Episode 6
“If the wish I wrote on the sky lantern comes true today, I’m going to use my next wish to ask for the Young Master to become a kind person.”
As Hwi burst into a loud laugh, Bam-tol-i (Chestnut) beamed brightly. That pure, unadorned smile strangely pierced deep into Hwi’s chest—so much so that he felt a wave of dizzying emotion.
“I suppose I must come out here next time then.”
“Really? You are coming here next time as well?”
“Yes. When we meet again, I shall tell you my name.”
“I will tell you mine then, too.”
An unplanned promise had formed. Because the time spent with this child he’d met for the first time was so pleasant, Hwi found himself looking forward to the day they would meet and call each other by name.
“Please take this.”
Ga-heun pulled something from her sleeve and held it out to Hwi.
“It is a handkerchief my mother embroidered. Since you said you wouldn’t take money for the lantern, I think my heart will be at ease only if I give you this.”
“If your mother made it, isn’t it something you treasure, like the pouch you lost?”
“She made several handkerchiefs, so there are more at home.”
Feeling it would be impolite to refuse such a heart, Hwi accepted the handkerchief. As he unfolded it, he realized it was far too fine for a child appearing poorer than a commoner to carry. She had said they were struggling, yet this indigo-dyed handkerchief was crafted with great care, featuring delicate embroidery. Moreover, the embroidery wasn’t of flowers, which women usually preferred, but of the Sagunja (The Four Gracious Plants).
“It is the Sagunja.”
“She mentioned something about a ‘gentleman’ even when wiping away a blemish, but I haven’t a clue what that means.”
It was natural for a young child not to understand the “Way of the Gentleman.” However, Hwi grew intensely curious about the mother. A mother who not only taught her daughter the script (Eonmun) but also spoke of the virtues of a gentleman was rare even in noble families. Hwi refolded the handkerchief and gripped it tightly in his hand.
“Thank you.”
“I am the one who is thankful for letting me fly the lantern. It’s late and my mother will worry, so I must go now.”
Ga-heun gave a polite bow and turned to leave. But after a few steps, she turned back with a serious face to offer a reminder.
“You must not forget your promise to meet next time.”
“Do not worry. I will not forget.”
“See? You really are a kind ‘Sky Lantern Master’.”
With a bright smile, Ga-heun turned and left without lingering. But Hwi stood frozen in place. Had there ever been a day where his heart felt this light? If not for the handkerchief in his hand, the day would have felt so joyful he might have mistaken it for a dream.
“My name is Hwi. Lee Hwi,” he muttered to himself, looking down at the cloth. “Next time, I truly wish to know your name, Bam-tol-i.”
He was already excited about what they would discuss at their next meeting. Suddenly, a dark shadow approached him without a sound. It was his bodyguard, Mu-young, who had been separated from him at a crossroads while chasing the pickpocket.
“I have recovered the stolen item.”
“Well done.”
Hwi took the red silk pouch Mu-young handed him. Opening it, he saw the jade plaque—the symbol of royalty—sitting quietly inside. The pickpocket likely had no idea what he had stolen. If he had been caught selling or possessing this, his head would have been taken on the spot. He wouldn’t have known that touching a royal’s possession carried such a gruesome price.
“It seems you saved that pickpocket from a trip to the underworld.”
“I have reported the location of the pickpocket gang’s hideout; the government troops will raid it shortly.”
Having recovered his own item, Hwi now wanted to find Bam-tol-i’s pouch. The image of the child crying over the pouch her seamstress mother had made weighed on his mind.
“Where is the hideout?”
“Why do you ask, My Lord?”
“There is something I must quietly find before the troops capture them.”
“I shall go and find it for you.”
Hwi couldn’t explain it, as he hadn’t seen the item himself.
“I will go personally. Lead the way.”
“It will cause a stir in the court if it’s discovered you were here. We must leave tonight before it’s too late.”
“Is there anyone here who would recognize my face other than my maternal grandfather? Do not waste time and lead the way.”
Knowing he couldn’t stop Hwi, Mu-young took the lead with swift movements. Hwi followed closely behind.
The hideout was a shack halfway up a mountain. The dilapidated hut was riddled with holes. Hwi and Mu-young moved silently and peered through a small gap in the back. Inside, the pickpockets were gathered, laughing as they displayed their loot. Among them, a man with a dark bruise around his eye sighed in regret.
“I really stole a valuable silk pouch, you know. But suddenly I saw stars, lost consciousness for a second, and when I woke up, it had vanished into thin air.”
“What? You lost everything you stole today?”
“N-no!” The bruised man waved his hands and quickly pulled other items from his pocket. “Look, everything else is still here. Strangely, only that one is gone. It’s very eerie.”
“The ‘Jullebul-nori’ (rope fire festival) brought in a good harvest.”
One of them collected the pouches and gathered the money in one spot.
“Ugh, what is this? I thought it was heavy with coins, but there are only a few pennies and the rest is just chestnuts (Bam-tol).”
It was a pouch made of patched scraps of fabric.
‘That’s the one.’
Hwi was relieved to easily spot Bam-tol-i’s pouch among the many.
“It is dangerous. I will go get it.” Mu-young blocked Hwi, sensing his intent to raid.
“Did you not say the troops are coming? There is no time. It will be faster if we move together.”
Hwi moved first. Mu-young threw a dagger to quickly extinguish the candle. The sudden darkness threw the pickpockets into chaos.
“W-what is it?”
“Ack! There’s no wind, why did the light go out?”
The gang stumbled around in confusion. Since they had no formal martial arts training, Hwi and Mu-young easily knocked them down. Torches flickered in the distance.
“We must hurry,” Mu-young urged.
Hwi’s eyes, adjusted to the dark, quickly found the scrap-cloth pouch. He checked the chestnuts inside and tucked it into his robe.
“Let’s go.”
As soon as they escaped, the government troops surrounded the shack. The two descended the mountain as if nothing had happened. Once on his horse, Hwi pulled the pouch out again. He could already see Bam-tol-i’s face lighting up with joy when she saw this at the next festival.
At that same hour, Grand Prince Seowon sat facing an uninvited guest. Min Chi-hyung, who had spoken of “wild horses and carrots” in the audience chamber, had paid a secret late-night visit. Without even offering a cup of tea, the Grand Prince got straight to the point.
“My mind remains unchanged. I trust the Left State Councillor will ensure my son does not become the Crown Prince.”
Min Chi-hyung was the man who had placed the current King on the throne. If he spoke, the King would change his mind. However, Min Chi-hyung seemed to have no such intention.
“The Grand Prince’s son will become the Crown Prince.”
This was something Grand Prince Seowon had never coveted. He clearly remembered the bloodbath that occurred over the throne.
“I will speak my honest heart. If my son becomes the Crown Prince, will I, let alone my wife, be able to preserve our lives?” The Grand Prince’s eyes shook with anxiety. “I saw with my own two eyes what happened when my brother ascended. My son and I are the only royals left alive.”
All others had been cut down by cold blades or returned as corpses for reasons unknown. Min Chi-hyung had installed the King by his own power and had wielded absolute authority ever since. The only thing he hadn’t achieved was a royal heir for the King. It was an unexpected obstacle and the most fatal threat to maintaining his position.
“Why do you think of only one possibility?” Min Chi-hyung continued.
“…”
“It will be fine if you, Grand Prince, ascend the throne.”
The Left State Councillor had openly spoken of treason.
“Councillor! Mind your words. That is high treason.”
“There is only one way to protect your life and that of the Princess Consort.”
“!”
“Grand Prince Seowon, you must become the King. I shall open the path for you.”
Min Chi-hyung, having put the current King on the throne, was saying he would be the one to remove him. Looking at the unwavering Min Chi-hyung, Grand Prince Seowon swallowed hard. It was the night the rebellion began.
The King passed away.
Despite the sudden death, no one was surprised. No one questioned or spoke of the cause. The late King’s brother, Grand Prince Seowon, ascended the throne. His son, Hwi, was invested as the Crown Prince. All of this happened in less than fifteen days.
Hwi now had to call his father, who wore the dragon robe of red silk embroidered with gold thread, “Abamama” (Royal Father). Had the wish he made while watching the lanterns come true? He had become a Crown Prince trapped in a palace ruled not by the King, but by Min Chi-hyung. An unknown rage began to pile up in Hwi’s heart.
“Crown Prince.”
To think that such a strange word was now used to call him.
“It feels as though you are calling someone else,” Hwi replied.
The King nodded. “It is still strange for me to call my own son the Crown Prince. Since this position is unfamiliar to both of us, let us speak candidly as father and son for a moment.”
Before Hwi could respond, the King continued. “Hwi, they say that in politics, if you gain one thing, you must give up another.”
“Then, Father, what did you gain, and what did you give up?” Hwi’s voice rang out sharply.
“I gained my life and the life of your mother.”
“!”
The throne, gained with their lives as collateral, was a cowardly one—no different from being Min Chi-hyung’s puppet.
“And what was it that you gave up?”
