Kim Moon-gun's heart started palpitating which made him dizzy with fear and surprisingly felt excitement as well.
Guillotine!
An inner voice exclaimed.
Then he remembered the words of his mother to be calm in times of turmoil and be at peace with whatever that is.
In an instant his heart stopped thumping and the throbbing subsided. Kim Moon-gun became calm before the King.
"May His Majesty live on forever. Relate the riddles to your servant and I will tell you the interpretation."
"These are the riddles that I, King Yeongan request of you. What is created in a moment but lasts a lifetime and also can bring the dead back to life?"
With his head still bowed, Moon-gun pondered over the answer to the King's riddle.
Time flew by.
"It is memory, Your Majesty."
There was a long pause which Moon-gun reflect on his answer, if it was was correct or not.
The King went onto the next riddle. "Who am I? I am the beginning and the end of all things. And I am devoured by everything."
"You are time, Your Majesty.
The answer simply flew from Moon-gun's lips.
King Yeongan clenched his fists in frustration.
"Now this is the final riddle. I appear without being summoned and I disappear in daylight. Who am I?".
"You are a star, Your Majesty."
There was an even longer pause.
Not knowing his fate, Moon-gun became alarmed and thoughts of what might follow frightened him.
The doors of the throne hall were thrown open, Royal guards came in and collected Kim Moon-gun.
Once outside he was blindfolded.
Where were they taking him?
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Moon-gun deliberated.
Everything felt ten times worse because he could not see anything. Or where they were taking him to.
Then suddenly he was left by himself, and he could hear doors sliding closed.
Was he in a chamber?
After a long moment surrounded by silence, Moon-gun decided to remove the blindfold and take in his surroundings.
His intuition was right.
He was in a chamber.
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Moon-gun walked slowly to the doors to peep if anyone was in the hallway.
Through the slight opening between the doors, he could see Eunuchs, Court ladies and Royal guards in the hallway.
Lady Songhwa sat in her private chambers reciting poetry, before her was the King of Joseon.
"Whenever you are not before me,
My heart asks me about you.
Asking when you will return before me."
King Yeongan smiled with a nod.
"Nothing is more gorgeous than you,
And no one is more happier than I when you are before me."
"Did you write this poem?" The King asked.
Lady Songhwa smiled as she refilled the King's cup with more wine.
King Yeongan sipped and remarked. "The poems you recite relaxes one like a lullaby."
"Your Majesty, is my love so easy for you to flatter me?"
Lady Songhwa teased the King.
"What do you wish for?"
"Your undying love is all I wish for."
The King nodded.
"I will recite another poem."
"Enough, Lady Songhwa, you have recited lots of poems this evening."
King Yeongan stood up to leave his Concubine.
They both heard pandemonium and ruckus outside.
"What is wrong?"
The King asked.
"I do not know Your Majesty," Lady Songhwa said in answer.
They both came outside followed by Eunuchs and Court ladies.
"What is all this excitement?"
The King demanded.
There was a man kneeling with a bowed head. He was weeping while surrounded by Royal guards, who had drawn their swords upon him.
Lady Songhwa fell to her knees before King Yeongan.
"Your Majesty, please show mercy and favour. Please order the Royal guards to put their swords away. It's Prince Danjong."
The King approached the dethroned Crown Prince.
"Why did you leave Gwangju and come to the Capital City? Are you seeking retribution?"
Prince Danjong only kept weeping.
King Yeongan turned to the Royal guards and commanded. "Behead Prince Danjong for breaking the law."
Lady Songhwa quickly pleaded with the King.
"Your Majesty, please show your loyal love, Prince Danjong is here to seek forgiveness and pardon for his many mistakes against the Crown."
"My dearest cousin, my King. I am fully aware of my faults, and my shortcomings. I have been thoughtless to the feelings of others. I cannot excuse my actions because they are inexcusable ."
Prince Danjong finished with more bitter weeping.
King Yeongan's anger cooled.
"Say no more, cousin," King Yeongan began with regret, "you have been pardoned for your error. Your actions were so bad that I, the King could not defend you when all the government administrators criticised you and demanded that you are demoted as Crown Prince."
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