Chapter hundred and nineteen: Winter hunt

Fall season was over, and for Myung OK, it had been the most fulfilling, brilliant and successful time of her life. Albeit the empress' failing health, the concubines' normal dramas and the dowager's incessant irksome disturbances on the quest for a crown prince, the season went flawlessly.

The relationship with Daejong had gotten quite well as she could barely contain his desire to go public with her, though, they have been going 'public' as emperor and his physician and making appearances as emperor consulting his empress' physician on her ailments which dowager seemed to overlook due to her son's stoic expression betraying nothing.

Truth be told, Daejong wanted more than that, he wanted to intertwine hands with her as his woman, he wanted to openly visit her room and her his and not sneaking around like teenagers. He had invested his efforts into convincing her he would never betray her in that lifetime again. He had taken lessons from love gurus on how to woo a lover, he had even pitifully and degradingly sought advice from his chief eunuch which turned out to mirror the adage of "One shouldn't seek a comb from a monk".

As for the lady, she knew becoming his woman would speed up her journey of revenge but she wouldn't want to entangle him with her personal vendetta. Furthermore, the dowager had summoned her personally with the threat of over her dead body would she let her be Daejong's personal maid talk more of his concubine. She was making progress with her career and at the same time reinforcing her alliance with the grand dowager who approached her first and promised her support in all her endeavors.

Time would tell how it would all end, for now, it's time to sort her fiery arrows out.

It was an anticipated morning, the sun was lowest in the sky with the lowest atmospheric pressure that was incredibly chilly. Stacks of winter jackets bedecked with furs laid neatly at the foot of her bed, as she selected the most appropriate one for her hunting she arranged her little babies too; her needles, a vial containing a greenish liquid, her most prized silver dagger and some other necessities for the big hunt; a hunt that would mark her out in history or doom her in life.

Once upon a time they were all predators but for the peace of the jungle, an alpha has to be established, who that will be is still unknown. Whatever happens this day, she will remember the battle line were drawn by them.

In the afternoon of the hunt, she left the palace with the permission of Daejong who believed she went for a family reunion.

The black horse she rode was same as the one she rode with Daejong. On the path leading to the meeting house and probably battle house she climbed down and knew if they hadn't been watching her it would be from that moment onward.

Her overall winter jacket hid her feminity and delicateness, on her black hair was a furred hat complimenting both the color of her milky skin and matching the grey jacket itself. It was unavoidably cold which made her face rosy and somewhat frigid, she reached out for the pocket of the jacket and retrieved thick gloves.

As she glanced around her chilly and eerie surrounding, thick, hot and smoky breath danced out from her lips as she exhaled deeply, the tiny box she straddled on the horse was unclasped before she patted the horse away. Whatever fate that awaits her shouldn't be bore with the poor animal.

She walked to the river adjoining the location, looked around carefully then boarded the boat they kept. In a concealed annoyance, she paddled the boat . Her thoughts all centred on how they were out for her blood and how the boat would be destroyed once she crosses over.

Few minutes later , she was already on a dry road. The last lapse of her journey found her standing on the foot of the hill, as she thought on why they chose a hut on a hill, her face trembled in trepidation and a shadow laid in the depth of her eyes on her discovery.

The wind stirred the dead leaves and threw her hat away; some mysterious warning seemed to come to mind as her hairs stood up. Her white hands unconsciously clenched her box as though she must hold unto something lest she succumb to fear and flee, her pale lips naked without makeup parted and closed tightly. She wasn't a religious person but found herself murmuring a prayer but found prayer useless.

She stood like a lone soldier as she made a strange picture with her framed up furs, her face was really small and pale from cold or fear.

"It is too late to turn back now," she said to herself. "I shall see the end but the end shall not see me." The word of encouragement seemed to work magic and with a sudden start she found herself striding undaunted towards the house with confidence surging all over her body.

Slowly, and as one about to perform a painful duty, she opened the door suspiciously and guardedly looked in. The room was in ruins as it's curtains laid tattered and dirty, the wooden floor laid in decay and wreck , an elaborate chimney which was almost destroyed burned with fire, an oil lamp stood on the centre of the rustic table, yet, neither drove away the look of desolation nor overshadowed the decay.

Carefully, she laid her box down on the table and examined the rustic chairs, she touched and searched the walls for any hidden mechanism, and went to peep through the window hole. After ascertaining that the coast was clear, she sat down in such a way the door would remain in her view.

Setting down the box, she removed the contents; sets of tea cup, teapot, a small kettle which had water in it, an incense burner and it's stick. She lit the incense unhurriedly like one enjoying the serenity of her house and placed the kettle near the chimney to warm it up.

By the time they arrived like pack of wolves, her tea was made and incense smell filled up the room.

"If I had a lost of memory, woman, I would have thought you are in your house," a gruff and unfriendly voice broke the silence, they filed into the room with unsheathed swords.

Myung OK ignored the provocation and counted to ten in her mind to calm her mind, soon, she heard them cough which prompted her glancing over to them for the first time since their arrival. Each and everyone one of them coughed except Jae joon who had a sheathed sword.

"I don't deny that I'm a woman, but that's not how you should address your master, " her sweet musical voice sounded lazy and annoyingly indolent.

The gruff voice spoke in a wheezing tone as he turned to watch his counterparts suppressing a cough except Jae Joo, he didn't think much of the situation as he barked at Myung OK.

"Kneel you wretched woman!"

Myung OK smiled at him, a smile that unsettled his balance. He turned swiftly as he heard the sound of fallen sword, a comrade dared fall asleep in the midst of an event?

Jae joon noticed something was wrong too, he watched Myung OK's relaxed expression and his mates' strange behavior. What are you up to, he asked with his eyes which earned him a sincere smile.

The gruff voice was the oldest ajusshi who was the leader of the charade, he found his bones getting jelly, his strength sapping out and his legs giving away under him and wickedly looked at Myung OK who was adding more incense to the burner.

So it was the incense?

He picked up the incense burner with his last strength and flung it outside the door. Myung OK's face paled and he laughed out loud.

"Give us the antidote wicked wench, the poison has been removed!" but she ignored him and sipped on the tea. He observed suddenly that she has been sipping from the cup ever since their arrival, he who seemed to have high level of tolerance reached out for the cup but succumbed under his own weight and spurt out blood, he turned to find others losing their colors, even Jae joon seemed to be losing his coloration.

Jae joon didn't understand Myung OK's dangerous game but he won't let them die, he moved so suddenly before he could be stopped and grabbed the tea pot. Feeding each person a cup he expected them to get better but they seemed to be in perpetual pain.

"Fool!" he heard her say under gritted teeth. "What have you done to yourself?" she said to him and almost immediately, he felt pain too, his chest burned and blood trickled from his mouth.

"The poison wasn't in the incense?" he asked .

"Yes, and what do you think a plain fragrant tea would do?"

Her chest heaved up and down but she wasn't deterred from her mission. If she can't lead them, then she would rule over them with iron fist.

"Young lady, let's talk," the ajusshi pleaded and turned over to look at her.

"Talk!" was her monotonous response.

"We're sorry so can you please give us the antidote now, let's end this battle here."

"End? I was just about to begin!"

Her voice was calm but authoritative, low but heavy at heart. She fell in a deep reverie and recalled the day they pledged allegiance to her, the documents that were signed and the seal placed on them. Though their intention wasn't clear, she didn't expect they would try to kill her in the future.

"Master!" they proclaimed painfully. "We would abide by your conditions, rules and regulations. If you tell us to crawl, we will. If you command us to die, we'll fall on our swords and die but please, allow us to serve you and die as heroes!"

She smiled nonchalantly. There is something about swordsmen, even if they are categorized as assassins, they would never allow themselves die a degrading death. Better to die by sword or arrow than poison or most degradingly by a woman they looked down upon.

"Will you die if I command you to?"

"Yes Master!" they chorused.

"Then die by my poison!" was her wicked reply.

Jae joon ran out and returned with the incense.

"No!" she screamed as she got up impulsively to throw it out, but it was too late for her, both of them already inhaled the incense.