Bu Bu Jing Xin - Chapter 19, Part 2
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“Congratulations Kyuhyun!”
“Excuse me?” Kyuhyun asked surprised as Shindong entered the tea quarters. “What do you want from me? Why are you being so nice?” Kyuhyun asked suspiciously.
“I would do that. I am really congratulating you!” Shindong said indignantly.
“What for? I haven’t done anything worthy of congratulations.”
“There’s a big event at the Qianqing Palace. 30 ministers petitioned the Imperial Court to nominate the Eighth Prince as the Crown Prince. His Majesty just summoned Eighth Prince and all the other princes.” Kyuhyun froze as Shindong continued. “If Eighth Prince becomes the Crown Prince, you will ride on his success and your status will be greatly elevated.”
Kyuhyun dropped the cup he was holding as he knew what would happen. He rushed towards the court followed by Shindong. He peeked around the corner into the throne room.
Kangin sat on his throne in the inner audience hall looking down at all the most important ministers and the princes.
“So many ministers and princes nominated the Eighth Prince as the candidate for Crown Prince.”
Siwon bowed and stepped out of the line, “Imperial Father I still think that the Second Prince is the best choice for Crown Prince.”
“Imperial Father, I have the same view as Fourth Brother,” Changmin seconded.
“Imperial Father, Eighth Brother is known to be kind and wise. Everyone should know that he is the best person for the job,” Yesung bowed and sought to change the line of thought. “This is also the wish of the ministers.” He firmly stated directly his argument at Changmin and Siwon.
“I see that everyone thinks that Eighth Prince should be Crown Prince,” Kangin said with a pleasant voice that seemed to have an edge hidden within it. “So it means that Second Prince is not the right choice.” The court shifted at the tone. “I must be blind and crazy to have selected the Second Prince as Crown Prince.”
“Ninth Brother didn’t mean that Imperial Father,” Sungmin bowed as he addressed his father. “Pleased be appeased Imperial Father.”
“If that was not his intention then why do I have this stack of paper?” Kangin indicated the pile of petitions that were sat on the desk in front of him; all from the various ministers and princes asking for the Eighth Prince to be nominated as Crown Prince. “Are you here for fun? Are you trying to revolt?” Kangin slammed down his fists as he let his anger show. All the courtiers fell to their knees before their Emperor’s fury.
“Please be appeased Imperial Father,” Hangeng called out. “They were worried that the Crown Prince had been vacant too long. This has caused uneasiness within the capital and may soon reach the other cities. Please down blame them.”
“If they were worried about the country and the people, what about you?” Kangin asked ferociously. “Do you desire to be Crown Prince?”
“I’m willing to back out for the selection of Crown Prince. Please down blame the rest of them.”
“No wonder you are called the ‘Virtuous Eighth Prince’. At this moment you have stood up for them. However in my opinion, you are the scheming Eighth Prince.” Kangin raged. “I hate to see you guys in collision with each other and forming cliques, disrupting the court and causing disruption.” Kangin had started to pace around the area in front of his throne. “You colluded with First Prince and made him snatch the position of Crown Prince for you!”
Kyuhyun gulped as he watched what he feared play out.
“Now you even make ministers petition and force me to make you Crown Prince.”
“I had no such intentions,” Hangeng protested.
“Eighth Brother didn’t have any such intentions!” Several of the younger princes spoke at once, Sungmin, Eunhyuk and Yesung included.
“All of you shut up!” Kangin yelled. “Eighth Prince is guilty of scheming and forming cliques which has been disturbing the peace of this court. Upon my order, remove all of his titles and lock him away for investigation.”
Sungmin looked up in concern. He got up and went to kneel before his father. “Pleased be appeased Imperial Father!” He bowed deeply. “Eighth Brother did his best for the court, I’m sure he didn’t plot against the Crown Prince and he didn’t intend to revolt. Please reinvestigate.”
“The facts are clear yet you want to deny it.” Kangin looked down at one of youngest sons.
“Eighth Brother has always done the best for our country. He is now in trouble and I want to fight for his rights,” Sungmin insisted.
“Fourteenth Brother, stop it!” Hangeng called out to his younger brother. He knew the seriousness of their father’s wrath and he didn’t want Sungmin to also be under it.
“Eighth Brother was being nice to everyone yet you accuse him of forming cliques,” Sungmin continued trying to defend his brother. “Second Brother was wrong yet you accuse Eighth Brother of framing him! These are false charges!”
“Am I slandering him?” Kangin asked in indignation.
“Imperial Father you asked for the ministers to nominate a candidate for Crown Prince. They followed your requested and chose Eighth Brother,” Sungmin continued. “However you punish Eighth Brother instead. I don’t understand and I cannot accept this.”
“Fourteenth Prince! Is this the right attitude in which to talk to me?” Kangin asked even more incensed with his son’s opposition.
“Since Imperial Father was unfair, I must speak up,” Sungmin spoke determinedly, his frame tense as he remained on his hands and knees in from of the Emperor. “I cannot stand by and watch my brother suffer injustice. On account of our brotherly affections, please reconsider!”
“Brotherly affections?!” Kangin’s eyes became fiery.
“I will bet my life.” Sungmin offered as Kyuhyun silently gasped from his point at the side entrance.
“You want to use your life to save his?” Kangin questioned as his infuriation grew. All the princes looked worriedly at their youngest sibling present. “I shall grant you your wish!” Kangin grabbed a sword hanging from the waist of one of his many guards that lined the walls.
“Imperial Father! Please be appeased!” All the princes scrambled in front of their father grabbing at the front of his gown. “Don’t do this!” They remained on their knees as they crowded him begging for him to forgive the reckless young prince.
“Please Imperial Father! Fourteenth Brother is just being rash. He didn’t intend to be rude. He was just speaking out of brotherly love!” The Fifth Prince Jaewon, who had hold on his father’s arm spoke out loudly trying to placate the Emperor.
“Imperial Father, we didn’t collude! Please Imperial Father!” Yesung begged as Eunhyuk teared up.
Kangin threw the sword to the side at seeing the fearful faces of his children. “How did I get such unfilial children?!”
“I am unfilial, please punish me,” Sungmin spoke out from the crowd of his brothers that had rushed to engulf him.
“Today I will let you brothers off.” Kangin told the court as he stalked back to his throne. “Take Fourteenth Prince away and give him 20 strokes. Eighth Prince will have his title of Bei’le removed and will be investigated. All the other princes are to return to their homes and reflect on their mistakes. If I find anyone trying to help Eighth Prince I will have them executed.”
Kyuhyun gripped the post that he was leaning on in despair as the court chanted, “We will follow your orders.”
Shindong unwrapped Kyuhyun’s fingers slowly as if scared that the other man would shatter. He guided him back to the tea quarters with a concerned face and a heavy heart.
“Shindong, I feel as if my heart has been pierced with a thousand needles,” Kyuhyun said as they entered his room. Shindong guided the younger boy over to a chair and rushed to get a cup of water.
Ryeowook rushed into the room moments after Shindong had settled him. “Gege are you alright?” The smaller took in the pale and pastry appearance.
“I need to see the Eighth Prince!” Kyuhyun got up while Ryeowook grabbed at his arm.
“You don’t look well. You should take care of yourself first. Even if you go now you will only get in trouble. It will only anger His Majesty.”
“Kyuhyun-ah, the Emperor is still angry. If you make a mistake your head will roll,” Shindong added desperately.
“I know you are worried about the Eighth Prince and your brother but you should look after yourself also,” Ryeowook pushed Kyuhyun back down to into his chair as gently as possible. “Even if you go back now you will only cause trouble.”
“Ryeowook is right,” Shindong said sitting by the forlorn looking boy’s side. “It’s not easy to leave the palace and you shouldn’t draw attention to yourself at this time.”
“I understand,” Kyuhyun answered sadly. He really did. There was nothing he could do for anyone. He was just the audience to a piece of history.
“Kyuhyun, you should just rest. We will return to the Qianqing Palace, if there is any news Ryeowook will come and tell you.”
“Thank you,” Kyuhyun murmured as he thought to himself. He vaguely heard the sound of his two friends leaving to return to their duties. He knew the result of this incident but he never knew the details. So a simple ending with only a line in a history book is such a painful process in person. What else will happen? What else do I not know the details of so will have to live through the intricacies in suspense? How did the Crown Prince get reinstated? What will happen now?
Later that night after several hours mulling in his thoughts and straining his memory for any things he had learnt about this time period to see whether he could find a clue as to what will happen, Ryeowook entered the chamber.
“What’s happening?” Kyuhyun pounced.
“Everything is quiet. The Emperor has calmed. Don’t worry though. You have always served His Majesty well and with diligence. You have always been kind and nice to everyone. The Emperor trusts and values you.” Ryeowook smiled slightly at the frantic Kyuhyun. “I’m sure this incident will not implicate you.” He started to guide Kyuhyun back towards the bench feeling that the look of his senior was still pale. “Plus, they are all the Emperor’s sons. He was just angry at that moment and so punished them. After a few days he will calm down and everything shall return to normal,” Ryeowook reassured the other.
“Ryeowook, thank you,” Kyuhyun looked up at him.
A knock at the door startled them both. When they opened it they saw a scared Minseok. Ryeowook turned and entered back into the room leaving the two in the doorway.
“I can’t stay long Second Miss,” Minseok spoke while looking around him. “A message from My Lord,” He held out an envelope, then hurrying off before he gave Kyuhyun a chance to speak or ask any questions. Kyuhyun ripped open the letter desperate for news.
“I’m safe. Don’t worry.”
No other words were on the paper yet Kyuhyun felt a weight lift from him as he clutched the letter in his hands. He reread the same words multiple times that night before he was able to drift into a fitful sleep.
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A/N: My cat decided that my hand obviously isn’t a necessity to me and attacked it. I have a giant gash on my palm and on my little finger, also all up my arm. I love my cat but it is such a brat sometimes. A cat is luckily it’s so small. Anyway it stopped me from typing well for a couple of days (just when I started up again). I feel like I have bad karma. Everything is going against me recently.