Yoon Shik was writing on his notebook when Ro Sang Pil spilled the ink over his notebook intentionally. Yoon Shik's clothes got dirty and not only that the notes he had made were covered in the black ink. The bandages over his hands also got inked.
"How dare you throw this ink at Yoon Shik?" Ro Sang Pil asked his servant angrily who had given the ink pot in Ro Sang Pil's hand but he started blaming him. "Master, I handed you the inkpot," the servant told Ro Sang Pil.
"How dare you argue with your master. You filthy lowly," shouted Ro Sang Pil at the servant and kicked him such that the servant fell on the wooden floor. "You need some beating," Ro Sang Pil stated as he glanced at Yoon Shik because he was trying to provoke him.
The other students in the hall looked at him and started whispering with each other. The servant sat on his knees, lowering his head in front of Ro Sang Pil. "Master, forgive this lowly," the servant said as he bowed his head in front of Ro Sang Pil.
Yoon Shik stood up his seat and then glared at Ro Sang Pil. "I think your hands are losing its strength that's why could not able to grab the inkpot tightly. You love to blame others for your own mistakes, right? How lowly of you!" Yoon Shik sarcastically stated and went to the servant who was still on his knees. Yoon Shik made the servant get up. "Master, forgive me," the servant stated.
"You did not do anything so, do not apologize," Yoon Shik humble told the servant. "You may go," Yoon Shik said when he saw the fear in servant's eyes. "No one can punish you when you did not do anything. Go," Yoon Shik proclaimed. Chan Sul chuckled seeing Yoon Shik's generosity.
Yoon Shik turned to Ro Sang Pil who was infuriated by Yoon Shik's words. "How dare you use 'lowly' word for me?" Ro Sang Pil asked and threw a fist towards Yoon Shik but he caught it.
"I did not mention your name. It is your fault that you assumed yourself a lowly," Yoon Shik replied to him and pushed him off. Yoon Shik then turned and left the hall to change the clothes.
Ro Sang Pil went back to his seat. "Did you see how high he is flying after getting the support of Do Yeong," muttered Ro Sang Pil, looking at Chan Sul and Wang Wook.
Chan Sul smirked. "Soon he will know his place, Ro Sang Pil. He will know that lowly like him shall not dare their voice against us. Just wait and watch. Tomorrow he will be thrown out of Sungkyunkwan," asserted Chan Sul and gave a wicked smile to Ro Sang Pil.
Yoon Shik after changing his clothes and bandages on hands, left for the study hall. He saw Cheung Shin coming towards him with Master Choi. He recalled the last night incident and shook his head. "Master Shin. Master Choi," Yoon Shik greeted them when Cheung Shin.
They accepted Yoon Shik's greetings and walked past him. Yoon Shik turned and look at Cheung Shin who was talking- laughing with Master Choi. "Is she really a spy? Taking identity of a man is not easy… it feels like she is trained in all this. That day also those masked men were after her which clearly depict that she is not someone who should be trusted easily," thought Yoon Shik when someone tapped on his shoulder.
He came out of his thoughts and found Sunwo there. "What happened? Do you also think same like me?" Sunwo asked Yoon Shik.
"About what?" Yoon Shik queried them.
"That Master Shin looks like a girl," Sunwo asserted.
Yoon Shik chuckled and hit from the back of his palm at Sunwo's chest. "What are you saying? How can he be a girl? Moreover, a women entry is prohibited here. Do you really think a woman will endanger her life coming here?" Yoon Shik questioned him and laughed.
"My intuitions are never wrong. I can smell women's scent from afar," Sunwo asserted, looking at Yoon Shik.
"Then your intuitions are wrong," Yoon Shik proclaimed.
"Why are you defending him? It seems like you know something. Tell me," Sunwo stated and opened his fan.
"Why would I defend Master Shin? I'm just stating the fact. Let's go. We might get late for the next class," Saying this Yoon Shik walked ahead while Sunwo followed him up.
~~~~~~~~
"So, they are planning something?" Sunwo asked from Sung Tae.
"Yes. I think they have planned something big against Yoon Shik this time. You must beware him," Sung Tae suggested who was on his bed in a lying position, his one leg was over the other.
"Umm….well, you shall tell him himself," Sunwo proclaimed as he sat on the bed.
"I don't want to. My equation with him is not good," Sung Tae replied.
"Then make it good," Sunwo said with a chuckle. "By the way, you should ask them then about the plan. I think the warming of Yeong-aa had no affect on Chan Sul. He has guts to really plan something against Yoon Shik when he clearly knows if he would be caught then Yeong-aa won't spare him," stated Sunwo.
"Sunwo, You also know that there is no use if Yeong-aa supports Yoon Shik. His father has an upper hand over him so, it is of no use. Once his father will know about this then its an end for both of them. A lower born cannot change anything instead he will lose at every step. I do not know why Yoon Shik cannot understand this simple thing.
His stubborn attitude towards us will make him regret. Yeong-aa does not involve himself so much with him. There will be a time when no one among you will help Yoon Shik because of your fathers." Sung Tae pronounced.
Yoon Shik who just came there happened to hear their conversation. He did not want to go in so, he left from there.
"But, then you will help him. Moreover, you should not think so much negative things. What if everyone starts supporting him?" Sunwo queried Sung Tae.
"It will never happen and I am not thinking negative. Do you remember the slaughter of Hwang Family years ago?" Sung Tae asked Sunwo.
"Yes. But, how Yoon Shik is related to them? Hwang family was the most respected upper class family in Joseon. I heard some bandits attacked them as their house was in a quite isolated area," asserted Sunwo.
"No. I heard abeoji saying that it was because the head of the family was against the wrong policies put forwarded in the court by some ministers.
Other than that, he was kind of spy to his majesty and someone found out about this. He was going to submit the evidence the next day to his majesty but before he could him, the previous night he was brutally killed along with his entire family. No one could escape," stated Sung Tae with a worried look.
"How come I never found out this?" Sunwo muttered.
"It is highly confidential thing in Joseon. Father was talking about this with mother years ago when I happened to hear it. Till this date, no one could find out who was behind such a big men slaughtering? They all say it was because of bandits but it wasn't," Sung Tae asserted.
"So, you are comparing Yoon Shik with late Minister Hwang Man- Su? Like even I heard he was the most righteous man in Joseon and most favorable minister of his majesty," stated Sunwo.
"Yes. Yoon Shik is just too righteous. 'Straight trees are cut first'- this is the governing rule in the society. That's why I always tell him to keep quiet.
Who knows if someone hurts his family? We are here and at such a time he should not even bother about upper class men taunts because his father and sister are leaving alone with no safety. It won't even take a second to kill them and I am telling you no one will help him… no one."
Upon hearing Sung Tae words, Sunwo to some extent realized that he was right. Sunwo frowned because he never thought the other way for Yoon Shik.
"I just wish now that nothing would happen to Yoon Shik tomorrow. You said a very big thing and I will share this with Yoon Shik," Sunwo stated. Sung Tae gave a nod when his servant came there with a tray in his hand on which a porcelain bowl was placed with fruits inside that. Both Sunwo and Sung Tae stopped talking after that.