Forbidden: Part 12
Title: Forbidden
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG-13
Length: Part 12/13
Summary: Jae is concerned about the attention his sister is receiving from a dangerous man but he isn't in any position to take care of it himself so he turns to the king. However, the King, Jung Yunho, presents unforeseen complications...
Yunho paused outside the closed double doors of the throne room, the room where the king officially granted audience to his court, and took a huge, gulping breath. He placed a palm on the handle and was about to push when a voice stopped him.
“Your majesty.”
Turning, he gasped, unable to hide his surprise at seeing Minister Lee’s wife behind him, her eyes downcast, head bowed respectfully.
What did she want?, he wondered. Had she heard about her husband’s demise already? She must have. What other reason could she possibly have to approach him now when they’d never held private counsel before? He wasn’t sorry that Minister Lee was dead but he’d had a wife and family and for that reason only, he regretted their loss.
“Madam.”
“May I have a word with you, your highness?” she asked, still not meeting his eyes.
“Your majesty…” JunYoung began, reminding him of what he’d been about to do.
He glanced at the closed doors, picturing what, and who, awaited him on the other side. They could wait a little longer: he was the king, after all.
“This way, madam,” he said, gesturing to a room across the hall, ignoring the urgent look JunYoung shot him.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, he experienced a second surprise when Minister Lee’s wife threw herself at his feet, her body bowed low.
Yunho cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Madam…”
“I’ve come to beg for forgiveness on behalf of my family, sire,” she said in a voice both soft and filled with quiet determination.
“My lady…” Yunho began again.
“I know,” she said as if confessing some grave sin. “I know of the horrors he’s committed. I stood idly by while he committed them. For bearing that knowledge and doing nothing to stop him, I’m as guilty as he is and deserve the same punishment.”
Yunho was shocked. He couldn’t find words, he could barely think straight. How was he supposed to respond to this? The only thing he knew for sure was that he felt an overwhelming surge of pity for the woman and anger directed towards Minister Lee for reducing his wife to such a state.
Bending down, he gripped her forearms and pulled her back up to her feet. Smiling gently, he said, “The only one responsible is the one who committed the sinful acts and those who helped him do so, not those who had no power to stop it.”
The woman’s eyes filled with tears. “I knew it would come to this eventually. His deeds were bound to catch up to him and considering the gravity of some of them, there was no way he would come out of it alive. Justice is swift,” she said with a nod.
Yunho said nothing, just looked at her sympathetically. He suspected that her confession was more for herself than it was for him.
“He wasn’t always so bad. He used to be a good man, bright and idealistic. He wanted to contribute to society, to ‘leave his mark’ he used to say. I suppose he was always ambitious and in the end that is what led to his downfall. That and his arrogant pride. As he became more successful, gained more respect, he wanted more and more of everything. He felt it was his due. What is it they say? ‘Absolute power corrupts absolutely?’ That definitely applied to him. First, it started with bribes, doing favors for wealthy men. He lined his pockets that way for a very long time. But as his reputation grew, so did his ego, and he began taking any and everything he wanted, even if it didn’t belong to him. I know he…” She paused, swallowed thickly. “I know he hurt innocents, he even fathered a couple of bastards along the way with the household help. It isn’t any wonder none of them stayed for very long. I bore it all, for the sake of my family, my children. As time passed, he became more and more arrogant and greedy. He would bring his schemes into our home. Men, your highness, seem to think that their wives hear and see nothing but we hear and see everything. I’m sad to say that I had suspicions of their plot against you and I was sorry for it. You’re a wonderful young man who’s trying his hardest to do what’s best for his people. I think your father would have been very proud of you.”
At her mention of his father, Yunho noticed something flash in her eyes but he didn’t have time to analyze it since it was gone as quickly as it had come.
“It’s hard to love a monster, your majesty, but I did. Even though he’d changed, I never forgot the man I married. I always, foolishly I suppose, hoped he’d remember who he was and change before it was too late. But this time, I knew it was too late. He’d done many things in his life but I never thought he’d take a life.”
Yunho froze. If she knew about Minister Lee’s plans for him, had she known about his father’s murder too?
“When I heard about what happened to that girl, I knew it was over for him. I can only imagine how she must have suffered in order for it to lead her to commit the ultimate sin. I’ve prayed for her soul ever since I found out. He may not have killed her himself but he certainly pushed her to it and that makes him just as guilty. I know how much she meant to you, how seriously you took your duty to her and her brother, and I knew her death wouldn’t go unpunished. Her brother…the poor boy. To lose his only living relative, his twin, in such a horrid, unforgivable way. My husband has done many wrongs in his life but none have been greater than what he brought upon those two.”
Yunho breathed out slowly. So she didn’t know about the late king then… He thought it was a small blessing, for her at least because she seemed tortured enough by what knowledge she did have. It was also ironic that they had kept the lid on JiHye’s death only to find out that word had gotten out anyway. Loose lips sink ships, he thought with a mental sigh.
“I’m sorry for my rambling, your majesty. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I understand that you did what had to be done and you will get no opposition from me, though I know the men he was in league with are surely going to try to use it to their advantage, especially now that he’s no longer there to lead them. I also wanted to beg your forgiveness for the shame our family has brought to you and this kingdom.”
Yunho smiled and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “There will be no forgiveness, madam.”
She looked up, eyes wide, then dropped her head again. “I understand.”
Yunho chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. “It isn’t necessary. You’re as much of a victim as anyone else your husband abused or took advantage of. He selfishly overlooked the repercussions his family would face as a result of his shameful acts. I am sorry for what you must be going through now, both you and your children.”
Mrs. Lee nodded. “Thank you, your highness.”
“I hope this blight doesn’t linger over you for too long,” Yunho continued. “You must go on, rebuild from the ashes so to speak.”
Mrs. Lee shook her head. “I do not think it’s possible. Once my husband’s actions have been exposed, I do not think I could ever look the people I called ‘friend’ in the eye again. I’ve decided that it’s best if I return to my people. I have brothers who will take me in. My children deserve a fresh start, away from the legacy their father has left them.”
Yunho nodded. He understood but again, he felt a flash of rage directed towards the deceased man for what he was putting his family through. If he could bring him back from the dead and kill him again, he was pretty sure he would.
“If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know,” he offered.
Mrs. Lee smiled, her cheeks pinkening attractively. “Good luck, your highness, and may you and the Queen live long, happy lives.”
Yunho watched the woman leave, pity tugging at his heart.
“Yunho,” JunYoung called, standing in the open doorway. He rarely ever addressed Yunho by his given name so it caught his attention immediately.
Yunho nodded his understanding and walked through the door and back across the hall to the closed doors of the throne room. Taking a deep breath once again, he pushed the doors open and strode in, eyes cold and fixed forward, his posture and gait both straight and strong, full of determination. He didn’t stop until he ascended the platform to the throne, where he flicked his regal robes back and sat, the rich gold satin settling around him.
The room had gone completely silent when he entered and now he looked around at the dozens of nervous faces gazing back at him. He felt bile rise in his throat, disgusted at merely being in the same room with men of such poor character. It wasn’t long before one of them finally spoke.
Minister Hwang pushed back his chair and stood, looking at the faces around him before speaking.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Is it true?”
“Is what true?” Yunho inquired, knowing very well what the man was talking about. He’d had enough of their schemes and he wasn’t about to make it easy for them. He’d make them face their deeds.
The man had the decency to flush, his cheeks reddening as he cleared his throat again uncomfortably. “Minister Lee. Is he dead?”
Yunho smiled. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”
Yunho nodded at JunYoung, who stood across the room waiting for the signal.
JunYoung tapped the wooden paneling and stepped aside as the double doors opened.
Two guards entered carrying something heavy, wrapped in a black cloth. They stopped halfway down the aisle and rested their burden on the floor. The cloth was parted and a general gasp echoed around the room as Minister Lee’s body was revealed.
Yunho didn’t like playing games but he felt that the visual impact of death would work in his favor and show them that he meant business.
Minister Lee’s clothes had been put back in place and the sword removed out of respect for the dead but everything else was as it had been when he died. One of the guards placed a pouch containing his castrated genitals over the bloodstain at his crotch, leaving no doubt as to what it was.
“You’ve gone mad,” Minister Hwang breathed in shock.
Yunho cocked a brow, still smiling, spinning the sword he still held on its tip. “Have I?”
“Do you not realize what you’ve done, boy? You’ve killed the most powerful man in the land.”
Yunho’s both brows shot up this time. “Funny, here I was thinking that I was the most powerful man in the land, being the king and all.”
The color in Minister Hwang’s cheeks deepened, his eyes lowering as he realized the implied insult in his words. “My apologies, your majesty. But you’ve murdered a man…”
“He was going to kill me,” Yunho informed him.
“I heard that he didn’t kill him himself,” Minister Seo interjected. “His lover did.”
Yunho’s hand stilled, all façade of pleasantry slipping from his face as a cold, emotionless mask descended. “I would be very careful about what words are spoken next if I were you,” he advised the man.
“It doesn’t change the fact that Minister Lee is dead and you must be held accountable for it,” Minister Hwang insisted.
Slowly rising to his feet, Yunho stared down at the man. “And what about you?” he asked, his voice so cold that it sent chills down the man’s spine. “Will you be held accountable for yours?”
All color drained from Minister Hwang’s cheeks and Yunho saw the guilt in his eyes. Which dirty deed he was thinking of, Yunho had no idea, but there were many. Looking down at him, feeling the weight of his father’s sword in his hand, he could picture himself doing what Jae had done, thrusting the sword into the man’s chest and watching as the life drained from his eyes. He imagined he’d feel what Jae must have felt: relief, the burden of avenging his loved one lifting from his shoulders, and, perhaps, a strange kind of euphoria. But he couldn’t do it, no matter how tempted he was. Jae had killed Minister Lee to save him but if he were was to strike Minister Hwang down in front of all these witnesses, he wouldn’t have the same justification.
“I don’t know of what you speak, your highness.”
“Don’t you?” Yunho descended the steps, one by one. “I’ve never killed a man in cold blood, Minister Hwang. Never killed a man unless my own life was at stake but you can’t say the same, can you?” Yunho stopped at the bottom of the stairs, not moving any closer for fear that he might give in to temptation.
The Minister gulped, his eyes darting to and fro. “Your majesty, I…”
“What are you talking about?” Minister Seo interrupted again.
Yunho turned fierce eyes on the man. He was second on the list, just below Minister Lee.
“You too know exactly what I’m talking about, dear Minister.”
The man waved an uncaring hand. “You speak in riddles. If you’re going to make accusations, just come out and say them plainly.”
Yunho felt his ire rise. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out the list. “This is what I speak of.”
The Minister stared at the list curiously. “What’s that?”
“A list…of everyone responsible for my father’s death.” Yunho paused as another set of gasps traveled around the room. “And those involved in the planning of another assassination of a king: me.”
Yunho watched as Minister Seo went pale, saw the shared looks of horror that went around the table at which he sat. Guilt. He could see it on all of their faces. If there was any doubt as to whether what ShinHo had told him was the truth, he’d definitely received confirmation now.
He looked around the room at other ministers and council members and saw genuine surprise on some of their faces. It reminded him that they weren’t all guilty. He knew the ones who were responsible for his father’s death and the plot against him and there were others who weren’t as deeply involved with Minister Lee but had overlooked his corruption or taken bribes. They were guilty too but only of being cowards. There was no blood on their hands. Then his eyes met State Councillor Park’s gaze. He sat at the table with the other men who had been loyal to Yunho’s father and had remained loyal to his son. If not for them, he truly would have been ignorant of all the shady doings by the members of his court.
Minister Park nodded and gave him an encouraging smile.
Turning on his heels, Yunho strode back up the stairs to the platform but he didn’t take his seat. Instead, he looked down on the faces of the men staring back at him and let them see, for the first since he’d returned home, just exactly how he felt about them.
“It’s all lies,” Minister Seo said, rising to his feet after seemingly regaining his composure. “We don’t even know who the source of this list is.”
Murmurs spread throughout the room, the heads of the guilty nodding to spur their new leader on.
Yunho wasn’t surprised at the man’s attempt to discredit him since he was the most guilty, second to Minister Lee, and probably already felt the ghost of the blade of a guillotine on the back of his neck.
“I demand the name of the one who made such specious allegations against the honorable men of the council,” Minister Seo continued, his voice gaining strength from the support of those around him.
Yunho cocked his head to the side as he regarded the minister, then pointed his sword at the dead body on floor. “He’s right there.”
For the second time, Yunho had the pleasure of seeing the blood drain from the Minister’s face, as well as the faces of those who had just championed him. He was surprised to discover that he was having a lot more fun than he’d thought possible given the seriousness of the game.
“But...but…that’s impossible,” the minister blustered. “Dead men don’t speak.”
Yunho nodded. “Quite right, but dying men do and they have a tendency to confess their sins before departing this life in the hopes that it will spare their souls in the next.”
“You’re lying!” the Minister accused, his face filled with red rage. “You have no evidence to support these claims.”
Yunho threw back his head in laughter. “Oh my, did you honestly think that Minister Lee conducted his business without keeping records? There was always the possibility that he would be found out and if he had been, there’s no way he would take the fall for his ill deeds when there were so many equally guilty men to do it for him. Come now, Minister Seo… You knew the kind of monster you were dealing with, you can’t expect me to believe you were naïve enough to think he’d protect you? Tsk tsk tsk…” He sighed dramatically, shaking his head for added effect.
The Minister stared at him in disbelief but Yunho could see the fear in his eyes as he acknowledged the truth of Yunho’s words. It was all lies, of course, but ShinHo would be made to keep silent, permanently if need be although Yunho hoped it wouldn’t come to that, and he firmly believed that Minister Lee had indeed kept records. He was too calculating a man to trust anyone at simply their word. No, there was bound to be physical proof of everything he’d plotted and executed and Yunho was sure that Mrs. Lee would be more than helpful if they asked for her assistance when they searched his house. But for now…
Yunho held the list up again. “Everyone on this list is guilty of treason and treason, as you know, is punishable by death. I’d really hoped it wouldn’t come to this but…”
Nodding at JunYoung again, Yunho watched as his friend tapped the door again and the room suddenly filled with soldiers lining the walls. All doors were closed and locked. The soldiers drew their swords, waiting for the order that Yunho prayed he wouldn’t be forced to give.
Yunho looked down into the frightened faces gazing back at him as he spoke. “For the acts you’ve already committed, I could sentence you to death and have you executed here and now. You don’t all have blood on your hands but many of you are corrupted and corruption is a disease that spreads as viciously as cancer. You’ve stood idly by and supported the actions of this monster,” he pointed his sword at Minister Lee’s body, “while he not only killed my father, who you all swore your allegiance to, but plotted my own downfall as well. How many other men has he done away with to serve his own agenda? How many innocents has he harmed simply because he could? Because you lot made him feel so indestructible that he became, as Minister Hwang said earlier, ‘the most powerful man in the land’.”
Yunho paused, turning to Minister Hwang. “You have daughters, sir, don’t you?”
Taking a gulping breath, Minister Hwang nodded.
“How would you feel if one of them killed herself because she’d been ruined by the likes of him?” Again, he pointed to Minister Lee’s defenseless body.
Minister Hwang paled, his eyes widening in horror.
“You, all of you, knew what kind of man he was. He not only killed kings but he ruined innocent lives. A young girl killed herself today because of what he did to her. If I had to die ten times to spare her what she must have been feeling to take her own life, I would gladly do so.” He turned to Minister Seo. “And I doubt she was the first. Perhaps, one of your very own daughters or relatives may have been one of his victims. Did he buy your silence? Did you sacrifice your child for fatter pockets?”
When one of the other ministers at the table turned his head away, Yunho knew he was right on target.
“I’m unbelievably disgusted by the mere existence of men like you. If you were afraid of Minister Lee, you had only to come to me, your king, whom you pledged your allegiance to upon my ascension, and I would have dealt with him. You were the ones who gave him the power and made yourselves, and subsequently me, powerless. To have you as my council sickens me immensely. I should, since it’s in my own best interest, just do away with the lot of you.”
The guards lining the room lifted their swords in unison, legs moving into a ‘ready’ stance. It was frighteningly beautiful to watch and Yunho could only imagine the fear that must be thrumming through the veins of the men around him.
“But my father believed in second chances.”
He walked to the table at the side of his throne and held the list to the flame, watching as it caught and was devoured by fire.
“I may not think all of you deserve it but you’ll have it, this time anyway.” Dropping the last bit of paper before the flame reached his fingers, he turned back to his captivated audience.
“Consider this your clean slate, my lords. Some have already proven your loyalty to me, for which I am both honored and grateful, and I know some of you are good men at heart, you merely strayed from the straight and narrow path from whence you began. I beg you, stick to that path from now on. As for the rest of you…” His eyes flit between Minister Hwang and Minister Seo. When they dropped their gazes, he smiled. “Only time will tell.”
Walking down the steps again, he turned in a circle, surveying the men around him.
“The choice is yours, my lords. Follow me…” He glanced down at Minister Lee’s body. “Or join him. I pray that you choose wisely.”
With that final pronouncement, he strode down the middle of the room, the double doors opening for and closing behind him in perfect synchronicity.
Minister Park looked after him, his heart swollen with pride, a smile flirting around his lips. He was magnificent, everything a king should be and more.
How he wished his father had been there to see him…
Part XII B
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG-13
Length: Part 12/13
Summary: Jae is concerned about the attention his sister is receiving from a dangerous man but he isn't in any position to take care of it himself so he turns to the king. However, the King, Jung Yunho, presents unforeseen complications...
Yunho paused outside the closed double doors of the throne room, the room where the king officially granted audience to his court, and took a huge, gulping breath. He placed a palm on the handle and was about to push when a voice stopped him.
“Your majesty.”
Turning, he gasped, unable to hide his surprise at seeing Minister Lee’s wife behind him, her eyes downcast, head bowed respectfully.
What did she want?, he wondered. Had she heard about her husband’s demise already? She must have. What other reason could she possibly have to approach him now when they’d never held private counsel before? He wasn’t sorry that Minister Lee was dead but he’d had a wife and family and for that reason only, he regretted their loss.
“Madam.”
“May I have a word with you, your highness?” she asked, still not meeting his eyes.
“Your majesty…” JunYoung began, reminding him of what he’d been about to do.
He glanced at the closed doors, picturing what, and who, awaited him on the other side. They could wait a little longer: he was the king, after all.
“This way, madam,” he said, gesturing to a room across the hall, ignoring the urgent look JunYoung shot him.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, he experienced a second surprise when Minister Lee’s wife threw herself at his feet, her body bowed low.
Yunho cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Madam…”
“I’ve come to beg for forgiveness on behalf of my family, sire,” she said in a voice both soft and filled with quiet determination.
“My lady…” Yunho began again.
“I know,” she said as if confessing some grave sin. “I know of the horrors he’s committed. I stood idly by while he committed them. For bearing that knowledge and doing nothing to stop him, I’m as guilty as he is and deserve the same punishment.”
Yunho was shocked. He couldn’t find words, he could barely think straight. How was he supposed to respond to this? The only thing he knew for sure was that he felt an overwhelming surge of pity for the woman and anger directed towards Minister Lee for reducing his wife to such a state.
Bending down, he gripped her forearms and pulled her back up to her feet. Smiling gently, he said, “The only one responsible is the one who committed the sinful acts and those who helped him do so, not those who had no power to stop it.”
The woman’s eyes filled with tears. “I knew it would come to this eventually. His deeds were bound to catch up to him and considering the gravity of some of them, there was no way he would come out of it alive. Justice is swift,” she said with a nod.
Yunho said nothing, just looked at her sympathetically. He suspected that her confession was more for herself than it was for him.
“He wasn’t always so bad. He used to be a good man, bright and idealistic. He wanted to contribute to society, to ‘leave his mark’ he used to say. I suppose he was always ambitious and in the end that is what led to his downfall. That and his arrogant pride. As he became more successful, gained more respect, he wanted more and more of everything. He felt it was his due. What is it they say? ‘Absolute power corrupts absolutely?’ That definitely applied to him. First, it started with bribes, doing favors for wealthy men. He lined his pockets that way for a very long time. But as his reputation grew, so did his ego, and he began taking any and everything he wanted, even if it didn’t belong to him. I know he…” She paused, swallowed thickly. “I know he hurt innocents, he even fathered a couple of bastards along the way with the household help. It isn’t any wonder none of them stayed for very long. I bore it all, for the sake of my family, my children. As time passed, he became more and more arrogant and greedy. He would bring his schemes into our home. Men, your highness, seem to think that their wives hear and see nothing but we hear and see everything. I’m sad to say that I had suspicions of their plot against you and I was sorry for it. You’re a wonderful young man who’s trying his hardest to do what’s best for his people. I think your father would have been very proud of you.”
At her mention of his father, Yunho noticed something flash in her eyes but he didn’t have time to analyze it since it was gone as quickly as it had come.
“It’s hard to love a monster, your majesty, but I did. Even though he’d changed, I never forgot the man I married. I always, foolishly I suppose, hoped he’d remember who he was and change before it was too late. But this time, I knew it was too late. He’d done many things in his life but I never thought he’d take a life.”
Yunho froze. If she knew about Minister Lee’s plans for him, had she known about his father’s murder too?
“When I heard about what happened to that girl, I knew it was over for him. I can only imagine how she must have suffered in order for it to lead her to commit the ultimate sin. I’ve prayed for her soul ever since I found out. He may not have killed her himself but he certainly pushed her to it and that makes him just as guilty. I know how much she meant to you, how seriously you took your duty to her and her brother, and I knew her death wouldn’t go unpunished. Her brother…the poor boy. To lose his only living relative, his twin, in such a horrid, unforgivable way. My husband has done many wrongs in his life but none have been greater than what he brought upon those two.”
Yunho breathed out slowly. So she didn’t know about the late king then… He thought it was a small blessing, for her at least because she seemed tortured enough by what knowledge she did have. It was also ironic that they had kept the lid on JiHye’s death only to find out that word had gotten out anyway. Loose lips sink ships, he thought with a mental sigh.
“I’m sorry for my rambling, your majesty. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I understand that you did what had to be done and you will get no opposition from me, though I know the men he was in league with are surely going to try to use it to their advantage, especially now that he’s no longer there to lead them. I also wanted to beg your forgiveness for the shame our family has brought to you and this kingdom.”
Yunho smiled and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “There will be no forgiveness, madam.”
She looked up, eyes wide, then dropped her head again. “I understand.”
Yunho chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. “It isn’t necessary. You’re as much of a victim as anyone else your husband abused or took advantage of. He selfishly overlooked the repercussions his family would face as a result of his shameful acts. I am sorry for what you must be going through now, both you and your children.”
Mrs. Lee nodded. “Thank you, your highness.”
“I hope this blight doesn’t linger over you for too long,” Yunho continued. “You must go on, rebuild from the ashes so to speak.”
Mrs. Lee shook her head. “I do not think it’s possible. Once my husband’s actions have been exposed, I do not think I could ever look the people I called ‘friend’ in the eye again. I’ve decided that it’s best if I return to my people. I have brothers who will take me in. My children deserve a fresh start, away from the legacy their father has left them.”
Yunho nodded. He understood but again, he felt a flash of rage directed towards the deceased man for what he was putting his family through. If he could bring him back from the dead and kill him again, he was pretty sure he would.
“If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know,” he offered.
Mrs. Lee smiled, her cheeks pinkening attractively. “Good luck, your highness, and may you and the Queen live long, happy lives.”
Yunho watched the woman leave, pity tugging at his heart.
“Yunho,” JunYoung called, standing in the open doorway. He rarely ever addressed Yunho by his given name so it caught his attention immediately.
Yunho nodded his understanding and walked through the door and back across the hall to the closed doors of the throne room. Taking a deep breath once again, he pushed the doors open and strode in, eyes cold and fixed forward, his posture and gait both straight and strong, full of determination. He didn’t stop until he ascended the platform to the throne, where he flicked his regal robes back and sat, the rich gold satin settling around him.
The room had gone completely silent when he entered and now he looked around at the dozens of nervous faces gazing back at him. He felt bile rise in his throat, disgusted at merely being in the same room with men of such poor character. It wasn’t long before one of them finally spoke.
Minister Hwang pushed back his chair and stood, looking at the faces around him before speaking.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Is it true?”
“Is what true?” Yunho inquired, knowing very well what the man was talking about. He’d had enough of their schemes and he wasn’t about to make it easy for them. He’d make them face their deeds.
The man had the decency to flush, his cheeks reddening as he cleared his throat again uncomfortably. “Minister Lee. Is he dead?”
Yunho smiled. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”
Yunho nodded at JunYoung, who stood across the room waiting for the signal.
JunYoung tapped the wooden paneling and stepped aside as the double doors opened.
Two guards entered carrying something heavy, wrapped in a black cloth. They stopped halfway down the aisle and rested their burden on the floor. The cloth was parted and a general gasp echoed around the room as Minister Lee’s body was revealed.
Yunho didn’t like playing games but he felt that the visual impact of death would work in his favor and show them that he meant business.
Minister Lee’s clothes had been put back in place and the sword removed out of respect for the dead but everything else was as it had been when he died. One of the guards placed a pouch containing his castrated genitals over the bloodstain at his crotch, leaving no doubt as to what it was.
“You’ve gone mad,” Minister Hwang breathed in shock.
Yunho cocked a brow, still smiling, spinning the sword he still held on its tip. “Have I?”
“Do you not realize what you’ve done, boy? You’ve killed the most powerful man in the land.”
Yunho’s both brows shot up this time. “Funny, here I was thinking that I was the most powerful man in the land, being the king and all.”
The color in Minister Hwang’s cheeks deepened, his eyes lowering as he realized the implied insult in his words. “My apologies, your majesty. But you’ve murdered a man…”
“He was going to kill me,” Yunho informed him.
“I heard that he didn’t kill him himself,” Minister Seo interjected. “His lover did.”
Yunho’s hand stilled, all façade of pleasantry slipping from his face as a cold, emotionless mask descended. “I would be very careful about what words are spoken next if I were you,” he advised the man.
“It doesn’t change the fact that Minister Lee is dead and you must be held accountable for it,” Minister Hwang insisted.
Slowly rising to his feet, Yunho stared down at the man. “And what about you?” he asked, his voice so cold that it sent chills down the man’s spine. “Will you be held accountable for yours?”
All color drained from Minister Hwang’s cheeks and Yunho saw the guilt in his eyes. Which dirty deed he was thinking of, Yunho had no idea, but there were many. Looking down at him, feeling the weight of his father’s sword in his hand, he could picture himself doing what Jae had done, thrusting the sword into the man’s chest and watching as the life drained from his eyes. He imagined he’d feel what Jae must have felt: relief, the burden of avenging his loved one lifting from his shoulders, and, perhaps, a strange kind of euphoria. But he couldn’t do it, no matter how tempted he was. Jae had killed Minister Lee to save him but if he were was to strike Minister Hwang down in front of all these witnesses, he wouldn’t have the same justification.
“I don’t know of what you speak, your highness.”
“Don’t you?” Yunho descended the steps, one by one. “I’ve never killed a man in cold blood, Minister Hwang. Never killed a man unless my own life was at stake but you can’t say the same, can you?” Yunho stopped at the bottom of the stairs, not moving any closer for fear that he might give in to temptation.
The Minister gulped, his eyes darting to and fro. “Your majesty, I…”
“What are you talking about?” Minister Seo interrupted again.
Yunho turned fierce eyes on the man. He was second on the list, just below Minister Lee.
“You too know exactly what I’m talking about, dear Minister.”
The man waved an uncaring hand. “You speak in riddles. If you’re going to make accusations, just come out and say them plainly.”
Yunho felt his ire rise. Reaching into his robe, he pulled out the list. “This is what I speak of.”
The Minister stared at the list curiously. “What’s that?”
“A list…of everyone responsible for my father’s death.” Yunho paused as another set of gasps traveled around the room. “And those involved in the planning of another assassination of a king: me.”
Yunho watched as Minister Seo went pale, saw the shared looks of horror that went around the table at which he sat. Guilt. He could see it on all of their faces. If there was any doubt as to whether what ShinHo had told him was the truth, he’d definitely received confirmation now.
He looked around the room at other ministers and council members and saw genuine surprise on some of their faces. It reminded him that they weren’t all guilty. He knew the ones who were responsible for his father’s death and the plot against him and there were others who weren’t as deeply involved with Minister Lee but had overlooked his corruption or taken bribes. They were guilty too but only of being cowards. There was no blood on their hands. Then his eyes met State Councillor Park’s gaze. He sat at the table with the other men who had been loyal to Yunho’s father and had remained loyal to his son. If not for them, he truly would have been ignorant of all the shady doings by the members of his court.
Minister Park nodded and gave him an encouraging smile.
Turning on his heels, Yunho strode back up the stairs to the platform but he didn’t take his seat. Instead, he looked down on the faces of the men staring back at him and let them see, for the first since he’d returned home, just exactly how he felt about them.
“It’s all lies,” Minister Seo said, rising to his feet after seemingly regaining his composure. “We don’t even know who the source of this list is.”
Murmurs spread throughout the room, the heads of the guilty nodding to spur their new leader on.
Yunho wasn’t surprised at the man’s attempt to discredit him since he was the most guilty, second to Minister Lee, and probably already felt the ghost of the blade of a guillotine on the back of his neck.
“I demand the name of the one who made such specious allegations against the honorable men of the council,” Minister Seo continued, his voice gaining strength from the support of those around him.
Yunho cocked his head to the side as he regarded the minister, then pointed his sword at the dead body on floor. “He’s right there.”
For the second time, Yunho had the pleasure of seeing the blood drain from the Minister’s face, as well as the faces of those who had just championed him. He was surprised to discover that he was having a lot more fun than he’d thought possible given the seriousness of the game.
“But...but…that’s impossible,” the minister blustered. “Dead men don’t speak.”
Yunho nodded. “Quite right, but dying men do and they have a tendency to confess their sins before departing this life in the hopes that it will spare their souls in the next.”
“You’re lying!” the Minister accused, his face filled with red rage. “You have no evidence to support these claims.”
Yunho threw back his head in laughter. “Oh my, did you honestly think that Minister Lee conducted his business without keeping records? There was always the possibility that he would be found out and if he had been, there’s no way he would take the fall for his ill deeds when there were so many equally guilty men to do it for him. Come now, Minister Seo… You knew the kind of monster you were dealing with, you can’t expect me to believe you were naïve enough to think he’d protect you? Tsk tsk tsk…” He sighed dramatically, shaking his head for added effect.
The Minister stared at him in disbelief but Yunho could see the fear in his eyes as he acknowledged the truth of Yunho’s words. It was all lies, of course, but ShinHo would be made to keep silent, permanently if need be although Yunho hoped it wouldn’t come to that, and he firmly believed that Minister Lee had indeed kept records. He was too calculating a man to trust anyone at simply their word. No, there was bound to be physical proof of everything he’d plotted and executed and Yunho was sure that Mrs. Lee would be more than helpful if they asked for her assistance when they searched his house. But for now…
Yunho held the list up again. “Everyone on this list is guilty of treason and treason, as you know, is punishable by death. I’d really hoped it wouldn’t come to this but…”
Nodding at JunYoung again, Yunho watched as his friend tapped the door again and the room suddenly filled with soldiers lining the walls. All doors were closed and locked. The soldiers drew their swords, waiting for the order that Yunho prayed he wouldn’t be forced to give.
Yunho looked down into the frightened faces gazing back at him as he spoke. “For the acts you’ve already committed, I could sentence you to death and have you executed here and now. You don’t all have blood on your hands but many of you are corrupted and corruption is a disease that spreads as viciously as cancer. You’ve stood idly by and supported the actions of this monster,” he pointed his sword at Minister Lee’s body, “while he not only killed my father, who you all swore your allegiance to, but plotted my own downfall as well. How many other men has he done away with to serve his own agenda? How many innocents has he harmed simply because he could? Because you lot made him feel so indestructible that he became, as Minister Hwang said earlier, ‘the most powerful man in the land’.”
Yunho paused, turning to Minister Hwang. “You have daughters, sir, don’t you?”
Taking a gulping breath, Minister Hwang nodded.
“How would you feel if one of them killed herself because she’d been ruined by the likes of him?” Again, he pointed to Minister Lee’s defenseless body.
Minister Hwang paled, his eyes widening in horror.
“You, all of you, knew what kind of man he was. He not only killed kings but he ruined innocent lives. A young girl killed herself today because of what he did to her. If I had to die ten times to spare her what she must have been feeling to take her own life, I would gladly do so.” He turned to Minister Seo. “And I doubt she was the first. Perhaps, one of your very own daughters or relatives may have been one of his victims. Did he buy your silence? Did you sacrifice your child for fatter pockets?”
When one of the other ministers at the table turned his head away, Yunho knew he was right on target.
“I’m unbelievably disgusted by the mere existence of men like you. If you were afraid of Minister Lee, you had only to come to me, your king, whom you pledged your allegiance to upon my ascension, and I would have dealt with him. You were the ones who gave him the power and made yourselves, and subsequently me, powerless. To have you as my council sickens me immensely. I should, since it’s in my own best interest, just do away with the lot of you.”
The guards lining the room lifted their swords in unison, legs moving into a ‘ready’ stance. It was frighteningly beautiful to watch and Yunho could only imagine the fear that must be thrumming through the veins of the men around him.
“But my father believed in second chances.”
He walked to the table at the side of his throne and held the list to the flame, watching as it caught and was devoured by fire.
“I may not think all of you deserve it but you’ll have it, this time anyway.” Dropping the last bit of paper before the flame reached his fingers, he turned back to his captivated audience.
“Consider this your clean slate, my lords. Some have already proven your loyalty to me, for which I am both honored and grateful, and I know some of you are good men at heart, you merely strayed from the straight and narrow path from whence you began. I beg you, stick to that path from now on. As for the rest of you…” His eyes flit between Minister Hwang and Minister Seo. When they dropped their gazes, he smiled. “Only time will tell.”
Walking down the steps again, he turned in a circle, surveying the men around him.
“The choice is yours, my lords. Follow me…” He glanced down at Minister Lee’s body. “Or join him. I pray that you choose wisely.”
With that final pronouncement, he strode down the middle of the room, the double doors opening for and closing behind him in perfect synchronicity.
Minister Park looked after him, his heart swollen with pride, a smile flirting around his lips. He was magnificent, everything a king should be and more.
How he wished his father had been there to see him…
Part XII B