"General Lee."
A Few Days After The Coronation Day...
The King summoned all the Ministers to the Main Hall. He wants to greet the new Ministers that had been elected, replacing all the previous ministers that had been executed in the name of treason.
I heard the assembly's also to introduce a new General, the commander of the Royal Soldiers.
I didn't see the First Prince in his residence this morning and when I went to the King's Residence to find him, he was also not there.
Then the King left his residence and headed towards to the Main Hall, so I decided to follow him instead.
***
I stand right beside him on the throne. This makes me reminisces some old memories when I was a Queen and my seat was next to the throne. It has been hundred years since the last time being this close to the throne.
Before, I will always accompany the King during the official banquets and I'd already forgotten what it felt like looking at the people from the throne.
Standing here next to the King today, rather than feeling superior, I feel heavy. I try to put myself in the place of the King, being young and have thousands of people relying on him, the weight suffocates me.
The hall falls silent as Eunuch Moon stepped forward, opening a scroll in his hand and he reads it to the people that present there.
The scroll's content directed to the new ministers regarding their positions and responsibilities which also included the King's congratulatory messages.
"Today, I would also want to introduce to you, the new general for our Royal Soldiers," the King says and he looks at the entrance, "Come in, General Lee."
All heads turn to the entrance and a person in a in a soldier's uniform enters the hall.
Each step is sharp and rhythmical. His head is looking up front, his face is void of expression.
"First Grandson? The First Prince is the new general?" I'm suddenly feeling proud of him.
Appointed him as the General means the King has decided to trust him since the General has the Royal Soldiers under his command.
I'm glad they both protecting their bonds as brothers and now as the King and his subject.
I could see the changes of expressions in few of the Ministers' faces as the new General strides across the hall to the front and stops before the throne.
The General down to one knee and greets the King.
"Rise, General Lee," the King says and then he looks at the Ministers. "Minister Yun, I'm looking forward to see you work together with General Lee in the Ministry of Defense."
***
After the Ministers left the Hall, the King and the Royal Advisor Li stay behind.
I stay behind since the General went to the Soldiers Training Camps to greet the soldiers, as the new General.
The Royal Advisor looks like he's in a deep thought and the King who's reading the scrolls notices it and he stops reading, "What is it, Royal Advisor Li?" He asks.
The Royal Advisor steps closer to the throne and says, "Your Majesty, I am worried for the appointment of the Prince Lee as the General."
The King raises an eyebrow, "Care to elaborate?"
"Your Majesty, the First King has received support before and the Ministers even dared to plot treason for him to be the King. I'm afraid by being a General and have thousands of soldiers under him, we will face a backlash," he says in a serious tone.
"Those ministers are dead, Royal Advisor Li. They showed their support and he killed them. He chose to be loyal to me. I'm sure the same thing will happen if he were to be approached by traitors, again," the King dismisses the Royal Advisor's speculations and decided to believe in the First Prince.
"How can you be sure of him, Your Majesty? On top of being the First Prince now he's also a General, I'm afraid there will be more of his supporters out there, planning to take over the throne."
The King holds in his rage and grits his teeth, "What are you suggesting, Royal Advisor Li?"
"Your Majesty, you're still new to the throne and having the General in the same place with you will lead to comparison from the people. We need to send him away and during that time, we will strengthen your position and show to the people that you're the best King they would've hope for," the Royal Advisor seems been planning a devilish plan that it creeps me.
The King seems to have taken the bait and responded, "What's your plan, Royal Advisor?"
I know the King still doubt not just the First Prince but also himself. When he was younger, I could hear some people compared him with the First Prince. The First Prince isn't just knowledgeable but living as a soldier since an early age, people look highly of him. People respect him.
Thus, actually, during the planned revolt, I heard some people whispered that they also preferred the First Prince to be the King. Of course those just whispers, if not they might also face the same fate as the treasonous ministers.
I'm sure the King also know he's been compared to his own brother and he does feels insecure about it, it just that he suppresses everything inside and he decides to trust the First Prince.
'But the Royal Advisor seems to planning something. Something that might destroy the King's trust on the General.'
The Royal Advisor thinks for a while then say, "Send him to the North Border, Your Majesty."
The North Border marks the borders with the Ming's. Before, the King managed to sign the 'Peace Treaty' with them and ceased weapons but after the Prince took over the throne, I heard the Ming broken the peace by attacking the regions near the border.
It has been years this nation been in war with the Ming. Before the region was a harmonious village but then in turned into a chaotic region. The Ministry Defense had stationed the Soldiers Camps there to reduce the impact of the war to the regions.
Sometimes the Ming will attack them and steal the region's food supply therefore they are always on guard and sometimes they will engaged in a war and it brings casualties for both sides.
"To the battlefield?" The King asks. Even though the First Prince has been living with the soldiers and went to a few wars but he has never entered the battlefield and his life has never put in danger. Suddenly, the King looks worried.
"He's a General anyway, Your Majesty. Let's make him prove his worth."
YOU ARE READING
Past Promises
Historical FictionShe was a Queen and he was a King but why he's the only one got reincarnated while she became a ghost? King: "They say you want the throne and I shall kill you for treason, do you have any reasons for me to spare you?" Queen: "My dear, you are not o...
