The Last Plum Blossom {한 송이 매화} (On hold)

Loyalty or Life

'Eat up.' Came a growling voice from outside the prison.

A brown wooden bowl was placed before them, containing three jumeokbap.

'How stingy can someone be with food!' Exclaimed Jeong staring in disbelief at the rice balls.

'Thank your stars we at least got one rice ball each.' Grumbled Jungson, as he reached out and took a rice ball in his hand.

He quickly began devouring the fistful rice ball. Si Ah followed suite and finally Jeong took to rice ball in his hand and took a bite.

'The seaweed is missing.'

'YA!' Shouted Jungson. 'IF YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT, GIVE IT TO ME.'

'Animida....I'm having it.' He mumbled between mouthfuls.

Just then, they heard a knock on the wooden bars of the prison cell. Looking up, they saw the governer grinning at them.

'Yi Yak Soon, the Mongol thrash.' Began Bae Jungson as he stood up from the hay on the prison floor. 'Who the hell is behind this?'

The governor grabbed Jungson's collars snarling, 'Ya michin saeggi (you crazy jerk) you are on my turf.'

Jeong got up and grabbed the governors collar smirking, 'Jugeullae? (you want to die?)'

'YA...YA...LET GO OFF ME...' He shouted, desperately trying to struggle.

Yi Yak Soon let go of the general's collars, but Jeong tightened his grip around the governors collar had begun choking him.

'Ah...ah....jebal....' He pleaded, desperately tapping Jeong's hands to loosen his grip on him.

'Ya ttorai jal deuleo (You nut, listen carefully)' warned Jeong, 'Goreyo isn't your private property that you can claim her just like that. Whether it is you, Choi Ui, Kim Jun or even the king...I'll not let you'll use Goreyo for your greed. Clear?'

The man gulped hard and vigrously nodded his head. The rage and disgust that Kim Tong Jeong held in his eyes was clearly evident. He had made no attempts to hide his contempt towards those in power.

Throwing the man on the ground he growled, 'Ggeojyeo! (Get lost!)'

The governor who was more frightened than humiliated, fled from the prison area. Jeong turned to sit, but found Jungson and Si Ah gaping at him with open mouths.

'What?'

'You are...most definitely going to get us killed.' Concluded Jungson.

'Who will kill us? That crazy governor, Choi Ui, Kim Jun or the Mongols?' Demanded Jeong, sitting back on the meagre hay on the floor.

'Forget it.' Sighed Si Ah.