Secret of the Two Kings (89 CHAPTERS - ON HOLD)

제 5 부

Dae Wong paused, his forehead wrinkled like a prune, "Unless she will give it to someone else."

Their eyes met upon intersecting at the same idea. Jae Joong exclaimed, "Right! Possibly to Jung Ho or any of his minions... Well, it won't matter anyway since I am the one who has it now. Would they even dare to do treacherous things to me?"

"Sire, we both know that they could not do that directly. However, you know what your brother is like as well. Just be very careful."

"Fine. Will do. By the way, job well done. Very clever! So, did you open this almanac?"

"Yes Sire, but I could not comprehend a single word. It is written in a strange language. I have a feeling that it is like a combination of... Göktürks and Tang handwriting, just like what you have told me."

"We need to find someone who could read this. Do you know someone?"

"No, Sire. But, uh, I have ordered two nangdos to follow Lady Jang. They should be coming to report at any moment from now."

A few minutes later, two nangdos came, requesting for audience. Their damped bright yellow headbands, with tiger head insignia, blots of dried sweat in their fitted robes and loose pants, and streaks of mud on their black, high boots made Jae Joong frown in disgust. Panting like running dogs, their sweats also dripped into the precious mink carpet.

"You had the nerve to present like that in front of our King?" frowned Dae Wong.

The two bowed their heads and apologized. The older nangdo reported, "We're sorry, Sire. We ran here as fast as we could. You need to know something."

"Speak," allowed Jae Joong.

"We followed Lady Jang. She went to Lady Min's house."

The minister jerked his fist. Eureka! A toast for the discovery of a huge puzzle piece. "I knew it!" He shrieked, "Sire, this might be it! There is a huge possibility that Lady Jang works for the Prime Minister!"

Jae Joong's eyebrows met, and he rolled his palm into a fist as he ordered the minister and the two nangdos to go to Lady Min's house. A hot, steamy smoke of anger belched out from his nostrils.

"Go."

"Sire, we will report anything suspicious, and I would make sure to get the black book back before they discovered that it was fake. I would also gather information that could be possibly useful to us."

~~•~~

Dae Wong and his two nangdos saddled their horses and left the palace, going to Lady Min's house. Her house was roughly fifteen ri away from the palace gates, in the woods. Average sized, thatched roof of hays—typical. It was a bit elevated, supported by four timbers rooted in the ground and a wooden porch surrounding the perimeter. Huge trees shielding it from possible intruders. Upon reaching the house premises, Dae Wong's group hid on the big green skyscrapers—about a few ri away from the house.

"My Lord, someone is coming. I can hear horse steps!" one of the nangdos alerted.

"Everyone, hide properly!" the minister whispered, turning around and leaning against the tall trunk. The nangdos followed, stealing quick, calculated glances towards the house.

When the stomping of the horse stopped, Dae Wong slowly turned around and took a peek. Recognizing that it was Chil Yook who just descended from the horse, the vexed minister frowned, his teeth clenching each other. "What are you up to, Chil Yook?"

As the gust of cold wind nipped Chil Yook's face, he looked around and observed the graceful swaying of the leaves and branches in the woods. He cleared his throat and finally entered the house.