Then came the sound of steel meeting flesh, followed by a heavy thud. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see a hand reaching out to her, a lifeline amidst the chaos. Her gaze traveled up to find Young-Sik, a reassuring smile on his face. Grabbing his hand, she sprang to her feet and enveloped him fiercely, sealing it with a passionate kiss. "I'm so sorry...I thought I was protecting you. But I only led you into the hands of..."
Young-Sik pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "We'll talk later... right now, we have this fight to finish, and there is only one way to do it, close your eyes and don't let go!" he told Jin-Ri, his expression resolute.
Sword in one hand and Jin-Ri cradled in the other, Young-Sik pressed onward to confront the Guiong envoy. The enemy soldiers, convinced that the lady would slow him down, lunged at the prince, only to be met with his weapon's swift and deadly arc, leaving them to regret their miscalculation in the afterlife.
The moment the envoy saw the advancing prince, an icy wave of fear washed over him, rendering him immobile. He bellowed to his guards in a desperate bid for survival, "Protect me! Kill the mongrel prince!" His heart raced, terror clawing at his insides.
The guards lunged, poised to clash with Young-Sik in fierce combat. However, the prince had a cunning plan; he stood his ground, steeling himself for the fight. With astonishing swiftness, he took down all four adversaries before they could even make a move. The first two fell from a swift horizontal strike, and the next two succumbed to an upward and a downward strike, respectively.
The envoy, horrified by the prince's swift dispatch of his guards, felt an overwhelming urge to flee. Yet, his fear-stricken body betrayed him, and he collapsed onto the dry soil. Turning his head, he was met with the chilling sight of a sword aimed squarely at his face. "Tell them to stop, and you will not be harmed," Jin-Ri said, her voice a chilling whisper that echoed in the stillness.
The envoy, though overwhelmed by fear, sensed a genuine warmth in Jin-Ri's voice. He urgently shouted to his men, "*Cease fighting at once! Surrender to the prince immediately! *"
The clashing of weapons suddenly ceased, and the Guiong soldiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do next. "*I said, surrender to them, drop your weapons now! *" The envoy shouted again, this time the soldiers dropped their weapons and placed their hands behind their heads, a gesture of surrender.
Min-Jae wrapped his arms around his younger brother, relieved to see him safe. "You had me anxious, little brother. I was starting to think you had lost your edge," he said with a playful smile.
"Not a chance!" Young-Sik boasted, puffing out his chest with pride. Min-Jae chuckled and affectionately tousled the prince's hair.
Just as Kwan was about to kneel before the prince, Young-Sik stopped him. "Your Highness, I ask for your forgiveness for my betrayal. If it is your wish, I will take my own life as a way to atone for my sins," he spoke humbly.
However, before Young-Sik could respond, Jin-Ri quickly smacked Kwan on his head, shocking everyone present. "Are you out of your mind? Yong doesn't care about that, nor does he blame you for what happened," she said, annoyed.
"She's right, my friend. And I'm grateful for your protection of her," Young-Sik said sincerely to Kwan, almost bringing him to tears.
"Thank the heavens, young master! I'm so relieved you are unharmed," Uncle Ra-Im said, his joy evident at Young-Sik's safety.
"Thank you, Uncle Ra-Im," he expressed his gratitude to Ra-Im. "But how could you raise an army in such a short time?"
"When the magistrate heard the Master Jang needed some men, he just sent the reserve Nyuong gum cavalry, no questions asked," Ra-Im revealed
"Same with the Haan and Gyong chiefs, the moment they heard you were in danger, they all rallied behind us, ready to save you," Jin-Ri mentioned to Young-Sik
The prince turned to face the representative leaders from Gyong, Haan, and the cavalry. He bowed to the three men and thanked them deeply. "I owe my life to all of you; my deepest gratitude is not enough to repay the kindness you have shown me today." Young-Sik humbly expressed his gratitude to the people who rescued him."
The cavalry commander initiated the conversation, stating, "Your Grandfather has significantly contributed to the development of Nyuong-gum, Your Highness. This is just a small token of our appreciation and our support for you."
The Haan representative then remarked, "We would gladly give our lives for you, Prince Young-Sik, as you once put yourself in danger to save us."
Echoing this sentiment, the Gyong representative said, "Just like them, Your Highness, we, the people of Gyong, are deeply indebted to you. Our role in your rescue pales in comparison to the kindness and support you have extended to our village."
Jin-Ri was overwhelmed with emotion upon learning of the deep admiration the people held for her beloved prince. With tears of joy in her eyes, she embraced Young-Sik tightly, resting her head on his shoulder, filled with pride and happiness at the love her prince received from the people.
"That was so beautiful!" Ra-Im exclaimed, his eyes welling up like a water balloon ready to burst, all because the prince was getting showered with love from the crowd, albeit in a hilariously over-the-top fashion. As if on cue, everyone turned to stare at him, and when he finally noticed, he raised an eyebrow and said, "What?"
"What do you plan to do with them?" Min-Jae asked his brother
"We can't leave them here, but I can't let them go back to Guiong, not yet anyway. I have to figure out something to convince the emperor not to wage war with us before I can send them back," Young-Sik explained.
"For now, let's march them back to Nyuong gum. Grandfather will know how to handle this situation diplomatically," Young-Sik suggested, to which everyone agreed
The sun was at its zenith when Har-Rin and Ban returned from the fields. "I never knew that managing the fields could be hard work. I shudder to think how the workers feel daily," She expressed her admiration for the farm workers who toil the land.
"We are used to the work Lady Ha-Rin, there is no need to worry about us, it is you who has garnered the admiration of our workers. They saw your knowledge of the fields and your eagerness to learn more, not to mention the kindness and warmth that you have shown all of us," Uncle Ban replied, also expressing admiration for Ha-Rin's determination to learn how to oversee the family business.
"I am the daughter of a poor apothecary. I understand how it feels to work all day just to have one meal on the table." Ha-Rin humbly replied, "Do you think they are alright, Uncle Ban? My husband has never been away from us for this long before," she asked with a worried voice and a concerned expression
"I am sure they are." He then looked at the sun high in the sky. "I am sure that they have already rescued young master Young-Sik by now, so no need to worry, Lady Ha-Rin."
Ha-Rin smiled at the man. She then glanced out the carriage window. "Can we drop the Lady when addressing me? I'm not used to titles when being addressed," she explained modestly
"That would be inappropriate, my Lady, after all, you deserve it considering your station," Uncle Ban explained politely. "We are home," he informed Ha-Rin
The carriage stopped in front of the gates. Uncle Ban got down first and opened the doors for Ha-Rin and helped her get down. "Go around the back and load some seeds that will be needed for planting," She instructed the driver.
Uncle Ban then opened the gates and entered the quiet Jang estate. "Master Jang will be angry if he sees the yard hasn't been swept yet. Where are those maids?" he asked, wondering why no one had cleaned the yard.
"This is most peculiar. By this time, the grounds should be filled with people." She expressed curiosity as to where the household servants could be.
Just then, they heard the happy screams of Young-Ju running towards them. "Mama, Mama! Uncle is here," she shouted happily
Ha-Rin swiftly snatched the darting young girl from the chaos, cradling her in her arms. "Your uncle has returned? So, they're back? What of your father? Why hasn't he come to meet me in the fields?"
"Oh, Papa is going to be in big trouble when he gets back," Young-Ju chimed in with an innocent giggle.
"What do you mean by when he gets back?" Panic surged through Ha-Rin as her heart pounded. "You said your uncle Young-Sik is here," she pressed, urgency creeping into her voice.
"Not Uncle Young-Sik; they're still out there," the girl replied, her innocent words ringing alarm bells for the two adults.
"Little Princess, who's in the house right now?" Uncle Ban's voice trembled, his throat tight with dread, sensing that something sinister was unfolding.
"Uncle Man-Ju is here! He brought so many friends and we've been playing all day!" the little girl chirped innocently, twirling her mother's hair between her fingers.
Ha-Rin instinctively clutched her daughter closer. "Uncle Ban, open the gates! We need to escape!" Her voice quivered, laden with the weight of impending peril.
Uncle Ban rushed to the gates, only to find them barred from the other side. He pounded on the wooden doors, desperation rising in his throat. "Open the gates! Let us out!" he bellowed.
With Young-Ju cradled in her arms, Ha-Rin sprinted toward the far side of the estate, praying the gates would still be free. But soldiers loomed, blocking her path. She darted in another direction, only to be met with more soldiers. Panic seeped into her mind, not for her safety, but for her precious daughter.
Ha-Rin's heart raced as she heard the ominous thud of heavy footsteps emerging from the house, each step echoing with menacing intent. Slowly, she turned her head, dread pooling in her stomach as she caught sight of Man-Ju looming just a few paces away, his gaze piercing through her. He was in full battle armor as if he were going to war. "Look, Mama! It's Uncle Man-Ju!" Young-Ju exclaimed, pointing at the imposing figure.
"Ah, sister-in-law, what a pleasure to meet you," he said, his voice dripping with cheerful malice. "I had hoped to find my two brothers here, but it seems their battles are far from over." The sun beat mercilessly as he continued, "Why don't you come inside? After all, you are the mistress of this estate." His invitation hung in the air, heavy with threat.
"What if I refuse?" Ha-Rin shot back, her defiance barely masking the tremor in her voice.
"Don't force me to play the villain in this tale, sister. Now, step inside, all of you, before my patience wears thin," Man-Ju warned, a sinister edge creeping into his tone.