Chapter 95

--- 27th of June 1897 ---

Kang Min-ho's resolve hardened. He knew he had to act swiftly. "Heungseon, run!" he shouted, lunging at the nearest attacker with a makeshift weapon he had grabbed—a candlestick. The element of surprise worked momentarily, allowing Heungseon Daewongun to make a break for the door despite his age.

The man with piercing eyes and a swift, fluid movement, intercepted Kang Min-ho. His agility was unmatched, and he easily disarmed him, knocking him to the ground with a swift kick. A smile of malice and mockery can then be seen appearing on his face while forcing Kang Min-ho to stand.

Heungseon Daewongun, despite his age, moved with surprising speed towards the door. However, the leader of the group anticipated this and blocked his path. "You can't escape your fate, Daewongun," he said, pointing his kampilan towards Heungseon Daewongun.

Cornered and unable to find anywhere else to go, Heungseon Daewongun can only think of saving his most trusted courtier in exchange of his own life. This is what Heungseon Daewongun is thinking, not because he is benevolent but is because of him feeling a sense of guilt for the things he has done since the start.

This is the reason why Heungseon Daewongun refuses to enter the court and advice his own grandson once again. After the continuous victory of his son; King Gojong, and the Butuanon forces in the peninsula, Heungseon Daewongun decided to distance himself from the court as guilt and fear started to creep on him. Not to mention that the dreams his own wife have consistently been receiving have hunted Heungseon Daewongun for days prior to his seclusion.

It was a huge damaging tool for Heungseon Daewongun's mental health. Those sleepless nights and paranoia of having to be weary of sudden attack have made Heungseon Daewongun into a much older individual in appearance. The once mighty and prideful Heungseon Daewongun were now reduced to a mere old man of fragility and ashes.

"I have an offer to make," Heungseon Daewongun stated calmly towards the leader of the group.

"Ha?! Hahahaha!" The lean man with sharp features mockingly laughs, "A dead man has nothing to offer towards the livi-"

The leader of the group raises his hand to signal the lean man to stop, "Very well then, what is it that you can offer us?"

Seeing that his offer has been accepted, Heungseon Daewongun could not help it but smile inwardly. With hope that a reinforcement might arrived in no time, he will not just be able to survive this but can also bring his trusted aid into survival. As much as he accepted his faith, a small glimpse of hope started to take root on Heungseon Daewongun's heart after seeing the loyalty of Kang Min-ho.

What Heungseon Daewongun just needed to extend the negotiation to ensure that the guards would have enough time to arrive. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and spoke with measured confidence. "My life, in exchange, just let Kang Min-ho leave this place safely."

"Pfff! HAHAHAHAHA!" The lean one burst-out in laughter of ridicule and mockery as he tries to understand as to where does Heungseon Daewongun get his confidence to negotiate such deal.

Heungseon Daewongun on the other hand, along with Kang Min-ho were confused as to why the lean man started to laugh in mockery which the man with the piercing gaze reciprocated while the leader of the group just shakes his head in disappointment.

The leader smirked, eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and contempt. "You misunderstand the situation. We do not negotiate with the desperate," the leader then tilted his head and directed his attention to Kang Min-ho, "Am I right, Min-ho?"

With a devilish smile appearing on the leader's face, confusion appears on the face of Heungseon Daewongun. The way the leader talk with his trusted aid in such closeness made Heungseon Daewongun questions if he is hearing everything correctly.

But while in deep thoughts of confusion a sudden pain along with the feeling of his own flesh tearing apart enters the mind and ears of Heungseon Daewongun. A kampilan drape with fresh blood emerges from his stomach. His clothes of white started to be tainted with the colour of his own blood.

Confusion enters the mind of Heungseon Daewongun as he made and understanding on the sudden occurrence. His eyes started to look ahead of him, seeking for answers, but instead of answers Heungseon Daewongun saw the meaningful and devilish smile on the leader's face. While a smile of mockery appears on the face of the lean man while subsequently gesturing Heungseon Daewongun to turn around and have a look.

As the kampilan further pushes forward, Heungseon Daewongun tries to push the kampilan backward using his own hand; struggling to the extent of his own remaining strength. But an unbearable pain accompanied with him puking a handful of blood were experienced by Heungseon Daewongun. Wanting to know who is assaulting him, Heungseon Daewongun tries to take a look behind him.

Pain of betrayal along with anger started to appear on the eyes of Heungseon Daewongun as he takes a full glace at the person who have stab him.

"M-min-ho," Heungseon Daewongun struggles to utter, "Wh-why?" pain of betrayal visible on the eyes of Heungseon Daewongun as blood traces down to this mouth.

Kang Min-ho, the man he had trusted so deeply, met his gaze not with regret or remorse, but with a mocking smile.

"You were too blinded by your own ambitions to see the truth," Kang Min-ho sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Minister Yi Ha-je suspected your collusion with the Japanese, and I was planted to confirm it. And indeed, your plans for power have made you blind to loyalty and honor. You have betrayed our nation and collided with the enemy! You killed thousands because of your ambition and have sacrificed our people for your own good! And with that, I hated you!"

Heungseon Daewongun's mind raced. The revelation struck him harder than the blade itself. He tried to speak, to defend himself, but the words wouldn't come. Blood filled his mouth, choking him. He fell to his knees, his vision blurring.

"You were never fit to rule. This is the reason why Grand Queen Dowager Hyoyu never chooses you to be the king and instead choose King Gojong to rule Joseon. And Grand Queen Dowager Hyoyu have indeed made the right choice. You are a disgrace and a bane to the family you should have represent," Kang Min-ho continued, pulling the kampilan out and letting Heungseon Daewongun collapse to the ground. "May you never see the light in the afterlife."

As Heungseon Daewongun lay dying, he realized the full extent of his miscalculations. The power he had sought so relentlessly was slipping away, and his legacy was one of betrayal and ruin. His last thoughts were not of triumph or regret, but of the faces of those he had trusted and those he had wronged and killed, fading into darkness as his life ebbed away.

Seeing the fallen body of Heungseon Daewongun, disgust was visible on the face of Kang Min-ho. Not even a hint of pity nor guilt can be seen on him despite serving Heungseon Daewongun for 15 years. This was because of Kang Min-ho's deep hatred towards Heungseon Daewongun that not even pity nor guilt after killing him were lingering on his emotion.

The 3 assailants on the other hand were can be seen scanning the entire room to see whether there were survivors of none. With their kampilan on their respective hands, the lean man and the one with the piercing eyes can be seen stabbing the bodies left to right. Both have not even flitch while pushing and pulling the sword from the bodies on the floor.

Years of serving under the military and facing threats and rebellions, their hearts and emotions in facing their enemies have turn callous. In their eyes, veteran members of the Imperial Military of Butuan, the enemies were not even humans but are pigs wanting to create discord in their homeland.

The leader of the 3 assailants on the other hand remains beside Kang Min-ho, staring blankly at the blooded body of Heungseon Daewongun.

"Are you going to come with us?" The leader inquired blankly, not removing its sight towards the body of Heungseon Daewongun.

Shaking his head, Kang Min-ho replied, "No, I have already made my part and have avenged those whom have been wronged nor killed by this bastard since being in power." Kang Min-ho then raises his head with a gentle smile as tears started to flow out from his eyes, "It is now that I accept my fate. My journey ends here already… and I can feel it."

A gentle breeze accompanied by the strong stench of blood enters the nose thrills of the remaining alive individuals in the area. But despite the strong stench of blood, none of them reacted and have instead remains normal.

Kang Min-ho then diverted his look at the leader of the assailants and said, "You know what? The reason I hated and despised this vermin is not as simple as for those whom he has wronged nor to those whom have been killed unjustly, but because of my family…"

Without knowing it, Kang Min-ho started to share his story with the leader of the assailants. He was not scared of the possibility of reinforcements arriving, confident that after Heungseon Daewongun announced his seclusion, royal guards were not permitted on the compound, except for a handful.

Tears continuously fell from Kang Min-ho's eyes as he shared his deepest reason for killing Heungseon Daewongun. It was still fresh in Kang Min-ho's mind how his parents and siblings were killed and desecrated under Heungseon Daewongun's command. The cries from his mother and sister always haunted Kang Min-ho every night, tormenting him with deep pain and suffering.

Revenge and hatred had motivated Kang Min-ho to join the palace courtiers just to murder Heungseon Daewongun and bring justice to his family's death. And it was through Minister Yi Ha-je that everything became possible for Kang Min-ho. Recommending him to be one of the aides of Heungseon Daewongun with the mission of keeping Heungseon Daewongun under his gaze, Kang Min-ho accepted the recommendation.

During the rebellion, under the blaze of chaos inside the palace, Kang Min-ho could have taken the life of Heungseon Daewongun but was stopped by Minister Yi Ha-je himself, which almost flipped Kang Min-ho in anger. But after being reasoned with by Minister Yi Ha-je into remaining under Heungseon Daewongun's umbrella to serve as an eye and ear inside the palace, Kang Min-ho gave in.

Kang Min-ho's voice wavered as he continued, "I watched him every day, waiting for the right moment, biding my time. Every smile he gave, every command he uttered, it was like a knife to my heart, knowing what he had done to my family. I wanted nothing more than to end his life with my own hands, but Minister Yi Ha-je's plan was more calculated. He said we needed to wait for the perfect moment, a moment when Heungseon Daewongun would be most vulnerable and the fallout would be least chaotic for the kingdom."

The leader of the assailants, a cold and calculating man named Jang Sun-ho, listened intently. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, never left Kang Min-ho's face. He could see the raw pain and the burning rage in Min-ho's eyes, and for a moment, even Sun-ho, a man who had seen and caused much death, felt a pang of pity.

"And now," Kang Min-ho said, his voice low and filled with a chilling resolve, "I have already avenged my family. Hahaha! Can you believe it?! I have killed Heungseon Daewongun with my own hands! Hahaha!"

While laughing chillingly, the two assailant returns to their side and whispers to the ears of the leader as both have seen the approaching royal soldiers in the area. Hearing this, the leader taps the shoulder of Kang Min-ho whom have stopped laughing after hearing the words of the other assailants.

"You should go now, Second Lieutenant Aman. It won't be long before the palace guards arrived in this part of the palace and by that time, chaos would further ensue and will surely foal the plan that Minister Yi Ha-je has prepared." Kang Min-ho calmly stated while seating beside the corpse of Heungseon Daewongun and being drenched in blood.

With deep Butuanon accent in speaking hangul, Second Lieutenant Aman replied, "We shall be going then. May God bless you as the way he blesses the imperial family."

With a tap on Kang Min-ho's shoulder, Second Lieutenant Aman left the area along with other two companion of his. Leaving no traces of their identity except for the clue of foot prints in the area.

Alone in the compound, Kang Min-ho remains still on his position while tears of satisfaction and contentment once again rushes out from his eyes. Vivid memories to take him back to simpler times. He could almost hear his mother calling him for dinner, smell the aroma of his father's cooking, and feel the playful punches of his brother. The giggles of his little sister and the protective presence of his older brother surrounded him like a comforting blanket.

"Eomma… Abeoji… Kang Ji-ho… Kang Soo-jin… Kang Hyun-woo…" Kang Min-ho tearingly stated the names of his family members like a mantra, trying to hold on to their memories as if they were a lifeline. The warmth of their love and the security of their presence enveloped him, even in their absence.

As Kang Min-ho accepted his fate after committing a crime against the royal family, palace guards armed with guns and swords entered the bloody compound, capturing the entire scene with their eyes. Shock and disgust were written all over their faces as they saw countless dismembered bodies of palace courtiers and soldiers dead on the ground, bathing in their own blood.

But what caught the attention of the palace guards was the sole survivor of the entire massacre: Kang Min-ho. The trusted aide of Heungseon Daewongun, grandfather of King Sunjong and father to the deposed king Gojong. His presence amidst the carnage seemed both implausible and damning.

Min-ho was kneeling, his clothes soaked in blood—some his own, but mostly that of others. His eyes, red-rimmed and swollen from tears, met the horrified stares of the guards. They hesitated, weapons at the ready, unsure whether to strike him down or arrest him.

"Secure him!" barked the captain of the guard, breaking the silence. Two guards stepped forward, cautiously approaching Min-ho. They bound his wrists with rough rope, their eyes never leaving his face. Min-ho did not resist; he had neither the strength nor the will to fight anymore.

As they dragged him to his feet, the captain surveyed the grisly scene. "Search for survivors," he ordered, though the futility of the command was evident. The guards fanned out, their footsteps squelching in the blood-soaked ground.

Captain Jin-ho, the leader of the guard, stepped forward, his face a mask of barely controlled rage. "Kang Min-ho," he growled, his voice echoing through the silent courtyard. "What have you done?"

Min-ho's eyes flickered with a brief spark of recognition, but he remained silent, his lips trembling. The names of his family continued to tumble from his mouth in a barely audible whisper. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed with the seemingly broken man before them. But under the command of Captain Jin-ho, the two guards carry Kang Min-ho out from the scene.

As they exited the compound, the enormity of the situation began to sink in. The massacre had not only shaken the palace but also threatened the stability of the entire realm. Meanwhile, inside the palace, whispers of the massacre spread like wildfire, causing unrest for the royal family and ministers inside the palace. King Sunjong was unable to take rest, fearing for an assassination aimed at his to arrive.

As words travel the entire night, restlessness was what the ministers felt, fearing for their life inside the palace compound. Fearing that even the palace known to be the most secure area of the nation were already under fire. Guards were also restless guarding the entire palace nonstop. Exhaustion and fatigue cover the entire palace compound as the first rays of the sun touches the palace walls.

Without even a warning, King Gojong and Vice-Admiral Alexander of Siargao conducted a surprise attack towards the combine forces of King Sunjong and the Japanese. Caught by the sudden assault, the forces of King Gojong and Vice-Admiral Alexander of Siargao, made a huge progress as they reached the palace gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace.

With fierce resistance coming from the palace forces and the remaining Japanese in the peninsula, it took almost the forces of King Gojong and Vice-Admiral Alexander of Siargao a few hours before they fully entered the throne hall of the palace.

Reports after the siege indicated that King Sunjong was seen seated on the phoenix throne in the throne hall, unmoving and long departed. Despite the suicide of King Sunjong, an aura of arrogance and intimidation still emanated from his lifeless body as he sat on the phoenix throne.

Ministers who had conspired with King Sunjong were also present in the throne hall, prostrating and begging for mercy. But King Gojong, who had lost a father and a son in this disastrous rebellion, remained stoic and instead handed down the punishment of death by beheading to all the conspiring officials. Anger and hatred could be heard in King Gojong's voice as he handed the decree to the guilty ministers.

Vice-Admiral Alexander of Siargao decided not to intervene in King Gojong's decision. He knew that his role was to assist King Gojong in his quest to retake the throne. Even the officers of the Butuan Empire remained stoic and indignant as they watched King Gojong's soldiers enact the punishment.

At that moment, heads rolled through the halls of the throne room of Gyeongbokgung Palace one after another. Red became the color of the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace after the battle ended.

Outside the throne hall, the aftermath of the siege was equally grim. The once pristine courtyards and gardens were now littered with the bodies of fallen soldiers from both sides. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood, a stark reminder of the fierce battle that had just taken place. King Gojong, still reeling from the personal losses he had endured, walked through the palace grounds with a heavy heart. His mind was a tumult of grief and resolve, knowing that he had to restore stability to his kingdom.