There was an argument in court. The king was sited in all his majesty on the dragon throne as he looked down on the left and right officials of his court arguing to arrive at a verdict. Of course, his word was the final say, but the ministers were to guide him in making a decision.
The both side of the court seemed to be having a contrasting opinion about the matter on ground, and because it was a delicate issue that involved the life of his people, the king needed the wisdom of his court officials to make a final decision, one that would be the best. But the men before him did not seem to understand how delicate the matter before them was. They were more concerned with getting their points across and making sure that the king heeded to their own side, rather than considering the lives of the people involved in the matter. The king knew this. He could see through them even though they were disguising their hunger for acknowledgement and relevance in court, as concern for the people. It was, as it always was in this court, a power tussle between the two sides.
The king sighed in disappointment as he watched the men continue to make a mess of themselves. Then he turned to look at chief state councilor Choi Sang Yu, who stood on his left hand side, aside from the other officers. With his brows, the king communicated his disappointment in the officials to the chief state councilor Choi, who was also his closest friend, advisor and father to the queen. Chief state councilor Choi shrugged helplessly in response to the king, and the king went back to watching the men argue.
A plague had broken out in a small village at the outskirt of the capital. The plague was threatening to wipe out the people there, and the village had no physicians to treat them. The people had asked for the king to send them help, medicine and physicians to treat them. None of the local physicians were willing to risk going to the village, as the plague seemed to be an alien one, so they did not know how to treat it. The argument was caused by the king's consideration to send royal physicians and medicine from the royal infirmary to the plagued area.
One side of the royal court argued that it was too much of a risk to send in precious royal physicians to the village without knowing the nature of the plague. They suggested that local physicians should be sent to the affected area first, so that they could understand what the disease was like. While the other side of the court were of the opinion that it was no use wasting precious medicine, time and medicine skills on the unproductive people of the village. They reported that the area was more of a liability to the kingdom, which made no form of contribution whatsoever, to the development of the land and people. But instead, these parts harbored thieves and doers of mischief. So they suggested that the entire village be sealed off and for the people to be left to their fate as a good number of them were criminals who deserved the fate of the heavens. If they happened to make it through the plague and survived, then it was the will of the gods. But if they did not survive it, then it was good riddance. This led to an argument within the court as the sides opposed each other.
The king watched the men pointing fingers at themselves and howling till their voices reached the high ceilings of the throne room. In all the commotion, the king's eyes fell on a single man at the distant end on the left side of the court. His hands were crossed over his belt as he stood there quietly, not watching the commotion as his eyes remained fixed to the space in front of him. It was Secretary Kim Soo Ro, a low ranking official who had begun to get the king's attention in recent times, for his distinctive personality and ideologies, so unlike the other Officials from his side of the court. Secretary Kim Soo Ro was nothing like his clans men, the king had been rightly informed by chief state councilor Choi, when he asked for details on the gentleman. The men from the Kim clan were often proud and scheming and hungry for all the power they could get, but secretary Kim Soo Ro was a completely different man. He had earned his place in court purely by scholarly excellence and hard work. Secretary Kim Soo Ro was mostly on his own as most of the officials from his side did not like to associate with him due to his strict principles and beliefs. He was mostly the odd one out in court, neither with his people nor with the other. His principle was clear as he would often say,
"I stand only for my king, for the land and the people."
This made most of the officials from both side of the court dislike him.
The king watched Kim Soo Ro as the commotion continued. The man did not seem interested in all the opinions that the other ministers were expressing. He appeared to be thinking deeply. Then the king put his hand up and a hush fell in the throne room. A moment of silence passed as the ministers adjusted themselves and relaxed into their positions. Then the king called out.
"Left secretary Kim Soo Ro."
Kim Soo Ro looked up in surprise as every eyes in court immediately turned on him.
"Your majesty!" Kim Soo Ro cried as he stepped forward and bowed his head.
"I see that you do not have much to say in all the argument." The king began. "Tell me, what do you think could be done in this case?" He asked.
A murmur of disbelief spread through the officials, then a hush fell as the court waited to hear secretary Kim Soo Ro reply.
Kim Soo Ro stood still, a little confused and a little flustered, in the midst of the court. He was still surprised that the king had called him out directly. He had never expected it. Only the high ranking officials got the recognition of the king and enjoyed the grace of being asked about their opinion in court. It was a surprise that the king would single out a low ranking official like himself.
When he had taken time to comport himself, he cleared his throat and began.
"Your majesty, if I may speak from my mind." He said.
"Please do. I asked to hear from your mind, go on." The king replied.
"My king. It is true that it would be too much of a risk to send in the royal physicians without learning the situation well, and it is also true that this area is mostly occupied by criminals and evil doers. But then my king, the people there are also your people, just like every other person in this city. They deserve the same care and attention that the people here in the capital enjoy. There are criminals among them who deserve the curse of the heavens, but there are also families who just want to make a decent living. I found my daughter a maid from that town, and I know that many of us here have maids and servants who still have families living in that town." Kim Soo Ro paused, and another murmur spread through the court. But it died down as quickly as the first. Then he continued. "My king, it will be inhumane to seal off the area and let them die, but it will also be rash to send in royal physicians. So I suggest that you send out a decree to the local physicians, commanding them to attend to the sick. You may send a royal physician who is well skilled in discerning novel diseases along with them, to study the plague, and you may provide all the protection they will need. Send them some medicine and food too. Then have the military seal off the area so that no one goes in or comes out, to contain the plague and avoid the spread of the disease to the capital. The physicians can figure out a cure while learning the plague. This is my humble submission your majesty." Kim Soo Ro concluded as he bowed his head again.
A smile touched the king's lips as he nodded his head in satisfaction. He looked through the court as the other officials hung their heads low. Then he turned to chief state councilor Choi.
"Chief state councilor, what do you think." The king asked. Chief state councilor Choi bowed his head before he replied.
"Your majesty, I think that secretary Kim has spoken wisely. The well being of your people must always remain the priority. Your majesty." He bowed.
The king kept nodding.
"You think so?" He asked. "I think so too. Secretary Kim has spoken well and that is what we shall do." The king declared. "Left state councilor Kim Woo Shik, I will leave you in charge of this development."
The left state councilor looked up at the king, then he bowed his head.
"As you wish, Your majesty!" He cried in obedience.
The court proceeded in peace after this, with none of the ministers in a good mood to argue or try to air their opinions anymore, as they remained sore for the rest of the meeting. The king had snubbed their suggestions and submissions, and instead, he had listened to a low ranking official.
Left state councilor Kim Woo Shik was especially enraged by this move, and he continued to seethe in anger. He felt insulted by this. For one, he was the nephew of the queen dowager and he was also cousin to the first senior consort of the king. If anyone deserved attention in court, it was him. Yet, the king kept ignoring him. He would rather listen to his father in law, the chief state councilor Choi. And now, the king was listening to a common low ranking official over him? Left state councilor Kim Woo Shik gritted his teeth in anger.
When the meeting came to an end and the ministers filed out of the throne room, chief state councilor Choi remained behind to have a few friendly words with the king as he often did.
"That secretary Kim Soo Ro, he is a something, isn't he?" The king said, still beaming with satisfaction from the response Kim Soo Ro had given. He was more impressed by the way the man had composed himself and spoken sincerely, straight from his heart.
"Yes your highness, he is." Councilor Choi agreed. "He is one of a kind."
The king nodded in agreement, but then he noticed the distant look on councilor Choi's face.
"You look like you have something else on your mind. What is it?" He asked.
Councilor Choi hesitated, then he heaved a heavy sigh before he said.
"Your majesty, the ministers are curious."
"About?" The king asked. Councilor Choi hesitated again.
"Ever since the coronation of the crown prince, there has been expectations for a royal marriage." He said at last.
The king laughed.
"Chief state councilor Choi. It is no surprise. It has been a long time coming, actually. I have been expecting it for a while now." He said. "I am surprised that no one has mentioned it in court just yet." He laughed again.
"They are being careful, my lord. The officials seem to understand how sensitive you are towards the selection of the women of the inner court, especially after the case of your father, the last king." Councilor Choi said.
"Then they are wise." The king said and he laughed again. "You look like you have more to say." He asked again.
"Yes my king. The Kim clan seem to be expecting that the next queen would be coming from their side." Councilor said. "You know they expect it from you as a sign of forgiveness, and to show that you are not punishing them for the crime of the traitor, just because he happened to have been from their clan. And now that the prince has come of age and the selection is still being delayed, they fear that you may have made up your mind differently." He explained.
The king was silent for a moment. Then he spoke.
"They should not fret. I already made the decision that the next queen will be from the Kim clan, as a sign of my forgiveness, and because I want to show them that I will not let a grudge divide my court. I will give them a queen, but then I will do so in my own time and on my own terms." He smiled.
Just then, Im Seok Jun, the king's personal guard, walked in to give the king a report and chief state councilor Choi excused himself.
As he stepped into the courtyard, councilor Choi found secretary Kim Soo Ro standing before the left state councilor and a number of other high ranking officials. As he approached them, Kim Soo Ro bowed to the men and walked away.
"That little... How dare he?" One of the ministers lamented.
"Who does he think he is? Acting all high and mighty! Just because the king asked for his opinion today?" Another said.
They appeared to have had a disagreement with secretary Kim Soo Ro.
Another person was beginning to say something again when left state councilor Kim Woo Shik turned around and saw councilor Choi approaching them.
"Chief state councilor Choi." He saluted aloud, bowing his head. The other officials bowed their heads too.
"Left state councilor Kim." Councilor Choi responded. "Congratulations on your newly assigned duty, and I trust that you will have no problem in executing the kings command."
"It is an honor to serve at the king's command, my lord." Left state minister Kim replied. "If the heavens will it, we shall have this trouble off our hands in no time. And then, hopefully, we shall have a lot to celebrate. Dare I say that it would be the perfect time for a royal wedding?" Councilor Kim said, smirking wickedly. The chief state councilor smiled, and looking councilor Kim in the eyes, he said.
"If the heavens will it." Then he turned and began to walk away, grinning from ear to ear. "Have a nice day councilor Kim." He waved to them and walked away.
The small group of officials glared after the chief state councilor as he walked away.
"One day, I will wipe that smug smile off your face." Kim Woo Shik said under his breath as he grounded his teeth.
As chief state councilor Choi approached the palace gates, he crossed paths with prince Wulsung, the oldest son of the king by the first senior consort. The prince was returning to the palace. He was dressed in a simple gray garment, and he had his hair styled in the way of the commoners, so the councilor knew immediately that he was returning from one of his numerous outings in disguise.
Prince Wulsung had been frequenting outside the walls of the palace recently, and no one knew where he was often off to. But nobody bothered him. His father, the king, had confided in councilor Choi that he had no problem with prince Wulsung's new interest in exploring beyond the walls of the palace.
"The boy doesn't seem to have any interest in the affairs of state. He doesn't seem to be built for the royal life, even though he has my blood running in his veins. He has his peculiar passions and interests, and they are all completely and sincerely apolitical." The king had said. "Good for him. I have no problem with what he choose to do with his time. He should continue to live in his peace like that, I must let him be. I was going to get him married, but he doesn't seem interested just yet. I will wait for him until he is ready, then I will get him properly settled."
Prince Wulsung looked up and saw the chief state councilor approaching.
"Chief state councilor Choi!" He said, bowing to councilor Choi.
"Your highness." Councilor Choi bowed. "I see you've been about." He said.
Prince Wulsung smiled slightly, but the smile didn't seem to touch his eyes. His face barely ever hosted any sincere smile, but he was a sweet man beneath the cool exterior.
"Yes sir." He nodded. Then he quickly added. "I will be off then."
He walked away before councilor Choi could even acknowledge his last statement. It wasn't surprising. Prince Wulsung wasn't one for very many words.
Councilor Choi smiled to himself as he continued on his way.