The Border

I was put on house arrest for two days until my father visited me one night before I went to the border.

"The king has arrived", my maidservant shouted and I jumped up from my bed to greet him.

"Welcome father, sorry m... My.. My King", I stammered.

"Sit down Yi San", he hold my hand as we sit down.

"I know about the Kim's family greed and how they feed on our people but they are too powerful to stop with a single move. I need to gain power and some trusted subjects before I can fight them. They fund the royal bursary and every other unit, so I need you to go to the border and find the way we can do business at the border and gain wealth, get among the business people at the border, and start a company in disguise under another person", he paused

"I sent you to China at a young age to protect you when they claim you are an illegitimate son to the throne, The queen is from their family but she couldn't give birth to a son I have to protect you when they try to poison you at age 4, I called you back when you are 20years of age to claim your right on the throne but now we need to make it look like we gave in way to them and plan how to get rid of them", my father continued.

"Find a trusted ally to control the business in your place", he paused and looked around.

"Come here, he commands my guard.

"My king", he said and bowed down.

"You have always protected my son as a friend and subject, I am sorry for hitting you but I need to act like this because they have eyes around and I want them to think I do not care for the crown prince now. I know he is well trained but Protect him at the border", he said to Kang Yun.

"I will protect him with my life, my king", Kang Yun answered back.

My father gave him a new great sword with Kang inscribed on it.

"you will move tomorrow and I will give you a letter to give my old friend who will put you through in the business you will found, he will meet you in the army to give you shelter", he gave me a letter and went out immediately after holding my hands for a while.

My father couldn't sleep throughout the night, I now know little of the pain my father is going through.

The next morning I dressed up in my military clothes waiting for the next journey in front of me.

"It's time, Your Highness", My guard came in dressed up too.

"I am sorry for making you go through hell for me again, I promised you a good life, not this.

"You gave me a lowlife a good life all these years and you keep me as a friend and not a servant, I swear my alliance to you I will keep that until my last breath.

I look at him for a while and hug him and we set out to leave.

I went to the queen's quarters to say my goodbye but they lied she was sleeping, I know she always hated me. My father was called into an emergency meeting so I couldn't meet him either, I know it's the work of the Kim family but what can I do now? I have to make my father's plan work so all this can stop before I step on the throne.

We joined the army outside and began the journey

After traveling for 2days straight I sent one of my servants to tell them we needed to rest and feed our horses but they insisted that we had to make it to Pyongyang, that the governor there had provided space for us to rest for 2days.

I stop the journey and command the General of the soldier to give us one day at least to rest.

"You are no longer the crown prince here but another commander of a troop, you must obey me here", he said and looked into my eye with a wicked smile.

"I hope you will say the same to your family in Hanyang after I finish dealing with them", Kang Yun roars back at him.

"Do whatever you want to do now, we will continue our journey to Pyongyang tomorrow morning ", he finally gave in.

"I smell something going on Your Highness", Kang Yun said

"Look around the luggage and the slave luggage and all the soldiers in my command, we must not miss anything", I order him. With all my father said to me, I can't underestimate the Kim family again.

We camp separately from the rest of the troop, I had my dinner and was about to sleep when Kang Yun dragged in a slave.

"I found him talking secretly with the General so I followed him back to his tenth, He has all the military secrets and maps in his bag", he said hitting him on his head as he fell to the ground.

I remove my sword angrily and place it on his neck.

"Tell me why I should not kill you now, traitor? ", I said angrily.

"I won't beg for my life Your Highness but please save my family, They have them in a secret place in their home, they said if I don't set you up they will kill them", he cried out.

"Who are they", Kang Yun shouted at him.

"They will kill me if I tell", he fights back

"But we will kill you now and your family will die too, but if you tell us how we can save you and your family, as you know he is the crown prince", Kang Yun persuaded him.

"The..the..the Kim family, your Highness", he said at last.

"They are more powerful but I need to save my family, Please help me Your Highness I will tell you everything", he continues

"Sit down here and tell me everything ", I said and pointed to the chair opposite mine.

"We should kill him instantly Your Highness", can't Yun said as he drew out his sword.

"No stand down, he is helpless, let's help him out", I command him.

"Tell me everything", I asked him calmly.

After trembling for some minutes he finally spoke.

"They asked me to place it in your room after he arrived at Pyongyang, The next day they will give a search order to search every room that the nation's military secret is stolen by traitors", he confessed.

So the Kim family is this wicked and will do anything to get rid of any disturbance.

"You will continue to speak with them, my guard will go and save your family from them", I assured him

"but... But they are the Kim family", he managed to say.

"He is the best swordsman in our nation, he will do it, we know their prison ", I assured him again.

"Go and save his family, we need to protect him to have his trust", I command Kang Yun

"But your Highness, I can't leave you alone ", he said.

"Don't worry, they won't attack me, they already have the plan to get rid of me", I convince him.

Apart from fighting, Kang Yun is smart too, he understands my word and goes immediately.

"What is your name? ", I asked the servant.

"It's Rang min, your Highness", he answered with fear.

"Return to your tenth Rang Min and don't let them know something is wrong", I command him.

"Thank you Your Highness I won't forget your kindness", I bowed and ran out.

The next day we embark on our journey.

"Where is your dog, prince", the General asked

"I sent him on an errand, don't mind us, just get us to Pyongyang successfully", I answered him.

"There are many wild animals around, prince, you should keep your best warrior around you always", he said jokingly as he rode to the front of the army.

The journey took us two days to get to Pyongyang, but Kang Yun is not yet back. I started to get worried.

I sent two soldiers to his home in Hanyang to tell him to hurry.

It was the last day of our resting, I hadn't heard from Kang Yun yet. I know something is wrong. But I don't know what it is.

The servant that was asked to betray me (Rang Min) rushed inside.

"your.. Your Highness we need to run away now ", he said with fear.

"What is wrong Rang Min", I asked as I stood up from my chair.

"I was going for my round around the houses as security when I got to the General chambers I heard him speaking with Kim Teayoung of the Kim family. That they should make sure to kill you in the forest before we get to the border, Everything they told was a lie", he said trembling.

"What, where is Kang Yun then if everything was a lie", I asked him immediately.

"They want to make him separate from you so they can attack you, I heard them saying they have got rid of him finally and the General should do his part too", he answered back.

Why didn't I see this coming? I fall into my sit back.

"They have attacked Kang Yun's house too, Your Highness.

"How did they know his house", I asked convinced

"The two soldiers you sent your Highness, we need to leave now", he answered with tears in his eyes.

I lost everything and now I am about to lose my life.

So everything was their plan all along to get rid of me and I just played into it.

"Oh Kang Yun", I wept and fell to the ground.

"I have a family in one of the towns nearby, we need to leave now Your Highness before they know anything", he shook me out of my despair.

I rushed out with the servant as we faced the forest.