The council members tried to stop Sae Joo from meddling more in the issue. The fire had started already, and they did not want the Prince to get burned fully. However, none of them had succeeded. Sae Joo forced to speak up in the middle of the elder noblemen in front of him.
"I do know who that person might be."
Jung Ho asked, with a sneer on his face, "And who is that, Your Highness?"
Sae Joo walked a few more steps, closer to Jung Min, who was standing on the left side. "The Head of the Prosecution Department, Lord Jung Min."
The rest of the council members exchanged puzzled glances to each other. Jung Min, on the other hand, just stared at the Crown Prince, anchoring his doubtful eyes to him. Although the council had believed that Jung Min could be the next ruler, second to Sae Joo, they were still surprised that the assertion came directly from the once childish Crown Prince.
Jae Joong spoke up, "Prince, how could you say that?"
"If I am the one who shall bring misfortunes to the kingdom, I guess the next one in line after me could be the one who would bring good fortunes instead. Did you not think the same?"
The council did not respond, dipping their heads in a low bow.
In the middle of brief silence, Sae Joo stated his suggestion in order to fix their current problem. "I do have a proposal."
"What is it?" said Jae Joong.
"Maybe we could do the ritual again, but instead of my blood, it will be Lord Jung Min's."
Jung Ho scoffed with what he heard. He tried to slam the Prince's suggestion but in a more subtle way. "Your Highness, this ritual is not just done hastily as you wish, or just by any people. Should Lord Jung Min do the ritual, he must have had a twenty-four hour-fasting, and of course, he should have had taken a bath using the water from the Pyeongran Spring, with prayers from the Head Priestess... but unfortunately, he was not able to satisfy all those prerequisite."
With uttering a single word, Sae Joo was nailed into his position, realizing that his suggestion would not be possible. He scanned the council members, who were still avoiding his gazes. Some were shaking their heads in disappointment, thinking that the Prince's idea was indeed stupid. Suddenly, Jung Min stepped forward and spoke, "Actually... I did all of those things that you just mentioned, Prime Minister."
The Prime Minister's eyes widened, stunned with what his son said. His eyebrows suddenly merged into the center in a suppressed fury. "W-wh-what?"
"Yes, I did all of those, Father," smiled Jung Min, reminiscing what he and Sae Joo had talked about.
~~•~~
Sae Joo and Jung Min talked in the middle of the courtyard—the former telling that they should finish something once and for all.
"Your Highness, please tell me where we are going," asked Jung Min.
"I do not wish to entertain your questions, Lord Jung Min. Just come with me, would you?"
"If you say so, Your Highness."
Sae Joo led the way, going to the main shrine. He looked for the Head Priestess, who was doing a small ritual on the prayer area. The two approached her, disturbing her from what she was doing.
"Lady Seolji, may I speak with you?" asked Sae Joo.
The Head Priestess did not respond and continued with her prayer as if she heard no one, felt no one. Jung Min tried to stop the Prince, convincing him to go back and let the Head Priestess finish her business.
"Your Highness, I think this is not the right time."
Soon after, the Head Priestess opened her eyes, stood, and bowed before the two. "Forgive me, Your Highness for ignoring you. I was in the middle of my daily ritual in preparation for the prediction on your fifteenth birthday."
Sae Joo nodded, acknowledging Lady Seolji's explanation. "I understand. Can we talk to you now?"
"Of course, Your Highness. Shall we go to my chambers?"
"Yes, please. I need to talk to you in private."
The Head Priestess walked to the wall behind the prayer area and tilted a dragon figure sculpted on it, revealing a secret passage. "Shall we?"
Sae Joo and Jung Min followed to the dimly-lit hallway. The brick walls of the narrow hallway made Sae Joo felt anxious. Feeling that everything around him might collapse, he could not help but cling to his cousin's arm. Jung Min noticed the pale face of the Prince. "Are you alright, Your Highness?"
"Yes... I... just felt a little different. I am feeling a little bit dizzy." the Prince rubbed his head as his face folded into a grimace.
"We could go back and talk to her in your chambers."
"No, we are already here. Let us just continue."
At the end of the hallway was a red wooden door. The Head Priestess opened it and entered. Sae Joo was astonished to see the replica of the night skies with twinkling constellations on the ceiling of the room. A small table was at the center, topped with incense, candles, and scrolls. Surveying the room, he noticed dragon and phoenix golden sculptures on every corner—for the propitious fortune of the kingdom. Majestic yet eerie—the exact description of the Head Priestess' chambers.
"Have a seat, please," offered Lady Seolji.
The two men sat, and Sae Joo opened his concern straightforward. "This is about the ritual on my birthday. Clearly, if my fate will be horrifying, the kingdom should have another reserved ruler aside from me. That is why I am asking if we could also perform the ritual to Lord Jung Min since he is the second in line, being the Prime Minister's firstborn son."
Jung Min was shocked to hear what Sae Joo just requested. He was perplexed by the fact that his cousin had thought of that idea. Playing idly with his fingers, he started questioning Sae Joo's real motives and purpose. "Your Highness, what is this?"
"I just want to be at peace. I want to know both of our fates. After all, this is for the kingdom, right?" said Sae Joo.
After clearing her throat, the Head Priestess answered, "There is no law regarding what you want, Your Highness. But, I think the King and the Prime Minister will not agree with this."
"That is why I met you in private. This plan should not be exposed. We will just do this right on my birthday." Sae Joo turned his head right, trying to convince his cousin. "What do you say, hyung? Let us finish this. I will know my fate; you will know yours as well."
Jung Min's eyes moved sideways, unable to make up his mind for a few seconds. He thought that maybe this would be a good idea for him to hit two birds at the same time—beat Sae Joo and his father. Two options: if his fate turned out to be good, contrary to the Prince, his chance of succeeding in the throne would be bigger. In that way, he would have enough power to bust out from the prison he was in, in which his father was the strongest guard. However, if his fate turned out to be terrifying, the Prime Minister would definitely do more sinister actions just to eliminate the Prince, which in a way would be beneficial for him as well.
"Fine. Let us do this," agreed Jung Min.
The Head Priestess started discussing everything that they should do in preparation for the ritual. Everything must be kept accurate or else the result of the prediction might be compromised. After agreeing with all the reminders of Lady Seolji, the two exited the room and left the shrine.
While talking at the courtyard, Jung Min could not help but ask about Sae Joo's seemingly strange behavior. "Your Highness, what you did really amuse me. You do know that this plan of yours is part of politics as well, in which you did not wish to be involved initially."
"I know. I have thought about this a thousand times as well. I read books about politics. The King is right. Politics is an extension of our life. As long as we live as royal and nobles, it will never die out. I am doing this... to survive."
Jung Min smirked, "Just a piece of advice, for I think you are being overwhelmed by the concept of politics... Choose your battles carefully. You might not be aware that a little thing that you do for survival might mean a declaration of war on the other side... Have a good day, Your Highness." the elder cousin bowed his head and left.
As he walked down the courtyard, leaving the Prince thinking about what he said, Jung Min grinned and mumbled, "Sae Joo, I think I should start watching you more carefully. I should never underestimate you."
~~•~~
Back in the shrine, where everyone was surprised with what Jung Min admitted, Jae Joong announced his consent regarding the Prince's concern. Since the young minister had done what was needed for the ritual, he declared his permission to proceed. "Hear my words, everyone. Since we have heard about the Prince's fate, I think this is also the right time to consider looking into Lord Jung Min's destiny. I am giving you the consent to go here in the praying area and do the ritual."
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Jung Min bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty." he removed his boots and ambled down the carpet, going to the prayer area. He sat on the marble floor and performed exactly what Sae Joo did. Shortly, a shrine maiden approached the Head Priestess and gave her another empty golden pot. Just like what she did a while ago, she prayed first before the pot was poured with spring water again. After handling a different dagger, Jung Min lacerated his finger, giving drops of his blood to the water.
Then, another set of prayer and chants were whispered to the pot, while Lady Seolji gently shook the container. The Head Priestess's voice became louder as she babbled those unknown words. When the bell rang, she opened her eyes and walked regally to the council members, showing the result to everyone.
The council members compressed together, trying to take a look at the result.
"Another turbid red solution..." Yoo Min mumbled, holding his breath.
Lady Seolji shook her head, "We have the result. A red solution, meaning Lord Jung Min has the same fate as the Prince. Should either of them sit on the throne, bloodshed would surely follow."
Jung Ho gritted his teeth and stomped forward, "No. There must be a mistake."
"Prime Minister, calm down," scolded Jae Joong.
Lady Seolji rebutted, contradicting the Prime Minister's claim. "I wish to object, Your Excellency. I clearly saw Lord Jung Min's fate. Although they have almost the same destiny, I could say that Lord Jung Min's era would be more bloody."
"Bloody? In what way?" Jung Ho scowled.
"Do you really want me to tell the details?" the Head Priestess raised a brow, insulted with the Prime Minister's tone.
The King meddled in the middle of the two's argument, telling everyone, in general, to just respect the fate of the two. "This has to stop. Let us just honor the Head Priestess's words, for I believe that she did that fairly. No one is above Heaven's law."
Worried about the result of the two prospect rulers, Dae Wong raised his hand and asked, "Your Majesty, we take into consideration that the declaration of the Heaven is the main factor that we honor in placing the rightful successor. What should we do now that both of them have nefarious destinies?"
"This has become a heavy day for everyone. Let us go back to our chambers and wait for my announcement for another council meeting."
Yoo Min cut in, "Sire, the Head Priestess has mentioned that there was this unknown person who will bring glory to the kingdom instead. If that is not Prince Sae Joo or Lord Jung Min, who could that person be?"
"Again, I order everyone to go back to your chambers. We will have another council meeting for this," said Jae Joong firmly, lips shaking in controlled displeasure.
The rest of the council members bowed their heads and left, feeling extremely unsettled about what happened. Soon after, Jung Ho and Jae Joong followed. Meanwhile, Jung Min approached the Prince and confronted him, "Are you satisfied now? You have expected this, have you not?"
"Hyung, honestly, I suggested this because I felt that my predicted fate would turn out to be unpleasant. I did not expect that you too will have the same fate as mine."
"I could see that. The only thing that keeps me bothered is the fact that there is someone who seems like the rightful ruler, but we have no idea who that person is."
"I agree. Who could that person be? Huh, should we test all teen males in the kingdom to find out who?" Sae Joo laughed.
Shaking his head, Jung Min rubbed his forehead and sighed because the Prince was still able to crack a joke despite a very serious issue.
"Stop it, Your Highness, please. This is not a good time to crack those jokes."
"Do not take it too seriously, hyung. I was just doing this to lighten up our feelings. I know it is not easy to be judged already, even though you have not started yet. We have been tagged as destroyers of the kingdom, and we could do nothing about it."
The young man did not respond but Sae Joo could see the disappointment in Jung Min's eyes. He could see that one way or another, his cousin had hoped that somehow his destiny as a ruler would be acceptable in everyone's eyes.
"Let us go back to our chambers, hyung. Let us rest."
Without a response, Jung Min just nodded, and the two left.
When all of the council members had left the shrine, some of them went back to their offices, while some of them just retired to their chambers to rest. Moreover, Jung Ho, who was still unsettled about the result, ordered his ladies-in-waiting to refuse any visitors that would like to seek an audience. He lit some incense and red scented candles to help him calm down because of his high emotions. While sitting at his table inside his dark-red dimly lit room, he kept on thinking about who that strange person was—the one who would bring the kingdom on its most glorious state. Different people came across his mind until he suddenly remembered his former henchman, Chil Yook.
As his fist rolled into a ball, the memory of Chil Yook's betrayal haunted him again. "Why did I suddenly remember Chil Yook?"
His breath hitched up at the back of his throat when he remembered that the child he had given to the former Grand Marshal could still be alive at that moment. "Wait... Is it possible that the person on Lady Seolji's vision... is Sae Yoo?"
Jung Ho's lips pursed into a thin line as he sucked his teeth inward. He hammered the table with that sudden random thought. "That child could still be alive at this day... The prophecy is indeed happening. So could this mean that among the twins, Sae Joo is the one who will destroy the kingdom, then Sae Yoo is the one who will rebuild and restore it?"
"I really need to find Chil Yook. If my guess is correct, I badly need Sae Yoo in my side."
~~•~~
On the farther side of the kingdom, back in the most isolated province in Silla—the province of Myeongju, Shun, Chil Yook, and Deok Cheol had finally arrived at the foot of their hill community. The blue, long mountain ranges behind the hills greeted their eyes, longing for their beloved hometown. After traveling for almost three days, the fruit of their journey was already right before them. "We are almost home! Look! I missed those houses," exclaimed Shun.
"Oh yes! Seorabeol's houses are really amusing but nothing beats our community! The air here is very different!" agreed Deok Cheol.
"I agree. Come on, let us hurry. I miss our house, Shun," said Chil Yook.
As their horse trotted upward on the hill, the view of their neighborhood started to unravel. The simple, small, brick houses emerged on their eyesight as they went higher. Shepherds called their herd of sheep, goats, and cows, asking them to return to their dens, for the nighttime was approaching. Children played merrily with no worries, sliding down on the braes using big palm leaves.
But as they reached the hilltop where their house was located, the view changed drastically. People were screaming in terror, running down from the brink. Pots and jars flew from houses and crashed on the ground. Women and children were crying as they ran for their lives. Some old men crawled to their broken ceramics, trying to patch up their precious belongings. As they moved further, they started seeing broken furniture outside each house, as if a burglar had invaded each of the houses.
"What is happening?" mumbled Sae Joo, his voice shaking.
"Muhyuk-seonsaengnim, I think it would be best if we do not proceed yet. It is dangerous," suggested Deok Cheol.
Chil Yook craned his head, observing what was happening from the distance. His eyes bulged out in shock upon seeing about ten men, wearing black satin robes and pants—their nose and mouths covered with red cloth, dragging random men, women, and children out of their houses. They gathered the terrified people at the center of the grassy pathway, pushed them on the ground and pointed swords on their throats.
Shun suggested to go down and hide on the nearby bushes in order for them not be involved in the commotion. They pulled the horse to the side and tied it to a tree while listening to those men. Despite their distance, they were still able to hear the loud, intimidating voices of the unknown men.
The leader of the wretched men brought out a piece of scroll from his pocket. He unrolled it and showed to the people. The poor crowd had no choice but to lend their ears.
"We will leave as soon as long as we knew where this man lives." said the leader, pointing on a portrait of a man with a red headband and falcon insignia.
The terrified people looked at the painting and shook their heads. A middle-aged man responded, "We do not know that man. We have never seen him before."
"Look carefully!"
The man's eyes darted sideways, hinting that he knew who the man was, but he pretended that he had no idea who the man on the portrait was. "Forgive me, but I do not know who he is."
Walking close to him, the leader's lips pursed into a thin line, "Are you sure?"
"Y-Yes."
"Hmm."
Suddenly, the leader's arm jerked upwards and a rasping sound of the sword from its sheath echoed in the air. The people's eyes grew large as their jaws dropped in shock—locked. Then, several raspy gasps and gurgles were heard as patches of blood sprinkled on the ground. The middle-aged man collapsed like a paper—dead, with both eyes and mouth open.
Finally, people managed to release their voices. All of them screamed in terror. Children wailed and cried loudly, tucking their heads to their mothers. The leader stepped a foot on the dead body. "Now, if you want to survive, someone from this community should tell us where this man lives."
A young woman stood and pointed a house near the brae as she nervously jabbered, "There! That small house with a fireplace outside. He lives there. He is the blacksmith here, and his name is Muhyuk. But he left a week ago."
"Muhyuk? Well, it seems like he has changed his name," he ordered some of his men, and they ran to the house.
Shun was dumbfounded with all the things that he saw and heard. He asked his father why those unknown men were looking for him desperately to the point that a person was killed. "Father, who are those people?" whispered he.
"I do not know, Shun," Chil Yook bit his lips and shook his head.
"Stay quiet, Father. Those men want you so you better hide properly. I will just take a peek on what they are doing," the young boy raised his head slowly and took a peek on the scene. "Those men are trying to barge in our house. Darn them! What do they want?" he tried to leave their hiding place, trying to stop the men but Deok Cheol pulled him back.
"What are you doing, Shun?" the plump boy roared in a controlled volume.
"I cannot allow them to do that. They cannot just barge in our house!"
"Yes, I know that. But think first. You are by yourself, and we have seen that they just killed Dae Mung-ahjussi, your father's closest friend in our community, just to look for your father. Do you think they would hesitate to kill you? Your fighting skills are good, but you need to consider us... especially your father."
Shun's head cowered in shame, gritting his teeth and digging his nails on his palms.
About four men tried to break the lock of the door by smashing it with their axes. When they successfully opened the house, they barged in and found no one but empty rooms. They explored the house—went to the kitchen, to the fireplace, and eventually to the backyard, yet not even a glimpse of their target's shadow was seen. Apparently, they gave up searching and just went outside to report to their leader. "Sir, no one was inside."
"Is that so? But at least, we already have a lead where he is living. At last, after fifteen years, there is already a piece of good news for the Prime Minister. Let us go. We will be back next time."
"Everyone! We will be back. You better report to us if in case... Muhyuk comes back. Ignore our warning, and we will take all of your heads!"
The people nodded in response—horrified.
"Let us go!" the leader ordered.
The men rode their horses and left the place devastated. While some people were left speechless in shock and horror, a number of them gathered to the dead body and cried.
Shun still could not process what just happened. Never he thought that his father would gain enemies, for Chil Yook had been a very good and compassionate person. As his jaws dropped in shock, he also dropped to the ground slowly, leaves and thorns of the thick bush brushing down his face. "Father, those men will come back for sure. We are in danger. Where should we go?"
"I do not know, Shun. I do not know."
As they were thinking a sound solution to their problem, an unknown man wearing a green robe called them from behind. The three turned around and scanned the man. "Who are you?" asked Shun.
"You do need a new house, right?" the man asked.
"How did you know that? Have you been watching us all along?" snarled Shun, preparing in a fighting position while crouching.
"Come with me. I could help you."
__________
NOTES:
Pyeongran Spring (평란) - a fictional spring used to cleanse the body of royals and nobles before the day of a ritual.
[https://em.wattpad.com/676d1a97aa8ff39cdc4825298c518197bfdb3671/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f66666351345f57504548445831773d3d2d3731323432303931342e313539303264323465636339303135373139393532333235313430372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]