8 Remembering the past

Inside the palace, each prince was given his own palace and in the most secluded part was black palace, this whole building was made of black marble, giving it a dark majestic look. Not many guards patrolled the area because there was a rumour circulating that many royal guards went missing and prince Lee Jong Hyun fell from the stairs because of this ghostly omen. No one followed the prince to the roof and before anyone can react the prince fell down and his lower limb paralysed from the trauma.

There was another rumour that the young prince went mad in grief and when his mother went to meet him, he killed her. Senior Princess Lee So Ru was closest to previous emperor and after Lee Jong Hyun met with the accident, he refused to meet anyone and in his anger he burnt down the palace where both Kings concubine Park Ji Woo and his mother Lee So Ru perished.

King ordered for the prince to be kept captive in seclusion. So, no one dared to go inside in the fear that prince would do something.

Inside the main chamber, a man sat on the chair, his hairs unbridled flowing with the wind, he was not wearing any overcoat, his bare chest glistening in moonlight and white Baji [1] made his lower wear.

A shadow flee over " your highness, your loyal servant Jong Joon, brings the news, our secret army is prepared we secretly extracted saltpeter and iron ore from border of kingdom of Kija, your knowledge was correct. Men we sent are back from West about the knowledge of gun powder that you asked for. While sword, spear and arrows are already prepared.For the gun, our men are not experienced much about it and still in the process of learning. In manufacturing guns and learning proper use we need nearly 4 years for them to be prepared and I have some other news. It is said previous general Choi's daughter is sold in brothel yesterday and crown prince had a tiff with Prime minister Go's son over it and he even lost some gold for it. I heard in the inner palace that King was disgruntled with Prime minister Go and called him in his study".

Jong Hyun laughed " it is said when their is many forms of food in jungles Apes attack everything that they can that was what the king did and when other enemies dies, they come to a point where they become Cannibals.

This is happening to our king Lee So Jun, when general Choi, my father and I was for competition they worked too well to destroy us and now when my father and General Choi was killed and I am just a mere cripple living in secluded black palace, they will soon be at each other's throat. Prime minister Go has very high aspirations and no doubt he will soon try to dethrone the king. But the king is the shrewd person I heard he is visiting the empress again and not his favourite concubine Kim Sang Min. This shows he is protective against Prime minister Go".

Jong Hyun looked at Jong Joon " But I respected General Choi's bravery in the war and he was close ally to my father. So, keep an eye on his daughter don't let her suffer more than she is already suffering. Now go, I need to relax some more because soon I have to work hard".

Like shadow Jong Joon disappeared, Jong Hyun looked at his reflection at the old broken wheel chair that he was sitting on and slowly he stood up. No one except three people knew that he could walk.

Smirking he thought " how long has it been, nearly 14 years I guess, since I had my rebirth in this palace. In his previous life he was too trustworthy of his dearest uncle who took no time in sending him to doom".