The sun's halo of light shone in the sky, giving a rejuvenating morning in the woods. The cold breeze of the spring wind caressed every element in the forest. As the chirping of the birds resounded and the boughs bowed down and greeted, Dae Wong and his men woke up. They ate, washed up, and prepared for their journey.
Traveling in a single line, Dae Wong being sandwiched by two nangdos, the group successfully passed through Jinju District. Perhaps luck has been on their side—their prayers have worked enough! Yay! The venomous snakes of the forest seemed to be afraid of getting close to them.
Two hours—time left before they reach the village of Anju. Tick-tock, tick-tock.
After going through the last set of green towering canopies from Jinju District, their eyes laid sight on the sea of grass on a vast prairie. The once sweet chlorophyll flavors of the trees kissed their nostrils goodbye as they were seduced by the comforting fragrance of the green dancers. The golden-brown troupe swayed elegantly, following the direction of the wind from the sky-spearing blue mountain from afar.
As they enjoyed the magnificent view of the prairie, the horse at the back suddenly twitched its body upward and whinnied loudly, causing the nangdo to fall.
"What happened?" Dae Wong turned his horse back. The other nangdo pointed his finger to the tail of a snake slithering quickly to the tall grasses.
"There! A snake!"
Everyone was startled. The minister ordered to look for any wounds. Unfortunately, one of them found two small circular holes on the equine's right leg. Having a hint of an obvious outcome, the minister still ordered the two nangdos to get a piece of cloth to cover the wound.
Too late! The horse fell completely to the ground, waiting for its pitiful demise. Despite feeling sorry for the poor animal, he commanded his men to leave the horse and distribute their things to the two remaining alive horses. The minister sighed out of frustration—but what could they do aside from moving forward? Time was running like a flash flood. If they did not beat it, they would be in great danger. With this unfortunate random event, the Heavens truly tested their determination.
~~•~~
As the minister contemplated his mission, the King, back in the palace, was greeted by a rough morning. He had no memory of a good sleep since the start of the preparations for the solar eclipse. Regularly uneasy, continuously pestered by nightmares. He did not perceive the sun's rays as something that gives light to the whole palace, for he had been living in a place full of darkness.
He rose from his bed timidly, making himself ready for another tough day. Prominent eye bags hung low from his weary eyes. Slipping his feet into the wool slippers, he heard Yeol's voice, asking for an audience early in the morning. He wondered what could that be for it has been a long time since he visited personally. Approving the request, he straightened his robe and sat at his receiving table.
"Minister Yeol, what can I do for you this morning?" his voice cracked, together with a streak of phlegm.
The old minister bowed, paying respect, "I came here to talk about the Queen. Can I have a moment with you, Your Majesty?"
He responded with a weak smile and offered his father-in-law a seat. "Of course, jangin eorun. Come here."
Yeol grabbed a chair and sat in front of the King. A blue hue was concealed underneath his wrinkled face. The minister did not come to talk about the kingdom's finances or whatsoever. Right in that instance, he was not a noble nor a council member—a simple person with a simple wish. He came to have a heart to heart talk with his son-in-law. As a father, he was worried about the Queen's sensitive pregnancy. News regarding the twins had traveled to him easily, like a blowing wind in the vast ocean.
"I am truly worried about her condition, Your Majesty. Ever since I have known that she's not just carrying one child, I've been anxious and restless."
"I know how it feels. It's a mixture of emotions. Excitement, love, and fear. I am curious about what my children would look like. Whose eyes would they take after? Those thoughts—I'm sure you've experienced those, jangin eorun. But in her case, we have to consider another factor. If I could just control the time, I would make her give birth right now—as in right now! So that it won't coincide with the eclipse."
Yeol pursed his lips, channeling his sympathy for the King's situation. "I can see in your eyes that you're not sure about your declaration. You're still hoping deep inside that the eclipse won't happen."
"Yes. Matter of fact, we have the almanac—the one the Head Priestess uses—and Dae Wong is now on his way to find the monk who can read it for us. Once he's back, we can finally know the truth. We can plan everything accordingly; we can fix anything. I have to bet. I have to trust a little. I'm truly sorry that I didn't listen from you before. I was a blinded fool. I didn't accept accusations unless there's evidence."
After a sigh, Yeol nodded and acknowledge his son-in-law's apology. Somehow, he understood where the King was coming from. A ruler's action was the representation of the kingdom. Hasty movements should never have a place in a King's mindset because they could bring grave, irreversible results. His only mistake was not honoring other people's suggestions just because were they mere gut feelings. Tough job—a truly tough job balancing empirical evidence and strong instincts.
"It's not yet too late, Sire. I am sure Dae Wong is doing his best to get the truth everyone deserves. Don't carry all the burden by yourself, Your Majesty. You have us—we are here for you and the kingdom."
"Thank you, jangin eorun. Your support means everything to me."
"Like how I entrust the Queen's life in your hands, you should also trust us in doing our jobs."
"Certainly. I love them so much. I will protect your daughter and your grandchildren." Jae Joong smiled and held the warm hands of his father-in-law.
"My deepest gratitude, Sire, for understanding the sentiments of a father."
~~•~~
As the sun's crown of light continued to color the crystal-blue skies, Chil Yook's group had reached the same spot in the prairie where Dae Wong had stopped. He saw a palace horse lying dead on the prairie ground. One of his nangdos went down and inspected the animal.
"Gukseon, this is indeed a palace horse. It died only a few hours ago."
"Is that so? Let's go. They haven't gone that far yet. Hurry!"
Scanning through the horse's body, Chil Yook's drive intensified. The hungry flies circling the dead creature fueled his desire. I could catch you, Dae Wong. I will! He gripped the whip and lashed his horse as if it was the true enemy.
After hours of travel, the mysterious images of Anju Village finally revealed itself. It was the least improved place in the kingdom, but the most spectacular in terms of nature. Each color of the trees, the leaves, the mountains, and the streams were vividly crisp and vibrant. Sweet scents of pine trees filled the entire village, tingling their nostrils. If there was one thing exciting on this long trip, it was the exposure to a lot of natural fragrances. Sweet, cottony, dewy, and minty—all in one, mixed properly creating an olfactory harmony. It could entice and hypnotize any stranger passersby. Stay. Don't go. Live in peace in Anju.
People were joyful and lively, away from the stress and pressures of the capital. Genuine smiles and truthful words—the trademark of this paradise on Earth.
Dae Wong's group went to the public market, where a lot of people were concentrated in the morning. Lesser noise, fresher products. Roaming around, they asked where they could find a small temple. People were inconsistent with their directions because of their busy schedules. Some were even confused about which temple.
Unbeknownst to them, Chil Yook's group had managed to get to the marketplace as well. They also started asking directions about this small temple, where a multi-language literate abbot was allegedly living.
"Excuse me, do you know where to find a small Buddhist temple in the forest?" one of the Grand Marshal's nangdos asked.
"Temple? Which temple? I think we have three temples in the forest," a random seller answered respectfully.
Scratching his head, the nangdo looked at Chil Yook and shook his head. The Grand Marshal signaled him to continue asking, "So, where are these temples located?"
"My apologies for I do not know. I am new here. All I know is that there are three."
A sign of displeasure embossed on Chil Yook's entire visage. He ordered to continue asking other people. If turning the whole place upside down would make him find answers, he would certainly do it.
~~•~~
Meanwhile, Dae Wong's group rested outside a small tavern. They had tied their horses in a wooden post outside as they waited for their food. One of his nangdos complained, his voice matching the buzzing of the people's chatter. "My Lord, this is exhausting. Those villagers seemed to have no idea where this temple is."
"Enough with your grousing! Remember, we have come this far. We don't want this to end up like nothing," Dae Wong reproached. He drank his water, placed in a wooden container, and savored it up until the last drop.
The other nangdo, who was standing near the horses, chuckled, hearing his colleague's rants while chewing the last loaf of his packed bread. When the two had received their to-go food from the tavern owner, they stood and walked to their horses.
Out of a sudden, a random bearded man, who seemed like an unstable beggar stumped beside them. The nangdo, who was carrying the food, frowned in disgust. But just like a stealthing falcon, the bearded man suddenly snatched their food and dashed away.
"Hey! Thief!"
They untied their horses and mounted quickly to chase the crazy beggar.
"Out of the way, out of the way!"
Everyone in the market panicked and screamed with the loud stomps of the horses—as if the ground shook because of a strong earthquake. Some exchanged chatter regarding the beggar, who once again stole food from travelers. Was there a single place in the kingdom where there were no gossipers?
From afar, as Chil Yook's group continued asking shoppers, one of his nangdos noticed the slight rumpus, "Grand Marshal, there seemed to be a commotion there!"
Chil Yook cocked his head, stretching his neck in curiosity. He was shocked when he saw a palace horse, "Idiot! That's a palace horse. That's them!"
They quickly lashed their horses and chased Dae Wong's group.
~~•~~
The beggar ran quickly to the forest. He was swift, slick and agile like a monkey. He ran through the pine trails, crossed a flowing stream, and swung on hanging vines. After some time, his luck and vigor ran out. Then eventually, he was overtaken by the horses. One of the nangdos jumped out of the horse and pinned the beggar down, "You knave! How dare you snatch our food?" he yelled.
Instead of resisting, the beggar grinned and laughed. The nangdo was about to smack the beggar's face, for he was insulted. But out of the blue, an old bald man wearing a simple brown robe and beads of necklace saw what they did and approached them quickly.
"Please stop. Spare him please," the bald man requested calmly.
"We need to teach this beggar a lesson. He's a thief. Please stay out of this," the other nangdo contradicted.
"He is my friend. Let me teach him a lesson in my own way. I'll take responsibility. Come—as a sign of apology, I would like to offer you a drink at my house."
The nangdos looked at Dae Wong, and the minister nodded in approval. They released the beggar, and the bearded man ran to his bald friend and clung to his arms like they were father and son. Dae Wong's group followed them to their house and discovered that they were living in a small temple hidden in the forest.
"This is my little home," the bald man smiled.
"Seriously? Wow! I guess this is it... the one that we have been looking for," one of the nangdos said.
They were bewildered at the small yet meticulously-crafted temple. Inside, the resonance of the ringing golden bell brought shivers down their spines. So holy, so divine.
The crazy beggar turned out to be a blessing in disguise on their long trip.
"Let's go inside," the bald man offered.
Upon entering the temple, they saw a golden Buddha statue surrounded by food offerings. The bald man led them to a small room at the back. Dimly lit with red scented candles. A few ancient furniture and relics which looked alive and anytime could move. At the center, there was a small table, which the monk offered them to sit.
Without any hesitation, Dae Wong proceeded to confirm his inference.
"Uhm, excuse me. Thank you for taking us in. I just want to ask. If you live in this temple, perhaps you're a monk. Am I right?"
The bald man just smiled. He gave them water and offered them some food.
Dae Wong was somehow convinced that he might be the monk they were looking for. He stood and introduced himself, "I am Park Dae Wong, the second rank minister of the Silla Kingdom. I have heard that there is a monk living in a small temple in Anju who is a multi-language literate. The King commanded me to look for him to read this almanac that I have. This is for the upcoming eclipse prediction. Could you help us?"
The bald man bowed and chuckled, "I am amazed that I am quite famous. Well yes, Your Lordship, I am a monk, and yes also—I can read and understand many languages. Let's see if I could help you. Do you mind if I look into that almanac?"
Dae Wong handed the book, and the moment the monk had laid his eyes on the first page, he smiled. A positive response. "Oh, this is a combination of Gokturks and Tang. This is a complicated language but still, I can understand."
"Thank Heavens!"
"Could you give me at least an hour to fully understand the content?"
"Sure. Take your time, please."
The monk sat at the table and started perusing each page. At some moments, Dae Wong could not help but steal random glances at the monk, just to check if there were any problems. It was the longest hour of his life. He felt every single vibration, every single breath, and every fluttering sound of the pages. His heart growled like a wolf who was shot by a hunter every time the monk's forehead folded.
After waiting for about an hour, the monk stood and gave the almanac back.
"So, have you found out anything?" Would there be an eclipse? If yes, what time? Please tell me!"
The monk bowed his head, biting his lips.
"Tell me, please!" Dae Wong shook the monk's shoulders. His fingers trembled in fear, denying an obvious, unspoken result.
"There must be a mistake, right? Tell me, now!"
"I'm sorry, Your Lordship. I've tried," whispered the monk.
Dae Wong almost had a breakdown. He almost fell on the floor; good thing a nangdo held his arm. But instead of wallowing on the pits of despair, he forced himself to rise to his senses. Given enough travel time, he could still tell the King everything he has discovered.
"Goodness! We are in great trouble!"
Rubbing his fingers on his temples while pacing back and forth, the minister asked the monk the fastest way to the marketplace. "Where is the shortest path back to the market?"
"Follow the pine trail. When you already passed the stream, turn left. You will be a few paces away from the market."
"This can't be! We should inform the King before he makes an announcement to the public!"
"Lady Jang, you fooled us!"
__________
NOTES:
Jangin eorun (장인 어른) - formal Korean term used by men to address their father-in-law.