The Foreigner 외국인

Chapter 7

7.

The ministers gathered in the Throne Hall's courtyard, wondering why today's assembly was being held outside. The king was sitting at the top of the steps, looking over the officials who were whispering amongst each other. He observed the left state councilor with particular interest. The man seemed very much unbothered, unaware that his time had come.

Yi Jin cleared his throat, putting a quick end to the whispers, and declared, "A little more than two years ago, one of you tried to have me killed." He paused and watched the ministers look at one another. In the corner of his eye, he saw Park No Li's face twitch. "As many of you know, the left state councilor is a powerful man who likes to influence the court and the royal family. He, two years ago, even believed that he could influence fate and decide for himself who would sit on the throne."

Panicked murmurs swept across the officials. Park No Li lifted his head and looked up at the king.

"What exactly are you saying, your majesty?"

Yi Jin smiled before ordering his guards to arrest the left state councilor for treason.

"Your... your majesty!" Park No Li stammered as royal guards grabbed him. "You are making a grave mistake!"

"I saw you with my own eyes, smiling wildly as your men were about to stab me," Yi Jin spit out bitterly.

The left state councilor kneeled desperately at the center of the courtyard. "Your majesty! You must be remembering wrong. The late king accused the Jurchens. Are you calling your father a liar?"

Yi Jin scoffed. "He was an opportunist. He thought that it was the perfect occasion to take revenge on Lee Gong. And he was afraid to go against you, for some reason."

The minister of taxation, who was one of Park No Li's men, dared to ask with a trembling voice "Your majesty... is there any evidence?"

The king clicked his tongue. "Are you calling me a liar now?"

"Your highness!" The queen's court lady barged into her chamber unannounced. "The king has accused Park No Li of treason!" the servant sputtered out.

"What?" The queen abandoned her embroidery and stood up.

"We must go to the Throne Hall."

Her court lady looked shocked. "Your... your highness... you cannot go there," she stammered, but the queen ignored her and walked out of her quarters, determined. At the gates to the courtyard, she paused and stood somewhat hidden, surprised to see all the ministers outside, the left state councilor kneeling in front of the King. The queen watched as her husband asked if his ministers dared to call him a liar.

There was a moment of silence; then, all the officials suddenly turned towards the gates at once. The queen wondered for a few seconds if she had been discovered, but in fact their attention had been drawn by an unknown woman who had just walked in, closely followed by Officer Yang. They stood staring at the tall woman, who was wearing men's clothes, a sword swinging at her side. She held her head high and her steps were as quiet as a tiger's. She wasn't from here. She had big blue eyes and a face pale as the moon. The queen gasped, recalling the conversation she'd had with the late king, and for the first time in over two years, she saw Yi Jin smile.

Lee Ara had thought about the king's proposal all night. The idea of Park No Li being executed as a traitor, by her own hand, was appealing, but would things go sideways again? It was difficult to predict what would happen at Joseon's court, as people there were cunning and always had hidden intentions. The king's guard had shown up at her door early that morning. Lee Ara remembered him as the one who had returned her father's knife when she was imprisoned.