15 years later
A young man was kneeling in front of a grave while holding a bouquet of lilies.
"It has been 15 years.....I was too young back then to understand what was going on!" He placed the bouquet on the grave. "But now I know....and I'm just waiting for the right time to give justice to you..........mother!"
"Jeongguk!! I knew you would be here!"
Jeongguk turned around, "Ahh...Hosung hyung!"
Hosung rubbed his back and smiled at him, "Jin hyung called for a meeting!" Hosung bowed in front of the grave and said, "The time has come!"
Jeongguk nodded at him and both of them left the graveyard.
............................................................
At Seo mansion,
"Yesterday night again another noble's house was looted!" A woman mumbled to the black cat that was sitting on the desk. "I'm sure that whoever is looting the nobles, is not one but at least three because it is not possible to loot a noble's house alone." The lady started to pace around the room while thinking hard. "One to tackle the guards, one to tackle the family members, and the other one to loot! Yes...that must be it!" She banged on the table, thinking that she finally solved it.
"But that is not the important part, Queen. The important part is, that people are crediting them for our hard work! Ugh!!!" She rubbed her temples.
"Meow~" The cat tilted her head.
"Iseul, there's a customer!" A man came in and informed.
"What kind of herb does the customer need, Wook?" Iseul asked.
"It's a woman! And she isn't here for herbs!"
"Oh! Bring her in!"
Iseul pulled a string and a curtain fell from the ceiling, dividing the dark room into two halves.
After a moment, Wook brought in a lady wearing a veil.
Iseul and the lady bowed to each other from opposite sides of the curtain.
"Please have a seat and tell me your problem!" Iseul said and took a seat at the desk.
The lady sat down and looked at Wook.
"Ahh don't mind Wook, he is here for security reasons! As you know it is illegal for women in this kingdom to run a business so..." Iseul laughed mockingly.
The woman rubbed her hands anxiously and lifted her veil and there was a visible handprint on her cheek, "M-my husband...he....." Tears rolled down her eyes.
Iseul sat straight and leaned towards the table.
The woman turned back and lifted her hair, there were visible scars on her back caused by a whip, "H-he w-wanted a son....but I've g-given b-birth to a daughter...so he p-physically assaulted m-me...he t-threatens to k-kill m-me and my d-daughter e-everyday...." The woman burst out in tears.
The cat pulled out a handkerchief from under a pile of beautifully folded expensive women's clothes. The cat went to the woman, jumped up on her lap, and released the handkerchief on her lap.
The lady looked at the cat and smiled at her even though she was in pain. She took the cat's present and wiped her tears before patting the cat on her head, "You're a smart cat!"
"Her name is Queen and she is the real owner of this herb store...the store is even named after her...' Queen's herb store'!" Iseul smiled as Queen jumped out of the woman's lap and went back to sit on Iseul's table.
The woman sniffed and giggled a bit. Iseul looked at her and smiled again, "Feeling better?"
The woman nodded and continued, "I want peace, ma'am! I can't take it anymore!" She said with fear on her face.
The cat scratched on the table, "Meoww~~"
"Hmmm...if you're going to be killed, then kill the killer before he kills you!" Iseul smiled and the woman's eyes widened.
"B-but....I-I can't...I'll get caught!" She gulped.
"We'll kill him for you...don't worry. We just need your approval...are you ok with it?"
The woman closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, "Y-yes! Ok!" She nodded, sweat forming on her forehead.
"Ok! Good! But don't look like that in your house....just forget this conversation and act natural! You and your daughter will be free tomorrow morning!" Iseul smiled and Queen placed her paw on the stamp ink pad and stamped on a piece of paper.
Iseul rolled the paper and gave it to Wook who passed it to the lady.
The lady took the scroll, "I..umm...don't know how to read."
"We know! All the ladies in the kingdom are uneducated...thanks to the great king!" Iseul laughed mockingly again and stood up.
The lady gulped as Iseul came near her, "Obviously you need to pay us for our service. So that's the agreement and it mentions how you should never open your mouth in front of others especially the men about this store...Else....." Iseul smiled at the lady and grabbed her hand. The lady's eyes widened as she flinched a bit. Iseul placed her thumb on the ink pad and stamped on the paper.
"Else....you'll be in a problem, my lady!" Iseul released her hand and bowed.
"M-my lips are sealed!" The lady gulped.
Iseul nodded and said, "Wook will escort you out!"
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Jeongguk's POV
"Hmmm..." Jin hyung hummed again while he had his hand placed on Taehyun hyung's forehead and both of their eyes were closed. He was reading Taehyun hyung's memory.
"I don't know why Taehyun always forgets all the important things!" Jimin hyung rubbed his temples.
"Thanks to Jin hyung's powers, at least we don't suffer because of it!" Yunki hyung said.
"So another man died mysteriously!" Jin hyung finally let Taehyun hyung go.
"YESS!! RIGHT!!! THAT WAS WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT!" Taehyun said finally recalling it.
"Is it again someone who used to torture women?" Namjun hyung asked.
"Yes...seems so!" Taehyun hyung nodded.
"Interestingly, whoever is doing this, is killing the men who torture the women." Hosung hyung said.
"I would like to meet this person and include him in our team!" I said and Taehyun nodded with a smirk.
"Ahh...Yunki, the money we looted yesterday, did you distribute it among the poor?" Jin hyung asked and Yunki hyung nodded.
"The people are beginning to suspect that we are a group of people who loot the nobles!" Jin hyung declared
"What are you planning to do?" Namjun hyung asked.
"We must confuse them more!" Jin hyung smirked. "We'll leave misleading hints from now onwards and confuse them!" Jin hyung added and we all agreed with a smirk.
"And also....now is the perfect time to focus on the council of ministers!" Jin hyung walked towards the wall and removed a painting, revealing our secret plan behind it.
"The rest of the nobles will be on track for a while because of fear of what happened with the others besides our unknown friend who is secretly killing those evil people out there, should be able to tackle this," Jin said.
"Are you leaving this matter to someone whom we don't even know?" Jimin hyung asked.
"Enemies' enemy is our friend! And it is clear that he and we are on the same track!" I said.
"Exactly, Jeongguk is right!" Yunki hyung approved and Jin hyung nodded.
"So....we'll now focus on the greater targets....the council of ministers!" Jin hyung pointed at the 5 circles just below the king.
"There are five of them...who are they again?" Taehyun hyung asked.
"Our father...the minister of defence, then there's the minister of education, the minister of the treasury, the minister of trade and marketing, and lastly the minister of justice!" Hosung hyung explained.
"The minister of justice....let's start with the weakest target first!" Yunki hyung proposed.
"Or we can start from our own house!" I clenched my jaw. I needed to give justice to my mother.
"We understand your feelings, Jeongguk! Even we don't want him around!" Taehyun hyung rubbed my back gently.
"But we can't do anything to him yet.....he has not given the ownership to me yet. He still holds the real power as the head of our clan!" Jin hyung sighed and the others nodded in approval.
"Let's go with the minister of justice!" Jimin said.
"Ok!" I agreed with the others.
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At Seo mansion,
"Soyoung! Please, try to understand....tomorrow the foreign suitors are coming. I did so much to bring them here in secret just for you and now you've to marry and go away from this kingdom! After I marry you off to a foreign man, I'll be at peace and can continue to fight for the women of our country. I didn't raise my voice for 15 years for your sake, Soyoung-"
"Father, if you want me to marry then I have a condition!" Soyoung dipped her long nails in a liquid and took them out after a few seconds.
"Yes...yes tell me, my daughter! I'll do anything!" Lord Seo was happy that his daughter finally accepted to get married.
Soyoung put her hands on the table to let the liquid dry, "Arrange a shooting game for the suitors. But make some changes....put the aim board at a distance of 100 meters and whoever will hit the centre, I'll marry him!" Soyoung said putting on finger cots.
"Soyoung! T-that's impossible....the aim board won't even be visible to them!"
"Ahh...I forgot to mention the main part!" Soyoung giggled. "Place mirrors in such a way that the image of the aim board is reflected on the mirrors. The suitors have to look in the mirrors and aim for the target accordingly.
"This is impossible, Soyoung!"
"Father, you said you'll do anything!" Soyoung whined.
"Ugh.....you became way too smart because I educated you!" Lord Seo rubbed his temples and left the room.
After some time Iseul came in.
"Greetings to the young lady!"
"Iseul, do my nails look killer today?" Soyoung asked her.
"Ahh...Y-yes, my lady!"
"As they should!" Soyoung winked at her. "Now I must fulfil my task!" Soyoung was about to go out but Iseul stopped her.
"Soyoung, none of the suitors will be able to hit the target!"
"Haha! I know right!" Soyoung winked again and went out of the room.
"So... she planned to get rid of the marriage?!" Iseul was dumbfounded.
.....................................................
At the palace,
"Your Majesty, we've found another great talent and beauty for your harem!" A middle-aged man bowed in front of the king, who was casually laying on his throne with Eunsang sitting just below it.
"You're such an expert in this field, minister of trade." The king smirked at him and Eunsang rolled his eyes.
"My pleasure, your Majesty!" The minister bowed.
"Let me see her!" The king ordered.
"Bring her in!" The minister ordered and some servants brought in a rolled carpet.
"What is this?" The king raised an eyebrow. Eunsang straightened up a bit to get a better look.
The servants put the roll down in front of the entrance of the hall and it started to unroll itself towards the throne's direction.
"Woah..." The king became curious and sat up. Eunsang too stood up with curiosity.
The carpet got fully unrolled and revealed a fair woman, wearing a revealing black gown. She stood up and curtsied gracefully while showing her cleavage off, "Greetings, to the most handsome man in the world." She said in her seductive voice.
The king stood up in amazement and walked down towards her. She took his hand and kissed his knuckles, "My king, please accept this poor lady for I'll never bore you!" She went on one knee and said while bowing.
"She is Yun Yeji, an amazing performer." The minister introduced.
"She is incredible and entertaining!" The king smirked looking at her. "I like this one!"
Eunsang folded his arms and rolled his eyes again.
Sian, "Eun!"
Eunsang, "Yes, my king?"
Sian, "Give her the best room in the harem!"
"Sure, my king! This way, my lady!" Eunsang smiled at the lady.
"Thank you for your great kindness, my king!" Yeji bowed again with a smile and followed Eunsang.
Eunsang was leading the way silently so Yeji decided to break the silence.
"Who are you to the king, young sir?!" She asked.
"Jang Eunsang, his advisor!" Eunsang said coldly.
"Oh my..." The lady grabbed his hands and he turned around to face her. "I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT YOU! SO YOU'RE THE FAMOUS ADVISOR...YOU'RE HANDSOME TOO!"
Eunsang pulled away his hand, "Listen, lady, first of all, you must learn the palace etiquettes, second of all, save all your charms and skills for the king alone, and third of all...." Eunsang slammed her against the wall. "Do not address him as 'my king'...only I can call him that...." He whispered looking into her eyes. "Are we clear?" He asked.
"Y-yes, sir!" She gulped.
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Next chapter on 21st May