Chapter 13 The Queen makes a move

Junho finished his registration proceedings and walked down again with his entourage behind him. He halted in front of Taeyang with a sleek smile on his face.

“I can't wait to see you on the survival stage tomorrow morning brother.”

Taeyang met his gaze without flinching, “I also look towards seeing you there and I genuinely hope you can make it to the finals too.”

Junho chuckled. “See you.”

He turned away and walked on, waving at his personal secretary, who drew close with a polite bow.

Junho tugged him closer and whispered into his ear. “Prepare a nice gift for my brother.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The guard bowed deeper and turned away, rushing ahead.

Junho smiled secretly to himself and led his entourage out of the registration arena. In no time, Taeyang followed suit with Baekho, Soohyun and Yohan following closely behind.

They walked into an empty pub by the road and clambered onto an empty seat, dropping their sheared blades with a clang by the table.

“I don't think Junho is just going to lie low.” Soohyun pointed out thoughtfully.

Taeyang agreed with a slight jolt of his head. “He definitely wouldn't, the problem is what would he do.”

“Exactly, we need to find that out.” Baekho asserted.

Taeyang stared thoughtfully at the empty table before standing up suddenly, dragging everyone's attention to himself.

“What is it?” Yohan asked

“I think I know what we'll do.” Taeyang said decisively, his jaw set tightly in place.

“What?” Soohyun arched an eyebrow.

Taeyang locked eyes with Yohan. “Do you think you can shadow that guard he sent out?”

“Sure, why?”

“I just need you to watch him, if Junho would do anything rash, his personal guard would be the one to handle the dirty job. Shadow him completely and get back to me.”

“Alright.” Yohan said standing up. “I should get going with it then.”

“Good.” Taeyang nodded, then turned his attention to Baekho as Yohan walked out of the pub.

“What do I do?” Yohan prompted before Taeyang could actually say anything.

“Monitor Junho.”

Baekho’s face paled. “That's treason, Taeyang.”

“It's the best we can do now, are you doing it or not?”

Baekho looked like he was going to shake his head and reject the plan but after an intense stare from his two friends. He nodded and pushed back his seat, with a gurgling sound of disapproval in his throat, he hurried out of the pub. Leaving Taeyang and Soohyun behind.

“What is your plan, Taeyang?” Soohyun asked when everyone had finally left.

“I do not have a plan.” Taeyang finally confessed, slumping down into the chair. Soohyun studied him for one disbelieving second. “So what was all this about?”

“I just want to know what it's going on in time, so I know how to tackle it.”

“How much longer do you think we can hold out, before we finally put Junho in his place?”

“I don't know, Junho has consolidated power, he has the Queen and half of the court officials backing him. I don't think I am strong enough to go against him.”

“You have The Emperor !” Soohyun pointed out.

Taeyang laughed bitterly. “The Emperor who fucking kicked me out, okay?”

“He had goddamned responsibility and we were even at fault!”

“But if it was Junho who had burned down that workshop in my place, he wouldn't have been treated this way.”

Taeyang locked eyes with his friend for a few more minutes longer before Soohyun finally broke the silence.

“You can't keep, keeping up this way. Taeyang. We need to fight back, we need to get back on our feet—”

“Hello Gentlemen,” A stranger's voice interrupted their discussion, their faces thinned with confusion for a split second before they both turned their attention on the new comer.

The new comer curtseyed to Taeyang honorarially.

“What is this about?” Taeyang questioned, recognizing the new comer as a Pallace Eunuch.

“The King has giving new orders, Your Highness.” The Eunuch said, holding out a sealed letter with both hands from the inside, out.

“The King?” Soohyun queried, his face flushed with surprise.

The Eunuch nodded still holding out the letter.

With shaky hands and a trembling heart, Taeyang reached for the folded parchment, he undid the silky knot woven into the bind and unrolled the parchment.

The words blinked back at him in bold black letters:

From Emperor Sunjong II, of Goryeo.

This letter is addressed to first Prince Taeyang of the Sunjong Dynasty

After careful examination, I have established a new decree, temporary lifting the former, you may now return to the palace.

Taeyang closed the letter with a heaving heart, Soohyun glanced at him. “What did he say, Taeyang.”

Taeyang couldn't find any words, he pushed the letter to Soohyun, who read and looked up with the same perplexed expression a minute later.

He looked between Taeyang and the Eunuch, with a question hanging at the tip of his tongue.

“What are we going to do, Taeyang.”

The Eunuch didn't even wait for Taeyang to respond before speaking up. “The Emperor has ordered that we escort you to the palace immediately, the guards are waiting outside, Your Highness.”

Taeyang's eyes narrowed. “Why am I suddenly been summoned to the palace?”

“The Emperor didn't say.” The Eunuch answered with another perfunctory bow.

Taeyang sat there indecisive for awhile before pushing back his chair and standing up. “Okay, let's go.”

“What?”

“Let's go.” Taeyang repeated again to Soohyun, who was still looking at him with his mouth half open.

“Ugh-okay.” Soohyun said scrambling up again.

The Eunuch led them outside, were three guards were waiting patiently, sword in hand.

The Journey back to the palace was a short trip, since they were already close to the Martial Arts Registration Arena. Taeyang was first taken to his room, which suddenly looked strange and unfamiliar.

“Do I need to meet with the Emperor?” He finally asked the Eunuch.

The man bowed. “No, you don't need to.”

—

“Your Majesty, Prince Taeyang has been escorted back to the palace.” An Eunuch said, bowing deeply to the Queen.

The Queens make-up brush froze in mid air, and her smile in the mirror turned into a frown.

“When did this happen?” She finally asked, dropping the brush back on the desk top and standing up from her seat.

The Eunuch straightened up. “He was just escorted back, I think he's currently in his chambers.”

“Tsk! That fool.” The Queen clicked her tongue. “He finally got back to the palace.”

“Do you think we need to do something?” The Eunuch pressed on.

The Queen frowned, pulling her lips together tightly. “Assemble the Elders, I think we need to straighten out somethings. The Emperor has been making some moves that has gone too unchecked lately.”

“When do I notify them?”

“Immediately, tell them to meet in my chambers in five minutes.”

“Okay, Your Majesty.” The Eunuch bowed and turned away. A minute later, the sliding doors closed behind him leaving the Queen standing alone in the centre of the room, scowling

to herself and thinking about the best schemes to bring down the useless Prince.

“That bastard can't replace my son, I must get rid of him.”