Chereads / The Rise of a Scholar / Chapter 19 - In the Palace- Part 1

Chapter 19 - In the Palace- Part 1

Yoon Shik in the morning got ready to leave for the palace. "Appa, look Orabani is looking like a royal person in these silk clothes," said Hani with happiness. Jang Shiwo agreed with her and said, "Indeed you are looking like a scholar in these clothes." Hani was making a bun of Yoon Shik's hair. She picked the hairpin from the table and put it inside the bun to keep it intact at its place. Yoon Shik looked at himself in the mirror.

"I am looking different," murmured Yoon Shik with a smile, as he looked at the mirror.

"You are looking handsome. I am telling you the palace girls are going to fall for you," asserted Hani with a broad smile. Shiwo lightly hit at her back. "Ahh, Appa, why are you hitting me?" Hani complained, looking at him.

"You must say that entire kingdom girl will fall for our Yoon," said Shiwo with a smile.

"Abeoji," muttered Yoon. "At least you should not tease me," said Yoon.

"Orabani, quickly eat breakfast. In a while guards will come to take you to Chonjang's house," stated Hani and walked outside the room to bring food for him. "Abeoji, I will leave for Sungkyunkwan right after the ceremony will be ended in the palace," declared Yoon Shik.

"Hmm. When will you get leave?" Jang Shiwo questioned.

"I do not know- maybe once in a month. You can come to visit me there," stated Yoon Shik when Hani opened the door and came inside. Sitting on the mattress she put the tray on the table and told Yoon to quickly eat his breakfast. Yoon Shik thanked her and started eating. As he was eating, Dae Jung came there and called his name from outside. Hani ran outside and told him not to shout in the early morning.

"I am elder to you. You should call me Orabani," asserted Dae Jung.

"Huh? You look like a kid to me," stated Hani and crossed her arms.

"What? Well, I do not want to ruin my mood in this pleasant morning," said Dae Jung and looked at the blue sky. He then looked at Hani and asked about Yoon. Jang Shiwo came out and told him to sit on the wooden bench there.

"Ahjussi, thank you but I am in hurry. Where is Yoon Shik? I went to the market when I saw the candidates who have passed the exam are going to the palace. Yoon Shik should hurry too," asserted Dae Jung when Yoon Shik came out. He had finished his breakfast and went to the kitchen. After a minute, he came out when Dae Jung went to him and excitedly hugged him. "Aish! You are looking like a son from the noble class," Dae Jung stated and pulled away.

"Indeed I am from the noble class," said Yoon. The trio looked at Yoon in confusion. "I mean you all make me a noble. I am happy to have you all in my life," asserted Yoon and smiled broadly. Hani and Dae Jung too smiled upon hearing this. The royal guards came there. Village headman, Dong Hyun was also with them when he told Yoon Shik to come out.

Yoon Shik quickly hugged Hani. "Do not miss me. Take care of Abeoji and do not stay outside till late," whispered Yoon in her ear.

"Orabani, do not worry about me. I will take care of everything. Take care of yourself and make many friends in the academy," said Hani and patted Yoon's back. Yoon was not ready to leave his sister behind when Jang Shiwo told him that Royal guards are waiting for him, so he should leave. Yoon pulled away and then hugged his father who caressed his head. Pulling away he went to Dae Jung who stepped back which confused him.

"I am coming to the palace with you. Then I will see you off till the academy," stated Dae Jung.

"Then I will go too," said Hani.

"No, you cannot. You should not enter palace ground," said Jang Shiwo.

"Appa," mumbled Hani when Yoon Shik made her understand and told her not to be adamant. Hani nodded and told Yoon Shik to go as he had already wasted so much time. Yoon Shik waved at his sister and father, then, left from there along with the village headman, Dong Hyun, and his friend, Dae Jung. As they were walking Yoon Shik asked him why did he came there when he was coming there.

"I thought it would be better to come there," stated Dong Hyun.

"I always wanted to see the palace. Today, my dream will come true," said Dae Jung excitedly.

"I have seen only two times. Even Chungin class are not allowed to go there," asserted Dong Hyun. The Royal guard told them to walk fast as they were far away from the palace. The trio nodded and increased the walking speed. An hour later, they reached outside the palace.

"Wonderful!" Dae Jung complimented seeing the huge entrance of the palace. They saw that many upperclassmen were coming, some in horse carts, some in open palanquins (with no roofs), and some by foot (who lives near the palace). "Yoon Shik, I am getting nervous seeing all of them," whispered Dae Jung to which Yoon slightly smiled.

"Yoon, I have to make entries of our name in the record book. You two go inside," stated Dong Hyun. Yoon and Dae Jung nodded. The guard let them enter as the royal guard with him told him to do so.

As they walked ahead, a person hit Yoon Shik and he fell to the ground. His clothes got dirty. "Yoon Shik," Dae Jung and Dong Hyun called him at the same time. Dae Jung helped him in getting up. He turned to see who hit him when he saw Sung Tae was on an open palanquin and he was got hit by a servant who was carrying the wooden palanquin along with others. Yoon Shik did not want to ruin his mood so got aside when the palanquin stopped there. Sung Tae walked down the palanquin. The noblemen who were passing by him were greeting him by bowing his head but the person he wanted to bow before him was Yoon Shik who was glaring at him right into his eyes.

He walked towards him. Seeing him the royal guard bowed his head. Dae Jung also did the same. Sung Tae stopped an inch away from Yoon Shik. "Do you not think you are forgetting something?" Sung Tae questioned.

"No, I do not think so," replied Yoon Shik in a serious tone.

"All are bowing their head in front of me because they know I am the son of the nation's prime minister. You should show respect towards me," declared Sung Tae.

"When you will be the one like your father, I will willingly bow before you to show my respect towards you, but, right now, you and I are same- in the same boat," stated Yoon Shik with a smile.

"Yoon Shik, I am not in that boat." Sung Tae said firmly.

"Sung Tae, you are in the same boat as me. I do not know why you are so interested in accepting a bow from me," said Yoon Shik, glaring at him. Sung Tae felt humiliated, and he opened his mouth to speak more when Park Sunwo came there.

"Sung Tae, you are looking good. From where did you purchase this silk? It grabbed my attention from far away," said Sunwo with a smile and touched his robe. Sung Tae slapped off his hand and walked away from there in anger.

"Why is he angry?" murmured Sunwo and opened his fan. He then turned to Yoon and Dae Jung, who smiled seeing him. "You are looking like a noble in these clothes. That is why it is said that a good dress can turn you into a pretty-handsome man," asserted Sunwo and complimented Yoon Shik. Yoon Shik smiled and told him that they should go. Sunwo gave a nod, and they walked from there.