Secret of the Two Kings (89 CHAPTERS - ON HOLD)

제 82 부

Dae Wong asked for an untimely audience to Jae Joong, the King writing in a blank scroll on his table. The steam from his black bean tea smoldering from his porcelain cup. More briquettes had fueled the scorching flames in the fireplace. The minister walked his way towards the King and sat opposite him. Jae Joong paused, hurled a glance, and resumed writing. "How are the preparations outside?"

"They're doing good, Your Majesty. Never better."

"I heard the Prince has agreed about this special Hwarang force from different clans for security. Jung Ho always has a unique way to appall me. "

"I'm baffled, Your Majesty. Prince Sae Joo, working with your brother. I wonder what he's planning."

"He's learning. Self-taught. He knows he can't avoid his uncle. Now that their relationship would graduate to the next level. Hmmp! Father-in-law? Disgusting!... Make sure that Yellow Tiger nangdo always sticks by his side. Then I have no complaints."

"Shun and Prince Sae Joo are always inseparable. They're like twins." Dae Wong chuckled. Jae Joong's eyebrows furrowed with that slight pun.

To flush the awkward moment, Dae Wong looked over the window and shifted the topic. "The forces of winter are on our side for this day, I guess."

"Is that so?" Jae Joong pouted his lips and gazed at the dancing auburns. "That serves their purpose anyway... So uh, do you have anything else to say? I'm a bit busy."

Dae Wong craned his head over the letter, his curiosity rising. "Your Majesty, do you mind if I ask what that letter is all about?"

"Oh, this? A reply to the head of our fortress in Myeongju. They informed me that there are no accounts of any suspicious entries in our borders."

"That's good to hear, Your Majesty. Those rebels have messed with the wrong kingdom. My, my! More heads will be collected if they ever intend to infiltrate our lands again and do their sneaky base of operations."

"Certainly. I plan on sending some of our Pungwoljus to all our borders, conduct weaponry training with the provincial hwarangs, and give new weapons to them, especially on our coasts. I will also provide additional military ships. I'll talk to the Minister of Treasury later for the break down of the finances." The King took a sip and breathed heavily. "That iron ore incident is the last one—at least on my term."

"I don't think they would be back, Your Majesty."

"How are you sure about that?"

"Rebels are more capable of strategic planning than we were led to believe they weren't. A rat doesn't scamper back to get a slice of cheese from the trap that had him nearly crushed to death. To solve his hunger, either he meticulously gets the cheese, mindful of the trap, or it rummages the other parts of the house."

"So what are you trying to say? These rebels might target the palace?

"Rats are enemies to mostly bigger animals, and for that, they tend to refuse attacking head-on." Dae Wong clashed both of his hands while his eyes goggled with enthusiasm. "They were created with agile bodies and a huge set of front teeth to destroy things... slowly. Haven't you ever wondered about the ludicrous coincidence between the iron ore incident and the cryptic letters being sent to the Prince?"

"Those two events are no way related to each other. No one knows about Sae Yoo except for the few people you and I know. I don't understand what you were saying." Jae Joong shook his head, peering his eyes before the confident minister. As if all his hypotheses had turned into a solid, indestructible theory.

Dae Wong balled his fists, holding the urge to strike the table even once. His milk of analogy and logic overflowing. "We cannot be sure about that, Sire. When I asked you before the people who knew about the twins, you didn't expect that Jung Ho would jump into the list."