When the Black Moon Rises - Side Story 9
Side Story 9
“Well, well. We meet again. You run off as if you’ll never return, yet you keep getting caught. At this point, are you throwing yourself in on purpose? Is it comfortable in there? Are you sleeping here every night because it’s so cozy?”
‘No, that’s not it! The Left State Councillor is planning to do something terrible to you, so I came to warn you…!’
He wanted to explain the situation, but all that came out of his ungagged mouth were strangled monosyllables.
“Mmm!”
‘Please! Just search me! I admit I look suspicious! So please, just search me! The letter explaining everything is in my pocket! I was just trying to throw it into your courtyard last night!’
He shouted desperately.
But the result was the same.
“Mmm!”
Watching him, the Minister of Rites’ daughter delivered her merciless judgment.
“What kind of charade are you playing this time? I’ll follow your advice and call the officials, so don’t bother wasting your energy.”
‘No! Not the officials!’
“Mmmmph!!!”
‘Please! Please just look inside my pocket! Please!’
“Mmmppphhh!!!”
‘Please!’
“Mmmph!!!”
Alas, he was dragged off to the Ministry of Justice without any dramatic reversal.
Still, he clung to a sliver of hope.
Even if he was taken there, he wouldn't run into his father.
His appearance had changed significantly since he left the palace. And although he didn’t know how long this strange condition would last, it surely wouldn't be permanent. So he would escape once he regained control of his body.
His plan would have worked if Seong Ik-gwon, curious about the rumor of a prisoner who was inexplicably paralyzed, hadn’t come to see for himself.
Or if it hadn’t been reported that he had trespassed on the Minister of Rites’ residence.
But Seong Ik-gwon was concerned about the Minister's daughter.
So he had come to see the trespasser for himself.
And unfortunately, he recognized his son at a glance.
“…Wait. Head Eunuch Hong. Is that… is that Prince Yeong over there? Am I seeing things? It can’t be… but no matter how many times I look, it looks like Prince Yeong…”
“…Your Majesty… my eyes must be deceiving me as well… because no matter how I look, he seems… Oh dear me! Prince Yeong! Isn't that Prince Yeong?! Why are you here, looking like this?! Guards! Quickly release him!”
“Pardon?! Prince Yeong, sir?!”
“Oh my! Prince Yeong? Prince Yeong is here?!”
“You insolent fools! How dare you treat Prince Yeong like this! Prince Yeong! I’ll save you, Your Highness!”
Head Eunuch Hong yelled, shouting Prince Yeong’s name for all to hear.
The flustered officials echoed his cries, unsure what to do.
Prince Yeong, unable to believe what was happening, squeezed his eyes shut.
But his humiliation didn’t end there.
The paralysis affecting his body and voice didn’t disappear.
He had figured out the cause of this situation, but he couldn’t communicate it to anyone.
He desperately gestured towards his pocket, but no one understood what he meant.
So the bewildered royal physician repeatedly checked his pulse, picked up and put down his acupuncture needles, and then picked them up again.
“Mmm!”
The royal physician's face turned pale with confusion.
His pulse was perfectly normal. More than normal; it was so strong it seemed like he could live to be a hundred.
‘Then why is he lying here like this?’
Unable to admit that he had no idea what was wrong, the royal physician’s lips trembled.
But he had been summoned, so he had to do something.
Having no other choice, he decided to start by applying acupuncture needles to safe pressure points.
“I-it seems to be paralysis, so I will apply acupuncture.”
Prince Yeong’s face brightened at those words.
To apply acupuncture, his clothes would have to be removed, which meant the wooden box in his pocket would be separated from him.
But the royal physician, unable to handle his stiff body carelessly, first applied needles to his hands, feet, and head. Long needles were stuck all over his body.
‘No! That’s not it!’
“Mmm!!!”
The royal physician's face turned even paler. To him, it just looked like Prince Yeong was suddenly convulsing.
Feeling like he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t, the royal physician made a life-or-death decision.
“I will apply needles to his body as well.”
“Mmm!”
‘That’s it!’
And Prince Yeong’s guess was correct. The moment his clothes and belongings were removed and placed aside by the court attendants, the paralysis was lifted. Prince Yeong, with needles sticking out all over his body, abruptly sat up.
“Oh my!”
Gesturing for the startled royal physician, who had fallen back in surprise, to leave, he knelt before his father.
“Father.”
“Wh-what? Are you alright? How did the paralysis suddenly disappear? Were you faking it? Trying to avoid the officials?”
“What are you talking about? Such a thing would be unthinkable.”
However, even to him, his body felt a little… no, extremely strange.
The royal physician had hurriedly removed the needles before leaving, but his body was overflowing with vitality, far beyond what acupuncture could explain.
He felt light, as if reborn, invigorated, as if he could do anything.
Every fiber of his being felt revitalized, as if time had reversed itself.
‘…So this is why the Left State Councillor is collecting them.’
Realization dawned, but that wasn't important right now.
First, he had to clear his name and prove he wasn’t a trespasser.
“I’m not a trespasser. Please look at this. I was just trying to inform that young lady about a plan I learned of.”
Prince Yeong unfolded the letter he had brought and presented it to his father. He then pointed to the wooden box placed nearby.
And he explained everything he had learned about the Left State Councillor’s plan.
Although there was no touching moment of reunion, it was perhaps a blessing in disguise, as it prevented awkward small talk.
However, his father seemed to feel differently.
Midway through his explanation, Prince Yeong realized his father was simply staring at him without a word. Feeling awkward, he concluded his story rather abruptly.
“…That’s what happened.”
“The Left State Councillor’s plan is one thing, but you managed to survive that drought? It was incredibly dangerous outside the capital.”
“I was also worried about Your Majesty’s well-being, and whether your health had suffered, so I was on my way back.”
“You ran away, saying you would never set foot in the palace again, and now you’re concerned about my health?”
“At the time, I was immature and foolish… but that doesn’t mean I returned with any ulterior motives. I just wanted to check on you and make sure you were safe.”
“Head Eunuch Hong mentioned that strange rumors about the Left State Councillor are now circulating, right after those baseless rumors about the Minister’s daughter died down.”
“!”
“Head Eunuch Hong suspects the Minister’s daughter is behind it. But I know her character somewhat. She seemed like the type to gather evidence and present it in court, not retaliate with rumors.”
Seong Ik-gwon tapped the table as he looked at his son, who remained silent, his gaze lowered.
He had been wondering who was behind all this, and then this rascal appeared.
Seong Ik-gwon carefully examined his son’s face, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, and then spoke,
“It was you.”
“N-no, Father.”
“No?”
“…It’s not… no, it wasn’t… I mean, it was. I apologize.”
Prince Yeong hesitated for a moment and then continued,
“But I wasn't trying to hide it. As you said, Father, I did spread some rumors, but those were things that would have come to light eventually. The truth can’t be hidden forever.”
“What exactly did you spread?”
“...”
“You’ve already admitted to it, so what’s left to hide? Tell me everything.”
“Tell me now.”
“…It’s really insignificant and trivial… nothing worth Your Majesty’s attention… I just… casually spread things like, ‘Did you know that the rain ritual statues outside the capital are all broken and destroyed? I wondered who would commit such a ruthless act, and it turns out it was the Left State Councillor, who wished for the drought. He leaked the information about the upcoming drought to Minister Jung, making him prepare in advance, and then spread the news of Minister Jung’s preparations, using him and his daughter as scapegoats. And which merchant was the first to raise prices when grain became scarce? It was Hwangseo Trading Company. Is there anyone who doesn't know that the Left State Councillor is backing them? Thanks to that devastating drought, the Left State Councillor’s storehouses are filled with gold instead of rice. Hundreds of spirits, sacrificed and kidnapped as offerings to bring about the drought, are shedding tears of blood everywhere.’ It was really just a small thing, Father, nothing to worry about.”
“What? The rain ritual statues outside the capital are all destroyed? And Hwangseo Trading Company was the first to raise prices? That's strange. As far as I know…”
“What? I don't know anything about that.”
“…What?”
“How would I know? I was staying in a remote village down south at the time. But who would remember the beginning of those hellish days now? In times like those, whoever spins the tale first wins, haha.”
“...”
“‘Even if the mountains and rivers died in that hellish drought, could that heat be more terrifying than the Left State Councillor’s wrath? Even if the deep Hyeryu River dried up, could it be deeper and wider than the Left State Councillor’s benevolence?’”
“What’s that?”
“Those are the lamentations of those who died at the hands of the Left State Councillor. The victims number in the dozens, and the number of those affected, based on my investigation, is in the hundreds. And that’s just the direct victims; if you include their families, it’s countless. So please don’t blame me too much. It would have been better to report it honestly from the beginning and let Your Majesty handle it fairly, but I didn't want to burden you with more worries, so I tried to handle it quietly.”
“And?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think you could topple the Left State Councillor with just those rumors? What else did you do? What other stories did you spread? Be honest.”
“There’s really nothing else, Father.”
“There must be something else. Tell me the truth.”
Hesitantly, Prince Yeong spoke, glancing at Seong Ik-gwon,
“It’s really trivial and insignificant… not really worth your time…”
“I’m about to die from anticipation. Just tell me!”
“The Left State Councillor is so cunning that even if we obtain evidence, it only leads to his subordinates, never to him. So…”
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