Chapter 53

They tied his forearms with a red rope quickly. Appreciating his calm attitude, one of them said in a low voice, “You’re under arrest on charges of plotting treason.”

Ruhae’s pupil contracted at that nonsensical charge.

Treason? How could I commit treason?

His face seemed to harden for a moment, and he said, “Eunuch Jang!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” said the eunuch, ramming his head on the floor again.

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He was shedding tears, lamenting the grave situation.

“Don’t worry! Let me come back quickly.”

“What did you do to deserve this, Your Majesty? How shocking it is…”

“That’s why I’m telling you now. I’ll be back shortly.”

He smiled at the eunuch with composure, and the imperial army soldiers were overwhelmed by his majestic aura. They were initially rough with him, but now they began to relent.

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“Let us escort you then.”

Two soldiers stood on either side of him and took him by his arms. The eunuch crawled after him, but he nodded, smiling at him while he was led away. He proudly walked out of the South Palace. The sun hadn’t risen yet and he looked into the lightening sky quietly.

Treason?

Though he tried to stay calm to soothe the embarrassed eunuch, Ruhae was troubled

Let me check out what’s going on now. I’ve never committed treason.

He tried to calm down while he was walking nervously. He couldn’t help but pay attention to the soldiers’ vigilant glance. He was heading for the Central Palace while trying to compose himself.

***

Trials were held and suspects were interrogated in the Central Palace. When they arrived, the imperial soldiers made him kneel down on the ground. Dust dirtied his silk robe as he clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

I’m honorable and innocent.

However, he didn’t know what kind of situation he was facing. Even if they charged him with treason, he was not worried. He raised his head calmly toward the upper seat in the center.

‘If I’m charged with treason, the Emperor will interrogate me in person.

He thought that Emperor Ohyulje would question him, so he tried to maintain a calm expression to give him the impression that he was honorable. The moment he confirmed the person sitting on that chair, however, he was startled to find Bipaan was seated there.

“I just feel it so regrettable that I am seeing my brother here,” said Bipaan in a slow and cold voice.

“That’s why I ‘m telling you now. I’ll be back shortly.”

He smiled at the eunuch with composure, and the imperial army soldiers were overwhelmed by his majestic aura. They initially roughed up on him, but now they began to relent.

“Let us escort you then.”

Two soldiers stood on his sides and took his upper arms.

The eunuch followed by crawling after him, but he nodded, smiling at him while he was being led away.

He proudly walked out of the South Palace. It was even before the sun rose in the sky. He looked at the beaming sunlight quietly.

‘Treason?’

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Though he tried to stay calm to soothe the embarrassed eunuch, Ruhae was troubled a lot deep down. But he had to act honorably in a situation like this.

‘Let me check out what’s going on now. I’ve never committed any treason.”

He tried to calm down while he was moving his steps nervously. He couldn’t help but pay attention to the soldiers’ vigilant glance. He was heading for the Central Palace while trying to compose himself.

***

There was held a trial to question and convict criminal suspects in the Central Palace. Ruhae was arrested by a group of imperial soldiers and taken to the interrogation place. They made him kneel down on the ground. His silk robe got instantly dirty with a cloud of dust. He clenched his molars and strained his eyes.

‘I’m honorable and innocent.’

However, he didn’t know what kind of situation he was faced with. Even if they charged him with treason, he was not worried at all. He raised his head calmly toward the upper seat in the center.

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‘If I’m charged with treason, the Emperor will interrograte me in person.’

He thought that Emperor Ohyulje would question him, so he tried to maintain a calm expression on his face to give him the impression that he was honorable. The moment he confirmed the person sitting on that chair, however, he was startled to find Bipaan was seated there.

“I just feel it so regrettable that I am seeing my brother here,” said Bipaan in a slow and cold voice.

Ruhae clenched his jaw and said, “Your Majesty Crown Prince!”

Ruhae didn’t lower his head nor his gaze. While looking at Bipaan squarely, Ruhae called him rather vaguely.

“I’m going to proceed with this trial by myself. As you who manage state political affairs and justice are charged with treason, let me interrogate you in person on the Emperor’s order.”

They set up flags on the stereobates of the Imperial Palace Army Headquarters. And there were several chairs arranged at the presiding table. Bipaan was seated in the highest seat in the center. Behind him was the secretary; the top civilian and justice officials were on the left and right along with the commander of the imperial army.

The scorching heat of the summer tormented Ruhae. The atmosphere of the Imperial Army Headquarters was heavy and quiet just like that of the East Palace.

Without knowing why and how he was charged with treason, Ruhae endured the blazing sun. The topknot on his head was hot to the touch, and he felt the heat on his back and neck. He felt so thirsty.

“Prince Ruhae!” Bipaan opened his mouth finally. Raising his head, Ruhae looked at Bipaan.

“Why have you been brought here?”

Bipaan questioned him in a calm voice. With his eyes half-closed, Bipaan, looked down at Ruhae from the high chair decorated with colorful ornaments. With one of his arms resting on the armrest, Bipaan touched his lips.

Ruhae clenched his jaw, “I don’t know.”

“You are saying you don’t know,” Bipaan repeated his reply. He corrected his posture and spoke coldly. “Were you asked to serve as the teacher of Princess Heyjin’s prenatal education?”

“Yes.”

While answering Bipaan’s question, Ruhae was confused about why Bipaan brought up the topic of the North Palace affairs. Ruhae wanted to answer simply and truthfully as best as he could, and he wanted to quickly find out what’s going on at the moment and deal with it duly.

“You are in charge of education and cultural affairs, in addition to justice matters. In such a situation, how could you be so greedy as to give Princess Heyjin prenatal education?”

Greedy? That word definitely reflected Bipaan’s judgment. Like he said, Ruhae managed education, cultural as well as justice matters. He basically handled affairs involving criminal cases. Bipaan realized that the teacher of the princess at the North Palace was closely related to the current interrogation.

Did something ominous happen to the North Palace?

His heart was pounding. His sudden arrest was not a problem. Though he was surprised by Bipaan’s interrogation, he didn’t regard it as unusual.

When Ruhae sensed finally that something bad had happened at the North Palace, his face suddenly grew dark. He favored Binsung and his family.

“Why can’t you reply to my question, Prince Ruhae?”

Ooops! He failed to reply timely because of some gloomy foreboding. This kind of response was not favorable to Ruhae.

“Did something bad happen at the North Palace? Are Prince Binsung’s family okay?”

If something serious really happened in the North Palace, that was not good for Ruhae, but he needed to confirm first whether Binsung’s family was alright. Without that he couldn’t calm down.

Bipaan was still looking down at him sharply. Staring at his tight lips, Ruhae bit the thin skin of his lips.

“Just answer my questions!”

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“What happened to Prince…” Ruhae stopped himself. His current attitude was not favorable to him. “I took on that job at Prince Binsung’s request.”

“Did he make the request to you in person?”

“Yes, he did. He came to me first and asked.”

“Why?”

Bipaan’s voice was plain. As if he prepared lots of questions, Bipaan kept asking as soon as Ruhae replied. Controlling his uneasiness, Ruhae replied calmly without showing any impatience.

“I can’t figure out why Prince Binsung made that request to me, but I think he wanted to leave his wife’s’ prenatal education with me as he loved the baby on the way.”

“If he cared about that baby on the way so much, why did he choose you instead of another person?”

“Prince Binsung said he expected me to become a good teacher, praising my learning and literary talent.”

“There are many talented scholars in the palace. Why do you think he singled you out as the teacher?”

“I think he felt I was the one he felt most comfortable to ask because he and I are on very close terms.”