his imperial uncle’s memories of his father, “Taehyung, that broad-shouldered man, I mean your imperial father was a general when he was young too. When an enemy general held him as a hostage, he freed himself and killed the enemy general without any weapons.”
Taehyung didn’t know how he felt about his third brother’s death. If Hoseok truly wanted to kill their father then he wouldn’t have been unguarded toward their father and given their father an opportunity to kill him. But if Hoseok wanted to convince their father to believe in their innocence then he shouldn’t have threatened their father. Taehyung looked curiously at Hoseok’s eyes, he wondered what the last thought of people who dared to threaten their father was.
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A/N ~~
New chapter guys!! Please enjoy.... ^_^